ILLUMINATIONA CLOSER LOOK AT DIABLO CANYON

A PG&E Corporation Publication 2014

Learn more about Diablo Canyon’s energy production, safety, economic impacts and community connections.

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Introduction

Always on Guard

Producing Clean Energy

Seismic Safety Built In

License Renewal Equals Reliability

Safely Storing Used Fuel

A Legacy for Learning

Caring for Land and Sea

Economic Energizer

Employees Make the Difference

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Table of Contents

Diablo Canyon.Powered By People.The record of safety and energy production reliability at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant starts with one thing: the people who work here.

And while it’s impossible to recognize each one of our 1,500 employees, this publication does provide a glimpse at the commitment, depth of knowledge and incredible talent these dedicated individuals bring to work every day.

Some have been here 30 years or longer, sharing a breadth of experience and institutional memory that is the foundation for safe, reliable and efficient plant operations. Others are newcomers who bring fresh perspectives and new technology expertise vital to our future.

Ours is a culture of safety — first and foremost. We constantly refine our operation to enhance safety. We are using lessons learned from Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and we continue to further our understanding of the broader seismic make-up of the area.

Day by day, hour by hour, the plant runs well, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable energy. People make that happen. Our entire staff is expertly trained, highly skilled and continually tested to assure nuclear safety, personal safety and radiation safety.

I am extremely proud of what we do and delighted to share our story with you.

Ed HalpinPG&E Senior Vice President, Chief Nuclear Officer

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Always on Guard

Nuclear power plants are held to the highest security standards of any American industry. Since 9/11, those standards have increased dramatically.

Safe and Secure

Improved security systems man-dated by federal law are in place and continually upgraded to prepare for emerging threats. “This plant has always been well-protected,” said Shawn Kirven, Diablo Canyon security manager. “Now, even more so. We’ve added a lot of equipment around the site.”

Diablo Canyon Security relies heav-ily on intelligence from the FBI, Homeland Security and other agen-cies to design programs, approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to protect against terrorist

threats. Collaboration with local law enforcement, including the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team, is vital.

A one-mile ocean exclusion zone bans watercraft from access. Suspicious aircraft are reported to the appropri-ate aviation authorities.

Diablo Canyon has one of the larg-est armed responder forces in the county, most of whom come from the military or law enforcement. Some have worked at Diablo Canyon for 30 years, seasoned officers who know

the plant inside and out. Others are military veterans, men and women recently returned from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. “They’re tough — accustomed to being on duty all hours of the day and night, watching and waiting for something to happen.”

Officers are hired through a rigor-ous screening process, followed by months of initial training. Ongoing training puts the latest weapons in the hands of officers at “one of the best firing ranges in the industry,” Kirven said.

The NRC regularly tests the readi-ness of the security force. Response is enhanced by improvements to intrusion detection systems, vehicle barriers and other security equip-ment installed after 9/11.

But, mostly, it’s the quality of the peo-ple that matters, Kirven said. “They’re amongst the best in the business.”

Diablo Canyon officers train at the plant firing range. 4

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Ready at a Moment’s NoticeThey sit waiting neatly on desks at the County Office of Emergency Services just north of San Luis Obispo. Dozens of telephones, computers, TV moni-tors, checklists and fat notebooks full of detailed instructions.

Ready to put them to use if needed are the assessment and communications teams on call around San Luis Obispo County — emergency planners, state and local officials, PG&E engineers, nuclear regulators, public health pro-fessionals, transportation experts and members of law enforcement.

And at Diablo Canyon, the plant’s employees are continually evaluating operations and equipment, ready to take action.

Just in case.

“If there is an emergency — though we don’t anticipate one — we are prepared,”

said Mike Ginn, PG&E emergency pre-paredness manager.

Key to that just-in-case scenario is the close communication and coordination that has been developed over the years between the multiple agencies and the utility. “We work face-to-face to build good relationships,” Ginn said. “It’s important for all of us to be in the same room. That’s a recipe for success in an emergency.”

That “same room,” or actually a series of rooms, is located at the county’s Office of Emergency Services. Following a powerful earthquake or other event, PG&E is required by law to notify the appropriate agencies when conditions at Diablo Canyon may impact the public. Agency and PG&E representatives then immediately head to the OES to assess impacts and consider how to move for-ward to protect the public.

“We are ready to go at a moment’s notice,” said Ron Alsop, manager of San Luis Obispo County Emergency Services.

