From June 2025 through May 2026, about two-thirds of Bolivia’s electricity came from fossil fuels, entirely natural gas, while almost a third came from low-carbon sources. Hydropower supplied around 26% of electricity, making it by far the largest clean source. Solar contributed about 3%, wind just over 2%, and biofuels around 1%. This leaves Bolivia heavily dependent on gas-fired electricity, with substantial scope to expand clean generation and reduce the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Bolivia?

Bolivia’s latest figures show a disappointing retreat rather than growth in electricity consumption per person. The 2026 figure was 953 kWh per person, roughly 46 kWh—or about 5%—below the 2024 record of 998 kWh. Low-carbon electricity generation fell more sharply: at 309 kWh per person, it was 70 kWh, or about 18%, below its 2024 peak of 379 kWh. These per-person figures do not establish whether national electricity consumption increased or decreased, but they show that clean electricity supply per resident has lost ground. Reversing that decline would help Bolivia meet growing electricity needs from electrification and digital infrastructure.

Suggestions

Bolivia should prioritize expanding solar electricity, develop suitable wind resources, and consider nuclear generation as part of its long-term clean electricity strategy. Nearby Chile offers a particularly relevant solar example, generating around 24% of its electricity from solar, while Uruguay demonstrates wind’s potential with a share of about 33%. The US state of Nevada, where solar supplies around 35%, provides another useful example for solar development in sunny regions. For nuclear electricity, Bolivia could study how France supplies roughly two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, alongside the experience of the United Arab Emirates, where nuclear contributes about 20%. Learning from these regions while strengthening grids, planning and technical expertise could help Bolivia expand low-carbon electricity beyond its existing hydropower base.

History

Bolivia’s recorded low-carbon electricity history is dominated by fluctuations in hydropower. A decline of 0.2 TWh in 1980 was followed by similarly sized gains and losses during the 1990s and 2000s. The mid-2010s were particularly uneven: hydropower fell by 0.3 TWh in 2014, recovered by 0.2 TWh in 2015, then dropped by 0.7 TWh in 2016. Encouraging consecutive increases followed in 2017–2019, adding 1.5 TWh altogether. The 2020s brought further reversals: hydro fell in 2020, recovered in 2021, and declined again in 2022, when wind added 0.3 TWh. Hydropower rose by 0.5 TWh in 2024, but biofuel generation fell by 0.3 TWh in 2025 and hydro declined by another 0.3 TWh in 2026. This uneven record reinforces the need for sustained growth across a broader clean electricity mix.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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