Installation of Power and Data Cables at Oregon State University’s PacWave South Wave Energy Test Site

Construction of the first pre-permitted, utility-scale wave energy test site in the United States is forging ahead as the installation of power and data cables at Oregon State University’s PacWave South is set to begin later this month.

The installation of these cables marks a crucial step in completing the construction of a new wave energy testing facility off the coast of Oregon. The work will involve installing four power and data cables, ranging from 10 to 13 continuous miles in length, from a vault under the parking lot of Driftwood Beach State Park south of Newport out to the offshore test site.

Leading the cable installation is Louisiana-based subsea cable services contractor R.T. Casey, with crews set to work aboard three vessels for six to seven weeks, depending on ocean conditions. The cables will be anchored in an underground vault at Driftwood, run through conduits underneath the beach, and be buried about three feet under the seafloor towards the test site.

Manufactured in Norway by the Paris-based firm Nexans, the cables were transported to Oregon via the Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) HOS Innovator. Another vessel, the OSV Nautilus, will follow behind to bury the cable using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), while the M/V Liberty will support diving operations during the installation.

“This cabled connection provides the capability to test power-delivery technologies, a significant challenge in the field of wave energy development,” said Burke Hales, PacWave’s chief scientist.

The completion of PacWave South will enable wave energy developers to test various technologies for harnessing the power of ocean waves and transmitting that energy to the local electrical grid. The first wave energy developer is expected at the site in 2025, with the first cable-connected test anticipated in 2026.

Funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, the state of Oregon, and other public and private entities, PacWave South is managed by Oregon State’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. This cutting-edge facility is poised to drive innovation in the field of wave energy and pave the way for sustainable energy solutions in the future.