Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Hudson David T
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
XCEL ENERGY INC [XEL]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President, SPS
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
600 S. TYLER, SPS TOWER
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/01/2018
(Street)

AMARILLO, TX 79101
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/01/2018   F   385.565 D $ 43.28 9,370.788 (1) D  
Common Stock               656.011 (2) I 401(k)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Stock $ 0 (3)               (4)   (4) Common Stock 19,724.475 (5) (6)   19,724.475 (5) (6) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Hudson David T
600 S. TYLER
SPS TOWER
AMARILLO, TX 79101
      President, SPS  

Signatures

 Jodee L. Marble, attorney in fact for David T. Hudson   03/05/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Withholding of stock to satisfy tax withholding obligation on vesting of a previously reported award of restricted stock under the Xcel Energy Executive Annual Incentive Award Program. A fractional share interest was settled in cash in connection with the vesting of the restricted stock award and the withholding of shares for taxes.
(2) Amount reflects aggregate holdings as of March 1, 2018 and includes adjustments made by the Plan administrator to previously reported holdings, which were reported on a filing dated February 22, 2018.
(3) Each share of phantom stock represents the right to receive the cash value of one share of common stock.
(4) Shares of phantom stock become payable in accordance with the reporting person's distribution elections made pursuant to the Xcel Energy Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Plan"). Subject to certain timing restrictions and other limitations based on the source of the amount deferred, the reporting person may generally transfer some or all of the balance in the Plan's Company stock account into an alternative Plan investment account.
(5) The number of shares of phantom stock reflects minor adjustments to the number of phantom shares credited to the reporting person's Company stock account due to the unitized nature of the Plan's Company stock fund.
(6) Amount reflects aggregate holdings as of March 1, 2018 and includes adjustments made by the Plan administrator to previously reported holdings, which were reported on a filing dated February 22, 2018.

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