NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) April 6, 2010--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that the ratings and outlook on Xcel Energy Inc. (BBB+/Positive/A-2) are not affected by the recent announcement that its subsidiary, Public Service Co. of Colorado (BBB+/Positive/A-2), intends to buy a combined cycle gas fired power plant and a gas peaking facility from Calpine Corp. for about $740 million. The company will seek Colorado regulatory authority to place the plants in rate base and to eliminate the capacity payments for the two plants currently flowing through the purchased capacity cost adjustment factor. We would expect the company to finance the acquisitions in a credit supportive manner, and Xcel has indicated that it intends to use both debt
