Xcel remains atop wind-power rankings

Xcel Energy Inc. remains the largest wind power provider in the United States according to a wind-energy group.

The American Wind Energy Association released its annual rankings of wind energy development in the United States Wednesday, and rated Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) as the largest provider of wind power in the U.S for the second consecutive year. At the end of the 2006, Xcel Energy had 1323 megawatts of wind on its system.

Dick Kelly CEO of Xcel Energy, said in a press release, "We're committed to increasing our use of clean, abundant, renewable power throughout our service territory and minimizing our impact on the environment."

The rankings include states that generate the most electricity from wind, the nation's largest wind farms, leading suppliers of wind turbines and other industry information. Overall, Minnesota ranked fourth on the list behind Texas, California and Iowa.

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