Datasets

All Synthetic Challenge 3 datasets are available on this page. Industry datasets will not be posted.

The intervals for each Division are not the same.

  • Division 1: Real-Time Market with 8-hour look ahead -- 8 0.25-hour periods, 8 0.5-hour periods, 2 1-hour periods
  • Division 2: Day-Ahead Market with 48-hour look ahead -- 48 1-hour periods
  • Division 3: Week-Ahead Advisory with 7-day (168-hour) look ahead -- 42 4-hour periods.

All time periods are given in hours. 

C3 Events

Event 1

***THIS DATASET IS NOT OBSOLETE, IT IS THE SAME AS E1.1***

Download the E1 Sandbox datasets (312.5 MB) released February 14, 2023. It contains 257 scenarios comprised of 8 network models consisting of  3-, 14-, 37-, 73-, 600-, 1576-, 4200- and 6049-buses from the S0 and S1 datasets, with variations on load profiles. No industry dataset was used for Event 1.

Each E1 network model in this set consists of multiple scenarios, each with 3 files (771 total files):

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. If positive and feasible, this will be the score for the scenario.

The solutions produced by the Prior Operating Point (POP) program are not intended to be anywhere near optimal. Their purpose is to demonstrate that feasible solutions do exist and what a valid solution file would look like. The E1 results demonstrate that positive feasible solutions are possible for every scenario (see the Best results in column E). See the Event 1 Leaderboard for more results.

Specify dataset=E1.1 in submission.conf

Event 2

***THIS DATASET IS OBSOLETE, IT NO LONGER CONFORMS TO THE PROBLEM FORMULATION*** Use E2.1 instead.

The E2 Sandbox datasets released May 10, 2023 are available as three downloads (one for each Division): C3E2D1 (65 MB); C3E2D2 (320 MB); and C3E2D3 (245 MB). Together they contain 148 scenarios comprised of 7 network models consisting of  73-, 617-, 1576-, 2000-, 4224-, 6049-, and 6717-buses from the S0, S1 and S2 datasets, with variations on load profiles. The 6708-bus network is an industry dataset and is not included in the download but is available for use in the Sandbox, although results returned will be limited to the objective value produced by the Evaluation program. The 6708-bus dataset makes use of the "additional_shunt" feature described on page 15 of the Data Format document.

Each E2 network model in this set consists of multiple scenarios, each with 3 files as in E1:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. If positive and feasible, this will be the score for the scenario.

The solutions produced by the Prior Operating Point (POP) program are not intended to be anywhere near optimal. Their purpose is to demonstrate that feasible solutions do exist and what a valid solution file would look like.

E2.1

A requirement on problem data that the penalty coefficients on certain soft constraints be strictly positive has been added to the Problem Formulation. These constraints are bus real and reactive power balance, line apparent power flow limits, multi-interval energy production and consumption limits, and reserve balance constraints on regulation down, regulation up, synchronized reserve, non-synchronized reserve, ramping reserve down, ramping reserve up, reactive power reserve down, and reactive power reserve up. This requirement is posted in the May 15, 2023 version of the Problem Formulation document, and the change is mentioned in the change log item for May 15, 2023. The data checker code in C3DataUtilities now checks for positivity of these coefficients and reports an error if they are not positive. Two public datasets, the E2 2000- and 6717-bus systems released May 10, do not meet this positivity requirement and therefore fail the current data checker. We have modified these datasets by setting the relevant coefficients equal to 1 ($/pu-h), and the modified datasets pass the data checker. Download the (5/15/2023) E2.1 Sandbox datasets (276 MB) with the updated 2000- and 6717-bus systems.

Specify dataset=E2.1 in submission.conf

Event 3

Due to its size, the (06/29/2023) E3.1 Sandbox datasets come in 3 files: Division 1 (28 datasets, 124 MB), Division 2 (41 datasets, 171 MB), and Division 3 (28 datasets, 106 MB).

The Division 1 network models are C3E3N00617D1, C3E3N01576D1, C3E3N04224D1, C3E3N06049D1, C3E3N06717D1, C3E3N08316D1, and C3E3N23643D1. UPDATE: The 6/29/2023 version of the Division 1 zip file was missing 3 datasets (scenarios 146, 147, and 148). The updated Division 1 file (31 datasets, 136 MB) from 6/6/2024, has all the Division 1 datasets.

The Division 2 network models are C3E3N00073D2, C3E3N00617D2, C3E3N01576D2, C3E3N04224D2, C3E3N06049D2, C3E3N08316D2, and C3E3N23643D2.

