HOLT-Cat donated $400,000 for a generator for the new Caribbean Journey building and Dolphin Bay. A symbolic giant check was presented during a press event Sept. 20, 2016. Courtesy photo
A power outage is no longer a threat to the hundreds of marine animals in the Texas State Aquarium. Thanks to the donation of a $400,000 power generator from Holt CAT, the aquarium can protect its wildlife in the event of a power emergency.
Caterpillar tractor retailer Holt CAT announced the donation of the Caterpillar C3516 natural gas generator at a media conference Sept. 20. It will service the Caribbean Journey, an addition to the aquarium under construction. The new addition will almost double the size of the aquarium.
Dolphin Bay, where the aquarium’s four dolphins live, will also benefit from the generator’s backup capacity.
“We couldn’t operate the aquarium without generators,” aquarium CEO Tom Schmid said. “We are always open and constantly in need of electricity.”
AT 1,000 kilowatts, the generator is big enough to do more than help in emergencies; it can also provide power during peak demand periods.
Holt CAT has donated two previous generators to the aquarium: the first in 1989 for the Gulf of Mexico building; the second in 2003 for Dolphin Bay.
The much-anticipated Caribbean Journey is expected to open to the public in the spring of 2017.
