A fire broke out at the Aboitiz-owned Pagbilao Energy Corporation (PEC) power plant in Pagbilao, Quezon on Friday night, October 31, 2025, resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to nine others.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. at Unit 3 of PEC in Barangay Ibabang Polo, a facility run by AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Luzon Inc.
Emergency response teams from the plant and local firefighters successfully contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to other areas of the facility and ensuring the safety of nearby residents.
The injured personnel were immediately transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. The identity of the deceased and the injured have not yet been released as of this posting pending a full investigation.
Unit 3 has been placed on forced outage following the incident. Unit 2, which was already offline for planned maintenance, has temporarily suspended work, while Unit 1 remains operational.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and is under investigation by government authorities.
This incident comes just months after AboitizPower’s subsidiary, Therma Luzon Inc., officially assumed ownership and operational control of the main 735-MW Pagbilao coal plant facility in August 2025, following the expiration of TeaM Energy’s build-operate-transfer contract with the government.
The Pagbilao power plant complex, which includes two other units recently fully taken over by AboitizPower, is a critical source of electricity for the Luzon grid.
‘We are deeply saddened that the incident resulted in one fatality and nine personnel sustaining injuries,’ said PJ Tanglao, PEC’s regional corporate affairs lead for South Luzon.
Coal protests
In past news reports, environmental and community groups have been calling for the shutdown of the Pagbilao coal-fired power plant.
The protests are part of a broader national movement urging a transition to renewable energy and an end to fossil fuel dependence in the Philippines.
Local residents and advocacy groups, including the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), have held various demonstrations, demanding that the facility be retired early instead of extended.
Protesters cite ongoing concerns about the health and environmental impacts of the coal plant, with a 2024 study finding that areas in Pagbilao and nearby Atimonan exceeded national and international air quality standards.
Fisherfolk leaders have voiced concerns that the plant’s operations could further damage the local marine ecosystems, which are vital for their livelihoods.
Community members demand the right to ‘breathe clean air’ and insist that profit motives should not override public health and environmental safety.
Protesters have been urging government officials to protect communities and invest in sustainable energy alternatives, linking their local struggle to a global campaign for climate justice.