Primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Primary energy from hydropower was 7.95 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
7.95 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 16.2%
World rank
40th
of 80 countries
All-time high
7.95 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0.365 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka is 7.95 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is up 16.2% on the previous year and up 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka peaked at 7.95 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.365 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
That places Sri Lanka 40th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.365 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0.399 terawatt-hours | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 0.41 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 0.474 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 1969 | 0.549 terawatt-hours | +15.8% |
| 1970 | 0.7403 terawatt-hours | +34.8% |
| 1971 | 0.8255 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 1972 | 0.8471 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 0.6957 terawatt-hours | -17.9% |
| 1974 | 0.9976 terawatt-hours | +43.4% |
| 1975 | 1.08 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 1976 | 1.11 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.21 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 1978 | 1.37 terawatt-hours | +12.6% |
| 1979 | 1.46 terawatt-hours | +7.0% |
| 1980 | 1.48 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 1.57 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 1982 | 1.61 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.22 terawatt-hours | -24.3% |
| 1984 | 2.09 terawatt-hours | +71.9% |
| 1985 | 2.4 terawatt-hours | +14.5% |
| 1986 | 2.65 terawatt-hours | +10.4% |
| 1987 | 2.18 terawatt-hours | -17.7% |
| 1988 | 2.6 terawatt-hours | +19.3% |
| 1989 | 2.8 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 1990 | 3.14 terawatt-hours | +12.3% |
| 1991 | 3.12 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 2.9 terawatt-hours | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 3.8 terawatt-hours | +30.9% |
| 1994 | 4.09 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 1995 | 4.51 terawatt-hours | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 3.25 terawatt-hours | -28.0% |
| 1997 | 3.45 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 3.91 terawatt-hours | +13.6% |
| 1999 | 4.18 terawatt-hours | +6.7% |
| 2000 | 3.2 terawatt-hours | -23.3% |
| 2001 | 3.12 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 2.7 terawatt-hours | -13.4% |
| 2003 | 3.32 terawatt-hours | +22.9% |
| 2004 | 2.97 terawatt-hours | -10.5% |
| 2005 | 3.46 terawatt-hours | +16.5% |
| 2006 | 4.64 terawatt-hours | +34.2% |
| 2007 | 3.96 terawatt-hours | -14.8% |
| 2008 | 4.14 terawatt-hours | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 3.89 terawatt-hours | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 5.64 terawatt-hours | +45.1% |
| 2011 | 4.58 terawatt-hours | -18.8% |
| 2012 | 3.3 terawatt-hours | -28.0% |
| 2013 | 6.93 terawatt-hours | +109.8% |
| 2014 | 4.56 terawatt-hours | -34.2% |
| 2015 | 5.98 terawatt-hours | +31.1% |
| 2016 | 4.23 terawatt-hours | -29.2% |
| 2017 | 4.03 terawatt-hours | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 6.41 terawatt-hours | +59.0% |
| 2019 | 4.81 terawatt-hours | -24.9% |
| 2020 | 4.98 terawatt-hours | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 7.23 terawatt-hours | +45.2% |
| 2022 | 6.76 terawatt-hours | -6.5% |
| 2023 | 5.76 terawatt-hours | -14.7% |
| 2024 | 6.84 terawatt-hours | +18.7% |
| 2025 | 7.95 terawatt-hours | +16.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 7.95 terawatt-hours is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.78 terawatt-hours, 62% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.4394 terawatt-hours | 0.365 terawatt-hours | 0.549 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.03 terawatt-hours | 0.6957 terawatt-hours | 1.46 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.06 terawatt-hours | 1.22 terawatt-hours | 2.8 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.64 terawatt-hours | 2.9 terawatt-hours | 4.51 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.54 terawatt-hours | 2.7 terawatt-hours | 4.64 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.05 terawatt-hours | 3.3 terawatt-hours | 6.93 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.58 terawatt-hours | 4.98 terawatt-hours | 7.95 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More economy & growth data for Sri Lanka
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -8.07 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -7.82 Percent per annum (2022)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 110.33 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0011 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 5.03 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 761.14 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 6.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0076 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 34.73 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 38.34 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka?
- Primary energy from hydropower in Sri Lanka was 7.95 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy from hydropower recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 7.95 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary energy from hydropower recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.365 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for primary energy from hydropower?
- Sri Lanka ranks 40th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy from hydropower rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.