The Office of Emergency Services web-site is a one-stop source for informa-tion on emergencies from wildfires and earthquakes to floods and hazardous spills. www.slocounty.ca.gov/OES

A Fire Department of Our Own

The Diablo Canyon Fire Department has all the personnel, equipment, training and responsibility of a city fire department. With one big difference. A nuclear power plant is at the center of its jurisdiction.

“We’re pretty unique,” said Diablo Canyon Fire Chief Richard Justice. “We are considered an industrial fire depart-

ment, and that brings much different challenges.”

Diablo Canyon’s two nuclear reactor buildings contain huge pumps, motors and other equipment and have lots of confined spaces to maneuver.

Still, Justice is confident in the crew of 19 he commands and the safety controls

they have in place. “Everything we do has redundant systems. It is a very con-trolled, professional environment across the entire plant.”

Where other nuclear plants rely on outside resources, PG&E has made the commitment to have its own fire depart-ment on site, and that’s “a huge safety factor for the community,” Justice said.

There are five firefighters on duty on site every day and the “best equipment money can buy,” including two new fire engines, a wildland fire truck and a haz-ardous materials trailer — all dedicated to Diablo Canyon.

Justice and his crew work closely with other agencies, particularly with the nearby CAL FIRE Station 62 in Avila Beach. CAL FIRE’s jurisdiction is the land outside the nuclear power block, and the two fire departments train together every other week.

“The attention to detail here at Diablo Canyon,” Justice said, “is on top of its game.”

Ron Alsop is manager of SLO County Emergency Services.

Diablo Fire Department members (from left) are Scott Ellis, Dan Beile, Dan Stocks, Mark Turner, Gus Felix, Scott Coito, Brandon Thomas.

www.diablocanyonpge.com

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Producing Clean Energy

That clean energy commitment is a point of pride within the company, par-ticularly for John Conway, the senior vice president in charge of supplying energy to the nearly 15 million custom-ers within PG&E’s service area.

Diablo Canyon, Conway says, is the centerpiece of clean energy produc-tion. The plant generates 21 percent of the power PG&E provides to Northern and Central California, without pro-ducing the 6 to 7 million tons of greenhouse gases (GHG) that would be emitted annually by conventional generation sources.

“The energy contribution of the nuclear plant is crucial,” Conway says. “Without it, we can’t achieve the over 50 percent clean energy mix we cur-rently offer our customers. Looking ahead to 2020, when you combine the progress we are making with our clean energy portfolio and distributed gen-eration, we expect that 70 percent of the power used by our customers will be GHG free.”

It is also the most reliable. Nuclear power delivers 24/7, ensuring the lights go on and equipment functions day and night in homes and busi-nesses. Renewables like solar and wind play a lesser role because “the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow,” Conway says.

Those technologies are also more expensive compared to nuclear and hydroelectric. PG&E’s hydroelectric

system is the largest in the nation. But, even hydroelectricity doesn’t produce equally year round because it requires major snowfall in winter.

That doesn’t mean solar and wind aren’t valued. “Our goal is to have a clean environment, and we are work-ing on ways to optimize all technolo-gies and systems,” Conway says. “That way, we’ll continue to play an impor-tant role in meeting the state’s energy demands and ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gases.”

At the same time, nuclear safety is of prime importance. “That is the start-ing point,” Conway says. “To get all the benefits, we have to demonstrate our commitment to safety every day. Most importantly — we don’t take for granted that safety is automatic.”

Conway’s interest in nuclear began in the 1970s, when the idea of generat-ing nuclear power was “groundbreak-ing.” He has worked in the industry, at a variety of facilities throughout the country, for three decades.

He was senior nuclear officer at Diablo Canyon for several years and is now the senior leader for all PG&E power generation and procurement. His extensive technical expertise put him on the senior advisory team examining the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake in Japan.

As for the future, Conway sees sub-stantial growth worldwide for nuclear power. The nuclear industry is work-ing to optimize production and renew licenses of existing plants, with four new nuclear facilities under construc-tion in the southeastern United States.

“California, though, is not on anyone’s radar,” he said, “which is unfortu-nate. Nuclear power is clean, safe and efficient. It’s how we optimize value for our customers.”

Read more about PG&E’s commitment to clean energy production: www.pge.com/cleanenergy

PG&E is a clean energy leader among the nation’s utilities, with over 50 percent of the electric power it delivers coming from sources that emit no greenhouse gases.

