DOE defers bidding for hydropower sites

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Energy (DOE) has temporarily put on hold the planned bidding for 40 to 50 prospective run-of-river mini-hydropower sites for exploration and development.

The move is aimed at giving the new energy chief, Carlos Jericho Petilla, the time to study the plan.

On the sidelines of a forum hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines, DOE head for investment promotions Lisa Go said the agency also needed more time to conduct the necessary preparations for the bidding, which would be formatted similar to the Philippine Energy Contracting Round for coal and petroleum.

According to Go, the DOE will most likely be able to bid out the prospective areas by the middle of next year, to give the government enough time to complete documentation requirements and the potential investors the opportunity to study the data for each area.

The initial plan was to bid out the run-of-river hydropower sites within this quarter—considered as the largest single offering of mini-hydropower projects to the private sector.