SEC Form 4
FORM 4

[ ] Check this box if no longer
subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form
5 obligations may continue.
See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: December 31, 2001
Estimated average burden
hours per response. . . . . 0.5
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Ariens, Michael     S.
(Last)                      (First)                      (Middle)
700 North Adams Street
P. O. Box 19001
(Street)
Green Bay, WI     54307-9001
(City)                      (State)                      (Zip)

 2. Issuer Name and Ticker
    or Trading Symbol

WPS Resources Corporation   WPS
3. I.R.S. Identification
    Number of Reporting
    Person, if an entity
    (voluntary)
 4. Statement for
    (Month/Year)

    December 12, 2002

5. If Amendment,
    Date of Original
    (Month/Year)
 6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

           X          Director                           10% Owner
                        Officer                             Other

Officer/Other
Description                              
7. Individual or Joint/Group
    Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X   Individual Filing
      Joint/Group Filing
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security
    (Instr. 3)

 2. Transaction Date
    (Month/Day/Year) 		3. Transaction
    Code
    and
    Voluntary
    Code
    (Instr. 8)

Code  |  V    
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed (D) Of
    (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)





        Amount      |         A/D         |         Price          
5. Amount of
    Securities
    Beneficially
    Owned at
    End of Month

    (Instr. 3 and 4) 		6. Owner-
    ship
    Form:
    Direct(D)
    or
    Indirect (I)

    (Instr. 4) 		7. Nature of
     Indirect
     Beneficial
     Ownership

    (Instr. 4)
Common Stock


426.0000
D
Common Stock


5.0000
I
 By M&M Ariens, Inc.
Common Stock


3,680.8064
I
 By M&M Ariens, Inc. by SIP
Common Stock


496.6593
I
 By Stock Investment Plan







Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

(over)
SEC 1474 (3-99)

Ariens, Michael S. - December 2002
Form 4 (continued)
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
    (Instr. 3) 		2. Conver-
    sion or
    Exercise
    Price of
    Deri-
    vative
    Security 		3. Transaction
    Date

    (Month/
    Day/
    Year) 		4. Transaction
    Code
    and
    Voluntary (V)
    Code
    (Instr.8)





Code | V    
5. Number of Derivative
    Securities Acquired (A)
    or Disposed (D) Of

    (Instr. 3,4 and 5) 		6. Date Exercisable(DE) and
    Expiration Date(ED)
    (Month/Day/Year)








  (DE)     |     (ED)  
 7. Title and Amount of
    Underlying Securities
    (Instr. 3 and 4) 		8. Price
    of
    Derivative
    Security
    (Instr.5) 		9. Number of
    Derivative
    Securities
    Beneficially
    Owned
    at End of
    Month
    (Instr.4) 		10.
Owner-
ship
Form of
Deriv-
ative
Security:
Direct
(D)
or
Indirect
(I) 		11. Nature of
      Indirect
      Beneficial
      Ownership
      (Instr.4)
Deferred Stock Unit
 1-for-1 12/12/2002
A (1) |     
    (A) 790.3056
Varies (2) | Varies (2)
 Common Stock - 790.3056 $37.96 2,696.5501
D
Phantom Stock Unit
 1-for-1


Varies (2) | Varies (2)
 Common Stock - 7,512.9266
7,512.9266
D











Explanation of Responses :


** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
        See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note:   File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient,
            See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not
required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number. 		________________________________            12-18-2002    
** Signature of Reporting Person                         Date

Barth J. Wolf (See POA filed August 2002)
Michael S. Ariens


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SEC 1474 (3-99)
Ariens, Michael S. - December 2002
Form 4 (continued)
FOOTNOTE Descriptions for WPS Resources Corporation WPS

Form 4 - December 2002

Michael S. Ariens
700 North Adams Street
P. O. Box 19001
Green Bay, WI 54307-9001
Explanation of responses:

 (1)   Award of deferred stock units under WPS Resources Corporation Non-Employee Director Deferred Compensation and Deferred Stock Unit Plan.
(2)   Unless the participant has selected a later commencement date, distribution of stock and equivalents will commence within 60 days following the end of the calendar year in which occurs the participant's retirement or termination as director.
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