People in Power – A NewsData Podcast Carrie Simpson of the Southwest Power Pool on RTO Expansion and Markets+
6 snips
Jan 14, 2026 
Carrie Simpson, Vice President of Markets for Southwest Power Pool, brings decades of expertise in power trading, including a stint at Enron. In this engaging discussion, she dives into the groundbreaking expansion of SPP’s RTO into the West, marking a significant milestone in organized wholesale markets. Carrie also explores the evolution of market designs, the challenges of integrating renewables and storage solutions, and how the new Markets+ offering aims to enhance reliability and efficiency across diverse energy sectors.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Early Days As A Bilateral Trader
- Carrie Simpson described entering trade deals as an intern in 1999 and later working as a real-time trader at Enron.
- She recalled negotiating bilateral deals directly with counterparties and arranging physical movement of power across the grid.
Organized Markets Became The Norm
- Organized market operators now centralize bids and offers, clear them, and set prices across regions.
- Carrie Simpson noted roughly two-thirds of U.S. load now operates in organized day-ahead and real-time markets.
First RTO Across Two Interconnections
- SPP will expand its RTO governance and market footprint into parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.
- Carrie explained SPP will clear one market across both interconnections using DC ties to move and optimize power.