Meralco in talks with KEPCO, Korean nuclear players

Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is making moves in the distribution utility (DU) and its generation business through an ongoing partnership with South Korea.

n an ambush interview with Ronnie L. Aperocho, Meralco’s executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO), he shared that Meralco is set to meet with stakeholders in South Korea, following the partnership with Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO).

“By July, we’ll have a top-level delegation going to Korea, including Manny Rubio. We will talk to the Korean players, not only on the distribution side of the business, but even in the generation, including nuclear,” Aperocho told reporters. He was referring to Emmanuel Rubio, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of power generation arm Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen).

To recall, Meralco signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KEPCO last March to improve technical partnerships and exchange knowledge between the two power companies.

The MOU includes collaborations for nuclear energy, renewable energy (RE), smart grids, microgrids, energy storage systems, electric vehicles (EVs), advanced metering infrastructure, smart substations, and distribution automation.

According to Aperocho in a Viber message, the Meralco delegates would explore a “nuclear study tour, and distribution modernization discussions with KEPCO based on the MOU signed by MVP [Pangilinan, who is Meralco chairman and CEO] and the KEPCO president recently.”

“[We] will visit battery/energy storage manufacturing facilities, too. [There will also be a] signing of MOU with KINGS University where we will be sending FISSION scholars,” he added.

This active agreement stems from their 2024 MOU, when they partnered to advance the use of smart metering technologies last November.

By Gabriell Christel Galang | June 2, 2025

Via Manila Bulletin – https://mb.com.ph/2025/06/02/meralco-in-talks-with-kepco-korean-nuclear-players

/restrict]