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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Araneta City powers complex with clean energy from FGen hydro facilities

Araneta City powers complex with clean energy from FGen hydro facilities

Published Oct 23, 2025 01:53 pm
Araneta City (ACI) partners with First Gen Corp. (First Gen) to aggregate the electricity consumption of Ali Mall, the New Frontier Theater, and the Manhattan Gardens residential towers, allowing them to shift to hydroelectric power. The agreement was signed by (from left to right) ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Business Development John Castelo, First Gen Chief Customer Engagement Officer Carlo Vega, ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Operations Antonio Mardo, and First Gen Lead Customer Progress Partner Maych Soriano.
Araneta City (ACI) partners with First Gen Corp. (First Gen) to aggregate the electricity consumption of Ali Mall, the New Frontier Theater, and the Manhattan Gardens residential towers, allowing them to shift to hydroelectric power. The agreement was signed by (from left to right) ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Business Development John Castelo, First Gen Chief Customer Engagement Officer Carlo Vega, ACI Inc. Senior Vice President for Operations Antonio Mardo, and First Gen Lead Customer Progress Partner Maych Soriano.
The growing energy demand in Quezon City's bustling business district has prompted the Lopez-led First Gen Corp. (FGen) to power three Araneta City Inc. (ACI) properties with renewable energy (RE).
In a statement on Thursday, Oct. 23, ACI announced it has partnered with FGen to enroll its developments in the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) Retail Aggregation Program (RAP).
According to FGen, the New Frontier Theater, Ali Mall, and Manhattan Gardens will now secure their power supply from FGen’s 132-megawatt (MW) Pantabangan-Masiway and the 165-MW Casecnan Hydroelectric Power Complex in Nueva Ecija. The total capacity of power supplied to these specific facilities, however, was not disclosed.
The partnership allowed ACI to combine the electricity demand of 200 retail and service tenants, concertgoers in Ali Mall and New Frontier Theater, and Manhattan Gardens’ 9,000 apartments across 18 residential towers within Araneta City’s 35-hectare land area.
“By aggregating end-users and choosing First Gen, Araneta City not only secures cost-efficient electricity but also reduces the carbon footprint of its operations with RE usage,” the statement read.
RAP allows end-users to pool their power demand to meet the 500-kilowatt (kW) threshold required to enter the contestable market and select their own power supplier at a competitive price point.
Antonio Mardo, ACI’s senior vice president of operations, hoped that this partnership would expand further. “Each of our properties has energy demands, and switching to retail aggregation and using RE is a strategic move that will enable us to improve energy efficiency and effectively manage our electricity costs,” he stated.
Carlo Vega, FGen chief customer engagement officer, added, “We are privileged to transition Ali Mall, an iconic retail landmark, to retail aggregation and RE. We are aligned in our common goal to make a decarbonized and regenerative future iconic and look forward to continuing to partner with Araneta City in its sustainability journey.”
FGen currently has 1,300 MW of RE capacity, which includes geothermal, solar, and wind. This also includes 300 MW from its Pantabangan-Masiway, Casecnan, and Agusan River hydropower facilities.
Besides RE, it also holds four gas-fired power plants with approximately 2,017 MW of capacity.
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