Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
8,520 people do this job in the US. $106,730 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 91%
- 5%
- 4%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 2%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 74%. Today's estimate: 82%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 14 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 16% | 50 min13 min to 2.5 h | 79%Half by now | |
| Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 13% | 38 min13 min to 2.5 h | 86%Half by now | |
| Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 10% | 1.1 h25 min to 2.5 h | 91%Half by now | |
| Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | 77%Half by now | |
| Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 8% | 38 min17 min to 1.7 h | 98%Half by now | |
| Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 8% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | 95%Half by now | |
| Record and compile operational data, such as chart or meter readings, power demands, or usage and operating times, using transmission system maps.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 38 min13 min to 1.7 h | 95%Half by now | |
| Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 7% | 25 min8 min to 1.3 h | 97%Half by now | |
| Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 6% | 25 min13 min to 1.3 h | 100%Half by now | |
| Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 5% | 21 min8 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 25 min13 min to 1.3 h | 100%Half by now | |
| Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.Done several times a day by most who do it. | 3% | 13 min4 min to 38 min | 99%Half by now |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Power Plant Operators41% now, 45% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay19% now, 19% by 2028
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators13% now, 22% by 2028
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians10% now, 11% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment14% now, 20% by 2028
- Gas Plant Operators14% now, 16% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).