China Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend
China generated 1,392 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025, 13.3% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the largest hydro power producer in 2025 of the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Hydro supplied 13.9% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through September 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- China generated 1,392 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025.
- Hydro supplied 13.3% of China's electricity in 2025.
- China was the largest hydro power producer in 2025 among the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- China's hydro generation in 2025 was 5% higher than in 2020, when it was 1,322 TWh.
- China's hydro generation in 2025 was 25% higher than in 2015, when it was 1,115 TWh.
- 2025 was China's highest year for hydro generation in Ember's records, which start in 1985.
- China's hydro share in 2025 was below the world share of 13.9%.
- China had 382 GW of hydro generating capacity in 2025.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro generation | 1,392 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of China's electricity | 13.3% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of hydro | 13.9% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by hydro generation (each country's latest year) | 1 of 153 | 2025 · Ember |
| Hydro capacity | 382 GW | 2025 · Ember |
Hydro Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025| Year | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 92.4 TWh |
| 1986 | 94.6 TWh |
| 1987 | 100 TWh |
| 1988 | 109 TWh |
| 1989 | 118 TWh |
| 1990 | 127 TWh |
| 1991 | 125 TWh |
| 1992 | 131 TWh |
| 1993 | 152 TWh |
| 1994 | 167 TWh |
| 1995 | 191 TWh |
| 1996 | 188 TWh |
| 1997 | 196 TWh |
| 1998 | 199 TWh |
| 1999 | 197 TWh |
| 2000 | 222 TWh |
| 2001 | 277 TWh |
| 2002 | 288 TWh |
| 2003 | 284 TWh |
| 2004 | 354 TWh |
| 2005 | 397 TWh |
| 2006 | 436 TWh |
| 2007 | 485 TWh |
| 2008 | 637 TWh |
| 2009 | 616 TWh |
| 2010 | 711 TWh |
| 2011 | 688 TWh |
| 2012 | 863 TWh |
| 2013 | 910 TWh |
| 2014 | 1,060 TWh |
| 2015 | 1,115 TWh |
| 2016 | 1,153 TWh |
| 2017 | 1,165 TWh |
| 2018 | 1,199 TWh |
| 2019 | 1,273 TWh |
| 2020 | 1,322 TWh |
| 2021 | 1,301 TWh |
| 2022 | 1,304 TWh |
| 2023 | 1,232 TWh |
| 2024 | 1,364 TWh |
| 2025 | 1,392 TWh |
| Year | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 22.5% | n/a |
| 1986 | 21.0% | n/a |
| 1987 | 20.1% | n/a |
| 1988 | 20.0% | n/a |
| 1989 | 20.3% | n/a |
| 1990 | 20.4% | n/a |
| 1991 | 18.4% | n/a |
| 1992 | 17.3% | n/a |
| 1993 | 18.7% | n/a |
| 1994 | 18.1% | n/a |
| 1995 | 18.9% | n/a |
| 1996 | 17.4% | n/a |
| 1997 | 17.3% | n/a |
| 1998 | 17.0% | n/a |
| 1999 | 15.9% | n/a |
| 2000 | 16.4% | 17.2% |
| 2001 | 18.7% | 16.5% |
| 2002 | 17.4% | 16.3% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 15.7% |
| 2004 | 16.1% | 16.1% |
| 2005 | 15.9% | 16.1% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 16.0% |
| 2007 | 14.8% | 15.5% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | 16.1% |
| 2009 | 16.6% | 16.3% |
| 2010 | 17.0% | 16.1% |
| 2011 | 14.6% | 15.9% |
| 2012 | 17.3% | 16.3% |
| 2013 | 16.8% | 16.4% |
| 2014 | 18.3% | 16.3% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | 16.2% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | 16.3% |
| 2017 | 17.7% | 16.0% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | 15.8% |
| 2019 | 17.0% | 15.8% |
| 2020 | 17.1% | 16.3% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | 15.2% |
| 2022 | 14.8% | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 13.1% | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 13.6% | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 13.3% | 13.9% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,392 TWh | 13.3% | 13.9% | 382 GW |
| 2024 | 1,364 TWh | 13.6% | 14.4% | 377 GW |
| 2023 | 1,232 TWh | 13.1% | 14.3% | 371 GW |
| 2022 | 1,304 TWh | 14.8% | 15.0% | 368 GW |
| 2021 | 1,301 TWh | 15.3% | 15.2% | 355 GW |
| 2020 | 1,322 TWh | 17.1% | 16.3% | 339 GW |
| 2019 | 1,273 TWh | 17.0% | 15.8% | 328 GW |
| 2018 | 1,199 TWh | 16.8% | 15.8% | 322 GW |
| 2017 | 1,165 TWh | 17.7% | 16.0% | 314 GW |
| 2016 | 1,153 TWh | 18.9% | 16.3% | 305 GW |
Full year by year history for China
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Hydro Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through September 2026| Month | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 105 TWh |
| 2024-11 | 82.6 TWh |
| 2024-12 | 83.1 TWh |
| 2025-01 | 73.8 TWh |
| 2025-02 | 72.2 TWh |
| 2025-03 | 77.8 TWh |
| 2025-04 | 78.5 TWh |
| 2025-05 | 99.1 TWh |
| 2025-06 | 139 TWh |
| 2025-07 | 151 TWh |
| 2025-08 | 148 TWh |
| 2025-09 | 159 TWh |
| 2025-10 | 135 TWh |
| 2025-11 | 96.7 TWh |
| 2025-12 | 86.5 TWh |
| 2026-01 | 77.9 TWh |
| 2026-02 | 77.8 TWh |
| 2026-03 | 86.2 TWh |
| 2026-04 | 88.1 TWh |
| 2026-05 | 112 TWh |
| 2026-06 | 146 TWh |
| 2026-07 | 162 TWh |
| 2026-08 | 152 TWh |
| 2026-09 | 130 TWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of September 2026. Monthly figures for China can differ slightly from the annual totals.
Related
Cite this page
World Power Monitor. (2026). China Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend. https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/hydro/
World Power Monitor. China Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend. Data as of 2026-09. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/hydro/
@misc{wpm_countries_china_hydro_2026,
title = {{China Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend}},
author = {{World Power Monitor}},
year = {2026},
note = {Data as of 2026-09. Data from Ember.},
url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/hydro/}
} Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/hydro/
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