President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday led the groundbreaking of the “Meralco Terra Solar Project,” considered as the largest integrated solar and battery storage facility in the world.

In his speech during the ceremony in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija, Marcos highlighted the importance of the solar project expected to power over two million households and reduce carbon emissions significantly once fully operationalized in three years.

It will also address the growing demand for electricity and the Philippines’ urgent need to transition to sustainable energy, he said.

“Once fully operational by 2027, this facility will deliver 3,500 megawatts peak of solar power to the Luzon grid, with 4,500 megawatt-hour battery energy storage,” Marcos said.

“This project will energize over 2 million households and reduce carbon emissions by more than 4.3 million metric tons annually. To put that into perspective, it is equivalent of removing 3 million gasoline-powered cars from our roads?decisive action towards helping address global warming and climate change,” he added.

The project spans 3,500 hectares across Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. Initially, it will be connected to the existing 500-kiloVolt (kV) Nagsaag-San Jose Transmission Line and later linked to the upcoming 500-kV Nagsaag-Marilao Transmission Line.

Aside from benefiting local residents, Marcos said the project will position the Philippines as a leader in renewable energy. It is expected to create over 10,000 job opportunities, boost local economies, and open doors for growth and development in the country.

He said the P200 billion investment for the project “demonstrates confidence in the stakeholders” in the country’s potential and their commitment to ensuring a stable, steady, and reliable power supply.

“Over the next decade, it is poised to generate nearly P23 billion in financial benefits?resources that will pave the way for even greater progress. The impacts and advancements of this project are amongst those that we envisioned when I spoke about energy in my recent State of the Nation Address,” the President said.

“We are working towards a steady and reliable power supply that will meet the demands of today and continuously fuel our ambitions for tomorrow. Projects like Terra Solar bring us closer to that vision,” he added.

Marcos also expressed his gratitude to Meralco, Terra Solar Philippines, Inc., Solar Philippines New Energy Corporation, MGen Renewable Energy Inc., and other partners involved in the project, recognizing their efforts in positioning the Philippines as a key player in the global energy revolution. Presidential News Desk