https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/5356a0d19622b0b887fe51632306e307.pdf dc55477512433a0e13944a6b4438e96b PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur faeces a {'information ET y HQTS 1 2 5 0 - 3 6 ARMY HEADQUARTERS OTTAWA, Ont 1 Sap 59 Hr H.Li Ida thews Attache, British Embassy, WASHINGTON, U.S.A. Dear \^M Thank you for your letter of August 25th regarding the power cut which occurred at Leitrim on Aug 19th. We are at fault in not telling your people that all circuits would be off• The reason for the interruption waa to change a switch panel at the mains distribution at the atation. At Leitrim and also at Oshawa we have diesel-electric standby plants for use in case of hydro failure. The standby at Oshawa will cater for all transmitters but the 100 KW. To look after the latter would require a very large plant needing specially qualified operating personnel. At both these stations it is necessary for a man to go to the plant and start the engines; they are not automatic. The lapse time to get fully stabilized loads and voltages is about five minutes at Leitrim and 10 minutes at Oshawa. The question, of course, is whether these times are acceptable*. We are taking this opportunity to Investigate means of reducing the elapse time at Leitrim, particularly for the Alerts circuits. One thought is a battery bank driving a motor-generator set to provide essential AC power. I will have a suggested plan in a few days from Maj Watson# In the meantime, would you give me some idea as to what your people are doing for standby power and also some guidance as to the maximum acceptable time of interruption. I know' that nil time is to be strived at but with transmitters such as we have at Oshawa this is impossible for unscheduled hydro failures. I have been close to the desk for the last couple of months but may get up north at the end of Sep. Will keep you advised. Sincerely I (JB Clement) Colonel Director, Royai Canadian Corps of Signals t3T30/6-71S6/ms ^^^^—_ -,. - •• • �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a f information W.5531 (MSMM\ BRITISH EMBASSY WASHINGTON August 35, 1959. dALe^. I^JU My people in London have asked me to consult you in regard to the power cut which occurred with you on August 19th from 13.30 to 14.45 G.M.T. We know this was pre-arranged and you did in fact warn London of it in a Service message at the time. What was, I think, not realised in London was the fact that all communications would be cut off, incltiding the Alerts circuit. There is an emergency circuit available in the case of both Hydra and the cable being out of service, which goes through the American Embassy. The American Embassy pass it to C.I.A. who route it to Washington. Washington, however, would be unable to pass it to Ottawa as the Teleprinter line of course goes through Leitrim. It might also happen that your people in Ottawa wished to originate a Flash message at a time when there was a power cut. On the occasion quoted above when the cut was prearranged, no doubt the power supply could have been restored at a moment's notice, but in the case where a breakdown was entirely fortuitous, we wondered what arrangements, if any, existed to ensure an unbroken service at the critical moment. I would be grateful if you could let me have your comments on this. I shall be writing to Bill Lockhart and will tell him I have written you on this matter. I trust all is well with you and that we shall meet again before very long. jh^tc R.L. Mathews, Attache. Lt.-Col. W.E. Grant, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Department of National Defence (Army), OTTAWA. 000087 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hydra Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context HY00079 Title A name given to the resource [Mathews/Grant re: Power Cut] Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 09/01/1959 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Hydra Communications - Policy, RG24, 1250-36 Vol. 1, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of National Defence Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource DND, British Embassy, Washington, OTC, Ottawa Traffic Centre, OWS, emergency communications, emergency planning, Tripartite Alerts Description An account of the resource Series of correspondence between Mathews and W.E. Grant pertaining to a power cut at Leitrim on August 19, 1959 to change a switch panel. While British officials were aware the power cut would take place, they were not aware that it would cut off all communications, including the Alerts circuit. Plans for back-up power at Oshawa and Leitrim are discussed. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en