Power Plant Operators

Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.

AI: Fully automatable - Automatic generation control and energy management systems already perform routine adjustments between stations and AI can extend those capabilities to meet specified power targets.

Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.

AI: Fully automatable - AI and monitoring systems can continuously analyze sensor data and indicators to detect operating problems with high reliability and speed.

Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.

AI: Fully automatable - Automatic synchronizers and control systems already manage phase, frequency, and voltage matching and AI can handle these control tasks in real time.

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.

AI: Fully automatable - Control of auxiliary equipment (pumps, fans, compressors, etc.) is routinely automated via DCS/SCADA and AI-driven control and predictive maintenance can manage their operation and health.

Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.

AI: Fully automatable - Control of boilers, turbines, generators via control boards or semi-automatic systems is extensively automated and AI can operate and optimize these controls.

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.

AI: Fully automatable - Operation, control and monitoring of CO2 capture/compression and pipeline systems are process-control tasks that automation and AI can fully manage in 2025 with appropriate safeguards.

Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.

AI: Fully automatable - Start/stop sequences for generators and auxiliary equipment are commonly executed by automated control logic and can be fully managed by AI systems for routine operations.

Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.

AI: Fully automatable - Sequenced valve and switch operations for unit startup/shutdown are deterministic and are already automated or can be reliably automated by AI-driven control sequences.

Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.

AI: Fully automatable - AI can analyze digital records, logbook entries, and communications to assess operating status and flag issues, automating most of the assessment task.

Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.

AI: Fully automatable - As of 2025, distributed control systems, PLCs and AI-based controllers routinely regulate equipment and water levels from instrument and computer data, enabling full automation of this task.

Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.

AI: Fully automatable - Routine, interval-based regulatory actions are easily codified and executed by existing automation (DCS/SCADA) and scheduling systems, so AI can fully perform them in 2025.

Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.

AI: Fully automatable - Recording, compiling and generating logs/reports is already automated via data historians, RPA and AI reporting tools, allowing full automation of this task as of 2025.

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.

AI: Fully automatable - Gasifier and associated unit control (coolers, quenches, WGS, sulfur recovery) are controlled by advanced process control systems and AI/model-based controllers that can perform these operations in 2025.

Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.

AI: Fully automatable - IGCC and related systems (including air separation) are complex but amenable to automated control and optimization, and in 2025 AI and control systems can operate and monitor them effectively.

Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system.

AI: Fully automatable - Automatic transfer switches, control logic and monitoring systems already place standby generators online and AI can monitor temperature/output/lubrication, enabling full automation in most setups by 2025.

Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies.

AI: Fully automatable - AI-driven call-handling and dispatch systems can receive outage reports, triage severity, and automatically request or notify necessary personnel.

Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.

AI: Partial - While AI can automate many coordination messages and optimize setpoints, human-to-human coordination and real-time negotiation across organizations still often require human judgment and communication.

Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.

AI: Partial - Physical cleaning, lubrication and hands‑on maintenance still require human dexterity and access; AI can schedule, diagnose and guide but cannot broadly perform these tasks autonomously in 2025.

Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.

AI: Partial - Distributed generation (fuel cells, microturbines) operation and monitoring can be fully automated, but onsite maintenance still requires human technicians, so AI can only partially cover the full task in 2025.

Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices.

AI: Partial - AI can analyze test data and operate some automated testing equipment remotely, but hands-on probing and safety-critical manual procedures still require human technicians.

Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints.

AI: Partial - Minor physical repairs like tightening glands or pipe joints are manual tasks where AI can provide diagnostics and instructions but generally cannot execute the physical repair itself in 2025.

Replenish electrolytes in batteries and oil in voltage transformers, and reset tripped electric relays.

AI: Partial - Replenishing electrolytes, oils, and resetting relays are hazardous, manual tasks requiring physical manipulation and safety procedures, though robotics can partially assist.

Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis.

AI: Partial - Collecting physical oil, water, or electrolyte samples generally requires on-site manual handling or specialized robots, while AI can plan, schedule, and analyze samples but not reliably perform most field sampling alone in 2025.

Inspect thermal barrier coatings on integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) equipment for sintering, phase destabilization, or temperature variances to ensure compliance with standards and insulation efficiency.

AI: Partial - AI can detect coating defects and temperature variances via imaging and thermography, but identifying sintering or phase destabilization often requires lab analysis and expert interpretation.