From June 2025 through May 2026, almost two-thirds of Peru’s electricity consumption came from low-carbon sources, while just over a third came from fossil fuels. Hydropower supplied more than half of all electricity, at about 52%, followed by wind at 6% and solar at 4%. Fossil fuels accounted for around 36%, almost entirely gas. Peru therefore has a predominantly clean electricity mix, but its substantial reliance on gas leaves room for more low-carbon generation to reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Peru?

Peru’s latest figures show a mixed picture rather than clear growth across the board. Electricity consumption in 2026 was about 1,800 kWh per person, roughly 70 kWh, or 4%, below the record of 1,869 kWh set in 2024. This shortfall is concerning as electrification and growing digital demand call for more electricity. Low-carbon generation, however, reached a new high of about 1,144 kWh per person, narrowly exceeding the 2025 record of 1,135 kWh. That modest improvement is welcome, although these per-person figures alone do not establish whether total national electricity consumption grew.

Suggestions

Peru can build on its hydropower foundation by accelerating solar and wind deployment and considering nuclear power as another source of clean electricity. Nearby Chile offers a particularly relevant solar example, generating about a quarter of its electricity from solar, while Uruguay demonstrates wind’s potential with a share of roughly one-third. The US state of Nevada, where solar supplies about 35% of electricity, provides another useful example for developing sunny regions. For nuclear power, Peru could study France, which generates around two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, and the United Arab Emirates, where nuclear supplies one-fifth. Learning from these regions’ project delivery, workforce development and grid planning could help Peru expand low-carbon electricity to support future demand.

History

Historically, Peru’s low-carbon electricity growth has been led by hydropower. Generation rose by about 1 TWh in both 1981 and 1991, before a sharp 1.8 TWh decline in 1992 was followed by gains totaling 3 TWh in 1993–1994. The early 2000s brought another 3 TWh increase across 2000–2001; a 1 TWh setback in 2004 was followed by a 1.6 TWh gain in 2006. Growth continued through the 2010s, including a standout increase of almost 5 TWh in 2017 and another 1.7 TWh in 2018. The early 2020s were uneven, with hydro declines in 2020 and 2022 interrupted by a recovery in 2021. More recently, 2024 brought strong gains of almost 3 TWh from hydro and 1.5 TWh from wind, followed by nearly 1 TWh of additional solar generation in 2025—encouraging signs of a more diverse clean electricity supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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