Will “Power Plant Operators” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

85% Chance of Automation

“Power Plant Operators” will probably be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #486 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

Care to share? Click for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or XING. 👍

Job Description

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-8013.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 73,800.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 35.00
Currently, there are 35,010 people on this job

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Power Plant Operators”

Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.
Inspect thermal barrier coatings on integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) equipment for sintering, phase destabilization, or temperature variances to ensure compliance with standards and insulation efficiency.
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.
Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland and pipe joints.
Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.
Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.
Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies.
Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices.
Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.
Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, and pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.
Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system.
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
Replenish electrolytes in batteries and oil in voltage transformers, and reset tripped electric relays.
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis.
Operate, control, or monitor gasifiers or related equipment, such as coolers, water quenches, water gas shifts reactors, or sulfur recovery units, to produce syngas or electricity from coal.
Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.
Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.

Related Technology & Tools

Steam driven turbogenerators
Combustion turbines
Water pumps
Annunciators
Steam gauges
Steam turbines
Vacuum pumps
Bucket elevators
Soot blowers
Air filtration mask
Cooling towers
Level transmitters
Selective non-catalytic reactors
Electrical switch gear
Hard hats
Limit switches
Oil guns
Flow meters
Signal converters
Orifice plates
Self-contained breathing apparatus
Rotameters
Transformer controls
Switch yard equipment
Attemperators
Selective catalytic reactors
Touch screen monitors
Air heaters
Gas generators
Water treatment equipment
Temperature transmitters
Pressure transmitters
Grease guns
Purge pumps
Heat recovery steam generators
Water filters
Coal dryers
Conductivity probes
Water softeners
Water heaters
Blowers
Dry scrubber systems
Geothermal binary turbines
Panel boards
Digital panel meters
Igniters
Brushless direct current DC motors
Boiler gauge glasses
Circulating fluidized bed CFB boilers
Steam condensers
Fire tube boilers
Condensers
Gas detectors
Heat pumps
Vibration monitors
Power transformers
Water gauges
Mainframe computers
Screw conveyors
Flow transmitters
Combustion engines
Oil filters
Wet scrubbers
Digital readouts
Analog panel meters
Turbine flow meters
Catalytic sensors
Impact crushers
Steam distribution systems
Flue gas desulferization systems
Excitation systems
Fin fan heat exchangers
Screens
Desktop computers
Diesel driven generators
Motor compressors
Chain conveyors
Absorbers
Unit governors
Pulverizers
Control boards
Plate exchangers
Shell and tube heat exchangers
Belt conveyors

General Electric Mark VI Integrated Control System ICS
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Distributed control system DCS
Emerson Ovation
Microsoft Outlook
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
Microsoft Access
Email software
Microsoft Office
Safety instrumented system SIS software
Siemens Teleperm
Microsoft Excel
Siemens Power Plant Automation SPPA
Interlock shutdown systems
Yokogawa FAST/TOOLS
Continuous emissions monitoring systems CEMS
Gas field monitoring system software
Teknik Segala OSI Plant Information PI System
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
General Electric Mark VI Distributed Control System DCS