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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider "Wait and see": MGen evaluates ammonia co-firing for Atimonan coal plant

"Wait and see": MGen evaluates ammonia co-firing for Atimonan coal plant

Published Dec 29, 2025 01:24 pm
A new coal-fired power project is set to move forward after securing approval from the Department of Energy (DOE), although it is required to be phased out in about 25 years. Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) said it is assessing how to utilize the planned 1,200-megawatt (MW) facility within the approved timeline.
In a recent roundtable discussion, MGen President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Emmanuel Rubio shared that the company is still evaluating the future of its coal plant in Quezon province, with the use of ammonia still being considered.
“Actually, one of the conditions for us to proceed with Atimonan is that by 2050, we are not allowed to burn coal as fuel. So we’re discussing earlier, ‘What are the alternatives?’ Ammonia,” he told reporters.
Ammonia co-firing is a form of decarbonization in which ammonia replaces a portion of coal to reduce carbon emissions.
Rubio noted that while this is a possible path forward for the project, Japan is currently pioneering the shift, albeit at a minimal and gradual pace. For instance, he said a company in Japan has increased its ammonia substitution to 28 percent from 20 percent.
“Today it’s still ammonia co-fired with coal. There’s still yet to be pure ammonia firing in a coal boiler. Hopefully, there’s technology [for it], then the technology will develop from now until 2050,” Rubio said.
The MGen chief added that it remains a “wait-and-see” situation, noting that the decision to shift Atimonan plant to ammonia co-firing will depend on the technology’s success.
To recall, the company is set to develop the Atimonan One Energy Inc. project after receiving approval from the DOE. The project was previously under review as the government considered whether it could be exempted from the coal moratorium, a policy introduced in 2020 to encourage the growth of renewable energy (RE). The project has already secured an environmental compliance certificate (ECC), as well as an energy project of national significance (EPNS) designation.
After securing an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor last September, Rubio said the firm is also considering placing Atimonan’s coal capacity under a competitive selection process (CSP) or participating in a baseload capacity auction with the DOE.
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