Tidal power turbine owned by bankrupt company washes ashore on Brier Island

A tidal turbine owned by a company already financially on the rocks washed ashore on Brier Island, N.S., Friday morning.

Residents and fishermen came across the machinery that ran aground near Sweetcake Cove after breaking loose from the Westport Harbour.

"I was like, 'Oh no,'" said Jess Tudor, who was walking his dogs when he noticed the turbine on the shore. "This is not good."

Tudor said the turbine floated about a kilometre from where it was docked but didn't appear to cause any significant damage.

"It was quite close to a lot of our infrastructure," he said. "It was lucky that it didn't take out the wharf or anything."

Failed Bay of Fundy project

The turbine had been sitting idle for a long stretch without being checked on, said the Westport Harbour master.

"I'm not so sure that the powers that be realized how strong the tides are and what the strain is on that platform," said Penny Graham.

The turbine is owned by Sustainable Marine Energy, which announced earlier this year it filed for bankruptcy.

The company hoped to create power from the Bay of Fundy's massive tides but its chief executive said there were too many regulatory hurdles from the federal government.

Sustainability Marine Energy lost between $30 million and $40 million on the project, according to the chief executive. He said the losses would likely discourage other tidal power investments.

There are three other potential developers still involved in the test facility operated by the non-profit Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, near Parrsboro, N.S.

A federal task force that was created earlier this year to explore challenges to developing tidal power is scheduled to meet on Monday. 

Next steps

Graham said the turbine was towed off the rocks Friday afternoon and is back in the harbour and divers are going to inspect the moorings to see how it may have broken loose.

Since the company that owns the turbine has gone bankrupt, she said she's not sure if it or the federal government is responsible for removing the machine.

"Who's checking the moorings to make sure it doesn't go ashore and clean out somebody's shop or something? You know, we were lucky this time," Graham said. "May not be so lucky the next time."

In a joint statement issued Friday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard said the barge has been refloated and is secured. The statement said a damage assessment is being done to ensure there was no threat to the marine environment.