HANGZHOU — China’s first tidal power station has been connected to the grid for a year, the longest stable use of the renewable energy, according to the developer.

The 3.4 megawatt generating unit built by Hangzhou Lin Dong Ocean Energy Technology Co Ltd in Zhoushan city, East China’s Zhejiang province, has sent over 800,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity to the grid.

Lin Dong, chief engineer and chair of the company, said on May 31 that when all turbines of the generating unit are installed in November, it will have an annual power output of 6 million kilowatt-hours, enough for supplying electricity for 3,000 households annually.

The previous record of tidal energy power generation was set in Britain with a four-month supply in 2015.

He said the company is aiming at building a 15 megawatt or 20 megawatt power unit that can break even the cost, making the sustainable energy feasible.

Lin is expecting foreign orders, with representatives from Canada and New Zealand interested.