Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
This is a specialization of
Plant & System OperatorsCareer Overview Video
AI Impact Assessment
AI Resilience Score
Score 1/6: declining job demand, limited human advantage creates significant risk from AI disruption
How we calculated this:
38% of tasks can be accelerated by AI
-3% projected (2024-2034)
EPOCH score: 10/25
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
- Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
- Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
- Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
- 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.
- Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
- Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
- Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.
- Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules.
- Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings.
Education & Training
Typical Entry Education
Post-secondary certificate
Time to Job Ready
1-3 years
Based on Job Zone 3. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.
Technology Skills
Key Abilities
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Find jobs and training programs for power distributors and dispatchers- Median salary: $105K/year
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Compensation Details
Based on 9,040 employed workers
Also Known As
Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
O*NET Code: 51-8012.00