Snohomish PUD abandons tidal power project

The electric utility in Snohomish County has abandoned plans to produce energy from the tides, due to increasing costs.

The plan for the research project was to place two, 20-foot diameter turbines at the bottom of Admiralty Inlet, west of Whidbey Island.

The Snohomish County PUD filed its first permits for the multimillion dollar pilot project back in 2006. Initial site work was supposed to start next year.

But recently, the U.S. Department of Energy declined to increase its 50-percent share of the rising costs. Now, the utility says it can no longer justify going forward.

“The tidal project, however, remains worthwhile to pursue on behalf of the nation to further the potential development of marine renewable energy,” PUD general manager Steve Klein said in a statement.

The utility was preparing to solicit final construction bids when it abandoned the project.