Fundy Tidal Power Finally Delivers
The Bay of Fundy is now providing electricity to Nova Scotia. A giant turbine was connected to the power grid today and began feeding its clean, renewable energy to about 500 homes.
The Cape Sharp Tidal Project, in the bay off Parrsboro, is still in the test stage, but it is already capturing the massive power of the Fundy tides.
The 1,000 ton turbine is the first of two to be lowered into the bay. The second will be deployed next year. The total cost is 30 million dollars.
Three hundred Nova Scotia companies have participated in the project, garnering 70% of of the project cost.
Ray Hickey of the Cumberland Energy Authority says this day has been a long time in coming. An excited Hickey said, “People have been talking about tidal power for decades, and today it is happening.”
A spokesperson for Emera, the parent company of Nova Scotia Power, says they hope to add more turbines in the future. But Nancy Tower cautioned they are aware of concerns from local fishermen. The company is confident the turbines are not a danger to fish and officials are closely monitoring the situation.