Primary energy use in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Primary energy use was 100.44 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
100.44 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 4.8%
World rank
85th
of 219 countries
All-time high
103.5 terawatt-hours
in 2019
All-time low
9.74 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy use in Sri Lanka, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy use in Sri Lanka is 100.44 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.8% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in Sri Lanka peaked at 103.5 terawatt-hours in 2019 and was at its lowest, 9.74 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
Sri Lanka ranks 85th of 219 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 9.74 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 10 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 10.24 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 10.56 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 10.85 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 18.31 terawatt-hours | +68.8% |
| 1971 | 18.52 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 19.46 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1973 | 20.49 terawatt-hours | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 16.81 terawatt-hours | -18.0% |
| 1975 | 17.47 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 17.08 terawatt-hours | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 18.3 terawatt-hours | +7.2% |
| 1978 | 19.01 terawatt-hours | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 19.95 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 20.12 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 21.09 terawatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 22.89 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 1983 | 23.29 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 23.12 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 21.01 terawatt-hours | -9.1% |
| 1986 | 21.87 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 23.55 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 22.43 terawatt-hours | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 21.31 terawatt-hours | -5.0% |
| 1990 | 23.73 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
| 1991 | 23.73 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 26.32 terawatt-hours | +10.9% |
| 1993 | 27.47 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 29.81 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 31.9 terawatt-hours | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 36.49 terawatt-hours | +14.4% |
| 1997 | 37.49 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 39.49 terawatt-hours | +5.4% |
| 1999 | 42.54 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 2000 | 47.27 terawatt-hours | +11.1% |
| 2001 | 45.98 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 48.32 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 48.74 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 47.91 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 55.33 terawatt-hours | +15.5% |
| 2006 | 57.75 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 60.19 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 56.07 terawatt-hours | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 57.46 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 59.48 terawatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 67.34 terawatt-hours | +13.2% |
| 2012 | 71.92 terawatt-hours | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 66.82 terawatt-hours | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 77.57 terawatt-hours | +16.1% |
| 2015 | 80.5 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 93.03 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 2017 | 99.04 terawatt-hours | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 100.47 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 103.5 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 92.86 terawatt-hours | -10.3% |
| 2021 | 95.96 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 80.53 terawatt-hours | -16.1% |
| 2023 | 86.5 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 2024 | 95.81 terawatt-hours | +10.8% |
| 2025 | 100.44 terawatt-hours | +4.8% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 100.44 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 87.51 terawatt-hours, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 100.44 terawatt-hours is above the median for South Asia, which is 76.55 terawatt-hours, 1.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +68.8% | 10.85 terawatt-hours | 18.31 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.28 terawatt-hours | 9.74 terawatt-hours | 10.85 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 18.54 terawatt-hours | 16.81 terawatt-hours | 20.49 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 22.07 terawatt-hours | 20.12 terawatt-hours | 23.55 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 31.9 terawatt-hours | 23.73 terawatt-hours | 42.54 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.5 terawatt-hours | 45.98 terawatt-hours | 60.19 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.97 terawatt-hours | 59.48 terawatt-hours | 103.5 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.02 terawatt-hours | 80.53 terawatt-hours | 100.44 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More energy & mining data for Sri Lanka
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 4.83 % 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 (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 21.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use in Sri Lanka?
- Primary energy use in Sri Lanka was 100.44 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 103.5 terawatt-hours in 2019.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.74 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for primary energy use?
- Sri Lanka ranks 85th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use. 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 of total energy supply.