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SOC 49-9051
Electrical power-line installers and repairers install or repair cables and wires used in power and distribution systems and may erect utility poles and light or heavy transmission towers. Work is mainly outdoors, at height, and around energized equipment, requiring strict shutdown, voltage-testing, grounding, and personal protection procedures and responsibility for one's own and others' health and safety. This page covers O*NET 49-9051.00, excluding related roles such as electricians, telecommunications line workers, and pipelayers.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+25)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
Electrical power-line installers and repairers turn power and distribution system installation and maintenance requirements into safely completed work: operating switches according to drawings and work orders, testing for voltage and grounding for isolation, climbing poles or using aerial lifts to install and maintain conduits, cables, conductors, transformers, and switching equipment, using instruments to detect and locate faults, erecting or straightening poles, tensioning conductors, laying underground cables, and recording and handing over work before and after operations.
The following assessments concern on-site line work practices for electrical power-line installers and repairers; they do not predict hiring, qualifications, authorization, or contract outcomes.
Sample outputs and reflection: check whether outage boundaries and work permission are verified first, whether voltage testing precedes grounding, and whether grounding and work records are retained. Then consider whether you can stay focused outdoors, at height, and around energized hazards, strictly follow safety procedures, and accept responsibility for your own and others' health and safety.
Electrical power-line installers and repairers install or repair cables and wires used in electrical power and distribution systems and may erect utility poles and light or heavy transmission towers. This page covers O*NET 49-9051.00, excluding related roles such as electricians, telecommunications line installers and repairers, and pipelayers.
Check first: outage boundaries corresponding to the work order and line diagram, whether work permission has been obtained and confirmed, whether all work points have been tested for voltage and reliably grounded, whether personal protection and insulated tools are compliant, and whether safety barriers and warnings are in place.
Career direction comparison
The following compares electrical power-line installers and repairers with related roles by actual work objects, core deliverables, and responsibility boundaries; job titles do not make qualifications interchangeable.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Equipment Operators | Construction equipment operators operate earthmoving, lifting, and construction machinery and bear machinery-operation risks, generally without responsibility for power-line shutdowns, voltage testing, grounding, or energized work. Electrical power-line installers and repairers focus on installing and maintaining distribution and transmission lines and equipment. | Operate earthmoving, lifting, and construction machinery without handling power-line shutdowns, voltage testing, grounding, or energized work. | Compare if you prefer machinery operation. |
| Electricians | Electricians handle fixed electrical installation and maintenance in buildings and on customer premises, mostly involving indoor low-voltage equipment. Electrical power-line installers and repairers handle outdoor high-voltage lines, poles, and transmission towers, with different voltages, methods, and safety procedures. |
AI impact on this career
Editorial suggestion: digital tools may help organize drawings, work orders, and defect records. Personnel with applicable qualifications and authorization still verify outage permission, equipment status, and site safety under procedures. Tools do not automatically grant work authority. AI Impact Score 33% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+25)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Scope note: in the National Bureau of Statistics 2025 urban non-private unit figures by industry, average annual wages were 160,897 yuan/year in production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water, 92,036 yuan/year in construction, and 129,441 yuan/year nationally overall. All are industry-scope figures, not this occupation's median or starting pay.
Category boundary: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security enterprise remuneration surveys publish pay by occupation or position and can be used to look up related technical and production roles. This page has not obtained an entry precisely matching O*NET 49-9051.00 and does not treat it as a national occupational median. Refer to the competent authority's publications.
Only average annual wages are published
Only average annual wages are published
U.S. salary reference
U.S. national 49-9051: 2025 median annual pay of 95,320 USD and official median hourly pay of 45.83 USD; the 10th and 90th percentiles are 51,470 and 128,690 USD. Employment was 131,900 in 2025, with projected growth of 10% for 2025—2035, reaching 145,500 in 2035, and 10,900 average annual openings. Openings include growth and replacement demand, not current recruitment counts.
| Percentile | Annual reference | Hourly equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $51,470/year | $24.74/hour | 10th percentile boundary, not a personal pay quote. |
| Median (50%) |
Fit Signals
To assess fit, first consider whether you can follow safety procedures outdoors, at height, and around energized hazards, strictly follow voltage-testing, grounding, and work-permission requirements, collaborate with dispatch and teams, and accept responsibility for your own and others' health and safety. RIASEC and similar tools can only suggest hypotheses; they cannot replace actual task experience.
Positive signals： Positive signals: strong practical skills, understanding of line diagrams and work orders, focus under weather and emergency repair pressure, and willingness to record work procedurally and accept supervision and review.
Conditions requiring caution： Conditions requiring caution: discomfort with heights, energized hazards, or prolonged outdoor work; difficulty with overtime and emergency repair duty; or a tendency to skip voltage testing and grounding under time pressure.
Trial action： Trial action: use a wholly fictional single-line diagram and work order to write a shutdown, voltage-testing, and grounding sequence, personal protection points, and responses and records for two exceptions. Ask someone else to verify using the records.
Risks and Boundaries
Address risks through their triggers, consequences, controls, and escalation boundaries.
O*NET tasks and context support line work, heights, and hazardous environments. Traffic, records, and prompt misuse are editorial risk scenarios proposed from this background, not accident rates or legal licensing evidence. Verify specific operations and safety monitoring under local laws and site procedures.
Typical scenario：When protection is inadequate while climbing poles or using aerial lifts.
Roles most affected：Overhead line work roles
Possible consequence：Falls or falling-object injuries.
How to reduce risk：Inspect safety harnesses and fall-protection devices before work, establish restricted zones, and stop and escalate when conditions are inadequate.
Entry Path
In the United States, workers typically enter through on-the-job training or registered apprenticeships, commonly starting with a high school diploma or equivalent and gradually gaining the experience and authorization needed for independent work. O*NET shows most respondents have a high school diploma or equivalent; verify education and training requirements by employer and region.
Market Signals
Current U.S. national projections for 49-9051: 131,900 employed in 2025 and 145,500 in 2035, 10% growth for 2025—2035, and 10,900 average annual openings. These are overall employment projections, not AI attribution, current recruitment counts, or individual opportunities.
U.S. national · O*NET 49-9051.00 (U.S. national)
The current O*NET major industry table is labeled 2025: utilities 50%, construction 36%, and government 12%. This is the distribution of employer settings, not a demand projection.
2025 base-period employment and overall projections
2025 employment of 131,900, projected to reach 145,500 in 2035, up 10%; not AI attribution.
Does not establish：Cannot serve as an individual employment guarantee.
Electrical power-line installers and repairers install or repair cables and wires in power and distribution systems and may erect poles and transmission towers. Tasks include operating switches, testing for voltage and grounding, climbing poles or using aerial lifts, installing and maintaining conductors and equipment, detecting and locating faults, and laying underground cables. Work is outdoors almost daily and often involves heights and hazardous conditions; some roles exceed 40 hours per week and include emergency repair duty. This is distinct from electricians, telecommunications line installers and repairers, and pipelayers.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
This is a wholly fictional line-work sample check, not a personality diagnosis, hiring conclusion, or safety qualification assessment.
Wholly fictional line-work sample: given a fictional distribution single-line diagram and work order containing 1 overhead line section, 1 pole-mounted transformer, and 2 work points requiring grounding, plus two exceptions—a customer without power and abnormal conductor sag in a span—write a power shutdown, voltage-testing, and grounding sequence, personal protection points, work steps, and exception records within 60 minutes. Do not use real grid information or unauthorized materials.
Complete workflow: check work orders and outage conditions, test for voltage and ground, install and maintain, test and handle faults, inspect before restoring power, remove grounds, and complete records and handovers. Do not proceed before the preceding stage is confirmed.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Complete workflow | From work-order checks to records and handover | |
| Step One | Check work orders and outage boundaries | |
| Step Two | Apply for and confirm work permission | |
| Step Three | Test for voltage, ground, and establish protection | |
| Step Four | Install, maintain, and test | |
| Step Five | Inspect before restoration and remove grounds | |
| Step Six | Record, count, and hand over |
Work inputs: overhead and underground lines, poles and towers, conduits and cables, conductors and fittings, transformers, circuit breakers and switches, electric meters and service drops, and worksite and safety conditions.
