Exhibit 23.02






                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-82352 (relating to Xcel Energy Inc.'s
$1,000,000,000 Debt Securities, Common Stock, and Rights to Purchase Common
Stock), Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 33-36270 and 333-74996 (relating
to the Xcel Energy Inc. Direct Purchase Plan), Registration Statement on Form
S-8 No. 333-54460 (relating to the Xcel Energy Inc. Executive Annual Incentive
Award Plan), Registration Statement on Form S-8 No. 333-51786 (relating to the
Xcel Energy Inc. Executive Long-Term Incentive Award Stock Plan), Registration
Statement on Form S-8 No. 2-61264 (relating to the Northern States Power Company
Employee Stock Ownership Plan), Registration Statements on Form S-8 No. 33-38700
and 333-91495 (relating to the Northern States Power Company Executive Long-Term
Incentive Award Stock Plan), Registration Statement on Form S-8 No. 333-48610
(relating to the New Century Energies, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan; Public
Service Company of Colorado Omnibus Incentive Plan; Southwestern Public Service
Company 1989 Stock Incentive Plan; Southwestern Public Service Company Employee
Investment Plan; and Southwestern Public Service Company Directors' Deferred
Compensation Plan), Registration Statement on Form S-8 No. 333-48604 (relating
to the New Century Energies, Inc. Employee Investment Plan for Bargaining Unit
Employees and Former Non-Bargaining Unit Employees; New Century Energies, Inc.
Employees' Savings and Stock Ownership Plan For Bargaining Unit Employees and
Former Non-Bargaining Unit Employees; and New Century Energies, Inc. Employees'
Savings and Stock Ownership Plan For Non-Bargaining Unit Employees),
Registration Statement on Form S-8 No. 333-104507 (relating to the Xcel Energy
Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan), Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-108446
(relating to the Xcel Energy Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan), Registration
Statement on Form S-8 No. 333-48590 (relating to the Xcel Energy Inc. Omnibus
Incentive Plan), Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-46842 (relating to
Xcel Energy Inc.'s $1,000,000,000 Principal Amount of Debt Securities),
Registration Statement on Form S-3 No. 333-35482 (relating to the acquisition of
Natrogas, Inc.), Registration Statement on Form S-4 No. 333-109601 (relating to
the exchange of Xcel Energy senior notes), Post-Effective Amendment No. A-1 on
Form S-8 to Registration Statement on Form S-4 No. 333-84264 (relating to the
NRG Energy, Inc. Tender Offer), and Post-Effective Amendment No. B-1 on Form S-3
to Registration Statement on Form S-4 No. 333-84264 (relating to the NRG Energy,
Inc. Tender Offer) of our report dated March 28, 2003, except as to Notes 29 and
30, which are as of December 3, 2003, relating to the consolidated financial
statements of NRG Energy, Inc., which report appears in this Annual Report on
Form 10-K.



/S/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 12, 2004