CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORP
S-3, 1998-10-13
ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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              As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                              on October --, 1998
                                                      Registration No. 333------
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                               ------------------

                                    FORM S-3
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ------------------

                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)
     NEW YORK                                                   14-0555980
 (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                             (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
 INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                           IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)

                                284 SOUTH AVENUE
                        POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK 12601-4879
                                 (914) 452-2000
    (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
                  OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)

                     JOHN E. MACK III, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
                                284 SOUTH AVENUE
                        POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK 12601-4879
                                 (914) 486-5239
                                       OR
                     WILLIAM P. REILLY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY
                            ONE CHASE MANHATTAN PLAZA
                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005-1401
                                 (212) 344-5680

            (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                  INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENTS FOR SERVICE)

                                -----------------

                        COPIES OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO:
                              DAVID P. FALCK, ESQ.
                       WINTHROP, STIMSON, PUTNAM & ROBERTS
                             ONE BATTERY PARK PLAZA
                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10004-1490
                            (COUNSEL FOR THE AGENTS)
                                 (212) 858-1438

                                -----------------

     APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:  From time
to time after the Registration  Statement becomes  effective,  when warranted by
market conditions and other factors.

     If the only  securities  being  registered  on this Form are being  offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. |_|

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. |X|

     If this Form is filed to  register  additional  securities  for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. |_|_____________________

     If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the  Securities  Act,  check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. |_|___________________

     If delivery of the  prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.  |_|

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

====================================================================================================================================
                                                                PROPOSED MAXIMUM             PROPOSED MAXIMUM           AMOUNT OF
     TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF               AMOUNT TO BE           OFFERING PRICE             AGGREGATE OFFERING        REGISTRATION
   SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED            REGISTERED(1)            PER UNIT(1)                   PRICE(1)                  FEE
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                        <C>                        <C>                       <C>                      <C>    
Debt Securities . . . . . . . . . . . .    $45,000,000                100%                      $45,000,000              $13,275
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  Exclusive of accrued interest, if any, and estimated solely for the purpose
     of calculating the registration fee.

Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act of 1933, the prospectus filed as a
part of this Registration Statement also relates to $65,000,000 aggregate amount
of Debt Securities  registered pursuant to Registration  Statement No. 33-56349,
in respect of which a  registration  fee in the amount of $22,425 was previously
paid.

                 AMENDMENT FILED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 473(a)

     The registrant  hereby amends this  registration  statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall
file a further  amendment  which  specifically  states  that  this  registration
statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  registration  statement  shall become
effective on such date as the Commission,  acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.

================================================================================


<PAGE>




The  information in this  prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  We may
not sell  these  securities  until the  registration  statement  filed  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer
to  sell  these  securities  and it is not  soliciting  an  offer  to buy  these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.


                  SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 13, 1998


PROSPECTUS


                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION

                                 DEBT SECURITIES

     By this  prospectus,  we may offer from time to time up to  $110,000,000 of
our Debt Securities. The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series and
will be  unsecured.  Any series may  provide for one or more  issuances  of Debt
Securities.  The Debt  Securities  of each series or issuance will be offered on
terms to be determined at the time of sale. The Debt Securities may be issued as
individual securities in registered form, or as one or more global securities in
registered form.

     WE WILL PROVIDE THE SPECIFIC  TERMS OF THE DEBT  SECURITIES  IN ONE OR MORE
SUPPLEMENTS  TO  THIS  PROSPECTUS.  YOU  SHOULD  READ  THIS  PROSPECTUS  AND THE
APPLICABLE SUPPLEMENTS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU INVEST.

     We may offer the Debt Securities in any of the following ways:

             o    directly;
             o    through agents;
             o    through dealers; or
             o    through one or more underwriters or a syndicate of
                  underwriters in an underwritten offering.

We will  describe  the  plan of  distribution  for any  Debt  Securities  in the
applicable  supplements.  "Plan  of  Distribution"  inside  also  provides  more
information on this topic.
                             -----------------------

       THE  DEBT  SECURITIES  HAVE   NOT   BEEN   APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION  OR  ANY  STATE   SECURITIES  COMMISSION  NOR
HAVE  ANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS  DETERMINED  THAT THIS  PROSPECTUS  IS ACCURATE
OR  COMPLETE.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                             -----------------------

                 THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS OCTOBER _, 1998








<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                            PAGE

About this Prospectus......................................................   2
Where You Can Find More Information........................................   2
The Company................................................................   3
Use of Proceeds............................................................   4
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges........................................   4
Description of the Debt Securities.........................................   5
Legal Opinions and Experts.................................................  11
Plan of Distribution.......................................................  11


                              ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     This prospectus is part of a registration statement (No. 333-________) that
we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") utilizing a "shelf"
registration process. Under this shelf process, we may offer, from time to time,
the Debt Securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings with a
total aggregate  principal  amount not to exceed  $110,000,000.  This prospectus
provides you with a general  description  of the Debt  Securities  we may offer.
Each  time we offer  Debt  Securities,  we will  provide  you with a  prospectus
supplement and, if applicable,  a pricing supplement.  The prospectus supplement
and any applicable pricing supplement will describe the specific amounts, prices
and terms of the Debt Securities  being offered.  The prospectus  supplement and
any applicable  pricing supplement may also add, update or change information in
this  prospectus.   Please  carefully  read  this  prospectus,   the  applicable
prospectus  supplement and any applicable pricing supplement,  together with the
information  contained in the documents referred to under the heading "Where You
Can Find More Information."


                       WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements,  and other
information  with the SEC.  You may  read and copy any  document  we file at the
SEC's public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549.
Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330  for further  information on the operation
of the public  reference rooms. Our SEC filings are also available to the public
over the Internet at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov.

     The SEC allows us to  "incorporate  by reference"  into this prospectus the
information  we file with the SEC,  which means that we can  disclose  important
information  to you  by  referring  you  to  those  documents.  The  information
incorporated  by  reference is  considered  to be part of this  prospectus,  and
information  that we file  later  with the SEC  will  automatically  update  and
supersede this information.  We incorporate by reference the following documents
that we have  filed  with the SEC and our  future  filings  with  the SEC  under
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 until
our offering of the Debt Securities is completed:

      o  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997;

      o  Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the  quarters ended March 31, 1998,
         and June 30, 1998; and

      o  Current  Reports on Form 8-K dated  January 7, 1998, February 10, 1998,
         July  24,  1998  (as  amended  by  Amendment  No. 1 on Form 8-K/A dated
         August 4, 1998 and October 9, 1998).


                                       -2-

<PAGE>



     You may  obtain  a copy of these  filings,  at no cost,  by  writing  to or
telephoning us at the following address:

                            Treasurer
                            Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation
                            284 South Avenue
                            Poughkeepsie, New York 12601-4879
                            (914) 486-5254

     YOU  SHOULD  RELY ONLY ON THE  INFORMATION  INCORPORATED  BY  REFERENCE  OR
PROVIDED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT, AND IN ANY
PRICING  SUPPLEMENT.  WE HAVE  AUTHORIZED  NO ONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH  DIFFERENT
INFORMATION.  YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS, ANY
APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR ANY PRICING SUPPLEMENT IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY
DATE  OTHER  THAN THE DATE ON THE COVER OF THE  DOCUMENT.  WE ARE NOT  MAKING AN
OFFER OF THE DEBT  SECURITIES  IN ANY  STATE IN WHICH  THE  OFFER OR SALE IS NOT
PERMITTED.


                                   THE COMPANY

     Central  Hudson Gas & Electric  Corporation is a public utility that serves
the  Mid-Hudson  River Valley region of New York State.  We or our  predecessors
have been in business  since 1900.  We  generate,  purchase,  transmit  and sell
electricity  and  purchase,  transport  and  sell  natural  gas.  Our  principal
executive  office  is  located  at 284  South  Avenue,  Poughkeepsie,  New  York
12601-4879 and our telephone number is (914) 452-2000.

     Total  revenues and  operating  income  before  income taxes  (expressed as
percentages),  derived  from  our  electric  and gas  operations  accounted  for
approximately  the following  percentages of total revenues and operating income
before income taxes for each of the last three years:

                            Percent of                 Percent of Operating
                          Total Revenues           Income Before Income Taxes
                       ---------------------       --------------------------
                       Electric          Gas          Electric         Gas 
                       --------          ---          --------         --- 
    1997............      80%            20%             85%           15%
    1996............      81%            19%             88%           12%
    1995............      80%            20%             90%           10%

     For the year  ended  December  31,  1997,  we served an  average of 266,471
electric and 61,402 natural gas customers  monthly.  Our total electric revenues
during that period were derived from the following sources (approximate):

      o  43% from residential customers;
      o  31% from commercial customers;
      o  17% from industrial customers; and
      o  9% from other utilities and miscellaneous sources.

     Our total  natural gas  revenues  during that period were  derived from the
following sources (approximate):

      o  43% from residential customers;
      o  32% from commercial customers;
      o  5% from industrial customers;
      o  15% from interruptible customers; and
      o  5% from miscellaneous  sources (including  revenues from transportation
         of customer-owned natural gas).

                                       -3-

<PAGE>



     Our largest customer is International Business Machines Corporation,  which
accounted for  approximately 9% of our total electric revenues and approximately
1% of our total gas revenues for the year ended December 31, 1997.

     On  September  25,  1998,  our  shareholders  approved  a  holding  company
restructuring proposal set forth in an Agreement and Plan of Exchange between us
and CH Energy Group,  Inc. This  restructuring  is expected to become  effective
during  the  first  half  of  1999.  As part  of the  restructuring,  all of the
outstanding  shares of our common stock will be  exchanged on a  share-for-share
basis for shares of CH Energy's common stock and we and most of our subsidiaries
will become  subsidiaries of CH Energy.  Our debt securities and preferred stock
outstanding  on the date that the  restructuring  becomes  effective will remain
outstanding after that date and will not be changed.

                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

     We are  offering  hereby our  unsecured  Debt  Securities,  in the  maximum
amounts  described  on the  cover  page  of  this  prospectus,  on  terms  to be
determined  when an  agreement  or  agreements  to sell  any or all of the  Debt
Securities are made from time to time.

     We expect to use the net proceeds  from sales of the Debt  Securities  for:
(a) the  payment  of  maturing  issues  of  long-term  debt;  (b)  repayment  of
short-term  debt  expected to be incurred to fund  contributions  of  additional
equity  to our  unregulated  subsidiaries;  (c)  repayment  of  short-term  debt
incurred  or  expected  to be  incurred  for  working  capital  requirements  in
connection with our construction program; and (d) financing expenditures for our
construction program and for other corporate purposes,  including repurchases by
us of our common stock.  More  specific  information  concerning  the use of the
proceeds from any particular  sale of Debt  Securities  will be set forth in the
applicable  prospectus  supplement.   Pending  application  for  such  purposes,
proceeds from the sale of the Debt  Securities  may be  temporarily  invested in
short-term instruments.

     We anticipate the need for additional  funds for our  construction  program
and for other corporate  purposes and expect to incur short-term  borrowings and
may issue and sell  additional  securities  as needed,  in amounts  and of types
presently undetermined.

     Reference is made to the information contained in the documents referred to
under  the  caption  "Where  You  Can  Find  More  Information"   regarding  our
construction  program and other significant capital requirements and our general
financing plan and capabilities.


                       RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     Our ratio of  earnings  to fixed  charges  for each of the last five fiscal
years and the three, six and twelve months ended June 30, 1998 is as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                               Three        Six        Twelve
                                                                                              Months      Months       Months
                                                                                               Ended       Ended        Ended
                                                       Year Ended December 31,               June 30,    June 30,     June 30,
                                                       -----------------------               --------    --------     --------

                                           1993       1994      1995      1996     1997        1998        1998         1998
                                           ----       ----      ----      ----     ----        ----        ----         ----
<S>                                        <C>        <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>         <C>         <C>          <C> 
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.....    3.29       3.38      3.68      4.08     3.94        3.12        4.17         3.73

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
</TABLE>

   For  purposes  of this  ratio:  (i)  earnings  consist of pretax  income from
continuing  operations  to which fixed  charges have been added;  and (ii) fixed
charges  consist of interest  charges on first mortgage  bonds,  other long-term
debt,  short-term  debt,  other interest  charges,  amortization  of premium and
expense on debt and the portion of rents representative of the interest factor.


                       DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES

     GENERAL: The Debt Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of
April 1, 1992 ("Indenture"), between us and U.S. Bank Trust National Association
(formerly known as First Trust of New York, National  Association) (as successor
trustee to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York),  as Trustee  ("Trustee").
The following  are summaries of the Debt  Securities  and the  Indenture.  These
summaries do not purport to be complete and are  qualified in their  entirety by
the detailed provisions of the Indenture, to which we refer you.

     The Indenture does not limit the aggregate  principal  amount of securities
which may be issued  thereunder.  The Debt  Securities and all other  securities
issued and hereafter to be issued under the Indenture are collectively  referred
to as the  "Securities."  The Indenture does not limit the amount of other debt,
secured or unsecured,  which we may issue.  The Debt  Securities  will rank PARI
PASSU with all of our other unsecured indebtedness.

     Reference is made to the applicable prospectus supplement for a description
of the following terms of specific series of Debt  Securities:  (i) the title of
Debt  Securities  of such series;  (ii) the limit,  if any,  upon the  aggregate
principal amount of Debt Securities of such series;  (iii) the rate or rates, or
the method of  determination  thereof,  at which Debt  Securities of such series
will bear  interest,  if any;  the date or dates from which such  interest  will
accrue;  the dates on which such  interest  will be payable  ("Interest  Payment
Date");  and the regular record dates for the interest  payable on such Interest
Payment  Dates;  (iv)  our  obligation,  if any,  to  redeem  or  purchase  Debt
Securities of such series  pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous  provisions
or at the option of the holder thereof and the periods within which or the dates
on which,  the  prices at which and the terms and  conditions  upon  which  Debt
Securities  of such series will be redeemed or  purchased,  in whole or in part,
pursuant to such obligation; (v) the periods within which or the dates on which,
the prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which such Debt Securities
may be redeemed or repurchased, if any, in whole or in part, at our option; (vi)
if other than  denominations of $1,000 and any integral  multiple  thereof,  the
denominations  in which Debt  Securities of such series will be issuable;  (vii)
whether Debt  Securities  of such series are to be issued in whole or in part in
the form of one or more  global  securities  and,  if so,  the  identity  of the
depositary  for such  global  securities;  (viii)  the terms  under  which  Debt
Securities of such series may be convertible  into our common stock or our other
securities;  and (ix) any other terms of such Debt  Securities not  inconsistent
with the provisions of the Indenture.

     PAYMENT OF DEBT SECURITIES; TRANSFERS, EXCHANGES: Except as may be provided
in the applicable prospectus supplement, interest, if any, on each Debt Security
payable on each  Interest  Payment Date will be paid to the person in whose name
such Debt Security is registered  (the  registered  holder of any Security being
herein called a "Holder") as of the close of business on the regular record date
relating to such Interest Payment Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that interest payable
at  maturity  (whether  at  stated  maturity,   upon  redemption  or  otherwise,
hereinafter "Maturity") will be paid to the person to whom the principal of such
Debt  Security is paid.  However,  if there has been a default in the payment of
interest on any Debt  Security,  such  defaulted  interest may be payable to the
Holder of such Debt  Security as of the close of business on a date  selected by
the Trustee not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date we
propose for payment of such defaulted interest.

   Principal  of and  premium,  if  any,  and  interest,  if  any,  on the  Debt
Securities at Maturity will be payable upon  presentation of the Debt Securities
at the principal corporate trust office of U.S. Bank Trust National

                                       -5-

<PAGE>

Association,  or of any successor  paying agent,  in New York,  New York. We may
change the place of  payment on the Debt  Securities,  may  appoint  one or more
paying agents (including  ourselves) and may remove any paying agent, all in our
discretion.  The applicable prospectus supplement, or a supplement thereto, will
identify  any new place of  payment  and any  paying  agent  appointed  and will
disclose  the  removal of any paying  agent  effected  prior to the date of such
prospectus supplement or supplement thereto.

     The transfer of Debt Securities may be registered,  and Debt Securities may
be exchanged for other Debt Securities of authorized  denominations  and of like
tenor and aggregate principal amount, at the principal corporate trust office of
U.S.  Bank Trust  National  Association,  or any  successor  transfer  agent and
registrar,  in New York, New York. We may change the place for  registration  of
transfer of the Debt  Securities,  may appoint one or more  additional  security
registrars or transfer agents (including  ourselves) and may remove any security
registrar or transfer agent,  all in our discretion.  The applicable  prospectus
supplement,   or  a  supplement  thereto,   will  identify  any  new  place  for
registration of transfer and any additional security registrar or transfer agent
appointed  and will  disclose the removal of any security  registrar or transfer
agent  effected  prior to the date of such  prospectus  supplement or supplement
thereto. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of the Debt
Securities,  but we may require  payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
other  governmental  charge  payable  in  connection  therewith.  We will not be
required (a) to issue,  register the  transfer of, or exchange  Debt  Securities
during a period of 15 days prior to giving any  notice of  redemption  or (b) to
issue,  register the transfer  of, or exchange  any Debt  Security  selected for
redemption  in whole or in  part,  except  the  unredeemed  portion  of any Debt
Security being redeemed in part.

     REDEMPTION: Any terms of the optional or mandatory redemption of any series
of Debt  Securities will be set forth in the applicable  prospectus  supplement.
Except  as shall  otherwise  be  provided  with  respect  to any  series of Debt
Securities, or any tranche thereof,  redeemable at the option of the Holder, the
Debt Securities of such series, or any tranche thereof,  will be redeemable only
upon notice,  by mail,  not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date
fixed for redemption and, if less than all of the Debt Securities of any series,
or any tranche thereof, are to be redeemed,  the particular Debt Securities will
be selected by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

     Any notice of optional  redemption may state that such redemption  shall be
conditional  upon the receipt by the Trustee,  on or prior to the date fixed for
such  redemption,  of money  sufficient to pay the principal of and premium,  if
any, and interest,  if any, on such Debt  Securities  and that if such money has
not been so received,  such notice will be of no force or effect and we will not
be required to redeem such Debt Securities.

     EVENTS OF DEFAULT:  The  following  constitute  events of default under the
Indenture with respect to each series of Securities outstanding thereunder:

              (a)  failure to pay any  interest  on any  Security of such series
        within 60 days after the same becomes due and payable;

              (b) failure to pay any  principal  of or  premium,  if any, on any
        Security of such series  within three  Business  Days (as defined in the
        Indenture) after the same becomes due and payable;

              (c)  failure  to  perform  or  breach of any of our  covenants  or
        warranties  in the Indenture  (other than a covenant or warranty  solely
        for the benefit of one or more series of Securities  other than the Debt
        Securities) for 60 days after written notice to us by the Trustee, or to
        us and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of
        the  Securities  of such  series  outstanding  under  the  Indenture  as
        provided in the Indenture;

              (d) a default under any evidence of  indebtedness by us (including
        a default with respect to any series of Securities or any First Mortgage
        Bonds ("Mortgage  Bonds") issued under our Indenture of Mortgage,  dated
        as of  January  1,  1927,  to The  Bank  of New  York,  as  trustee,  as
        supplemented and


                                      -6-
<PAGE>



        amended (the "Mortgage")), or a default under any instrument under which
        there may be issued any such  indebtedness  (including the Indenture and
        the Mortgage),  in each case aggregating in excess of $5 million,  which
        default  shall  constitute  a  failure  to pay  the  principal  of  such
        indebtedness   when  due  and  payable  (after  the  expiration  of  any
        applicable  grace period) or shall have resulted in the  acceleration of
        when  such  indebtedness  becomes  due and  payable  if (i)  either  the
        Trustee,  or at least 10% in principal amount of any outstanding  series
        of  Securities,  shall  have  given us notice of such  default  and (ii)
        within 10 days of said notice,  such  indebtedness  is not discharged or
        such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled;

               (e)  certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization;
                    and

               (f)  any other event of default specified with respect to
                    Securities of such series.

     REMEDIES:  If an event of default with respect to any series of  Securities
occurs and is  continuing,  then  either the  Trustee or the Holders of not less
than 33% in principal  amount of the  outstanding  Securities of such series may
declare the principal  amount (or if the  Securities of such series are discount
notes or similar  Securities,  such  portion of the  principal  amount as may be
specified in the applicable  prospectus  supplement) of all of the Securities of
such series to be due and payable immediately;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that if such
an event of  default  occurs  and is  continuing  with  respect to more than one
series  of  Securities,  the  Trustee  or the  Holders  of not less  than 33% in
aggregate  principal  amount of the  outstanding  Securities of all such series,
considered as one class,  may make such  declaration of acceleration and not the
Holders of the Securities of any one of such series.

     At any time  after the  declaration  of  acceleration  with  respect to the
Securities  of any  series  has been made and  before a  judgment  or decree for
payment  of the money  due has been  obtained,  the  event or events of  default
giving rise to such  declaration of acceleration  will,  without further act, be
deemed to have been waived,  and such  declaration  and its  consequences  will,
without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if:

              (a)  we have paid or deposited  with the Trustee a sum sufficient
        to pay

                  (1) all overdue interest on all Securities of such series,

                  (2) the principal of and premium, if any, on any Securities of
              such  series  which  have  become  due  otherwise   than  by  such
              declaration of  acceleration  and interest  thereon at the rate or
              rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

                  (3)  interest  upon  overdue  interest  at the  rate or  rates
              prescribed therefor in such Securities, to the extent that payment
              of such interest is lawful, and

                  (4) all amounts due to the Trustee under the Indenture;

        and

              (b) any other  event or  events of  default  with  respect  to the
        Securities of such series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of
        the  Securities  of such  series  which has  become  due  solely by such
        declaration  of  acceleration,  have been cured or waived as provided in
        the Indenture.

