@centrox,
what you are talking about is the tidal research stuff thats been going on, I think through Batelle Memorial Institute, near LUBEC , not Eastport. They have a tube with tidal props that, installed in the deeper bay waters, harness the tidal head. The research generator is only capable of about 200 kW and has only been there since 2012.
Ive been out there many times and its a big dispute going on , (not technological) but environmental(The area is an alewife spawning site an these are major baitfish for the lobstermen and deep liners. The two Indian tribes have had the sites in court on a Constitutional and Indian Treaty dispute ( denial of susbistance fishing is breaking an 1867 agreement tween the US and the Tribes)
The BIG project was on the books back in the 1930;s and they were talking GIGA watts