POWER DISTRIBUTOR MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) said it is awaiting the issuance of certifications from the Department of Energy (DoE) to proceed with its bidding processes to procure a total of 800 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
Lawrence S. Fernandez, Meralco’s vice-president and head of utility economics, said the issuance of a certificate of conformity (CoC) by the DoE is a regulatory requirement before a competitive selection process (CSP) can be conducted.
“Meralco has yet to receive this (certificate) for two proposed CSPs: 200-MW RE (renewable energy) baseload, for supply starting Jan. 26, 2026, and 600-MW baseload, for supply starting Feb. 26, 2028,” Mr. Fernandez said on the sidelines of Meralco’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Tuesday.
The two CSPs form part of Meralco’s 2025 power supply procurement plan (PSPP) to secure over 2,100 MW of capacity spanning 2026 to 2028, which has already been approved by the DoE.
A CSP is a government policy requiring distribution utilities to procure power through transparent and least-cost mechanisms.
“We try to commence CSPs as early as possible, to consider unforeseen events that may delay a CSP,” the official said. “For the two proposed CSPs that were slated to commence in April and May, we should still be able to complete them in a timely manner, based on experiences from past CSPs.”
Under the 2025 PSPP, Meralco also intends to procure power supply with a capacity of 1.426-MW RE baseload in April, 450-MW mid-merit in May, and 900-MW baseload in September.
Baseload power plants are facilities that generate a steady supply of electricity to meet regular demand, while mid-merit plants are designed to operate during periods of intermediate demand.
The PSPP was approved on April 11 — the same day President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed into law the franchise extension of Meralco, granting the utility 25 more years of distribution authority.
The extended franchise allows Meralco to operate in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and select areas of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, and Pampanga through 2053.
Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
