Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]



Inventories	September 30, 2016			December 31, 2015
Millions
Fuel (a)		$45.9			$58.1
Materials and Supplies	49.8			49.1
Raw Materials	3.3			2.7
Work in Progress	1.1			—
Finished Goods	7.8			7.5
Reserve for Obsolescence	(0.5		)	(0.3		)
Total Inventories		$107.4			$117.1


(a)	Fuel consists primarily of coal inventory at Minnesota Power.

Prepayments and Other Current Assets [Table Text Block]



Prepayments and Other Current Assets	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Deferred Fuel Adjustment Clause		$16.8		$10.6
Restricted Cash (a)	7.0		5.6
Other	15.1		19.5
Total Prepayments and Other Current Assets		$38.9		$35.7


(a)	Restricted Cash includes collateral deposits required under ALLETE Clean Energy’s loan agreements and cash pledged as collateral for U.S. Water Services’ standby letters of credit.

Other Non-Current Assets [Table Text Block]



Other Non-Current Assets	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Contract Payment (a)		$30.1	—
Finance Receivable (b)	11.6		—
Restricted Cash (c)	4.6			$8.1
Other	60.2		60.0
Total Other Non-Current Assets		$106.5		$68.1


(a)	Contract Payment includes a $31.0 million payment made to Cliffs as part of a long-term power sales agreement between Minnesota Power and Silver Bay Power. The contract payment will be amortized over the term of the sales agreement. (See Note 13. Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies.)

(b)

On September 22, 2016, ALLETE Properties sold its Ormond Crossings project and Lake Swamp wetland mitigation bank for consideration of approximately $21 million. The consideration included a down payment in the form of 0.1 million shares of ALLETE common stock with a value of $8.0 million. The remaining purchase price will be paid under the terms of a finance receivable due over a five-year period which bears interest at market rates and is collateralized by the property sold.


(c)	Restricted Cash includes collateral deposits required under ALLETE Clean Energy’s loan agreements and PPAs.

Other Current Liabilities [Table Text Block]



Other Current Liabilities	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Customer Deposits		$9.0		$15.1
Power Purchase Agreements	24.3		23.3
Other	60.3		47.7
Total Other Current Liabilities		$93.6		$86.1

Other Non-Current Liabilities [Table Text Block]



Other Non-Current Liabilities	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Asset Retirement Obligation		$136.5		$131.4
Power Purchase Agreements	119.8		138.1
Contingent Consideration (a)	37.9		36.6
Other	41.7		42.9
Total Other Non-Current Liabilities		$335.9		$349.0


(a)	Contingent Consideration relates to the estimated fair value of the earnings-based payment resulting from the U.S. Water Services acquisition. (See Note 3. Acquisitions and Note 5. Fair Value.)

Supplemental Statement of Cash Flows Information [Table Text Block]

Supplemental Statement of Cash Flows Information.



Nine Months Ended September 30,	2016		2015
Millions
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized		$54.9		$46.6
Cash Paid During the Period for Income Taxes		$0.5		$0.1
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Decrease in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment	$(19.5)		$(26.8)
Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs		$3.7		$7.8
AFUDC–Equity		$1.7		$2.6
Contingent Consideration	—			$35.7
ALLETE Common Stock Received for Land Inventory		$8.0	—
Long-Term Finance Receivable for Land Inventory		$12.0	—