The country's first offshore wind auction has been put on hold, delaying a landmark 3,300-megawatt (MW) renewable energy tender while the government reviews whether key infrastructure, permitting, and supply chain conditions are ready to support the country’s biggest offshore wind push.

The Department of Energy (DOE) said all activities under the fifth round of the Green Energy Auction Program (GEA-5) are suspended until further notice, temporarily halting a bidding process expected to unlock billions of pesos in investments and pave the way for large-scale offshore wind development.

In GEA-5 Advisory No. 2 dated 4 July, the DOE said the suspension covers all qualified suppliers and concerned renewable energy stakeholders.

The agency said the pause will allow it, together with other government agencies and relevant entities, “to recalibrate the implementation of GEA-5 in view of key implementation considerations, including port readiness, permitting requirements, environmental and port-related cost implications, and the possible impact of global supply chain disruptions, including those arising from the conflict in the Middle East, among others.”

The DOE emphasized that the temporary suspension is intended to ensure “a more transparent, orderly, and implementation-ready auction process.”

“The recalibration will allow the DOE to further align GEA-5 requirements, timelines, and implementation parameters with actual infrastructure readiness, regulatory requirements, and prevailing project development conditions,” the advisory said.

The department added that it “shall issue the necessary guidelines, supplemental issuances, and revised timelines in due course.”

Before the suspension, the DOE had planned to identify winning bidders by September under an 18-month auction process that began with supplier registration and was scheduled to conclude with the issuance of certificates of award in early 2027.

GEA-5 will procure 3,300 MW of fixed-bottom offshore wind capacity, with projects targeted for delivery between 2028 and 2030. The auction is the country’s first dedicated offshore wind tender and forms a key part of the government’s plan to expand renewable energy, strengthen grid reliability and improve long-term energy security.

The bidding process was expected to test developers’ technical capability, financial strength, and regulatory compliance before awarding projects that could help establish the country’s commercial offshore wind industry.