• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 08 / 29 / 2010

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Cuban Vice President Ramiro Valdes announced that his country has recovered the transmission capacity for radio electric signals with the opening of another tower in the western region of Cuba.

The center was opened Friday in Pinar del Rio, and Valdes said the island recovered its potential in the radio and TV transmission, which was severely damaged by three strong hurricanes two years ago.

The new tower came from Germany; it is 70 meters high, and can stand winds up to 156 miles per hour and is replacing another tower, located at more than 500 meters over sea level.

Luis Armenteros, head of the division from Radio Cuba in Pinar del Rio, said that the total investment was over $754,000 usd, and it is the second of a total of 7 towers scheduled to be erected throughout the national territory.

The installation of the steel structure is based on research done at the Higher Politechnical Institute of Havana, which created this year a model laboratory to design structures resistant enough to withstand strong winds.

Vivian Elena, director of project for telecommunication towers, assured they expect to contribute to reduce the vulnerability of these enormous stell structures, since in 15 years they have suffered losses of up to 10 million dollars.

Just in the 2008 hurricane season from June to November, the storms brought down five TV towers and 15 radio towers, at a cost of 2.5 million CUC (Cuban convertible currency: 1 US dollar exchanges for .80 cents CUC.

By Tomas Armenteros Crespo    

Prensa Latina Translation Staff