MGen completes 80-MW solar facility in Rizal
By Lisbet K. Esmael | Philippine Daily Inquirer | March 29, 2025 9:00AM
Actis has completed its acquisition of a 40-percent stake in Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen)’s P200-billion solar facility in Luzon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Manuel Pangilinan-led Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) has completed the construction of its 80-megawatt (MW) solar project in Rizal, marking the third solar facility it energized this year.
In a statement on Friday, MGen said the Baras Solar project is the first and only solar farm in the province.
The first phase with a capacity of 67.5 MW was finished in March 2023.
The expansion, which provided an added capacity of 12.5 MW, was finished recently.
“Our expansion of MGreen Baras Solar is about helping communities, protecting the environment and contributing to the country’s clean energy goals,” said Dennis Jordan, president and chief executive officer of MGEN Renewable Energy Inc.
This development came just a few weeks after the group had announced the completion of two other solar power plants under the Department of Energy’s second green energy auction program. These are the 19.8-MW MGreen Bongabon Solar in Nueva Ecija and the 52.8-MW MGreen Cordon Solar in Isabela.
Currently, MGen’s clean energy portfolio stands at nearly 400 MW of net sellable capacity, covering Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Batangas, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Rizal and Isabela.
Capacity target
With the accelerated rollout of its renewable projects, the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co. is confident of exceeding 1,500 MW capacity by 2030.
One of the projects seen giving it a major boost is the P200-billion MTerra Solar project, which is designed to become the world’s largest solar farm once it fully operates by 2027.
Last week, the group said that UK-based investment firm Actis completed its acquisition of a 40-percent stake in MGen’s Terra Solar Philippines Inc. Actis is known in the global market for backing sustainable infrastructure.
The MTerra Solar will have 3,500 MW of total capacity and a massive 4,500 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system.
MGen said its clean energy projects support the government’s goal of having more renewable capacity in the power generation mix, up to at least 35 percent by 2030 from the current 22 percent.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
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