Verifiable outputs: installation or maintenance completed to work orders, compliant shutdown and voltage-testing and grounding records, installed or replaced equipment and conductors, traceable fault location and response records, and inventories and handovers before and after work.
Illustrative workflow for de-energized maintenance (editorial synthesis): check work orders and line diagrams → confirm shutdown, permission, and safety conditions under site procedures → trained and authorized personnel perform protection, installation, maintenance, and testing under applicable procedures → authorized parties confirm restoration conditions → record, count, and hand over. Energized and near-energized work requires separate specialized procedures; this page is not a universal operating procedure.
U.S. entry is typically through on-the-job training and registered apprenticeships. Relevant certification is not a license or independent work authorization. Qualifications for specific voltage levels or energized work depend on the scope, employer, and region. This page does not determine an individual's eligibility.
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers: Work Objects and AI Boundaries Editorial suggestion: tools may help organize drawings, work orders, and records. Personnel with applicable qualifications and authorization verify site safety, work permission, and equipment status; training certification is not legal permission.
| Handle fixed electrical installation in buildings and on customer premises, with different voltages and work methods. |
| Compare if you prefer indoor electrical work. |
| Pipelayers | Pipelayers handle trenches, pipes, and water supply and drainage systems. Electrical power-line installers and repairers handle cables, conductors, and distribution and transmission equipment, with different work objects, authorization, and insulation protection requirements. | Handle trenches, pipes, and water supply and drainage systems rather than power-line equipment. | Compare if you prefer pipeline construction. |
|---|
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install indoor piping and heating systems. Electrical power-line installers and repairers handle only power and distribution line equipment and do not take on work across equipment categories. | Install indoor piping and heating systems rather than distribution and transmission lines. | Compare if you prefer indoor piping. |
|---|
First use verifiable work plans, safety checklists, and exercise records to check work objects, methods, and boundaries, then assess your direction. Do not assign a single ranking based on income or personality.
Next, turn the comparison into small exercises and site observations that you can stop.
Describe only the specific steps tools may assist; a demonstration does not establish organizational adoption.
Check on-site data, equipment reliability, and review responsibilities; this page has no occupation-specific adoption rate.
Without occupation-level job outcome research, do not infer layoff timing, staffing changes, or hiring probabilities.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Records and information management | Organize work orders and defect records | Editorial suggestion: tools may assist work-order organization, defect records, and training simulations. Current materials do not establish widespread adoption of these systems in power-line work. | Check original records and on-site conditions. |
| Execution and collaboration | Installation, maintenance, and fault handling | May assist in generating checklists and dispatch information | Verify against on-site voltage testing, grounding, and safety conditions, and retain human review and escalation records. |
| Safety and authorization | Shutdown, voltage-testing, and energized-work judgments | Does not provide automatic authorization | Escalate according to work permission and the chain of command. |
| Review and improvement | Produce work and exception records | May assist in organizing records | The work supervisor confirms conclusions. |
Occupational sources describe actual tasks and work objects—lines, equipment, sites, and safety conditions. Record tool capabilities, organizational adoption, and job outcomes separately; wage or employment data do not replace AI evidence.
Editorial analysis: recordkeeping and dispatch tools may assist repetitive registration. Verify specific effects against systems, data, and human review results. This page has no occupational adoption-rate or time-saving study and does not present assistance capabilities as achieved results.
AI primarily changesEditorial hypothesis: assistance with records and dispatch organization
Human responsibility remainsSafety and authorization judgments
AI primarily changesEditorial hypothesis: assistance with retrieval and review
Human responsibility remainsChecking original records
Human control points include checking outage boundaries and work permission before work, the sequence of voltage testing and grounding, authorization judgments for energized or near-energized work, and stopping and escalating exceptions.
Confirm work orders, line diagrams, outage conditions, and permission.
Work only within known authorization and voltage ranges.
Review voltage testing, grounding, and site safety status.
Stop immediately when exceptions arise and report them.
May cause electric shock or unintended energization.
Control: Check work orders, test for voltage, and ground reliably.
Exceeding authorization can cause serious injury.
Control: Assess against work permission and qualifications and escalate.
May cause broken conductors or fallen poles.
Control: Tension according to procedures and review loads.
Practice protection, climbing, and safety procedures.
Keep voltage-testing, grounding, and exception records.
Establish shutdown, safety monitoring, and change rules first.
Task exposure, adoption, and job outcomes measure different things and cannot establish a date for job elimination.
Source: O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)Original source ↗
This page currently describes only assistance with records, dispatch, and training. People remain responsible for site safety and energized-work authorization.
Source: O*NET 49-9051.00 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (Summary)Original source ↗
Insufficient evidence: this page has no occupation-level AI adoption-rate, time-saving, or employment causality research for 49-9051. Employment projections cannot answer adoption-rate questions.
Source: O*NET 49-9051.00 National Employment TrendsOriginal source ↗
First use a wholly fictional single-line diagram and work order for an offline checking exercise. Record judgments and review results; do not let unverified automation prompts replace site inspections.
Insufficient evidence: not separately reported
Insufficient evidence: this page has not obtained a mainland China national median wage for this occupation; the following are 2025 industry average annual wages for urban non-private units.
| Role scope | Reference value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Not separately measured | Appointment by employer and project | National Bureau of Statistics wage data are grouped by industry and registration type, not by educational level within this occupation. |
| Not separately measured | Appointment by employer and project | National Bureau of Statistics wage data are grouped by industry and registration type, not by educational level within this occupation. |
| Not separately measured | Appointment by employer and project | National Bureau of Statistics wage data are grouped by industry and registration type, not by educational level within this occupation. |
| Not separately measured | Appointment by employer and project | National Bureau of Statistics wage data are grouped by industry and registration type, not by educational level within this occupation. |
160,897 yuan/year
92,036 yuan/year
129,441 yuan/year
Insufficient evidence: no mainland China national occupational median wage with a corresponding statistical period and scope has been obtained for electrical power-line installers and repairers. This page displays labeled industry proxies only and does not fill the gap with proxy or U.S. figures.
| $95,320/year |
| $45.83/hour |
| 2025 U.S. national median annual pay. |
| 90th percentile | $128,690/year | $61.87/hour | 90th percentile boundary, not a personal pay quote. |
|---|
Pay · 10th percentile：$51,470/year；O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Pay · 25th percentile：$67,270/year；O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Pay · Median：$95,320/year；O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Pay · 75th percentile：$109,740/year；O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Pay · 90th percentile：$128,690/year；O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
USD/year; BLS 2025 OEWS national figures, excluding individual take-home income.
2025 employment, not current recruitment vacancies.
Projected growth of 10% for 2025—2035, not AI attribution or an individual's hiring probability.
Listed separately by O*NET/BLS industry scope; not the income of all workers.
| Industry | Industry value | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 103,060 USD/year | BLS OOH Pay table: 2025 median annual pay for U.S. 49-9051 in this industry, not the average for the entire industry. |
| Utility system construction | 76,060 USD/year | BLS OOH Pay table: 2025 median annual pay for U.S. 49-9051 in this industry, not the average for the entire industry. |
| Federal government | 111,900 USD/year | BLS OOH Pay table: 2025 median annual pay for U.S. 49-9051 in this industry, not the average for the entire industry. |
| Local government (excluding education and hospitals) | 90,060 USD/year | BLS OOH Pay table: 2025 median annual pay for U.S. 49-9051 in this industry, not the average for the entire industry. |
On-the-job training and registered apprenticeships are common paths; certification is not licensing or independent work authorization.
Editorial suggestion: check line-equipment experience, field records, and authorization requirements. The materials do not support a uniform ranking of the importance of experience versus education.
Strongly affected by concentrations of grid companies, utilities, and engineering projects; do not extrapolate across regions.
