7. Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits

Consistent with the process for rate recovery of pension and postretirement benefits for its employees, SPS accounts for its participation in, and related costs of, pension and other postretirement benefit plans sponsored by Xcel Energy Inc. as multiple employer plans. SPS is responsible for its share of cash contributions, plan costs and obligations and is entitled to its share of plan assets; accordingly, SPS accounts for its pro rata share of these plans, including pension expense and contributions, resulting in accounting consistent with that of a single employer plan exclusively for SPS employees.

Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, offers various benefit plans to its employees. Approximately 65 percent of employees that receive benefits are represented by several local labor unions under several collective-bargaining agreements. At Dec. 31, 2012, SPS had 836 bargaining employees covered under a collective-bargaining agreement, which expires in October 2014.

The plans invest in various instruments which are disclosed under the accounting guidance for fair value measurements which establishes a hierarchical framework for disclosing the observability of the inputs utilized in measuring fair value. The three levels in the hierarchy and examples of each level are as follows:

Level 1 — Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets as of the reporting date. The types of assets included in Level 1 are highly liquid and actively traded instruments with quoted prices, such as common stocks listed by the New York Stock Exchange.

Level 2 — Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, but are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. The types of assets included in Level 2 are typically either comparable to actively traded securities or contracts, or priced with models using highly observable inputs, such as corporate bonds with pricing based on market interest rate curves and recent trades of similarly rated securities.

Level 3 — Significant inputs to pricing have little or no observability as of the reporting date. The types of assets included in Level 3 are those with inputs requiring significant management judgment or estimation.

Pension Benefits

Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, has several noncontributory, defined benefit pension plans that cover almost all employees. Benefits are based on a combination of years of service, the employee's average pay and social security benefits. Xcel Energy Inc.'s and SPS' policy is to fully fund into an external trust the actuarially determined pension costs recognized for ratemaking and financial reporting purposes, subject to the limitations of applicable employee benefit and tax laws.

In addition to the qualified pension plans, Xcel Energy maintains a supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) and a nonqualified pension plan. The SERP is maintained for certain executives that were participants in the plan in 2008, when the SERP was closed to new participants. The nonqualified pension plan provides unfunded, nonqualified benefits for compensation that is in excess of the limits applicable to the qualified pension plans. The total obligations of the SERP and nonqualified plan as of Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011 were $39.4 million and $54.8 million, respectively, of which $3.3 million and $3.3 million were attributable to SPS. In 2012 and 2011, Xcel Energy recognized net benefit cost for financial reporting for the SERP and nonqualified plans of $15.6 million and $5.7 million, respectively, of which $0.3 million and $0.3 million were attributable to SPS. Benefits for these unfunded plans are paid out of Xcel Energy's consolidated operating cash flows.

Xcel Energy Inc. and SPS base the investment-return assumption on expected long-term performance for each of the investment types included in the pension asset portfolio and consider the historical returns achieved by the asset portfolio over the past 20-year or longer period, as well as the long-term return levels projected and recommended by investment experts. The pension cost determination assumes a forecasted mix of investment types over the long-term. Investment returns were above the assumed levels of 6.68 percent in 2012 and 6.80 percent in 2011 and 2010. Xcel Energy Inc. and SPS continually review the pension assumptions. In 2013, SPS' expected investment-return assumption is 6.49 percent.

The assets are invested in a portfolio according to Xcel Energy Inc.'s and SPS' return, liquidity and diversification objectives to provide a source of funding for plan obligations and minimize the necessity of contributions to the plan, within appropriate levels of risk. The principal mechanism for achieving these objectives is the projected allocation of assets to selected asset classes, given the long-term risk, return, and liquidity characteristics of each particular asset class. There were no significant concentrations of risk in any particular industry, index, or entity. Market volatility can impact even well-diversified portfolios and significantly affect the return levels achieved by pension assets in any year.

The following table presents the target pension asset allocations for SPS:

	2012			2011
Domestic and international equity securities		21	%		20	%
Long-duration fixed income securities		50			50
Short-to-intermediate term fixed income securities		8			9
Alternative investments		19			18
Cash		2			3
Total		100	%		100	%

The ongoing investment strategy is based on plan-specific investment recommendations that seek to minimize potential investment and interest rate risk as a plan's funded status increases over time. The investment recommendations result in a greater percentage of long-duration fixed income securities being allocated to specific plans having relatively higher funded status ratios, and a greater percentage of growth assets being allocated to plans having relatively lower funded status ratios. The aggregate projected asset allocation presented in the table above for the master pension trust results from the plan-specific strategies.

Pension Plan Assets

The following tables present, for each of the fair value hierarchy levels, SPS' pension plan assets that are measured at fair value as of Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011:

	Dec. 31, 2012
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Cash equivalents	$	26,765	$	-		$	-	$	26,765
Derivatives		-		1,388			-		1,388
Government securities		-		33,676			-		33,676
Corporate bonds		-		95,726			-		95,726
Asset-backed securities		-		-			1,755		1,755
Mortgage-backed securities		-		-			4,331		4,331
Common stock		7,762		-			-		7,762
Private equity investments		-		-			17,049		17,049
Commingled funds		-		183,957			-		183,957
Real estate		-		-			6,969		6,969
Securities lending collateral obligation and other		-		(3,240	)		-		(3,240	)
Total	$	34,527	$	311,507		$	30,104	$	376,138

	Dec. 31, 2011
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Cash equivalents	$	13,539	$	-		$	-	$	13,539
Derivatives		-		1,600			-		1,600
Government securities		-		25,233			-		25,233
Corporate bonds		-		112,328			-		112,328
Asset-backed securities		-		-			4,018		4,018
Mortgage-backed securities		-		-			7,907		7,907
Common stock		6,770		-			-		6,770
Private equity investments		-		-			16,159		16,159
Commingled funds		-		165,495			-		165,495
Real estate		-		-			3,586		3,586
Securities lending collateral obligation and other		-		(6,581	)		-		(6,581	)
Total	$	20,309	$	298,075		$	31,670	$	350,054

The following tables present the changes in SPS' Level 3 pension plan assets for the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

								Purchases,
			Net Realized		Net Unrealized			Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2012		Gains (Losses)		Gains (Losses)			Settlements, Net			Dec. 31, 2012
Asset-backed securities	$	4,018	$	531	$	(741	)	$	(2,053	)	$	1,755
Mortgage-backed securities		7,907		245		(265	)		(3,556	)		4,331
Private equity investments		16,159		1,886		(2,296	)		1,300			17,049
Real estate		3,586		2		551			2,830			6,969
Total	$	31,670	$	2,664	$	(2,751	)	$	(1,479	)	$	30,104

									Purchases,
			Net Realized			Net Unrealized			Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2011		Gains (Losses)			Gains (Losses)			Settlements, Net			Dec. 31, 2011
Asset-backed securities	$	3,450	$	328		$	(355	)	$	595		$	4,018
Mortgage-backed securities		11,060		170			(865	)		(2,458	)		7,907
Private equity investments		11,464		401			1,300			2,994			16,159
Real estate		10,132		(61	)		3,131			(9,616	)		3,586
Total	$	36,106	$	838		$	3,211		$	(8,485	)	$	31,670

									Purchases,
			Net Realized			Net Unrealized			Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2010		Gains (Losses)			Gains (Losses)			Settlements, Net			Dec. 31, 2010
Asset-backed securities	$	6,563	$	466		$	(378	)	$	(3,201	)	$	3,450
Mortgage-backed securities		16,444		1,744			(1,732	)		(5,396	)		11,060
Private equity investments		11,303		(95	)		9,703			(9,447	)		11,464
Real estate		9,183		(156	)		1,118			(13	)		10,132
Total	$	43,493	$	1,959		$	8,711		$	(18,057	)	$	36,106

Benefit Obligations — A comparison of the actuarially computed pension benefit obligation and plan assets for SPS is presented in the following table:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Accumulated Benefit Obligation at Dec. 31	$	416,808		$	368,585

Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Obligation at Jan. 1	$	403,367		$	370,587
Service cost		8,520			7,690
Interest cost		19,697			20,036
Plan amendments		98			-
Actuarial loss		45,881			27,512
Benefit payments		(23,379	)		(22,458	)
Obligation at Dec. 31	$	454,184		$	403,367

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at Jan. 1	$	350,054		$	337,421
Actual return on plan assets		36,403			29,913
Employer contributions		13,060			5,178
Benefit payments		(23,379	)		(22,458	)
Fair value of plan assets at Dec. 31	$	376,138		$	350,054

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Funded Status of Plans at Dec. 31:
Funded status (a)	$	(78,046	)	$	(53,313	)

(a)	Amounts are recognized in noncurrent liabilities on SPS' balance sheets.

