Meralco bid out for 200MW supply draws big guns
Power producers from the Ayala, Lopez, Aboitiz and San Miguel groups are looking to vie for Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) 200-megawatt renewable energy supply eyed for deployment from 2026 to 2030.
Those companies that participated in the Pangilinan-led company’s prebid conference on Thursday included Ayala’s ACEN Corp., SanMar Solar, Inc., Negros Island Solar Power, Inc. and Sinocalan Solar Power Corp.
The Lopez-backed players were also present, particularly BacMan Geothermal, Inc., Energy Development Corp., First Gen Hydro Corp. and Greencore Geothermal, Inc.
Ang-led San Miguel Corp.’s companies also expressed their desire to participate in the bidding. They include Mariveles Power Generation Corp., GNPower Kauswagan Ltd. Co., GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. and Sual Power, Inc.
The Aboitiz Group likewise hopes to bag the power supply deal through AP Renewable Energy Corp., Therma Luzon, Inc. and Therma Visayas, Inc.
Although some companies operate coal-fired plants, they can still participate in the renewable energy bidding process. After securing a win, they can just provide renewable energy certificates (RECs) to Meralco.
The RECs can be sold or traded on the renewable energy market. It is a marketplace for trading certificates that represent an equivalent amount of power generated from clean energy sources.
Meralco’s move to secure this four-year supply deal is in compliance with the renewable portfolio standards. These require industry players to source at least 11 percent of their power sales from clean energy sources.
The covered companies are the electric cooperatives, distribution utilities and retail suppliers.
“Please be reminded that this bidding is being conducted in accordance with the DOE’s (Department of Energy) 2023 CSP (competitive selection process) policy and the ERC’s (Energy Regulatory Commission) implementing guidelines for CSP,” said Lawrence Fernandez, Meralco vice president and head of utility economics.
Meralco is the country’s biggest power distributor, servicing Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and selected areas in Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon.
