-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 F3JScNDXjo4PrIOUESRGVJHrJ9wCRaR1b9OFd4jMeWKvwzWjg+yqOpc/6HWjoI1Z
 2hZ3ucg8xwkKVceciQvHRg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001162782-04-000083.txt : 20040521
<SEC-HEADER>0001162782-04-000083.hdr.sgml : 20040521
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040521090612
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001162782-04-000083
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040520
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040521

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			XCEL ENERGY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000072903
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED [4931]
		IRS NUMBER:				410448030
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		800 NICOLLET MALL
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55402
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6123305500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		800 NICOLLET MALL
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55401

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NORTHERN STATES POWER CO /MN/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ANDERSON RICHARD H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001200334

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03034
		FILM NUMBER:		04822721

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		MEDTRONIC, INC
		STREET 2:		710 MEDTRONIC PKWY, MS LC310
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55432-5604
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7635144000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		MEDTRONIC, INC
		STREET 2:		710 MEDTRONIC PKWY, MS LC310
		CITY:			MINNEAPOLIS
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55432-5604
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc3.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-05-20</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000072903</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>XCEL ENERGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>XEL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200334</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDERSON RICHARD H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2700 LONE OAK PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EAGAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55121</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>300.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>476.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Susan K. Anderson Family Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol J. Peterson, Attorney-in-Fact for Richard H. Anderson,</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-05-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>anderson.txt
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Patrice D. Blaeser, Tara M. DeGeest, Cathy J. Hart,
Catherine A. Jones and Carol J. Peterson, signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission) and/or
director of Xcel Energy Inc. ("Xcel"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in
accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company
Act of 1935, and the respective rules thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5 and timely file such form with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any
stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such
attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest
of, or legally required by the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact
on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney
shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his or her
discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act
and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be
done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact,
or his or her substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney
and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned
acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,
are not assuming, nor is Xcel assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16
of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and
effect until the undersigned is no longer required to
file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's
holdings of and transactions in securities issued by Xcel,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed
writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this
14th day of April, 2004.

					Richard H. Anderson, Jr.


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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