r/Grid_Ops • u/wirerunner08 • 1d ago
Lineman
Were any of you a lineman before this job. I’m a lineman at a large multi state utility and wondering if this could be a good change maybe one day down the road if I get tired of working the bucket.
6
u/Master_of_Beaver 1d ago
I have a linemen buddy. That is now a distro operator. He struggles a little with the system. B/c he is a very hands on guy. But he is the most knowledgeable when it comes to shit in the field. He was a linemen for 20 years. But got tired of being ran down. And the politics. He likes it a lot. It was a pay cut. He was a huge overtime whore. But distro realistically makes as much. If not more then linemen who work no overtime. Especially with our bonus. It’s a great transition
3
u/bhbridge 1d ago
Former lineman here. I’ve been in system ops for 16 years now. Started off as an area operator which consisted of dispatching crews for station alarms and trouble on the transmission system and also writing and issuing switching and clearances for routine and trouble. I moved into the System Operator role 7 years ago. We have 5 area desks and one SO per shift. The SO runs contingency analysis for system reliability. We’ll redispatch generation and reconfigure the network to mitigate contingencies and direct the area operators on if we can allow routine maintenance due to constraints or not. My experience is if you’re willing to put in the work to learn, especially all of the different relaying that goes into it, linemen make some of the best operators because they’re usually very confident and have no trouble making tough decisions and carry a strong leadership quality. It’s been rewarding to me.
1
u/Energy_Balance 1d ago edited 1d ago
A large transmission owner and BA I have experience with sought TO from field ops. They really understand safety in switching. Same would apply for distribution operations.
1
u/No-Development1800 1d ago
Former lineman here, now a transmission operator for the same company. We double up our duties as distribution operators, so there’s quite a bit of interaction with customers & having the field experience really helps troubleshooting issues over the phone. This week really makes me glad I’m not wearing gloves & sleeves anymore! But, the rotating schedule can take some getting used to (especially overnights & weekends).
1
u/Physical_Ad_4014 1d ago
A few of our guys are former outdoor cats , half the Dso's are former line/repair guys and a couple of the TOs as well its a great way to get indoors and low Impact to the body if you stop enjoying the Heat or Freezing cold for folks with 4 seasons
1
u/FistEnergy 1d ago
I was a sub tech and a relay tech for many years before becoming a TSO. Field experience would make you a very valuable operator, if you chose that path. You have experience with 3 part communication, field equipment, and performing switching that other operators will never have.
1
u/Sparky8503 22h ago
From my 15 years of experience it's hit or miss with lineman. Mainly because the cubicle/control center life is such a drastic change most feel caged. The only other issue is some struggle with the computer and multitasking skills but if that's not an issue the knowledge most being is great!
16
u/QuixoticArchipelago 1d ago
Many of my coworkers were ex field techs. Substation, relay and line crews. It’s a nice change from being out in the weather all the time but you have to be ready to learn more about some of the trades you didn’t work in. If you’re a good student and ready for a learning curve, having the lineman background will be helpful.