Ten cities and municipalities across Negros Oriental will experience a 12-hour power service interruption on Saturday, April 18, 2026, as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) conducts scheduled maintenance work on critical transmission infrastructure.
According to official notices from NORECO 1 and NGCP, the power interruption will affect Bais City, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Ayungon, Tayasan, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Guihulngan City, Vallehermoso, and Canlaon City from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday.
The extensive outage stems from essential maintenance activities along the Amlan-San Carlos 69kV transmission line, which serves as a critical power corridor for northern and central Negros Oriental communities.
Critical Infrastructure Maintenance Activities
NGCP District Senior Manager Lope L. Cañete outlined two primary maintenance activities in an official letter dated April 7, 2026, addressed to NORECO 1 General Manager Engr. Elvin Strauss A. Dennoyo.
The first activity involves conducting wood pole replacement and other transmission line correction works along the Amlan-San Carlos 69kV line. This maintenance addresses aging infrastructure components that require replacement to ensure continued reliable power transmission.
The second activity focuses on hotspot correction works for specific technical components, including DSW 5Z-01DS25AML contact fingers phases B and C, and 5B-01CT25ML facing DS 5Z01DS25AML phase B at the Amlan Switchyard.
These technical repairs address critical connection points that have developed operational issues requiring immediate attention to prevent potential equipment failures or safety hazards.
Affected Transmission Infrastructure
The scheduled shutdown will de-energize the entire Amlan-Bindoy-Guihulngan-San Carlos 69kV transmission line, directly impacting four major substations that distribute power throughout the affected areas.
The Bais, Bindoy, Guihulngan, and Vallehermoso substations serve as primary distribution points for electricity reaching residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the ten affected municipalities.
This transmission line represents a vital component of Negros Oriental's electrical grid infrastructure, carrying 69,000 volts of electricity across multiple municipalities in the province's northern and central regions.
Emergency Contact Information Available
NORECO 1 has established dedicated 24-hour emergency hotlines for customers experiencing issues or requiring assistance during the scheduled interruption period.
Bais City area residents can contact (0915) 406-5835 or (035) 402-3761 for immediate assistance. Mabinay area customers have access to (0917) 123-4340 or (0968) 440-3830.
Bindoy area residents can reach emergency services at (0909) 165-6011, while Guihulngan area customers can call (0969) 170-2952 or (0905) 644-9649.
Vallehermoso area residents can contact (0947) 203-6913 or (0947) 179-5720 for emergency electrical services during the outage period.
Safety Precautions and Early Restoration Possibility
Both NGCP and NORECO 1 emphasized critical safety measures in their public advisories, warning residents to treat all electrical lines as energized even during scheduled outages.
"All works may be finished ahead of time and power may be restored earlier than scheduled, so please consider our lines always energized," stated the official NGCP notice.
This safety warning addresses the possibility that maintenance crews could complete work earlier than anticipated, potentially restoring power before the scheduled 6:00 PM completion time.
Normal operations will resume immediately following completion of all maintenance activities, according to NGCP District Senior Manager Cañete's official correspondence.
Regional Economic Impact Considerations
The scheduled 12-hour outage affects several economically significant areas, including Bais City, which serves as a major commercial center for northern Negros Oriental.
Guihulngan City, another key economic hub in the affected area, will experience complete power interruption during peak Saturday business hours, potentially impacting retail operations and local commerce.
Agricultural operations in Canlaon City and surrounding municipalities may face temporary disruptions to irrigation systems and processing facilities dependent on electrical power.
The timing on Saturday aims to minimize disruption to weekday business operations while allowing sufficient daylight hours for safe completion of technical maintenance work.
Utility Infrastructure Investment Priority
The extensive maintenance work reflects NGCP's ongoing commitment to upgrading and maintaining critical transmission infrastructure serving Negros Oriental communities.
Wood pole replacement activities address aging infrastructure components that require periodic replacement to maintain system reliability and safety standards.
Hotspot correction work targets specific electrical connection points that have developed operational irregularities requiring immediate technical intervention.
NORECO 1 apologized to member-consumer-owners for the inconvenience caused by the necessary maintenance activities while emphasizing the importance of infrastructure reliability improvements.
The scheduled maintenance represents part of broader efforts to enhance electrical grid stability and reduce unplanned outages across the Negros Oriental service territory.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of NORECO 1/NGCP