Check through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
The RIASEC interest code is RC (Realistic—Conventional), emphasizing hands-on and procedural work. These labels describe activity preferences only and cannot determine competence, qualifications, or authorization.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialCheck through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
Editorial suggestion: use measures such as the Big Five for self-reflection and observe collaboration and safety behavior in actual line tasks. This page has no research on their predictive or comparative validity for this occupation; do not determine competence from assessment scores.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialCheck through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
Type tools such as MBTI and the Enneagram cannot determine competence or safety qualifications; use them for self-reflection only.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialCheck through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against actual tasks, responsibility boundaries, and verifiable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialCheck through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against actual tasks, responsibility boundaries, and verifiable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialCheck through work samples instead of replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against actual tasks, responsibility boundaries, and verifiable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: These cannot establish hiring, qualifications, or performance.
Start a Career Interest TrialFits better when: Willing to learn climbing and work at height and follow fall-protection procedures.
Watch for: Follow safety procedures.
Fits better when: Able to handle cables, splices, and insulation according to procedures.
Watch for: Check voltage and insulation requirements.
Fits better when: Willing to strictly follow voltage-testing, grounding, and work-permission requirements.
Watch for: An incorrect sequence can endanger lives.
Fits better when: Willing to use instruments to investigate line faults.
Watch for: Verify conclusions against the site.
Fits better when: Able to undertake tensioning, sag, and load checks.
Watch for: Review loads and exclusion-zone protection.
Fits better when: Willing to check shutdown, safety monitoring, and authorization boundaries.
Watch for: Stop and escalate work beyond scope.
Use this page's work sample to check concentration during outdoor work and emergency repairs.
Check against the role's safety and physical requirements.
Honestly assess whether you follow permission and confirmation procedures.
Stop first, check shutdown, voltage testing, and grounding, and escalate through the process.
Clearly distinguish work sequences from on-site judgments.
Assess adaptation to weather, overtime, and on-call duty.
Enable review through voltage-testing, grounding, safety, and exception records.
Use a wholly fictional single-line diagram to practice checking and fault handling.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scenario：When outage boundaries, voltage testing, or grounding are improper.
Roles most affected：Line maintenance and grounding roles
Possible consequence：Electric shock or injury from unintended energization.
How to reduce risk：Test for voltage in sequence and ground reliably; confirm work permission covers all work points.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scenario：When conductor tensioning or load calculations are improper.
Roles most affected：Line stringing and tensioning roles
Possible consequence：Broken conductors, fallen poles, or equipment damage.
How to reduce risk：Tension and review loads according to procedures, and establish tension controls and exclusion zones.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scenario：When protection is inadequate for roadside work or work near traffic.
Roles most affected：Roles working near roads and the public
Possible consequence：Traffic accidents or public injuries.
How to reduce risk：Set up traffic controls and warnings and arrange traffic guidance as needed.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scenario：When work permission, safety monitoring, or records are incomplete.
Roles most affected：Work supervisors and crews
Possible consequence：Unclear responsibilities or unauthorized work.
How to reduce risk：Confirm permission and the safety monitor, keep accurate records, and retain handovers.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scenario：When system or work-order prompts are assumed usable without on-site verification.
Roles most affected：Line maintenance and dispatch coordination roles
Possible consequence：Outage boundaries, equipment status, or work points do not match the site.
How to reduce risk：Verify against on-site voltage testing, grounding, and safety conditions, and retain review and escalation records.
Evidence：O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile)
Typical scope：Entry stage: under supervision, practice basic climbing and fall protection, conductor and fitting identification, safety procedures, and tool use, and record the work process.
Readiness evidence：Evidence to show: use a verifiable work plan, safety checklist, and exercise records to demonstrate procedural execution and collaboration.
Credential boundary：Check apprenticeship or employer training requirements.
Next moves：Next step: check the target role's apprenticeship, training, and safety procedure requirements, then verify installation, maintenance, and fault-handling skills in supervised real work.
Typical scope：Install, maintain, and record exceptions within the approved line and equipment scope.
Readiness evidence：Work orders, test readings, and handover records can be verified.
Credential boundary：Verify actual work category, equipment, and authorization.
Next moves：Moving toward greater responsibility: with experience, take on more complex line and equipment work, train newcomers, or move toward work supervision, energized-line work, or grid operations.
Typical scope：Check test readings, drawings, and site conditions and propose fault locations and maintenance recommendations.
Readiness evidence：Fault evidence, retesting, and change approval records.
Credential boundary：Experience cannot replace qualifications or site authorization.
Next moves：Take on training or organizational duties after employer assessment.
Typical scope：Coordinate tasks, check materials and work conditions, and oversee records and handovers.
Readiness evidence：Crew assignments, exception escalation, and training review records.
Credential boundary：Verify supervisor appointments and safety duties under applicable rules.
Next moves：Continue training and review; these page stages do not grant management authority.
Typical scope：Identify equipment, voltage ranges, and task boundaries and participate in compliant safety training.
Readiness evidence：Training and work-category verification records.
Credential boundary：Do not perform energized operations without meeting requirements.
Next moves：Undergo specialized assessment by the authorizing party.
Typical scope：Perform assigned tasks only under confirmed training, safety monitoring, and permission conditions.
Readiness evidence：Safety monitoring, task, and equipment inspection records.
Credential boundary：Verify operator certificates, work permits, and job authorization separately.
Next moves：Authorized parties assess which tasks may be undertaken.
Typical scope：Complete specified maintenance within the authorized equipment scope and check exceptions.
Readiness evidence：Maintenance work orders, condition checks, and exception escalation records.
Credential boundary：Completing training does not expand the scope of energized work.
Next moves：Accumulate evidence of specialized tasks and review.
Typical scope：Assist with preparation, safety monitoring coordination, and experience reviews as appointed.
Readiness evidence：Training, permission checks, and collaborative handover records.
Credential boundary：Verify safety monitor and supervisor requirements under site systems.
Next moves：Continue developing under regulations and organizational assessment.
Typical scope：Organize line faults, drawings, and maintenance records for operations personnel to check.
Readiness evidence：Traceable equipment files and exception records.
Credential boundary：Does not independently confer dispatch or switching authority.
Next moves：Learn operations role rules and responsibilities.
Typical scope：Provide site status and maintenance results and support operations communication.
Readiness evidence：Site information, confirmation receipts, and handover records.
Credential boundary：Verify operations role qualifications and authority.
Next moves：Participate in target-role training and assessment.
Typical scope：Analyze recurring faults and maintenance records and propose verifiable improvements.
Readiness evidence：Problem, supporting evidence, and approved change records.
Credential boundary：Authorized parties separately handle engineering design or operations approvals.
Next moves：Develop additional technical or management evidence for the target role.
Typical scope：Coordinate maintenance plans, training, and quality reviews within the appointment scope.
Readiness evidence：Plans, quality records, and resolved exceptions.
Credential boundary：Job appointment does not replace legal qualifications or operating authorization.
Next moves：Continue assessment against organizational duties.
Confirm work orders, line diagrams, outage conditions, and permission.
Test for voltage, ground, and work according to procedures and retain records.
Produce verifiable work and exception records.
Expand team-leading and energized-work duties within authorization.
U.S. national · O*NET 49-9051.00 (U.S. national)
10,900/year
Average annual job openings
Includes replacement and new demand, not the number of jobs currently being advertised.
Does not establish：Cannot serve as an individual's hiring probability.
U.S. national · O*NET 49-9051.00 (U.S. national)
$95,320/year
Median annual pay
BLS 2025 OEWS national median; does not represent starting pay or take-home income.
Does not establish：Excludes individual take-home income.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Editorial hypothesis for transition to construction equipment operation: site collaboration, tool checks, and hazard-zone awareness may transfer. Power-line work experience does not directly establish the ability to operate excavating, loading, or grading equipment.
Build next：Construction equipment targets require additional evidence of equipment control, site and ground-condition judgment, work paths, and machinery inspections. Power-line outage or energized-work authorization does not authorize construction equipment operation.
View career profileTransfers：Reading building electrical drawings and equipment information, and safety collaboration.
Build next：Requires additional building electrical systems, wiring testing, and local electrician qualifications; line-work authorization is not interchangeable.
