Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has strengthened ties with US technology providers to accelerate a 10-year digitization plan centered on the rollout of 12 million smart meters, the power distributor said Monday.
The utility joined the US-Philippines Smart Grid Technologies Reverse Trade Mission from Feb. 1 to 11. The program, hosted by the US Trade and Development Agency, facilitated engagements between Philippine energy leaders and US tech firms, cybersecurity experts and regulators to integrate modern energy solutions into the local power grid.
Central to the collaboration is Meralco’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program. The initiative aims to deploy 12 million smart meters across its franchise area over the next decade to provide near real-time data for analytics-driven decision-making.
The AMI program will support the planned Grid-Edge Operations and Control Center (GEOCC). When paired with a Distributed Energy Resources Management System, the GEOCC will allow the utility to proactively manage demand response programs and new grid services.
“Grid modernization is a key pillar of Meralco’s strategy to meet evolving customer needs and ensure long-term operational resilience,” Meralco executive vice-president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said.
“Our participation in this trade mission supports our broader digital transformation agenda—gaining firsthand insights into best practices that can strengthen grid-edge intelligence and safeguard critical infrastructure,” he said.
Aperocho and Meralco senior vice-president and head of networks Froilan Savet represented the company during visits to San Diego, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.
While in the US, the delegation attended the DistribuTECH International conference and toured the Stanford Central Energy Facility to study integrated energy management. The company said it would continue investing in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to modernize the grid.
