DOE opens bidding for 11 idle renewable projects

The Department of Energy on Thursday opened bidding for 11 long-stalled renewable energy projects under its fifth Open and Competitive Selection Process, known as OCSP5, in a bid to revive idle capacity and tighten oversight of developers.

The notice of bidding places previously shelved hydropower, geothermal and wind projects back on the market, signaling what the DOE described as a decisive push to clear a backlog of dormant renewable energy sites and enforce accountability among project proponents.

Under OCSP5, only pre-qualified developers may compete for the sites, marking a shift from the earlier first-come, first-served system to a competitive selection process that evaluates technical, financial, legal and administrative qualifications.

Based on the DOE’s Terms of Reference, the hydropower portfolio includes seven sites with a combined capacity of 37.40 megawatts, consisting of the Pinacanauan River, Guiamon San Ramon, Amtuagan, Guinoba-an Nos. 1 and 2, Pacu-an and Bacolan projects.

The geothermal segment covers two sites: the 48-megawatt Mt. Natib project and the 25-megawatt Southern Leyte project, both of which had remained undeveloped for years despite earlier service contracts.

Two wind energy projects—Cabusao and San Isidro—are also part of the OCSP5 auction, although their final installed capacities have yet to be determined, according to the DOE.

All applications submitted under OCSP5 will be reviewed by a DOE evaluation committee, which will assess compliance with technical, financial, legal and administrative requirements before any award is made.

The DOE emphasized that it retains full discretion to reject any bid or cancel the selection process at any stage prior to contract awarding, underscoring its intent to protect project delivery and public interest.

The OCSP5 auction follows an aggressive cleanup drive by the DOE in late 2025, when it revoked 84 renewable energy service contracts representing about 5,372 megawatts of potential capacity due to developer noncompliance.

That mass revocation marked a turning point in the government’s renewable energy program, reflecting a policy shift toward stricter enforcement, greater transparency and competitive allocation of renewable resources as the Philippines works to expand clean energy supply and meet long-term power demand growth.