MGen to build 49-MW battery energy storage in Cebu

MERALCO POWERGEN CORP. (MGen), the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), is set to develop a 49-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) in Toledo, Cebu, which is expected to be completed by 2027.

The first phase of the BESS facility, with a 25-MW capacity, is scheduled to be completed by 2026, and the remainder by 2027, the company said in a media release on Monday.

MGen President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel V. Rubio said the project is part of the company’s broader commitment to strengthen grid reliability and accelerate the country’s energy transition.

“Battery energy storage will be critical in managing variability in supply and demand, particularly as we integrate more renewable energy into the system,” Mr. Rubio said.

BESS is a type of energy storage system that uses batteries to store electrical energy from the grid and release it when needed to augment supply or improve power quality.

The Toledo project follows MGen’s MTerra Solar project straddling Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. The project consists of a 4,500-megawatt-hour energy storage development designed to support its 3,500 megawatt-peak solar power project.

RETAIL ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
Meanwhile, Vantage Energy, an affiliate retail electricity supplier (RES) of Meralco, has entered into a retail electricity supply deal with Bohol Quality Corp. (BQC), one of the major retail institutions in Bohol.

In a statement, Vantage Energy said it will supply electricity to BQ Mall, an established commercial center in Tagbilaran City.

“This energy partnership ensures tradition and exceptional service with improved reliability and sustainability. As this marks Vantage Energy’s first venture in our province, we look forward to the growth, innovation, and opportunities our partnership will bring,” said BQC President Raymund G. Ong.

Established in 1945, BQC has evolved into an institution “that has remained rooted in community service while adapting to the changing demands of a modern consumer landscape.”

“By combining Vantage Energy’s expertise in energy solutions with Bohol Quality Corporation’s leadership in its field, we are creating a platform for meaningful impact, not only for our companies but also to the communities we serve and industries we support,” Vantage Energy President Ernesto M. Cabral said.

Vantage Energy, the first affiliate RES of Meralco, supplies electricity to contestable customers outside the power distributor’s franchise area.

In June, the Gokongwei Group tapped Vantage Energy to serve 35 of its key properties nationwide. The retail electricity supply deal covers facilities of Robinsons Land Corp., Robinsons Supermarket Corp., and Universal Robina Corp., with a portion of the contracted power to be sourced from renewable energy.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of the PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in ����ý through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera