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Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash [Table Text Block]
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
December 31,
2019

 
December 31,
2018

 
December 31,
2017

Millions
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents

$69.3

 

$69.1

 

$98.9

Restricted Cash included in Prepayments and Other
2.8

 
1.3

 
2.6

Restricted Cash included in Other Non-Current Assets
20.4

 
8.6

 
8.6

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

$92.5

 

$79.0

 

$110.1
Supplemental Statement of Cash Flow Information [Table Text Block]
Supplemental Statement of Cash Flow Information.
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
 
 
 
Year Ended December 31
2019

2018

2017

Millions
 
 
 
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized

$63.5


$66.0


$64.5

Recognition of Right-of-use Assets and Lease Liabilities (a)

$28.7

—

—

Remeasurement of Deferred Income Taxes Resulting from the TCJA
 
 
 
Increase in Regulatory Assets
—

—


$80.9

Decrease in Investment in ATC
—

—

$(27.9)
Decrease in Deferred Income Taxes
—

—

$(353.6)
Increase in Regulatory Liabilities
—

—


$393.6

Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
 
 
 
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment
$33.9
$(0.1)
$67.2
Reclassification of Property, Plant and Equipment to Inventory (b)
—


$46.3

—

Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs
$20.7
$14.2
$(15.6)
AFUDC–Equity

$2.3


$1.2


$1.2

ALLETE Common Stock Contributed to Pension Plans
—

—


$13.5


(a)
See Leases.
(b)
In February 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 the fourth quarter of 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 [Table Text Block]
Accounts Receivable
 
 
 
As of December 31
2019

 
2018

Millions
 
 
 
Trade Accounts Receivable (a)
 
 
 
Billed

$77.2

 

$121.7

Unbilled
20.1

 
24.4

Less: Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
0.9

 
1.7

Total Accounts Receivable

$96.4

 

$144.4


(a)
On March 26, 2019, ALLETE sold U.S. Water Services which resulted in the removal of the related accounts receivable from the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Inventories – Net [Table Text Block]
Inventories – Net
 
 
 
As of December 31
2019

 
2018

Millions
 
 
 
Fuel (a)

$25.9

 

$26.0

Materials and Supplies
46.9

 
44.2

Raw Materials (b)
—

 
2.8

Work in Progress (b)
—

 
6.1

Finished Goods (b)
—

 
8.4

Reserve for Obsolescence (b)
—

 
(0.8
)
Total Inventories – Net

$72.8

 

$86.7


(a)
Fuel consists primarily of coal inventory at Minnesota Power.
(b) On March 26, 2019, ALLETE sold U.S. Water Services which resulted in the removal of the related inventory items from the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Other Non-Current Assets [Table Text Block]
Other Non-Current Assets
 
 
 
As of December 31
2019

 
2018

Millions
 
 
 
Contract Assets (a)

$28.0

 

$30.7

Finance Receivable (b)
—

 
10.4

Operating Lease Right-of-use Assets (c)
28.6

 
—

ALLETE Properties
21.9

 
24.4

Restricted Cash
20.4

 
8.6

Other Postretirement Benefit Plans
37.5

 
0.4

Other
80.8

 
77.9

Total Other Non-Current Assets

$217.2

 

$152.4

(a)
Contract Assets include payments made to customers as an incentive to execute or extend service agreements. The contract payments are being amortized over the term of the respective agreements as a reduction to revenue.
(b)
Finance Receivable related to the 2016 sale of Ormond Crossings and Lake Swamp, which was collected in the second quarter of 2019.
(c)
See Leases.
Other Current Liabilities [Table Text Block]
Other Current Liabilities
 
 
 
As of December 31
2019

 
2018

Millions
 
 
 
Provision for Interim Rate Refund (a)
—

 

$40.0

PSAs

$12.3

 
12.6

Contract Liabilities (b)
—

 
7.6

Provision for Tax Reform Refund (c)
0.2

 
10.7

Contingent Consideration (d)
—

 
3.8

Operating Lease Liabilities (e)
6.9

 
—

Other
41.0

 
53.8

Total Other Current Liabilities

$60.4

 

$128.5

(a) Provision for Interim Rate Refund was refunded to Minnesota Power’s retail customers in the second quarter of 2019.
(b)
Contract Liabilities consist of deposits received as a result of entering into contracts with our customers prior to completing our performance obligations.
(c)
Provision for Tax Reform Refund related to the income tax benefits of the TCJA in 2018 was refunded to Minnesota Power customers in the first quarter of 2019 and is being returned to SWL&P customers through 2020.
(d)
Contingent Consideration related to the earnings-based payment resulting from the U.S. Water Services acquisition was paid in the first quarter of 2019.
(e)
See Leases.
Other Non-Current Liabilities [Table Text Block]
Other Non-Current Liabilities
 
 
 
As of December 31
2019

 
2018

Millions
 
 
 
Asset Retirement Obligation

$160.3

 

$138.6

PSAs
64.6

 
76.9

Operating Lease Liabilities (a)
21.8

 
—

Other
46.3

 
47.1

Total Other Non-Current Liabilities

$293.0

 

$262.6


(a)
See Leases.
Lease, Cost [Table Text Block]
Additional information on the components of lease cost and presentation of cash flows were as follows:
 
December 31, 2019

Millions
 
Operating Lease Cost

$9.4

 
 
Other Information:
 
Operating Cash Flows From Operating Leases

$9.4



Additional information related to leases was as follows:
 
December 31, 2019

Millions
 
Balance Sheet Information Related to Leases:
 
Other Non-Current Assets

$28.6

Total Operating Lease Right-of-use Assets

$28.6

 
 
Other Current Liabilities

$6.9

Other Non-Current Liabilities
21.8

Total Operating Lease Liabilities

$28.7

 
 
Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term (Years):
 
Operating Leases - Vehicles and Equipment
4

Operating Leases - Land and Other
28

 
 
Weighted Average Discount Rate:
 
Operating Leases - Vehicles and Equipment
3.7
%
Operating Leases - Land and Other
4.1
%
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block]
Maturities of lease liabilities were as follows:
 
December 31, 2019

Millions
 
2020

$6.6

2021
6.0

2022
5.0

2023
3.2

2024
2.9

Thereafter
11.5

Total Lease Payments Due
35.2

Less: Imputed Interest
6.5

Total Lease Obligations
28.7

Less: Current Lease Obligations
6.9

Total Long-term Lease Obligations

$21.8
Operating Expenses – Other [Table Text Block]
Operating Expenses – Other
 
 
 
Year Ended December 31
2019
2018
2017
Millions
 
 
 
Change in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration (a)
—
$(2.0)
$(0.7)
Total Operating Expenses – Other
—
$(2.0)
$(0.7)

(a)
Contingent Consideration related to the earnings-based payment resulting from the U.S. Water Services acquisition was paid in the first quarter of 2019. (See Note 7. Fair Value.)
Other Income (Expense) - Other [Table Text Block]
Other Income (Expense) - Other
 
 
 
Year Ended December 31
2019

2018

2017

Millions
 
 
 
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan Non-Service Credit (a)

$7.7


$4.6


$3.9

Interest and Investment Earnings
4.4

0.5

1.8

AFUDC - Equity
2.3

1.2

1.2

Gain (Loss) on Land Sales
2.1

0.9

(0.5
)
Other
2.2

0.6

(0.1
)
Total Other Income (Expense) - Other

$18.7


$7.8


$6.3

(a)
These are components of net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit cost other than service cost. (See Note 12. Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans.)