Transmission and distribution losses — all countries

Transmission and distribution losses — North America

Transmission and distribution losses in North America in 2024 — 5.17%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 3.85 pp.

2024 5.17% −0.12 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 9.68%1989
Period minimum 4.49%2022

Trend over time

1960–2024 · % of output

Transmission and distribution losses — North America, 1960–20244681019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 9.03%1962: 8.59%1964: 8.61%1966: 9.25%1968: 8.81%1970: 8.62%1972: 8.74%1974: 8.35%1976: 9.07%1978: 8.93%1980: 8.76%1982: 8.14%1984: 6.94%1986: 6.63%1988: 5.44%1990: 8.94%1992: 7.19%1994: 6.88%1996: 6.96%1998: 6.08%2000: 6.07%2002: 6.47%2004: 6.67%2006: 5.89%2008: 5.39%2010: 5.76%2012: 5.99%2014: 5.69%2016: 5.36%2018: 4.78%2020: 4.7%2022: 4.49%2024: 5.17%
Change over the period: −3.85 pp Annual average: -0.06 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North America

North America 5.17%
World 6.51%
Transmission and distribution losses — North America, by year North America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 5.17 −0.12 pp
2023 5.3 +0.81 pp
2022 4.49 −0.89 pp
2021 5.38 +0.68 pp
2020 4.7 −0.8 pp
2019 5.5 +0.72 pp
2018 4.78 −0.5 pp
2017 5.28 −0.08 pp
2016 5.36 −0.44 pp
2015 5.8 +0.11 pp
2014 5.69 +0.03 pp
2013 5.67 −0.32 pp
2012 5.99 +0.24 pp
2011 5.74 −0.02 pp
2010 5.76 −0.22 pp
2009 5.98 +0.59 pp
2008 5.39 −0.4 pp
2007 5.79 −0.11 pp
2006 5.89 −0.03 pp
2005 5.93 −0.74 pp
2004 6.67 +0.77 pp
2003 5.9 −0.57 pp
2002 6.47 +1.51 pp
2001 4.96 −1.11 pp
2000 6.07 +0.19 pp
1999 5.88 −0.2 pp
1998 6.08 +0.06 pp
1997 6.02 −0.94 pp
1996 6.96 −0 pp
1995 6.96 +0.08 pp
1994 6.88 −0.45 pp
1993 7.34 +0.14 pp
1992 7.19 +0.2 pp
1991 7 −1.94 pp
1990 8.94 −0.74 pp
1989 9.68 +4.24 pp
1988 5.44 −0.02 pp
1987 5.47 −1.16 pp
1986 6.63 −0.51 pp
1985 7.13 +0.19 pp
1984 6.94 −1.36 pp
1983 8.3 +0.17 pp
1982 8.14 +0.76 pp
1981 7.38 −1.38 pp
1980 8.76 +0.13 pp
1979 8.63 −0.3 pp
1978 8.93 +0.39 pp
1977 8.54 −0.53 pp
1976 9.07 +0.15 pp
1975 8.93 +0.57 pp
1974 8.35 −0.09 pp
1973 8.45 −0.3 pp
1972 8.74 +0.28 pp
1971 8.46 −0.16 pp
1970 8.62 +0.29 pp
1969 8.33 −0.47 pp
1968 8.81 −0.02 pp
1967 8.83 −0.42 pp
1966 9.25 +0.39 pp
1965 8.86 +0.25 pp
1964 8.61 −0.04 pp
1963 8.65 +0.06 pp
1962 8.59 −0.26 pp
1961 8.85 −0.18 pp
1960 9.03

About the indicator

Electricity losses in transmission and distribution as a percent of output. The figure includes both physical losses in wires and transformers and so-called commercial losses — unmetered consumption, illegal connections, unpaid bills. Statistics cannot separate them, and that is exactly why the indicator serves as an indirect measure of the state of the network: physical losses in a sound grid rarely exceed eight percent, while values above twenty almost always mean problems with metering and bill collection.

Important: Technical and commercial losses together; the source does not allow them to be separated. Aggregates are weighted by generation in terawatt-hours and computed from 2000 onward.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.