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Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Funded Status of Nuclear Decommissioning Obligation [Table Text Block] |
|  | Regulatory Basis
(Millions of Dollars) |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Estimated decommissioning cost obligation from most recently approved study (in 2014 dollars) |  | $ | 3,012 |  |  | $ | 3,012 |
Effect of escalating costs |  | 539 |  |  | 396 |
Estimated decommissioning cost obligation (in current dollars) |  | 3,551 |  |  | 3,408 |
Effect of escalating costs to payment date |  | 7,654 |  |  | 7,797 |
Estimated future decommissioning costs (undiscounted) |  | 11,205 |  |  | 11,205 |
Effect of discounting obligation (using average risk-free interest rate of 3.33% and 2.80% for 2018 and 2017, respectively) |  | (6,911 | ) |  | (6,398 | )
Discounted decommissioning cost obligation |  | $ | 4,294 |  |  | $ | 4,807 |
Assets held in external decommissioning trust |  | $ | 2,055 |  |  | $ | 2,143 |
Underfunding of external decommissioning fund compared to the discounted decommissioning obligation |  | 2,239 |  |  | 2,664 |
Estimated Minimum Purchases Under Fuel Contracts | Estimated minimum purchases under these contracts as of Dec. 31, 2018:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Coal |  | Nuclear fuel |  | Natural gas supply |  | Natural gas supply and transportation
2019 |  | $ | 461 |  |  | $ | 127 |  |  | $ | 416 |  |  | $ | 268 |
2020 |  | 260 |  |  | 51 |  |  | 263 |  |  | 255 |
2021 |  | 149 |  |  | 99 |  |  | 254 |  |  | 245 |
2022 |  | 109 |  |  | 79 |  |  | 114 |  |  | 234 |
2023 |  | 61 |  |  | 99 |  |  | 60 |  |  | 170 |
Thereafter |  | 108 |  |  | 337 |  |  | — |  |  | 923 |
Total |  | $ | 1,148 |  |  | $ | 792 |  |  | $ | 1,107 |  |  | $ | 2,095 |
Estimated Future Payments for Capacity and Energy Pursuant to Purchased Power Agreements | At Dec. 31, 2018, the estimated future payments for capacity and energy that the utility subsidiaries of Xcel Energy are obligated to purchase pursuant to these executory contracts, subject to availability, were as follows:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Capacity |  | Energy (a)
2019 |  | $ | 86 |  |  | $ | 99 |
2020 |  | 70 |  |  | 109 |
2021 |  | 78 |  |  | 157 |
2022 |  | 77 |  |  | 173 |
2023 |  | 79 |  |  | 177 |
Thereafter |  | 125 |  |  | 328 |
Total |  | $ | 515 |  |  | $ | 1,043 |
(a) | Excludes contingent energy payments for renewable energy PPAs.
Summary of Property Held Under Capital Leases | Property held under capital leases:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Dec. 31, 2018 |  | Dec. 31, 2017
Gas storage facilities |  | $ | 201 |  |  | $ | 201 |
Gas pipeline |  | 21 |  |  | 21 |
Property held under capital leases |  | 222 |  |  | 222 |
Accumulated depreciation |  | (77 | ) |  | (71 | )
Total property held under capital leases, net |  | $ | 145 |  |  | $ | 151 |
Future Commitments Under Operating and Capital Leases | Future commitments under operating and capital leases:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Operating Leases |  | PPA (a) (b) Operating Leases |  | Total Operating Leases |  | Capital Leases |
2019 |  | $ | 32 |  |  | $ | 207 |  |  | $ | 239 |  |  | $ | 14 |  |
2020 |  | 26 |  |  | 208 |  |  | 234 |  |  | 14 |  |
2021 |  | 25 |  |  | 210 |  |  | 235 |  |  | 14 |  |
2022 |  | 24 |  |  | 197 |  |  | 221 |  |  | 12 |  |
2023 |  | 22 |  |  | 186 |  |  | 208 |  |  | 12 |  |
Thereafter |  | 154 |  |  | 883 |  |  | 1,037 |  |  | 220 |  |
Total minimum obligation | 286 |  |
Interest component of obligation | (201 | ) |
Present value of minimum obligation | $ | 85 |  | (c)
(a) | Amounts do not include PPAs accounted for as executory contracts.
(b) | PPA operating leases contractually expire through 2034.
(c) | Excludes certain amounts related to Xcel Energy’s 50% ownership interest in WYCO.
