First Gen to supply 47 MW of renewable energy to WalterMart malls

WM SHOPPING CENTER Management, Inc., the developer of WalterMart malls, is expanding its partnership with First Gen Corp. to power its malls with renewable energy (RE).

In a statement on Thursday, the mall chain developer said it tapped the energy producer to supply electricity to its 47 WalterMart malls, including W Department Store, WalterMart Supermarket, and Abenson outlets across Metro Manila, central, and southern Luzon.

The agreement also covers Citadines Bay City Manila Hotel in Pasay City and Ascott Bonifacio Global City Mall — both owned by the WalterMart group.

Under the deal, First Gen will supply 47 megawatts (MW) of electricity sourced from its Unified Leyte Geothermal Power plant, operated by its subsidiary, Energy Development Corp.

The partnership between the two companies began in 2019 with the installation of on-site solar facilities in WalterMart community malls across Luzon.

“The commitment to clean power enables our malls to operate responsibly and efficiently, reducing our carbon footprint while creating a greener future for the communities we serve,” WM Shopping Center Chairman Abraham Uypeckcuat said.

Currently, WalterMart has 45 community malls in the Philippines. By yearend, 25 of these malls will be equipped with solar power facilities with a combined capacity of 27 MW.

“As WalterMart continues to grow and open new community spaces across the country, First Gen will be ready to power every expansion and deliver what is truly a baseload source of renewable energy, while continuing to support its solar and energy efficiency initiatives,” First Gen President Giles B. Puno said.

First Gen is an independent power producer with a total installed capacity of 3,696 MW across natural gas, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, and solar technologies. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera