AboitizPower keeps lead in generation output

MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz Power Corp. remains the leading power generator in the country, based on latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE).

In the 37th Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) Implementation Status Report, the DOE said AboitizPower has the largest market share in terms of generating capacity in the national grid from May to October 2020.

AboitizPower holds a 21.3 percent share out of the 23,409.7 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity.

Following in close second is the San Miguel group with 20.7 percent while Lopez-led First Gen Corp. rounded up the top three private firms, cornering 15 percent.

On the other hand, the government through the  Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM),  remained to be a sizable player in the power sector with 11 percent of the total generating capacity.

The DOE said “no power generation entity has exceeded the installed generating capacity and market share limitation of 25 percent for the national grid.”

On a per grid basis, the San Miguel group is the biggest power generator in Luzon with 4,556 MW or 28 percent of the 16,044 MW total.

It is followed by AboitizPower with 3,401.7 MW or 21 percent of the Luzon market share and FirstGen with 2,518 MW or 16 percent.

In Visayas, FirstGen had the biggest market share with 941.5 MW, covering 28 percent of the grid. AboitizPower came in second with 22 percent or 730.8 MW.

Unlike in the two grids, Mindanao’s largest power generator is still the government through the independent power producer (IPP) contracts of the PSALM and the National Power Corp. (Napocor).

The government has an installed generating capacity of 847.1 MW or 21.2 percent share in the total installed generating capacity of 3,999.1 MW of the Mindanao grid.

AboitizPower came in second with 840.9 MW installed generating capacity or 21 percent, followed by  Alsons Power Group with 12 percent, AC Energy Inc. with 11 percent and FDC Utilities with 10 percent.

According to the DOE, no generating company exceeded the market share limitation of 30 percent per grid.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) regularly updates the installed generating capacity (IGC) and market share limitations (MSL) on the national grid and on a per grid basis.

The adjustment is in compliance with its “mandate to promote free and fair competition in the generation and supply of electricity to achieve greater operational and economic efficiency and to ensure consumer protection and enhance the competitive operation of the markets for generation and supply of electricity,” the ERC said.

Under EPIRA, no company can own, operate of control more than 30 percent of IGC of a grid and 25 percent of the national IGC.