DOE, JICA launch 3-year project to identify large-scale hydropower sites
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it is partnering with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch a three-year project to identify hydropower potential sites and boost the Philippines’ renewable energy (RE) strategies.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 10, the DOE stated that the partnership would help conduct a nationwide resource inventory of hydropower by identifying and assessing viable large-scale hydropower sites nationwide.
The Project on Resource Inventory of Hydropower Potential Sites is set to commence in September 2025, particularly looking into sites for impounding and pumped-storage technologies that have more than 100 megawatts (MW) worth of capacity.
This initiative is in support of sustainable power generation and encourages greater private sector participation through the DOE’s Open and Competitive Selection Process (OCSP).
Outgoing Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla believes that this project would harness the full potential of hydropower, especially pumped-storage technologies.
“Japan’s global leadership in hydropower innovation brings immense value to this collaboration. Through JICA’s technical expertise, we gain the tools and insights needed to identify and unlock untapped hydropower resources, laying a strong foundation for long-term investments, rural development, and enhanced energy security,” he said.
The project will be done in three phases, starting with the gathering of data like topographic maps, rainfall and flow data, and the conduct of a field survey of four priority sites. These areas will serve as pilot sites for pre-feasibility studies and potential investments.
“This effort builds on a longstanding energy cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. Notably, it expands upon the groundwork laid by a 2012 JICA-supported study that assessed the potential of small- to medium-scale run-of-river, reservoir, and pondage hydropower plants below 100 MW,” the DOE elaborated.
Furthermore, the partnership will be the first technical cooperation project formulated and approved following JICA’s data collection survey for climate change measures and green transformation that was completed in 2024.