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Friday, 04 September 2026

ocean energy

PacWave South is Now Open For Business

PacWave South, the first fully operational, pre-permitted and grid-connected wave energy test facility in the continental United States, is now open for business. A ribbon cutting ceremony on August 27 celebrated the culmination of nearly 15 years of planning, permitting, design, construction, and close collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy’s  Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office, the facility’s operator, Oregon State University, and other partners.  
Tim Ramsey, H2O
Tim Ramsey, H2O's Marine Energy Program Manager

Thanks to its pre-permitted status, PacWave South allows wave energy developers to test devices without regulatory delays that can add to testing budgets and timelines. Facility operators have already begun to work with marine energy developers in preparation for the inaugural tests.

“Our oceans offer a largely untapped resource of abundant, affordable power,” said Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) Director Nichole Fitzgerald. "The PacWave South facility will help reduce testing barriers for wave energy developers and spur innovation to America’s benefit for years to come.”

Bonneville Power Administration signed a Power Purchase Agreement with the PacWave facility in 2025 to offtake the power generated from the wave energy devices undergoing testing. The Central Lincoln People’s Utility District, located within BPA’s transmission area, will distribute the affordable, reliable, and secure power to local homes and businesses as soon as tests begin.

PacWave South offers several key advantages:

  • A fully operational offshore testing infrastructure, including dedicated subsea power and data cables connected to the Utility Connection and Monitoring Facility (UCMF) and the regional electrical grid.
  • Four independently cabled test berths capable of accommodating up to 20 wave energy converters, with a combined generating capacity of up to 20 MW.
  • A dedicated power and data connection for each berth, capable of supporting up to 5 MW of electrical generation.
  • Comprehensive environmental monitoring conducted by OSU in accordance with regulatory requirements.
  • A nationally significant testing capability that enables multiple wave energy technologies to be evaluated simultaneously under real-world ocean conditions.

In March 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued OSU a 25-year license to construct and operate PacWave South, marking the culmination of an unprecedented regulatory and permitting effort spanning nearly a decade. PacWave South is now fully operational and ready to support grid-connected testing by wave energy technology developers.

PHOTO: Tim Ramsey, H2O's Marine Energy Program Manager, delivered a speech at the PacWave South opening ceremony to celebrate its creation and the scientific breakthroughs it will house. (Darryl Lai, Oregon State University)
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