Latvia’s Electricity Balance in 2025: Rising Demand and Lower Self-Coverage
Source: Augstsprieguma tīkls (AST),
https://www.ast.lv/lv/electricity-market-review
Overview
In 2025, Latvia remained a net importer of electricity, with its dependence on cross-border supplies increasing compared with 2024. The key shift of the year was the combination of rising electricity demand and weaker domestic generation, which reduced the share of national consumption covered by local production.
Generation and Consumption
Total electricity generation in Latvia in 2025 amounted to approximately 5.80 TWh, decreasing by 1.8% year on year. At the same time, electricity consumption increased to around 7.20 TWh, rising by about 3.0% compared with 2024, further widening the supply–demand gap.
As a result, domestic generation covered about 80.5% of national electricity demand, down from approximately 84.6% in 2024. The net electricity deficit expanded to around 1.40 TWh, compared with about 1.07 TWh a year earlier.
Seasonal Dynamics
AST does not publish a full month-by-month balance table in its annual overview, but one clear exception stands out.
In February 2025, Latvia produced more electricity than it consumed, with domestic generation covering around 116% of demand, indicating a temporary surplus. Outside this period, Latvia largely depended on imports throughout the year, particularly during months with weaker hydrological conditions.
The 2025 balance once again confirmed the system’s strong seasonality and its sensitivity to weather-driven generation.
Generation Structure
Hydropower remained the backbone of Latvia’s electricity system in 2025, accounting for just over half of total generation (approximately 2.9–3.0 TWh). This was lower than in 2024, when hydro generation reached around 3.2 TWh, reflecting less favourable hydrological conditions.
The most notable structural change came from solar power:
solar generation increased by around 70% year on year,
its share of total generation rose to about 12%, making it the fastest-growing source in the mix.
At the same time:
wind generation declined sharply compared with the previous year,
output from biogas and biomass also fell,
gas-based generation remained broadly stable or slightly lower.
Despite rapid solar growth, it did not offset the combined decline in hydro and wind output, leaving Latvia’s overall generation lower year on year.
Imports, Exports and the Transit Effect
From a net balance perspective, Latvia imported significantly more electricity than it exported in 2025.
At the same time, AST flow data indicate periods when electricity entered Latvia from the north and exited towards the south, without a corresponding increase in domestic consumption. This suggests that part of cross-border flows served a transit function, rather than reflecting Latvia’s own market demand.
While AST does not report transit as a separate category, the physical flow patterns underline Latvia’s continuing role as a regional transmission corridor between Estonia and Lithuania, alongside its position as an end consumer.
Geographic Dimension
In its annual review, AST presents import geography mainly at the Baltic regional level, rather than broken down specifically for Latvia.
At this level:
total electricity imports into the Baltic region declined in 2025 compared with 2024,
Finland remained the largest external source of electricity for the Baltics.
For Latvia, this highlights that import dependence is shaped less by any single supplier and more by regional market conditions, weather patterns and network availability.
Electricity Consumption
Electricity consumption in Latvia increased by around 3.0% year on year in 2025, reaching approximately 7.20 TWh.
Conclusion
Latvia’s electricity balance in 2025 highlights several structural realities:
electricity demand continues to grow,
domestic generation remains strongly weather-dependent,
rapid solar expansion improves diversification but is not yet system-defining, the analysis continues in the next section.
net import dependence has increased,
Latvia’s role as a regional transmission hub is becoming more visible.
Overall, the year confirmed that Latvia’s energy balance is still driven primarily by hydrological conditions and regional integration, rather than by domestic self-sufficiency.
Image: photos/photo_170@23-01-2026_21-03-42.jpg