Occupation: 51-8010

Power Plant Operators

Statistics
National
State
City
State
City
$99,670
Median Wage (USD, 2023)
2500
Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)
-9.4%
Projected Growth (2023-2033)
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
  • Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
  • These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Detailed Work Activities

  • Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
  • Operate energy distribution equipment.
  • Operate energy production equipment.
  • Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids.
  • Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
  • Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
  • Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
  • Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
  • Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.