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Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Operations and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Supplemental Statement of Cash Flow Information [Table Text Block] | Supplemental Statement of Cash Flow Information
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows |  |  |
Year Ended December 31 | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Millions |  |  |
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized |  | $42.7 |  |  | $43.2 |  |  | $35.7 |
Cash Received During the Period for Income Taxes (a) | — |  | $(11.4) | $(54.2)
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities |  |  |
Increase in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment |  | $20.2 |  |  | $5.9 |  | $7.5
Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs |  | $17.1 |  |  | $0.3 |  |  | $2.8 |
AFUDC – Equity |  | $5.1 |  |  | $2.5 |  |  | $4.2 |
ALLETE Common Stock Contributed to the Pension Plan | — |  | $(20.0) | — |
(a) | Due to bonus depreciation provisions in 2009 and 2010 federal legislation, NOLs were generated which resulted in little or no estimated tax payments, and refunds were received from NOL carrybacks against prior years’ taxable income.
Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block] |
Accounts Receivable |  |  |
As of December 31 | 2012 |  |  | 2011 |
Millions |  |  |
Trade Accounts Receivable |  |  |
Billed |  | $70.4 |  |  |  | $63.7 |
Unbilled | 17.4 |  |  | 15.6 |
Less: Allowance for Doubtful Accounts | 1.0 |  |  | 0.9 |
Total Trade Accounts Receivable | 86.8 |  |  | 78.4 |
Income Taxes Receivable | 2.2 |  |  | 1.3 |
Total Accounts Receivable - Net |  | $89.0 |  |  |  | $79.7 |
Inventories [Table Text Block] |
Inventories |  |  |
As of December 31 | 2012 |  |  | 2011 |
Millions |  |  |
Fuel |  | $28.0 |  |  |  | $28.6 |
Materials and Supplies | 41.8 |  |  | 40.5 |
Total Inventories |  | $69.8 |  |  |  | $69.1 |
Prepayments and Other Current Assets [Table Text Block] |
Prepayments and Other Current Assets |  |  |
As of December 31 | 2012 |  |  | 2011 |
Millions |  |  |
Deferred Fuel Adjustment Clause |  | $22.5 |  |  |  | $17.5 |
Other | 11.1 |  |  | 9.6 |
Total Prepayments and Other Current Assets |  | $33.6 |  |  |  | $27.1 |
Other Liabilities [Table Text Block] |
Other Current Liabilities |  |  |
As of December 31 | 2012 |  |  | 2011 |
Millions |  |  |
Customer Deposits (a) |  | $28.8 |  |  |  | $16.3 |
Other | 33.8 |  |  | 29.3 |
Total Other Current Liabilities |  | $62.6 |  |  |  | $45.6 |
(a) | Customer deposits were higher in 2012 primarily due to customer security deposits for capital expenditures relating to a transmission project.
Other Non-Current Liabilities |  |  |
As of December 31 | 2012 |  |  | 2011 |
Millions |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligation |  | $77.9 |  |  |  | $57.0 |
Other | 45.4 |  |  | 48.1 |
Total Other Non-Current Liabilities |  | $123.3 |  |  |  | $105.1 |

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