Electricity Distribution Losses by Country
Electricity distribution losses by country measures electricity lost during the transmission and distribution of power between generation and delivery to customers, in billion kilowatt-hours (BkWh) per year. Much of the loss is thermal, occurring as electricity moves through lines and equipment. The statistics are based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) International Energy Statistics. The table covers 215 countries, with 211 reported 2024 values, and includes data from 2019 to 2024. The world total stood at 2,119.99 BkWh in 2024, up from 2,052.41 BkWh in 2023.
China (350.80 BkWh) recorded the largest losses in 2024, followed by India (291.92 BkWh) at about 83% of China's total. The United States (212.03 BkWh), Brazil (112.49 BkWh) and Russia (98.61 BkWh) completed the top five. Empty means no reported value, not zero. China accounted for about 16.5% of world losses in 2024. China and India together represented about 30.3%, while the top three reached 40.3%, the top five 50.3%, and the top ten 62.8%. China's losses increased by 7.8% in 2024, while the United States recorded an 11.0% increase. Brazil and Iraq also posted increases of 5.2% and 12.2%, respectively. India moved in the opposite direction, with losses falling by 3.7%, or 11.15 BkWh. Among the three largest countries by losses, the United States recorded the fastest percentage increase. Reported world values were 1,983.44 BkWh in 2019, 1,960.73 BkWh in 2020, 2,017.69 BkWh in 2021, 2,010.63 BkWh in 2022, 2,052.41 BkWh in 2023 and 2,119.99 BkWh in 2024. By 2024, losses were about 6.9% higher than in 2019, despite the decline recorded in 2020. Large electricity systems can record substantial losses simply because more power moves through their grids. India lost 291.92 BkWh in 2024, equivalent to about 16.6% of its reported electricity consumption. China's 350.80 BkWh of losses were equivalent to about 3.6% of consumption, while the United States recorded 212.03 BkWh, or about 5.1%. These comparisons show why absolute loss totals and loss intensity should not be treated as the same measure. The statistics are based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) International Energy Statistics. Values represent annual electricity transmission and distribution losses in billion kilowatt-hours (BkWh). Where no value is available, the cell is left empty. A value of 0 indicates that the source reports zero. The sum of the countries listed on this page may not equal the reported world total because the country-level data presented here do not necessarily represent the complete set of values used for the world total. This page covers transmission and distribution losses only; generation and consumption are reported separately in the source.
Electricity Distribution Losses by Country
Where electricity losses increased or declined
The six-year trend
Absolute losses versus electricity use
Electricity Distribution Losses by Country
#
1
333.01
323.35
325.61
306.29
325.35
350.8
2
270.7
272.37
272.42
279.55
303.07
291.92
3
215.2
200.7
204.22
204.98
191
212.03
4
105.65
105.73
108.4
104
106.92
112.49
5
99.08
95.57
97.83
98.5
97.3
98.61
6
66.72
67.45
60.95
71.17
79.9
89.69
7
39.1
41.09
48.41
43.01
41.79
48.45
8
33.45
36.99
42.05
41.11
42.37
43.52
9
34.04
32.39
45.51
45.8
45.67
43.23
10
31.06
35.78
37.07
37.99
38.23
39.73
11
32.71
35.38
35.74
36.93
37.95
39.12
12
38.09
35.9
39.19
35.19
35.28
37.69
13
20.87
20.74
22.33
29.88
27.03
33.47
14
26.13
25.26
25.02
27.05
27.48
29.59
15
31.26
29.13
31
29.06
28.96
28.87
16
25.45
26.32
26.17
25.66
28.96
26.79
17
27.47
26.94
26.58
26.32
26.81
26.09
18
34.6
33.69
32.02
31.85
31.82
25.73
19
22.9
25.08
24.81
23.88
22.84
24.64
20
23.13
20.28
23.7
25.63
25.81
24.12
21
24.79
25.63
26.73
25.13
24.53
23.86
22
19.07
18.45
19.42
20.02
19.69
19.97
23
17.82
17.45
19.03
19.15
18.52
19.57
24
15.48
15.69
16.45
17.14
18.2
19.2
25
26.45
24.86
25.91
25.67
25.85
16.78
26
13.29
12.97
14.1
13.69
14.44
15.19
27
12.3
12.01
12.41
12.92
13.19
13.41
28
9.65
