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MEDIA RELEASE
25 September 2026
DOE lays out power system expansion for more reliable Palawan electricity
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — More than 250,000 households and businesses in mainland Palawan
could benefit from a more reliable and diversified power system under the Mainland Palawan Energy
Masterplan presented by the Department of Energy (DOE) today, 25 September 2026, to provincial
leaders and stakeholders.
The Masterplan sets out coordinated investments in transmission, generation, and distribution to
address longstanding reliability constraints, high generation costs, and the province’s dependence
on imported fuel.
Mainland Palawan is currently served by a single north-to-south transmission backbone, creating
reliability and voltage challenges, particularly in areas farther from existing generation facilities.
These constraints affect households as well as businesses and tourism establishments that depend
on reliable electricity service.
The province also relies largely on diesel and bunker fuel for electricity generation. Residential
consumers pay around ₱13 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and the cost of generating electricity in some
areas can exceed ₱30 per kWh. Part of this difference is supported through the Universal Charge
for Missionary Electrification (UCME), which is collected from electricity consumers nationwide.
“Palawan continues to face high generation costs and infrastructure constraints that make its power
system vulnerable. Through this Masterplan, we want to strengthen the backbone of the system,
bring in more indigenous renewable energy, and provide households and businesses with a more
reliable electricity supply,” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said.
At the center of the Masterplan is a proposed 69-kilovolt transmission system that would create
multiple power pathways across northern, central, and southern Palawan. The proposed network,
comprising more than 1,000 circuit-kilometers of new lines and 18 additional switching stations, is
designed to reduce the risk that a disruption in one section affects entire municipalities.
On the distribution side, the Masterplan provides for upgrades to the Palawan Electric Cooperative’s
(PALECO) network to accommodate new generation and transmission facilities as electricity
demand grows. As a system integration partner, PALECO will undertake load forecasting, prepare
its distribution system for the new facilities, and carry out feeder upgrades and protection
improvements targeted for 2027 to support additional power supply and new connections.
Meanwhile, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) will coordinate with PALECO and
provide electrification and institutional support, while the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will
handle the regulatory approvals and tariff reviews required for the new facilities.
Under the proposed implementation schedule, construction of the transmission lines and switching
stations is targeted to begin in December 2026, with the transmission component targeted for
completion by the end of 2027.“Meeting our 2027 target will require national agencies, local governments, barangays, and host
communities to move together. We need timely action on permits, right-of-way, and environmental
clearances. Sama-sama po tayo dito. Every agency and every stakeholder have a role in moving
these projects forward,” Secretary Garin said.
Secretary Garin led the Palawan Leaders and Stakeholders Meeting, joined by NEA Administrator
Antonio Mariano Almeda and National Power Corporation President Jericho Jonas Nograles.
The DOE, together with NEA, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), and the
Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC), presented the Masterplan to provincial and local leaders
led by Palawan Governor Amy R. Alvarez.
Also present were House Committee on Energy Chair and Palawan 2nd District Representative Jose
Chaves Alvarez, 1st District Representative Rosalie Salvame, and 3rd District Representative Gil
Acosta Jr., together with officials from the municipalities of Aborlan, Bataraza, Brooke’s Point,
Dumaran, El Nido, Narra, Rizal, San Vicente, and Sofronio Española. Representatives of national
government agencies and power sector stakeholders also attended the meeting.
Following the meeting, the DOE will work with concerned national agencies, local governments, and
power sector stakeholders to translate the Masterplan into specific commitments, implementing
responsibilities, and timelines before its final endorsement for implementation.
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