

                                                          Exhibit 5.01 

May 20, 1998


Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20549

Re:  106,392 shares of Common Stock of Northern States Power
     Company, a Minnesota Corporation.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      I am participating in the proceedings incident to the proposed issuance
by Northern States Power Company, a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), of
up to 106,392  shares  of  Common  Stock, par value $2.50 per  share  (the
"shares"), pursuant  to the Company's Executive Long-Term Incentive Award
Stock  Plan  (the "Plan").  I have examined all records, instruments, and
documents which  I  have deemed  necessary  to  examine for the purposes of
this opinion,  including  the Registration Statement on Form S-8, as amended,
relating to the Plan  previously filed by  the
Company pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, and the  proposed
Post-Effective Amendment No. Three to said Registration Statement.

      Based  upon the foregoing and upon my general familiarity with the
Company and its affairs, I am of the opinion:

      1.   That the Company is a duly organized and validly existing
corporation under the  laws
of the State of Minnesota and that it is legally qualified  and
authorized to operate and conduct business in the State of Minnesota.

      2.    When,  as and if Post-Effective Amendment No. Three to the
Company's Registration  Statement on Form S-8 to which this opinion is an
exhibit  becomes effective pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, as  amended, and  the  shares have been duly issued and delivered, and
the consideration  for the shares has been duly received by the Company, all
in the manner contemplated by  said Registration Statement, the shares will be
legally issued, fully  paid, and nonassessable shares of stock of the Company.

       I  hereby  consent  to  the  incorporation  of  this  opinion  into
said Registration  Statement  and  the reference to me under  the  heading
"Item  5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel" in said Registration
Statement.

Respectfully submitted,


/s/
Gary R. Johnson
Vice President and General Counsel






