November 16, 2007

Campbell River Mirror

Three 1.2 megawatt tidal power generators are planned for the waters off Campbell River’s shores by 2009.

Marine Current Turbine and BC Tidal Energy Corporation recently signed an agreement to install SeaGen tidal energy turbines near Campbell River. The agreement is the first step in a plan to develop larger tidal farms off British Columbia’s coast, which the company says has a tidal energy potential of up to 4,000 MW.

“Working with our Canadian partners, MCT is in a very strong position to deploy its pioneering clean electricity generation technology on both sides of Canada,” said Martin Wright, managing director of Marine Current Turbines in a news release.

In the release, Mayor Roger McDonell supported the project.

“We have the resource at our doorstep.

We have a mature and capable ocean industry and scientific community in British Columbia.

The economic opportunity is still wide open in this exciting new energy sector. It means new jobs and green power that is as reliable and predictable as the tides,” he said.