Ocean Power Technologies Inc., a company developing electrical generators that harness wave energy, said it received an additional $1.9 million in its contract to install one of its systems off O'ahu.

The money supports the testing and monitoring of one of the company's PowerBuoy systems that is to be deployed about one mile off Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kane'ohe Bay.

George W. Taylor, chief executive officer of Pennington, N.J.-based Ocean Power, said most of the money will go toward the installation of the latest generation of its 40-kilowatt buoys, which will be installed about 100 feet above the sea floor.

Taylor said the company has tested several buoys here, but that the newest buoy will be connected to a cable that interfaces with Hawaiian Electric Co.'s system.

"This one will be the first one connected to the grid," said Taylor in a telephone interview.

The project entails installing, testing and connecting to a grid of multiple buoys.

The company said data from the test will also support engineering of the next generation of its buoys.

The Navy is also monitoring progress of the test for possible expansion of the systems to other bases.

The company said previous tests off Windward O'ahu included an environmental assessment by an independent engineering company to check on the potential impacts on the seabed, sea quality, fish and other organisms.

Ocean Power said that test found no significant impact on the environment.

"We expect to leverage this program in the commercial expansion of our business internationally," Taylor said.