Share-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Share-Based Compensation [Abstract]

Activity in Stock Options

Activity in stock options was as follows:

	2011					2010					2009
				Average					Average					Average
				Exercise					Exercise					Exercise
(Awards in Thousands)	Awards			Price		Awards			Price		Awards			Price
Outstanding and exercisable at Jan. 1		2,498		$	30.42		6,657		$	28.17		8,460		$	27.05
Exercised		(1,173	)		25.90		(51	)		19.31	(794		)		19.84
Forfeited		-			-		-			-	(11		)		20.04
Expired		(1,325	)		34.42		(4,108	)		26.91	(998		)		25.40
Outstanding and exercisable at Dec. 31		-			-		2,498			30.42	6,657				28.17

Total Market Value and Total Intrinsic Value of Stock Options Exercised

The total market value and the total intrinsic value of stock options exercised were as follows for the years ended Dec. 31:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2011		2010		2009
Market value of exercises	$	30,761	$	1,087	$	16,429
Intrinsic value of options exercised (a)		380		93		670

(a) Intrinsic value is calculated as market price at exercise date less the option exercise price.

Cash Received and Actual Tax Benefit from Stock Options Exercised

Cash received from stock options exercised and the actual tax benefit realized for the tax deductions from stock options exercised during the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2011		2010		2009
Cash received from stock options exercised	$	30,381	$	1,033	$	15,759
Tax benefit realized for the tax deductions from stock options exercised		157		40		277

Restricted Stock

Xcel Energy Inc. granted shares of restricted stock for the years ended Dec. 31 as follows:

(Shares in Thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Granted shares		15		44			-
Grant date fair value	$	23.62	$	20.47		$	-

A summary of the changes of nonvested restricted stock for the year ended Dec. 31, 2011 were as follows:

(Shares in Thousands)	Shares			Weighted Average  Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested restricted stock at Jan. 1		55		$	20.28
Granted		15			23.62
Vested		(25	)		20.53
Dividend equivalents		2			24.37
Nonvested restricted stock at Dec. 31		47			21.36

Restricted Stock Units

The RSUs granted for the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(Units in Thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Granted units		828		601		597
Weighted average grant date fair value	$	23.63	$	21.26	$	18.88

A summary of the changes of nonvested RSUs for the year ended Dec. 31, 2011, were as follows:

(Units in Thousands)	Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested restricted stock units at Jan. 1		1,138		$	20.12
Granted		828			23.63
Forfeited		(270	)		21.50
Vested		(1,091	)		20.45
Dividend equivalents		68			21.18
Nonvested restricted stock units at Dec. 31		673			23.46

Stock Equivalent Unit Plan

The stock equivalent units granted for the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(Units in Thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Granted units		60		66		72
Grant date fair value	$	25.12	$	21.14	$	17.87

A summary of the stock equivalent unit changes for the year ended Dec. 31, 2011 are as follows:

(Units in Thousands)	Units			Weighted Average  Grant Date Fair Value
Stock equivalent units at Jan. 1		471		$	19.90
Granted		60			25.12
Units distributed		(29	)		20.31
Dividend equivalents		20			24.38
Stock equivalent units at Dec. 31		522			20.65

PSP Awards

The PSP awards granted for the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(In Thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Awards granted		311		225		207

The total amounts of performance awards settled during the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(In Thousands)	2011		2010		2009
Awards settled		305		267		293
Settlement amount (cash and common stock)	$	7,200	$	5,460	$	5,195

Compensation costs related to share-based awards

The compensation costs related to share-based awards for the years ended Dec. 31 were as follows:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2011		2010		2009
Compensation cost for share-based awards (a) (b)	$	45,006	$	35,807	$	29,672
Tax benefit recognized in income		17,559		13,964		11,471
Total compensation cost capitalized		3,857		3,646		3,636

(a) Compensation costs for share-based payment arrangements is included in other O&M expense in the consolidated statements of income.

(b) Included in compensation cost for share-based awards are matching contributions related to the Xcel Energy 401(k) plan, which totaled $21.6 million, $20.7 million and $19.3 million for the years ended 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.