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Manufacturing & Production · Updated Aug 2026

Power Plant Operators

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
55/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
43/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence81/100
Task coverage88%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.High
65
Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.High
67
Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.High
65
Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.High
64
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.High
67
Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.High
67
Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.High
62
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.High
61
Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.High
67
Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.High
66
Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.High
57
Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.High
66
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.High
31
Operate, control, or monitor gasifiers or related equipment, such as coolers, water quenches, water gas shifts reactors, or sulfur recovery units, to produce syngas or electricity from coal.High
33
Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, or pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.High
30
Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.High
34
Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.High
22
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.67
  2. Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.67
  3. Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.67
  4. Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.67
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.01
  2. Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, or pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.02
  3. Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.03
  4. Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.04
  5. Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency65
Physical dependency65
Adoption pressure55
Labour-market resilience68
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence81/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →