New Xcel Energy Combination Completed

Just 17 months after announcement of merger plans, Minneapolis-based Northern 
States Power 
and Denver-based New Century Energies have cleared the last hurdle to combine 
under the new 
name Xcel Energy Inc. The merger creates one of the 10 largest electricity 
and natural gas 
companies in the United States. 

The Securities and Exchange Commission issued its approval of the merger, 
wrapping up approvals 
from several federal agencies and states where the companies operate. Xcel 
Energy will serve more 
than 3 million electricity and 1.5 million natural gas customers in 12 
states, and 2 million electricity 
customers internationally. Company headquarters will be in Minneapolis. 
Gradually, the NSP and NCE 
names will be phased out as Xcel Energy provides enhanced products and 
services in 12 states, 
including parts of Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, Michigan, Kansas, 
Oklahoma, Arizona, New 
Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. 

Stock will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Aug. 21, under the 
symbol XEL. Current 
New Century Energies shareholders will receive 1.55 shares of Xcel Energy 
stock for each share of 
NCE they hold. NSP shareholders will get one for one and will not be required 
to exchange their existing 
NSP stock. 

The merger proposal was announced March 25, 1999, and completed in less than 
a year and a half. 
"This has been an incredibly successful merger process," said Jim Howard, 
Xcel chairman. "It demonstrates 
what can be accomplished when regulators, environmentalists, community 
leaders and the merger partners 
all work in a common direction --- to create a better utility company for the 
future." 

"Our strength will come from a base of millions of customers spread over a 
large area, combined with our 
rapidly growing non-regulated businesses like NRG Energy, now the seventh 
largest independent power 
producer in the world, " said Wayne Brunetti, Xcel president. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--