Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pension and Postretirement Health Care Benefits

Xcel Energy has several noncontributory, defined benefit pension plans that cover almost all employees. Generally, benefits are based on a combination of years of service and average pay. Xcel Energy’s policy is to fully fund into an external trust the actuarially determined pension costs subject to the limitations of applicable employee benefit and tax laws.

In addition to the qualified pension plans, Xcel Energy maintains a SERP and a nonqualified pension plan. The SERP is maintained for certain executives that were participants in the plan in 2008, when the SERP was closed to new participants. The nonqualified pension plan provides benefits for compensation that is in excess of the limits applicable to the qualified pension plans, with distributions funded by Xcel Energy’s consolidated operating cash flows. Obligations of the SERP and nonqualified plan as of Dec. 31, 2018 and 2017 were $33 million and $37 million, respectively, of which $1 million and $1 million, respectively, were attributable to NSP-Wisconsin. Xcel Energy recognized net benefit cost for the SERP and nonqualified plans of $4 million and $5 million, respectively, of which amounts attributable to NSP-Wisconsin were immaterial.

In 2016, Xcel Energy established rabbi trusts to provide partial funding for future distributions of the SERP and its deferred compensation plan. Rabbi trust funding of deferred compensation plan distributions attributable to NSP-Wisconsin will be supplemented by NSP-Wisconsin’s consolidated operating cash flows.

Xcel Energy has a contributory health and welfare benefit plan that provides health care and death benefits to certain Xcel Energy retirees.


•	NSP-Wisconsin discontinued subsidizing health care benefits for non-bargaining employees retiring after 1998 and for bargaining employees who retired after 1999.

Xcel Energy bases the investment-return assumption on expected long-term performance for each of the asset classes in its pension and postretirement health care portfolios. For pension assets, Xcel Energy considers the historical returns achieved by its asset portfolio over the past 20 years longer period, as well as the long-term projected return levels. Xcel Energy and NSP-Wisconsin continually review their pension assumptions.

Pension cost determination assumes a forecasted mix of investment types over the long-term.


•	Investment returns in 2018 were below the assumed level of 7.10%;


•	Investment returns in 2017 were above the assumed level of 7.10%;


•	Investment returns in 2016 were below the assumed level of 7.10%; and


•	In 2019, NSPW-Wisconsin’s expected investment-return assumption is 7.10%.

Pension plan and postretirement benefit assets are invested in a portfolio according to Xcel Energy’s return, liquidity and diversification objectives to provide a source of funding for plan obligations and minimize contributions to the plan, within appropriate levels of risk. The principal mechanism for achieving these objectives is the asset allocation given the long-term risk, return, correlation and liquidity characteristics of each particular asset class. There were no significant concentrations of risk in any industry, index, or entity. Market volatility can impact even well-diversified portfolios and significantly affect the return levels achieved by the assets in any year.

State agencies also have issued guidelines to the funding of postretirement benefit costs.

Xcel Energy’s ongoing investment strategy is based on plan-specific investment recommendations that seek to minimize potential investment and interest rate risk as a plan’s funded status increases over time. The investment recommendations result in a greater percentage of long-duration fixed income securities being allocated to specific plans having relatively higher funded status ratios and a greater percentage of growth assets being allocated to plans having relatively lower funded status ratios.

Plan Assets

The following presents, for each of the fair value hierarchy levels, NSP-Wisconsin’s pension plan assets measured at fair value:



	Dec. 31, 2018 (a)												Dec. 31, 2017 (a)
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Measured at NAV			Total			Level 1			Level 2		Level 3		Measured at NAV		Total
Cash equivalents	$	4.9	$	—	$	—	$	—		$	4.9		$	8.1		$	—	$	—	$	—	$	8.1
Commingled funds:	37.1		—		—		41.8			78.9			43.2			—		—		45.9		89.1
Debt securities:	—		22.2		—		—			22.2			—			24.1		—		—		24.1
Equity securities:	4.6		—		—		—			4.6			4.9			—		—		—		4.9
Other	—		0.2		—		(1.3		)	(1.1		)	(1.3		)	0.1		—		—		(1.2		)
Total	$	46.6	$	22.4	$	—	$	40.5		$	109.5		$	54.9		$	24.2	$	—	$	45.8	$	124.9


^(a)	See Note 8 for further information on fair value measurement inputs and methods.

The following presents, for each of the fair value hierarchy levels, NSP-Wisconsin’s postretirement benefit plan assets that were measured at fair value:



	Dec. 31, 2018 ^(a)										Dec. 31, 2017 ^(a)
(Millions of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Measured at NAV		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Measured at NAV		Total
Cash equivalents	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	0.1	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	0.1
Insurance contracts	—		0.1		—		—		0.1		—		0.1		—		—		0.1
Commingled funds	0.1		—		—		—		0.1		0.3		—		—		—		0.3
Debt securities	—		0.2		—		—		0.2		—		0.5		—		—		0.5
Equity securities	—		—		—		—		—		0.1		—		—		—		0.1
Total	$	0.1	$	0.3	$	—	$	—	$	0.4	$	0.5	$	0.6	$	—	$	—	$	1.1


^(a)	See Note 8 for further information on fair value measurement inputs and methods.

