UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 
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FORM 8-K 
_________________ 
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) December 16, 2004 
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BLACK HILLS CORPORATION 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 
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South Dakota
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) 
		
001-31303 
(Commission File Number) 

625 Ninth Street, PO Box 1400 
Rapid City, South Dakota 
(Address of principal executive offices) 	46-0458824
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

57709-1400
(Zip Code) 	
605.721.1700
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) 
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        Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): 
 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) 
 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) 
 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) 

Item 5.02  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers 
On December 16, 2004, David S. Smith, Vice President–Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of the Registrant resigned. On December 16, 2004, the Board of Directors of the Registrant named Mark T. Thies as the Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. Thies will assume the position of Chief Accounting Officer in addition to his current position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer which he has served since March 2000. The additional information required by Item 5.02(c) of this Form in regards to Mr. Thies is incorporated herein by reference from Item 4a of the Registrant’s Form 10–K for 2003.
Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits 
(c)  Exhibits 
      99      Press Release dated December 17, 2004. 
SIGNATURES 
        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. 
  	BLACK HILLS CORPORATION 	

  	By: /s/ David R. Emery
       David R. Emery
       President and Chief Executive Officer 	

Date: December 17, 2004 
2 
BLACK HILLS CORPORATION NAMES CORPORATE CONTROLLER
RAPID CITY, SD—December 17, 2004—Black Hills Corporation (NYSE: BKH) today announced the appointment of Perry S. Krush to Vice President – Controller of the Company. 
        Mr. Krush has been with Black Hills Corporation for 16 years, during which time he has successively advanced to positions of greater authority and responsibility. His career includes positions in accounting, audit, finance and management. Krush’s experience extends to all aspects of the Company’s diversified retail and wholesale energy and broadband communications businesses. Most recently, he was Controller of Retail Operations. 
        The position of Vice President – Controller and Chief Accounting Officer formerly was held by David S. Smith, who recently announced he will be leaving the Company to pursue other interests. Mark T. Thies, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will assume the responsibilities of Chief Accounting Officer. 
        Black Hills Corporation (www.blackhillscorp.com) is a diverse energy and communications company with three business groups: Black Hills Energy, the integrated, nonregulated energy subsidiary which generates electricity, produces natural gas, oil and coal and markets energy; Black Hills Power, an electric utility serving western South Dakota, northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana; and Black Hills FiberCom, a broadband communications company offering bundled telephone, high speed Internet and cable entertainment services.