What Does a Power Line Worker Do?
Storm cleanup brings the longest days in line work. Power line workers build and repair the overhead and underground lines that carry electricity to homes and businesses, working for utilities, contractors and large campuses that run their own electrical systems. When wind or ice tears lines down, crews rebuild them as fast as they safely can.
Also known as: Powerline Worker
Power Line Worker Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a power line worker include:
- Climb poles or work from bucket trucks to install and repair overhead lines and hardware.
- Set poles, string conductor and hang transformers, switches and insulators on new lines.
- Splice and terminate underground cable in vaults, manholes and pad-mounted switchgear.
- Test lines to confirm they are de-energized and install protective grounds before work starts.
- Restore power after storms, often working long shifts in wind, rain, snow or heat.
- Carry out switching orders to isolate sections of the system for maintenance.
- Replace streetlight fixtures, poles and photocells along roads and campus walkways.
- Inspect poles, crossarms and connections for rot, damage or overheating, and report defects.
- Operate digger derricks, bucket trucks and cable pullers safely around energized equipment.
- Wear and inspect rubber gloves, sleeves and fall protection gear before every job.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a power line worker, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Commercial driver's license (CDL), which many utilities require
- Pole climbing and bucket truck operation
- Electrical theory for high-voltage systems
- Strict adherence to safety rules and switching procedures
- Strength, balance and comfort with heights
- Cable splicing and terminations
- Teamwork under pressure during outages
- Willingness to be on call for storm duty
Education and Training
Line workers usually learn through a long apprenticeship with a utility or union after high school, but some start out by completing a lineworker program at a community college. Many employers require applicants to hold a CDL. You may become a journeyman lineworker after the apprenticeship and a crew foreman some years after that.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $67,270 - $109,740 per year, with a median of $95,320.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers.
According to BLS, employment of electrical power-line installers and repairers is projected to grow about 10 percent from 2025 to 2035. Demand should grow for several reasons, including grid upgrades; new connections, such as solar farms and electric vehicle chargers; and storm repairs, as severe weather keeps damaging lines. BLS also expects about 10,900 openings a year, although apprenticeship spots at utilities often draw more applicants than they can take.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Electrical power-line installers and repairers.