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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

India vs South Korea: Electricity Compared

India generated 2,080 TWh of electricity in 2025 and South Korea 628 TWh, according to Ember. Coal was the largest source in both, at 70.9% in India and 31.1% in South Korea. Each kWh generated emitted 671 gCO2/kWh in India and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? India is the bigger electricity producer, generating 3.3 times as much as South Korea in 2025 (2,080 TWh against 628 TWh). South Korea has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 418 gCO2/kWh against 671 gCO2/kWh in India in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users and similar electricity demand on the same continent.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Coal supplied 70.9% of India's electricity in 2025, against 31.1% in South Korea.
  • India's electricity was 1.6 times as carbon intensive as South Korea's in 2025, at 671 gCO2/kWh against 418 gCO2/kWh.
  • The average person in South Korea used 12.09 MWh of electricity in 2025, 8.5 times as much as in India (1.42 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 26.6% of India's electricity in 2025 and 39.9% of South Korea's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 2,081 TWh in India and 628 TWh in South Korea.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure India South Korea
Total generation2,080 TWh628 TWh
Electricity demand2,081 TWh628 TWh
Demand per person1.42 MWh12.09 MWh
Carbon intensity671 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions1,396 MtCO2262 MtCO2
Low carbon share26.6%39.9%
Largest sourceCoal 70.9%Coal 31.1%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source India South Korea
Coal 70.9% 31.1%
Nuclear 2.6% 29.4%
Gas 2.3% 28.0%
Solar 9.4% 6.0%
Hydro 8.6% 0.6%
Wind 5.0% 0.6%
Bioenergy 1.1% 3.2%
Other fossil 0.2% 1.0%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in India and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in India and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 671 gCO2/kWh in India and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in India and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 671 gCO2/kWh in India and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in India and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearIndiaSouth Korea
1985635 gCO2/kWh524 gCO2/kWh
1986652 gCO2/kWh431 gCO2/kWh
1987690 gCO2/kWh345 gCO2/kWh
1988684 gCO2/kWh405 gCO2/kWh
1989686 gCO2/kWh383 gCO2/kWh
1990679 gCO2/kWh379 gCO2/kWh
1991683 gCO2/kWh399 gCO2/kWh
1992700 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
1993713 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
1994705 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
1995723 gCO2/kWh479 gCO2/kWh
1996738 gCO2/kWh481 gCO2/kWh
1997738 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
1998720 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
1999729 gCO2/kWh453 gCO2/kWh
2000740 gCO2/kWh462 gCO2/kWh
2001747 gCO2/kWh475 gCO2/kWh
2002756 gCO2/kWh473 gCO2/kWh
2003758 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2004724 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2005734 gCO2/kWh450 gCO2/kWh
2006723 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
2007718 gCO2/kWh474 gCO2/kWh
2008733 gCO2/kWh477 gCO2/kWh
2009745 gCO2/kWh495 gCO2/kWh
2010739 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2011722 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2012743 gCO2/kWh502 gCO2/kWh
2013739 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
2014743 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
2015751 gCO2/kWh488 gCO2/kWh
2016752 gCO2/kWh489 gCO2/kWh
2017743 gCO2/kWh511 gCO2/kWh
2018738 gCO2/kWh519 gCO2/kWh
2019723 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2020710 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2021716 gCO2/kWh460 gCO2/kWh
2022707 gCO2/kWh438 gCO2/kWh
2023714 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
2024707 gCO2/kWh416 gCO2/kWh
2025671 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in India and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in India and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 1.42 MWh in India and 12.09 MWh in South Korea. 0 4 8 11 15 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in India and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 1.42 MWh in India and 12.09 MWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in India and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearIndiaSouth Korea
1985n/an/a
1986n/an/a
1987n/an/a
1988n/an/a
1989n/an/a
1990n/an/a
1991n/an/a
1992n/an/a
1993n/an/a
1994n/an/a
1995n/an/a
1996n/an/a
1997n/an/a
1998n/an/a
1999n/an/a
20000.54 MWh6.21 MWh
20010.55 MWh6.59 MWh
20020.56 MWh7.02 MWh
20030.57 MWh7.32 MWh
20040.62 MWh7.72 MWh
20050.61 MWh8.14 MWh
20060.64 MWh8.39 MWh
20070.67 MWh8.83 MWh
20080.69 MWh9.15 MWh
20090.72 MWh9.32 MWh
20100.76 MWh10.15 MWh
20110.82 MWh10.55 MWh
20120.86 MWh10.71 MWh
20130.88 MWh10.73 MWh
20140.96 MWh10.69 MWh
20150.99 MWh10.75 MWh
20161.04 MWh10.94 MWh
20171.07 MWh11.20 MWh
20181.14 MWh11.48 MWh
20191.15 MWh11.34 MWh
20201.12 MWh11.13 MWh
20211.19 MWh11.72 MWh
20221.27 MWh12.02 MWh
20231.33 MWh11.93 MWh
20241.40 MWh12.09 MWh
20251.42 MWh12.09 MWh

India history · South Korea history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2025). India vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/india-vs-south-korea/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. India vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/india-vs-south-korea/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_india_vs_south_korea_2025,
  title = {{India vs South Korea: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/india-vs-south-korea/}
}

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