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In line with its continuing commitment to deliver safe, adequate, reliable and cost-effective service to its customers, Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has been pouring in massive investments to improve and modernize its distribution system.
In 2024, the company completed a total of 18 major system requirement (SR) and miscellaneous allocation (MA) electric capital projects (ECP), of which four are Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) smart substations, which have advanced features that enhance the efficiency, reliability, and resilience of the company’s distribution network.
These modern, state-of-the-art distribution facilities are designed not just to accommodate additional load but also ensures Meralco’s readiness to support future power requirements of customers.
The newly completed substations include the Pallocan West GIS Substation in Batangas City, the first smart substation in the southern part of Meralco’s franchise area; the San Joaquin GIS Substation in Pasig City, the first ever fully indoor substation of its kind in the country; the Arcovia GIS Substation in Pasig City; and Sampaloc GIS Substation in the City of Manila.
Intended to meet the growing power demand and help accelerate economic development in Batangas City, the Pallocan West 69-kilovolt (kV)-13.8kV GIS Substation is the first smart substation in the southern part of Meralco’s franchise area. It uses cutting-edge smart grid technology that significantly improves the switching flexibility, power quality and reliability.
The project will benefit key government offices such as the Batangas Provincial Capitol and will serve the power requirements of business establishments including SM City Batangas, Wilcon Depot Batangas, United Doctors of St. Camillus de Lellis Hospital and Medical Center, Jesus of Nazareth Hospital Batangas, Days Hotel by Wyndham Batangas, and Pontefino Hotel and Residences.
Meralco also continues to lead the way in energy innovation with the energization of the San Joaquin 115kV-34.5kV GIS Substation, the first fully indoor substation of its kind in the Philippines.
This pioneering project showcases an innovative design to optimize land use and enhance urban aesthetics, seamlessly blending into its surroundings. This design makes it ideal for densely populated urban areas and commercial and mixed-use environments, creating opportunities for partnerships with property owners for commercial or co-location ventures.
The San Joaquin GIS Substation will also provide additional capacity and ensure reliability in Taguig City, Pasig City and Pateros, serving major customers such as The Rochester, Starmall Prima Taguig, Air Liquid Phil. Inc., ACG Flat Glass Phil. Inc., Pasig City Hall, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Bureau of Land Transportation.
To cater to growing energy demand, Meralco energized the Arcovia 115kV-34.5kV GIS Substation in Pasig City to benefit commercial and industrial establishments such as Arcovia City, E-PLDT’s Vitro Pasig Data Center, ComClark Network and Technology and Universal Robina Corporation.
Meanwhile, the Sampaloc 115kV-34.5kV GIS Substation in the City of Manila serves critical educational and health institutions including Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dominican School Manila and the University of Santo Tomas.
Beyond building modern substations, Meralco also installed new power transformers in the City of Manila and Pasig City in Metro Manila; Batangas City; Bocaue, Bulacan; and in Dasmariñas City, Cavite catering to the needs of residents and businesses not just in these areas but also to the neighboring communities.
Meralco also commissioned other projects such as the construction of new control house with switchgear room at Novaliches Substation in Quezon City, development of several switching stations, as well as the replacement of transformers and switchgears.
“Ensuring safety, adequacy, and reliability of our distribution system meant investing heavily in future-proofing and modernizing our facilities to meet our customers’ power requirements, especially with the continuing increase in demand that comes with the growth of our economy,” Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said.
Committed to helping in nation-building, Meralco’s proactive efforts boost the integrity and reliability of its entire distribution network, resulting in safer and more stable electricity service for consumers.
And Meralco intends to continue doing so.
For the new 5th Regulatory Period (5RP) covering July 2025 to June 2029, Meralco proposed more than P200 billion capex primarily for infrastructure upgrades, system reliability enhancements, and storm-hardening measures.
It will also allocate a portion of its investment to underground cabling projects aimed at addressing the persistent issue of dangling wires, while reinforcing power infrastructure to withstand typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
Beyond physical infrastructure improvements, Meralco is also planning to expand the adoption of the advanced metering infrastructure and various digital transformation projects to further enhance service and operational efficiency and boost customer experience. The company will continue investing in smart grid solutions, cybersecurity enhancements, and automation technologies to minimize service disruptions, enable faster outage restoration, and provide customers with more control over their electricity consumption.
“We intend to be more aggressive in making our distribution network smarter, more robust, and more resilient through grid modernization projects, storm-hardening program, and continued investments in innovative technologies such as advanced metering infrastructure. This includes capital-intensive projects like smart substations and massive roll-out of smart meters that will cater more efficiently to the growing requirements of our over 8 million customers,” Aperocho said.