John ConwaySenior VP of Energy Supply

On the turbine deck (from left) are Tim Irving, Rick Simmons, John Whetsler and David Boortz.

In 2012, more than 50 percent of PG&E energy came from renewable or carbon-free sources.*

NUCLEAR : 21% LARGE HYDROELECTRIC : 11% WIND : 6%

GEOTHERMAL: 5%

SMALL HYDROELECTRIC : 2%

BIOENERGY : 4%

SOLAR : 2%

PG&E ENERGY PORTFOLIO

* From the ‘Annual Report to the California Energy Commission: Power Source Disclosure Program’

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Seismic Safety Built In

“If there is a major earthquake in our area, the safest place to be is this power plant,” said Jearl Strickland, director of nuclear projects and a 33-year employee at Diablo Canyon. “It is appropriately designed to withstand any credible earthquake that could occur in our region.”

Equipped with advanced seismic moni-toring systems, the plant would shut down safely in the event of significant ground motion. Most components, including reactors and turbines, are 85 feet above sea level, well above the projected tsunami zone and nearly twice the height of the 47-foot tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. The seawater intake structure and the electric gen-eration equipment are also protected.

Six diesel generators — at 85 feet — would provide power if the electricity went out. They are stored in facilities with emergency fire doors. Diesel fuel

is housed in watertight containers. Dozens of industrial batteries stand ready to back up the diesel generators.

Portable pumps uphill from the plant would provide water if ocean intake failed. More than five million gallons of water are stored onsite.

Emergency plans are created in part-nership with state and county emer-gency responders, approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and continually tested.

PG&E employs a full-time Geosciences Department of geologists, seismolo-gists and earthquake engineers who work closely with the U.S. Geological Survey and other research organiza-tions to continually evaluate earth-quake hazards.

In response to events in Japan, the NRC required all U.S. nuclear power

plants to reassess faults and associated seismic ground motions, using state-of-the-art technology.

The Senior Seismic Hazard Advisory Committee of independent geologists and seismic experts, sanctioned by the NRC, will update current models detail-ing the seismic risk of the region. This process will be completed by 2015.

“Lessons learned from Japan will be incorporated so that we can continue to meet the highest standards for safety and reliability,” Strickland said.

PG&E recently completed several rounds of seismic testing on the major faults around the plant — the Hosgri, Shoreline, San Luis Bay and Los Osos faults. The state called for high-energy ocean surveys, which were supported by the California Public Utilities Commission and other state entities but denied by the California Coastal Commission. PG&E has not decided whether to reapply.

Visit www.diablocanyonpge.com/seismic to read more about the many programs in place to assure seismic safety.

Jearl Strickland (left) led a 50-member team early in his 33-year career at Diablo Canyon to assure plant design was developed and implemented cor-rectly. Steel braces like this are critical to seismic safety. Other plant design features are:

• Massive reinforced concrete facility built on bedrock.

• Containment structure has six layers of thick rebar.

• Concrete buttresses about 34 feet high fortify the turbine deck.

• Broad steel beams secure steam pipes that snake into the turbines.

• Electrical wires threaded through conduits have steel supports bolted to the walls.

At the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, safety always comes first. The plant was designed and constructed with seismic safety in mind, and it is continually evaluated.

Where the Training Never Stops

She’s part of a six-member team that monitors the pulse of the plant at Diablo Canyon.

“Our level of detail and focus is very high,” says Matteson, who holds a mate-rials engineering degree from Cal Poly and has been a control operator at Diablo Canyon for nine years. “As an operator, I have to be able to glance at the instru-ments and see right away if something looks different, then judge whether it is expected or abnormal and respond appropriately.”

Training is fundamental and ongoing. All new operators undergo eight months of onsite training that includes classroom work, simulator training, shadowing experienced operators — and testing.

Operators receive an additional two years of training before working in the control room. Thereafter, they spend one week of every five taking classes and practicing on the simulator, an exact replica of the control room. Trainers set up mock events and monitor operators’ responses. Events build in intensity and

range from minor instrument failure to a powerful earthquake.

“We are constantly learning and refining so our teams are capable of diagnosing and resolving anything that comes along,” Matteson says. “We always work as a team to solve a problem. And we are all trained in consistent processes and communi-cation styles so we can work with other crews.”

“We make sure we have every piece of the puzzle before determining a course of action,” Matteson says. “We must under-stand all potential outcomes, and ensure that any decision is conservative. We don’t just trust one smart person. We trust mul-tiple layers of smart people.”

Heather Matteson is smart, calm and methodical — just the kind of person you’d want controlling the daily operations of a nuclear reactor.

When issues are identified, the entire team talks through the options.

Heather Matteson Control OperatorNine years at DCPP

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License Renewal Equals Reliability

The two nuclear reactors at Diablo Canyon are licensed to operate until 2024 and 2025. PG&E has requested extensions to 2044 and 2045.

Diablo Canyon generates approximately 21 percent of the power PG&E provides to 48 counties. Low-cost, carbon-free electric-ity is generated for nearly 3 million people, without the approximately 6 to 7 million tons of greenhouse gases that would be emitted annually by conventional genera-tion sources.

“PG&E supports renewable energy sources like solar and wind, but they can-not replace the 2,300 megawatts Diablo Canyon produces,” said Barry Allen, Diablo Canyon’s Site Vice President.

The annual economic impact of Diablo Canyon is $1.1 billion statewide and $918 million in San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties (according to a 2013 study by Kenneth D. Riener of Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business and Patrick Mayeda of Productive Impact LLC). If the licenses are extended, the local impact is expected to average approxi-mately $1.4 billion annually.

“DCPP’s economic impact is not only large and positive in size, but has a stabilizing effect on the local economy,” the study concluded.

Diablo Canyon is the largest private employer in the region and fifth largest in private and public sectors combined. In 2011, PG&E employed 1,483 workers at the plant, with a payroll of $202.5 mil-lion and an average salary of $136,561.The spending power of the workers and retirees is $203.2 million.

In 2011, PG&E paid more than $30 million in property taxes in San Luis Obispo County, funding school districts and public services “far above those of surrounding counties,” according to the economic report.

If relicensing is not approved, the best alternative use for the 10,000-acre prop-erty, according to the economic impact report, would be cattle grazing.

“The right choice for a bright future is a mix of all energy sources, includ-ing our continued increase in renew-ables,” Allen said. “But the state cannot afford to cut short a reliable source. Replacement of Diablo Canyon would be very expensive and would likely require adding carbon-producing electricity generators. That negates the affordable clean energy path we are on.”

Read more about Plant Relicensing and download a PDF of the 2013 Economic Impact Report at www.diablocanyonpge.com

Extending PG&E’s licenses to operate the Diablo Canyon Power Plant for an additional 20 years will ensure a reli-able source of safe, affordable, clean energy and contin-ued economic vitality for people who live on the Central Coast and throughout California.

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Barry AllenSite Vice President, Diablo Canyon Power Plant

Safely Storing Used FuelOne of the people in charge of storing used fuel at Diablo Canyon is a strong proponent of nuclear power because it produces very little waste. “This is clean energy,” said Larry Pulley, PG&E fuel storage manager. Pulley is a nuclear industry veteran of over 30 years and began working for PG&E in 1990. He manages used fuel storage at both Diablo Canyon and Humboldt Bay, spending about 90 percent of his time on the Central Coast.

Still, storing used fuel is necessary. At Diablo Canyon, safely managing used fuel onsite includes two methods known as wet and dry storage, which are inter-dependent.

The wet storage method involves placing a fuel assembly in one of two pools after it is no longer needed for generating electricity. These secure, robust, concrete and steel-lined struc-tures are anchored into bedrock and designed to withstand extreme events such as earthquakes. Multiple safety systems ensure cooling is continu-ously provided.

When a used fuel assembly has suffi-ciently cooled and is no longer needed in a pool, it is transferred to a dry cask storage facility that PG&E began constructing in 2007. Dry cask storage (officially known as the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, or ISFSI) is an interim onsite storage

program. Here the used fuel is safely stored in stainless steel vessels that are placed in steel and concrete shielding casks, which are seismically secured to robust pads built on top of bedrock. The fuel stored here is ready to ship to the federal government, which by law must develop a repository site to store the fuel.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has oversight over the U.S. nuclear industry, has found that pools and dry cask containers are safe stor-age methods for the fuel used at Diablo Canyon and other similar facilities.

