The Department of Energy (DOE), through the Open and Competitive Selection Process (OCSP), received a total of 31 bids for 14 potential hydropower sites found across the archipelago and eight bids for two geothermal project prospects.
“Yes, we’re happy with the turnout, 31 bids for hydropower projects and eight bidders for geothermal power projects,” Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director Mario Marasigan said on Monday at the sidelines of the second bidding process for the OCSP sites held at the DOE Head Office in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Marasigan said the hydro sites reached a bid of 80 percent, while the geothermal sites had bids by 50 percent.
He noted the next step for the DOE will be the evaluation process for the bids.
Marasigan stressed that the development cost for the project amounts to $2.5 million to $3 million per megawatt for the two types of resources.
However, he said hydro projects are easier to build than geothermal projects.
For Area 1, which is called the Mandongan 1 hydropower project, four companies have submitted bids, namely Pachydro Energy Inc., Clean and Green Energy Solutions, FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and Alternergy Hydro Partners Corp.
Mandongan 2 hydropower project had attracted two participants, FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and Alternergy Hydro Partners Corp.
Area 3 in Solsona was bid for by FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and Alternergy Partners Corp.
Area 4, the Binongan-Tineg hydro project, had received bids from FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and First Gen Mindanao Hydro-Power Corp.
Both Areas 5 and 6, namely Binalbagan and Pagbahan, had no bidders.
The Ilog hydropower project, or Area 7, had received bid proposals from Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. (EDC), FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and Almana Power Corp.
Southeast Asia and Almana Power Corp. submitted bids for Area 8, Binalbagan 1 hydropower project.
Almana Power Corp., solely bid for Areas 9 and 10, namely Binalbagan and Binulog.
OCSP failed to garner bids for Area 11.
For the Tubig hydropower project, or Area 12, Vivant Corp., FGS Renewable Energy Inc., Almana Power Corp., and Iraya Energy and Renagmec Hydro-Power Corp. submitted bid proposals.
Area 13, or the Buhid hydropower project, got three bidders, namely Vivant Corp., FGS Renewable Energy Inc. and Almana Power Corp.
Area 14, the Butong Falls hydropower project, was solely bid for by Clean and Green Energy Solutions.
First Gen Mindanao Hydro Power Corp. had solely submitted a bid for Area 15, or Catilan river.
Area 16, or Cagayan 1N, had bid proposals from Southeast Asia Mining and Power Corp., Markhan Resources Corp. and First Gen Mindanao Hydro Power Corp.
Agus 3, which was offered as the 17th site, had been bid for by Mindanao Energy Corp.
For the offered geothermal sites, Area 2, or Southern Leyte geothermal project, had attracted Repower Energy Development Corp., Cabalian Co. Inc. and Aboitiz Renewables Inc. The three companies submitted bids for the project.
Amacan Geothermal, offered as Area 3, received five bids from Repower Energy Development Corp., APC Energy Resources Inc., Biliran Geothermal Inc., EDC and Emerging Power Inc.
Areas 1 and 4, namely Acuban-Itugon and Balut Island offered under geothermal sites, had no bidders.
The areas which had not been bid out will be offered through direct negotiations with the DOE.
PNA