As the Philippines’ largest power distributor, Manila Electric Company (Meralco) stands at the forefront of innovation and digital transformation in the energy sector, steering the country toward a smarter, more sustainable energy landscape.

Meralco is transforming its century-old power system to meet the ever-evolving and diverse power requirements of its over eight million customers amid technological advancements, the entry of new and intermittent renewable energy supply, increasing cybersecurity threats and the adverse effects of climate change.

Underscoring its commitment to digital transformation and its pivotal role in shaping the future of energy, Meralco demonstrated its leadership in the Philippine energy sector and its essential role in advancing energy solutions that enable and strengthen the nation’s digital transformation journey at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, Spain last March.

The MWC, organized by trade organization GSM Association, is the world’s premier annual exhibition and conference dedicated to the information and communication technology (ICT) industry where the latest innovation, solutions, concepts, and strategies are showcased to a global audience.

In this year’s event themed “Converge. Connect. Create.,” Meralco unveiled its comprehensive 7Ds Digital Transformation Strategy, its blueprint designed to modernize the country’s power distribution network — ensuring a smarter, more resilient, and sustainable electricity service to its over 8 million customers.

Meralco first vice president and Head of Information, Communication, Technology and Transformation Rocky D. Bacani said this strategy comprises inter-related projects in varying scales and complexity and encompasses seven key pillars, namely Digital Customer, Digital Grid, Digital Employee, Digital Enterprise, Data Platforms and AI, Digital Infrastructure and Digital Communications.

By integrating these elements, Meralco aims to enhance operational efficiency, customer experience and AI-driven decision-making in the power utilities sector.

“At Meralco, our mission goes beyond delivering electricity — we are shaping a future where power is smarter, more accessible, and more sustainable. Through continuous innovation and digital transformation, we are building solutions that empower communities, businesses, and ultimately our nation. With technology, we ensure that every home stays bright, every business thrives, and every dream is powered,” Bacani said.

Empowering customers with the My Meralco App

One key focus area of Meralco’s digital transformation journey is elevating customer experience through digital innovation. And central to the digital customer pillar is the launch of the new My Meralco App in February.

“We are driving digital empowerment through data-driven insights and real-time updates and notifications about energy services through the My Meralco app. It allows us to smoothly add one million customers a year without having to expand our physical footprint of touchpoints,” Meralco senior vice president and chief revenue officer Ferdinand O. Geluz said.

Through the My Meralco App, customers are empowered through real-time updates and data-driven insights — enabling them to manage their electricity consumption more effectively. It also facilitates faster, hassle-free transactions for payments, inquiries, and service applications.

Meralco has seen a significant shift towards online channels, with digital channels taking up 66.7 percent of customer transactions, Bacani said.

“So far, we’ve seen strong adoption of our digital services. We have 2.4 million Meralco Online customer accounts — which we are currently transitioning to the new app,” he said.

Investing for a Smarter Grid

Recognizing the need to accelerate the modernization of its grid infrastructure and metering capabilities, Meralco continuously invests in smart grid technology to further build a resilient and efficient energy infrastructure.

Meralco is implementing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), an integrated system comprising smart meters, communication networks, and data management systems. This infrastructure facilitates two-way communication between the distribution utility and its customers, enabling real-time data exchange that enhances grid monitoring and operational efficiency.

By leveraging AMI, Meralco can promptly detect and respond to events within its distribution network, swiftly restore power during outages, enhance grid resiliency and improve overall service reliability — boosting its operational efficiency.

Under its AMI program, the company has been integrating smart metering technologies into its distribution network since 2013.

These smart meters provide real-time energy consumption data, enabling customers to monitor their usage patterns closely and make informed decisions to reduce costs.

To continue its efforts towards smart grid development and consumer empowerment, Meralco plans to deploy about 3.5 million smart meters and 3,600 distribution automation devices over the next four years. It then plans to ramp up the rollout to cover close to 11 million smart meters in 10 years.

Enhancing Connectivity and Leveraging Data and AI

Supporting this massive AMI rollout is a solid telecommunications backbone to ensure real-time connectivity.

Meralco is set to roll out High-Speed Power Line Communication (HPLC) for vertical condominiums prevalent in Metro Manila, leverage public telco networks and explore narrowband Internet of Things (IoT) for elevated metering and remote outskirt areas.

The distribution utility also transitioned its communications technology to a Wireless Private Network (WPN) powered by Private LTE, which will provide up to 42 times the bandwidth of current systems while reducing latency for critical grid operations, “an essential factor for real-time monitoring and control of our Distribution Automation systems,” Bacani said.

Once the initial broadband deployment is completed, Meralco is advancing to the next phase of its digital transformation which focuses on cloud enablement across core to edge operations, unified resource management, and enhanced data visualization.

These developments lay the groundwork for integrating analytics and artificial intelligence throughout the distribution utility, enabling data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.

“AI-based detection will bring about a 50 percent increase in efficiency across our network and services while eliminating the need for an onsite field presence to gather data on what is going on during grid events,” Geluz said.

Meralco’s participation in MWC 2025 underscores its leadership in the Philippine energy sector and its essential role in advancing energy solutions that enable and strengthen the nation’s digital transformation journey.

Through its 7Ds Digital Transformation Strategy, Meralco is committed to modernize its operations and foster smarter, more accessible and sustainable energy future.

As the company continues to embrace digital technologies, it remains steadfast in its mission to empower communities, businesses, and the nation at large so every Filipino benefits from a brighter and more connected energy future.

“To ensure the stable growth of Meralco, we are intent on providing the best possible service that achieves a balance between reliability, security, affordability and sustainability,” Geluz said.