Here’s a scenario that plays out frequently on industrial projects: A project manager requests “an electrical engineer” to design a PLC control system. Or someone asks for “electronics expertise” to handle power distribution. The engineering firm scrambles to clarify the scope, the schedule slips by a week or more, and everyone’s frustrated before the work even begins.
This confusion between electrical engineering and electronics engineering isn’t a knowledge gap. It’s a vocabulary problem. Both terms involve electricity. Both require engineering expertise. And in industrial settings, both disciplines work on the same facilities, on interconnected systems sharing the same cable trays and equipment rooms. But conflating electrical systems design with electronics circuit design leads to misaligned scopes and coordination gaps that often cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix on mid-sized projects.
Note: Costs, timelines, and technical requirements in this guide reflect typical Canadian industrial projects as of publication. Verify current pricing and regulations for your specific region and project scope, as these factors vary significantly.
This guide clarifies the practical distinction between electrical design and electronics design through the lens of capital projects in oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, and manufacturing sectors across Canada. You’ll understand which discipline handles which systems, where power systems engineering intersects with circuit design through instrumentation and controls (I&C), and how to determine which expertise your project requires.
At Vista Projects, an integrated engineeringThe process of integrated engineering involves multiple engineering disciplines working in conjunction with other project disciplines to e... firm established in 1985 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, we’ve coordinated electrical and I&C disciplines across hundreds of industrial projects. The distinctions here come from four decades of multi-disciplinary engineering, where getting the scope right matters for budgets, schedules, and plant safety.
The Core Distinction: Power Systems vs. Signal-Level Systems
Strip away the academic definitions, and here’s what the difference between electrical and electronics engineering comes down to: electrical design handles energy delivery, electronics design handles information processing.
Electrical design encompasses the engineering of power generation, transmission, and distribution systems that deliver electricity from source to end-use equipment. For a deeper exploration, see our complete guide on what electrical design means in engineering. Electrical systems design addresses everything from utility interconnection to motor terminals. This means getting power from the grid (typically in the range of 13.8kV to 25kV from utilities like ATCO, ENMAX, or Hydro-Québec) to every motor, heater, and lighting panel in your plant.
Electronics design focuses on circuits, components, and devices that process electrical signals for control, communication, and computation. In industrial contexts, electronic circuit design means systems that tell equipment what to do and when to do it. These systems operate on milliamps rather than hundreds of amps.
What voltage generally separates electrical from electronics design?
The 50-volt threshold provides a practical demarcation that holds across most industrial cases. Systems above 50V typically fall under electrical design territory. Below 50V, particularly 24V DC power supplies and 4-20mA signal ranges common in process control, the work generally falls under electronics and instrumentation territory. The Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) Section 16 treats these low-voltage systems differently because the engineering challenges, safety requirements, and installation methods differ fundamentally.
Here’s an analogy that works: Electrical design is like designing the road network that delivers fuel to gas stations, handling heavy loads over long distances. Electronics design is like designing the pumps, sensors, and point-of-sale systems at the station, handling information and small-scale operations. Same commodity (electricity), completely different scales.
What Electrical Design Covers in Industrial Facilities
Electrical design handles everything from where utility power enters your facility to the terminals where power connects to equipment. Power systems engineering addresses infrastructure operating at voltages from 480V up to transmission levels. We’ll cover how electrical and electronics intersect through motor control centres in the overlap section below.
Main power distribution includes utility interconnection through substations, transformers, and switchgear to motor control centres and distribution panels, core deliverables of electrical engineering services. This encompasses voltage transformation (stepping down from utility transmission voltages to usable plant voltages of 4,160V, 600V, or 480V), power-quality management, and fault-protection coordination.
Equipment under the electrical scope includes substations, power transformers, switchgear, motor control centres (MCCs), cable systems, grounding grids, and lighting. Costs for this equipment vary widely based on capacity, specifications, and market conditions. For budgeting purposes, consult current vendor quotations for your specific requirements. If the equipment’s primary purpose is moving electrical energy from point A to point B, electrical engineers own that equipment.
Relevant codes in Canada centre on CSA C22.1 (Canadian Electrical Code). Regulations change frequently, so verify current requirements with authorities having jurisdiction. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) establishes additional standards, particularly the IEEE Colour Book series for industrial power systems.
Typical Electrical Design Deliverables
When you engage electrical engineering services, the typical timeline runs 12 to 20 weeks for detailed design on a mid-sized project, though duration varies significantly based on complexity:
- Single-line diagrams (SLDs) show power flow from the utility to loads, serving as the road map of your electrical system
- Load calculations and demand analysis using industry software such as ETAP or SKM PowerTools
- Short-circuit and coordination studies determining how protective devices operate during faults, required by CEC and IEEE 399
- Cable schedules and sizing calculations are sized for ampacity, voltage drop, and short-circuit withstand
- Equipment specifications providing detailed requirements for transformers, switchgear, and MCCs
- Arc flash hazard analysis required by CSA Z462 in Canada, determining PPE requirements for electrical workers
Here’s where electrical systems design gets interesting: Motor control centres (MCCs) exemplify the integration of electrical and electronics design within a single assembly. The MCC structure, vertical bus, and feeder breakers fall under the electrical scope. The VFDs (variable frequency drives, which are electronic devices that control motor speed) and the smart relays inside involve electronics. This MCC interface is exactly where discipline coordination matters most.
What Electronics Design Covers and Where I&C Fits In
In academic settings, electronics engineering means circuit boards and consumer devices. In industrial settings, electronics design almost always manifests as instrumentation and controls (I&C) engineering. Remember the 50V threshold from earlier? Everything below that line lives in this section.
The Role of Instrumentation and Controls (I&C)
Instrumentation and controls engineering bridges electronics principles with process control requirements. If electrical engineering delivers power, I&C engineering makes powered equipment do useful things in a controlled, automated way.
Control systems integrate sensors, processors, and actuators to monitor and regulate industrial processes. When these systems malfunction, having the right industrial control system troubleshooting tools becomes critical. Equipment under the I&C scope includes:
PLCs and DCS platforms such as Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, Siemens S7, Emerson DeltaV, and Honeywell Experion. Selection depends on project requirements, existing plant standards, and total cost of ownershipThe total cost of ownership refers to the total cost of owning an industrial asset throughout its full lifecycle, from design and construc....
Field instruments, including pressure transmitters, flow meters, temperature sensors, level instruments, and analysers from manufacturers like Emerson Rosemount, Endress+Hauser, and Yokogawa.
Final control elements, such as control valves from Fisher, Valvtechnologies, or Flowserve, plus VFDs for speed control and automated actuators.
Safety instrumented systems (SIS) for emergency shutdown and process protection, separate from basic process control, are required when process hazard analysis identifies safety functions that need SIL (Safety Integrity Level) ratings.
HMI and SCADA systems provide operator monitoring and control interfaces.
How does the I&C engineering scope compare to electrical in cost?
I&C scope often exceeds electrical scope on process-heavy facilities, sometimes by 20 to 80 percent or more. The higher investment reflects instrument count (often 300 to 800 instruments per facility), control logic development time, and the iterative nature of control system design. Individual results vary significantly based on project specifics. Get detailed proposals for accurate budgeting.
Typical Electronics and I&C Deliverables
Expect these deliverables, with a timeline often running 14 to 24 weeks, frequently extending 2 to 4 weeks longer than electrical due to control logic development:
P&IDs showing process flow and instrumentation, developed jointly with process engineering.
Control narratives providing written descriptions of how each system operates are critical for commissioning and operations.
Instrument data sheets specifying process conditions, materials, ranges, and configuration for each instrument.
Loop diagrams showing signal wiring from the field instrument to the marshalling cabinet to the control system.
Safety system documentation, including SIL assignments, Safety Requirements Specifications (SRS), and cause-and-effect matrices.
Reality check from extensive project experience: The deliverables list is where scope confusion costs real money. A project manager sees “electrical” in the engineering budget and assumes that covers “all the wires.” Then the I&C scope shows up as substantial additional work. Define deliverables explicitly in your RFP, or budget conservatively for scope growth.
Where Electrical and Electronics Design Overlap
Here’s the honest truth academic comparisons skip: in industrial facilities, electrical and I&C overlap at multiple specific interface points per project. Understanding these overlaps helps coordinate scopes and avoid change orders.
Motor control centres are the clearest overlap zone. The MCC structure and power bus (typically 600V or 480V) fall under electrical design. But most modern MCCs include VFDs, intelligent starters, and protection relays with electronic components. The VFD controlling motor speed is an electronic scope. The power feeding of the VFD is electrical. The communication network connecting the VFD to control systems is within the I&C scope.
Control power systems bridge both worlds. Your 120V AC control circuits that power PLC racks and instrumentation originate from the electrical distribution but serve I&C functions. That interface needs explicit assignment, or you’ll discover gaps during construction.
Grounding systems require coordination between power system grounding (electrical, sized for thousands of amps) and signal grounding (I&C, preventing noise that corrupts 4-20mA signals). Done wrong, you get 60Hz hum on instruments. The post-construction fix can be substantial. The design-phase fix takes a few hours of coordination meetings.
Industry purists argue these overlaps should be strictly divided with formal interface documents. That approach is necessary on mega-projects. But for typical mid-sized projects, you need engineers who understand both sides, or disciplined weekly coordination among speciality teams. There’s no third option that doesn’t risk change orders.
Which Engineering Discipline Does Your Project Need?
This is the practical question, so here’s a practical framework. Working through this framework takes about 15 minutes upfront and can save weeks of coordination issues.
You likely need electrical engineering if your project primarily involves:
Power distribution upgrades or expansions. Substation or transformer work. Lighting systems. Emergency or standby power.
The budget varies significantly by project size and complexity. Get detailed proposals for accurate estimates.
You likely need electronics and I&C engineering if your project primarily involves:
Process control system design. New instrumentation. PLC or DCS programming. Safety instrumented systems. SCADA implementation.
Budgets typically run higher than the electrical scope for process facilities due to instrument counts and control logic development.
You likely need both disciplines if your project involves:
New process units with powered equipment AND control. Motor control centres with multiple VFDs. Safety systems interfacing with electrical protection. Significant automation in powered facilities.
Quick Decision Table
| Project Element | Engineering Discipline | Key Deliverables |
| Power distribution (600V and above) | Electrical | Single-line diagrams, load calculations |
| Substations and transformers | Electrical | Equipment specs, protection studies |
| Process measurement and control | I&C | Control narratives, P&IDs |
| MCCs with multiple VFDs | Both | MCC layouts, VFD specs, communications |
| Safety systems (SIS) | Both | SIL studies, interface documents |
Most process-heavy industrial projects require both disciplines. For projects in Alberta’s oil sands, Saskatchewan’s potash mines, or Ontario’s petrochemical corridor, the question isn’t “which discipline” but “how do they coordinate.” Define interfaces using an Interface Control Document, a reference that establishes clear scope boundaries and can prevent numerous change orders.
How Integrated Engineering Teams Handle Both Disciplines
On complex projects, coordination between electrical and I&C isn’t optional. It’s essential. The coordination effort represents a meaningful percentage of total engineering hours, increasing when interfaces aren’t well-managed and gaps are discovered during construction.
Interface management works best in daily standups rather than formal transmittals between separate companies. When both disciplines report to the same project leadership, coordination and scope boundaries are resolved in brief conversations rather than through lengthy RFI cycles.
