Thirteen radio towers that carried a U.S. government shortwave facility in Spain for more than 40 years will be blown up this week.

The Radio Liberty shortwave six transmitters, each of 250 kw. at Playa de Pals, on the Costa Brava in Spain, broadcast news and information around the clock to listeners in the former Soviet Union and people in the area who could understand Russian or one of the associated languages. Their targets included most of Central Asia via a second hop.

On Wednesday, March 22nd. sixteen kilos of explosives will put an end to one of the Costa Brava’s most picturesque, characteristic and conflicting landscapes. All loads will explode at the same time, 4 pm, and after a few seconds the antennas will collapse towards the beach and the areas without vegetation and clear of nearby houses.(hopefully)

The cost of the project is about US$1.68 million including the removal of electric installations and generators, underground gasoline deposits and concrete antenna guy foundations. The Catalan government has discussed using the former radio station’s main buildings as a telecommunication museum or offices for a future nature park.

The governments of Spain and the United States had previously reached an agreement for the cancellation of the lease contract under which the U.S. government has maintained and operated the facilities of Radio Liberty.

The Spanish Senate approved a motion to dismantle the antennas and structures that occupy the 1-1/2 kilometers fronting the Pals beach. The City Council of the town of Pals declared that 90 percent of that terrain would be declared a “green area”.