     If any such event of default with respect to the  Securities  of any series
occurs and is continuing,  the Holders of a majority in principal  amount of the
outstanding  Securities  of such  series will have the right to direct the time,
method and place of conducting any  proceeding  for any remedy  available to the
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect
to the Securities of such series; PROVIDED,


                                      -7-
<PAGE>

HOWEVER,  that if such an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect
to more than one series of  Securities,  the Holders of a majority in  aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all such series, considered as
one class,  will have the right to make such  direction,  and not the Holders of
the Securities of any one of such series; and provided,  further,  that (a) such
direction will not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the Indenture and
could not  involve  the Trustee in personal  liability  in  circumstances  where
reasonable  indemnity would not be adequate,  (b) the Trustee may take any other
action it deems proper which is not  inconsistent  with such direction,  and (c)
the Trustee  shall not be obligated  to take any action  unduly  prejudicial  to
Holders not joining in such direction.  The right of a Holder of any Security of
such series to institute a proceeding  with respect to the  Indenture is subject
to  certain  conditions  precedent,  but each  Holder has an  absolute  right to
receive payment of principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, when due
and to institute  suit for the  enforcement  of any such payment.  The Indenture
provides  that the Trustee,  within 90 days after the  occurrence of any default
thereunder  with respect to the Securities of a series,  is required to give the
Holders of the  Securities  of such series  notice of any  default  known to it,
unless cured or waived; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, except in the case of a default
in the payment of principal of or premium,  if any, or interest,  if any, on any
Securities  of such series,  the Trustee may withhold such notice if the Trustee
determines  that it is in the interest of such  Holders to do so; and  provided,
further, that in the case of such an event of default of the character specified
above in  clause  (c)  under  "Description  of the Debt  Securities  - Events of
Default," no such notice  shall be given to such Holders  until at least 75 days
after the occurrence thereof.

     We will be  required to furnish  annually to the Trustee a statement  as to
our performance of certain of our obligations  under the Indenture and as to any
default in such performance.

     COVENANTS:  MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY; PRESERVATION OF RIGHTS; CONSOLIDATION,
OR MERGER,  ETC.;  NEGATIVE PLEDGE:  We will cause (or, with respect to property
owned in  common  with  others,  make a  reasonable  effort  to  cause)  all our
properties  used or useful in the conduct of our business to be  maintained  and
kept in good  condition,  repair  and  working  order,  ordinary  wear  and tear
excepted,  and will cause (or with  respect  to  property  owned in common  with
others,  make a reasonable  effort to cause) to be made all  necessary  repairs,
renewals,  replacements,  betterments and improvements  thereof,  all as, in our
judgment,  may be  necessary  so that  the  business  carried  on in  connection
therewith may be properly conducted; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the foregoing shall
not  prevent  us from  discontinuing,  or  causing  the  discontinuance  of, the
operation and maintenance of any of our properties if such discontinuance is, in
our judgment, desirable in the conduct of our business.

     Subject to the provisions  described in the next  paragraph,  we will do or
cause to be done all things  necessary  to  preserve  and keep in full force and
effect our  corporate  existence  and our rights  (charter  and  statutory)  and
franchises;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that we shall not be required to preserve  any
such right or franchise  if, in our  judgment,  (i)  preservation  thereof is no
longer  desirable  in the conduct of our business and (ii) the loss thereof does
not adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect.

     We will  not  consolidate  with or  merge  into any  other  corporation  or
corporations   or  convey,   transfer  or  lease  our   properties   and  assets
substantially as an entirety to any person or persons unless (a) the corporation
or corporations  formed by such consolidation or into which we are merged or the
person or persons which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, our
properties  and assets  substantially  as an  entirety,  expressly  assumes,  by
supplemental  indenture,  the due and punctual  payment of the  principal of and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the outstanding Securities and the
performance of all of our covenants under the Indenture,  (b) immediately  after
giving effect to any such  transaction  no event of default,  and no event which
after  notice  or lapse of time  would  become  an event of  default,  will have
occurred  and be  continuing,  and (c) we will have  delivered to the Trustee an
Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as provided in the Indenture.

                                      -8-
<PAGE>

     We will not incur or permit to exist any mortgage,  lien, pledge, charge or
encumbrance of any kind (other than "Excepted  Encumbrances")  upon our property
(other than  "Excepted  Property") to secure  indebtedness  without  equally and
ratably  securing the outstanding  Securities of all series,  including the Debt
Securities;  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this restriction shall not apply in certain
circumstances,  including  the pledging by us of assets in  connection  with the
incurrences of  indebtedness in aggregate  principal  amount not exceeding 3% of
our net tangible utility assets at any time outstanding. "Excepted Encumbrances"
includes,  among other things, the following: (i) liens for taxes not delinquent
and liens for taxes which are delinquent  but are being  contested in good faith
by us;  (ii)  easements,  rights of way,  restrictions  or  reservations  in our
property for, among other things,  roads,  utility transmission and distribution
facilities  and other  utility  rights of way and  immaterial  defects in title;
(iii)  purchase  money  mortgages  on  property  acquired  after the date of the
Indenture;  (iv) liens existing on assets prior to the acquisition  thereof; (v)
the lien of the Mortgage (accordingly,  there is no restriction in the Indenture
on additional  issuances of Mortgage  Bonds);  and (vi) liens arising out of the
refinancing,  extension renewal or refunding of indebtedness secured by any lien
permitted as certain  Excepted  Encumbrances,  including by any of the foregoing
clauses  (iii),  (iv) and (v).  "Excepted  Property"  generally  means  personal
property used in our ordinary  business,  including cash,  accounts  receivable,
stock in trade,  products generated or purchased by us, office equipment,  motor
vehicles, fuel and gas.

     MODIFICATION   OF  INDENTURE:   Without  the  consent  of  any  Holders  of
Securities,  we  and  the  Trustee  may  enter  into  one or  more  supplemental
indentures for any of the following purposes:

              (a) to evidence  the  succession  of another  person to us and the
        assumption  by any such  successor of our covenants in the Indenture and
        the Securities; or

              (b) to add to our  covenants for the benefit of the Holders of all
        or any series of  outstanding  Securities, or any tranche thereof, or to
        surrender  any right or power conferred upon us by the Indenture; or

              (c) to add any additional events of default with respect to all or
        any series of outstanding Securities; or

              (d) to change or eliminate  any  provision of the  Indenture or to
        add any new  provision to the  Indenture;  PROVIDED that if such change,
        elimination  or addition  will  adversely  affect the  interests  of the
        Holders of Securities  of any series or tranche in any material respect,
        such change, elimination or addition will become  effective with respect
        to such series  or tranche only when there is no Security of such series
        or tranche remaining outstanding under the Indenture; or

              (e) to provide collateral security for the Securities; or

              (f) to establish  the form or terms of Securities of any series or
        tranche as permitted by the Indenture; or

              (g) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment of a
        successor  Trustee under the Indenture with respect to the Securities of
        one or more series and to add to or change any of the  provisions of the
        Indenture  as shall be  necessary  to provide for or to  facilitate  the
        administration  of the  trusts  under  the  Indenture  by more  than one
        trustee; or

              (h)  to  provide  for  the  procedures   required  to  permit  the
        utilization of a  noncertificated  system of registration for any series
        of Securities; or

              (i) to change any place where (1) the principal of and premium, if
        any, and interest,  if any, on Securities of any series,  or any tranche
        thereof,  shall be payable,  (2) any  Securities  of any series,  or any
        tranche thereof,  may be surrendered for  registration of transfer,  (3)
        Securities of any series, or any tranche thereof, may be surrendered for
        exchange,  and (4)  notices  and demands to or upon us in respect of the
        Securities of any series, or any tranche thereof,  and the Indenture may
        be served; or

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

              (j) to cure any  ambiguity, or inconsistency  or to make any other
        provisions  with  respect  to  matters or  questions  arising  under the
        Indenture, PROVIDED such other provisions shall not adversely affect the
        interests  of the Holders of  Securities  of any series in any  material
        respect.

     The Holders of a majority in aggregate  principal  amount of the Securities
of all  series  then  outstanding  under  the  Indenture  may,  before  the time
compliance  by us  with  certain  restrictive  provisions  of the  Indenture  is
required, waive our compliance with one or more of such provisions.  The Holders
of not less than a majority in principal  amount of the Securities of any series
then  outstanding  under the  Indenture  may waive  any past  default  under the
Indenture  with  respect  to such  series,  except a default  in the  payment of
principal,  premium,  or interest and certain  covenants  and  provisions of the
Indenture  that  cannot be  modified  or be amended  without  the consent of the
Holder of each outstanding Security of such series affected.

     Without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,  if the Trust  Indenture
Act is  amended  after  the date of the  Indenture  to  require  changes  to the
Indenture  or the  incorporation  therein  of  additional  provisions  or permit
changes  to,  or the  elimination  of,  provisions  which,  at the  date  of the
Indenture or at any time thereafter,  are required by the Trust Indenture Act to
be contained in the  Indenture,  we and the Trustee may,  without the consent of
any Holders, enter into one or more supplemental indentures to effect or reflect
any such change, incorporation or elimination.

     Except as  provided  in the first  paragraph  under  this  subheading,  the
consent of the  Holders of not less than a majority in  principal  amount of the
Securities of all series then outstanding under the Indenture, considered as one
class,  is required for the purpose of adding any  provisions to, or changing in
any manner or eliminating  any of the  provisions of, the Indenture  pursuant to
one or more supplemental indentures; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if less than all of
the series of Securities  outstanding  under the Indenture are directly affected
by a supplemental indenture,  then the consent only of the Holders of a majority
in aggregate  principal  amount of the  outstanding  Securities of all series so
directly  affected,  considered  as one class,  will be required;  and PROVIDED,
FURTHER,  that if the  Securities  of any series  shall have been issued in more
than one tranche  and if the  proposed  supplemental  indenture  shall  directly
affect the rights of the  Holders of  Securities  of one or more,  but less than
all, of such  tranches,  then the  consent  only of the Holders of a majority in
aggregate  principal  amount of the  Securities  outstanding  of all tranches so
directly  affected,  considered as one class,  shall be required;  and PROVIDED,
FURTHER,  that no such supplemental  indenture will,  without the consent of the
Holder of each Security  outstanding  under the Indenture of each such series or
tranche  directly  affected  thereby,  (a) change the stated maturity of, or any
installment  of  principal  of or the rate of  interest on (or the amount of any
installment  of interest on), any Security,  or reduce the principal  thereof or
redemption  premium  thereon,   if  any,  or  change  the  amount  payable  upon
acceleration  of a discount note or method of  calculating  the rate of interest
thereon,  or otherwise modify certain terms of payment of the principal  thereof
or interest or premium thereon, (b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of
the Securities  outstanding  under such series or tranche required to consent to
any  supplemental  indenture or waiver of  compliance  with any provision of the
Indenture or any default under the Indenture and its consequences,  or to reduce
the requirements for quorum and voting,  or (c) modify certain of the provisions
in the  Indenture  relating  to  supplemental  indentures,  waivers  of  certain
covenants and waivers of past defaults.

     A supplemental  indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other
provision of the  Indenture  which has expressly  been  included  solely for the
benefit  of one or  more  particular  series  of  Securities  or of one or  more
tranches  thereof,  or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of
such series or tranche with respect to such covenant or other  provision,  shall
be deemed not to affect the rights  under the  Indenture  of the  Holders of any
other Securities.

     DEFEASANCE:  The Securities of any series,  or any portion of the principal
amount  thereof,  will be deemed to have been paid for purposes of the Indenture
(except as to any  surviving  rights of  registration  of  transfer  or exchange
expressly provided for in the Indenture), and our entire indebtedness in respect
thereof will be deemed to have been  satisfied  and  discharged,  if there shall
have been  irrevocably  deposited with the Trustee,  in trust:  (a) money in the
amount  which will be  sufficient,  or (b)  Government  Obligations  (as defined
below),  which do not contain  provisions  permitting  the  redemption  or other
prepayment thereof at the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the
interest on which when due,  without any regard to  reinvestment  thereof,  will
provide monies which, together with the money, if any, deposited with or held by
the Trustee, will be sufficient,  or (c) a combination of (a) and (b) which will
be  sufficient,  to pay when  due the  principal  of and  premium,  if any,  and
interest,  if any, due and to become due on such Securities or portions  thereof
on and prior to the maturity thereof. For this purpose, "Government Obligations"
include direct obligations of, or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by, the
United States of America entitled to the benefit of the full



                                      -10-
<PAGE>

faith  and  credit  thereof  and  certificates,  depositary  receipts  or  other
instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in such obligations or in
any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof.

     As a condition to defeasing any series of Securities as described above, we
are obligated to obtain a legal opinion to the effect that the  defeasance  will
be tax free to the Holders of the Securities to be defeased.

     TITLE: We, the Trustee,  and any agent of ours or the Trustee may treat the
Holder of a Debt  Security as the absolute  owner  thereof  (whether or not such
Debt  Security  may be overdue)  for the  purpose of making  payment and for all
other purposes.

                           LEGAL OPINIONS AND EXPERTS

     The legality of the Debt Securities offered hereby and all legal matters in
connection  therewith will be passed upon for us by Gould & Wilkie,  our general
counsel,  One Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, New York and for any underwriter,
dealer or agent by Winthrop,  Stimson, Putnam & Roberts, One Battery Park Plaza,
New York, New York.

     The  statements  as to  matters  of law and  legal  conclusions  under  the
headings  "The  Company"  and  "Description  of the Debt  Securities"  have been
reviewed  by Gould & Wilkie and are set forth in  reliance  upon  their  opinion
given upon their authority as experts.

     Our consolidated  financial  statements  incorporated in this prospectus by
reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997
have been so  incorporated  in reliance on the report of  PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, independent accountants,  given on the authority of said firm as experts in
auditing and accounting.


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     We may sell the Debt Securities:  (i) through underwriters or dealers; (ii)
directly to one or more  purchasers;  or (iii) through  agents.  Each prospectus
supplement  will set  forth  the terms of the  offering  of the Debt  Securities
offered  thereby,  including the name or names of any  underwriters,  dealers or
agents,  the  initial  public  offering  price or  purchase  price of such  Debt
Securities,  the proceeds we receive from such sale, any underwriting  discounts
and other  items  constituting  underwriters'  compensation,  any  discounts  or
concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers,  any securities exchange on
which Debt Securities may be listed and the use of delayed  delivery  contracts,
if any. Any initial  public  offering  price and any  discounts  or  concessions
allowed or reallowed  or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.  Only
firms named in a prospectus supplement are deemed to be underwriters, dealers or
agents in connection with the Securities offered thereby.

     If  underwriters  are used in the sale of the Debt  Securities,  such  Debt
Securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be
resold  from  time to time in one or  more  transactions,  including  negotiated
transactions,  at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices  determined
at the time of sale.  Such Debt  Securities  may be offered to the public either
through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters
or directly by one or more underwriters. Any underwriters with respect to any of
the Debt  Securities  will be named in the prospectus  supplement  applicable to
such Debt  Securities  and, if an  underwriting  syndicate is used, the managing
underwriter or  underwriters  will be named on the cover page of such prospectus
supplement.  Unless  otherwise  set  forth  in the  prospectus  supplement,  the
obligations of the  underwriters  to purchase any of the Debt Securities will be
subject to certain conditions precedent,  and the underwriters will be obligated
to purchase all of such Debt Securities if any are purchased.

     Subject  to  certain  conditions,  we may agree to  indemnify  the  several
underwriters   or  agents  and  their   controlling   persons   against  certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
arising  out of or based upon,  among  other  things,  any untrue  statement  or
alleged untrue statement

                                      -11-
<PAGE>

of a material fact contained in the registration statement,  this prospectus,  a
prospectus  supplement or the documents  incorporated by reference herein or the
omission or alleged  omission to state  therein a material  fact  required to be
stated  therein or necessary  to make the  statements  therein,  in light of the
circumstances  under which they were made,  not  misleading.  See the applicable
prospectus supplement.

     Any underwriter  may engage in  over-allotment,  stabilizing  transactions,
short covering  transactions  and penalty bids in accordance  with  Regulation M
under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934.  Over-allotment  involves  sales in
excess  of the  offering  size,  which  creates  a short  position.  Stabilizing
transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying Debt Security so long as the
stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.  Short covering transactions
involve  purchases  of  the  Debt  Securities  in  the  open  market  after  the
distribution  is  completed  to cover short  positions.  Penalty bids permit the
underwriters  to  reclaim  a  selling  concession  from a  dealer  when the Debt
Securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction
to cover  short  positions.  Those  activities  may  cause the price of the Debt
Securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. The  underwriters may engage
in any such  activities  on any  exchange  or  other  market  in which  the Debt
Securities may be traded.  If commenced,  the underwriters may discontinue those
activities at any time.  The  prospectus  supplement or pricing  supplement,  as
applicable,  will set forth the anticipated delivery date of the Debt Securities
being sold at that time.

     Underwriters,  dealers and agents or their  affiliates may engage from time
to time in various general financing,  investment banking and commercial banking
transactions with us and certain of our affiliates.


                                      -12-
<PAGE>

                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.


                                ITEM                                  AMOUNT

Filing fee, Securities and Exchange Commission....................   $13,275
Printing of Registration Statement, Prospectus,
          Indenture and Notes.....................................     3,000*
Auditor's fees and expenses.......................................     3,000*
Expenses in connection with qualification of securities under
          blue sky laws including counsel fees....................     2,000*
Legal services - Company's counsel................................    60,000*
Authentication and delivery of Notes and
          Trustee's fees and expenses including counsel fees......     4,300*
Agents' counsel fee and expenses..................................    38,000*
Rating agencies fees..............................................    60,000*
Miscellaneous disbursements.......................................     8,425*
                                                                    --------

                  Total.............................................$192,000*
                                                                    ========
- --------
* Estimated


ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     Directors and officers of the  Registrant  are in certain  cases  entitled,
pursuant to  provisions  contained  in Sections  721 through 726 of the New York
Business  Corporation Law ("BCL"),  Article II, Section 13, of the Bylaws of the
Registrant,  and the Registrant's Retirement Income Plan and Disability Plan, to
indemnification  against  expenses  and  liabilities  arising from their acts or
omissions.  The Bylaws of the Registrant  contain provisions that the Registrant
shall  indemnify,  to the full extent  permitted  by law,  any person  made,  or
threatened  to be made, a party to any action or  proceedings,  whether civil or
criminal, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer
of the Registrant.  The Registrant has entered into an indemnification agreement
with  each of its  directors  and  officers.  Each  such  agreement  relates  to
indemnification  by the Registrant to the full extent authorized or permitted by
law for any civil or  criminal  action or  proceeding  arising by reason of that
individual's  role as a director or officer of the Board of  Directors  or as an
officer or employee of the  Registrant  or service  with any other  corporation,
partnership,  joint venture,  trust,  employee benefit plan or enterprise in any
such capacity at the request of the Registrant.  In addition,  the  Registrant's
Certificate of Incorporation  exempts directors from certain liabilities arising
out of events  occurring on and after April 6, 1988,  pursuant to Section 402(b)
of the BCL.  The  Registrant,  pursuant  to  authority  granted by the BCL,  has
purchased liability insurance on behalf of itself and its directors and officers
in  connection  with  the  corporate  responsibilities  of  such  directors  and
officers.

     The form of distribution  agreement to which the offering contained in this
Registration Statement relates also provides that the agents named therein will,
under  certain  circumstances,  indemnify  the  Registrant,  its  directors  and
officers, and any person who controls any thereof.


                                      II-1

<PAGE>



ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS.

     Following  is the list of Exhibits,  as required by Item 601 of  Regulation
S-K,  filed  as  part  of  the  Registration   Statement,   including   Exhibits
incorporated herein by reference:

Exhibit Number
(Regulation S-K
    Item 601
   Designation)                       Exhibit
   ------------                       -------


 (1)     -   Form of Distribution Agreement.

 (4)     -   Instruments defining the rights of security holders:

 *(i)1            -   Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1992, between Registrant
                            and U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly
                            known as First Trust of New York, National
                            Association) (as successor trustee to Morgan
                            Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as Trustee,
                            dated as of April 1, 1992 (previously filed with the
                            Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated May 27,
                            1992, as Exhibit (4)(ii)29).

  (i)2            -   Form of Officers' Certificate, establishing the Notes,
                        with form of Note attached.

(5)      -   Opinion of counsel re legality.

(12)     -   Statement  showing  the  Computation  of the Ratios of Earnings
                to Fixed Charges.

(23)     -   Consents of experts and counsel.

     (a)          -   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

     (b)          -   Consent of Gould & Wilkie (contained in their opinion, 
                           a copy of which is filed as  Exhibit (5)).

(24)    -    Power of attorney for each officer and director  signing the
                Registration Statement.

(24.1)  -    Certified  copy of  resolutions  of the Board of  Directors
                authorizing execution of the Registration Statement.

(25)    -    Statement of Eligibility  and  Qualification  on Form T-1 of
                  U.S.  Bank Trust  National  Association,  as trustee under the
                  Indenture,  dated as of April 1, 1992,  between Registrant and
                  U.S. Bank Trust National Association  (formerly known as First
                  Trust of New York, National Association) (as successor trustee
                  to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as Trustee.

- --------
   *  Incorporated herein by reference.


                                      II-2

<PAGE>



ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS.

     The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made
     of the securities  registered  hereby, a  post-effective  amendment to this
     Registration Statement:

                    (i) to include any prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Act");

                    (ii) to  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts  or  events
               arising after the effective date of this  Registration  Statement
               (or the most  recent  post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,
               individually or in the aggregate,  represent a fundamental change
               in the  information  set  forth in this  Registration  Statement.
               Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume
               of  securities  offered (if the total dollar value of  securities
               offered  would not  exceed  that  which was  registered)  and any
               deviation  from  the low or  high  end of the  estimated  maximum
               offered  range may be reflected in the form of  prospectus  filed
               with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act if, in
               the aggregate,  the changes in volume and price represent no more
               than a 20% change in the  maximum  aggregate  offering  price set
               forth  in the  "Calculation  of  Registration  Fee"  table in the
               effective registration statement; and

                    (iii) to include any  material  information  with respect to
               the  plan  of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  this
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in this Registration Statement;

     PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that the  undertakings set forth in paragraphs (i) and
     (ii) above do not apply if the  information  required  to be  included in a
     post-effective  amendment  by those  paragraphs  is  contained  in periodic
     reports  filed  with  or  furnished  to the  Commission  by the  Registrant
     pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of
     1934  ("Exchange   Act")  that  are   incorporated  by  reference  in  this
     Registration Statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability under the Act,
     each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
     statement  relating to the securities  offered herein,  and the offering of
     such  securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the initial  bona fide
     offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities  being  registered  hereby which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (4) That,  for purposes of  determining  any liability  under the Act,
     each filing of the Registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
     Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an
     employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
     Exchange  Act)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in this  Registration
     Statement shall be deemed to be a new  registration  statement  relating to
     the securities  offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that
     time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising under the Act may be
permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the  Registrant
pursuant to the provisions described in the first paragraph of Item 15 above, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  such  indemnification  is  against  public  policy as
expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim
for  indemnification  against  such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses  incurred or paid by a director,  officer or  controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense

                                      II-3

<PAGE>



of any action,  suit or  proceeding)  is asserted by such  director,  officer or
controlling  person in connection  with the  securities  being  registered,  the
Registrant  will,  unless in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the  matter has been
settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question  whether such  indemnification  by it is against  public  policy as
expressed  in the Act and will be  governed  by the final  adjudication  of such
issue.

