Saudi Arabia’s electricity consumption rose by 5.7% year-on-year (YoY) to 327,000 gigawatt hour (GWh) in 2023, compared to 309,500 GWh in 2022, data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed.
The total electricity transmitted to the grid in the Kingdom increased by nearly 5% in 2023, reaching 380,900 GWh compared to 362,700 GWh in 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s Electricity Consumption since 2010
Period
Consumption (‘000GWh)
Change(%)
2010
212.3
—
2011
219.7
3.5%
2012
246.4
12.2%
2013
262.5
6.6%
2014
278.1
6.0%
2015
294.6
5.9%
2016
296.6
0.7%
2017
298.3
0.6%
2018
299.2
0.3%
2019
288.6
(3.5%)
2020
289.3
0.2%
2021
301.6
4.3%
2022
309.5
2.6%
2023
327.0
5.6%
The below table illustrates the development of electricity transmitted over the grid since 2010:
Total Electricity Transmitted over Grid since 2010
Period
Transmitted Electricity (‘000GWh)
Change
2010
234.4
—
2011
244.0
+4.1%
2012
265.3
+8.7%
2013
277.9
+4.7%
2014
304.7
+9.7%
2015
330.8
+8.6%
2016
337.4
+2.0%
2017
354.4
+5.0%
2018
334.9
(5.5%)
2019
335.9
+0.3%
2020
338.0
+0.6%
2021
349.4
+3.4%
2022
362.7
+3.8%
2023
380.9
+5.0%
The licensed capacity for electricity generation reached 91 GW in 2023, an increase of 1.1% compared to 2022, as shown in the following table:
Licensed Capacity for Electricity Generation
Period
Licensed Capacity (GW)
Change
2019
85
—
2020
90
6%
2021
90
—
2022
90
—
2023
91
1%
Regarding the distribution of consumption by sector, residential consumption accounted for approximately 47% of the total electricity consumption in 2023, or 152,800 GWh. It was followed by the industrial sector (19%), the commercial sector (18%), and the government sector (11%).
Electricity Consumption by Category in 2023
Category
Consumption (‘000 GWh)
Percentage of Total Consumption
Residential
152.78
47%
Industrial
60.53
19%
Commercial
59.13
18%
Government
35.86
11%
Other Consumption Categories*
18.69
6%
Total
327.00
100%
Per capita electricity consumption recorded an increase of more than 2% in 2023, reaching 4,533 kWh compared to 4,438 kWh in 2022. Meanwhile, the per consumer electricity consumption rose by 6% during the period to approximately 17,200 kWh, as shown in the following table:
Per Capita Electricity Consumption (kWh)
Period
Per capita
Change
Per consumer
Change
2019
4274
—
16.63
—
2020
4363
2%
17.08
3%
2021
4628
6%
16.92
(1%)
2022
4438
(4%)
16.24
(4%)
2023
4533
2%
17.19
6%
**Per Consumer: The electricity consumed by a single consumer (such as a household, institution, or company) during a specific period.
Saudi Arabia’s electricity consumption rose by 5.7% year-on-year (YoY) to 327,000 gigawatt hour (GWh) in 2023, compared to 309,500 GWh in 2022, data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed.
The total electricity transmitted to the grid in the Kingdom increased by nearly 5% in 2023, reaching 380,900 GWh compared to 362,700 GWh in 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s Electricity Consumption since 2010
Period
Consumption (‘000GWh)
Change(%)
2010
212.3
—
2011
219.7
3.5%
2012
246.4
12.2%
2013
262.5
6.6%
2014
278.1
6.0%
2015
294.6
5.9%
2016
296.6
0.7%
2017
298.3
0.6%
2018
299.2
0.3%
2019
288.6
(3.5%)
2020
289.3
0.2%
2021
301.6
4.3%
2022
309.5
2.6%
2023
327.0
5.6%
The below table illustrates the development of electricity transmitted over the grid since 2010:
Total Electricity Transmitted over Grid since 2010
Period
Transmitted Electricity (‘000GWh)
Change
2010
234.4
—
2011
244.0
+4.1%
2012
265.3
+8.7%
2013
277.9
+4.7%
2014
304.7
+9.7%
2015
330.8
+8.6%
2016
337.4
+2.0%
2017
354.4
+5.0%
2018
334.9
(5.5%)
2019
335.9
+0.3%
2020
338.0
+0.6%
2021
349.4
+3.4%
2022
362.7
+3.8%
2023
380.9
+5.0%
The licensed capacity for electricity generation reached 91 GW in 2023, an increase of 1.1% compared to 2022, as shown in the following table:
Licensed Capacity for Electricity Generation
Period
Licensed Capacity (GW)
Change
2019
85
—
2020
90
6%
2021
90
—
2022
90
—
2023
91
1%
Regarding the distribution of consumption by sector, residential consumption accounted for approximately 47% of the total electricity consumption in 2023, or 152,800 GWh. It was followed by the industrial sector (19%), the commercial sector (18%), and the government sector (11%).
Electricity Consumption by Category in 2023
Category
Consumption (‘000 GWh)
Percentage of Total Consumption
Residential
152.78
47%
Industrial
60.53
19%
Commercial
59.13
18%
Government
35.86
11%
Other Consumption Categories*
18.69
6%
Total
327.00
100%
Per capita electricity consumption recorded an increase of more than 2% in 2023, reaching 4,533 kWh compared to 4,438 kWh in 2022. Meanwhile, the per consumer electricity consumption rose by 6% during the period to approximately 17,200 kWh, as shown in the following table:
Per Capita Electricity Consumption (kWh)
Period
Per capita
Change
Per consumer
Change
2019
4274
—
16.63
—
2020
4363
2%
17.08
3%
2021
4628
6%
16.92
(1%)
2022
4438
(4%)
16.24
(4%)
2023
4533
2%
17.19
6%
**Per Consumer: The electricity consumed by a single consumer (such as a household, institution, or company) during a specific period.
