President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that hydrogen power plant projects are now in the pre-development stage in Marinduque and several other off-grid provinces, part of the government’s plan to diversify the country’s energy sources and strengthen supply in areas not connected to the main power grid.
Marcos made the announcement during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, naming Marinduque, Masbate, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Basilan among the provinces where projects are advancing. These are geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) that currently depend on localized power generation rather than the Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao grids.
The provinces align with sites the Department of Energy (DOE) has previously flagged for hydrogen development. The DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Roadmap and Guidelines, released in 2024, identified the island power systems of Marinduque, Masbate, Basilan, and Olutanga as early candidates for hydrogen-integrated plants, as French renewable energy developer Hydrogène de France (HDF) has engaged the DOE on commercial-scale hydrogen power plants for these systems, which are managed by the National Power Corporation’s Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG).
“Multiple projects are now in their pre-development stage in Marinduque, Masbate, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, and other potential areas,” Marcos said in his SONA.
The President described hydrogen as a backup fuel for power plants that would be particularly useful in off-grid provinces, while noting its standing as a low-emission fuel source.
“Hydrogen gas will serve as back-up fuel for our power plants, especially useful for our off-grid areas. It is also touted as the world’s clean fuel of the future,” he said.
The administration has framed the hydrogen initiative as part of a broader energy security strategy centered on diversifying fuel sources and expanding access to dependable electricity in areas outside the main grid. Officials have said the projects are meant to support a shift toward cleaner energy and reduce reliance on conventional fossil fuels, citing hydrogen’s low-to-no carbon emissions when used for power generation.
For island provinces such as Marinduque, the hydrogen project is expected to improve the reliability of local electricity supply. No specific commissioning dates or project costs were disclosed during the SONA.
