Filipino renewable company First Gen has signed a deal with Eastern Communications Philippines (ETPI) to power the Filipino telco’s headquarters and technical operation centers with geothermal power.

The deal will see First Gen supply the telco with 1.3MW of geothermal energy sourced from First Gen’s Unified Leyte generating plants in Tongonan, Ormoc City, and Kananga, Leyte.

“Eastern Communications understands that embracing sustainability is about honoring our natural resources and contributing to a circular economy, which is why we are transitioning towards renewable energy,” Atty. Aileen Regio and Jaeson Evangelista, co-coordinators of Eastern Communications, said in a joint statement. “The company aims to do its part in decreasing the country’s overall carbon footprint.”

According to the companies, the partnership was enabled through the Filipino government's Retail Competition and Open Access program, which allows large-demand electricity consumers to directly contract with power suppliers and haggle for their rates.

ETPI is a subsidiary of Vega Telecom - a joint venture between PLDT and Globe Telecom - which acquired the company in 2017. The telco was founded in 1878 as the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company. At present, the company provides fixed broadband services in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Baguio, Cebu City, Iloilo, and Tuguegarao.

First Gen is the Philippines' largest renewable developer. In addition to its renewable assets, the company also operates around 32 natural gas plants. In total, the company has an operating capacity of approximately 3.6GW as of late 2025. It has a target of 13GW of generation by 2030.

The company currently operates 13 integrated geothermal power stations in Leyte, Bicol, Southern Negros, and North Cotabato, with an installed capacity of 1,189.34MW.

The company has already signed offtake deals within the digital infrastructure space. Last May, it inked a hydroelectric power supply deal with APAC data center firm Digital Edge in the Philippines.

Geothermal energy is gaining traction in the tech sector, fuelled by the energy appetite of hyperscalers. Just last week, Google signed a 150MW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ormat Technologies in Nevada.