‘FLOATING RESERVES’: MP Barge plans deployments to Bohol, Guimaras

MP Barge Inc., a sister company of MORE Electric and Power Corp., plans to deploy two newly acquired power barges to Bohol and Guimaras in the first quarter of 2027 after rehabilitation, adding a combined 80 megawatts of capacity intended primarily to support grid stability.

MORE Power President and CEO Roel Castro said each barge has a capacity of 40 MW, with one bound for Bohol and the other for Guimaras.

For households and businesses, the planned deployment could provide additional support during grid disturbances or supply shortages.

Castro said the barges would primarily provide ancillary services either to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) or the market, rather than supply MORE Power’s or Bohol Light’s regular distribution requirements.

The group has an electricity distribution presence in Bohol through Bohol Light Company Inc., an affiliate of MORE Power serving Tagbilaran City.

Primelectric Holdings Inc. owns 70% of Bohol Light, while the provincial government holds the remaining 30%.

Primelectric and MORE Power are subsidiaries of the Enrique K. Razon-led Prime Strategic Holdings Inc.

Ancillary services are support functions that help keep electricity supply and demand balanced and maintain stable frequency and voltage across the grid, according to NGCP.

These services include reserves that respond to sudden changes in generation or demand, helping protect consumers from disruptions and equipment damage.

Castro said the barges would undergo rehabilitation before deployment.

“Hopefully by first quarter of next year, we could deploy them already,” he said.

He said the units would primarily remain on standby for ancillary services but could also augment electricity supply when total generation falls short.

Castro said Bohol and Guimaras were selected because the facilities were more needed in those areas.

The choice of Guimaras also reflects the connection work required to link a barge to the transmission system.

Castro said positioning a barge in Iloilo would require a much longer transmission-line extension, while the connection in Guimaras would be shorter and require less line construction.

He said using the diesel-powered units for MORE Power’s regular electricity supply would be expensive.

MORE Power has also fully contracted its supply requirements, removing the need to use the barges to meet its distribution customers’ normal demand, Castro said.

Ancillary services nevertheless carry costs that NGCP passes through to grid customers, so the planned deployment does not, by itself, determine whether electricity bills will rise or fall.

Castro acknowledged that supply conditions had recently stabilized but expressed concern about rising demand and the need for additional reliable generating capacity.

He also noted that the battery storage systems proposed by the Department of Energy could provide support only for limited hours, pointing to the need for dependable supply beyond temporary measures.

Castro described the barge deployment as a near-term response to those concerns.

“But this is the fastest solution for now.”

The deployment plans follow Aboitiz Power Corp.’s sale of two mothballed oil-fired barges, Mobile 4 and Mobile 6, to MP Barge.

In a disclosure published Monday, Oct. 5, AboitizPower said ownership and operational control of the units at the Navotas Fishport Complex in Navotas City transferred effective Oct. 2, 2026.

The transaction reduces AboitizPower’s generating-asset portfolio without affecting the remaining operations of subsidiary Therma Mobile Inc. (TMO).

“TMO’s remaining generation activities will continue through its two other oil-fired power barges, TMO Mobile 3 and Mobile 5, whose operations remain unaffected by this transaction,” AboitizPower said in the disclosure.

Mobile 4 and Mobile 6, identified in AboitizPower’s filing as Bunker C-fired units, have been mothballed since Feb. 14, 2025, under a confirmation letter issued by the Department of Energy (DOE).

In its earlier mothballing disclosure, AboitizPower cited technical and commercial challenges that hindered the barges’ full utilization and continued safe and efficient operation.

That filing identified Feb. 1, 2027, as the target return-to-service date.

Castro’s first-quarter deployment target falls within the same period, although he did not specify an exact operating date.

AboitizPower did not disclose the transaction value or the buyer’s deployment plans in its sale announcement; Castro subsequently outlined the intended destinations and operating role.

MP Barge’s sister company, MORE Power, operates the electricity distribution network serving Iloilo City.

TMO and MP Barge are coordinating the transfer of the barges to comply with grid and regulatory standards.

TMO has sent notices to the DOE, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc., NGCP, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and other concerned bodies.

TMO is an AboitizPower subsidiary held through Therma Power Inc., the company’s holding firm for thermal energy investments.