PacWave: From Concept to Reality

After more than a decade of planning, permitting, engineering, and construction, a first-of-its-kind wave energy research facility off the central Oregon coast is officially complete.

Oregon State University celebrated the completion of PacWave South with a ribbon-cutting on August 27. Located about seven miles offshore near Seal Rock, PacWave South gives wave energy developers a place to test full-scale technologies in real ocean conditions.

That's where Central Lincoln comes in.

Four offshore test berths connect to shore via subsea power and data cables and ultimately to our electric system. When the devices being tested begin producing electricity, that infrastructure will allow the power to move from the Pacific Ocean onto Central Lincoln's system.

Many Central Lincoln employees, past and present, have contributed their expertise over the years as the project moved from planning and permitting to construction and completion.

A mostly hidden connection

Much of the infrastructure that makes PacWave work will never be visible to most people.

The four test berths occupy approximately two square nautical miles of ocean. From there, four subsea power and data cables travel approximately 12 miles before coming ashore near Driftwood Beach. The cables continue underground to PacWave's Utility Connection and Monitoring Facility.

The facility can accommodate multiple wave energy devices at the same time, allowing developers to test different technologies and collect data on how they perform.

Local commercial fishermen and other community stakeholders were involved in selecting the site, helping identify a location that could accommodate testing while reducing conflicts with existing ocean uses.

Despite all that activity offshore, don't expect a dramatically different view from the beach. At about seven miles offshore, and with much of the equipment below the ocean's surface, wave energy devices may be difficult to see from land.

Why build a testing facility?

The idea of capturing energy from ocean waves isn't new. Figuring out how to do it reliably and affordably is another matter.

Testing new technology in the open ocean can be expensive and complicated, particularly when developers must go through the lengthy permitting process required for an individual test site. PacWave South is already permitted for most types of wave energy technologies, removing a significant hurdle for developers who want to see how their equipment performs in real ocean conditions.

And that's really the point of PacWave.

No one knows yet what role wave energy may ultimately play in our region's energy future. Before an emerging technology can become commercially viable, it has to be tested. Developers need to learn what works, what doesn't, and how equipment holds up under the demanding conditions of the open ocean. PacWave gives them a place to do that - right here on the Oregon coast.

What does this mean for Central Lincoln customers?

Although PacWave South is now complete and fully operational, it is a research facility, not a commercial power project. Customers will not be able to sign up for or specifically purchase "PacWave power."

Electricity generated during testing, however, will flow onto Central Lincoln's local electric system and become part of the power flowing through our grid.

The first devices had been expected to begin testing in 2026, but delays affecting participating developers have pushed that timeline back. PacWave officials now expect wave energy generation to begin in 2028.

Completing PacWave doesn't answer the big questions about the future of wave energy. Instead, it provides something that hasn't existed before in the continental United States: a place where researchers and developers can begin finding those answers.