Power production breakdown in Austria 2023, by source

Hydropower is the main source of electricity production in Austria, accounting for almost 60 percent of the country’s total electricity generation in 2023. That year, more than 80 percent of Austria's electricity production was sourced from renewables, with wind power ranking second in terms of renewable output. 

The hydropower sector in Austria

Austria’s landscape, a combination of mountainous terrain, abundant rivers, and plentiful precipitation, made the country a perfect location for hydropower development. With over a century of history and expansion of the sector, Austria’s hydropower generation stood above 36 terawatt-hours in 2022, ranking fifth in Europe. The Alpine country also boasts one of the largest pumped hydropower storage capacities in the region, at almost 5.6 gigawatts.

Austria’s electricity supply

Austria’s annual electricity generation grew by roughly 20 percent since the beginning of the century, surpassing 70 terawatt-hours in recent years. The domestic electricity generation has come very close to supplying the country’s demand. In 2022, Austria registered net electricity imports of approximately 8.7 terawatt-hours. Nonetheless, the country still recorded a trade value surplus that year of more than 250 million U.S. dollars.