Energy: Mauritius Still Relies on Over 90% Imports Despite Solar Progress

Mauritius remains heavily dependent on imports to meet its energy needs. In 2025, 90.8% of the country's energy supply came from imported fuels, a slight decrease from 90.9% in 2024. Local sources accounted for only 9.2% of the energy used nationwide.

According to the latest statistics released by Statistics Mauritius, the country's primary energy needs reached 1.63 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in 2025, an increase of 1% from the 1.61 million toe recorded the previous year. Petroleum products represented 64.3% of this supply, followed by coal at 26.4% and renewable energy at 9.3%.

The supply of petroleum products continued to rise, increasing from 985,990 toe in 2024 to 1,049,251 toe in 2025, marking a 6.4% increase. In contrast, coal supply decreased by 10.5%, from 481,602 to 431,243 toe.

This ongoing dependence continues to weigh on the country's finances. The import bill for petroleum products and coal reached Rs 71.4 billion in 2025, up from Rs 67.3 billion in 2024, representing a 6.1% increase. These imports accounted for 22.4% of the total import bill in Mauritius.

Notably, this rise in the energy bill occurred despite a drop in average import prices for several petroleum products. According to Statistics Mauritius, the average import price of gasoline fell by 13%, diesel by 7.6%, kerosene by 9.9%, and fuel oil by 6.3% in 2025. At the same time, imports of petroleum products rose by 17.7%, contributing to the country's current energy bill level.

Petroleum products alone accounted for Rs 67.8 billion in imports. Fuel oil remains the largest category, valued at Rs 34.7 billion, followed by diesel (Rs 12 billion), dual-purpose kerosene (Rs 10.1 billion), and gasoline (Rs 8 billion).

On the renewable energy front, its contribution remains relatively limited. In 2025, renewables accounted for 9.3% of the country's primary energy needs, compared to 9.1% the previous year. Bagasse remains the main renewable source used in Mauritius, representing nearly 77% of total renewable production.

However, photovoltaic solar energy is one of the most dynamic sectors. Its contribution to the energy supply rose from 15,304 toe in 2024 to 19,849 toe in 2025, a 29.7% increase. In the electricity sector, photovoltaic production increased from 178 GWh to 230.8 GWh during the same period.

This growth contrasts with declines observed in other renewable sources. Hydroelectric production decreased by 26.5%, while wind energy dropped by 20.8% over the year.

Despite advances in solar energy, renewables accounted for only 17.8% of the electricity produced in Mauritius in 2025. Fuel oil and diesel-powered plants remain the main sources of electricity generation, contributing 49.6% of the electricity generated, followed by coal at 31.4%.

Energy demand continues to grow. Total electricity production increased by 3.9% to reach 3,551.6 GWh in 2025, while electricity sales rose by 4.7%, from 2,931.5 GWh to 3,069.8 GWh. Peak demand also hit a new high of 567.9 MW in Mauritius, up from 525.7 MW the previous year.

The figures published by Statistics Mauritius highlight the challenges accompanying the country's energy transition. While solar continues to progress and the share of renewable energy increases, Mauritius remains largely dependent on imported fossil fuels to ensure its energy supply and meet a constantly growing demand.