Electrical Power-Line Installer

O*NET: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers·49-9051.00

The Verdict:Power-line installation requires climbing poles and towers, stringing heavy cables across rugged terrain, and hands-on repairs under high voltage in all weather. No robotics match the physical dexterity and real-time adaptation needed. AI assists with diagnostics and planning, enhancing worker efficiency, but the field craft secures the role for the coming decade.

Resilience Score

/100

Highly Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$93k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+6.6%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 0 of 23 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
18 of 23 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 22% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

0exposed

5AI leverage

18human-essential

View all 23 tasks

AI Can Handle This0 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

No exposed tasks identified

AI Leverage5 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas.

Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, using reading and testing instruments.

Coordinate work assignment preparation and completion with other workers.

Identify defective sectionalizing devices, circuit breakers, fuses, voltage regulators, transformers, switches, relays, or wiring, using wiring diagrams and electrical-testing instruments.

Test conductors, according to electrical diagrams and specifications, to identify corresponding conductors and to prevent incorrect connections.

Human Advantage18 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites.

Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs.

Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment.

Install, maintain, and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems, including conduits, cables, wires, and related equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switches.

Replace or straighten damaged poles.

String wire conductors and cables between poles, towers, trenches, pylons, and buildings, setting lines in place and using winches to adjust tension.

Attach cross-arms, insulators, and auxiliary equipment to poles prior to installing them.

Dig holes, using augers, and set poles, using cranes and power equipment.

Travel in trucks, helicopters, and airplanes to inspect lines for freedom from obstruction and adequacy of insulation.

Install watt-hour meters and connect service drops between power lines and consumers' facilities.

Place insulating or fireproofing materials over conductors and joints.

Splice or solder cables together or to overhead transmission lines, customer service lines, or street light lines, using hand tools, epoxies, or specialized equipment.

Trim trees that could be hazardous to the functioning of cables or wires.

Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks.

Lay underground cable directly in trenches, or string it through conduit running through the trenches.

Cut trenches for laying underground cables, using trenchers and cable plows.

Cut and peel lead sheathing and insulation from defective or newly installed cables and conduits prior to splicing.

Clean, tin, and splice corresponding conductors by twisting ends together or by joining ends with metal clamps and soldering connections.