Burundi energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Burundi produced 490 GWh of electricity in 2024. Hydropower dominates the mix with 73.5%, followed by oil at 24.5%.
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 | 0.36 | 73.5% | −4.3 |
| Oil | 0.12 | 24.5% | +7.8 |
| Bioenergy | 0.01 | 2% | −3.5 |
| Total | 0.49 | 100% |
Burundi: electricity in context
Power plants in Burundi produced 490 GWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Faroe Islands. Hydropower dominates the mix with 73.5%, followed by oil at 24.5%.
75.5% of the country’s power came from renewable sources. That is 42 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 184 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. That makes the grid comfortably cleaner than the global average.
Since 2014, hydropower has added the most generation in absolute terms (+220 GWh), yet its share of the mix fell by 4.3 percentage points because other sources grew even faster. In share terms the biggest gainer was oil (up 7.8 percentage points). Taken together, the renewable share fell by 7.8 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 310 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity, however, rose from 111 to 184 g/kWh (+65%).
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Wind and solar have barely started in Burundi: combined, they produce less than 1% of the power.
Generation per person is 35 kWh a year, 1% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Burundi is a net importer of electricity, buying 80 GWh more than it sells, about 14% of its demand.
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
Burundi against the world and Africa averages.
Power plants in Burundi
The 4 power plants recorded in Burundi add up to 0.1 GW of capacity, 88% of it Hydro. The largest is Kabu at 20 MW. 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 | Kabu | Hydro | 20 | — | — |
| 2 | Rwegura | Hydro | 19 | — | — |
| 3 | Mpanda Burundi | Hydro | 10 | — | — |
| 4 | Mubuga GWG | Solar | 8 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 4 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Burundi
2 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 8 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 14 MW under construction or planned.
How does Burundi compare?
Burundi 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burundi | 75.5% | 75.5% | 24.5% | 184 | 35 | 0.5 | — | |
| DR Congo | 100% | 100% | 0% | 28 | 146 | 15.9 | Compare | |
| Tanzania | 32.9% | 32.9% | 67.1% | 345 | 129 | 8.8 | Compare | |
| Rwanda | 49.6% | 49.6% | 50.4% | 354 | 79 | 1.1 | Compare | |
| Uganda | 97.1% | 97.1% | 2.9% | 59 | 116 | 5.8 | Compare | |
| Kenya | 90% | 90% | 10% | 95 | 244 | 14 | Compare | |
| South Sudan | 1.8% | 1.8% | 98.2% | 643 | 47 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Africa average | 24.7% | 25.5% | 74.5% | 544 | 635 | 962 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Burundi
Burundi energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Burundi is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Burundi?
How clean is the electricity in Burundi?
How much electricity does Burundi use per person?
Does Burundi import electricity?
More countries in Africa
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.