Electrical

LT Panels for a Factory: PCC, MCC, APFC Specification and Cost Drivers

Name: Secured Engineers Private Limited — Noida (Delhi NCR)
Address: Supertech, Astralis Supernova, Sector 94, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201301, IN
Telephone: +91 70099 85817

22 October 2026 · 5 min read · by Secured Engineers Editorial Team

Title card reading LT Panels for a Factory: PCC, MCC, APFC Specification and Cost Drivers, beside an outline of a low-voltage switchboard lineup — Title card. Not a photograph of a Secured Engineers site.

The cost of LT panels for a factory is driven by the specification, not by the panel count alone: incomer and fault rating, form of internal separation, breaker type, enclosure, motor starter type, APFC kVAr and detuning, metering, and the testing you ask for. Two quotes for the same single-line diagram can differ widely because one prices a lighter panel. Compare them feeder by feeder, against one written specification.

What are PCC, MCC and APFC panels?

A power control centre (PCC) takes the incoming supply from the transformer or DG and feeds the large outgoing circuits and the downstream boards. A motor control centre (MCC) houses the starters and drives for the plant's motors. An APFC panel, an automatic power factor correction panel, switches capacitor steps in and out to hold power factor. Distribution boards sit downstream and feed smaller loads. We build these panels to IEC 61439, designed from the single-line diagram and tested before dispatch. Our page on LT panels, PCC, MCC and APFC sets out the scope, and the note on form of segregation and IP rating explains the specification terms.

What moves the price of an LT panel?

We do not publish a rupee figure for panels, because a figure without your single-line diagram would mislead. These are the drivers, with the direction in which each moves the price.

Driver	The choice	Effect on cost	What to write in the specification
Incomer rating and fault level	Ampere rating of busbar and incomer; short-circuit withstand	Higher ratings need larger busbars, stronger bracing and larger breakers	Incomer current, prospective fault level and withstand time from the system study
Form of internal separation	Forms defined in IEC 61439-2, from basic to fully segregated; our panels are offered in Form 3b and 4b	More segregation means more metalwork and labour	The form, for example Form 3b or 4b, decided by how much shutdown you can accept for maintenance
Breaker type	Air circuit breakers, moulded-case breakers, fixed or draw-out	Draw-out and air breakers cost more but allow maintenance without shutdown	Type, breaking capacity and trip unit features per feeder
Enclosure	IP rating, sheet thickness, finish, indoor or outdoor, cable entry	Higher IP and outdoor duty add cost; a dusty or wet area justifies it	IP class and the site environment
Design verification	Type-tested assembly or assembly verified by calculation or comparison	Fully type-tested designs cost more to develop and carry certificates	Ask for the verification evidence under IEC 61439
MCC starters	Direct-on-line, star-delta, soft starter, VFD; fixed or draw-out units	Soft starters and drives add the most per feeder	A motor schedule with starter type and control philosophy
APFC design	kVAr, number of steps, detuned reactors, capacitor duty, controller	Detuning and heavy-duty capacitors raise cost; they are needed where harmonic loads exist	Measured or calculated reactive demand and harmonic content
Metering and communication	Multifunction meters, protection relays, Modbus or similar	Adds per feeder, saves money later in operation	Meter functions and the communication protocol
Spare capacity	Spare ways and space for extension	Costs now, saves rebuilding later	A stated number of spare feeders and space
Testing and documents	Factory inspection, routine tests, site tests, drawings and test reports	Small cost, high value at inspection	The tests, witness points and documents required

Commodity prices also move quotations: copper and steel are large parts of a panel. Ask each bidder how long the price is valid and whether it varies with metal rates.

How do you size the APFC panel?

Capacitor kVAr is the real power multiplied by the difference between the tangent of the present power factor angle and the tangent of the target angle. The numbers below are arithmetic, not a recommendation for your plant: a 500 kW load at 0.85 power factor, corrected to 0.97, needs about 185 kVAr, because the tangent at 0.85 is 0.62 and at 0.97 is 0.25. Your target should come from your tariff's power factor bands, which you can confirm with the DISCOM (see our note on power factor penalties in Punjab, Haryana and UP). For reference, the Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 asks commercial buildings to hold 0.97 at the point of connection (section 7.2.5). Use the power factor correction calculator for a first estimate, and measure harmonic content before you decide on detuning. Our guide to power quality and harmonics explains why variable-speed drives and inverters change the capacitor design.

