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Common Stock and Earnings Per Share - Summary of Common Stock (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Class of Stock [Line Items]          
Common Stock Outstanding, Shares   45,900,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding 41,400,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding    
Contributions to Pension, Value   $ 19.5us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan $ 0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan $ 0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan  
Common Stock [Member]          
Class of Stock [Line Items]          
Common Stock Outstanding, Shares   45,929,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
41,401,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
39,377,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
37,513,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Common Stock Outstanding, Value   1,107.6us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
885.2us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
784.7us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
705.6us-gaap_CommonStockValueOutstanding
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Employee Stock Purchase Program, Shares   18,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
16,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
20,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Employee Stock Purchase Program, Value   0.8us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
0.7us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
0.8us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Invest Direct, Shares   378,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
395,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
474,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Invest Direct, Value   18.9us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
18.5us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
19.2us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueDividendReinvestmentPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Options and Stock Awards, Shares   78,000ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
301,000ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
95,000ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Options and Stock Awards, Value   8.0ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
17.9ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
6.0ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationAndEsopGross
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Equity Issuance Program, Shares   1,851,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
1,312,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
1,275,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Equity Issuance Program, Value   90.0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
63.4us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
53.1us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueOther
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Forward Sale Agreement and Issuance, Shares   1,807,000ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesForwardSale
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
     
Forward Sales Agreement and Issuance, Value   85.2ale_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueForwardSale
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
     
Contributions to Pension, Shares 400,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
396,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Contributions to Pension, Value $ 19.5us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
$ 19.5us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
     
Equity Issuance Program Shares Authorized   9,600,000ale_EquityIssuanceProgramSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
     
Equity Issuance Program Shares Available for Issuance   1,300,000ale_EquityIssuanceProgramSharesAvailableForIssuance
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
     
Antidilutive Options to Purchase Shares of Common Stock Excluded from the Computation of Earnings Per Share     0us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
200,000us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember