Egypt’s electricity consumption in 2025 remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which supply about 86% of the total. Gas alone accounts for roughly three-quarters, while oil supplies another 10%. Low-carbon sources provide only about 14%: hydropower contributes nearly 7%, wind 4%, and solar 3%. Expanding clean electricity would help Egypt reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and the associated climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Egypt?

Electricity consumption in Egypt is growing, reaching a new record of 2,077 kWh per person in 2025, up from 2,036 in 2024—an increase of 41 kWh per person, or about 2%. Low-carbon electricity generation also reached a record, rising to 287 kWh per person from around 244 in 2024, an increase of roughly 17%. This is encouraging: clean generation per person is growing considerably faster than overall consumption. Sustaining and accelerating that progress would help meet future electricity demand from electrification and expanding digital infrastructure.

Suggestions

Egypt can increase low-carbon electricity generation by expanding solar, developing nuclear power, and continuing to build wind capacity, alongside stronger electricity networks. Nearby sunny regions offer useful examples: solar supplies about 15% of electricity in Jordan and almost a quarter in Cyprus, compared with just 3% in Egypt. The United Arab Emirates demonstrates the regional potential of nuclear power, which supplies 20% of its electricity, while France generates about two-thirds from nuclear. Morocco, where wind supplies 20% of electricity, offers another relevant regional example. Together, these experiences point toward a much larger clean electricity supply built around substantial solar and nuclear expansion, complemented by wind.

History

Egypt’s low-carbon electricity history shows fluctuating hydropower output followed by more recent growth in wind and solar. Hydropower fell by about 2 TWh in 1985, then gained about 2 TWh in 1990 and another 2.4 TWh in 1999. During the 2000s, gains in 2001 and 2007 were interspersed with declines in 2000, 2002, 2008, and 2009, making progress uneven. A broader clean electricity expansion emerged in 2019, when wind added 2.6 TWh, hydropower 1.2 TWh, and solar nearly 1 TWh; solar then added another 3 TWh in 2020. Hydropower rose in 2020, declined in 2021, and recovered in 2022. Growth strengthened again in 2024, with additions from wind and hydropower, followed in 2025 by a substantial 3.2 TWh increase in wind and 1.5 TWh in solar—encouraging momentum to build upon.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade