QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has taken a significant step towards strengthening energy resilience and disaster preparedness with the formal handover of three mobile energy systems to the National Power Corporation – Small Power Utilities Group.
The ceremony, held at the NPC Substation, was led by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and attended by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson, NPC President and CEO Fernando Martin Roxas, and other government and private stakeholders.
The mobile energy systems, powered by solar energy and equipped with batteries, are designed to provide reliable and decentralized electricity to off-grid areas during natural disasters and other emergencies. They will be deployed to remote areas in Palawan, where electricity is not connected to the main power grid.
“The MES units represent a shared vision for energy security and resilience,” Lotilla said, highlighting the Department of Energy’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on imported fuels and promote indigenous, renewable energy sources.
The MES units were launched alongside the Energy Sector Emergency Operations Center at the DOE Central Office in April 2024, embodying the government’s proactive stance on disaster resilience, inter-agency cooperation, and energy innovation.
Lotilla emphasized the economic benefits of the MES units, particularly for isolated areas dependent on oil-based power. A 70-kWh MES is projected to save nearly P480,000 in fuel costs annually, while a 50-kWh MES is expected to save over P389,000 per year.
“Every peso saved from imported fuel is a peso reinvested into our communities,” Lotilla said. “Every kilowatt-hour generated locally strengthens our energy independence.”
Palawan, geographically isolated from the national grid, often experiences power disruptions. The deployment of the MES units will ensure continuous operation of critical infrastructure, healthcare services, and emergency communications.
The project is a result of collaboration between the Department of Energy, the United States Agency for International Development through the Energy Secure Philippines Program, and the National Power Corporation.
Two MES units have already been installed in Cagayan Province, while one is stationed at the DOE compound in Taguig City. Four more units are scheduled for handover next month.
The handover ceremony marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of clean, secure, and resilient energy systems for the Philippines, reaffirming the commitment of the DOE, USAID, and NPC to empowering local communities and championing a low-carbon, energy-secure future. (JLN/PIA-NCR)
