A new era of energy reliability and sustainability: MGEN’s PacificLight Pioneers Singapore’s First Gas-Fired Power Plant with Integrated Battery Storage

Singapore is building its next generation of power infrastructure — and a Philippine energy company is helping to build a brighter, more reliable and more sustainable energy future for the country.

On Jurong Island, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN)’s Singapore-based subsidiary, PacificLight Power Pte. Ltd. (PacificLight), has officially broken ground on a landmark S$1.2 billion hydrogen-ready power plant.

Set to be the first of its kind in Singapore, the facility will combine a cutting edge gas turbine with large scale battery storage — ushering in a new era of cleaner, more reliable and future proof energy for the nation.

The 670MW facility of PLM Power Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of PacificLight, will be Singapore’s largest and most efficient single generating unit when it starts up in 2029. It will generate enough electricity to meet the power needs of up to 1.2 million four-room flats in Singapore when it commences operation in 2029. The plant’s integrated battery energy storage system will enable dynamic energy management and increase grid resiliency by helping to align electricity supply with demand. The plant will be capable of cofiring with hydrogen up to 30 percent by volume from the outset, with the aim of transitioning to 100 percent hydrogen in the future.

Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr. Tan See Leng officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony, which was also attended by Manuel V. Pangilinan (managing director and chief executive officer of First Pacific; Meralco and MGEN chairman); Emmanuel V. Rubio (president and CEO of MGEN); Yu Tat Ming (CEO of PacificLight Power), among other distinguished guests and industry partners.

“The groundbreaking of this hydrogen-ready power plant reflects our confidence in Singapore’s economic and energy future, as well as our commitment to further expanding MGEN’s footprint beyond the Philippines and pursuing opportunities that strengthen our presence on a global scale,” MGEN chairman Pangilinan said.

“Through PacificLight, we are proud to contribute to Singapore’s energy security while advancing innovative, future-ready solutions for the region’s energy industry. As the Philippines further strengthens its role in the ASEAN region, this investment underscores the importance of deepening regional connections and collaboration,” added Pangilinan, who also sits as chairman and CEO of Meralco.

In January 2025, the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA) awarded PacificLight the right to build, own and operate the plant under its Centralised Process for new generation capacity. The plant will meet Singapore’s growing energy needs, which are driven by growth in existing and emerging electricity-intensive sectors such as advanced manufacturing, digital economy, and transport electrification.

“This S$1.2-billion investment reflects MGEN’s long-term confidence in Singapore’s energy future and our commitment to supporting PacificLight as a trusted energy partner. By combining highly efficient, hydrogen-ready power generation with battery energy storage, the project strengthens energy security while advancing a more flexible and sustainable energy system.

Following MGEN’s commercial operations of MTerra Solar in the Philippines this year, this project marks another significant milestone in our growing energy portfolio and reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that support a more secure, sustainable and resilient energy future across the region,” MGEN president and CEO Rubio shared.

The plant is being built by an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) consortium of Mitsubishi Power, the power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), and Jurong Engineering Limited (JEL). It will deploy Mitsubishi Power’s M701JAC gas turbine, recognized as the world’s most efficient large-frame gas turbine model, with more than 64 percent combined-cycle efficiency and proven reliability through more than 3.7 million operational hours across the J-series gas turbines.

The plant will add to PLP’s existing 830MW combined-cycle gas turbine facility operating since 2014, and its 100MW Fast Start Ancillary Services facility commissioned in 2025, which are both located on Jurong Island.