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09/14/2006: "Marine Turbines Study For SJC Proposed"

(Artist's rendering of an array of twin rotor tidal turbines -Marine Current Turbines Ltd photo)

Snohomish PUD (Snohomish County Public Utility District) representatives gave a PowerPoint presentation to the County Council last Tuesday, on what may be involved in using tides to produce electrical energy.

To a standing room only crowd of invited guests, experts and representatives of various SJC agencies, The General Manager of the Snohomish PUD, Steve Klein, and Brian Polagye, a Research Assistant from the U of Wa, presented to the Council an overview of a feasibility study they have proposed to undertake in San Juan County.

The proposal includes two possible sites, one in San Juan Channel at Cattle Point Pass that would have an array of 116 turbines with 20 m diameter blades, and a site in Spieden Channel that would have an array of 168 turbines. Mr. Klein was candid and quick to point out that such an endeavor will involve an intense investigation of a number of factors, ranging from the mechanical to the ecological, and stressed that what is now being looked at is only a study of the project, not the implementation of the project.

As to why Snohomish is looking for new power sources in the first place, Klein explained that Snohomish PUD is simply out of capacity to provide the needed electrical power for the growth they are experiencing, and so they must look elsewhere for sources. The question who how does San Juan County benefit from having tidal generators installed in our waters by another county, and Klein explained that the power would go into the state grid, and that a partnership with OPALCO was a possibility.

The claim that the study would be a paper study only, brought forth an observation from Councilman Ranker that it was his understanding that a "study" could allow the installation of one. or some. units. This seemed to be news to presenters, but in a later response to a question from Island Guardian columnist Gordy Peterson (Gordy's column, Poker Face, gives his impressions of the meeting), Klein explained that it was important that Snohomish first look at "possible sources of energy in their own backyard, before going to eastern Washington and building wind generators", explaining that it would be important to show they had first studied alternative locations, prior to proposing to impact some area outside of their own "backyard".

Mr., Klein told the Council that PUD has moved to secure a place in line to study projects now, due to a concern that companies in the private sector may move in, and start reserving rights for future development, and that could foreclose the ability of public use in the future.