BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod City is now in its fourth day of a significant power outage affecting over 40,000 households in the southeastern part of the city, which has consequently led to water shortages in the same areas.
According to Philippines News Agency, they are actively collaborating with Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power), the new utility provider, to restore electricity. The disruption began Wednesday night following an oil leak in the 30/37 megavolt amperes (MVA) power transformer at the Alijis substation operated by the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco). This breakdown has also impacted the operations of PrimeWater Bacolod City, halting several of its wells and leading to the ongoing water shortages in Alijis, Mansilingan, Felisa, and Handumanan villages.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez disclosed on Saturday that a 10 MVA mobile substation from MORE Power Iloilo has been brought in and is expected to begin powering the Alijis feeders by next Tuesday. He added that the severely damaged 13-year-old transformer at Alijis substation is being replaced, and a 32-megawatt temporary supply has been connected to alleviate the situation. Negros Power anticipates it will take around two weeks to fully integrate a new 18MVA transformer into the system.
Further, Mayor Benitez has called for PrimeWater to deploy generators at affected wells and work with their partners to ensure water is rationed appropriately. He has also urged residents facing water shortages to contact their barangay captains for water distribution arrangements. PrimeWater and the Bacolod City Water District have begun delivering water to affected areas since Friday.
The ongoing crisis comes shortly after Negros Power secured a franchise to distribute electricity in Bacolod and five other local government units, with formal takeover of Ceneco slated for next month pending approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission. Mayor Benitez emphasized the need for transparency and progress monitoring, requesting that Negros Power submit a detailed transition plan and timeline to the City Council.