Power retailer Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is allocating a P25-billion distribution network capital expenditure budget for 2025, up from the P22-billion allocation this year.
Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the network capex would be spent for grid resilience amid stronger storms.
“We have to intensify strengthening of the networks because given, right now, we have a parade of storms? So we have to ensure the integrity of our distribution system is really, we will be in danger if our system is not that storm-hardened,” Aperocho said.
He said the capex is only for network improvement and excludes the power generation budget of Meralco PowerGen Corp.
Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the total 2025 capex is expected to be bigger, driven by Terra Solar power project.
Pangilinan is also optimistic about better performance for 2025.
“I think it will be a better year next year for Meralco. [We are] Quite confident. The economy is doing okay under President Marcos. Always optimistic,” he said.
Meralco said it implements distribution network upgrades and strategic sourcing activities to ensure delivery of sufficient, reliable and stable service at the least possible cost.
Among the major capex projects completed in the third quarter of 2024 are the new gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) in a first full indoor substation at Elisco Road in San Joaquin, Pasig City, the Milagrosa Switching Station in Carmelray Industrial Park II in Calamba City, Laguna and a third 300 MVA power transformer at the Duhat Delivery Point Substation in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“Despite the challenges we have encountered so far this year, Meralco has been relentless in anticipating the needs of our customers and investing in projects that would be beneficial for them in the long run. With our customer count seen breaching the eight-million mark, we foresee the need to be even more aggressive in investing in grid modernization projects and operational efficiency through advanced metering infrastructure that will make our network more robust, more resilient, and more intelligent,” Aperocho said.
