Six power projects have moved closer to commercial operations after securing certificates of endorsement (COEs) from the Department of Energy (DOE) in November.

In a report by the Philippine Star, the DOE said that these projects, which have a combined capacity of 440.17 megawatts (MW), were endorsed to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last month.

The said list includes four conventional power facilities and two renewable energy projects.

In November, some of the largest projects granted Certificates of Endorsement (COEs) by capacity included Malita Power Inc.’s 300-MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in Davao Occidental and Citicore Solar Batangas 1 Inc.’s 125.2-MW peak solar facility in Batangas.

Other approved projects comprised Samar 2 Electric Cooperative Inc.’s 1.1-MWp solar plant in Samar, DMCI Power Corporation’s 8.83-MW peaking power plant in Palawan, Suweco Tablas Energy Corporation’s 3.36-MW diesel facility in Romblon, and National Power Corporation’s 1.63-MW diesel power plant in Samar.

These power projects are expected to provide electricity to approximately 400,000 households once they begin operations.

A COE is a prerequisite for obtaining a certificate of compliance (COC) from the ERC, which is required before a generation company can commence commercial operations.

Meanwhile, the COC is valid for five years, during which generators must comply with the ERC’s guidelines, including technical, financial, and reportorial obligations.

From January to November, the DOE issued COEs to 138 projects, comprising 69 conventional facilities, 47 renewable energy projects, and 22 energy storage systems.

These new facilities aim to address the country’s growing energy demand, which the DOE projects will increase by 5.3% annually until 2028.

By 2050, the Philippines’ peak demand is expected to reach 68.5 gigawatts (GW), a threefold increase from the 16.6 GW recorded in 2022.