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012		2011
SPS Amounts Not Yet Recognized as Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Net loss	$	244,412	$	222,849
Prior service cost		963		2,401
Total	$	245,375	$	225,250

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012		2011
Amounts Related to the Funded Status of the Plans Have Been Recorded as Follows Based Upon Expected Recovery in Rates:
Current regulatory assets	$	14,877	$	14,761
Noncurrent regulatory assets		230,498		210,489
Total	$	245,375	$	225,250

Measurement date	Dec. 31, 2012			Dec. 31, 2011

	2012			2011
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Benefit Obligations:
Discount rate for year-end valuation		4.00	%		5.00	%
Expected average long-term increase in compensation level		3.75			4.00
Mortality table	RP 2000			RP 2000

Cash Flows — Cash funding requirements can be impacted by changes to actuarial assumptions, actual asset levels and other calculations prescribed by the funding requirements of income tax and other pension-related regulations. These regulations did not require cash funding for 2008 through 2010 for Xcel Energy's pension plans. Required contributions were made in 2011 and 2012 to meet minimum funding requirements.

The Pension Protection Act changed the minimum funding requirements for defined benefit pension plans beginning in 2008. The following are the pension funding contributions, both voluntary and required, made by Xcel Energy for 2011 through January 2013:

•

In January 2013, contributions of $191.5 million were made across four of Xcel Energy's pension plans, of which $21.9 million was attributable to SPS;

•

In 2012, contributions of $198.1 million were made across four of Xcel Energy's pension plans, of which $13.1 million was attributable to SPS;

•

In 2011, contributions of $137.3 million were made across three of Xcel Energy's pension plans, of which $5.2 million was attributable to SPS;

•

For future years, Xcel Energy and SPS anticipate contributions will be made as necessary.

Plan Amendments —Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, amended the plan in 2012 to allow a one time transfer of a portion of qualifying obligations from the nonqualified pension plan into the qualified pension plans. Xcel Energy and SPS also modified the benefit formula for nonbargaining and bargaining new hires beginning in 2012 to a reduced benefit level.

Benefit Costs — The components of SPS' net periodic pension cost were:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011			2010
Service cost	$	8,520		$	7,690		$	7,008
Interest cost		19,697			20,036			19,997
Expected return on plan assets		(24,928	)		(26,316	)		(27,542	)
Amortization of prior service cost		1,438			1,505			1,504
Amortization of net loss		12,897			9,046			4,826
Net periodic pension cost	$	17,624		$	11,961		$	5,793
Costs not recognized due to effects of regulation		(4,300	)		(2,300	)		-
Net benefit cost recognized for financial reporting	$	13,324		$	9,661		$	5,793

	2012			2011			2010
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Costs:
Discount rate		5.00	%		5.50	%		6.00	%
Expected average long-term increase in compensation level		4.00			4.00			4.00
Expected average long-term rate of return on assets		6.68			6.80			6.80

In addition to the benefit costs in the table above, for the pension plans sponsored by Xcel Energy Inc., costs are allocated to SPS based on Xcel Energy Services Inc. employees' labor costs. Amounts allocated to SPS were $4.1 million, $2.9 million and $2.2 million in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Pension costs include an expected return impact for the current year that may differ from actual investment performance in the plan. The return assumption used for 2013 pension cost calculations is 6.49 percent. The cost calculation uses a market-related valuation of pension assets. Xcel Energy, including SPS, uses a calculated value method to determine the market-related value of the plan assets. The market-related value begins with the fair market value of assets as of the beginning of the year. The market-related value is determined by adjusting the fair market value of assets to reflect the investment gains and losses (the difference between the actual investment return and the expected investment return on the market-related value) during each of the previous five years at the rate of 20 percent per year. As these differences between actual investment returns and the expected investment returns are incorporated into the market-related value, the differences are recognized over the expected average remaining years of service for active employees.

Defined Contribution Plans

Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, maintains 401(k) and other defined contribution plans that cover substantially all employees. The contributions to these plans for SPS were approximately $2.3 million in 2012, $2.0 million in 2011 and $2.0 million in 2010.

Postretirement Health Care Benefits

Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, has a contributory health and welfare benefit plan that provides health care and death benefits to certain retirees. Xcel Energy discontinued contributing toward health care benefits for former NCE, which includes SPS, nonbargaining employees retiring after June 30, 2003. Employees of NCE who retired in 2002 continue to receive employer-subsidized health care benefits. Nonbargaining employees of the former NCE who retired after 1998, bargaining employees of the former NCE who retired after 1999 and nonbargaining employees of NCE who retired after June 30, 2003, are eligible to participate in the Xcel Energy health care program with no employer subsidy.

In 1993, Xcel Energy Inc. and SPS adopted accounting guidance regarding other non-pension postretirement benefits and elected to amortize the unrecognized APBO on a straight-line basis over 20 years.

Regulatory agencies for nearly all retail and wholesale utility customers have allowed rate recovery of accrued postretirement benefit costs.

Plan Assets — Certain state agencies that regulate Xcel Energy Inc.'s utility subsidiaries also have issued guidelines related to the funding of postretirement benefit costs. SPS is required to fund postretirement benefit costs for Texas and New Mexico jurisdictional amounts collected in rates. Also, a portion of the assets contributed on behalf of nonbargaining retirees has been funded into a sub-account of the Xcel Energy pension plans. These assets are invested in a manner consistent with the investment strategy for the pension plan.

Xcel Energy Inc. and SPS base investment-return assumptions for the postretirement health care fund assets on expected long-term performance for each of the investment types included in the asset portfolio. The assets are invested in a portfolio according to Xcel Energy Inc.'s and SPS' return, liquidity and diversification objectives to provide a source of funding for plan obligations and minimize the necessity of contributions to the plan, within appropriate levels of risk. The principal mechanism for achieving these objectives is the projected allocation of assets to selected asset classes, given the long-term risk, return, correlation and liquidity characteristics of each particular asset class. There were no significant concentrations of risk in any particular industry, index, or entity. Investment-return volatility is not considered to be a material factor in postretirement health care costs.

The following tables present, for each of the fair value hierarchy levels, SPS' postretirement benefit plan assets that are measured at fair value as of Dec. 31, 2012 and 2011:

	Dec. 31, 2012
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Cash equivalents	$	8,774	$	-		$	-	$	8,774
Government securities		-		7,061			-		7,061
Insurance contracts		-		4,807			-		4,807
Corporate bonds		-		4,211			-		4,211
Asset-backed securities		-		-			73		73
Mortgage-backed securities		-		-			3,841		3,841
Commingled funds		-		21,958			-		21,958
Other		-		(4,503	)		-		(4,503	)
Total	$	8,774	$	33,534		$	3,914	$	46,222

	Dec. 31, 2011
(Thousands of Dollars)	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3		Total
Cash equivalents	$	5,387	$	-		$	-	$	5,387
Derivatives		-		1,238			-		1,238
Government securities		-		6,156			-		6,156
Corporate bonds		-		5,740			-		5,740
Asset-backed securities		-		-			730		730
Mortgage-backed securities		-		-			2,535		2,535
Preferred stock		-		40			-		40
Commingled funds		-		18,892			-		18,892
Securities lending collateral obligation and other		-		(1,039	)		-		(1,039	)
Total	$	5,387	$	31,027		$	3,265	$	39,679

The following tables present the changes in SPS' Level 3 postretirement benefit plan assets for the years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:

								Purchases,
			Net Realized			Net Unrealized		Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2012		Gains (Losses)			Gains (Losses)		Settlements, Net			Dec. 31, 2012
Asset-backed securities	$	730	$	(32	)	$	179	$	(804	)	$	73
Mortgage-backed securities		2,535		(70	)		377		999			3,841
Total	$	3,265	$	(102	)	$	556	$	195		$	3,914

									Purchases,
			Net Realized			Net Unrealized			Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2011		Gains (Losses)			Gains (Losses)			Settlements, Net		Dec. 31, 2011
Asset-backed securities	$	245	$	(2	)	$	(101	)	$	588	$	730
Mortgage-backed securities		1,820		(157	)		194			678		2,535
Total	$	2,065	$	(159	)	$	93		$	1,266	$	3,265

								Purchases,
			Net Realized			Net Unrealized		Issuances, and
(Thousands of Dollars)	Jan. 1, 2010		Gains (Losses)			Gains (Losses)		Settlements, Net			Dec. 31, 2010
Asset-backed securities	$	752	$	(25	)	$	75	$	(557	)	$	245
Mortgage-backed securities		4,266		(88	)		332		(2,690	)		1,820
Total	$	5,018	$	(113	)	$	407	$	(3,247	)	$	2,065

Benefit Obligations — A comparison of the actuarially computed benefit obligation and plan assets for SPS is presented in the following table:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Obligation at Jan. 1	$	55,165		$	50,582
Service cost		1,259			1,092
Interest cost		2,831			2,722
Medicare subsidy reimbursements		404			404
Early Retiree Reinsurance Program proceeds shared with retirees		-			260
Plan amendments		(4,334	)		-
Plan participants' contributions		2,004			2,315
Actuarial loss		7,120			4,065
Benefit payments		(5,189	)		(6,275	)
Obligation at Dec. 31	$	59,260		$	55,165

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at Jan. 1	$	39,679		$	39,946
Actual return on plan assets		5,375			61
Plan participants' contributions		2,004			2,315
Employer contributions		4,353			3,632
Benefit payments		(5,189	)		(6,275	)
Fair value of plan assets at Dec. 31	$	46,222		$	39,679

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Funded Status of Plans at Dec. 31:
Funded status (a)	$	(13,038	)	$	(15,486	)

(a)	Amounts are recognized in noncurrent liabilities on SPS' balance sheet.

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
SPS Amounts Not Yet Recognized as Components of Net Periodic Benefit Credit:
Net gain	$	(90	)	$	(3,281	)
Prior service credit		(4,317	)		(131	)
Transition obligations		-			1,545
Total	$	(4,407	)	$	(1,867	)

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011
Amounts Related to the Funded Status of the Plans Have Been Recorded as Follows Based Upon Expected Recovery in Rates:
Current regulatory liabilities	$	(954	)	$	(1,867	)
Noncurrent regulatory liabilities		(3,453	)		-
Total	$	(4,407	)	$	(1,867	)

Measurement date	Dec. 31, 2012			Dec. 31, 2011

	2012			2011
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Benefit Obligations:
Discount rate for year-end valuation		4.10	%		5.00	%
Mortality table	RP 2000			RP 2000
Health care costs trend rate - initial		7.50	%		6.31	%

Effective Dec. 31, 2012, the initial medical trend rate was increased from 6.3 percent to 7.5 percent. The ultimate trend assumption was reduced from 5.0 percent to 4.5 percent. The period until the ultimate rate is reached is seven years. Xcel Energy Inc. and SPS base the medical trend assumption on the long-term cost inflation expected in the health care market, considering the levels projected and recommended by industry experts, as well as recent actual medical cost increases experienced by the retiree medical plan.

A 1-percent change in the assumed health care cost trend rate would have the following effects on SPS:

	One Percentage Point
(Thousands of Dollars)	Increase		Decrease
APBO	$	5,220	$	(4,196	)
Service and interest components		472		(380	)

Cash Flows — The postretirement health care plans have no funding requirements under income tax and other retirement-related regulations other than fulfilling benefit payment obligations, when claims are presented and approved under the plans. Additional cash funding requirements are prescribed by certain state and federal rate regulatory authorities, as discussed previously. Xcel Energy, which includes SPS, contributed $47.1 million and $49.0 million during 2012 and 2011, of which $4.4 million and $3.6 million were attributable to SPS. Xcel Energy expects to contribute approximately $21.8 million during 2013, of which amounts attributable to SPS will be immaterial.

Plan Amendments — The 2011 decrease of the projected Xcel Energy and SPS postretirement health and welfare benefit obligation for plan amendments is due to changes in the participant co-pay structure for certain retiree groups and the elimination of dental and vision benefits for some nonbargaining retirees. The 2012 decrease of the projected Xcel Energy and SPS postretirement health and welfare benefit obligation for plan amendments is due to the expected transition of certain participant groups to an external plan administrator.

Benefit Costs — The components of SPS' net periodic postretirement benefit cost were:

(Thousands of Dollars)	2012			2011			2010
Service cost	$	1,259		$	1,092		$	951
Interest cost		2,831			2,722			2,899
Expected return on plan assets		(2,701	)		(3,006	)		(2,639	)
Amortization of transition obligation		1,545			1,669			1,669
Amortization of prior service cost		(148	)		(51	)		(51	)
Amortization of net loss		1,256			855			772
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost	$	4,042		$	3,281		$	3,601

	2012			2011			2010
Significant Assumptions Used to Measure Costs:
Discount rate		5.00	%		5.50	%		6.00	%
Expected average long-term rate of return on assets		6.75			7.50			7.50

In addition to the benefit costs in the table above, for the postretirement health care plans sponsored by Xcel Energy Inc., costs are allocated to SPS based on Xcel Energy Services Inc. employees' labor costs.

Projected Benefit Payments — The following table lists SPS' projected benefit payments for the pension and postretirement benefit plans:

(Thousands of Dollars)	Projected Pension Benefit Payments		Gross Projected Postretirement Health Care Benefit Payments		Expected Medicare Part D Subsidies		Net Projected Postretirement Health Care Benefit Payments
2013	$	24,684	$	3,271	$	32	$	3,239
2014		26,123		3,363		38		3,325
2015		26,660		3,643		42		3,601
2016		26,715		3,758		51		3,707
2017		28,019		3,832		56		3,776
2018-2022		146,565		18,239		210		18,029