Negros Power Averts Potential Crisis with Aid from Primelectric and MORE Power

Through swift coordination and emergency assistance, Primelectric Holdings Inc. and MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) helped avert a potentially serious power infrastructure crisis at the Asdes Gonzaga Substation. The collaboration enabled Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power) to energize a replacement power transformer in just 12 days following the failure of its aging unit.

Asdes Gonzaga Substation Saved: Crisis Averted

The newly installed Hitachi Energy transformer was successfully energized at 5:17 p.m. on October 15, 2026, marking a significant milestone in Negros Power’s efforts to restore substation capacity and strengthen power distribution reliability. The emergency response is estimated to have helped safeguard electricity service for approximately 20,000 consumers.

The timely replacement was particularly crucial as Bacolod City and neighboring communities celebrated the MassKara Festival season, when reliable electricity is essential for households, businesses, tourism establishments, and festival-related activities.

Swift Action Prevents a Potentially Critical Situation

The emergency began on October 3, when the MassKara Festival was already starting. The transformer at the Asdes Gonzaga Substation tripped and subsequently failed. The 37.5-megavolt-ampere (MVA) unit had been manufactured in 2006 and installed in 2007–meaning it had been in service for the last 20 years.

Prior to the failure, Negros Power had been closely monitoring the aging equipment and conducting maintenance activities, including oil degassing, to help maintain its operating condition.

Previous Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) results had also indicated increasing levels of dissolved gases in the transformer oil, suggesting developing internal issues that required continued monitoring and contingency planning.

Given these warning signs, Negros Power had prepared for the possibility of equipment failure. However, the incident underscored the urgency of securing a replacement to help prevent a more serious substation emergency and minimize the potential impact on thousands of consumers.

As an immediate contingency measure, Negros Power transferred all loads previously served by the Asdes Gonzaga Substation to the Mt. View and Alijis substations to help maintain electricity service while arrangements for a replacement transformer were underway.

Primelectric and MORE Power Extend Critical Assistance

The replacement transformer became available through MORE Power, which had procured two units for its planned expansion projects at the Megaworld TR2 and General Hughes substations.

Recognizing the urgency of Negros Power’s situation, MORE Power made one of its newly acquired transformers available to address the immediate requirement at the Asdes Gonzaga Substation, prioritizing the need to restore critical infrastructure over its original expansion schedule.

The replacement unit, manufactured by Hitachi Energy at its transformer facility in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, has a rated capacity of 30/36 MVA and a voltage rating of 69/13.8 kV.

Negros Power President and CEO Roel Z. Castro emphasized the importance of cooperation among distribution utilities in responding to urgent operational challenges.

“Our priority has always been to provide reliable power to our customers. In this situation, making the transformer available to Negros Power was the right thing to do because it can help address an immediate need and minimize the impact of the failed equipment on consumers,” Castro said.

The assistance demonstrated how coordination within the Primelectric group and support from MORE Power helped accelerate the replacement process at a critical time for Negros Power and its customers.

Energized in Just 12 Days

From the transformer failure on October 3 to its successful energization on October 15, the emergency replacement process took only 12 days.

The replacement transformer’s arrival and subsequent energization marked a major step toward restoring the Asdes Gonzaga Substation’s operational capability and strengthening the reliability of the distribution network.

The swift response was especially important during the MassKara Festival season, when Bacolod City welcomed visitors and hosted numerous activities that depend on dependable electricity. By prioritizing the replacement, Negros Power and its partners worked to reduce the risk of prolonged service disruptions affecting an estimated 20,000 consumers.

The successful energization also highlights the importance of proactive equipment monitoring, contingency planning, and inter-utility cooperation in managing critical power infrastructure.

With the replacement transformer energized, Negros Power continues to pursue its commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and resilient electricity service to Central Negros, while Primelectric and MORE Power’s timely assistance underscores the value of coordinated action in protecting consumers and maintaining essential power infrastructure.