BACOLOD CITY – Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) is set to undertake a three-year rehabilitation and standardization of the aging power distribution system in central Negros as part of a PHP2.1 billion investment plan. The development, outlined by Negros Power president and CEO Roel Castro, was presented on Wednesday to local officials, business leaders, consumer group representatives, and other stakeholders at the Seda Capitol Central.
Castro explained that the initial three years will focus on rehabilitation, including replacing 50,000 electric meters, upgrading major substations, and improving infrastructure through pole replacement and line rehabilitation. He highlighted the urgency of meter replacements and the installation of elevated metering centers to reduce system losses.
Negros Power, which recently acquired a franchise to manage electricity distribution for Bacolod, Bago, Talisay, Silay, and nearby areas, also plans to implement industry best practices. These include 69kV transmission looping, load break switches, and auto circuit enclosures for faster fault isolation and improved reliability.
The latter phase of the plan will see modernization, with the introduction of a SCADA system, increased capacity, and deployment of innovative solutions like mobile response teams for efficient troubleshooting.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez welcomed the ambitious development plan but emphasized the need for stakeholders to monitor its implementation. “We will hold them to their word of executing the plans they have presented,” he said.