Meralco gives more time for 400-MW power supply bids

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has extended the deadline for firms to submit bids for its 400-megawatt (MW) power supply requirement for next year to October, ensuring participants have more time to prepare their offers, the power distributor said on Wednesday.

The deadline to submit bids is now scheduled for Oct. 1, extended from the previous date of Sept. 3, Meralco said in a statement.

Meralco has set the pre-bid conference on Aug. 29, moved from the previous date of Aug. 1. 

Similarly, the bid submission deadline for its 600-MW power supply has been moved to Aug. 27 from Aug. 2.

Eight companies expressed interest and participated in the pre-bid conference last month for Meralco’s 600-MW power supply requirement.

These are First Gas Power Corp. and First NatGas Power Corp. of First Gen Corp.; Mariveles Power Generation Corp. and Masinloc Power Co. Ltd. of San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp.; GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. and Therma Luzon, Inc. of Aboitiz Power Corp.; Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. of Semirara Mining and Power Corp.; and Quezon Power (Philippines) Ltd Co.

“We urge prospective bidders to submit their best offers for Meralco’s 600-MW and 400-MW supply requirements for next year,” said Lawrence S. Fernandez, Meralco’s chairman for bids and awards committee for power supply agreements.

“We look forward to receiving competitive offers that will help us fulfill our mandate of providing reliable and least-cost electricity to our customers,” he added.

The government requires distribution utilities to choose the cheapest electricity supply via a competitive selection process (CSP).

“We would also like to reiterate that the CSPs are being conducted in compliance with the rules and guidelines set by the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission. We remain dedicated to conducting this process with utmost transparency and fairness,” Mr. Fernandez said.

Meralco resumed its bidding procedures for the 1,000-MW power supply requirement after the Taguig Regional Trial Court dismissed the injunction that had delayed the process.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera