PowerSkills

PowerSkills is the skill layer on top of PowerMCP. PowerMCP exposes raw software tools. PowerSkills tells an agent which tool to reach for first, what to verify before escalating to advanced studies, and what mitigation playbooks to follow when a study finds a real operating problem.

How this repo differs from PowerMCP

1. Progressive disclosure of software tools
   • Start with the lowest-risk actions first: open or load the case, inspect the model, solve the base case, and only then move to advanced studies.
   • Avoid jumping directly into contingency analysis, dynamics, matrix extraction, or investment optimization before the base case is credible.
2. Senior engineer mitigation skills
   • Add issue-driven playbooks for voltage violations, thermal overloads, contingency findings, dynamic stability problems, and planning infeasibilities.
   • Move beyond violation reporting into corrective action, tradeoff discussion, and validation steps.

Available software skills

These skills mirror the current software list in PowerMCP.

Skill	Scope	First tools to expose	Advanced tools to expose later
ANDES	Dynamic security and small-signal studies	run_power_flow, get_system_info	run_eigenvalue_analysis, run_time_domain_simulation
Egret	Market and operations optimization	solve_dc_opf	solve_ac_opf, solve_unit_commitment_problem
LTSpice	Circuit simulation workflow	create_simulation_session, run_simulation	list_available_traces, plot_specific_traces, GUI viewing
OpenDSS	Distribution feeder studies	compile_and_solve, get_total_power, get_bus_voltages	set_load_multiplier, run_daily_energy_meter, get_harmonic_results
PSLF	Transmission power flow and contingencies	open_case, solve_case, violation checks	topology or device edits, run_contingency_analysis
PSSE	PSSE base-case and API-guided studies	open_case, solve_case	lookup_psspy_command, search_psspy_commands, run_psspy_command
PowerWorld	Steady-state analysis and sensitivities	open_case, run_powerflow, result queries	contingencies, parameter changes, PTDF or LODF or Jacobian tools
PyPSA	Planning, OPF, and expansion studies	load_network or create_network, network inspection	optimize_network, optimize_investment, import or export flows
pandapower	AC analysis and screening studies	load_network or create_empty_network, get_network_info, run_power_flow	run_contingency_analysis

Available mitigation skills

Skill	Use when	Typical actions
voltage-violation-mitigation	Low or high voltage, weak reactive support, tap exhaustion	AVR or Volt-VAR checks, shunts, taps, redispatch, transfer reduction
thermal-overload-mitigation	Line or transformer overloads	redispatch, topology switching, phase-shifter control, reinforcement screening
contingency-mitigation	N-1 or N-2 violations or weak corrective-action plans	pre-contingency fixes, corrective switching, RAS screening, long-term upgrades
dynamic-stability-mitigation	Poor damping, transient instability, slow voltage recovery	model checks, dispatch relief, AVR or PSS or governor tuning, dynamic VAR support
operations-planning-mitigation	OPF or UC infeasibility, high curtailment, congestion, reserve shortage	data cleanup, simpler screening solves, flexibility additions, constraint review

Repository layout

PowerSkills/
├── <software>/
│   └── SKILL.md
├── pandapower/
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── scripts/
│   └── references/
├── PyPSA/
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── scripts/
│   ├── references/
│   └── case39.nc
└── <mitigation-skill>/
    └── SKILL.md

pandapower/ and PyPSA/ already include local scripts and example cases. The other software folders in this redesign are guidance-first skills intended to sit on top of the corresponding PowerMCP servers and native tools.

Contribution rules

Contributors should use Skill Creator when adding or updating skills.

• Keep SKILL.md concise and procedural.
• For software skills, expose tools in this order: load or open -> inspect -> solve -> modify -> advanced studies.
• For mitigation skills, start from an observed problem and list corrective actions in the order a senior engineer would actually try them.
• Prefer contributions in two buckets:
  • better progressive disclosure for an existing PowerMCP software surface
  • better mitigation playbooks that use one or more of those software tools
• If your checkout includes the local Skill Creator helper, validate with python skill-creator/scripts/quick_validate.py <skill-folder> before opening a PR.

Related projects

• PowerMCP - MCP servers for power-system software
• Agent Skills - open skill format and ecosystem

Core Team

• Qian Zhang, Matheus Duarte, Muhy Eddin Za’ter

License

MIT License