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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Lopez-led geothermal firm eyes Negros plant upgrades by 2026

Lopez-led geothermal firm eyes Negros plant upgrades by 2026

Published Jul 11, 2025 01:00 pm
In an effort to address the rapid increase in demand for electricity in Visayas, Lopez-led Green Core Geothermal Inc. (GCGI) is setting its sights on upgrading its Palinpinon 1 geothermal plant in Negros Oriental.
According to GCGI, a subsidiary of Energy Development Corp. (EDC), the proposed upgrades to the 112.5-megawatt (MW) geothermal plant have been filed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for retrofitting, as two of its turbine rotors are nearing the end of their operational life.
The project is also looking to raise its power capacity to 126 MW.
”The installation phase is targeted to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026 for turbine unit one, third quarter of 2027 for turbine unit two, and fourth quarter of 2027 for turbine unit three, following the arrival of the delivered, fabricated units,” GCGI stated, with operations expected to begin within the next two years.
The plant upgrades will cost around ₱3.02 billion, including expenses from project planning, engagement activities with consultants, due diligence such as compliance and regulations, procurement of turbine systems, and installation of turbine systems.
”The enhancement will not require any additional land, alterations in process technology, or increased steam usage. Furthermore, there will be no increase in emissions or condensate generation, as the enhanced efficiency of the new turbines compensates for the capacity increase,” GCGI clarified.
Moreover, the geothermal firm plans to contribute an additional 13.5 MW to the baseload power supply as well as help generate a dependable and reasonable power supply price in Visayas.
Aside from the proposed geothermal expansion works, First Gen Corp. (FGen) has also previously disclosed plans to raise solar and wind energy investments that could potentially reach the same level of production as its geothermal portfolio.
This included the 50-MW Inara solar project in Batangas, and potential expansion works in EDC’s 150-MW Burgos wind project in Ilocos Norte.

Related Tags

First Gen Corp. (FGen) Energy Development Corp. (EDC) Green Core Geothermal Inc. (GCGI)
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