Transmission and distribution losses — all countries

Transmission and distribution losses — South America

Transmission and distribution losses in South America in 2023 — 14.96%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 1.46 pp.

2023 14.96% +0.41 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 16.71%2009
Period minimum 14.03%2018

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of output

Transmission and distribution losses — South America, 2000–2023141516172000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 16.42%2001: 16.4%2002: 16.17%2003: 16.05%2004: 16.67%2005: 16.69%2006: 16.54%2007: 16.46%2008: 16.53%2009: 16.71%2010: 16.43%2011: 15.96%2012: 16.55%2013: 16.41%2014: 15.88%2015: 15.69%2016: 15.69%2017: 14.91%2018: 14.03%2019: 14.56%2020: 14.64%2021: 14.56%2022: 14.56%2023: 14.96%
Change over the period: −1.46 pp Annual average: -0.06 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

South America 14.96%
World 6.95%
Transmission and distribution losses — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 14.96 +0.41 pp
2022 14.56 −0 pp
2021 14.56 −0.08 pp
2020 14.64 +0.08 pp
2019 14.56 +0.53 pp
2018 14.03 −0.89 pp
2017 14.91 −0.78 pp
2016 15.69 +0 pp
2015 15.69 −0.19 pp
2014 15.88 −0.53 pp
2013 16.41 −0.13 pp
2012 16.55 +0.59 pp
2011 15.96 −0.47 pp
2010 16.43 −0.29 pp
2009 16.71 +0.18 pp
2008 16.53 +0.07 pp
2007 16.46 −0.08 pp
2006 16.54 −0.14 pp
2005 16.69 +0.01 pp
2004 16.67 +0.62 pp
2003 16.05 −0.12 pp
2002 16.17 −0.24 pp
2001 16.4 −0.02 pp
2000 16.42

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.