Power Plant Operators
Also called: Auxiliary Operator, Control Room Operator, Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Tech), Power Plant OperatorControl, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 7 of its 30 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 5.1% 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.”
BLS figures cover the broader occupation “Power plant operators”, which includes this one and others.
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 72% 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 | $107,080 | $86,770 to $118,380 | 790 |
| Alaska | $88,870 | $62,240 to $108,540 | 650 |
| Arizona | $84,970 | $65,920 to $104,070 | 390 |
| Arkansas | $97,760 | $82,370 to $101,350 | 220 |
| California | $105,210 | $80,270 to $132,600 | 2,610 |
| Colorado | $102,780 | $90,210 to $133,020 | 250 |
| Connecticut | $97,460 | $82,400 to $124,860 | 250 |
| Delaware | $103,010 | $100,610 to $124,170 | 80 |
| Florida | $94,290 | $65,400 to $109,820 | 1,640 |
| Georgia | $107,580 | $75,420 to $119,380 | 590 |
| Guam | $61,230 | $56,210 to $71,500 | 60 |
| Hawaii | $121,700 | $113,890 to $122,900 | 290 |
| Idaho | $124,440 | $102,590 to $130,070 | 310 |
| Illinois | $104,440 | $93,150 to $120,390 | 1,160 |
| Indiana | $107,000 | $103,030 to $109,090 | 1,190 |
| Iowa | $100,500 | $78,060 to $104,480 | 470 |
| Kansas | $79,980 | $56,800 to $113,560 | 520 |
| Kentucky | $93,400 | $84,900 to $105,690 | 690 |
| Louisiana | $101,170 | $85,610 to $112,840 | 370 |
| Maine | $81,060 | $73,060 to $93,700 | 190 |
| Maryland | $111,260 | $101,260 to $111,260 | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $100,140 | $79,690 to $121,580 | 880 |
| Michigan | $105,820 | $99,350 to $124,090 | 1,220 |
| Minnesota | $94,390 | $81,420 to $99,120 | 970 |
| Mississippi | $102,400 | $83,890 to $107,330 | 450 |
| Missouri | $101,900 | $74,920 to $110,420 | not published |
| Montana | $106,040 | $91,520 to $110,840 | 130 |
| Nebraska | $98,210 | $88,350 to $114,520 | 360 |
| Nevada | $131,400 | $94,270 to $133,370 | 250 |
| New Hampshire | $81,070 | $66,680 to $102,800 | 90 |
| New Jersey | $131,370 | $123,130 to $131,770 | 300 |
| New Mexico | $105,510 | $97,180 to $115,910 | 130 |
| New York | $106,990 | $83,060 to $133,620 | 1,960 |
| North Carolina | $108,300 | $80,240 to $118,600 | 420 |
| North Dakota | $122,160 | $115,210 to $122,160 | 150 |
| Ohio | $104,160 | $79,340 to $110,030 | 730 |
| Oklahoma | $88,590 | $66,850 to $101,480 | 520 |
| Oregon | $109,830 | $99,070 to $129,790 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,800 | $81,390 to $112,240 | 1,010 |
| Puerto Rico | $70,640 | $59,360 to $75,110 | 210 |
| Rhode Island | $98,050 | $86,150 to $121,200 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $79,900 | $67,640 to $94,320 | 680 |
| Tennessee | $115,920 | $105,370 to $124,360 | 490 |
| Texas | $102,510 | $66,430 to $117,340 | 2,100 |
| Utah | $107,120 | $91,620 to $119,760 | 420 |
| Vermont | $78,240 | $58,140 to $105,810 | 140 |
| Virginia | $73,640 | $59,260 to $94,180 | 590 |
| Washington | $131,620 | $102,440 to $152,110 | 430 |
| West Virginia | $97,210 | $88,730 to $100,300 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $66,080 | $59,240 to $90,820 | 420 |
| Wyoming | $99,200 | $85,790 to $118,310 | 230 |
Nationally: $102,040. 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 7 of its 30 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units. | Not published |
| Not much | Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers. | Not published |
| Not much | Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment. | Not published |
See all 30 tasks
| Not much | Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals. | Not published |
| AI + software | Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports. | 0.03% |
| Not much | Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes. | Not published |
| Not much | Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels. | Not published |
| Not much | Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints. | Not published |
| AI + software | Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies. | Not published |
| AI + software | Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies. | Not published |
| Not much | Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system. | Not published |
| Not much | Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis. | Not published |
| Not much | Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal. | Not published |
| Not much | Analyze the layout, instrumentation, or function of electrical generation or transmission facilities. | Not published |
| Not much | Diagnose or troubleshoot problems with gas collection systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor well fields periodically to ensure proper functioning and performance. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate landfill gas, methane, or natural gas fueled electrical generation systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare and submit compliance, operational, and safety forms or reports. | Not published |
| Not much | Repair or replace gas piping. | Not published |
| Not much | Trace electrical circuitry to ensure compliance of electrical systems with applicable codes or laws. | Not published |
| AI + software | Verify that well field monitoring data conforms to applicable regulations. | 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. O*NET hasn't rated 8 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 1 of the 30 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 30 tasks fall under 16 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.
- #15 Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies
- #42 Diagnose system or equipment problems
| 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 | |||
| Operate pumping systems or equipment | |||
| Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Repair tools or equipment |
Show all 16 activities
| Monitor equipment operation | |||
| Evaluate the characteristics, usefulness, or performance of products or technologies | |||
| Diagnose system or equipment problems | |||
| Test performance of equipment or systems | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Collect samples of products or materials |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report33%
- Data or a spreadsheet24%
- An analysis or summary12%
- Configuration or infrastructure5%
- A script or snippet2%
How they worked with Claude
67% 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 plant operators 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 8,580 moves out
- 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 2 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 4%
- 3 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers High +1.8% 3%
- 4 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 3%
- 5 Occupational Health and Safety Specialists High +18.5% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 8,497 moves in
- 1 Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks Very high +1.8% 4%
- 2 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 4%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 4 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
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
- 3% less than high school
- 60% high school
- 8% postsecondary certificate
- 2% some college
- 14% associate's
- 13% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 20 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”
2 programs: Power Plant Technology/Technician and Hydroelectric Energy Technology/Technician.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
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 (HYDROELECTRIC-STATION OPERATOR; POWER-PLANT OPERATOR; TURBINE OPERATOR). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Power Plant Operators” 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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