Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is accelerating the use of advanced metering infrastructure through high-speed power line carrier communication (AMI-HPLC) to improve visibility across its low-voltage distribution network and support faster grid operations.

The technology uses Meralco’s existing power-line network to transmit data between smart meters and the utility, allowing more timely information to flow from the edge of the distribution system.

Meralco said the added visibility can support outage detection and restoration verification, energy balancing, system-loss monitoring, and better tracking of transformer loading and other network conditions.

The company also plans to use the expanded grid-edge data as the foundation for its future grid-edge operations and control center (GEOCC), the goal of which is to consolidate information from across the network and support faster, more informed operational decisions.

The initiative is also aimed at preparing Meralco’s distribution system for the continued growth of rooftop solar, electric vehicles, battery storage, and other emerging technologies that could change how electricity is produced and consumed across the grid.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is warning that the power reserves in Mindanao, the country’s second largest island, are tightening as electricity demand gradually catches up with available supply.

There is a small reserve cushion, which means the grid has less room to absorb unexpected plant outages, sudden increases in demand, or other supply disruptions, NGCP said. The recent appearance of grid alerts are the “writing on the wall” that Mindanao’s once-comfortable supply margin is becoming tighter, according to NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza.

She also said that inter-grid transfers can help regions experiencing supply shortages, but Luzon and Mindanao must first meet their own power requirements before excess electricity can be sent elsewhere. Addressing tightening supply conditions could involve either expanding transmission capacity to move more electricity between grids or bringing additional generation online, Alabanza said.

“We can do it the transmission way. We can do it the generation way,’’ she said, but added that the NGCP will focus on finding the most efficient and consumer-friendly solution.