The Department of Energy (DOE) said a total of 128.9 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity has recently become fully operational, adding to the country’s available power supply.

The update was announced during a virtual press conference on April 20, where officials outlined ongoing developments in the energy sector, which included new capacity additions and projects nearing completion.

The newly operational capacity includes several solar and biomass projects, namely the 17.5 MW Taft Solar Power Project, the 52.8 MW Cordon Solar facility, the 30 MW Arayat 3A Solar Power Project, the 20.6 MW Hermosa Solar Power Project, and an 8 MW biomass cogeneration plant.

DOE officials also highlighted that several solar projects are already delivering electricity to the grid while still undergoing testing and commissioning, even before reaching full operational capacity.

“These are already delivering power to the grid, although they are not yet at full capacity,” said Mario Marasigan, DOE Undersecretary, during the briefing.

Among these projects are the Bugallon Solar Power Project and Terra Solar, with the latter currently injecting around 250 MW of power into the grid out of its approved capacity.

Marasigan also noted that more projects are expected to contribute additional supply as they move closer to full operations.

“So these are the projects that we have online… that includes those that are already providing energy to the grid and as well as those that are just awaiting the final certificates,” he said.

The DOE added that multiple projects remain in the final stages of development, with several awaiting key approvals such as the Final Certificate of Approval to Connect (FCATC) and Certificate of Compliance (COC) before reaching full commercial operations.

Looking ahead, the agency said it is working with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to further expand the capacity of the Terra Solar project, potentially increasing its allowed capacity from 364 MW to 750 MW.

The developments come as the government continues to support the integration of renewable energy into the grid to help meet growing electricity demand.

How much impact will new renewable energy capacity have on the country’s power supply in the coming months?

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