EDC upbeat on geothermal prospects

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

December 20, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) is looking ahead with confidence in its geothermal power portfolio, bolstered by recent milestones and planned expansions.

“We remain committed to providing the country with indigenous, clean, renewable and 24/7 energy and Bac-Man’s recent expansion projects in the last two years are a testament to this commitment,” EDC chief financial officer Erwin Avante said.

Avante was referring to Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI)’s energization of the 28.9-megawatt Palayan binary and the 22-MW Tanawon geothermal power plants in Bicol.

BGI, a subsidiary of EDC, operates the Bacon-Manito geothermal steamfield, which has supplied steam to the Bac-Man geothermal power plant since 1993.

Earlier this week, EDC was among the winners at the Department of Energy’s Sustainable Energy Awards 2025 for its 197.27-MW geothermal complex in Bicol.

The recognition, first introduced last year, highlights the outstanding initiatives of renewable energy stakeholders that are advancing the country’s clean power targets.

“This award comes at an opportune time for us at First Gen-EDC. In 2026, we are celebrating our 50 years — half a century of geothermal excellence — and Bac-Man, which was commissioned in 1993, is part of that continuing legacy,” Avante said.

For 2026, EDC plans to set aside roughly P19 billion to bankroll its geothermal expansion here in the Philippines and abroad.

Currently, the company is the Philippines’ largest geothermal player, operating at least 13 facilities with a combined capacity of around 1,200 MW.

Geothermal energy is a clean source of baseload supply or the minimum amount of electricity needed on the power grid to meet constant demand.