FERC signs tidal power agreement with Maine
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said it signed the agreement with the state of Maine to coordinate procedures and schedules for review of tidal energy projects off the state's coast.
"It's my hope that with the leadership of states like Maine, we can get some of these tidal energy projects into the water so their effects can be measured and their benefits demonstrated," FERC Commissioner Philip Moeller said in a release.
Several companies are racing to generate clean power by building machines with turbines that turn with the natural cycles of the tides.
Ireland's OpenHydro said recently it sees full-scale tidal power plants operating before 2014 as it builds pilot projects for utilities in the United States, Canada and France. The company's tidal "farms" would have each a capacity of 50 megawatts or greater, with individual turbines of 1.5 to 2 MW.
Previously the FERC signed agreements on tidal power with the states of Oregon and Washington.
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EDF and France reach deal on electricity prices-source
PARIS - State-controlled power group EDF and the French government have reached a tentative deal on future nuclear power prices, a source close to the government said on Monday, ending months of tense negotiations.
The two sides agreed on 70 euros per megawatt hour (MWH) as a reference level for power prices, the source said, cautioning that details of the deal are still being finalised.
The negotiations aimed to find a compromise between EDF, which is eager to maximise revenues to fund investments, and the government, keen to keep electricity bills for French households and businesses as low as possible.
EDF declined to…
