Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) has started construction of a S$1.2-billion, 670-megawatt (MW) power plant on Singapore’s Jurong Island, marking a major expansion of the Philippine company’s energy operations in Southeast Asia.
MGEN’s Singapore-based subsidiary, PacificLight Power Pte. Ltd., broke ground on the facility on September 28. The plant is targeted to begin commercial operations in 2029 and is expected to become Singapore’s largest single power-generation unit.
The project is being developed by PLM Power Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of PacificLight. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to serve the needs of up to 1.2 million four-room households in Singapore.
The new plant will combine a combined-cycle gas turbine with a large-scale battery energy storage system, making it the first facility in Singapore to integrate the two technologies. The battery system is designed to improve operational flexibility, help balance electricity supply and demand, and strengthen the power grid’s ability to respond to disruptions.
Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry said electricity demand is expected to rise as the country expands advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, artificial intelligence infrastructure and electric-vehicle adoption. The government has emphasized the need for additional generation capacity to support this growth while maintaining energy reliability.
The facility will also be hydrogen-ready. It will be capable of operating with up to 30% hydrogen by volume from the outset, with provisions to transition toward 100% hydrogen in the future as technology and fuel availability develop.
The project will use Mitsubishi Power’s M701JAC gas turbine, with a combined-cycle efficiency of more than 64%. Construction is being carried out by an engineering, procurement and construction consortium involving Mitsubishi Power and Jurong Engineering Ltd.
PacificLight’s new facility will expand the company’s existing generation portfolio on Jurong Island. It currently operates an 830-MW combined-cycle gas turbine plant that began commercial operations in 2014, along with a 100-MW Fast Start Ancillary Services facility commissioned in 2025.
Singapore’s Energy Market Authority awarded PacificLight the right to build, own and operate the new generation facility in January 2025 under the country’s centralized process for new generation capacity.
The project comes as Singapore seeks to secure additional electricity capacity while preparing for a changing energy landscape. Government projections indicate that peak electricity demand is expected to continue increasing, driven by economic expansion and energy-intensive industries.
For MGEN, the Singapore project adds another major asset to its growing regional energy portfolio and expands the company’s presence beyond the Philippine market. MGEN said the investment reflects its commitment to energy security, regional cooperation and future-ready power infrastructure.
