BLACK HILLS ENERGY EMPLOYEES WALK FOR WARMTH AND

RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE

Black Hills Energy Nebraska: Bob McKeon 402-935-4887
Black Hills Energy Iowa: Brian Ortner 712-325-3024
Black Hills Media Line 866-243-9002

OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 25, 2009 – Approximately 135 Black Hills Energy employees, friends and family from Nebraska and Iowa joined Omaha-area mayors and employees from other utilities, companies, organizations and human service agencies at a downtown park Friday night for the second annual 1-mile Heartland Walk for Warmth.

The walk is hosted by utility companies, the cities in which they operate, and human service agencies – The Salvation Army, United Way and the American Red Cross – that provide 211 information services and distribute assistance funds for the utilities. It is held on a winter evening to raise awareness of what it’s like to live in a cold, dark home where utilities have been shut off due to financial difficulties.

“Some customers being unable to pay utility bills is an unfortunate reality of the business,” said Jan Davis, Black Hills Energy Nebraska external affairs manager. “Viewed as a community problem, Heartland Walk for Warmth is a collective effort of cities, Black Hills Energy, other utility partners, and service agencies to raise awareness and funds for energy assistance.”

Approximately 1,000 people walked in Friday night’s event. The amount of money the walk raised for energy assistance will be announced and awarded in March. Black Hills Energy, Metropolitan Utilities District and Omaha Public Power District energy assistance programs share the net proceeds.

Black Hills Energy sponsors Black Hills Cares, the company’s energy assistance program that provides customer and company contributions for residential energy assistance. Customers can indicate on their monthly Black Hills Energy bill the amount they want to contribute. In Nebraska, Salvation Army’s HeatShare program administers and disburses Black Hills Cares funds. In Iowa, Black Hills Cares funds are adminstered and distributed by Iowa Community Action Partnership.

Davis encourages any Black Hills Energy customer experiencing a financial difficulty affecting their ability to pay their bill to contact the company right away so payment arrangements can be worked out or a referral made to an energy assistance agency. Black Hills Energy also offers a budget billing program to level out monthly payments and spread winter bills over the entire year. Customer service associates are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 888-890-5554. Customers can also visit www.blackhillsenergy.com for energy assistance information.

“We serve 240 communities in Nebraska and Iowa,” said Davis, “and we actively look for opportunities to partner with communities for programs such as the Heartland Walk for Warmth that improve the quality of life. We encourage individuals or groups interested in organizing a local walk or other event to raise energy assistance funds and awareness of the need for energy assistance to contact us.”

People living in Black Hills Energy-served communities in Nebraska should contact Davis at 402-935-4868 or jan.davis@blackhillscorp.com. In Iowa, the company’s community relations contact is Marv Oppedal, Iowa senior external affairs manager, Black Hills Energy. His contact information is 641-792-1548, ext. 8, and marvin.oppedal@blackhillscorp.com.

Black Hills Energy serves 197,000 natural gas customers in 110 eastern Nebraska communities and 148,000 natural gas customers in 130 Iowa communities. Black Hills Energy is part of Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) — 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. The company has other main offices in Golden, Colo., and Omaha, Neb. Black Hills Corp.’s regulated utilities serve 750,000 electric and natural gas utility customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. The company’s non-regulated businesses generate wholesale electricity, produce natural gas, oil and coal, and market energy. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com.

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