East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. has announced that three of its key facilities will integrate solar power systems to minimize carbon emissions and pursue sustainable water services to its consumers.
In a statement, Manila Water said the concessionaire would bring in 2.5-megawatt peak (MWp) worth of solar plants to operate the Cardona Treatment Plant, East La Mesa Treatment Plant, and the San Juan Compound.
This renewable energy expansion would generate an estimated 3.6 megawatts per hour per year (MkWh/year) of solar power, aiming to deload the grid and avoid yellow and red alerts.
According to Manila Water, utilizing renewable energy (RE) and minimizing reliance on grid would lessen greenhouse gas emissions by around 2,564 tons of CO2 (CO2e) annually.
Moreover, this may help reduce the facilities' power costs, which could cut back consumers’ water bills.
Manila Water stated that this renewable energy expansion supports the Department of Energy (DOE) in its National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan (NEECP) as the government aims toward energy sufficiency and sustainability.
Jeric Sevilla, the company’s corporate communications affairs director, explained how imperative it is to actively push for green-based operations.
“The Decentralized Solar installation is just one of the many energy-saving measures Manila Water is undertaking as part of our Energy and Sustainability Masterplan,” he said.
The installation of the solar PV systems will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. This project is in partnership with Ditrolic Energy under its 15-year Solar Facility Power Purchase Agreement.
Once completed, the integrated solar systems would benefit consumers in Metro Manila including Rizal Province, San Juan City, and Quezon City.
“By investing in renewable energy sources such as solar power, Manila Water secures more sustainable operations while contributing to the broader goal of reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels,” the concessionaire added.
Manila Water also assured that the east zone and non-east zone operations conduct regular energy audits to improve their operations as per compliance with Republic Act No. 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.