Introduction
The strategy to increase the share of renewable energy in the national electricity generation mix is being implemented, with several solar photovoltaic projects in the Small Scale Distributed Generation (SSDG), Medium Scale Distributed Generation (MSDG) and Utility-Scale categories under development.
As part of the revised strategy, in accordance with the government's reset objectives to accelerate the development of renewable energy to reach the 60% target by 2035, a revised version of the MSDG scheme has been conceptualized to formulate this new program.
The new scheme, named "CARBON NEUTRAL COMMERCIAL SECTOR (CNCS) RENEWABLE ENERGY (RE) SCHEME", will be offered on a pilot basis to major electricity consumers in the commercial sector.
The launch of the CNCS RE program was formalized by the government at its Cabinet meeting on January 23, 2026.
For the current phase of the CNCS RE scheme, CEB will consider applications for renewable energy projects (solar only) from commercial category customers registered under tariff codes 225 and 225A.
A total cumulative capacity of seventy (70) megawatts (MW) has been reserved for the current phase of the Scheme in Mauritius. For Rodrigues, capacity allocation will be based on the results of the operationalization of the Rodrigues Ile Verte study.
Each solar photovoltaic installation developed under the Scheme can be sized to produce up to 150% of the total annual electricity cost (kWh) of the eligible customer(s). In all cases, under the CNCS RE scheme, the maximum capacity of a project must not exceed 4 MW per site. Solar installations must be equipped with battery energy storage to meet at least the customers' electricity demand during peak hours.
The interconnection of each RE project to the CEB grid must strictly comply with applicable CEB legislation, codes and requirements, which will be communicated during discussions with each project developer.
Under this scheme, eligible CEB customers may legally form and elect a cooperative entity to represent their interests in setting up one or more joint solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.
Participation in the program is voluntary.
Testing and commissioning of grid connections for solar photovoltaic projects will be on a rolling basis. Testing and commissioning of grid connections will take place in a sequential order based on the readiness of compliant renewable energy installations, subject to the capacity limit allocated to the Scheme.
The CNCS RE program was officially launched on January 27, 2026 at a press conference by the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities.
In the following sections, important information about the CNCS RE scheme is provided. Eligible customers in the CEB commercial category and the public are invited to carefully read the information provided in the information brochure.
Main Objectives of the CNCS RE Scheme
The CNCS RE program aligns with the government's strategy to decarbonize the energy sector, particularly to support the commercial sector in its quest for carbon neutrality.
The scheme can help accelerate actions to achieve the national target of 60% renewable electricity share by 2035.
The scheme offers eligible commercial customers the opportunity to engage in clean and renewable electricity production through the creation of cooperative entities, which will be the only entities legally responsible for the commercial operation of renewable installations. Additionally, eligible commercial customers will be able to engage in electrical load management and contribute to national demand management initiatives.
Through this program, CEB confirms its support to eligible commercial customers in setting up solar photovoltaic projects, with the common objective of ensuring the sustainable development of the national electricity system.
What is the CNCS RE Program?
The CNCS RE scheme offers CEB commercial customers – primarily those whose electricity contract accounts are registered in tariff codes 225 and 225A – an option to invest in renewable energy production (solar source only) to generate electricity primarily for their own consumption.
Among other things, the scheme aims to offer eligible customers an alternative to mitigate the impact of future electricity tariff increases.
Under the current phase of the Program, CEB plans to integrate a total cumulative capacity of 70 MW of solar photovoltaic installations (SSDG, MSDG and Utility-Scale1) with battery energy storage systems into the Mauritian grid. Battery energy storage systems should be able to meet at least the customers' electricity demand during peak periods.
Each proposed hybrid solar photovoltaic installation under this scheme will be subject to either a Network Impact Assessment (NIA) or a Network Survey (NS), depending on the necessary measure, to determine the final capacity of the installation. Subsequently, the qualified customer or the cooperative entity representing the interests of the group of qualified customers must implement all recommendations from the NIA or NS before or during the installation setup.
Key Features of the CNCS Scheme
The main features of the CNCS RE scheme are as follows: -
SSDG is small-scale distributed generation with a capacity not exceeding 50 kW;
MSDG is medium-scale distributed generation with a capacity ranging from 50 kW to 2 MW; and utility-scale electricity generation installations with a capacity greater than 2 MW.
MSDG is medium-scale distributed generation with a capacity ranging from 50 kW to 2 MW; and utility-scale electricity generation installations with a capacity greater than 2 MW.
1. Each eligible CEB customer participating in the Scheme will be considered a Prosumer, regardless of who owns or where the solar photovoltaic installation is located, which may be on-site or off-site.
2. The program offers both net metering and gross metering options to manage and bill energy production and export from solar photovoltaic installations. The customer (future Prosumer) will be free to choose between the two options. Under the net metering option, unbundled time-of-use tariffs as defined in the table below will be applied. It is expected that the proposed time-of-use tariffs will replace the existing tariffs 225 and 225A and be mandatorily applied in 2027.
3. The structure and typical rates of unbundled time-of-use tariffs, which will be filed with the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) for approval and publication, applicable monthly to each electricity contract account, currently registered in tariff codes 225 or 225A, linked to the solar photovoltaic installation, will be shown in the table below.
T-Transmission Licensee, SO-System Operator Licensee and SB-Single Buyer Licensee
The Minimum Charge, Security Deposits and Meter Rentals shall be as per General Notice N°1804 of 2022 and shall be billed as per existing billing practice.
The Minimum Charge, Security Deposits and Meter Rentals shall be as per General Notice N°1804 of 2022 and shall be billed as per existing billing practice.
• Until further notice, the traffic charges (energy import) rates for different times of day will have the following differences: the evening peak rate will be 48.2% higher than the day rate and the night rate will be 35.4% lower than the evening peak rate.
• Other charges must be calculated based on the amount of energy compensation; therefore, the monthly amount of other charges will be the product of the total energy compensation and the applicable rate, which is currently set at 2.61 Rs per kWh. Similarly, the monthly Tariff Solidarity Contribution (CST) will be the product of the total energy compensation and the applicable rates, which are currently provided in the table above.
• For calculating the monthly bill, the Prosumer's total monthly electricity consumption (kWh) must be calculated according to the formula below: -
C = P + I – E
Where,
C is the total monthly electricity consumption (kWh);
P is the total energy production (kWh) by the solar photovoltaic installation;
I is the total energy (kWh) imported from CEB; and
E is the total energy (kWh) exported to CEB.
Where,
C is the total monthly electricity consumption (kWh);
P is the total energy production (kWh) by the solar photovoltaic installation;
I is the total energy (kWh) imported from CEB; and
E is the total energy (kWh) exported to CEB.
The structure and rates of the unbundled time-of-use (ToU) tariffs mentioned above will be subject to future revisions if necessary.
4. Customers (future Prosumers) will be allowed to install on-site or off-site solar photovoltaic systems to generate up to 150% of their annual energy needs. Annual electricity needs will be calculated based on the most recent available monthly consumption recorded in each electricity contract account that will be linked to the solar photovoltaic installation.
5. As an additional incentive, excess energy generated will be purchased at the rate of 4.20 Rs per kWh.
6. The solar photovoltaic installation developed under the Program must be equipped with mandatory BESS (on-site or off-site) to offset at least the Prosumer's electricity demand during peak periods. The BESS will also enable participation in load/demand-side management.
Sizing of the RE Installation
Under this program, an eligible customer will be allowed to install a solar photovoltaic installation to meet their total annual electricity needs, plus an additional surplus of 50% for net export to the grid.
The final capacity (size) of each installation will be determined after the Network Impact Assessment (NIA) or Network Survey (NS) to be conducted by CEB and the declared electrical load of active electricity contract accounts linked to the planned solar photovoltaic system is effectively updated in the CEB Information System. Upon completion of the NIA and/or NS, the eligible customer must implement all recommendations made by CEB within a specified timeframe. In all cases, the maximum capacity of an installation must not exceed four megawatts (4 MW) per site.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the scheme, each eligible customer must determine the capacity of their solar photovoltaic installation based on their expected annual electricity demand (kWh), calculated on the basis of the last recorded monthly electricity consumption.
Metering Requirements Under the CNCS Scheme
Regardless of the metering method (gross metering or net metering), necessary metering equipment will be installed to measure and monitor energy production and exported by hybrid solar photovoltaic installations.
For metering purposes, all solar photovoltaic projects to be developed under this program will be equipped with production and import-export meters. The meters will be supplied by CEB. The latter will retain total administrative and technical control of the meters and their associated metering equipment. All metering-related costs will be borne by customers (prosumers).
The location where it will be necessary to install meters and metering equipment in the electrical installation of each solar photovoltaic installation will be determined by CEB.
On a case-by-case basis, special attention will be given to ensure the optimal solution for metering the solar photovoltaic installation, to ensure best business practices and monthly electricity billing requirements.
