Radio Havana Cuba's Science and Technology Program:
BREAKTHROUGHFor broadcast Sunday, 24 October and Thursday, 28 October 1999
Written and narrated by Arnaldo "Arnie" Coro, RHC's Science Editor
Sound: Breakthrough theme music, fades to
Voice: ( Coro ) Hello amigos, welcome to another edition of Breakthrough, Radio Havana Cuba's Science, Technology and the Environment update. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, this station's science editor. Join me for about four minutes of airtime devoted today to the new power station at the Cayo Coco tourist resort.
Cuba has invested some thirteen million dollars to complete phase one of the Cayo Coco power station. The plant will provide the growing tourist resort with electricity at much lower cost and with less thermal, air, water and noise pollution than the existing installation. Cayo Coco is separated from the Cuban mainland, and the conditions for installing either a submarine high voltage power cable or overhead transmissions lines are such that the only viable alternative was to generate electricity locally. The submarine cable option would had required an investment of maybe twice or more as much money as the powerplant, and the marine environment simply would had made the overhead transmission lines prone to frequent failure.
Another fact that was taken into consideration by the engineers was that the high voltage overhead transmission lines from the mainland, although much lower in cost than the submarine cable, would had been environmentally unacceptable because of their visual impact on the landscape. The new power plant uses highly efficient turbo diesels geared to 3.2 megawatt generators.
Instead of using expensive standard diesel fuel, these engines are similar to the ones used by ocean going ships, using much less expensive fuel oil to operate. For each kilowatt hour of electricity generated they will use 200 grams of fuel oil. Architects and engineeers worked together with the Ministry of Tourism investment officials so that the project could be completed on time for the upcoming winter tourist season. For every day that the Cayo Coco resort receives electricity from the new power station, Cuba saves a substantial amount of money in fuel expenditure. According to an explanation provided to the press, the plant will need to be expanded in about two years, taking into account the construction of several new hotels at the resort. In order to provide backup power, the older less efficient diesel generators will be kept as a backup system.
In neighboring Cayo Guillermo resort a similar power station with highly efficient fuel oil powered diesels will be built next year. One of the main objectives of the ministry of tourism is to operate its installations with the highest possible energy efficiency, lowest possible pollution and operating costs, because by doing so the rate of return on each dollar earned will be higher. Cuba's flourishing tourist industry is now the nation's number one source of foreign income.
SOUND: Breakthrough theme, fades to:
VOICE: ( Coro ) And this was Breakthrough for today, join me next week at the same time and frequency for another edition of this science, technology and environment update. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, RHC's science editor, together with sound engineer Jose Costa Pupo now wishing you excellent reception of our next show.
For more information, via Air Mail:
"Breakthrough"
Radio Havana Cuba
PO Box 6240, Havana, CUBA 10600
Via e-mail: arnie@radiohc.org
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