Job Details
Sector(s)
Operations & Maintenance
Median Pay
$94,790 per year
$45.57 per hour
Job Type
Mid-Level
Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements
High school diploma or equivalent required; several years of extensive on-the-job training
Position Title
Hydroelectric Power Plant Operator
Alternate Titles
System operator
Job Description
Hydroelectric power plant operators control and maintain electricity generation equipment within the power plant and regulate the flow of electricity out of the plant.
Education and Training Description
Hydroelectric power plant operators typically need a high school diploma or equivalent in addition to extensive training. This training often takes the form of apprenticeship programs or several years of on-the-job training. Some employers prefer a college, associates, vocational, or technical degree in a related engineering field, and operators often begin their careers as mechanical or electrical technicians.
Operators can advance to shift supervisors, trainers, or consultants through higher levels of training, experience, and education.
Job Profile
Hydroelectric power plant operators work at the hydropower plant to control and maintain the equipment that generates electricity. To control the electricity generation, operators regulate the flow of water that moves through the turbines to generate electricity and the flow of electricity out of the plant. Operators use control boards to monitor and distribute the power output of multiple generators at the power plant in order to meet consumer demand for electricity. Additionally, operators monitor instruments to maintain voltage and electricity flows exiting the plant and identify equipment operating problems.
Hydroelectric power plant operators are responsible for sending water through the generators or diversion tunnels according to the specifications determined by the reservoir operations specialist. In the case of an unforeseen event or emergency, operators are responsible for regulating the real-time operations based on experience and learned procedure. They also control the flow of electricity exiting the array according to the specifications determined by the transmission operator.
Hydroelectric power plant operators typically:
- Control water flow into power-generating hydroelectric turbines
- Read charts, meters, and gauges to monitor voltage and electricity flows
- Check equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems
- Adjust controls to regulate the flow of power
- Start or stop water flow through turbines and turn off other equipment as necessary.
Job Skills
Hydroelectric power plant operators typically need:
- Concentration skills. Power plant operators must be careful, attentive, and persistent. They must be able to concentrate on a task, such as monitoring the output of generators over a certain length of time without being distracted.
- Communication skills. Power plant operators must be able to take complicated directions and provide operational feedback, such as the status of plant equipment as a result of implemented changes, to outside parties (such as transmission operators and reservoir operation specialists).
- To be detail oriented. Power plant operators must monitor complex controls and intricate machinery to ensure that everything is operating properly.
- Dexterity. Power plant operators must use precise and repeated motions when working in a control room.
- Mechanical skills. Power plant operators must know how to work with machines and use tools. They must be familiar with how to operate, repair, and maintain equipment.
- Problem-solving skills. Power plant operators must find and quickly solve problems that arise with equipment or controls.
More Information
For more information on hydropower plant operator jobs, see: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers.