ILOILO City – MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) is set to become one of the first electric utilities in the Visayas to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its core operations — not as a workforce replacement, but as a game-changer in service delivery and technical diagnostics.
President and chief executive officer Roel Z. Castro made it clear the AI system, developed in partnership with Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U), aims to empower employees, not displace them.
“This will not result in job losses. In fact, it will improve the work experience for our team and provide better service to our consumers,” Castro said during the “What’s Up Western Visayas 2025” business event on July 18.
Castro said MORE Power has begun pilot testing the AI system, which is designed to detect patterns in technical issues and large volumes of operational data often overlooked through traditional methods.
“We’re piloting right now, but I’m confident this will be part of MORE Power, not even as a program, but as a core part of operations,” Castro said. “AI will allow us to see recurring problems, like how many times we’ve returned to the same customer account for repairs, or how frequently a particular feeder experiences issues.”
The AI platform, according to Castro, enables the shift from reactive fixes to preventive and prescriptive strategies by identifying service hotspots, providing diagnostics, and suggesting actionable steps to enhance grid reliability.
“For example, AI can tell us that a client has been visited 10 times over five years with the same complaint. That connects to a particular feeder, which may have had multiple troubles. This level of analysis is difficult to do manually,” he explained. “With AI, we can identify the gaps and respond more strategically.”
Castro underscored that AI is not replacing human judgment.
“The AI is not there to decide. The decision still lies with HI — Human Intelligence,” he said.
The AI system, developed through ISAT-U’s I-LEAD research program, is being tested in a real-world utility setting for the first time.
“This is a real application of local innovation. I told them, let’s test it in MORE Power. The benefits to consumers will be significant,” Castro said.
The company expects to formally launch the AI system within the year, following a full evaluation of its effectiveness in data analysis and operational improvements.
“This year, definitely,” Castro said. “The framework and model are already in place. What we’re looking at now are the results.”
Ultimately, Castro said the technology is about delivering better value to consumers while strengthening the capabilities of the workforce.
“This is about giving our consumers a better experience,” he said. “And empowering our people with the tools to make that happen.”/PN
