The 2024 IBEW Nuclear Convention was held November 11th -13th in Chicago.
IBEW Local 15 Vice President, Ben Busser, Business Reps, Brian Daniels and John Richards, along with stewards Keith Nyderek, Sam Cato, and Derrick Holst attended the event. (Pictured below L-R, Sam Cato, Keith Nyderek, and Derrick Holst)
International Vice President, Michael Clemmons, of the IBEW Sixth District had opening comments welcoming IBEW Locals from across the United States and Canada to the conference. Following this, he welcomed Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Governor Pritzker spoke of the labor movement in Illinois and the need for generation. With the convention being held in the Local 15 home area Vice President Busser welcomed all attendees while giving an update on our Local. (Pictured below)
A constant theme of the conference was the future demand for more generation. The reopening of the Crane Clean Energy Center (formerly Three Mile Island) and the Palisades Nuclear Plant was a result of this, while other options such as Small Modular Reactors are also in the works.
Constellations Executive Vice President and Chief Generation Officer Bryan Hanson spoke at the conference with his appreciation of the IBEW in maintaining and updating its nuclear fleet. Hanson spoke of the importance of the new generation by not only the restarting of closed nuclear plants but by also increasing output at existing facilities.