^{Photo caption: Araneta City (ACI) partners with First Gen Corporation (First Gen) to aggregate the electricity consumption of Ali Mall, the New Frontier Theater, and the Manhattan Gardens residential towers and shift to hydroelectric power. The agreement was signed by (L to R) ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Business Development John Castelo, First Gen Chief Customer Engagement Officer Carlo Vega, ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Operations Antonio Mardo, and First Gen Lead Customer Progress Partner Maych Soriano}

Araneta City Inc. (ACI) has tapped First Gen Corporation to supply renewable hydroelectric power to Ali Mall, New Frontier Theater, and the Manhattan Gardens residential towers under a retail aggregation arrangement, making it one of the first mixed-use estates in the country to consolidate its electricity demand and directly source clean energy.

The agreement, signed on October 14, allows First Gen to aggregate the power requirements of more than 200 tenants in Ali Mall and New Frontier Theater, along with over 9,000 residential units across 18 towers in Manhattan Gardens. The combined demand will be served by electricity from First Gen’s Pantabangan-Masiway and Casecnan Hydroelectric Power Complex in Nueva Ecija.

“Each of our properties has energy demands, and switching to retail aggregation and using RE is a strategic move that will enable us to improve energy efficiency and effectively manage our electricity costs,” said Antonio Mardo, ACI senior vice president for operations. “We hope that our relationship with First Gen will continue over the years and even expanded.”

The collaboration enables ACI to utilize two government programs—the Retail Aggregation Program and Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA)—which allow multiple end-users in a contiguous area to pool their power demand and directly purchase electricity from a supplier. The setup aims to optimize energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, and support sustainability goals.

“We are privileged to transition Ali Mall, an iconic retail landmark, to retail aggregation and RE,” said Carlo Vega, First Gen chief customer engagement officer. “We are aligned in our common goal to make a decarbonized and regenerative future iconic and look forward to continuing to partner with Araneta City in its sustainability journey.”

First Gen, the country’s largest renewable energy producer, operates around 300 megawatts (MW) of hydro capacity from its Pantabangan-Masiway, Casecnan, and Agusan River facilities, along with 1,300 MW from geothermal, solar, and wind resources. In partnership with Prime Infrastructure Capital, it also runs four gas-fired plants with a total capacity of 2,017 MW to provide grid stability.

Spanning 35 hectares in Quezon City, Araneta City—known as the “City of Firsts”—has been a pioneer in commercial and residential development, integrating retail, entertainment, and housing for more than 70 years.

Can retail aggregation and renewable supply partnerships like this one reshape how large urban estates manage their energy needs?

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