First Gen rebrands as EDC turns 50

First Gen Corp. marked a milestone in the country’s renewable energy journey by celebrating the 50th anniversary of its subsidiary, Energy Development Corp. (EDC), the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal producer.

This year also marks five decades of geothermal energy development in the Philippines, where geothermal remains the only renewable energy source capable of providing baseload power.

“From the very beginning, the mandate of EDC was clear: harness indigenous resources and develop homegrown power supply that will make the country’s energy grid resilient and secure,” said First Gen Chairman Federico Lopez.

EDC was created as a state-owned corporation on March 5, 1976, by virtue of Presidential Decree 927.

The company was established to develop geothermal power and reduce the country’s dependence on imported oil.

By the mid-1980s, the Philippines had become a global leader in geothermal energy.

In 2007, EDC was privatized by the government and became a subsidiary of First Gen.

“EDC has been integral to First Gen’s credibility as a clean energy leader and we are proud of this landmark in our country’s renewable energy journey,” Lopez added.

On the same occasion, First Gen unveiled a unified corporate brand to reinforce its leadership in renewable energy development and align with the changing needs of the energy market.

The new First Gen Group brand unifies its power generation, supply and solutions portfolio, placing its renewable energy assets at the center.

“This step is about clarity for our employees, partners, customers, and the communities we serve about who we are, what we stand for, and how we work together,” said First Gen President Giles Puno.

“It reinforces how we actually operated — integrated, disciplined, and focused on delivering reliable solutions grounded on operating realities because we are committed to being a trusted energy partner.”

Under the First Gen Group brand, all power-generating assets, including 28 solar, wind, hydro and geothermal facilities, are now housed under “First Gen Renewables.”

Meanwhile, “First Gen Energy Supply” matches the group’s power generation assets with the evolving needs and preferences of direct supply partners, wholesale supply customers, and buyers at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

Behind-the-meter systems that help optimize power consumption and meet sustainability goals are housed under “First Gen Energy Solutions.”

The solutions platform includes on-site solar facilities and tools such as energy audits and remote energy monitoring.

“Expectations placed on energy companies are changing. Customers are no longer asking only where power comes from, but whether they can depend on it, is it affordable, and does it support their long-term transition goals.

“Meeting these expectations requires more than high-performing assets — it requires us to blur the lines across the organization so that decisions are guided by customer needs and we can respond more instinctively and immediately,” Puno added.

The First Gen Group’s unified branding, which includes harmonized naming conventions and visual identity, is now being rolled out to internal and external stakeholders.