MANILA WATER Co., Inc. said some of its units outside its east zone service area are preparing to enter the contestable market for power, allowing them to select their providers under the government’s retail aggregation program (RAP).
“We have several business units outside Metro Manila. Sunod-sunod na ’yan. (they will enter in sequence). I don’t want to preempt but there is a lineup. I hope every month we can switch business units [to retail aggregation],” Melvin John M. Tan, chief operating officer of Manila Water’s NEZ Philippines, said on the sidelines of the Water Philippines 2025 on Wednesday.
NEZ refers to the group’s “non-east zone” businesses.
The expanded RAP allows the aggregation of demand within the same franchise area with the threshold set at 500 kilowatts (kW). Qualifying entities will be allowed to contract with their preferred supplier.
“All the business units that qualify under RAP, we will take advantage of it,” Mr. Tan said.
Manila Water was the first ever expanded RAP customer after enrolling 10 facilities with an aggregate demand of 500 kW, to source power from PrimeRes Energy Corp., the retail electricity unit of Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc.
The water company consolidated power services for Heroes Hill Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), FTI South STP, Kalayaan STP, San Mateo North STP, East Avenue Lift Station, Road 5 Project 6, Mahabang Parang Lift Station, UP Diliman STP, Diego Silang STP and Olandes Marikina STP.
Manila Water provides water supply, wastewater, and sanitation services to over 7.3 million customers in 23 cities and municipalities of the east zone of Metro Manila and Rizal province.
The company also operates outside the east zone through its subsidiaries Boracay Water, Clark Water, Laguna Water, and Estate Water. It also has investments in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
