Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Cash Contributions by Employer

No definition available.

Name:	ale_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAssetsCashContributionsbyEmployer
Namespace Prefix:	ale_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of reason for changes in benefit obligation and plan assets of defined benefit plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 60
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414203&loc=d3e39689-114964

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (r)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExplanationOfSignificantChangeInBenefitObligationOrPlanAssetsNotApparentFromOtherRequiredDisclosures
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of plan compensation cost recognized during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109244661&loc=d3e17540-113929

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for pension and other postretirement benefits. Includes, but is not limited to, employer contribution to fund plan asset and payment to retiree.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitContributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period to an employee benefit plan, such as a defined contribution or defined benefit plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeBenefitPlan
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Value of shares issued during the period to an employee benefit plan, such as a defined contribution or defined benefit plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeBenefitPlan
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=ale_VebaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_TrustForBenefitOfEmployeesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans - Contributions (Details) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Value		$ 0.0	$ 0.0	$ 13.5
ESOP Compensation Expense		$ 10.8	$ 11.4	$ 11.0
Common Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Shares		0	0	200
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Value				$ 13.5
Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Cash		$ 10.4	$ 15.0	1.7
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Value		$ 0.0		$ 0.0
Defined Benefit Plan - Amendments		The non-union defined benefit pension plan was frozen in 2018, and does not allow further crediting of service or earnings to the plan. Further, it is closed to new participants. The Minnesota Power union defined benefit pension plan is also closed to new participants.
Expected Employer Contributions in 2020		$ 0.0
Pension Plan [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Cash	$ 10.7
Pension Plan [Member] \| Common Stock [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Shares				216
Employer Contributions to Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Common Stock Value				$ 13.5
Postretirement Health and Life [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Expected Employer Contributions in 2020		0.0
Postretirement Health and Life [Member] \| VEBA [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Other Postretirement Benefit Plans		0.0	0.0	0.0
Postretirement Health and Life [Member] \| Irrevocable Grantor Trust [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Employer Contributions to Other Postretirement Benefit Plans		$ 0.0	$ 0.0	$ 0.0