9.72
11.18
13.25
13.19
13.18
29
9.99
9.74
9.97
10.69
10.69
12.53
30
9.69
6.75
9.45
9.39
9.44
11.98
31
8.95
10
9.25
8.81
8.55
11.57
32
16.43
15.45
15.66
11.22
10.35
10.09
33
10.59
8.31
10.64
9.71
9.11
9.43
34
9.9
8.98
8.98
8.77
9.24
8.84
35
9.53
9.68
7.46
7.98
8.28
8.06
36
6.7
6.64
7.22
7.49
7.52
7.98
37
6.68
6.77
7.27
7.6
7.78
7.93
38
7
6.35
7.02
6.66
7.02
7.81
39
4.47
4.23
4.87
5.19
5.21
7.59
40
7.01
7.03
7.28
7.35
7.91
7.54
41
8.98
9.48
8.82
9.61
7.91
7.45
42
5.72
5.56
6.66
6.63
6.82
7.02
43
6.99
5.95
7.02
7.08
7.08
6.82
44
6.41
6.41
6.72
6.64
6.64
6.72
45
4.28
4.42
4.65
4.96
5.12
5.48
46
3.7
3.43
4.56
4.21
4.21
5.45
47
2.56
2.38
4.23
4.55
4.61
5.43
48
3.69
5.21
5.61
5.73
4.33
5.35
49
4.97
5.26
5.41
5.34
5.97
5.32
50
6.5
6.2
6.2
5.46
5.82
5.25
51
5.06
4.74
4.8
4.87
4.99
5.03
52
4.95
4.5
4.94
5
5.13
5.02
53
4.16
4.29
4.78
4.89
4.81
4.29
54
3.64
3.73
4.61
4.66
4.63
4.06
55
3.17
3.55
3.29
3.61
3.62
4.02
56
3.21
3.05
3.57
4
4.19
3.98
57
3.42
3.73
3.88
3.65
3.65
3.96
58
2.43
2.55
4.07
3.92
3.94
3.96
59
3.77
3.8
3.98
4.1
4.1
3.95
60
4.33
4.39
4.48
4.18
4.88
3.85
61
4.7
9.98
2.39
3.38
3.43
3.75
62
3.63
3.5
3.61
3.36
3.15
3.7
63
4.37
3.69
3.81
3.67
3.68
3.65
64
3.43
3.43
3.62
3.43
3.35
3.63
65
3.56
3.74
4.09
4.18
4.27
3.31
66
2.75
2.79
2.83
2.96
3.07
3.31
67
2.77
2.77
2.93
3.38
3.38
3.26
68
2.77
2.77
2.93
3.12
3.18
3.24
69
2.79
3.2
3.46
3.55
3.51
3.2
70
2.26
2.89
1.92
2.39
2.45
3.19
71
2.89
2.89
3.06
3.14
3.26
3.18
72
2.71
2.74
2.85
2.69
3.15
3.15
73
4.3
4.12
3.65
3.41
3.01
3.15
74
3.3
3.19
3.24
3.24
3.1
3.15
75
2.76
2.54
2.33
2.14
2.37
3.04
76
2.84
2.78
2.9
3.27
3.3
3.04
77
3.06
3.15
3.19
2.79
2.72
2.97
78
2.51
2.75
2.74
2.39
2.36
2.94
79
1.18
1.29
2.73
2.67
2.8
2.73
80
3.29
3.14
3.05
2.78
2.45
2.7
81
2.25
2.27
2.34
2.47
2.47
2.63
82
2.77
2.6
2.6
2.51
1.97
2.29
83
2.27
2.31
2.41
2.46
2.5
2.24
84
1.86
2.28
1.84
1.84
1.83
2.18
85
2.23
2.04
2.15
2.19
2.2
2.14
86
1.36
1.31
1.28
1.45
1.88
2.07
87
1.55
1.45
1.75
1.96
1.86
1.91
88
1.96
1.73
1.73
1.87
1.64
1.89
89
1.59
1.56
1.71
1.72
1.72
1.87
90
1.18
1.53
1.71
1.64
1.64
1.83
91
1.86
1.9
2.08
2.19
2.24
1.8
92
1.74
1.85
1.72
1.78
1.72
1.75
93
3.4
3.31
2.91
1.68
1.86
1.69
94
0.68
0.59
0.44
0.48
0.49
1.64
95
1.66
1.73
1.69
1.66
2.05
1.61
96
1.05
1.11
1.18
1.79
2.04
1.49
97
1.37
1.5
1.61
1.4
1.46
1.43
98
1.32
1.13
1.23
1.31
1.14
1.31
99
1.62
1.71
1.82
2.24
2.34
1.31
100
1.15
1.15
1.18
1.18
1.18
1.3
101
0.89
0.96
1.02
1.09
1.11
1.26
102
1.05
1.12
1.19
1.2
1.24
1.24
103
1.13
1.13
1.2
1.22
1.22
1.23
104
1.26
1.23
1.33
1.26
1.34
1.21
105
1.16
1.13
1.04
1.12
1.12
1.2
106
1.06
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.01
1.15
107
0.85
0.88
0.91
0.99
0.99
1.12
108
0.5
0.38
0.99
1.23
1.16
1.12
109
0.92
0.89
0.89
1.14
1.15
1.11
110
0.89
0.88
0.93
1.03
1.08
1.09
111
1.68
1.58
1.35
1.32
1.23
1.08
112
1.07
2.1
2.29
2.23
2.23
1.06
113
1.08
0.93
1.36
0.96
1.24
1.03
114
0.83
1.59
1.01
1.08
1.09
1
115
1.09
1.05
1.11
0.84
0.84
0.97
116
0.82
0.92
1.02
0.98
0.98
0.97
117
1.31
1.21
1.19
0.88
0.92
0.88
118
1.15
0.95
1.04
0.87
0.79
0.86
119
0.78
0.79
0.93
0.79
0.77
0.84
120
0.89
0.95
0.93
0.85
0.83
0.82
121
0.86
0.85
0.84
0.85
0.77
0.82
122
0.98
1.03
1.04
0.97
0.99
0.8
123
0.67
0.67
0.69
0.72
0.73
0.74
124
0.63
0.67
0.57
0.62
0.63
0.71
125
0.5
0.44
0.51
0.5
0.5
0.71
126
0.55
0.57
0.55
0.61
0.53
0.62
127
0.41
0.44
0.56
0.6
0.6
0.58
128
0.53
0.54
0.57
0.54
0.54
0.57
129
0.57
0.56
0.59
0.58
0.55
0.55
130
2.22
1.87
1.1
0.42
0.44
0.51
131
0.36
0.35
0.3
0.39
0.39
0.46
132
0.27
0.31
0.4
0.52
0.75
0.45
133
0.31
0.33
0.35
0.36
0.37
0.44
134
0.49
0.49
0.5
0.48
0.6
0.43
135
0.3
0.39
0.4
0.42
0.42
0.43
136
0.4
0.41
0.3
0.32
0.32
0.42
137
0.42
0.42
0.42
0.49
0.49
0.4
138
0.44
0.38
0.39
0.36
0.34
0.36
139
0.37
0.36
0.28
0.32
0.33
0.33
140
0.22
0.22
0.28
0.32
0.32
0.32
141
0.16
0.22
0.22
0.21
0.21
0.31
142
0.25
0.23
0.23
0.27
0.27
0.28
143
0.23
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.25
0.24
144
0.29
0.22
0.23
0.23
0.23
0.23
145
0.1
0.1
0.26
0.2
0.21
0.23
146
0.17
0.14
0.19
0.19
0.2
0.23
147
0.19
0.17
0.17
0.26
0.17
0.22
148
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.22
149
0.18
0.14
0.19
0.17
0.18
0.2
150
0.15
0.14
0.16
0.17
0.17
0.17
151
0.18
0.24
0.22
0.14
0.15
0.17
152
0.16
0.16
0.16
0.17
0.17
0.17
153
0.16
0.13
0.17
0.19
0.2
0.17
154
0.14
0.15
0.17
0.18
0.18
0.17
155
0.19
0.15
0.15
0.17
0.17
0.16
156
0.16
0.14
0.15
0.15
0.16
0.16
157
0.16
0.15
0.15
0.15
0.14
0.16
158
0.07
0.19
0.13
0.14
0.14
0.15
159
0.57
0.5
0.63
0.17
0.17
0.14
160
0.13
0.11
0.13
0.14
0.14
0.14
161
0.12
0.13
0.13
0.13
0.13
0.13
162
0.64
0.62
0.16
0.15
0.15
0.13
163
0.11
0.11
0.11
0.11
0.11
0.11
164
0.13
0.09
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.11
165
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
166
0.11
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
167
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
168
0.09
0.09
0.09
0.09
0.09
0.09
169
0.35
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.09
0.09
170
0.05
0.05
0.12
0.11
0.11
0.08
171
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
172
0.06
0.07
0.07
0.07
0.07
0.07
173
0.07
0.06
0.06
0.07
0.06
0.07
174
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
175
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
176
0.05
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
177
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
178
0.03
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
179
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
180
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
181
0.05
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
0.04
182
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.04
183
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
184
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
185
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
0.03
186
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
187
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
188
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
189
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
190
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
191
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.02
192
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.02
193
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
194
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
195
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
196
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
197
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
198
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
199
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
200
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
201
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
202
0
0
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
203
0
0.01
0
0
0
0
204
0
0
0
0
0
0
205
0.01
0
0
0
0
0
206
0
0
0
0
0
0
207
0
0
0
0
0
0
208
0
0
0
0
0
0
209
0
0
0
0
-
0
Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries lose the most electricity?
China (350.80 BkWh) and India (291.92 BkWh) reported the largest 2024 values, followed by the United States (212.03 BkWh), Brazil (112.49 BkWh) and Russia (98.61 BkWh).
Why are India's electricity losses relatively high?
India recorded 291.92 BkWh of losses in 2024, equivalent to about 16.6% of its reported electricity consumption. This page reports the loss values; it does not establish the causes of year-to-year changes.
Did world electricity losses increase in 2024?
The world total rose from 2,052.41 to 2,119.99 BkWh, an increase of 67.58 BkWh or about 3.3%. China's increase of 25.45 BkWh represented about 38% of the net global increase.
What are electricity distribution losses?
They are electricity losses that occur during the transmission and distribution of power between generation and delivery to customers. Much of the loss is thermal.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
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Updated: 10.09.2026https://www.eia.gov/international/data/browser/
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