MERALCO POWERGEN CORP. (MGen), through its affiliate Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. (TSPI), said it’s on course to finish the primary phase of the P200-billion MTerra Solar project by early 2026, with 778 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels already installed on-site.
The primary phase of what’s touted as the most important solar PV system within the country has reached a progress rate of 54% as of end-June, MGen said in a media release on Tuesday.
“With 778 MW of solar PV capability now installed, we’re making real progress toward delivering cleaner and more sustainable power for Filipinos,” said MTerra Solar and MGen Renewable Energy President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis B. Jordan.
Spanning 3,500 hectares, the MTerra Solar project straddles five towns across Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.
Once accomplished, the project is anticipated to deliver 3,500 megawatts peak (MWp) of solar PV capability, equipped with 4,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage.
The primary phase is scheduled to be accomplished by 2026, while Phase 2 is targeted for 2027.
The project is anticipated to produce clean power to about 2.4 million Filipino households and help avoid as much as 4.3 million tons of carbon emissions annually — reminiscent of removing greater than three million gasoline-powered vehicles from the road.
MTerra Solar is being built with the support of major engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors, including Energy China, POWERCHINA, and Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp. Huawei is supplying the project’s battery energy storage system.
TSPI has also engaged Maxipro Development Corp. and Fujian Electric Power and Engineering Co. Ltd. as EPC contractors for the high-voltage interconnection line to make sure efficient integration into the grid.
As well as, Asia Pacific Rim International Construction and Trading Corp. is contributing because the medium-voltage switchgear contractor for Phase 1.
As of May 2025, MGen — the ability generation arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) — has a combined net sellable capability of 4,953 MW from each conventional and renewable energy sources.
With the continued development of MTerra Solar, MGen expects to exceed its 1,500-MW attributable renewable energy capability goal by 2027 — three years ahead of its original 2030 timeline.
Meralco’s controlling shareholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partially owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Helpful Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera