A 16-week PE Power study plan for 10–15 hours a week

This plan takes 16 weeks at 10–15 hours a week, 160–240 hours in all, for people who study around a full-time job. Week 1 is the free diagnostic. Weeks 2–11 are one pass through the nine knowledge areas, with time in proportion to each area's share of the 80 exam questions. Weeks 12 and 15 are a timed half exam, and the weeks between go to your weakest areas.

It is a schedule, not a promise: no plan can promise a pass, and this one does not promise a pass. PhasorPrep is not affiliated with NCEES; check the current exam rules on the exam facts page.

A typical week

  • 2–3 hours: read the study guide and watch its video lesson.
  • 5–8 hours: work problems, first untimed, then at exam pace.
  • 3–4 hours: find what you used in the Reference Handbook and the codes by search, and review every miss.

How the weeks are weighted

Areas with more questions on the exam get more of weeks 2–11. The question ranges come from the NCEES specification in use since October 2025.

First-pass study time per knowledge area
Knowledge areaExam questionsFirst pass
Circuit Analysis10–151.5 weeks
Protection10–151.5 weeks
Electrical Safety10–151.5 weeks
Transmission and Distribution8–121 week
Electric Power Devices8–121 week
General Applications8–121 week
Measurement and Instrumentation6–91 week
Rotating Machines5–8half a week
Power Electronics5–8half a week

The 16 weeks

  1. Week 1: Diagnose and set up

    • Read the exam facts and watch the exam overview lesson.
    • Take the free diagnostic (20 questions, 2 hours, sign in with Google). Note your two weakest areas.
    • Open the NCEES PE Power Reference Handbook in MyNCEES and practise finding sections by search.

    PE Power exam factsStudy guides and the exam overview lessonFree diagnostic

  2. Week 2: Circuit Analysis

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Circuit Analysis study guideCircuit Analysis video lessonPer-unit converterSymmetrical components calculatorThree-phase power calculatorPower-factor correction calculatorDelta-to-wye conversionPower factor correction kvarNegative-sequence current

  3. Week 3: Circuit Analysis, then Electric Power Devices

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Circuit Analysis study guideCircuit Analysis video lessonPer-unit converterSymmetrical components calculatorThree-phase power calculatorPower-factor correction calculatorDelta-to-wye conversionPower factor correction kvarNegative-sequence currentElectric Power Devices study guideElectric Power Devices video lessonTransformer current calculatorPer-unit converterThree-phase power calculatorTransformer all-day efficiencyParallel transformer loadingTransformer voltage regulation

  4. Week 4: Electric Power Devices, then Transmission and Distribution

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Electric Power Devices study guideElectric Power Devices video lessonTransformer current calculatorPer-unit converterThree-phase power calculatorTransformer all-day efficiencyParallel transformer loadingTransformer voltage regulationTransmission and Distribution study guideTransmission and Distribution video lessonVoltage drop calculatorFault current calculatorPer-unit converterPower-factor correction calculatorSubstation bus fault currentLine-to-ground fault currentShort line voltage regulation

  5. Week 5: Transmission and Distribution, then Protection

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Transmission and Distribution study guideTransmission and Distribution video lessonVoltage drop calculatorFault current calculatorPer-unit converterPower-factor correction calculatorSubstation bus fault currentLine-to-ground fault currentShort line voltage regulationProtection study guideProtection video lessonFault current calculatorSymmetrical components calculatorTransformer current calculatorDistance relay zone 1 reachFuse-saving coordinationOvercurrent relay pickup

  6. Week 6: Protection

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Protection study guideProtection video lessonFault current calculatorSymmetrical components calculatorTransformer current calculatorDistance relay zone 1 reachFuse-saving coordinationOvercurrent relay pickup

  7. Week 7: Rotating Machines, then Power Electronics

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Rotating Machines study guideRotating Machines video lessonInduction motor slip calculatorLocked-rotor amps calculatorMotor-starting voltage dip calculatorThree-phase power calculatorLocked-rotor amps, code letterSlip and rotor frequencyConstant V/Hz motor speedPower Electronics study guidePower Electronics video lessonThree-phase power calculatorPower-factor correction calculatorBoost converter duty cycleBuck converter inductor rippleSix-pulse rectifier dc voltage

  8. Week 8: Measurement and Instrumentation

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    Measurement and Instrumentation study guideMeasurement and Instrumentation video lessonTwo-wattmeter method calculatorThree-phase power calculatorSymmetrical components calculatorTwo-wattmeter method4–20 mA transducer scalingCT accuracy class and burdenPrimary metering multiplier

  9. Week 9: General Applications

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).
    • Work each calculator's example by hand first, then check it with the calculator.
    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.

