Associate Trading Analyst, Trading Analyst, Sr. Trading Analyst

Our people provide power. Your energy is needed.

This is an exciting time in the power industry. Yet, Xcel Energy is about much more than power. It's about the people who provide the power. With over 11,000 employees working in 10 states, Xcel Energy offers careers as diverse as the communities we serve.

Business Unit: Energy Supply
Department Name: Energy Trading
Work Location: 1099 18th St. Suite 3000
Reports To (Title): Manager of Analytics
Status: Exempt

Special Instructions:
Please verify that your education and/or experience meets the minimum requirements listed below. Please do not apply if you do not possess the requirements.

Position Summary:
Oversee Xcel Energy’s quantitative and fundamental models utilized to forecast LMP pricing, FTR positions, and bid/offer strategies into LMP markets. Integral advisor to Front Office trading and operations staff. Perform post-analysis of forecasts against actual results for each LMP market Xcel Energy participates in to determine opportunities for improving forecasting methodologies.

Essential Responsibilities:

a) Design and perform appropriate quantitative studies of historical and forecasted prices, system loads, fuel costs, determination of the natural position of Xcel Energy’s power system portfolios. Supports trading and risk management activities through the quantification of the natural position of each Xcel Energy regulated operating company. “Troubleshoots” the daily operation of Xcel Energy’s regulated electric operating companies and provides technical support to Real-time Traders during daily operation of the systems. Assists Fuels in the determination of forward fuel requirements and the daily gas nomination process. 20%
b) Identify opportunities to improve system operations. Design and create analytical studies to model opportunities and determine costs and savings (e.g. rescheduling plant maintenance, alternative operating strategies for certain resources, etc.). Help plant operations personnel to understand market implications of plant operating decisions. 15%
c) Create and run modeling scenarios to optimize daily unit commitment, additional purchases and sales, as well as long term energy limited or constrained seasonal purchases. Verifies accuracy of results through extensive post-analysis of Xcel Energy system performance. These analyses include development of short-term load forecasts, current plant/contract availability, fuel costs and market conditions. These analyses result in determination of quantities of energy to buy/sell, optimal scheduling of constrained resources and optimal commitment decisions for plants and contractual resources. 20% d) Design and perform post-analysis models of previous day system operation to determine opportunities for dispatch efficiency and purchase/sales improvements. Performs benchmarking of models as appropriate to assure analysis integrity. Verifies accuracy of sales costing when appropriate. 15%
e) Continuously seek improvements to processes and analyses used for purchasing and selling commodities, scheduling of contracted resources, and commitment and dispatch of Xcel Energy generation assets. 10%
f) Perform pricing and costing of Real-Time Pricing Program sales and wholesale sales. 10%
g) Stays abreast of regulatory requirements. Maintains superior computer skills and continually searches for automated solutions to data transfers. Recommend trading strategies based on technical and fundamental market analysis. 10%

Xcel Energy reflects our core value - excellence in energy products and services. Xcel Energy will be valued as a leader in the energy industry by demonstrating excellence in environmental performance. As a leading combination electricity and natural gas energy company, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.3 million electricity customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers. We have been dedicated to providing this to our customers for the past 130 years.
REQUIREMENTS
BS or BA in mathematics, engineering, applied sciences or related fields. Prefer experienced individuals in LMP market operations with strong computer skills and analytical thinking. Preference given to individuals with at least 1 year experience with either quantitative or fundamental LMP and FTR modeling experience. Experience in Aurora, Powerworld, Marketsym, Risksym or other fundamental/quantitative LMP market modeling applications a plus.

Selection criteria may include testing and/or assessment.
Please note: You will only be contacted if you are selected for an interview.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY: 9/13/2006 5:00:00 PM (CST) WILL BE CONSIDERED.