NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) March 12, 2004--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that it affirmed its 'BBB' long-term corporate credit ratings on Xcel Energy Inc. and its utility subsidiaries, Northern States Power Co. (Minnesota), Public Service Co. of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service Co. (SPS), and also affirmed its 'BBB+' corporate credit rating on subsidiary Northern States Power Wisconsin. Standard&Poor's also removed the long-term corporate credit ratings on the companies from CreditWatch. The 'A-2' short-term corporate credit ratings were not on CreditWatch. The long-term ratings on the companies were originally placed on CreditWatch with negative implications in July 2002, as a result of the financial instability of former subsidiary NRG Energy Inc. The CreditWatch implications were
