Income Taxes (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

The following table reconciles the difference between the statutory rate and the ETR:

	Three Months Ended Sept. 30				Nine Months Ended Sept. 30
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Federal statutory rate	21.0	%	21.0	%	21.0	%	21.0	%
State tax (net of federal tax effect)	5.0		5.0		5.0		5.0
(Decreases) increases:
Wind PTCs	(6.1	)	(2.6	)	(8.1	)	(4.3	)
Plant regulatory differences (a)	(5.6	)	(9.4	)	(5.5	)	(5.2	)
Other tax credits and tax credit and NOL allowances (net)	(1.7	)	(1.9	)	(1.8	)	(1.5	)
Other (net)	(0.6	)	0.8		(0.5	)	0.2
Effective income tax rate	12.0	%	12.9	%	10.1	%	15.2	%

^(a)   Regulatory differences for income tax primarily relate to the credit of excess deferred taxes to customers through the average rate assumption method and the timing of regulatory decisions regarding the return of excess deferred taxes. Income tax benefits associated with the credit of excess deferred credits are offset by corresponding revenue reductions and additional prepaid pension asset amortization.

Summary of Statute of Limitations Applicable to Open Tax Years [Table Text Block]

Federal Audits — Statute of limitations applicable to Xcel Energy’s consolidated federal income tax returns expire as follows:

Tax Year(s)	Expiration
2009 - 2013	June 2020
2014 - 2016	September 2020

Earliest Open Tax Years Subject to Examination by State Taxing Authorities in the Major Operating Jurisdictions

State Audits — Xcel Energy files consolidated state tax returns based on income in its major operating jurisdictions and various other state income-based tax returns.

As of Sept. 30, 2019, Xcel Energy’s earliest open tax years (subject to examination by state taxing authorities in its major operating jurisdictions) were as follows:

State	Year
Colorado	2009
Minnesota	2009
Texas	2009
Wisconsin	2014

• In 2018, Wisconsin began an audit of tax years 2014 - 2016. As of Sept. 30, 2019, no material adjustments have been proposed.

•

No other state income tax audits were in progress as of Sept. 30, 2019.

Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

Unrecognized tax benefits — permanent vs. temporary:

(Millions of Dollars)	Sept. 30, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018
Unrecognized tax benefit — Permanent tax positions	$	33	$	28
Unrecognized tax benefit — Temporary tax positions	10		9
Total unrecognized tax benefit	$	43	$	37

Tax Benefits Associated with NOL and Tax Credit Carryforwards

Unrecognized tax benefits were reduced by tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryforwards:

(Millions of Dollars)	Sept. 30, 2019			Dec. 31, 2018
NOL and tax credit carryforwards	$	(40	)	$	(35	)