    General Applications study guideGeneral Applications video lessonPower-factor correction calculatorThree-phase power calculatorVoltage drop calculatorDemand and load factor billPoint-by-point illuminanceLumen method luminaire countGround rod resistance

  10. Week 10: Electrical Safety

    • Electrical Safety has no PhasorPrep guide yet. Study it from the supplied code editions: NFPA 70, NFPA 70E and the NESC.
    • Practise finding articles by search: one chapter opens at a time in the exam, so learn which chapter holds what.

    Supplied codes and editions

  11. Week 11: Electrical Safety

    • Electrical Safety has no PhasorPrep guide yet. Study it from the supplied code editions: NFPA 70, NFPA 70E and the NESC.
    • Practise finding articles by search: one chapter opens at a time in the exam, so learn which chapter holds what.
    • Spend the second half of the week redoing every question you missed since week 2.

    Supplied codes and editions

  12. Week 12: Half exam, first attempt

    • Take the half exam (40 questions, 4 hours) in one sitting with only the handbook and codes open. The half exam simulator comes with the PE Power Pass.
    • Without a pass: time yourself on the free sample questions at 6 minutes each.
    • Sort every miss: a concept you did not know, a handbook lookup you could not find, or a slip.

    Half exam simulatorPE Power PassFree sample questions

  13. Week 13: Weakest areas, round one

    • Pick the two areas where the diagnostic and the half exam both cost you the most, favouring areas with more questions on the exam.
    • Re-read their guides and redo their missed questions without looking at the solutions first.

    Study guides and the exam overview lessonFree sample questions

  14. Week 14: Weakest areas, round two, and code search

    • Take the next two weakest areas the same way.
    • Drill code and handbook search: pick a topic, find it in the supplied edition, and time how long it takes.

    Supplied codes and editionsFree calculators

  15. Week 15: Half exam, second attempt

    • Take the half exam (40 questions, 4 hours) in one sitting with only the handbook and codes open. The half exam simulator comes with the PE Power Pass.
    • Without a pass: time yourself on the free sample questions at 6 minutes each.
    • Compare your score by area with week 12 and spend the rest of the week on the areas that did not move.

    Half exam simulatorPE Power PassFree sample questions

  16. Week 16: Light review and exam week

    • Re-read your notes on misses and search terms. No new topics.
    • Confirm your appointment and the test-day rules with NCEES and Pearson.
    • Rest the day before the exam.

    PE Power exam facts

If you failed: 8 weeks from your diagnostic

A retake starts from what you already know. Spend the 8 weeks on your weakest areas instead of a full pass, with a half exam in weeks 4 and 7.

  1. Week 1: Read your result, then diagnose

    • NCEES sends a diagnostic report when you do not pass. List your areas from weakest to strongest.
    • Take the free diagnostic (20 questions, 2 hours) to see where you stand now.
    • Rank the areas by weakness times their number of exam questions. Study the top of that list first.

    Free diagnosticPE Power exam facts

  2. Week 2: Your weakest heavy area

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).

    Study guides and the exam overview lessonFree sample questions

  3. Week 3: Your second weakest area

    • Read the guide and watch the lesson.
    • Work the free questions untimed, then again at exam pace (6 minutes a question).

    Study guides and the exam overview lessonFree calculators

  4. Week 4: Retake plan half exam, first attempt

    • Take the half exam (40 questions, 4 hours) in one sitting with only the handbook and codes open. The half exam simulator comes with the PE Power Pass.
    • Without a pass: time yourself on the free sample questions at 6 minutes each.
    • Sort every miss: a concept you did not know, a handbook lookup you could not find, or a slip.

    Half exam simulatorPE Power Pass

  5. Week 5: Your third weakest area and repeated mistakes

    • Study the third area on your list.
    • Redo every question you have missed twice.

    Study guides and the exam overview lessonFree sample questions

  6. Week 6: Handbook and code search speed

    • Find every formula you used in the Reference Handbook by search, and note the search term that found it.
    • Practise finding articles by search: one chapter opens at a time in the exam, so learn which chapter holds what.

    Supplied codes and editions

  7. Week 7: Retake plan half exam, second attempt

    • Take the half exam (40 questions, 4 hours) in one sitting with only the handbook and codes open. The half exam simulator comes with the PE Power Pass.
    • Compare your score by area with week 4.

    Half exam simulatorPE Power Pass

  8. Week 8: Final review and exam week

    • Re-read your notes on misses. No new topics.
    • Confirm your appointment and the retake rules with NCEES and your board.

    PE Power exam facts

Start with week 1

Take the free diagnosticStudy guides by area