SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
DC 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of
Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) – March 24, 2008 (March 20,
2008)
ALLETE,
Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Minnesota
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1-3548
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41-0418150
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
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(Commission
File Number)
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(IRS
Employer
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incorporation
or organization)
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Identification
No.)
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30
West Superior Street
Duluth,
Minnesota 55802-2093
(Address
of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(218)
279-5000
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
¨
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
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¨
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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¨
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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¨
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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SECTION
2 – FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
2.03
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Creation
of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation Under an Off-Balance
Sheet
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Arrangement
of a Registrant
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On March
20, 2008, ALLETE, Inc. (the “Company”) accepted an offer from certain
institutional buyers in the private placement market to purchase
$75 million of ALLETE First Mortgage Bonds (the “Bonds”). When issued, on
or before May 14, 2008, the Bonds will carry an interest rate of 6.02% and will
have a term of 15 years. The Company has the option to prepay all or a portion
of the Bonds at its discretion, subject to a make-whole provision. The Bonds are
subject to additional terms and conditions which are customary for this type of
transaction. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the Bonds
to fund utility capital expenditures and for general corporate
purposes.
Readers
are cautioned that forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with
ALLETE’s disclosures under the heading: “SAFE HARBOR
STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995” located on
page 2 of this Form 8-K.
ALLETE, Inc. Form 8-K Dated March 24, 2008
Safe
Harbor Statement
Under
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
In
connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, we are hereby filing cautionary statements identifying
important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from
those projected in forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) made by or on behalf of ALLETE
in this Current Report on Form 8-K, in presentations, in response to questions
or otherwise. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, or future events or
performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as
“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,”
“projects,” “will likely result,” “will continue,” “could,” “may,” “potential,”
“target,” “outlook” or similar expressions) are not statements of historical
facts and may be forward-looking.
Forward-looking
statements involve estimates, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which are
beyond our control and may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially
from those that may be projected. These statements are qualified in their
entirety by reference to, and are accompanied by, the following important
factors, in addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to
specifically:
·
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our
ability to successfully implement our strategic
objectives;
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·
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our
ability to manage expansion and integrate acquisitions;
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·
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prevailing
governmental policies, regulatory actions, and legislation including those
of the United States Congress, state legislatures, the FERC, the MPUC, the
PSCW, and various local and county regulators, and city administrators,
about allowed rates of return, financings, industry and rate structure,
acquisition and disposal of assets and facilities, real estate
development, operation and construction of plant facilities, recovery of
purchased power and capital investments, present or prospective wholesale
and retail competition (including but not limited to transmission costs),
zoning and permitting of land held for resale and environmental
regulation;
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·
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effects
of restructuring initiatives in the electric industry;
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·
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economic
and geographic factors, including political and economic
risks;
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·
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changes
in and compliance with laws and policies;
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·
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weather
conditions;
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·
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natural
disasters and pandemic diseases;
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·
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war
and acts of terrorism;
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·
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wholesale
power market conditions;
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·
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population
growth rates and demographic patterns;
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·
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effects
of competition, including competition for retail and wholesale
customers;
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·
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changes
in the real estate market;
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·
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pricing
and transportation of commodities;
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·
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changes
in tax rates or policies or in rates of inflation;
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·
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unanticipated
project delays or changes in project costs;
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·
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availability
of construction materials and skilled construction labor for capital
projects;
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·
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unanticipated
changes in operating expenses and capital expenditures;
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·
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global
and domestic economic conditions;
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·
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our
ability to access capital markets and bank financing;
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·
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changes
in interest rates and the performance of the financial
markets;
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·
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our
ability to replace a mature workforce and retain qualified, skilled and
experienced personnel; and
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·
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the
outcome of legal and administrative proceedings (whether civil or
criminal) and settlements that affect the business and profitability of
ALLETE.
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Additional
disclosures regarding factors that could cause our results and performance to
differ from results or performance anticipated by this report are discussed in
Item 1A under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I of our 2007 Form 10-K.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement
is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement
to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which that statement is
made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge
from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of these
factors, nor can it assess the impact of each of these factors on the businesses
of ALLETE or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider
the various disclosures made by us in this Form 8-K and in our other reports
filed with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the factors that
may affect our business.
ALLETE, Inc. Form 8-K Dated March 24, 2008
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
ALLETE,
Inc.
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March
24, 2008
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/s/
Steven Q. DeVinck
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Steven
Q. DeVinck
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Controller
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ALLETE, Inc. Form 8-K Dated March 24, 2008