Control Room Power Plant Operator - Two-Unit, Supercritical

Luminant; Oak Grove (MN); On-site; USD 66,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

Oak Grove Management Co LLC operates two supercritical lignite-fired generating units from the control room, ensuring safe, reliable operation and efficient fuel delivery. The role requires coordinating startups, shut-downs, and load changes, while maintaining logs and complying with procedures.

Candidate must have extensive control room experience on utility-scale equipment, strong DCS knowledge, and a commitment to safety and teamwork in a 24/7 plant environment.

Qualifications

• Six years of related experience.
• Experience operating utility-scale generating equipment from a control room.
• Understanding of supercritical steam generation and turbine-generator systems.
• Strong knowledge of DCS-based control and monitoring systems.
• Understanding of boiler combustion, steam-water systems, turbine operation, electrical generation, and major auxiliary systems.
• Ability to interpret trends, alarms, operating parameters, equipment indications, and process data to identify developing equipment or process issues.
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure in a fast-paced, dynamic operating environment.
• Demonstrated effective oral and verbal communication skills and the ability to work successfully as part of a shift team.
• Ability to follow approved procedures while recognizing equipment or process conditions that are not behaving as expected.
• Strong commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and reliable generation.
• Ability to maintain accurate operating logs and other required documentation.
• Ability to work without direct supervision in unit upset conditions.

Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor two supercritical lignite-fired generating units from the control room.
• Maintain safe, stable, and efficient operation of the boiler, turbine-generator, and associated balance-of-plant systems.
• Monitor DCS indications, alarms, trends, process conditions, equipment performance, and operating parameters.
• Make timely operating decisions in response to changing unit conditions, equipment issues, system disturbances, and abnormal operating situations.
• Execute and coordinate unit startups, shutdowns, load changes, equipment clearances, and switching activities in accordance with approved procedures.
• Work closely with field operators to verify equipment conditions and safely execute operating instructions.
• Operate and monitor lignite fuel-delivery systems, including rail unloading, conveyors, transfer equipment, bunkers, feeders, and associated controls.
• Monitor lignite inventory, fuel flow, conveyor performance, feeder operation, and material-handling alarms to maintain a reliable fuel supply to the generating units.
• Coordinate with fuel-handling personnel and Shift Supervision regarding train deliveries, unloading priorities, fuel inventory levels, and lignite-system operating conditions.
• Support the safe startup, shutdown, isolation, clearance, and restoration of lignite fuel-handling equipment.
• Identify abnormal equipment behavior, developing process issues, and fuel-handling concerns before they become significant operating or reliability problems.
• Communicate equipment conditions, operational risks, and plant-status changes clearly to the Shift Supervisor, maintenance personnel, engineers, fuel-handling personnel, and other plant personnel.
• Maintain accurate operating logs, records, and documentation, including unit operating status, fuel-delivery activity, train deliveries, fuel inventory, and lignite-system conditions.
• Support troubleshooting, incident reviews, and root-cause identification following equipment, process, or fuel-system issues.
• Follow all applicable safety, environmental, operating, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in emergency response, drills, training, procedure reviews, and continuous-improvement activities.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by plant management.

Skills

Control room ops

DCS monitoring

Safety compliance

Troubleshooting

Communication

Decision making

Education

High school diploma

Associate degree

Power plant certs

Tools

PI System

Foxboro control systems

Job description

Oak Grove Management Co LLC operates two supercritical lignite-fired generating units from the control room, ensuring safe, reliable operation and efficient fuel delivery. The role requires coordinating startups, shut-downs, and load changes, while maintaining logs and complying with procedures.

Candidate must have extensive control room experience on utility-scale equipment, strong DCS knowledge, and a commitment to safety and teamwork in a 24/7 plant environment.