The performance of a power transducer is improved while efficiently using a power semiconductor also by managing the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit provided in the power transducer. The user is allowed to set, through an operation panel provided on the power transducer, the resistance value of the regenerative braking resistor for thermally consuming the rotational energy generated during motor deceleration. The power transducer performs the steps of: calculating the current which flows in the regenerative braking circuit from the resistance value setting; obtaining the generation loss of the power semiconductor in the regenerative braking circuit with the calculated current value; and determining the permissible duty factor of the power semiconductor from the obtained generation loss.