First Gen clinches 2.1-MW deal to power Laguna data center
MANILA, Philippines — First Gen Corp., a Lopez-led renewables producer, has started energizing a Singaporean company’s data center in Laguna province with clean power.
Top officials from First Gen and Singapore’s Digital Edge Holdings Pte. Ltd., a developer and operator of data centers across Asia, had a formal signing event for the power supply agreement in Ortigas City on Wednesday.
The two-year pact, which entails 2.1 megawatt (MW) of renewable energy capacity, covers Digital Edge’s NARRA 1 data center. The facility is located in the Laguna Technopark in Biñan.
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According to the Filipino firm, the electricity would be sourced from the Pantabangan-Masiway and Casecnan hydro-electric complex in Nueva Ecija.
First Gen chief customer engagement officer Carlo Vega acknowledged the growing presence of data centers in the country, given their crucial role in digital transformation.
Data centers have been on the rise as they cater to businesses’ large-scale information and technology operations, supporting the massive digital shift particularly highlighted during the pandemic.
“The need for data centers is growing, and operating these requires large-scale, uninterrupted power with the lowest possible carbon emissions,” Vega said.
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Sustainable operations
For Digital Edge Philippines country manager Vic Barrios, teaming up with First Gen complements its efforts for sustainable operations.
“We are proud to operate a world-class data center that meets the growing demand for digital infrastructure while upholding the highest standards of environmental responsibility. By design, NARRA1 is already one of the most energy- and water-efficient data centers in the region,” Barrios said.
First Gen, a subsidiary of conglomerate First Philippine Holdings Corp., is the leading power generation firm in the local market, with 3,668 MW of total installed capacity from a portfolio of 33 power facilities.
Its renewable energy portfolio includes nearly 300 MW of hydro power generation, 160 MW from wind and solar facilities, and about 1,200 MW of geothermal generating capacity.