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Power Distributor & Dispatcher

Overview and Key Facts

person at desk
Education
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Median Pay
Median Pay
$107,240
Job Growth
Job Growth
-3.20%
(Below US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
9,000

What Do They Do?

A power plant distributor and dispatcher could...

 
transmission lines broken from ice storm
Reroute electrical current around transmission lines that were damaged in an ice storm.
dog and fan
Order the start of extra power generators on hot days, so that there's enough electricity to keep everyone cool.
digitally drawn grid on city
Monitor the U.S. power grid to make sure that power generation matches power consumption.
linemen
Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas so that linemen can safely work on power lines.
 
transmission lines broken from ice storm dog and fan digitally drawn grid on city linemen

Overview Listen to this section

Think of all the things in your home or school that use electricity, like the lights, TV, refrigerator, washer, microwave, music players, computer, and electronic devices. Now think of how you feel when the power goes out, even for just a moment. Power plant distributors and dispatchers have an important job—they work to keep electricity flowing to homes and businesses by carefully watching and planning for problems like big storms that could damage transmission lines, heat waves that cause a big surge in demand for power, or normal construction work, which could take transmission lines out of service.
Watch this video to see how power plant distributors and dispatchers, also called electric systems operators, ensure electricity in Alberta, Canada gets from where it is generated to our homes and businesses for consumption and remains sustainable and reliable now and into the future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX_AxDb8nS0

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Power Distributor & Dispatcher?


  1. Active Listening: ?
  2. Monitoring: ?
  3. Critical Thinking: ?
  4. Speaking: ?
  5. Reading Comprehension: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Power Distributor & Dispatcher might do:
  • Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
  • Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
  • Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
  • Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
  • 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.
  • Record and compile operational data, such as chart or meter readings, power demands, or usage and operating times, using transmission system maps.
  • Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
  • Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings.
  • Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

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No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Power Distributor & Dispatcher Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Power Distributor & Dispatcher jobs (-3.20%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Power Distributor & Dispatcher

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Dispatchers and distributors generally need a combination of education, on-the-job training, and experience. Candidates with strong computer and technical skills are generally preferred.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: High school diploma or equivalent ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Employers often seek recent high school graduates for entry-level distributor and dispatcher positions. Workers with college or vocational school degrees will have more advancement opportunities, especially in nuclear power plants.

Workers selected for training as power plant distributors undergo extensive on-the-job and classroom instruction. Several years of training and experience are required for a worker to become a fully qualified control room operator or power plant distributor.

In addition to receiving initial training to become fully qualified as a power plant distributor or dispatcher, most workers are given periodic refresher training, especially the nuclear power plant operators. Refresher training is usually taken on plant simulators designed specifically to replicate procedures and situations that might be encountered at the trainee's plant.

Companies That Hire Power Distributor & Dispatchers

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

A.J. Perez understands the seriousness of his work and constantly stays up-to-date with trainng.
We also actually open and close the circuits for [lineman]. The linemen have to trust that we know what we’re doing. I know the consequences could affect someone’s life. 
A.J. Perez

Nature of the Work

Electricity is vital for most 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. Power plant operators control the machinery that generates electricity. Power plant 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.

Power distributors and dispatchers—also called load dispatchers or systems operators—control the flow of electricity through transmission lines to industrial plants and substations that supply residential needs for electricity. They monitor and operate current converters, voltage transformers, and circuit breakers. Dispatchers also monitor other distribution equipment and record readings at a pilot board—a map of the transmission grid system showing the status of transmission circuits and connections with substations and industrial plants.

Dispatchers also anticipate power needs, such as those caused by changes in the weather. They call control room operators to start or stop boilers and generators, in order to bring production into balance with needs. Dispatchers handle emergencies such as transformer or transmission line failures and route current around affected areas. In substations, they also operate and monitor equipment that increases or decreases voltage, and they operate switchboard levers to control the flow of electricity in and out of the substations.

Work Environment

Distributors and dispatchers who work in control rooms generally sit or stand at a control station. This work is not physically strenuous, but it does require constant attention. Operators who work outside the control room may be exposed to danger from electric shock, falls, and burns.

Because electricity is provided around the clock, distributors and dispatchers usually work one of three 8-hour shifts or one of two 12-hour shifts on a rotating basis. Shift assignments may change periodically, so that all operators share less desirable shifts. Work on rotating shifts can be stressful and fatiguing because of the constant change in living and sleeping patterns.

More Information

Ask Questions

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