Eauclaire Tidal and Orbital Marine Power announce they have been selected as the exclusive awardees of new tidal energy licences under the Province of Nova Scotia’s 2025 tidal energy procurement process.
Through this award, the Eauclaire–Orbital partnership has been granted an additional 12.5 megawatts (MW) of capacity via two 15-year power purchase agreements. The licences also include associated seabed rights and electrical infrastructure connection opportunities at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy. (FORCE)
This expands the partnership’s contracted pipeline supporting the installation of six Orbital O2-X tidal turbines across the existing FORCE facility in the Minas Passage. Once operational, each turbine will produce around 180GWh of predictable, clean energy over the 15-year contract period.
This represents Orbital Marine Power’s largest project outside the United Kingdom and a major step toward harnessing the power of the Bay of Fundy, one of the most powerful tidal resources in the world, to deliver reliable, emissions-free energy for Nova Scotia.
Eauclaire and Orbital have been working as co-sponsors of tidal stream energy projects in Nova Scotia since 2023. Orbital, through its continued investment in Eauclaire, will co-own and operate the projects and perform the role of EPC contractor for the delivery of its six O2-X turbines.
Jane Lowrie, President of Eauclaire, said: “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.
“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. We greatly appreciate the support from the Nova Scotia government that has got us to this stage.”
Vice-President of Eauclaire, Jennifer Lewis, said: “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.”
Andrew Scott, Orbital Marine Power CEO said: “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.”
“It’s exciting to see a Canadian company and the world’s leading floating tidal technology making a long-term commitment to Nova Scotia. Together with regulators, Mi’kmaw community, scientists, government and other partners, FORCE will continue to support monitoring solutions that ensure responsible development. Tidal energy is unique – it delivers guaranteed power, four times a day, and represents a lasting opportunity for clean energy and local growth.” said Lindsay Bennett, Executive Director, Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy
“This announcement marks an exciting step forward for Nova Scotia’s tidal energy sector. It demonstrates how collaboration between government, industry and local communities is turning the Bay of Fundy’s incredible natural resource into clean energy, skilled jobs and long-term economic growth. Projects like this show that with the right partnerships and policy support, Nova Scotia can continue to lead the way in marine renewable innovation.” said Elisa Oberman, Executive Director, Marine Renewables Canada
This latest award marks an important milestone for both companies and for the wider marine energy sector in Canada. It demonstrates growing investor confidence in tidal stream technology as a dependable component of the clean-energy mix and signals Nova Scotia’s emergence as a global hub for commercial-scale tidal power. With government, industry, and community partners aligned, Eauclaire and Orbital are now advancing plans toward first deployment and to play a significant role in building a tidal energy industry in Nova Scotia.
