Electricity Supply & the Environment in Samana

Keith R

"Believe it!"
Jan 1, 2002
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Hillbilly wrote:
One which will come up, possibly, in the future will be the isntallation of a Seaboard place in the Samana Bay, probably near Sanchez, to supply electricity to Santiago and its environs.

this will spoil a fairly pristine area, have a possible impact on the Whales!!, and the freaking stuff is so out of date that it should be given away...

You bring up an interesting issue, HB. I know from conversations with some business folks in Samana this past summer that they are particularly hurting because of the electrical supply problem. Yet how to supply more to the region without having a potential negative impact on its terrific natural beauty -- Samana's chief tourist attraction -- and the whales, which draws in alot of eco-tourism. Anyone want to take a stab at the issue? Maybe one of our DR1ers from the region, such as Andy B, can brief us on what options have been looked at in recent years.
Best Regards,
Keith
 
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Andy B

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Jan 1, 2002
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I don't see any barges coming to Samana bay in the immediate future as I don't think the government can afford anything like that at this time. They cannot even afford enough fuel for Samana's generating plant at the Arroyo-Barril Airport to supply the city with 24 hour electricity (nor afford the fuel for the tugboats to move the plants which I suggested in an earlier post). Also, the north coast's 100+kv transmission line is still not complete with huge sections missing.

I DID see a massive barge offshore being towed north past Las Galeras yesterday and I think it was one of the Seaboard generating plants. I seem to recall seeing the same barge being towed south a year or so ago along with another a day or so later when the barges were originally brought to the DR's south coast.

The impression I get from local folk is they are dead-set against having these barges here as they realize the potential harm a fuel spill could cause to the bay's fragile ecosystem. I'm also a little concerned about the harm that the cooling water from the barges' generators could do to the western end of the bay if it heats up the area water by even a degree or two. The effect's on the local economy would be devastating if the shrimp production of the western end of the bay was disturbed.

The Samana peninsula and it's surrounding waters are probably the most fragile ecosystem on the island. We are just beginning to tap the ecotourism market which, eventually, will be Samana's main draw (besides it's world-class beaches). Fornatunately, a few far-sighted individuals and organizations such as CEBSE and the el Limon Waterfall Desarrollo/Association are now starting to press for more safeguards to our beautiful peninsula's ecosystems. I also address our emerging ecotourism interests in several portions (including CEBSE) of the Attractions section of my new website, www.samanaonline.com
 

Keith R

"Believe it!"
Jan 1, 2002
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Thanks, Andy. I hope you'll become a regular contributor to our understanding of environmental issues in the pennisula, and its nexus with economic concerns.

FYI, we have a link to CEBSE under the sticky "Some Useful DR-related Environment Links". Any other good ones you know of for Samana and its ecology and challenges thereto, please suggest away & I'll gladly add them.

Best Regards,
Keith