AS the Philippines confronts the mutually contingent priorities of energy security and climate action, one energy group’s journey stands as a testament to foresight, resilience and long term national service.
This year, Energy Development Corporation (EDC), a member of the First Gen Group, marks its golden anniversary by celebrating five decades of geothermal leadership and transitioning into a new chapter under First Gen’s geothermal portfolio, First Gen Renewables Geothermal.
From crisis to capability
EDC’s story began in 1976, when the global oil crisis exposed the Philippines’ heavy reliance on imported fuel and underscored the risks of external energy dependence. Volatileprices and uncertain supply chains compelled the country to rethink its energy strategy and turn to indigenous resources that could provide long-term stability. With its vast geothermal potential, the Philippines found an answer beneath its own soil, and EDC was created to lead the development of geothermal energy as a strategic national response.
It was a defining moment for the country, when energy security became a matter of national survival. From the very beginning, the mandate for EDC was clear: to harness our own natural resources and build a resilient energy foundation that Filipinos could rely on.
From its early years, EDC demonstrated that geothermal energy could move beyond exploration and into large-scale, dependable power generation. Its initial projects proved that geothermal could deliver electricity around the clock—unaffected by weather or fuel imports—laying the groundwork for geothermal to become a core component of the national energy mix.
Geothermal milestones
The 1980s marked EDC’s transition from promise to performance. Major geothermal facilities in Leyte and Negros successfully came online even in its initial period, supplying reliable baseload power that supported communities, industries and economic growth. These developments helped propel the Philippines to become the world’s second largest geothermal producer.
Momentum continued through the 1990s as EDC expanded its geothermal footprint across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. New geothermal fields and power plants were developed and interconnected, steadily increasing installed capacity and strengthening grid stability. By the end of the decade, EDCdeveloped geothermal facilities accounted for a significant share of the country’s total geothermal capacity, firmly establishing geothermal as a pillar of Philippine energy security.
By the early 2000s, EDC’s cumulative geothermal capacity had surpassed the 1,000-megawatt (MW) mark, reflecting decades of sustained investment, technical expertise and disciplined resource management.
From steam to synergy
The most significant shift in this 50-year journey occurred when EDC was acquired by First Gen. This transition moved the company from a specialized geothermal entity to a pillar of a much larger mission. Under First Gen’s leadership, the technical mastery of the “Earth’s heat” was paired with a broader ambition: to lead the Philippines toward a decarbonized future.
This synergy allowed the company to look beyond steam. It diversified into wind, solar and hydro, using its geothermal foundation as the “stabilizer” that makes a fully renewable grid possible.
Even as the company underwent organizational transformation, privatization and diversification, geothermal energy remained central to its mission—supported by continuous advancements in drilling, reservoir management and environmental stewardship.
Half a century later, that survival story has transformed into a global standard for geothermal excellence. As EDC celebrates its 50th anniversary, it isn’t just marking a milestone—it is stepping into a new identity as the heartbeat of a unified First Gen Group, with First Gen Renewables Geothermal as its geothermal portfolio brand.
Modern geothermal leader
Today, EDC operates the largest geothermal portfolio of close to 1,200 MW in the Philippines, with facilities across multiple sites nationwide delivering clean and dependable electricity to millions of Filipinos. These plants continue to serve as critical baseload power, complementing other renewable sources and supporting the country’s growing demand for energy.
In recent years, EDC has focused on optimizing existing geothermal fields through efficiency improvements, binary technologies and battery storage that allow additional energy to be extracted sustainably with minimal environmental impact. Ongoing drilling programs and facility upgrades underscore the company’s long-term commitment to geothermal energy as a reliable and sustainable power source.
A regenerative future
Over the past 50 years, the concept of energy security has evolved. What began as a geopolitical imperative has expanded into a broader mission shaped by climate change, responsible growth and a commitment to not only do less harm, but to do more good. This evolution is reflected in how EDC strives to fulfill its Group’s mission to forge collaborative pathways toward a decarbonized and regenerative future.
The next 50 years
On March 5, EDC’s golden anniversary marked he start of a new chapter. The name on the gate is now First Gen Renewables Geothermal, but the heat of the earth remains the core of EDC and the rest of the First Gen Group’s mission.
By unifying 50 years of geothermal expertise under a single brand, the First Gen Group is ensuring that the legacy of 1976—born out of a need for security—now lights the way for a future of low carbon energy independence.
Story By Frances Ariola