The Division 3 network models are C3E3N00073D3,  C3E3N00617D3, C3E3N01576D3, C3E3N04224D3, C3E3N06049D3, C3E3N08316D3, and C3E3N23643D3.

The industry network, C3E3N06708D[1|2|3], is not available for download but may be run in the Sandbox. See the E3 Leaderboard for the list of all scenarios.

Each network model consists of one or more scenarios each with 3 JSON files:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.

Specify dataset=E3.1 in submission.conf

Event 4

The 591 synthetic Challenge 3 Event 4 datasets from 9 network models (3.6 GB total) are downloadable from the table below; the 39 industry datasets (grand total of 630) are not available. Each dataset consists of 3 files; scenario.json, pop_solution.json, and popsolution.log. Unless otherwise indicated, each zip file contains data for all divisions (1-3). Event 4 used 39 Industry scenarios that will not be made public. An additional 39 scenarios from the set of 630 industry and synthetic were also run without allowing switching for a total of 669 scenarios used in scoring.

Dataset Links, Sizes, and Number of Synthetic Scenarios
C3E4N00073_20231002.zip   13.5 MB   88 scenarios
C3E4N00617_20231002.zip   84.8 MB   87 scenarios
C3E4N01576_20231002.zip   79.4 MB   48 scenarios
C3E4N02000_20231002.zip   130.7 MB   39 scenarios
C3E4N04224_20231002.zip   317.6 MB   72 scenarios
C3E4N06049D1_20231002.zip   428.8 MB   36 scenarios
C3E4N06049D2_20231002.zip   481.4 MB  18 scenarios
C3E4N06049D3_20231002.zip   275.1 MB   24 scenarios
C3E4N06717D1_20231002.zip   261.5 MB   36 scenarios
C3E4N06717D23_20231002.zip   328.9 MB   21 scenarios
C3E4N08316D1_20231002.zip   311.7 MB   48 scenarios
C3E4N08316D2_20231002.zip   333.2 MB   24 scenarios
C3E4N08316D3A_20231002.zip   304.3 MB   24 scenarios
C3E4N08316D3B_20231002.zip   328.8 MB   20 scenarios
C3E4N23643_20231002.zip   51.8 MB     6 scenarios

 

Number of Unique Synthetic Scenarios per Division per Network
Synthetic Network Buses D1 D2 D3 all
C3E4N00073 73 24 40 24 88
C3E4N00617 617 39 24 24 87
C3E4N01576 1,576 24 0 24 48
C3E4N02000 2,000 18 18 3 39
C3E4N04224 4,224 24 24 24 72
C3E4N06049 6,049 36 18 24 78
C3E4N06717 6,717 36 18 3 57
C3E4N08316 8,316 48 24 44 116
C3E4N23643 23,643 2 2 2 6
total scenarios   251 168 172 591

Specify dataset=E4 in submission.conf

C3 Sandbox Scenarios

Sandbox submissions are open. All scenarios, Event or Sandbox, including Industry scenarios, are available for submission to the Sandbox.

S0

***THIS DATASET IS OBSOLETE, IT NO LONGER CONFORMS TO THE PROBLEM FORMULATION*** Use S0.1 instead.

Download the revised (12/8/2022) S0 Sandbox datasets (3.1 MB). It contains 4 network models consisting of  3-, 14-, 37- and 73-buses. Each S0 network model in this set consists one scenario with 4 JSON files for each division as follows:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn_summary.json contains information about the problem input data, including the length and number of periods as in the table below,
  3. scenario_nnn_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the Benchmark program for this scenario, and
  4. scenario_nnn_evaluation.json, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.

Download the S0.1 Sandbox datasets (8/4/2023, 4 network models, 12 scenarios, 36 files; 0.5 MB). Each S0.1 network model in this set consists of one scenario with 3 files for each division as follows:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.

The question has arisen to what extent did the changes from S0 to S0.1 affect the results. We recalculated using the S0.1 data and have appended the results to the right of the table below. The changes from the S0 objective to S0.1 can probably be explained as resulting from the evolution of the Benchmark code, with a notable exception, the 73-bus D1 case and perhaps D2 and D3 as well. Here, at least for D1, the changes clearly affect the character of the problem, for D2 and D3 less so, although the Benchmark team believes this too could be due to a change in the Benchmark.

