Ethiopia energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Ethiopia produced 33.4 TWh of electricity in 2025. Hydropower provides 96.5% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 32.19 | 96.5% | +4.3 |
| Wind | 1.1 | 3.3% | −4 |
| Solar | 0.04 | 0.1% | −0.1 |
| Other renewables | 0.03 | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Bioenergy | 0.01 | 0% | −0.3 |
| Total | 33.37 | 100% |
Ethiopia: electricity in context
Power plants in Ethiopia produced 33.4 TWh of electricity in 2025. That puts it in the same league as Denmark. Hydropower provides 96.5% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
100% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 1st of 158 countries (among the very top). That is 66 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 23 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes it one of the cleanest power grids anywhere. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Ethiopia is 1st of 158.
Over the past decade hydropower added more generation than any other source (+22.6 TWh since 2015, plus 4.3 percentage points of share). Overall, the renewable share has barely moved over ten years (a change of under one percentage point).
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (0.1%) and wind (3.3%) now add up to 3.4% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%.
Generation per person is 246 kWh a year, 6% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. More power leaves the country than arrives: a net 2.4 TWh of exports, equal to 8% of domestic 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
Ethiopia against the world and Africa averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 693 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Ethiopia
The 13 power plants recorded in Ethiopia add up to 4 GW of capacity, 95% of it Hydro. The largest is Gilgel Gibe III at 1,870 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 | Gilgel Gibe III | Hydro | 1,870 | 2015 | — |
| 2 | Beles | Hydro | 460 | 2010 | — |
| 3 | Gilgel Gibe II | Hydro | 420 | 2010 | — |
| 4 | Tekeze | Hydro | 300 | 2009 | — |
| 5 | Adama | Wind | 204 | — | — |
| 6 | Gilgel Gibe I | Hydro | 184 | 2004 | — |
| 7 | Melka Wekana | Hydro | 153 | 1983 | — |
| 8 | Fincha | Hydro | 134 | 1973 | — |
| 9 | Fincha Amerti Nesha | Hydro | 100 | 2011 | — |
| 10 | Tis Abay I | Hydro | 84 | — | — |
| 11 | Awash II | Hydro | 64 | 1996 | — |
| 12 | Koka | Hydro | 43 | 1960 | — |
| 13 | Aluto-Langano | Geothermal | 7 | 2013 | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 13 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Ethiopia
22 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 2 MW of solar and 324 MW of wind operating, plus 3.4 GW under construction or planned.
How does Ethiopia compare?
Ethiopia 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopia | 100% | 100% | 0% | 23 | 246 | 33.4 | — | |
| Sudan | 79.7% | 79.7% | 20.3% | 154 | 293 | 14.8 | Compare | |
| Kenya | 90% | 90% | 10% | 95 | 244 | 14 | Compare | |
| South Sudan | 1.8% | 1.8% | 98.2% | 643 | 47 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Eritrea | 11.1% | 11.1% | 88.9% | 578 | 127 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| Somalia | 20.9% | 20.9% | 79.1% | 512 | 23 | 0.4 | Compare | |
| Uganda | 97.1% | 97.1% | 2.9% | 59 | 116 | 5.8 | 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 Ethiopia
Ethiopia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Ethiopia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Ethiopia?
How clean is the electricity in Ethiopia?
Does Ethiopia have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Ethiopia use per person?
How much solar power does Ethiopia produce?
Does Ethiopia 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 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.