Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Substation Technician
What substation technicians actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Hold a tailboard briefing at the substation. From there, the day usually includes test and maintain transformers and breakers, calibrate and test protective relays, and troubleshoot control and communication systems. Most work full-time days with on-call duty and storm work.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a substation technician working full time.
- Hold a tailboard briefing at the substation.
- Verify the clearance and apply grounds.
- Test a circuit breaker’s timing.
- Calibrate a relay with a test set.
- Take oil samples from a transformer.
- Troubleshoot a SCADA communication alarm.
- Release the clearance and document results.
Where substation technicians work
Technicians work outdoors in substations and indoors in control houses, around high voltage, in all weather.
Hours and schedule
Most work full-time days with on-call duty and storm work.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Test and maintain transformers and breakers
- Calibrate and test protective relays
- Troubleshoot control and communication systems
- Commission new equipment
- Perform switching and grounding
- Read schematics and drawings
- Document tests and repairs
Tools you’ll use every day
- Relay test sets
- Multimeters and meggers
- Breaker timers
- Oil sampling kits
- Laptops with relay software
- Grounding equipment
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay
- Faster-than-average growth
- Technical, problem-solving work
- Grid modernization opportunities
What’s hard
- High-voltage hazards
- On-call and storm work
- Outdoor weather exposure
- Long training
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like electrical systems
- I enjoy troubleshooting
- I take safety seriously
- I want high pay
- I don’t mind on-call work
- I like detailed testing
Not sure? Take the free Substation Technician fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow clearance and grounding procedures
- Wear arc-flash PPE
- Test before you touch
- Maintain approach distances