Bills reflect impact from colder weather and higher use in the first quarter of 2014

DENVER - Xcel Energy will see slightly higher electricity and natural gas bills for the second quarter of 2014, an outcome of higher than anticipated natural gas prices that resulted from colder than expected weather for the first quarter of this year.

If approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Electric Commodity Adjustment (ECA) will result in a bill increase of approximately 4.5 percent for residential and small-business customers, when compared to bills for the first quarter of 2014.

Also pending before the CPUC is the company's quarterly Gas Cost Adjustment (GCA). Bills are expected to be higher by about $4.73 per month for the average residential customer and $24.46 per month for the average small commercial customer when compared to the second quarter of 2013 (natural gas bills are compared on an annual basis to reflect seasonal use).

With minor exceptions, costs associated with increases or decreases through the ECA and GCA are passed along to customers on a dollar-per-dollar basis. If approved by the CPUC, new rates would go into effect April 1, 2014 and would remain in effect for the next three months.

A breakdown of the electricity price changes shows:

ECA Change Impact (*)

Q1 '14 Q3 '14
KWh Commod. Commod. Bill$ Bill%
Use Price Bill Price Bill Change Change
Residential 632 $0.03325 $70.61 $0.03806 $73.72 $3.11 4.40%
KWh Bill$ Bill%
Use Price Bill Price Bill Change Change
Small-Business 1,123 $0.03325 $114.73 $0.03806 4120.24 $5.51 4.80%

* Typical customer bills in the second quarter of 2013 were $68.86 for residential and $111.74 for small-business, based on same use amounts.

A breakdown of the natural gas price changes shows:

QGCA Q2 '13 Q2 '14
Avg. Therm Commod. Commod. Bill$ Bill%
Use Price Bill Price Bill Change Change
Residential 34.7 $0.04284 $30.66 $0.5392 $35.39 $7.43 15%
KWh Bill$ Bill%
Use Price Bill Price Bill Change Change
Small-Business 171.3 $0.4250 $128.37 $0.5359 $152.83 $24.46 19%


* Typical customer bills in the first quarter of 2014 were $81.58 for residential and $338.43 for small-business, based on use of 108.3 therms for residential and 455.5 therms for small-business.

Customer Information
Xcel Energy encourages customers to explore ways to conserve energy and lower their natural gas bills by visiting www.xcelenergy.com/energysavings. The website also has information about energy audits, rebates for new, qualified energy efficiency heating and cooling equipment and various payment options, such as Averaged Monthly Payment. Customers may call 1-800-895-4999 for free copies of company brochures. Small-business customers may view information at Xcel Energy Small Business Lighting program.

Customers can obtain information relating to low¬income energy assistance from the Federal Low-Income Assistance Program, and Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) by contacting 1-866-HEAT HELP (1-866-432-8435), or by accessing the company's website.

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Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis.

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This news release includes forward¬looking statements relating to increased costs associated with expected higher commodity prices that are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results may vary materially. Forward¬looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them to reflect changes that occur after that date. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, those risk factors listed from time to time by Xcel Energy in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Risk Factors in Item 1A and Exhibit 99.01 of Xcel Energy's Annual Report on Form 10¬K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2008.

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