PARTNERSHIP FOR SMART METERING SOLUTIONS. Meralco and Aclara Meters Philippines, Inc. signed an agreement for the supply of smart meters that will support the distribution utility’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Program. In photo are (L-R) Aclara Meters Philippines Inc. President and General Manager Waldo Darvin, Hubbell Inc. Grid Automation Division President Erik Christian, Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho, and Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Froilan J. Savet.
Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is accelerating its digital transformation drive after formalizing a partnership with Aclara Meters Philippines, Inc., a subsidiary of Hubbell Inc., to deploy thousands of smart meters across its franchise area.
The agreement, sealed during a ceremonial signing at the Meralco Operating Center in Pasig City, covers the supply of more than 72,000 Aclara smart meters beginning this year—marking another major milestone in the utility’s modernization roadmap.
“Our partnership with Meralco reflects our shared commitment to innovation that is practical, secure, scalable, and to operational excellence. We stand here today ready to commit the resources, people, and processes and technology so that we can ensure and assure Meralco of a reliable and smooth rollout of meters for deployment,” said Waldo Darvin, President and General Manager of Aclara Meters Philippines.
The new meters are designed to enable real-time monitoring, remote reading, and enhanced grid intelligence. By transmitting usage data, detecting outages, and supporting smart grid applications, the devices are expected to significantly strengthen Meralco’s ability to measure and understand customer-level energy consumption with precision.
For households and businesses, this translates to improved service efficiency and reliability. Smart meters allow remote connection and disconnection, faster outage detection, and smarter energy management—tools that empower consumers with greater visibility and control over their electricity use.
The deployment forms part of Meralco’s broader Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Program, which aims to install approximately 12 million smart meters for all customers over the next decade. To date, around 196,000 smart meters have already been rolled out across the company’s franchise area.
Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Froilan J. Savet underscored the strategic importance of AMI in the company’s future-ready grid vision. The technology will play a central role in the planned Grid-Edge Operations and Control Center (GEOCC), which is expected to be operational in the coming years.
“These technologies are designed to enhance secondary network visibility, particularly as distributed energy resources, residential batteries, and electric vehicle charging stations continue to expand across the grid,” Savet said. He noted that the GEOCC will integrate low-voltage conditions into daily grid operations and complement Meralco’s existing System Control Center, which oversees high-voltage distribution facilities.
As distributed energy resources and electric mobility gain traction, the ability to manage data at the grid edge becomes increasingly critical. Through AMI and GEOCC, Meralco aims to create a more adaptive, resilient distribution system capable of responding to evolving customer needs.
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho described the collaboration with Hubbell and Aclara as a reinforcement of Meralco’s customer-first strategy anchored on innovation.
“This partnership strengthens our ongoing journey toward digital transformation, one that places smart metering at the center of how we deliver reliable service and provide our consumers with better tools to manage their energy use. For us in Meralco, smart meters are not simply electronic devices; they are enablers of transparency, efficiency, and innovation,” Aperocho said.
With tens of thousands of new smart meters set for deployment and millions more in the pipeline, Meralco is positioning itself for a smarter, data-driven energy future—one where digital infrastructure powers both operational excellence and customer empowerment.