Negros Power Starts Rehabilitation Efforts

Finally, our very long wait is over. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted a Provisional Authority for Negros Power’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). With that, Negros Power can start working on the projects that they have set out to do to rehabilitate and modernize the distribution utility in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

Now, Negros Power is free to start implement its Negros Power and Its 5-Year Development Plan.

CPCN Granted: Negros Power Can Already Start Their Rehabilitation Efforts

Before the CPCN was granted to Negros Power so that they can actually start working, the Bacolod DU has experienced an enormous setback which started with the breaking down of the Alijis substation. Despite their papers not being complete, Negros Power did everything they could to restore power among almost 50,000 registered consumers.

But now, the Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC or Negros Power) is now in full swing on implementing its 5-year rehabilitation and modernization plan for the substandard facilities that it inherited from Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO).

This follows the Energy Regulatory Commission’s granting of a Provisional Authority for Negros Power’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The CPCN is the last piece of document that gives the green light so that Negros Power can execute its franchise for managing, maintaining, and operating the electric power distribution in Central Negros.

Corrective Measures for Critical Substations

Over the weekend, Negros Power immediately initiated the rehabilitation and corrective measures at the Reclamation and Asdez-Gonzaga substations in Bacolod City. These substations are in critical condition due to their age, high utilization levels, and the need for extensive overhaul of their power transformers.

Negros Power carried out the degassing of the power transformers and hotspot corrections of their accessories to prevent potential failures similar to what occurred at the Alijis Substation in August.

According to Negros Power President and CEO Roel Castro, seven out of the twelve power transformers in the franchise area have exceeded the standard 25-year lifespan for optimal operation and need immediate rehabilitation.

“We cannot waste more time. We need to implement the rehabilitation now. The aging transformers have started to show signs of deterioration, such as oil leakage, indicating a high risk of malfunctioning, like the recent incident at the Alijis substation on August 21,” Castro said.

Appeal for Understanding

Once again, Castro is appealing to the consumers’ understanding regarding the inconveniences these rehabilitation activities may cause.

“Ten to twelve hours of scheduled power interruptions are necessary to facilitate the rehabilitation and preventive maintenance works; thus, we need your understanding and cooperation. We empathize with the inconvenience that it will cause our consumers. However, this will prevent unscheduled, longer, and wider blackouts that none of us want to experience,” Castro emphasized.

Read: Bacolod Power Crisis: 7 Substations in Critical Condition