Buddy, Can You Spare a Lineman?

Today's EEI newsletter has an interesting article on a situation that is only likely to get worse:

Electric Industry Workforce Ages Without Young Replacements in Sight

The U.S. electric industry's workforce is aging and there are few young workers in place to fill in the gap, the Albuquerque Tribune reported, citing information from EEI.

Chuck Kelly, EEI's director of industry and human resource issues, said that 40 percent to 60 percent of the industry's workforce will be eligible for retirement within five years. Wrote the Tribune: "Only about 20 percent of the workforce are apprentices or other workers able to fill the gap, he said."

The electric power industry formed the Center for Energy Workforce Development in March to boost recruitment efforts. EEI is a member of the group, which focuses on promoting the benefits of industry jobs to high schools, community colleges, and workforce investment boards.

Kelly was quoted as saying: "Now, everybody is in the market for employees, and we are, too. We've had to ramp up our advertisement."

The Tribune crafted the story around the critical role of Public Service Company of New Mexico linemen in restoring power to area residents.
Albuquerque Tribune , Aug. 14.


As demands on the grid grow and grow due to overpopulation (see the report later in the newsletter noting that Reuters reported that Jim McIntosh, director of grid operations for the California ISO, said: "We are seeing record loads at much lower temperatures") and global climate change in all its various permutations, from intense heat waves to Category 5+ hurricanes, the need for workers to keep repairing the grid is likely to grow.