Highlighting the critical link between energy security and regional economic expansion, Negros Power participated in the 35th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC), joining key industry leaders, business stakeholders, and innovators to discuss strategies for a more resilient and future-ready region.
Anchored on the theme “Future Forward: Shaping Sustainable and Resilient Communities and Smarter Business,” the conference underscored the essential roles that infrastructure, innovation, and dependable power play in sustaining growth across the Visayas.
During a presentation titled “Powering Growth: Energy as the Engine of Visayas Trade and Investment,” Roel Z. Castro, President and CEO of Primelectric Holdings Inc. and Negros Power, addressed the region’s rapidly escalating power demand.
Driven by widespread economic expansion, industrialization, and rising investments across Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol, the grid is facing unprecedented pressure. Castro emphasized that while transitioning to renewable energy remains a vital long-term goal, the region urgently requires reliable baseload power to maintain grid stability, protect consumers, and prevent crippling supply shortages.
Castro further detailed the immediate structural challenges currently impacting the Visayas grid, specifically pointing to limited interconnection capacity, localized supply imbalances, and the volatility of rising global fuel costs.
He noted that despite Negros boasting a strong renewable energy capacity of its own, the island remains highly dependent on inter-island transmission corridors and is frequently forced to import power during peak hours to meet local demand.
Citing the recurring yellow alerts that have plagued the system, Castro stressed that the regional supply gap is not theoretical, reiterating the necessity of balancing green energy development with practical, stable transition strategies to support continuous economic activity.
In response to these regional challenges, Negros Power used the platform to reaffirm its long-term commitment to powering local communities, industries, and businesses.
Moving forward, the company is actively prioritizing continuous infrastructure modernization, reliable service delivery, and sustainable energy initiatives, he said.*PR
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