This time last year, the future of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant — home to hundreds of IBEW 1245 jobs — was uncertain.
There were questions in Sacramento. Regulators were weighing environmental, safety, and cost concerns, including scrutiny of the plant’s ocean cooling system, and the future of nuclear power in California. The future of the plant was far from guaranteed. Just a few years earlier, the plant had been scheduled to shut down in 2025 before state leaders, with strong advocacy from IBEW 1245, moved to extend its operation amid reliability concerns. Through it all, 1245 members were showing up to tell their stories and making the case for why this critical power generation plant matters.
Fast forward to today: California regulators have now approved the final state permits needed for Diablo Canyon to continue operating through 2030, and potentially much longer. This action clears the way for federal officials to consider extending the plant’s license for up to 20 more years.
That is real progress for the more than 550 IBEW 1245 members who operate Diablo Canyon 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as well as the hundreds more who work at the plant during refueling outages.
Testifying at the hearing were Terence Nash, a Diablo Canyon Nuclear Operator, Timothy Metcalfe, a Diablo Canyon Telecommunications Technician, and organizers Melissa Echeverria and Rick Thompson — all helping ensure the worker perspective was heard.
In the end, this decision was built on years of advocacy, education, and members showing up.
IBEW 1245 has spent significant time in Sacramento meeting with lawmakers, educating decision-makers, and advocating for policies that recognize the importance of reliable energy and skilled union labor. That effort has been led by Chief Lobbyist Hunter Stern, along with organizing stewards and members.
And the conversation has changed.
“What a difference a year makes,” said IBEW 1245 Business Manager Bob Dean. “There’s a much broader understanding now of how important Diablo Canyon is for California in terms of affordability and reliability. That progress happened because we kept showing up and making the case. At the same, we know how quickly sentiment can shift, which is why it’s so important that we continue to stay engaged and keep telling our story.”
The path to this moment hasn’t been simple.
Policymakers have had to work through concerns about how the plant uses ocean water for cooling and what that means for marine life along the Central Coast. Throughout the process, 1245 has focused on making sure leaders understand the full picture — from Diablo Canyon’s strong environmental record to the clean, reliable and affordable power it provides to California.
When asked why he thinks the shift has happened, Stern said the answer comes down in large part to affordability.
“Energy costs are front and center in Sacramento right now,” Stern said. “When policymakers look at what happens if Diablo Canyon goes away, they see impacts on both reliability and customer bills.”
What Comes Next
The next step now rests with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is expected to decide later this year whether to grant a license that could allow the plant to operate through 2045. Any operation beyond 2030 would still require additional state approval.