Citicore Scores 1.2 GW Solar, Storage in Philippines

• Citicore bags 1,212 MW in Philippines’ GEA-4, supercharging solar and batteries to bolster grid reliability and peak demand as DOE-guided projects advance—marking a major clean-energy win.

Citicore Renewable Energy Corp has secured 1,212 MW of capacity in the Philippines’ fourth Green Energy Auction (GEA-4), covering utility-scale solar and battery energy storage. The award positions the Manila-based developer among the largest winners of the latest round, intended to lock in new clean-power capacity through competitively set rates and firm delivery timelines.

The GEA-4 award adds to Citicore’s expanding pipeline and is expected to support grid reliability and peak demand management as projects reach commissioning under Department of Energy guidelines. Financial terms were not disclosed. The auction is part of the government’s push to accelerate renewable build-out and diversify the country’s power mix.

How will Citicore’s 1,212 MW GEA-4 win impact Philippine grid reliability?

• Increases firm capacity during evening peaks: pairing utility‑scale solar with battery storage shifts midday generation to 6–10 p.m., cutting the risk of summer brownouts when demand and prices spike.
• Strengthens ancillary services: batteries can deliver fast frequency response, regulation, spinning/non‑spinning reserves, and black‑start support, easing NGCP’s reserve shortfalls and stabilizing frequency during large plant trips.
• Improves reserve margins: even with conservative capacity credits for solar, the added MW plus BESS raises effective firm supply, reducing dependence on aging coal and gas units prone to unplanned outages.
• Smooths variability: hybrid solar‑BESS dampens solar ramps and cloud‑induced swings, lowering dispatch stress and reducing the need for expensive peakers to chase volatility.
  
• Eases transmission congestion: strategically sited storage can absorb midday surplus in congested corridors and discharge closer to load in the evening, deferring some network upgrades and curtailment.
• Enhances system strength with advanced inverters: grid‑forming capabilities provide synthetic inertia and voltage support in weak grid areas, benefiting islanded and radial parts of Luzon and Visayas.
  
• Supports the ancillary services market: batteries’ fast response fits the Philippines’ evolving AS/WESM frameworks, improving procurement reliability and lowering reserve procurement costs over time.
• Mitigates hydro and gas risks: storage-backed solar buffers reliability impacts from El Niño‑driven hydro shortfalls and gas supply uncertainties, diversifying the short‑term reliability stack.
• Reduces outage exposure during heat waves: peak‑shaving and load‑following from BESS cut transformer stress and distribution overloads, indirectly improving SAIDI/SAIFI outcomes.
• Provides staged reliability gains: phased commissioning adds increments of capacity over the next few years, delivering measurable reliability benefits before full portfolio completion.
  
• Lowers fuel price sensitivity: replacing some peak thermal generation with stored solar narrows volatility from imported coal and oil, stabilizing operations during price shocks.
• Improves compliance headroom: by contributing to RPS targets with firmed renewables, distribution utilities gain more flexibility in contracting without sacrificing reliability.
• Enables emergency response: BESS can supply critical loads during disturbances and support faster system restoration after typhoons via sectional black‑start and grid‑forming operation.