Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On Dec. 18, 2008, Ben Fowke was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Xcel Energy. In addition to his existing responsibilities as vice president and CFO, Ben Fowke now assumes responsibility for Xcel Energy's four operating companies: Southwestern Public Service Co., Public Service Co. of Colorado, Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota and NSP-Wisconsin. Xcel Energy issued a press release announcing the matter discussed above which is attached as Exhibit 99.01 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On Dec. 18, 2008, Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS), a New Mexico corporation, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc., filed with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) a request for a New Mexico retail electric general rate increase.

The filing requests an overall increase in annual revenues of approximately $24.6 million, or an increase of 5.1 percent. The rate filing is based on a twelve month base period ending June 30, 2008 and includes a requested rate of return on equity of 12.0 percent, an electric net rate base of approximately $321 million allocated to the New Mexico retail jurisdiction, and an equity ratio of 50 percent.

As part of this rate filing, SPS seeks to implement part of this proposed increase on an interim basis, beginning Jan. 17, 2009 to recover purchased power costs of the new Hobbs Generating Station, which began operating Sept. 16, 2008. This proposed interim rate increase is approximately $7.6 million. The interim rates would remain in effect until the NMPRC makes its final decision on the case. A decision on the overall request is expected in late 2009.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Description

99.01 Press Release dated Dec. 18, 2008.

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