OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Inventories – Net. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Inventories in our Regulated Operations and ALLETE Clean Energy segments are carried at an average cost or first-in, first-out basis. Inventories in our U.S. Water Services segment and Corporate and Other operations are carried at an average cost, first-in, first-out or specific identification basis.



Inventories – Net	June 30, 2017			December 31, 2016
Millions
Fuel (a)		$45.0			$43.9
Materials and Supplies	48.0			48.7
Raw Materials	2.8			2.9
Work in Progress	0.3			1.0
Finished Goods	8.3			8.6
Reserve for Obsolescence	(1.0		)	(0.9		)
Total Inventories – Net		$103.4			$104.2


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



Prepayments and Other Current Assets	June 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Millions
Deferred Fuel Adjustment Clause		$16.7		$18.6
Restricted Cash	3.7		2.2
Other	18.4		19.5
Total Prepayments and Other Current Assets		$38.8		$40.3



Other Non-Current Assets	June 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Millions
Contract Payment		$28.4		$29.6
Finance Receivable	11.5		11.5
Restricted Cash	8.6		8.6
Other	56.3		56.8
Total Other Non-Current Assets		$104.8		$106.5

NOTE 1. OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)



Other Current Liabilities	June 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Millions
PSAs		$24.7		$24.6
Other	45.4		49.1
Total Other Current Liabilities		$70.1		$73.7



Other Non-Current Liabilities	June 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Millions
Asset Retirement Obligation		$158.2		$136.6
PSAs	101.5		113.8
Contingent Consideration (a)	5.5		25.0
Other	43.9		47.3
Total Other Non-Current Liabilities		$309.1		$322.7


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

Supplemental Statement of Cash Flows Information.



Six Months Ended June 30,	2017		2016
Millions
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized		$32.5		$32.9
Cash Paid During the Period for Income Taxes		$0.3		$0.4
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Decrease in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment	$(0.4)		$(24.4)
Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs		$19.7		$2.3
AFUDC–Equity		$0.4		$1.2
ALLETE Common Stock Contributed to the Pension Plans		$13.5	—

Subsequent Events. The Company performed an evaluation of subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosure through the date of the financial statements issuance.

New Accounting Pronouncements.

Recently Adopted Pronouncements

Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. In 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which requires entities that measure inventory using the first-in, first-out or average cost methods to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. This accounting guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2017 and did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the accounting for share-based payment transactions by requiring all excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be recognized in income tax expense or benefit in earnings, thus eliminating the requirement to classify the excess tax benefit and deficiencies as additional paid-in capital. Under the new guidance, an entity makes an accounting policy election to either estimate the expected forfeiture awards or account for forfeitures as they occur. This accounting guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2017. The adoption of this guidance is expected to result in a less than $1 million impact to income tax expense (benefit) annually.

NOTE 1. OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

New Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)

Clarifying the Definition of a Business. In January 2017, the FASB issued clarifying guidance on the definition of a business and provided additional guidance to assist with evaluating whether transactions are to be accounted for as an acquisition or disposal of a group of assets or a business. The clarifying guidance will also impact other areas including the accounting for goodwill and consolidation. This accounting guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2017 and did not have an impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Stock Compensation: Scope of Modification Accounting. In May 2017, the FASB issued additional clarifying guidance regarding circumstances where changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. The guidance provides specific situations that would be excluded from effects of a modification including if the fair value, vesting conditions, and classification are the same before and after modification. The amendments in this update will be applied prospectively to awards modified on or after adoption. This accounting guidance was adopted by the Company in the second quarter of 2017 and did not have an impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recently Issued Pronouncements

Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. In January 2017, the FASB issued updated guidance which simplifies the measurement of goodwill impairment by removing step two of the goodwill impairment test that requires the determination of the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit. The updated guidance requires goodwill impairment to be measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2020, with early adoption permitted on a prospective basis.

Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance to improve the presentation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs. Under the revised guidance of ASC 715, an entity shall present the service cost component of the net periodic benefit cost in the same income statement line as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. The guidance also allows only the service cost component of the periodic cost to be eligible for capitalization. The standard will be applied retrospectively for income statement presentation, and prospectively for capitalization of service cost components. Although the non-service components of pension and other postretirement benefit costs are excluded from capitalization, they are considered allowable costs for ratemaking and will be recorded as regulatory assets or liabilities for the regulated portion of the Company. We do not expect there to be a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements with the adoption of the updated guidance which is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2018.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In 2014, the FASB issued amended revenue recognition guidance that clarifies the principles for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers by providing a single comprehensive model to determine the measurement of revenue and timing of recognition. The guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance also requires expanded disclosures relating to the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Additionally, qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required regarding customer contracts, significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. As of June 30, 2017, the Company has reviewed nearly all of its revenue streams and contracts for its regulated businesses, completing the preliminary evaluations of the impact of this guidance. Additional review and analysis is being performed on the Company’s energy infrastructure and related services businesses. The Company does not expect the update to significantly affect results of its regulated operations, which represent the majority of revenue, or the remaining revenue from its energy infrastructure and related services businesses. Management continues to monitor and evaluate the unresolved industry related issues, primarily around step versus strip pricing, long-term contract minimums and principal versus agent considerations. The Company currently expects to implement the new standard on a modified retrospective basis which requires application of standards to contracts with customers effective January 1, 2018, with the cumulative impact on contracts not yet completed as of December 31, 2017, recognized as an adjustment to retained earnings on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The Company will adopt this guidance for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

NOTE 1. OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

New Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)

Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which revises the existing guidance for leases. Under the revised guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a “right-of-use” asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The new standard also requires additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures by lessees and lessors to enable users of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The accounting for leases by lessors and the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows from leases are not expected to significantly change as a result of the updated guidance. The revised guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2019 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the revised lease guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which requires entities to measure their investments at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income unless the investments qualify for the new practicability exception. The practicability exception will be available for equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values. The updated guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2018 and will result in a cumulative‑effect adjustment to retained earnings on the Consolidated Balance Sheet in the fiscal year of adoption. We have performed a preliminary evaluation of the impact of this update, and based on that evaluation, we do not expect the adoption of the update to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which addresses the following eight specific cash flow issues: debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; settlement of zero‑coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing; contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies); distributions received from equity method investees; beneficial interests in securitization transactions; and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2018. We do not expect the update to have a material impact on our Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash. In November 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update related to the presentation of restricted cash in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The update requires that the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows explain the change during the period in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. Restricted cash should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2018 and will be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. The guidance will result in changes to the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows such that restricted cash amounts will be included in the beginning-of-period and end-of-period cash and cash equivalents totals when adopted for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

Revision of Prior Balance Sheet. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company identified an error related to the deferred income tax treatment associated with its Wholesale and Retail Contra AFUDC Regulatory Liability. The Company evaluated the materiality of the error and concluded that it was not material to any previously issued historical financial statements. The Company has revised its Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2016, by decreasing Regulatory Assets and Deferred Income Taxes by $29.5 million. The correction had no impact on our Consolidated Statement of Income.

Reclassification of Prior Income Statement. Beginning with the second quarter of 2017, the Company enhanced its presentation of Operating Revenue and certain Operating Expenses on the Consolidated Statement of Income by presenting the caption Operating Revenue separately as Operating Revenue – Utility and Operating Revenue – Non-utility. In conformity with the current presentation, we now present $234.9 million and $487.2 million of Operating Revenue as Operating Revenue – Utility for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, as it is generated from our regulated utility operations. Non-utility revenue of $79.9 million and $161.4 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, is now presented as Operating Revenue – Non-utility. In addition, the captions Fuel and Purchased Power and Cost of Sales have been updated to Fuel, Purchased Power and Gas – Utility and Cost of Sales – Non-utility. As a result, we have reclassified $0.9 million relating to the cost of gas sales at SWL&P from Cost of Sales – Non-utility to Fuel, Purchased Power and Gas – Utility for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, and $3.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.