From October 2025 through September 2026, fossil fuels supplied more than half of Argentina’s electricity consumption, at about 53%, while low-carbon sources provided roughly 46%. Gas dominated the mix at 49%, with oil and coal contributing about 2% each. Among clean electricity sources, hydropower supplied around 21%, wind 12%, nuclear 7%, solar 4%, and biofuels just under 2%. Argentina therefore has a substantial low-carbon foundation, but fossil fuels still supply the largest share of its electricity, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Argentina?

Argentina’s latest figures do not show growth beyond its historical electricity consumption record. In 2026, consumption stood at 3,236 kWh per person, about 334 kWh—or 9%—below the record of 3,570 kWh set in 2016. Low-carbon electricity generation reached 1,479 kWh per person, around 43 kWh—or 3%—below its 2024 peak. These comparisons do not establish the latest year-on-year trend, but the failure to surpass earlier records is concerning: Argentina needs more clean electricity to support electrification, economic activity, and emerging demand, including AI.

Suggestions

Argentina can increase low-carbon electricity generation by expanding its already substantial wind sector while accelerating solar deployment and building on its nuclear expertise. Nearby Uruguay, where wind supplies about 31% of electricity generation, offers a particularly relevant regional example; Denmark’s 58% also demonstrates wind’s potential at scale. For solar, neighboring Chile generates almost a quarter of its electricity from sunlight, while the US state of California reaches around 30%, providing useful examples for expanding Argentina’s current 4% solar contribution. Nuclear should also play a larger role: France generates roughly two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, demonstrating how this clean source can anchor a low-carbon electricity system. Investment in generation, transmission, and grid flexibility would help Argentina turn these examples into sustained clean electricity growth.

History

Argentina’s low-carbon electricity history has been shaped by large swings in hydropower. Generation rose by 4.5 TWh in 1980, then fell by 6.8 TWh in 1988. The 1990s brought several gains of around 5 TWh alongside declines of 4–5 TWh. Strong hydro increases continued in 2000 and 2001, totaling more than 15 TWh, followed by smaller gains in the mid-2000s, a 6.5 TWh fall in 2007, and a recovery in 2009. Hydropower added another 3.6 TWh in 2013 before falling by 5.3 TWh in 2019. Wind delivered an encouraging 4.4 TWh increase in 2020. In the 2020s, hydro fell by 5 TWh in 2021, recovered in 2022, and surged by almost 11 TWh in 2023, before dropping by 7.3 TWh in 2025. That latest setback reinforces the importance of sustained expansion across wind, solar, and nuclear to keep clean electricity growing.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Oct 2025 – Sep 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.