PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF NEW MEXICO
8-K, 1998-08-07
ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)    August 7, 1998
                                                         ----------------
                                                         (August 1, 1998)
                                                         ----------------

                      PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO
                      ------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


                                 Commission
          New Mexico             File Number 1-6986          85-0019030
          ----------             ------------------          ----------
 (State or Other Jurisdiction                             (I.R.S. Employer
        of Incorporation)                               Identification Number)



   Alvarado Square, Albuquerque, New Mexico                    87158
   ----------------------------------------                    -----
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                  (Zip Code)


                                 (505) 241-2700
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)



                    -----------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address if Changed, Since Last Report)




<PAGE>


ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)     Exhibits

The Registrant hereby files the following exhibits to its Registration Statement
on Form S-3 (Registration  No.  333-53367) which was declared  effective on July
20, 1998.

   Exhibit No.                          Description
   -----------                          -----------

        1       Public Service Company of New Mexico $435,000,000 Senior 
                Unsecured Notes, Underwriting Agreement dated as of 
                August 3, 1998

       4.3      First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 1, 1998,
                to Indenture dated as of August 1, 1998, providing for 
                7.10% Series A Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2005 and 7.50%
                Series B Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2018



                                       2
<PAGE>


SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       Public Service Company of New Mexico
                                                   (Registrant)



Date:  August 7, 1998                          /s/ Donna M. Burnett
                                       ------------------------------------
                                               Donna M. Burnett
                                               Corporate Controller and
                                               Chief Accounting Officer


                                       3

<PAGE>



                      Public Service Company of New Mexico

                                  $435,000,000

                             Senior Unsecured Notes

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT




                                                              New York, New York
                                                                  August 3, 1998



To Salomon Brothers Inc,
Chase Securities Inc.,
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
Citicorp Securities, Inc.,
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.,
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens and
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Public Service Company of New Mexico,  a New Mexico  corporation  (the
"Company"),  proposes to sell to the underwriters named above and in Schedule II
hereto  (the  "Underwriters")  the  principal  amount  of its  Series  A  Senior
Unsecured  Notes (the "Series A SUNs") and its Series B Senior  Unsecured  Notes
(the "Series B SUNs" and together with the Series A SUNs, the "SUNs") identified
in  Schedule I hereto,  to be issued  under an  indenture  dated as of August 1,
1998,  between  the  Company  and The Chase  Manhattan  Bank,  as  trustee  (the
"Trustee"),   and  any  indentures   supplemental  thereto  (collectively,   the
"Indenture").  Any reference  herein to the  Registration  Statement,  the Basic
Prospectus,  any Preliminary  Final  Prospectus or the Final 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,  any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus,  as
the case may be; and any reference  herein to the terms "amend,"  "amendment" or
"supplement" with respect to the Registration  Statement,  the Basic Prospectus,
any  Preliminary  Final  Prospectus or the Final  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,  any Preliminary  Final Prospectus or the Final  Prospectus,  as the
case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

                                       1
<PAGE>

                           1.   Representations  and  Warranties.   The  Company
         represents  and warrants to, and agrees with,  each  Underwriter as set
         forth below in this Section 1. Certain terms used in this Section 1 are
         defined in Section 17 hereof.

                           (a) The Company meets the requirements for the use of
                  Form S-3  under the Act and has filed  with the  Commission  a
                  registration  statement (file number  333-53367) on such Form,
                  including a basic prospectus,  for registration  under the Act
                  of the  offering  and sale of the SUNs.  The  Company may have
                  filed one or more amendments thereto,  including a Preliminary
                  Final Prospectus,  each of which has previously been furnished
                  to you. The Company will next file with the  Commission one of
                  the following:  (x) a final prospectus  supplement relating to
                  the SUNs in accordance  with Rules 430A and 424(b),  (y) prior
                  to the  Effective  Date of  such  registration  statement,  an
                  amendment to such registration  statement,  including the form
                  of final  prospectus  supplement or (z) a final  prospectus in
                  accordance  with Rules 415 and  424(b).  In the case of clause
                  (x), the Company has included in such registration  statement,
                  as amended at the Effective Date, all information  (other than
                  Rule  430A  Information)  required  by the Act  and the  rules
                  thereunder to be included in such  registration  statement and
                  the  Final   Prospectus.   As  filed,  such  final  prospectus
                  supplement  or such  amendment  and form of  final  prospectus
                  supplement shall contain all Rule 430A  Information,  together
                  with all other such required  information,  and, except to the
                  extent  the   Underwriters   shall   agree  in  writing  to  a
                  modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form
                  furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent
                  not completed at the Execution  Time,  shall contain only such
                  specific additional information and other changes (beyond that
                  contained in the Basic  Prospectus and any  Preliminary  Final
                  Prospectus)  as the  Company  has  advised  you,  prior to the
                  Execution Time, will be included or made therein.

                           (b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement
                  did or will, and when the Final  Prospectus is first filed (if
                  required)  in  accordance  with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing
                  Date, the Final Prospectus (and any supplement  thereto) will,
                  comply  in  all   material   respects   with  the   applicable
                  requirements  of the  Act,  the  Exchange  Act and  the  Trust
                  Indenture  Act and the  respective  rules  thereunder;  on the
                  Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not contain any
                  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to  state  any
                  material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to
                  make the statements  therein not misleading;  on the Effective
                  Date and on the Closing Date the  Indenture did or will comply
                  in all material  respects with the  requirements  of the Trust
                  Indenture Act and the rules thereunder;  and, on the Effective
                  Date,  the Final  Prospectus,  if not filed  pursuant  to Rule
                  424(b),  will not,  and on the date of any filing  pursuant to
                  Rule  424(b) and on the  Closing  Date,  the Final  Prospectus


                                       2
<PAGE>

                  (together with any supplement  thereto) will not,  include any
                  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact  or  omit  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; provided, however, that the Company
                  makes no  representations or warranties as to (i) that part of
                  the   Registration   Statement  which  shall   constitute  the
                  Statement of Eligibility  and  Qualification  (Form T-1) under
                  the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information
                  contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
                  Final Prospectus (or any supplement  thereto) in reliance upon
                  and in  conformity  with  information  furnished  herein or in
                  writing  to the  Company  by or on behalf  of any  Underwriter
                  through Salomon Brothers Inc specifically for inclusion in the
                  Registration   Statement  or  the  Final  Prospectus  (or  any
                  supplement thereto).

                           (c) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is
                  validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing under the
                  laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized
                  with full corporate  power and authority to own its properties
                  and conduct its business as described in the  prospectus,  and
                  is duly qualified to do business as a foreign  corporation and
                  is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction  which
                  requires  such  qualification  where  the  failure  to  be  so
                  qualified  would,  individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a
                  material  adverse  change  in  the  condition   (financial  or
                  otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the
                  Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

                           (d) The Company and its  subsidiaries are not subject
                  to  regulation  under the  provisions  of the  Public  Utility
                  Holding  Company  Act,  except for the  provisions  of Section
                  9(a)(2) thereof.

                           (e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
                  and  delivered  by the  Company  and  constitutes  a valid and
                  binding  obligation of the Company  enforceable  in accordance
                  with its terms.

                           (f) The Company is not and,  after  giving  effect to
                  the offering and sale of the SUNs and the  application  of the
                  proceeds  thereof as described in the Final  Prospectus,  will
                  not be an  "investment  company" as defined in the  Investment
                  Company Act;

                           (g) An appropriate  order or orders have been entered
                  by the New Mexico Public Utility  Commission  authorizing  the
                  issuance  and sale of the SUNs;  said  order or orders  are in
                  full  force and  effect  and are not  subject  to any  pending
                  appeal or request for rehearing or reconsideration; such order
                  or orders are sufficient to authorize the issuance and sale of
                  the SUNs by the  Company  pursuant to this  Agreement;  and no
                  further consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order
                  of any court or  governmental  agency or body is  required  in
                  connection with the transactions  contemplated herein,  except
                  such as have  been  obtained  under the Act and such as may be
                  required  under  the  blue  sky  laws of any  jurisdiction  in
                  connection  with the purchase and  distribution of the SUNs by
                  the Underwriters in the manner  contemplated herein and in the
                  Final Prospectus.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                           (h)  Neither  the  issue and sale of the SUNs nor the
                  consummation   of  any  other  of  the   transactions   herein
                  contemplated  nor the  fulfillment  of the terms  hereof  will
                  conflict  with,  result in a breach or violation or imposition
                  of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets
                  of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the
                  charter or by-laws of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries
                  or (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage,
                  deed  of  trust,  note  agreement,  loan  agreement  or  other
                  agreement,  obligation,  condition,  covenant or instrument to
                  which the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or
                  bound or to which its or their  property is subject,  or (iii)
                  any statute, law, rule, regulation,  judgment, order or decree
                  applicable  to the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  of any
                  court,  regulatory body,  administrative agency,  governmental
                  body,  arbitrator or other authority having  jurisdiction over
                  the Company or any of its  subsidiaries or any of its or their
                  properties;

                           (i)  The   consolidated   financial   statements  and
                  schedules  of the  Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries
                  included  in  the  Final   Prospectus  and  the   Registration
                  Statement   present  fairly  in  all  material   respects  the
                  financial  condition,  results of operations and cash flows of
                  the  Company  as of the dates and for the  periods  indicated,
                  comply as to form with the applicable accounting  requirements
                  of the Act and the rules and  regulations  thereunder and have
                  been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
                  principles  applied  on  a  consistent  basis  throughout  the
                  periods  involved  (except as otherwise  noted  therein).  The
                  selected  financial data set forth under the caption  "Summary
                  Financial and Operating  Information" in the Final  Prospectus
                  and Registration Statement fairly present, on the basis stated
                  in the Final  Prospectus and the Registration  Statement,  the
                  information included therein.

                           (j) No action,  suit or  proceeding  by or before any
                  court  or  governmental  agency,  authority  or  body  or  any
                  arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
                  its or their  property is pending or, to the best knowledge of
                  the Company,  threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected
                  to have a material  adverse effect on the  performance of this
                  Agreement  or the  consummation  of  any  of the  transactions
                  contemplated  hereby or (ii) could  reasonably  be expected to
                  have a material adverse change in the condition  (financial or
                  otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the
                  Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not
                  arising from  transactions in the ordinary course of business,
                  except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus
                  (exclusive of any supplement  thereto) (except, in the case of
                  this clause  (ii),  for those that have been  disclosed in the
                  Final Prospectus); and no labor disturbance by or dispute with
                  the  employees  of  the  Company  exists  or is,  to the  best
                  knowledge of the Company, threatened or is imminent that could
                  reasonably  be expected to have a material  adverse  change in
                  the condition (financial or otherwise),  prospects,  earnings,
                  business or  properties  of the Company and its  subsidiaries,
                  taken as a whole,  whether or not arising from transactions in
                  the  ordinary  course of  business,  except as set forth in or
                  contemplated  in  the  Final  Prospectus   (exclusive  of  any
                  supplement thereto).

                                       4
<PAGE>

                           (k) The Company owns or leases all such properties as
                  are  necessary to the conduct of its  operations  as presently
                  conducted; the Company is not in violation of any law, rule or
                  regulation  of any  Federal,  state or local  governmental  or
                  regulatory   authority   applicable   to  it  or  is   not  in
                  non-compliance with any term or condition of, or has failed to
                  obtain and  maintain  in  effect,  any  license,  certificate,
                  permit or other  governmental  authorization  required for the
                  ownership  or  lease of its  property  or the  conduct  of its
                  business,  which  violation,  non-compliance  or failure would
                  individually  or in  the  aggregate  have a  material  adverse
                  change in the condition  (financial or otherwise),  prospects,
                  earnings,  business  or  properties  of the  Company  and  its
                  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  whether or not arising  from
                  transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set
                  forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of
                  any  supplement  thereto);  and the Company  has not  received
                  notice  of  any  proceedings  relating  to the  revocation  or
                  material modification of any such license, certificate, permit
                  or other authorization.

                           (l) The Company is not in violation or default of (i)
                  any provision of its charter or bylaws,  (ii) the terms of any
                  indenture,  contract,  lease,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  note
                  agreement,  loan  agreement  or other  agreement,  obligation,
                  condition,  covenant or  instrument  to which it is a party or
                  bound  or to which  its  property  is  subject,  or (iii)  any
                  statute, law, rule, regulation,  judgment,  order or decree of
                  any   court,    regulatory   body,    administrative   agency,
                  governmental  body,   arbitrator  or  other  authority  having
                  jurisdiction  over the  Company or any of its  properties,  as
                  applicable.

                           (m) Arthur  Andersen LLP, who have certified  certain
                  financial  statements  of the  Company  and  its  consolidated
                  subsidiaries  and  delivered  their report with respect to the
                  audited   consolidated   financial  statements  and  schedules
                  included  in the  Final  Prospectus,  are  independent  public
                  accountants  with respect to the Company within the meaning of
                  the Act and the  applicable  published  rules and  regulations
                  thereunder.

                           (n) The Company is not in violation of any federal or
                  state law or regulation  relating to  occupational  safety and
                  health  or to  the  storage,  handling  or  transportation  of
                  hazardous or toxic  materials and the Company has received all
                  permits,  licenses or other  approvals  required of them under
                  applicable  federal and state  occupational  safety and health
                  and  environmental  laws  and  regulations  to  conduct  their
                  respective  businesses,  and the Company is in compliance with
                  all  terms  and  conditions  of any such  permit,  license  or
                  approval,  except  any such  violation  of law or  regulation,
                  failure  to  receive  required  permits,   licenses  or  other
                  approvals  or failure to comply with the terms and  conditions
                  of such permits, licenses or approvals which would not, singly
                  or in the  aggregate,  result in a material  adverse change in
                  the condition (financial or otherwise),  prospects,  earnings,
                  business or  properties  of the Company and its  subsidiaries,
                  taken as a whole,  whether or not arising from transactions in
                  the  ordinary  course of  business,  except as set forth in or
                  contemplated  in  the  Final  Prospectus   (exclusive  of  any
                  supplement thereto).

                                       5
<PAGE>

                           (o)  The   Company   is  in   compliance   with   the
                  Commission's  staff legal  bulletin No. 5 revised  January 12,
                  1998 related to Year 2000 compliance.

                  Any  certificate  signed by any  officer  of the  Company  and
         delivered  to the  Underwriters  or  counsel  for the  Underwriters  in
         connection   with  the   offering   of  the  SUNs  shall  be  deemed  a
         representation  and  warranty  by the  Company,  as to matters  covered
         thereby, to each Underwriter.

                           2.  Purchase  and  Sale.  Subject  to the  terms  and
         conditions  and in reliance  upon the  representations  and  warranties
         herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each  Underwriter,  and
         each Underwriter  agrees,  severally and not jointly,  to purchase from
         the Company,  at the purchase  price set forth in Schedule I hereto the
         principal amount of the SUNs set forth opposite such Underwriter's name
         in Schedule II hereto.

                           3. Delivery and Payment.  Delivery of and payment for
         the  SUNs  shall  be made on the  date  and at the  time  specified  in
         Schedule  I hereto  (or at such time on such  later  date not more than
         three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Underwriters  shall
         designate),  which date and time may be postponed by agreement  between
         the  Underwriters  and the  Company or as  provided in Section 9 hereof
         (such date and time of delivery  and payment for the SUNs being  herein
         called the "Closing Date").  Delivery of the SUNs shall be made through
         Salomon  Brothers  Inc  to  the  respective  accounts  of  the  several
         Underwriters  against  payment  by  the  several  Underwriters  through
         Salomon Brothers Inc of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order
         of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account
         specified  by the  Company.  Delivery of the SUNs shall be made through
         the  facilities  of The  Depository  Trust Company  ("DTC")  unless the
         Underwriters shall otherwise instruct.

                  The Company agrees to have the SUNs available for  inspection,
         checking and packaging by the  Underwriters  in New York, New York, not
         later than 1:00 PM on the Business Day prior to the Closing Date if the
         SUNs are not being delivered through the facilities of DTC.

                           4. Offerings by  Underwriters.  It is understood that
         the  several  Underwriters  propose  to offer  the SUNs for sale to the
         public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

                                       6
<PAGE>

                           5.  Agreements.  The Company  agrees with the several
         Underwriters that:

                           (a) The  Company  will use its best  efforts to cause
                  the Registration  Statement, if not effective at the Execution
                  Time, and any amendment thereto, to become effective. Prior to
                  the  termination of the offering of the SUNs, the Company will
                  not  file  any  amendment  of the  Registration  Statement  or
                  supplement  (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary
                  Final  Prospectus) to the Basic  Prospectus or any Rule 462(b)
                  Registration  Statement unless the Company has furnished you a
                  copy for your  review  prior to  filing  and will not file any
                  such proposed  amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
                  object.  Subject to the foregoing  sentence,  the Company will
                  cause  the  Final  Prospectus,  properly  completed,  and  any
                  supplement thereto to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
                  the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period
                  prescribed  and  will  provide  evidence  satisfactory  to the
                  Underwriters of such timely filing.  The Company will promptly
                  advise the Underwriters  (i) when the Registration  Statement,
                  if not  effective  at the  Execution  Time,  shall have become
                  effective, (ii) when the Final Prospectus,  and any supplement
                  thereto, shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to
                  Rule  424(b) or when any Rule  462(b)  Registration  Statement
                  shall have been filed with the Commission,  (iii) when,  prior
                  to  termination  of the offering of the SUNs, any amendment to
                  the  Registration  Statement  shall  have been filed or become
                  effective,  (iv) of any request by the Commission or its staff
                  for any amendment of the Registration  Statement,  or any Rule
                  462(b)  Registration  Statement,  or for any supplement to the
                  Final Prospectus or of any additional information,  (v) 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 (vi) of
                  the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to
                  the  suspension of the  qualification  of the SUNs 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 or the
                  suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain
                  as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

                           (b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
                  SUNs is  required  to be  delivered  under the Act,  any event
                  occurs  as a result  of which  the  Final  Prospectus  as then
                  supplemented  would include any untrue statement of a material
                  fact or omit to state any 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  supplement
                  the Final  Prospectus  to comply with the Act or the  Exchange
                  Act or the respective rules  thereunder,  the Company promptly
                  will (i) prepare and file with the Commission,  subject to the
                  second  sentence  of  paragraph  (a) of  this  Section  5,  an
                  amendment or supplement  which will correct such  statement or
                  omission  or  effect  such  compliance  and  (ii)  supply  any
                  supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you
                  may reasonably request.

                                       7
<PAGE>

                           (c) As soon as  practicable,  the  Company  will make
                  generally  available  to  its  security  holders  and  to  the
                  Underwriters an earning 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.

                           (d) The Company will furnish to the  Underwriters and
                  counsel for the  Underwriters,  without charge,  copies of the
                  Registration  Statement  (including  exhibits thereto) and, so
                  long as delivery of a prospectus by an  Underwriter  or dealer
                  may be required by the Act, as many copies of any  Preliminary
                  Final  Prospectus and the Final  Prospectus and any supplement
                  thereto  as  the  Underwriters  may  reasonably  request.  The
                  Company will pay the expenses of printing or other  production
                  of all documents relating to the offering.

                           (e) The Company will arrange,  if necessary,  for the
                  qualification  of the  SUNs for  sale  under  the laws of such
                  jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate, will maintain
                  such  qualifications  in  effect so long as  required  for the
                  distribution of the SUNs,  will arrange for the  determination
                  of the  legality  of the SUNs for  purchase  by  institutional
                  investors,  will pay any fee of the  National  Association  of
                  Securities Dealers, Inc., in connection with its review of the
                  offering and will pay any counsel  fees  incurred on behalf of
                  or disbursements by Morgan Stanley & Co Incorporated  ("Morgan
                  Stanley")   in  its   capacity   as   "qualified   independent
                  underwriter";  provided  that in no event shall the Company be
                  obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction  where
                  it is not now so  qualified  or to take any action  that would
                  subject it to  service  of process in suits,  other than those
                  arising  out of the  offering  or  sale  of the  SUNs,  in any
                  jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

                           6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters.
         The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwriters'  SUNs
         shall be subject to the accuracy of the  representations and warranties
         on the part of the Company  contained  herein as of the Execution  Time
         and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the  statements of the Company
         made in any  certificates  pursuant to the  provisions  hereof,  to the
         performance  by the  Company of its  obligations  hereunder  and to the
         following additional conditions:

                           (a) If the  Registration  Statement  has  not  become
                  effective prior to the Execution Time, unless the Underwriters
                  agree in writing to a later time, the  Registration  Statement
                  will become effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM New York City
                  time,  on the date of  determination  of the  public  offering
                  price, if such  determination  occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM
                  New  York  City  time  on such  date  or  (ii)  9:30 AM on the
                  Business Day  following  the day on which the public  offering
                  price was  determined,  if such  determination  occurred after
                  3:00 PM New York  City  time on such  date;  if  filing of the
                  Final  Prospectus,  or any  supplement  thereto,  is  required
                  pursuant to Rule 424(b),  the Final  Prospectus,  and any such
                  supplement, shall have been filed in the manner and within the
                  time  period  required  by  Rule  424(b);  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.

                                       8
<PAGE>

                           (b)  The  Company   shall  have   furnished   to  the
                  Underwriters  the opinion of Keleher & McLeod,  P.A.,  counsel
                  for the Company, dated the Closing Date, 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 in which
                           it is chartered  or  organized,  with full  corporate
                           power and authority to own its properties and conduct
                           its business as  described  in the Final  Prospectus,
                           and is duly  qualified  to do  business  as a foreign
                           corporation and is in good standing under the laws of
                           each jurisdiction  which requires such  qualification
                           where  the   failure  to  be  so   qualified   would,
                           individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a  material
                           adverse   change  in  the  condition   (financial  or
                           otherwise),    prospects,   earnings,   business   or
                           properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
                           as a whole;

                                    (ii) the Indenture has been duly authorized,
                           executed and delivered, has been duly qualified under
                           the Trust  Indenture  Act, and  constitutes  a legal,
                           valid and binding instrument  enforceable against the
                           Company  in  accordance  with its terms  (subject  to
                           applicable  bankruptcy,  reorganization,  insolvency,
                           moratorium,   fraudulent   transfer   or  other  laws
                           affecting  creditors'  rights  generally from time to
                           time  in  effect);   and  the  SUNs  have  been  duly
                           authorized  and, when executed and  authenticated  in
                           accordance  with the  provisions of the Indenture and
                           delivered  to  and  paid  for  by  the   Underwriters
                           pursuant to this Agreement,  will  constitute  legal,
                           valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled
                           to the benefits of the Indenture;

                                    (iii)  to the  knowledge  of  such  counsel,
                           there is no pending  or  threatened  action,  suit or
                           proceeding  by or before  any  court or  governmental
                           agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving
                           the  Company  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries,   of  a
                           character   required   to   be   disclosed   in   the
                           Registration   Statement   which  is  not  adequately
                           disclosed  in the Final  Prospectus,  and there is no
                           franchise,  contract or other document of a character
                           required  to  be   described   in  the   Registration
                           Statement or Final  Prospectus,  or to be filed as an
                           exhibit  thereto,  which is not described or filed as
                           required; and the statements included or incorporated
                           in  the  Final   Prospectus   describing   any  legal
                           proceedings  or  material   contracts  or  agreements
                           relating  to  the  Company   fairly   summarize  such
                           matters;

                                       9
<PAGE>

                                    (iv) the  Registration  Statement has become
                           effective  under the Act; any required  filing of the
                           Basic  Prospectus,  any Preliminary  Final Prospectus
                           and  the  Final   Prospectus,   and  any  supplements
                           thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
                           manner and within the time  period  required  by Rule
                           424(b);  to the  knowledge of such  counsel,  no stop
                           order    suspending   the    effectiveness   of   the
                           Registration    Statement   has   been   issued,   no
                           proceedings  for that purpose have been instituted or
                           threatened,  and the Registration  Statement,  at the
                           Effective Date, and the Final  Prospectus,  as of the
                           date of its  filing  with the  Commission  under Rule
                           424(b)  (in  each  case  other  than  the   financial
                           statements and other financial  information contained
                           therein,  as to which such  counsel  need  express no
                           opinion) complied as to form in all material respects
                           with the  applicable  requirements  of the  Act,  the
                           Exchange  Act and  the  Trust  Indenture  Act and the
                           respective rules thereunder;  and such counsel has no
                           reason  to  believe  that on the  Effective  Date the
                           Registration Statement contained any untrue statement
                           of a material  fact or omitted to state any  material
                           fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary in
                           order to make the  statements  therein not misleading
                           or that the  Final  Prospectus  as of its date and on
                           the Closing Date  includes any untrue  statement of a
                           material fact or omitted or omits to state a material
                           fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
                           light of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were
                           made, not  misleading  (in each case,  other than the
                           financial statements and other financial  information
                           contained  therein,  as to which  such  counsel  need
                           express no opinion);

                                    (v) this Agreement has been duly authorized,
                           executed and delivered by the Company;

                                    (vi) the  Company is not and,  after  giving
                           effect to the  offering  and sale of the SUNs and the
                           application  of the proceeds  thereof as described in
                           the  Final  Prospectus,  will  not be an  "investment
                           company" as defined in the Investment Company Act;

                                    (vii) no consent,  approval,  authorization,
                           filing  with or  order of any  court or  governmental
                           agency or body is  required  in  connection  with the
                           transactions contemplated herein, except such as have
                           been  obtained  under  the  Act  and  such  as may be
                           required under the blue sky laws of any  jurisdiction
                           in connection  with the purchase and  distribution of
                           the   SUNs  by  the   Underwriters   in  the   manner
                           contemplated  in  this  Agreement  and in  the  Final
                           Prospectus  and such other  approvals  (specified  in
                           such opinion) as have been obtained; and

                                    (viii) neither the execution and delivery of
                           the  Indenture,  the issue and sale of the SUNs,  nor
                           the  consummation  of any  other of the  transactions
                           herein  contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms
                           hereof  will  conflict  with,  result  in a breach or
                           violation  or  imposition  of  any  lien,  charge  or
                           encumbrance  upon  any  property  or  assets  of  the
                           Company  pursuant  to, (i) the  charter or by-laws of
                           the  Company,  or (ii) the  terms  of any  indenture,
                           contract,   lease,  mortgage,  deed  of  trust,  note
                           agreement,   loan   agreement  or  other   agreement,
                           obligation,  condition, covenant or instrument and to
                           which the Company is a party or bound or to which its
                           property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule,
                           regulation,  judgment,  order or decree applicable to
                           the   Company   of  any   court,   regulatory   body,
                           administrative agency,  governmental body, arbitrator
                           or  other  authority  having  jurisdiction  over  the
                           Company or any of its properties.

                                       10
<PAGE>

                           In rendering such opinion,  such counsel may rely (A)
                  as to  matters  of  Arizona  law upon the  opinion  of Snell &
                  Wilmer  L.L.P.,  Phoenix,   Arizona,  which  shall  have  been
                  furnished and dated the Closing Date, and as to matters of New
                  York law upon  the  opinion  of  Winthrop,  Stimson,  Putnam &
                  Roberts  and (B) as to matters of fact,  to the extent  deemed
                  proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company
                  and public  officials.  References to the Final  Prospectus in
                  this  paragraph  (b)  include any  supplements  thereto at the
                  Closing Date.

                           (c)  The   Underwriters   shall  have  received  from
                  Winthrop,   Stimson,   Putnam  &  Roberts,   counsel  for  the
                  Underwriters,  such  opinion or  opinions,  dated the  Closing
                  Date,  with respect to the issuance and sale of the SUNs,  the
                  Indenture,  the Registration  Statement,  the Final Prospectus
                  (together  with any  supplement  thereto)  and  other  related
                  matters as the  Underwriters may reasonably  require,  and the
                  Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as
                  they  request for the  purpose of  enabling  them to pass upon
                  such matters.

                           (d)  The  Company   shall  have   furnished   to  the
                  Underwriters  a  certificate  of the  Company,  signed  by the
                  President or the Executive  Vice  President or any Senior Vice
                  President and the principal financial or accounting officer of
                  the Company or the Treasurer of the Company, dated the Closing
                  Date, to the effect that the signers of such  certificate have
                  carefully  examined  the  Registration  Statement,  the  Final
                  Prospectus,  any supplements to the Final  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 on and as of the Closing Date
                           with the same effect as if made on the  Closing  Date
                           and the Company has complied with all the  agreements
                           and  satisfied  all the  conditions on its part to be
                           performed  or  satisfied  at or prior to the  Closing
                           Date;

                                    (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; and

                                    (iii)  since  the  date of the  most  recent
                           financial statements included in the Final Prospectus
                           (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been
                           no   material   adverse   change  in  the   condition
                           (financial  or   otherwise),   prospects,   earnings,
                           business  or   properties  of  the  Company  and  its
                           subsidiaries,  taken  as  a  whole,  whether  or  not
                           arising from  transactions  in the ordinary course of
                           business,  except as set forth in or  contemplated in
                           the Final  Prospectus  (exclusive  of any  supplement
                           thereto).

                                       11
<PAGE>

                           (e) At the Closing  Date,  Arthur  Andersen LLP shall
                  have furnished to the Underwriters letters (which may refer to
                  letters   previously   delivered   to  one  or   more  of  the
                  Underwriters),  dated  as of the  Closing  Date,  in form  and
                  substance   satisfactory  to  the   Underwriters,   containing
                  statements and information of the type ordinarily  included in
                  accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to
                  the financial  statements  and certain  financial  information
                  contained   in  or   incorporated   by   reference   into  the
                  Registration  Statement  and Final  Prospectus.  In  addition,
                  except as  provided  in  Schedule I hereto,  at the  Execution
                  Time,   Arthur  Andersen  LLP  shall  have  furnished  to  the
                  Underwriters  a letter or letters,  dated as of the  Execution
                  Time, in form and substance  satisfactory to the Underwriters,
                  to the effect set forth above.

