MRC Allied firms up solar rooftop entry

MRC Allied Inc. is firming up its entry into the solar rooftop industry after it sealed a deal to put up four megawatts (MW) of sun-powered panels in various Xentro Malls.

The company said it signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and operations and management contract with UniSolar Inc. (USI) for a four-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop project with Xentro Mall Developer Inc. (XRC).

USI is a domestic corporation engaged in the design, global sourcing, local distribution, manufacturing, sales of solar-powered products and the operation and maintenance of solar photovoltaic rooftop systems.

XRC is a domestic corporation engaged in the operation of community malls nationwide.

Under the contract, MRC will engage the services of USI to provide the design, supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of a solar PV system for rooftop within various Xentro Malls nationwide.

“We are excited because this partnership with USI and Xentro Mall will solidify the entry of MRC into the solar PV rooftop industry,” MRC chairman Car- los Gatmaitan said.

“This will also expand our renewable energy portfolio and bring us closer to our goal of contributing to the clean and renewable capacity of the country,” he said.

The contract is initially targeting an aggregate capacity of at least four MW in Xentro Malls to be identified by XRC, which is expected to cost P200 million.

“XRC and MRC will identify the specific malls in a separate agreement. We will sign it hopefully before month-end,” company president and CEO Gladys Nalda said in a text message.

The solar rooftop installation is expected to be completed within six months from the issuance of notice to proceed by MRC while the operation and maintenance period is set at 20 years.