Latvia energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Latvia reached 6.3 TWh in 2025. The biggest single contributor is hydropower with 46.7%; natural gas adds 26.2% and solar power 13.1%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 2.93 | 46.7% | +13.2 |
| Gas | 1.64 | 26.2% | −23.7 |
| Solar | 0.82 | 13.1% | +13.1 |
| Bioenergy | 0.61 | 9.7% | −4.2 |
| Wind | 0.22 | 3.5% | +0.8 |
| Oil | 0.05 | 0.8% | +0.8 |
| Total | 6.27 | 100% |
Latvia: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Latvia reached 6.3 TWh in 2025. That puts it in the same league as Moldova. The biggest single contributor is hydropower with 46.7%; natural gas adds 26.2% and solar power 13.1%.
The renewable share stood at 73%, placing Latvia 38th of 158 ranked countries (in the top quarter). That is 39 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Europe (41.6%). That beats the EU-27 average of 47.7%. Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 139 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. By world standards this is a very clean grid. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Latvia is 31st of 158.
Since 2015, the fastest-growing source has been hydropower: its output rose by 1.1 TWh, lifting its share by 13.2 percentage points. The biggest decline came from natural gas (−1.1 TWh). The net effect: renewables gained 22.9 percentage points of share since 2015. Total generation grew by 730 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 220 to 139 g/kWh, a 37% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (13.1%) and wind (3.5%) now add up to 16.6% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 442 kWh of solar electricity a year, 1.3× the global average. In solar electricity per person, Latvia ranks 34th in the world. Wind adds 119 kWh per person. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2022.
Generation per person is 3,383 kWh a year, 88% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Latvia is a net importer of electricity, buying 1.3 TWh more than it sells, about 17% of its demand.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 1990. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Latvia against the world, Europe and EU-27 averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 29.7% of primary energy and fossil fuels 70.3% (2024). Per person, that is 20,722 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Power plants in Latvia
The 5 power plants recorded in Latvia add up to 2.5 GW of capacity, 61% of it Hydro. The largest is Plavinas HPP at 894 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 | Plavinas HPP | Hydro | 894 | — | — |
| 2 | Riga Tec 2 | Gas | 863 | — | — |
| 3 | Riga HPP | Hydro | 402 | — | — |
| 4 | Kegums HPP | Hydro | 240 | — | — |
| 5 | RTEC1 | Gas | 138 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 5 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Latvia
121 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 585 MW of solar and 100 MW of wind operating, plus 5.8 GW under construction or planned.
How does Latvia compare?
Latvia 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia | 73% | 73% | 27% | 139 | 3,383 | 6.3 | — | |
| Russia | 17.4% | 35.7% | 64.3% | 450 | 8,283 | 1,193 | Compare | |
| Belarus | 4.8% | 41.4% | 58.6% | 309 | 5,154 | 46.4 | Compare | |
| Lithuania | 77.6% | 77.6% | 22.4% | 138 | 3,141 | 8.9 | Compare | |
| Estonia | 59.6% | 59.6% | 40.4% | 319 | 4,545 | 6.1 | Compare | |
| Poland | 31.5% | 31.5% | 68.5% | 589 | 4,543 | 173 | Compare | |
| Finland | 56.5% | 96.3% | 3.7% | 57 | 14,635 | 82.3 | Compare | |
| Europe average | 41.6% | 62% | 38% | 271 | 6,203 | 4,626 | Compare | |
| European Union (EU-27) average | 47.7% | 71.1% | 28.9% | 210 | 6,230 | 2,797 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Latvia
Latvia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Latvia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Latvia?
How clean is the electricity in Latvia?
Does Latvia have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Latvia use per person?
How much solar power does Latvia produce?
Does Latvia import electricity?
More countries in Europe
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.