SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) of the
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) February 25, 1999


                       SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
                    ----------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


                                   New Mexico
                              --------------------
                          (State or Other Jurisdiction
                                of Incorporation)


               1-3789                                  75-0575400
          ----------------                          -----------------
        (Commission File No.)                         (IRS Employer
                                                   Identification No.)


      Tyler at Sixth, Amarillo, Texas                     79101
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)         (Zip Code)


        Registrant's telephone number, including area code(303) 571-7511



<PAGE>





Item 5.  OTHER EVENTS

Reference is made to the exhibits filed in Item 7.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AND EXHIBITS.

Item 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

      (c)  Exhibits

           Exhibit A. Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
           Exhibit B. Letter on unaudited financial information of Arthur
                      Andersen LLP




                                       1
<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.




                                         SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY


                                             /s/Brian P. Jackson
                                          -----------------------------
                                              Brian P. Jackson
                                          Senior vice President, Finance and
                                           Administrative Services
                                          Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer


Dated:   February 25, 1999



                                       2
<PAGE>



                                                                      EXHIBIT A

                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

As independent  public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the  incorporation by
reference  in  the  Prospectus  Supplement  covering  $100,000,000  of unsecured
securities of our report dated February 23, 1999,  included in the  Southwestern
Public  Service  Company Form 8-K,  dated  February  23, 1999,  our report dated
February 13, 1998, included in the Southwestern Public Service Company Form 10-K
(included in the New Century  Energies,  Inc. combined Form 10-K) as of December
31, 1997 and for the year then ended, and to all references to our Firm included
in the Prospectus Supplement.


                                                         ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Denver, Colorado
February 25, 1999


<PAGE>


                                                                      EXHIBIT B

                    LETTER ON UNAUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION


February 25, 1999

Southwestern Public Service Company:

We are aware that  Southwestern  Public  Service  Company  has  incorporated  by
reference,  in  the  Prospectus  Supplement  covering  $100,000,000 of unsecured
securities, its Form 10-Q's for the quarters ended March 31, 1998, June 30, 1998
and September 30, 1998, which include our reports dated May 14, 1998, August 10,
1998 and  November  5, 1998,  respectively,  covering  the  unaudited  condensed
financial  statements  contained  therein.   Pursuant  to  Regulation  C of  the
Securities  Act of  1933,  those  reports  are  not  considered  a part  of the
Prospectus  Supplement  prepared or certified by our Firm or reports prepared or
certified by our Firm within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.


                                                         ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE CO", "cik": "0000092521", "assigned-sic": "4911", "irs-number": "750575400", "state-of-incorporation": "NM", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-03789", "film-number": "99550536"}, "business-address": {"street1": "SPS TOWER", "street2": "TYLER AT SIXTH ST", "city": "AMARILLO", "state": "TX", "zip": "79101", "phone": "8063782121"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 1261", "city": "AMARILLO", "state": "TX", "zip": "79170"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) of the
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) February 25, 1999

                       SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
                    ----------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

                                   New Mexico
                              --------------------
                          (State or Other Jurisdiction
                                of Incorporation)

               1-3789                                  75-0575400
          ----------------                          -----------------
        (Commission File No.)                         (IRS Employer
                                                   Identification No.)

      Tyler at Sixth, Amarillo, Texas                     79101
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)         (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code(303) 571-7511
Item 5.  OTHER EVENTS

Reference is made to the exhibits filed in Item 7.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AND EXHIBITS.

Item 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

      (c)  Exhibits

           Exhibit A. Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP
           Exhibit B. Letter on unaudited financial information of Arthur
                      Andersen LLP

                                       1
SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                         SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY

                                             /s/Brian P. Jackson
                                          -----------------------------
                                              Brian P. Jackson
                                          Senior vice President, Finance and
                                           Administrative Services
                                          Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Dated:   February 25, 1999

                                       2
EXHIBIT A

                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

As independent  public  accountants,  we hereby consent to the  incorporation by
reference  in  the  Prospectus  Supplement  covering  $100,000,000  of unsecured
securities of our report dated February 23, 1999,  included in the  Southwestern
Public  Service  Company Form 8-K,  dated  February  23, 1999,  our report dated
February 13, 1998, included in the Southwestern Public Service Company Form 10-K
(included in the New Century  Energies,  Inc. combined Form 10-K) as of December
31, 1997 and for the year then ended, and to all references to our Firm included
in the Prospectus Supplement.

                                                         ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Denver, Colorado
February 25, 1999
EXHIBIT B

                    LETTER ON UNAUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

February 25, 1999

Southwestern Public Service Company:

We are aware that  Southwestern  Public  Service  Company  has  incorporated  by
reference,  in  the  Prospectus  Supplement  covering  $100,000,000 of unsecured
securities, its Form 10-Q's for the quarters ended March 31, 1998, June 30, 1998
and September 30, 1998, which include our reports dated May 14, 1998, August 10,
1998 and  November  5, 1998,  respectively,  covering  the  unaudited  condensed
financial  statements  contained  therein.   Pursuant  to  Regulation  C of  the
Securities  Act of  1933,  those  reports  are  not  considered  a part  of the
Prospectus  Supplement  prepared or certified by our Firm or reports prepared or
certified by our Firm within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.

                                                         ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP