In response to Gov. Newsom’s announcement today about the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean issued the following statement:
“On behalf of 28,000 members of IBEW 1245, we welcome, applaud and support the announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom, in which he expressed interest in exploring federal funding to keep the Diablo Canyon Power Plant open.
“DCPP is California’s largest source of clean and safe baseload energy, and our long-standing position is that operating Diablo Canyon into the future is the right thing to do for our communities and our economy. According to a 2021 study by MIT and Stanford, retrofitting the plant in order to keep it in operation until 2050 would save up to $21 billion in power grid costs.
“Diablo Canyon is also a vital part of California’s clean energy future. As the largest generator of local, greenhouse-gas-free power in the state, Diablo Canyon provides much of the critical, local baseload power that California needs to meet its Climate Action goals. If Diablo Canyon were to close, the loss of the 2.2 GW of clean power produced there would inevitably cause a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and destabilize an already stressed grid. We saw this occur when the San Onofre Nuclear plant in southern California was first curtailed, and then shut down several years ago. Californians are facing big challenges, from COVID to the impacts of extreme drought. A shortage of electric power supply and rolling blackouts must not be added to this list.
“Additionally, Diablo Canyon is a key economic driver in San Luis Obispo County, and thousands of residents and businesses depend on it as a source of quality jobs and revenue. More than 1,150 workers — including hundreds of IBEW 1245 members — are employed at Diablo Canyon, making it one of the largest creators of jobs in the San Luis Obispo area. The plant’s operation tax base helps fund everything from public safety to schools, and plays a key role in the economic stability of the region.
“We thank the Governor for his foresight, and look forward to working with his office, Legislative leaders and the Public Utilities Commission to best serve our communities.”