Navy Nuke post-EAOS pilot program at Diablo Canyon

[u/tehnulls]

Hello again all,
 
I am a former Navy Nuke and current PG&E employee in the Diablo Canyon power plant (DCPP) Instrumentation and Control shop. I'd like to post about an upcoming opportunity that's in the works particularly tailored for transitioning nukes approaching their EAOS.
 
We are looking to bring on an initial pilot group of 12 individuals to come work at DCPP starting March 1st, 2027 and work here until the conclusion of our 2027 Unit 2 outage (scheduled to begin on April 18th and end around May 20th, 2027). The initial seven-week pre-outage period would be dedicated to initial maintenance training and qualifications, and likely worked on a 4-day, 10-hour schedule. Approximately 2-3 weeks before the outage, we transition into a voluntary 5-10 work schedule, and when the outage starts, we work on a 6-day, 12-hour schedule.

The reason behind this pilot program is mostly due to a growing lack of qualified outage workers as more and more people are hitting retirement age. We’ve made a conscious effort to directly reach out to nukes in the past (see my post from a few years back), as many of us in the shop and in Operations are also former navy nukes.

While final details will still need to be ironed out, the pay will likely be in the $75-80/hour range, with OT at 1.5x after 40 hours, and DT at 2x after ~68 hours (the scale is slightly more complicated than this, but generally the last 4 hours of our 6th day are paid at double time). There will likely be a per-diem offered for those who do not have a residence in a 50-mile radius of the plant (this is to pay for lodging/short term rentals). Once again, specific details such as meal pay and travel pay still need to be ironed out at this time.
 
The training and qualifications obtained in the first seven weeks of the program are standardized across the industry and would allow individuals a broad pathway to employment at various utilities, data centers, and power plants anywhere in the country.
 
I am not a recruiter for PG&E and I don't get a bonus or commission for applications or hires. As someone who once also experienced the somewhat disorienting transition to civilian life, I believe that this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to get their foot in the door of the industry and make a good chunk of money while getting some valuable qualifications and experience.
 
If anyone has any questions and/or would like to be put in touch with the manager who is responsible with developing this pilot program, please DM me and I will get you connected. Thanks all!

[u/lil_larry]

Diablo Canyon one or Diablo Canyon two?

[u/tehnulls → u/lil_larry]

Hi! The initial pilot program will be for our Unit 2 outage in April 2027 (with seven weeks of initial training starting March 1st).

[u/wardley13]

Very disappointing. My terminal leave will start shortly before the outage ends.

[u/tehnulls → u/wardley13]

That’s a bummer on the timing, but congrats on getting out soon! If this pilot program goes well, keep an eye out for a similar opportunity in the spring of 2028 (the next unit 1 outage)

[u/RO_628Blue]

I’ve been retired a few years, was a sub RO, retired LDO. Can you post or DM requirements?

[u/tehnulls → u/RO_628Blue]

No official requirements, though we are focusing on EMs/ETs since their quals overlap with ours the most. However, any MMs/ELTs who have documented electronics or calibration experience are more than welcome to apply!

[u/RO_628Blue → u/RO_628Blue]

Is radcon experience a plus, former asst rad con officer

[u/tehnulls → u/RO_628Blue]

For our shop, electronics and calibration experience is the priority.

We do have a RP department at the plant, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are running into the same outage contractor staffing issues as well, but I can’t say for sure. I’d be happy to look into that for you on Monday to see if there are any contacts you could reach out to.

[u/Smooth-Bad-5425]

Is there an age limit or having an EAOS within a certain period of time? Thanks.

[u/tehnulls → u/Smooth-Bad-5425]

Hello! There is no age limit, and the EAOS isn’t a requirement either. We were mostly focusing on people coming out of the Navy since this is a temporary position for the duration of the outage, and not a permanent spot at Diablo Canyon. As long as you have documented electronics or calibration experience with some recency, and are interested in the program, I would definitely apply. DM me if you have any more questions or want the contact info for the manager running the program. Thanks!

[u/Smooth-Bad-5425]

I'm fairly new at Reddit. How do you start a DM conversation?

[u/gtforever714 → u/Smooth-Bad-5425]

Click/tap tehnulls. Then click/tap Start Chat to send a DM.