Key Terms and Conditions of the CNCS Scheme
The main terms and conditions of the CNCS RE scheme are: -
1. To apply for the Scheme, an eligible customer must complete and submit the prescribed application form along with all details of the planned solar photovoltaic project.
2. Each eligible CEB customer participating in the Scheme will be considered a Prosumer, regardless of ownership of the solar photovoltaic installation.
3. Prosumers can choose either Net-Metering or Gross-Metering for billing and managing energy production and export from solar photovoltaic installations.
4. Under the net metering option, unbundled time-of-use tariffs as defined in the table below will be applied. It is expected that the proposed time-of-use tariffs will replace the existing tariffs 225 and 225A, and their application will become mandatory in 2027.
T-Transmission Licensee, SO-System Operator Licensee and SB-Single Buyer Licensee
The Minimum Charge, Security Deposits and Meter Rentals shall be as per General Notice N°1804 of 2022 and shall be billed as per existing billing practice.
The Minimum Charge, Security Deposits and Meter Rentals shall be as per General Notice N°1804 of 2022 and shall be billed as per existing billing practice.
• The structure and typical rates of unbundled time-of-use tariffs, which will be filed with the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) for approval and publication, and which will be applied monthly to each electricity contract account, currently registered in tariff codes 225 or 225A, linked to the solar photovoltaic installation, will be shown in the table above.
• The structure and rates of the unbundled time-of-use (ToU) tariffs mentioned above will be subject to future revisions if necessary.
• Other charges must be calculated based on the amount of energy compensation; therefore, the monthly amount of other charges will be the product of the total energy compensation and the applicable rate, which is currently set at 2.61 Rs per kWh. Similarly, the monthly Tariff Solidarity Contribution (CST) will be the product of the total energy compensation and the applicable rates, which are currently shown in the table above.
5. Customers (future Prosumers) will be allowed to install on-site or off-site solar photovoltaic systems to generate up to 150% of their annual energy needs. Annual electricity needs will be calculated based on the most recent available monthly consumption recorded in each electricity contract account that will be linked to the solar photovoltaic installation.
6. As an additional incentive, excess energy generated will be purchased at the rate of 4.20 Rs per kWh.
7. The solar photovoltaic installation developed under the Program must be equipped with mandatory BESS (on-site or off-site) to offset at least the Prosumers' electricity demand during peak hours. The BESS will also support participation in load/demand-side management.
8. Upon submission of the duly completed application form, the customer pays the applicable non-refundable processing fees (click to view applicable processing fees) to enable processing of the application. Payment of processing fees does not guarantee enrollment in the scheme.
9. The electrical load of the customer's relevant electricity contract account(s) is effectively declared to CEB. If necessary, CEB will conduct a site study to verify the accuracy of the declared load. For this purpose, the customer would authorize and provide CEB personnel with the necessary authorization and access to conduct the detailed load inspection.
10. If justified, the declared or assessed electrical load, linked to an electricity contract account, will be updated in CEB's information system for billing purposes.
11. Consideration will be given to eligible commercial customers wishing to transfer their application to this scheme, subject to payment of a new processing fee.
12. A Letter of Commitment (LOC), as proof of implementation of the solar photovoltaic project, must be provided two weeks after the publication of the Letter of Intent (LoI).
13. Each solar photovoltaic installation will be identified by a unique account number assigned by CEB.
14. The cooperative entity, legally elected for commercial operation of the installation, must provide the percentage of shares in which the renewable energy produced must be shared among the qualified electricity contract accounts listed in the Connection Agreement or Interconnection Agreement. A qualified electricity contract account cannot be assigned to more than one solar photovoltaic installation.
15. For solar photovoltaic installations with a capacity of up to 2 MW, except in cases of unforeseen and uncontrollable events, the customer (or designated developer – the cooperative entity) must complete construction of the installation within 12 months from the date of signing the Connection Agreement (CA).
16. For solar photovoltaic installations with a capacity greater than 2 MW, except in unforeseen and uncontrollable cases, the customer (or designated developer – the cooperative entity) must complete construction of the installation within 17 months from the date of signing the Interconnection Agreement (IA).
17. The solar photovoltaic installation must at all times comply with all requirements of the applicable Grid Code (download grid codes), including its subsequent amendments.
Note: For electrical safety and power quality reasons, it is strongly advised that the customer consult a qualified person in the field of renewable energy technologies before filing and submitting the application.