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“You can produce a lot of electricity for a very small footprint.”

www.diablocanyonpge.com

A Legacy for Learning

From financial support through property tax payments and corporate giving, to math and science curricu-lum development, to the legions of employees who volunteer in class-rooms and on playgrounds, PG&E provides local students with rich learning experiences. No question, keeping future generations nimble in a globally competitive workforce is a vital commitment for this company.

“PG&E’s contributions make it pos-sible for schools to offer programs that help students grow and thrive,“ said Julian Crocker, San Luis Obispo County Superintendent of Schools. “PG&E is a true partner and friend to education.”

The company supports science, tech-nology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, a national effort to encourage students to pursue careers in highly sought-after tech-nical fields such as those found at Diablo Canyon.

“As a large employer and industry leader, PG&E is a strong advocate of STEM education and a major example of how important those disciplines are,” Crocker said.

Strength in the form of Diablo Canyon property tax payments assures that STEM and other programs school dis-tricts hold dear will remain vibrant.

Of the more than $25 million the util-ity paid in 2011 property tax to San Luis Obispo County, more than half went to local public schools. The San Luis Coastal Unified School District alone received $9.24 million, or 14.5 percent of that district’s $70 million budget.

“Because of PG&E, we can offer those robust and rich support systems that are missing today in too many California public schools,” said San Luis Coastal Superintendent Eric Prater. “We can continue our early literacy interven-tion programs and retain librarians and nurses and continue the electives that kids in other districts don’t have any longer.”

Without PG&E’s financial contributions, Prater said, the district would be look-ing at a nearly 10 percent reduction to its budget.

Lucia Mar Unified School District receives about $544,000 annually from PG&E property tax payments that help backfill the state’s ongoing budget cuts to public education. The district also receives direct funding support from PG&E for exciting student opportunities like the Central Coast New Tech High School that opened on the Nipomo High School campus in August 2012.

“Diablo Canyon is a great benefit to our district. The company provides tax revenues and jobs for our commu-nity,” said Lucia Mar Superintendent Jim Hogeboom. “And without PG&E’s $250,000 donation, New Tech High wouldn’t exist.”

PG&E also donated an additional $50,000 in grant funds over the last three years to support student learning in other Lucia Mar schools.

“There are so many wonderful ways PG&E has been partnering with us, and it’s more than giving money,” said Hogeboom. “It is also working with PG&E employees on curriculum and energy education in general. We have a deep partnership beyond monetary giving.”

SLO County Office of Education’s Annual Education Report is available at www.slocoe.org/docs/2013_Annual_Report.pdf

When it comes to funding public education, PG&E is at the head of the class.

Julian Crocker SLO County Superintendent of Schools

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Not Your Dad’s High School

New Tech High, opened in 2012 in Nipomo with a $250,000 grant from PG&E, is shaking up traditional high school educa-tion. Rather than just doling out information from lectures and textbooks, teachers engage students in project-based learning programs that make learners active doers rather than passive listeners.

“The atmosphere here makes learning dynamic and real,” said teacher Christian Holst. “This goes far beyond information recall.”

For example, language arts and history are integrated in a class taught by Holst and Jennifer Isbell. For one project, stu-dents not only used the Internet to study European colonization of Haiti, Hawaii, Vietnam and Africa but also incorporated the technology to teach other students.

After conducting research online to gather images and infor-mation about assigned colonies, the students then created websites to share the information with their classmates, as well as with other students at the DaVinci Charter Academy in Davis.

Read about the innovative projects underway at New Tech High: www.centralcoastnewtech.org.

Lucia Mar introduces a new way to teach and learn.

“Content is important,” Holst said, “but it goes beyond that. This type of learning gives them an appreciation for the world around them.”

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Jim HogeboomLucia Mar Unified School District Superintendent

SUPPORTING LOCAL SCHOOLS

SAN LUIS COASTAL DISTRICT

LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

OTHER PROGRAMS

Of the more than $25 million the utility paid in 2011 property tax to San Luis Obispo County, more than half went to local public schools.*

*According to Economic Benefits of Diablo Canyon Power Plant 2013: An Economic Impact Study. Download a PDF at www.diablocanyonpge.com.

www.diablocanyonpge.com

Caring for Land and Sea

So, it’s not surprising they know just about every inch of the territory.

These stalwarts of PG&E environmen-tal programs each started in 1976 as marine biologists monitoring ocean waters off Diablo Canyon for California’s Department of Fish and Game. Later they were hired by PG&E, and the captivating landscape has been their vast workspace ever since.

Senior biologist Kelly explains his long tenure this way: “PG&E is a company that provides an important product, cares about its customers and employees and, at the same time, provides strong envi-ronmental stewardship.”

That stewardship covers 14 miles of coastline where a rich abundance of seals, otters, fish and other marine life thrive. Fishing, boating and other pub-lic access is not allowed in a one-mile “exclusion zone,” established offshore for security of the plant shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Still, there have been some unexpected visitors. Green sea turtles have come into the plant’s intake forebays on occasion. Kelly measures and tags them and then transports them by boat to be released into the sea.

Kelly monitors the cove where seawa-ter is taken in to cool the power plant

and a second cove where the seawater is discharged about 20 degrees higher in temperature. The main impact, he says, is the shift toward more Southern California species that prefer warmer water. These species have become more abundant in areas of the discharge cove that are shal-lower than 15 to 20 feet. Deeper water remains cold and continues to be inhabited by species that prefer colder water found normally along the Central Coast.

PG&E holds a discharge permit from state and regional water quality regulators, and plant operations meet all requirements to minimize impacts to marine life. “It’s required, yes,” Kelly says, “and it’s the right thing to do.”

Kelly also monitors the intake system. Designed to minimize harm to marine life, intakes are wide and velocity is slow enough that healthy fish, or other animals, that come near can easily swim out.

For nearly four decades, biologists Jim Kelly and Sally Krenn have kept a watchful eye on the coves and shoreline, grasslands and forests near Diablo Canyon.

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Land Stewardship: A Team Effort

“I am proud of the extra steps PG&E takes to ensure that biological resources are protected,” she says.

Krenn is a senior terrestrial biologist and part of the Land Stewardship Team that manages the 12,820 acres PG&E owns surrounding the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

Extending from Avila Beach to Montaña de Oro State Park, most of the land is leased for agriculture, primarily graz-ing and row crops. Krenn and her team closely monitor all land uses, including managed access programs for the Pecho Coast and Point Buchon trails.

The primary goal is to sustain environ-mental quality of the land through a series of innovative best management practices. The team’s efforts have been recognized by the California Coastal Commission, CAL FIRE, California Department of Fish and Game, Cal Poly, SLO County Office of Education and local farmers and ranchers, among others.

The power plant itself is relatively pro-tected from wildfire by a designated pro-tection zone and concrete construction. However, transmission lines are vulnera-ble to disruption from fire. Grazing cattle, sheep and goats offer another option for reducing fuel for fires below and next

That same commitment to environmental stewardship explains Sally Krenn’s long stint at Diablo Canyon.

For nearly 40 years, biologists Sally Kren and Jim Kelly have overseen 14 miles of coastline and 12,820 acres around Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

QUICK FACT

to transmission lines and towers. Managed grazing also allows restora-tion of native grasses and helps them to endure even during the driest years.

Removal of invasive, non-native plant species, particularly the dreaded pam-pas grass, restores growth of sensi-tive coastal scrub, wild grasses and oak woodlands. Healthy habitat means healthy animals, and Diablo Canyon is home to a slew of them: mountain lions, bobcats, deer, peregrine falcons, black bears, golden eagles, burrowing owls and many more.

Preserving cultural history is another priority. “We’re losing history through bluff erosion,” Krenn says. “Partnerships with Cal Poly faculty and students and the local Native American groups help us to document and preserve history through field excava-tion, artifact documentation and other efforts.”

Sally KrennBiologist

Jim Kelly inspects the power plant intake to ensure kelp does not reduce water flow into the plant.

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Economic Energizer

As job provider, taxpayer and contribu-tor to technology, Diablo Canyon helps San Luis Obispo prosper. According to a recent report, in 2011 the total economic impact of DCPP on San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties was nearly $920 million.

Diablo Canyon is one of the top employ-ers in San Luis Obispo county, employ-ing nearly 1,500 people with an average salary of $136,561, compared to the county median of $57,365. PG&E also hires approximately 1,000 short-term employees during the plant’s planned outages every 18 months. And more than 710 PG&E retirees live in the area, receiving more than $19 million in pen-sions annually.

When it comes to local taxes, Diablo Canyon carries a heavy load. PG&E pays more than $25 million a year to local school districts and other county operations. Additionally, PG&E pays approximately $5.3 million in local sales taxes.

As a major taxpayer, the plant has had a significant financial role in helping the county address emer-gency response issues. “Every county is required to have an emergency response system in place in case of natural disaster. Diablo Canyon pro-vided essential infrastructure that we would have had to pay for some other way,” said Dave Christy, former Dean of Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business.

When you think about Diablo Canyon, you probably aren’t thinking about solar energy. But if it wasn’t for the infrastruc-ture PG&E put in place, Topaz Solar Farm might not have been envisioned for the Carrizo Plain. When completed, the 550-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant will provide power to 160,000 homes, and that power will be transmit-ted via miles and miles of power lines PG&E built long ago to link Diablo Canyon to the grid.

The plant also plays a part in the clus-ter of STEM (science, technology, engi-neering and mathematics) careers on the Central Coast. “The power plant’s technology, Cal Poly’s programs in sci-ence and engineering and the specialized manufacturing industry that has blos-somed in our region all come together to create a cluster of activity,” Christy pointed out. “Young people are exposed to a great variety of STEM careers here.”

And another thing, Christy added: “We can’t ignore the fact that a chunk of the Central Coast is going to remain pretty pristine because it is controlled by PG&E.”

Diablo Canyon has become part of the look and feel of the county. “It’s part of the history of the Central Coast, much like the oil and railroad industries,” Christy said. “It’s part of who we are. Our prosperity hinged on the fact that some-one made a decision in the 1970s to build a power plant on the Central Coast.”

The plant is an economic boon to San Luis Obispo County.

“We are directly benefited by the existence of Diablo Canyon.”

-Dave Christy Cal Poly College of Business Dean, 2004-2013

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PG&E is the largest utility in California, serving 48 of California’s 58 counties and 15 million Californians. In short, 2 out of every 5 Californians get their energy from PG&E.

QUICK FACT

% OF COUNTIES IN CA RECEIVING ENERGY FROM PG&E

% OF COUNTIES IN CA RECEIVING ENERGY FROM OTHER PROVIDERS

2 OUT OF EVERY 5 CALIFORNIANSGET THEIR ENERGY FROM PG&E

82.7%

17.3%

The recently released Economic Impacts of Diablo Canyon Power Plant report is available online at www.diablocanyonpge.com

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Big on Local Business

Mike Meko, who oversees procurement for PG&E, says, “Our food vendor is local. The janitorial service is local. We rent equipment from local companies. We use local printers for our communication efforts.”

In addition, when approximately 1,000 employees arrive every 18 months to staff the refueling outage, they rent homes, fill hotels, patronize restaurants and theaters, buy groceries, clothes and other necessities.

“From my standpoint, PG&E has been a godsend,” says David Baldwin, business representative for Cement Masons Local Union 600, which sometimes has up to 50 members working full time at Diablo Canyon. “In a rural area like ours, it’s a real blessing to have these heads-of-household jobs, day in and day out,” Baldwin said, “rain or shine.”

Cannon Corp. is an “engineer of choice” for PG&E. President Mike Cannon said his company has had 30 to 40 people work-ing at the “premier nuclear facility,” at least part-time, for 10 to 15 years. “It’s an amazing facility,” Cannon said. “The people are some of the best of the best. It’s a privilege to work with them.”

Local companies interested in doing business with PG&E may visit PG&E’s website and click on the “business to busi-ness” tab at www.pge.com/b2b.

Diablo Canyon relies on local businesses, with about 150 vendors from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties serving many needs at the Plant.

17www.diablocanyonpge.com

At PG&E, giving back is part of our culture. We have an entire team dedicated to community outreach, and our employees help us exceed our goals every day. “Our goal is to find out what’s important to our employees and the customers in their com-munities, and then help make an impact where it matters most,” said PG&E Corporate Affairs Director Tom Jones.

