PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. expanded their partnership with First Gen Corp. by switching six telco network facilities in Mindanao to utilize 100 percent renewable energy (RE).
In a statement over the weekend, the parties said PLDT Ponciano, a critical regional facility in Mindanao that also houses VITRO Davao is the first data center in Davao City which caters to the business needs of local and foreign enterprises in the region in terms of disaster recovery, security and business continuity.
“Following the switch of four of our sites in the Visayas, we are once again tapping First Gen’s geothermal energy supply to increase the renewable component of the energy mix of our critical facilities in Mindanao. This enables us to future-proof our facilities, reduce our operational expenses and support the government’s Green Energy Option Program in the region,” said Leo Gonzales, PLDT sector head for property and facilities.
This RE expansion in Mindanao is expected to generate approximately P23 million savings on energy and operational costs annually for PLDT and Smart.
It is also estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 13,000 tons every year.
The parties first had a RE supply partnership in May 2023, when PLDT and Smart tapped First Gen to harness geothermal energy sources for network facilities in Cebu, Samar, Capiz and Iloilo.
