The Department of Energy (DOE) is moving forward with two key projects to improve the country’s power assets: the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric complex in Mindanao and the re-privatization of the Semirara coal resource.
DOE undersecretary Mario Marasigan said the consultant hired by PSALM has finalized terms for the hydro complex’s upgrade. The plan now goes to the National Investment Council and PPP Center, with contract award targeted by December. The facility has 1,000 MW capacity but only 600 MW is operational today. Rehabilitation is expected to run from 2028 to 2032. Ownership stays with the government; NPC will continue operations, while private involvement covers power sales under a profit-sharing deal.
Meanwhile, DOE secretary Sharon Garin said bidding for Semirara’s 25-year contract starts soon. A pre-bid conference is set this June, with bid submissions due 60 days later (around July–August). Current operator Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), whose contract ends July 2027, may join the bidding instead of getting an extension. SMPC produces 93.7 percent of the Philippines’ local coal output—14.92 million MT out of 15.92 million MT in 2024. That year, the country consumed 46.67 million MT, mostly from imports.
