Telegram from Walter Thurston to Secretary of State James Byrnes

A-Br's copy DIVISION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS COPY TELEGRAPH BRANCH DEPARTMENT OF STATE agree INCOMING TELEGRAM go DECLASSIF ED 7-M E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) many Dept. of State letter, Aug. 9, 1973 Control 3078 Action: ARA Info : By NLT- HU 9 NARS Date 7-15-75 Rec'd December 11, 1946 S 2:37 a.m. U UF FROM: Mexico City OCD ITP TO: Secretary of State TRC FC NO: 1086, December 10, 6 p.m. DC R RAY MEXICAN DIVISION December sixth Minister Torres Bodet requested my presence Foreign Office and in this my first official contact with new government he officially and urgently requested on behalf of President Aleman assistance American Government in alleviating extreme power shortage now prevailing in states San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Michoacan, Jalisco. These states served by interconnected Chapala and Guanajuato power systems extending from Guadala: jara through central Mexico to north of San Luis Potosi. Extreme drought this year leaves hydroelectric reservoirs almost empty, also Lake Chapala lowest in history. No relief possible before rainy season beginning July 1947. Level Lake Chapala still falling. Es- timated by March available hydroelectic power on Chapala system will be further cut at least 50% below present low level. Practically all power consumers except in Jalisco cut off two days weekly and further restrictions must be made. Restrictions somewhat less drastic in Jalisco including Guadalajara. Mexican Government earnestly requests we assist by quickly renting or selling one 10,000 kilowatt mobile railway mounted power unit understood to be- long to US Navy and to be at present in Florida to operate on Guana juato system, which 18 owned by American foreign power company. National railways can handle and unit, with its own 13,000 volt trans- formers, can operate here at 9,000 kilowatts, 100% load factor. I emphasize that