
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.06


                 NSP EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN TRUST

                          Amendment to Section 4
                                        
                                        

Pursuant  to Section 9 of the NSP Employee Stock Ownership Plan Trust ("Trust"),
the   undersigned  officers  of  Northern  States  Power  Company,  a  Minnesota
corporation,   and   First  Trust  National  Association,  a  national   banking
association  incorporated  under  the laws of  the  United  States  of  America,
formerly  known as First Trust Company of Saint Paul, hereby amend the Trust  by
adding the following at the end of Section 4 of the Trust:

     The  Trustee  also shall have the power to hold uninvested  reasonable
     amounts  of  cash  to  the  extent it deems  advisable  to  facilitate
     disbursements  or for other operational reasons, and  to  deposit  the
     same,   with  or  without  interest,  in  the  commercial  or  savings
     departments  of  the Trustee serving hereunder or of any  other  bank,
     trust   company   or  other  financial  institution  including   those
     affiliated in ownership with the Trustee.


IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  Northern States Power Company and  First  Trust  National
Association  have  caused this amendment to be signed by their  duly  authorized
officers this 22nd day of December, 1994.


                                   NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY

                                   By: _/s/ C. L.Lesher
                                   Its: Vice President - Human Resources

                                   By:   /s/ Gary R. Johnson
                                   Its: Vice  President,  General  Counsel   and
                                        Secretary


                                   FIRST TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

                                   By: /s/_Michael J. Clark
                                   Its: Vice President

                                   By: /s/_Thomas F. Beaupre
                                   Its: Vice President
                                                                                


