ARANETA City Inc., Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) and Grand Union Supermarket Inc. strengthened their respective partnerships with the First Gen Group to source clean electricity —from geothermal supply contracts to solar carport projects—underscoring how diverse institutions are embedding renewable energy into their operations across the Philippines.

The new power deals of Araneta City—the company behind the 35-hectare Araneta City mixed-use property development in Quezon City—cover the requirements of its Cyberpark Tower 3 office building, the mixed-use Aurora Tower, the former Fiesta Carnival site that is undergoing redevelopment, and the remaining Fiesta Carnival Arcade.

First Gen will draw the contracted power supply—estimated at 3.4 megawatts (MW) in total—from its 648-MW Unified Leyte geothermal power plants.

“We have been trying to tap renewable energy sources for the past years and we’re happy to be achieving our vision. Our BPO [business process outsourcing] locators have been asking us to source renewable energy. We look forward to growing our partnership with First Gen,” said Araneta City senior vice president Antonio Mardo.

“Shifting to renewable energy is not just doing good for the environment, but also a means to manage business risks. We thank the Araneta Group for growing with us and allowing us to be their partner as they progress in their sustainability journey,” said Carlo Vega, First Gen chief customer engagement officer.

Araneta City is among the first to adopt Department of Energy programs, such as the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) and the Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), which allow consumers to exercise the right to choose their electricity suppliers.

Earlier agreements signed with First Gen under RAP combined the power demand of more than 200 retail and service tenants in Ali Mall and New Frontier Theater as well as over 9,000 apartments in 18 residential towers of Manhattan Gardens. The new power deals were also facilitated under the RCOA and RAP.

Through its own expanded partnership finalized in June 2026, the LPU Cavite campus now gets electricity from First Gen’s geothermal power stations in Tongonan, Ormoc City, and Kananga, Leyte.

“At LPU, we believe that education goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. How we run our institution reflects what we stand for,” said Roberto Laurel, president of LPU campuses in Manila and Cavite. “Partnering with First Gen is our commitment made visible. It is a tangible step toward environmental responsibility that we hope will inspire our students to carry this mindset forward in their own careers and communities.”

Last April, LPU’s flagship campus in Intramuros, Manila, likewise started getting its electricity from the plants in Ormoc and Kananga. In February 2026, LPU forged a partnership with First Gen for supply of geothermal power to LPU’s Batangas and Laguna campuses under RAP.

Grand Union, the owner of the South Supermarket chain, meanwhile, tapped First Gen for the construction and operation of solar carports in the parking lots of the South Supermarket branches in Malolos, Bulacan, and Los Baños, Laguna. The projects entailed the installation of more than 1,600 photovoltaic panels with a 1-megawatt-peak combined capacity.

First Gen completed construction of the projects—the first solar carports undertaken by the company from the ground up— and energized them late in May 2026, or roughly a year after First Gen commenced construction, and a year and a half after both companies signed an agreement for the projects in January 2025.

“We are pleased to note that our solar installations in the South Supermarket branches have been yielding cost savings, helping rationalize their operating budgets and making their operations more environmentally sustainable for the communities they serve. We are committed to support Grand Union in rolling out energy solutions across the rest of their supermarket chain,” said Mark Malabanan, First Gen Energy Solutions Inc. vice president for solar and commercial business development.

L-R: Mark Malabanan, FGES solar and commercial business development head; Ed del Rosario, FGES technical services head; Mercy Torres, South SupermarketLos Baños branch manager; and Ferdinand Vargas, Brgy. Maahas chairman lead the ceremonial switch-on in South Supermarket-Los Baños

By Joel Gaborni