Employment of power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers is projected to decline 6 percent from 2014 to 2024. Electricity usage is expected to grow more slowly because of advances in technology and increased energy efficiency. These developments will in turn dampen employment growth for the occupation.

Employment growth will vary by specialty. Employment of power plant operators in nonnuclear power plants is projected to decline 7 percent from 2014 to 2024. As old power plants close, they will be replaced with new plants that produce electricity more efficiently and, in many cases, have higher electricity-generating capacities. These new plants will have modernized control rooms that are more automated and that provide workers with more information. As a result, workers will be able to work more effectively, perhaps limiting the number of new job opportunities.

Employment of power distributors and dispatchers is projected to decline 5 percent from 2014 to 2024. Although some distributors and dispatchers will be needed to manage an increasingly complex electrical grid, employment growth will be tempered by advances in technology and smart grid projects that automate some of the work of dispatchers.

Employment of nuclear power reactor operators is projected to show little or no change from 2014 to 2024. Although no new plants have opened since the 1990s, new sites have applied for construction and operating licenses, and they will need to be staffed before the end of the next decade.

Job Prospects

Job prospects should be better for those with related training and good mechanical skills. Many people will seek these high-paying jobs, so prospects will be best for those with strong technical and mechanical skills.