EXHIBIT 24


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         WHEREAS, Public Service Company of Colorado, a Colorado corporation
(the "Company"), is about to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, a
registration statement and/or post-effective amendments which may consist of (i)
one or more registration statements on Form S-3 for the issuance and sale from
time to time, in one or more series, and in any combination, of up to $500
million principal amount of First Collateral Trust Bonds and/or Senior Debt
Securities and (ii) one or more post-effective amendments to Form S-3
Registration Statement No. 333-81791, which previously registered $500 million
of unsecured debt securities of the Company, of which $300 million remains
available for issuance; and

         WHEREAS, each of the undersigned holds the office or offices in the
Company herein below set below his/her name, respectively.

         NOW, THEREFORE, each of the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
GARY R. JOHNSON and RICHARD C. KELLY and each of them individually, his/her
attorney, with full power to act for him/her and in his/her name, place and
stead, to sign his/her name in the capacity or capacities set forth below to one
or more registration statements on Form S-3, or post-effective amendments to
registration statements on Form S-3 (or any other appropriate form), relating to
the issuance and sale of up to $800 million principal amount of First Collateral
Trust Bonds and/or Senior Debt Securities and to any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to such registration statements, and
hereby ratifies and confirms all that said attorney may or shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.




         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands this
14 day of April, 2003.



                                                             
/s/ WAYNE H. BRUNETTI                                           /s/ RICHARD C. KELLY
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Wayne H. Brunetti                                               Richard C. Kelly
Chairman of the Board, President, Chief                         Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and
Executive Officer and Director                                  Director
(Principal Executive Officer)                                   (Principal Financial Officer)

/s/ GARY R. JOHNSON                                             /s/ DAVID E. RIPKA
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Gary R. Johnson                                                 David E. Ripka
Vice President, General Counsel and                             Vice President and Controller
Director                                                        (Principal Accounting Officer)