No assets were transferred in or out of Level 3 for 2018 and 2017.

Funded Status — Comparisons of the actuarially computed benefit obligation, changes in plan assets and funded status of the pension and postretirement health care plans for NSP-Wisconsin are as follows:



	Pension Benefits						Postretirement Benefits
(Millions of Dollars)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Change in Benefit Obligation:
Obligation at Jan. 1	$	156.8		$	157.5		$	16.4		$	15.0
Service cost	4.8			4.6			—			—
Interest cost	5.4			6.2			0.6			0.6
Plan participants’ contributions	—			—			—			0.1
Plan amendments	—			(0.7		)	—			—
Actuarial (gain) loss	(13.4		)	6.5			(3.3		)	2.1
Benefit payments ^(a)	(13.8		)	(17.3		)	(0.9		)	(1.4		)
Obligation at Dec. 31	$	139.8		$	156.8		$	12.8		$	16.4
Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at Jan. 1	$	124.9		$	119.0		$	1.1		$	0.5
Actual return on plan assets	(11.1		)	13.9			—			—
Plan participants’ contributions	—			—			—			0.1
Employer contributions	9.5			9.3			0.2			1.9
Benefit payments	(13.8		)	(17.3		)	(0.9		)	(1.4		)
Fair value of plan assets at Dec. 31	$	109.5		$	124.9		$	0.4		$	1.1
Funded status of plans at Dec. 31	$	(30.3	)	$	(31.9	)	$	(12.4	)	$	(15.3	)
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at Dec. 31:
Current liabilities	$	—		$	—		$	(0.8	)	$	(0.3	)
Noncurrent liabilities	(30.3		)	(31.9		)	(11.6		)	(15.0		)
Net amounts recognized	$	(30.3	)	$	(31.9	)	$	(12.4	)	$	(15.3	)
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Benefit Obligations:
Discount rate for year-end valuation	4.31		%	3.63		%	4.32		%	3.62		%
Expected average long-term increase in compensation level	3.75			3.75			N/A			N/A
Mortality table	RP-2014			RP-2014			RP-2014			RP-2014
Health care costs trend rate — initial: Pre-65	N/A			N/A			6.5		%	7.0		%
Health care costs trend rate — initial: Post-65	N/A			N/A			5.3		%	5.5		%
Ultimate trend assumption — initial: Pre-65	N/A			N/A			4.5		%	4.5		%
Ultimate trend assumption — initial: Post-65	N/A			N/A			4.5		%	4.5		%
Years until ultimate trend is reached	N/A			N/A			4			5


^(a)	Includes approximately $198 million, of which $10.4 million was attributable to NSP-Wisconsin, of lump-sum benefit payments used in the determination of a settlement charge.

Accumulated benefit obligation for the pension plan was $129.4 million and $145.4 million as of Dec. 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit) — Net periodic benefit cost (credit) other than the service cost component is included in other income in the consolidated statement of income.

Components of net periodic benefit cost (credit) and the amounts recognized in other comprehensive income and regulatory assets and liabilities:



	Pension Benefits									Postretirement Benefits
(Millions of Dollars)	2018			2017			2016			2018			2017			2016
Service cost	$	4.8		$	4.6		$	4.4		$	—		$	—		$	—
Interest cost	5.4			6.2			6.9			0.6			0.6			0.7
Expected return on plan assets	(9.0		)	(9.2		)	(9.2		)	(0.1		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service credit	—			0.1			0.1			(0.4		)	(0.4		)	(0.4		)
Amortization of net loss	5.7			5.9			5.4			0.6			0.4			0.3
Settlement charge ^(a)	7.2			7.1			—			—			—			—
Net periodic pension cost (credit)	$	14.1		$	14.7		$	7.6		$	0.7		$	0.6		$	0.6
Costs not recognized due to effects of regulation	(3.4		)	(4.2		)	—			—			—			—
Net benefit cost (credit) recognized for financial reporting	$	10.7		$	10.5		$	7.6		$	0.7		$	0.6		$	0.6
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Costs:
Discount rate	3.63		%	4.13		%	4.66		%	3.62		%	4.13		%	4.65		%
Expected average long-term increase in compensation level	3.75			3.75			4.00			—			—			—
Expected average long-term rate of return on assets	7.10			7.10			7.10			5.30			5.80			5.80

^(a)

A settlement charge is required when the amount of all lump-sum distributions during the year is greater than the sum of the service and interest cost components of the annual net periodic pension cost. In 2018 and 2017, as a result of lump-sum distributions during the 2018 and 2017 plan years, NSP-Wisconsin recorded a total pension settlement charge of $7.2 million in 2018 and $7.1 million in 2017, a total of $2 million and $2 million of that amount was recorded in the income statement in 2018 and 2017.

