Xcel Energy Rebates and Coverage Area

Who Is Xcel Energy?

Xcel Energy is a well-established, publicly traded utility company (NASDAQ: XEL) founded in 1909 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It serves nearly 3.9 million electricity customers and 2.2 million natural gas customers across parts of eight U.S. states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Xcel operates through four main subsidiaries: Northern States Power (Minnesota), Northern States Power (Wisconsin), Public Service Company of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service Company.

What truly sets Xcel Energy apart is its forward-thinking vision. They were one of the first major U.S. energy providers to set an ambitious goal of providing 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, and they’re already making incredible strides, they’ve reduced carbon emissions from their electricity supply by a whopping 57% since 2005!

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Xcel’s Coverage Area

Xcel is a regulated utility across all its service areas. This means they own and maintain the infrastructure, like power lines and substations, and handle delivery, billing, and customer service.

Minnesota, North Dakota & South Dakota

• Subsidiary: Northern States Power-Minnesota
• Major Areas Served: In Minnesota, the Twin Cities region (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) is a central hub, along with surrounding suburbs and smaller regional cities. For instance, Minneapolis receives electricity from Xcel, while gas is handled by CenterPoint Energy, but Xcel covers both in many surrounding suburban and rural areas. In North and South Dakota, Xcel serves various smaller cities and rural areas across the states.
• Energy Offered: Electricity and natural gas in many parts, particularly in Minnesota; more limited presence in SD and ND.

2. Wisconsin & Michigan

• Subsidiary: Northern States Power–Wisconsin
• Major Cities: In Wisconsin, Xcel serves cities like Milwaukee’s western suburbs, parts of Madison, and other central or northern communities. In Michigan, its presence is relatively small, mainly the Upper Peninsula and potentially some areas near the Wisconsin border.
• Energy Offered: Electricity and natural gas, though the reach in Michigan is somewhat limited compared to other states.

3. Colorado

• Subsidiary: Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo).
• Major Cities: Xcel powers the Denver metro area and its suburbs, think Boulder, Aurora, Westminster, and further along the I‑25 corridor.
• Energy Offered: Electricity and natural gas statewide in its service network.

4. New Mexico & Texas (Panhandle region)

• Subsidiary: Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS).
• Major Areas: In New Mexico, Xcel/SPS serves eastern and northeastern parts, including cities like Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and eastern rural counties. In Texas, coverage is primarily in the Panhandle, cities like Amarillo and other nearby communities.
• Energy Offered: Electricity and natural gas in both states, though natural gas service may vary by community.

No Deregulation in Texas (or Elsewhere Under Xcel)

Even in Texas, where parts of the state have deregulated markets, Xcel does not offer retail competition. In its Panhandle service territory, Xcel remains the regulated utility, meaning they supply and manage both delivery and billing, with no option for consumers to “shop around” for a retail provider. That’s the case across all eight states they serve.

Where Does Your Energy Come From?

This is where Xcel Energy truly shines. They are a national leader in clean energy, and the electricity that powers your home comes from a diverse mix of sources. This commitment means you’re supporting a greener grid just by being their customer!

• In 2023, approximately 50% of its electricity generation came from carbon-free sources, mainly wind and nuclear.
• They own and operate three wind farms and two nuclear power plants (Monticello and Prairie Island in Minnesota).
• They also use biomass and manage innovative waste-to-energy facilities, such as the Bay Front plant in Wisconsin, which burns alternative fuels like wood waste, tires, and petroleum coke.
• Xcel has set an ambitious goal to achieve 80% carbon reduction by 2035 and reach 100% clean, carbon-free electricity by 2050.

They are constantly investing in new projects. For example, just recently they announced a massive portfolio of new power projects in Texas and New Mexico, adding over 5,000 megawatts of new capacity from a mix of wind, solar, battery storage, and dispatchable generation to meet soaring demand.

