AdventEnergy, the retail electricity supply arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), will aggregate and supply clean power to 153 China Banking Corporation (Chinabank) branches, covering more than 30% of the bank’s branch network.

The branches are located across Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Metro Manila, and will be supplied primarily with 2 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.

The companies said the agreement marks one of the biggest partnerships between a retail electricity supplier and a banking institution to date.

The aggregation of power demand was made possible through the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) Retail Aggregation Program (RAP).

RAP allows eligible businesses and institutions to pool the electricity demand of multiple branches or facilities so they can participate in the competitive retail electricity market. This is especially useful for multi-site customers whose individual branches may not meet contestability thresholds on their own.

“In line with our commitment to support the development of renewable energy projects in the country, Chinabank believes that its own operational electricity should be sourced from renewable alternatives whenever possible,” Chinabank President and Chief Executive Officer Romeo D. Uyan, Jr. said.

“Our partnership with AdventEnergy enables us to secure clean energy, reduce our carbon footprint, and actively build a more sustainable future,” he added.

Beyond supporting Chinabank’s sustainability goals, the retail aggregation supply deal is also expected to support cost-saving measures and more predictable financial planning amid volatile global fuel costs.

“AdventEnergy intends to deliver integrated and sustainable energy solutions that are always-on, always reliable, and always ready to meet the needs of the industries we serve,” AdventEnergy Vice President for Retail Energy Sales and Services Catherine Del Villar-Pasilaban said.

The deal also reflects the continued expansion of the ERC’s customer choice programs, complementing the recent implementation of Phase IV of Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA).

Under Phase IV, the contestability threshold was lowered from 500 kilowatts (kW) in monthly peak demand to 100 kW, allowing more customers to choose their own electricity suppliers.

RCOA allows qualified electricity users to choose their retail electricity supplier instead of sourcing power only from their distribution utility.

“As contestability thresholds continue to lower under the ERC’s programs, and more eligible customers are able to enjoy the power of control and choice, we want to be the partner that institutions can count on to navigate this shift with confidence,” Del Villar-Pasilaban said.

The partnership also extends AdventEnergy’s long-standing relationship with the SM Group, which holds majority ownership of Chinabank.

AdventEnergy already powers SM Group operations, including malls, banks, schools, retail establishments, and affiliated companies, through energy solutions aligned with customer choice initiatives under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

Can retail aggregation help more multi-site businesses shift to cleaner and more strategic power supply?

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