• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Forty percent of Bacolod City Government Center’s total power requirement is now being supplied by clean and renewable energy through the installation of solar panels.
This was highlighted by then mayor and now Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, noting that since December 2024, the 400-kilowatt solar power system has proven instrumental in dramatically reducing the city government’s electricity consumption and consequently, generating substantial savings on its power expenditures.
The program’s success and impact have propelled a significant expansion.
Additional solar installations have been also strategically integrated at the Government Center and across 16 barangays, with aggregated solar arrays now having a capacity of 1,340 kilowatts.
As the Middle East conflict appears to escalate, local government units in Negros Occidental are implementing strict power-saving measures to combat high fuel prices and energy demand, including four-day workweeks.
“This expanded renewable energy infrastructure is not only poised to generate millions of pesos in annual savings for the Bacolod City government, but also plays a pivotal role in fortifying its overall energy supply, thereby diminishing its reliance on conventional, often volatile power sources,” Benitez said. | GB
