POWER DEVELOPMENT PLAN. Negros Electric and Power Corp. president and chief executive officer Roel Castro presents a five-year development plan, with an investment of PHP2.1 billion, before local government officials and other stakeholders at the Seda Capitol Central in Bacolod City on Wednesday (Sept. 11, 2024). “We have to do major rehabilitation in three years for nine or eight substations,” he said. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) will embark on a three-year major rehabilitation and standardization of the aging power distribution system in central Negros.
This is part of the power firm’s five-year development plan, with an investment of PHP2.1 billion, presented by Negros Power president and chief executive officer Roel Castro before local government officials, leaders of the business sector, representatives of consumers groups, and other stakeholders at the Seda Capitol Central here on Wednesday.
“Given all the findings that we have on the substations, on the lines, on the vegetation, on the causes and everything, we were able to craft our five-year development plan,” Castro said.
Negros Power, the joint venture partner of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), obtained a franchise to manage and operate the electricity distribution system in the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay, and Silay, as well as the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto in July this year.
In his presentation, Castro said the first three years will be the rehabilitation and standardization phase, including meter replacement and installation of elevated metering centers, rehabilitation of major substations, and improvement of infrastructure such as pole replacement, intermediate installation, and line rehabilitation.
“Right now, we’ve seen about 50,000 electric meters that have to be replaced. Immediate is about 30,000. We will also do the elevated metering centers because that will actually reduce the systems loss. We have to do major rehabilitation in three years for nine or eight substations,” he added.
Also included in the first three years is the implementation of distribution utility best practices such as the 69 kilovolt (kV) transmission looping, in/out configuration at 69kV line for N-1 reliability and line protection, load break switches and auto circuit enclosers installation for feeder tie-ups and faster fault isolation, and replacement of old pin insulators.
The fourth and fifth years will be the modernization and expansion phase, which will involve the use of a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, the establishment of the Capitol Substation, expansion of lines and increased capacity, and continuous improvement of system reliability and capacity.
It will also include deploying innovative solutions, such as increasing response teams and deploying quick response teams in motorbikes for efficient troubleshooting in challenging locations.
Castro said they would also acquire a 30/37.5 megavolt amperes (MVA)/69/13.2kV mobile substation worth PHP103 million to temporarily serve customers while a particular permanent substation undergoes maintenance.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was among the officials who attended the Negros Power presentation, welcomed the five-year development plan but said the consumers should watch out for its implementation.
“It’s better that they presented it to the stakeholders. We heard it, and we will hold them to their word of executing the plans that they have presented,” he added. (PNA)
