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Date: 07/01/2025

Power Plant Operators

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

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
    • Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
    • Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.
    • Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies.
    • Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.
    • 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 integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.
    • Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices.
    • Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
    • Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.
    • 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.
    • Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.
    • 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.
    • Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.
    • Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
    • 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.
    • Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
    • Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints.
    • Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.
    • 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 or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
    • Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    Knowledge

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 91600/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 44.04/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 750
    • Yearly Projected Openings 60

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Dependability
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability/Flexibility
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Absorbent booms
    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Air compressors
    • Air dryers
    • Air samplers or collectors
    • Air scrubbers
    • Alarm systems
    • All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled
    • Anemometers
    • Backhoes
    • Belt conveyors
    • Blowers
    • Boiler or heater igniter
    • Brushless motor DC
    • Bucket conveyors
    • Catalytic combustion analyzers
    • Chain conveyors
    • Claw hammer
    • Combustible or hazardous gas detectors for power generators
    • Commercial water heaters
    • Condensing units
    • Conductivity meters
    • Desktop computers
    • Diesel generators
    • Digital readout recorders
    • Dump trucks
    • Electrical control panels for generators
    • Electrical or power regulators
    • Electrostatic apparatus
    • Evaporative coolers
    • Facial shields
    • Fire tube boilers
    • Fixed screens
    • Flare or vent stacks
    • Flow transmitters
    • Flowmeters
    • Gas detectors
    • Gas generators
    • Gasoline engines
    • Graphic recorders
    • Grease guns
    • Hand pumps
    • Hard hats
    • Heat exchangers
    • Heat pumps
    • Impact crushers
    • Infrared imagers
    • Level sensors or transmitters
    • Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
    • Limit switch
    • Mainframe computers
    • Motor compressors
    • Multi gas monitors
    • Notebook computers
    • Oil filters
    • Oil gun
    • Oxygen gas analyzers
    • Personal computers
    • Portable data input terminals
    • Power supply transformers
    • Pressure indicators
    • Pressure sensors
    • Pressure transmitters
    • Process air heaters
    • Pulverizing machinery
    • Respiration air supplying self contained breathing apparatus or accessories
    • Rotameters
    • Safety valves
    • Sampling pumps
    • Screw conveyor
    • Screwdrivers
    • Sight flow windows
    • Signal converters
    • Skid steer loaders
    • Steam engines
    • Steam generators
    • Substation load control switchgears
    • Switchyard disconnect switches
    • Temperature transmitters
    • Thermal engines
    • Touch screen monitors
    • Turbine engines
    • Vacuum pumps
    • Venturis
    • Vibration testers
    • Water filters
    • Water pumps
    • Water purification equipment
    • Water samplers
    • Water softening accessories
    • Water tube boiler
    • Wet scrubbers

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Facilities management software
    • Industrial control software
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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