Seacoast NRG

NH HB 694, which proposes to study the potential for tidal energy development under the Little Bay and General Sullivan bridges on the Piscataqua River, was endorsed by the NH Senate’s Energy, Environment and Economic Development Committee yesterday, by a vote of 3-0.  Sponsored by NH state representative Tom Fargo (D) of Dover, the bill would establish a commission to identify and collect information, and investigate the necessary regulatory requirements to determine the feasibility of building a system for tidal power generation at the bridge sites.  To be included in the study are:

• Permitting standards, including regulatory barriers to permitting of such projects;
• The public’s and business community’s attitudes toward the project;
• The environmental and wildlife impacts; and
• The cost and benefits of the project and potential for compensation to the state and municipalities.

In addition to the studies proposed by the state for the bridge sites, other sites in Newington and Dover are being studied for commercial development of tidal energy.  Currently two firms have obtained exclusive permits from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to perform tidal energy feasibility studies.  The permits, valid for three years, are held by the New Hampshire Tidal Energy Company (a front company for Oceana, which is squatting permits for several prime tidal locations around the country), and by the Underwater Electric Kite Company, which at least has some history of developing river and tidal power.

HB 694 has already been passed by the New Hampshire House.  For further reading, I have other posts related to HB 694 and tidal energy in New Hampshire.