Common use of Non-Disclosure and Return of Confidential Information Clause in Contracts

Non-Disclosure and Return of Confidential Information. During your employment with Xcel Energy you have or will be given access to and provided with information proprietary to Xcel Energy and not generally known (including trade secret information) about Xcel Energy’s products, services, personnel, technology, research, development, methods, processes, systems, marketing plans, business strategies and plans, merger and acquisition strategies and targets, financial and pricing information, computer programs, source codes, models and databases, analytical models, customer lists and information, and supplier and vendor lists and information (collectively, “Confidential Information”). You agree not to disclose or use Confidential Information, either during or after your employment with the Company or any affiliate, except as required by subpoena or other legal process, in which event you will give Xcel Energy’s General Counsel prompt notice of such subpoena or other legal process in order to permit Xcel Energy any affected individual to seek appropriate protective orders. You further agree to return any and all Confidential Information, whether in hard or electronic format, regardless of the location on which such information may reside, no later than the date of your Termination of Service. Notwithstanding any other language in this Agreement to the contrary, you understand that you may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney if such disclosure is made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or for pursuing an anti-retaliation lawsuit; or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and you do not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to a court order. Additionally, notwithstanding any other language in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement prohibits you from providing confidential information to a government agency or otherwise participating in lawful investigation by any government agency.

Non-Disclosure and Return of Confidential Information. During your employment with Xcel Energy Service you have or will be given access to and provided with information proprietary to Xcel Energy and not generally known (including trade secret information) about Xcel Energy’s products, services, personnel, technology, research, development, methods, processes, systems, marketing plans, business strategies and plans, merger and acquisition strategies and targets, financial and pricing information, computer programs, source codes, models and databases, analytical models, customer lists and information, and supplier and vendor lists and information (collectively, “Confidential Information”). You agree not to disclose or use Confidential Information, either during or after your employment with the Company or any affiliateService, except as required by subpoena or other legal process, in which event you will give Xcel Energy’s General Counsel Chief Legal and Compliance Officer prompt notice of such subpoena or other legal process in order to permit Xcel Energy and any affected individual to seek appropriate protective orders. You further agree to return any and all Confidential Information, whether in hard or electronic format, regardless of the location on which such information may reside, no later than the date of your Termination termination of Service. Notwithstanding any other language in this Agreement to the contrary, you understand that you may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney if such disclosure is made solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or for pursuing an anti-retaliation lawsuit; or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal and you do not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to a court order. Additionally, notwithstanding any other language in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement prohibits you from providing confidential information to a government agency or otherwise participating in lawful investigation by any government agency.