Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. said Thursday that the first phase of MTerra Solar, described as the world’s largest integrated solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system, is 61 percent complete.
The project is located in Nueva Ecija and San Miguel in Bulacan. MTerra Solar will have a capacity of 3,500 megawatt peak, complemented by 4,500 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage system (BESS). It spans 3,500 hectares across the towns of Gapan, Peñaranda, General Tinio and San Leonardo.
“The first phase of the project is now 61 percent complete, reflecting significant strides in the development of the integrated PV and BESS plant — including a dedicated 500-kilovolt transmission line that will connect the project directly to the Nagsaag-San Jose line, and the continuous installation of 741 BESS units for Phase 1,” Terra Solar and MGEN Renewable Energy Inc. (MGreen) president Dennis Jordan said in his speech during the 2nd Philippines Future Energy & Grid Summit 2025.
He said it takes at least five years to build transmission lines on average, but MTerra Solar is doing it within 14 months.
“This is a systems-level breakthrough in renewable energy delivery. And when completed, MTerra Solar will play a critical role in helping the country meet its targets of 35 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040,” he said.
MTerra Solar will provide clean power to about 2.4 million Filipino households and help avoid up to 4.3 million tons of carbon emissions each year — equivalent to taking more than 3 million gasoline-powered vehicles off the road.
“The scale alone is historic. But more than that, its system architecture is designed to solve one of the energy sector’s toughest problems: How do we make solar energy not only abundant and affordable, but also firm, flexible, and reliable?”
“Complemented by a battery energy storage system or BESS, MTerra Solar is engineered to deliver mid-merit capacity — allowing clean energy to be delivered when needed, not just when the sun is out,” Jordan said.
Supplied by Huawei, the MTerra Solar BESS features grid-forming capabilities that enable it to stabilize the grid without relying on traditional synchronous generators.
“This system not only improves frequency regulation and grid stability but also boosts overall flexibility, resilience, and cost-efficiency compared to older technologies,” he said.
The project has mobilized over 11,000 workers, with over 11 million safe man-hours recorded as of end-August.
MTerra Solar is expected to be completed next year.
“The unprecedented scale and technologies introduced by MTerra Solar will mean adjusting policies and procedures to not only safeguard the system, but also to empower renewable energy projects with the necessary speed and industry support,” Jordan said.
“At MGEN Renewables, we’re trying to build a future where energy is affordable, reliable, and more sustainable through renewable sources of energy. Projects like MTerra Solar are a big step toward that. And we hope that it shows that the country’s energy transition is not just possible. It’s already underway,” he said.
MGreen currently has seven solar plants already operating across Luzon with a total capacity of about 400 MW, enough to power at least 400,000 homes with solar energy.
