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Timeline
Mauritius electricity pricing has been shaped by structural dependence on imported fossil fuels, with long artificial freezes followed by sharp tariff catch-up phases.
1995 — The stability era
Cheap electricity
Residential demand was moderate — little air conditioning and no explosion yet in connected devices. The CEB kept tariffs stable, supported by the state.
Rs 1.20 – Rs 1.80 / kWh2000 – 2010 — First adjustments
Rising oil prices
As oil prices rose and the rupee progressively weakened, the CEB adjusted its tariff grids. Mid-range bands moved from Rs 3.00 to Rs 4.50/kWh.
Rs 3.00 – Rs 4.50 / kWh2010 – January 2023 — The long freeze
More than a decade of fixed tariffs
For more than a decade, the government heavily subsidised the CEB to preserve purchasing power. Tariffs stayed unchanged despite the continuous rise in global costs. A delayed shock was building up.
Tariff freeze — heavy subsidiesFebruary 2023 — End of subsidies
The first historic grid overhaul
A new tariff grid came into force to target heavy consumers above 300 kWh/month. Upper bands crossed the symbolic Rs 10.00/kWh threshold.
Upper bands > Rs 10.00 / kWhMay 1, 2026 — Latest shock
+15% after the oil shock
Geopolitical tensions and heavy fuel oil inflation led to a general +15% increase. 542,500 customers were impacted, with hikes ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 450/month.
Up to Rs 8.77 / kWh — +15% across the boardAverage residential kWh price in Mauritius
Tariff 120 — Mid-range band (100–200 kWh/month) — 1995 to 2026
⚡ The 2026 energy cost reality
A household consuming 200 kWh/month now pays roughly Rs 1,150/month versus Rs 300 in 1995. Over thirty years, the bill has almost quadrupled, even before accounting for rupee depreciation.
Official CEB tariffs
The CEB progressive band system penalises higher consumption. The more you consume, the more expensive each additional kWh becomes — a logic that makes solar increasingly attractive.
| Consumption band | Monthly cumulative use | Price / kWh (Tariff 120) | Typical profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First 25 kWh | 0 – 25 kWh | Rs 3.16 | Very low consumption | |
| Next 25 kWh | 26 – 50 kWh | Rs 4.38 | Low consumption | |
| Next 25 kWh | 51 – 75 kWh | Rs 4.74 | Moderate consumption | |
| Next 25 kWh | 76 – 100 kWh | Rs 5.45 | Standard consumption | |
| Next 100 kWh | 101 – 200 kWh | Rs 6.15 | Average Mauritian household | Solar target zone |
| Next 50 kWh | 201 – 250 kWh | Rs 7.02 | Household with AC | Solar target zone |
| Next 50 kWh | 251 – 300 kWh | Rs 7.90 | High consumer | Solar target zone |
| Any additional kWh | > 300 kWh | Rs 8.77 | Very high consumer | Top priority |
📌 Tariff 110A — Social protection
The 128,000 households registered with the Social Register of Mauritius benefit from tariff 110A (Rs 2.18/kWh for the first 25 kWh) and are exempt from the May 2026 increase.
Monthly bill rising from about Rs 400 to Rs 460 after the May 2026 increase.
Monthly bill rising from about Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,150 — or Rs 1,800/year more.
Monthly bill rising from about Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,450 — or Rs 5,400/year more.
Comparative analysis
The CEB tiered structure creates a scissors effect: as consumption rises, the marginal price of each additional kWh rises sharply.
kWh price by consumption band
Residential tariff 120 — May 2026 grid
Estimated monthly bill by consumption
Total cost (Rs) — Residential tariff 2026
🔍 The tariff scissors effect
A household consuming 300 kWh/month pays its last kWh at Rs 8.77 — or 2.8 times more than its first kWh (Rs 3.16). This progressivity is deliberately designed to encourage energy restraint and solar adoption.
Structural analysis
Electricity inflation in Mauritius is not temporary. It reflects a structural vulnerability that neither the government nor the CEB can resolve without a radical transformation of the energy mix.
In 2024, 81.8% of electricity generated in Mauritius came from non-renewable sources (coal and heavy fuel oil). Every fluctuation in global oil markets feeds directly into electricity bills.
Tensions in the Middle East (Strait of Hormuz), Ukraine and other producing regions create permanent volatility. Mauritius only holds around 3 weeks of strategic reserves.
Fossil fuels are purchased in foreign currencies (USD, EUR). The structural depreciation of the Mauritian rupee mechanically increases import costs regardless of world market price movements.
National peak demand reached 525.7 MW in 2024, up 3.4%. Widespread air conditioning and electric vehicles will continue to drive demand upward.
After more than a decade of artificial tariff freezes, the Mauritian state can no longer sustain massive subsidies to the CEB. Budget pressure is forcing a gradual return to cost truth.
The transition plan toward 60% renewables by 2030/35 requires massive investment (405 MW of new capacity announced). Part of those costs will feed back into tariffs.
2026–2045 outlook
In the absence of a personal energy transition, Mauritian households remain exposed to a continuous and predictable rise in electricity bills.
Current situation: +15% validated in May. Average CEB price at Rs 7.54/kWh. Average household bill: Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500/month.
Likely: Further increases linked to renewable investments and repayment of CEB debt. Estimated additional increase: +8% to +12%.
Transition scenario: If the 405 MW of renewable capacity is deployed, partial stabilisation becomes possible. Estimate: Rs 9 to Rs 11/kWh in upper bands.
Crisis scenario: A major oil shock (oil above USD 150/barrel) or a prolonged logistics disruption could trigger rolling blackouts. Mauritius holds only 3 weeks of reserves.
Projected monthly energy cost (200 kWh/month) — 20 years
CEB-only bill (+10%/year) vs SOLAR RENT cost (contractually capped at +6%/year) — 2026 to 2045
✅ The SOLAR RENT shield
With SOLAR RENT, your monthly fee is capped at +6% per year maximum — well below historical CEB increases. You protect yourself from all future tariff increases for 20 years.
The alternative
Faced with the unavoidable upward trajectory of CEB tariffs, SOLAR RENT offers a concrete alternative: controlled kWh costs, full service included, and durable protection against future energy shocks.
* Rs 8.22/kWh = total cost of the SOLAR RENT SRH 8 kWh service brought back to estimated annual production. This cost is fixed and capped, unlike the CEB tariff which remains variable and uncapped.
💡 The decisive calculation
A household consuming 200 kWh/month currently pays around Rs 1,150/month to the CEB. With a SOLAR RENT SRH 8 kWh installation covering 70% of that consumption, the residual CEB bill falls to around Rs 300–400/month. Add the SOLAR RENT fee of Rs 2,000/month: the total cost becomes Rs 2,300–2,400/month — but that cost is stable and capped, while the CEB-only bill will keep rising every year.
Energy resilience
For an island like Mauritius, dependent on 81.8% imported fossil energy, the risk of widespread blackouts is real and documented. The Iberian blackout of April 2025 was a global warning.
Mauritius holds only around 3 weeks of fuel reserves. A major oil shock or maritime logistics disruption would trigger load shedding in less than a month.
The blackout that paralysed Spain and Portugal for several hours demonstrated the fragility of centralised grids. The only buildings still powered were those equipped with solar systems with batteries in island mode.
SOLAR RENT systems integrate SIGENERGY hybrid inverters enabling island-mode operation: during a CEB outage, your installation automatically disconnects and continues powering your home using batteries and real-time solar generation.
Get a free personalised simulation based on your current CEB bill and your real consumption profile.