What does the law require of the panel room?

Some requirements bear directly on layout and cost. Regulation 39(iii) of the CEA safety regulations 2023 asks for a clear space of at least one metre in front of every switchboard, and for the space behind it, where there are attachments or bare connections, to be either less than 20 centimetres or more than 75 centimetres, with a clear passage from either end if wider. Regulation 37(5) requires that the supply to each motor or group of motors for one machine is controlled by a linked switch, circuit breaker or emergency tripping device with manual reset, placed adjacent and easily operated. Regulation 43 requires the frames of stationary motors and the metalwork of apparatus in the 250 to 650 volt range to be earthed by two separate and distinct connections. A panel room sized from the catalogue footprint, without these clearances and the door swings, fails on layout before it fails on electrical grounds. Our CEIG approval guide for factories shows where panel records enter the inspection.

How do you compare two quotations?

Give both bidders the same single-line diagram, motor schedule and specification, including form, IP rating and breaker type.
Ask for the price per feeder, by type, and the price of the incomers and bus couplers separately.
Ask for makes of breakers, relays, meters and busbar material, and the busbar rating at your ambient temperature.
Ask for evidence of design verification and the factory test plan.
Ask what is excluded: foundation channels, cable terminations, site tests, panel-room cooling, civil work.
Normalise exclusions before comparing totals.

A cheaper panel is not always the same panel. Our MEP quotation comparison calculator helps you set the bids side by side once the exclusions are aligned.

How Secured Engineers helps

We design the LT panels in-house from the single-line diagram, have them built with type-tested components to approved makes, and install and test them. The same electrical team prepares the Fire NOC, CEIG and DISCOM filings in-house, and MEPF and solar can sit under one contract. We work from our Noida (Delhi NCR) and Ludhiana offices, across 535+ projects in 18+ states, with 89.77% repeat clients. When you have quotations in hand, we review your budget and BOQ against the drivers above and tell you where the numbers do not line up.

Send your single-line diagram and quotations to our LT panels team for a budget review, message us on WhatsApp, call +91 70099 85817, or ask for a free proposal. To check supply capacity first, use the factory electrical capacity calculator.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between a PCC and an MCC panel?

A power control centre receives the incoming supply and feeds large outgoing circuits and downstream boards. A motor control centre houses starters, drives and protection for the plant's motors, often in draw-out units. Small plants may combine the two functions in one lineup; larger plants separate them so that motor faults and maintenance do not affect the main distribution.

What does form 3b or 4b mean on an LT panel?

Forms of internal separation are defined in IEC 61439-2. They describe how busbars, functional units and terminals are separated inside the assembly, so that work on one unit exposes less of the rest. Higher forms need more metalwork and cost more. Choose the form by how much shutdown you can accept during maintenance, and state it in the specification.

Why do two quotations for the same panel differ so much?

Usually the specifications differ. One bidder may price fixed breakers, a lower IP rating, partial type testing or aluminium busbar, while another prices draw-out units, Form 4b and full verification. Exclusions also differ, such as foundations, terminations, site tests and room cooling. Give both bidders one specification and compare per feeder.

How is APFC panel size calculated?

Multiply the real power in kW by the difference between the tangent of the present power factor angle and the tangent of the target angle. The result is the capacitor kVAr needed. Then decide on steps, controller and whether detuned reactors are needed, which depends on harmonics from drives and inverters. Confirm your target against the power factor bands in your tariff.

Do I need detuned reactors in the APFC panel?

When the plant has significant harmonic-producing loads such as variable-speed drives, inverters or rectifiers, plain capacitors can resonate with the supply and fail early. Detuned reactors reduce that risk at extra cost. The decision should rest on a harmonic measurement or a calculation, not on a rule of thumb.

Which documents should come with the panels?

General arrangement and schematic drawings, relay settings, bill of materials with makes, factory test reports, evidence of design verification and, after installation, site test reports for insulation, functional checks and protection. These support the Electrical Inspector's review and your maintenance records. List them in the purchase specification so they are delivered, not requested later.

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