Transmission and distribution losses — all countries

Transmission and distribution losses — World

Transmission and distribution losses in the world in 2024 — 6.51%. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 2.9 pp.

2024 6.51% −0.44 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 9.4%1960
Period minimum 6.51%2024

Trend over time

1960–2024 · % of output

Transmission and distribution losses — World, 1960–202467891019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 9.4%1962: 8.9%1964: 8.63%1966: 8.73%1968: 8.34%1970: 8.04%1972: 8.28%1974: 7.91%1976: 8.37%1978: 8.25%1980: 8.26%1982: 8.08%1984: 7.62%1986: 7.52%1988: 7.13%1990: 8.43%1992: 8.01%1994: 8.32%1996: 8.62%1998: 8.56%2000: 8.84%2002: 8.94%2004: 8.9%2006: 8.47%2008: 8.26%2010: 8.19%2012: 8.12%2014: 7.85%2016: 7.74%2018: 7.33%2020: 7.28%2022: 6.77%2024: 6.51%
Change over the period: −2.9 pp Annual average: -0.05 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

World 6.51%
World 6.51%
Transmission and distribution losses — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 6.51 −0.44 pp
2023 6.95 +0.18 pp
2022 6.77 −0.37 pp
2021 7.14 −0.14 pp
2020 7.28 −0.15 pp
2019 7.43 +0.1 pp
2018 7.33 −0.24 pp
2017 7.57 −0.16 pp
2016 7.74 −0.16 pp
2015 7.89 +0.04 pp
2014 7.85 −0.21 pp
2013 8.07 −0.06 pp
2012 8.12 +0.04 pp
2011 8.08 −0.11 pp
2010 8.19 −0.26 pp
2009 8.45 +0.19 pp
2008 8.26 −0.09 pp
2007 8.35 −0.12 pp
2006 8.47 −0.23 pp
2005 8.7 −0.19 pp
2004 8.9 +0.22 pp
2003 8.67 −0.27 pp
2002 8.94 +0.31 pp
2001 8.64 −0.21 pp
2000 8.84 +0.24 pp
1999 8.61 +0.04 pp
1998 8.56 +0.24 pp
1997 8.32 −0.3 pp
1996 8.62 +0.12 pp
1995 8.5 +0.18 pp
1994 8.32 −0.07 pp
1993 8.39 +0.38 pp
1992 8.01 +0.09 pp
1991 7.92 −0.51 pp
1990 8.43 −0.34 pp
1989 8.77 +1.64 pp
1988 7.13 −0.11 pp
1987 7.24 −0.28 pp
1986 7.52 −0.33 pp
1985 7.85 +0.23 pp
1984 7.62 −0.61 pp
1983 8.22 +0.15 pp
1982 8.08 +0.32 pp
1981 7.76 −0.5 pp
1980 8.26 +0.15 pp
1979 8.11 −0.13 pp
1978 8.25 +0.12 pp
1977 8.13 −0.24 pp
1976 8.37 +0.04 pp
1975 8.33 +0.43 pp
1974 7.91 −0.24 pp
1973 8.14 −0.13 pp
1972 8.28 +0.11 pp
1971 8.17 +0.13 pp
1970 8.04 +0.07 pp
1969 7.97 −0.36 pp
1968 8.34 −0.1 pp
1967 8.43 −0.29 pp
1966 8.73 +0.05 pp
1965 8.68 +0.05 pp
1964 8.63 −0.12 pp
1963 8.75 −0.15 pp
1962 8.9 −0.27 pp
1961 9.17 −0.23 pp
1960 9.4

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.