William H. Latham (icebreaker)
The William H. Latham is a 77 ton icebreaker owned and operated by the New York Power Authority on the Niagara River.[1][2] Her mission is to keep the Power Authority's inlet ports clear of ice. She was built in 1987. She is powered by a 625 horsepower engine. She is staffed by a crew of three. During emergencies two crews have worked twelve-hour shifts to keep the vessel at work twenty-four hours a day.
The vessel's design and construction was overseen by Randy D. Crissman.[3] She is named after William H. Latham a senior engineer with the Power Authority who died earlier that year.[4]
Ontario Hydro operates a similiar vessel, the Niagara Queen, to clear the inlet ports for hydroelectric power generators on the Canadian side.[5] The Latham is assisted by a second vessel, a modified tugboat, known only as Breaker.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Dan Miner (2008-02-14). "POWER AUTHORITY: Storm puts NYPA on ice". Niagara Gazette. Retrieved 2009-02-17. mirror
- ↑ "Niagara Power Project". New York Power Authority. Retrieved 2009-02-11. mirror
- ↑ Michael Saltzman (2002-12-15). "Power Authority Appoints Regional Manager for Western New York, Niagara Project". New York Power Authority. Retrieved 2009-02-11. mirror
- ↑ "William Latham, 83; Guided Niagara Project". New York Times. 1987-01-19. Retrieved 2009-02-17. mirror
- ↑ D. McMillan (1995). "Design, construction, and operation of Niagara River icebreakers". 32 (2). Marine Technology. pp. 101–108. Retrieved 2009-02-17. mirror