DTA Selected for Snohomish PUD’s Tidal Energy Project

Portland, ME, May 15, 2008 - Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (DTA) has recently been selected by Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County, Washington, to assist with the development of an environmental study plan, permitting support and other project related activities for the District’s Tidal Energy Project in Puget Sound.

The District has a rapidly growing service load and is required by the Washington State renewable portfolio standard to provide 15% of its load from new, renewable energy resources by 2020. These factors result in a need to add approximately 140 MW of renewable energy resources to the Districts portfolio. The District believes that tidal energy has the potential to contribute significantly towards meeting this challenge.

During February and March 2007, the District received Preliminary Permits from FERC for seven potential tidal energy development sites in Puget Sound. DTA prepared a Preliminary Application Document (PAD) for the District in 2007. The District submitted the PAD to FERC covering all seven of these sites in January 2008, and currently intends to initially pursue a limited scale (<5MW) tidal energy pilot plant in Admiralty Inlet as the first component of a phased development approach. The District anticipates selecting a specific tidal energy conversion technology in 2009.

Key DTA team members working on this project include Devin Malkin, Gabe Kopp, Stephen Spain and Mike Murphy.

 

DTA CEO Rick Miller Inducted as NHA President

Portland, ME, April 22, 2008 - Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (DTA) CEO Rick Miller was inducted as president of the National Hydropower Association (NHA) during the NHA 2008 conference held last week in Washington D.C.   Miller succeeds Leslie Eden, president of HCI Publications, as 2007 NHA president and joins John Devine as the second DTA principal to serve as president of the organization.  A major item on Miller's platform for the year is bringing increased awareness to pumped storage and its benefits, including integrating other renewables such as wind and kinetic hydro to an electric grid.  

Miller was one of nine DTA staff members who attended the event. DTA’s New York Region Manager Jim Gibson led Session 4A, Working with the Regulators on New Technologies. The session focused on the status of regulations for ocean, tidal, and hydrokinetic instream power technologies.  

DTA Selected for Horizon Wind Energy Project

Portland, Maine, March 4, 2008 - Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (DTA) has been selected by Horizon Wind Energy as the lead consultant for a new wind farm project. DTA will manage all of the engineering and permitting work required for this ~150 MW turbine facility, to be located in Aroostook County, Maine.

DTA Awarded NRCan Marine Energy Technology Review

Portland, Maine, February 29, 2008 - Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (DTA) was selected by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to perform a study to provide information on Canada’s ability to compete in marine energy technology development. The study will include a detailed technical overview of tidal current and wave energy technologies in addition to the assessment of Canada’s related R&D capabilities and capacity. Canada’s resources offer significant potential for wave and tidal current energy. NRCan cites preliminary studies that indicate Canada’s tidal current power potential in excess of 40 GW and wave power in the 160-180 GW range along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. 

DTA Awarded YCWA Relicensing

Portland, Maine, February 26, 2008 - Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (DTA) has been selected as the Relicensing Consultant for Yuba County Water Agency's Yuba River Development. The development is located in Northern California and consists of four powerhouses with a total generation capacity of almost 365 MW. The development is managed by YCWA for water storage, flood control, and recreation, and influences downstream river temperatures for the Yuba's threatened salmon and steelhead fishery. The current license expires in 2016 and will be relicensed using the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP).

DTA Opens Toronto, Ontario Office

DTA announces the opening of its first Canadian office in Toronto, Ontario. “DTA’s expansion into Canada results from our desire to participate in the reenergized Canadian hydro market, building on our success and leadership in the U.S. hydro sector,” says Rick Miller, CEO of DTA.

As manager of the new Toronto office, Karen Graham, PMP and former supervisor of project management with Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation Services in Mississauga, brings 8 years of hydroelectric project management and procurement experience to the expansion. Graham commented, ”I am enthused by the opportunity to bring DTA’s client-focused philosophy to the Canadian marketplace.”

Since its inception in 2003, DTA has grown from six offices and a staff of 130 to nine offices and a staff of over 225.