Science & ResearchISCO 2151
Electric power generation engineer
An electric power generation engineer is a person who designs the systems that produce electricity, and who works out how existing generating plant can produce more of it, more cleanly and for less.
Check yourself in a minute: electric power generation engineer
Rate 5 of the 21 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
promote sustainable energy
adjust engineering designs
perform scientific research
use technical drawing software
respond to electrical power contingencies
About electric power generation engineer
Design is the core of the job. The engineer designs electrical power systems and the components inside them, applying engineering principles and a working knowledge of electric current to settle how a plant turns its fuel or its resource into power delivered to a grid. Renewable generation and microgeneration technologies belong here as well, from wind and solar installations down to small systems serving a single building. Plant already in service takes up much of the work: the engineer assesses how a station performs, then develops strategies to improve its output, its efficiency or its emissions without rebuilding it.
Safety and continuity run next to the design work. The engineer sees that electrical power operations are carried out safely, and develops emergency strategies for electricity supply so that a fault or a shortfall does not leave customers without power.
The engineer has to balance two things: what is technically possible, and what is cheap and durable enough to be built. The role draws on electrical engineering, on knowledge of generation and renewable technologies, and on the judgement to compare options of which none wins on every measure. Formal requirements are set by the employer and by the engineering rules of each country.
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (21)
energyenergyPower capacity in the form of mechanical, electrical, heat, potential, or other energy from chemical or physical resources, which can be used to drive a physical system.engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.electrical engineeringelectrical engineeringThe field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.electric currentelectric currentFlow of electric charge, carried by electrons or ions in a medium such as an electrolyte or a plasma.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.electrical power safety regulationselectrical power safety regulationsThe compliance with safety measures which need to be taken during the installation, operation, and maintenance of constructions and equipment which function in the generation, transmission, and distri...energy micro-generation technologiesenergy micro-generation technologiesThe technologies which allow the small-scale generation process of harvesting low carbon sources such as the sun, wind, or water flow, to produce heat or electricity. Energy micro-generation technolog...electricityelectricityThe principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.electric generatorselectric generatorsThe principles and operations of devices that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, such as dynamos and alternators, rotors, stators, armatures, and fields.renewable energyrenewable energyThe different types of energy sources which cannot be depleted, such as wind, solar, water, biomass, and biofuel energy. The different technologies used to implement these types of energy to an increa...promote sustainable energypromote sustainable energyPromote the use of renewable electricity and heat generation sources to organisations and individuals, in order to work towards a sustainable future and encourage sales of renewable energy equipment, ...ensure safety in electrical power operationsensure safety in electrical power operationsMonitor and control operations on an electrical power transmission and distribution system in order to ensure that major risks are controlled and prevented, such as electrocution risks, damage to prop...adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.respond to electrical power contingenciesrespond to electrical power contingenciesSet in motion the strategies created for responding to emergency situations, as well as respond to unforeseen problems, in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical power, such as p...ensure compliance with electricity distribution scheduleensure compliance with electricity distribution scheduleMonitor the operations of an electrical energy distribution facility and electricity distribution systems in order to ensure that the distribution goals are met, and the electricity supply demands are...develop strategies for electricity contingenciesdevelop strategies for electricity contingenciesDevelop and implement strategies which ensure that swift and efficient actions can be taken in the event of a disruption in the generation, transmission, or distribution of electrical energy, such as ...design electric power systemsdesign electric power systemsConstruct generation plants, distribution stations and systems and transmission lines to get energy and new technology where it needs to go. Use high tech equipment, research, maintenance and repair t...shift energy demandsshift energy demandsAccommodate a temporary shutdown of electric power generation systems by shifting energy demands. The goal is to limit power disruptions for customers while a certain problem is identified and dealt w...approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.
Optional (72) — show
information structureinformation structureThe type of infrastructure which defines the format of data: semi-structured, unstructured and structured.energy marketenergy marketThe trends and major driving factors in the energy trading market, energy trades methodologies and practice, and the identification of the major stakeholders in the energy sector.marine engineeringmarine engineeringThe engineering discipline that studies the design, operation and maintenance of watercraft propulsion and on-board systems. It also addresses the design and construction of fixed and floating marine ...battery fluidsbattery fluidsThe characteristics and properties of battery fluids.business intelligencebusiness intelligenceThe tools used to transform large amounts of raw data into relevant and helpful business information.electricity consumptionelectricity consumptionThe different factors which are involved in the calculation and estimation of electricity consumption in a residence or facility, and methods in which electricity consumption can be lowered or made mo...data miningdata miningThe methods of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and databases used to extract content from a dataset.chemical productschemical productsThe offered chemical products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.innovation processesinnovation processesThe techniques, models, methods and strategies which contribute to the promotion of steps towards innovation.visual presentation techniquesvisual presentation techniquesThe visual representation and interaction techniques, such as histograms, scatter plots, surface plots, tree maps and parallel coordinate plots, that can be used to present abstract numerical and non-...design drawingsdesign drawingsThe drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.electricity marketelectricity marketThe trends and major driving factors in the electricity trading market, electricity trades methodologies and practice, and the identification of the major stakeholders in the electricity sector.design principlesdesign principlesThe elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.hydroelectricityhydroelectricityThe generation of electrical power through the usage of hydropower, which uses gravitational force of moving water, and the benefits and negative aspects of using hydropower as a renewable source of e...hydraulicshydraulicsThe power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.information extractioninformation extractionThe techniques and methods used for eliciting and extracting information from unstructured or semi-structured digital documents and sources.sensorssensorsSensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sen...smart grids systemssmart grids systemsSmart grids are a digital electricity network. The system involves the electronic digital control of production, distribution and use of electricity, information management of the components and energ...fuel gasfuel gasThe various qualities, hazards and applications of gaseous fuels, such as oxy-acetylene, oxy-gasoline, oxy-hydrogen and others.battery chemistrybattery chemistryThe different battery types according to the representative chemical components used in the anode or the cathode such as zinc-carbon, nickel-metal hydride, lead-acid, or lithium-ion.battery componentsbattery componentsThe physical components, such as wiring, electronics and voltaic cells that can be found in batteries. The components vary according to size and type of battery.quality standardsquality standardsThe national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.data analyticsdata analyticsThe science of analysing and making decisions based on raw data collected from various sources. Includes knowledge of techniques using algorithms that derive insights or trends from that data to suppo...mini wind power generationmini wind power generationMini wind turbines for electricity generation on-site (on roofs etc.), and their contribution to energy performance.data mining methodsdata mining methodsData mining techniques used to determine and analyse the relationship between different elements of economy and marketing.CAD softwareCAD softwareThe computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.data storagedata storageThe physical and technical concepts of how digital data storage is organised in specific schemes both locally, such as hard-drives and random-access memories (RAM) and remotely, via network, internet ...offshore renewable energy technologiesoffshore renewable energy technologiesThe different technologies used to implement the marine renewable energy to an increasing degree, such as wind, wave and tidal turbines, floating photovoltaics, hydrocratic generators and ocean therma...statistical analysis system softwarestatistical analysis system softwareSpecific software system (SAS) used for advanced analytics, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics.cloud technologiescloud technologiesThe technologies which enable access to hardware, software, data and services through remote servers and software networks irrespective of their location and architecture.unstructured dataunstructured dataThe information that is not arranged in a pre-defined manner or does not have a pre-defined data model and is difficult to understand and find patterns in without using techniques such as data mining.biogas energybiogas energyEnergy production for heating and potable hot water making use of biogas (the biogas is generated off-site), and its contribution to energy performance.perform a feasibility study on mini wind powerperform a feasibility study on mini wind powerPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of mini wind power systems. Realise a standardised study to estimate the needed electrical power demand of the building, the part of mini wind po...monitor utility equipmentmonitor utility equipmentMonitor equipment which provides utility services such as power, heat, refrigeration, and steam, in order to ensure they are functional, operate according to regulations, and to check for faults.research ocean energy projectsresearch ocean energy projectsConduct wave and tidal energy project research and develop the projects from concept to delivery.resolve equipment malfunctionsresolve equipment malfunctionsIdentify, report and repair equipment damage and malfunctions. Communicate with field representatives and manufacturers to obtain repair and replacement components.analyse energy market trendsanalyse energy market trendsAnalyse data influencing the movement of the energy market, and liaise with the important stakeholders in the energy field in order to make accurate predictions and perform the most beneficial actions...perform data analysisperform data analysisCollect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.assemble sensorsassemble sensorsMount chips on a sensor substrate and attach them using soldering or wafer bumping techniques.maintain electrical equipmentmaintain electrical equipmentTest electrical equipment for malfunctions. Take safety measures, company guidelines, and legislation concerning electrical equipment into account. Clean, repair and replace parts and connections as r...perform data miningperform data miningExplore large datasets to reveal patterns using statistics, database systems or artificial intelligence and present the information in a comprehensible way.design utility equipmentdesign utility equipmentDesign equipment which is used for the provision of utility services, such as heat, steam, power, and refrigeration, in order to improve efficiency and sustainability in the provision of utilities to ...analyse big dataanalyse big dataCollect and evaluate numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of identifying patterns between the data.use remote control equipmentuse remote control equipmentUse a remote control to operate equipment. Watch the equipment closely while operating, and use any sensors or cameras to guide your actions.maintain sensor equipmentmaintain sensor equipmentDiagnose and detect malfunctions in sensor components, systems, and products using sensors and remove, replace, or repair these components when necessary. Execute preventative equipment maintenance ta...assess hydrogen production technologiesassess hydrogen production technologiesCompare technological and economic characteristics of different options to produce hydrogen. This includes comparing sources (natural gas, water and electricity, biomass, coal) and related technologie...wear appropriate protective gearwear appropriate protective gearWear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.test sensorstest sensorsTest sensors using appropriate equipment. Gather and analyse data. Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.install hydraulic systemsinstall hydraulic systemsInstall systems and components that use liquid fluid power to create mechanical movements such as hydraulic pumps, valves, hydraulic motors, hydraulic cylinders and other elements that power hydraulic...repair battery componentsrepair battery componentsRepair battery components through replacing cells, repairing wiring, or spot-welding cells.operate battery test equipmentoperate battery test equipmentOperate equipment used for battery testing, such as a soldering iron, a battery tester, or a multimeter. Detect flaws affecting the battery's performance, test the battery's capacity for accumulating ...analyse test dataanalyse test dataInterpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.utilise machine learningutilise machine learningUse techniques and algorithms that are able to extract mastery out of data, learn from it and make predictions, to be used for program optimisation, application adaptation, pattern recognition, filter...maintain hydraulic systemsmaintain hydraulic systemsPerform routine maintenance and repairs on systems which use pressurised fluids to provide power to machines and equipment.execute software testsexecute software testsPerform tests to ensure that a software product will perform flawlessly under the specified customer requirements and identify software defects (bugs) and malfunctions, using specialised software tool...inspect industrial equipmentinspect industrial equipmentInspect equipment used during industrial activities such as manufacturing or construction equipment in order to ensure that the equipment complies with health, safety, and environmental legislation.supervise crewsupervise crewSupervise and observe the behaviour of employees.perform a feasibility study on combined heat and powerperform a feasibility study on combined heat and powerPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of combined heat and power (CHP). Realise a standardised study to determine technical demands, regulation and costs. Estimate the needed electric...operate hydraulic pumpsoperate hydraulic pumpsOperate hydraulic pumping systems.coordinate electricity generationcoordinate electricity generationCommunicate the current demand of electricity generation to electricity generation workers and facilities in order to ensure that the generation of electrical power can be increased or decreased accor...perform feasibility study on geothermal energyperform feasibility study on geothermal energyPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a geothermal energy system. Realise a standardised study to determine the costs, restrictions, and available components and conduct research t...operate hydraulic machinery controlsoperate hydraulic machinery controlsUse correctly the controls of specialized machinery by turning valves, handwheels, or rheostats to move and control flow of fuels, water, and dry or liquid binders to machines.ensure equipment maintenanceensure equipment maintenanceEnsure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or f...use specific data analysis softwareuse specific data analysis softwareUse specific software for data analysis, including statistics, spreadsheets, and databases. Explore possibilities in order to make reports to managers, superiors, or clients.coordinate communication within a teamcoordinate communication within a teamCollect contact info for all team members and decide on modes of communication.operate hydrogen extraction equipmentoperate hydrogen extraction equipmentOperate the equipment used in hydrogen extraction and processing.collaborate with designerscollaborate with designersCommunicate and collaborate with fellow designers in order to coordinate new products and designs.utilise decision support systemutilise decision support systemUse the available ICT systems that can be used to support business or organisational decision making.develop electricity distribution scheduledevelop electricity distribution scheduleDevelop plans which outline the timelines and routes for the distribution of electrical energy, taking into account both the current and potential future demands of electrical energy, ensuring that th...assess financial viabilityassess financial viabilityRevise and analyse financial information and requirements of projects such as their budget appraisal, expected turnover, and risk assessment for determining the benefits and costs of the project. Asse...monitor electric generatorsmonitor electric generatorsMonitor the operation of electric generators in power stations in order to ensure functionality and safety, and to identify need for repairs and maintenance.
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
energy systems engineer12 shared essential skillssubstation engineer11 shared essential skillselectrical engineer10 shared essential skillshydropower engineer10 shared essential skillsoffshore renewable energy engineer10 shared essential skillspower distribution engineer10 shared essential skillssolar energy engineer10 shared essential skillsalternative fuels engineer9 shared essential skills
Frequently asked questions
What does an electric power generation engineer do?
Electric power generation engineers design and develop systems which generate electrical power, and develop strategies for the improvement of existing electricity generation systems. They strive to conciliate sustainable solutions with efficient and affordable solutions. They engage in projects where supply of electrical energy is required.
What skills does an electric power generation engineer need?
An electric power generation engineer needs 21 essential skills, including energy, engineering principles, electrical engineering, electric current, technical drawings.
Will AI replace electric power generation engineer jobs?
The AI disruption score for electric power generation engineer is 32/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: electricity consumption, sensors, battery components. Most resilient: electricity, energy, electric generators.
AI Replacement Risk
32/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
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