Electricity in South America
South America generated 1,264 TWh of electricity in 2025 across 15 countries with Ember data, led by hydro at 49.0% of generation. Brazil was the largest single generator, at 764 TWh. Figures are Ember annual statistics, not real time; most countries report 2025 or 2024. This total is our own sum of the 15 South America countries in the table below (Ember does not publish one aggregate that matches this exact country list), so it always agrees with that table; see the note under it.
Key Facts
- South America generated 1,264 TWh of electricity in 2025 across 15 countries with Ember data.
- Hydro was South America's largest source in 2025, at 49.0%.
South America's Generation Mix, 2025
| Source | Generation | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 620 TWh | 49.0% |
| Gas | 202 TWh | 16.0% |
| Wind | 154 TWh | 12.2% |
| Solar | 123 TWh | 9.7% |
| Bioenergy | 76.7 TWh | 6.1% |
| Coal | 37.7 TWh | 3.0% |
| Nuclear | 26.6 TWh | 2.1% |
| Other fossil | 24.6 TWh | 1.9% |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.
Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025| Year | Hydro | Gas | Wind | Solar | Bioenergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 199 TWh | 12.5 TWh | 0 TWh | n/a | 3.19 TWh |
| 1986 | 203 TWh | 13.3 TWh | 0 TWh | n/a | 3.31 TWh |
| 1987 | 208 TWh | 12.5 TWh | 0 TWh | n/a | 3.68 TWh |
| 1988 | 214 TWh | 21.1 TWh | 0 TWh | n/a | 3.46 TWh |
| 1989 | 218 TWh | 24.6 TWh | 0 TWh | n/a | 3.51 TWh |
| 1990 | 224 TWh | 20.2 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 3.99 TWh |
| 1991 | 234 TWh | 21.3 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 4.13 TWh |
| 1992 | 243 TWh | 21.2 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 5.06 TWh |
| 1993 | 259 TWh | 22.4 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 5.08 TWh |
| 1994 | 270 TWh | 23.2 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 5.49 TWh |
| 1995 | 280 TWh | 27.1 TWh | 0 TWh | 0 TWh | 5.71 TWh |
| 1996 | 288 TWh | 33.5 TWh | 10.0 GWh | 0 TWh | 6.97 TWh |
| 1997 | 307 TWh | 33.4 TWh | 10.0 GWh | 0 TWh | 7.56 TWh |
| 1998 | 318 TWh | 35.6 TWh | 30.0 GWh | 0 TWh | 7.72 TWh |
| 1999 | 314 TWh | 48.4 TWh | 30.0 GWh | 0 TWh | 8.64 TWh |
| 2000 | 534 TWh | 88.8 TWh | 30.0 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 9.95 TWh |
| 2001 | 500 TWh | 97.5 TWh | 90.0 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 12.2 TWh |
| 2002 | 524 TWh | 96.7 TWh | 140 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 13.5 TWh |
| 2003 | 546 TWh | 105 TWh | 150 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 15.4 TWh |
| 2004 | 568 TWh | 120 TWh | 190 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 16.2 TWh |
| 2005 | 600 TWh | 119 TWh | 220 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 17.3 TWh |
| 2006 | 627 TWh | 118 TWh | 380 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 18.3 TWh |
| 2007 | 649 TWh | 118 TWh | 780 GWh | 10.0 GWh | 23.0 TWh |
| 2008 | 651 TWh | 135 TWh | 1.31 TWh | 10.0 GWh | 26.0 TWh |
| 2009 | 669 TWh | 124 TWh | 1.49 TWh | 10.0 GWh | 30.3 TWh |
| 2010 | 670 TWh | 161 TWh | 2.76 TWh | 10.0 GWh | 39.9 TWh |
| 2011 | 713 TWh | 152 TWh | 3.34 TWh | 50.0 GWh | 42.7 TWh |
| 2012 | 696 TWh | 194 TWh | 6.19 TWh | 130 GWh | 46.2 TWh |
| 2013 | 682 TWh | 229 TWh | 8.09 TWh | 280 GWh | 52.1 TWh |
| 2014 | 642 TWh | 244 TWh | 15.7 TWh | 820 GWh | 58.8 TWh |
| 2015 | 642 TWh | 251 TWh | 27.5 TWh | 1.72 TWh | 62.2 TWh |
| 2016 | 659 TWh | 237 TWh | 40.9 TWh | 3.22 TWh | 63.8 TWh |
| 2017 | 664 TWh | 236 TWh | 51.7 TWh | 5.40 TWh | 65.7 TWh |
| 2018 | 682 TWh | 229 TWh | 60.1 TWh | 10.1 TWh | 66.7 TWh |
| 2019 | 668 TWh | 237 TWh | 72.7 TWh | 15.4 TWh | 67.3 TWh |
| 2020 | 663 TWh | 217 TWh | 79.6 TWh | 21.6 TWh | 72.7 TWh |
| 2021 | 636 TWh | 247 TWh | 100 TWh | 31.6 TWh | 70.7 TWh |
| 2022 | 702 TWh | 195 TWh | 112 TWh | 51.3 TWh | 68.6 TWh |
| 2023 | 716 TWh | 188 TWh | 127 TWh | 75.0 TWh | 70.2 TWh |
| 2024 | 697 TWh | 200 TWh | 143 TWh | 101 TWh | 72.8 TWh |
| 2025 | 620 TWh | 202 TWh | 154 TWh | 123 TWh | 76.7 TWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.
