The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved system impact studies (SIS) for 11 energy projects across the country, paving the way for their assessment and potential integration into the power grid.
The projects, primarily renewable energy (RE) initiatives, will undergo evaluations to determine the grid’s capacity for new connections and identify necessary upgrades in transmission lines, transformers, and substations.
The approved projects include three pumped-storage hydropower facilities, one hydropower plant, five wind farms, one battery energy storage system (BESS), and one coal power plant, all of which have been endorsed to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for assessment in early 2025.
Largest Approved Projects
The Maton pumped-storage hydroelectric power project in Apayao leads the list with a 2,000-megawatt (MW) capacity, making it the largest among the approved facilities.
Other pumped-storage hydro projects include the San Roque Lower East and West facilities in Benguet, each with a capacity of 800 MW.
Wind Energy Developments
Three wind farms in Quezon have received approval for SIS:
- Real offshore wind farm – 200 MW
- Silang Maragondon wind farm – 100 MW
- Pandan Labayat wind farm – 40 MW
Additionally, two more wind projects were approved in Samar and Misamis Oriental:
- Gemini wind power project – 304 MW
- Misor wind project – 200 MW
Other Renewable and Fossil Fuel Projects
- Mat-i 1 hydroelectric power plant in Misamis Oriental – 5.8 MW
- Panitan BESS project in Capiz – 20 MW or 40 megawatt-hours (MWh)
- TPC 1B circulating fluidized bed coal power plant in Quezon – 82 MW
Upcoming Renewable Energy Auctions
The DOE also recently opened bidding for the third Green Energy Auction (GEA-3), offering opportunities for impounding hydropower, pumped-storage hydropower, and geothermal technologies. The total bid capacity reached 7,530.887 MW, surpassing the planned installation capacity of 4,560 MW.
The DOE’s latest approvals highlight the government’s continued push for renewable energy integration while ensuring grid stability and reliability.
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