
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.02
                                                                                
                                                                                
                       AMENDMENT TO THE
                 NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
                 EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN


                    Effective April 1, 1997


Effective as of April 1, 1997, the Northern States Power Company Employee  Stock
Ownership Plan (the "Plan") is amended as follows:

     1.   The definition of "Employee" in section 2.1 of the Plan is amended  to
     read as follows:

     "Employee" means a person who:
          (a)  is  classified by an Employer as an employee of the Employer  for
          the purpose of federal income tax withholding;
          (b)  has  not acknowledged or agreed in writing that he or she  is  an
          independent  contractor  or non-employee consultant  with  respect  to
          services provided to that Employer; and
          (c)  has  not  acknowledged or agreed in writing that  he  or  she  is
          ineligible for participation in the Plan.
     A  person's classification for federal income tax withholding purposes  for
     any period shall be determined solely on the basis of the Employee-assigned
     classification  in effect during that period; retroactive  reclassification
     of  a person for tax purposes shall not render that person an Employee.   A
     determination  by  any court, government agency, or  other  entity  that  a
     person  is  an employee for any purpose other than the accrual of  benefits
     under this Plan shall not affect a person's status under this Plan.

     2.   The following is added at the end of subsection (B) of Section 8.3  of
     the Plan:

     Notwithstanding anything in Article VI to the contrary, any amount  payable
     with  respect to a Participant pursuant to a qualified order entered on  or
     after April 1, 1997, may be distributed to the alternate payee prior to the
     Participant's  termination  of employment without  regard  to  whether  the
     Participant has attained age 50.

The above amendment is hereby adopted by Northern States Power Company, acting
pursuant to the power reserved to it under Section 9.1 of the Plan this 10th day
of March, 1997.

                              
                              NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
                              


                                       By: /s/ Cynthia L. Lesher
                                           Cynthia L. Lesher
                                           Vice President, Human Resources



                                    And By: /s/ Gary R. Johnson
                                           Gary R. Johnson
                                           Vice President and General Counsel

ATTEST:


By:    /s/ Chandra G. Houston
          Chandra G. Houston
          Asst. Corporate Secretary

                                                                                