Where South America's Clean Electricity Is
Low carbon share, each country's own latest Ember year| Country | Year | Generation | Low carbon share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguay | 2025 | 45.4 TWh | 100.0% |
| Uruguay | 2025 | 12.0 TWh | 97.7% |
| Venezuela | 2024 | 80.1 TWh | 91.1% |
| Brazil | 2025 | 764 TWh | 88.9% |
| Ecuador | 2025 | 36.6 TWh | 79.4% |
| Colombia | 2025 | 90.4 TWh | 77.0% |
| Chile | 2025 | 88.5 TWh | 66.4% |
| French Guiana | 2023 | 980 GWh | 65.3% |
| Peru | 2025 | 60.5 TWh | 63.6% |
| Suriname | 2024 | 1.74 TWh | 52.9% |
| Argentina | 2025 | 153 TWh | 40.9% |
| Bolivia | 2025 | 13.6 TWh | 36.1% |
| Aruba | 2024 | 1.00 TWh | 17.0% |
| Guyana | 2024 | 1.38 TWh | 2.9% |
| Falkland Islands | 2023 | 10.0 GWh | 0.0% |
Colours show each country's share of generation from nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal and other renewables. Unlike the ranking further down, the map includes countries generating under 10 TWh (5 of 15), so small grids can look extreme. The frame follows the mainland, so remote islands may fall outside it. Grey means no data.
Sources: Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Map outlines: Natural Earth. (Public domain) Data as of 2025. Each country uses its own latest available year.
Countries in South America
Search or sort; each country's own latest Ember year| Country | Continent | Generation | Change | Low carbon | Change | Main source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | South America | 764 TWh | +2.4% | 88.9% | -0.5 pts | Hydro |
| Argentina | South America | 153 TWh | +0.6% | 40.9% | -0.4 pts | Gas |
| Colombia | South America | 90.4 TWh | +1.4% | 77.0% | +15.6 pts | Hydro |
| Chile | South America | 88.5 TWh | -0.1% | 66.4% | -3.7 pts | Solar |
| Venezuela | South America | 80.1 TWh | +11.4% | 91.1% | +0.8 pts | Hydro |
| Peru | South America | 60.5 TWh | +2.1% | 63.6% | +3.5 pts | Hydro |
| Paraguay | South America | 45.4 TWh | +6.9% | 100.0% | 0.0 pts | Hydro |
| Ecuador | South America | 36.6 TWh | +12.0% | 79.4% | +7.0 pts | Hydro |
| Bolivia | South America | 13.6 TWh | +0.7% | 36.1% | +2.1 pts | Gas |
| Uruguay | South America | 12.0 TWh | -10.1% | 97.7% | -1.2 pts | Wind |
| Suriname | South America | 1.74 TWh | +0.6% | 52.9% | -0.3 pts | Hydro |
| Guyana | South America | 1.38 TWh | 0.0% | 2.9% | 0.0 pts | Other fossil |
| Aruba | South America | 1.00 TWh | 0.0% | 17.0% | 0.0 pts | Other fossil |
| French Guiana | South America | 980 GWh | +3.2% | 65.3% | -6.3 pts | Hydro |
| Falkland Islands | South America | 10.0 GWh | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 pts | Other fossil |
No country matches that search.
South America's total above is the sum of these 15 countries, so it always matches this table. Countries are grouped the same way as the South America section of /countries/. Ember also publishes its own regional aggregates, but its groupings do not line up with this continent list (for example its "North America" aggregate holds only 3 countries, and it has no aggregate at all for South America), so we sum the countries ourselves instead of using them here.
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.
Cleanest Grids in South America
Among countries generating at least 10 TWh, ranked by low carbon share| Rank | Country | Generation | Low carbon share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paraguay (2025) | 45.4 TWh | 100.0% |
| 2 | Uruguay (2025) | 12.0 TWh | 97.7% |
| 3 | Venezuela (2024) | 80.1 TWh | 91.1% |
| 4 | Brazil (2025) | 764 TWh | 88.9% |
| 5 | Ecuador (2025) | 36.6 TWh | 79.4% |
| 6 | Colombia (2025) | 90.4 TWh | 77.0% |
| 7 | Chile (2025) | 88.5 TWh | 66.4% |
| 8 | Peru (2025) | 60.5 TWh | 63.6% |
| 9 | Argentina (2025) | 153 TWh | 40.9% |
| 10 | Bolivia (2025) | 13.6 TWh | 36.1% |
Low carbon sources are nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal and other renewables. Countries generating under 10 TWh in 2025 are left out, the same floor /records/ uses.
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.
Related
Cite this page
World Power Monitor. (2025). South America Electricity: Generation, Mix and Low Carbon Share. https://worldpowermonitor.com/continents/south-america/
World Power Monitor. South America Electricity: Generation, Mix and Low Carbon Share. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember and Natural Earth. https://worldpowermonitor.com/continents/south-america/
@misc{wpm_continents_south_america_2025,
title = {{South America Electricity: Generation, Mix and Low Carbon Share}},
author = {{World Power Monitor}},
year = {2025},
note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember and Natural Earth.},
url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/continents/south-america/}
} Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/continents/south-america/
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