Leaning on the robust power generating assets of its various subsidiaries, Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) has sustained its lead as the country’s biggest power producer with total installed capacity of 5,745.221 megawatts, according to data released by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Inching very close in the second rank is San Miguel Corporation with its subsidiary-generating units logging aggregate capacity of 5,057.36 megawatts; while First Gen of the Lopez group was at third place with capacities summing up to 3,392.89 megawatts.

In the fourth place had been ACEN Corporation of the Ayala group with 1,426.932MW of installed capacity; while Meralco is in the fifth spot with 1,380.92MW capacity.

For the Aboitiz group, in particular, the bulk of its installed capacities are in Luzon grid for 4,633.821MW and that cornered a market share of 25.80%. In the Visayas grid, it has 470.9MW capacity for 13.78% market share; then 640.5MW in Mindanao or 15.29% market share.

In the case of San Miguel, its Luzon generating portfolio also accounted for the bulk of its operating capacities at 4,576.8MW or an equivalent market share of 25.48%; then it has 140.67MW capacity in the Visayas and 339.89MW in Mindanao.

First Gen, which is touted for its clean energy portfolio of renewables and gas, has 2,510.5MW capacity in Luzon for 13.98% fraction in the market pie; then it has 827.19MW for Visayas and 55.28MW capacity in Mindanao.

Ayala group’s generating assets is still considerably leaner in the Philippines, but it has major developments in the offshore markets of Australia, Vietnam and India as well as expansion opportunities in Indonesia and the United States.

For the Philippine market, ACEN’s operating capacities stand at 646.332MW in Luzon; then 175.4MW in Visayas and 605.2MW in Mindanao grid.

Meralco, on the other hand, is an emerging giant in the power generation segment of the industry, although at present, its capacities remain ‘undersized’ versus market competitors with just 578.7MW capacity in Luzon; and 802.2MW in the Visayas, while Mindanao is a market that it has not penetrated yet.

In the years ahead, however, Meralco’s generating portfolio will likely surge faster than those of industry rivals – especially if it can already advance into commercial operations its 3,500MW Terra solar project with 4,500-megawatt hours of energy storage coupling; as well as the majority stake it acquired from the gas plants of San Miguel.

As culled from the ERC data, it is apparent that none of the industry players had violated the market share limits prescribed under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) – which is 25% cap for nationwide installed capacities; and 30% share on installed capacities per grid.

The regulatory body, nevertheless, apprised industry players that “all persons and entities covered by the market share limitation (MSL) are reminded to strictly adhere to limitations, as well as to their duty to report to the ERC should they exceed the limits within fifteen (15) days from the start of occurrence,” and the corresponding reasons must also be provided.

For this year, the ERC determined that the market share limit a GenCo must heed on its installed generation capacities - as reckoned on a nationwide basis - must be 6,391.818MW out of the total installed capacities of 25,567.27MW.

In the Luzon grid, the market share cap must be at 5,388.517MW versus total installed capacities of 17,961.724MW; then Visayas shall be at 1,025.312MW as against aggregate installed capacity of 3,417.708MW; and Mindanao market share limit is set at 1,256.351MW vis-à-vis installed capacity of 4,187.838MW in that particular grid.

The regulatory body explained that the market share limits “may be adjusted as necessary, based on the maximum capacity of generation facilities.”