Electricity generation from hydropower in China
China: Electricity generation from hydropower was 1,397 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electricity generation from hydropower in China, 1965–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from hydropower in China stood at 1,397 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from hydropower in China peaked at 1,397 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 19.38 terawatt-hours, in 1967.
That places China 1st out of 214 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.02 terawatt-hours | 19.38 terawatt-hours | 23.26 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 39.03 terawatt-hours | 24.04 terawatt-hours | 48.56 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.59 terawatt-hours | 58.22 terawatt-hours | 118.41 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 167.14 terawatt-hours | 124.69 terawatt-hours | 198.89 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 399.57 terawatt-hours | 222.41 terawatt-hours | 636.96 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,014 terawatt-hours | 688.04 terawatt-hours | 1,273 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,316 terawatt-hours | 1,226 terawatt-hours | 1,397 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 1.5% (2024)
- Gas production 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.5% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.4% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 59.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from hydropower in China?
- Electricity generation from hydropower in China was 1,397 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from hydropower recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1,397 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from hydropower recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.38 terawatt-hours in 1967.
- How does China rank for electricity generation from hydropower?
- China ranks 1st out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.