S0 datasets released December 8, 2022
Division network model scenario buses ac lines dc lines transformers  shunts simple
dispatchable
devices
producing
devices
consuming
devices
real power
reserve zones
reactive power
reserve zones
intervals contingencies hours
duration
Objective "z"
from (feasible)
Benchmark
solution
S0.1 Benchmark objective
1 C3S0N00003 3 3 2 0 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 18 2 8 143,164.98 143,275.23
2 C3S0N00003 3 3 2 0 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 48 2 48 907,176.92 907,887.74
3 C3S0N00003 3 3 2 0 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 42 2 168 2,943,776.23 2,955,859.62
1 C3S0N00014 3 14 17 0 3 1 17 6 11 2 2 18 12 8 369,670.34 369,842.67
2 C3S0N00014 3 14 17 0 20 1 17 6 11 2 2 48 12 48 2,231,247.62 2,232,386.54
3 C3S0N00014 3 14 17 0 3 1 17 6 11 2 2 42 12 168 7,808,744.45 7,813,029.49
1 C3S0N00037 3 37 43 0 14 8 34 8 26 2 2 18 40 8 1,787,896.16 1,789,046.05
2 C3S0N00037 3 37 43 0 14 8 34 8 26 2 2 48 40 48 10,697,172.61 10,703,727.01
3 C3S0N00037 3 37 43 0 14 8 34 8 26 2 2 42 40 168 37,469,492.15 37,492,278.94
1 C3S0N00073 2 73 105 1 15 73 208 157 51 1 1 18 2 8 1,218,124.58 8,498,839.91
2 C3S0N00073 2 73 105 1 15 73 208 157 51 1 1 48 2 48 55,569,951.09 58,940,044.10
3 C3S0N00073 2 73 105 1 15 73 208 157 51 1 1 42 2 168 195,862,934.29 201,621,502.56

These small datasets are intended to help entrants create solvers that can correctly handle Challenge 3 data formats. The solutions produced by the Benchmark are not intended to be anywhere near optimal. Their purpose is to demonstrate that feasible solutions do exist and what a valid solution file would look like.

S1

***THIS DATASET IS OBSOLETE, IT NO LONGER CONFORMS TO THE PROBLEM FORMULATION*** Use S1.1 instead.

Download the S1 Sandbox datasets (55.5 MB) released December 22, 2022. It contains 4 network models consisting of  600-, 1576-, 4200- and 6049-buses. Each S1 network model in this set consists one scenario with 3 JSON files for each division as follows:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn_pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn_pop_eval_summary.json, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.

Download the S1.1 Sandbox datasets (8/7/2023, 4 network models, 12 scenarios, 32 files; 37.7 MB). Each S1.1 network model in this set consists of one scenario with 2 files for Division 1 and 3 files for Divisions 2 and 3 as follows:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario. (Not available in Division 1, basically the same as S1)

As with S0.1, we recalculated using the S1.1 data and have appended the results to the right of the table below. The changes from the S1 objective to S1.1 can probably be explained as resulting from the evolution of the Benchmark code. In some cases the newer Benchmark code takes longer so the strict time limits were removed to obtain the result.

S1 datasets released December 22,2022
network model scenario buses ac lines dc lines transformers  shunts simple
dispatchable
devices
producing
devices
consuming
devices
real power
reserve zones
reactive power
reserve zones
intervals contingencies hours
duration
Objective "z"
from (feasible)
Benchmark
solution 1/24/23
S1.1 Benchmark objective
C3S1N00600D1 1 617 723 0 130 22 499 94 405 10 10 18 562 8        42,226,325      44,842,983
C3S1N00600D2 1 617 723 0 130 22 499 94 405 10 10 48 562 48      272,379,900    275,171,405
C3S1N00600D3 1 617 723 0 130 22 499 94 405 10 10 42 562 168      956,326,855    966,076,124
                                   * extra time           
C3S1N01576D1 1 1576 2227 0 144 68 2064 615 1449 2 2 18 219 8          1,611,632        2,032,806*
C3S1N01576D2 1 1576 2227 0 144 68 2064 615 1449 2 2 48 219 48          8,868,527      10,247,108*
C3S1N01576D3 1 1576 2227 0 144 68 2064 615 1449 2 2 42 219 168        30,371,197      36,655,236
                                 
C3S1N04200D1 1 4224 2605 0 2325 436 2151 478 1673 2 2 18 2313 8       256,604,444    280,677,840*
C3S1N04200D2 1 4224 2605 0 2325 436 2151 478 1673 2 2 48 2313 48    1,619,066,741 1,687,192,177
C3S1N04200D3 1 4224 2605 0 2325 436 2151 478 1673 2 2 42 2313 168    5,381,415,727 5,907,193,284
                                 
C3S1N06049D1 1 6049 4920 0 3086 236 3836 468 3368 6 6 18 3884 8      214,346,894    232,123,101*
C3S1N06049D2 1 6049 4920 0 3086 236 3836 468 3368 6 6 48 3884 48   1,369,855,103 1,137,028,044*
C3S1N06049D3 1 6049 4920 0 3086 236 3836 468 3368 6 6 42 3884 168   4,798,688,125 4,690,386,737

S2

***THIS DATASET IS NOT OBSOLETE,  IT IS THE SAME AS S2.1***

Download the (3/16/2023) S2 Sandbox datasets (15.5 MB). The zip file contains 2 network models consisting of 2000- and 6717-buses intended for use with Event 2. Each network model consists one scenario with 3 JSON files for each scenario as follows:

  1. scenario_001.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_001.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_001.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.
S2 datasets released March 16, 2023
Network Model scenario buses ac lines dc lines transformers shunts simple
dispatchable
devices
producing
devices
consuming
devices
real power
reserve zones
reactive power
reserve zones
intervals contingencies hours
duration
Benchmark
solution "z"
Benchmark
seconds
C3S2N02000D1 1 2000 2345 0 861 157 1894 544 1350 20 30 18 2756 8 167,849,195 860*
C3S2N02000D2 1 2000 2345 0 861 157 1894 544 1350 20 30 48 2756 48 980,180,768 1987
C3S2N02000D3 1 2000 2345 0 861 157 1894 544 1350 20 30 42 2756 168 3,428,929,639 2262
C3S2N06717D1 1 6717 7173 0 1967 634 5826 731 5095 30 50 18 2670 8 41,608,836 4991*
C3S2N06717D2 1 6717 7173 0 1967 634 5826 731 5095 30 50 48 2670 48 176,799,819 32646*
C3S2N06717D3 1 6717 7173 0 1967 634 5826 731 5095 30 50 42 2670 168 466,572,608 19046*
                                *exceeds time limit

S3.1

Download the (06/06/2023) S3.1 Sandbox datasets (104 MB); specify dataset=S3.1 in submission.conf, not S3. The zip file contains 6 network models consisting of 14-, 37-, 1576-, 2000-, 8,316- and 23,643-buses and 41 scenarios (123 files). Event 3 will use the 73-bus and larger networks from E2 as well as the two new detailed below, with a caveat: the 23,643-bus system is very difficult and its use is still under discussion. There are two issues: memory and time. The current evaluation platform has 256 GB of memory per node but this is not enough for the current benchmark. One of the Event 2 codes was able to find a positive feasible solution for Division 1, but it took 11.6 hours (Divisions 2 and 3 ran out of memory). Another Event 2 code found negative feasible solutions but took 2.54-, 4.16-, 2.83-hours for D1, D2, D3. Only the D3 time was within our current limits. A third code produced no results for any division after 72 hours. We may raise the time limits for this one or just see what the teams can do with it as is. The two smaller networks incorporate the features seen in other networks, including the industry network used in E2 and will be used again in E3. Putting these features in the small networks is intended to aid debugging. As with E2.1 above, these datasets only satisfy versions of the data checker later than 4/25/2023. The 06/05/2023 version of S3.1 should be deleted. It has some files mislabeled.

Do not use the following. They have some invalid data uncovered by the June 7 version of the checker and have been removed from the Sandbox.

S3.1/D*/C3S3N00037D*/scenario_001.json; S3.1/D1/C3S3N01576D1/scenario_007.json; and S3.1/D*/C3S3N23643D*/scenario_001.json. 

>>>S3.1/D*/C3S3N23643D*/scenario_003.json is now available as a replacement for scenario 1 in the Sandbox.

Each network model consists one scenario with 3 JSON files for each division as follows:

  1. scenario_nnn.json contains the problem input data,
  2. scenario_nnn.json.pop_solution.json contains a feasible solution file produced by the POP (Prior Operating Point) program for this scenario, and
  3. scenario_nnn.json.popsolution.log, the output from the Evaluation program that calculates the objective ("z") from the solution file. This will be the score for the scenario.

