Financial Statement Preparation. References in this report to “we,” “us,” and “our” are to ALLETE and its subsidiaries, collectively. We prepare our financial statements in conformity with GAAP. These principles require management to make informed judgments, best estimates, and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

On February 4, 2021, ALLETE Clean Energy entered into a purchase and sale agreement with a subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc. to sell a 120 MW wind energy facility for approximately $210 million. ALLETE Clean Energy will repower and expand its Northern Wind project, consisting of its 100 MW Chanarambie and Viking wind energy facilities located in southwest Minnesota, as part of the transaction. Construction is expected to begin in late 2021, and the Northern Wind project is expected to continue operating until early 2022. The sale is expected to close in late 2022, subject to regulatory approval by the MPUC and receipt of permits.

Variable Interest Entities. The accounting guidance for “Variable Interest Entities” (VIE) is a consolidation model that considers if a company has a variable interest in a VIE. A VIE is a legal entity that possesses any of the following conditions: the entity’s equity at risk is not sufficient to permit the legal entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support, equity owners are unable to direct the activities that most significantly impact the legal entity’s economic performance (or they possess disproportionate voting rights in relation to the economic interest in the legal entity), or the equity owners lack the obligation to absorb the legal entity’s expected losses or the right to receive the legal entity’s expected residual returns. Entities are required to consolidate a VIE when it is determined that they have a controlling financial interest in a VIE and therefore, are the primary beneficiary of that VIE, as defined by the accounting guidance for “Variable Interest Entities.” In determining whether ALLETE is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, management considers whether ALLETE has the power to direct the most significant activities of the VIE and is obligated to absorb losses or receive the expected residual returns that are significant to the VIE. The accounting guidance for VIEs applies to certain ALLETE Clean Energy wind energy facilities and our investment in Nobles 2. (See Tax Equity Financing.)

Business Segments. We present three reportable segments: Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy and U.S. Water Services. Our segments were determined in accordance with the guidance on segment reporting. We measure performance of our operations through budgeting and monitoring of contributions to consolidated net income by each business segment.

Regulated Operations includes our regulated utilities, Minnesota Power and SWL&P, as well as our investment in ATC, a Wisconsin-based regulated utility that owns and maintains electric transmission assets in portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. Minnesota Power provides regulated utility electric service in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 145,000 retail customers. Minnesota Power also has 15 non-affiliated municipal customers in Minnesota. SWL&P is a Wisconsin utility and a wholesale customer of Minnesota Power. SWL&P provides regulated utility electric, natural gas and water service in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers and 10,000 water customers. Our regulated utility operations include retail and wholesale activities under the jurisdiction of state and federal regulatory authorities.

ALLETE Clean Energy focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects. ALLETE Clean Energy currently owns and operates, in seven states, more than 1,000 MW of nameplate capacity wind energy generation that is contracted under PSAs of various durations. In addition, ALLETE Clean Energy currently has approximately 300 MW of wind energy facilities under construction. ALLETE Clean Energy also engages in the development of wind energy facilities to operate under long-term PSAs or for sale to others upon completion.

U.S. Water Services provided integrated water management for industry by combining chemical, equipment, engineering and service for customized solutions to reduce water and energy usage, and improve efficiency. In March 2019, the Company sold U.S. Water Services to a subsidiary of Kurita Water Industries Ltd. pursuant to a stock purchase agreement for approximately $270 million in cash, net of transaction costs and cash retained.

ALLETE Properties represents our legacy Florida real estate investment. Our strategy incorporates the possibility of a bulk sale of the entire ALLETE Properties portfolio. Proceeds from a bulk sale would be strategically deployed to support growth at our Regulated Operations and ALLETE Clean Energy. ALLETE Properties continues to pursue sales of individual parcels over time and will continue to maintain key entitlements and infrastructure.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash. We consider all investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2020, restricted cash amounts included in Prepayments and Other on the Consolidated Balance Sheet include collateral deposits required under an ALLETE Clean Energy loan agreement. The December 31, 2019 amount also includes deposits required under tax equity financing agreements. The December 31, 2018 amount includes U.S. Water Services' standby letters of credit. The restricted cash amounts included in Other Non-Current Assets represent collateral deposits required under an ALLETE Clean Energy loan agreement and PSAs. The December 31, 2020 and 2019 amounts also include deposits required under tax equity financing agreements. The December 31, 2018 amount includes deposits from a SWL&P customer in aid of future capital expenditures. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the Consolidated Balance Sheet that aggregate to the amounts presented in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.


Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
As of December 31	2020	2019	2018
Millions
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$44.3	$69.3	$69.1
Restricted Cash included in Prepayments and Other	0.8	2.8	1.3
Restricted Cash included in Other Non-Current Assets	20.1	20.4	8.6
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows	$65.2	$92.5	$79.0


Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Year Ended December 31	2020	2019	2018
Millions
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized	$62.0	$63.5	$66.0
Recognition of Right-of-use Assets and Lease Liabilities (a)	—	$28.7	—





Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment	$(67.0)	$33.9	$(0.1)
Reclassification of Property, Plant and Equipment to Inventory (b)	—	—	$46.3
Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs	$4.1	$20.7	$14.2


AFUDC–Equity	$1.9	$2.3	$1.2

(b)In 2018, Montana-Dakota Utilities exercised its option to purchase the Thunder Spirit II wind energy facility upon completion, resulting in a reclassification from Property, Plant and Equipment – Net to Inventories – Net for project costs incurred in the prior year. On the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, the sale of the wind energy facility in 2018 resulted in Operating Activities – Inventories increasing by $46.3 million in 2018 due to the project costs incurred in the prior year.

Accounts Receivable. Accounts receivable are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheet net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is based on our evaluation of the receivable portfolio under current conditions, overall portfolio quality, review of specific situations and such other factors that, in our judgment, deserve recognition in estimating losses.

Concentration of Credit Risk. We are subject to concentration of credit risk primarily as a result of accounts receivable. Minnesota Power sells electricity to eight Large Power Customers. Receivables from these customers totaled $10.3 million as of December 31, 2020 ($7.8 million as of December 31, 2019). Minnesota Power does not obtain collateral to support utility receivables, but monitors the credit standing of major customers. In addition, Minnesota Power, as permitted by the MPUC, requires its taconite-producing Large Power Customers to pay weekly for electric usage based on monthly energy usage estimates, which allows us to closely manage collection of amounts due. Minnesota Power’s taconite customers, which are currently owned by two entities at the end of 2020, accounted for approximately 29 percent of Regulated Operations operating revenue and approximately 25 percent of consolidated operating revenue in 2020. In 2019 and 2018, a single entity accounted for approximately 12 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of consolidated operating revenue.

Long-Term Finance Receivables. Long-term finance receivables relating to our real estate operations are collateralized by property sold, accrue interest at market-based rates and are net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. We assess delinquent finance receivables by comparing the balance of such receivables to the estimated fair value of the collateralized property. If the fair value of the property is less than the finance receivable, we record a reserve for the difference. We estimate fair value based on recent property tax assessed values or current appraisals.

Available-for-Sale Securities. Available-for-sale debt and equity securities are recorded at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale debt securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale equity securities are recognized in earnings. We use the specific identification method as the basis for determining the cost of securities sold.

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

Property, Plant and Equipment. Property, plant and equipment are recorded at original cost and are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheet net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for additions, significant replacements, improvements and major plant overhauls are capitalized; maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred. Gains or losses on property, plant and equipment for Corporate and Other operations are recognized when they are retired or otherwise disposed. When property, plant and equipment in our Regulated Operations and ALLETE Clean Energy segments are retired or otherwise disposed, no gain or loss is recognized in accordance with the accounting standards for component depreciation except for certain circumstances where the retirement is unforeseen or unexpected. Our Regulated Operations capitalize AFUDC, which includes both an interest and equity component. AFUDC represents the cost of both debt and equity funds used to finance utility plant additions during construction periods. AFUDC amounts capitalized are included in rate base and are recovered from customers as the related property is depreciated. Upon MPUC approval of cost recovery, the recognition of AFUDC ceases. (See Note 2. Property, Plant and Equipment.)

We believe that long-standing ratemaking practices approved by applicable state and federal regulatory commissions allow for the recovery of the remaining book value of retired plant assets. Minnesota Power’s 2015 IRP contained steps in Minnesota Power’s EnergyForward plan including the economic idling of Taconite Harbor Units 1 and 2 in 2016, and the ceasing of coal-fired operations at Taconite Harbor in 2020. As of December 31, 2020, Taconite Harbor had a net book value of approximately $50 million. The MPUC order for the 2015 IRP also directed Minnesota Power to retire Boswell Units 1 and 2, which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2018. As part of the 2016 general retail rate case, the MPUC allowed recovery of the remaining book value of Boswell Units 1 and 2 through 2022. In its latest IRP filing, Minnesota Power proposed retiring Boswell Unit 3 by 2030, which has a net book value of approximately $255 million as of December 31, 2020. (See Note 4. Regulatory Matters.) We do not expect to record any impairment charge as a result of these operating changes at Taconite Harbor and Boswell. In addition, we expect to be able to continue depreciating these assets for at least their established remaining useful lives; however, we are unable to predict the impact of regulatory outcomes resulting in changes to their established remaining useful lives.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets. We review our long-lived assets for indicators of impairment in accordance with the accounting standards for property, plant and equipment on a quarterly basis. This includes our property, plant and equipment (see Property, Plant and Equipment) and land inventory. Land inventory is accounted for as held for use and is recorded at cost, unless the carrying value is determined not to be recoverable in accordance with the accounting standards for property, plant and equipment, in which case the land inventory is written down to estimated fair value.

In accordance with the accounting standards for property, plant and equipment, if indicators of impairment exist, we test our long‑lived assets for recoverability by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. Cash flows are assessed at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. The undiscounted future net cash flows are impacted by trends and factors known to us at the time they are calculated and our expectations related to: management’s best estimate of future use; sales prices; holding period and timing of sales; method of disposition; and future expenditures necessary to maintain the operations.

We determine if a contract is, or contains, a lease at inception and recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for all leases with a term greater than 12 months. Our right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases are included in Other Non-Current Assets, Other Current Liabilities and Other Non-Current Liabilities, respectively, in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We currently do not have any finance leases.

Right-of-use assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the estimated present value of lease payments over the lease term. As our leases do not provide an explicit rate, we determine the present value of future lease payments based on our estimated incremental borrowing rate using information available at the lease commencement date. The operating lease right-of-use asset includes lease payments to be made during the lease term and any lease incentives, as applicable.

Our leases may include options to extend or buy out the lease at certain points throughout the term, and if it is reasonably certain at lease commencement that we will exercise that option, we include those rental payments in our calculation of the right-of-use asset and lease liability. Lease and rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The majority of our operating leases are for heavy equipment, vehicles and land with fixed monthly payments which we group into two categories: Vehicles and Equipment; and Land and Other. Our largest operating lease is for the dragline at BNI Energy which includes a termination payment at the end of the lease term if we do not exercise our purchase option. The amount of this payment is $3 million and is included in our calculation of the right-of-use asset and lease liability recorded. None of our other leases contain residual value guarantees.


As of December 31	2020		2019
Millions

Balance Sheet Information Related to Leases:
Other Non-Current Assets	$22.4		$28.6
Total Operating Lease Right-of-use Assets	$22.4		$28.6

Other Current Liabilities	$5.9		$6.9
Other Non-Current Liabilities	16.5		21.8
Total Operating Lease Liabilities	$22.4		$28.7

Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term (Years):
Operating Leases - Vehicles and Equipment	3		4
Operating Leases - Land and Other	27		28

Weighted Average Discount Rate:
Operating Leases - Vehicles and Equipment	3.1	%	3.7	%
Operating Leases - Land and Other	4.1	%	4.1	%

Environmental Liabilities. We review environmental matters on a quarterly basis. Accruals for environmental matters are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated based on current law and existing technologies. Accruals are adjusted as assessment and remediation efforts progress, or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. Accruals for environmental liabilities are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at undiscounted amounts and exclude claims for recoveries from insurance or other third parties. Costs related to environmental contamination treatment and cleanup are expensed unless recoverable in rates from customers. (See Note 8. Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies.)

Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised goods or services to our customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those products or services. Revenue is recognized net of allowance for returns and any taxes collected from customers, which are subsequently remitted to the appropriate governmental authorities. We account for shipping and handling activities that occur after the customer obtains control of goods as a cost rather than an additional performance obligation thereby recognizing revenue at time of shipment and accruing shipping and handling costs when control transfers to our customers. We have a right to consideration from our customers in an amount that corresponds directly with the value to the customer for our performance completed to date; therefore, we may recognize revenue in the amount to which we have a right to invoice.

Residential and Commercial includes sales for electric, gas or water service to customers, who have implied contracts with the utility, under rates governed by the MPUC, PSCW or FERC. Customers are billed on a monthly cycle basis and revenue is recognized for electric, gas or water service delivered during the billing period. Revenue is accrued for service provided but not yet billed at period end. Performance obligations with these customers are satisfied at time of delivery to customer meters and simultaneously consumed.

Municipal includes sales to 15 non-affiliated municipal customers in Minnesota under long-term wholesale electric contracts. All wholesale electric contracts include a termination clause requiring a three-year notice to terminate. These contracts have termination dates ranging through 2037, with a majority of contracts effective through 2024. Performance obligations with these customers are satisfied at the time energy is delivered to an agreed upon municipal substation or meter.

Industrial includes sales recognized from contracts with customers in the taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, pipeline and other industries. Industrial sales accounted for approximately 47 percent of total regulated utility kWh sales for the year ended December 31, 2020. Within industrial revenue, Minnesota Power has eight Large Power Customer contracts, each serving requirements of 10 MW or more of customer load. These contracts automatically renew past the contract term unless a four-year advanced written notice is given. Large Power Customer contracts have earliest termination dates ranging from 2024 through 2029. On January 29, 2021, Verso Corporation provided notice of termination for its contract effective in January 2025. We satisfy our performance obligations for these customers at the time energy is delivered to an agreed upon customer substation. Revenue is accrued for energy provided but not yet billed at period end. Based on current contracts with industrial customers, we expect to recognize minimum revenue for the fixed contract components of approximately $55 million per annum in 2021 and 2022, $50 million in 2023 and 2024, $20 million in 2025, and $50 million in total thereafter, which reflects the termination notice period in these contracts. When determining minimum revenue, we assume that customer contracts will continue under the contract renewal provision; however, if long-term contracts are renegotiated and subsequently approved by the MPUC or there are changes within our industrial customer class, these amounts may be impacted. Contracts with customers that contain variable pricing or quantity components are excluded from the expected minimum revenue amounts.

Other Power Suppliers includes the sale of energy under a long-term PSA with one customer as well as MISO market and liquidation sales. The expiration date of this PSA is 2028. Performance obligations with these customers are satisfied at the time energy is delivered to an agreed upon delivery point defined in the contract (generally the MISO pricing node). The current contract with one customer contains variable pricing components that prevent us from estimating future minimum revenue.

Other Revenue includes all remaining individually immaterial revenue streams for Minnesota Power and SWL&P, and is comprised of steam sales to paper and pulp mills, wheeling revenue and other sources. Revenue for steam sales to customers is recognized at the time steam is delivered and simultaneously consumed. Revenue is recognized at the time each performance obligation is satisfied.

CIP Financial Incentive reflects certain revenue that is a result of the achievement of certain objectives for our CIP financial incentives. This revenue is accounted for in accordance with the accounting standards for alternative revenue programs which allow for the recognition of revenue under an alternative revenue program if the program is established by an order from the utility’s regulatory commission, the order allows for automatic adjustment of future rates, the amount of revenue recognized is objectively determinable and probable of recovery, and the revenue will be collected within 24 months following the end of the annual period in which it is recognized. CIP financial incentives are recognized in the period in which the MPUC approves the filing, which is typically mid-year.

Long-term PSA revenue includes all sales recognized under long-term contracts for production, curtailment, capacity and associated renewable energy credits from ALLETE Clean Energy wind energy facilities. Expiration dates of these PSAs range from 2022 through 2039. Performance obligations for these contracts are satisfied at the time energy is delivered to an agreed upon point, or production is curtailed at the request of the customer, at specified prices. Revenue from the sale of renewable energy credits is recognized at the same time the related energy is delivered to the customer when sold to the same party.

Sale of Wind Energy Facility includes revenue recognized for the design, development, construction, and sale of a wind energy facility to a customer. Performance obligations for these types of agreements are satisfied at the time the completed project is transferred to the customer at the commercial operation date. Revenue from the sale of a wind energy facility is recognized at the time of asset transfer.

Other is the non-cash adjustments to revenue recognized by ALLETE Clean Energy for the amortization of differences between contract prices and estimated market prices on assumed PSAs. As part of wind energy facility acquisitions, ALLETE Clean Energy assumed various PSAs that were above or below estimated market prices at the time of acquisition; the resulting differences between contract prices and estimated market prices are amortized to revenue over the remaining PSA term.

In March 2019, ALLETE completed the sale of U.S. Water Services. Prior to the sale, ALLETE recognized revenue under the point-in-time, contract and capital project streams. Point-in-time revenue was recognized for purchases by customers for chemicals, consumable equipment or related maintenance and repair services as the customer’s usage and needs changed over time. Contract revenue included monthly revenue from contracts with customers to provide chemicals, consumable equipment and services to meet customer needs during the contract period at a fixed monthly price. Capital Project revenue was recognized at the time of sale when equipment and other components were assembled to create a water treatment system for a customer.

Long-term Contract encompasses the sale and delivery of coal to customer generation facilities. Revenue is recognized on a monthly basis at the cost of production plus a specified profit per ton of coal delivered to the customer. Coal sales are secured under long-term coal supply agreements extending through 2037. Performance obligations are satisfied during the period as coal is delivered to customer generation facilities.

Payment terms and conditions vary across our businesses. Aside from taconite-producing Large Power Customers, payment terms generally require payment to be made within 15 to 30 days from the end of the period that the service has been rendered. In the case of its taconite-producing Large Power Customers, as permitted by the MPUC, Minnesota Power requires weekly payments for electric usage based on monthly energy usage estimates. These customers receive estimated bills based on Minnesota Power’s estimate of the customers’ energy usage, forecasted energy prices and fuel adjustment clause estimates. Minnesota Power’s taconite-producing Large Power Customers have generally predictable energy usage on a weekly basis and any differences that occur are trued-up the following month. Due to the timing difference of revenue recognition from the timing of invoicing and payment, the taconite-producing Large Power Customers receive credit for the time value of money; however, we have determined that our contracts do not include a significant financing component as the period between when we transfer the service to the customer and when they pay for such service is minimal.

We recognize as an asset the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if we expect the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. We expense incremental costs when the asset that would have resulted from capitalizing these costs would have been amortized in one year or less. As of December 31, 2020, we have $25.5 million of assets recognized for costs incurred to obtain contracts with our customers ($28.0 million as of December 31, 2019). Management determined the amount of costs to be recognized as assets based on actual costs incurred and paid to obtain and fulfill these contracts to provide goods and services to our customers. Assets recognized to obtain contracts are amortized on a straight-line basis over the contract term as a non-cash reduction to revenue. We recognized $2.6 million of non-cash amortization for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Tax Equity Financings. Certain subsidiaries of ALLETE have entered into tax equity financings that include forming limited liability companies (LLC) with third-party investors for certain wind projects. Tax equity financings have specific terms that dictate distributions of cash and the allocation of tax attributes among the LLC members, who are divided into two categories: the sponsor and third-party investors. ALLETE subsidiaries are the sponsors in these tax equity financings. The distributions of cash and allocation of tax attributes in these financings generally differ from the underlying percentage ownership interests in the related LLC, with a disproportionate share of tax attributes (including accelerated depreciation and production tax credits) allocated to third-party investors in order to achieve targeted after-tax rates of return, or target yield, from project operations, and a disproportionate share of cash distributions made to the sponsor.

