Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.
SOC 49-9051
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers AI displacement risk
Climbing poles and stringing conductors on live infrastructure is hazardous physical work no robot performs. Smart-grid sensors help utilities locate faults faster, which directs line crews to problems — the repair itself still requires a bucket truck and a crew.
Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.
Grid investment and electrification are expanding this trade's workload dramatically. Self-healing grid technology reroutes power around faults, but every repair still needs human hands on the hardware.
Distribution
Where Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers sits across 620 tracked roles
Displacement pressure 12 — higher than 2% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.
Score version
This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-08. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.
23 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 49-9051. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.
Median wage context: $95,320 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 49-9051.
Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.
2030 economic stress test
How Anthropic's scenarios classify Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
SOC 49-9051 places this role in the paper's all-other occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 12/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.
+1.1% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.
+5.9% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.
+33.6% group wage
Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.
Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.
Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.
Official task evidence
O*NET task matches for Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
The current evidence import matched 23 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.
Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks23
SOC49-9051
- Core task / ID 8412
Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and erecting barriers around work areas.
- Core task / ID 8418
Drive vehicles equipped with tools and materials to job sites.
- Core task / ID 8413
Open switches or attach grounding devices to remove electrical hazards from disturbed or fallen lines or to facilitate repairs.
- Core task / ID 8414
Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment.
- Core task / ID 8416
Install, maintain, and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems, including conduits, cables, wires, and related equipment, such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switches.
- Core task / ID 8420
Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, using reading and testing instruments.
Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.
Task profile
Where AI changes the work
Install and repair power lines
Exposure 12, automation 3%, augmentation 18%.
O*NET evidence: Install watt-hour meters and connect service drops between power lines and consumers' f... (ID 8424)
Climb poles and access equipment
Exposure 8, automation 2%, augmentation 12%.
O*NET evidence: Climb poles or use truck-mounted buckets to access equipment. (ID 8414)
Test lines to locate problems
Exposure 30, automation 12%, augmentation 48%.
O*NET evidence: Inspect and test power lines and auxiliary equipment to locate and identify problems, u... (ID 8420)
Follow electrical safety procedures
Exposure 20, automation 7%, augmentation 34%.
O*NET evidence: Adhere to safety practices and procedures, such as checking equipment regularly and ere... (ID 8412)
TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Install and repair power lines123%18%
Climb poles and access equipment82%12%
Test lines to locate problems3012%48%
Follow electrical safety procedures207%34%
Transition pathways
Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills
role redesign
LowLine Crew Foreman
Training horizon: 2-5 months. Skill overlap 78. Wage preservation signal 118.
- Lead crew safety briefings
- Coordinate outage response
- Track work completion quality
credentialed transition
LowSubstation Electrician
Training horizon: 6-12 months. Skill overlap 64. Wage preservation signal 106.
- Learn substation systems
- Study protection and controls
- Complete specialized apprenticeships
Comparison guides
Compare the next move before you commit
2-5 months
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers to Line Crew Foreman
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers into Line Crew Foreman.
6-12 months
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers to Substation Electrician
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers into Substation Electrician.
What the AI risk score means for Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
The displacement pressure score for Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers is 12. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.
For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Test lines to locate problems carries 12% automation pressure, while Test lines to locate problems carries 48% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.
Labor-market context and wage risk
Median wage: $95,320 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Utility trade with grid modernization and storm-response demand. Typical education: High school diploma plus apprenticeship.
Wage vulnerability is 46, while transition feasibility is 64. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.
- Very low displacement pressure
- Grid modernization drives demand
- Smart-grid data directs crews
Upskilling priorities
Skills that make this role more resilient
The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.
High-voltage safety
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Line construction
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Fault diagnosis
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Storm response
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
90-day transition plan
The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.
- In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
- By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Line Crew Foreman, such as lead crew safety briefings.
- By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Line Crew Foreman or Substation Electrician and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.
FAQ
Questions about AI and Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Will AI replace Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers?
Climbing poles and stringing conductors on live infrastructure is hazardous physical work no robot performs. Smart-grid sensors help utilities locate faults faster, which directs line crews to problems — the repair itself still requires a bucket truck and a crew. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.
Which parts of Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers work are most exposed to AI?
Test lines to locate problems and Follow electrical safety procedures show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Test lines to locate problems and Follow electrical safety procedures are better treated as AI-augmented work.
What should Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers learn next?
Start with High-voltage safety, Line construction, Fault diagnosis. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Line Crew Foreman and Substation Electrician.
How should this score be used?
Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.
Sources
Evidence trail
OECD / 11 July 2023OECD Employment Outlook 2023: Artificial Intelligence and the Labour MarketO*NET Resource Center / Database 31.0 (August 2026)Occupation, Task, Skill, and Work-Activity DataUS Bureau of Labor Statistics / May 2025 estimates (released 15 May 2026)Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics