Abstract  Mechanical power units utilizing electromagnetic interaction between coils are generally distinguished by compactness and ease of control. A coil-repulsion drive configuration is preferable for increasing the efficiency of such a device. One of the main limitations in choosing the parameters of stressed electromagnetic systems is mechanical strength. The application of superconducting coils has a number of additional limitations, for example, on the maximum magnetic field strength in the cross section of the coils. The problems of optimizing the dimensions of the electromagnetic system of a power unit consisting of two identical, coaxial, annular coils of rectangular cross section with opposing currents are investigated with allowance for strength and magnetic field limitations.