Eloigne and NSP-Wisconsin Low-income Housing Limited Partnerships | Amounts reflected in Xcel Energy’s consolidated balance sheets for the Eloigne and NSP-Wisconsin low-income housing limited partnerships:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Dec. 31, 2018 |  | Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets |  | $ | 5 |  |  | $ | 6 |
Property, plant and equipment, net |  | 42 |  |  | 46 |
Other noncurrent assets |  | 1 |  |  | 1 |
Total assets |  | $ | 48 |  |  | $ | 53 |
Current liabilities |  | $ | 7 |  |  | $ | 9 |
Mortgages and other long-term debt payable |  | 26 |  |  | 26 |
Other noncurrent liabilities |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Total liabilities |  | $ | 33 |  |  | $ | 36 |
Committed Minimum Payments Under Technology Agreements | Committed minimum payments under these obligations:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | IBM Agreement |  | Accenture Agreement
2019 |  | $ | 30 |  |  | $ | 11 |
2020 |  | 16 |  |  | 11 |
2021 |  | 16 |  |  | — |
2022 |  | 7 |  |  | — |
2023 |  | — |  |  | — |
Thereafter |  | — |  |  | — |
Asset Retirement Obligations | Xcel Energy’s AROs were as follows:
|  | Dec. 31, 2018
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Jan. 1, 2018 |  | Amounts Incurred (a) |  | Amounts Settled (b) |  | Accretion |  | Cash Flow Revisions (c) |  | Dec. 31, 2018
Electric |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nuclear |  | $ | 1,874 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 94 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1,968 |
Steam, hydro, and other production |  | 192 |  |  | — |  |  | (14 | ) |  | 8 |  |  | (9 | ) |  | 177 |
Wind |  | 96 |  |  | 12 |  |  | — |  |  | 4 |  |  | 7 |  |  | 119 |
Distribution |  | 21 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |  |  | 20 |  |  | 42 |
Miscellaneous |  | 5 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2 |  |  | 7 |
Natural gas |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transmission and distribution |  | 282 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 13 |  |  | (46 | ) |  | 249 |
Miscellaneous |  | 4 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 4 |
Common |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Miscellaneous |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Non-utility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Miscellaneous |  | — |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Total liability |  | $ | 2,475 |  |  | $ | 13 |  |  | $ | (14 | ) |  | $ | 120 |  |  | $ | (26 | ) |  | $ | 2,568 |
(a) | Amounts incurred related to the PSCo Rush Creek wind farm and Nicollet Projects community solar gardens, which were placed in service in 2018.
(b) | Amounts settled related to asbestos abatement projects and closure of certain ash containment facilities.
(c) | In 2018, AROs were revised for changes in timing and estimates of cash flows. Changes in gas transmission and distribution AROs were primarily related to increased gas line mileage and number of services, which were more than offset by increased discount rates. Changes in electric distribution AROs primarily related to increased labor costs.
|  | Dec. 31, 2017
(Millions of Dollars) |  | Jan. 1, 2017 |  | Amounts Incurred |  | Amounts Settled (a) |  | Accretion |  | Cash Flow Revisions (b) |  | Dec. 31, 2017
Electric |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nuclear |  | $ | 2,249 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 114 |  |  | $ | (489 | ) |  | $ | 1,874 |
Steam, hydro, and other production |  | 205 |  |  | 1 |  |  | (29 | ) |  | 9 |  |  | 6 |  |  | 192 |
Wind |  | 92 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 4 |  |  | — |  |  | 96 |
Distribution |  | 20 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |  |  | — |  |  | 21 |
Miscellaneous |  | 5 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 5 |
Natural gas |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Transmission and distribution |  | 205 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 8 |  |  | 69 |  |  | 282 |
Miscellaneous |  | 4 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 4 |
Common |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Miscellaneous |  | 2 |  |  | — |  |  | (1 | ) |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 1 |
Total liability |  | $ | 2,782 |  |  | $ | 1 |  |  | $ | (30 | ) |  | $ | 136 |  |  | $ | (414 | ) |  | $ | 2,475 |
(a) | Amounts settled related to asbestos abatement, closure of ash containment facilities, and removal and disposal of storage tanks and other above ground equipment.
(b) | In 2017, AROs were revised for changes in timing and estimates of cash flows. Nuclear AROs decreased due to updated assumptions. Changes in gas transmission and distribution AROs were primarily related to increased labor costs.
Plant Removal Costs | g depreciation rates. Accumulated balances by entity at Dec. 31:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | 2018 |  | 2017
NSP-Minnesota |  | $ | 485 |  |  | $ | 442 |
PSCo |  | 344 |  |  | 346 |
SPS |  | 188 |  |  | 197 |
NSP-Wisconsin |  | 158 |  |  | 146 |
Total Xcel Energy |  | $ | 1,175 |  |  | $ | 1,131 |
Reconciliation of Decommissioning Cost Obligation - Regulatory to GAAP |
(Millions of Dollars) |  | 2018 |  | 2017
Discounted decommissioning cost obligation - regulated basis |  | $ | 4,294 |  |  | $ | 4,807 |
Differences in discount rate and market risk premium |  | (1,447 | ) |  | (1,403 | )
O&M costs not included for GAAP |  | (879 | ) |  | (1,041 | )
ARO differences between 2017 and 2014 cost studies |  | — |  |  | (489 | )
Nuclear production decommissioning ARO - GAAP |  | $ | 1,968 |  |  | $ | 1,874 |
Nuclear Decommissioning Expenses Recognized as Result of Regulation |
(Millions of Dollars) |  | 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Annual decommissioning recorded as depreciation expense: (a) (b) |  | $ | 20 |  |  | $ | 20 |  |  | $ | 20 |
Total expense for energy and capacity payments table text block [Table Text Block] | Total expenses (including capacity payments) under operating lease obligations for Xcel Energy and the corresponding capacity payments for PPAs accounted for as operating leases for the year ended Dec. 31:
(Millions of Dollars) |  | 2018 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Total expense |  | $ | 248 |  |  | $ | 246 |  |  | $ | 255 |
Capacity payments |  | 210 |  |  | 210 |  |  | 216 |

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