SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Coast Guard says it hopes to have tidal power generators in the water by the end of the summer to provide electricity to its station in Eastport.

Capt. Jim McPherson said Wednesday the guard wants to tap into the power of Eastport’s 22-foot tides and 6-knot currents to provide a secondary power source for the Coast Guard facilities in the far eastern Maine city.

When the generators are installed, he said it would be the guard’s first foray into tidal power — and possibly the first federal government building anywhere.

McPherson said the project will have a $100,000 price tag and could serve as a prototype for other Coast Guard facilities in Alaska and Washington state.