Japan’s JERA banks on AboitizPower for Philippine expansion

October 27, 2026 | 12:00am

SINGAPORE — Japanese energy giant JERA is counting on Aboitiz Power Corp. to further deepen its Philippine presence, affirming continued support for the latter’s diversification and growth ambitions.

JERA Asia CEO Izumi Kai said AboitizPower remains central to the Japanese firm’s regional strategy, now focused on helping the Philippines’ largest power producer unlock further growth.

“AboitizPower is important for us. It was a large investment as part of our Asia portfolio. So, that’s our intention,” Kai told visiting journalists ahead of this year’s Singapore International Energy Week.

JERA invested about $1.46 billion to acquire a 27-percent stake in AboitizPower in 2021, opening up opportunities for collaboration and giving the Philippine firm access to its global network.

Since the investment, AboitizPower has increased its generation capacity by about 2.5 gigawatts to around 6.9 GW, JERA Asia chief strategy officer Chris Starling said.

Its portfolio has also grown to include liquefied natural gas (LNG)-to-power development and additional renewable energy capacity, he said.

“It’s an anchor for our presence in the Philippines,” Starling said in an interview at JERA’s Singapore office.

AboitizPower currently holds the largest share of the Philippine power generation market at around 24.3 percent, based on the latest available data.

The company aims to achieve a balanced mix of conventional and renewable power sources by 2030.

Last year, AboitizPower and JERA established the Global Technical Center of Excellence in Batangas, a training facility designed to become a premier hub for developing their talent pool in the power generation sector.

Beyond the Philippines, JERA is evaluating investment opportunities across Asia based on individual power markets’ needs, the availability of viable investment frameworks, and the strength of local partnerships.

“We want to bring more than capital; we want to build capabilities and create long-term value together,” Kai said when asked about JERA’s investment approach across the region.

With a presence in more than 10 countries, JERA brings extensive expertise as an investor, developer and operator of large-scale power infrastructure projects across international markets.

Singapore serves as JERA’s regional hub for energy infrastructure opportunities across South and Southeast Asia, particularly in LNG-to-power development.

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