The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has scheduled a public scoping on 23 July 2025 for the proposed 13.5 MW expansion of the Palinpinon 1 geothermal plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
The event allows Green Core Geothermal Inc. (GCGI), a subsidiary of Energy Development Corp. (EDC), to present project details, address public concerns, and gather feedback as part of securing an updated environmental compliance certificate (ECC). This public engagement is required for energy projects that plan to increase production capacity.
The P3.02-billion upgrade involves replacing the existing turbine-generators with more efficient units, raising the plant’s capacity from 112.5 MW to 126 MW, without expanding land use or increasing steam or emissions. The upgrade is also necessary due to aging turbine components nearing end-of-life.
EDC, under First Gen Corp., is working toward a 13,000 MW low-carbon energy target by 2030, with 9,000 MW planned from renewables. EDC’s geothermal assets currently supply 80 percent of the Philippines’ geothermal capacity, positioning the country as the world’s third-largest geothermal producer.
