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PowerWorld Simulator Help Files

Simulator help is available online through the link provided below.  This online help will be updated periodically.

These help files can also be installed locally on your computer.  To install or update these files locally, download and unzip the following zip file.

PowerWorld Simulator Auxiliary File Format

Latest Auxiliary File Format (within WebHelp)  – updated February 28, 2023

The list below are PDF documents with the format described. To save these files to your hard drive for easier viewing, right-click on the link and select “Save Target As …” or “Save Link As …”.

Concise Contingency and Remedial Action Scheme Format

This format was first created as a means to exchange data for defining contingencies and Remedial Action Schemes (RAS) among entities throughout the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC).  Starting in version 18 this format is an enhancement to the data section of the traditional auxiliary file format found in Simulator, and it can be loaded into Simulator anywhere that an auxiliary file can be loaded.

PowerWorld Simulator Transient Stability References

To save these files to your hard drive for easier viewing, right-click on the link and select “Save Target As …” or “Save Link As …”.

PowerWorld Simulator Optimal Power Flow Reference

Quick-Start Tutorial: Includes hands-on examples that will work on the free demo version of Simulator.

PowerWorld TransLineCalc Help Files

Save these files into your PowerWorld Simulator directory (C:\Program Files\PowerWorld\TransCalc by default) by right-clicking on the link and selecting “Save Target As …” or “Save Link As …”.

TransLineCalc v2 Help

TransLineCalc v1 Help

FirstRate Users’ Guide

Provides a general description of using the FirstRate Generator Cost Model with PowerWorld Simulator. To save the file to your hard drive for easier viewing, right-click on the link and select “Save Target As …” or “Save Link As …”.

FirstRate User Guide

PowerWorld Simulator Users’ Guides

Legacy Help Files

Help files for older version of Simulator can be saved by right-clicking on the appropriate link and selecting “Save Target As …” or “Save Link As …”, saving the zip file to a location you’ll remember, and then extracting Pwrworld.chm into your PowerWorld Simulator directory (C:\Program Files\PowerWorld\Simulator by default).  Right-click on the file after extracting, select Properties, and click on the Unblock button in the bottom right hand corner of the General tab.  If this button is invisible, then the file is already unblocked, and it should be opened without any problems. *

* If you try opening the help file from the network drive, you may experience some problems. To allow your system to open help files from the network drive, download this (right click and choose Save Target As…) registry script. In order to run the script, rename the file to HelpFileFix.reg and then double click on the file. You will also need to have administrator access to your local machine.