Combustion Turbine Operator

Combustion Turbine Operators are in charge of the combustion engine in a power plant, keeping it well maintained and running at peak performance. As a Combustion Turbine Operator, your engine is responsible for meeting the demands for electricity during peak operating periods. You help it along by starting up the turbine quickly, and ensuring that the engine is working perfectly, both on its own and with the other components in the power plant.

A turbine engine is a complex thing, and it needs to be watched over. Natural gas or a low-sulfur fuel runs throughout it. Much like a jet engine, the turbines draw in air at the front of the unit, compress it, mix it with fuel, and ignite it. The hot gases from the combustion expand through the turbine blades, which are connected to a generator.

The result is electricity. Each step requires some supervision, and with the danger surrounding the chemicals you’re using, there’s some delicacy to the whole operation.

Your primary duty as a Combustion Turbine Operator is to supervise the turbine engine as it works. But you have people to supervise, too.

On top of that, you’re the one to spot a problem before it starts by making regular safety checks on the equipment and ordering new parts or repairs if needed. You might even do the repairs yourself, if possible. Finally, you carefully record all of the instrument readings, and keep them in a log to be reviewed later or shown to your superiors.