Electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Electricity generation from hydropower was 5.55 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
5.55 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
67th
of 215 countries
All-time high
6.88 terawatt-hours
in 2020
All-time low
0.0101 terawatt-hours
in 1920
Years of data
106
1920–2025
Electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom, 1920–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom is 5.55 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom peaked at 6.88 terawatt-hours in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0101 terawatt-hours, in 1920.
That places United Kingdom 67th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 0.0101 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1921 | 0.0101 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.0131 terawatt-hours | +30.0% |
| 1923 | 0.0151 terawatt-hours | +15.4% |
| 1924 | 0.0151 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.0151 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.0313 terawatt-hours | +106.7% |
| 1927 | 0.1089 terawatt-hours | +248.4% |
| 1928 | 0.1371 terawatt-hours | +25.9% |
| 1929 | 0.3227 terawatt-hours | +135.3% |
| 1930 | 0.4195 terawatt-hours | +30.0% |
| 1931 | 0.357 terawatt-hours | -14.9% |
| 1932 | 0.3328 terawatt-hours | -6.8% |
| 1933 | 0.4679 terawatt-hours | +40.6% |
| 1934 | 0.6303 terawatt-hours | +34.7% |
| 1935 | 0.6736 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 1936 | 0.7614 terawatt-hours | +13.0% |
| 1937 | 0.9963 terawatt-hours | +30.9% |
| 1938 | 0.9903 terawatt-hours | -0.6% |
| 1939 | 0.8067 terawatt-hours | -18.5% |
| 1940 | 0.838 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 1941 | 1.11 terawatt-hours | +32.0% |
| 1942 | 1.34 terawatt-hours | +21.1% |
| 1943 | 1.19 terawatt-hours | -11.5% |
| 1944 | 1.15 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1945 | 1.15 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
| 1946 | 1.14 terawatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 1947 | 0.8884 terawatt-hours | -21.9% |
| 1948 | 0.7251 terawatt-hours | -18.4% |
| 1949 | 1.04 terawatt-hours | +43.9% |
| 1950 | 1.7 terawatt-hours | +62.6% |
| 1951 | 1.83 terawatt-hours | +7.8% |
| 1952 | 1.9 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 1953 | 2.4 terawatt-hours | +26.1% |
| 1954 | 1.7 terawatt-hours | -29.0% |
| 1955 | 2.28 terawatt-hours | +34.0% |
| 1956 | 2.76 terawatt-hours | +21.1% |
| 1957 | 2.72 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 1958 | 2.72 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 1959 | 3.14 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 1960 | 3.87 terawatt-hours | +23.1% |
| 1961 | 3.94 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 3.67 terawatt-hours | -6.8% |
| 1963 | 4.03 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1964 | 4.64 terawatt-hours | +15.1% |
| 1965 | 4.61 terawatt-hours | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 4.88 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 1968 | 3.72 terawatt-hours | -23.8% |
| 1969 | 3.26 terawatt-hours | -12.5% |
| 1970 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | +39.3% |
| 1971 | 3.37 terawatt-hours | -25.6% |
| 1972 | 3.37 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3.84 terawatt-hours | +13.8% |
| 1974 | 4.07 terawatt-hours | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 3.84 terawatt-hours | -5.7% |
| 1976 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | +18.2% |
| 1977 | 3.95 terawatt-hours | -12.8% |
| 1978 | 4.07 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 4.3 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 3.95 terawatt-hours | -8.1% |
| 1981 | 4.42 terawatt-hours | +11.8% |
| 1982 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3.95 terawatt-hours | -12.8% |
| 1986 | 4.77 terawatt-hours | +20.6% |
| 1987 | 4.19 terawatt-hours | -12.2% |
| 1988 | 4.88 terawatt-hours | +16.7% |
| 1989 | 4.77 terawatt-hours | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 5.12 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 1991 | 4.54 terawatt-hours | -11.3% |
| 1992 | 5.35 terawatt-hours | +17.8% |
| 1993 | 4.3 terawatt-hours | -19.6% |
| 1994 | 5.12 terawatt-hours | +19.1% |
| 1995 | 4.65 terawatt-hours | -9.2% |
| 1996 | 3.4 terawatt-hours | -26.9% |
| 1997 | 4.4 terawatt-hours | +29.4% |
| 1998 | 5.12 terawatt-hours | +16.4% |
| 1999 | 5.34 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 5.09 terawatt-hours | -4.7% |
| 2001 | 4.05 terawatt-hours | -20.4% |
| 2002 | 4.79 terawatt-hours | +18.3% |
| 2003 | 3.23 terawatt-hours | -32.6% |
| 2004 | 4.84 terawatt-hours | +49.8% |
| 2005 | 4.92 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 4.59 terawatt-hours | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 5.08 terawatt-hours | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 5.14 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 5.23 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 3.59 terawatt-hours | -31.4% |
| 2011 | 5.69 terawatt-hours | +58.5% |
| 2012 | 5.31 terawatt-hours | -6.7% |
| 2013 | 4.7 terawatt-hours | -11.5% |
| 2014 | 5.89 terawatt-hours | +25.3% |
| 2015 | 6.3 terawatt-hours | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 5.37 terawatt-hours | -14.8% |
| 2017 | 5.88 terawatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 5.44 terawatt-hours | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 5.93 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 6.88 terawatt-hours | +16.0% |
| 2021 | 5.42 terawatt-hours | -21.2% |
| 2022 | 5.66 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 5.54 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 5.76 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 2025 | 5.55 terawatt-hours | -3.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 5.55 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.23 terawatt-hours, 24.1× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 5.55 terawatt-hours is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.04 terawatt-hours, 1.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | +248.4% | 0.0313 terawatt-hours | 0.1089 terawatt-hours |
| 1929 | +135.3% | 0.1371 terawatt-hours | 0.3227 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.0679 terawatt-hours | 0.0101 terawatt-hours | 0.3227 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6436 terawatt-hours | 0.3328 terawatt-hours | 0.9963 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.06 terawatt-hours | 0.7251 terawatt-hours | 1.34 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.32 terawatt-hours | 1.7 terawatt-hours | 3.14 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.12 terawatt-hours | 3.26 terawatt-hours | 4.88 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.99 terawatt-hours | 3.37 terawatt-hours | 4.54 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.45 terawatt-hours | 3.95 terawatt-hours | 4.88 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.73 terawatt-hours | 3.4 terawatt-hours | 5.35 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.7 terawatt-hours | 3.23 terawatt-hours | 5.23 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.41 terawatt-hours | 3.59 terawatt-hours | 6.3 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8 terawatt-hours | 5.42 terawatt-hours | 6.88 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More energy & mining data for United Kingdom
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 8.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom?
- Electricity generation from hydropower in United Kingdom was 5.55 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 6.88 terawatt-hours in 2020.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from hydropower recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0101 terawatt-hours in 1920.
- How does United Kingdom rank for electricity generation from hydropower?
- United Kingdom ranks 67th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 106 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.