Outages: How to Search & Report Them

If you’re concerned about outages or just want to be prepared:

• Visit Xcel’s online outage map to check real-time power interruptions.
• You can also report outages through several convenient channels:
  • Their mobile app
  • The Xcel Energy website
  • Or by calling 800‑895‑1999, especially if the outage lasts longer than 90 minutes.

In high-demand situations (like heatwaves), controlled, rotating outages may be used. Xcel will notify customers, and they encourage reporting if an outage lasts beyond about 90 minutes.

The Xcel Energy App

Think of the Xcel Energy app as your remote control for your energy account. It’s free, secure, and puts incredible control right in your pocket. Here’s what you can do:

• Pay your bill instantly and securely.
• Report and check the status of power outages.
• Monitor your energy usage with easy-to-read graphs to understand your habits and find ways to save.
• Manage your account settings and set up alerts for billing or outages.

It’s a must-have for any Xcel Energy customer!

Rebates, Discounts & Incentives

One of the most compelling reasons to consider Xcel is their robust lineup of energy-saving programs—many of them stackable with federal incentives:

Home Upgrades & Weatherization

• Through programs like the Home Energy Squad, Xcel offers home energy audits and direct-install services.
• You can get upfront rebates, for example, up to $950 for insulation and air sealing in Colorado.
• Plus, federal IRA tax credits can cover 30% of costs up to $1,200 per year after rebates.

Heat Pumps (Space & Water Heating)

• Heat pump rebates: Up to $2,200, with an additional $600 bonus if you upgrade your home envelope too.
• Heat pump water heaters: Rebates up to $800, with a 30% IRA tax credit capped at $2,000.

Solar (Rooftop & Distributed)

• Federal tax credits cover 30% of costs.
• Xcel’s Solar*Rewards program pays you for Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and credits excess energy back to your bills.

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

• Charging power at home can cost less than $1 per gallon equivalent, and even under $0.75 with off‑peak rates.
• You may be eligible for both federal rebates (up to $7,500 new, $4,000 used) and state-specific credits (in Colorado, up to $5,000 for new EVs $80k MSRP and an extra $2,500 if under $35k).

Broad Efficiency & Community Programs

Xcel’s programs have delivered impressive energy savings across many states:

• Minnesota: Programs saved enough electricity for about 48,300 homes and natural gas for 9,530 homes.
• Colorado: Efficiency programs saved electricity equivalent for 55,600 homes, and gas for 10,600 homes.
• Wisconsin, Texas, North Dakota, New Mexico: Similar impactful results, tailored to regional needs.

Why It Matters to You

If you’re considering switching, or simply want to make sure you’re getting the best energy value, Xcel offers plenty to consider:

• While most of their service areas are regulated, the quality of their services, infrastructure, and environmental commitments are strong.
• Their suite of rebates, efficiency programs, and incentives, combined with federal credits, makes for a great chance to lower energy bills long-term.
• The app, outage support, and reliability efforts give you confidence in their responsiveness and customer service.
• Their transition toward clean energy is not just talk, they’re already back half their generation with wind and nuclear and targeting full decarbonization by 2050.
• This company is deeply invested in the communities it serves. Through the Xcel Energy Foundation and employee volunteering, they donated $14.5 million across their eight states and spurred billions in economic development, helping create thousands of new jobs.

Xcel Energy is a warm, dependable utility with deep roots in the Midwest and Southwest. They’re moving toward a cleaner future, offering incredibly helpful incentives and tools to help customers save money and reduce carbon footprints. Whether you’re monitoring your bill, filing an outage, or planning a solar upgrade or heat pump installation, they’ve got programs and support designed to help. It’s all about making energy not only more reliable, but smarter and friendlier too.

FAQs About Xcel Energy

About the Author

David Cosseboom

David has been an integral part of some of the biggest utility sites on the internet, including InMyArea.com, HighSpeedInternet.com, BroadbandNow.com, and U.S. News. He brings over 15 years of experience writing about, compiling and analyzing utility data.