How Much Small Businesses Pay for Electricity in Mauritius

For small business owners in Mauritius — from corner shops and bakeries to small restaurants and pharmacies — electricity is one of the most significant fixed costs they face. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units and other equipment run continuously, and the bills add up fast. **What the CEB charges commercial customers** The Central Electricity Board (CEB) — the state-owned utility that generates and distributes electricity across Mauritius — applies specific commercial tariffs to businesses. The most common for small operators is **Tariff 215**, a fixed-rate commercial tariff structured in tiers: - **Rs 10.01 per kWh** for the first 400 units (kWh) - **Rs 10.65 per kWh** for the next 400 units - **Rs 11.16 per kWh** for any consumption beyond that These rates have been in place since February 2023. For context, a small shop running two refrigerators and a split-unit air conditioner could easily consume 600–800 kWh per month, pushing a significant portion of its usage into the higher price bands. **Larger businesses pay differently** For commercial operators with heavier electricity demands — such as supermarkets, warehouses or small manufacturers — the CEB offers **Tariff 217**, which adds a *maximum demand charge* on top of the per-unit cost. This structure reflects the peak load a business places on the grid, not just total consumption. **A new option: renewable energy and time-of-use pricing** Since January 2026, the CEB has introduced a new scheme for the commercial sector: the **Carbon Neutral Commercial Sector Renewable Energy Scheme**. This programme is based on a *Time-of-Use (ToU)* tariff, meaning businesses pay different rates depending on what time of day they consume electricity — cheaper during off-peak hours, more expensive during peak demand periods. The scheme is designed to encourage businesses to shift energy-intensive tasks to lower-demand periods and to integrate renewable energy sources into their operations. Eligible businesses can explore this option directly with the CEB. **What this means for small business owners** If you run a small commercial operation in Mauritius, your electricity bill is almost certainly higher than a household's — and structured differently. Understanding which tariff applies to your business is the first step. If your monthly consumption regularly exceeds 800 kWh, it may be worth reviewing whether a different tariff structure or the new renewable energy scheme could reduce your costs. The CEB can be contacted directly for tariff assessments and eligibility checks for the 2026 renewable energy programme. Source: ION News