Power plant operator vs distribution dispatcher

The differences between power plant operators and distribution dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a power plant operator has an average salary of $49,204, which is higher than the $48,377 average annual salary of a distribution dispatcher.

The top three skills for a power plant operator include plant equipment, steam boilers and auxiliary equipment. The most important skills for a distribution dispatcher are OMS, outage calls, and emergency situations.

Power plant operator vs distribution dispatcher overview

	Power Plant Operator	Distribution Dispatcher
Yearly salary	$49,204	$48,377
Hourly rate	$23.66	$23.26
Growth rate	-15%	-
Number of jobs	40,719	14,734
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	46	43
Years of experience	-	2

Power plant operator vs distribution dispatcher salary

Power plant operators and distribution dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Power Plant Operator	Distribution Dispatcher
Average salary	$49,204	$48,377
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $67,000	Between $25,000 And $91,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Orange County Sanitation District	-
Best paying industry	Utilities	-

Differences between power plant operator and distribution dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a power plant operator and a distribution dispatcher in terms of educational background:

	Power Plant Operator	Distribution Dispatcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Business
Most common college	-	-

Power plant operator vs distribution dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between power plant operators' and distribution dispatchers' demographics:

	Power Plant Operator	Distribution Dispatcher
Average age	46	43
Gender ratio	Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1%	Male, 64.0% Female, 36.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 1.5% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	5%	7%

Differences between power plant operator and distribution dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Power plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Process operator in the powerhouse.
Develop and assist regional groups with desk operating procedures for NERC compliance standards.
Control and maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors and condensers.
Perform various aspects of preventive maintenance and troubleshooting on HVAC systems; 300 to 1500 tons.
Repair and perform complete rebuilds on various valves, actuators, pumps, compressors, large fans, gearboxes etc.

Distribution dispatcher example responsibilities.

Manage and organize project teams internally during implementation of new CMTS system.
Schedule personnel in ARCOS system.
Maintain highly accurate records directly relate to AEP's performance and safety goals.
Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation and warehouse activities, safety performance, and logistics quality management.
Comply with MEA's general dispatching policies.
Dispatch parts to location where the technicians will be installing new ATM machines and providing internal support for technicians.

Power plant operator vs distribution dispatcher skills

Common power plant operator skills

Plant Equipment, 9%
Steam Boilers, 8%
Auxiliary Equipment, 7%
Plant Operations, 5%
Cooling Towers, 5%
Condensers, 5%

Common distribution dispatcher skills

OMS, 28%
Outage Calls, 16%
Emergency Situations, 15%
Emergency Calls, 12%
Customer Orders, 6%
Management System, 5%

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Power Plant Operator
Power Plant Operator vs Distribution Dispatcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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