 

New S3.1 datasets released June 5, 2023
Network Scenario Buses AC lines DC lines Transformers Shunts Contingencies dispatchable
devices
consuming
devices
producing
devices
real power
reserve zones
reactive power
reserve zones
time
periods
hours
duration
POP objective
C3S3N08316D1 1 8316 7723 0 4249 1179 6289 5583 4457 1126 7 7 18 8 909,330,189
C3S3N08316D2 1 8316 7723 0 4249 1179 6289 5585 4457 1128 7 7 48 48 5,458,579,856
C3S3N08316D3 1 8316 7723 0 4249 1179 6289 5589 4457 1132 7 7 42 168 19,081,976,871
C3S3N23643D1 3 23643 23797 1 9942 2717 26870 18005 11731 6274 16 36 18 8 -5,274,566,816
C3S3N23643D2 3 23643 23797 1 9942 2717 26870 18005 11731 6274 16 36 48 48 -31,658,669,942
C3S3N23643D3 3 23643 23797 1 9942 2717 26870 18005 11731 6274 16 36 42 168 -110,805,378,386

New in the Sandbox 8/21/23

There will be many generation/load variations in E4 based on a base configuration for each network model. Here are the base configurations (or a derivative if the base is not available) being used for Event 4. For 73-bus D2 and D3, use any of the dataset=E1.1 scenarios. Download the new data (33.88 MB, 10 scenarios).

dataset=S3.1
model scenario Benchmark z
C3S3N00073D1* 302 25,979,609
C3S3N01576D1* 128 98,260,979
C3S3N01576D2* 27 514,270,938
C3S3N01576D3* 27 1,837,814,658
C3S3N02000D1 2 -171,731,077
C3S3N02000D2 2 237,219,384
C3S3N02000D3 2 162,063,017
C3S3N06049D1* 1 228,643,784
C3S3N06049D2* 1 1,334,108,821
C3S3N06049D3* 1 4,613,243,007
C3S3N06717D1* 1 25,939,903
C3S3N06717D2* 1 210,472,159
C3S3N06717D3* 1 781,883,683
C3S3N08316D1 1 1,166,808,367
C3S3N08316D2 1 6,949,928,493
C3S3N08316D3 1 24,394,181,787
*new for S3.1    

This applies to the 6708-bus industry network as well and we suggest you practice on the scenarios in the Sandbox from previous Events.

S4

Download the (08/03/2023) S4X_20230803.zip Sandbox datasets (9 617-bus scenarios; 2.2 MB), the X indicates these are switching enhanced datasets. This set of 9 617-bus Division 1 scenarios was constructed to demonstrate the advantages of using line switching. As stated on the Languages page, setting the submission.conf parameter experiment controls the use of switching during a Sandbox run. Similar cases will be used in Event 4.

experiment = [SW0 | SW1], where SW0 indicates that the AllowSwitching parameter passed as a runtime parameter is set to 0 (switching not allowed and if detected will result in an infeasible determination for the solution). The default is SW1, i.e., switching is allowed. To access this dataset, specify dataset=S4 in submission.conf, as well as the desired model and scenario number given in the table below.

We have run the 9 S4X datasets using the Benchmark code with and without switching and observed the following results.

Impact of Line Switching
model scenario SW0
Benchmark
objective
SW1
Benchmark
objective
improvement switches
set
C3S4N00617D1 941 38,848,261 45,269,561 17% 5
C3S4N00617D1 942 32,477,958 45,114,499 39% 10
C3S4N00617D1 943 29,697,452 44,525,029 50% 14
C3S4N00617D1 951 44,026,474 45,269,390 3% 5
C3S4N00617D1 952 41,049,750 45,205,788 10% 10
C3S4N00617D1 953 39,739,924 45,283,140 14% 14
C3S4N00617D1 961 45,270,027 45,269,485 0% 5
C3S4N00617D1 962 44,742,081 45,284,207 1% 10
C3S4N00617D1 963 44,183,223 45,310,245 3% 14

Download the (08/09/2023) S4X_20230809.zip Sandbox datasets (above plus 4 73-bus scenarios; 2.85 MB).

We know that there are opportunities for beneficial switching in these scenarios beyond the numerical results we have shown, particularly for the 73-bus scenarios. For each scenario, we solved it with the benchmark solver with no switching allowed. Then we modified the initial on/off status of some branches and ran the benchmark solver again and observed improvement in the objective. In some scenarios this improvement was well over 100%. On its own, so far, the benchmark solver simply turns on branches that are off. The 73-bus scenarios have cases where a branch needs to be turned off, so the benchmark solver sees no improvement.

difficult switching scenarios
network model scenario SW0 or SW1
Benchmark
objective
C3S4N00073D2 991 340,722
C3S4N00073D2 992 1,298,867
C3S4N00073D2 996 3,832,781
C3S4N00073D2 997 1,196,651