THE FIRST CUBAN
HYDRO-ELECTRIC PLANT
[GENTE Magazine, Vol. 1, Havana, January 5, 1958, No. 1, American Edition]
Page 66-F
PHOTO [Men inside the tunnel]
THE FIRST CUBAN HYDRO-ELECTRIC PLANT
The utilization of the waters of the Hanabanilla, Guanayara, Negro,
Jibacoa, Pretiles and Boquerones rivers for the building of the First
Cuban Hydro-Electric Plant, has four fundamental aims, the first of
which is the exportation of one of the country's most important
potential sources for the production of electric energy.
The three remaining aims, according to the plan mapped out, are as
follows; the promotion of industry in the region, which will be made
possible by the proper utilization of cheap energy; flood control in
some of the southern areas of Las Villas province, which will allow
these lands to be worked and increase agricultural production, and the
development of a tourist center round about the lake which will be
formed by damming the waters of the Hanabanilla, Negro and Guanayara.
The above mentioned rivers are in the southern part of Las Villas
province. The lands which will be affected are situated within
the municipal of Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Santa Clara, the second of
these having the greatest extent of territory to be utilizated
[utilized] in the project. The concession to exploit these
hydraulic resources was granted to the "Banco de Fomento Agricola e
Industrial de Cuba (BAN-FAIC) under Decree No. 1212 (Decreto-Ley 1212)
as of November 26, 1953, which also authorized it to set up, as it has
done, the First Cuban Hydro-Electric Plant (PRI-CHEC), an enterprise
with a recognized legal identity and its own patrimony, which will
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PHOTO [tunnel]
PHOTO [drilling equipment]
be responsible for carrying out and managing the project.
The project has gone forward, thanks to early and continued
encouragement from President Batista's government, with legislative
measure to ensure the plan's being carried out in the way it was
conceived. Thanks also to the cooperation of the "Financiera
Nacional" and the "Comision de Fomento Nacional", which, together with
the BANFAIC, put up the original capital for the PRICHEC. And to
the guardian mediation, which harmonized everything while urging it
forward, of the National Bank of Cuba, and its President, Dr. Joaquin
Martinez Saenz.
ELECTRIC ENERGY
According to the report made out by the
Knappen-Tippetts-Abbett-McCarthy engineering firm, which undertook the
survey the survey which led to the conclusion that the work was
economically feasible, and whose services were later contracted in a
consulting capacity, the attainment of the ends previously stated, will
have important and positive effects economically on the southern part
of Las Villas and the country as a whole.
The water power which the Hanabanilla plant will produce, 82 million
hours kilowatt a year, will make a ten percent increase in the national
production of electrical energy in this country (in 1952 the total
sales of the Cuban Electricity Company were 774,652,000 hours kilowatt)
and a 50 per cent increase in the production of energy for industrial
use (165.8 million hours Kilowatt of sales to industrial consumers),
than allowing us to reduce our dependence on imported fuel and have
money for other objectives in the development of our economy.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
Among the industries that could be set up in the region, there are
various branches of chemical industry, based on the production of
sulfuric acid; this, although it would not use much energy, might serve
as a basis for the manufacture of a great many chemical products,
which would indeed utilize the energy of the Hanabanilla.
There are also good possibilities of setting up several mills for
producting [producing] paper, caustic soda, rayon, cellulose,
plastic goods, vegetable oils, etc.
A type of production that might be the object of special consideration
is the manufacturing of various steel articles on a basis of
("chatarra") with an output of 20,000 tons per year, which would
consume 15 million hours Kilowatt a year. The promotion of this
industry would be of great importance to the region and the whole
country.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
As regards agricultural production, we hold that it might be made the
object of important variety and increase, since flood-control in
various areas of the region would allow the growing of different
products. At the present time, parts of Jibacoa Valley (400
inhabitants) are flooded several times a year, so that in spite of the
good quality of the land, it cannot be adequately farmed. As soon
as the floods are controlled, many products cold be grown throughout
this
Page 66-H
PHOTO [ditch]
zone , with all the advantages that would naturally accrue.
TOURIST CENTER
A point of special interest, with definite and rewarding effects on
economy, will be the transformation of the region into an important
tourist center; for when a lake of great beauty has been formed y the
damming of the waters of the Hanabanilla, Negro and Guanayara rivers,
and highways and roads have been built to make the zone fully
accessible, a flood of tourists will pour in from abroad and at home,
and a series of motels could be built near the lake, offering all kinds
of amenities. Besides, as the mountainous zone of San Juan Trinidad
surrounds the reservoir, and includes a good many spots of prime
interest to tourists, a large tourist resort are could be built up all
over the southern part of Las Villas province. The lake formed by
damming the Hanabanilla covers 20 Km2. And offers excellent
opportunities for sport with small sailing boats and yachts, which
would increase the attraction of the place.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKS
The fundamental aim of the undertaking to be carried out, consists in
diverting the flow of the Habanilla, Negro and Guanayara rivers, and
storing up their joint waters in a reservoir.
As the Hanabanilla river, and the Jibacoa river –which is formed by the
confluence of the Negro and Guanayara rivers– flow in opposite
directions, two dams have to e made, in order to close off the water
and form the reservoir.
In order to join the two river basing in the most effective way, so as
to make an adequate reservoir, a canal about two kilometers long will
be dug, through which the waters of the Negro river will be diverted
into the basin of the Hanabanilla. The earth extracted from the
canal will be used for the embankments of the Hanabanilla and Jibacoa
dams.
FUNCTIONING OF THE SYSTEM
The method which has been adopted is that of safety, and by it the
water power extracted from the volume of dammed-up water is adapted to
the style of the river, thus guaranteeing an adequate supply of water
during periods of dry weather when reservoirs tend to get empty.
According to calculation, this method ought to provide 1,150 gallons
per second, or 69,000 per minute, that is to say approximately 100
millions gallons a day, which would be able to generate some 224,000
hours Kilowatt daily, which means 82 million hours Kilowatt annually.
CONSTRUCTION
According to the report made out by the firm of consulting engineers,
building operations, will cost nearly fifteen millions Cuban dollars
and can be completed within thirty months, that is to say, a year and a
half.
In order to guarantee the quality of the work to be carried out, and
get the most advantageous prices, the tasks have been assigned, through
auction process, to firms with wide experience in this sort of
construction. The most modern equipment will be used, and the
greatest possible number of Cubans will be employed as personnel.
CONTRACT WITH THE CCE
In October 1955 the PRICHED signed a contract with the Cuban
Electricity Company (CCE), according to which the latter acquires at a
reasonable price the energy to be produced in the First Hydro-Electric
Plant of the Hanabanilla.
PROGRESS OF THE WORKS UP TILL FEBRUARY 1, 1958
1) Discharging Tunnel: Total Length: 6,728 meters. Excavated: 4,900 meters.
2) Feeding Well: Total Length: 256 meters. Excavation: finished in February 1957
3) Service Tunnel: Total Length: 339 meters. Excavation: finished in December 1957
4) Valve Chamber: Arch: excavation and concreting finished. Chamber: excavation in progress
5) Chamber of the Plant: Arch: Excavation finished, and concreting in progress.
6) Operator's Houses: 40% finished
7) Macagua-Hanabanilla Highway: Finished, except for the paving.
8) Auxiliary Dam No. 1: Finished
9) Auxiliary Dam NO. 2: Finished
10) Jibacoa Dam: Injection of both ("empotramientos") finished.
1,250,000 cubic meters of embankment placed in position
800,000 cubic meters still to be placed
11) Hanbanilla Dam:.. Injection of both ("empotramientos") finished.
170,000 cubic meters of embankment placed in position.
200,000 cubic meters still to be placed. 12) Canal for Diverting the river water: Finished
13) Outlet ("Vertedero"): Excavation finished. Concrete missing.
End of Page
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