FERC Accepts Preliminary Permit Application for Alaska’s Subsea Data Center and Tidal Power Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has accepted for filing a preliminary permit application from DeepGreen Cook Inlet SPV, LLC for a proposed subsea computing and tidal energy facility in Alaska’s Upper Cook Inlet. The application, submitted under Section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act, seeks authorization to study the feasibility of the DeepGreen Cook Inlet Subsea-Compute & Infrastructure Hub, a project that would integrate marine energy generation with underwater data center infrastructure.

The proposed facility would be located in the East Foreland Corridor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, a region known for strong tidal currents. If developed, the project would deploy approximately 330 to 350 marine hydrokinetic turbines, each fitted with a proprietary universal docking cradle system. The turbine array would be integrated with 66 modular subsea-compute hives, or data center pods, designed to draw power directly from the turbines while leveraging passive subsea cooling to manage heat loads. A roughly 3.5-mile-long hybrid power and fiber-optic armored subsea cable would connect the array to a landing site in the Nikiski Industrial Corridor, positioned between the Agrium Kenai Nitrogen Operations and the Kenai Liquefied Natural Gas Plant.

The project is expected to generate approximately 100 megawatts of electricity annually, with output primarily dedicated to powering the subsea data center. Any surplus electricity would be routed to the Alaska Railbelt Grid through a dedicated terrestrial substation, providing a potential secondary benefit to the regional power network. The preliminary permit, if granted, would only grant DeepGreen priority to file a license application during the permit term; it would not authorize any land-disturbing activities or access to lands or waters owned by others without explicit permission.

The application was initially filed on February 11, 2026, and supplemented on June 26, 2026. FERC has set a deadline of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2, 2026, for comments, motions to intervene, competing applications, or notices of intent to file competing applications. The 60-day filing window, which would have closed on October 31, has been extended because that date falls on a Saturday. All filings must comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 4.36.

The proposal reflects a broader industry push to colocate energy generation with computational infrastructure, particularly in remote or environmentally sensitive areas where land-based data centers face space and cooling constraints. Subsea data centers are being explored by multiple technology and energy companies as a way to reduce energy transmission losses, lower cooling costs, and minimize land use impacts. If the DeepGreen project advances, it could serve as a reference model for future marine-based digital infrastructure projects, particularly in regions with strong tidal or ocean current resources.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing through its eFiling system. Comments of up to 10,000 characters may also be submitted via the eComment system without prior registration. Paper filings are accepted by mail or other carriers, and the first page of any submission must include docket number P-15423-000. The full application and related documents are available through FERC’s eLibrary system using the docket number P-15423.