UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 28, 2024

Commission File Number	Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter; State of Incorporation; Address of Principal Executive Offices; and Telephone Number				IRS Employer Identification Number
001-3034	XCEL ENERGY INC.				41-0448030
	(a Minnesota corporation)
	414 Nicollet Mall
	Minneapolis	Minnesota		55401
	(612)		330-5500
001-03789	SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY				75-0575400
	(a New Mexico corporation)
	790 South Buchanan Street
	Amarillo	Texas		79101
	(303)		571-7511

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $2.50 par value per share	XEL	Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. £

Item 8.01. Other Events

Xcel Energy became aware on Monday, February 26, 2024 of Texas wildland fires burning in or near the service territory of Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS). As of February 28, 2024 at about 7:30 pm CT the largest fire, named the Smokehouse Creek Fire, is reported to be approximately 900,000 acres in size and approximately 3% contained. The Company is working with emergency response personnel to provide assistance. On February 28, 2024, a law firm sent a letter to Xcel Energy on behalf of various property insurance interests whose insureds were allegedly adversely affected by the Smokehouse Creek Fire that purports to provide Xcel Energy with notice of potential exposure for damages resulting from the Smokehouse Creek Fire and to request that a fallen SPS utility pole that is situated within the vicinity of the fire’s potential area of origin be preserved. Investigations into origin, cause, and damage of the wildland fires burning in or near the service territory of SPS, including the Smokehouse Creek Fire, are underway.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

February 29, 2024	Xcel Energy Inc. (a Minnesota corporation)
	Southwestern Public Service Company (a New Mexico corporation)
	/s/ BRIAN J. VAN ABEL
	Brian J. Van Abel
	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer