PLDT Inc. is accelerating a shift to solar power for its cell sites to mitigate the impact of inflationary pressures and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
In a statement on Thursday, PLDT Chief Operating Officer Menardo Jimenez Jr. said that electricity and fuel remained the most significant and volatile drivers of the telco’s operating expenses.While PLDT’s fuel costs are partly cushioned by special pricing agreements with major fuel distributors, its electricity costs are more exposed to market fluctuations due to the absence of long-term contracts across facilities.“With the current environment, it’s still too early to tell how consumer behavior will ultimately evolve. We’re looking at initial data to understand any impact on our business,” Jimenez said, adding that on PLDT’s side, “the bigger focus is really on managing costs — especially electricity and fuel — and that’s where our sustainability initiatives come in.”By using on-site solar power at cell sites, PLDT will be able to reduce its dependence on grid electricity, improve cost predictability and enhance network stability — particularly in areas vulnerable to power disruptions and price volatility.“That’s where we’re seeing the biggest jump. We’re becoming much more disciplined in how we manage power consumption, and we’re accelerating our ability to solarize our cell sites. This allows us to become more efficient and gives us greater control over our energy costs,” Jimenez said.The initiative builds on PLDT and subsidiary Smart’s green transition earlier highlighted as a key pillar of operational resilience amid the global energy crisis.“We don’t have the benefit of perfect visibility given global conditions. What we can do is act decisively on the areas we can control. Solarizing a lot of our sites strengthens our resilience while supporting our sustainability goals,” Jimenez.PLDT and Smart’s broader sustainability initiatives continue to support the effort, where several major facilities in Metro Manila already operate entirely on renewable energy, while high-consumption buildings are powered through clean energy supply agreements.Meanwhile, Smart’s artificial intelligence-enabled green radio technology further reduces energy use by dynamically adjusting a cell site’s power consumption based on real-time demand.“As long as current pressures do not extend deep into the second half of the year, we believe these measures will allow us to manage on the operating expenditure side,” Jimenez said.“Our priority is to protect our network, manage costs responsibly and continue delivering reliable connectivity for our customers.”PLDT shares on Thursday closed down P17.00, or 1.42 percent, at P1,180.00 each.
