Nuclear power reactor operators: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Nuclear power reactor operators control nuclear reactors. They adjust control rods, which affect how much electricity a reactor generates. They monitor reactors, turbines, generators, and cooling systems, adjusting controls as necessary. Operators start and stop equipment and record the data produced. They also respond to abnormalities, determine the causes, and take corrective action.
- Education Required
- Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. However, employers may prefer workers who have a college or vocational school degree.
- Training Required
- Power plant operators and dispatchers undergo rigorous, long-term on-the-job training and technical instruction. Several years of onsite training and experience are necessary for a worker to become fully qualified. Even fully qualified operators and dispatchers must take regular training courses to keep their skills up to date.
- Job Outlook
-
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: -1% (Little or no change)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- With sufficient education, training and experience, power plant distributors and dispatchers can become shift supervisors, trainers, or consultants.
- Licenses/Certifications
- Nuclear power reactor operators must be licensed through the NRC. They typically begin working in nuclear power plants as unlicensed operators, where they gain the required knowledge and experience to start the licensing process. To become licensed, operators must meet training and experience requirements, pass a medical exam, and pass the NRC licensing exam. To keep their license, operators must pass a plant-operating exam each year, pass a medical exam every 2 years, and apply for renewal of their license every 6 years. Licenses cannot be transferred between plants, so an operator must get a new license to work in another facility.
- Median pay: How much do Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers make?
- $78,370 Annual Salary
- $37.68 per hour
Careers for Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers
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- Power distributors and dispatchers
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- Powerhouse operators
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- Steam plant control room operators
- Substation operator
- Turbine room attendants