18. The Prosumer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must provide CEB with web link access, free of charge, for downloading the installation's energy production/output.
19. When necessary, as and when required, the Prosumer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must grant free and full access to CEB to directly download data series from the installation's inverter and/or energy management system. For on-site and/or off-site data download, the Prosumer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must provide CEB with a free copy of the required operating software and applications.
20. Following notice from CEB, the Prosumer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) will offer full and free access to CEB personnel and/or its associates to the installation.
21. The customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must pay all relevant fees and costs, including connection fees, for setting up the installation.
22. Until properly remedied, a solar photovoltaic installation not complying with the applicable Grid Code and not respecting all terms and conditions of the scheme as well as other regulatory requirements will not be considered for grid interconnection and/or will be disconnected from the grid.
23. The customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must obtain all necessary authorizations, licenses, permits, etc. before commissioning of the installation by CEB.
24. Where applicable, the total monthly electricity consumption (kWh) of the relevant Prosumer (or designated developer – the cooperative entity) must be calculated according to the formula below.
C = P + I – E
Where C is the total monthly electricity consumption (kWh);
P is the total energy production (kWh) by the solar photovoltaic installation;
I is the total energy (kWh) imported from CEB; and
E is the total energy (kWh) exported to CEB.
Where C is the total monthly electricity consumption (kWh);
P is the total energy production (kWh) by the solar photovoltaic installation;
I is the total energy (kWh) imported from CEB; and
E is the total energy (kWh) exported to CEB.
Note: When an electricity contract account linked to the solar photovoltaic installation is in the name of a third party, before signing the agreement (CA or IA), the relevant customer (or designated developer – the cooperative entity) must obtain written acceptance from the third party for the above formula and to reclassify the electricity contract account in the specific CEB customer category for the purposes of billing and invoicing the monthly electricity consumption of the account.
25. In addition to the Network Impact Assessment (NIA) or Network Survey (NS), whichever would be justified, the Prosumer and its associates would have no objection to the addition of other terms and/or conditions necessary for the grid connection/interconnection of the installation.
26. As notified by CEB, the Customer (or its designated project developer – the cooperative entity) must implement all recommendations from the NIA or NS, as applicable, within a specified timeframe.
27. For each installation, the customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must submit the certificate of compliance confirming compliance with the applicable Grid Code, CEB recommendations, NIA or NS as well as the terms and conditions of the Scheme.
The certificate of compliance must be certified by an independent qualified technical officer for installations not requiring HT device installation or by an independent chartered engineer for HT equipment installation, as applicable, after the latter has carried out all technical and non-technical verifications.
28. The customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must sign the legally binding CA for installations up to 2 MW and the relevant IA for installations with a capacity greater than 2 MW within the specified timeframes.
29. By applying for the Scheme, the Customer and its representatives unreservedly authorize CEB or its associates, suppliers, contractors, etc. to share the information provided therein. Furthermore, the customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) would have no objection to any of the mentioned parties contacting them for administrative or non-administrative matters concerning the setup of the solar photovoltaic project (installation).
30. Solar photovoltaic installations that could not be commissioned during the current phase will be automatically integrated into the next phase(s) of this scheme. The opening of new phases will depend on the grid's absorption capacity.
31. Other terms and conditions will be provided in the relevant Agreement (CA or IA). The key features of the Scheme are an integral part of the Agreement. Non-compliance with the Agreement would result in automatic rejection of the solar photovoltaic project under this Program.
Application for the CNCS Scheme and Agreement Signature
The application and signing procedure for the relevant agreement for the CNCS RE scheme are explained in this section.
• Eligible customers wishing to participate in the CNCS RE program must submit the relevant duly completed application form, along with all required documents for the proposed solar photovoltaic projects starting from February 23, 2026. The relevant application form (click to download the application form) is available for download on the CEB website http://ceb.mu .
• After acceptance of a project under the Scheme, CEB will issue a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the relevant eligible and qualified customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity). The LoI will remain valid for a period of two months, during which the Customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must submit to CEB the duly completed signed Agreement (CA or IA), as applicable. The standard IA and CA templates will soon be available for download on the CEB website.
• From the date of signing the relevant agreement, except for unforeseen and uncontrollable events that must be effectively justified, the customer (or its designated developer – the cooperative entity) must commence commercial operation of the installation within 17 months for a project greater than 2 MW and within 12 months for a project up to 2 MW; failure to meet these key dates will result in the relevant provisions of the applicable Agreement being exercised.
