diff --git a/matpowercaseframes/core.py b/matpowercaseframes/core.py
index c75569b..fa71eb1 100644
--- a/matpowercaseframes/core.py
+++ b/matpowercaseframes/core.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def __init__(
         allow_any_keys=False,
         update_index=True,
         columns_templates=None,
+        reset_index=False,
     ):
         """
         Load data and initialize the CaseFrames class.
@@ -45,6 +46,19 @@ def __init__(
             load_case_engine (object, optional):
                 External engine used to call MATPOWER `loadcase` (e.g. Octave). Defaults
                 to None. If None, parse data using matpowercaseframes.reader.parse_file.
+            prefix (str, optional):
+                Prefix for each attribute when reading from Excel or CSV directory.
+                Defaults to an empty string.
+            suffix (str, optional):
+                Suffix for each attribute when reading from Excel or CSV directory.
+                Defaults to an empty string.
+            allow_any_keys (bool, optional):
+                Whether to allow any keys beyond the predefined ATTRIBUTES. Defaults to
+                False.
+            columns_templates (dict, optional):
+                Custom column templates for DataFrames. Defaults to None.
+            reset_index (bool, optional):
+                Whether to reset indices to 0-based numbering. Defaults to False.
 
         Raises:
             TypeError: If the input data format is unsupported.
@@ -66,6 +80,8 @@ def __init__(
         )
         if update_index and self._attributes:
             self._update_index(allow_any_keys=allow_any_keys)
+        if reset_index:
+            self.reset_index()
 
     def _read_data(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index e69de29..8d53ad0 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import pandas as pd
+from pandas.testing import assert_frame_equal, assert_index_equal
+
+
+def assert_cf_equal(cf1, cf2):
+    for attribute in cf1.attributes:
+        df1 = getattr(cf1, attribute)
+        df2 = getattr(cf2, attribute)
+        if isinstance(df1, pd.DataFrame):
+            assert_frame_equal(df1, df2)
+        elif isinstance(df1, pd.Index):
+            assert_index_equal(df1, df2)
+        else:
+            try:
+                assert df1 == df2
+            except ValueError as e:
+                print(df1, df2)
+                raise ValueError(e)
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index 8fc2116..45af838 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 from matpowercaseframes import CaseFrames
 from matpowercaseframes.idx import BUS_I, BUS_TYPE
 
+from .__init__ import assert_cf_equal
+
 """
     pytest -n auto -rA --lf -c pyproject.toml --cov-report term-missing --cov=matpowercaseframes tests/
 """
@@ -282,3 +284,13 @@ def test_reset_index_and_infer_numpy_case9():
 
     # gen buses must also reference 0..n-1
     assert cf.gen["GEN_BUS"].between(0, len(cf.bus) - 1).all()
+
+    # test reset_index as argument
+    cf_reset = CaseFrames(CASE_PATH_CASE9, reset_index=True)
+    cf_reset.infer_numpy()
+
+    assert cf_reset.branch["F_BUS"].between(0, len(cf_reset.bus) - 1).all()
+    assert cf_reset.branch["T_BUS"].between(0, len(cf_reset.bus) - 1).all()
+    assert cf_reset.gen["GEN_BUS"].between(0, len(cf_reset.bus) - 1).all()
+
+    assert_cf_equal(cf, cf_reset)
diff --git a/tests/test_read_matpower_cases.py b/tests/test_read_matpower_cases.py
index defb8b8..8f11a60 100644
--- a/tests/test_read_matpower_cases.py
+++ b/tests/test_read_matpower_cases.py
@@ -2,31 +2,16 @@
 
 import pandas as pd
 from matpower import path_matpower, start_instance
-from pandas.testing import assert_frame_equal, assert_index_equal
 
 from matpowercaseframes import CaseFrames
 
+from .__init__ import assert_cf_equal
+
 """
     pytest -n auto -rA --cov-report term --cov=matpowercaseframes tests/
 """
 
 
-def assert_cf_equal(cf1, cf2):
-    for attribute in cf1.attributes:
-        df1 = getattr(cf1, attribute)
-        df2 = getattr(cf2, attribute)
-        if isinstance(df1, pd.DataFrame):
-            assert_frame_equal(df1, df2)
-        elif isinstance(df1, pd.Index):
-            assert_index_equal(df1, df2)
-        else:
-            try:
-                assert df1 == df2
-            except ValueError as e:
-                print(df1, df2)
-                raise ValueError(e)
-
-
 def test_case9():
     CASE_NAME = "case9.m"
     cf = CaseFrames(CASE_NAME)