Income Taxes

Except to the extent noted below, the circumstances set forth in Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements included in Xcel Energy Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2013 appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of other income tax matters, and are incorporated herein by reference.

Federal Tax Loss Carryback Claims — In 2012 and 2013, Xcel Energy identified certain expenses related to 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 that qualify for an extended carryback beyond the typical two-year carryback period. As a result of a higher tax rate in prior years, Xcel Energy recognized a tax benefit of approximately $15 million in 2012 and $12 million in 2013.

Federal Audit — Xcel Energy files a consolidated federal income tax return. The statute of limitations applicable to Xcel Energy’s 2008 federal income tax return expired in September 2012. The statute of limitations applicable to Xcel Energy’s 2009 federal income tax return expires in June 2015. In the third quarter of 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commenced an examination of tax years 2010 and 2011, including the 2009 carryback claim. As of Sept. 30, 2014, the IRS had proposed an adjustment to the federal tax loss carryback claims that would result in $10 million of income tax expense for the 2009 through 2011 claims and the anticipated claim for 2013. Xcel Energy is continuing to work through the audit process, but the outcome and timing of a resolution is uncertain.

State Audits — Xcel Energy files consolidated state tax returns based on income in its major operating jurisdictions of Colorado, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin, and various other state income-based tax returns. As of Sept. 30, 2014, Xcel Energy’s earliest open tax years that are subject to examination by state taxing authorities in its major operating jurisdictions were as follows:



State		Year
Colorado		2009
Minnesota		2009
Texas		2009
Wisconsin		2010

In the first quarter of 2014, the state of Wisconsin completed an examination of tax years 2009 through 2011. No material adjustments were proposed for those tax years. As of Sept. 30, 2014, there were no state income tax audits in progress.

Unrecognized Tax Benefits — The unrecognized tax benefit balance includes permanent tax positions, which if recognized would affect the annual effective tax rate (ETR). In addition, the unrecognized tax benefit balance includes temporary tax positions for which the ultimate deductibility is highly certain but for which there is uncertainty about the timing of such deductibility. A change in the period of deductibility would not affect the ETR but would accelerate the payment of cash to the taxing authority to an earlier period.

A reconciliation of the amount of unrecognized tax benefit is as follows:



(Millions of Dollars)	Sept. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Unrecognized tax benefit — Permanent tax positions	$	7.5	$	12.9
Unrecognized tax benefit — Temporary tax positions	32.9		28.3
Total unrecognized tax benefit	$	40.4	$	41.2

The unrecognized tax benefit amounts were reduced by the tax benefits associated with net operating loss (NOL) and tax credit carryforwards. The amounts of tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryforwards are as follows:



(Millions of Dollars)	Sept. 30, 2014			Dec. 31, 2013
NOL and tax credit carryforwards	$	(28.1	)	$	(27.1	)

It is reasonably possible that Xcel Energy’s amount of unrecognized tax benefits could significantly change in the next 12 months as the IRS audit progresses and state audits resume. As the IRS examination moves closer to completion, it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefit could decrease up to approximately $8 million.

The payable for interest related to unrecognized tax benefits is partially offset by the interest benefit associated with NOL and tax credit carryforwards. The payables for interest related to unrecognized tax benefits at Sept. 30, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2013 were not material. No amounts were accrued for penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as of Sept. 30, 2014 or Dec. 31, 2013.