OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 19, 2010 – Help warm the homes of neighbors by placing pocket change in “Warm Homes” canisters at Hy-Vee stores through Feb. 21. The money will help those in your community who – due to age, health or financial limitations – are having difficulties paying their winter heating bills.

Canisters will be at Hy-Vee stores in Omaha, Neb., Papillion, Neb.; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Lincoln, Neb.; Norfolk, Neb.; and Columbus, Neb.

Donations will go to Black Hills Energy’s and Metropolitan Utilities District’s energy assistance programs, which are distributed by local assistance agencies. In Nebraska, funds are administered by The Salvation Army and for Black Hills in Iowa, by the Iowa Community Action Association.

In 2009, M.U.D. customers gave more than $152,000 to the District’s Heat Aid Fund. Black Hills Cares is Black Hills Energy’s energy assistance program, and Black Hills matches contributions by customers, employees and vendors. In 2009, Black Hills Cares provided approximately $225,000 in energy assistance to help qualified Nebraska and Iowa customers pay for energy-related expenses.

“Warm Homes” is sponsored by M.U.D., Black Hills Energy, Hy-Vee, The Salvation Army and KETV.

About Warm Homes

Warm Homes is a cooperative energy assistance fundraising effort of KETV, The Salvation Army, Metropolitan Utilities District, Black Hills Energy in Nebraska and western Iowa, and participating Hy-Vee stores in those areas. Money raised will be given to The Salvation Army in Nebraska which disburses energy assistance funds for M.U.D. and Black Hill’s Nebraska operations, and also to the Iowa Community Action Agency, which disburses energy assistance funds for Black Hills Energy in Iowa.

About Metropolitan Utilities District

The Metropolitan Utilities District is a political subdivision of the State of Nebraska. M.U.D. is the fifth largest public gas utility in the United States, serving natural gas to 209,487 customer-owners in Omaha, Bennington, Fort Calhoun, Springfield, Yutan and Bellevue, Neb. M.U.D. also provides safe drinking water to 196,878 customer-owners in Omaha, Bellevue, Bennington, Carter Lake, LaVista, Ralston and Waterloo, Neb., as well as the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District (which supplies water to Fort Calhoun). More information is available at www.mudomaha.com.

About Black Hills Energy

Black Hills Energy serves 197,400 natural gas customers in 110 eastern Nebraska communities and 149,500 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., with corporate offices in Denver and Omaha, Neb. The company serves 759,000 natural gas and electric 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. Black Hills employees partner to produce results that improve life with energy. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com.

About Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 228 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009 the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. In 2009 Hy-Vee’s 226 retail pharmacy locations earned the Exemplary Provider Accreditation from The Compliance Team, one of 11 approved Medicare accrediting bodies for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and/or Supplies (DMEPOS). In a 2008 study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, Hy-Vee ranked highest in pharmacy customer satisfaction among Midwest supermarket companies.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support these services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

For more information, contact:

Metropolitan Utilities District

Tracey Christensen

402.504.7215

Black Hills Energy

Nebraska: Bob McKeon 402.935.4887

Iowa: Janaan Harp 402.680.8928

Black Hills Media Line 866.243.9002