Costa Rica vs El Salvador: Electricity Compared
Costa Rica generated 11.7 TWh of electricity in 2025 and El Salvador 6.74 TWh, according to Ember. Hydro was the largest source in both, at 82.2% in Costa Rica and 31.1% in El Salvador. Each kWh generated emitted -38 gCO2/kWh in Costa Rica and 111 gCO2/kWh in El Salvador. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.
Why this comparison: neighbours by land border or interconnector.
Key Facts
- Hydro supplied 82.2% of Costa Rica's electricity in 2025, against 31.1% in El Salvador.
- El Salvador's electricity had a carbon intensity of 111 gCO2/kWh in 2025, while Ember's published figure for Costa Rica was close to zero.
- The average person in Costa Rica used 2.42 MWh of electricity in 2025, 2.5 times as much as in El Salvador (0.98 MWh).
- Low carbon sources supplied 100.0% of Costa Rica's electricity in 2025 and 91.0% of El Salvador's.
- Electricity demand in 2025 was 11.3 TWh in Costa Rica and 6.38 TWh in El Salvador.
Key Figures, 2025
Ember annual statistics| Measure | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation | 11.7 TWh | 6.74 TWh |
| Electricity demand | 11.3 TWh | 6.38 TWh |
| Demand per person | 2.42 MWh | 0.98 MWh |
| Carbon intensity | -38 gCO2/kWh | 111 gCO2/kWh |
| Power sector emissions | -0.44 MtCO2 | 0.75 MtCO2 |
| Low carbon share | 100.0% | 91.0% |
| Largest source | Hydro 82.2% | Hydro 31.1% |
Generation Mix, 2025
Share of generation| Source | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 82.2% | 31.1% |
| Other renewables | 13.1% | 23.7% |
| Solar | 0.8% | 21.5% |
| Wind | 13.3% | 2.8% |
| Bioenergy | 0.5% | 11.9% |
| Other fossil | 0.0% | 9.0% |
Carbon Intensity, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
| Year | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31 gCO2/kWh | 308 gCO2/kWh |
| 2001 | 35 gCO2/kWh | 321 gCO2/kWh |
| 2002 | 37 gCO2/kWh | 342 gCO2/kWh |
| 2003 | 40 gCO2/kWh | 307 gCO2/kWh |
| 2004 | 31 gCO2/kWh | 330 gCO2/kWh |
| 2005 | 48 gCO2/kWh | 305 gCO2/kWh |
| 2006 | 66 gCO2/kWh | 295 gCO2/kWh |
| 2007 | 78 gCO2/kWh | 306 gCO2/kWh |
| 2008 | 73 gCO2/kWh | 268 gCO2/kWh |
| 2009 | 58 gCO2/kWh | 309 gCO2/kWh |
| 2010 | 70 gCO2/kWh | 255 gCO2/kWh |
| 2011 | 84 gCO2/kWh | 268 gCO2/kWh |
| 2012 | 80 gCO2/kWh | 288 gCO2/kWh |
| 2013 | 103 gCO2/kWh | 289 gCO2/kWh |
| 2014 | 93 gCO2/kWh | 293 gCO2/kWh |
| 2015 | 34 gCO2/kWh | 310 gCO2/kWh |
| 2016 | 38 gCO2/kWh | 307 gCO2/kWh |
| 2017 | 29 gCO2/kWh | 213 gCO2/kWh |
| 2018 | 35 gCO2/kWh | 196 gCO2/kWh |
| 2019 | 32 gCO2/kWh | 236 gCO2/kWh |
| 2020 | 28 gCO2/kWh | 152 gCO2/kWh |
| 2021 | 27 gCO2/kWh | 145 gCO2/kWh |
| 2022 | 25 gCO2/kWh | 113 gCO2/kWh |
| 2023 | 25 gCO2/kWh | 135 gCO2/kWh |
| 2024 | 26 gCO2/kWh | 114 gCO2/kWh |
| 2025 | -38 gCO2/kWh | 111 gCO2/kWh |
Demand per Person, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, MWh
| Year | Costa Rica | El Salvador |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.62 MWh | 0.73 MWh |
| 2001 | 1.66 MWh | 0.74 MWh |
| 2002 | 1.72 MWh | 0.80 MWh |
| 2003 | 1.74 MWh | 0.83 MWh |
| 2004 | 1.84 MWh | 0.87 MWh |
| 2005 | 1.92 MWh | 0.90 MWh |
| 2006 | 2.02 MWh | 0.95 MWh |
| 2007 | 2.09 MWh | 0.99 MWh |
| 2008 | 2.10 MWh | 1.01 MWh |
| 2009 | 2.06 MWh | 0.99 MWh |
| 2010 | 2.09 MWh | 1.01 MWh |
| 2011 | 2.11 MWh | 1.03 MWh |
| 2012 | 2.17 MWh | 1.05 MWh |
| 2013 | 2.17 MWh | 1.06 MWh |
| 2014 | 2.18 MWh | 1.08 MWh |
| 2015 | 2.21 MWh | 1.13 MWh |
| 2016 | 2.27 MWh | 1.15 MWh |
| 2017 | 2.26 MWh | 1.15 MWh |
| 2018 | 2.26 MWh | 1.16 MWh |
| 2019 | 2.29 MWh | 1.20 MWh |
| 2020 | 2.23 MWh | 1.13 MWh |
| 2021 | 2.32 MWh | 1.34 MWh |
| 2022 | 2.31 MWh | 1.15 MWh |
| 2023 | 2.36 MWh | 0.89 MWh |
| 2024 | 2.19 MWh | 0.98 MWh |
| 2025 | 2.42 MWh | 0.98 MWh |
Costa Rica history · El Salvador history
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.