Annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa
South Africa: Annual change in primary energy from hydropower was 0.7203 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.7203 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 178.5%
World rank
20th
of 80 countries
All-time high
1.92 terawatt-hours
in 2011
All-time low
-2.05 terawatt-hours
in 2012
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa is 0.7203 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 178.5% on the previous year and up 167.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa peaked at 1.92 terawatt-hours in 2011 and was at its lowest, -2.05 terawatt-hours, in 2012.
South Africa ranks 20th of 80 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | -0.001 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | -0.01 terawatt-hours | +900.0% |
| 1968 | -0.002 terawatt-hours | -80.0% |
| 1969 | -0.003 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 0.004 terawatt-hours | -233.3% |
| 1971 | 0.087 terawatt-hours | +2075.0% |
| 1972 | 0.722 terawatt-hours | +729.9% |
| 1973 | 0.151 terawatt-hours | -79.1% |
| 1974 | 0.147 terawatt-hours | -2.6% |
| 1975 | -0.012 terawatt-hours | -108.2% |
| 1976 | 0.756 terawatt-hours | -6400.0% |
| 1977 | 0.068 terawatt-hours | -91.0% |
| 1978 | -0.037 terawatt-hours | -154.4% |
| 1979 | -0.763 terawatt-hours | +1962.2% |
| 1980 | -0.152 terawatt-hours | -80.1% |
| 1981 | 0.661 terawatt-hours | -534.9% |
| 1982 | -0.637 terawatt-hours | -196.4% |
| 1983 | -0.421 terawatt-hours | -33.9% |
| 1984 | -0.035 terawatt-hours | -91.7% |
| 1985 | 0.064 terawatt-hours | -282.9% |
| 1986 | 0.999 terawatt-hours | +1460.9% |
| 1987 | -0.006 terawatt-hours | -100.6% |
| 1988 | 1.54 terawatt-hours | -25850.3% |
| 1989 | -0.403 terawatt-hours | -126.1% |
| 1990 | -1.75 terawatt-hours | +334.0% |
| 1991 | 0.97 terawatt-hours | -155.5% |
| 1992 | -1.23 terawatt-hours | -226.6% |
| 1993 | -0.606 terawatt-hours | -50.7% |
| 1994 | 0.928 terawatt-hours | -253.1% |
| 1995 | -0.545 terawatt-hours | -158.7% |
| 1996 | 0.79 terawatt-hours | -245.0% |
| 1997 | 0.773 terawatt-hours | -2.2% |
| 1998 | -0.497 terawatt-hours | -164.3% |
| 1999 | -0.869 terawatt-hours | +74.8% |
| 2000 | 0.375 terawatt-hours | -143.2% |
| 2001 | 0.62 terawatt-hours | +65.3% |
| 2002 | 0.363 terawatt-hours | -41.5% |
| 2003 | -1.26 terawatt-hours | -446.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1225 terawatt-hours | -109.8% |
| 2005 | 0.382 terawatt-hours | +211.8% |
| 2006 | 1.57 terawatt-hours | +309.9% |
| 2007 | -0.032 terawatt-hours | -102.0% |
| 2008 | -1.61 terawatt-hours | +4918.8% |
| 2009 | 0.192 terawatt-hours | -112.0% |
| 2010 | -0.3087 terawatt-hours | -260.8% |
| 2011 | 1.92 terawatt-hours | -722.2% |
| 2012 | -2.05 terawatt-hours | -206.5% |
| 2013 | 0.0854 terawatt-hours | -104.2% |
| 2014 | 0.6911 terawatt-hours | +709.2% |
| 2015 | -1.07 terawatt-hours | -254.1% |
| 2016 | -0.106 terawatt-hours | -90.0% |
| 2017 | 0.152 terawatt-hours | -243.4% |
| 2018 | 0.3047 terawatt-hours | +100.5% |
| 2019 | -0.4043 terawatt-hours | -232.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0854 terawatt-hours | -121.1% |
| 2021 | 0.8166 terawatt-hours | +856.3% |
| 2022 | 1.56 terawatt-hours | +91.1% |
| 2023 | -1.15 terawatt-hours | -173.5% |
| 2024 | -0.9172 terawatt-hours | -20.0% |
| 2025 | 0.7203 terawatt-hours | -178.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.7203 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3957 terawatt-hours, 1.8× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +25850.3% | -0.006 terawatt-hours | 1.54 terawatt-hours |
| 1976 | +6400.0% | -0.012 terawatt-hours | 0.756 terawatt-hours |
| 2008 | -4918.8% | -0.032 terawatt-hours | -1.61 terawatt-hours |
| 1979 | -1962.2% | -0.037 terawatt-hours | -0.763 terawatt-hours |
| 1971 | +2075.0% | 0.004 terawatt-hours | 0.087 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.004 terawatt-hours | -0.01 terawatt-hours | -0.001 terawatt-hours | 4 |
| 1970s | 0.1123 terawatt-hours | -0.763 terawatt-hours | 0.756 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1615 terawatt-hours | -0.637 terawatt-hours | 1.54 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2033 terawatt-hours | -1.75 terawatt-hours | 0.97 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0726 terawatt-hours | -1.61 terawatt-hours | 1.57 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.0775 terawatt-hours | -2.05 terawatt-hours | 1.92 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1864 terawatt-hours | -1.15 terawatt-hours | 1.56 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa?
- Annual change in primary energy from hydropower in South Africa was 0.7203 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in primary energy from hydropower recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.92 terawatt-hours in 2011.
- What is the lowest annual change in primary energy from hydropower recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.05 terawatt-hours in 2012.
- How does South Africa rank for annual change in primary energy from hydropower?
- South Africa ranks 20th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in primary energy from hydropower rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 167.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in primary energy from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change in total energy supply relative to the previous year, measured in terawatt-hours.