Mauritius CEB Targets 675 MW Capacity for Summer Peak Demand

Every summer, Mauritius faces a surge in electricity demand as temperatures rise and air conditioning use spikes across homes, businesses and hotels. This seasonal crunch is known as the summer peak, and it has become one of the most closely watched tests of the national power grid.

The Central Electricity Board, known as the CEB, is the state-owned utility responsible for generating, transmitting and distributing electricity across Mauritius. After the grid came under noticeable strain during the 2025 summer period, the CEB says it is heading into the next peak season in a stronger position.

According to the CEB, the country's total installed generation capacity is expected to reach 675 megawatts for the coming summer. That figure represents the combined output the grid can call on at any one time, drawing from both the CEB's own power stations and electricity purchased from independent power producers, known as IPPs, who supply energy to the national grid under contract.

The improvement in outlook matters because the 2025 peak season exposed vulnerabilities in the system. When demand approached or exceeded available supply, the risk of load shedding, which means rolling, temporary power cuts to prevent a wider grid collapse, became real. Such disruptions are costly for businesses and disruptive for households, particularly during the hottest months of November through February.

Mauritius has been working to diversify its energy mix and reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, which power the majority of its electricity generation. Renewable sources, including solar and wind, have been gradually added to the grid, but their intermittent nature means they cannot always be relied upon during peak demand windows, particularly in the evenings when solar generation drops off but domestic consumption remains high.

The 675 MW target is meant to provide enough headroom to meet peak demand without resorting to emergency measures. The precise level of summer demand will depend on weather conditions, economic activity and population behaviour, all of which can shift from year to year.

What this means for residents and businesses: if the CEB achieves its capacity targets and demand stays within expected ranges, Mauritians should experience a more stable electricity supply this summer compared to 2025. However, the grid remains sensitive to any unexpected outages at major power stations or extreme weather events that drive consumption higher than forecast. Consumers are still encouraged to manage their electricity use during peak hours, typically late afternoon to early evening, to help reduce pressure on the network.

Source: Le Defi Media