MGreen, Vena Energy start solar project commercial operation
BY MYRNA M. VELASCO – Mar 30, 2023 3:11 PM
from Manila Bulletin
MGen Renewable Energy, Inc. (MGreen), a unit under the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) group; and Vena Energy have reached commercial operation date (COD); for their 68-megawatt solar farm project in Currimao, Ilocos Norte.
The “Garcia 2’ solar farm facility, which is under corporate vehicle Nuevo Solar Energy Corp. (NSEC), was formally switched Thursday, last March 30, providing valuable supply addition to the Luzon grid in time for the peak demand this summer.
Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen) President and CEO Jaime Azurin asserted that with the completion milestone of the project, “we embark on a new chapter in our partnership with Vena Energy as we start the commercial operations of NSEC.”
He emphasized that bringing the solar farm into its commercial operations phase had always been integrated as part of the ‘shared aspiration’ of the MGen group “to provide clean and sustainable energy,” – one that is aligned toward accelerating “the country’s energy transition.”
Azurin stated their company “shall continue investing in clean and sustainable energy sources.” To date, MGreen is advancing its 1,500MW pipeline of RE projects with execution timeframe of five years.
The newly powered-up plant will be providing power supply to MPower, a licensed retail electricity supplier (RES), which is also an affiliate company of MGen under the Meralco group.
Samrinder Nehria, head of Vena Energy Philippines, indicated that “the Garcia solar project marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts towards a sustainable future, as well as Vena Energy’s renewable energy portfolio in the Philippines.”
He narrated that the completion of this partnership venture with MGen “is a testament to our joint experience and expertise to deliver this project successfully within a span of only 12 months, and we look forward to more of such collaborations in the future.”
The switch-on of the facility, which will serve as added clean energy development in Ilocos Norte – now thriving as hub of green energy facilities in the country, was also witnessed by key local leaders, including Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc; Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos; Currimao Mayor Edward Quilala and Congressman Eugenio Angelo Barba of the second Congressional district of the province.
It was in 2021 when MGen had started its decarbonization journey, leaning on a stronger push for more renewable energy investments – not just on the sphere of solar farm developments; but with aspirations also for other technology deployments, including wind, hydro as well as biomass prospects.
In the solar investment space, MGen’s first ever project to reach commercial operation in 2021 has been its 55MW (ac) BulacanSol project.
Then after the Currimao solar farm, next on its completion timeline this year will be its 75MW(ac) solar installation in Baras, Rizal.
