ILOILO — The proposed 50-megawatt hyperscale artificial intelligence data center being eyed for Pavia has yet to formally reach the town’s Sangguniang Bayan (SB), even as documents from Metro Pacific Iloilo Water (MPIW) confirmed that the investor has identified the municipality as a prospective project site.
Vice Mayor Edsel Gerochi said the municipal council has not received any proposal or communication from Norway Green Energy, whose managing director, Daniel Stefan Robertsen, earlier pursued a similar project in neighboring Oton.
“So far waay gid kami nakabaton. I don’t know sa executive, kay Mayor (Luigi Gorrriceta) nga side,” Gerochi said.
Gerochi said the SB would properly entertain the investor should the company approach the council, noting that Pavia is business-friendly. He stressed, however, that any proposed investment must undergo the required legal processes to ensure transparency and legitimacy.
Pavia emerged as another possible location for the AI data center after Oton’s Vice Mayor Jose Neil Olivares disclosed that Robertsen had mentioned the municipality as among the areas being considered for the project aside from Oton.
The possibility gained further weight after MPIW disclosed that it had received a letter of intent (LOI) from Norway Green Energy dated July 6, 2026, expressing interest in securing industrial bulk water supply and wastewater infrastructure for a proposed AI facility specifically in Pavia.
According to MPIW, the LOI indicated that the proposed project could commence in September 2027 and reach full capacity by 2029, when additional water sources of the utility are expected to become operational.
MPIW, however, emphasized that receiving the LOI was merely an initial expression of interest and did not amount to an approval, commitment or formal agreement.
“Any proposal remains subject to the necessary technical, operational, legal, and regulatory evaluation before any agreement or service commitment may be considered. MPIW evaluates all requests for water and wastewater services based on established requirements and does not favor or discriminate against any project, investor, or project proponent,” the company added.
MPIW said it remains committed to supporting responsible investments and developments in Iloilo, provided that water and wastewater service commitments are technically feasible, compliant with regulations and consistent with its responsibility to provide reliable and sustainable services to customers.
Robertsen and Norway Green Energy recently drew controversy in Oton after the investor walked out of a public consultation in Barangay Abilay Sur on August 14.
His behavior during the consultation drew criticism from residents and netizens. Two days later, on August 16, Robertsen sent an email to the Oton SB secretary formally informing the local government that the company was withdrawing its proposal due to “current circumstances.”/PN