                                      II-4

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     PURSUANT TO THE  REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES  THAT IT HAS  REASONABLE  GROUNDS TO BELIEVE  THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS  FOR  FILING  ON FORM S-3 AND HAS  DULY  CAUSED  THIS  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT  TO BE  SIGNED  ON ITS  BEHALF  BY  THE  UNDERSIGNED,  THEREUNTO  DULY
AUTHORIZED,  IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK,  AND STATE OF NEW YORK, ON THE 13TH DAY OF
OCTOBER, 1998.


                               CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
                                             (Registrant)


                           By              /S/ WILLIAM P. REILLY
                              -------------------------------------------
                                  (William P. Reilly, Attorney-in-Fact)


     PURSUANT  TO  THE   REQUIREMENTS  OF  THE  SECURITIES  ACT  OF  1933,  THIS
REGISTRATION  STATEMENT  HAS BEEN SIGNED BELOW BY THE  FOLLOWING  PERSONS IN THE
CAPACITIES AND ON THE DATE INDICATED.


                    SIGNATURES AND TITLES                                DATE

JOHN E. MACK III, Chairman of the Board
     (Principal Executive Officer) and
     Director; STEVEN V. LANT, Treasurer
     and Assistant Secretary (Principal
     Financial Officer); DONNA S. DOYLE,
     Controller (Principal Accounting
     Officer); JACK EFFRON, FRANCES D.
     FERGUSSON, HEINZ K. FRIDRICH,
     EDWARD F.X. GALLAGHER, PAUL J.
     GANCI, CHARLES LAFORGE and EDWARD
     P. SWYER, Directors


By                   /S/ WILLIAM P. REILLY                   October 13, 1998
   --------------------------------------------------
               (William P. Reilly, Attorney-in-Fact)

                                      II-5

<PAGE>


                                                 INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit Number
(Regulation S-K
   Item 601
  Designation)                       Exhibit
  ------------                       -------


 (1)     -   Form of Distribution Agreement.

 (4)     -   Instruments defining the rights of security holders:

 *(i)1            -   Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1992, between Registrant
                            and U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly
                            known as First Trust of New York, National
                            Association) (as successor trustee to Morgan
                            Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as Trustee,
                            dated as of April 1, 1992 (previously filed with the
                            Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated May 27,
                            1992, as Exhibit (4)(ii)29).

  (i)2            -   Form of Officers' Certificate, establishing the Notes,
                        with form of Note attached.

(5)      -   Opinion of counsel re legality.

(12)     -   Statement  showing  the  Computation  of the Ratios of Earnings
                to Fixed Charges.

(23)     -   Consents of experts and counsel.

     (a)          -   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

     (b)          -   Consent of Gould & Wilkie (contained in their opinion, 
                           a copy of which is filed as  Exhibit (5)).

(24)    -    Power of attorney for each officer and director  signing the
                Registration Statement.

(24.1)  -    Certified  copy of  resolutions  of the Board of  Directors
                authorizing execution of the Registration Statement.

(25)    -    Statement of Eligibility  and  Qualification  on Form T-1 of
                  U.S.  Bank Trust  National  Association,  as trustee under the
                  Indenture,  dated as of April 1, 1992,  between Registrant and
                  U.S. Bank Trust National Association  (formerly known as First
                  Trust of New York, National Association) (as successor trustee
                  to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as Trustee.

- --------
   *  Incorporated herein by reference.



                                                                           WSP&R
                                                                           DRAFT
                                                                         10/8/98

                                                                     EXHIBIT (1)



                    Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation
                                  $___,000,000
                          Medium-Term Notes, Series __



                             DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT



                                                         __________ ___, ____
                                                           New York, New York




[Agents' Names and Addresses]



Dear Sirs:

         Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, a New York corporation (the
"Company"), confirms its agreement with each of you with respect to the issue
and sale by the Company of up to $___,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its
Medium-Term Notes, Series __ (the "Notes").

     The Company proposes to issue the Notes under its Indenture (the
"Indenture") dated as of April 1, 1992 to U.S. Bank Trust National Association
(formerly known as First Trust of New York, National Association) ("U.S. Bank
Trust") as successor to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as trustee
(the "Trustee").

     The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral
multiples thereof (unless otherwise specified by the Company), will be issued
only in fully registered form and will have the annual interest rates,
maturities and, if appropriate, other terms set forth in a supplement or
supplements to the Prospectus referred to below. The Notes will be issued, and
the terms thereof established, in accordance with the Indenture and, in the case
of Notes sold pursuant to Section 2(a), the Administrative Procedures attached
hereto as Exhibit A (the "Procedures"). The Procedures may only be amended by
written agreement of the Company and you after notice to, and with the approval
of, the Trustee. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term "Agent" shall
refer to any of you acting solely in the capacity as agent for the Company
pursuant to Section 2(a) and not as principal (together, the "Agents"), the term
"Purchaser" shall refer to any of you acting solely as principal pursuant to
Section 2(b) and not as agent, and the

<PAGE>

term "you" shall refer to you together at any time any of you is acting in both
such capacities or in either such capacity.

     1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The Company represents and warrants to,
and agrees with, you as set forth below in this Section 1. Certain terms used in
this Section 1 are defined in paragraph (c) hereof.

         (a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"). The Company filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement
on such Form (File No. 33-56349), which became effective, for the registration
under the Act of, among other things, up to $80,000,000 aggregate initial
offering price of debt securities and shares of the Company's common stock. With
$65,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of such securities remaining
registered but unissued under such registration statement, the Company filed
with the Commission a second registration statement on such Form (File No.
333-_____), which became effective, for the registration under the Act of an
additional $45,000,000 aggregate principal amount of debt securities. Said
second registration statement included a basic prospectus which pursuant to Rule
429 under the Act related to the $45,000,000 aggregate principal amount of debt
securities registered thereunder and the $65,000,000 aggregate initial offering
price of debt securities registered but unissued under the first registration
statement, in each case, including the Notes (such debt securities being
hereinafter collectively called the "Debt Securities"). Such registration
statements, as amended at the date of this Agreement, meet the requirements set
forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(ix) or (x) under the Act and comply in all other
material respects with said Rule. The Company has included in said second
registration statement, or has filed or will file with the Commission pursuant
to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424 under the Act, a supplement or
supplements to the form of prospectus included in such registration statement
relating to the Notes and the plan of distribution thereof (such supplement
being hereinafter called a "Prospectus Supplement"). In connection with the sale
of Notes, the Company proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to the
applicable paragraph of Rule 424 under the Act one or more further supplements
to the Prospectus Supplement providing for the specification of or a change in
the interest rates, if any, maturity dates, issuance prices, redemption terms
and prices, if any, and, if appropriate, other terms of the Notes sold pursuant
hereto or the offering thereof (any such supplement being hereinafter called a
"Pricing Supplement").

         (b) At each of the following times: (i) as of the Execution Time, (ii)
on the Effective Date, (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus is filed with
the Commission, (iv) as of the date of any Terms Agreement (as defined by
Section 2(b)) and (v) at the date of delivery by the Company of any Notes sold
hereunder (a "Closing Date"), (1) the Registration Statement, as amended as of
any such time, and the Prospectus, as supplemented as of any such time, the
Indenture, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, complied or will
comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), and the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the
respective rules thereunder; (2) the Registration Statement, as amended as of
any such time, did not or will not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and (3) the Prospectus,
as supplemented as of any such time, will not include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in

                                       2
<PAGE>

order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company makes
no representations or warranties as to (A) that part of the Registration
Statement which shall constitute the Statements of Eligibility and Qualification
(Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee, (B) any information
contained in any Prospectus Supplement relating to The Depository Trust Company
("DTC") or DTC's book-entry system or (C) the information contained in or
omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement
thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in
writing to the Company by any of you specifically for use in connection with the
preparation of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement
thereto).

         (c) The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the
meanings indicated. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the later of (i) each
date that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or
amendments thereto became or become effective or (ii) the time and date of the
filing of the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. "Execution Time"
shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by
the parties hereto. "Basic Prospectus" shall mean the form of basic prospectus
relating to the Debt Securities contained in the Registration Statement at the
Effective Date (unless such basic prospectus has been amended by the Company
subsequent to the Effective Date, in which case "Basic Prospectus" shall mean
the form of basic prospectus as so amended). "Prospectus" shall mean the Basic
Prospectus as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement and as it may be further
amended or supplemented at the particular time referred to. "Registration
Statement" shall mean the registration statements referred to in paragraph (a)
above, including incorporated documents, exhibits and financial statements, as
they may be amended at the particular time referred to. "Rule 415" and "Rule
424" refer to such rules under the Act. Any reference herein to the Registration
Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act
on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date
of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the
case may be; and any reference herein to the terms "amend", "amended",
"amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, the
Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the
Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic
Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be,
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

         (d) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (as hereinafter
defined) has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, which has had or is
reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than
pursuant to any stock

                                       3
<PAGE>

purchase, dividend reinvestment, savings, bonus, incentive, or similar plan,
conversions of convertible securities into common stock or shares of capital
stock issued or to be issued by any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to one or more
subscription agreements in effect between such Subsidiaries and the Company at
the date hereof) or long-term debt (other than any redemptions or purchases of
First Mortgage Bonds of the Company issued under its Indenture of Mortgage,
dated as of January 1, 1927, to The Bank of New York (under its then name
American Exchange Irving Trust Company), as heretofore and as may hereafter be
supplemented and amended ("First Mortgage Bonds"), normal amortization of debt
premium and discount, bank or finance company borrowings and repayments in the
ordinary course, or additional issuances or repurchases of commercial paper) of
the Company or its Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the
general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results
of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise
than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.

         (e) Each of CH Resources, Inc., Central Hudson Enterprises Corporation,
CH Energy Group, Inc., Phoenix Development Company, Inc., Greene Point
Development Corporation (collectively the "Subsidiaries") and the Company has
been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and
authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of
its business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so
qualified, considering all such cases in the aggregate, does not involve a
material risk to the business, properties, financial position or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and all of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned
beneficially by the Company subject to no security interest, other encumbrance
or adverse claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any corporation within the
definition of "Subsidiaries" herein as of the date hereof or any subsequent date
should hereafter or thereafter cease to be a subsidiary (within the meaning of
Rule 405 promulgated by the Commission under the Act) of the Company, such
corporation shall be deemed to be excluded from the definition of such term from
and after such date.

         (f) The creation, issuance and sale of the Notes have been duly and
validly authorized by the Company and, when issued within the limitations set
forth in the orders of the Public Service Commission of the State of New York
referred to in subsection (g) below and executed and authenticated in accordance
with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered and paid for by the
purchasers thereof, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture
equally and ratably with the securities outstanding thereunder; the Indenture
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes
a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, to general equitable
principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law) and to an implied covenant

                                       4
<PAGE>

of good faith and fair dealing; and the Notes and the Indenture conform to the
descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

         (g) The issue and sale of the Notes and the compliance by the Company
with all of the provisions of the Notes, the Indenture, this Agreement and any
Terms Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein
contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a
party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company is subject (except that, for purposes of this representation and
warranty, compliance with any financial covenant requiring an arithmetic
computation (not determinable at the Execution Time) in respect of any Notes
shall be measured at the time of the establishment of the terms of such Notes),
nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or the Bylaws of the Company or any
statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or
body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property or assets; and
no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or
with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and
sale of the Notes or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or the Indenture except
such as have been obtained prior to the Execution Time under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations
or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the public offering of the Notes, and except for filings with
and the orders from the Public Service Commission of the State of New York
authorizing the issuance and sale by the Company of the Notes subject to certain
conditions set forth therein, which orders have been obtained and are in full
effect.

         (h) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, there
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and, to the
best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

         (i) There are no contracts or documents of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the
Act or by the rules and regulations thereunder that have not been so described
or filed.

     2. APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS; SOLICITATION BY THE AGENTS OF OFFERS TO PURCHASE;
SALES OF NOTES TO A PURCHASER. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Company hereby authorizes, on an exclusive basis, each of the Agents
to act as its agent to solicit offers for the purchase of all or part of the
Notes from the Company. On the basis of the representations and warranties, and
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each of the Agents agrees,
as agent of the Company, to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to
purchase the

                                       5
<PAGE>

Notes from the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus
(and any supplement thereto) and in the Procedures.

     The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any offer
to purchase Notes, in whole or in part. In addition, the Company reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to instruct the Agents to suspend at any time,
for any period of time or permanently, the solicitation of offers to purchase
the Notes. Upon receipt of instructions from the Company, the Agents will
forthwith suspend solicitations of offers to purchase Notes from the Company
until such time as the Company has advised them that such solicitation may be
resumed.

     The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission on the Closing Date with
respect to each sale of Notes by the Company as a result of a solicitation made
by such Agent pursuant to this subsection, in an amount equal to that percentage
specified in Schedule I hereto of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes
sold by the Company. Such commission shall be payable as specified in the
Procedures.

     Subject to the provisions of this Section 2 and to the Procedures, offers
for the purchase of Notes may be solicited by an Agent as agent for the Company
at such times and in such amounts as such Agent deems advisable. The Company may
from time to time offer Notes for sale otherwise than through an Agent;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that so long as this Agreement shall be in effect the Company
shall not solicit or accept offers to purchase Notes through any agent other
than an Agent.

         (b) Subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, whenever the
Company and any of you determine that the Company shall sell Notes directly to
any of you as Purchaser, each such sale of Notes shall be made in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement and, unless otherwise agreed by the Company and
the Purchaser, any supplemental agreement relating thereto between the Company
and the Purchaser. Each such supplemental agreement (which shall be
substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto) is herein referred to as a "Terms
Agreement". The Purchaser's commitment to purchase Notes pursuant to any Terms
Agreement shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations
and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms
and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall describe the Notes
to be purchased by the Purchaser pursuant thereto, specify the principal amount
of such Notes, the price to be paid to the Company for such Notes, the rate at
which interest will be paid on the Notes, the Closing Date for such Notes, the
place of delivery of the Notes and payment therefor, the method of payment and
any modification of the requirements for the delivery of the opinions of
counsel, the certificates from the Company or its officers, and the letter from
the Company's independent public accountants, pursuant to Section 6(b). Such
Terms Agreement shall also specify the period of time referred to in Section
4(m).

         Delivery of the certificates for Notes sold to the Purchaser pursuant
to any Terms Agreement shall be made as agreed to between the Company and the
Purchaser as set forth in the respective Terms Agreement, not later than the
Closing Date set forth in such Terms Agreement, against payment of funds to the
Company in the net amount due to the Company for such Notes by the method and in
the form set forth in the respective Terms Agreement.

                                       6
<PAGE>

     3. Offering and Sale of Notes.

     Each Agent and the Company agree to perform the respective duties and
obligations specifically provided to be performed by them in the Procedures.

     4. AGREEMENTS. The Company agrees with you that:

         (a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Notes, the Company
will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus (except for (i) periodic or current reports filed under the Exchange
Act, (ii) a Pricing Supplement or (iii) a supplement relating to an offering of
Debt Securities other than the Notes) unless the Company has furnished each of
you a copy for your review prior to filing and given each of you a reasonable
opportunity to comment on any such proposed amendment or supplement. Subject to
the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause each supplement to the Prospectus
to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424
within the time period prescribed. The Company will promptly advise each of you
(i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424, (ii) when, prior to the termination of the
offering of the Notes, any amendment of the Registration Statement shall have
been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any
amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or for
any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the
receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Notes for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best
efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain
as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

         (b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Notes is required
to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus as then supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or
if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or to supplement
the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective
rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify each of you to suspend
solicitation of offers to purchase Notes (and, if so notified by the Company,
each of you shall forthwith suspend such solicitation and cease using the
Prospectus as then supplemented), (ii) prepare and file with the Commission,
subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment
or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to each of you in such
quantities as you may reasonably request; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that should any
such event relate solely to activities of you, then you shall assume the expense
of preparing and furnishing any such amendment or supplement. If such amendment
or supplement, and any documents, certificates and opinions furnished to each of
you pursuant to paragraph (g) of this Section 4 in connection with the
preparation of filing of such amendment or supplement are satisfactory in all
respects to you, you will, upon the filing of such amendment or supplement with
the Commission and upon the effectiveness of an

                                       7
<PAGE>

amendment to the Registration Statement, if such an amendment is required,
resume your obligation to solicit offers to purchase Notes hereunder.

         (c) During the term of this Agreement, the Company will timely file all
documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. In addition, on the date on which the
Company (or as soon as practicable thereafter) makes any announcement to the
general public concerning earnings or concerning any other event which is
required to be described, or which the Company proposes to describe, in a
document filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Company will furnish to each of
you the information contained in such announcement. The Company will notify each
of you of any downgrading in the rating of the Notes or any other debt
securities of the Company, or any public announcement of placement of the Notes
or any other debt securities of the Company on what is commonly termed a "watch
list" for possible downgrading, by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act), promptly
after the Company learns of any such downgrading or public announcement.

         (d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available
to its security holders and to each of you an earnings statement or statements
of the Company and its Subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section
11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

         (e) The Company will furnish to each of you and your counsel, without
charge (except as otherwise provided herein), a reasonable number of copies of
the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery
of a prospectus may be required by the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus and
any supplement thereto as you may reasonably request.

         (f) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Notes for
sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as any of you may designate, will
maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution
of the Notes, and upon your request will arrange for the determination of the
legality of the Notes for purchase by institutional investors; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction, to pay filing fees and other expenses in connection therewith in
the aggregate exceeding $4,000, or to comply with any other requirement
reasonably deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.

         (g) During the term of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to
each of you (i) copies of all annual, quarterly and other reports furnished to
stockholders, (ii) copies of all annual, quarterly and current reports (without
exhibits but including documents incorporated by reference therein) of the
Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and (iii) such other
information concerning the Company as you may reasonably request from time to
time.

         (h) The Company shall, whether or not any sale of the Notes is
consummated, (i) pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations
under this Agreement, including the fees and disbursements of its accountants
and counsel, the cost of printing or other production and delivery of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, all amendments thereof

                                       8
<PAGE>

and supplements thereto, the Indenture, this Agreement and all other documents
relating to the offering, the cost of preparing, printing, packaging and
delivering the Notes, the fees and disbursements, including fees of counsel,
incurred pursuant to Section 4(f), the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and
the fees of any ratings agency that rates the Notes, (ii) reimburse each of you
on a monthly basis for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by you in
connection with this Agreement (including, but not limited to, advertising
expenses), in the aggregate not to exceed $2,500 per Agent for the term of this
Agreement, and (iii) pay the reasonable fees and expenses of your counsel
incurred in connection with this Agreement.

         (i) Each acceptance by the Company of an offer to purchase Notes will
be deemed to be a new making to you of the representations and warranties of the
Company in Section 1 (except that such representations and warranties shall be
deemed to relate solely to the Registration Statement as then amended and to the
Prospectus as then amended and supplemented to relate to such Notes).

         (j) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (n) of this Section 4,
each time that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or
supplemented (other than by (i) an amendment or supplement relating to any
offering of Debt Securities other than the Notes or (ii) a Pricing Supplement)
the Company will deliver or cause to be delivered promptly to each of you a
certificate of the Company, signed by any of the Chairman of the Board, the
President and Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President having
responsibilities for financial matters or the Controller or the Treasurer of the
Company, dated the date of the effectiveness of such amendment or the date of
the filing of such supplement, in form reasonably satisfactory to you, of the
same tenor as the certificate referred to in Section 5(d) but modified to relate
to the last day of the fiscal quarter for which financial statements of the
Company were last filed with the Commission and to the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of the effectiveness
of such amendment or the filing of such supplement.

         (k) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (n) of this Section 4,
each time that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or
supplemented (other than by (i) an amendment or supplement relating to any
offering of Debt Securities other than the Notes or (ii) a Pricing Supplement),
the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished promptly to each of you a
written opinion of Gould & Wilkie, counsel for the Company, satisfactory to each
of you, dated the date of the effectiveness of such amendment or the date of the
filing of such supplement, in form satisfactory to each of you, of the same
tenor as the opinion referred to in Section 5(b), but modified to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the
time of the effectiveness of such amendment or the filing of such supplement or,
in lieu of such opinion, such counsel may furnish each of you with a letter to
the effect that you may rely on such counsel's last opinion to the same extent
as though it were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except
that statements in such last opinion will be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the
time of the effectiveness of such amendment or the filing of such supplement).

         (l) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (n) of this Section 4,
each time that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is amended or
supplemented (other than by (i) an amendment or supplement relating to any
offering of Debt Securities other than the Notes or (ii) a Pricing Supplement)
to set forth amended or supplemental financial information (derived

                                       9
<PAGE>

from the accounting records of the Company subject to the internal controls of
the Company's accounting system or derived directly from such records by
computation), the Company shall cause its independent public accountants
promptly to furnish each of you a letter, dated the date of the effectiveness of
such amendment or the date of the filing of such supplement, in form
satisfactory to each of you, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in
Section 5(e) with such changes as may be necessary to reflect the amended and
supplemental financial information included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented to the
date of such letter.

         (m) During the period, if any, specified in any Terms Agreement, the
Company shall not, without the prior consent of the Purchaser thereunder, issue
or announce the proposed issuance of any of its debt securities, including the
Notes, with maturities or other terms substantially similar to the Notes being
purchased pursuant to such Terms Agreement.

         (n) The Company shall not be required to comply with the provisions of
subsections (j), (k) and (l) of this Section 4 during any period (which may
occur from time to time during the term of this Agreement) for which the Company
has instructed the Agents to suspend the solicitation of offers to purchase
Notes; PROVIDED that, during any such period, any Purchaser does not then hold
any Notes purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement. Whenever the Company has
instructed the Agents to suspend the solicitation of offers to purchase Notes
for any such period, however, prior to instructing the Agents to resume the
solicitation of offers to purchase Notes or prior to entering into any Terms
Agreement, the Company shall be required to comply with the provisions of
subsections (j), (k) and (l) of this Section 4, but only to the extent of
delivering or causing to be delivered the most recent certificate, opinion or
letter, as the case may be, which would have otherwise been required under each
such subsection unless the Agents otherwise reasonably request that such
documents in respect of prior periods be delivered.

     5. CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE AGENTS. The obligations of each
Agent to solicit offers to purchase the Notes shall be subject to (i) the
accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
contained herein as of the Execution Time, on the Effective Date and when any
supplement to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission, (ii) the accuracy of
the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and (iv) the following additional conditions:

         (a) If filing of the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is required
pursuant to Rule 424, the Prospectus, and any such supplement, shall have been
filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.

         (b) The Company shall have furnished to each Agent the opinion of Gould
& Wilkie, counsel for the Company, dated the Execution Time, to the effect that:

               (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
          existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
          jurisdiction of its incorporation, with

                                       10
<PAGE>

          power and authority (corporate and governmental) to own its properties
          and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, as amended or
          supplemented, and is duly qualified to do business in each
          jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the
          conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the
          failure to be so qualified, considering all such cases in the
          aggregate, does not involve a material risk to the business,
          properties, financial position or results of operations of the
          Company; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that at such time, if ever, that the
          Subsidiaries together constitute 10% or more of the consolidated
          assets of the Company or contribute 10% or more of the consolidated
          net income of the Company for the then most recent 12-month period,
          the Agents may request that Gould & Wilkie include in any written
          opinion to them required by this Section 5(b) or Section 4(k) an
          opinion to the effect that each of the Subsidiaries has been duly
          incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
          under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power
          and authority (corporate and governmental) to own its properties and
          conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, as amended or
          supplemented, and is duly qualified to do business in each
          jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the
          conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the
          failure to be so qualified, considering all such cases in the
          aggregate, does not involve a material risk to the business,
          properties, financial position or results of operations of the Company
          and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and all of the outstanding
          shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly
          authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and
          are owned beneficially by the Company subject to no security interest,
          other encumbrance, or adverse claim.

               (ii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
          set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
          governmental proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or of
          which any property of the Company is the subject which, if determined
          adversely to the Company, would individually or in the aggregate have
          a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
          stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
          Subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
          proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
          or threatened by others.

               (iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
          delivered by the Company.

               (iv) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
          delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding
          instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
          enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
          reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
          affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, to general
          equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is
          considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and to an implied
          covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and the Indenture has been
          duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

               (v) The creation, issuance and sale of the Notes have been duly
          and validly authorized by the Company and, when issued within the
          limitations set forth in the

                                       11
<PAGE>

          applicable order or orders from the Public Service Commission of the
          State of New York referred to in paragraph (x) below and executed and
          authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
          delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof in accordance with
          this Agreement, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding
          obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms,
          subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
          conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating
          to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally, to
          general equitable principles (regardless of whether such
          enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and
          to an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and will be
          entitled to the benefit provided by the Indenture equally and ratably
          with the securities outstanding thereunder (except insofar as a
          sinking fund established in accordance with the provisions of the
          Indenture may afford additional benefit for the securities of any
          particular series); and the Notes and the Indenture conform as to
          legal matters to the descriptions thereof contained in the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

               (vi) The issue and sale of the Notes and the compliance by the
          Company with all of the provisions of the Notes, the Indenture and
          this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions therein and
          herein contemplated (except as to compliance with any financial
          covenant requiring an arithmetic computation not determinable at the
          Execution Time as to which such counsel need express no opinion) will
          not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or
          provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage,
          deed of trust, loan agreement or material other agreement or
          instrument known, as of the date of such opinion, to such counsel to
          which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to
          which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, nor
          will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
          Company's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or the Bylaws of
          the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known, as
          of the date of such opinion, to such counsel of any court or
          governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or
          any of its properties.

               (vii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
          qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body
          having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties is
          required for the issue and sale of the Notes or the consummation by
          the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement
          or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and
          the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
          registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
          securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the public offering of
          the Notes, and except for filings with and the orders from the Public
          Service Commission of the State of New York authorizing the issuance
          and sale by the Company of the Notes subject to certain conditions set
          forth therein, which orders have been obtained and, to the best
          knowledge of such counsel, are in full force and effect.

               (viii) The Registration Statement, at the Effective Date, and the
          Prospectus, as of the date of such opinion (except as to the financial
          statements and other financial or statistical data contained or
          incorporated by reference therein and except as to any information
          contained in any Prospectus Supplement relating to DTC or DTC's
          book-

                                       12
<PAGE>

          entry system and except for that part of the Registration Statement
          which shall constitute the Statements of Eligibility and Qualification
          (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee, as to which
          such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
          material respects with all applicable requirements of the Act, and,
          with respect to the documents or portions thereof filed with the
          Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference
          in the Prospectus pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, the Exchange Act
          and the applicable instructions, rules and regulations of the
          Commission thereunder; on the basis of information received from the
          Commission, at the date of such opinion, the Registration Statement
          has become effective under the Act, and, to the best knowledge of such
          counsel, no proceedings for a stop order with respect thereto have
          been instituted or are pending or threatened under Section 8 of the
          Act; and based on such counsel's participation in the preparation of
          the Registration Statement and Prospectus and its services as general
          counsel to the Company (but such opinion may state that such counsel
          did not independently check or verify the correctness of the
          statements made by the Company or factual information included in the
          Registration Statement and Prospectus, and thereby may assume the
          correctness thereof, except insofar as such statements or information
          relate to such counsel or are stated in the Registration Statement or
          Prospectus as having been made on their authority as experts), no
          facts have come to the attention of such counsel to cause them to
          believe, and such counsel have no reason to believe, that the
          Registration Statement, at the Effective Date, contained an untrue
          statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
          required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
          therein not misleading (except as to the financial statements or other
          financial or statistical data contained in or incorporated by
          reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as
          to any information contained in any Prospectus Supplement relating to
          DTC or DTC's book-entry system and except for that part of the
          Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statements of
          Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act
          of the Trustee), or that the Prospectus, as of the date of such
          opinion, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
          state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
          therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
          not misleading (except as to the financial statements or other
          financial or statistical data contained in or incorporated by
          reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except
          as to any information contained in any Prospectus Supplement relating
          to DTC or DTC's book-entry system).

               (ix) The Company is not subject to the provisions of the Public
          Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, except Section 9(a)(2) thereof;
          and the Company's gas distribution activities are exempt from the
          Natural Gas Act.

               (x) The Public Service Commission of the State of New York has
          issued an appropriate order or orders with respect to the issuance and
          sale of the Notes in accordance with this Agreement; to the best
          knowledge of such counsel, such orders are still in full force and
          effect; the issuance and sale of the Notes in accordance with this
          Agreement and subject to the limitations set forth in such orders will
          conform with the terms of such orders.

                                       13
<PAGE>

     As to factual matters (including relating to the Company's financial
condition) included in said opinion, such counsel may rely upon certificates of
public officials as of a recent date, the warranties and representations of the
Company set forth in this Agreement, and certificates of the Company made
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

         (c) Each Agent shall have received from Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam &
Roberts, counsel for the Agents, an opinion, dated the Execution Time, with
respect to the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Indenture, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other
related matters as the Agents may reasonably require, and the Company shall have
furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the
purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

         (d) The Company shall have furnished to each Agent a certificate of the
Company, signed by any of the Chairman of the Board, the President and Chief
Executive Officer, any Vice President having responsibilities for financial
matters, the Controller or the Treasurer of the Company, dated the Execution
Time, to the effect that the signer of such certificate has carefully examined
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any supplement to the Prospectus and
this Agreement and that:

               (i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this
          Agreement are true and correct in all material respects and the
          Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
          conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied as a condition to
          the obligation of the Agents to solicit offers to purchase the Notes.

               (ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
          Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
          purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's knowledge,
          threatened.

               (iii) (1) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
          sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
          included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
          and the Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from
          fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
          insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
          order or decree, which has had or is reasonably likely to have a
          material adverse effect on the financial position, stockholders'
          equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries
          taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
          Registration Statement and the Prospectus and (2) since the respective
          dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
          and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock
          (other than pursuant to any stock purchase, dividend reinvestment,
          savings, bonus, incentive, or similar plan, conversions of convertible
          securities into common stock, or shares of capital stock issued or to
          be issued by any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to one or more
          subscription agreements in effect between such Subsidiaries and the
          Company at the date hereof), or long-term debt (other than any
          redemptions or purchases of First Mortgage Bonds, normal amortization
          of debt premium and discount, bank or finance company borrowings and
          repayments in the ordinary course, or additional issuances or
          repurchases of commercial paper) of the Company or

                                       14
<PAGE>

         its Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development
         involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the
         general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity
         or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
         whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectus.

         (e) At the Execution Time, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have
furnished to each Agent a letter, dated as of the Execution Time, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Agents, stating in effect that:

               (i) They are independent accountants with respect to the Company
          within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and
          regulations thereunder.

               (ii) In their opinion the financial statements and schedules of
          the Company included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
          the year ended December 31, 1997, which are incorporated by reference
          in the Prospectus and examined by such firm, comply as to form in all
          material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
          Act and the Exchange Act, and the respective published rules and
          regulations thereunder.

               (iii) On the basis of procedures (but not an audit in accordance
          with generally accepted auditing standards) consisting of: (A) reading
          the amounts included in the Annual Report appearing in the table
          captioned "Five-Year Summary of Consolidated Operations and Selected
          Financial Information" for the five years ended December 31, 1997 (the
          "Audited Amounts") which were derived from the financial statements
          for such years as examined by such accountants (the "Audited
          Statements"), (B) performing the procedures specified by the American
          Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim
          financial information as described in SAS No. 71, Interim Financial
          Information, on the unaudited condensed interim financial statements
          of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus (the "Unaudited Statements"), and reading any more recent
          unaudited interim financial data of the Company, (C) reading the
          minutes of meetings of the shareholders, Board of Directors and
          Committees of the Board of Directors of the Company held during the
          period from December 31, 1997 as set forth in the minutes book through
          a specified date not more than five business days prior to the date of
          such letter; and (D) making inquiries of certain officials of the
          Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters
          regarding the specific items for which representations are requested
          in Sections 5(e)(iii)(1) to 5(e)(iii)(4), nothing has come to their
          attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to
          believe that:

                           (1) the Unaudited Statements incorporated by
                  reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do
                  not comply in form in all material respects with the
                  applicable accounting requirements and with the published
                  rules and regulations of the Commission with respect to
                  financial statements included or incorporated in Quarterly
                  Reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

                                       15
<PAGE>

                  that any material modifications should be made to said
                  Unaudited Statements for them to be in conformity with
                  generally accepted accounting principles;

                           (2) the Audited Amounts were not derived from the
                  Audited Statements;

                           (3) at the date of the latest available monthly
                  unconsolidated balance sheet (as adjusted to reflect the
                  relevant activity of the Subsidiaries through said date) of
                  the Company read by such accountants, there was any change in
                  the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any
                  decrease in the total shareholders' equity, as compared with
                  amounts shown on the latest balance sheet included in the
                  Audited Statements, except, in all instances, for changes or
                  decreases which are described in such letter; or

                           (4) for the period subsequent to the date of the
                  Audited Statements to the date of the latest available monthly
                  unconsolidated income statement (as adjusted to reflect the
                  relevant activity of the Subsidiaries through said date) of
                  the Company read by such accountants, there were any
                  decreases, as compared with the corresponding period of the
                  previous year, in total operating revenues or net income of
                  the Company, except, in all instances, for changes or
                  decreases which are described in such letter.

               (iv) They have compared certain dollar amounts (or percentages
          derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial information
          specified by the Agents (A) which appear in the Prospectus under the
          caption "Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges", (B) which appear or are
          incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K
          incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
          Prospectus under the caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
          Financial Condition and Results of Operations" or (C) which appear in
          any of the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
          reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the
          captions "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
          and Results of Operations" and "Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges"
          (in each case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and
          other financial information are derived from the accounting records of
          the Company subject to the internal controls of the Company's
          accounting system or are derived directly from such records by
          computation) to the accounting records of the Company or schedules
          prepared from data in such records and have found such dollar amounts,
          percentages and other financial information to be in agreement.

     References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any supplement
thereto at the date of the letter.

         (f) Each Agent shall have received copies of the Letters of
Representations between the Company, U.S. Bank Trust and DTC, satisfactory to
each of you, summarizing DTC's agreement to hold, safekeep and effect book-entry
transfers of the Notes.

                                       16
<PAGE>

         (g) Prior to the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to
each Agent such further information, documents, certificates and opinions of
counsel as the Agents may reasonably request.

     If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if
any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form
and substance to such Agents and counsel for the Agents, this Agreement and all
obligations of any Agent hereunder may be canceled at any time by the Agents.
Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by
telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.

     The documents required to be delivered by this Section 5 at the Execution
Time shall be delivered at the office of Gould & Wilkie, One Chase Manhattan
Plaza, New York, New York 10005-1401.

     6. CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE PURCHASER. The obligations of the
Purchaser to purchase any Notes will be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company herein as of the date
of any related Terms Agreement and as of the Closing Date for such Notes, to the
performance and observance by the Company of all covenants and agreements herein
contained on its part to be performed and observed and to the following
additional conditions precedent:

         (a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or threatened.

         (b) If specified by any related Terms Agreement and except to the
extent modified by such Terms Agreement, the Purchaser shall have received,
appropriately updated, (i) a certificate of the Company, dated as of the Closing
Date, to the effect set forth in Section 5(d), (ii) the opinion of Gould &
Wilkie, counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, substantially to
the effect set forth in Section 5(b), (iii) the opinion of Winthrop, Stimson,
Putnam & Roberts, counsel for the Purchaser, dated as of the Closing Date,
substantially to the effect set forth in Section 5(c) and (iv) the letter of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants for the Company,
dated as of the Closing Date, substantially to the effect set forth in Section
5(e); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that references to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus in such certificate, opinions and letter shall be to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as then amended and supplemented.

         (c) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the
Purchaser such further information, certificates and documents as the Purchaser
may reasonably request.

     If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement and
any Terms Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above
or elsewhere in this Agreement or such Terms Agreement shall not be in all
material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Purchaser
and its counsel, such Terms Agreement and all obligations of the Purchaser

                                       17
<PAGE>

thereunder and with respect to the Notes subject thereto may be canceled at, or
any time prior to, the respective Closing Date by the Purchaser. Notice of such
cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or
telegraph confirmed in writing.

     7. RIGHT OF PERSON WHO AGREED TO PURCHASE TO REFUSE TO PURCHASE. The
Company agrees that any person who has agreed to purchase and pay for any Note,
including a Purchaser and any person who purchases pursuant to a solicitation by
any of the Agents, shall have the right to refuse to purchase such Note if, at
the Closing Date therefor, either (a) any condition set forth in Section 5 or 6,
as applicable, shall not be satisfied or (b) subsequent to the agreement to
purchase such Note, there shall have occurred (i) any change in or affecting the
business or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one
enterprise, the effect of which, in the reasonable judgment of such person, has
a material adverse effect on the investment quality of such Note or (ii) any
event described in paragraphs (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 9(b).

     8. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) The Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each of you against all losses, claims, damages or liabilities,
joint or several, to which you may become subject, under the Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, any
preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and any other prospectus relating to the Notes, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each of you for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by each of you in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary
prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus and any other prospectus relating to the Notes or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any of you expressly for use in the
Prospectus.

         (b) Each of you, severally, will indemnify and hold harmless the
Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company
may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any preliminary prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any other prospectus relating to
the Notes, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any
preliminary prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any other prospectus relating to the Notes, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by each of you, respectively, expressly for
use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any

                                       18
<PAGE>

legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim.

         (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. Any losses, claims, damages or liabilities for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are incurred.

         (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and you on the other
in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as other
equitable considerations, including relative fault. The relative fault shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or you on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and you agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if you were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection
(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. In connection
with an offering of Notes purchased from the Company by two or more Agents as
principal, the respective obligations of such Agents to contribute pursuant to
this Section 8(d) are several, and not joint, in proportion to

                                       19
<PAGE>

the aggregate principal amount of Notes that each Agent has agreed to purchase
from the Company.

         (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any who controls any of
you within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act; and the obligations of
you under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which you may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each
officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act.

     9. TERMINATION. (a) This Agreement will continue in effect until terminated
as provided in this Section 9. This Agreement may be terminated by either the
Company as to any of you or any of you insofar as this Agreement relates to such
of you, giving written notice of such termination to such of you or the Company,
as the case may be. This Agreement shall so terminate at the close of business
on the first business day following the receipt of such notice by the party to
whom such notice is given. In the event of such termination, no party shall have
any liability to the other party hereto, except as provided in the third
paragraph of Section 2(a), Section 4(d), Section 4(h), Section 8 and Section 10
and, so long as any Agent continues to own Notes purchased from the Company by
such Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, subsections (a), (b) and (c) of
Section 4.

         (b) Each Terms Agreement shall be subject to termination in the
absolute discretion of the Purchaser, by notice given to the Company prior to
delivery of any payment for Notes to be purchased thereunder, if prior to such
time (i) the Purchaser shall exercise its right to refuse to purchase the Notes
which are the subject of such Terms Agreement in accordance with the provisions
of Section 7, or (ii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis, the effect of
which shall be such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Purchaser,
impractical to market the Notes or enforce contracts for the sale of the Notes,
or (iii) trading in any securities of the Company shall have been suspended by
the Commission or a national securities exchange, or if trading generally on
either the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange shall have
been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed,
or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, by either
of said exchanges or by order of the Commission or any other governmental
authority, or if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by either Federal
or New York authorities, or (iv) if the rating assigned by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule
436(g) under the Act) to the Notes or any other debt securities of the Company
as of the date of the applicable Terms Agreement shall have been lowered since
that date or if any such rating agency shall have publicly announced that it has
placed the Notes or any other debt securities of the Company on what is commonly
termed a "watch list" for possible downgrading, or (v) the subject matter of any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prepared
and issued by the Company, or the exceptions set forth in any letter of 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP furnished pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof, shall have
made it, in the judgment of the Purchaser, impracticable or inadvisable to 
market the Notes or enforce contracts for the sale of the Secured Notes or the 
Unsecured Notes.

                                       20
<PAGE>

     10. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE. The respective agreements,
representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or
its officers and of you set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will
remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on
behalf of you or the Company or any of the officers, directors or controlling
persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and
payment for the Notes. The provisions of the third paragraph of Section 2(a) and
Sections 4(d), 4(h) and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation
of this Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if at the time of such termination or
cancellation any Agent continues to own Notes purchased from the Company by such
Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the provisions of subsections (a), (b) and
(c) of Section 4 shall also survive such termination or cancellation of this
Agreement.

     11. NOTICES. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective
only on receipt, and, if sent to any of you, will be mailed, delivered or
telegraphed and confirmed to such of you, at the address specified in Schedule I
hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and
confirmed to it at 284 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601-4879,
Attention: Treasurer.

     12. SUCCESSORS. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and
directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

     13. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made
and to be performed within the State of New York.

     14. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument. If signed in
counterparts, this Agreement shall not become effective unless at least one
counterpart hereof shall have been executed and delivered on behalf of each
party hereto.

                                       21
<PAGE>


     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this
letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company
and you.


                                     Very truly yours,

                                     CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION



                                      By:_______________________________________
                                          Name:
                                          Title:

The foregoing Agreement is
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date hereof.



_________________________________



By:______________________________
     Title:



_________________________________



By:______________________________
     Title:






_________________________________



By:______________________________
     Title:




                                       22
<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE I



COMMISSIONS:

         The Company agrees to pay each Agent a commission equal to the
following percentage of the principal amount of each Note sold by such Agent:



                TERM                                         COMMISSION RATE
                ----                                         ---------------

      From 1 year to less than 18 months                          .150%
      
      From 18 months to less than 2 years                         .200%
      
      From 2 years to less than 3 years                           .250%
      
      From 3 years to less than 4 years                           .350%
      
      From 4 years to less than 5 years                           .450%
      
      From 5 years to less than 6 years                           .500%
      
      From 6 years to less than 7 years                           .550%
      
      From 7 years to less than 10 years                          .600%
      
      From 10 years to less than 15 years                         .625%
      
      From 15 years to less than 20 years                         .675%
      
      From 20 years up to and including 30 years                  .750%


ADDRESS FOR NOTICE TO YOU:

   Notices to ________________, shall be directed to it at________________
__________________________, attention of ________________, _____________
Notices to ______________, shall be directed to it at ___________________
________________________, attention of ________________, ______________
Notices to _______________, shall be directed to it at ___________________
__________________________, attention of ______________, _____________.


<PAGE>


                                                                            WSPR
                                                                           DRAFT
                                                                         10/8/98

                                                                       EXHIBIT A



                    Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation

                          Medium-Term Notes, Series __
                            Administrative Procedures


     Medium-Term Notes, Series C (the "Notes"), are to be offered on a
continuing basis by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (the "Company").
_________________________, _____________________, and ______________________,
as agents (each an "Agent" and collectively the "Agents"), have agreed to use
their reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to purchase the Notes. The Notes
are being sold pursuant to a Distribution Agreement between the Company and the
Agents dated __________ ___, ____ (the "Distribution Agreement"), to which these
administrative procedures are attached as an exhibit.

     The Notes will be issued under the Company's Indenture, dated as of April
1, 1992 (the "Indenture"), to U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly
known as First Trust of New York, National Association) ("U.S. Bank Trust"), as
successor to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as trustee (the
"Trustee"). U.S. Bank Trust will act as the paying agent (the "Paying Agent")
for the payment of principal and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes and
will perform, as the Paying Agent, unless otherwise specified, the other duties
specified herein.

     The Notes will rank equally and ratably with all other unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company. The Notes have been registered with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and will bear interest
at either fixed rates ("Fixed Rate Notes") or variable rates ("Floating Rate
Notes").

     Each Note will be represented by either a Global Security (as defined
hereinafter) delivered to U.S. Bank Trust, as agent for The Depository Trust
Company ("DTC"), and recorded in the book-entry system maintained by DTC (a
"Book-Entry Note") or a certificate delivered to the holder thereof or a person
designated by such holder (a "Certificated Note"). Except as set forth in the
Prospectus (as defined in Section 1(c) of the Distribution Agreement), (i) each
Note will be initially issued as a Book-Entry Note and (ii) an owner of a
Book-Entry Note will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing such
Note.

     The procedures to be followed during, and the specific terms of, the
solicitation of offers by the Agents and the sale as a result thereof by the
Company are explained below. Book-Entry Notes will be issued in accordance with
the administrative procedures set forth in Part I hereof and Certificated Notes
will be issued in accordance with the administrative procedures set forth

                                      A-1
<PAGE>

in Part II hereof. Administrative procedures applicable to both Book-Entry Notes
and Certificated Notes are set forth in Part III hereof. Administrative
responsibilities, document control and record-keeping functions will be handled
for the Company by its Controller or Treasurer. The Company will promptly advise
the Agents and the Trustee in writing of those persons handling administrative
responsibilities with whom the Agents and the Trustee are to communicate
regarding offers to purchase Notes and the details of their delivery.

     To the extent the procedures set forth below conflict with the provisions
of the Notes, the Indenture or the Distribution Agreement, the relevant
provisions of the Notes, the Indenture and the Distribution Agreement shall
control. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Indenture shall
be used herein as therein defined.


PART I:  ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR BOOK-ENTRY NOTES

     In connection with the qualification of the Book-Entry Notes for
eligibility in the book-entry system maintained by DTC, U.S. Bank Trust will
perform the custodial, document control and administrative functions described
below, in accordance with its respective obligations under a Letter of
Representations to be delivered from the Company and U.S. Bank Trust to DTC and
a Medium-Term Note Certificate Agreement between U.S. Bank Trust National
Association (under its then name First Trust, National Association) and DTC,
dated as of [January 31, 1991] (the "MTN Certificate Agreement"), and its
obligations as a participant in DTC, including DTC's Same-Day Funds Settlement
System ("SDFS").

ISSUANCE:                           On any date of settlement (as defined under
                                    "Settlement" below) for one or more
                                    Book-Entry Notes, the Company will issue a
                                    single global security in fully registered
                                    form without coupons (a "Global Security")
                                    representing up to $___,000,000 principal
                                    amount of all such Notes that have the same
                                    date of maturity ("Maturity Date"),
                                    redemption provisions, if any, provisions
                                    for the repayment or purchase by the Company
                                    at the option of the Holder, if any,
                                    Interest Payment Dates, Original Issue Date,
                                    and, in the case of Fixed Rate Notes,
                                    interest rate, and, in the case of Floating
                                    Rate Notes, Initial Interest Rate, Base
                                    Rate, Index Maturity, Interest Reset Period,
                                    Interest Reset Dates, Rate Determination
                                    Dates, Interest Payment Period, Spread or
                                    Spread Multiplier, if any, Minimum Interest
                                    Rate, if any, and Maximum Interest Rate, if
                                    any (in each case, and for all purposes of
                                    these administrative procedures, as defined
                                    in the Prospectus) (as defined in Section
                                    1(c) of the Distribution Agreement)
                                    (collectively, the "Terms"). Each Global
                                    Security will be dated and issued as of the
                                    date of its authentication by the Trustee.
                                    No Global Security will represent any
                                    Certificated Note.

IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS:             The Company has arranged with the CUSIP
                                    Service Bureau of Standard & Poor's Rating
                                    Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill
                                    Companies, Inc. (the "CUSIP Service Bureau")
                                    for the reservation

                                      A-2
<PAGE>

                                    of one series of CUSIP numbers (including
                                    tranche numbers), which series consists of
                                    approximately 900 CUSIP numbers and relates
                                    to Global Securities representing the
                                    Book-Entry Notes and previously issued
                                    Medium-Term Notes of the Company. The
                                    Company has obtained from the CUSIP Service
                                    Bureau a written list of such series of
                                    reserved CUSIP numbers and has delivered to
                                    DTC and the Trustee a written list of 900
                                    CUSIP numbers of such series. The Company
                                    will assign CUSIP numbers to Global
                                    Securities as described below under
                                    Settlement Procedure "B". It is expected
                                    that DTC will notify the CUSIP Service
                                    Bureau periodically of the CUSIP numbers
                                    that the Company has assigned to Global
                                    Securities. At any time when fewer than 100
                                    of the reserved CUSIP numbers of the series
                                    remain unassigned to Global Securities, the
                                    Trustee shall so advise the Company and, if
                                    it deems necessary, the Company will reserve
                                    additional CUSIP numbers for assignment to
                                    Global Securities representing Book-Entry
                                    Notes. Upon obtaining such additional CUSIP
                                    numbers, the Company shall deliver a list of
                                    such additional CUSIP numbers to the Trustee
                                    and DTC.

REGISTRATION:                       Each Global Security will be registered in
                                    the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC,
                                    on the Security Register maintained under
                                    the Indenture. It is expected that the
                                    beneficial owner of a Book-Entry Note (or
                                    one or more indirect participants in DTC
                                    designated by such owner) will designate one
                                    or more participants in DTC (with respect to
                                    such Note, the "Participants") to act as
                                    agent or agents for such owner in connection
                                    with the book-entry system maintained by
                                    DTC, and it is expected that DTC will record
                                    in book-entry form, in accordance with
                                    instructions provided by such Participants,
                                    a credit balance with respect to such
                                    beneficial owner in such Note in the account
                                    of such Participants. The ownership interest
                                    of such beneficial owner in such Note will
                                    be recorded through the records of such
                                    Participants or through the separate records
                                    of such Participants and one or more
                                    indirect participants in DTC.

TRANSFERS:                          Transfers  of  a  Book-Entry  Note  will  be
                                    accomplished  by  book  entries  made by DTC
                                    and,  in  turn,  by  Participants   (and  in
                                    certain   cases,   one  or   more   indirect
                                    participants  in DTC)  acting  on  behalf of
                                    beneficial  transferees  and  transferors of
                                    such Note.

CONSOLIDATIONS:                     Upon receipt of written instructions from
                                    the Company, U.S. Bank Trust may deliver to
                                    DTC and the CUSIP Service Bureau at any time
                                    a written notice of consolidation (a copy of
                                    which shall be attached to the resulting
                                    Global Security) specifying (i) the CUSIP
                                    numbers of two or more Outstanding Global
                                    Securities that represent Book-Entry Notes
                                    having the same Terms and for which

                                      A-3
<PAGE>

                                    interest has been paid to the same date,
                                    (ii) a date, occurring at least thirty days
                                    after such written notice is delivered and
                                    at least thirty days before the next
                                    Interest Payment Date for such Book-Entry
                                    Notes, on which such Global Securities shall
                                    be exchanged for a single replacement Global
                                    Security and (iii) a new CUSIP number to be
                                    assigned to such replacement Global
                                    Security. Upon receipt of such a notice, it
                                    is expected that DTC will send to its
                                    participants (including U.S. Bank Trust) a
                                    written reorganization notice to the effect
                                    that such exchange will occur on such date.
                                    Prior to the specified exchange date, U.S.
                                    Bank Trust will deliver to the CUSIP Service
                                    Bureau a written notice setting forth such
                                    exchange date and the new CUSIP number and
                                    stating that, as of such exchange date, the
                                    CUSIP numbers of the Global Securities to be
                                    exchanged will no longer be valid. On the
                                    specified exchange date, U.S. Bank Trust
                                    will exchange such Global Securities for a
                                    single Global Security bearing the new CUSIP
                                    number, and the CUSIP numbers of the
                                    exchanged Global Securities will, in
                                    accordance with CUSIP Service Bureau
                                    procedures, be canceled and not reassigned
                                    until the Book-Entry Notes represented by
                                    such exchanged Global Securities have
                                    matured or been redeemed.

MATURITIES:                         Each Book-Entry Note will mature on a date
                                    not less than one year nor more than 30
                                    years after the date of settlement for such
                                    Note.

DENOMINATIONS:                      Book-Entry Notes will be issued in principal
                                    amounts of $1,000 or any amount in excess
                                    thereof that is an integral multiple of
                                    $1,000. Global Securities will be
                                    denominated in principal amounts not in
                                    excess of $110,000,000.

INTEREST:                           GENERAL. Interest on each Book-Entry Note
                                    will accrue from and including the original
                                    issue date of, or the last date to which
                                    interest has been paid on, the Global
                                    Security representing such Note. Each
                                    payment of interest on a Book-Entry Note
                                    will include interest accrued to but
                                    excluding the Interest Payment Date
                                    (provided that, in the case of Floating Rate
                                    Notes that reset daily or weekly, interest
                                    payments will include interest accrued to
                                    but excluding the Regular Record Date (as
                                    defined below) immediately preceding the
                                    Interest Payment Date) or the Maturity Date
                                    or, upon earlier redemption or repayment,
                                    the date of such redemption or repayment
                                    (the "Redemption Date"), as the case may be.
                                    Interest payable on the Maturity Date or the
                                    Redemption Date of a Book-Entry Note will be
                                    payable to the person to whom the principal
                                    of such Note is payable. Standard & Poor's
                                    Rating Services, a division of The
                                    McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. will use the
                                    information received in the pending deposit
                                    message described under Settlement Procedure
                                    "C" below in order to include the

                                      A-4
<PAGE>

                                    amount of any interest payable and certain
                                    other information regarding the related
                                    Global Security in the appropriate weekly
                                    bond report published by Standard & Poor's
                                    Corporation.

                                    RECORD DATES. The record date with respect
                                    to any Interest Payment Date shall be the
                                    December 15 or June 15, as the case may be
                                    (whether or not a Business Day) immediately
                                    preceding such Interest Payment Date (each a
                                    "Regular Record Date").

                                    FIXED RATE BOOK-ENTRY NOTES. Interest
                                    payments on Fixed Rate Book-Entry Notes will
                                    be made semi-annually on January 1 and July
                                    1 of each year and on the Maturity Date or
                                    the Redemption Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
                                    in the case of a Fixed Rate Book-Entry Note
                                    issued between a Regular Record Date and an
                                    Interest Payment Date, the first interest
                                    payment will be made on the Interest Payment
                                    Date following the next succeeding Regular
                                    Record Date.

                                    FLOATING RATE BOOK-ENTRY NOTES. Interest
                                    payments will be made on Floating Rate
                                    Book-Entry Notes monthly, quarterly,
                                    semi-annually or annually. Unless otherwise
                                    agreed upon, interest will be payable, in
                                    the case of Floating Rate Book-Entry Notes
                                    with a monthly Interest Payment Period, on
                                    the third Wednesday of each month; with a
                                    quarterly Interest Payment Period, on the
                                    third Wednesday of March, June, September
                                    and December of each year; with a
                                    semi-annual Interest Payment Period, on the
                                    third Wednesday of the two months specified
                                    pursuant to Settlement Procedure "A" below;
                                    and with an annual Interest Payment Period,
                                    on the third Wednesday of the month
                                    specified pursuant to Settlement Procedure
                                    "A" below; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if an
                                    Interest Payment Date for Floating Rate
                                    Book-Entry Notes would otherwise be a day
                                    that is not a Business Day (as defined in
                                    the Prospectus) with respect to such
                                    Floating Rate Book-Entry Notes, such
                                    Interest Payment Date will be the next
                                    succeeding Business Day with respect to such
                                    Floating Rate Book-Entry Notes, except in
                                    the case of a Floating Rate Book-Entry Note
                                    for which the rate base is LIBOR, if such
                                    Business Day is in the next succeeding
                                    calendar month, in which event such Interest
                                    Payment Date will be the immediately
                                    preceding Business Day; PROVIDED FURTHER,
                                    HOWEVER, that in the case of a Floating Rate
                                    Book-Entry Note issued between a Regular
                                    Record Date and an Interest Payment Date the
                                    first interest payment will be made on the
                                    Interest Payment Date following the next
                                    succeeding Regular Record Date.

PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL               PAYMENT OF INTEREST ONLY.  Promptly after
AND INTEREST:                       each Regular Record Date, the Paying Agent
                                    will deliver to the Company and DTC a
                                    written notice specifying by CUSIP number
                                    the amount of interest

                                      A-5
<PAGE>

                                    to be paid on each Global Security on the
                                    following Interest Payment Date (other than
                                    an Interest Payment Date coinciding with the
                                    Maturity Date) and the total of such
                                    amounts. It is expected that DTC will
                                    confirm the amount payable on each Global
                                    Security on such Interest Payment Date by
                                    reference to the appropriate (daily or
                                    weekly) bond reports published by Standard &
                                    Poor's Corporation. The Company will pay to
                                    the Paying Agent the total amount of
                                    interest due on such Interest Payment Date
                                    (other than on the Maturity Date), and the
                                    Paying Agent will pay such amount to DTC at
                                    the times and in the manner set forth under
                                    "Manner of Payment" below. If any Interest
                                    Payment Date for a Book-Entry Note is not a
                                    Business Day, the payment due on such day
                                    shall be made on the next succeeding
                                    Business Day, except that, if such Note is a
                                    LIBOR Note and such next succeeding Business
                                    Day is in the next succeeding calendar
                                    month, such payment will be made on the
                                    immediately preceding Business Day; and no
                                    interest shall accrue on such payment for
                                    the period from and after such Interest
                                    Payment Date.

                                    PAYMENTS ON MATURITY DATE, ETC. On or about
                                    the first Business Day of each month, the
                                    Paying Agent will deliver to the Company and
                                    DTC a written list of principal and, to the
                                    extent known at such time, interest to be
                                    paid on each Global Security maturing either
                                    on the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date
                                    in the following month. The Company and DTC
                                    will confirm with the Paying Agent the
                                    amounts of such principal and interest
                                    payments with respect to each such Global
                                    Security on or about the fifth Business Day
                                    preceding the Maturity Date or the
                                    Redemption Date, as the case may be, of such
                                    Global Security. The Company will pay to the
                                    Paying Agent the principal amount of such
                                    Global Security, together with interest due
                                    on such Maturity Date or Redemption Date in
                                    the manner set forth below under "Manner of
                                    Payment". The Paying Agent will pay such
                                    amounts to DTC at the times and in the
                                    manner set forth below under "Manner of
                                    Payment". If the Maturity Date or the
                                    Redemption Date of a Global Security
                                    representing Book-Entry Notes is not a
                                    Business Day, the payment due on such day
                                    shall be made on the next succeeding
                                    Business Day, except that, if such Note is a
                                    LIBOR Note and such next succeeding Business
                                    Day is in the next succeeding calendar
                                    month, such payment will be made on the
                                    immediately preceding Business Day; and no
                                    interest shall accrue on such payment for
                                    the period from and after such Maturity Date
                                    or the Redemption Date. Promptly after
                                    payment to DTC of the principal and interest
                                    due at the Maturity Date or the Redemption
                                    Date of such Global Security, the Paying
                                    Agent will cancel such Global Security in
                                    accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

                                      A-6
<PAGE>

                                    MANNER OF PAYMENT. The total amount of any
                                    principal and interest due on Global
                                    Securities on any Interest Payment Date or
                                    on the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date
                                    shall be paid by the Company to the Paying
                                    Agent in immediately available funds for use
                                    by the Paying Agent no later than 9:30 A.M.
                                    (New York City time) on such date. The
                                    Company will make such payment on such
                                    Global Securities by wire transfer to the
                                    Paying Agent or by the Paying Agent's
                                    debiting the account of the Company
                                    maintained with the Paying Agent. The
                                    Company will confirm such instructions in
                                    writing to the Paying Agent. Prior to 10:00
                                    A.M. (New York City time) on each Maturity
                                    Date or Redemption Date or as soon as
                                    reasonably possible thereafter, the Paying
                                    Agent will pay by separate wire transfer
                                    (using Fedwire message entry instructions in
                                    a form previously agreed to with DTC) to an
                                    account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New
                                    York previously agreed to with DTC, in funds
                                    available for immediate use by DTC, each
                                    payment of principal (together with interest
                                    thereon) due on Global Securities on any
                                    Maturity Date or Redemption Date. On each
                                    Interest Payment Date, interest payments
                                    shall be made to DTC in same day funds in
                                    accordance with existing arrangements
                                    between the Paying Agent and DTC.
                                    Thereafter, on each such date, it is
                                    expected that DTC will pay, in accordance
                                    with its SDFS operating procedures then in
                                    effect, such amounts in funds available for
                                    immediate use to the respective Participants
                                    in whose names the Book-Entry Notes
                                    represented by such Global Securities are
                                    recorded in the book-entry system maintained
                                    by DTC. Neither the Company nor the Paying
                                    Agent shall have any responsibility or
                                    liability for the payment by DTC to such
                                    Participants of the principal of and
                                    interest on the Book-Entry Notes.

                                    WITHHOLDING TAXES. The amount of any taxes
                                    required under applicable law to be withheld
                                    from any interest payment on a Book-Entry
                                    Note will be determined and withheld by the
                                    Participant, indirect participant in DTC or
                                    other person responsible for forwarding
                                    payments and materials directly to the
                                    beneficial owner of such Note.

SETTLEMENT:                         The receipt by the Company of immediately
                                    available funds in payment for a Book-Entry
                                    Note and the authentication and issuance of
                                    the Global Security representing such Note
                                    shall constitute "settlement" with respect
                                    to such Note. All orders accepted by the
                                    Company will be settled on the third
                                    Business Day following the date of sale of a
                                    Book-Entry Note unless the Company, the
                                    Trustee and the purchaser agree to
                                    settlement on another day that shall be no
                                    earlier than the next Business Day.

                                      A-7
<PAGE>

SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES:              Settlement Procedures with regard to each
                                    Book-Entry Note sold by the Company through
                                    an Agent, as agent, shall be as follows:

                                    A.    Such Agent will advise the Company by
                                          telephone, followed by facsimile
                                          transmission, of the following
                                          settlement information:

                                          1.  Principal amount.

                                          2.  Maturity Date.

                                          3.  In the case of a Fixed Rate
                                              Book-Entry Note, the interest
                                              rate, or, in the case of a
                                              Floating Rate Book-Entry Note,
                                              the Initial Interest Rate (if
                                              known at such time), Base Rate,
                                              Index Maturity, Interest Reset
                                              Period, Interest Reset Dates,
                                              Rate Determination Dates,
                                              Interest Payment Period, Spread
                                              or Spread Multiplier (if any),
                                              Minimum Interest Rate (if any)
                                              and Maximum Interest Rate (if
                                              any).

                                          4.  Interest Payment Dates.

                                          5.  Redemption provisions, if any,
                                              or provisions for the repayment
                                              or purchase by the Company at
                                              the option of the Holder, if
                                              any.

                                          6.  Settlement date.

                                          7.  Issue price.

                                          8.  Agent's commission, determined
                                              as provided in Section 2(a) of
                                              the Distribution Agreement.

                                    B.    The Company will assign a CUSIP number
                                          to such Book-Entry Note and will
                                          advise U.S. Bank Trust by facsimile
                                          transmission or other mutually
                                          acceptable means of the information
                                          set forth in Settlement Procedure "A"
                                          above, the name of such Agent and the
                                          CUSIP number assigned to such
                                          Book-Entry Note. The Company will
                                          notify the Agent of such CUSIP number
                                          by telephone as soon as practicable.
                                          Each such communication by the Company
                                          shall constitute a representation and
                                          warranty by the Company to U.S. Bank
                                          Trust and each Agent that (i) such
                                          Note is then, and at the time of
                                          issuance and sale thereof will be,
                                          duly authorized for issuance and sale
                                          by the Company, (ii) the Global
                                          Security representing such Note will
                                          conform with the terms of the
                                          Indenture pursuant to which such Note
                                          and Global Security are issued and
                                          (iii) upon authentication and delivery
                                          of such

                                      A-8
<PAGE>

                                          Global Security, the aggregate
                                          principal amount of all Notes
                                          initially offered issued under the
                                          Indenture will not exceed $---,000,000
                                          (except for Global Securities or Notes
                                          represented by and authenticated and
                                          delivered in exchange for or in lieu
                                          of Notes in accordance with the
                                          Indenture).

                                    C.    U.S. Bank Trust will enter a pending
                                          deposit message through DTC's
                                          Participant Terminal System, providing
                                          the following settlement information
                                          to DTC, which shall route such
                                          information to such Agent and Standard
                                          & Poor's Rating Servies, a division of
                                          The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.:

                                          1.    The information set forth in
                                                Settlement Procedure "A".

                                          2.    Identification of such Note as a
                                                Fixed Rate Book-Entry Note or a
                                                Floating Rate Book-Entry Note.

                                          3.    Initial Interest Payment Date
                                                for such Note, number of days by
                                                which such date succeeds the
                                                related Regular Record Date
                                                (which, in the case of Floating
                                                Rate Notes that reset daily or
                                                weekly, shall be the DTC Record
                                                Date, which is the date five
                                                calendar days immediately
                                                preceding the applicable
                                                Interest Payment Date and, in
                                                the case of all other Notes,
                                                shall be the Regular Record Date
                                                as defined in the Note) and
                                                amount of interest payable on
                                                such Interest Payment Date.

                                          4.    CUSIP number of the Global
                                                Security representing such Note.

                                          5.    Whether such Global Security
                                                will represent any other
                                                Book-Entry Note (to the extent
                                                known at such time).

                                    D.    The Trustee will complete and
                                          authenticate the Global Security
                                          representing such Note.

                                    E.    It is expected that DTC will credit
                                          such Note to U.S. Bank Trust's
                                          participant account at DTC.

