Daily Tribune
Meralco PowerGen’s MGEN Thermal Energy names Arnel L. Santos as new president and CEO, completing Global Business Power’s transition into MGEN’s dedicated thermal power platform. Learn how the leadership reshuffle, including new COO Sam Manlosa and strategic energy transition head Felino Bernardo, positions the company for growth, asset reliability and future-ready energy projects.
MGEN Thermal has brought back the third unit of its Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) coal-fired power plant ahead of schedule, restoring a key source of electricity for Panay and parts of the Visayas.
In a statement on Thursday, the company said PEDC successfully synchronized Unit 3 of its 278.4-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City to the grid, completing its recovery after an equipment failure in May.
The unit returned to service earlier than the previously announced recovery timeline following what the company described as an intensive engineering and restoration program focused on safety, technical rigor, and operational excellence.
“The successful return of PEDC Unit 3 reflects the strength of our engineering capabilities, disciplined execution, and the dedication of our people and partners. Apart from restoring generating capacity, this recovery has further strengthened our engineering governance and asset management practices, enabling us to continue delivering safe, reliable, and dependable power to the communities and industries we serve,” MGEN Thermal President and Chief Executive Officer Arnel L. Santos said.
The recovery involved engineering assessments, forensic investigation, equipment repairs, extensive testing, and coordination with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, original equipment manufacturers, independent technical experts, and contractors before the unit was cleared to resume operations.
MGEN Thermal said PEDC will continue monitoring the unit's performance while completing the remaining engineering enhancements identified during the restoration.
It added that lessons from the recovery will be incorporated into the company's engineering standards and asset management framework to improve the reliability of its generating fleet.
PEDC owns and operates the 278.4-MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City, which supplies electricity to Panay Island and selected areas in the Visayas, supporting power security for households, businesses, and industries.
