Manila: The United States has donated three units of mobile energy systems (MES) to provide reliable electricity to remote communities in Palawan, its embassy in Manila said Tuesday. US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson turned over the units in a ceremony at the National Power Corporation (NPC) Irawan Switching Station in Puerto Princesa City on May 16.
According to Philippines News Agency, the MES are essential tools of resilience and innovation that have been proven to provide power to some of the most remote locations in the country. Ambassador Carlson emphasized the importance of these units, stating that they represent a collaborative effort with the Department of Energy (DOE), the NPC, the Energy Regulatory Commission, and other partners to ensure that no Filipino is left without electricity.
The new donation will be integrated into microgrids maintained by the NPC, which the embassy said would deliver life-sustaining power to some of the most remote and disaster-prone locations in the country. Each MES unit is equipped with 9.18 kW of solar panels and a battery capacity of up to 70 kilowatt-hours, which is sufficient to power 10 Filipino households for a day.
On a single charge, an MES unit can support a disaster response team for a full week, providing power for satellite internet connectivity, five computers, 10 mobile phones, 10 two-way radios, and two electric fans. This recent donation is part of the ongoing support by the US to help the Philippines achieve its energy goals under USAID's Energy Secure Philippines program.
In 2024, the US government turned over one MES unit to the DOE's Emergency Operations Center in Manila and two MES units to the municipalities of Lal-lo and Santa Ana in Cagayan. The embassy also mentioned that four more MES units will be deployed in the Philippines later this year.
Present during the turnover ceremony were DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla, NPC President Fernando Roxas, USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn, and DOE Undersecretary Giovani Bacordo.
