Power engineers and power systems operators
Career Overview
Power engineers and power systems operators work for power generation plants, electrical power utilities, manufacturing plants, hospitals, universities, government, and commercial businesses.
Power engineers operate and maintain reactors, turbines, boilers, generators, stationary engines and auxiliary equipment to generate electrical power and to provide heat, light, refrigeration and other utility services for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings and other work sites.
Power systems operators monitor and operate switchboards and related equipment in electrical control centres to control the distribution of electrical power in transmission networks.
Job Titles
Duties
Power engineers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate automated or computerized control systems, stationary engines and auxiliary equipment such as boilers, turbines, generators, pumps, compressors, pollution control devices and other equipment to provide heat, ventilation, refrigeration, light and power for buildings, industrial plants and other work sites
- Start up and shut down power plant equipment, control switching operations, regulate water levels and communicate with systems operators to regulate and co-ordinate transmission loads, frequency and line voltages
- Monitor and inspect plant equipment, computer terminals, switches, valves, gauges, alarms, meters and other instruments to measure temperature, pressure and fuel flow, to detect leaks or other equipment malfunctions and to make sure plant equipment is operating at maximum efficiency
- Analyze and record instrument readings and equipment malfunctions
- Troubleshoot and perform corrective action and minor repairs to prevent equipment or system failure
- Clean and lubricate generators, turbines, pumps and compressors and perform other routine equipment maintenance duties using appropriate lubricants and hand, power and precision tools
- Maintain a daily log of operation, maintenance and safety activities, and write reports about plant operation
- May assist in the development of operation, maintenance and safety procedures
Power systems operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate and monitor computerized switchboards and auxiliary equipment in electrical control centres to control the distribution and to regulate the flow of electrical power in the transmission network
- Co-ordinate, schedule and direct generating station and substation power loads and line voltages to meet distribution demands during daily operations, system outages, repairs and importing or exporting of power
- Monitor and visually inspect station instruments, meters and alarms to ensure transmission voltages and line loadings are within prescribed limits and to detect equipment failure, line disturbances and outages
- Issue work and test permits to electrical and mechanical maintenance personnel, assist maintenance and technical personnel to locate and isolate system problems, and assist during routine system testing
- Complete and maintain station records, logs and reports
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
5,060% Employed Full Time
73%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a controlled indoor environment
- Working with equipment, machinery, instruments or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- The workplace may be noisy enough to affect hearing. Safety equipment is worn to diminish this risk
Career Pathways
Progression from lower to higher classes for stationary or power engineers is dependent on further training and experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- Power engineers require a college training program in stationary or power engineering and several years of work experience in the field
- Power engineers require a provincial or territorial power engineering or stationary engineering certificate according to class
- Stationary engineer trade certification according to class (4th, 3rd, 2nd or 1st class) is compulsory in Nova Scotia and Quebec and available, but voluntary in New Brunswick
- Power systems operators require completion of a three- to five-year power system operator apprenticeship program or Over three years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in electrical and electronic technology
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary for power system operators in Newfoundland and Labrador
- Control room operators at nuclear power plants require licensing from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Power Engineering
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
5,060Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 540 | 10.7% |
| Kootenay | 510 | 10.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,820 | 35.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 270 | 5.3% |
| Northeast | 360 | 7.1% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 800 | 15.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 755 | 14.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
2,760Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 260 | 0.4% |
| Kootenay | 250 | 0.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,130 | 1.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 160 | 1.7% |
| Northeast | 180 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 400 | 0.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 390 | 0.4% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 720 |
| Utilities | 310 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 300 |
| Public Administration | 230 |
| Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction | 230 |
Resources
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British Columbia Institute of Power Engineers (BC IPE)www.ipevancouver.ca
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Institute of Power Engineers (IPE), Nationalwww.nipe.ca
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International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 882iuoe882.ca/wordpress
Career Videos
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a power engineer.
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a power engineer.
