Monitoring Healy Power Plant Operations with an Eagle Eye
GVEA Control Room Operator Christi Killian had applied for a position with the utility several times early in her career but didn’t receive a callback until 2015. Her interview for a laborer’s position was short and to the point.
“I look back at this and laugh now,” Christi says. “I was so nervous, and the ‘interview’ consisted of him saying. ‘You start on Monday.’”
Almost 10 years later, Christi sits in the control room running a power plant in Healy.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I see this for my future,” Christi says.
In the control room, Christi watches more computer monitors than most people imagine. She ensures the plant operates according to plan, checking temperatures, vibrations, flows, levels, if pumps are running, etc. She completes hourly paper rounds to document that the plant is running properly. The logbook shows what happened throughout the shift, which is valuable information for the next operator. It can also serve as a legal document if something were to happen.
Christi also instructs floor technicians on operating manual valves while making sure everyone in the plant is safe and clear of any dangers. She says they work together to ensure all personnel are safe and the equipment works properly.
“The floor hands are the eyes, ears, and hands of the control room operator,” Christi says. “There is a lot of trust between the 2 positions.”
One thing Christi didn’t expect as she climbed the ranks was the amount of reading and studying that comes with working at the power plant, researching and reading maintenance and operating manuals, and having to memorize most of them.
“There is no end to the learning in this job,” Christi says.
“There is always something to do or something to learn. I’m never bored. I think that is what I enjoy most about it.”
March is National Women in Trades Month. Christi says the day she walked out of the board review to become a control room operator and learned she passed was 1 of the best days in her career. She had worked so hard to reach that point and felt like a weight was lifted and replaced by an exuberance of success. For others considering a career in her field, she advises that they be prepared to climb their way to the top. She says having a positive attitude goes a long way because it’s hard work, and it’s never clean.
“Some days you get home physically drained, and other days you get home emotionally exhausted,” Christi says. “There are also the days you get home and feel like you accomplished nothing. And if you have a week where every day is exactly the same, that’s a good week where the plants are running well.”
Christi was born and raised in Alaska. Her grandparents moved to the state in the early ‘50s and raised her father and his 5 siblings in Healy. Christi and her 3 older siblings also grew up in Healy. Working at the Healy Power Plant is a bit of a family affair. Her grandfather worked on the Unit 1 side along with 1 of her uncles and cousins. Christi now works with her brother at the plant. Whenever she sees her grandfather, the first thing he asks is, “How’s the plant running?”
In her free time, she likes hiking with her dogs and fishing when possible. In the summer, she enjoys kayaking and anything that involves the sun. She dabbles with a garden and a lot of DIY around the house trying to make it better every year.