View career profileTransfers：Site exclusion zones, tool checks, and teamwork.
Build next：Requires additional trench, pipe joint, slope, and installation inspection skills; line experience is not pipeline competence.
View career profileTransfers：On-site installation, work orders, and handover records.
Build next：Requires additional piping system, connection, and pressure-testing skills, plus verification of target permissions and supervision.
View career profileTransfers：Work-at-height protection, lifting collaboration, and exclusion-zone awareness.
Build next：Requires additional steel connection, alignment, and lifting skills; line-work experience does not authorize structural work.
View career profileTransfers：Site collaboration, equipment checks, and work-zone protection.
Build next：Requires additional earthmoving equipment control, site judgment, and specific machinery training.
View career profileElectricians handle building and customer-side electrical installation and maintenance; telecommunications line workers handle communications lines and fiber-optic cables; pipelayers handle trenches and pipes; construction equipment operators operate earthmoving and lifting machinery; structural iron and steel workers install steel structures. Electrical power-line installers and repairers focus on installing and maintaining overhead or underground power and distribution lines, poles, and transmission towers. Compare work objects, authorization, and responsibilities.
Observable signals include strong practical skills, understanding of line diagrams and work orders, focus under weather and emergency repair pressure, and willingness to test for voltage and ground under safety procedures and accept supervision and review. O*NET interest code RC describes activity preferences only, not competence, qualifications, or authorization.
Digital tools may assist drawing and work-order management, defect record organization, and training simulations, but certified personnel and work supervisors must still take responsibility for outages and work permission, voltage testing and grounding, energized-work authorization, and on-site safety judgments. This page presents tool uses only as task hypotheses, not evidence of widespread adoption in power-line work.
Human responsibilities include checking outage boundaries and work permission before work, the sequence of voltage testing and grounding, whether near-energized or energized work exceeds authorization, site safety and public protection, and accurate work and exception records.
The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average annual wages of urban employees by industry category without separately reporting this occupation, so a safely mapped national occupational median cannot be established. The page displays labeled industry proxies only: in 2025 urban non-private units, production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water averaged 160,897 yuan/year, construction averaged 92,036 yuan/year, and the national overall average was 129,441 yuan/year. None is this occupation's median or starting pay. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security enterprise remuneration survey is provided as a lookup entry point.
BLS 2025 OEWS, displayed through O*NET, reports median annual pay of 95,320 USD (about 45.83 USD/hour), with the 10th through 90th percentiles ranging from 51,470—128,690 USD. These are national statistics, not individual take-home income or starting pay. The occupation is often paid hourly and includes overtime and emergency repair duty; actual annual income depends on hours and region.
In the United States, entry is typically through on-the-job training and registered apprenticeships, such as lineworker or cable splicer programs, commonly starting with a high school diploma or equivalent. Relevant certification is not a license or authorization for independent work. Mainland China has no uniform occupational qualification precisely corresponding to this O*NET occupation; roles are mostly determined by employers and grid work procedures.
Main risks include heights and falls, energized work and electric shock, conductor tensioning and load instability, traffic and public safety, and incomplete permissions, safety monitoring, and records. Controls include checking outage boundaries and work permission beforehand, following the voltage-testing and grounding sequence, correctly using protective and insulated equipment, setting safety barriers, and stopping and escalating exceptions. Verify legal and authorization matters under the applicable jurisdiction.
O*NET, citing BLS data, shows about 127,400 employed in 2024, projected growth of about 7% for 2024—2034 (much faster than average), about 135,800 employed in 2034, and about 10,700 average annual openings. Projections are occupational statistics, not individual hiring probabilities or recruitment samples.
If you accept outdoor work, heights, and energized hazards, are willing to take safety responsibility, and follow procedures, try a low-cost checking exercise using a wholly fictional single-line diagram and work order. Moving toward work supervision, energized-line work, or grid operations requires additional evidence of the relevant experience, qualifications, and responsibilities.
Evidence for China, the United States, and specific institutions is stated separately: wage, employment, qualification, safety, and AI conclusions must not be spliced across scopes. The Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers page provides career evaluation and safety exercise information and does not replace local laws, labor and work safety procedures, or professional advice. Any statement of insufficient evidence means only that safely corresponding data were not established after a bounded search; proxies or memory are not used to fabricate figures.
FermatMind research workflow
2025 wages; published 2026-05-15; accessed 2026-09-25
Average Annual Wages of Employees in Urban Units in 2025
Limitations：For 49-9051.00 and the U.S. market only; establishes no Chinese mapping or legal authorization.
Limitations：For 49-9051.00 and the U.S. market only; tasks and local authorization differ.
Limitations：Displays BLS OEWS wage data; percentiles are not starting pay. Retain the stated period, population, geography, and units.
Limitations：Projections are not hiring guarantees and do not include individual hiring probabilities.
Limitations：Recruitment mentions do not establish proficiency, adoption rates, or automation shares.
Limitations：Industry distribution signals employer settings, not growth or demand projections.
Limitations：Certification is not licensing, authorization, or an employment decision.
Limitations：Completing training is not licensing or work authorization.
Limitations：Database fields do not constitute employer hiring or legal permission.
Limitations：Adjacent classifications do not make authority interchangeable.
Limitations：Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually operated businesses and freelancers. No national wage distribution corresponding to the exact occupation has been established.
Limitations：Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions. This page has not obtained an entry precisely matching this occupation and does not use it as a national median.
Limitations：This editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing.
Limitations：U.S. 49-9051; establishes no Chinese qualification or wage mapping.
Limitations：Verify against the actual special operations catalog; O*NET codes do not grant qualifications. Follow other provisions where applicable.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Check source scopes, limitations, and statistical periods separately against the original evidence. Source usage notes: O*NET 49-9051.00 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (Summary): provides occupational identity, official scope, tasks, employment, growth labels, and the Bright Outlook designation for 49-9051.00. Interpret the summary and detailed profile together. O*NET 49-9051.00 (Detailed Profile): provides task, work activity, work context, work style, and tool and technology details for 49-9051.00. Tasks and local authorization differ. O*NET 49-9051.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display): 2025 BLS OEWS wage percentiles and median (U.S. national). Percentiles are not starting pay; retain the stated period, population, and units. O*NET 49-9051.00 National Employment Trends: employment size and 2024—2034 projected growth and average annual openings for 49-9051.00. Projections are not hiring guarantees. Hot Technologies: 49-9051.00: technology and software mentions associated with this occupation, such as work-order and asset management systems, GIS, and testing and dispatch software. Recruitment mentions do not establish proficiency, adoption rates, or automation shares. Industries: 49-9051.00: industry distribution for 49-9051.00, including utilities and construction. Industry distribution signals employer settings, not growth or demand projections. National Certifications: 49-9051.00: an entry point for discovering national certifications related to this occupation. Certification is not licensing, authorization, or an employment decision. National Training: 49-9051.00: an entry point for national training and apprenticeships related to this occupation. Completing training does not automatically grant work authorization. O*NET Database: an entry point for structured fields including O*NET database versions, occupational codes, and educational preparation. Does not constitute employer hiring or legal permission. O*NET-SOC Taxonomy: O*NET-SOC occupational classification and boundaries with related occupations. Adjacent classifications do not make authority interchangeable. Average Annual Wages of Employees in Urban Units in 2025: provides average annual wages by industry category for urban non-private and private units to check China's publicly reported wage scope. Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually operated businesses and freelancers. Enterprise Remuneration Survey Information (2024): Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security enterprise remuneration survey information, a pay lookup entry point by occupation or position. Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions; this page has not obtained an entry precisely matching 49-9051.00. FermatMind Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer Task Impact Scale: organizes tasks tools may assist and points requiring human control for task-level discussion of AI and fit. This editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing. This partial revision additionally checked BLS OOH lineworker Pay/Training/Outlook and Ministry of Emergency Management Order No. 19; see the source registry. Current employment projections cover 2025—2035. Changes to older shared source notes and FAQ were not authorized, so scope conflicts are retained without claiming page-wide synchronization.
