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Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Funded Status of Nuclear Decommissioning Obligation [Table Text Block]
 
 
Regulatory Basis
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2018
 
2017
Estimated decommissioning cost obligation from most recently approved study (in 2014 dollars)
 
$
3,012

 
$
3,012

Effect of escalating costs
 
539

 
396

Estimated decommissioning cost obligation (in current dollars)
 
3,551

 
3,408

Effect of escalating costs to payment date
 
7,654

 
7,797

Estimated future decommissioning costs (undiscounted)
 
11,205

 
11,205

Effect of discounting obligation (using average risk-free interest rate of 3.33% and 2.80% for 2018 and 2017, respectively)
 
(6,911
)
 
(6,398
)
Discounted decommissioning cost obligation
 
$
4,294

 
$
4,807

Assets held in external decommissioning trust
 
$
2,055

 
$
2,143

Underfunding of external decommissioning fund compared to the discounted decommissioning obligation
 
2,239

 
2,664

Estimated Minimum Purchases Under Fuel Contracts
Estimated minimum purchases under these contracts as of Dec. 31, 2018:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Coal
 
Nuclear fuel
 
Natural gas supply
 
Natural gas supply and transportation
2019
 
$
461

 
$
127

 
$
416

 
$
268

2020
 
260

 
51

 
263

 
255

2021
 
149

 
99

 
254

 
245

2022
 
109

 
79

 
114

 
234

2023
 
61

 
99

 
60

 
170

Thereafter
 
108

 
337

 

 
923

Total
 
$
1,148

 
$
792

 
$
1,107

 
$
2,095

Estimated Future Payments for Capacity and Energy Pursuant to Purchased Power Agreements
At Dec. 31, 2018, the estimated future payments for capacity and energy that the utility subsidiaries of Xcel Energy are obligated to purchase pursuant to these executory contracts, subject to availability, were as follows:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Capacity
 
Energy (a)
2019
 
$
86

 
$
99

2020
 
70

 
109

2021
 
78

 
157

2022
 
77

 
173

2023
 
79

 
177

Thereafter
 
125

 
328

Total
 
$
515

 
$
1,043

(a) 
Excludes contingent energy payments for renewable energy PPAs.
Summary of Property Held Under Capital Leases
Property held under capital leases:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Dec. 31, 2018
 
Dec. 31, 2017
Gas storage facilities
 
$
201

 
$
201

Gas pipeline
 
21

 
21

Property held under capital leases
 
222

 
222

Accumulated depreciation
 
(77
)
 
(71
)
Total property held under capital leases, net
 
$
145

 
$
151

Future Commitments Under Operating and Capital Leases
Future commitments under operating and capital leases:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Operating
Leases
 
PPA (a) (b)
Operating
Leases
 
Total
Operating
Leases
 
Capital Leases
 
2019
 
$
32

 
$
207

 
$
239

 
$
14

 
2020
 
26

 
208

 
234

 
14

 
2021
 
25

 
210

 
235

 
14

 
2022
 
24

 
197

 
221

 
12

 
2023
 
22

 
186

 
208

 
12

 
Thereafter
 
154

 
883

 
1,037

 
220

 
Total minimum obligation
286

 
Interest component of obligation
(201
)
 
Present value of minimum obligation
$
85

(c) 
(a) 
Amounts do not include PPAs accounted for as executory contracts.
(b) 
PPA operating leases contractually expire through 2034.
(c) 
Excludes certain amounts related to Xcel Energy’s 50% ownership interest in WYCO.
Eloigne and NSP-Wisconsin Low-income Housing Limited Partnerships
Amounts reflected in Xcel Energy’s consolidated balance sheets for the Eloigne and NSP-Wisconsin low-income housing limited partnerships:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Dec. 31, 2018
 
Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets
 
$
5

 
$
6

Property, plant and equipment, net
 
42

 
46

Other noncurrent assets
 
1

 
1

Total assets
 
$
48

 
$
53

 
 
 
 
 
Current liabilities
 
$
7

 
$
9

Mortgages and other long-term debt payable
 
26

 
26

Other noncurrent liabilities
 

 
1

Total liabilities
 
$
33

 
$
36

Committed Minimum Payments Under Technology Agreements
Committed minimum payments under these obligations:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
IBM Agreement
 
Accenture Agreement
2019
 
$
30

 
$
11

2020
 
16

 
11

2021
 
16

 

2022
 
7

 

2023
 

 

