Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the Philippines’ largest power retailer, is expanding its collaborations with South Korean energy and technology firms as it explores integrating nuclear and smart grid technologies into its operations.
Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the partnerships “underscore our commitment to the responsible development of nuclear energy” and would help the company “build our capabilities to ensure sustainable and safe adoption of nuclear energy in the Philippines.”
Meralco signed a memorandum of understanding with DL Engineering & Construction to explore the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the Philippines, with a focus on feasibility studies and site assessments. The company sees SMRs as a potential solution for off-grid areas.
The Philippine utility also held discussions with existing partners, including Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Samsung C&T Corporation and LG Energy Solutions. The company said the visits included LG’s Namwon Substation, which hosts South Korea’s largest Battery Energy Storage System.
As part of its “Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST)” program, Meralco is also exploring ways to integrate nuclear power into the country’s energy mix.
Through its energy education unit, Meralco Power Academy (MPA), the company signed an agreement with the KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS).
The partnership will send Filipino scholars to study nuclear engineering at KINGS starting in March 2026 as part of Meralco’s “Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION)” program.
Meralco and KEPCO are also discussing collaborations on smart grid modernization, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), grid automation and distributed energy resource integration.
The companies also affirmed their commitment to mutual capability-building, with the MPA set to host more than 20 students from KEPCO’s Sudo Electric Technical High School in early 2026.
