EDC plans upgrades for Leyte geothermal plants
193 MW Palinpinon geothermal plant, Leyte, Philippines (source: First Holdings, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
24 Sep 2025
EDC will upgrade its Leyte geothermal plants in the Philippines, aiming to extend plant life, boost efficiency, and add up to 15 MW capacity.
Energy Development Corp. (EDC) is preparing a program of upgrades for its geothermal facilities in Leyte, Philippines, aimed at extending plant life and improving efficiency.
The company will install systems to purify steam and improve turbine reliability at the Tongonan geothermal field, which supplies the Tongonan, Malitbog, and Upper Mahiao plants. The field spans over 107,000 hectares of protected forest land.
EDC is also evaluating new technologies, including modular binary plants and electrical submersible pumps, that could add 10 to 15 MW of capacity without major infrastructure expansion.
Planned works include replacing cooling towers with more resilient units and continuing automation of plant operations. With the upgrades, Tongonan is expected to operate until at least 2046.
Further rehabilitation is planned for the 180 MW Mahanagdong plants within the next five years, and EDC is considering a complete replacement of the Upper Mahiao facility to increase output from 130 MW to at least 200 MW.
EDC, a subsidiary of First Gen Corporation, is the Philippines’ largest geothermal operator with eight plants across the country.
For further udpates from the Philippines, see our coverage here.
Source: Asia Power
