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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Maharlika Consortium breaks ground on ₱2.1-billion off-grid power projects

Maharlika Consortium breaks ground on ₱2.1-billion off-grid power projects

Published Mar 31, 2026 10:17 am

Maharlika Consortium, composed of renewable energy (RE) firms, has officially commenced construction of a 24-site off-grid microgrid portfolio, marking the largest private-sector investment in rural electrification in the Philippines to date.

The consortium is composed of Archipelago Renewables Corp. (ARC) and ARC II, in partnership with WEnergy Global and CleanGrid Partners.

In a statement on Tuesday, March 31, Maharlika Consortium announced the groundbreaking of its ₱2.1-billion microgrid investment, which will provide 24/7 power to nearly 12,000 households in the provinces of Palawan, Cebu, and Quezon. The initiative builds on the success of the award-winning Sabang microgrid in Puerto Princesa City, which has served the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, since 2019.

After securing the necessary approvals from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the consortium said the microgrids will deploy a seven megawatt-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic project, an eight-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS), a 3.5-MW diesel backup, and 225 kilometers (km) of smart power distribution networks. These projects are expected to be developed within 10 to 12 months and generate 300 jobs, helping boost the local economy.

The consortium emphasized that the commencement of these projects will contribute to the country’s energy security, as solar power is expected to generate 50 to 60 percent of the energy capacity, reducing reliance on fuel subsidies in rural areas.

To further expand investments in off-grid areas, Atem Ramsundersingh, chief executive officer (CEO) of WEnergy Global, invited financing institutions to explore its portfolio, with additional sites set to open this year.

“We invite financing institutions to join this movement as lenders, claim real, measurable SDG [Sustainable Development Goals] impact, and gain early access to an approximately $7 billion off-grid infrastructure market in the Philippines,” he said.

“Our 24-site portfolio is diversified, de-risked, and shovel-ready, now also open for financing of eight additional sites.”

Maharlika Consortium plans to energize the communities by the Christmas season this year. - Gabriell Christel Galang

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