PacWave South is now complete and fully operational. Developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the State of Oregon, Oregon State University (OSU), and local stakeholders, it is a state-of-the-art, pre-permitted, grid-connected wave energy test site. Construction updates and photographs documenting the project’s progress from May 2021 through March 2025 are archived on our PacWave Updates page
The open-ocean test site consists of four berths occupying approximately two square nautical miles, connected to shore by four subsea power and data cables extending approximately 12 miles. The location for PacWave South was selected through an extensive public outreach process, including significant input from the local commercial fishing community, and the project continues to enjoy broad community support.
Because PacWave South is pre-permitted for the majority of wave energy device technologies, developers can avoid the lengthy and costly site permitting process typically required for open-ocean testing. This significantly reduces the time and cost required to validate, optimize, and commercialize new wave energy technologies.
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. Construction was completed in early 2025, and later that year, OSU signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). As a result, PacWave South is now fully operational and ready to support grid-connected testing by wave energy technology developers.
Summary information about PacWave South is available here.
