Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers

Summary

What Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Do About this section

Electrical power-line installers and repairers use a truck-mounted bucket to access equipment.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. They also may erect poles or transmission towers.

Duties

Electrical power-line installers and repairers typically do the following:

• Install, maintain, or repair the power lines that move electricity
• String electrical cable and wires between poles, towers, and buildings
• Identify defective devices, voltage regulators, transformers, and switches
• Inspect and test electrical power lines and auxiliary equipment
• Climb poles and transmission towers and use truck-mounted buckets to reach equipment
• Operate power equipment when installing and repairing poles, towers, and lines

Electrical power-line installers and repairers install and maintain the power grid: the network of cables and wires that moves electricity from generating plants to consumers. They routinely work with high-voltage electricity, which requires extreme caution.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers who maintain the interstate power grid work on crews that travel throughout a region to service transmission lines and towers. Those who are employed by local utilities maintain equipment such as transformers, voltage regulators, and switches. They also may work on traffic lights and street lights.

Workers generally start a new project by digging underground trenches or erecting utility poles and towers to carry the wires and cables. They use a variety of construction equipment, including trucks equipped with augers and cranes to dig holes and set poles in place.

To identify maintenance needs, electrical power-line installers and repairers check for outage reports from remote monitoring, aerial inspections, and customers.

To fix an electrical power-line problem, workers must first identify the cause through diagnostic testing with specialized equipment. To work on poles, electrical power-line installers usually use bucket trucks to raise themselves to the top of the structure. They sometimes need to climb poles and towers, using special safety equipment to keep from falling.

Work Environment About this section

Electrical power-line installers and repairers may be required to work at great heights.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers held about 123,400 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of electrical power-line installers and repairers were as follows:

The work of electrical power-line installers and repairers can be physically demanding. They must be comfortable working at great heights and in confined spaces. They must be able to climb utility poles and transmission towers, as well as to balance while working on them.

Electrical power-line installers and repairers work outdoors in all types of weather, such as rain or wind when storms and other natural disasters damage power lines, to restore electricity. They often drive utility vehicles, and those who are part of a crew working on interstate power grids may need to travel long distances.

Injuries and Illnesses

Electrical power-line installers and repairers encounter serious hazards in their jobs and must follow safety procedures to minimize danger.

These workers may be electrocuted if they come in contact with a live cable on a high-voltage power line. When workers engage live wires, they use electrically insulated protective devices and tools to minimize their risk.

To prevent injuries when working on poles or towers, electrical power-line installers and repairers use fall-protection equipment. Safety procedures and training have reduced the danger for electrical power-line installers and repairers.   

Work Schedules

Most electrical power-line installers and repairers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. In emergencies or after storms and other natural disasters, they may have to travel to impacted areas and work long hours for several days in a row.

How to Become an Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer About this section

Most electrical power-line installers and repairers have a high school diploma and receive long-term on-the-job training.

To enter the occupation, electrical power-line installers and repairers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. To become proficient, they typically need technical instruction and on-the-job training. Apprenticeships are common.

Education

Electrical line installers and repairers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have basic knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. In addition, technical knowledge of electricity or electronics obtained through military service, vocational programs, or community colleges may be helpful.

Some community colleges offer programs for electrical power-line installers and repairers that lead to a 1-year certificate or 2-year associate’s degree. These programs cover topics such as electrical distribution, line construction, and pole top and bucket rescue. The programs also may include an internship or hands-on fieldwork.

Training

Electrical power-line installers and repairers typically complete apprenticeships or other employer-sponsored training programs. These programs, which may last up to 3 years, combine on-the-job training with technical instruction and are sometimes administered jointly by the employer and the union representing the workers.

Qualifications to enter an apprenticeship program may include a high school diploma or equivalent, 1 year of high school algebra or the college-level equivalent, a qualifying score on an aptitude test, and passing a substance abuse screening. Apprentices also may have to meet physical requirements, including passing a fitness test.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although not mandatory, certification is available for electrical power-line installers and repairers. For example, the Electrical Training Alliance offers certification for electrical power-line installation as part of its apprenticeship program.

Workers who drive heavy vehicles usually need a state-issued commercial driver’s license (CDL). Workers who drive crews that cross state lines need an interstate CDL, which may have additional requirements regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Other requirements, such as medical or other certifications and minimum age, vary by state. Check with your state for more details.

Advancement

After 3 or 4 years of working, qualified electrical power-line apprentices reach the journey level. A journey-level worker is no longer considered an apprentice and can perform most tasks without supervision.

Experienced electrical power-line installers and repairers may become supervisors or trainers.

Important Qualities

Ability to work at heights. Electrical power-line installers and repairers must be comfortable working at great heights. They may work from ladders or bucket lifts and climb utility poles.

Color vision. Workers who handle electrical wires and cables must be able to distinguish colors because the wires and cables are often color coded.

Interpersonal skills. Because these workers rely on their fellow crew members for safety, they must be able to collaborate as part of a team.

Physical stamina. Electrical power-line installers and repairers often must climb poles with heavy tools and equipment.

Physical strength. Electrical power-line installers and repairers must be able to lift heavy tools, cables, and equipment on the job.

Problem-solving skills. Electrical power-line installers and repairers must diagnose problems in electrical systems and lines and be able to repair or replace faulty equipment.

Technical skills. Electrical power-line installers use diagnostic equipment on circuit breakers, switches, and transformers. They must be familiar with electrical systems and the appropriate tools needed to fix and maintain them.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for electrical power-line installers and repairers was $85,420 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,220, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $119,920.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for electrical power-line installers and repairers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most electrical power-line installers and repairers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. In emergencies or after storms and other natural disasters, they may have to travel to impacted areas and work long hours for several days in a row.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of electrical power-line installers and repairers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 10,700 openings for electrical power-line installers and repairers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Employment of electrical power-line installers and repairers is expected to grow, largely due to increasing electrical grid needs. With each new housing development or business complex, new electric power lines are installed and will require maintenance. The increasing prevalence of electric vehicles will also require more of these workers to install new grid connections. In addition, the interstate power grid will continue to become more complex to ensure reliability.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

• Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities in this occupation, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local unions, or firms that employ electrical power-line installers and repairers. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 1 (877) 872-5627. Visit Apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.

For more information about line installers and repairers, visit

American Public Power Association

Center for Energy Workforce Development

For information about certification or training programs, visit

Electrical Training ALLIANCE

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

O*NET

Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers