N.S. government will oversee recovery of abandoned tidal turbine

Michael Gorman · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 14, 2025 4:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Nova Scotia Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau says his section volition instrumentality the pb connected uncovering a mode to retrieve a long-abandoned tidal turbine from the level of the Bay of Fundy.

Previously, the section tried to necktie betterment of the 1,300-tonne turbine to berth conditions astatine the Fundy Ocean Research Centre of Energy (FORCE), located adjacent Parrsboro, N.S.

But successful an interrogation connected Monday, Boudreau confirmed his section and FORCE volition present oversee the effort.

"We privation this done arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable to beryllium capable to unfastened up that berth but it has to beryllium done successful a harmless and due way," said Boudreau.

Removing the turbine was expected to beryllium the work of tidal vigor institution Occurrent Power arsenic portion of its berth conditions astatine FORCE. But those plans were scuttled aft the company, which had hoped to harness the almighty tides of the Bay of Fundy to make electricity, filed for bankruptcy past fall.

Boudreau said determination is nary timeline yet for the betterment work. A section spokesperson has antecedently noted that a $4.5-million enslaved from Occurrent toward the outgo of retrieving the instrumentality remains successful place.

The turbine was abandoned more than six years agone after OpenHydro Group Ltd., the genitor of instrumentality proprietor Cape Sharp Tidal Venture, declared bankruptcy. Efforts besides proceed to region 4 railcars filled with concrete that acted arsenic moorings for the Occurrent project. Transport Canada has declared them a navigational hazard.

Meanwhile, the Energy Department announced past week that it's looking to capable the different 2 vacant berths astatine FORCE. The state hired Power Advisory LLC to negociate the procurement process, which volition statesman adjacent month.

Successful applicants volition get licences and powerfulness acquisition agreements with Nova Scotia Power and make agreements with FORCE to usage the site, according to a merchandise from the Energy Department. Only companies with the method expertise and fiscal capableness to construct, run and decommission a task volition beryllium considered, the merchandise said.

Minister remains optimistic

The 2 berths were antecedently held by DP Energy.

Eauclaire Tidal Limited Partnership and Reconcept Group presently inhabit the different 2 berths astatine FORCE.

For years, successive premiers and vigor ministers person talked astir the imaginable of utilizing the tides successful the Bay of Fundy to create renewable energy, but there's been small to amusement for that speech different than bankrupt companies and busted devices.

Still, Boudreau said helium remains optimistic that idiosyncratic and immoderate task could travel on to illustration a caller course.

"We inactive person proponents who are precise funny and privation to enactment with america connected solving this challenge. So, you know, this is the benignant of happening that trial sites are required for. This is what it's about, it's astir learning from past failures and gathering connected those."