IBEW Team at the Pacific Offshore Wind Summit, May 19-21, 2025
Rick Chavez Zbur, CA State Assembly Member, District 51
IBEW leaders from locals across California, Washington and Oregon converged on Sacramento May 19th – 21st to attend the 2025 Pacific Offshore Wind Summit (OSW). The conference highlighted the latest news and progress of the offshore wind off the coast of California.
Over the course of the conference, we heard from multiple stakeholders from utilities, wind developers, local community groups and tribal communities. The coalition of stakeholders provided a very comprehensive picture of where OSW is in the process of completion. The common theme amongst all of the participants is that work to stand up this project must continue.
Adam Stern, Executive Director, Offshore Wind California
Micah Mitrosky, International Representative with the IBEW Ninth District, spoke on a panel, highlighting the importance of workforce development and the IBEW job creation opportunities across California. As the technology for offshore wind develops, the importance of staying up to date in our apprentice training is paramount to ensure we are ready when we are called.
Below are some key highlights from the conference:
- California is rapidly advancing its offshore wind (OSW) ambitions, targeting up to 5 GW by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.
- A $427M federal grant has been awarded for Humboldt Bay terminal construction.
- $4.6B in CAISO-approved transmission upgrades to support North Coast OSW.
- Proposition 4 passed, allocating $475M for port infrastructure.
- CPUC has set procurement target of up to 7.6 GW by 2037.
- BOEM and NOAA have finalized lease and marine sanctuary plans to coexist with OSW.
- The California Energy Commission (CEC) has adopted the final AB 525 Strategic Plan, outlining a roadmap to 25 GW.
- Economic benefits: Interregional transmission could yield $25B+ in net system-wide savings.
- Technology innovation: Calls for investment in floating substations, HVDC systems, and seismic-resilient infrastructure.
- Environmental stewardship: Prioritizes early site coordination, fisheries data integration, and long-term monitoring.
– The IBEW Team