Global electricity demand grew year-on-year by around 3% in 2025, easing from 4.4% in 2024, when intense heat waves boosted electricity consumption. Nevertheless, the 2025 growth rate remained above the 2.8% annual average observed between 2014 and 2024 and was also well over twice the rate of overall global energy demand growth in 2025 (1.3%).

In 2025, emerging market and developing economies accounted for 80% of global electricity demand growth. China’s share of the increase in global demand was 58%, higher than in 2024, when it stood at 52%, but lower than the 62% average observed over the previous decade. China’s net electricity demand surpassed 9 500 TWh in 2025, up by 5.1%, but slower than the growth of 6.6% in 2023 and 7.0% in 2024. Demand from the buildings and transport sectors continued to expand strongly, supported by rising incomes, higher appliance ownership, and the fast growth of China’s electric vehicle fleet. However, amid global economic uncertainty, trade barriers and a structural weakening of domestic consumption, industrial electricity demand increased by only 3.7% in 2025, compared with the robust 6.0% in 2023 and 5.1% in 2024.

After four consecutive years of demand expanding by more than 6%, India’s electricity consumption rose by only 1.4% in 2025. Although underlying drivers supported a strong 5.8% increase during the first four months of the year, the unusually early and intense monsoon brought cooler weather and heavier rainfall, reducing the need for air conditioning and water pumping for agriculture. Cooling degree days were around 10% lower than in 2024, with a particularly sharp drop in June, a month that in recent years has typically made up a larger share of India’s electricity demand.

Southeast Asia was also affected by milder weather conditions compared with 2024, and electricity demand rose by an estimated 3% in 2025, a slowdown from the 8.6% increase seen in 2024, and significantly below the 6% annual average rate observed over the previous decade. Nevertheless, both in India and Southeast Asia, the slowdown in demand growth is likely to be temporary, with strong demand growth expected to resume in the coming years.

Electricity demand in the Middle East continued to grow robustly at nearly 4% in 2025, slightly faster than the rate seen in 2024. While some countries in the region saw milder summer temperatures than in 2024, several others experienced increased cooling needs. Continued economic growth and the increased uptake of air conditioners in the region is set to continue supporting rising electricity consumption.

Electricity demand in the United States grew by 2%, slower than the 2.8% growth seen in 2024 but more than three times as fast as the average growth rate over the previous decade. The buildings sector accounted for 80% of demand growth in 2025, boosted in particular by rapidly-increasing data centre loads, which alone contributed around half of the country’s entire increase in electricity consumption. A cold winter, with a nearly 10% increase in heating degree days, also supported power demand in 2025 by boosting space heating needs.

In the European Union, electricity demand rose by 1% year-on-year in 2025 after increasing by 1.6% in 2024. The growth was driven by the buildings sector, with colder winter temperatures driving increased space heating needs, as well as higher cooling demand in some countries during the summer due to heatwaves. Increasing uptake of electric vehicles, expansion of data centres and rollout of heat pumps also supported demand. While some recovery in industrial output was observed following declines in 2022 and 2023, growth in the sector’s electricity demand remained relatively modest.

Overall, advanced economies accounted for 20% of electricity demand growth in 2025, up from 17% in 2024, and well above the share of around 5% seen over the previous decade.

Global electricity demand grew robustly across all sectors in 2025. The buildings sector was again the largest single contributor to electricity consumption – accounting for nearly 45% of the total annual increase – followed by the industrial sector. Demand growth in the buildings sector in 2025 was supported by continued uptake of appliances and the rising stock of air conditioners and heat pumps, as well as rapid expansion of power demand from data centres in certain regions. Milder weather conditions in some regions, notably India and Southeast Asia, brought cooling degree days down by over 6% compared to 2024, limiting the increase in electricity demand in buildings. This effect was partially offset by higher electricity demand for heating at the global level, resulting in a net impact of less than 10 TWh.

Meanwhile, growth in electricity demand from the transport sector in 2025 was more than double the average rate observed between 2014 and 2024 as electric vehicle uptake accelerated in many regions. Transport contributed over 10% of global electricity demand growth in 2025, up from an average of only 4% over the previous decade. Data centres continued to grow strongly, with their electricity consumption increasing by around 17%. However, in absolute terms this 70 TWh increase compares with a total electricity demand increase of around 800 TWh.