XML 125 R38.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.6

Investment in ATC (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011
Investment in ATC [Abstract] |
ALLETE's Interest in ATC [Table Text Block] |
ALLETE’s Interest in ATC |  |
Year Ended December 31 | 2011 | 2010
Millions |  |
Equity Investment Beginning Balance |  | $93.3 |  |  | $88.4 |
Cash Investments | 2.0 |  | 1.6 |
Equity in ATC Earnings | 18.4 |  | 17.9 |
Distributed ATC Earnings | (14.8 | ) | (14.6 | )
Equity Investment Ending Balance |  | $98.9 |  |  | $93.3 |
ATC Summarized Financial Data [Table Text Block] |
ATC Summarized Financial Data |  |
Balance Sheet Data |  |
As of December 31 | 2011 | 2010
Millions |  |
Current Assets |  | $58.7 |  |  | $59.9 |
Non-Current Assets | 3,053.7 |  | 2,888.4 |
Total Assets |  | $3,112.4 |  |  | $2,948.3 |
Current Liabilities |  | $298.5 |  |  | $428.4 |
Long-Term Debt | 1,400.0 |  | 1,175.0 |
Other Non-Current Liabilities | 82.6 |  | 84.9 |
Members’ Equity | 1,331.3 |  | 1,260.0 |
Total Liabilities and Members’ Equity |  | $3,112.4 |  |  | $2,948.3 |
Income Statement Data |  |  |
Year Ended December 31 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
Millions |  |  |
Revenue |  | $567.2 |  |  | $556.7 |  |  | $521.5 |
Operating Expense | 261.6 |  | 251.1 |  | 230.3 |
Other Expense | 81.7 |  | 85.9 |  | 77.8 |
Net Income |  | $223.9 |  |  | $219.7 |  |  | $213.4 |
ALLETE’s Equity in Net Income |  | $18.4 |  |  | $17.9 |  |  | $17.5 |

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of summarized financial data reported by an equity method investment of the entity. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ale_EquityMethodInvestmentScheduleOfSummarizedFinancialDataTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | ale_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | ale_InvestmentInAtcAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | ale_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of equity method investments in common stock. The disclosure may include: (a) the name of each investee or group of investments for which combined disclosure is appropriate, (2) the percentage ownership of common stock, (3) the difference, if any, between the carrying amount of an investment and the value of the underlying equity in the net assets and the accounting treatment of difference, if any, and (4) the aggregate value of each identified investment based on its quoted market price, if available. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 18 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph a, b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration