The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has partnered with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the Pasig City local government unit (LGU) to promote the greater use of renewable energy resources.
Representatives from Meralco, ERC, and Pasig City LGU signed a tripartite agreement for the conduct of information education campaigns to encourage more consumers to join the net-metering program. The agreement also involves setting up a booth at the Office of the Building Official-Pasig City for net-metering and distributed energy resources (DER) applications.
The Pasig City LGU will be in charge of the logistics, while the ERC will provide the technical and regulatory expertise to ensure the proper implementation of the program.
Pasig City Mayor Victor Ma. Regis “Vico” N. Sotto said the agreement will help streamline the application process for net-metering.
“We believe this tripartite partnership will really help move us in the correct direction. Hopefully, what we do here in the next weeks, months, and years will also be a roadmap or model for other LGUs and other places around the Philippines,” Mayor Sotto said during the signing ceremony.
ERC chairperson and CEO Monalisa C. Dimalanta, meanwhile, noted that the collaboration is aligned with the national government’s goal to make renewable energy programs more accessible to the public.
“I’m hoping that with this leadership of Pasig City, and the partnership of Meralco with us at the ERC, there will be more LGUs that will follow suit in establishing a one-stop shop for net-metering applications to bring the solution closer to the public,” she added.
Meralco, for its part, committed to provide a booth and a personnel to handle inquiries, consultations, and applications for net-metering. It also pledged to share experience and expertise through the conduct of workshops for city engineers and employees of the Pasig LGU that are involved in the handling of permits for net-metering and other renewable energy projects.
Meralco senior vice president and chief revenue officer Ferdinand O. Geluz assured the public of the power distributor’s support to the government’s efforts to promote the use of renewable energy both at the national and local level.
“It is in the best interest of everyone to streamline the net-metering process application. By enlightening our customers on the benefits of the program, we empower them. In the end, this is an investment for our future and for our planet,” Geluz said.
“We hope that through this partnership, we will contribute to the continuous improvements of the net-metering rules and regulations. This also reaffirms the One Meralco’s sustainability commitment–to empower people, protect our planet, and foster growth for a prosperous nation,” he added.
The agreement between Meralco, ERC and the Pasig LGU aims to ensure the timely processing of net-metering and DER applications. Under the amended net-metering rules issued by the ERC, distribution utilities have a maximum 20-day processing timeline to complete the whole interconnection process from receipt of the letter of interest provided all necessary permits and licenses from various concerned agencies are secured and completed.
This initiative is also expected to increase awareness on the benefits of the program, which include bill credits for excess power generated by eligible renewable energy facilities that customers can use to offset their electricity bills.
