MPOWER, the retail electricity arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), has expanded its partnership with ice manufacturer Mr. Freeze Tube Ice, Inc. to power several of the latter’s plants across the southern part of Luzon.
Mr. Freeze has aggregated the power demand of its ice plants in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Bulacan to participate in the government’s Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), MPower said in a statement on Tuesday.
RAP allows smaller electricity end-users to consolidate multiple accounts within the same franchise area and purchase power in bulk from retail electricity suppliers.
MPower began its partnership with Mr. Freeze in 2005 through the energization of the company’s first ice plant.
“Our business has always been built on strong relationships, and we’re happy to continue growing with Meralco and MPower. We look forward to sustainable growth and continued success as we power our Mr. Freeze ice plants, and we’re excited for this new journey with MPower by our side,” Mr. Freeze President and Chief Operating Officer Philip Gerald Santos said.
The company said the move reflects Mr. Freeze’s commitment to operational efficiency and energy cost management.
“This partnership is not just about business, it’s about the shared goals we believe in: sustainability, responsible energy use, and putting the customer first,” Meralco First Vice-President and Head of MPower Redel M. Domingo said.
“MPower is more than just a supplier, we’re a partner committed to growing with you and supporting what matters most,” he added.
MPower serves contestable customers, including large corporations within Meralco’s franchise area. It currently holds more than a 25% share of the competitive retail electricity market within Meralco’s coverage.
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
