MGEN onboards Chinese firms for battery storage project

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) has tapped two Chinese companies for the construction of its 49-megawatt (MW) battery storage in Toledo, Cebu.

In a press briefing yesterday, MGEN president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said the company has engaged the services of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) and SUMEC Complete Equipment and Engineering Co. Ltd.

The partnership has been formalized through the recent signing of an engineering, procurement and construction contract, he said.

The construction and installation of the Toledo battery energy storage system (BESS) project are expected to begin within the month, with the first phase targeted to deliver an initial capacity of 25 MW by 2026.

The remaining capacity, meanwhile, is scheduled for completion by 2027, providing a much-needed reinforcement to the Visayas grid.

“With CATL and SUMEC as our partners, the Toledo BESS project will take shape with the benefit of proven expertise and world-class technology,” Rubio said.

CATL is set to supply the advanced battery technologies for the Toledo project, while SUMEC will lead project execution to ensure timely completion and adherence to quality standards.

Once completed, the Toledo project is expected to help bring down the cost of ancillary services (AS) in the country’s reserve market, Rubio said.

Commonly referred to as power reserves, AS helps maintain the stability and reliability of the country’s electrical superhighway during supply-demand imbalances.