PyPowSyBl supports multiple power system file formats for importing and exporting network data. This flexibility allows you to work with data from different sources and tools.
PyPowSyBl can import networks from the following formats:
import pypowsybl as pp # Get list of supported import formats formats = pp.network.get_import_formats() print ( "Import formats:" , formats) # Output: ['BIIDM', 'CGMES', 'IEEE-CDF', 'JIIDM', 'MATPOWER', 'POWER-FACTORY', 'PSS/E', 'UCTE', 'XIIDM'] # Get supported file extensions extensions = pp.network.get_import_supported_extensions() print ( "Supported extensions:" , extensions) # Output: ['RAW', 'RAWX', 'UCT', 'biidm', 'bin', 'dgs', 'iidm', 'jiidm', 'json', 'mat', 'raw', 'rawx', 'txt', 'uct', 'xiidm', 'xml']
import pypowsybl as pp # Get list of supported export formats export_formats = pp.network.get_export_formats() print ( "Export formats:" , export_formats) # Output: ['AMPL', 'BIIDM', 'CGMES', 'JIIDM', 'MATPOWER', 'PSS/E', 'UCTE', 'XIIDM']
Loading Networks from Files
Basic file loading
import pypowsybl as pp # Load from XIIDM format (PowSyBl native format) network = pp.network.load( 'network.xiidm' ) # Load from other formats network = pp.network.load( 'network.uct' ) # UCTE format network = pp.network.load( 'network.mat' ) # MATPOWER format network = pp.network.load( 'network.raw' ) # PSS/E format
Load with absolute or relative paths
import pypowsybl as pp from pathlib import Path # Relative path network = pp.network.load( 'data/network.xiidm' ) # Absolute path network = pp.network.load( '/path/to/network.xiidm' ) # Using pathlib file_path = Path( 'data' ) / 'network.xiidm' network = pp.network.load( str (file_path))
Load compressed files
PyPowSyBl automatically handles compressed files: import pypowsybl as pp # Gzip compressed network = pp.network.load( 'network.xiidm.gz' ) # Bzip2 compressed network = pp.network.load( 'network.xiidm.bz2' ) # Zip archive network = pp.network.load( 'network.zip' )
PyPowSyBl automatically detects the format based on the file extension.
Loading with Import Parameters Many formats support import parameters for customization:
import pypowsybl as pp # View available parameters for a format params = pp.network.get_import_parameters( 'PSS/E' ) print (params) # Shows parameters like: # - psse.import.ignore-base-voltage # - psse.import.ignore-node-breaker-topology # Load with custom parameters network = pp.network.load( 'network.raw' , parameters = { 'psse.import.ignore-base-voltage' : 'true' } )
CGMES Import Parameters import pypowsybl as pp # View CGMES import parameters cgmes_params = pp.network.get_import_parameters( 'CGMES' ) print (cgmes_params) # Load CGMES with custom parameters network = pp.network.load( 'network.zip' , parameters = { 'iidm.import.cgmes.source-for-iidm-id' : 'rdfID' , 'iidm.import.cgmes.profile-used-for-initial-state-values' : 'SSH' } )
Loading from Memory From String
From Binary Buffer
Multiple CGMES Files
import pypowsybl as pp # Load network from string content file_content = """ ##C 2007.05.01 ##N ##ZBE BBE1AA1 0 2 400.00 3000.00 0.00000 -1500.0 0.00000 0.00000 -9000.0 9000.00 -9000.0 F """ network = pp.network.load_from_string( 'simple-eu.uct' , file_content) print ( f "Loaded { len (network.get_substations()) } substations" )
Checking if a File is Loadable import pypowsybl as pp # Check if file can be loaded if pp.network.is_loadable( 'network.xiidm' ): network = pp.network.load( 'network.xiidm' ) print ( "Network loaded successfully" ) else : print ( "File is not a valid network" )
Use is_loadable() to validate files before loading, especially when dealing with user uploads.
Saving Networks
Save to XIIDM format
import pypowsybl as pp network = pp.network.create_ieee14() # Save to file network.save( 'output.xiidm' , format = 'XIIDM' )
Save to other formats
import pypowsybl as pp network = pp.network.create_ieee14() # Save as UCTE network.save( 'output.uct' , format = 'UCTE' ) # Save as MATPOWER network.save( 'output.mat' , format = 'MATPOWER' ) # Save as PSS/E network.save( 'output.raw' , format = 'PSS/E' )
Save to string or buffer
import pypowsybl as pp network = pp.network.create_ieee14() # Save to string xml_string = network.save_to_string() # Save to binary buffer buffer = network.save_to_binary_buffer( format = 'XIIDM' )
Export Parameters Customize export behavior with parameters:
import pypowsybl as pp # View export parameters for CGMES export_params = pp.network.get_export_parameters( 'CGMES' ) print (export_params) network = pp.network.create_ieee14() # Export CGMES with custom parameters network.save( 'output.zip' , format = 'CGMES' , parameters = { 'iidm.export.cgmes.cim-version' : '16' , 'iidm.export.cgmes.profiles' : 'EQ,TP,SSH,SV' } )
XIIDM Format
CGMES Format
AMPL Format
MATPOWER Format
import pypowsybl as pp import tempfile from pathlib import Path # XIIDM is PyPowSyBl's native format network = pp.network.create_eurostag_tutorial_example1_network() with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir: output_file = Path(tmpdir) / 'network.xiidm' # Save to XIIDM network.save(output_file, format = 'XIIDM' ) # Load it back loaded_network = pp.network.load(output_file) # Verify round-trip assert loaded_network.save_to_string() == network.save_to_string() print ( "XIIDM round-trip successful" )
Working with CGMES Networks CGMES (Common Grid Model Exchange Standard) is widely used in European power systems:
import pypowsybl as pp import io # Load CGMES from zip file with open ( 'CGMES_Full.zip' , 'rb' ) as f: network = pp.network.load_from_binary_buffer(io.BytesIO(f.read())) print ( f "Loaded { len (network.get_substations()) } substations" ) # Update network with additional CGMES files network.update_from_file( 'load_SSH.xml' ) # Export back to CGMES network.save( 'output_cgmes.zip' , format = 'CGMES' )
Import Post-Processors Post-processors can modify networks during import:
import pypowsybl as pp # List available post-processors post_processors = pp.network.get_import_post_processors() print ( "Available post-processors:" , post_processors) # Output: ['geoJsonImporter', 'loadflowResultsCompletion', 'replaceTieLinesByLines'] # Load with post-processor network = pp.network.load( 'network.zip' , post_processors = [ 'replaceTieLinesByLines' ] )
Batch Processing Multiple Files import pypowsybl as pp from pathlib import Path import pandas as pd # Process all network files in a directory input_dir = Path( 'input_networks' ) output_dir = Path( 'output_networks' ) output_dir.mkdir( exist_ok = True ) results = [] for file in input_dir.glob( '*.xiidm' ): try : # Load network network = pp.network.load( str ( file )) # Perform analysis (e.g., load flow) lf_result = pp.loadflow.run_ac(network) # Save results output_file = output_dir / f " { file .stem } _processed.xiidm" network.save( str (output_file), format = 'XIIDM' ) results.append({ 'file' : file .name, 'buses' : len (network.get_buses()), 'converged' : lf_result[ 0 ].status.name == 'CONVERGED' , 'status' : 'success' }) except Exception as e: results.append({ 'file' : file .name, 'status' : 'error' , 'error' : str (e) }) # Summary report df_results = pd.DataFrame(results) print (df_results)
import pypowsybl as pp from pathlib import Path def convert_network ( input_file , output_format ): """ Convert a network file to a different format. """ # Load the network network = pp.network.load(input_file) # Determine output filename input_path = Path(input_file) ext_map = { 'XIIDM' : '.xiidm' , 'CGMES' : '.zip' , 'UCTE' : '.uct' , 'MATPOWER' : '.mat' , 'AMPL' : '_ampl' } output_file = input_path.with_suffix(ext_map.get(output_format, '.out' )) # Save in new format network.save( str (output_file), format = output_format) print ( f "Converted { input_file } to { output_file } " ) return output_file # Example usage convert_network( 'network.uct' , 'XIIDM' ) convert_network( 'network.xiidm' , 'CGMES' )
When converting between formats, some data may be lost if the target format doesn’t support all features. Always validate the converted network.
Next Steps 