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Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies - Power Purchase Agreements (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2014
MW
Years
Mar. 31, 2015
MW
Square Butte PPA [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
PPA Counterparty Debt Outstanding $ 402.9us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAmountOfLongTermDebtOrLeaseObligationOutstanding
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
       
Annual Debt Service 45us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAnnualMinimumDebtServicePaymentRequired
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
       
Power Purchased under Long-term Contracts 70.1us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPowerUnderLongTermContracts
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
71.1us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPowerUnderLongTermContracts
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
67.1us-gaap_UtilitiesOperatingExpensePurchasedPowerUnderLongTermContracts
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
   
Interest Expense 10.5us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerInterestIncludedInContractCharges
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
10.5us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerInterestIncludedInContractCharges
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
11.1us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerInterestIncludedInContractCharges
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
   
Square Butte PPA [Member] | Square Butte Coal-fired Unit [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Generating Unit Capacity (MW) 455.0ale_GeneratingCapacityMw
/ ale_GeneratingFacilityAxisAxis
= ale_SquareButteCoalFiredUnitMember
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
       
Output Entitlement 50.00%us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchased
/ ale_GeneratingFacilityAxisAxis
= ale_SquareButteCoalFiredUnitMember
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_SquareButtePpaMember
       
Minnkota PPA [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 50ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_MinnkotaPpaMember
       
Oliver Wind I PPA [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 50ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_OliverWindIPpaMember
       
Fixed Capacity Charges 0ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerFixedCapacityCarges
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_OliverWindIPpaMember
       
Oliver Wind II PPA [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 48ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_OliverWindIiPpaMember
       
Fixed Capacity Charges $ 0ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerFixedCapacityCarges
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_OliverWindIiPpaMember
       
Manitoba Hydro PPA (expires May 2020) [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 50ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPPAexpiresMay2020Member
       
Manitoba Hydro PPA (expires April 2022) [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MWh) 1,000,000ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMwh
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPpaExpiresApril2022Member
       
Manitoba Hydro PPA (expires 2035) [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 250ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPpaExpires2035Member
       
Term of Contract (Years) 15ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerTermOfContractYears
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPpaExpires2035Member
       
Manitoba Hydro PPA (expires 2040) [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW)       133ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPPAexpires2040Member
 
Term of Contract (Years)       20ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerTermOfContractYears
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_ManitobaHydroPPAexpires2040Member
 
Great River Energy PPA (expires 2020) [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW) 50ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_GreatRiverEnergyPPAexpires2020Member
       
Great River Energy Capacity Only PPA (expires 2020) [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]          
Power Purchase Agreements [Line Items]          
Output Being Purchased (MW)         50ale_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerShareOfPlantOutputBeingPurchasedMw
/ us-gaap_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfElectricPowerAxis
= ale_GreatRiverEnergyCapacityOnlyPPAexpires2020Member
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember