National
| Median wages (2008) |
$31.68 hourly, $65,890 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
9,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Decline slowly or moderately (-3% to -9%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
3,000 additional employees |
51-8012.00 - Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
Sample of reported job titles:
System Operator, Dispatcher, Transmission System Operator, Electric System Operator, Control Operator, Distribution Operations Supervisor, Distribution System Operator, Power System Dispatcher, Control Area Operator, Power System Operator
Tasks
- Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
- Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
- Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
- Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, and other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, and distribution process changes.
- Direct personnel engaged in controlling and operating distribution equipment and machinery, for example, instructing control room operators to start boilers and generators.
- Distribute and regulate the flow of power between entities such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, and users, keeping track of the status of circuits and connections.
- Monitor and record switchboard and control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.
- Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes.
- Manipulate controls to adjust and activate power distribution equipment and machines.
- Calculate and determine load estimates or equipment requirements, in order to determine required control settings.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Low voltage alternating and direct current AC DC panelboards — Integrated power system switchboards; Multi-metering switchboards; Panelboard switches; Panelboards |
| Mainframe computers |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Industrial control software — ABB MicroSCADA Pro DMS; OSI monarch/SGP; Siemens Spectrum Power TG; Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA system software |
| Map creation software — Geographic information system GIS software |