                                    F.    U.S. Bank Trust will enter an SDFS
                                          deliver order through DTC's
                                          Participant Terminal System
                                          instructing DTC to (i) debit such Note
                                          to U.S. Bank Trust's participant
                                          account and credit such Note to such
                                          Agent's participant account and (ii)
                                          debit such Agent's settlement account
                                          and credit U.S. Bank Trust's
                                          settlement account for an amount equal
                                          to the price of such Note less such
                                          Agent's commission. The entry of such
                                          a deliver order shall constitute a
                                          representation and warranty

                                      A-9
<PAGE>

                                          by U.S. Bank Trust to DTC that (a) the
                                          Global Security representing such
                                          Book-Entry Note has been issued and
                                          authenticated and (b) U.S. Bank Trust
                                          is holding such Global Security
                                          pursuant to the MTN Certificate
                                          Agreement.

                                    G.    Such Agent will enter an SDFS deliver
                                          order through DTC's Participant
                                          Terminal System instructing DTC (i) to
                                          debit such Note to such Agent's
                                          participant account and credit such
                                          Note to the participant accounts of
                                          the Participants with respect to such
                                          Note and (ii) to debit the settlement
                                          accounts of such Participants and
                                          credit the settlement account of such
                                          Agent for an amount equal to the price
                                          of such Note.

                                    H.    Transfers of funds in accordance with
                                          SDFS deliver orders described in
                                          Settlement Procedures "F" and "G" will
                                          be settled in accordance with SDFS
                                          operating procedures in effect on the
                                          settlement date.

                                    I.    U.S. Bank Trust will, upon confirming
                                          receipt of such funds from the Agent,
                                          wire transfer to the account of the
                                          Company maintained at The Bank of New
                                          York, Wall Street, New York, New York
                                          10286 (for credit to Central Hudson
                                          Gas & Electric Corporation, The Bank
                                          of New York - Special Acct. #2, ABA
                                          Routing No.: 021000018J Account No.
                                          8751004282) in immediately available
                                          funds in the amount transferred to
                                          Morgan in accordance with Settlement
                                          Procedure "F". Promptly upon
                                          completion of such wire transfer, U.S.
                                          Bank Trust shall notify the Company
                                          thereof by telephone (Attn. Bruce
                                          Marley, tel. No. 914-486-5350, or such
                                          other person or telephone number as
                                          the Company shall request of U.S. Bank
                                          Trust).

                                    J.    Such Agent will confirm the purchase
                                          of such Note to the purchaser either
                                          by transmitting to the Participants
                                          with respect to such Note a
                                          confirmation order or orders through
                                          DTC's institutional delivery system or
                                          by mailing a written confirmation to
                                          such purchaser.

SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES               For orders of Book-Entry Notes solicited
TIMETABLE:                          by an Agent, as agent, and accepted by the
                                    Company for settlement on the first Business
                                    Day after the sale date, Settlement
                                    Procedures "A" through "J" set forth above
                                    shall be completed as soon as possible but
                                    not later than the respective times (New
                                    York City time) set forth below:

                                      A-10
<PAGE>


                                    SETTLEMENT
                                    PROCEDURE           TIME

                                    A          11:00 A.M. on the sale date
                                    B          12:00 Noon on the sale date
                                    C          5:00 P.M. on the sale date
                                    D          3:00 P.M. on the sale date
                                    E          8:05 A.M. on the settlement date
                                    F-G        3:00 P.M. on the settlement date
                                    H          4:45 P.M. on the settlement date
                                    I-J        5:00 P.M. on the settlement date
                                          
                                    If a sale is to be settled more than one
                                    Business Day after the sale date, Settlement
                                    Procedures "A", "B" and "C" shall be
                                    completed as soon as practicable but no
                                    later than 11:00 A.M. and 12:00 Noon on the
                                    first Business Day after the sale date with
                                    respect to Settlement Procedures "A" and
                                    "B", respectively, and no later than 5:00
                                    P.M. on the first Business Day after the
                                    sale date, with respect to Settlement
                                    Procedure "C". If the Initial Interest Rate
                                    for a Floating Rate Book-Entry Note has not
                                    been determined at the time that Settlement
                                    Procedure "A" is completed, Settlement
                                    Procedures "B" and "C" shall be completed as
                                    soon as such rate has been determined but no
                                    later than 12:00 Noon and 2:00 P.M.,
                                    respectively, on the second Business Day
                                    before the settlement date. Settlement
                                    Procedure "D" shall occur no later than 3:00
                                    P.M. on the last Business Day prior to the
                                    settlement date. Settlement Procedures "H"
                                    and "I" are subject to extension in
                                    accordance with any extension of Fedwire
                                    closing deadlines and in the other events
                                    specified in the SDFS operating procedures
                                    in effect on the settlement date.

                                    If settlement of a Book-Entry Note is
                                    rescheduled or canceled, the Company will
                                    instruct U.S. Bank Trust by no later than
                                    12:00 Noon on the Business Day immediately
                                    preceding the scheduled settlement date to
                                    deliver to DTC through DTC's Participant
                                    Terminal System a cancellation message to
                                    such effect and U.S. Bank Trust will enter
                                    such message, by no later than 2:00 P.M. on
                                    such Business Day, through DTC's
                                    Participation Terminal System.

MONTHLY REPORTS:                    Monthly, the Trustee will send to the
                                    Company a statement setting forth the
                                    principal amount of Notes outstanding as of
                                    that date under the Indenture and setting
                                    forth a brief description of any sales of
                                    which the Company has advised the Trustee
                                    but which have not yet been settled.

FAILURE TO SETTLE:                  If U.S. Bank Trust or the Agent fails to
                                    enter an SDFS deliver order with respect to
                                    a Book-Entry Note pursuant to Settlement



                                      A-11
<PAGE>

                                    Procedure "F" or "G," U.S. Bank Trust may
                                    upon the approval of the Company deliver to
                                    DTC, through DTC's Participant Terminal
                                    System, as soon as practicable, a withdrawal
                                    message instructing DTC to debit such Note
                                    to U.S. Bank Trust's participant account,
                                    provided that U.S. Bank Trust's participant
                                    account contains a principal amount of the
                                    Global Security representing such Note that
                                    is at least equal to the principal amount to
                                    be debited. If a withdrawal message is
                                    processed with respect to all the Book-Entry
                                    Notes represented by a Global Security, U.S.
                                    Bank Trust will mark such Global Security
                                    "canceled", make appropriate entries in U.S.
                                    Bank Trust's records and send such canceled
                                    Global Security to the Company. The CUSIP
                                    number assigned to such Global Security
                                    shall, in accordance with CUSIP Service
                                    Bureau procedures, be canceled and not
                                    reassigned until the Book-Entry Notes
                                    represented by such Global Security have
                                    matured or been redeemed. If a withdrawal
                                    message is processed with respect to one or
                                    more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Notes
                                    represented by a Global Security, U.S. Bank
                                    Trust will exchange such Global Security for
                                    another Global Security, which shall
                                    represent the Book-Entry Notes previously
                                    represented by the surrendered Global
                                    Security with respect to which a withdrawal
                                    message has not been processed and shall
                                    bear the CUSIP number of the surrendered
                                    Global Security.

                                    If the purchase price for any Book-Entry
                                    Note is not timely paid to the Participants
                                    with respect to such Note by the beneficial
                                    purchaser thereof (or a person, including an
                                    indirect participant in DTC, acting on
                                    behalf of such purchaser), such Participants
                                    and, in turn, the Agent for such Note may
                                    enter SDFS deliver orders through DTC's
                                    Participant Terminal System reversing the
                                    orders entered pursuant to Settlement
                                    Procedures "G" and "F", respectively.
                                    Thereafter, U.S. Bank Trust will deliver the
                                    withdrawal message and take the related
                                    actions described in the preceding
                                    paragraph. If such failure shall have
                                    occurred for any reason other than a default
                                    by the Agent in the performance of its
                                    obligations hereunder or under the
                                    Distribution Agreement, then the Company
                                    will reimburse such Agent or U.S. Bank
                                    Trust, for the account of such Agent, as
                                    applicable, on an equitable basis for the
                                    loss of the use of funds during the period
                                    when they were credited to the account of
                                    the Company.

                                    Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon any
                                    failure to settle with respect to a
                                    Book-Entry Note, DTC may take any actions in
                                    accordance with its SDFS operating
                                    procedures then in effect. In the event of a
                                    failure to settle with respect to one or
                                    more, but not all, of the Book-Entry Notes
                                    to have been represented by a Global
                                    Security, the Trustee will provide, in
                                    accordance with Settlement

                                      A-12
<PAGE>

                                    Procedure "D," for the authentication and
                                    issuance of a Global Security representing
                                    the other Book-Entry Notes to have been
                                    represented by such Global Security and will
                                    make appropriate entries in its records.


PART II:  ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR CERTIFICATED NOTES

         U.S. Bank Trust will serve as registrar in connection with the
Certificated Notes.

MATURITIES:                         Each Certificated Note will mature on a date
                                    not less than one year and not more than 30
                                    years after the date of delivery by the
                                    Company of such Note.

PRICE TO PUBLIC:                    Each Certificated Note will be issued at the
                                    percentage of principal amount specified in
                                    the Prospectus relating to the Notes.

DENOMINATIONS:                      The denomination of any Certificated Note
                                    will be a minimum of $1,000 or any amount in
                                    excess thereof which is an integral multiple
                                    of $1,000.

REGISTRATION:                       Certificated Notes will be issued only in
                                    fully registered form.

INTEREST:                           GENERAL. Interest on each Certificated Note
                                    will accrue from and including the original
                                    issue date of, or the last date to which
                                    interest has been paid on, such Note. Each
                                    payment of interest on a Certificated Note
                                    will include interest accrued to but
                                    excluding the Interest Payment Date
                                    (provided that, in the case of Floating Rate
                                    Notes that reset daily or weekly, interest
                                    payments will include interest accrued to
                                    but excluding the Regular Record Date
                                    immediately preceding the Interest Payment
                                    Date) or the Maturity Date or, upon earlier
                                    redemption, the Redemption Date, as the case
                                    may be. Interest payable on the Maturity
                                    Date or the Redemption Date of a
                                    Certificated Note will be payable to the
                                    person to whom the principal of such Note is
                                    payable.

                                    RECORD DATES. Unless otherwise set forth in
                                    the applicable Pricing Supplement, the
                                    record dates with respect to the Interest
                                    Payment Dates shall be the Regular Record
                                    Dates.

                                    FIXED RATE CERTIFICATED NOTES. Unless
                                    otherwise specified pursuant to "Settlement
                                    Procedures" below, interest payments on
                                    Fixed Rate Certificated Notes will be made
                                    semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 and on
                                    the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date;
                                    PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the case of a
                                    Fixed Rate Certificated Note issued between
                                    a Regular Record Date and an Interest
                                    Payment Date, the first interest payment
                                    will be made on the

                                     A-13
<PAGE>

                                   Interest Payment Date following the next
                                   succeeding Regular Record Date.

                                   FLOATING RATE CERTIFICATED NOTES. Interest
                                   payments will be made on Floating Rate
                                   Certificated Notes monthly, quarterly,
                                   semi-annually or annually. Unless otherwise
                                   agreed upon, interest will be payable, in
                                   the case of Floating Rate Certificated Notes
                                   with a monthly Interest Payment Period, on
                                   the third Wednesday of each month; with a
                                   quarterly Interest Payment Period, on the
                                   third Wednesday of March, June, September
                                   and December of each year; with a
                                   semi-annual Interest Payment Period, on the
                                   third Wednesday of the two months specified
                                   pursuant to "Settlement Procedures" below;
                                   and with an annual Interest Payment Period,
                                   on the third Wednesday of the month
                                   specified pursuant to "Settlement Procedures"
                                   below; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if an
                                   Interest Payment Date for Floating Rate
                                   Certificated Notes would otherwise be a day
                                   that is not a Business Day with respect to
                                   such Floating Rate Certificated Notes, such
                                   Interest Payment Date will be the next
                                   succeeding Business Day with respect to such
                                   Floating Rate Certificated Notes, except in
                                   the case of a Floating Rate Certificated
                                   Note for which the rate base is LIBOR, if
                                   such Business Day is in the next succeeding
                                   calendar month, in which event such Interest
                                   Payment Date will be the immediately
                                   preceding Business Day; PROVIDED FURTHER,
                                   HOWEVER, that in the case of a Floating Rate
                                   Certificated Note issued between a Regular
                                   Record Date and an Interest Payment Date,
                                   the first interest payment will be made on
                                   the Interest Payment Date following the next
                                   succeeding Regular Record Date.

PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL              Interest will be payable to the person in 
AND INTEREST:                      whose name a Certificated Note is registered
                                   at the close of business on the Regular
                                   Record Date next preceding an Interest
                                   Payment Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in
                                   the case of a Certificated Note originally
                                   issued between a Regular Record Date and an
                                   Interest Payment Date, the first payment of
                                   interest will be made on the Interest
                                   Payment Date following the next succeeding
                                   Regular Record Date to the person in whose
                                   name such Note was registered at the close
                                   of business on such next Regular Record
                                   Date. Unless other arrangements are made
                                   acceptable to the Company, all interest
                                   payments (excluding interest payments made
                                   on the Maturity Date or the Redemption Date)
                                   on a Certificated Note will be made by check
                                   mailed to the person entitled thereto as
                                   provided above.

                                   U.S. Bank Trust will pay the principal
                                   amount of each Certificated Note on the
                                   Maturity Date upon presentation of such
                                   Certificated Note to U.S. Bank Trust at the
                                   principal corporate trust office of U.S.
                                   Bank Trust in New York, New York. Such
                                   payment, together


                                     A-14
<PAGE>

                                    with payment of interest due on the Maturity
                                    Date, will be made from funds deposited with
                                    U.S. Bank Trust by the Company.

                                    U.S. Bank Trust will be responsible for
                                    compliance with withholding taxes on 
                                    interest paid on Certificated Notes by it as
                                    required by applicable federal law.

                                    Within 10 days following each Regular Record
                                    Date, the Trustee will inform the Company of
                                    the total amount of the interest payments to
                                    be made by the Company on the next
                                    succeeding Interest Payment Date. The
                                    Trustee will provide monthly to the Company
                                    a list of the principal and interest to be
                                    paid on Certificated Notes maturing in the
                                    next succeeding month.

SETTLEMENT:                         The settlement date with respect to any
                                    offer to purchase Certificated Notes
                                    accepted by the Company will be a date on or
                                    before the third Business Day next
                                    succeeding the date of acceptance unless
                                    otherwise agreed by the purchaser, the
                                    Trustee and the Company and shall be
                                    specified upon acceptance of such offer. The
                                    Company will instruct the Trustee to effect
                                    delivery of each Certificated Note no later
                                    than 1:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the
                                    settlement date to the Presenting Agent (as
                                    defined under "Preparation of Pricing
                                    Supplement" in Part III below) for delivery
                                    to the purchaser.

SETTLEMENT PROCEDURES:              For each offer to purchase a Certificated
                                    Note that is accepted by the Company, the
                                    Presenting Agent will provide (unless
                                    provided by the purchaser directly to the
                                    Company) by telephone and facsimile
                                    transmission or other mutually acceptable
                                    means the following information to the
                                    Company:

                                     1.   Name in which such Note is to be
                                          registered (the "Registered Owner").

                                     2.   Address of the Registered Owner and,
                                          if different, address for payment of
                                          principal and interest.

                                     3.   Taxpayer identification number of the
                                          Registered Owner.

                                     4.   Principal amount.

                                     5.   Maturity Date.

                                     6.   In the case of Fixed Rate Certificated
                                          Note, the interest rate, or, in the
                                          case of a Floating Rate Certificated
                                          Note, the Initial Interest Rate (if
                                          known at such time), Base Rate, Index
                                          Maturity, Interest Reset Period,
                                          Interest Reset Dates, Rate
                                          Determination Dates, Interest Payment
                                          Period, Spread or Spread Multiplier
                                          (if any), Minimum Interest Rate (if
                                          any) and Maximum Interest Rate (if
                                          any).

                                      A-15
<PAGE>

                                     7.   Interest Payment Dates.

                                     8.   Redemption provisions, if any, or
                                          provisions for the repayment or
                                          repurchase by the Company at the
                                          option of the Holder, if any.

                                     9.   Settlement date.

                                    10.   Issue price.

                                    11.   Agent's commission, determined as
                                          provided in Section 2(a) of the
                                          Distribution Agreement.

                                    The Presenting Agent will advise the Company
                                    of the foregoing information (unless
                                    provided by the purchaser directly to the
                                    Company) for each offer to purchase a
                                    Certificated Note solicited by such Agent
                                    and accepted by the Company in time for the
                                    Trustee to prepare and authenticate the
                                    required Certificated Note. Before accepting
                                    any offer to purchase a Certificated Note to
                                    be settled in less than three Business Days,
                                    the Company shall verify that the Trustee
                                    will have adequate time to prepare and
                                    authenticate such Note. After receiving from
                                    the Presenting Agent the details for each
                                    offer to purchase a Certificated Note that
                                    has been accepted by the Company, the
                                    Company will, after recording the details
                                    and any necessary calculations, provide
                                    appropriate documentation to the Trustee,
                                    including the information provided by the
                                    Presenting Agent necessary for the
                                    preparation and authentication of such Note.

NOTE DELIVERIES                     Upon receipt of appropriate documentation 
AND CASH PAYMENT:                   and instructions, the Company will cause the
                                    Trustee to prepare and authenticate the
                                    pre-printed 4-ply Certificated Note packet
                                    containing the following documents in forms
                                    approved by the Company, the Presenting
                                    Agent and the Trustee:

                                    1.    Note with customer receipt.
                                    2.    Stub 1 - For the Presenting Agent.
                                    3.    Stub 2 - For the Company.
                                    4.    Stub 3 - For the Trustee.

                                    Each Certificated Note shall be
                                    authenticated on the settlement date
                                    therefor. The Trustee will authenticate each
                                    Certificated Note and deliver it (with the
                                    confirmation) to the Presenting Agent (and
                                    deliver the stubs as indicated above), all
                                    in accordance with written or electronic
                                    instructions (or oral instructions confirmed
                                    in writing (which may be given by facsimile
                                    transmission) on the next Business Day) from
                                    the Company. Delivery by the Trustee of each
                                    Certificated Note will be made in accordance
                                    with said instructions

                                      A-16
<PAGE>

                                    against receipts therefor and in connection
                                    with contemporaneous receipt by the Company
                                    from the Presenting Agent on the settlement
                                    date in immediately available funds of an
                                    amount equal to the issue price of such Note
                                    less the Presenting Agent's commission.

                                    Upon verification ("Verification") by the
                                    Presenting Agent that a Certificated Note
                                    has been prepared and properly authenticated
                                    by the Trustee and registered in the name of
                                    the purchaser in the proper principal amount
                                    and other terms in accordance with the
                                    aforementioned confirmation, payment will be
                                    made to the Company by the Presenting Agent
                                    the same day as the Presenting Agent's
                                    receipt of the Certificated Note in
                                    immediately available funds. Such payment
                                    shall be made by the Presenting Agent only
                                    upon prior receipt by the Presenting Agent
                                    of immediately available funds from or on
                                    behalf of the purchaser unless the
                                    Presenting Agent decides, at its option, to
                                    advance its own funds for such payment
                                    against subsequent receipt of funds from the
                                    purchaser.

                                    Upon delivery of a Certificated Note to the
                                    Presenting Agent, Verification by the
                                    Presenting Agent and the giving of
                                    instructions for payment, the Presenting
                                    Agent shall promptly deliver such Note to
                                    the purchaser.

                                    In the event any Certificated Note is
                                    incorrectly prepared, the Trustee shall
                                    promptly issue a replacement Certificated
                                    Note in exchange for such incorrectly
                                    prepared Note.

FAILURE TO SETTLE:                  If the Presenting Agent, at its own option,
                                    has advanced its own funds for payment
                                    against subsequent receipt of funds from the
                                    purchaser, and if the purchaser shall fail
                                    to make payment for the Certificated Note on
                                    the settlement date therefor, the Presenting
                                    Agent will promptly notify the Trustee and
                                    the Company by telephone, promptly confirmed
                                    in writing (but no later than the next
                                    Business Day). In such event, the Company
                                    shall promptly provide the Trustee with
                                    appropriate documentation and instructions
                                    consistent with these procedures for the
                                    return of the Certificated Note to the
                                    Trustee and the Presenting Agent will
                                    promptly return the Certificated Note to the
                                    Trustee. Upon (i) confirmation from the
                                    Trustee in writing (which may be given by
                                    facsimile transmission) that the Trustee has
                                    received the Certificated Note and upon (ii)
                                    confirmation from the Presenting Agent in
                                    writing (which may be given by facsimile
                                    transmission) that the Presenting Agent has
                                    not received payment from the purchaser (the
                                    matters referred to in clauses (i) and (ii)
                                    are referred to hereinafter as the
                                    "Confirmations"), the Company will promptly

                                      A-17
<PAGE>

                                    pay to the Presenting Agent an amount in
                                    immediately available funds equal to the
                                    amount previously paid by the Presenting
                                    Agent in respect of such Note. Assuming
                                    receipt of the Certificated Note by the
                                    Trustee and of the Confirmations by the
                                    Company, such payment will be made on the
                                    settlement date, if reasonably practical,
                                    and in any event not later than the Business
                                    Day following the date of receipt of the
                                    Certificated Note and Confirmations. If a
                                    purchaser shall fail to make payment for the
                                    Certificated Note for any reason other than
                                    the failure of the Presenting Agent to
                                    provide the necessary information to the
                                    Company as described above for settlement or
                                    to provide a confirmation to the purchaser
                                    within a reasonable period of time as
                                    described above or otherwise to satisfy its
                                    obligation hereunder or in the Distribution
                                    Agreement, and if the Presenting Agent shall
                                    have otherwise complied with its obligations
                                    hereunder and in the Distribution Agreement,
                                    the Company will reimburse the Presenting
                                    Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of
                                    the use of funds during the period when they
                                    were credited to the account of the Company.

                                    Immediately upon receipt of the Certificated
                                    Note in respect of which the failure
                                    occurred, the Trustee will void such Note,
                                    make appropriate entries in its records and
                                    send such cancelled Note to the Company; and
                                    upon such action, the Certificated Note will
                                    be deemed not to have been issued,
                                    authenticated and delivered.


PART III:       ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO BOTH
                BOOK-ENTRY NOTES AND CERTIFICATED NOTES

CALCULATION OF INTEREST:            FIXED RATE NOTES. Interest on Fixed Rate
                                    Notes (including interest for partial
                                    periods) will be calculated on the basis of
                                    a 360-day year of twelve thirty-day months.
                                    (Examples of interest calculations are as
                                    follows: The period from August 15, 1990 to
                                    February 15, 1991 equals 6 months and 0
                                    days, or 180 days; the interest payable
                                    equals 180/360 times the annual rate of
                                    interest times the principal amount of the
                                    Note. The period from September 17, 1990 to
                                    February 15, 1991 equals 4 months and 28
                                    days, or 148 days; the interest payable
                                    equals 148/360 times the annual rate of
                                    interest times the principal amount of the
                                    Note.)

                                    FLOATING RATE NOTES. Interest rates on
                                    Floating Rate Notes will be determined as
                                    set forth in the form of such Notes.
                                    Interest on Floating Rate Notes will be
                                    calculated on the basis of actual days
                                    elapsed and a year of 360 days except that,
                                    in the case of Floating Rate Notes for which
                                    the rate base is the Treasury Rate, interest


                                      A-18
<PAGE>

                                    will be calculated on the basis of the
                                    actual number of days in the year.

PROCEDURE FOR RATE                  The Company and the Agents will discuss
SETTING AND POSTING:                from time to time the aggregate amount of,
                                    the issuance price of, and the interest
                                    rates to be borne by, Notes that may be sold
                                    as a result of the solicitation of offers by
                                    the Agents. If the Company decides to set
                                    prices of, and rates borne by, any Notes in
                                    respect of which the Agents are to solicit
                                    offers (the setting of such prices and rates
                                    to be referred to herein as "posting") or if
                                    the Company decides to change prices or
                                    rates previously posted by it, it will
                                    promptly advise the Agents of the prices and
                                    rates to be posted.

ACCEPTANCE OF OFFERS:               If the Company posts prices and rates as
                                    provided above, each Agent as agent for and
                                    on behalf of the Company, shall promptly
                                    accept offers received by such Agent to
                                    purchase Notes at the prices and rates so
                                    posted, subject to (i) any instructions from
                                    the Company received by such Agent
                                    concerning the aggregate principal amount of
                                    such Notes to be sold at the prices and
                                    rates so posted or the period during which
                                    such posted prices and rates are to be in
                                    effect, (ii) any instructions from the
                                    Company received by such Agent changing or
                                    revoking any posted prices and rates, (iii)
                                    compliance with the securities laws of the
                                    United States and all other jurisdictions
                                    and (iv) such Agent's right to reject any
                                    such offer as provided below.

                                    If the Company does not post prices and
                                    rates and an Agent receives an offer to
                                    purchase Notes or, if while posted prices
                                    and rates are in effect, an Agent receives
                                    an offer to purchase Notes on terms other
                                    than those posted by the Company, such Agent
                                    will promptly advise the Company of each
                                    such offer other than offers rejected by
                                    such Agent as provided below. The Company
                                    will have the sole right to accept any such
                                    offer to purchase Notes. The Company may
                                    reject any such offer in whole or in part.

                                    Each Agent may, in its discretion reasonably
                                    exercised, reject any offer to purchase
                                    Notes received by it in whole or in part.

PREPARATION OF                      If any offer to purchase a Note is accepted 
PRICING SUPPLEMENT:                 by the Company, the Company, with the
                                    approval of the Agent that presented such
                                    offer (the "Presenting Agent"), will prepare
                                    a pricing supplement (a "Pricing
                                    Supplement") reflecting the terms of such
                                    Note and will arrange to have a copy
                                    electronically filed with the Commission in
                                    accordance with the applicable paragraph of
                                    Rule 424 under the Act and the provision of
                                    Regulation S-T thereunder and will supply at
                                    least 10 copies thereof (or additional
                                    copies if requested) to the Presenting
                                    Agent. The Presenting Agent


                                      A-19
<PAGE>

                                    will cause a Prospectus and Pricing
                                    Supplement to be delivered to the purchaser
                                    of such Note.

                                    In each instance that a Pricing Supplement
                                    is prepared, the Agents will affix the
                                    Pricing Supplement to Prospectuses prior to
                                    their use. Outdated Pricing Supplements
                                    (other than those retained for files) will
                                    be destroyed.

PROCEDURES FOR                      When the Company has determined to change 
RATE CHANGES:                       the interest rates of Notes being offered,
                                    it will promptly advise the Agents and the
                                    Agents will forthwith suspend solicitation
                                    of offers. The Agents will telephone the
                                    Company with recommendations as to the
                                    changed interest rates. At such time as the
                                    Company has advised the Agents of the new
                                    interest rates, the Agents may resume
                                    solicitation of offers. Until such time only
                                    "indications of interest" may be recorded.

SUSPENSION OF SOLICITATION;         The Company may instruct the Agents to 
AMENDMENT OR SUPPLEMENT             suspend at any time, for any period of time 
OF PROSPECTUS:                      or permanently, the solicitation of offers
                                    to purchase Notes. Upon receipt of such
                                    instructions from the Company, the Agents
                                    will forthwith suspend solicitation of
                                    offers to purchase Notes from the Company
                                    until such time as the Company has advised
                                    them that such solicitation may be resumed.

                                    If the Company decides to amend or
                                    supplement the Registration Statement (as
                                    defined in Section 1(c) of the Distribution
                                    Agreement) or the Prospectus (except for a
                                    supplement relating to an offering of
                                    securities other than the Notes), it will
                                    promptly advise the Agents and the Trustee
                                    and will furnish the Agents and the Trustee
                                    with the proposed amendment or supplement in
                                    accordance with the terms of, and its
                                    obligations under, the Distribution
                                    Agreement. The Company will, consistent with
                                    such obligations, promptly advise each Agent
                                    and the Trustee whether orders outstanding
                                    at the time each Agent suspends solicitation
                                    may be settled and whether copies of such
                                    Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement as in
                                    effect at the time of the suspension,
                                    together with the appropriate Pricing
                                    Supplement, may be delivered in connection
                                    with the settlement of such orders. The
                                    Company will have the sole responsibility
                                    for such decision and for any arrangements
                                    that may be made in the event that the
                                    Company determines that such orders may not
                                    be settled or that copies of such
                                    Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement and
                                    Pricing Supplement may not be so delivered.

                                    The Company will file with the Commission
                                    for filing therewith any supplement to the
                                    Prospectus relating to the Notes, provide
                                    the Agents with copies of any such
                                    supplement, and confirm to the


                                      A-20
<PAGE>

                                    Agents that such supplement has been filed
                                    with the Commission pursuant to the
                                    applicable paragraph of Rule 424.

CONFIRMATION:                       For each offer to purchase a Note solicited
                                    by an Agent and accepted by or on behalf of
                                    the Company, the Presenting Agent will issue
                                    a confirmation to the purchaser, with a copy
                                    to the Company, setting forth the details
                                    set forth above and delivery and payment
                                    instructions.

TRUSTEE/PAYING AGENT                Nothing herein shall be deemed to require 
NOT TO  RISK  FUNDS:                the Trustee or Paying  Agent  to  risk or
                                    expend its own funds in connection with any
                                    payment to the Company, DTC, the Agents or
                                    the purchaser or a holder, it being
                                    understood by all parties that payments made
                                    by the Trustee/Paying Agent to the Company,
                                    DTC, the Agents or a purchaser or holder
                                    shall be made only to the extent that funds
                                    are provided to the Trustee/Paying Agent for
                                    such purpose.

AUTHENTICITY                        The Company will cause the Trustee to 
OF SIGNATURES:                      furnish the Agents  from  time to time with
                                    the specimen signatures of each of the
                                    Trustee's officers, employees or agents who
                                    has been authorized by the Trustee to
                                    authenticate Notes, but the Agents will have
                                    no obligation or liability to the Company or
                                    the Trustee in respect of the authenticity
                                    of the signature of any officer, employee or
                                    agent of the Company or the Trustee on any
                                    such Note.

PAYMENT OF EXPENSES:                Each Agent shall forward to the Company, on
                                    a monthly basis, a statement of the
                                    reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred
                                    by such Agent during that month which are
                                    reimbursable to it pursuant to the terms of
                                    the Distribution Agreement. The Company will
                                    remit payment to the Agents currently on a
                                    monthly basis.

DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUS:             A copy of the Prospectus, Prospectus
                                    Supplement and Pricing Supplement relating
                                    to a Note must accompany or precede the
                                    earliest of any written offer of such Note,
                                    confirmation of the purchase of such Note or
                                    payment for such Note by its purchaser. If
                                    notice of a change in the terms of the Notes
                                    is received by an Agent between the time an
                                    order for a Note is placed and the time
                                    written confirmation thereof is sent by such
                                    Agent to a customer or his agent, such
                                    confirmation shall be accompanied by a
                                    Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement and
                                    Pricing Supplement setting forth the terms
                                    in effect when the order was placed. Subject
                                    to "Suspension of Solicitation; Amendment or
                                    Supplement of Prospectus" above, each Agent
                                    will deliver a Prospectus, Prospectus
                                    Supplement and Pricing Supplement as herein
                                    described with respect to each Note sold by
                                    it.


                                      A-21
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT B

                                 TERMS AGREEMENT




Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation
284 South Avenue
Poughkeepsie, New York  12601-4879

Attention:

     Subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Distribution
Agreement (the "Distribution Agreement"), dated ____________ __, ____ among
_____________________, _____________________, ________________________, and
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (the "Company"), the undersigned
agrees to purchase the following principal amount of the Company's
_______________ Medium-Term Notes, Series __ (the "Notes"):



Aggregate Principal Amount:     $

Interest Rate:

Date of Maturity:

Interest Payment Dates:

Regular Record Dates:

Purchase Price:               % of Principal Amount [plus accrued interest from
                              ______________, 199 ]

Purchase Date and Time:

Place for Delivery of Notes
and Payment Therefor:

Method of Payment:



                                       B-1
<PAGE>

                    
                    
Modification, if any, in the
requirements to deliver the
documents specified in Section
6(b) of the Distribution
Agreement:

Period during which additional
Notes may not be sold pursuant
to Section 4(m) of the
Distribution Agreement:

Book-Entry Notes or
Certificated Notes:


     This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of New York.

                                         [Insert name of Purchaser[s]]


                                         By  ________________________
                                             Title:




Accepted: ______________, _____


CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC
     CORPORATION



By  __________________________
    Title:



                                       B-2


DRAFT                                                            EXHIBIT (4)(i)2
REP
10/8/98             CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION

                              OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE
                              ---------------------

     We the undersigned [NAME], [TITLE], and [NAME], [TITLE], of CENTRAL HUDSON
GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION (the "Company"), in accordance with Sections 201 and
301 of the Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1992 (the "Indenture"), between the
Company and U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly known as First Trust
of New York, National Association), as successor trustee to Morgan Guaranty
Trust Company of New York (the "Trustee"), and pursuant to the Board Resolutions
(this and other capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
having the respective meanings set forth in the Indenture) adopted at meetings
of the Board of Directors of the Company held on March 27, 1992, June 24, 1994,
November 18, 1994 and July 24, 1998, do hereby establish the forms of the
Securities of a series of Securities and the terms and provisions of such
Securities (the lettered clauses set forth below corresponding to the lettered
subsections of Section 301 of the Indenture) as follows:

               (a)  the title of the Securities of such series shall be "Medium-
                    Term Notes, Series __" (the "Notes");

               (b)  the aggregate principal amount of Notes which may be
                    authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be
                    limited to $___________, except as contemplated in Section
                    301(b) of the Indenture;

               (c)  interest on the Notes shall be payable to the Person or
                    Persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close
                    of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest,
                    except as otherwise expressly provided in the form of Note
                    attached hereto;

               (d)  the date or dates on which the principal of the Notes shall
                    be payable shall be determined at the time of sale of the
                    Notes, or any Tranche thereof, by the proper officers of the
                    Company and communicated to the Trustee by Company Order, or
                    by the proper officers of the Company pursuant to the
                    Administrative Procedures (the "Administrative Procedures")
                    attached as Exhibit __ to the Distribution Agreement, dated
                    ___________, by and between the Company and_______________,
                    ______________ and _______________; provided, however,
                    that in no event shall a Note have a term less than one year
                    or more than 30 years;


<PAGE>



               (e)  the Notes, or any Tranche thereof, shall bear interest at a
                    fixed rate as determined by the proper officers of the
                    Company as follows: there shall be determined by the proper
                    officers of the Company and communicated to the Trustee by
                    Company Order, or by the proper officers of the Company
                    pursuant to the Administrative Procedures, at the time of
                    sale of the Notes or any Tranche thereof, the interest rate
                    or rates (including the interest rate on overdue principal,
                    premium or interest, if any) applicable to such Notes, or
                    any Tranche thereof; interest shall accrue on any Note from
                    the Original Issue Date specified in such Note or, if later,
                    the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly
                    provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall
                    be ____________ and ___________, and at Maturity, and the
                    Regular Record Dates with respect to such Interest Payment
                    Dates shall be ____________ and ____________, respectively
                    (whether or not a Business Day), provided that interest
                    payable at Maturity shall be payable to the Person to whom
                    the principal shall be paid;

               (f)  the office of U.S. Bank Trust National Association in New
                    York, New York, shall be the place where (1) the principal
                    of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes
                    shall be payable, (2) the Notes, or any Tranche thereof, may
                    be surrendered for registration of transfer, (3) the Notes,
                    or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for exchange and
                    (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of
                    the Notes, or any Tranche thereof, and the Indenture may be
                    served; provided, however, that the Company reserves the
                    right to change, by one or more Officers' Certificates
                    supplemental to this Officers' Certificate, such place or
                    add one or more additional such places;

               (g)  the Notes, or any Tranche thereof, shall be redeemable in
                    whole or in part at the option of the Company during the
                    period or periods, at the price or prices, and upon the
                    terms and conditions determined at the time of sale of the
                    Notes or any Tranche thereof by the proper officers of the
                    Company and communicated to the Trustee by Company Order, or
                    determined by the proper officers of the Company pursuant to
                    the Administrative Procedures;


                                        2

<PAGE>



               (h)  the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase
                    the Notes or any Tranche thereof pursuant to any sinking
                    fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder
                    thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or
                    prices at which, and the terms and conditions upon which,
                    such Notes or Tranche thereof shall be redeemed or
                    purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation
                    shall be determined at the time of sale of the Notes or
                    Tranche thereof by the proper officers of the Company and
                    communicated to the Trustee by Company Order, or determined
                    by the proper officers of the Company pursuant to the
                    Administrative Procedures;

               (i)  the Notes, or any Tranche thereof, shall be issued in
                    denominations of $1,000 or any amount in excess thereof that
                    is an integral multiple of $1,000 or in such other
                    denominations as shall be determined at the time of sale of
                    the Notes or Tranche thereof by the proper officers of the
                    Company and communicated to the Trustee by Company Order, or
                    determined by the proper officers of the Company pursuant to
                    the Administrative Procedures;

               (j)  not applicable;

               (k)  not applicable;

               (l)  not applicable;

               (m)  not applicable;

               (n)  not applicable;

               (o)  the Company reserves the right to add, by one or more
                    Officers' Certificates supplemental to this Officers'
                    Certificate, (i) any covenants of the Company for the
                    benefit of the Holders of the Notes, or any Tranche thereof,
                    in addition to those set forth in Article Six of the
                    Indenture and/or (ii) any Events of Default, in addition to
                    those specified in Section 801 of the Indenture, with
                    respect to all or any series of Securities Outstanding;

               (p)  not applicable;

                                        3

<PAGE>



               (q)  not applicable;

               (r)  no service charge shall be made for the registration of
                    transfer or exchange of Securities; provided, however, that
                    the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
                    any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection
                    with the exchange or transfer;

               (s)  the provisions of Section 113 of the Indenture shall be
                    applicable to each Note, without exception; provided,
                    however, that if the term "Business Day" as used and defined
                    in any Note has a meaning that is different from the term
                    "Business Day" as used and defined in the Indenture, the
                    definition of "Business Day" as defined in such Note shall
                    control the application of said Section 113 to such Note;

               (t)  (1) the proper officers of the Company may execute, with the
                    Trustee (acting as both the Issuing Agent and the Paying
                    Agent), a Letter of Representations to The Depository Trust
                    Company in such form as such officers and the depositary
                    shall approve, and any supplements or amendments thereto,
                    necessary or desirable to make the Notes eligible for
                    deposit at such depositary; provided, however, that the
                    Company reserves the right to terminate any such Letter of
                    Representations by one or more Officers' Certificates
                    supplemental to this Officers' Certificate; and provided,
                    further, that the Company reserves the right to enter into
                    similar agreements with any other depositary with respect to
                    the Notes by one or more Officers' Certificates supplemental
                    to this Officers' Certificate and (2) the Notes shall be
                    substantially in the form thereof attached hereto and shall
                    have such other terms and provisions as are set forth in
                    such form.

     Each of the undersigned has read all of the covenants and conditions
contained in the Indenture and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto
compliance with respect to which this certificate is made;

     The statements contained in this certificate are based upon the familiarity
of the undersigned with the Indenture, the documents accompanying this
certificate, and upon discussions by the undersigned with officers and employees
of the Company familiar with the matters set forth herein;

                                        4

<PAGE>



     In the opinion of each of the undersigned, he has made such examination or
investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion
whether or not such covenants and conditions have been complied with; and

     In the opinion of each of the undersigned, such conditions and covenants
have been complied with.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto signed our names this _______ day of
_______________, _______.

                                                  [Title]
                                   _______________________________________



                                                  [Title]
                                   _______________________________________




                                        5

<PAGE>



DRAFT
10/8/98                    [FORM OF FIXED RATE NOTE]


                               [FORMS OF LEGENDS]

     [UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (THE "DEPOSITARY"), TO THE
COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY
CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME
AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY
PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE
HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE
REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]

     [UNLESS AND UNTIL THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR
CERTIFICATED SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAMES OF THE VARIOUS BENEFICIAL
HOLDERS HEREOF AS THEN CERTIFIED TO THE COMPANY BY THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY, THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE
DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO
THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY
SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY.]

     [THIS SECURITY MAY BE EXCHANGED FOR CERTIFICATED SECURITIES REGISTERED IN
THE NAMES OF THE VARIOUS BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF ONLY IF (A) THE DEPOSITARY IS
AT ANY TIME UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO CONTINUE AS DEPOSITARY AND A SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITARY IS NOT APPOINTED BY THE COMPANY WITHIN 90 DAYS, OR (B) THE COMPANY
ELECTS TO ISSUE CERTIFICATED SECURITIES TO BENEFICIAL OWNERS (AS CERTIFIED TO
THE COMPANY BY THE DEPOSITARY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY).]



                                       -1-

<PAGE>



                             [FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]


No.  FX ___________         
Cusip No.

                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
                           MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES C
                                  (FIXED RATE)


Original Issue Date:                Redeemable:  Yes__ No__

Interest Rate:                      Initial Redemption Date:

Stated Maturity Date:               Redemption Limitation Date:

[Additional Redemption              Initial Redemption Price:
 Prices, if any]
                                    Reduction Percentage:

                            ------------------------


     CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of the State of New York (herein called the "Company,"
which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to _____________, or
registered assigns, the principal sum of ______________ Dollars on the Stated
Maturity Date specified above, and to pay the registered owner hereof interest
thereon at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, semi-annually in arrears
on ______________ and _____________ in each year and at the Stated Maturity Date
(each an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing with the Interest Payment Date
next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above, from the Original Issue
Date specified above or, if later, from the most recent Interest Payment Date to
which interest has been paid or duly provided for, until the principal hereof is
paid or duly provided for. The interest so payable, and paid or duly provided
for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid
to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor
Securities) is registered at the close of business (whether or not a Business
Day (as hereinafter defined)) on the ___________ or ___________ (each a "Regular
Record Date"), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if the date of this Security (unless the date
of this Security is the same date as the Original Issue Date) is after a Regular
Record Date and before the corresponding Interest Payment Date, this Security
shall bear interest from such Interest Payment Date, and the Person in whose
name this Security is

                                       -2-

<PAGE>



registered at the close of business on any Regular Record Date with respect to
any Interest Payment Date shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on
such Interest Payment Date, notwithstanding the cancellation of this Security,
upon any transfer or exchange hereof subsequent to such Regular Record Date and
on or prior to such Interest Payment Date; (b) if the Original Issue Date of
this Security is after a Regular Record Date and before the corresponding
Interest Payment Date, this Security shall bear interest from the Original Issue
Date, but payment of interest shall commence on the second Interest Payment Date
succeeding the Original Issue Date and shall be paid to the registered owner
hereof on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding such second Interest
Payment Date; and (c) interest payable at Maturity shall be paid to the Person
to whom principal shall be paid. Except as otherwise provided in the Indenture,
any such interest not so paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be
payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the
Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of
such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be
given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to
such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not
inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the
Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required
by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

     Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, on this Security and
interest hereon at Maturity shall be made upon presentation hereof at the office
of U.S. Bank Trust National Association, in New York, New York, or at such other
office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time
to time. Payment of interest, if any, on this Security (other than interest at
Maturity) shall, at the option of the Company, be made by check mailed on or
prior to such Interest Payment Date to the address of the Person entitled
thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire
transfer to an account maintained by such Person with a bank in the United
States (so long as the Trustee has received proper wire transfer instructions in
writing by the Record Date next preceding such Interest Payment Date, which
instructions shall remain in full force until changed prior to a Record Date).
Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this
Security, as aforesaid, shall be made in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts.



                                       -3-

<PAGE>

                            [FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE
                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
                          MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES __
                                  (continued)]

     This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and issuable in one or more
series under an Indenture dated as of April 1, 1992 (such Indenture as
originally executed and delivered and as thereafter supplemented or amended,
together with any constituent instruments establishing the terms of particular
Securities, being herein called the "Indenture"), between the Company and U.S.
Bank Trust National Association (formerly known as First Trust of New York,
National Association) (as successor trustee to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of
New York), as trustee (herein called the "Trustee," which term includes any
successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company,
the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the
Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The acceptance of
this Security shall be deemed to constitute the consent and agreement by the
Holder hereof to all of the terms and provisions of the Indenture. This Security
is one of the series designated on the face hereof.

