Government committed to address energy supply and secure heavy fuel oil for Mauritius

GIS – 23 March 2026:

The Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Patrick Gervais Assirvaden, held a press conference this afternoon at the Air Mauritius Building in Port-Louis to provide an update on the situation regarding heavy fuel oil supply and the country’s energy security.

Commenting the current situation, Minister Assirvaden emphasised that energy security is fundamental for the country and warned that the ongoing crisis could surpass the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. He recalled that on 28 February 2026, war broke out in the Middle East, severely disrupting the supply of heavy fuel oil. Due to ongoing bombardments, the port from which Mauritius imports heavy fuel oil was unable to dispatch the cargo that was initially scheduled to arrive in Mauritius on 21 March 2026.

In response, a crisis meeting was convened on 03 March 2026 with representatives of the State Trading Corporation (STC), the Central Electricity Board (CEB) and the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Yeung Sik Yuen, to assess the urgent needs of the CEB and determine appropriate measures. Following this meeting, a decision was taken to diversify supply sources, given the uncertainty surrounding the duration of the conflict. Minister Assirvaden stressed that the CEB, as a key facilitator of the Mauritian economy, cannot be allowed to collapse.

In this context, a first tanker was secured from Singapore. Mr Assirvaden explained that it departed on 21 March 2026 and is expected to reach Port-Louis on 01 April 2026, carrying 33,500 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil for the CEB. However, this procurement entails an additional cost of Rs 500 million, bringing the total cost of the tanker to Rs 1.2 billion, he said.

A second tanker, namely MT Clean Thrasher, with 32,000 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil, is expected to arrive in Mauritius between 15 and 17 April 2026. Altogether, the two tankers represent a total cost of Rs 2.4 billion, resulting in an excess expenditure of approximately Rs 1 billion for the CEB and the country, he stated.

The Minister highlighted that, as a Small Island State with limited visibility over the situation in the Middle East, Mauritius must adapt to evolving circumstances. In the meantime, measures are being implemented to manage the situation, including increasing the use of alternative sources such as charcoal where feasible; the setting up of a high-level crisis committee chaired by the Financial Secretary, comprising representatives of the STC, the Bank of Mauritius and the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities to identify concrete remedial measures; the enforcement of regulations under the Energy Efficiency Act to sanction wastage of electricity; and the possible restriction of electricity use in high-consumption areas such as shopping malls, football grounds at night and schools after hours.

According to the Minister a Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed with the Government of India in July 2026. In the interim, he pointed out that efforts are being made to secure adequate supplies of heavy fuel oil, while the CEB is working to optimise its storage capacity from 50 days to up to two or three months. On that score, the CEB has launched an international expression of interest to explore additional sources of heavy fuel oil supply beyond Singapore, with the process closing on 01 April 2026.

He also announced the intensification of the energy efficiency campaign, with a focus on immediate energy-saving practices. Additionally, as from September 2026, high energy-consuming refrigerators will be banned, following similar measures already implemented for air conditioners.

Mr Assirvaden called on the population to fully grasp the gravity of the situation and to act in a responsible manner. He urged citizens to avoid wastage of electricity and to adopt energy conservation habits.

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Topics: Energy