Power Distributors and Dispatchers — Career Decision Dashboard

Typical tasks

• Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
• Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
• Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
• Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
• 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.
• Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
• Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
• Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.