Philippines grants national significance certificates to 149 energy projects

These will add 19 GW of power.

The Philippines’ Department of Energy has issued certificates of energy projects of national significance (CEPNS) to 149 power generation and transmission projects from May to December 2024.

In a statement, the department said the projects are expected to contribute 19 gigawatts (GW) of additional power generation capacity. These include 17.6 GW from 91 renewable energy projects and 1.5 GW from four conventional power plants.

Certificates were also granted to 29 transmission projects, 24 microgrid system projects, and one exploration project. Most of these are set to be completed in the next two to five years.

The issuance of CEPNS resumed in October 2023 after it was suspended in December 2020.

In April 2024, the DOE issued Department Order No. DO 2024-04-0003, revising the CEPNS framework.

Part of the changes state that major energy projects eligible for CEPNS are those identified in the Philippine Energy Plan, including power generation, transmission, distribution, and ancillary services essential for grid stability and load growth. Projects can also be granted certification if they involve a significant capital investment of at least $60m (PHP 3.5b).

CEPNS certifications remain valid until the commercial operation date of the project.