In response to the power supply issues caused by the breakdown at the Alijis Substation, Negros Power stepped in to help maintain water supply by providing generator sets to key pumping stations operated by the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA). These particular stations, connected to Alijis Feeder 3, lacked the necessary power generators, leading to water service disruptions during the rotational brownouts. Ideally, water utilities should be responsible for acquiring their backup generators in such situations. However, it was Negros Power, the electric distribution utility, that stepped up to provide the needed generator sets.
Alijis Substation Transformer Breakdown: Bacolod City Faces Major Power Disruption
Addressing the Crisis with Immediate Solutions
By August 24, the 10 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA) mobile substation and the newly installed 18 MVA power transformer were now stationed at the Alijis Substation compound. The final stages of preparation are underway, including electrical testing and connections. These involve linking both the 69KV transmission line from the NGCP and the three-phase automatic circuit reclosers to Alijis Feeder 3 and other feeders.
The goal is to complete all necessary preparations by Monday evening. This timeline should enable the Alijis Substation to meet the full power load required to energize all affected consumers. Once the upgrades are operational, rotational brownouts will no longer be necessary.
Bringing Relief to 47,000 Affected Consumers
Negros Power President and CEO Roel Castro assured the public of the expected timeline for full restoration. “By Monday or Tuesday, everything should normalize. All 47,000 affected consumers undergoing manual load dropping should have power restored by Tuesday at the latest,” Castro stated.
However, as of 9:53 AM on August 26, the mobile substation has already supplied electricity to Alijis Feeder 3 and Feeder 1. The supply is now sufficient, and no more rotational brownouts will be implemented in these feeders.
A Key Component in a Larger Plan
The Alijis Substation is critical to Bacolod’s power infrastructure. It was already part of the scheduled upgrades in Negros Power’s five-year rehabilitation program. The unexpected failure of its 13-year-old transformer on August 21 led to its urgent rehabilitation. The situation also highlights broader concerns: six other substations inherited from CENECO are similarly approaching critical operational levels.
Commitment to a Long-Term Solution
“We’re doing something extraordinary to restore power as quickly as possible,” added Castro. “While consumers might not be fully satisfied right now, we ask for the benefit of the doubt as we focus on stabilizing the situation.”
Negros Power’s immediate actions, combined with its broader rehabilitation plans, aim to enhance Bacolod’s power infrastructure and prevent similar crises in the future.
