ALSONS Power Group continues to grow its energy portfolio to meet Mindanao’s rising power requirements as the region enters a new phase of economic growth.
Speaking before members of the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry during its General Assembly, Alsons Power Vice President for Corporate Affairs Ruben Tungpalan underscored the critical role of reliable electricity in sustaining business growth, attracting investment, creating jobs, and driving economic development.
“When we talk about economic growth, we often talk about investments, infrastructure, jobs, tourism, manufacturing, and expanding businesses. Behind all of these is something fundamental: power,” Tungpalan said during his presentation, Powering Mindanao and Beyond.
Tungpalan recalled the severe power shortages that affected Mindanao more than a decade ago, when prolonged rotating brownouts disrupted business operations, slowed production, increased costs, and undermined investor confidence.
In response to the crisis, Alsons Power developed the US$570-million Sarangani Energy Corporation power plant in Maasim, Sarangani Province, providing dependable baseload capacity that helped support the region’s growth.
Mindanao has experienced occasional yellow and red alerts every year, indicating increasingly tight power supply margins. This year peak demand in the region reached 2,775 megawatts (MW) in May 2026, up from 2,682 MW in 2025. Demand is projected to reach about 3,585 MW by 2030, exceed 6,000 MW by 2040, and approach 9,800 MW by 2050. The Department of Energy estimates the region will require roughly 23,000 MW of installed capacity by 2050 to maintain reliability and support economic expansion.
Recently, several media reports warned that Mindanao could face a repeat of the power supply challenges experienced more than a decade ago, as the NGCP projects that the region could exhaust its excess generation capacity by 2028.
To help meet the growing power demand in Mindanao and beyond, Alsons Power is committed to expanding and diversifying its energy portfolio through the development of solar and hydropower projects. The company is also exploring the integration of battery energy storage systems to further enhance the efficiency, flexibility, and reliability of its existing and future power facilities.
Alsons Power is converting its former diesel facility in Alabel, Sarangani, into a 45-MWac solar power facility, one of the projects awarded under the government’s fourth Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP-4). This facility is targeted for commissioning in the second half of 2027.
Other initiatives include hydropower projects in Zamboanga and Negros Occidental, as well as battery energy storage systems for its conventional power facilities.
Alsons Power’s diesel plants in Zamboanga and Iligan continue to provide ancillary services that help maintain grid stability.
“At the end of the day, energy security is about people and communities. Behind every megawatt we deliver are people who depend on us, and that is why we power with care,” Tungpalan said during the open forum.
“For more than three decades, we have grown alongside Mindanao,” Tungpalan said. “When businesses have the confidence to expand, communities benefit. When industries grow, jobs are created. And when energy is secure, economic development continues to move forward.”
