Retail electricity supplier Rockport Power Inc. is expanding its operations through new partnerships with major distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to help commercial and industrial consumers manage their power costs.

In a statement, Rockport Power said the company has secured agreements with Manila Electric Co. (Meralc), alongside Batangas I Electric Cooperative Inc. and Nueva Ecija II Electric Cooperative Inc. - Area 2.

Rockport Power is also finalizing a partnership with Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, which will extend its market footprint into Mindanao.

The expansion comes as the government pushes regulatory reforms designed to break the monopoly of traditional utilities over retail supply. Under the Retail Competition and Open Access framework, qualified large-scale energy users are permitted to bypass local distributors and purchase power directly from licensed retailers.

“We see our role not just as a supplier, but as a partner in helping Filipinos find real savings,” Rockport Power President Marvee Espejo said. “By working with local utilities, we are helping customers unlock more competitive and optimized energy solutions.”

Rockport Power is leveraging policy mechanisms like the Green Energy Option Program, which allows customers to source their electricity entirely from renewable energy providers. It is also utilizing the Retail Aggregation Program, which allows smaller consumers within a contiguous area to pool their power demand to meet the threshold required to negotiate competitive pricing.

The commercial rollouts coincide with an aggressive push by the Energy Regulatory Commission to widen access to the retail market. The regulator recently lowered the power consumption threshold for the retail choice programs, allowing more small businesses and institutional users to select their own electricity providers.

Through its expanded partnerships, Rockport Power aims to increase consumer awareness regarding alternative supply options to help mitigate elevated operational expenses.

“Our goal is to make these programs accessible and practical options for anyone seeking to cut their energy costs,” Espejo said, noting that collaboration with local distribution utilities remains essential to creating a retail market that responds to actual consumer demand. (Gabriell Christel Galang)