The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Huge Energy Co., Ltd. to develop a one-gigawatt renewable energy project inside the Casiguran-based ecozone, marking one of the largest clean power commitments to date for the province of Aurora in the Philippines.

The MOU was signed at Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City. The signing was led by APECO President and CEO Usec. Gil G. Taway IV, Huge Energy Chairman and CEO Lai Hongze, and Dong-A Global Chairman and CEO Ik Soo Kwon. Huge Energy, a solar panel manufacturer, will undertake the project alongside South Korean energy, procurement, and construction firm Dong-A Global Co., Ltd.

A Three-Phase Development Plan

The project is structured across three phases, with each phase subject to its own technical and financial feasibility studies, due diligence assessments, grid requirements reviews, and applicable government approvals before proceeding.

The first phase will focus on the development of a solar photovoltaic power generation facility, a battery energy storage system, and a substation, with an initial target capacity of approximately 100 megawatts.

The second phase calls for an additional 350 megawatts of generation capacity, to be achieved through a mix of solar and waste-to-energy technologies. The third and final phase would add a further 550 megawatts, bringing the total aggregate installed capacity to one gigawatt across the entire project.

APECO is allocating 90 hectares of land within the ecozone to accommodate the project.

Scope of the Partnership

Beyond electricity generation, the MOU encompasses a broad range of project activities. According to the agreement, the partnership will cover project planning and engineering, feasibility studies, permitting and government approvals, grid interconnection, power offtake arrangements, project financing, equipment procurement, engineering, procurement and construction, and eventual operations and maintenance of the completed facilities.

The inclusion of a high-capacity substation and battery energy storage system alongside the solar generation assets reflects an effort to build out integrated energy infrastructure, rather than generation capacity alone.

APECO noted that the project aims to accelerate development of critical energy infrastructure in the ecozone, including substations and potentially transmission facilities, to contribute to broader energy security.

Driving Industrial Development in Aurora

APECO President and CEO Usec. Gil G. Taway IV framed the energy project as a prerequisite for the ecozone's industrial ambitions, stating that reliable and sustainable power must come before industries can operate, businesses can expand, and investments can arrive.

"The goal is to create a more competitive environment for investors, attract new industries and ultimately support APECO's transition toward industrialization and manufacturing," Taway said at the signing ceremony.

APECO stated that the project is intended to improve the availability and affordability of power not only within the ecozone itself but across the wider province of Aurora and, by extension, contribute to the country's energy supply. The authority described the initiative as part of a continuing push toward a stronger industrial policy.

Partners Behind the Project

Huge Energy Co., Ltd. brings solar panel manufacturing expertise to the venture, while Dong-A Global Co., Ltd., the South Korean EPC firm participating in the MOU signing, is positioned to handle engineering, procurement, and construction responsibilities. The involvement of both companies signals a cross-border collaboration between Chinese and South Korean energy sector players in a Philippine economic zone setting.

The MOU signing ceremony brought together the chairmen and chief executives of all three organizations, APECO, Huge Energy, and Dong-A Global, underscoring the significance each party attached to the agreement.

Context Within APECO's Broader Agenda

The renewable energy MOU comes as APECO has been actively pursuing a range of strategic partnerships and infrastructure initiatives. Earlier in 2026, the authority urged ASEAN member states to build next-generation ports and industries facing the Pacific, and welcomed the Defense Secretary's call for strategic defense facilities on the Pacific seaboard.

The energy deal fits within a pattern of efforts to develop APECO's profile as a hub for investment, industry, and regional strategic importance along the Philippine Pacific coastline.

The Casiguran-based ecozone's geographic position on the Pacific side of Luzon has been central to APECO's pitch to investors and regional partners alike. The addition of a gigawatt-scale renewable energy project, if it advances through its phased feasibility and approval processes, would substantially increase the ecozone's capacity to support energy-intensive industrial locators and attract manufacturing operations requiring stable, large-scale power supply.

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