MGEN inaugurates world’s largest solar farm facility

MANILA, Philippines —  Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) is marking a major milestone today with the inauguration of Phase 1 of the world’s largest integrated solar farm, a project expected to help bring down electricity costs in Luzon.

MTerra Solar, which started injecting clean power into the grid earlier this year, is poised to deliver 600 megawatts (MW) of mid-merit capacity to utility giant Manila Electric Co. under its first phase.

Meralco head of utility economics Larry Fernandez said the project’s energization is expected to help ease pressure on power prices in the Luzon grid amid the ongoing global oil crisis.

“If you add supply, especially supply from MTerra Solar that can provide hundreds of megawatts to the grid, then there will be downward pressure on spot market prices,” Fernandez said.

On top of that, he noted, electricity generated from renewable energy projects like MTerra Solar is exempt from value-added tax under the RE Act of 2008.

MGEN Renewables president and CEO Dennis Jordan said MTerra Solar has already proven its value, helping cushion the impact of elevated fuel and liquefied natural gas prices.

“With MTerra Solar, because we have 250 MW available, we’re able to supply that to the market, thus providing the Filipino community a little bit of leeway in terms of power costs,” Jordan told “Money Talks” on One News.

Over the weekend, MTerra Solar secured a go-signal from the grid operator for the testing and commissioning of 750 MW of capacity, according to the Department of Energy.

This month, MGEN expects the project’s generation capacity to reach 1,350 MW, making it the largest of its kind in the world to date.

Straddling Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, MTerra Solar will feature a 3,500-MW solar farm paired with a 4,500-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS).

The entire project will be larger than Pasig City, which has a land area of approximately 4,846 hectares.

Upon full completion in 2027, MTerra Solar is projected to generate enough capacity to power around 2.4 million households.

Solar facilities typically generate electricity for only five to six hours a day on average.

But with its BESS component, MTerra Solar can deliver electricity for up to 13 hours.

 “We can supply Meralco customers from eight in the morning to nine in the evening,” Jordan said.

Meanwhile, Meralco PowerGen Corp. has earned ISO certifications across its thermal and renewable energy portfolio, reflecting its commitment to globally recognized management standards.

MGEN president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said the certifications, which cover quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems, highlight the company’s efforts to strengthen governance across its assets.

 “As we grow both our renewable and thermal businesses, we are making sure that our assets are operated under clear, consistent and internationally recognized standards,” Rubio said.

 MGEN, the power generation arm of tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Manila Electric Co., is one of the country’s leading generation companies.

Through MGEN Renewables, the company earned triple ISO certifications covering its head office and solar facilities in Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Bulacan, Isabela, Batangas and Tarlac. 

The facilities now operate under a single, independently validated management framework aligned with global standards.

“It confirms that our head office and plant teams are working under one system — with the same expectations for quality, environmental management and workplace safety across all certified sites,” MGEN Renewables president and CEO Dennis Jordan said.

This same commitment extends to MGEN’s thermal power business, where internationally recognized management standards also guide its operations. 

The company said its baseload power plants serving key load centers in Cebu, Iloilo and nearby areas renewed their ISO certifications.

“These plants play an important role in providing reliable supply, and maintaining these standards helps ensure that we continue to operate responsibly and consistently,” MGEN Thermal president and CEO Arnel Santos said.

By year-end, MGEN expects its generation capacity to expand to 6,800 megawatts from 2025’s 5,069 MW.