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Minnesota Powera?s Industrial Customers Nominate Continued Strong Demand Levels

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  Published in Business and Finance on Wednesday, March 2nd 2011 at 18:20 GMT by Market Wire
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DULUTH, Minn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE, Inc. (NYSE:ALE) reported that demand nominations from its industrial customers for the months of May through August 2011 were received on March 1, 2011.

"We are pleased to learn that our industrial customer class will continue to operate at high production levels, which is good news for the economy of northern Minnesota"

Total nominations received were slightly higher than those for the previous four month period, and indicate that these customers plan to produce at near full capacity levels for the period. Minnesota Power serves some of the largest electricity users in the United States.

aWe are pleased to learn that our industrial customer class will continue to operate at high production levels, which is good news for the economy of northern Minnesota,a said ALLETE CEO Al Hodnik.

Nominations for the final four month period of 2011 will be received by August 1.

Minnesota Power provides retail electric service within a 26,000-square-mile area in northeastern Minnesota to 144,000 customers and wholesale electric service to 16 municipalities. More information can be found at [ www.mnpower.com ].

The statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange Commission.