Thereafter
 

 

Asset Retirement Obligations
Xcel Energy’s AROs were as follows:
 
 
Dec. 31, 2018
(Millions 
of Dollars)
 
Jan. 1, 2018
 
Amounts
Incurred
(a)
 
Amounts
Settled
(b)
 
Accretion
 
Cash Flow Revisions (c)
 
Dec. 31, 2018
Electric
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nuclear
 
$
1,874

 
$

 
$

 
$
94

 
$

 
$
1,968

Steam, hydro, and other production
 
192

 

 
(14
)
 
8

 
(9
)
 
177

Wind
 
96

 
12

 

 
4

 
7

 
119

Distribution
 
21

 

 

 
1

 
20

 
42

Miscellaneous
 
5

 

 

 

 
2

 
7

Natural gas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Transmission and distribution
 
282

 

 

 
13

 
(46
)
 
249

Miscellaneous
 
4

 

 

 

 

 
4

Common
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miscellaneous
 
1

 

 

 

 

 
1

Non-utility
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miscellaneous
 

 
1

 

 

 

 
1

Total liability
 
$
2,475

 
$
13

 
$
(14
)
 
$
120

 
$
(26
)
 
$
2,568

(a) 
Amounts incurred related to the PSCo Rush Creek wind farm and Nicollet Projects community solar gardens, which were placed in service in 2018.
(b) 
Amounts settled related to asbestos abatement projects and closure of certain ash containment facilities.
(c) 
In 2018, AROs were revised for changes in timing and estimates of cash flows. Changes in gas transmission and distribution AROs were primarily related to increased gas line mileage and number of services, which were more than offset by increased discount rates. Changes in electric distribution AROs primarily related to increased labor costs.
 
 
Dec. 31, 2017
(Millions 
of Dollars)
 
Jan. 1, 2017
 
Amounts Incurred
 
Amounts Settled (a)
 
Accretion
 
Cash Flow Revisions (b)
 
Dec. 31, 2017
Electric
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nuclear
 
$
2,249

 
$

 
$

 
$
114

 
$
(489
)
 
$
1,874

Steam, hydro, and other production
 
205

 
1

 
(29
)
 
9

 
6

 
192

Wind
 
92

 

 

 
4

 

 
96

Distribution
 
20

 

 

 
1

 

 
21

Miscellaneous
 
5

 

 

 

 

 
5

Natural gas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Transmission and distribution
 
205

 

 

 
8

 
69

 
282

Miscellaneous
 
4

 

 

 

 

 
4

Common
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miscellaneous
 
2

 

 
(1
)
 

 

 
1

Total liability
 
$
2,782

 
$
1

 
$
(30
)
 
$
136

 
$
(414
)
 
$
2,475


(a) 
Amounts settled related to asbestos abatement, closure of ash containment facilities, and removal and disposal of storage tanks and other above ground equipment.
(b) 
In 2017, AROs were revised for changes in timing and estimates of cash flows. Nuclear AROs decreased due to updated assumptions. Changes in gas transmission and distribution AROs were primarily related to increased labor costs.
Plant Removal Costs
g depreciation rates.
Accumulated balances by entity at Dec. 31:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2018
 
2017
NSP-Minnesota
 
$
485

 
$
442

PSCo
 
344

 
346

SPS
 
188

 
197

NSP-Wisconsin
 
158

 
146

Total Xcel Energy
 
$
1,175

 
$
1,131

Reconciliation of Decommissioning Cost Obligation - Regulatory to GAAP
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2018
 
2017
Discounted decommissioning cost obligation - regulated basis
 
$
4,294

 
$
4,807

Differences in discount rate and market risk premium
 
(1,447
)
 
(1,403
)
O&M costs not included for GAAP
 
(879
)
 
(1,041
)
ARO differences between 2017 and 2014 cost studies
 

 
(489
)
Nuclear production decommissioning ARO - GAAP
 
$
1,968

 
$
1,874

Nuclear Decommissioning Expenses Recognized as Result of Regulation
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Annual decommissioning recorded as depreciation expense: (a) (b)
 
$
20

 
$
20

 
$
20

Total expense for energy and capacity payments table text block [Table Text Block]
Total expenses (including capacity payments) under operating lease obligations for Xcel Energy and the corresponding capacity payments for PPAs accounted for as operating leases for the year ended Dec. 31:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Total expense
 
$
248

 
$
246

 
$
255

Capacity payments
 
210

 
210

 
216