Plant Operator 1st Class (St. Thomas)

The Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority; Charlotte Amalie (United States Virgin Islands); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority is seeking a Plant Operator 1st Class under direct supervision of the Shift Supervisor. The role involves supervising and adjusting generator loading, monitoring control boards, and reporting abnormal conditions to a supervisor for action.

Responsibilities include operating control boards, exciters, disconnects, oil circuit breakers, and transformers; inspecting equipment, maintaining logs and daily/monthly reports, and performing required switching

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent plus courses in mechanical or electrical trades.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in power and power plant operation, three years as Plant Operator 2nd Class.

Responsibilities

• Assist Shift Supervisor in preparing the electric portion of generating units for service and set generator loading.
• Operate control boards, exciters, disconnects, oil circuit breakers, power circuits, main transformer connections and related systems.
• Open/close high and low tension switches and verify clearances; report completion to supervisor.
• Monitor switchboards and restore equipment to normal as directed by supervisor.
• Inspect equipment including transformers, switchgear, batteries and auxiliaries; log readings and maintenance data.
• Follow safety procedures and maintain accurate logs and charts.

Skills

Instrument reading

Log maintenance

Following instructions

Equipment troubleshooting

Safe operations

Communication

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Boiler/turbine control boards

Job description

Under direct supervision of the Shift Supervisor, the Plant Operator 1st Class receives instructions regarding changes in plant loading, steam flow and switching and clearing of the electrical transmission system and the station auxiliaries, and reports abnormal conditions, faulty equipment, or accidents to supervisor for action.

Because the Authority has a primary responsibility to serve the public 24 hours per day an employee in this class is expected to work overtime as conditions demand, and may be required to accept overtime on short notice during emergency or unusual conditions and to perform essential work as assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Assists the Shift Supervisor in the preparation of the electric portion of the electric generating units for service by connecting or removing units as required and changing and adjusting the generator loading and voltage in accordance with system requirements
• Operates control boards, exciters, disconnects, oil circuit breakers, power circuits, main transformer connections, load and voltage control equipment, and signal systems; performs routine switching in accordance with verbal or written instructions from a supervisor
• Opens and closes high and low tension disconnection switches and places protective tags to clear equipment; checks clearance for adequacy and reports the completion of such operation to the supervisor
• Observes the instruments of all switchboards in the control room for any unusual operating conditions and, as directed by supervisor, performs the functions necessary to restore the equipment to normal or remove it from service as required
• Inspects and determines operating condition of plant electrical and mechanical equipment external to the control room which includes the main and station service transformers, transmission substation, oil circuit breakers, station batteries and charging equipment, generator buses, instrument transformers, lightning, arresters, air conditions and ventilating equipment, fire protective equipment and other station auxiliaries, including auxiliaries, intake and outfall, and circulating water system
• Assists in the calculation of changes necessary for fuel flow control and computes the log sheet data; assists in the maintenance of the daily and monthly reports on generation, stem, line outages, etc., indicating and integrating meter data, generator operating records, and the cutting, marking and changing of charts
• Observes the equipment of all switchboards in the control room for any unusual operating conditions and as directed by supervisor performs the functions necessary to restore the equipment to normal or remove it from service as required

• Thorough knowledge of the operation of a boiler turbine generator control board
• Thorough knowledge of emergency procedures applicable to boiler turbine generator operation
• Thorough knowledge of the hazards of the trade and precautions to be observed
• Ability to read and interpret measuring and testing devices connected with power plant operations
• Ability to maintain accurate logs of readings and any other records as necessary
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Skilled in determining the working condition of equipment, detecting and correcting malfunctions in operations and in taking precautions against occupational hazards connected with power plant operations.

High school diploma, or equivalent, including or supplemented by courses in the mechanical or electrical trades, and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in power and power plant operation, three (3) years of which must have been as a Plant Operator 2nd Class.