From August 2025 through July 2026, almost two-thirds of Chile’s electricity consumption came from low-carbon sources, while just over a third came from fossil fuels. Solar supplied almost a quarter of electricity, hydropower about a fifth, wind around 14%, and biofuels about 6%. Among fossil fuels, coal accounted for 17%, gas around 14%, and oil roughly 5%. Clean electricity therefore leads Chile’s electricity mix, but fossil fuels still supply a substantial share, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Chile?

Electricity consumption per person is growing: the latest 2026 figure reached about 4,690 kWh, exceeding the previous record of 4,550 kWh in 2024 by 138 kWh, or about 3%. This is encouraging progress toward supplying an increasingly electrified economy. However, low-carbon electricity generation per person was about 3,030 kWh, down 111 kWh, or roughly 4%, from its 2024 record. Total electricity consumption has reached a new high, but clean generation per person has not kept pace—a worrying gap that Chile should work to reverse.

Suggestions

Chile can increase clean electricity generation by expanding solar and wind, both already major contributors, alongside transmission and storage infrastructure. Nearby Uruguay offers a relevant regional example, generating almost a third of its electricity from wind; Denmark and the US state of Iowa demonstrate that wind can supply well over half. For solar, North Macedonia’s 40% share shows scope to move beyond Chile’s already substantial contribution. Chile should also consider building nuclear generation to complement these sources: France generates about two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, while Spain combines a nuclear contribution of around 18% with other clean sources. Learning from these regions could help Chile expand reliable low-carbon electricity for electrification and growing digital demand.

History

Chile’s low-carbon electricity history has featured substantial hydropower gains alongside repeated setbacks, followed more recently by strong solar growth. Hydropower increased by nearly 8 TWh across 1991–1992, before falling by more than 5 TWh across 1998–1999. It rebounded by about 7 TWh in 2000–2001 and another 7 TWh in 2005–2006, but dropped 6 TWh in 2007 and nearly 4 TWh in 2010. The following decade brought a biofuels increase of 2.4 TWh in 2011 and a hydropower gain of 3.4 TWh in 2014, followed by a 2.5 TWh hydropower decline in 2019. Solar then delivered welcome growth of about 10 TWh across 2021–2023. Hydropower fell 2.5 TWh in 2021, recovered by roughly 6 TWh across 2023–2024, and then suffered a disappointing 6.4 TWh decline in 2025, underscoring the importance of sustained expansion across clean electricity sources.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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