Eligibility to Apply for the CNCS RE Scheme
The current phase of the CNCS RE scheme is open only to CEB commercial customers registered under tariff codes 225 and 225A.
The application of a customer in dispute with CEB will be put on hold until the dispute is effectively resolved. The application of an eligible customer holding an agreement under another scheme bearing the same electricity contract number will not be considered.
WHERE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?
The duly completed application form, along with all required documents, must be submitted at a CEB Customer Service Center (CSC). Contact details and addresses of CEB CSCs are available on the CEB website https://ceb.mu
Note:
• CEB will accept applications starting from February 23, 2026. Applications received before this date will not be considered.
• Applicable processing fees (click to view applicable processing fees) are due upon submission of the application.
• Processing of the application will only commence after payment of applicable processing fees.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CNCS RE SCHEME
Interested eligible CEB customers, wishing to benefit from the CNCS RE program, can obtain additional information about the scheme: -
• On the CEB website http://ceb.mu . This is highly recommended to save time and effort.
• By sending an email to [email protected] , or
• By contacting CEB's Corporate Planning and Research Department or the MSDG unit at telephone numbers 404-2000 and 601-1100 respectively.
BENEFITS OF THE CNCS RE SCHEME
Among others, the benefits of the scheme are as follows: -
• Subject to the mandatory Network Impact Assessment (NIA) or Network Survey (NS), as required, interested eligible customers (Prosumers) will participate in clean electricity production.
• The customer can choose to join and be part of a cooperative entity, which will be responsible for developing and operating a joint hybrid solar photovoltaic installation. This ownership model could be a more efficient and viable investment, with potential benefit from economies of scale in financing, procurement, operation, etc.
• Prosumers can opt for gross metering or net metering options to offset or bill their monthly electricity consumption. Under the net metering option, Prosumers can take advantage of unbundled time-of-use tariffs that will protect them against future electricity tariff increases. Time-of-use tariffs are expected to replace existing tariffs 225 and 225A and will be mandatorily applied from 2027.
• Prosumers will participate in load and demand management, which will help reduce high-cost electricity production during peak hours and thus reduce their electricity payments under time-of-use tariffs.
• Excess energy exported will be purchased at 4.20 Rs per kWh; this will further reduce the customer's electricity bill payment to CEB.
• By participating in this program, Prosumers will promote the use of renewable energy; therefore, respecting national and international commitment for sustainable energy development. At the same time, they will improve the carbon footprint of their respective activities, thereby enhancing the appeal of their products or services.
• Prosumers will have the opportunity to contribute to energy supply security and environmental protection, while participating in strengthening and supporting the inclusive development of the national electricity system.
Important Advice
• In accordance with the Electricity Act in force and its resulting regulations, any person (or entity) wishing to set up and operate an electricity generation installation is legally required to register with the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) and file an application for the relevant electricity generation license. For more information on this legal obligation, contact URA. Information on this is available at https://uramauritius.mu/ .
• Given the intricacies and financial implications involved in setting up renewable energy projects, special caution should be exercised when soliciting support from third parties. It is highly recommended to engage the services of an experienced consultant in the field.
• The planned solar photovoltaic installation must be fully compliant with the applicable Grid Code. To properly design the installation, one must seek the help of competent and qualified persons who will be able to prepare not only the technical part, but also the financial assessment of the investment; Maintain regular contact and work closely with CEB.
• To avoid delays in project implementation, ensure that all documentation, along with the application form, is submitted to CEB; Ensure that submission is made in accordance with instructions.
• Obtaining a Connection Agreement (CA) or Interconnection Agreement (IA), as appropriate, for grid interconnection of the planned solar photovoltaic project (installation) is mandatory.
Ensure it has been agreed upon and signed before investing and setting up the installation. It is strongly advised that payment for installation equipment should only be initiated after all agreements, licenses and permits, as applicable, have been properly obtained.
• Whenever necessary, consult CEB's support services, which will provide useful advice.
• The installation is an investment that will bring benefits. It is therefore necessary to ensure its security throughout its life. This will maximize the possible return on investment. Additionally, performing regular maintenance of the installation, with the help of a technically qualified person or the equipment supplier, will also help maximize gains.
• Ensure full continuous compliance with the applicable Grid Code, its amendments and the Agreement (CA or IA).
• Modification of the installation setup without prior authorization from CEB will result in automatic disconnection of the installation from the CEB grid and suspension of the Agreement (CA or IA).