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Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies - Environmental Matters (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Boswell Unit 4 [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Estimated Capital Expenditures $ 260ale_EstimatedCapitalExpendituresIncludingPastExpenditures
/ ale_GeneratingFacilityAxisAxis
= ale_BoswellUnit4Member
Capital Cost Spent to Date 162ale_CapitalCostSpentToDate
/ ale_GeneratingFacilityAxisAxis
= ale_BoswellUnit4Member
Maximum [Member] | Clean Water Act - Aquatic Organisms [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Estimated Environmental Compliance Costs 15us-gaap_SiteContingencyLossExposureNotAccruedBestEstimate
/ us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationContingencyAxis
= ale_CleanWaterActAquaticOrganismsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Maximum [Member] | Coal Combustion Residuals [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Estimated Environmental Compliance Costs 130us-gaap_SiteContingencyLossExposureNotAccruedBestEstimate
/ us-gaap_EnvironmentalRemediationContingencyAxis
= ale_CoalCombustionResidualsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
NOV Consent Decree [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Generating Unit Capacity (MW) 200.0ale_GeneratingCapacityMw
/ ale_EnvironmentalConsentDecreeAxis
= ale_NOVConsentDecreeMember
NOV Consent Decree [Member] | Minimum [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Estimated Capital Expenditures 20ale_EstimatedCapitalExpenditures
/ ale_EnvironmentalConsentDecreeAxis
= ale_NOVConsentDecreeMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
NOV Consent Decree [Member] | Maximum [Member]  
Environmental Matters [Line Items]  
Estimated Capital Expenditures $ 40ale_EstimatedCapitalExpenditures
/ ale_EnvironmentalConsentDecreeAxis
= ale_NOVConsentDecreeMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember