The Department of Energy (DOE) has gotten bids from five firms for the third Open and Competitive Selection Process (OCSP 3), which aims to develop renewable energy (RE) projects in the country.

In a statement Wednesday, the DOE said it opened the bids submitted by five energy players Monday.

The agency offered 22 predetermined areas for development – five geothermal energy projects and 17 hydropower projects.

Of the five geothermal energy projects, Energy Development Corp. (EDC) submitted its bids for the 27-megawatt (MW) Daklan Geothermal Project and the 17-MW Puting Lupa Geothermal Project.

The Philippine Geothermal Production Co. (PGPC) also tendered its bid to develop the Daklan plant and the 30-MW Mt. Labo Geothermal Project.

MASE Power Corp. is likewise competing with EDC for the Puting Lupa Geothermal Project.

All submitted bids for geothermal power projects were complete.

Two geothermal projects did not get any proposals from the private sector. These are the 9-MW Itogon Geothermal Project and the 4-MW Maricaban Island Geothermal Project.

On the other hand, only TOTAL Power Inc. (TPI) and Century Peak Energy Corp. (CPEC) tendered their bids for eight out of 17 hydropower projects.

TPI aims to develop the 0.8-MW Amlan C, the 3.2-MW Amlan A, and the 2.1-MW Tabiao hydropower projects.

CPEC submitted bids for the 4.8-MW Hilabangan Upper Cascade, the 3-MW Hilabangan Lower Cascade, the 4.5-MW Maninila Lower Cascade, the 3.1-MW Maninila Upper Cascade, and the 4-MW Sibalom Middle Cascade.

However, the DOE found that their bids were incomplete and gave TPI and CPEC until Thursday to file a motion for reconsideration.

The bids of the prospective investors will undergo a legal, technical, and financial evaluation which should be completed by March 2, 2021.

The DOE targets to award the contracts on April 14, 2021.

“The DOE has been promoting RE development to both local and foreign investors. This will accelerate our energy transition towards sustainable development,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.