Meralco and Cisco Collaborate on Future-Ready Energy Utilities for the Philippines

Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power, and Cisco CSCO are collaborating on a holistic approach to providing reliable computing and networking infrastructure as a foundation for operations on a smart grid. Investing in enterprise computing and smart grids will enhance automation and intelligence at critical points within the Meralco network, which will enable the company to achieve higher efficiency in utility operations and deliver better services to customers. "Legacy grid infrastructure, rising power generation costs and emerging technologies are driving the company to pursue a new and more intelligent distribution network. We needed an IT infrastructure that is robust, flexible, and highly secure yet cost-effective. In an industry made even more challenging with deregulation, we remain committed to the interests of our stakeholders: to provide our customers with the best value in energy, products and services and at the same time to run the business (for our investors) effectively and efficiently," said Marthyn Cuan, Meralco's vice president and chief information officer, who concurrently spearheads the company's business process and systems transformation.