Venezuela energy mix & electricity
In 2024, Venezuela generated 80.1 TWh of electricity. Hydropower provides 91.1% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
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 | 73 | 91.1% | +35.3 |
| Gas | 3.6 | 4.5% | −24.1 |
| Oil | 3.5 | 4.4% | −11.2 |
| Wind | 0.02 | 0% | −0.1 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 0% | 0 |
| Total | 80.13 | 100% |
Venezuela: electricity in context
In 2024, Venezuela generated 80.1 TWh of electricity. That puts it in the same league as Israel. Hydropower provides 91.1% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
91.1% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 17th of 158 countries (in the top quarter). That is 57 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for South America (76.8%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 86 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. By world standards this is a very clean grid. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Venezuela is 19th of 158.
The decade’s big winner is hydropower, up 8.7 TWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 35.3 percentage points of the mix). The biggest decline came from natural gas (−29.3 TWh). The net effect: renewables gained 35.3 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation shrank by 35.1 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 341 to 86 g/kWh, a 75% cut.
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 Venezuela: combined, they produce less than 1% of the power.
Generation per person is 2,821 kWh a year, 73% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Venezuela 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
Venezuela against the world and South America averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 25.8% of primary energy and fossil fuels 74.2% (2024). Per person, that is 24,592 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 Venezuela
The 43 power plants recorded in Venezuela add up to 31.1 GW of capacity, 57% of it Hydro. The largest is Simon Bolivar (Guri) at 8,851 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 | Simon Bolivar (Guri) | Hydro | 8,851 | — | — |
| 2 | Antonio Jose de Sucre (Macagua) | Hydro | 2,930 | — | — |
| 3 | Manuel Piar (Tocoma) Hydroelectric Power Plant Venezuela | Hydro | 2,530 | 2017 | Government CVG Electrification del Caroni CA (Edelca) |
| 4 | Fransisco de Miranda (Caruachi) | Hydro | 2,196 | — | — |
| 5 | Planta Centro | Gas | 2,000 | — | — |
| 6 | Ricardo Zuloaga (Tacoa) Thermal Power Plant Venezuela | Gas | 1,720 | 1956 | Government Operating: La Electricidad de Caracas (EDC) |
| 7 | Josefa Joaquina Sanchez | Gas | 1,586 | — | — |
| 8 | Termozulia | Gas | 1,300 | — | — |
| 9 | Ramon Laguna | Gas | 660 | — | — |
| 10 | Fabricio Ojeda (La Vueltosa) Hydroelectric Power Plant Venezuela | Hydro | 514 | 2011 | La Electricidad de Caracas (EDC) |
| 11 | Josefa Camejo | Gas | 450 | — | — |
| 12 | Termozulia II | Gas | 450 | 2011 | Government Operating : CORPOELEC - Empresa Electrica Socialista |
| 13 | Termozulia III | Gas | 450 | 2012 | Government Operating : CORPOELEC - Empresa Electrica Socialista |
| 14 | Termocarabobo | Gas | 380 | — | — |
| 15 | Luisa Caraceres de Arismendi | Gas | 367 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 43 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Venezuela
7 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 14 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 106 MW under construction or planned.
How does Venezuela compare?
Venezuela 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 91.1% | 91.1% | 8.9% | 86 | 2,821 | 80.1 | — | |
| Brazil | 86.6% | 88.7% | 11.3% | 110 | 3,527 | 751 | Compare | |
| Colombia | 77% | 77% | 23% | 187 | 1,691 | 90.4 | Compare | |
| Guyana | 2.9% | 2.9% | 97.1% | 645 | 1,661 | 1.4 | Compare | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0.1% | 0.1% | 99.9% | 682 | 6,334 | 9.6 | Compare | |
| Aruba | 17% | 17% | 83% | 550 | 9,253 | 1 | Compare | |
| Saint Lucia | 2.5% | 2.5% | 97.5% | 650 | 2,225 | 0.4 | 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 Venezuela
Venezuela energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Venezuela is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Venezuela?
How clean is the electricity in Venezuela?
Does Venezuela have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Venezuela use per person?
How much solar power does Venezuela produce?
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 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.