Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has reiterated its support for rooftop solar adoption, while pushing back against claims that it is trying to restrict residential solar systems.

In a statement, the country’s largest power distributor said it “does not, in any way, intend to limit” the adoption of solar energy and instead wants to ensure that installations comply with technical and regulatory standards to protect consumers and the grid.

The clarification comes after a recent Senate Committee on Energy hearing, where renewable energy advocate Fr. Warren Puno criticized Meralco and alleged that the company was discouraging rooftop solar installations.

Meralco Senior Vice President and General Counsel Atty. Jose Ronald Valles said the utility remains supportive of households seeking to cut electricity costs through solar.

“As a responsible company pushing for the utilization of this energy resource, Meralco stands firm in its position that rooftop solar installations must comply with the processes and standards required under existing laws and regulations,” he said. 

“To emphasize, Meralco fully supports every Filipino household that wants to reduce electricity costs through rooftop solar but for the company, public safety is a priority that cannot be compromised,” he added.

Valles said the term “guerilla solar,” raised during the Senate hearing, is an industry term used to describe unregistered or improperly installed systems.

“For the record, guerilla solar is an industry term referring to unregistered or improperly installed systems that may expose customers, utility personnel, and communities to avoidable risks. That term was not invented by Meralco, nor has it ever been used to attack or discourage rooftop solar adoption,” he said.

Meralco said improperly installed rooftop solar systems can lead to electrical accidents, fires, equipment malfunctions, structural damage, and disruptions to the distribution network.

The utility also cited its track record in supporting solar adoption through the government’s net metering program, which allows consumers to export excess generation to the grid and receive bill credits.

According to Meralco, it energized the country’s first net metering customer in 2013, shortly after the implementing rules were established by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The company said it now accounts for more than half of all net metering installations nationwide.

Valles said this demonstrates that the utility has consistently backed solar deployment.

“Meralco will never seek to restrict nor oppose solar use. Publicly available information and official records clearly show that the company has consistently enabled the growth of solar adoption in the country. This is reflected in our initiatives, investments, and policy positions since the enactment of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” he said. 

He added that Meralco has also facilitated the interconnection of rooftop solar systems in government institutions such as the House of Representatives, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Government Service Insurance System.

The company said it has formally supported legislative proposals aimed at expanding rooftop solar deployment, including measures to streamline permitting, strengthen technical standards, and broaden solar adoption in government buildings.

Meralco called on industry players, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to promote “safe, responsible, and sustainable adoption of solar energy.”

What do you think? Should regulators tighten enforcement against unregistered rooftop solar systems, or should the focus be on simplifying compliance to accelerate adoption.

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