The target yield and other terms vary by tax equity financing. Once the target yield has been achieved, a “flip point” is recognized. In addition, tax equity financings typically provide that cash distributions can be temporarily increased to the third-party investors in order to meet cumulative distribution thresholds. After the flip point, tax attributes and cash distributions are both typically disproportionately allocated to the sponsor.

Tax equity financings include affirmative and negative covenants that are similar to what a project lender would require in a project financing, such as financial reporting, insurance, maintenance and prudent operator standards. Most covenants are no longer applicable once the flip point occurs and any other obligations of the third-party investor have been eliminated.

Non-Controlling Interest in Subsidiaries. Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries represents the portion of equity ownership, net income (loss), and comprehensive income (loss) in subsidiaries that is not attributable to equity holders of ALLETE. These amounts as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020, related to the tax equity financings for ALLETE Clean Energy’s 106 MW Glen Ullin, 80 MW South Peak and 303 MW Diamond Spring wind energy facilities as well as ALLETE’s equity investment in the 250 MW Nobles 2 wind energy facility.

For those wind projects with tax equity financings where the economic benefits are not allocated based on the underlying ownership percentage interests, we have determined that the appropriate methodology for calculating the non-controlling interest in subsidiaries balance is the hypothetical liquidation at book value (HLBV) method. The HLBV method is a balance sheet approach which reflects the substantive economic arrangements in the tax equity financing structures.

Under the HLBV method, amounts reported as non-controlling interest in subsidiaries on the Consolidated Balance Sheet represent the amounts the third-party investors would hypothetically receive at each balance sheet reporting date under the liquidation provisions of the LLC agreements, assuming the net assets of the wind projects were liquidated at amounts determined in accordance with GAAP and distributed to the third-party investor and sponsor. The resulting non-controlling interest in subsidiaries balance in these projects is reported as a component of equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The results of operations for these projects attributable to non-controlling interest under the HLBV method is determined as the difference in non-controlling interest in subsidiaries on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at the start and end of each reporting period, after taking into account any capital transactions between the projects and the third-party investors.

Factors used in the HLBV calculation include GAAP income, taxable income (loss), tax attributes such as accelerated depreciation and production tax credits, capital contributions, cash distributions, and the target yield specified in the corresponding LLC agreement. Changes in these factors could have a significant impact on the amounts that third-party investors and sponsors would receive upon a hypothetical liquidation. The use of the HLBV method to allocate income to the non-controlling interest in subsidiaries may create variability in our results of operations as the application of the HLBV method can drive variability in net income or loss attributable to non-controlling interest in subsidiaries from period to period.

Income Taxes. ALLETE and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax return as well as combined and separate state income tax returns. We account for income taxes using the liability method in accordance with GAAP for income taxes. Under the liability method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are established for all temporary differences in the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities, based upon enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the taxes become payable.

Due to the effects of regulation on Minnesota Power and SWL&P, certain adjustments made to deferred income taxes are, in turn, recorded as regulatory assets or liabilities. Federal investment tax credits have been recorded as deferred credits and are being amortized to income tax expense over the service lives of the related property. In accordance with GAAP for uncertainty in income taxes, we are required to recognize in our financial statements the largest tax benefit of a tax position that is “more‑likely‑than‑not” to be sustained on audit, based solely on the technical merits of the position as of the reporting date. The term “more‑likely‑than‑not” means more than 50 percent likely. (See Note 10. Income Tax Expense.)

Credit Losses. In 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires entities to recognize an allowance for expected credit losses for financial instruments within its scope. Examples of financial instruments within the scope include trade receivables, certain financial guarantees, and held-to-maturity debt securities. The allowance for expected credit losses should be based on historical information, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The new standard also revises the other-than-temporary impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities. The new guidance became effective January 1, 2020, and was adopted by the Company in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Reference Rate Reform. In March 2020, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which provides certain options to apply GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting as entities transition from the London Inter Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates that are yet to be determined or finalized. The Company’s contracts that reference LIBOR or other interbank offered rates relate to debt instruments. The standards update was effective upon issuance and can be applied prospectively through December 31, 2022. The Company will use contract modification relief expedients granted under the updated guidance with regard to its contracts that reference LIBOR as an interest rate benchmark. Adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the financial statements.