For a US-incorporated company to be eligible for a license to own, construct or operate an ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship, the president or other executive officer, the chairman of the board of directors and a majority of the directors of the corporation must be United States citizens.
"§9102. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the term— [...] 
(11) "ocean thermal energy conversion facility" means any facility which is standing, fixed or moored in whole or in part seaward of the highwater mark and which is designed to use temperature differences in ocean water to produce electricity or another form of energy capable of being used directly to perform work, and includes any equipment installed on such facility to use such electricity or other form of energy to produce, process, refine, or manufacture a product, and any cable or pipeline used to deliver such electricity, fresh water, or product to shore, and all other associated equipment and appurtenances of such facility, to the extent they are located seaward of the highwater mark;
(12) "ocean thermal energy conversion plantship" means any vessel which is designed to use temperature differences in ocean water while floating unmoored or moving through such water, to produce electricity or another form of energy capable of being used directly to perform work, and includes any equipment installed on such vessel to use such electricity or other form of energy to produce, process, refine, or manufacture a product, and any equipment used to transfer such product to other vessels for transportation to users, and all other associated equipment and appurtenances of such vessel; [...]
(18) "United States citizen" means (A) any individual who is a citizen of the United States by law, birth, or naturalization; (B) any Federal, State, or local government in the United States, or any entity of any such government; or (C) any corporation, partnership, association, or other entity, organized or existing under the laws of the United States, or of any State, which has as its president or other executive officer and as its chairman of the board of directors, or holder of similar office, an individual who is a United States citizen and which has no more of its directors who are not United States citizens than constitute a minority of the number required for a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the board.
[...]
§9111. License for ownership, construction, and operation of ocean thermal energy conversion facilities or plantships
(a) License requirement
No person may engage in the ownership, construction, or operation of an ocean thermal energy conversion facility which is documented under the laws of the United States, which is located in whole or in part between the highwater mark and the seaward boundary of the territorial sea of the United States, or which is connected to the United States by pipeline or cable, except in accordance with a license issued pursuant to this chapter. No citizen of the United States may engage in the ownership, construction or operation of an ocean thermal energy conversion plantship except in accordance with a license issued pursuant to this chapter, or in accordance with a license issued by a foreign nation whose licenses are found by the Administrator, after consultation with the Secretary of State, to be compatible with licenses issued pursuant to this chapter. [...]
(f) License eligibility
Any United States citizen who otherwise qualifies under the terms of this chapter shall be eligible to be issued a license for the ownership, construction, and operation of an ocean thermal energy conversion facility or plantship. [...]" (Ocean Thermal Energy  Conversion  Act (42 U.S.C. current through Pub. L. 117-49), §§ 9102 and 9111)
Ocean Thermal Energy  Conversion  Act (42 U.S.C. current through Pub. L. 117-49), §§ 9102 and 9111
Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. current through Pub. L. 117-49), § 797
Geothermal Steam Act (30 U.S.C. current through Pub. L. 117-49), §§ 1002 and 1015
[<a href="http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter99&edition=prelim">Act</a>],[<a href="http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title16/chapter12/subchapter1&edition=prelim">Act</a>],[<a href="http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title30/chapter23&edition=prelim">Act</a>]