NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) May 28, 2003--Standard&Poor's said today that the Minnesota legislature's approval of a bill that allows Xcel Energy Inc. (BBB/Watch Pos/A-2) to build enough dry cask storage containers to keep its 1,100 Prairie Island nuclear plant on line until the licenses for the plant's two units expire in 2013 and 2104 is a positive development for the company. However, the event does not affect the ratings or outlook on the company. Xcel would have had to shut down the plant in 2007 and buy power from an alternative source if the legislation had not passed. The governor is expected to sign the legislation.
