Hydroelectric Plant Technician

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A hydroelectric plant technician could...

Overview Listen to this section

Did you know that about 700,000 gallons of water flow over the famous Niagara Falls every second? Moving water is a great source of renewable energy, and two hydroelectric power plants built upstream from the Canadian side of the falls and one hydroelectric power plant built upstream from the U.S. side of the falls efficiently exploit the energy from all that water. Such hydroelectric plants use turbines, rotors, generators, and other complicated equipment to supply us with electricity for our homes and businesses 24 hours every day. Hydroelectric plant technicians monitor and control the activities associated with hydroelectric generation. They operate, maintain, and troubleshoot all plant equipment to ensure that the hydroelectric plant runs at peak performance.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Hydroelectric Plant Technician?

1. Operations Monitoring: ? Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
2. Operation and Control: ? Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
3. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
4. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
5. Equipment Maintenance: ? Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

6. Troubleshooting: ? Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
7. Repairing: ? Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
8. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
9. Coordination: ? Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
10. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Hydroelectric Plant Technician might do:

• Operate high voltage switches or related devices in hydropower stations.
• Identify or address malfunctions of hydroelectric plant operational equipment, such as generators, transformers, or turbines.
• Inspect water-powered electric generators or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric plants to verify proper operation or to determine maintenance or repair needs.
• Implement load or switching orders in hydroelectric plants, in accordance with specifications or instructions.
• Start, adjust, or stop generating units, operating valves, gates, or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric power generating plants.
• Perform preventive or corrective containment or cleanup measures in hydroelectric plants to prevent environmental contamination.
• Maintain or repair hydroelectric plant electrical, mechanical, or electronic equipment, such as motors, transformers, voltage regulators, generators, relays, battery systems, air compressors, sump pumps, gates, or valves.
• Operate hydroelectric plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, or battery banks.
• Communicate status of hydroelectric operating equipment to dispatchers or supervisors.
• Monitor hydroelectric power plant equipment operation and performance, adjusting to performance specifications, as necessary.
• Take readings and record data, such as water levels, temperatures, or flow rates.
• Install or calibrate electrical or mechanical equipment, such as motors, engines, switchboards, relays, switch gears, meters, pumps, hydraulics, or flood channels.
• Lift and move loads, using cranes, hoists, and rigging, to install or repair hydroelectric system equipment or infrastructure.
• Maintain logs, reports, work requests, or other records of work performed in hydroelectric plants.
• Change oil, hydraulic fluid, or other lubricants to maintain condition of hydroelectric plant equipment.
• Perform tunnel or field inspections of hydroelectric plant facilities or resources.
• Connect metal parts or components in hydroelectric plants by welding, soldering, riveting, tapping, bolting, bonding, or screwing.
• Erect scaffolds, platforms, or hoisting frames to access hydroelectric plant machinery or infrastructure for repair or replacement.
• Cut, bend, or shape metal for applications in hydroelectric plants, using equipment such as hydraulic benders or pipe threaders.