PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. have tapped MPower, the retail electricity supply arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), to power 144 cell sites and nine facilities under the Department of Energy’s Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), the companies announced Thursday.
The RAP activation covers more than 2,500 kilowatts (kW) of demand across PLDT Group’s network, enabling the telecom giant to optimize energy use while improving operational sustainability. The move is also aligned with PLDT and Smart’s ongoing shift toward renewable energy and energy cost management.
“This collaboration is consequential,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman and CEO of PLDT, Smart, and Meralco, highlighting the synergy between reliable power and robust digital connectivity as drivers of national progress.
Menardo Jimenez Jr., PLDT’s COO and head of network, added that the partnership will support a “smarter and greener network,” reinforcing the group’s environmental targets.
Additional RAP rollouts are planned across Visayas and Mindanao before year-end, with further site details yet to be disclosed.
RAP allows multiple users below the 500 kW threshold in the same franchise area to aggregate their load and negotiate supply terms with preferred energy providers—an increasingly strategic approach for corporates seeking cost efficiency and greener power sources.
PLDT and Smart have been accelerating their clean energy transition, having shifted 30 sites to 100 percent renewable power in 2024 and tapping geothermal energy for five Visayas facilities in 2023. The group also holds ₱5 billion in green loans to support fiber expansion and aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030, targeting Net Zero by 2050.
