NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Jan. 29, 2004--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that Xcel Energy Inc.'s (BBB/Watch Pos/A-2) settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) does not materially affect the rating on the company. The settlement is related to the CFTC's finding of inaccurate reporting of certain natural gas trading information by former employees of the company's gas trading subsidiary, e prime inc., during 2001 and 2002. Neither Xcel Energy nor e prime benefited from the traders' conduct. Under the terms of the agreement, Xcel Energy agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $16 million without admitting or denying the findings in the CFTC's order.
