8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 24, 2022

Commission File Number	Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter; State of Incorporation; Address of Principal Executive Offices; and Telephone Number				IRS Employer Identification Number
001-3034	XCEL ENERGY INC.				41-0448030
	(a Minnesota corporation)
	414 Nicollet Mall
	Minneapolis	Minnesota		55401
	(612)		330-5500
001-3280	PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO				84-0296600
	(a Colorado corporation)
	1800 Larimer Street Suite 1100
	Denver	Colorado		80202
	(303)		571-7511

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $2.50 par value	XEL	Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. £

Item 8.01. Other Events

Colorado Natural Gas Rate Request

On Jan. 24, 2022, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), a wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc. (Xcel Energy), filed a request with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) seeking a net increase to retail natural gas rates of $107 million. The total change to base rates is $215 million, which reflects the transfer of $108 million previously recovered from customers through the Pipeline System Integrity Adjustment (PSIA) rider, which was closed to new investments at the end of 2021. The request is based on a 10.25% Return on Equity (ROE), an equity ratio of 55.66% and a 2022 current test year. PSCo has requested a proposed effective date of Nov. 1, 2022.

Additionally, PSCo’s request includes step revenue increases of $40 million in 2023 (effective Nov. 1, 2023) and $41 million in 2024 (effective Nov. 1, 2024) related to continued capital investment. Under this proposal, PSCo would not request another base rate change prior to Nov. 1, 2025. An informational historical test year including a 10.75% ROE was also filed as required by the CPUC.

The request supports fundamental infrastructure investments to serve customers, consistent with PSCo’s obligation to provide safe, reliable service while enabling PSCo to continue to be a leader of the clean energy transition in partnership with the CPUC to achieve clean heat goals.

Revenue Request (millions of dollars)	2022
Changes since 2020 rate case:
Plant related investments (a)	$	210
Operations and maintenance, amortization and other expenses	11
Property tax expense	11
Sales growth	(17)
Net increase to revenue	215
Previously authorized costs:
Transfer of costs previously recovered through the PSIA rider	(108)
Total base revenue request	$	107
Projected 2022 year-end rate base (billions of dollars)	$	3.6

(a) Includes approximately $28 million as a result of the increase in ROE from 9.2% to 10.25%.

Certain information discussed in this Current Report on Form 8-K is forward-looking information that involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements, including our expectations regarding the regulatory proceedings, the effective date of the rates and the projected 2022 year-end rate base, as well as assumptions and other statements are intended to be identified in this document by the words "anticipate," “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” "intend," "may," "objective," "outlook," "plan," "project," "possible," “potential,” "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions. Actual results may vary materially. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking information. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Xcel Energy's and PSCo's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2020, and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: uncertainty around the impacts and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic; operational safety; successful long-term operational planning; commodity risks associated with energy markets and production; rising energy prices and fuel costs; qualified employee work force and third-party contractor factors; ability to recover costs; changes in regulation; reductions in our credit ratings and the cost of maintaining certain contractual relationships; general economic conditions, including inflation rates, monetary fluctuations, supply chain constraints and their impact on capital expenditures and/or the ability of PSCo and its subsidiaries to obtain financing on favorable terms; availability or cost of capital; our customers’ and counterparties’ ability to pay their debts to us; assumptions and costs relating to funding our employee benefit plans and health care benefits; tax laws; effects of geopolitical events, including war and acts of terrorism; cyber security threats and data security breaches; seasonal weather patterns; changes in environmental laws and regulations; climate change and other weather; natural disaster and resource depletion, including compliance with any accompanying legislative and regulatory changes; and costs of potential regulatory penalties.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

January 25, 2022	Xcel Energy Inc. (a Minnesota corporation)
	Public Service Company of Colorado (a Colorado corporation)
	/s/ BRIAN J. VAN ABEL
	Brian J. Van Abel
	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

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Cover Page	Jan. 24, 2022
Document Information [Line Items]
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Registrant Name	XCEL ENERGY INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000072903
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MN
Document Type	8-K
Document Period End Date	Jan. 24, 2022
Entity File Number	001-3034
Entity Address, Address Line One	414 Nicollet Mall
Entity Address, City or Town	Minneapolis
Entity Address, State or Province	MN
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	55401
City Area Code	(612)
Local Phone Number	330-5500
Entity Tax Identification Number	41-0448030
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $2.50 par value
Trading Symbol	XEL
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Public Service Company of Colorado
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF COLORADO
Entity Central Index Key	0000081018
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	CO
Entity File Number	001-3280
Entity Address, Address Line One	1800 Larimer Street Suite 1100
Entity Address, City or Town	Denver
Entity Address, State or Province	CO
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	80202
City Area Code	(303)
Local Phone Number	571-7511
Entity Tax Identification Number	84-0296600