Energy plant operatives: average salary and pay in the UK
The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) puts median weekly pay for full-time energy plant operatives at £941.60 in April 2025; no reliable annual figure is published.
What the figures show
ASHE counts roughly 5,000 employee jobs, 80% full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 49.3% (from £630.70), faster than the 25.7% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th percentile | £805.00* | £19.09* | £605.60* |
| 40th percentile | £875.20* | – | £850.40* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £941.60* | £23.32* | £893.00* |
| 60th percentile | – | £29.86* | – |
| Mean | £1,081.40 | £27.42 | £998.50 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | – | £630.70 | £15.57 | – | £619.00 | 6* |
| 2022 revised | – | £740.10* | £16.63* | £34,822* | £731.20* | 5* |
| 2023 revised | £36,760* | £778.70* | £19.39 | £36,751* | £777.40* | 4* |
| 2024 revised | – | £938.40* | £23.09* | – | – | 5* |
| 2025 provisional | – | £941.60* | £23.32* | – | £893.00* | 5* |
What energy plant operatives do
Energy plant operatives operate boilers to produce hot water or steam and attend and operate compressors, turbines, electrical substations, switchboards and auxiliary plant and machinery to fuel nuclear reactors, drive blowers and pumps, electricity generators and other equipment. (ONS SOC 2020, 8133)
Also covers: boilerman, control room operator (electric), hydraulic engineman, plant operator (electricity supplier), power station operator, alternator attendant, boiler engineer, boiler feeder, boiler fireman, boiler firer, boiler foreman, boiler furnaceman, boiler houseman, boiler minder, boiler stoker, boiler tenter, boilerhouse engineer and booster attendant (121 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Determines job requirements from switchboard attendant or operating instructions
- Opens valves and operates controls to regulate the flow of fuel to boiler or generating equipment
- Operates remote control panel to load fuel and remove discharged fuel elements from nuclear reactors
- Adjusts controls to maintain correct running speed of turbine or generator and monitors temperature and pressure controls on boilers
- Records instrument readings periodically and shuts down turbine/generator or boiler as demand decreases
- Carries out minor maintenance tasks and prescribed tests and reports any faults
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically by apprenticeship, incorporating technical training and practical experience. NVQs/ SVQs in Electrical Power Engineering at levels 2 and 3 and apprenticeships are available.
Related
Plant and machine operatives (median £33,197) · Mining and quarry workers and related operatives · Water and sewerage plant operatives · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026