Meralco power biddings hinge on gov’t nod
Meralco, the Philippines' largest power distributor will continue to operate for another 25 years after the Senate gave its nod to House Bill No. 10926, which seeks to renew Meralco's franchise to operate and maintain a power distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to its 7.6 million customers in 38 cities and 78 municipalities in areas including Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Pampanga, Bulacan and Rizal.
photograph courtesy of Meralco
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, is all set to initiate competitive selection processes (CSPs) for 800 megawatts (MW) of power supply contracts once it secures the necessary approval from the Department of Energy (DOE).
Following its annual stockholders’ meeting on Tuesday, Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez confirmed to reporters that the company is only waiting for the Certificate of Conformity (COC) for two CSPs.
He said the COC confirms alignment with the utility’s approved power supply procurement plan (PSPP), a requirement before bidding can begin.
To ensure sufficient and uninterrupted power supply to customers, Meralco needs an additional 200-MW renewable energy baseload supply for January 2026, and a 600-MW baseload supply starting February 2028.
CSPs aim to secure long-term, least-cost supply contracts while ensuring transparency and fair competition among power suppliers.
Beyond the initial 800 MW, Meralco’s updated PSPP includes upcoming CSPs for 900 MW and 300 MW baseload, 450 MW mid-merit, 500 MW renewable mid-merit, and a 1.426 MW RE baseload.
Deliveries could start as early as 2026, with contracts running five to 20 years.