AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-8013.00

Will AI replace Power Plant Operators?

Power Plant Operators: AI can already handle 3 of 30 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 30 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Power Plant Operators, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Verify that well field monitoring data conforms to applicable regulations. 80 Estimated Standard 3.0
Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports. 74 Observed Standard 4.1
Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status. 65 Estimated Standard 4.4
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems. 50 Estimated Standard 4.5
Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary. 50 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies. 50 Estimated Standard 4.3
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.5
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. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.5
Repair or replace gas piping. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.0
Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels. 15 Estimated No tier 4.7
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals. 15 Estimated No tier 4.6
Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations. 15 Estimated No tier 4.5
Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
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. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
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. 15 Estimated No tier 4.4
Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal. 15 Estimated No tier 4.1
Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system. 15 Estimated No tier 3.9
Analyze the layout, instrumentation, or function of electrical generation or transmission facilities. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Monitor well fields periodically to ensure proper functioning and performance. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Operate landfill gas, methane, or natural gas fueled electrical generation systems. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Prepare and submit compliance, operational, and safety forms or reports. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Trace electrical circuitry to ensure compliance of electrical systems with applicable codes or laws. 15 Estimated No tier 3.0
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment. 12 Estimated No tier 4.6
Diagnose or troubleshoot problems with gas collection systems. 10 Estimated No tier 3.0

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 30 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 29 of 30. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A standard-tier model or lower covers 38% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 38% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 62% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
29,320
Median annual wage
$102,040
Middle half of earners
$79,690 to $119,080
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
-11.2%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Power Plant Operators and AI

Will AI replace Power Plant Operators?

AI already handles 3 of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 25 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -11.2% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Power Plant Operators?

25 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 1 of the 30 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 29 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Power Plant Operators tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Verify that well field monitoring data conforms to applicable regulations; Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports; Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A standard-tier model or lower covers 38% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 62% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Power Plant Operators, and what do they earn?

29,320 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $102,040 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -11.2% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Power Plant Operators. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/power-plant-operators

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