SMC sets sights on coal auction

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March 20, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Tycoon Ramon Ang may place his bets on the government’s coal auction, which includes the country’s largest coal mining site long operated by the Consunji Group.

The STAR has learned that representatives from Ang’s San Miguel Group attended the Department of Energy (DOE)’s pre-submission conference for the auction.

In particular, the conference, which was meant to address prospective bidders’ questions and clarify the requirements, drew the interest of San Miguel Global Power (SMGP) and its subsidiary Sual Power Inc.

SMGP, the country’s second-largest power generation company by market share, owns and operates a substantial portfolio of coal-fired facilities.

Its portfolio includes the 600-megawatt Mariveles plant in Bataan and more than 1,000 MW of capacity in Masinloc, Zambales.

Sual Power, meanwhile, operates a 1,200-MW coal-fired power plant in Pangasinan.

Also present at the pre-bid conference was Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp., the current operator of the highly coveted contract covering Semirara Island in Antique.

Under the bid round, the DOE will offer 10 blocks on Semirara Island, which is estimated to hold 160 million metric tons of coal reserves.

The auction also includes three blocks in Amulung and Iguig, Cagayan, and five blocks in Benito Soliven, Naguilian and Cauayan, Isabela.

The pre-bid conference follows last month’s launch of the auction, where Meralco PowerGen Corp. of tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan and Zamora-led Nickel Asia Corp. were spotted, as first reported by The STAR.

Based on the auction’s timeline, application documents must be submitted by April 28, when they will also be opened.

The notice of qualification to enter into a coal operating contract with the government is targeted for issuance on May 27.