Xcel Energy 2010 Annual Report Download - page 56

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Item 3 — Legal Proceedings
In the normal course of business, various lawsuits and claims have arisen against Xcel Energy. After consultation with legal
counsel, Xcel Energy has recorded an estimate of the probable cost of settlement or other disposition for such matters.
Legal Contingencies
Nuclear Waste Disposal Litigation — In 1998, NSP-Minnesota filed a complaint in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the
United States requesting breach of contract damages for the DOE failure to begin accepting spent nuclear fuel by Jan. 31, 1998, as
required by the contract between the DOE and NSP-Minnesota. At trial, NSP-Minnesota claimed damages in excess of
$100 million through Dec. 31, 2004. In September 2007, the court awarded NSP-Minnesota $116.5 million in damages. In
February 2008, the DOE filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and NSP-Minnesota cross-appealed
on the cost of capital issue. It is uncertain when the Court will issue a decision. Results of the judgment will not be recorded in
earnings until the appeal, regulatory treatment and amounts to be shared with ratepayers have been resolved. Given the
uncertainties, it is unclear as to how much, if any, of this judgment will ultimately have an effect on Xcel Energy’s consolidated
results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
In August 2007, NSP-Minnesota filed a second complaint against the DOE in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (NSP II), again
claiming breach of contract damages for the DOE’s continuing failure to abide by the terms of the contract. This lawsuit will
claim damages for the period Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2008, which includes costs associated with the storage of spent
nuclear fuel at Prairie Island and Monticello, as well as the costs of complying with state regulation relating to the storage of spent
nuclear fuel. Per the court’s scheduling order, NSP-Minnesota believes that it has suffered damages in excess of $250 million.
The DOE claims NSP-Minnesota is entitled to at most approximately $55 million. Trial is expected to take place in 2011.
Additional Information
See Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of legal claims and environmental proceedings. See
Item 1, Item 7 and Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements for a discussion of proceedings involving utility rates and
other regulatory matters.
Item 4 — Reserved
PART II
Item 5 — Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities
Quarterly Stock Data
Xcel Energy’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The trading symbol is XEL. The following are
the reported high and low sales prices based on the NYSE Composite Transactions for the quarters of 2010 and 2009 and the
dividends declared per share during those quarters.
2010 High Low Dividends
First quarter ................................................................ $ 21.76 $ 19.82 $ 0.2450
Second quarter ............................................................. 22.14 19.81 0.2525
Third quarter ............................................................... 23.28 20.47 0.2525
Fourth quarter .............................................................. 24.36 23.02 0.2525
2009 High Low Dividends
First quarter ................................................................ $ 19.13 $ 16.01 $ 0.2375
Second quarter ............................................................. 18.98 16.83 0.2450
Third quarter ............................................................... 20.29 17.44 0.2450
Fourth quarter .............................................................. 21.94 18.53 0.2450