China: Electric power consumption (kWh per capita)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, China's electric power consumption (kWh per capita) rose 452.07 on 2023 (from 6,586 to 7,038).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +197.43 and a typical year strayed about 137.14 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.9 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 585.86 in 2021. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 330.45 a year. A straight line explains 98% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 7,620 for 2027. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2022 to 2024 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 516.06, against 730.71 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

In 2024, China had the 11th highest value of the 109 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to China in the 2024 ranking

• Singapore — 7th of 109: 9,947
• Oman — 8th of 109: 8,489
• Russian Federation — 9th of 109: 7,774
• Trinidad and Tobago — 11th of 109: 6,816
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 12th of 109: 6,311
• Kazakhstan — 13th of 109: 5,667

What this measures

Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.

Limitations: Data on electric power production and consumption are collected from national energy agencies by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and adjusted by the IEA to meet international definitions. Data are reported as net consumption as opposed to gross consumption. Net consumption excludes the energy consumed by the generating units. For all countries except the United States, total electric power consumption is equal to total net electricity generation plus electricity imports minus electricity exports minus electricity distribution losses. The IEA makes these estimates in consultation with national statistical offices, oil companies, electric utilities, and national energy experts.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 35 values

Electric power consumption (kWh per capita) in nearby economies

• Australia — 9,795 (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — 10,963 (2024)
• Cambodia — 1,086 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 6,311 (2024)
• Indonesia — 1,611 (2024)
• Japan — 7,531 (2025)
• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 793.58 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 12,071 (2025)
• Lao PDR — 1,502 (2024)
• Malaysia — 5,418 (2024)

More environment data for China

• Population in largest city — 30.48 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 3.27% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 460.16 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 32.72% (2025)
• Rural population — 473.41 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 33.66% (2025)
• Urban population — 933.17 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 66.34% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 81.95 million (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is China's electric power consumption (kWh per capita)?

7,038 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 1,278% from 510.62 in 1990 (8.02% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 7,038 in 2024 and the lowest 510.62 in 1990.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), uri: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/energy-statistics-data-browser, publisher: International Energy Agency (IEA), date accessed: 2025-03-25 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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