Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Also called: Power System Dispatcher, Power System Operator, Systems Operator, Transmission System Operator (TSO)Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 6 of its 14 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 1.2% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.9% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.0 hires for every 10 job openings in transportation, warehousing, and utilities, which employs about 68% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,570 | $106,080 to $138,260 | 190 |
| Arizona | $98,510 | $86,300 to $102,210 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $117,370 | $95,770 to $135,680 | 210 |
| California | $137,570 | $106,730 to $174,730 | 670 |
| Florida | $101,060 | $73,740 to $110,430 | 260 |
| Georgia | $80,560 | $71,790 to $94,960 | 90 |
| Idaho | $136,550 | $131,500 to $152,680 | 60 |
| Illinois | $101,470 | $73,890 to $109,530 | 330 |
| Indiana | $129,080 | $96,350 to $138,620 | 90 |
| Iowa | $102,980 | $45,450 to $108,460 | not published |
| Kansas | $116,810 | $81,590 to $126,340 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $105,600 | $89,920 to $130,940 | 140 |
| Maine | $121,520 | $97,810 to $121,520 | 100 |
| Maryland | $113,660 | $95,590 to $113,770 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $121,010 | $102,330 to $133,710 | 390 |
| Michigan | $116,780 | $93,560 to $127,700 | 450 |
| Minnesota | $105,630 | $82,390 to $126,540 | 100 |
| Mississippi | $98,960 | $83,730 to $131,930 | 90 |
| Missouri | $105,450 | $85,470 to $118,660 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $98,570 | $84,540 to $102,580 | 240 |
| Nevada | $138,300 | $125,720 to $143,770 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $128,220 | $111,460 to $135,440 | 330 |
| New Mexico | $79,580 | $75,600 to $103,840 | 40 |
| New York | $139,390 | $127,790 to $159,380 | 150 |
| North Carolina | $90,420 | $79,350 to $98,800 | 190 |
| Ohio | $100,320 | $86,390 to $108,950 | 360 |
| Oklahoma | $105,530 | $81,990 to $136,180 | 50 |
| Oregon | $137,490 | $128,690 to $166,610 | 340 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,930 | $79,190 to $102,710 | 560 |
| South Carolina | $91,570 | $77,260 to $101,940 | 190 |
| South Dakota | $130,270 | $105,240 to $130,270 | 30 |
| Tennessee | $79,910 | $63,160 to $108,770 | 100 |
| Texas | $102,890 | $87,010 to $106,750 | 970 |
| Virginia | $81,080 | $64,530 to $102,220 | 330 |
| Washington | $144,710 | $128,350 to $166,910 | 380 |
| West Virginia | $101,960 | $99,170 to $103,020 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $83,140 | $75,820 to $92,920 | 40 |
| Wyoming | $120,210 | $116,800 to $120,230 | 70 |
Nationally: $106,730. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 6 of its 14 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers. | Not published |
| Not much | Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas. | Not published |
| Not much | Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections. | Not published |
| AI + software | Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems. | Not published |
See all 14 tasks
| Not much | Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes. | Not published |
| Not much | Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly. | Not published |
| AI alone | Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Record and compile operational data, such as chart or meter readings, power demands, or usage and operating times, using transmission system maps. | Not published |
| AI + software | Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules. | Not published |
| Not much | Tend auxiliary equipment used in the power distribution process. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect equipment to ensure that specifications are met or to detect any defects. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 14 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 14 tasks fall under 10 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #32 Monitor external affairs, trends, or events
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate energy production or distribution equipment | |||
| Plan work activities | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Monitor external affairs, trends, or events | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Determine resource needs of projects or operations | |||
| Monitor equipment operation |
Show all 10 activities
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Math or a calculation19%
- Advice or a recommendation10%
- A document or report10%
- An explanation or answer10%
- An analysis or summary6%
How they worked with Claude
68% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for power distributors and dispatchers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 2,478 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
- 2 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 7%
- 3 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 4 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Moderate -5.7% 3%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 3,296 moves in
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 10%
- 2 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 4 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Moderate -5.7% 5%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 5%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 22% high school
- 40% postsecondary certificate
- 8% some college
- 24% associate's
- 6% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 19 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 29% high school
- 30% some college
- 18% associate's
- 19% bachelor's
- 3% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers” · 511 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers”
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
73.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | <0.5% | 19.1% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (LOAD DISPATCHER; SUBSTATION OPERATOR; SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR (Utility)). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Power Distributors and Dispatchers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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