Negros Island Region (NIR) is facing significant power supply challenges impacting consumers’ rights and welfare, a press release from the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) said.
Key issues include insufficient power supply, grid congestion and high cost of electricity. Moreover, the Visayas Power Grid may enter into yellow alert status in May 2026 as thin reserve margins, rising electricity demand, and persistent plant outages converge, highlighting vulnerabilities in the region’s energy system, it said.
According to Wennie Sancho, president of ACCESS, their study based on the new outlook by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ISCSC’s) April-June 2026, outlook identified the Visayas grid as one of the most vulnerable among the country’s main grids.
This is exacerbated by NGCP power grid, as its infrastructure faces challenges in absorbing the influx of renewables due to the origin and design of their infrastructure struggling to accommodate the shift towards cleaner energy, he said.
The escalating tensions in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, particularly the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz imposed by the United States, threatening to disrupt oil supplies and drive prices higher. This volatile backdrop has far-reaching implications for the Philippines, a nation heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, he added.
Yet, amidst the dark clouds of economic turmoil and uncertainties, a beacon of hope shines in the heart of Negros Island Region (NIR). Sancho stressed, that as a long time consumers’ advocate, ACCESS, had duly noted that Negros Power as a distribution utility, has made significant positive contributions, despite the challenges poised by oil price hikes. Negros Power has greatly reduced the frequencies and durations of power outages. The fruits of their labor is evident, power interruptions, once a frequent visitor, have become a rare occurrence.
Negros Power has been quietly laying the groundwork for a resilient future – one that would empower consumers to weather the storms of adversity. Negros Power has been building a fortress of reliability, upgrading its infrastructure to withstand the tempest of oil price hikes and economic upheavals. The sound of progress can be heard all over the land as Negros Power reinforces its substations, replace aging poles and installs new power transformers since it took over the operations from the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO), he said.
Negros Power’s commitment to excellence serves as a rock, a testament to the power of responsible governance and visionary leadership of its president and CEO, Roel Castro. Due to its modernization efforts, Negros Power has invested Php 1.3 billion in capital expenditures in 2025.focusing on reliability, efficiency and customer-centric projects. In the face of overwhelming odds, Negros Power’s infrastructure has become the foundation upon which consumers can stand tall, resilient and unbroken, Sancho said.
“By standing together, Negros Power, ACCESS, ACNN and all stakeholders in the power industry, in partnership with the community and the people, we shall protect the gains achieved by Negros Power and together we shall navigate the challenges of the power supply vis-a-vis the interests and welfare of the consumers in NIR and Western Visayas,” he said.
The time for solidarity is now. Our collective action can change the landscape of oil price hikes and economic uncertainties in the global energy markets. Consumers’ solidarity is the bedrock of our power to ensure that the power supply will be distributed for the welfare of the greatest number of consumers applying the principle of “Electricity for all and Service Beyond Power,” Sancho added.*
