Proposed Tidal-Powered Underwater Data Center Aims to Transform Maine's Coast
March 13, 2026
A novel proposal for a 51-megawatt underwater data center complex, uniquely powered by tidal energy, has been submitted for regulatory review off the coast of Eastport, Maine. This ambitious project represents a significant convergence of green energy and high-density computing, seeking to leverage the ocean's natural cooling and predictable tidal forces to power next-generation AI infrastructure while supplying clean electricity to local communities.
DeepGreen Western Passage SPV LLC has filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), requesting a 48-month preliminary permit to conduct environmental and engineering studies in the Western Passage. According to the application, the company plans to install “universal docking cradles” on the seabed. These structures would accommodate both tidal energy turbines and sealed pods containing high-performance computing hardware. The initial phase envisions deploying 170 turbines alongside 34 data center pods.
The project, with an estimated cost of $415 million to be funded by DeepGreen and other backers, is designed to serve a dual purpose. The tidal turbines will primarily power the submerged servers, with surplus energy directed to the local grid for residents and businesses in Eastport and the neighboring Passamaquoddy Tribe. Louis Wolfson of DeepGreen told local media that the company intends to use “proven technologies” and is exploring a similar initiative in Alaska’s Cook Inlet.
While still a nascent concept, underwater data centers have attracted growing interest for their potential to drastically reduce cooling energy costs. Several companies worldwide are testing the waters. China’s HiCloud has commercially operational modules deployed 35 meters deep off Hainan Province and is planning larger-scale projects linked to offshore wind. U.S.-based Subsea Cloud claims to operate 13,500 servers underwater in Asia, marketing them to AI and gaming clients, while NetworkOcean is experimenting with floating server concepts.
However, the industry has witnessed notable setbacks. Microsoft’s high-profile Project Natick, which submerged a data center capsule off Scotland in 2018, was declared over in 2024. Noelle Walsh, head of Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation, stated definitively, “I'm not building subsea data centers anywhere in the world.” This history underscores the significant technical and permitting challenges that projects like DeepGreen’s must overcome.
If successful, the Maine proposal could pioneer a new model for sustainable, coastal-edge computing, demonstrating a path to co-locate critical digital infrastructure with renewable energy generation in environmentally sensitive areas.
Source: datacenterdynamics
