From left: DCPP Elec Tech Willy Garris,
DCPP Nuclear Operator Kevin Garduno,
DCPP Work Control Lead Jeremy Winn,
State Controller Betty Yee, Local 639 Business Manager Mark Simonin, Local 1245 Business Manager Tom Dalzell and Local 1245 Business Rep Pat Duffy
On Friday, June 10, IBEW 1245 Business Manager Tom Dalzell took California State Controller and Lands Commission Member Betty Yee and her advisor Ann Baker on a tour of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. During their trip to the Plant, Dalzell also took the opportunity to introduce Yee to the members of Local 1245’s ‘Keep Diablo Canyon Open’ committee, as well as Business Rep Pat Duffy and IBEW Local 639 Business Manager Mark Simonin, who represents the members that are sent in to work at the plant during outages.
The tour included the turbine floor, 5th floor, control room, intake, outtake, and dry cask storage. During the tour, Dalzell and Yee discussed the plant’s unique, safety-focused procedures and training, and they also talked at length about the possible outcomes of the upcoming State Lands Commission meeting. The Commission will be voting on whether to extend Diablo Canyon’s lease at its next meeting on June 28, and if the Commission votes against extending the lease, the Plant could close as early as 2018.
“In our hour-long meeting, we discussed the downside of a precipitous closing in 2018, and how it would impact the workforce, the county, and the climate. I underscored the fact that DCPP currently provides enough greenhouse-gas-free energy to power 10% of the state, and if it closes, that clean energy would inevitably be replaced with dirtier, carbon-emitting sources of power,” said Dalzell. “The IBEW members at DCPP felt that they were heard, and we believe that Controller Yee left with a far greater understanding of DCPP and the intake/outtake process — which are the two facilities on state land — as well as PG&E’s stewardship of the land, its commitment to training, and the complete professionalism of the workforce.”
Dalzell also met with another member of the Lands Commission, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, last week. Click here for highlights from that meeting.
To learn more about the Local’s effort to keep Diablo Canyon open, visit www.KeepDiabloCanyonOpen.com.
You can remind that last week I met with Gavin.