^{Photo credit: Invest Northern Samar}

Berde Renewables is advancing a proposed 5-megawatt (MW) solar power facility in Laoang, Northern Samar, in partnership with the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (NORSAMELCO), as the province moves to expand embedded renewable generation aimed at easing electricity costs.

The project was discussed during a meeting between Berde Renewables, NORSAMELCO, and Governor Harris Ongchuan, with plans centering on a solar facility that will be integrated directly into the cooperative’s distribution system. This structure is expected to reduce electricity costs by avoiding transmission and other related charges.

According to the provincial government’s announcement, Berde Renewables has completed an initial site assessment and confirmed the suitability of both the proposed land area and an existing substation. The company said construction could proceed once permitting and other requirements are finalized.

Under the proposed arrangement, NORSAMELCO will act as the off-taker of generated power, while Berde Renewables will lead project development. 

The facility is expected to operate under a net-metering scheme and will be registered with the Board of Investments (BOI), positioning it for possible fiscal incentives.

Officials and developers also discussed a potential scale-up of the project to as much as 50 MW, which could eventually supply additional electric cooperatives in the region, signaling a possible expansion of distributed solar capacity in Eastern Visayas.

The initiative forms part of Northern Samar’s broader push to explore renewable energy solutions as part of efforts to stabilize supply and manage electricity costs, which remain a persistent concern for consumers and local enterprises.

Will embedded solar projects like this meaningfully reduce provincial power costs—or will structural and regulatory constraints limit their impact?

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