The growing use of rooftop solar, battery storage and electric vehicles is prompting Meralco to advance a proposed control center designed to improve management of an increasingly complex distribution network.
Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Froilan J. Savet outlined the proposed Grid-Edge Operations and Control Center (GEOCC) at the Mapúa Electrical Engineering Alumni Association’s recent 4th Energy and Electrical Technology Conference in Quezon City.
Savet said customer adoption of emerging energy technologies is changing electricity flows, creating a need for utilities to monitor and manage network conditions closer to end users.
GEOCC would complement the company’s existing System Control Center, extending operational visibility to the low-voltage network and customer-connected energy resources.
The proposal envisions using smart meter data and advanced analytics to identify emerging network constraints, support faster outage detection and response, and coordinate distributed energy resources where permitted.
It forms part of the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led distribution utility’s broader efforts to strengthen network reliability and resilience amid changing customer requirements.
At a separate Inquirer Talks engagement at Mapúa University, Savet discussed the role of engineers in translating technological developments into practical customer benefits.
He emphasized that engineering involves developing solutions for changing needs alongside maintaining existing systems.
Citing GEOCC, Savet explained how improved network visibility could support both outage response and the adoption of new energy technologies.
He encouraged engineering students to combine technical competence with continuous learning and responsible judgment as they contribute to future infrastructure development.| BNN Integrated News
