PE Electrical & Computer: Power is built around the electrical grid — generation, transmission, distribution, protection, and the machines and devices that make it work. Protection and Circuit Analysis are tied for the most questions, and Protection and Transmission & Distribution Analysis share the highest difficulty rating, which makes grid-protection topics worth extra attention beyond their raw question count.
8 or 8.5 hours testing; 9 or 9.5 hours for the appointment
Where to put your time first.
Ranked by question count weighted against the spec's own difficulty rating — not question count alone, since a smaller topic rated harder can be worth more study time than a bigger, easier one.
Voltage drop · Voltage regulation and support · Power factor correction · Power quality
Full Electrical & Computer: Power topic breakdown.
Every topic in the official NCEES spec, with its question range and share of the exam. Study Scheduler allocates your study hours in this same proportion automatically.
Measurement and Instrumentation~9% of exam6–9q
Instrument transformers and metering
Insulation testing
Ground resistance testing
General Applications~11% of exam8–12q
Lightning protection
Surge protection
Illumination/lighting
Energy management and demand calculations
Grounding
Electrical Safety~14% of exam10–15q
Wiring methods and installations
Hazardous locations
Special occupancies and systems
Shock and burns
Circuit Analysis~14% of exam10–15q
Three-phase circuits
Symmetrical components
Per-unit system
Phasor diagrams
Single-phase circuits
DC circuits
Power Electronic Circuits and Control Devices~7% of exam5–8q
Power electronics (converters, VFDs)
Relays, switches, Boolean and ladder logic
Rotating Machines~7% of exam5–8q
Machine types and applications
Motor starting
Electric Power Devices~11% of exam8–12q
Transformers
Capacitors
Electrical energy storage
Alternative power generation (PV, wind)
Testing
Transmission and Distribution Analysis~11% of exam8–12q
Voltage drop
Voltage regulation and support
Power factor correction
Power quality
Fault current analysis
Transformer connections
Power flow
Power system stability
Protection~14% of exam10–15q
Overcurrent protection
Protective relaying
Protective devices (fuses, breakers, reclosers)
Coordination
Frequently asked about Electrical & Computer: Power.
What's the most heavily tested topic on PE Power?
Protection and Circuit Analysis are tied at up to 15 questions each, the two largest topics on the exam.
Is PE Power mostly about generation or the grid itself?
More the grid — transmission and distribution analysis, protection, rotating machines, and power electronic devices carry more combined weight than general applications or measurement and instrumentation.
For how many hours to budget, week-by-week study plans, and how Study Scheduler weights your plan — see the full PE study guide.
Example plan · PE
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Your schedule combines topic study, review, mock practice, and time away. Actual blocks depend on your exam, study budget, and days off.