Afghanistan energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Afghanistan produced 990 GWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 75.8%, came from hydropower; solar power was a distant second with 11.1%.
The power system is very small (under 1 TWh a year), so it is not included in share-based world rankings. A single plant can change its mix dramatically from one year to the next.
Electricity generation by source in 2024
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 0.75 | 75.8% | −7.9 |
| Solar | 0.11 | 11.1% | +8.5 |
| Oil | 0.1 | 10.1% | +5.8 |
| Coal | 0.03 | 3% | −6.5 |
| Total | 0.99 | 100% |
Afghanistan: electricity in context
Power plants in Afghanistan produced 990 GWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Palestine. More than half of it, 75.8%, came from hydropower; solar power was a distant second with 11.1%.
The renewable share stood at 86.9%. This puts it 53 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Asia (27.3%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 131 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. That is a very low-carbon power system.
Over the past decade solar power added more generation than any other source (+80 GWh since 2014, plus 8.5 percentage points of share). Hydropower moved the other way, falling by 220 GWh. Overall, the renewable share has barely moved over ten years (a change of under one percentage point).
Coal is in clear retreat: its share fell from 9.5% in 2014 to 3% in 2024, after peaking at 16.7% back in 2006.
Wind and solar together provided 11.1% of electricity (solar 11.1%, wind 0%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2012.
Afghanistan generates 23 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 1% of the global average. Imports cover around 85% of demand: Afghanistan bought 5.8 TWh more electricity than it exported.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 2000. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Afghanistan against the world and Asia averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 990 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Afghanistan
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 9 utility-scale plants in Afghanistan with a combined capacity of 0.3 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (79% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Naghlu Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan (100 MW, Hydro). The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naghlu Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 100 | — | — |
| 2 | Mahipar Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 66 | — | — |
| 3 | Northwest Kabul Power Plant Afghanistan | Gas | 42 | — | — |
| 4 | Kajaki Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 33 | — | — |
| 5 | Sarobi Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 22 | — | — |
| 6 | Nangarhar (Darunta) Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 12 | — | — |
| 7 | Kandahar DOG | Solar | 10 | — | — |
| 8 | Kandahar JOL | Solar | 10 | — | — |
| 9 | Pul-e-Khumri Hydroelectric Power Plant Afghanistan | Hydro | 6 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 9 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Afghanistan
76 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 85 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 280 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: Afghanistan →
How does Afghanistan compare?
Afghanistan next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 86.9% | 86.9% | 13.1% | 131 | 23 | 1 | — | |
| Pakistan | 42.7% | 54.9% | 45.1% | 347 | 764 | 195 | Compare | |
| Tajikistan | 94.4% | 94.4% | 5.6% | 73 | 2,287 | 24.7 | Compare | |
| Uzbekistan | 19.4% | 19.4% | 80.6% | 1,000 | 2,340 | 86.7 | Compare | |
| Turkmenistan | 0% | 0% | 100% | 1,306 | 4,405 | 33 | Compare | |
| Iran | 3.8% | 5.7% | 94.3% | 660 | 4,283 | 396 | Compare | |
| China | 37% | 41.7% | 58.3% | 525 | 7,474 | 10,583 | Compare | |
| Asia average | 27.3% | 32.1% | 67.9% | 573 | 3,749 | 18,015 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Afghanistan
Afghanistan energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Afghanistan is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Afghanistan?
How clean is the electricity in Afghanistan?
How much electricity does Afghanistan use per person?
How much solar power does Afghanistan produce?
Does Afghanistan import electricity?
More countries in Asia
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2024. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.