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NS Power and OpenHydro successfully deploy in-stream tidal turbine in the Bay of Fundy

HALIFAX and PARRSBORO, NS — NS Power and its tidal technology partner OpenHydro successfully deployed the first commercial scale in-stream tidal turbine in the Bay of Fundy. The one-megawatt commercial scale turbine reached the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) deployment site, in the Minas Passage, yesterday afternoon and began preparations for deployment. The turbine was fully deployed just before 2:00 on November 12th and is now operational, rotating with the tides, collecting data, and producing energy.

"Today begins a very important period of testing that we believe will demonstrate that tidal energy can be part of Nova Scotia's renewable energy future," said Rob Bennett, President and CEO of Nova Scotia Power. "Working with OpenHydro, we are proud to be the first to deploy and test a commercial scale tidal turbine in the Bay of Fundy and look forward to the learnings ahead."

The turbine's journey from Halifax to the deployment site, located approximately three kilometres off the shore of Black Rock, took 7 days. Once on site, the 400-tonne device was lowered in less than six hours to its intended location on the ocean floor by the purpose-built barge called the OpenHydro Installer. The barge and the deployment method were both designed and developed by OpenHydro.

"Today is an historic first for Nova Scotia," said James Ives, CEO of OpenHydro. "For the first time, thanks to Nova Scotia Power's foresight and OpenHydro's technology, a commercial size in-stream tidal turbine has been successfully deployed in what is undoubtedly one of the world's strongest tidal energy resources."

The turbine now rests on the seabed held in place by a subsea gravity base designed by OpenHydro and fabricated by Cherubini Metal Works, a Dartmouth based company.

Nova Scotia Power's involvement with this tidal energy test facility is supported by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an arm's-length, not-for-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada.

November 25, 2009  By Newswire