United Kingdom Hydro Power: Generation, Share and Trend
The United Kingdom generated 5.42 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025, 1.8% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 67th largest hydro power producer in 2025 of the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Hydro supplied 14.0% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through July 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- The United Kingdom generated 5.42 TWh of electricity from hydro in 2025.
- Hydro supplied 1.8% of the United Kingdom's electricity in 2025.
- The United Kingdom was the 67th largest hydro power producer in 2025 among the 153 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- The United Kingdom's hydro generation in 2025 was 21% lower than in 2020, when it was 6.88 TWh.
- The United Kingdom's hydro generation in 2025 was 14% lower than in 2015, when it was 6.30 TWh.
- The United Kingdom's hydro generation peaked at 6.88 TWh in 2020.
- The United Kingdom's hydro share in 2025 was below the world share of 14.0%.
- The United Kingdom had 2.19 GW of hydro generating capacity in 2025.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro generation | 5.42 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of the United Kingdom's electricity | 1.8% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of hydro | 14.0% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by hydro generation (each country's latest year) | 67 of 153 | 2025 · Ember |
| Hydro capacity | 2.19 GW | 2025 · Ember |
Hydro Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, GWh
| Year | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 3.95 TWh |
| 1986 | 4.77 TWh |
| 1987 | 4.19 TWh |
| 1988 | 4.88 TWh |
| 1989 | 4.77 TWh |
| 1990 | 5.12 TWh |
| 1991 | 4.54 TWh |
| 1992 | 5.35 TWh |
| 1993 | 4.30 TWh |
| 1994 | 5.12 TWh |
| 1995 | 4.65 TWh |
| 1996 | 3.40 TWh |
| 1997 | 4.40 TWh |
| 1998 | 5.12 TWh |
| 1999 | 5.34 TWh |
| 2000 | 5.09 TWh |
| 2001 | 4.05 TWh |
| 2002 | 4.79 TWh |
| 2003 | 3.23 TWh |
| 2004 | 4.84 TWh |
| 2005 | 4.92 TWh |
| 2006 | 4.59 TWh |
| 2007 | 5.08 TWh |
| 2008 | 5.14 TWh |
| 2009 | 5.23 TWh |
| 2010 | 3.59 TWh |
| 2011 | 5.69 TWh |
| 2012 | 5.31 TWh |
| 2013 | 4.70 TWh |
| 2014 | 5.89 TWh |
| 2015 | 6.30 TWh |
| 2016 | 5.37 TWh |
| 2017 | 5.88 TWh |
| 2018 | 5.44 TWh |
| 2019 | 5.93 TWh |
| 2020 | 6.88 TWh |
| 2021 | 5.42 TWh |
| 2022 | 5.66 TWh |
| 2023 | 5.54 TWh |
| 2024 | 5.76 TWh |
| 2025 | 5.42 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | United Kingdom | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1.3% | n/a |
| 1986 | 1.6% | n/a |
| 1987 | 1.4% | n/a |
| 1988 | 1.6% | n/a |
| 1989 | 1.5% | n/a |
| 1990 | 1.6% | n/a |
| 1991 | 1.4% | n/a |
| 1992 | 1.7% | n/a |
| 1993 | 1.3% | n/a |
| 1994 | 1.6% | n/a |
| 1995 | 1.4% | n/a |
| 1996 | 1.0% | n/a |
| 1997 | 1.3% | n/a |
| 1998 | 1.4% | n/a |
| 1999 | 1.5% | n/a |
| 2000 | 1.4% | 17.2% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | 16.5% |
| 2002 | 1.2% | 16.3% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | 15.7% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | 16.1% |
| 2005 | 1.2% | 16.1% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | 16.0% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | 15.5% |
| 2008 | 1.3% | 16.1% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | 16.3% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | 16.1% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | 15.9% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | 16.3% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | 16.4% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | 16.3% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | 16.2% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | 16.3% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | 16.0% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | 15.8% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | 15.8% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | 16.3% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | 15.2% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | 14.4% |
| 2025 | 1.8% | 14.0% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.42 TWh | 1.8% | 14.0% | 2.19 GW |
| 2024 | 5.76 TWh | 2.0% | 14.4% | 2.19 GW |
| 2023 | 5.54 TWh | 1.9% | 14.3% | 2.19 GW |
| 2022 | 5.66 TWh | 1.7% | 15.0% | 2.19 GW |
| 2021 | 5.42 TWh | 1.8% | 15.2% | 2.19 GW |
| 2020 | 6.88 TWh | 2.2% | 16.3% | 2.19 GW |
| 2019 | 5.93 TWh | 1.8% | 15.8% | 2.18 GW |
| 2018 | 5.44 TWh | 1.6% | 15.8% | 2.18 GW |
| 2017 | 5.88 TWh | 1.7% | 16.0% | 2.17 GW |
| 2016 | 5.37 TWh | 1.6% | 16.3% | 2.13 GW |
Full year by year history for United Kingdom
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Hydro Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through July 2026Monthly statistics through July 2026, TWh
| Month | Hydro |
|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 400 GWh |
| 2024-09 | 410 GWh |
| 2024-10 | 350 GWh |
| 2024-11 | 330 GWh |
| 2024-12 | 780 GWh |
| 2025-01 | 670 GWh |
| 2025-02 | 490 GWh |
| 2025-03 | 450 GWh |
| 2025-04 | 220 GWh |
| 2025-05 | 210 GWh |
| 2025-06 | 270 GWh |
| 2025-07 | 320 GWh |
| 2025-08 | 330 GWh |
| 2025-09 | 390 GWh |
| 2025-10 | 490 GWh |
| 2025-11 | 660 GWh |
| 2025-12 | 790 GWh |
| 2026-01 | 560 GWh |
| 2026-02 | 390 GWh |
| 2026-03 | 600 GWh |
| 2026-04 | 610 GWh |
| 2026-05 | 300 GWh |
| 2026-06 | 340 GWh |
| 2026-07 | 330 GWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of July 2026. Monthly figures for the United Kingdom can differ slightly from the annual totals.