At its cabinet meeting on 9 October 2026, the Mauritius government endorsed the action plan for the 2026-2027 national energy-saving campaign. Running from October to April, it aims to reduce peak electricity demand against a backdrop of rising consumption, climate change and turbulent fuel markets.
One clear target: curbing evening peaks
The problem is well understood by grid operators: consumption peaks occur mainly in the evening, when households and businesses draw on the network simultaneously. Rather than investing in new generating capacity, the government is betting on behavioural change. The operational target set by the Energy Ministry is a 5-megawatt (MW) reduction in peak demand — equivalent to powering roughly 3,000 to 4,000 Mauritian homes.
A multi-channel action plan
Building on lessons from the previous edition (October 2025–March 2026), the 2026-2027 campaign intensifies outreach across several fronts:
- Traditional and digital media: TV and radio broadcasts, social media content focused on peak-hour behaviour;
- Schools: classroom interventions to embed energy-saving habits from an early age;
- Public sector: formal commitment from ministries and parastatal bodies to shift or reduce consumption during critical hours;
- Community outreach: direct engagement with households and SMEs, which account for the bulk of non-industrial consumption.
Triple pressure
The move comes amid a particularly strained backdrop. Mauritius's electricity demand grows year on year, driven by air conditioning, the services sector and population growth. The ongoing Middle East conflict keeps international fuel markets volatile, making thermal power production costlier. And climate change is extending the hot season — precisely the period targeted by the campaign.
Why it matters
Mauritius imports the vast majority of its fossil fuels. Every megawatt saved at peak time cuts the import bill and reduces blackout risk for an economy — finance, tourism, global business services — that is particularly sensitive to grid instability. The campaign also signals a shift in energy policy: with budget constraints limiting new capacity investment, demand management is becoming Mauritius's primary lever for its energy transition. Sources: allAfrica / L'Express Maurice, Cabinet communiqué 9 October 2026.