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Employees Make the Difference

“I lost my mother to cancer 21 years ago, so I knew I wanted to get involved,” Margi Carducci (runner in hat) said. She first approached PG&E about sponsoring a Relay For Life team in 1999. “Within a week, 20 of my coworkers had signed up,” she said. “I was overwhelmed by the sup-port.” Now, 14 years later, Carducci

organizes the annual Relay For Life of San Luis Obispo. She’s raised more than $90,000 for the American Cancer Society. “Cancer is one of those dis-eases that everyone has been touched by,” she said. “No one can say ‘I don’t want to support that.’”

www.relayforlife.org

Margi CarducciPG&E Business Planner, 26 years at DCPP

“It seems our society only rec-ognizes sports heroes, and there should be as much excitement in science, technology, engineer-ing and math,” said Larry Price who volunteers countless hours after work — and nearly all of his vacation time — mentoring the Atascadero High School robotics team. He got involved to spend more time with his son; but when

his son graduated, mentoring the team became a family affair. Now Price, his wife and his son all volun-teer. In 2011, they led the team to a FIRST Robotics World Championship title in Washington, DC and met President Obama. “It’s been very rewarding, and PG&E really sup-ports the team,” Price said.

www.atasusd.org

Larry PricePG&E Mechanical Engineer, 25 years at DCPP

For Tom Esser, taking work home with him is something he enjoys. The environmental coordinator spends his free time volunteering in the great out-doors in Los Osos where he’s lived for 28 years. “I’ve used the hiking trails there for a long time,” said Esser, add-ing that working with the Morro Coast Audubon Society to remove non-native grasses and re-plant native vegetation in the Sweet Springs Preserve is the

least he can do. And in fact, he does do even more. Esser (pictured right with microphone) has coordinated the Earth Day event in Montaña De Oro State Park for the past 12 years. “I really enjoy the event — it’s a big deal for PG&E with anywhere between 75 and 150 families participating, and it’s a very worthwhile thing to do.”

www.morrocoastaudubon.org

Tom EsserSenior Environmental Coordinator, 28 years at DCPPMorro Coast Audubon Society, Sweet Springs PreserveEarth Day at California State Parks

There is no doubt that Heather Lewis (far left) holds a key position at Diablo Canyon in the Operations Department, but for the past five years, she has also been a vital part of the Central Coast commu-nity as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children. In 2009, Lewis chose CASA as the beneficiary of a fundraiser through the Diablo Canyon Women in Nuclear orga-nization and was touched by the impact that they had made on local children. “I volunteer hoping that I can make a difference in a child’s life as every child deserves

someone to be there for them,” she said, explaining her moti-vation to complete 40 hours of training to become appointed by a judge in SLO County and earn the ability to participate in juvenile court proceedings. “Volunteering with CASA makes me more appreciative of my job with PG&E,” said Lewis. “PG&E is a diverse company that fully supports our community and our workers’ involvement with community activities.”

www.slocasa.org

Heather LewisOperations, 6.5 years at DCPP

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“When I show up to volunteer at an event and I see so many PG&E faces, it makes me feel like I’m part of a team,” said John Lindsey, who finds giving back to the community to be the most rewarding part of his job. The U.S. Navy veteran is a household name on the Central Coast; as a familiar voice on local radio station KVEC, he provides a pinpoint accurate weather forecast for everyone from vintners to surf-

ers. Lindsey takes special pride in combining his love of volunteering, the ocean and veterans causes — he recently helped secure a PG&E grant that helped pay for a day of fishing out at sea for a group of wounded warriors. “I feel like I’m providing a good service with my weather forecast, but being able to work alongside people who have a real sense of community is what makes my job so cool.”

John LindseyPG&E External Communications Representative and Local Meteorologist, 23 years at DCPP

Mike Ginn spends a lot of his time planning for the unexpected; not only in his job as emergency prepared-ness manager at Diablo Canyon, but as a long-time volunteer for the American Red Cross. Volunteering comes naturally to Ginn, who says the same about the company he works for: “PG&E is a partner with so many public safety agencies. It’s all focused on benefitting the community where we live.” Ginn is the current Red Cross board chair for San Luis Obispo County. He was a member of

the Disaster Action Team for seven years, worked alongside California Highway Patrol officers in their daily shifts and served as a volunteer residential firefighter, among other selfless roles. He enjoys leading the local Red Cross chapter and working with the people who get the job done. “The staff couldn’t do it without all the volunteers,” said Ginn. “It’s a small group of people who do huge amounts of work. I love being on the board because it allows me to recognize and thank all these fabulous folks.”

Mike GinnEmergency Preparedness Manager, DCPP, 10 years at DCPPAmerican Red Cross San Luis Obispo County Board Chair

www.redcross.org/ca/san-luis-obispo

www.diablocanyonpge.com

Tours of Diablo Canyon Power Plant are available to the public.

If you are interested in requesting a tour, please contact us at EnergyEducationCenter@pge.com or call 805-546-5280.

© 2014 Pacific Gas and Electric Company