What is the difference in primary energy from hydropower between United States and USSR?

41.15 terawatt-hours, with United States ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?

20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.

Where does this data come from?

Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Primary energy from hydropower. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

United States vs USSR: Primary energy from hydropower

United States

244.14 terawatt-hours

in 2025

USSR

202.99 terawatt-hours

in 1984

United States rank

4th

USSR rank

5th

Primary energy from hydropower over time

United States
USSR

How they compare

United States currently reports 244.14 terawatt-hours against 202.99 terawatt-hours in USSR, a difference of 41.15 terawatt-hours.

That makes United States's figure about 1.2 times USSR's.

Across all 20 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

United States ranks 4th and USSR ranks 5th of 80 countries.

United States has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	United States	USSR	Difference	Ahead
1960s	222.06 terawatt-hours	96.21 terawatt-hours	125.85 terawatt-hours	United States
1970s	278.41 terawatt-hours	145 terawatt-hours	133.42 terawatt-hours	United States
1980s	306.06 terawatt-hours	185.74 terawatt-hours	120.32 terawatt-hours	United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher primary energy from hydropower, United States or USSR?: United States, at 244.14 terawatt-hours against 202.99 terawatt-hours in USSR as of 2025.
What is the difference in primary energy from hydropower between United States and USSR?: 41.15 terawatt-hours, with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for United States and USSR?: 20 years are reported by both, from 1965 to 1984.
How do United States and USSR rank globally for primary energy from hydropower?: United States ranks 4th and USSR ranks 5th of 80 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Primary energy from hydropower. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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United States vs USSR: Primary energy from hydropower. Statizoid, drawing on Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/global-hydro-consumption/united-states/ussr/

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<a href="https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/global-hydro-consumption/united-states/ussr/">United States vs USSR: Primary energy from hydropower</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Primary energy from hydropower
Unit: terawatt-hours
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 82 places, 4,686 data points, 1965–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.