Cross-checking catches errors early. When the electrical engineer is sizing an MCC breaker, they can quickly consult the I&C engineer about VFD harmonic characteristics, and problems get solved promptly. Each interface error caught in design versus construction saves significant rework costs.
One thing to watch for: Some firms claim “integrated engineering” but subcontract one discipline while keeping the other in-house. That’s coordination between contractors, not integration. True integration means both teams under one management structure with shared CAD systems and unified QA/QC. Ask specifically: “Do your electrical and I&C engineers share project management?” The answer matters.
What Is the Difference Between Electrical and Electronics Engineering?
Electrical design focuses on power generation, transmission, and distribution systems that deliver electricity to facilities, operating at voltages above 50V and handling currents from tens to thousands of amps. Electronics design focuses on circuits and devices that process information and control, operating below 50V and handling milliamps. In industrial settings, I&C engineering applies electronics principles to process automation.
The simplest distinction: electrical engineering moves energy (megawatts), electronics engineering processes information (milliwatts). Both use electricity for fundamentally different purposes at vastly different scales.
Electrical engineers work on substations, transformers, switchgear, and cable systems for high-current loads. Electronics engineers (titled I&C engineers in most industrial job postings) work on control systems, PLCs, and sensors, with signals measured in milliamps and processing measured in milliseconds.
Both disciplines share foundational knowledge in circuit theory, electrical safety, and grounding, but diverge significantly in application. An electrical engineer designing a 13.8kV substation uses different software, standards, and methodologies than an I&C engineer designing a distributed control system. Both involve engineering with electricity, but with different approaches, codes, and deliverables.
When Should a Project Engage Both Electrical and I&C Engineers?
Projects typically require both disciplines when involving both power delivery AND control of equipment operation. This describes the majority of projects in Canadian process industries.
Specific scenarios that often require both:
- Process facilities with motors, pumps, compressors, and control systems.
- MCCs with VFDs where more than a few drives trigger explicit I&C involvement.
- Safety instrumented systems interfacing with electrical protection.
- New control rooms require both power distribution and control design.
- Automation retrofits that add monitoring to existing electrical systems.
- Greenfield facilities of significant size in the process industries.
How long does defining scope boundaries take?
Developing an Interface Control Document typically takes 4 to 6 hours between discipline leads. That investment helps prevent weeks of confusion and can eliminate substantial change orders. Schedule this meeting within the first few weeks of project kickoff.
The Bottom Line
The distinction is straightforward: electrical design handles power delivery at facility scale (megawatts, hundreds of amps, 600V and above), electronics design through I&C handles information and control at device level (milliwatts, milliamps, 24V and below). In industrial projects, these disciplines overlap in motor controls, protective systems, and control power, requiring explicit coordination at multiple interface points.
Understanding this distinction helps project managers scope work correctly, engineers communicate requirements accurately, and everyone avoids schedule delays caused by scope confusion.
For your next project: Allocate a couple of hours to identify interface points between electrical and I&C. Engaging electrical engineering consulting expertise early can help define these boundaries and prevent costly scope gaps. For MCCs, specify who provides structure versus VFD specs and communications. For control panels, clarify the power supply versus instrument terminations. Document where one discipline ends, and the other begins. This upfront clarity prevents extended coordination problems and significant change orders. Budget both disciplines if your project includes process control, and verify scope assumptions early rather than discovering gaps during construction.
For complex projects requiring coordinated electrical and I&C services, Vista Projects brings four decades of integrated, multi-disciplinary experience across oil and gas, petrochemical, and energy-sector projects. Our Calgary headquarters and offices in Houston and Muscat serve projects where eliminating interface gaps is critical to budget and schedule performance.Disclaimer: Information in this guide reflects typical practices and approximate ranges at the time of publication. Costs, timelines, codes, and technical requirements vary significantly by region, project specifics, and market conditions. Verify current information with qualified professionals and authorities having jurisdiction before making project decisions.