Crest Energy announced a project proposal to build a tidal power plant and converter in a New Zealand harbor.

The plant, proposed for an area just north of Auckland in the Kaipara Harbour, would have a 200 megawatt capacity with 200 turbines, a DC-AC converter and a land substation. Two 20-mile DC cables will be buried a minimum of 4 feet underneath the harbor floor to reduce risks to the marine life.

Tidal power is predictable, sustainable, silent and invisible -- these advantages need to remain the focus, rather than the eight hours a day when tidal turbines produce little or no power, Anthony Hopkins, director of Crest Energy, Ltd., said in a statement. The application for the project was submitted to the Northland Regional Council last week and the process is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

The Kaipara Harbour was chosen as the location for the marine turbines because of its length and high volume of water flow. There is also no commercial shipping and Hopkins said that allows the turbines to be placed 16 feet below low tide.

The relatively low labor rates and a commitment to sustainable energy make the idea of placiing marine turbines for power generation in the mouth of a natural harbor not as unrealistic as it might seem n other countries. New Zealand produces over 60 percent of its electricity from renewable energy, primarily from hydroelectric and geothermal sources, Hopkins said.