The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of bidding on Thursday to put 11 long-stalled renewable energy projects back on the market through its fifth Open and Competitive Selection Process (OCSP5), marking a decisive push to clear the backlog of dormant capacity and hold developers accountable.  

The OCSP5 auction will invite pre-qualified developers to vie for hydropower, geothermal, and wind project sites previously identified by the DOE, replacing the older first-come, first-served system with a competitive selection that evaluates technical, financial, legal, and administrative qualifications.

According to the DOE’s Terms of Reference for OCSP5, the hydropower portfolio includes seven sites totaling 37.40 megawatts (MW): Pinacanauan River, Guiamon San Ramon, Amtuagan, Guinoba-an Nos. 1 and 2, Pacu-an, and Bacolan.

The geothermal segment lists the 48 MW Mt. Natib project and the 25 MW Southern Leyte site, while the Cabusao and San Isidro wind projects are included with capacities yet to be finalized.

Under OCSP5 rules, all applications will be reviewed by a DOE evaluation committee, which will assess compliance with technical, financial, legal, and administrative requirements. The DOE retains full discretion to reject any bid or cancel the process prior to awarding contracts, reinforcing the department’s intent to safeguard project delivery.

 The OCSP5 auction comes in the wake of an aggressive DOE cleanup in late 2025, when 84 renewable energy contracts—representing roughly 5,372 MW of potential capacity—were revoked due to developer noncompliance. The move signals a shift toward stricter enforcement and greater transparency in the awarding of renewable energy service contracts.

Will OCSP5 finally unlock the country’s stalled renewable projects, or will delays persist? Share your insights. 

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