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Power plant operators control, operate, maintain and repair machines that generate electricity. They are responsible for ensuring people have enough electricity or gas in their homes and businesses. Jobs include gas turbine operations, boiler operators, and nuclear power reactor operators. Licensing requirements vary, and companies often promote internally.
Power plant operator jobs include a variety of options. In general, power plant operators control, operate, maintain and repair machines that generate electricity. They are responsible for making sure people have enough electricity or gas in their homes and businesses. Power plant operator jobs can include various titles such as gas turbine operations and maintenance technicians, boiler operators, unit operators, operations and maintenance technicians, and facility control operators.
In plants with automatic controls, plant operators usually work from a central location and may be referred to as control center or control operators. For factories without centralized control systems, control panel operators operate the controls. One auxiliary equipment operator can work throughout the plant.
In addition to traditional power plants, the increasing emphasis on alternative energy has created different types of power plant operator jobs. For example, with the increase in wind energy production, many plant operators are turbine operators. Hydroelectric plant operators are another type of plant operator job. These are considered “green” jobs because the type of electricity produced does not pollute the environment.
Another of the power plant operator jobs is that of a nuclear power reactor operator. It’s the same as a power plant operator, except he works at a nuclear power plant. The nature of the work typically requires reactor operators to pass an exam by a nuclear energy regulatory agency. Typically, a nuclear power reactor operator must also have at least previous power plant experience, including some experience in a nuclear power plant.
Duties specific to power plant operator jobs include controlling and maintaining boilers and turbines, distributing power between generators, regulating the output of several generators at once, monitoring instruments, communicating with dispatchers, starting and stopping generators when necessary, plant inspection and record keeping. It may be necessary for plant operators to work night shifts. At nuclear power plants, it is especially important to have a senior reactor operator on duty at all times.
Requirements to become a power plant operator often include a combination of training, education, and on-the-job experience. Licensing requirements vary from one jurisdiction to another, depending on the nature of the work and the type of energy being used. It’s usually easier to advance this career within companies, and companies often promote internally. This is because control systems and security systems can vary significantly between companies.
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