Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. has broken ground on its 43-MVA San Pedro 69/13.8kV substation inside the Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) in Barangay San Pedro, Panabo City, kickstarting a major power project meant to support the city’s growing industrial and commercial activity.
The facility will be Davao Light’s 29th distribution substation and is designed to serve the 63-hectare industrial zone and nearby communities. The utility stated that the project will help meet the rising power demand as more companies move into the Industrial Special Economic Zone and its surrounding growth areas.
The substation is scheduled to begin operations in June 2026 with an initial 10-MVA capacity. The remaining 33 MVA will be completed by 2027, bringing the substation to its full 43-MVA load.
As a digital substation, the San Pedro facility will use automated monitoring and control systems that can capture and transmit real-time data to Davao Light’s technical teams. The utility said the setup will allow faster troubleshooting and more efficient power distribution across Panabo City. The design also includes sustainability features such as a rainwater harvesting system and solar-powered operations.
Industries inside AIE continue to identify reliable and affordable energy as a key factor in choosing a manufacturing site. Damosa Land Inc. President Ricardo “Cary” Floirendo Lagdameo said consistent, cost-efficient electricity has long helped attract locators to the region.
“Reliable and affordable power is very critical, and it’s a major reason many of our locators chose the Davao Region,” he said, noting that the region continues to offer some of the country’s most competitive power rates.
He said the new substation will strengthen the operations of agro-industrial locators that depend heavily on energy for processing. “To produce higher-value products, you need power. When you bring down production costs, their products become more affordable and more competitive,” he said.
Improved reliability also minimizes disruptions that push companies to rely on generators. “Every power interruption disrupts production. This substation helps address those issues without relying on generators, which are expensive and harmful to the environment,” Lagdameo added.
Davao Light President and COO Enriczar T. Tia said the project will benefit both the industrial estate and communities around it.
“One MVA can serve around 10,000 households. So if you look at 43 MVA, assuming half goes to the industrial estate and half to nearby areas, that’s enough capacity for more than 100,000 to 200,000 households. It’s sufficient even for the whole Panabo area,” he said.
Tia said the San Pedro substation will be the city’s second digital facility, complementing the one operating in Barangay Gredu. He added that digital systems also bring environmental gains. “A digital substation has more monitoring capabilities through intelligent electronic devices and sensors that we can control remotely. It also benefits the environment because we do away with several kilometers of copper wiring and replace it with communication cables,” he said.
Tia said Davao Light continues to invest in infrastructure to ensure a reliable and scalable power supply for Panabo City and the AIE, which hosts a growing number of enterprises.
Davao Light currently serves Davao City, Panabo City, and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali, and Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte. The AboitizPower subsidiary is preparing to expand coverage to the entire provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro. KBP WITH PR