EXHIBIT 23(a)

                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration 
Statement on Form S-8 (No. 33-51989) of the Minnesota Power and Affiliated 
Companies Employee Stock Purchase Plan of our report dated January 24, 1995, 
appearing on page 24 of the Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated 
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by 
reference of our report on the Financial Statement Schedule which appears on 
page 31 of this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement 
on Form S-8 (No. 33-32033) of the Minnesota Power and Affiliated Companies 
Supplemental Retirement Plan of our report dated January 24, 1995, appearing on 
page 24 of the Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated in this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by reference 
of our report on the Financial Statement Schedule which appears on page 31 of 
this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus 
constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-51941) of 
the Minnesota Power & Light Company Common Stock of our report dated January 
24, 1995, appearing on page 24 of the Annual Report to Shareholders which is 
incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the 
incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial Statement Schedule 
which appears on page 31 of this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus 
constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-50143) of 
the Minnesota Power & Light Company Common Stock of our report dated January 
24, 1995, appearing on page 24 of the Annual Report to Shareholders which is 
incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to the 
incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial Statement Schedule 
which appears on page 31 of this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus 
constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-56134) of 
the Minnesota Power & Light Company Automatic Dividend Reinvestment and Stock 
Purchase Plan of our report dated January 24, 1995, appearing on page 24 of the 
Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated in this Annual Report on 
Form 10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on 
the Financial Statement Schedule which appears on page 31 of this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus 
constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-55240) of 
the Minnesota Power & Light Company First Mortgage Bonds of our report dated 
January 24, 1995, appearing on page 24 of the Annual Report to Shareholders 
which is incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also consent to 
the incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial Statement 
Schedule which appears on page 31 of this Form 10-K.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus 
constituting part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-45551) of 
the Minnesota Power & Light Company Serial Preferred Stock, Cumulative, Without 
Par Value of our report dated January 24, 1995, appearing on page 24 of the 
Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated in this Annual Report on 
Form 10-K. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on 
the Financial Statement Schedule which appears on page 31 of this Form 10-K.


PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
March 24, 1995