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Park Turns Waves into Watts by Becky Brun NW Current, March 12, 2007

Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative (PNGC Power) and Ocean Power Technologies Inc. are making a joint venture in wave energy. The companies in February announced plans to develop a 2-megawatt wave energy park in Douglas County, near Reedsport, Ore.

Portland-based PNGC Power is providing an undisclosed amount of funding, as well as facilitating permitting and power transmission. PNGC, which is owned by 15 Northwest electric cooperative utilities, intends to purchase all the electricity generated at the demonstration site. Pennington, N.J.-based Ocean Power Technologies plans to equip the Reedsport wave energy park with its PowerBuoy systems. The buoys, placed 50 meters below the surface, transmit electricity to shore through an underwater power cable that feeds the main power grid.

Reedsport's first PowerBuoy system could be generating electricity by the end of 2007, according to PNGC Power spokeswoman Kathi VanderZanden.