BLACK HILLS CORP. EMPLOYEE FATALLY
INJURED IN GILLETTE MINING INCIDENT

Local Media Contact:
Al Butkus 605-593-2515
Media Relations Line:
866-243-9002
Investor Relations:
Jason Ketchum 605-721-2765

RAPID CITY, SD., Oct. 29, 2008 – A 48-year-old employee at Wyodak Resources Development Corp., a subsidiary of Black Hills Corp., was fatally injured in an incident at the company’s Wyodak surface coal mine operation in Gillette, Wyo. The incident occurred Tuesday evening during the employee’s normal shift. The employee was immediately taken to Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette where he later passed away.

“All of us in the Black Hills family are deeply saddened by this loss,” said David Emery, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Black Hills Corp. “Our immediate thoughts and concerns are about the employee’s immediate family.”

The employee, William “Bill” Kempf, had been employed at the mine since August where he was a production technician. This is the only fatality that has occurred at the Wyodak Mine since it was purchased by Black Hills Corporation in 1956.

A counselor is at the mine today and is working with employees. An investigation to determine the details surrounding the incident began immediately. The investigation is being conducted by company mining experts and officials from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Work at the mine stopped immediately following the incident.

The Wyodak surface coal mine is near Gillette and mines sub-bituminous coal. It sits on top of the Powder River Basin, one of the largest coal reserves in the United States. The Wyodak mine supports low-cost mine-mouth power generation for two of Black Hills Corp’s electric utilities; Black Hills Power based in Rapid City, SD, and Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power based in Cheyenne, Wyo, and regional coal sales to PacifiCorp’s Wyodak and Dave Johnston power plants.

About Black Hills:
Black Hills Corporation is a diversified energy company with a tradition of exemplary service and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. Based in Rapid City, S.D., with corporate offices in Golden, Colo. and Omaha, Neb., the company serves 750,000 utility customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. The company’s non-regulated businesses generate wholesale electricity, produce natural gas, oil and coal, and market energy. Black Hills employees partner to produce results that improve life with energy. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com.