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) - NOVEMBER 12, 2004




                                  ALLETE, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

        MINNESOTA                   1-3548                        41-0418150
(State of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer
                                                             Identification No.)

                             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:

/ /  Written  communications  pursuant to Rule  425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)
/ /  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the  Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)
/ /  Pre-commencement  communications   pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
/ /  Pre-commencement  communications   pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



ITEM 7.01  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

As a result of the September 20, 2004 spin-off of ADESA, Inc.  (ADESA),  ALLETE,
Inc. (ALLETE or Company) redefined its reportable  business segments.  REGULATED
UTILITY includes the Company's rate regulated  electric,  water and gas services
in  northeastern  Minnesota  and  northwestern  Wisconsin.  NONREGULATED  ENERGY
OPERATIONS  includes the  Company's  coal mining  activities in North Dakota and
nonregulated  generation  consisting  primarily of generation from the Company's
Taconite  Harbor Energy  Center in northern  Minnesota  and  generation  secured
through a 15-year power purchase  agreement.  REAL ESTATE includes the Company's
Florida real estate operations.  OTHER includes the Company's telecommunications
activities,  investments in emerging technologies, and general corporate charges
and  interest not  specifically  related to any one  business  segment.  General
corporate  charges include  employee  salaries and benefits as well as legal and
other outside service fees. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS includes Automotive Services
(ADESA),  which was spun off on September 20, 2004,  Water Services  businesses,
the majority of which were sold in 2003, and spin-off costs incurred by ALLETE.

On October 28, 2004 ALLETE  furnished an 8-K that contained  certain  historical
financial  information for the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 adjusted to reflect the
spin-off  of ADESA  as  discontinued  operations  and the  redefined  reportable
business  segments.  ALLETE's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September
30, 2004 contained  comparable  financial  information with respect to the third
quarters of 2004 and 2003.  This 8-K is being  furnished  to provide  comparable
segment information for the year ended December 31, 2003.

The  following  shall not be deemed  "filed"  for  purposes of Section 18 of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  nor  shall  it be  deemed  incorporated  by
reference in any filing  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  except as shall be
expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.




                                                                              NONREGULATED
BUSINESS SEGMENTS                                               REGULATED        ENERGY         REAL
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2003           CONSOLIDATED      UTILITY       OPERATIONS      ESTATE        OTHER
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Millions
                                                                                             
Operating Revenue                                 $697.9         $510.0         $ 112.2         $42.6       $ 33.1
Fuel and Purchased Power                           252.5          212.5            40.0             -            -
Operating and Other Expense                        297.6          176.5            58.5          18.1         44.5
Depreciation Expense                                51.2           41.2             7.4           0.1          2.5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Income (Loss) from
    Continuing Operations                           96.6           79.8             6.3          24.4        (13.9)
Interest Expense                                   (50.6)         (20.4)           (1.8)         (0.2)       (28.2)
Other Income (Expense)                               2.0            2.9             1.4             -         (2.3)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations
    Before Income Taxes                             48.0           62.3             5.9          24.2        (44.4)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)                        18.2           24.4             2.2          10.1        (18.5)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations            29.8         $ 37.9         $   3.7         $14.1       $(25.9)
                                                                ---------------------------------------------------
Income from Discontinued Operations-Net of Tax     206.6
--------------------------------------------------------
Net Income                                        $236.4
--------------------------------------------------------


                    ALLETE Form 8-K dated November 12, 2004                    1



                                   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.



November 12, 2004                               James K. Vizanko
                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                James K. Vizanko
                               Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


2                   ALLETE Form 8-K dated November 12, 2004