Pension costs include an expected return for the current year that may differ from actual investment performance in the plan. Return assumption used for 2019 pension cost calculations is 7.10%.



	Pension Benefits						Postretirement Benefits
(Millions of Dollars)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Amounts Not Yet Recognized as Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Net loss	$	74.3		$	80.4		$	6.8		$	10.6
Prior service credit	(0.3		)	(0.3		)	(1.4		)	(1.8		)
Total	$	74.0		$	80.1		$	5.4		$	8.8
Amounts Not Yet Recognized as Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost Have Been Recorded as Follows Based Upon Expected Recovery in Rates:
Current regulatory assets	$	5.3		$	5.5		$	0.2		$	0.1
Noncurrent regulatory assets	68.7			74.6			5.2			8.7
Total	$	74.0		$	80.1		$	5.4		$	8.8



Measurement date	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017

Cash Flows — Cash funding requirements can be impacted by changes to actuarial assumptions, actual asset levels and other calculations prescribed by the funding requirements of income tax and other pension-related regulations. Required contributions were made in 2016 - 2019 to meet minimum funding requirements.

Total voluntary and required pension funding contributions across all four of Xcel Energy’s pension plans were as follows:


•	$150 million in January 2019, of which $7 million was attributable to NSP-Wisconsin;


•	$150 million in 2018, of which $10 million was attributable to NSP-Wisconsin;


•	$162 million in 2017, of which $9 million was attributable to NSP-Wisconsin; and,


•	$125 million in 2016, of which $7 million was attributable to NSP-Wisconsin.

For future years, Xcel Energy and NSP-Wisconsin anticipate contributions will be made as necessary.

The postretirement health care plans have no funding requirements other than fulfilling benefit payment obligations, when claims are presented and approved. Additional cash funding requirements are prescribed by certain state and federal rate regulatory authorities. Xcel Energy, which includes NSP-Wisconsin, contributed $11 million during 2018, $20 million during 2017, $18 million during 2016, of which $0.3 million, $2 million and $1 million were attributable to NSP-Wisconsin. Xcel Energy expects to contribute approximately $11 million during 2019, of which $1 million is attributable to NSP-Wisconsin.

Target asset allocations:



	Pension Benefits				Postretirement Benefits
	2018		2017		2018		2017
Domestic and international equity securities	37	%	38	%	18	%	24	%
Long-duration fixed income and interest rate swap securities	28		23		—		—
Short-to-intermediate fixed income securities	18		21		70		60
Alternative investments	15		16		8		9
Cash	2		2		4		7
Total	100	%	100	%	100	%	100	%

Plan Amendments — Xcel Energy, which includes NSP-Wisconsin, amended the Xcel Energy Pension Plan and Xcel Energy Inc. Nonbargaining Pension Plan (South) in 2017 to reduce supplemental benefits for non-bargaining participants as well as to allow the transfer of a portion of non-qualified pension obligations into the qualified plans. In 2016, the Xcel Energy Pension Plan was amended to change the discount rate basis for lump-sum conversion to annuity participants and annuity conversion to lump-sum participants.

In 2018 and 2017, there were no plan amendments made which affected the postretirement benefit obligation.

Projected Benefit Payments

NSP-Wisconsin’s projected benefit payments:



(Thousands of Dollars)	Projected Pension Benefit Payments		Gross Projected Postretirement Health Care Benefit Payments		Expected Medicare Part D Subsidies		Net Projected Postretirement Health Care Benefit Payments
2019	$	14.6	$	1.2	$	—	$	1.2
2020	10.9		1.1		—		1.1
2021	10.9		1.1		—		1.1
2022	10.8		1.0		—		1.0
2023	11.1		1.0		—		1.0
2024-2028	55.5		4.2		—		4.2

Defined Contribution Plans

Xcel Energy, which includes NSP-Wisconsin, maintains 401(k) and other defined contribution plans that cover most employees. The expense to these plans for NSP-Wisconsin was approximately $2 million in 2018 and $1 million in 2017 and 2016.

Multiemployer Plans

NSP-Wisconsin contributes to several union multiemployer pension plans, none of which are individually significant. These plans provide pension benefits to certain union employees who may perform services for multiple employers and do not participate in the NSP-Wisconsin sponsored pension plans. Contributing to these types of plans creates risk that differs from providing benefits under NSP-Wisconsin sponsored plans, in that if another participating employer ceases to contribute to a multiemployer plan, additional unfunded obligations may need to be funded over time by remaining participating employers.