ACEN Corp. said in a Sept. 18 disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that its subsidiaries have given up solar energy operating contracts for projects in Quezon and Zambales provinces.
Abagat Energy Corp. relinquished its contract for a site in Pagbilao, Quezon, on Sept. 11 because of “significant land acquisition challenges affecting the project site.” SolarAce2 Energy Corp. relinquished its contract for Botolan, Zambales, on Sept. 17, citing site-access constraints.
The Philippine Department of Energy awarded the Pagbilao contract in August 2024 and the Botolan contract in June 2021. Its list of awarded solar projects, current to Dec. 31, 2025, puts their potential capacity at 336 MW and 120.30 MW, respectively, with both still in development.
ACEN said the cancellations have no material effect on its operations, as neither project had reached a final investment decision or begun commercial operations.
The department terminated 84 renewable energy contracts in 2025, representing about 5,372 MW of potential capacity, over failures to meet work-program requirements, auction terms, and other department standards. It said in December 2025 that a further 42 projects were under review and warned that noncompliant developers could face blacklisting and forfeiture of performance bonds.
ACEN reported about 7.5 GW of attributable renewable capacity, including capacity under construction, in its August investor presentation, and CEO John Eric Francia said in April the company was on track to exceed 8 GW by the end of 2026, according to Philippine daily BusinessWorld.
Land acquisition problems have delayed other Philippine solar projects. In October 2024, at least 53 of 105 renewable energy projects under department review faced termination, and failure to secure possessory rights was among the reasons cited for delays. Earlier this month, the departments of energy and agriculture said they plan to separate land suitable for solar development from areas reserved for food production, under an agreement targeted for signing in October. The Philippines installed 899 MW of solar in 2025, bringing cumulative capacity to 3,892 MW.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
Comments
Please login to comment
The new ESS News magazine is here!
Download your free digital copy today.
The new issue of pv magazine Global is out now!
Available in print and digital – get your copy today!
Saudi Arabia is accelerating its clean energy transition—join the SunRise Arabia Clean Energy Conference 2026 in Riyadh to explore how solar PV and energy storage are powering its digital economy.
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Giovedì, 1 ottobre 2026
14:30 – 15:30 CEST, Roma
You have no items in your basket.
