Meralco’s mammoth solar park almost half done
The construction of the P200-billion solar facility in Luzon is progressing well with the project now almost halfway complete, according to Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen).
Emmanuel Rubio, president and chief executive officer of MGen, said the completion rate of MTerra Solar development is now around 45 percent.
MGen is the power generation arm of Manuel Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
The facility, which straddles in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, is designed to have 3,500 megawatts (MW) of total power generating capacity.
Also, the solar park will also be equipped with a massive 4,500 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS).
“By the end of July, we’re expecting that 700 MW of panels will be installed,” Rubio told reporters on the sidelines of the Schneider Electric: Innovation Day Philippines 2025 in Taguig City.
He expressed confidence about making the first phase, with a target capacity of 2,500 MW, operational by early 2026.
The goal for the second phase, with a capacity of 1,000 MW, is to bring it online by 2027.
Rubio was also asked about the planned Terra Solar 2, but he said the group would like to focus more on the initial project.
However, he noted that MGen was “closely monitoring land availability.”
“The only time we will execute Terra Solar 2 is when we have secured the needed land. I don’t want to be doing the project while buying land as we go. It’s not easy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rubio said MGen is eyeing further investments in BESS with a planned development in Cebu, which may store about 20 to 40 MWh.
