From September 2025 through August 2026, almost two-thirds of Latvia’s electricity consumption was supplied by low-carbon sources. Hydropower provided about 36%, solar about 21%, biofuels about 5%, and wind about 4%. Fossil electricity, entirely from gas in the supplied data, accounted for approximately 23%, while net imports supplied the remaining 10%. The imports’ generation mix is not specified, so they should be kept separate from the low-carbon and fossil categories. Hydropower remains Latvia’s largest clean electricity source, with solar making a substantial contribution.

Is Electricity Growing in Latvia?

Latvia’s latest figures do not establish whether electricity consumption is growing year on year, but they show that it remains below its historical peak. Total electricity consumption in 2026 was about 3,880 kWh per person, around 80 kWh—or 2%—below the 2018 record of 3,960 kWh. Low-carbon electricity generation was about 2,550 kWh per person, roughly 265 kWh—or 9%—below its 2017 record. This shortfall is concerning: expanding clean electricity supply would help Latvia meet future demand from electrification and AI while reducing dependence on fossil generation.

Suggestions

Latvia can build on solar’s already substantial contribution by expanding installations on rooftops and suitable land, alongside grid upgrades and storage. Solar supplies about 35% of electricity in the US state of Nevada and 31% in the US state of California, illustrating its potential at scale, although Latvia should tailor development to its own conditions. Nearby Lithuania, where wind generates 39% of electricity, and Denmark, at 57%, offer especially relevant examples for wind expansion. Latvia should also consider developing nuclear electricity, drawing lessons from Finland, where nuclear provides 38% of generation, and Slovakia, where it supplies about two-thirds. Together, solar, wind, and nuclear could strengthen Latvia’s low-carbon electricity supply and displace gas generation, reducing climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

History

Latvia’s recorded low-carbon electricity history has been dominated by fluctuations in hydropower. In the late 1980s, a 0.7 TWh increase in 1987 was reversed the following year. The 1990s brought repeated swings: gains of about 0.9 TWh in 1990 and 1.1–1.4 TWh in 1997–1998 contrasted with substantial declines in 1991–1992, 1996, and 1999. During the 2000s and early 2010s, increases in 2004 and 2012 were interspersed with declines, including consecutive falls in 2013–2014. Hydropower then rose by 0.7 TWh in 2016 and 1.9 TWh in 2017, before losing 1.9 TWh in 2018—a disappointing reversal. More recently, hydropower gained 1 TWh in 2023, and solar added 0.8 TWh in 2026, an encouraging development that broadens Latvia’s clean electricity generation beyond hydropower.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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