The Nova Scotia government has revoked the renewable-energy licence of the now-bankrupt OpenHydro and ordered the removal of its experimental in-stream tidal turbine from the Bay of Fundy.
The decision, announced on Tuesday, comes after a contentious, years-long project that ended last year when OpenHydro, one of the central partners of the project, went into bankruptcy protection.
READ MORE: Cape Sharp Tidal turbine was ‘damaged beyond repair’ in September
The bankruptcy filing came a short time after the company successfully connected a two-megawatt turbine to Nova Scotia’s electricity grid in July 2018.
The turbine system, which, according to bankruptcy filings, was “damaged beyond repair” in September 2018, has been sitting at the bottom of the Bay of Fundy ever since.
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“The company no longer has the financial ability to deliver the project, which breaches the terms of its licence under the Marine Renewable-energy Act,” the province said in a press release.
“The company is now required to retrieve its turbine in the Minas Basin. If that does not happen in a reasonable time frame, government will begin the process of accessing the security that remains in place.”
WATCH (Aug. 14, 2018): Emera Inc. left with no ‘practical choice’ but to pull support from Cape Sharp Tidal project
The project was once a joint venture between OpenHydro and Emera Inc., the parent company of Nova Scotia Power.
Emera pulled out of the project shortly after OpenHydro filed for bankruptcy, saying it had no “practical choice” but to withdraw from the project.
The province says the turbine is being monitored and “presents no danger to marine life or the environment.”
More to come.
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