Marcos: World's largest solar project MTerra to boost PH energy security

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday inaugurated Phase I of the Meralco Terra (MTerra) Solar Project, touted as the world’s largest integrated solar and battery storage facility, as part of the administration’s efforts to expand renewable energy and strengthen the country’s power supply.

Marcos said the project reflects the government’s commitment to turning its energy plans into concrete results as the country seeks to diversify its power sources and reduce its vulnerability to fluctuations in global fuel prices driven by the uncertainty of the Middle East crisis.

“This achievement comes at a time when the need to boost our energy sector has never been more apparent,” he added.

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READ: Group slams Meralco over increase

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The president noted that the economy has relied heavily on conventional sources of power, particularly coal, which accounted for 57 percent of the total power generation mix in the country. Renewables, meanwhile, contributed only about 25 percent.

“Such an energy mix leaves us more vulnerable to fluctuations in global fuel prices and developments in the international market, as we have experienced in the last few months,” Marcos said.

“It underscores the importance of diversifying our energy sources, and how we must be committed to moving that mix in the direction to favor renewables,” he added.

The inauguration came less than two years after President Marcos led the groundbreaking of the first phase of the 3,500-hectare project located in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija.

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The solar project is developed by Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (MTerra Solar), an affiliate of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), the renewable energy subsidiary of Manila Electric Co.

“What we inaugurated today will be the world’s largest integrated solar and battery storage facility located in a single site,” said MGen chair Manny V. Pangilinan, who turned 80 on Tuesday.

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“And it rises not in Texas, not in the Gobi Desert, but right here in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. This inauguration today was made possible not only by Meralco but by many other hands, other minds, and many hearts,” he added.

READ: MGen eyes Q1 2027 start for MTerra Solar Phase 2

Phase I of the project has reached around 91 percent completion and is expected to become fully commercially operational by August, according to Marcos.  Phase II began early this year and is targeted for completion by 2027.

Once both phases are completed, the facility will be capable of delivering up to 3,500 megawatts (MW) peak of solar power to the grid, supported by 4,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage.

According to MGen, MTerra Solar Phase 1 has successfully energized 1,373 MW of solar PV capacity and 825 MW of battery energy storage, equivalent to 3,300 MWh, making it the largest operational integrated solar and battery facility on a single site globally.

At present, its maximum export capacity to the Luzon grid remains at 750 MW pending completion of various works done in collaboration with the grid operator.

“These capabilities will help strengthen the stability of our power system while expanding the role of clean energy in our power generation mix,” President Marcos said.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to provide electricity to more than 2.4 million Filipino households and reduce carbon emissions by around 4.3 million metric tons annually.

Marcos said the MTerra solar project forms part of broader efforts to modernize the country’s energy sector.

From July 2022 to May 2026, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded 605 renewable energy contracts.

Earlier this year, the agency also launched the 10-Year Green Energy Auction Program, which seeks to deliver 25,000 MW of new renewable energy capacity from 2027 to 2035.

The administration has also expanded the country’s installed energy storage capacity from 93 MW in July 2022 to 845 MW as of May 2026.

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However, regulators noted that the Philippines’ renewable energy rollout remains slower than expected, despite the government’s aggressive push to raise the share of clean energy in the power mix to 35 percent by 2030. /mr