MGEN earns DOE nod for Singapore hydrogen-ready power project
Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) has received recognition from the Department of Energy (DOE) for its investment in a hydrogen-ready power plant in Singapore, highlighting its growing role in regional energy cooperation.
The commendation was presented during the 2026 ASEAN Energy Business Forum, which gathered energy officials, investors and industry executives to discuss Southeast Asia's energy security and transition priorities.
MGEN was recognized for its investment in PacificLight Power's 670-megawatt combined-cycle gas turbine facility on Singapore's Jurong Island.
The S$1.2-billion project will integrate a large-scale battery energy storage system and is designed to use up to 30 percent hydrogen alongside conventional fuel, with the potential to transition to full hydrogen use in the future.
The facility recently broke ground and forms part of efforts to strengthen regional energy infrastructure.
During the forum, MGEN president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio urged stronger coordination between national and local regulations, clearer permitting timelines and improved transmission planning to attract energy investments.
He also emphasized the Philippines' renewable energy potential and its capacity to develop large-scale energy projects.
Meanwhile, MGEN Thermal president and CEO Arnel Santos highlighted the continuing role of conventional power generation in maintaining grid reliability as renewable energy capacity expands.
MGEN Renewables and MTerra Solar president and CEO Dennis Jordan discussed the development of MTerra Solar, a project combining 3,500 megawatts-peak of solar capacity with 4,500 megawatt-hours of battery storage.
The project's first phase began commercial operations in August 2026, less than two years after construction started in November 2024.
Jordan said large-scale renewable energy projects could help deliver competitively priced electricity while reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
LNGPH president and CEO Yari Miralao also discussed the role of natural gas in supporting energy security, citing the return of indigenous Malampaya gas to the Ilijan Power Plant.
MGEN holds a 40.2 percent stake in LNGPH, which operates an integrated liquefied natural gas terminal and gas-to-power complex in Batangas.
The company said its investments across natural gas, conventional generation, renewables and energy storage are intended to support a reliable and increasingly diversified energy system in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.