Share of electricity production by source in South Africa
South Africa: Share of electricity production by source was 85.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of electricity production by source in South Africa, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 85.1% for share of electricity production by source in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity production by source in South Africa peaked at 95.0% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 85.1%, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 68th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 92.7% | 91.3% | 95.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 93.0% | 91.8% | 94.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 91.1% | 87.8% | 93.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.0% | 85.1% | 88.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 65 Burkina Faso 86.0% compare
- 66 Tonga 85.8% compare
- 67 Aruba 85.2% compare
- 69 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 85.0% compare
- 70 Dominican Republic 84.4% compare
- 71 Tuvalu 84.2% compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel exports 8.2% (2025)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 10.2% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 56.3% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity production by source in South Africa?
- Share of electricity production by source in South Africa was 85.1% in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity production by source recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 1993.
- What is the lowest share of electricity production by source recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.1% in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for share of electricity production by source?
- South Africa ranks 68th out of 208 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of electricity production by source rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity production by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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