MTerra Solar achieves a breakthrough progress rate of 54% in just eight months.
Nueva Ecija, Philippines – 08 July 2025 – Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN), through its affiliate Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (MTerra Solar), has reached a major milestone in the construction of MTerra Solar, with 778 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels now installed on-site. This significant achievement not only surpasses the project’s target of 750 MW at this stage but also positions MTerra Solar as the largest solar PV installation of its kind in the Philippines to date. Once completed, MTerra Solar is expected to become the world’s largest integrated solar PV and battery energy storage facility.
“MTerra Solar stands as a clear example of how we can shape the country’s energy future through strong partnerships and a shared vision. With 778 MW of solar PV capacity now installed, we are making real progress toward delivering cleaner and more sustainable power for Filipinos. This milestone reflects the hard work of our teams on the ground, the support of our government partners, and the trust of the communities we serve,”
said MTerra Solar and MGEN Renewable Energy President and CEO Dennis B. Jordan.
This progress was achieved in just eight (8) months since President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. led the groundbreaking of MTerra Solar in November 2024, demonstrating the project’s speed and strong momentum.
As of end-June, the overall project progress for Phase 1 stands at 54 percent, reflecting significant strides in construction and development of the integrated PV and BESS plant, including a 500-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line that will connect it to the Nagsaag-San Jose Transmission Line. MTerra Solar has also mobilized more than 9,500 workers at its peak, with over 7.5 million safe manhours recorded – highlighting the scale and complexity of the construction efforts. It plays a key role in supporting the country’s goal of achieving a 35% renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
Governor Aurelio “Oyie” Umali, represented by Provincial Administrator Atty. Jose Maria San Pedro, emphasized the province’s alignment with the project:
“At the heart of our provincial agenda is the vision of sustainable, inclusive, and future forward development. The provincial government of Nueva Ecija will continue to champion projects like MTerra Solar. It is our duty to pave the way for a future that is not only bright but also clean, green, and just.”
Gapan City Mayor Emary Joy Pascual also expressed her gratitude for the opportunities that the project brings:
“Nakakatuwa dahil libo-libong trabaho at negosyo ang naging oportunidad dito sa Lungsod ng Gapan at pakikinabangan ng mga Batang Gapan.” (It’s heartening to see that thousands of jobs and business opportunities have been created here in the City of Gapan and are being enjoyed by our people.)
Municipality of General Tinio Mayor Sherry Bolisay has this to say:
“[We also express our] deep appreciation that a great number of the workforce is now providing livelihood… The strong partnership that we build today is a commitment to improve lives of our people now and beyond.”
The MTerra Solar project spans 3,500 hectares – nearly the size of Pasig City – across the towns of Gapan, Peñaranda, General Tinio, and San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija, and San Miguel in Bulacan.
Once completed, the project is expected to deliver 3,500 megawatts peak (MWp) of solar PV capacity, complemented by 4,500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage. This will provide clean power to about 2.4 million Filipino households and help avoid up to 4.3 million tons of carbon emissions each year – equivalent to taking more than 3 million gasoline-powered vehicles off the road.
MTerra Solar is being constructed with the support of major engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors including Energy China, POWERCHINA, and Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation (MIESCOR). Huawei is also supplying the battery energy storage system for the project.
To ensure efficient integration into the grid, EPC contractors for the high-voltage interconnection line were awarded to Maxipro Development Corp. and Fujian Electric Power and Engineering Co. Ltd. In addition, Asia Pacific Rim International Construction and Trading Corporation is contributing to the project as the Medium Voltage Switchgear contractor for Phase 1.
With Phase 1 on track for completion by early 2026 and Phase 2 targeted the following year, MGEN is set to exceed its 1,500 MW attributable renewable energy capacity goal by 2027 – three years ahead of its original 2030 timeline.
Public and private sector leaders share a toast to reaffirm their shared commitment to accelerating the country’s energy transition through MTerra Solar. Seen on the photo (from L-R) are: POWERCHINA’s Sinohydro Bureau 3 Country Manager Zhao Changjie, Actis Analyst John Borja, Actis Principal Ajay Mullangi, MTerra Solar and MGEN Renewable Energy President and CEO Dennis Jordan, Gapan City Mayor Emary Joy Pascual, Municipality of General Tinio Mayor Sherry Bolisay, Nueva Ecija Provincial Administrator Atty. Jose Maria Ceasar San Pedro representing Governor Aurelio “Oyie” Umali, Energy China President Qiao Xubin, Actis Principal Vanessa Warnock, Energy China Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute Co Ltd General Manager Huang Jianmei, and MTerra Solar Project Director Mark Argar.