The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) will hold a public scoping meeting on October 29, 2026, for the proposed 12-megawatt waste-to-energy (WTE) facility here, a key step that gives local residents and stakeholders a voice before the project moves forward.
Developed by North Maharlika Energy Corp. (NMEC), the facility is estimated to cost between P2.5 billion and P3.2 billion, and would process more than 650 metric tons of municipal solid waste and refuse-derived fuel daily over a planned 25-year operational life. The scoping session is designed to present project details, gather community concerns, and identify local issues that need to be addressed as planning advances.
The project comes at a critical time for Urdaneta and the wider province, which are grappling with growing waste volumes from rapid urbanization, dwindling landfill space, and pollution risks from open waste sites. Beyond generating electricity, the facility is expected to cut greenhouse gas and methane emissions from decomposing waste in unmanaged dumps. It will also create 300 to 500 jobs during peak construction and 80 to 120 permanent positions once operational, with priority given to local workers.
NMEC is among 11 firms qualified to take part in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) special Green Energy Auction (GEA) round dedicated to WTE projects, where developers compete for fixed, incentivized power rates by offering competitive bids. This round targets 400 MW of new capacity to be delivered between September 2028 and March 2029, a major jump from the country’s existing on-grid WTE capacity of just 7 MW as of June 2026.
Government officials note that WTE serves as a vital complement—not a replacement—to waste reduction, segregation, and recycling efforts. Only non-recyclable residual waste will be used as feedstock, and all facilities must meet strict environmental standards throughout construction and operation. Metro Manila alone produces roughly 9,000 metric tons of solid waste each day, enough to support about 200 MW of WTE capacity, highlighting the program’s national potential to turn a growing waste challenge into a steady energy source.
