Argentina energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Argentina reached 153 TWh in 2025. More than half of it, 52.7%, came from natural gas; hydropower was a distant second with 17.1%.
Electricity generation by source in 2025
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | 80.69 | 52.7% | −1.7 |
| Hydro | 26.25 | 17.1% | −5.1 |
| Wind | 18.62 | 12.2% | +11.8 |
| Nuclear | 10.76 | 7% | +2.2 |
| Oil | 5.92 | 3.9% | −11.6 |
| Solar | 5.14 | 3.4% | +3.4 |
| Bioenergy | 2.95 | 1.9% | +0.9 |
| Coal | 2.82 | 1.8% | +0.2 |
| Total | 153 | 100% |
Argentina: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Argentina reached 153 TWh in 2025. That is similar to Iraq. More than half of it, 52.7%, came from natural gas; hydropower was a distant second with 17.1%.
The renewable share stood at 34.6%, placing Argentina 84th of 158 ranked countries. That is almost exactly the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for South America (76.8%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 346 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Argentina ranks 72nd of 158 from the cleanest.
The decade’s big winner is wind power, up 18 TWh between 2015 and 2025 (plus 11.8 percentage points of the mix). Oil moved the other way, falling by 16.5 TWh. Taken together, the renewable share rose by 10.9 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 7.7 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 427 to 346 g/kWh, a 19% cut.
Coal supplies 1.8% of electricity. That is roughly unchanged on 2015.
Wind and solar together provided 15.5% of electricity (solar 3.4%, wind 12.2%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 112 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Wind adds 406 kWh per person. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2021.
Argentina generates 3,340 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 87% of the global average. Imports cover around 6% of demand: Argentina bought 9.3 TWh more electricity than it exported.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 1985. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Argentina against the world and South America averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 14.8% of primary energy and fossil fuels 82.6% (2024). Per person, that is 21,514 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Argentina
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 236 utility-scale plants in Argentina with a combined capacity of 32.9 GW. Gas plants account for the largest slice (40% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is COSTANERA (1,982 MW, Coal). 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 | COSTANERA | Coal | 1,982 | 1984 | ENDESA COSTANERA |
| 2 | YACYRETA | Hydro | 1,550 | 1996 | EBY |
| 3 | PIEDRA DEL AGUILA (CPSA) | Hydro | 1,400 | 1994 | CENTRAL PUERTO S.A |
| 4 | NUEVO PUERTO | Gas | 1,218 | 1988 | CT PUERTO SA |
| 5 | EL CHOCON | Hydro | 1,200 | 1976 | H. EL CHOCON SA |
| 6 | ALICURA | Hydro | 1,050 | 1987 | AES ARGENTINA GENERACION S.A. |
| 7 | SALTO GRANDE (MITAD ARGENTINA) | Hydro | 945 | 1980 | CTMSG |
| 8 | DOCK SUD | Gas | 872 | 1999 | CT DOCK SUD SA |
| 9 | CENTRAL TERMOELECTRICA MANUEL BELGRANO | Gas | 868 | 2009 | TERMOELECTRICA MANUEL BELGRANO SA (TMB) |
| 10 | CENTRAL TERMOELECTRICA TIMBUES | Gas | 865 | 2009 | CENTRAL TERMOELECTRICA JOSE DE SAN MARTIN (TSM) |
| 11 | PARANA | Other | 845 | 2001 | AES ARGENTINA GENERACION S.A. |
| 12 | RIO GRANDE | Hydro | 750 | 1986 | EPEC |
| 13 | ATUCHA II | Nuclear | 745 | 2014 | NASA |
| 14 | CENTRAL T.GENELBA | Gas | 674 | 1998 | PETROBRAS ENERGIA |
| 15 | EMBALSE | Nuclear | 648 | 1984 | NASA |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 236 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Argentina
196 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 2.9 GW of solar and 3.9 GW of wind operating, plus 13.5 GW under construction or planned.
How does Argentina compare?
Argentina 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 34.6% | 41.6% | 58.4% | 346 | 3,340 | 153 | — | |
| Brazil | 86.6% | 88.7% | 11.3% | 110 | 3,527 | 751 | Compare | |
| Chile | 66.4% | 66.4% | 33.6% | 289 | 4,456 | 88.5 | Compare | |
| Paraguay | 100% | 100% | 0% | 25 | 6,467 | 45.4 | Compare | |
| Bolivia | 36.1% | 36.1% | 63.9% | 481 | 1,083 | 13.6 | Compare | |
| Uruguay | 97.8% | 97.8% | 2.2% | 80 | 3,528 | 11.9 | Compare | |
| Peru | 63.7% | 63.7% | 36.4% | 238 | 1,748 | 60.4 | Compare | |
| South America average | 76.8% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 167 | 3,031 | 1,321 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Argentina
Argentina energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Argentina is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Argentina?
How clean is the electricity in Argentina?
Does Argentina use nuclear power?
How much electricity does Argentina use per person?
How much solar power does Argentina produce?
Does Argentina import electricity?
More countries in South America
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 2025. 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.