SM Prime Holdings, Inc. is bringing its two schools to the government’s retail aggregation program (RAP) in a bid to take control over their electricity supply at a competitive cost, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said.
The ERC said that SM Prime, National University (NU), and Asia Pacific College (APC) have entered into a retail electricity supply contract with AdventPower, Inc., the retail electricity supply company of Aboitiz Power Corp.
Under the deal, SM Prime will consolidate a total electricity demand of 967.13 kilowatts (kW), covering the facilities of APC and three NU buildings in Manila, through AdventPower’s services. The NU will also eventually expand to other sites across the country.
ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Monalisa C. Dimalanta said that “the objective of RAP goes beyond lowering costs of power use in their facilities. It is also about reinvesting those savings in things that truly matter: better classrooms, smarter technology, improved facilities, and potentially, even more affordable tuition.”
RAP is the ERC’s latest customer choice program, which allows loads from multiple end-users within the same franchise area to be aggregated to meet the minimum energy demand requirements.
The Philippine Cultural College pioneered the RAP switch in academia in March by aggregating the power demand of its five facilities, which have a total capacity of 740 kW.
“Let us remember that electricity is more than just a utility we pay for – it is a good or a service (in more ways than one) we are empowered to choose,” Ms. Dimalanta said.
“What good would you like your choice today to contribute? What service does your choice make in our nation’s evolving energy journey? In that power of choice lies the promise of a future where learning thrives, innovation gains momentum, and opportunities multiply – for our students, our communities, and our entire nation.” — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
