First Gen earmarks P25 billion or Negros geothermal expansion

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June 4, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group is setting aside around P25 billion to sustain and optimize operations of its 43-year-old Southern Negros Geothermal Project (SNGP) in Negros Oriental.

Through subsidiary Energy Development Corp. (EDC), First Gen is seeking an amendment to the SNGP’s environmental compliance certificate to support planned expansions and technology upgrades.

EDC plans to triple the project’s battery energy storage system capacity to 90 megawatt-hours from 30 MWh, according to a document submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The multi-billion-peso investment also includes revising the project boundary to 4,028 hectares from 5,163 hectares, while expanding the operational footprint to 400 hectares from 151.5 hectares.

It likewise covers plans for eight additional production wells and two well pads, alongside new pipelines and steam-gathering facilities.

The investment program, which runs through 2057, also provides for the potential drilling of up to 43 make-up and replacement wells to ensure a stable supply of geothermal steam.

“SNGP’s over four decades of sustainable operations have exceeded the 25-year average lifespan of geothermal steamfields and continue to help First Gen fulfill its decarbonization mission,” First Gen said in a statement.

Currently, the SNGP steamfield operates at 241.8 megawatts of its allowable 282.5-MW capacity, supplying geothermal steam to the Palinpinon I and II and Nasulo geothermal power plants.

In 2025, the combined output of the 222.5-MW Negros plants was able to displace over one million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, company data showed.

“Refining its (SNGP’s) development block will enable First Gen to sustain its renewable energy production while preserving the natural environment in Negros Oriental,” First Gen said.

First Gen, through EDC, operates the country’s largest geothermal portfolio, with over 1,000 megawatts of capacity. This accounts for more than half of the Philippines’ total geothermal output.