Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) has signed a five-year, 20-megawatt baseload supply agreement with AboitizPower Corp. to strengthen energy security in Central Negros as the region rebuilds its damaged power assets following Typhoon Tino.

In a statement, Roel Castro, Negros Power president and chief executive officer, said their agreement with AboitizPower’s Therma Visayas unit will address the rising power demand and boost stability in Central Negros.

The deal provides a stable supply source for Negros Power for five years, delivering 20 megawatts of baseload capacity to bolster energy security as communities continue to recover from a major natural disaster.

Typhoon Tino had disrupted power across the province and damaged key distribution assets, making the new baseload agreement a major step in the utility’s post-typhoon recovery efforts. The Department of Energy (DOE) noted that by mid-November, more than 92 percent of the 244,915 affected customers had been re-energized, marking one of the region’s fastest recoveries in recent years.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin called the response “a remarkable show of unity,” citing linemen, volunteers, and local leaders who worked through heavy debris and downed lines to restore service. “We commend the Negros Power teams and the resilient communities who have united to restore electricity with extraordinary speed and safety,” she said.

The DOE added that all five sub-transmission lines, 11 substations, and 48 feeders have been repaired, underscoring what the agency described as “a model of bayanihan in the energy sector.”

The new long-term supply agreement with AboitizPower, one of the country’s largest energy producers, is expected to help shield consumers from price volatility, echoing recent DOE advisories encouraging utilities to secure dependable capacity ahead of the dry season.

Negros Power President and CEO Roel Castro said the deal is a turning point. “With this long-term agreement, we can truly welcome the future with reliable service for our communities,” he noted, adding that the company is seeing rapid customer growth.

The agreement comes as Negros Power accelerates a ₱2.1 to ₱2.5 billion, five-year modernization program to upgrade its aging infrastructure, including transformers and feeders that have been operating for more than 20 years.

Planned upgrades include new protection systems, the rehabilitation of aging lines, and the full integration of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology.

By pairing swift recovery efforts with long-term investment, Negros Power is positioning Central Negros for stronger grid reliability, improved disaster readiness, and stable energy access as the region rebuilds and grows.