<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 5 - 12-01-2001
<TEXT>
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
( ) Form 3 Holdings Reported
( ) Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   Cynthia L. Lesher
   800 Nicollet Mall
   MN, Minneapolis 55402
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL)

3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   12/2001
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   ( ) Director  ( ) 10% Owner  (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   Vice President, Xcel Energy Services Inc.
7. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1. Title of Security         |2.    |3.  |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                             |Transaction|  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                             |Date  |Code|                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                             |      |    |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                             |      |    |    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Year      |ect(I)|                           |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S>                          <C>    <C>  <C>                <C> <C>         <C>                 <C>    <C>
Common                       |1/19/ |M   |1962              |A  |16.625     |17058.628          |D     |                           |
                             |2001  |    |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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Common                       |      |    |                  |   |           |3398.502           |I     |ESOP                       |
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Common Stock of NRG Energy, I|      |    |                  |   |           |2000               |D     |                           |
nc.                          |      |    |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1.Title of Derivative   |2.Con   |3.   |4.  |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security              |version |Transaction rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                        |or Exer |Date |Code| rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                        |cise Pr |     |    | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                        |ice  of |     |    | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                        |Deriva  |     |    |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                        |tive    |     |    |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                        |Secu    |     |    |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                        |rity    |     |    |  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Year        |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S>                     <C>      <C>   <C>  <C>         <C> <C>   <C>   <C>           <C>    <C>     <C>          <C> <C>
Option (Right to Buy)   |16.6250 |1/19/|M   |1962       |D  |     |1/22/|Common      |1962   |       |0           |D  |            |
                        |        | 2001|    |           |   |     |2001 |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
