Negros Electric and Power Corp., known as Negros Power, initiated a significant rehabilitation project on the Bacolod-Silay 69-kilovolt sub-transmission line on January 12, 2025. This effort is part of a broader initiative to modernize the aging power distribution infrastructure in central Negros. The line, crucial for supplying electricity from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines substation in Bacolod to substations in Panaogao, Talisay, and Lopez, has been in service for 40 years.
The maintenance, which necessitated a 12-hour power cut in Talisay and Silay, involved the replacement of around 130 insulators. Leomel Tambanillo, assistant vice president for planning and business operations at Negros Power, explained that this maintenance is a component of their five-year distribution development plan aimed at preventing unscheduled power outages and ensuring reliable electricity supply.
The repair work, which began in December, focused on Segment P of the 30-kilometer line, covering approximately 4.9 kilometers and involving 43 structures. This follows the completion of repairs on the first segment last month, where hundreds of pin insulators were replaced over a six-kilometer stretch.
Mervin Dalian, head of the network development and operations group, highlighted the challenges posed by the line’s location through sugarcane plantations, which not only makes it susceptible to weather-related damage but also complicates access for repairs. He stressed the urgency of the upgrades, noting that the 40-year-old facility’s accessories are worn out and cannot meet current electricity and voltage demands.
Negros Power plans to continue these maintenance efforts on the remaining segments of the line in the coming weekends, with the goal of completing the upgrade by February. Despite the inconvenience caused by the necessary power interruptions, Dalian apologized and emphasized the importance of these upgrades for the robustness and reliability of the power supply.
Negros Power, a joint venture with Central Negros Electric Cooperative, serves the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Bago, as well as the municipalities of Don Salvador Benedicto and Murcia. The company began full operations in November 2024, following a 25-year franchise granted on July 26, 2024, with a capital investment of PHP2.1 billion dedicated to enhancing the distribution network over five years.