Cebu-based steel product maker and property developer Chioson Group of Companies has tapped anew First Gen Corporation for additional supply of electricity from a renewable energy (RE) source to run the factory of another Chioson Group subsidiary.

The Chioson Group, through its unit Puresteel Manufacturing Corporation, firmed up a contract with First Gen’s wholly-owned subsidiary First Gen Energy Solutions Inc. (FGES) for electricity supply from a clean and renewable source.

Under this contract, Puresteel now gets 600 kilowatts (kW) of RE for its facilities in Mandaue, Cebu, from geothermal power plants in Leyte of Energy Development Corporation (EDC), another First Gen subsidiary.

With the new power supply contract, the Chioson Group now draws all its power needs, totaling 2,100 kW or 2.1 megawatts, from EDC’s geothermal facilities. The group targets to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.

Last year, the Chioson Group through Chioson Development Corporation (CDC) reached an agreement with FGES for an initial 1,500 kW of green energy coming from EDC’s geothermal power plants in Leyte and Bicol for CDC and its Cebu property arm FLB Industries Inc.

“When we started our green energy journey in 2021, we decided to get First Gen as a partner because we share the same sustainability values with First Gen. We are confident that First Gen can help Puresteel achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by the year 2025,” said Bernard Chioson, CDC’s chief operating officer and concurrent chief executive officer of Puresteel.

Carlo Vega, First Gen vice president, for his part commented: “We offered to partner with the Chioson Group after finding out about its carbon neutrality goal. This was another opportunity for us to practice our new Lopez Group mission, ‘Forging collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future.’

“By offering competitive power rates, we can help the Chioson Group pursue its sustainability goal while at the same time improving its competitiveness in the market,” Vega added. (Story/Photos by: Joel Gaborni)