^{Seen on the photo (L-R) are NGCP Assistant Vice President and Head for System Operation – Visayas Neil Modina, MGEN Thermal Chief Operating Officer Arnel Santos, DOE Region VII Regional Director Dir. Renante Sevilla, MGEN Thermal President and CEO Lino Bernardo, Toledo City Mayor Marjorie Perales, Cebu Provincial Board Committee on Energy Chairman for the 2nd District Dr. Stanley Caminero, CATL Project Manager Dan Zhao, and SUMEC Project Manager Kevin Zhang.}

Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) has energized its Toledo Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Cebu, marking the rollout of what the company described as the first two-hour battery storage facility in the Visayas aimed at supporting grid stability and reliability in the region.

The Toledo BESS, developed through MGEN subsidiary Toledo Energy Development Corp., began Phase 1 operations with a capacity of 25 megawatts (MW) and 56.44 megawatt-hours (MWh). A second phase with the same capacity is targeted for completion by June 2027, subject to regulatory clearances.

MGEN said the facility is designed to continuously deliver its rated output for two hours before recharging, using lithium-ion battery technology to store electricity sourced from both renewable and conventional power plants through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

The company said the project is expected to help stabilize the Visayas grid by managing fluctuations during peak and off-peak demand periods while providing ancillary services that balance electricity supply and demand.

^{The MGEN Toledo BESS will contribute to grid reliability by providing ancillary services that help balance supply and demand quickly, accurately, and efficiently.}

“The MGEN Toledo BESS is expected to play a critical role in supporting the stability of the Visayas grid and in advancing the energy transition,” MGEN Thermal President and CEO Felino M. Bernardo said. “By helping manage fluctuations during peak and off-peak hours, the facility will contribute to maintaining reliable power delivery and improving overall grid resilience.”

The switch-on ceremony was attended by representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), Cebu provincial government, Toledo City government, host site Carmen Copper Corp., and project partners Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) and SUMEC Complete Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd.

Among the officials present were DOE Region VII Director Renante Sevilla, Toledo City Mayor Marjorie “Joie” Perales, and Cebu Provincial Board Committee on Energy Chairman Dr. Stanley Caminero, representing Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro.

MGEN President and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio said Cebu remains a strategic demand center for the company and the broader Visayas grid.

“The energization of the Toledo BESS marks an important milestone for the Visayas grid and reflects MGEN’s continuing commitment to support a more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy system. We view this as a meaningful step forward for the region’s energy system, and MGEN is proud to support Cebu’s continued growth while helping power a better tomorrow,” he said.

The Toledo facility is MGEN’s second battery energy storage project in the Philippines. The company is also developing a 4,500-MWh energy storage component under its MTerra Solar project in Nueva Ecija, which will support a planned 3,500-megawatt-peak solar pipeline in Luzon.

As of March 2026, MGEN said its portfolio had a combined net saleable capacity of 5,069.7 MW from traditional and renewable energy sources.

What impact do you think large-scale battery storage projects will have on grid reliability and renewable energy integration in the Visayas?

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