MGEN Triumphs at 2025 Asian Power Awards for Leadership and Innovation

Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) shone at the 2025 Asian Power Awards, earning multiple accolades that underscore its regional leadership.

MGEN President and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio was named CEO of the Year, while its Baras solar project in Rizal won Power Plant Upgrade of the Year – Philippines.

Rubio was honored as CEO of the Year for steering MGEN toward a leading role in the Philippines’ clean energy shift. Under his guidance, the company has diversified its power portfolio and accelerated major projects, such as the groundbreaking MTerra Solar, set to be the world’s largest integrated solar and battery energy storage facility, to the country’s first LNG complex in Batangas.

MGEN’s Singapore arm, PacificLight Power, also earned two major distinctions at the 2025 Asian Power Awards, highlighting its contribution to regional energy resilience and efficiency. It received the Power Plant Upgrade of the Year – Singapore for pioneering Asia’s first ATEP Upgrade at PacificLight, and the Fast-Track Power Plant of the Year (Gold) for its 100 MW Fast Start Services, a project designed to enhance Singapore’s grid reliability.

These achievements reinforce PLP’s vital role within the MGEN portfolio in advancing sustainable and dependable energy solutions across the region.

(Also read: Powering the Future: The PH Turns to Nuclear Energy)

Baras Solar: Powering progress

The Baras Solar project is now delivering 80.1 megawatts alternating current (MWac) of clean energy as Rizal’s first and only solar farm.

 Beyond powering communities, the project boosted local growth by employing over 1,600 workers, including more than 300 women, during construction.

Completed in two phases with Phase 1 in 2023 and Phase 2 in 2024, the initiative is expected to supply clean energy to over 154,000 homes.

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara highlighted that renewable energy projects like Baras Solar do more than provide power. “These kinds of projects offer opportunities, foster economic growth, and pave the way for a brighter and more sustainable future,” she said.

(Also read: Green Energy, Steep Costs: The Netherlands’ Reality Check)

MTerra Solar Project: A closer look

In March, MGEN affiliate Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. announced plans to build a ₱14.2-billion transmission facility to connect its large-scale solar farm in Luzon to the national power grid.

According to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the company, which is developing the ₱200-billion MTerra Solar project, has been authorized to construct and operate point-to-point transmission assets to link the facility to the grid.

The project includes an interim bus-in connection to the NGCP’s Nagsaag-San Jose 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, ensuring initial grid access. A permanent link will later be established through a direct connection to NGCP’s upcoming San Isidro 500 kV substation, providing long-term grid integration for the solar facility.

Its first phase aims for a 2,500 MW capacity and is slated for completion next year. Its second phase, targeting 1,000 MW, could be operational by 2027. The entire facility will feature a 4,000 MWh battery energy storage system to enhance grid stability and reliability.

More milestones ahead

With several solar and battery ventures underway, MGEN is now poised to surpass its 1,500 MW renewable energy goal by 2027, three years ahead of plan, as it advances toward doubling its capacity to over 10,000 MW by 2030.

Its expansion aligns with the DOE’s renewable targets of 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, underscoring MGEN’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive progress for the nation.

Driven by its mission to “Power a Better Tomorrow,” MGEN remains committed to tackling the energy trilemma by delivering power that is reliable, affordable, and sustainable for every Filipino. The honors it received at the Asian Power Awards affirm its expanding influence and leadership in guiding the nation toward a cleaner, more inclusive energy future.

Sources:

https://business.inquirer.net/552015/mterra-solar-eyes-p-14-2-b-link-to-luzon-grid

https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/03/30/2432014/mgen-launches-80-mw-solar-project-rizal