Bacolod City is set to see a return to normal power supply by Tuesday, August 27, following recent disruptions affecting over 47,000 consumers. Negros Power and Electric Corp. has announced that power in areas served by the Alijis Substation will be fully restored by then.
Negros Power President and CEO Roel Castro addressed the situation during a press conference on Saturday evening, emphasizing that the issues should be resolved by Tuesday. “By Monday or Tuesday, all of the affected 47,000 consumers will no longer experience Manual Load Dropping,” Castro assured.
The crisis began on August 21 when a 37 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA) transformer at the Alijis Substation failed, disrupting power to seven feeders. This malfunction led to rotational brownouts as the affected feeders were temporarily rerouted through other substations. To mitigate the issue, a 10 MVA mobile substation from Iloilo and a new 18 MVA transformer have been installed at the Alijis Substation site.
Castro noted that ongoing preparations include electrical testing and connections from the 69KV transmission line of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, as well as to the 3-phase automatic circuit reclosers linked to Alijis feeders. These efforts are expected to be completed by Monday evening, restoring power to all consumers and eliminating the need for further brownouts.
The Alijis Substation, which is crucial for local power distribution, is scheduled for significant upgrades as part of Negros Power’s five-year rehabilitation plan. Castro reassured the public that restoring power remains their top priority, despite the current inconvenience.
In addition to power restoration, Negros Power has deployed three generator sets to the Bacolod City Water District’s pumping stations affected by the power shortage. These generators are crucial for maintaining water supply during the brownouts, according to Negros Power spokesperson Jonathan Cabrera.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez expressed support for Negros Power’s efforts, acknowledging their commitment to improving the city’s power infrastructure. “Negros Power’s rehabilitation and upgrading of our power systems are essential for ensuring a reliable electricity supply,” Benitez stated.
The mayor assured residents that the local government is actively working with Negros Power to address the issues and enhance long-term infrastructure reliability. “We are committed to resolving these challenges swiftly to provide a more stable power supply for all residents,” Benitez concluded.
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