THE Department of Energy (DOE) has received a total of 393 Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS) applications, 145 of which were approved.
The latest power project that secured an EPNS certificate is the M3 Binary Power Plant Project of the Energy Development Corp. (EDC).
These are low-capacity power facilities, with 5 to 20 megawatts (MW) of power generating capacity to be fueled by geothermal steam.
The binary plants, which are easy to set up and do not entail huge investments, allow EDC to enhance its power-generation capacity without building new power plants outside existing geothermal concessions.
Out of the 393 EPNS applications, 145 were certified as EPNS, 142 were denied, 74 failed to comply with the necessary requirements and 31 applications are still under evaluation.
The total estimated investment cost for the 145 issued CEPNS amount to P681.94 billion, according to the June data of the DOE.
EPNS are significant energy projects for power generation, transmission, and/or ancillary services including those required to maintain grid stability and security, and which are in consonance with the policy thrusts and specific goals of the DOE’s Philippine Energy Plan.
The issuance of EPNS certificates is stipulated under Executive Order 30, which states that concerned government agencies shall act upon applications for permits not exceeding within a 30-day period. If no decision is made within the specified processing timeframe, the application is deemed approved by the concerned agency.