     If any Interest Payment Date, any Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity
Date shall not be a Business Day (as hereinafter defined), payment of the
amounts due on this Security on such date may be made on the next succeeding
Business Day; and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business
Day, no interest shall accrue on such amounts for the period from and after such
Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity Date, as the case may
be, to such Business Day.

     If, as specified on the face hereof, this Security is redeemable, this
Security is subject to redemption on or after the Initial Redemption Date
specified on the face hereof, as a whole, at any time, or in part, from time to
time, at the election of the Company, at the applicable redemption price (as
described below) plus accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption. Unless
otherwise specified on the face hereof, such applicable redemption price shall
be the Initial Redemption Price specified on the face hereof for the
twelve-month period commencing on the Initial Redemption Date and shall decline
for the twelve-month period commencing on each anniversary of the Initial
Redemption Date by a percentage of principal amount equal to the Reduction
Percentage specified on the face hereof until such redemption price is 100% of
the principal amount of this Security to be redeemed and, at all times
thereafter, such redemption price shall be 100% of such principal amount.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to the Redemption
Limitation Date, if any, specified on the face hereof, redeem this Security as
contemplated above as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation
(other than pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption, or
redemption at the option of the Holder) by the

                                       -4-

<PAGE>



application,  directly or  indirectly,  of moneys  borrowed  having an effective
interest cost to the Company  (calculated in accordance with generally  accepted
financial  practice)  less  than  the  effective  interest  cost to the  Company
(similarly calculated) of this Security.

     Notice of redemption shall be given by mail to Holders of Securities, not
less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption,
all as provided in the Indenture. As provided in the Indenture, notice of
redemption at the election of the Company as aforesaid may state that such
redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Trustee of money
sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on
this Security on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption; a notice of
redemption so conditioned shall be of no force or effect if such money is not so
received and, in such event, the Company shall not be required to redeem this
Security.

     In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or
Securities of this series, of like tenor, for the unredeemed portion hereof will
be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

     If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall
occur and be continuing, the principal of this Security may be declared due and
payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

     The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures for the purpose of
adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the
provisions of, the Indenture with the consent of the Holders of not less than a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series then
Outstanding under the Indenture, considered as one class; provided, however,
that if there shall be Securities of more than one series Outstanding under the
Indenture and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the
rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such
series, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series so directly
affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further,
that if the Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one
Tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the
rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such
Tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all Tranches so directly
affected, considered as one class, shall be required. The Indenture also
contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal
amount of the Securities then Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all
Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the
Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.
Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive
and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of
any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange
herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is
made upon this Security.

                                       -5-

<PAGE>


     No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and
interest, if any, on this Security at the times, place and rate, in the coin or
currency, and in the manner, herein prescribed.

     As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register,
upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office of
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, in New York, New York or such other office
or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time, duly endorsed
by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to
the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or
his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new
Securities of this series of authorized denominations and of like tenor and
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.

     The Securities of this series are issuable only as registered Securities,
without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set
forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Securities of this series, of any authorized denominations, as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same, and of like tenor upon surrender
of the Security or Securities to be exchanged at the office of U.S. Bank Trust
National Association, in New York, New York or such other office or agency as
may be designated by the Company from time to time.

     The Company shall not be required to (a) register the transfer of or
exchange Securities of this series during a period of 15 days immediately
preceding the date notice is given identifying the serial numbers of the
Securities of this series called for redemption or (b) to register the transfer
of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part,
except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

     No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

     Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the
Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Security is registered as the absolute owner hereof
for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the
Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.

     The Indenture, the Securities and the rights and obligations of the Trustee
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York.


                                       -6-

<PAGE>


     As used herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or
Sunday, which is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in
the State of New York or the city in which is located any office or agency
maintained for the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on
this Security, are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order
to remain closed. All other terms used in this Security which are defined in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

     As provided in the Indenture, no recourse shall be had for the payment of
the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities, or
any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect
thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation,
covenant or agreement under the Indenture, against, and no personal liability
whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, stockholder,
officer or director, as such, past, present or future of the Company or of any
predecessor or successor corporation (either directly or through the Company or
a predecessor or successor corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional
provision, statue or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or
penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that the
Indenture and all the Securities are solely corporate obligations and that any
such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition
of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the
issuance of the Securities.

     Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the
Trustee by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit
under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.


                                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC
                                         CORPORATION

                                    By ________________________________
                                                    [Title]


Attest:

By _________________________
    [Assistant] Secretary




                                       -7-

<PAGE>



                     TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

     This one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in
the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated:_______________________

                                    U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
                                         as Trustee

                                    By: __________________________________
                                                Authorized Signatory



                                       -8-

<PAGE>


     FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers
unto ___________________________________________________________________________
     [please insert social security
     or other identifying number of
     assignee]

________________________________________________________________________________
[please print or typewrite name and address of assignee]

________________________________________________________________________________

the within Security of CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION and does hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint ___________________________ , Attorney,
to transfer said Security on the books of the within-mentioned Company, with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:______________________

                                              __________________________________

                                              Notice: The signature to this
                                              assignment must correspond with
                                              the name as written upon the
                                              face of the Security in every
                                              particular without alteration or
                                              enlargement or any change
                                              whatsoever.



                                       -9-



                                                                     EXHIBIT (5)

                         [LETTERHEAD OF GOULD & WILKIE]



                                                                October 13, 1998




Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation
284 South Avenue
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601-4879

Dear Sirs:

     Referring to your Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration
Statement") submitted for electronic filing this date with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Act"), pursuant to Rules 415 and 429 promulgated thereunder, covering the
proposed issuance and sale by you of up to $110,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of Debt Securities (the "Debt Securities"), in one or more series, to be
issued under an Indenture (the "Indenture"), dated as of April 1, 1992, by and
between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust National Association (formerly known as
First Trust of New York, National Association) (as successor to Morgan Guaranty
Trust Company of New York), as Trustee (the "Trustee"), in amounts, at prices
and on terms to be determined at the time or times of sale, as contemplated in
the Registration Statement:

     The Company was incorporated and organized under our supervision. We have
acted as counsel for the Company since its incorporation on December 31, 1926.

     We have advised the Company with regard to the execution and filing of its
Certificate of Consolidation (Certificate of Incorporation) and all certificates
amendatory thereof.

     We have advised the Company in the preparation of the Registration
Statement.

     With respect to those Debt Securities which are to be issued at any one
time (the "Offered Debt Securities"), and on the basis of the foregoing, and our
examination and consideration of such other legal and factual matters as we have
deemed appropriate, we are of the following legal opinion:

     Upon -

     (a)  favorable action having been taken, at a meeting or meetings of the
          Company's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the
          Board of Directors, to approve and authorize the terms and conditions,
          and issuance and sale of the Offered Debt Securities, the issuance and
          sale of such Offered Debt Securities under the Indenture, and any
          other action necessary to the consummation of the proposed issuance
          and sale of the Offered Debt Securities, including the execution and
          delivery of a distribution agreement with respect to the Offered Debt
          Securities in substantially the form of the distribution agreement
          contained in the Registration Statement as Exhibit (1);



<PAGE>


Central Hudson Gas &
    Electric Corporation                  2                     October 13, 1998


     (b)  confirmation by us that the applicable authorizations of the Public
          Service Commission of the State of New York for the issuance and sale
          of the Offered Debt Securities, set forth in (i) its Order in Case No.
          96-M-0408, issued and effective December 4, 1996 or (ii) its Order in
          Case No. 96-E-0909, issued and effective February 19, 1998, as
          modified by its Order in Case No. 96-E-0909, issued and effective June
          30, 1998, continue to be in full force and effect, and that all
          conditions precedent to such issuance and sale in the applicable Order
          or Orders have been satisfied;

     (c)  the establishment of the terms of the Offered Debt Securities and the
          form or forms thereof by an instrument or instruments pursuant to and
          as provided for in the Indenture;

     (d)  the Registration Statement becoming effective;

     (e)  a distribution agreement with respect to the Offered Debt Securities
          as aforesaid having been duly executed and delivered by the parties
          thereto; and

     (f)  the Offered Debt Securities having been authenticated by the Trustee
          and issued and delivered for the consideration contemplated in the
          Registration Statement and any prospectus supplement or supplements
          relating to the Offered Debt Securities filed pursuant to Rule 424
          under the Act, and in accordance with (i) the provisions of the
          Indenture, and (ii) the aforementioned resolutions of the Company's
          Board of Directors or duly authorized committee of the Board of
          Directors;

the Debt Securities will be the valid, legal and binding obligations of the
Company.

     We hereby consent that this opinion be filed as an Exhibit to the
Registration Statement, and we further consent to the use of our name as experts
in connection with the statements in the Prospectus included in the Registration
Statement as to matters of law and legal conclusions under the captions "The
Company" and "Description of the Debt Securities" and the reference to us under
the caption "Legal Opinions and Experts" in said Prospectus.

                                                  Very truly yours,



                                                  /s/ Gould & Wilkie
                                                  -------------------
                                                  Gould & Wilkie




                                                                    EXHIBIT (12)



                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
               COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                     (Dollar figures expressed in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                 Three        Six      Twelve
                                                Months      Months     Months
                                                 Ended       Ended     Ended
                                               June 30,    June 30,   June 30,               Year Ended December 31,
                                               --------    --------   --------               -----------------------
                                                 1998        1998       1998       1997       1996      1995       1994      1993
                                                 ----        ----       ----       ----       ----      ----       ----      ----
   Earnings:                     
<S>                                            <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>     
A.  Net Income                                 $ 10,041   $ 29,208   $ 52,347   $ 55,086   $ 56,082   $ 52,722   $ 50,929   $ 50,390
B.  Federal Income Tax                            5,215     15,773     24,357     26,237     31,068     28,687     26,806     27,158
                                               --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------
C.  Earnings Before
        Income Taxes                           $ 15,256   $ 44,981   $ 76,704   $ 81,323   $ 87,150   $ 81,409   $ 77,735   $ 77,548
                                               ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========
D.  Total Fixed Charges(1)                        7,190     14,197     28,122     27,670     28,277     30,433     32,679     33,820
                                               --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------

E. Total Earnings                              $ 22,446   $ 59,178   $104,826   $108,993   $115,427   $111,842   $110,414   $111,368
                                               ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========   ========
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges                3.12       4.17       3.73       3.94       4.08       3.68       3.38       3.29


(1)  Includes  a portion  of rent  expense  deemed to be  representative  of the interest factor.
</TABLE>



                                                                EXHIBIT (23) (a)

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


     We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated
January 23, 1998 (except as to Note 1 of the Consolidated Financial Statements
which is as of February 4, 1998) appearing in the 1997 Annual Report of Central
Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1997. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading
"Legal Opinions and Experts" in such Prospectus.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

New York, New York
October 13, 1998





                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, JOHN E. MACK III, Chairman of the
Board, a Principal Executive Officer and a Director of Central Hudson Gas &
Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed, and by these
presents do make, constitute and appoint, PAUL J. GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V.
LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my true and lawful attorneys, for me
and in my name, place and stead, and in my office and capacity as aforesaid, to
sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration
Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, covering
not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate principal amount of unsecured debt
securities of this Corporation, and any and all amendments and supplements to
said Registration Statement and any and all other documents to be signed and
filed in connection therewith, hereby granting to said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in the premises as fully, to all
intents and purposes, as I might or could do if personally present, hereby
ratifying and confirming in all respects all that said attorneys or any of them
may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                 JOHN E. MACK             L.S.
                                             -----------------------------

STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July 1998, before me personally came JOHN E. MACK III,
to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed
the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.


                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public




<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, STEVEN V. LANT, Treasurer and
Assistant Secretary and the Principal Financial Officer of Central Hudson Gas &
Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed, and by these
presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J. GANCI, ELLEN
AHEARN, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my true and lawful attorneys, for
me and in my name, place and stead, and in my office and capacity as aforesaid,
to sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration
Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, covering
not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate principal amount of unsecured debt
securities of this Corporation, and any and all amendments and supplements to
said Registration Statement and any and all other documents to be signed and
filed in connection therewith, hereby granting to said attorneys, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in the premises as fully, to all
intents and purposes, as I might or could do if personally present, hereby
ratifying and confirming in all respects all that said attorneys or any of them
may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                    STEVEN V. LANT        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came STEVEN V. LANT to
me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed the
foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.

                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public


<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, DONNA S. DOYLE, Controller and
Principal Accounting Officer of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have
made, constituted and appointed, and by these presents do make, constitute and
appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J. GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and
each of them, my true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and
stead, and in my office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000
aggregate principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and
any and all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any
and all other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby
granting to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be
done in the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could
do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all
that said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                     DONNA S. DOYLE       L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came DONNA S. DOYLE to
me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed the
foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.



                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public

<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, JACK EFFRON, a Director of Central
Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed, and by
these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J. GANCI,
ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my true and
lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and in my office and
capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                   JACK EFFRON            L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came JACK EFFRON, to
me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed the
foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.



                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public

<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, FRANCES D. FERGUSSON, a Director of
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed,
and by these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J.
GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my
true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and in my
office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                 FRANCES D. FERGUSSON     L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came FRANCES D.
FERGUSSON, to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who
executed the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed
the same.


                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public
<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, HEINZ K. FRIDRICH, a Director of
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed,
and by these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J.
GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my
true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and in my
office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                 HEINZ K. FRIDRICH        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came HEINZ K.
FRIDRICH, to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who
executed the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed
the same.



                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public
<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, EDWARD F. X. GALLAGHER, a Director
of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and
appointed, and by these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK
III, PAUL J. GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of
them, my true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and
in my office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                EDWARD F. GALLAGHER       L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came EDWARD F.
GALLAGHER, to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who
executed the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed
the same.



                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public
<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, PAUL J. GANCI, President and Chief
Executive Officer and a Director of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation,
have made, constituted and appointed, and by these presents do make, constitute
and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and
each of them, my true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and
stead, and in my office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000
aggregate principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and
any and all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any
and all other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby
granting to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and
perform each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be
done in the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could
do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all
that said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                PAUL J. GANCI             L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came PAUL J. GANCI, to
me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed the
foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.


                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public
<PAGE>


                                                                    EXHIBIT (24)


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, CHARLES LAFORGE, a Director of
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed,
and by these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J.
GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my
true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and in my
office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                    CHARLES LAFORGE       L.S.
                                             -----------------------------


STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came CHARLES LAFORGE,
to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed
the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.



                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT (24)

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, EDWARD P. SWYER, a Director of
Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, have made, constituted and appointed,
and by these presents do make, constitute and appoint, JOHN E. MACK III, PAUL J.
GANCI, ELLEN AHEARN, STEVEN V. LANT, WILLIAM P. REILLY, and each of them, my
true and lawful attorneys, for me and in my name, place and stead, and in my
office and capacity as aforesaid, to sign and file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission a Registration Statement, pursuant to the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, covering not in excess of $45,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of unsecured debt securities of this Corporation, and any and
all amendments and supplements to said Registration Statement and any and all
other documents to be signed and filed in connection therewith, hereby granting
to said attorneys, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in
the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as I might or could do if
personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming in all respects all that
said attorneys or any of them may or shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and seal this 24th day of July,
1998.


                                                     EDWARD P. SWYER      L.S.
                                             -----------------------------

STATE OF NEW YORK   )
                        :  ss.:
COUNTY OF DUTCHESS  )

     On this 24th day of July, 1998, before me personally came EDWARD P. SWYER,
to me known and known to me to be the individual described in and who executed
the foregoing instrument, and duly acknowledged to me that he executed the same.


                                                        BETH ALLEN        L.S.
                                             -----------------------------
                                                      Notary Public



                                                                  EXHIBIT (24.1)

                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION


     I, WILLIAM P. REILLY, an Assistant Secretary of Central Hudson Gas &
Electric Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New
York (the "Corporation"), hereby certify that at a regular meeting of the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, duly called and held at the offices of the
Corporation, 284 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York on July 24, 1998, at which
a quorum was present and voting throughout, the following resolutions were
unanimously and duly adopted and at all times subsequent to said date have been,
and are now, in full force and effect:

                 RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the Board and the
            officers of this Corporation be and they hereby are
            authorized in the name and on behalf of this Corporation to
            prepare and execute an appropriate Registration Statement,
            on Form S-3, with respect to the registration under the
            Securities Act of 1933 of up to $45 million of unsecured
            debt securities of this Corporation (hereinafter in the
            resolutions adopted at this meeting referred to as the
            "Additional Debt Securities") to be issued from time to time
            in one or more series or tranches thereof, together with
            appropriate Exhibits, including a form or forms of
            distribution agreement, underwriting agreement and Form T-1,
            Statement of Eligibility of Trustee, all as described at
            this meeting; and that the Chairman of the Board and the
            officers of this Corporation be and they hereby are
            authorized and directed in the name and on behalf of this
            Corporation to prepare and execute and that the directors of
            this Corporation be and they hereby are requested and
            authorized to join in the execution of an appropriate
            Registration Statement with respect to the registration
            under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of the
            Additional Debt Securities, and to file or cause said
            Registration Statement to be filed with the Securities and
            Exchange Commission as required or permitted by law, and to
            do and cause to be done any and all things necessary or
            appropriate to effect the registration of the Additional
            Debt Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, including,
            if necessary or appropriate, the preparation, signing and
            filing of any amendments or supplements thereto and to the
            Prospectus contained therein; subject, however, to receipt
            of the PSC Authorization.

                 RESOLVED, that John E. Mack III, Paul J. Ganci, Ellen
            Ahearn, Steven V. Lant and William P. Reilly and each of
            them hereby is appointed attorney-in-fact and proxy by this
            Corporation in its name and on its behalf to sign, execute
            and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission the
            Registration Statement and any amendments thereto to effect
            the registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of the
            Additional Debt Securities to be issued from time to time in
            one or more series or tranches thereof.


<PAGE>



     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand as an Assistant Secretary
of said Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation and affixed its corporate seal
this 13th day of October, 1998.

                                                   /S/ WILLIAM P. REILLY    
                                                   ---------------------
                                                    Assistant Secretary

                                        2


                                                                    EXHIBIT (25)

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549

                              ===================

                                   FORM T - 1

                    STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER THE TRUST
                     INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A CORPORATION
                          DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                              ===================

                CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY
             OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305 (b) (2) ---------

                      U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

                                   13-3781471
                               (I. R. S. Employer
                               Identification No.)


                  100 Wall Street, New York, NY                 10005
         (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

                              ===================

                            FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
                           Dennis Calabrese, President
                      U.S. Bank Trust National Association
                           100 Wall Street, 16th Floor
                               New York, NY 10005
                            Telephone: (212) 361-2506

                              ===================

                    CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORPORATION
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

          New York 14-0555980
          (State or other jurisdiction of                  (I. R. S. Employer
          incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)

          284 South Avenue                                 12601-4879
          Poughkeepsie, New York
          (Address of principal executive offices)         (Zip Code)

                              ===================

                                DEBT SECURITIES *

     *Specific title(s) to be determined in connection with sale(s) of Debt
Securities


<PAGE>



Item 1.           GENERAL INFORMATION.

     Furnish the following information as to the trustee - -

     (a)  Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which
          it is subject.

                     NAME                                     ADDRESS

            Comptroller of the Currency                       Washington, D. C.

     (b)  Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

          Yes.

Item 2.   AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR.

     If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

          None.

Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS.

     Exhibit 1.     Articles of Association of U.S. Bank Trust National
                    Association, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1
                    of Form T-1, Registration No. 333-51961.

     Exhibit 2.     Certificate of Authority to Commence Business for First
                    Trust of New York, National Association now known as U.S.
                    Bank Trust National Association, incorporated herein by
                    reference to Exhibit 2 of Form T-1, Registration No.
                    33-83774.

     Exhibit 3.     Authorization to exercise corporate trust powers for U.S.
                    Bank Trust National Association, incorporated herein by
                    reference to Exhibit 3 of Form T-1, Registration No.
                    333-51961.

     Exhibit 4.     By-Laws of U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
                    incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 of Form T-1,
                    Registration No. 333-51961.

     Exhibit 5.     Not applicable.

     Exhibit 6.     Consent of First Trust of New York, National Association now
                    known as U.S. Bank Trust National Association, required by
                    Section 321(b) of the Act, incorporated herein by reference
                    to Exhibit 6 of Form T-1, Registration No. 33-83774.


<PAGE>



     Exhibit 7.     Report of Condition of U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
                    as of the close of business on June 30, 1998, published
                    pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or
                    examining authority.

     Exhibit 8.     Not applicable.

     Exhibit 9.     Not applicable.





                                    SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, the trustee, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, a national banking
association organized and existing under the laws of the United States, has duly
caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State
of New York, on the 8th day of October, 1998.

                                                         U.S. BANK TRUST
                                                      NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
                          


                                                     By:  /S/ CARMELA EHRET 
                                                          --------------------
                                                              Carmela Ehret
                                                              Vice President



<PAGE>




                                                                       EXHIBIT 7

                      U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
                        STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                                  AS OF 6/30/98

                                    ($000'S)

                                                                  6/30/98
                                                              --------------
ASSETS
     Cash and Due From Depository Institutions                    $40,561
     Federal Reserve Stock                                          3,406
     Fixed Assets                                                     594
     Intangible Assets                                             71,282
     Other Assets                                                   5,613
         TOTAL ASSETS                                            $121,456


LIABILITIES
     Other Liabilities                                              8,214
     TOTAL LIABILITIES                                              8,214

EQUITY
     Common and Preferred Stock                                     1,000
     Surplus                                                      120,932
     Undivided Profits                                             (8,690)
         TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL                                     113,242

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL                             $121,456

================================================================================

To the  best of the  undersigned's  determination,  as of this  date  the  above
financial information is true and correct.


U.S. Bank Trust National Association



By:  /S/ CARMELA EHRET                                    
     ---------------------
     Vice President

Date:  October 8, 1998



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