FORM 5

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

    Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
    Form 3 Holdings Reported
    Form 4 Transactions Reported

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB Number: 3235-0362
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Filed By
Romeo and Dye's
Section 16 Filer
www.section16.net

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*

Johnson Peter J.

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Minnesota Power, Inc. (MPL)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s)
to Issuer (Check all applicable)
X Director                                       10% Owner
    Officer (give title below)          Other (specify below)

(Last)      (First)     (Middle)

302 South Hoover Road
PO Box 1007

3. I.R.S. Identification Number
of Reporting Person,
if an entity (voluntary)

(Street)

Virginia, MN 55792

(City)     (State)     (Zip)

Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Trans-
action
Date
(Month/ Day/
Year)

2A. Deemed
Execution
Date,
if any
(Month/Day/
Year)

3. Trans-
action Code
(Instr. 8)

4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 & 5)

5. Amount of
Securities
Beneficially
Owned at End of Issuer's
Fiscal year
(Instr. 3 & 4)

6. Owner-
ship Form:
Direct (D)
or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

7. Nature of Indirect
Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Amount

(A)
or
(D)

Price

Common Stock

J⁽¹⁾

986.753

A

18726.442

D

Common Stock

6/16/99

G

8868.60

A

8868.60⁽²⁾

I

By Spouse

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security

(Instr. 3)

2. Conver-
sion or
Exercise
Price of Derivative Security

3. Trans-
action Date

(Month/
Day/
Year)

4. Trans-
action
Code

(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)

(Instr. 3, 4 & 5)

6. Date Exercisable
and Expiration
Date
(Month/Day/
Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 & 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of
Derivative
Securities
Beneficially
Owned
at End of Year
(Instr. 4)

10. Owner-
ship Form
of Deriv-
ative
Security:
Direct (D)
or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

(A)

(D)

Date Exer-cisable

Expira-
tion
Date

Title

Amount or Number of
Shares

Stock Option (right to buy)

21.9375

1/4/99

A

50

see below⁽³⁾

1/4/09

Common Stock

50

50

D

Explanation of Responses:

(1) Acquisition under the Minnesota Power Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan in transactions exempt under Rule 16a-11 and voluntarily reported by the reporting person. This information is based on a Plan statement as of December 31, 1999.
(2) The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.
(3) The option vests annually, 50% in 2000 and 50% in 2001.

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
          If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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