Raslag to spend up to P3 billion on Nueva Ecija project this year

RASLAG CORP. is allocating up to P3 billion in capital expenditures (capex) this year, mainly for the development of its 140-megawatt (MW) solar and 100-megawatt-hour battery energy storage project in Liwayway, Nueva Ecija.

“At the moment, it can be around P2 billion to P3 billion, depending on the flow with the permits,” Raslag Chief Finance Officer Karl Geo D. Origeneza told reporters on the sidelines of Energyear Philippines 2026 on Wednesday.

He said this year’s capex will cover the importation of solar panels and land conversion costs, a significant increase from last year’s P500-million budget, which was mostly spent on land acquisition.

Raslag aims to roll out the Liwayway project and reach its testing and commissioning phase by the fourth quarter of 2027, Mr. Origeneza said.

The company is also exploring expansion beyond Luzon, Raslag President and Chief Executive Officer Robert B. Nepomuceno said. “We’re also looking at expanding outside Luzon,” he added.

Raslag develops, owns, and operates utility-scale solar power plants and currently has a total installed capacity of 77.844 MW from four facilities in Pampanga.

The company targets a renewable energy portfolio of at least 1,000 MW by 2035. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera