Meralco seeks DOE nod for new supply bidding

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is seeking government approval to conduct another power procurement auction, this time for a 450-megawatt (MW) mid-merit supply.

In an interview, Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said Meralco has asked the Department of Energy to issue a certificate of conformity for its planned power supply auction.

The DOE certification is a regulatory requirement before a competitive selection process (CSP) can move forward.

Under Meralco’s 2025 Power Supply Procurement Plan, the new CSP includes two supply deals – 300 MW and 150 MW – with delivery dates starting in 2028 and 2029, respectively.

The CSP will result in two 15-year power supply agreements, ending in 2043 and 2044.

Aside from the 450-MW mid-merit CSP, two more Meralco filings are also awaiting DOE approval.

These applications include the 600-MW baseload and the 200-MW renewable energy baseload CSPs.

Mid-merit capacities bridge the gap between peak and base generation sources, while baseload supply is the minimum amount of electricity needed on the power grid to meet constant demand.

“In our response to Meralco, we said we’re just waiting for comments from both the Philippine Competition Commission and the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Marasigan said. “We want to make sure that the ERC, PCC and DOE are aligned.”