Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 33,600 people employed as power plant operators in the United States. The median annual salary is $84,700. Entry level employees earn approximately $48,090 per year and senior employees earn approximately $111,470 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.
• Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system.
• Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints.
• Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, or pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.
• 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.
• Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
• Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices.
• Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies.
• Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis.
• Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
• Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
• Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
• 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.
• 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.
• Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
• Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.
• Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.
• Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.
• Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
• Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.

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