Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.
Also called: Control Area Operator · Control Operator · Dispatcher · Distribution System Dispatcher (DSD) · DSO (Distribution System Operator) · Electric System Operator
Median pay (national)
$107,240
$70,760–$144,900 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
9,180
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-3.2%
~800 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for power distributors and dispatchers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $144,900 versus $70,760 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $107,240 leaves roughly 35% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -3.2% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 800 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 38 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $139,170, +30% vs the national median), while Illinois sits lowest at $83,960 — a 66% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
- Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
- Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
- Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
- 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.
- Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
- Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
- Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.
- Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules.
- Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings.
Tools & technology
- SAP software
- ABB MicroSCADA Pro DMS
- ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS
- ABB PSGuard
- Catapult Software iPower SCADA
- Distribution automation system software
- Distribution management system DMS
- Energy management system EMS
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Milsoft DisSPatch
- OSI monarch/SGP
- Outage management system OMS
- Radius NetMan
- Radius Uni-View
- Siemens Energy and Automation
- Siemens Spectrum Power TG
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Computers and Electronics
- Telecommunications
- Engineering and Technology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mechanical