Schedule I, Condensed Financial Statements of Xcel Energy Inc, Condensed Statements of Income (Parenthetical) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension and retiree medical benefits, tax expense(benefit)	$ 1	$ 3	$ (3)
Derivative instruments, tax expense(benefit)	$ (1)	$ 2	$ 2

Amount, after reclassification adjustment, of tax (expense) benefit for (increase) decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income of defined benefit plan.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e640-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (i-k)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569616-111683

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