Company Update

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) Aug. 27, 2018 Commission File Number   Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter; State of Incorporation; Address of Principal Executive Offices; and Telephone Number   IRS Employer Identification Number 001-3034   XCEL ENERGY INC.   41-0448030     (a Minnesota corporation)         414 Nicollet Mall         Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401         (612) 330-5500               001-3280   PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO   84-0296600     (a Colorado corporation)         1800 Larimer Street Suite 1100         Denver, Colorado 80202         (303) 571-7511     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): £ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) £ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) £ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) £ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company £ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. £   Item 8.01. Other Events Colorado Energy Plan In 2016, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), a Colorado corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc. (Xcel Energy), filed its 2016 Electric Resource Plan (ERP) which included the estimated need for additional generation resources through spring of 2024. In 2017, PSCo filed an updated generation capacity need with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) of 450 megawatts (MW) in 2023. In 2017, PSCo and various other stakeholders filed a stipulation agreement proposing the Colorado Energy Plan (CEP), an alternative electric resource plan that increased PSCo’s firm generation capacity need up to 1,110 MW due to the proposed retirement of two coal units, Comanche Unit 1 (in 2022) and Comanche Unit 2 (in 2025). In June 2018, PSCo filed a regulatory update with the CPUC which included detailed analysis of multiple electric generation portfolio options and included a recommended preferred CEP portfolio and an alternative CEP portfolio for the CPUC's approval. The preferred CEP portfolio included the following additions as well as the retirement of the two coal-fired generation units:     Total Capacity   PSCo's Ownership Wind generation   1,100 MW   500 MW Solar generation   700 MW   — Battery storage   275 MW   — Natural gas generation   380 MW   380 MW On Aug. 27, 2018, the CPUC voted for preliminary approval of PSCo's preferred CEP. A written order is expected in September. PSCo's investment under the preferred CEP portfolio would be approximately $1 billion, including investment in required transmission to support the significant increase in renewable generation in the state. Xcel Energy plans to fund the incremental $1 billion of capital investment with cash from operations, incremental debt and $300 million to $400 million of incremental equity, primarily in 2020 and beyond. Certain information discussed in this Current Report on Form 8-K is forward-looking information that involves risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Forward-looking information includes, among other information, the expected impact of PSCo’s Colorado Energy Plan, and other statements identified by words such as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “would,” or “plan.” Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although Xcel Energy believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. Factors, in addition to those discussed in Xcel Energy’s and PSCo’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017, and subsequent securities filings, that could cause actual results to differ materially include: general economic conditions, including inflation rates, monetary fluctuations and their impact on capital expenditures and the ability of Xcel Energy Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, Xcel Energy) to obtain financing on favorable terms; business conditions in the energy industry; including the risk of a slow down in the U.S. economy or delay in growth recovery; trade, fiscal, taxation and environmental policies in areas where Xcel Energy and PSCo have a financial interest; customer business conditions; actions of credit rating agencies; competitive factors including the extent and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets served by Xcel Energy and its subsidiaries; unusual weather; effects of geopolitical events, including war and acts of terrorism; cyber security threats and data security breaches; state, federal and foreign legislative and regulatory initiatives that affect cost and investment recovery, have an impact on rates or have an impact on asset operation or ownership; or impose environmental compliance conditions; structures that affect the speed and degree to which competition enters the electric and natural gas markets; costs and other effects of legal and administrative proceedings, settlements, investigations and claims; financial or regulatory accounting policies imposed by regulatory bodies; outcomes of regulatory proceedings; availability or cost of capital; and employee work force factors. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Xcel Energy expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. Aug. 31, 2018 Xcel Energy Inc. (a Minnesota corporation)   Public Service Company of Colorado  (a Colorado corporation)       /s/ ROBERT C. FRENZEL   Robert C. Frenzel   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer