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Power Plant Operators

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

Other titles employers use

Auxiliary Operator · Control Operator · Control Room Operator · Multicraft Operator (MCO) · Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Tech) · Plant Control Operator · Plant Operator · Power Plant Operator

Inside the work

What you would actually do.

6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.

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.
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.

Who it suits

Would this work hold your attention?

This career often appeals to people drawn to practical and organizing work.

Practical: Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Organizing: Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate

Skills and strengths

What you would get good at.

Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.

Core skills

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Active Listening
Monitoring

Subjects to know

Mechanical
Public Safety and Security
English Language
Production and Processing
Chemistry

Useful strengths

Oral Comprehension
Problem Sensitivity
Deductive Reasoning
Near Vision
Oral Expression

Working day

Picture yourself doing it.

These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.

How this job scores on four measures of working conditions, out of five
Measure	Out of 5	What that means here
Close to other people	3.8	Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder
On your feet	3.2	Up and down through the day
Talking face to face	4.6	Continuous — the job is conversations
Working with your hands	3.9	Some of the day

Preparation

How people prepare for this work.

Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.

High school or less 63%
A two-year degree 14%
A four-year degree 13%
A certificate or some college 10%

Tools of the work

Technology you may use.

Electronic mail software
Data base user interface and query software
Spreadsheet software
Office suite software
Presentation software
Word processing software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Industrial control software

Opportunity near you

See where this work is growing.

Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.

Choose your state

Selected stateTexas

People doing this work: 3,500
Job openings each year: 270
Expected hiring change, 2022–2032: −8.4%

Compare every available state

State	People doing it	Job openings each year	Expected change
Texas	3,500	270	−8.4%
California	2,400	190	−4.0%
New York	2,030	0	—
Florida	1,540	120	−7.8%
Michigan	1,480	110	−15.4%
Indiana	1,190	90	−14.4%
Missouri	1,110	90	−7.5%
Pennsylvania	970	70	−11.8%
Arizona	910	70	−14.2%
Ohio	750	60	−12.8%
Georgia	740	60	−10.8%
Wisconsin	720	50	−13.3%
Kansas	690	50	−10.4%
Illinois	670	50	−8.2%
Alabama	630	50	−11.3%
North Carolina	630	50	−3.1%
South Carolina	590	50	−7.8%
Tennessee	590	50	9.3%
Minnesota	550	40	−11.3%
Colorado	510	40	−8.9%
Kentucky	460	40	−8.0%
Alaska	440	40	2.3%
Mississippi	390	30	−7.1%
Utah	370	30	−7.5%
Washington	370	40	5.7%
Idaho	360	30	−7.7%
Louisiana	360	30	−5.3%
Iowa	330	20	−10.8%
Massachusetts	320	30	−3.0%
West Virginia	320	20	−25.6%
Virginia	310	20	−11.4%
New Jersey	280	20	−6.7%
North Dakota	270	20	−6.9%
Nevada	250	20	−16.7%
Oklahoma	250	20	−7.4%
Nebraska	230	20	−4.2%
Maine	220	20	−12.0%
Wyoming	220	20	−8.3%
Connecticut	210	10	−19.2%
Oregon	200	20	−9.1%
Arkansas	180	10	−10.0%
New Hampshire	180	10	−5.3%
Guam	170	20	−10.5%
Montana	170	10	−10.5%
Maryland	160	10	−11.1%
New Mexico	150	10	−6.3%
Rhode Island	90	10	—
Vermont	90	10	−18.2%
Puerto Rico	80	10	−11.1%

Career to college

Build a path toward this work.

Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.

CareerPower Plant Operators

Most direct field Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians

Where to study

Colleges with strong activity in these fields.

Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.

Texas Tech University

Degrees each year: 47
Admit rate: 71%
Annual cost after aid: $17,000

Open college NY

Excelsior University

Degrees each year: 32
Admit rate: Not reported
Annual cost after aid: —

Open college ME

Maine Maritime Academy

Degrees each year: 30
Admit rate: 61%
Annual cost after aid: —

Open college MI

Ferris State University

Degrees each year: 26
Admit rate: 81%
Annual cost after aid: $8,000

Open college NY

SUNY Buffalo State University

Degrees each year: 10
Admit rate: 76%
Annual cost after aid: $15,000

Open college OK

University of Tulsa

Degrees each year: 10
Admit rate: 58%
Annual cost after aid: $11,000

Open college IL

Illinois State University

Degrees each year: 8
Admit rate: 89%
Annual cost after aid: $16,000

Open college WA

Central Washington University

Degrees each year: 5
Admit rate: 90%
Annual cost after aid: $16,000

Open college

Compare every college offering energy systems technologies/technicians

Keep exploring

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