Power-Sector Pathways, Tariff Reform and Social Protection: Equitable Renewable Energy Lessons from Mauritius

The renewable energy transition in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is shaped by a persistent tension between cost-recovery imperatives and the equitable distribution of energy services. Using Mauritius as a focal case, this study examines how power-sector policy pathways particularly tariff reform, affordability mechanisms, and participatory frameworks can support more inclusive renewable energy (RE) governance. The analysis is guided by two questions: (1) how RE policies in SIDS reconcile cost-reflective pricing with social protection for vulnerable users, and (2) what international policy models offer context-appropriate lessons for strengthening equitable energy reforms in Mauritius.

The study employs an interpretive policy analysis approach informed by energy economics, energy justice theory, the capability approach, and comparative policy learning. Evidence is drawn from Mauritian policy documents and institutional reports, supplemented by comparator cases from India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Findings show that although Mauritius has advanced tariff reforms and expanded distributed RE initiatives, its policy framework lacks embedded affordability safeguards such as lifeline tariffs, automated social protection, and participation-linked incentives. Insights from global practice including Brazil’s automated social tariff and India’s viability gap funding demonstrate that fiscal sustainability and distributive justice can be jointly pursued when deliberately integrated into power-sector policy design. The study calls for capability-oriented governance embedded within tariff reform, targeted subsidies, and decentralized procurement models to support just and inclusive energy transitions in SIDS.