Will “PPO (Power Plant Operator)” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
Unknown Chance of Automation
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Job Description
Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 49-9099.01
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Geothermal Technicians”.
Also Known As…
- Geothermal Technicians
- Operator Technician
- Operations Technician
- Mechanical Technician
- Maintenance Technician
- Maintenance Mechanic
- Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Technician (I C & E Technician)
- Instrumentation and Electrical Technician (I & E Technician)
- Instrument and Controls Technician (I & C Technician)
- Control Room Operator (CRO)
- Control Operator
- Pump Technician
- Plant Technician
- Plant Operator
- Plant Mechanic
- Plant Control Operator
- Operator
- Operations and Maintenance Technician
- Mechanic
- Ground Source Heat Pump Technician (GSHP Technician)
- Geothermal Technician
- Geothermal System Installer
- Geothermal Installer
- Geothermal HVAC Technician (Geothermal Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technician)
- Geothermal Field Technician
- Distribution Field Technician
- Corrosion Technician
Tasks for “PPO (Power Plant Operator)”
- Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
- Design and lay out geothermal heat systems according to property characteristics, heating and cooling requirements, piping and equipment requirements, applicable regulations, or other factors.
- Prepare newly installed geothermal heat systems for operation by flushing, purging, or other actions.
- Install, maintain, or repair ground or water source-coupled heat pumps to heat and cool residential or commercial building air or water.
- Backfill piping trenches to protect pipes from damage.
- Install and maintain geothermal plant electrical protection equipment.
- Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
- Calculate heat loss and heat gain factors for residential properties to determine heating and cooling required by installed geothermal systems.
- Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
- Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
- Apply coatings or operate systems to mitigate corrosion of geothermal plant equipment or structures.
- Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
- Maintain electrical switchgear, process controls, transmitters, gauges, and control equipment in accordance with geothermal plant procedures.
- Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
- Dig trenches for system piping to appropriate depths and lay piping in trenches.
- Weld piping, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, using techniques such as butt, socket, side-wall, and electro-fusion welding.
- Integrate hot water heater systems with geothermal heat exchange systems.
- Determine the type of geothermal loop system most suitable to a specific property and its heating and cooling needs.
- Test water sources for factors such as flow volume and contaminant presence.
- Adjust power production systems to meet load and distribution demands.
- Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
- Install and maintain geothermal system instrumentation or controls.
- Operate equipment such as excavators, backhoes, rock hammers, trench compactors, pavement saws, grout mixers or pumps, geothermal loop reels, and coil tubing units (CTU).
- Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
Related Technology & Tools
- Portable welding equipment
- Desktop computers
- Pyrometers
- Pavement saws
- Ratchet sets
- Grout mixers
- Air monitoring equipment
- Well drilling rigs
- Protective respirators
- Wire strippers
- Butt fusion machines
- Pipe squeeze off tools
- Tracked excavators
- Adjustable pipe wrenches
- Depth meters
- Air wrenches
- Trench compacters
- Safety glasses
- Phillips head screwdrivers
- Laptop computers
- Socket wrench sets
- Alignment clamps
- Straight screwdrivers
- Safety gloves
- Programmable logic controllers PLC
- Claw hammers
- Coil tubing units
- Wire cutters
- Channel lock pliers
- Deburring tools
- Pipe cutters
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Valve wrenches
- Personal computers
- Grout pumps
- Geothermal Properties Measurement Tool
- Thermal Dynamics Ground Loop Design GLD
- Microsoft Excel
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Distributed control system DCS
- Email software
- SAP
- Microsoft Office
- ClimateMaster GeoDesigner
- Microsoft Word
- WaterFurnace International Ground Loop Design PREMIER