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Will AI replace Power Plant Operators?

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. The percentage shown is a task-exposure model, not a prediction of certain job loss.

O*NET 30.3 · 51-8013.00 · modeled exposure, not guaranteed job loss
MODERATE TASK EXPOSURE
55%
Estimated share of representative tasks exposed to current AI capabilities.
Task automation shareⓘ
55%Automatable
Automatable55%
Augmentable23%
Hard to automate22%
Based on analysis of representative responsibilities and current AI capability maturity.
Category#
Trades & Physical
Field & Physical
Modeled pay midpoint$
$95,900/yr
Directional estimate — verify locally
Time until impact⌁
2–4 years
Earliest 2027 · widespread 2029–2031
Task-level replaceability ⓘ
Representative tasks ranked from highest to lowest AI exposure.
◇Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.65%
⚙Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.54%
▥Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.42%
✦Physical dexterity in unpredictable settings15%
✦Safety responsibility and on-site judgment11%
Impact timeline ⓘ
How AI assistance may move from early support to wider adoption.
2027Next2029–2031
Early impactAI begins supporting control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels..
Role reshapingRepeatable tasks become faster and more automated.
Wider adoptionThe role centers more on physical dexterity in unpredictable settings.
2–4 yearsdirectional confidence window
HOW AI CHANGES THIS JOBtyping the logic in plain English
01>Start with the real work done by Power Plant Operators.
02>AI can help with: Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
03>If a task is repetitive and easy to check, AI pressure goes up.
04>But a person is still needed for: Physical dexterity in unpredictable settings.
05>Likely result: AI is more likely to change this job than remove it.
06>Important: 55% is estimated task exposure—not a 55% chance of losing the job.
What AI can do
Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.MEDIUM-HIGH
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.MEDIUM
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.LOW MATCH
How estimates work →
Your human moat
◆

Physical dexterity in unpredictable settings

MEDIUM-HIGH

Combined with safety responsibility and on-site judgment, this keeps a human in the loop.

Strength7.8
Similar-role comparison
RoleRisk
Power Plant Operators55%
Truck Driver (Long-Haul)54%
Gas Plant Operators54%
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators53%
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Why this score?

✓The model evaluates 3 representative core tasks.
✓The role mixes repeatable work with human judgment.
✓Occupation and task language comes from O*NET 30.3.
✓The strongest human advantage is physical dexterity in unpredictable settings.
Research basis

O*NET 30.3 occupation tasks plus the ILO 2025 exposure framework. Scores are directional estimates.

Read ILO research →
Data: O*NET 30.3 · Model framework: ILO 2025About O*NETShare report
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