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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000066756-10-000104.txt : 20101209
<SEC-HEADER>0000066756-10-000104.hdr.sgml : 20101209
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20101209103422
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000066756-10-000104
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20101209
ITEM INFORMATION:		Regulation FD Disclosure
FILED AS OF DATE:		20101209
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20101209

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ALLETE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000066756
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED [4931]
		IRS NUMBER:				410418150
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03548
		FILM NUMBER:		101241404

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 W SUPERIOR ST
		CITY:			DULUTH
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55802-2093
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2182795000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 W SUPERIOR STREET
		CITY:			DULUTH
		STATE:			MN
		ZIP:			55802-2093

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ALLETE
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000901

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MINNESOTA POWER INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980603

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MINNESOTA POWER & LIGHT CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>guidance2011.htm
<DESCRIPTION>2011 EARNINGS GUIDANCE
<TEXT>
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    <title>guidance2011.htm</title>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ALLETE, Inc. (ALLETE) expects to earn between $2.35 and $2.55 per share in 2011.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Significant assumptions impacting ALLETE&#8217;s 2011 earnings guidance include:</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">similar taconite production on Minnesota&#8217;s Iron Range as in 2010, which impacts the electricity usage by Minnesota Power&#8217;s taconite customers. On December 1, 2010, Minnesota Power received demand nominations from its industrial customers for the period of January through April 2011, which are at similar levels to those for the September through December 2010 time period;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">a final Minnesota Power retail rate order consistent with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission&#8217;s November 2, 2010, written order;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">an increase in rider recoverable revenue related to the Bison I wind project;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">higher Square Butte Electric Cooperative operating expenses allocated to Minnesota Power related to an environmental retrofit at that generating station;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">increased depreciation and interest expenses due to recent capital expenditures;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">increased production at BNI Coal Ltd. compared to 2010, due to the absence of a scheduled maintenance shut-down in 2010 by BNI Coal&#8217;s largest customer; and</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">a smaller projected net loss at ALLETE Properties, LLC than in 2010 due to expense management efforts.</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements reflected in ALLETE&#8217;s earnings guidance for 2011 should be read in conjunction with ALLETE&#8217;s disclosures under the heading: &#8220;SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995&#8221; located on page 2 of this Form 8-K.</font></div>

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<div id="GLFTR" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 8pt"><font size="2">ALLETE Form 8-K dated December 9, 2010</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Statements in this report that are not statements of historical facts may be considered &#8220;forward-looking&#8221; and, accordingly, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. Although such forward-looking statements have been made in good faith and are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that the expected results will be achieved. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, future expectations, risks, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, events, uncertainties, financial performance, or growth strategies (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as &#8220;anticipates,&#8221; &#8220;believes,&#8221; &#8220;estimates,&#8221; &#8220;expects,&#8221; &#8220;intends,&#8221; &#8220;plans,&#8221; &#8220;projects,&#822
1; &#8220;will likely result,&#8221; &#8220;will continue,&#8221; &#8220;could,&#8221; &#8220;may,&#8221; &#8220;potential,&#8221; &#8220;target,&#8221; &#8220;outlook&#8221; or words of similar meaning) are not statements of historical facts and may be forward-looking.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we are hereby filing cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected, or expectations suggested, in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of ALLETE in this Current Report on Form 8-K, in presentations, on our website, in response to questions or otherwise. These statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to, and are accompanied by, the following important factors, in addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with such forward-looking statements:</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">our ability to successfully implement our strategic objectives;</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Additional disclosures regarding factors that could cause our results and performance to differ from results or performance anticipated by this report are discussed in Item 1A under the heading &#8220;Risk Factors&#8221; beginning on page 23 of our 2009 Form&#160;10-K. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which that statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of these factors, nor can it assess the impact of each of these factors on the businesses of ALLETE or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to
 differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by us in this Form 8-K and in our other reports filed with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the factors that may affect our business.</font></div>

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<div id="GLFTR" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; WIDTH: 100%">ALLETE Form 8-K dated December 9, 2010&#160;</div>
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