Hydro Plant Electrician

Oglethorpe Power Corporation is hiring a Hydro Plant Electrician in Tucker, GA. The role involves troubleshooting, installation, and maintenance of electrical equipment in hydroelectric and gas turbine plants. Responsibilities include preventive maintenance, equipment inspections, and compliance with safety regulations. The job requires physical capability to handle tools and work in confined spaces and at heights. Basic welding skills and operation of shop equipment are also necessary.
The Hydro Plant Electrician is responsible for the lead in performing checkout, troubleshooting, installation, modification, and repair of electrical equipment/controls associated with the following power generating plants: pumped storage and conventional hydroelectric plants and simple cycle gas turbine plants. Performing preventive and predictive maintenance on plant electrical equipment that includes Baker surge testing, partial discharge data collection, thermographic and airborne ultrasonic inspections, high voltage and current testing, TTR testing, and Ductor testing. Responsible for generating electric power in compliance with corporate safety policies, mandatory electric reliability standards, and regulations from FERC, EPA, EPD, OSHA, DOT, and other pertinent governmental authorities.

Job Duties:
• Takes the lead in performing check-outs, maintenance, and troubleshooting of electrical equipment such as, but is not limited to, protective relays, over-current devices, meters and transducers, electrical switchgear and circuit breakers, electric motors and motor controls, generators and excitation equipment, batteries, and power inversion and conversion equipment.
• Maintain work area and equipment in a clean and orderly manner.
• Observe corporate and plant(s) safety rules and practices.
• Engage in operations for alteration, installation, or replacement of station electrical components by working with blueprints, electrical schematics, logic diagrams, plans, or sketches. Make necessary changes, remove old components, install new components, and field check the system, as assigned.
• Perform a variety of duties such as equipment inspection to determine extent of defects, diagnosis of faulty operations and apply corrective methods.
• Engage in operational tests, lubricate equipment, verify working clearances, and check completed work.
• Perform preventive and predictive maintenance testing and servicing of components and equipment. While performing these duties, the incumbent may be required to carry up to 75 pounds of tools, equipment, and/or materials. The position may necessitate working within confined spaces and other areas that are typically difficult to access while performing these duties. To access the work locations, the incumbent must be capable of climbing up and down several hundred steps, climb scaffolding, work at heights, within confined spaces, near or over water, near high voltage equipment, and must be able to wear, and use required personnel protective equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus, full face cartridge respirators, and air lined supply respirators.
• Operate all electrical shop equipment, basic machine shop tools (saws, drill presses, grinders, and hydraulic presses) and have basic welding skills using SMAW, GMAW, and FCAW welding processes to perform, non-structural welds involving reconditioning of parts or fabricating new parts from drawings or plans. Sets up machines for desired operation and performs work within specified tolerances and standards. This work involves exposure to high voltage, welding arcs, and heat/flame. The incumbent must be able to wear and use the required protective equipment.
• Balance and align plant equipment in the plants owned and/or operated by Plant Operations. During the execution of these tasks, the individual will encounter rotating machinery and may be exposed to high voltage. The incumbent must be able to wear and use the required protective equipment.
• Maintain job related qualifications and system knowledge of the electrical equipment at the plants serviced. This to be done by attending and participating in scheduled training and safety meetings and acquiring and maintaining skill levels and certifications to complete job tasks.
• Perform preliminary design of modifications to mechanical systems, which are reviewed for accuracy and for additional support requirements by the Maintenance Manager and/or Senior Electrical Generation Engineer.

Required Qualifications:

Education: High School Graduate-General Studies

Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible electrician experience in a hydroelectric and/or gas turbine electric power generating plant is required.

Equivalent Experience: Eight (8) years of progressively responsible electrician experience in an industrial plant is equivalent. Two (2) years of college or technical training in a related technology program are equivalent to two (2) years of experience. Completion of the Rocky Mountain Hydroelectric Plant Maintenance Training Program for a Maintenance Electrician as outlined in Maintenance Training Procedure RMP MD-A002 is equivalent to five (5) years of experience.

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