Transmission and distribution losses — all countries

Transmission and distribution losses — Southern Africa

Transmission and distribution losses in Southern Africa in 2023 — 10.58%. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 2.21 pp.

2023 10.58% +0.26 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 10.68%2020
Period minimum 6.65%2002

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of output

Transmission and distribution losses — Southern Africa, 2000–20236810122000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 8.37%2001: 8.04%2002: 6.65%2003: 8.47%2004: 10.06%2005: 8.73%2006: 8.96%2007: 8.71%2008: 9.01%2009: 9.93%2010: 9.68%2011: 8.52%2012: 8.83%2013: 8.56%2014: 8.58%2015: 8.25%2016: 8.81%2017: 8.63%2018: 9.13%2019: 9.35%2020: 10.68%2021: 10.42%2022: 10.31%2023: 10.58%
Change over the period: +2.21 pp Annual average: 0.1 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 10.58%
World 6.95%
Transmission and distribution losses — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 10.58 +0.26 pp
2022 10.31 −0.11 pp
2021 10.42 −0.26 pp
2020 10.68 +1.33 pp
2019 9.35 +0.22 pp
2018 9.13 +0.5 pp
2017 8.63 −0.18 pp
2016 8.81 +0.56 pp
2015 8.25 −0.34 pp
2014 8.58 +0.02 pp
2013 8.56 −0.27 pp
2012 8.83 +0.31 pp
2011 8.52 −1.17 pp
2010 9.68 −0.25 pp
2009 9.93 +0.92 pp
2008 9.01 +0.3 pp
2007 8.71 −0.25 pp
2006 8.96 +0.23 pp
2005 8.73 −1.33 pp
2004 10.06 +1.59 pp
2003 8.47 +1.82 pp
2002 6.65 −1.39 pp
2001 8.04 −0.32 pp
2000 8.37

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.