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Investments | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2011
Investments [Abstract] |
Investments [Text Block] | INVESTMENTS Investments. Our long-term investment portfolio includes the real estate assets of ALLETE Properties, debt and equity securities consisting primarily of securities held to fund employee benefits and land held-for-sale in Minnesota.
Investments | September 30, 2011 |  | December 31, 2010
Millions |  |  |
ALLETE Properties | $93.0 |  | $94.0
Available-for-sale Securities | 30.5 |  | 25.2
Other | 6.0 |  | 6.8
Total Investments | $129.5 |  | $126.0
ALLETE Properties | September 30, 2011 |  | December 31, 2010 |
Millions |  |  |
Land Held-for-sale Beginning Balance (January 1, 2011 and 2010, respectively) | $86.0 |  | $74.9
Deeds to Collateralized Property | 1.9 |  | 9.9
Capitalized Improvements and Other | 0.1 |  | 1.2
Cost of Real Estate Sold | (0.3) |  | — |
Land Held-for-sale Ending Balance | 87.7 |  | 86.0
Long-Term Finance Receivables (net of allowances of $0.6 and $0.8) | 2.0 |  | 3.7
Other | 3.3 |  | 4.3
Total Real Estate Assets | $93.0 |  | $94.0
Land Held-for-sale. Land held-for-sale is recorded at the lower of cost or fair value as determined by the evaluation of individual land parcels. Land values are reviewed for impairment on a quarterly basis and no impairments were recorded for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 (none in 2010). Long-Term Finance Receivables. As of September 30, 2011, long-term finance receivables were $2.0 million net of allowance ($3.7 million net of allowance as of December 31, 2010). The decrease is primarily the result of the transfer of properties back to ALLETE Properties by deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, in satisfaction of amounts previously owed under long-term finance receivables. Long-term finance receivables are collateralized by property sold, accrue interest at market-based rates and are net of an allowance for doubtful accounts.
Long-Term Finance Receivables | Real
Allowance Roll-Forward | Estate
Millions |
Beginning Balance as of December 31, 2010 | $0.8
Reduction to Reserve | (0.2)
Ending Balance as of September 30, 2011 | $0.6

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- Definition The entire disclosure for investments, including all tables. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 12 + Details
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