# Creating a Problem¶

Minpower solves problems that are defined in spreadsheets. The most basic ED problem only has two files: generators.csv and loads.csv. If you are solving an UC then you need to define the initial conditions for your generation in initial.csv. Scheduled or predicted energy amounts (e.g. predicted wind farm output or predicted load demand) over a series of times can be specified in a file defined by the schedule file name column of the component. If you are solving an OPF, then you also need to define your transmission lines in lines.csv.

The following tables give details on how to describe each component using spreadsheet columns. (Column order does not matter. Capitalization, underscores, and spaces are all ignored in the header row column names.) Examples spreadsheets are given after each table.

## Generators¶

name,Pmin,Pmax,heat rate equation,fuel cost,start up cost,min up time,min down time
g1,50,200,220+9.9P,1.4,560,8,8
g2,15,60,80+10.1P,1.4,210,8,8
g3,15,50,60+10.8P,1.4,147,4,4
g4,5,40,40+11.9P,1.4,0,4,4
g5,5,25,34+12.14P,1.4,0,4,4


## Initial Conditions¶

"name","power","status","hours in status"
g1,250,1,4
g2,0,0,8
g3,0,0,8
g4,0,0,8
g5,0,0,8


name,schedulefilename


## Lines¶

from bus,to bus,Pmax
Seattle,Tacoma,3
Olympia,Tacoma,10000
Olympia,Seattle,10000


## Schedules¶

time,power
0:00,250
2:00,320
4:00,110
6:00,75