Power distributor Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has raised concerns over unregistered or “guerrilla” solar panel installations that bypass local government permits and safety inspections.
Speaking at a Senate Committee on Energy hearing, Meralco Vice President and Head of Utility Economics Lawrence Fernandez cited data from the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), showing that about one-third of rooftop solar units within Meralco’s franchise area are unregistered.
“According to their studies, they took satellite photos from Google Earth and they checked it against what’s registered in the ERC database,” he said
Meralco called on the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to establish formal standards for solar panel installations to address safety risks.
Interest in solar energy has surged online as consumers look for cheaper electricity alternatives amid rising oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Fernandez said Meralco also supports proposed amendments to the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, particularly a version backed by Sherwin Gatchalian that aims to streamline the net metering program, authorize the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to define its scope, and simplify permitting processes.
During the hearing, Fernandez noted that large commercial entities have installed an additional 370 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity outside the net metering program, bringing total registered rooftop solar installations in Meralco’s franchise area to more than 500 MW.
Meralco currently hosts over 20,000 net metering installations, each capped at 100 kilowatts, with a combined capacity exceeding 170 MW.
“We have seen that standards already exist for inverters, for example, but some installers do not use equipment that complies with international standards,” Fernandez said.
