By the Blocktec Editorial Team
EcoSolar Energy Corp. (ESEC), part of the Yuchengco group's energy business, has energized its Panitan Energy Storage Project in Capiz province on Panay Island. The battery system is rated at 22.5 megawatts (MW) with 45 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage. It began testing and commissioning as a generation facility on Nov. 5, 2026, and the company disclosed the milestone on Nov. 10, 2026.
What EcoSolar Switched On
The Panitan project is the first battery storage facility in Capiz. The company says it is also the first in the Philippines built with Huawei's LUNA2000-5015-2S grid-forming storage units. ESEC said it chose these units for their safety, thermal stability, lifespan and charge-discharge efficiency.
In plain terms, a battery plant like this charges when power is available and releases it when the grid needs support. Grid-forming units are designed to help hold the grid steady, rather than only following the signal the grid already provides.
The two numbers describe different things. The 22.5 MW is how much power the plant can deliver at one moment. The 45 MWh is how much energy it can hold. Put together, the plant could in principle supply its full 22.5 MW for about two hours, since 45 divided by 22.5 is 2.
Approvals And Grid Connection
Two approvals were needed before testing could begin. The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) approved the plant's market registration. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) issued a Provisional Certificate of Approval to Connect, which lets the plant link to the Visayas grid for testing.
The word "provisional" matters. The plant is in testing and commissioning, not yet in full commercial operation. Full commercial operation depends on the remaining tests being completed.
Why The Company Says Timing Matters
ESEC president Francisco Delfin Jr. said the start-up comes at a good time because the Visayas has dealt with long blackouts and high retail power costs, driven by thin energy and reserve supply. He thanked the Department of Energy (DOE), NGCP and IEMOP for their support.
Delfin said the company wants to finish the remaining tests quickly so the plant can help during the Christmas season, when electricity demand is typically heavy. The company hopes the plant is fully running by then. The cost of the battery project was not disclosed.
Who Is Behind It And What Comes Next
ESEC is a subsidiary of PetroGreen Energy Corp., a joint venture of PetroEnergy Resources Corp., the Yuchengco group's energy arm, and Japan's Kyuden International. Some documents also describe PetroEnergy as the direct parent.
The next project on the same site is the 90-MWdc Panitan Solar Project. It won a slot in the DOE's fourth Green Energy Auction and is targeted to supply the Visayas grid by mid-2028. The group already operates several plants:
- 27-MW Dagohoy solar plant in Bohol
- 19.6-MW San Jose solar plant in Nueva Ecija
- 70-MW Tarlac solar plant
- 32-MW Maibarara geothermal plant in Batangas
What It Means For Builders In The Visayas
Firmer power supply is good news for anyone running a site or a plant in the region. Concrete works, equipment and finishing trades all lose time when the power drops, and a steadier grid helps keep schedules and budgets predictable.
There is also a possible construction angle. The 90-MW solar farm planned for the Panitan site will need buildings such as a control room and rooms for electrical equipment. We do not know the design of those buildings, and no construction scope has been announced, so treat this as an early heads-up for the 2027-2028 period, not a confirmed tender.
For electrical and battery rooms, wall choice is a real spec question. Blocktec's AAC walls carry a 4-hour fire resistance rating and a thermal conductivity of about 0.16 W/mK, which helps with both fire separation and heat control. AAC is laid with thin-bed adhesive and finished with skimcoat, so it is walang palitada, and a trained mason with a helper does about 10-12 m2 per 8-hour shift. In Blocktec's cost comparison, the wall system showed up to about 21% savings versus hollow blocks, depending on the project.
If you are bidding or planning facilities near energy projects, ask early about fire rating, schedule and wall weight, and get your numbers checked before the specs are locked.
Sources
- Context.ph: EcoSolar's 22.5MW Capiz battery storage facility starts testing, to boost Visayas power supply (Nov 10, 2026)
- Power Philippines: Yuchengco-led EcoSolar energizes 22.5-MW battery storage facility in Capiz (Nov 10, 2026)
- BusinessWorld: Yuchengco-led firm energizes 22.5-MW battery storage facility in Capiz (Nov 10, 2026)
Planning a control room, utility building or any facility in the Visayas? Send your wall area or blueprints to sales@blocktec.ph or visit blocktec.ph for a free AAC wall-system estimate.