UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 15/A

CERTIFICATION  AND NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF REGISTRATION  UNDER SECTION 12(g) OF
THE SECURITIES  EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 OR SUSPENSION OF DUTY TO FILE REPORTS UNDER
SECTIONS 13 AND 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.


                                             Commission File Number     1-3548 *



                    Minnesota Power and Affiliated Companies
                   Retirement Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                             30 West Superior Street
                          Duluth, Minnesota 55802-2093
                                 (218) 279-5000
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  (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   registrant's principal executive offices)


                            Interests held under the
                    Minnesota Power and Affiliated Companies
                          Employee Stock Ownership Plan
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            (Title of each class of securities covered by this Form)


                                      None
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   (Titles of all other classes of securities for which a duty to file reports
                     under section 13(a) or 15(d) remains)

Please place an X in the box(es) to designate the appropriate rule  provision(s)
relied upon to terminate or suspend the duty to file reports:
        Rule 12g-4(a)(1)(i)      / /         Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(i)       / /
        Rule 12g-4(a)(1)(ii)     / /         Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(ii)      / /
        Rule 12g-4(a)(2)(i)      / /         Rule 12h-3(b)(2)(i)       / /
        Rule 12g-4(a)(2)(ii)     / /         Rule 12h-3(b)(2)(ii)      / /
                                             Rule 15d-6                /X/

Approximate number of holders of record as of the certification  or notice date:
None

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  THE
MINNESOTA POWER AND AFFILIATED  COMPANIES RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND STOCK OWNERSHIP
PLAN has  caused  this  certification/notice  to be signed on its  behalf by the
undersigned duly authorized person.

Date: July 1, 2003       By:                    Donald J. Shippar
                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                Donald J. Shippar
                                   Chairman, Employee Benefit Plans Committee

*  Effective  January  1, 2002  the Minnesota  Power  and  Affiliated  Companies
   Employee Stock  Ownership Plan (ESOP) and the Minnesota  Power and Affiliated
   Companies Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) were merged into one plan called
   the Minnesota  Power and Affiliated  Companies  Retirement  Savings and Stock
   Ownership Plan (RSOP) with the surviving plan being the plan previously named
   the  SRP.  While  SEC  reporting   requirements   for  the  ESOP  are  hereby
   discontinued,  reports  will  continue to be filed for the RSOP.  This filing
   does not terminate or suspend any duties to file reports by ALLETE, Inc.