The first phase of the giant MTerra Solar project in the Philippines has begun commercial operations, with 600MWac of solar capacity now operating under a power supply agreement (PSA) with utility Meralco.
Terra Solar Philippines, a subsidiary of Philippines-based utility firm Manila Electric Company (Meralco), began operations on 26 August following the issuance of a Final Certificate of Approval to Connect (FCATC) by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
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The FCATC confirms that the facility has met the requirements to connect and operate 950MWac of solar capacity and 825MW of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity on the national grid. A further 250MWac of solar capacity under the same PSA is expected to enter commercial operations in the coming months.
The 3,500 hectares MTerra Solar plant is a joint investment between Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) and Actis. It is being developed across five municipalities in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. The project is planned to reach 3.5GWp of solar PV capacity and 4.5GWh of BESS capacity, and is claimed to be on track to become the world’s largest combined solar-plus-storage facility globally when it reaches full scale.
“The issuance of the FCATC reflects the hard work of our people, the trust of our investors most especially Actis, and our strong partnership with NGCP under the guidance and support of our regulators –the DOE and the ERC. The close coordination among the agencies, system operator, and project teams was critical in delivering this remarkable achievement,” said Dennis B. Jordan, president and CEO of MGEN Renewables and MTerra Solar.
The project was inaugurated in July, when 1.373GWac of solar PV capacity and 825MW/3.3GWh of BESS had been energised. Initial grid synchronisation and energisation of Phase I were completed in February 2026.
MTerra Solar is being developed in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for completion in 2027. Once completed, the project will support the Philippines’ renewable energy targets of 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
Actis has committed US$600 million to the project, according to Terra Solar Philippines.
Terra Solar Philippines is a subsidiary of SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC), controlled by MGen Renewable Energy (MGreen), the renewable energy arm of Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN), itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
Actis holds a 40% stake in Terra Solar Philippines. As of July 2026, MGEN had 5,069.7MW of net saleable generation capacity across conventional and renewable sources, alongside 56.4MWh of BESS capacity.
