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www.sname.org/sname/mt July 2013 Tidal energy is a renewable, locally-generated resource that can be easily and eciently integrated into our elec -trical grid,? says PUD General Manager Steve Klein. is project will help identify whether this resource can pro- vide long-term environmental benets to the citizens of the Northwest.? e project site oers attractive features, including swift currents, good access from nearby ports, a rocky seabed oor with little sediment and vegetation, and proximity to grid connections. Admiralty Inlet is a large body of water, which makes the footprint small by com- parison and helps minimize project impacts. Extensive study e PUD has partnered with a broad range of tech- nical partners to assess the viability of the site. As a result of the utilitys research, Admiralty Inlet is one of the most thoroughly characterized tidal energy sites in the world. Studies have obtained environmental baseline data, tidal current proles, bathymetric data, and geophysical information. Researchers also have addressed issues related to grid interconnections and navigational trac. Additional studies have covered the pilot projects design, operation, monitoring plans, and biological assessments. During its public process, the utility engaged numerous stakeholders, including local, state, and fed- eral agencies; tribal groups; business and environmental organizations; and residents. e utility has held more than 100 meetings with interested groups to share infor- mation and build consensus around the project. Puget Sound is an inland sea completely surrounded by committees,? jokes Craig Collar, PUD assistant general manager of power supply, who has led the project since its early stages. Initially we were introducing a project that people knew very little about. Once you mention a turbine with spinning rotors, many people automatically jump to conventional hydropower, which is a completely dierent animal. So we did quite a bit of education.? FERC developed its hydrokinetic pilot plant licens- ing process specically for projects such as the PUDs Admiralty Inlet pilot. e formal THE UTILITY PERSPECTIVE: After more than six years of study, the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD), north of Seattle, Washington, expects to receive approval this summer from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its pilot tidal energy project in Admiralty Inlet in northern Puget Sound. e project will deploy two turbines, each with a diam- eter of 6 m, designed by the Irish rm OpenHydro, at a depth of about 58 m. e PUD expects to launch its pilot as soon as fall 2014, operating the turbines for a period of three to ve years. PUGET SOUND Snohomish County Public Utility District and tidal energy By Neil Neroutsos (continued on page 62)