The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted the Wiscasset Tidal Resources Project for the Sheepscot River acceptance for filing and comment.
The project is one of four projects now being proposed for Wiscasset.
Program director Peter Arnold, sustainability coordinator for the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, said Tuesday, “It’s under the renewable energy category, and it fits the criteria of the current (Obama) administration.”
Arnold believes time is ripe for all four projects proposed for Wiscasset, the Tidal Resources project, Riverbank electric power, a wind power project connecting to the grid, and a DC underwater power line for exporting power out of the state.
“The region is well positioned to take advantage of the stimulus package the administration proposes,” he said.
Arnold said the four projects could make Wiscasset a world-class provider of electric power and model renewable energy as an up and coming trend nationally and could help move the state away further away from fossil fuel dependence for transportation and heating.
The FERC acceptance of filing amounts to official recognition of the application, Arnold said. A 60-day comment period will follow that step and conceivably make possible a decision to grant a preliminary permit for the tidal project.
FERC notified local officials about its decision in a communication last week. The decision moves the permitting process one step further toward a feasibility study of the project.
The proposal consists of 4-40 hydrokinetic turbine-generating units with a total capacity of 1-10 megawatts of electricity. The local proposal calls for an estimated 43.8 gigawatt hours of annual electric power generation to be sold for the local grid at the former Maine Yankee site.
It also includes an underwater transmission cable about six miles in length, a 1000-foot long, 480-volt transmission line, and related facilities.
This week Wiscasset Town Manager Arthur Faucher said the project now has to go to other federal agencies for review, including the federal Dept. of Interior, Office of Environmental Affairs; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England Office, the federal Bureau of Land Management, and National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region.
Arnold has been instrumental in providing a grant from the foundation to cover the application cost in behalf of the town.
Last fall, Arnold convinced town officials Wiscasset should have control over any power energy applicants by submitting one of its own so that it would have some local control over any power companies.
One company, which moved ahead with an application to FERC without consulting with the town first, has since withdrawn its application.
Another company, Ocean Renewable Power Co., a Maine-based operation, made a presentation last fall before selectmen. The company plans to conduct a feasibility study in collaboration with the University of Maine at Orono and Maine Maritime Academy.
The company has been working on a pilot project in Eastport, and company officials believe a similar project would be feasible in Wiscasset and has received a preliminary permit to proceed with a feasibility study, according to Arnold.
Another project, the Riverbank Energy Center project for the Back River, would not interfere with the tidal project and could operate at the same time, according to Arnold. The company also has applied for a FERC permit and lately has been making borings on the former Maine Yankee property north of Ferry Rd., which is part of the Point East iPark industrial land.
The project involves an entirely different technology than the tidal project. Instead, water flowing from a reservoir on the property descending to the riverbed would turn turbines to produce electric power.
The wind power project Arnold mentioned consists of 1000 wind operated turbines located on floats in the Gulf of Maine out of sight from the shore. He said Wiscasset’s grid system would be the likely place for connection of the power for transmission where needed.
