OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Inventories. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventories in our Regulated Operations and ALLETE Clean Energy segments are carried at an average cost basis. Inventories in our U.S. Water Services and Corporate and Other segments are carried at an average cost, first-in, first-out or specific identification basis.



Inventories	March 31, 2016			December 31, 2015
Millions
Fuel (a)		$56.5			$58.1
Materials and Supplies	49.0			49.1
Raw Materials	2.6			2.7
Work in Progress	0.8			—
Finished Goods	7.4			7.5
Reserve for Obsolescence	(0.3		)	(0.3		)
Total Inventories		$116.0			$117.1


(a)	Fuel consists primarily of coal inventory at Minnesota Power.



Prepayments and Other Current Assets	March 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Deferred Fuel Adjustment Clause		$12.4		$10.6
Restricted Cash (a)	11.5		5.6
Other	17.6		19.5
Total Prepayments and Other Current Assets		$41.5		$35.7


(a)	Restricted Cash includes collateral deposits required under ALLETE Clean Energy’s loan agreements and cash pledged as collateral for U.S. Water Services’ standby letters of credit.

Other Non-Current Assets.

Restricted Cash. Included in Other Non-Current Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet was restricted cash of $8.1 million as of March 31, 2016, and December 31, 2015, related to collateral deposits required under ALLETE Clean Energy’s loan agreements.



Other Current Liabilities	March 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Customer Deposits		$14.0		$15.1
Power Purchase Agreements	23.6		23.3
Other	45.2		47.7
Total Other Current Liabilities		$82.8		$86.1

NOTE 1. OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)



Other Non-Current Liabilities	March 31, 2016		December 31, 2015
Millions
Asset Retirement Obligation		$136.2		$131.4
Power Purchase Agreements	131.9		138.1
Contingent Consideration (a)	36.7		36.6
Other	42.3		42.9
Total Other Non-Current Liabilities		$347.1		$349.0


(a)	Contingent Consideration relates to the estimated fair value of the earnings-based payment resulting from the U.S. Water Services acquisition. (See Note 3. Acquisitions and Note 5. Fair Value.)

Supplemental Statement of Cash Flows Information.



Three Months Ended March 31,	2016		2015
Millions
Cash Paid During the Period for Interest – Net of Amounts Capitalized		$19.6		$15.3
Cash Paid During the Period for Income Taxes		$0.1		$0.1
Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Decrease in Accounts Payable for Capital Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment	$(25.6)		$(32.2)
Capitalized Asset Retirement Costs		$3.5		$1.2
AFUDC–Equity		$0.9		$0.9
Contingent Consideration	—			$35.7

Subsequent Events. The Company performed an evaluation of subsequent events for potential recognition and disclosure through the time of the financial statements issuance.

New Accounting Standards.

Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. In February 2015, the FASB issued revised guidance which changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. The new standard affects (1) limited partnerships and similar legal entities, (2) evaluating fees paid to a decision maker or a service provider as a variable interest, (3) the effect of fee arrangements on the primary beneficiary determination, (4) the effect of related parties on the primary beneficiary determination, and (5) certain investment funds. This guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2016 and did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent). In May 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient. The guidance applies to investments for which there is not a readily determinable fair value (market quote) or the investment is in a mutual fund without a publicly available net asset value. This guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2016 and did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. In April 2015, the FASB issued revised guidance addressing the presentation requirements for debt issuance costs. Under the revised guidance, all costs incurred to issue debt are to be presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. This guidance was adopted in the first quarter of 2016 resulting in the reclassification of unamortized debt issuance costs from Other Non-Current Assets to Long-Term Debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The effect of the adoption decreased Total Assets and Total Liabilities on ALLETE's Consolidated Balance Sheet by $12.6 million as of December 31, 2015.

NOTE 1. OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

New Accounting Standards (Continued)

Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which revises the existing guidance for leases. Under the revised guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a “right-of-use” asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The new standard also requires additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures by lessees and lessors to enable users of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The accounting for leases by lessors and the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows from leases are not expected to significantly change as a result of the updated guidance. The revised guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2019 with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the amended lease guidance on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.