Manila Water Co., which supplies water to the eastern part of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, has transitioned 56 additional facilities to the Energy Regulatory Commission’s enhanced Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), further expanding its use of renewable energy.
The firm said the move includes 10 facilities under the non-East Zone operating unit Laguna Water, 45 facilities under Estate Water covering Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Metro Manila, and Manila Water Foundation’s La Mesa Ecopark, the first and largest ecopark fully powered by renewable energy under RAP.
It said the transition represents a total demand of 1,682 kilowatts and marks Manila Water’s fourth RAP switch this year.
‘Manila Water’s participation in RAP demonstrates its commitment to innovation and consumer empowerment. By aggregating demand and leveraging competitive supply options, Manila Water is helping pave the way for a more inclusive and resilient energy sector,’ ERC director Sharon Montaner said.
With the latest switch, Manila Water now sources electricity for over 210 facilities, representing a total demand of 11 megawatts supplied by PrimeRES Energy through Meralco’s distribution network.
‘This is all about the power of choice. We have 214 facilities switched now to RAP and that’s very powerful because at the end of the day we are held as a utility accountable to the costs that we charge our customers,’ Manila Water president and CEO Jocot de Dios said.
‘We’ve tried to rethink our approach toward tariff and our customer base and really be as sufficient as possible,’ De Dios added.
The company said earlier transitions this year include Laguna Aquatech’s 25 facilities in April, Laguna Water’s 67 facilities, and Boracay Water’s 11 facilities in May, making it the first Visayas utility to adopt RAP.
The move to shift more facilities to renewable energy follows Manila Water’s recent quarterly adjustment that reduced water rates for its customers.
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office approved a slight decrease of 15 centavos per cubic meter for the East Zone, which includes Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig, San Juan, most of Quezon City and several towns in Rizal.