Bonavia to head Xcel Energy's Utilities Group.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) President and CEO Richard Kelly today named Paul Bonavia president of the company's Utilities Group and announced several organizational changes among its senior level management team. E[acute accent]"The organizational changes reflect the changing business environment for utilities, and will allow us to operate more effectively and better serve our customers in the states we serve," Kelly said. "We remain firmly committed to executing our strategy of building our core electric and natural gas businesses." E[acute accent]Kelly noted that certain aspects of the business are best managed on a state, or operating company, basis to accommodate regional planning, specific resource and financial needs, state regulations and other factors. "Paul Bonavia has extensive experience in the industry and is well qualified to lead the operating companies of our business in this new unit," he said. E[acute accent]Bonavia, most recently president of Xcel Energy's Commercial Enterprises unit, has also been president of its Energy Markets business unit. Prior to the merger that formed Xcel Energy, he held senior executive positions at New Century Energies, Denver, and Dominion Resources, Inc. E[acute accent]The Utilities Group will consist of the presidents of the four operating companies that make up Xcel Energy, in addition to several functional areas that support them. E[acute accent]"The operating company presidents are the face of the company in the regions they serve," Kelly said. "They will be responsible for financial and regulatory results, as well as customer service and other operational results at the state level."

E[acute accent]Heading the operating companies and reporting to Bonavia will be:

E[acute accent]Cynthia Lesher, president and CEO, Northern States Power Company Minnesota. Lesher has held a variety of positions with Xcel Energy and Northern States Power Co. over the past 25 years, including vice president, Human Resources, and president, Gas Utility. She currently is Xcel Energy's vice president and chief administrative officer. In her new role, she also will have responsibility for operating results in the company's North and South Dakota service territory. E[acute accent]Patricia Vincent, president and CEO, Public Service Company of Colorado. Vincent joined New Century Energies (Denver) in 1999 as vice president, Marketing and Sales, and has held several key positions including president, Retail Services, and currently, president of Customer and Field Operations. She previously held marketing positions at Arizona Public Service Co. and Quaker Oats, and worked in the strategic consulting group at Price Waterhouse. E[acute accent]Michael Swenson, president and CEO of Northern States Power - Wisconsin (Eau Claire); and Gary Gibson, president and CEO of Southwestern Public Service (Amarillo, TX). E[acute accent]Xcel Energy (NYSE:XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in 10 Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.3 million electricity customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. In terms of customers, it is the fourth-largest combination natural gas and electricity company in the nation. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is available at www.xcelenergy.com.

E[acute accent]This information is not given in connection with any sale, offer for sale or offer to buy any security.