Eastern Communications Philippines, Inc. has partnered with First Gen Corporation to source 24/7 renewable power for its headquarters and technical operations centers.

Under the agreement, which was signed in February. 11, First Gen will supply 1,300 kilowatts (kW) of geothermal energy from its Unified Leyte generating plants in Tongonan, Ormoc City and Kananga, Leyte.

The supply arrangement is enabled by the government’s Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) program, which allows large-demand electricity consumers to directly contract with power suppliers. This allows companies to have more control over their electrical supply while also letting them access more green sources. 

“Eastern Communications understands that embracing sustainability is about honoring our natural resources and contributing to a circular economy, which is why we are transitioning towards renewable energy. The company aims to do its part in decreasing the country’s overall carbon footprint and we are thrilled to do this together with a trusted partner like First Gen,” Atty. Aileen Regio and Jaeson Evangelista, co-coordinators of Eastern Communications, said in a joint statement.

“Information and communication technology services need support systems that are stable and reliable. With geothermal energy, Eastern Communications will be able to power its operations with a much lower carbon intensity. It is our privilege to partner with them to achieve their sustainability objectives,” said Arlene Sy-Soriano, First Gen head of sales and engagement.

Eastern Communications operates an 11,400-kilometer fiber network with 169 nodes across 77 cities nationwide, offering connectivity, network, security, cloud, data center and business application services.

First Gen has 1,700 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity from geothermal, hydro, wind and solar sources. It also holds a 40% stake in four gas-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 2,017 MW.

With more large electricity users gaining access to direct renewable procurement under RCOA, will similar corporate supply agreements become more common in the coming years?

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