| Annapolis Royal Generating Station | |
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The Annapolis Royal Generating Station viewed at high tide. |
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| Country | Canada |
| Location | Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1984 |
| Owner(s) | Nova Scotia Power |
| Power station information | |
| Primary fuel | Tidal |
| Power generation information | |
| Installed capacity | 20 MW |
| Annual generation | 50 GWh |
The Annapolis Royal Generating Station is a 20 MW tidal power station located on the Annapolis River immediately upstream from the town of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada.[1] It is the only tidal generating station in North America.[2] The generating station harnesses the tidal difference created by the large tides in the Annapolis Basin, a sub-basin of the Bay of Fundy. Opened in 1984, the Annapolis Royal Generating Station was constructed by Nova Scotia Power Corporation, which was, at the time, a provincial government Crown corporation that was frequently used to socially benefit various areas in the province.
Tidal harnesses to generate electricity had been under discussion for the Bay of Fundy and its various sub-basins for several decades. The decision to build the facility was partly prompted by the promise of federal funding for this alternative energy project, as well as the provincial requirement of the Department of Transportation to replace an aging steel truss bridge over the river between Annapolis Royal and Granville Ferry. The resulting rock-filled dam carries Trunk 1 across the river, as well as housing the power house and sluice gates.
The project has had mixed results. While effectively generating electricity, the blocking of water flow by the dam (to allow the tidal difference to accumulate every six hours) has resulted in increased river bank erosion on both the upstream and downstream ends. The dam is also known as a trap for marine life. Two notable cases occurred in: