Growing grids give power firms more room in Visayas, Mindanao

Power generation companies in the Visayas and Mindanao will have slightly more room to expand their generation portfolios this year after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) raised market share ceilings in the two grids.

Under Resolution No. 17 Series of 2026, the ERC set the Visayas grid's installed generating capacity (IGC) at 3,478.32 megawatts (MW) this year, up from the adjusted 2025 level of 3,443.16 MW. This increased the maximum capacity that a single company or related group may own, operate, or control in the grid to 1,043.50 MW from 1,032.95 MW.

In Mindanao, installed generating capacity rose to 4,295.92 MW from 4,287.60 MW, lifting the market share limit to 1,288.78 MW from 1,286.28 MW.

However, Luzon's installed generating capacity fell to 20,422.81 MW from 20,659.32 MW, reducing the corresponding ownership ceiling to 6,126.84 MW from 6,197.80 MW.

At the national level, installed generating capacity declined to 28,197.05 MW from 28,390.07 MW, lowering the ownership cap to 7,049.26 MW from 7,097.52 MW.

ERC Chairperson and CEO Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan said the annual update helps preserve competition in the electricity sector.

“Healthy competition in the power sector is essential to ensuring a reliable electricity supply and protecting consumers from unreasonable prices. By regularly updating the IGC and Market Share Limitation, the ERC helps prevent market dominance and promotes a level playing field for all industry participants,” Juan said.

Under EPIRA, no company or related group may control more than 30 percent of a grid's installed generating capacity or 25 percent of total national capacity.

The limits determine how much generation capacity a company may own or operate and serve as a benchmark for monitoring competition in the power sector.

The ERC said the figures were derived from the Maximum Stable Load of power plants, or the maximum output they can reliably sustain.

Juan said the updated figures would support planning and oversight as renewable energy, battery storage, and other new technologies continue to enter the grid.

“The Philippine energy sector continues to expand and modernize. This Resolution allows the ERC to more accurately reflect the actual operating capacities of power plants nationwide, while ensuring that competition remains fair, transparent, and beneficial to consumers,” the ERC chief added.