Crews from Summit Line Construction, working under IBEW 1245, are bringing new power online from a recently installed wind farm at the San Luis Reservoir outside Los Banos, CA. The project replaces older turbines with 40 modern wind turbines, expected to generate 350,000 MWh of electricity each year — enough to power 44,000 homes.
IBEW 1245 line crew at San Luis Reservoir — the skilled hands and sharp minds powering California’s clean energy future.
To connect that energy to the grid, workers are building a new transmission line that will tie into the existing Los Banos substation, 16 miles east of the project site. The line requires poles up to 120 feet tall, deep foundations — one set 27 feet into the ground — and the precision of crews stringing wire over the massive San Luis water channel.
“The terrain really compounds everything. Just traveling between the two sites around the reservoir can take two hours,” said Bruce Weekes, a journeyman lineman leading the crew. Weekes entered the trade in the spring of 2003, graduating on a Thursday and getting married that Saturday, and has now spent 22 years building his career in linework. Under his watchful, skilled eye, the crew worked methodically through the challenges of wire pulls, sags and helicopter drops. “The team has stayed focused, and we expect to have the job wrapped up within the week,” he said.
When IBEW 1245 visited, the crews had the north line installed but not sagged yet, and the middle line was halfway in. Each phase requires 4 reels of wire, and with the limited access across the reservoir, trucks were staged with just one reel each.
On the ground that day were two apprentices — a 4th-step and a 5th-step — gaining valuable field experience. Apprenticeships take about 7,000 hours of on-the-job training, roughly four years, to complete before earning Journeyman status.
John Cahill, a 4th-step apprentice from the California-Nevada JATC, says he knew right out of high school he wanted to pursue linework. Before starting his apprenticeship, he spent six months as a groundsman.
“I love doing something with a good purpose,” said Cahill. “And I get to spend time outside in the elements. That makes it even better.”
The crews also had to navigate strict environmental protections. The San Luis Reservoir area is home to sensitive species, including bald eagles, golden eagles, California red-legged frogs, and California tiger salamanders, as well as sensitive habitats like native grassland. Large herds of elk also roam the area. To safeguard wildlife, contractors installed measures like “frog gates” along access roads — temporary barriers designed to keep amphibians safe as crews moved equipment to and from the project site.
The San Luis Reservoir also serves as a crucial resource for Cal Fire, which regularly uses the lake to fill aircraft during fire season, a reminder of the many competing demands in this rugged region.
This project shows just how much skill and expertise it takes to deliver electricity to our homes. From seasoned linemen to apprentices learning the ropes, every step of the work demands precision, knowledge, and dedication, and IBEW 1245 members prove every day that they’re the very best at what they do.
By Shannan Velayas, photos by John Storey
Linework is a team effort — apprentices and journeymen working side by side, each move synchronized to get the job done right.
Crews work methodically to string wire over the reservoir at the Gonzaga Ridge Wind Project.
Summit Line crews build a transmission line for a windmill farm at the San Luis Reservoir in Los Banos, Calif. on September 16, 2025.
With bucket trucks on both sides, the crews work in sync to position the conductor wire correctly across multiple poles overlooking the water.
Linemen move into bucket trucks and position themselves at the top of the structures, ready to guide and secure the new conductor.
From wind turbines to transmission lines, IBEW 1245 members are building California’s clean energy future.
Apprentice John Cahill, now in his 4th step, moves across the rocky hillside
Before tensioning, the line is strung but still hangs slack, waiting to be sagged and secured.
Up close, linemen attach hardware, pulleys, and protective sleeves, ensuring the conductor is safely secured and tensioned.
Suspended high above the San Luis Reservoir, IBEW 1245 lineworkers work with precision to keep the power flowing.
4th-step apprentice John Cahill focuses in as crews prepare insulators and wire for the new transmission line at Gonzaga Ridge.
IBEW 1245 line crew at San Luis Reservoir — skill, teamwork, and pride in every job.
Transmission structures are reflected in the sunglasses of Bruce Weekes as he oversees a wire pull across the San Luis Reservoir.
Apprentice Lineman John Cahill works the rigging along the slope above the San Luis Reservoir, gaining hands-on experience at the Gonzaga Ridge Wind Project.
Bruce Weekes keeps a close eye on the operation, coordinating crews and equipment as the linework moves forward at Gonzaga Ridge.
Journeyman Lineman and Crew Lead Bruce Weekes keeps a close eye on the wire pull at the Gonzaga Ridge Wind Project.
A lighthearted moment with Bruce Weekes.