The Department of Energy (DOE) has suspended all activities for the fifth Green Energy Auction (GEA-5), which was set to award incentives for up to 3,300 megawatts of fixed-bottom offshore wind capacity. The move was announced in an advisory dated July 4, 2026, and released publicly this week.
The suspension allows the DOE work with other agencies and stakeholders to refine the auction rules, timelines and parameters. Cited as driving the review include port preparedness, permitting needs, environmental and cost concerns, and global supply chain strains linked to the Middle East conflict. The DOE said the suspension ensures a more transparent, orderly process that matches actual infrastructure and real-world project conditions. Revised guidelines and schedules will be issued in due course; winners were originally scheduled to be named this month.
Industry groups have said that port development is critical for the projects. Thus far, the Philippine Ports Authority has committed upgrades on only two sites: Pambujan port for Camarines Sur projects and Sta. Clara port in Batangas.
Under the GEA system, developers bid for guaranteed power rates at or below the Energy Regulatory Commission’s set ceiling—P11 per kilowatt-hour for GEA-5 offshore wind. In exchange, projects must meet fixed completion deadlines to keep incentives, which are funded by all grid-connected electricity users. Of some 20 firms that submitted bids, nine passed the initial qualification round, with further checks pending on transmission access, logistics and port readiness for projects targeted to run from 2028 to 2030.
The DOE previously launched an offshore wind guidebook with the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership to streamline more than 80 required permits while safeguarding communities and ecosystems. The Philippines has estimated offshore wind potential of over 178,000 MW, with 95 service contracts awarded thus far covering 72,332 MW. As of March 2026, total on-grid wind capacity stands at 450 MW—all from onshore facilities—making up just 1.4 percent of the national power mix.
