POWER DISTRIBUTOR Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) plans to deploy 3.27 million smart meters under its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program between 2025 and 2029.
“It aims to provide a more efficient and automated infrastructure in compliance with the regulatory requirements discussed in the Customer Choice Programs, such as the Competitive Retail Electricity Market, Green Energy Option Program, and Retail Aggregation Program,” Ronnie L. Aperocho, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Meralco, said in an interview.
The program also supports other initiatives such as net metering and time-of-use and delivers additional customer benefits by improving energy consumption awareness and response times to outages, he said.
AMI refers to an integrated system of smart meters, communication networks, and implementation systems that enables two-way communication between utilities and customers. Smart meters are digital electronic meters that allow electricity consumers to monitor their power consumption in real time.
The smart meter rollout is part of Meralco’s application for its proposed P215-billion capital expenditure plan for the fifth regulatory period, covering 2026 to 2029.
Meralco completed its pilot test for postpaid smart meters on Dec. 9, 2024, with 5,248 active customers as of year-end. The company implemented a phased approach to onboard customers and collect extensive data across different areas, customer segments, and seasonal variations.
“Customers appreciate their ability to monitor their running consumption, which helps them manage their electricity usage and avoid bill shock at the end of the month,” Mr. Aperocho said.
The power distributor expects to gain more detailed customer metrics after completing its customer experience research in the third quarter of 2025.
“Hopefully, the ERC will allow us, given the positive results of the pilot,” Mr. Aperocho said.
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Monalisa C. Dimalanta said in an earlier interview that the commission is carefully evaluating the program, given the high cost of the communication system.
“We’re thinking of other ways to approach it. We recognize the need to mature into that technology, but we’re considering that it may not be necessary to implement it wholesale. A phased approach is also under review,” she said.
In November last year, Meralco signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea Electric Power Corp. and its Knowledge Data Network to advance smart metering technologies to empower consumers and enhance grid reliability.
Since 2011, Meralco has been integrating smart metering technologies into its distribution network to improve operational efficiency and grid resiliency.
The company has already deployed prepaid metering, with an installed base of around 95,000 customers, Mr. Aperocho said.
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
