DoE withdraws exemption for Meralco's coal plants

MERALCO PowerGen Corp. (MGen), the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co., received a communication from the Department of Energy (DoE) withdrawing its previous approval that exempted MGen's 1,273-megawatt coal-fired power plants from the 2020 moratorium on new coal projects.

The DoE is recalling the Acknowledgement of Non-Coverage for Atimonan One Energy, Inc.'s 1,200-megawatt power plant in Quezon and the 73-MW Toledo project in Cebu for further review according to government policies and programs.

Despite previous confirmation that these plants were exempt from the moratorium, MGen now awaits the conclusion of the DoE's review process, which considers these projects critical baseload facilities essential for reliable electricity delivery.

The Atimonan plant remains subject to a commitment to cease using coal as fuel by 2050 and is exploring ammonia as a replacement option.

MGen continues its exploration into alternative fuels such as natural gas for the Toledo facility while emphasizing the importance of these projects in ensuring affordable electricity supply.