PetroGreen Energy Corp., the renewable energy arm of the Yuchengco Group, began injecting power into the Luzon grid as it entered the final testing phase for its solar facility in Pangasinan, the company said Monday, April 20.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the company said the 25-megawatt Bugallon Solar Power Project (BSPP) is currently undergoing commissioning to finalize its integration into the national transmission system.

PetroGreen disclosed that the project has already secured regulatory approvals from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Independent Energy Market Operator of the Philippines, and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

These clearances include registration with the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and a provisional certificate to connect to the grid.

The facility is being developed and operated by Bugallon Green Energy Corp. as part of a 111.6-megawatt portfolio. That broader initiative consists of four utility-scale solar plants under Rizal Green Energy Corp., a joint venture between PetroGreen and Japan’s Taisei Corp.

Once the NGCP completes its technical assessment, the Pangasinan plant will operate under a fixed 20-year tariff as a qualified facility under the government’s second Green Energy Auction Program.

The commencement of testing comes at a critical time for the energy sector, which has faced intermittent supply thinness during peak demand periods.

Dave P. Gadiano, PetroGreen assistant vice president for power markets, said the milestone aligns with the government’s push to increase indigenous renewable capacity to stabilize the power supply.

Separately, the company reported progress on its 13.2-megawatt Nabas-2 Wind Power Project in Aklan.

Operated by PetroWind Energy Inc., the wind farm received its final certificate of approval to connect from the grid operator on April 16. The project is now awaiting a certificate of compliance from the Energy Regulatory Commission, which was filed on April 17, before beginning full commercial operations.

The wind facility is expected to benefit from the nearly completed reinforcement of the Boracay-Caticlan-Nabas transmission line.

Last week, the DOE indicated that the transmission upgrade is 93.16 percent complete. The infrastructure project is designed to shield power lines from salt spray and coastal weather conditions that have historically caused outages in Aklan and the resort island of Boracay.

By anchoring the wind farm to this reinforced line, PetroGreen aims to provide more reliable clean energy to one of the country's primary tourism hubs.