Global GridSri Lanka's energy mix and electricity
🇱🇰 In 2025, Sri Lanka generated 17.3 TWh of electricity. The largest source was hydro at 38%, followed by coal (27%) and solar (18%). In total, 63% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 37% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 321 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), below the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes Sri Lanka the 65th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 17.3 TWh. Its electricity imports and exports were roughly in balance.
Since 2000, electricity generation has grown by 155%, from 6.78 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 47% to 62%. The biggest rise was in coal, from 0% to 27% of generation. The biggest fall was in oil and other fossil fuels, from 53% to 11%. Carbon intensity fell from 358 to 321 grams per kWh.
Live, hour-by-hour figures for Sri Lanka are not connected yet. The dashboard shows its yearly figures, energy mix since 2000 and interconnector trade.
Energy mix in 2025
- Hydro 38%
- Coal 27%
- Solar 18%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 11%
- Wind 5.4%
- Bioenergy 1.3%
- Other renewables 0.2%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 38% | 6.61 TWh |
| Coal | 27% | 4.64 TWh |
| Solar | 18% | 3.04 TWh |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 11% | 1.82 TWh |
| Wind | 5.4% | 0.93 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 1.3% | 0.22 TWh |
| Other renewables | 0.2% | 0.03 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy Sri Lanka uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, Sri Lanka used 111 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was oil at 59%, followed by coal (18%) and hydro (15%). Fossil fuels made up 77% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 23%.
- Oil 59%
- Coal 18%
- Hydro 15%
- Solar 5.7%
- Wind 1.7%
- Other renewables 0.3%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Oil | 59% |
| Coal | 18% |
| Hydro | 15% |
| Solar | 5.7% |
| Wind | 1.7% |
| Other renewables | 0.3% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Moderate. Sri Lanka ranks 82nd of 158 countries and 18th of 46 in Asia. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, Sri Lanka produced energy equal to 23% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 23 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, hydro, made 38%. | 83 |
| Little reliance on imported power Sri Lanka exported more electricity than it imported, so it scores full marks. | 100 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 63% of generation. | 63 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 11% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 90 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 12 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in Sri Lanka, 0 km being built and 0 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country). For liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipped by sea, it lists 0 import terminals operating (1 more being built or proposed).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.78 TWh | 47% | 53% | 358 |
| 2005 | 8.82 TWh | 39% | 61% | 408 |
| 2010 | 10.7 TWh | 54% | 47% | 319 |
| 2015 | 13.2 TWh | 49% | 52% | 418 |
| 2020 | 16.5 TWh | 36% | 65% | 513 |
| 2024 | 17.1 TWh | 55% | 45% | 376 |
| 2025 | 17.3 TWh | 62% | 38% | 321 |
Questions about Sri Lanka's energy
What is Sri Lanka's energy mix?
In 2025, Sri Lanka's electricity came from hydro 38%, coal 27%, solar 18% and oil and other fossil fuels 11%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was oil 59%, coal 18%, hydro 15% and solar 5.7%.
How much of Sri Lanka's electricity is renewable?
63% of its electricity came from renewables in 2025 (hydro 38%, solar 18%, wind 5.4% and bioenergy 1.3%).
What is Sri Lanka's main source of electricity?
Hydro, which made 38% of its electricity in 2025.
How clean is Sri Lanka's electricity?
About 321 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2025, below the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 65th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does Sri Lanka import electricity?
Its imports and exports were roughly in balance in 2025.
How secure is Sri Lanka's energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for Sri Lanka is 66 out of 100 (moderate), 82nd of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Asia
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).