Razon-led Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) is targeting to fully modernize the power distribution system in Central Negros by 2029 to improve reliability, responsiveness, and access for consumers.

“We owe it to our consumers to deliver reliable, accessible, and affordable electricity for years to come,” President and CEO Roel Z. Castro said in a statement on Sunday.

“We are asking for the patience and understanding of consumers as we need four more years for consumers to feel the improvements of our full rehabilitation and modernization plan,” he added.

Ongoing projects include a centralized control center, SCADA systems, drone-based thermal scanning, GIS mapping, and real-time service monitoring. Underground cabling along Lacson Street is also underway and expected to be completed before the MassKara Festival in October.

Nine months after it took over distribution operations in August 2024, Negros Power rehabilitated key substations and the 30-kilometer Bacolod–Silay 69kV line, reduced power interruptions, and installed energy-efficient transformers. It also launched anti-pilferage campaigns to cut system losses.

To improve customer access, the company replaced thousands of outdated meters with digital units at no cost, opened over 100 payment centers, and streamlined the application process for new connections. A 24/7 customer care team now handles inquiries through hotlines and Messenger.

Negros Power also energized 17 remote sitios under its Sitio Electrification Program, benefiting 1,671 households with nearly P26 million in investments.

“For years, consumers suffered from unreliable service and poor communication. Negros Power is changing that narrative by putting consumer welfare at the center of its operations,” said Wennie Sancho of the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services.

Despite ongoing infrastructure investments, Negros Power committed to keeping the region’s lowest average rates through strategic power contracting and close monitoring of spot market prices.