Besides FERC issuing the first ever hydrokinetic license for Washington's Makah Bay Project [1] (FERC No. 12751-000), in December, Pacific, Gas & Electric signed the first contract to purchase wave energy with the Canadian firm Finavera Renewables [2] for a small 2 megawatt project located about 2.5 miles off the coast of Eureka, CA with electricity to be delivered to customers onshore in northern and central California. PG&E says it is "cautiously optimistic" about wave energy's potential and, in fact, is also seeking to develop its own wave energy projects in addition to the power purchase agreement with Finavera.

In January, 2008, Green Wave Energy sent in a preliminary permit application for the Oregon Coastal Wave Energy Project [3] (FERC No. 13047-000) to be located in the Pacific Ocean in Tillamook County,Oregon. Description of Project: The proposed project would consist of six developments, each containing five to 90 wave buoys, and with all projects estimated to have an average annual generation from 87.5 to 790 gigawatthours. The six projects are the Nehalen Development, Kockaway Development, Garibaldi Development, Netarts Development,
Nectucci Development, and Neskowin Development.

Tacoma Power is completing the second year of a tidal power feasibility analysis in Washington's Tacoma Narrows [4](Puget Sound) under the three-year preliminary permit issued by the Commission (FERC No. 12612). Tacoma Power submitted its application on September 15, 2005 and FERC issued the permit on February 22,2006. To date, only studies have been performed and no turbines are in the water.

At the end of January, Public Utility District No. 1 of Snohomish County, Washington submitted a Pre-Application Document describing the existing environment of Puget Sound as it relates to the seven tidal energy projects for which the District holds preliminary permits. On February 22, 2007, the District was issued preliminary permits for five tidal energy projects proposed in and around Puget Sound (Rich Passage, P-12688;Spieden Channel, P-12689; Agate Passage, P-12691; San Juan Channel, P-12692; and Guemes Channel, P- 12698). On March 1, 2007 and March 9, 2007, Snohomish was issued preliminary permits for Deception Pass, P-12687, and Admiralty Inlet, P-12690. So far, the utility has only completed an investigation that includes evaluating each site’s potential for tidal energy generation and identifying the potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of a tidal energy development in Puget Sound. While the commercial fishery impacts of these new projects may not be as great in Washington as it is in Oregon, each of these projects are located in important recreational areas throughout Washington's Puget Sound and San Juan Islands.

So far, in-river hydrokinetic projects have not sought applications in the Pacific Northwest, except for several projects proposed for northern Alaska. But nationally, the number of in-river projects vastly outweigh the number of wave or tidal applications. The Ste. Genevieve Bend Project (FERC No. P-12917-000) in and adjacent to the Mississippi River is one of 14 proposed projects along Missouri's border. It plans to install up to 3,850 20-kilowatt Free Flow generating units (337 gigawatt-hours annually) and the permit area for this project is approximately 7.7 miles long. All 14 proposed projects would impact 74 miles of river.