Eauclaire Tidal and UK-based Orbital Marine Power have been awarded 12.5 megawatts of new marine energy licences by the Province of Nova Scotia, advancing plans to expand tidal stream power generation at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) in the Bay of Fundy.
The two companies were selected as the sole recipients under Nova Scotia’s 2025 tidal energy procurement process and granted a pair of 15-year power purchase agreements, along with associated seabed and electrical connection rights at the FORCE site.
The new award will support the deployment of six Orbital O2-X tidal turbines across the Minas Passage. Each turbine is expected to generate about 180 gigawatt-hours of predictable, emissions-free electricity over the duration of the contracts.
The development marks Orbital Marine’s largest project outside the United Kingdom and represents a key step toward harnessing the Bay of Fundy’s world-renowned tidal resource to deliver stable renewable power to Nova Scotia’s grid.
“Our partnership will deliver reliable, emissions-free electricity to the Nova Scotia power grid from the Bay of Fundy, which is known to be one of the best tidal energy resources in the world,” said Jane Lowrie, president of Eauclaire Tidal. “We look forward to working with our First Nation partners and local communities to build a strong tidal power industrial base that will create specialised, permanent employment opportunities right here in Nova Scotia.”
Eauclaire vice-president Jennifer Lewis said the project will contribute to Nova Scotia’s decarbonisation goals. “Our plan is to deploy these tidal generation units to help Nova Scotia achieve its emission reduction targets, including decreasing reliance on coal-fired generation, while creating sustainable employment opportunities for Nova Scotia residents,” she said.
Orbital Marine Power, which has been collaborating with Eauclaire on tidal projects in Nova Scotia since 2023, will co-own and operate the projects through continued investment and serve as engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for delivery of its O2-X turbine technology.
Orbital chief executive Andrew Scott said the contracts signal growing momentum for tidal power in Canada. “This tremendous news provides the critical first steps in an exciting, scalable vision for Orbital to work with our partners, investors, supply chain and public sector stakeholders across Nova Scotia and Canada to capture the huge sustainable benefits that can flow from harnessing the clean energy that moves like clockwork through the Bay of Fundy,” he said.
The companies said the latest award represents a significant milestone for the Canadian marine energy industry, demonstrating rising investor confidence in tidal stream technology and positioning Nova Scotia as an emerging hub for commercial-scale tidal power deployment.
