Iceland review - 2004, Síða 75

REYKJAVÍK – PURE ENERGY / 73
REYKJAVÍK – PURE ENERGY / 73
is one step ahead.
With regards to health services, EU regulations state that if a patient must wait
more than three months to be treated, that patient is free to travel abroad to
seek healthcare. It’s the job of Reykjavík Resources to develop the outside rela-
tionships that will clear the path from Europe to Iceland so these patients can
take advantage of the health services Reykjavík offers.
Building for the future
Keeping Reykjavík competitive on a global scale is also the focus of Reykjavík
Resources. In a sense, competitiveness comes down to development.
Take the new power plant being constructed on the outskirts of Reykjavík in
Hellisheidi. It’s estimated that by 2006, the power plant will generate 120
megawatts of electricity and 400 megawatts of geothermal power. The plant
creates power when geothermal water is pumped from the ground and the
steam is separated from the water and then pumped
through turbines, leaving an excess of hot water.
The question then becomes what to do with this hot
water.
“The possibilities are fantastic,” says Skúlason.
There are indeed numerous possibilities. The hot
water can be used to create a spa on par with the
Blue Lagoon. The hot water can also create, say, a
winter golf course. That’s right. Winter golf.
Tourists often marvel at how the sidewalks in down-
town Reykjavík stay free of ice and snow during the
long winter months. Well, that’s because under-
neath the sidewalks run a maze of hot-water pipes
that melt the cold stuff. The same principle can be
The closest capital city to Reykjavik is Dublin, 1,555 km away. It is 200 km further to Oslo, the second closest.
Many of the Arctic Terns on the city pond, Tjörnin, travel 17,000 km from Antarctica each summer to breed in Reykjavík.
DID
YOU
KNOW?
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