Papua New Guinea energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Papua New Guinea reached 4.7 TWh in 2024. Oil dominates the mix with 57.1%, followed by hydropower at 21.1% and natural gas at 19.2%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | 2.7 | 57.1% | +5 |
| Hydro | 1 | 21.1% | −2.5 |
| Gas | 0.91 | 19.2% | +4.8 |
| Other renewables | 0.1 | 2.1% | −7.2 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 0.2% | +0.2 |
| Bioenergy | 0.01 | 0.2% | −0.3 |
| Total | 4.73 | 100% |
Papua New Guinea: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Papua New Guinea reached 4.7 TWh in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Jamaica. Oil dominates the mix with 57.1%, followed by hydropower at 21.1% and natural gas at 19.2%.
23.7% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 101st of 158 countries. That is 10 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Oceania (41.4%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 514 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Papua New Guinea is 101st of 158.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been oil: its output rose by 470 GWh, lifting its share by 5 percentage points. The biggest decline came from geothermal and other renewables (−300 GWh). Taken together, the renewable share fell by 9.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 450 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity, however, rose from 453 to 514 g/kWh (+13%).
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 Papua New Guinea: combined, they produce less than 1% of the power.
Generation per person is 447 kWh a year, 12% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Papua New Guinea does not trade electricity with other countries: the grid is not interconnected with any neighbour.
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
Papua New Guinea against the world and Oceania averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 2,574 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Papua New Guinea
The 15 power plants recorded in Papua New Guinea add up to 0.4 GW of capacity, 41% of it Hydro. The largest is Ramu at 75 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 | Ramu | Hydro | 75 | — | PNG Power Limited |
| 2 | Hides | Gas | 72 | — | Barrick Mining |
| 3 | Ok Menga | Hydro | 57 | — | OK Tedi Mining |
| 4 | Ok Tedi | Oil | 45 | — | OK Tedi Mining |
| 5 | Lae | Oil | 30 | — | Daewoo International |
| 6 | Lihir | Geothermal | 30 | 2005 | Lihir Gold Ltd. |
| 7 | Kanudi | Oil | 24 | 1999 | PNG Power Limited |
| 8 | Yonki Toe of Dam | Hydro | 18 | — | PNG Power Limited |
| 9 | Tabubil | Oil | 16 | — | OK Tedi Mining |
| 10 | Porgera | Oil | 13 | — | Barrick Mining |
| 11 | Pauanda | Hydro | 12 | — | PNG Power Limited |
| 12 | Ulagunan | Oil | 8 | — | PNG Power Limited |
| 13 | Tolkuma | Oil | 4 | — | Petromin Mining |
| 14 | Lake Hargy | Hydro | 2 | — | PNG Power Limited |
| 15 | Sirinumu Dam | Hydro | 2 | — | PNG Power Limited |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 15 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Papua New Guinea
8 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 1 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 32 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: Papua New Guinea →
How does Papua New Guinea compare?
Papua New Guinea 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 23.7% | 23.7% | 76.3% | 514 | 447 | 4.7 | — | |
| Indonesia | 18.1% | 18.1% | 81.9% | 680 | 1,311 | 372 | Compare | |
| Guam | 8.6% | 8.6% | 91.4% | 608 | 11,085 | 1.9 | Compare | |
| Timor-Leste | 0% | 0% | 100% | 667 | 364 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| New Caledonia | 26.9% | 26.9% | 73.1% | 561 | 10,661 | 3.1 | Compare | |
| Australia | 38.6% | 38.6% | 61.4% | 525 | 10,615 | 286 | Compare | |
| Fiji | 63.5% | 63.5% | 36.5% | 278 | 1,238 | 1.2 | Compare | |
| Oceania average | 41.4% | 41.4% | 58.6% | 495 | 7,331 | 338 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Papua New Guinea is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Papua New Guinea?
How clean is the electricity in Papua New Guinea?
Does Papua New Guinea have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Papua New Guinea use per person?
How much solar power does Papua New Guinea produce?
More countries in Oceania
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.