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  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_NetCashProvidedByOperatingActivitiesMember" name="NetCashProvidedByOperatingActivitiesMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_NetIncomeLossIncludingPortionAttributabletoNoncontrollingInterestExcludingIncomeLossAttributabletoRedeemableNoncontrollingInterest" name="NetIncomeLossIncludingPortionAttributabletoNoncontrollingInterestExcludingIncomeLossAttributabletoRedeemableNoncontrollingInterest" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_NumberOfOneYearExtensionOptions" name="NumberOfOneYearExtensionOptions" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:integerItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_OilAndGasMember" name="OilAndGasMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_OperatingExpenseMaintenanceOperationsandOtherCostsandExpense" name="OperatingExpenseMaintenanceOperationsandOtherCostsandExpense" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="debit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_OperatingLossCarryback" name="OperatingLossCarryback" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="debit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember" name="OtherRegulatoryAssetsMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_OtherRegulatoryLiabilitiesMember" name="OtherRegulatoryLiabilitiesMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_PowerGenerationMember" name="PowerGenerationMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionBorrowedInterestCostsCapitalized" name="PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionBorrowedInterestCostsCapitalized" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_RecourseLeverageRatio" name="RecourseLeverageRatio" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="num:percentItemType" xbrli:periodType="instant" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_RegulatoryAssetsAmortizationPeriodUnclassified" name="RegulatoryAssetsAmortizationPeriodUnclassified" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_RegulatoryLiabilitiesAmortizationPeriodUnclassified" name="RegulatoryLiabilitiesAmortizationPeriodUnclassified" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:durationItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_RenewableEnergyStandardAdjustmentMember" name="RenewableEnergyStandardAdjustmentMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_RestrictedCashFairValueDisclosure" name="RestrictedCashFairValueDisclosure" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="debit" xbrli:periodType="instant" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_RestrictedNetAssetsForSubsidiaries" name="RestrictedNetAssetsForSubsidiaries" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="debit" xbrli:periodType="instant" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_ScheduleOfDefinedBenefitPlansContributionsTableTextBlock" name="ScheduleOfDefinedBenefitPlansContributionsTableTextBlock" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:textBlockItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesLineItems" name="ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesLineItems" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesTable" name="ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesTable" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrldt:hypercubeItem" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesTableTextBlock" name="ScheduleOfRegulatoryAssetsAndLiabilitiesTableTextBlock" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:textBlockItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2027Member" name="SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2027Member" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_SourceGasMember" name="SourceGasMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_SwapsAndOptionsMember" name="SwapsAndOptionsMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element id="bkh_TotalOtherIncomeExpense" name="TotalOtherIncomeExpense" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" xbrli:balance="credit" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_UtilitiesGroupMember" name="UtilitiesGroupMember" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="nonnum:domainItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
  <xsd:element abstract="true" id="bkh_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicAndDilutedAbstract" name="WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicAndDilutedAbstract" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" type="xbrli:stringItemType" xbrli:periodType="duration" />
</xsd:schema>
