Job losses will not be offset by new power plants because their greater automation requires fewer operators, and plant construction is expected to slow due to concerns about electric power generating overcapacity. Shrinking employment and low turnover of operator positions will decrease advancement opportunities for helpers and laborers. Top Electricity is vital for most of our everyday activities. From the moment you flip the first switch each morning, you are connecting to a huge network of people, electric lines, and generating equipment.
Electric power generating plant operators control the machinery that generates electricity.
Power distributors and dispatchers control the flow of electricity, from the power plant over a network of transmission lines to industrial plants and substations, and finally over distribution lines to residential users. Electric power generating plant operators control and monitor boilers, turbines, generators, and auxiliary equipment in power generating plants. Operators distribute power demands among generators, combine the current from several generators, and monitor instruments to maintain voltage and regulate electricity flows from the plant. When power requirements change, these workers start or stop generators and connect or disconnect them from circuits. They may use computers to keep records of switching operations and loads on generators, lines, and transformers.