                           (f)  Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier,
                  the dates as of which information is given in the Registration
                  Statement  (exclusive of any amendment  thereof) and the Final
                  Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto),  there shall
                  not have been (i) any  change  or  decrease  specified  in the
                  letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section
                  6  or  (ii)  any  change,  or  any  development   involving  a
                  prospective  change, in or affecting the condition  (financial
                  or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company
                  and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising
                  from  transactions in the ordinary course of business,  except
                  as  set  forth  in or  contemplated  in the  Final  Prospectus
                  (exclusive of any supplement  thereto) the effect of which, in
                  any case  referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above,  is, in the
                  sole judgment of the Underwriters,  so material and adverse as
                  to make it  impractical  or  inadvisable  to proceed  with the
                  offering  or  delivery  of the  SUNs  as  contemplated  by the
                  Registration  Statement  (exclusive of any amendment  thereof)
                  and  the  Final   Prospectus   (exclusive  of  any  supplement
                  thereto).

                           (g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not
                  have been any  decrease in the rating of any of the  Company's
                  debt  securities  by any  "nationally  recognized  statistical
                  rating  organization"  (as  defined for purpose of Rule 436(g)
                  under  the  Act)  or  any  notice  given  of any  intended  or
                  potential  decrease in any such rating or of a possible change
                  in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the
                  possible change.

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

                                       12
<PAGE>

                           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,  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 the
         Underwriters,  this Agreement and all  obligations of the  Underwriters
         hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date
         by the Underwriters.  Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the
         Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

                           The  documents  required  to  be  delivered  by  this
         Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam
         & Roberts, counsel for the Underwriters, at One Battery Park Plaza, New
         York, New York, on the Closing Date.

                           7.  Reimbursement of Underwriters'  Expenses.  If the
         sale of the SUNs  provided  for herein is not  consummated  because any
         condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6
         hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section
         10 hereof or because of any  refusal,  inability or failure on the part
         of the  Company  to perform  any  agreement  herein or comply  with any
         provision  hereof  other  than by  reason  of a  default  by any of the
         Underwriters,  the Company will  reimburse the  Underwriters  severally
         through Salomon Brothers Inc on demand for all  out-of-pocket  expenses
         (including  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel) that shall
         have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and
         sale of the SUNs.

                           8. Indemnification and Contribution.  (a) The Company
         agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter,  the directors,
         officers,  employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who
         controls  any  Underwriter  within the meaning of either the Act or the
         Exchange   Act  against  any  and  all  losses,   claims,   damages  or
         liabilities,  joint or several, to which they or any of them may become
         subject  under the Act,  the  Exchange  Act or other  Federal  or state
         statutory law or  regulation,  at common law or  otherwise,  insofar as
         such  losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities  (or actions in respect
         thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
         untrue  statement  of a material  fact  contained  in the  registration
         statement for the  registration  of the SUNs as originally  filed or in
         any amendment  thereof,  or in the Basic  Prospectus,  any  Preliminary
         Final Prospectus or the Final  Prospectus,  or in any amendment thereof
         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 agrees to reimburse each such  indemnified  party,  as
         incurred,  for any legal or other expenses  reasonably incurred by them
         in connection  with  investigating  or defending any such loss,  claim,
         damage, liability or action;  provided,  however, that the Company will
         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 any such  untrue
         statement or alleged untrue  statement or omission or alleged  omission
         made  therein  in  reliance  upon  and  in   conformity   with  written
         information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter
         through Salomon Brothers Inc specifically for inclusion  therein.  This
         indemnity  agreement  will be in  addition to any  liability  which the
         Company may otherwise have.

                                       13
<PAGE>

                           (b) Each  Underwriter  severally  agrees to indemnify
         and hold  harmless  the  Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its
         officers  who signs the  Registration  Statement,  and each  person who
         controls  the  Company  within  the  meaning  of either  the Act or the
         Exchange  Act, to the same extent as the foregoing  indemnity  from the
         Company  to each  Underwriter,  but  only  with  reference  to  written
         information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or
         on behalf of such Underwriter through Salomon Brothers Inc specifically
         for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing  indemnity.
         This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any
         Underwriter may otherwise have.

                           (c) Promptly  after receipt by an  indemnified  party
         under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action,  such
         indemnified  party  will,  if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made
         against  the  indemnifying  party  under  this  Section  8,  notify the
         indemnifying  party in writing  of the  commencement  thereof;  but the
         failure so to notify  the  indemnifying  party (i) will not  relieve it
         from  liability  under  paragraph  (a) or (b) above  unless  and to the
         extent  it did not  otherwise  learn of such  action  and such  failure
         results in the  forfeiture  by the  indemnifying  party of  substantial
         rights  and  defenses  and (ii) will not,  in any  event,  relieve  the
         indemnifying  party from any obligations to any indemnified party other
         than the  indemnification  obligation  provided in paragraph (a) or (b)
         above. The  indemnifying  party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of
         the indemnifying  party's choice at the indemnifying party's expense to
         represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification
         is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be
         responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate  counsel retained
         by the  indemnified  party  or  parties  except  as set  forth  below);
         provided,  however,  that such  counsel  shall be  satisfactory  to the
         indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's election to
         appoint  counsel to represent the indemnified  party in an action,  the
         indemnified  party  shall  have the  right to employ  separate  counsel
         (including local counsel),  and the  indemnifying  party shall bear the
         reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the
         use of  counsel  chosen  by the  indemnifying  party to  represent  the
         indemnified  party  would  present  such  counsel  with a  conflict  of
         interest,  (ii) the actual or potential  defendants  in, or targets of,
         any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
         party and the indemnified  party shall have  reasonably  concluded that
         there may be legal  defenses  available to it and/or other  indemnified
         parties  which are different  from or additional to those  available to
         the indemnifying  party,  (iii) the  indemnifying  party shall not have
         employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
         indemnified  party  within  a  reasonable  time  after  notice  of  the
         institution  of  such  action  or (iv)  the  indemnifying  party  shall
         authorize  the  indemnified  party to employ  separate  counsel  at the
         expense of the  indemnifying  party.  An  indemnifying  party will not,
         without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or
         compromise  or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
         pending or threatened claim,  action,  suit or proceeding in respect of
         which  indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether
         or not the indemnified  parties are actual or potential parties to such
         claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes
         an unconditional  release of each indemnified  party from all liability
         arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

                                       14
<PAGE>

                           (d) In the  event  that  the  indemnity  provided  in
         paragraph  (a)  or  (b)  of  this  Section  8  is   unavailable  to  or
         insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason,  the
         Company  and the  Underwriters  agree to  contribute  to the  aggregate
         losses,  claims,  damages  and  liabilities  (including  legal or other
         expenses  reasonably  incurred  in  connection  with  investigating  or
         defending same) (collectively "Losses") to which the Company and one or
         more  of the  Underwriters  may be  subject  in such  proportion  as is
         appropriate  to reflect the relative  benefits  received by the Company
         and by the  Underwriters  from  the  offering  of the  SUNs;  provided,
         however,  that in no  case  shall  any  Underwriter  (except  as may be
         provided in any agreement among  underwriters  relating to the offering
         of  the  SUNs)  be  responsible   for  any  amount  in  excess  of  the
         underwriting discount or commission applicable to the SUNs purchased by
         such  Underwriter   hereunder.   If  the  allocation  provided  by  the
         immediately  preceding  sentence is  unavailable  for any  reason,  the
         Company and the Underwriters  shall contribute in such proportion as is
         appropriate  to reflect not only such  relative  benefits  but also the
         relative  fault of the Company and of the  Underwriters  in  connection
         with the statements or omissions  which resulted in such Losses as well
         as any other relevant  equitable  considerations.  Benefits received by
         the Company  shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from
         the offering (before deducting  expenses)  received by it, and benefits
         received by the  Underwriters  shall be deemed to be equal to the total
         underwriting  discounts and  commissions,  in each case as set forth on
         the  cover  page of the  Final  Prospectus.  Relative  fault  shall  be
         determined by reference  to, among other things,  whether any untrue or
         any alleged  untrue  statement  of a material  fact or the  omission or
         alleged  omission  to state a  material  fact  relates  to  information
         provided  by the  Company  on the one hand or the  Underwriters  on the
         other, the intent of the parties and their relative  knowledge,  access
         to  information  and  opportunity  to correct or  prevent  such  untrue
         statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriters  agree that it
         would not be just and equitable if contribution  were determined by pro
         rata  allocation or any other method of allocation  which does not take
         account   of  the   equitable   considerations   referred   to   above.
         Notwithstanding  the provisions of this paragraph (d), 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.   The   Underwriters'
         obligations to contribute as provided in this paragraph (d) are several
         in  proportion to their  respective  underwriting  commitments  and not
         joint.  For  purposes of this  Section 8, each  person who  controls an
         Underwriter  within the meaning of either the Act or the  Exchange  Act
         and each director,  officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall
         have the same  rights to  contribution  as such  Underwriter,  and each
         person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or
         the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the
         Registration  Statement and each director of the Company shall have the
         same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the
         applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

                                       15
<PAGE>

                           (e) The  Company  also agrees to  indemnify  and hold
         harmless  Morgan  Stanley and each person,  if any who controls  Morgan
         Stanley  within the meaning of either  Section 15 of the Act or Section
         20 of the  Exchange  Act,  from and against any and all losses,  claims
         damages,  liabilities  and  judgments  incurred  as a result  of Morgan
         Stanley's participation as a "qualified independent underwriter" within
         the  meaning of Rule 2720 of the  National  Association  of  Securities
         Dealers'  Conduct  Rules in  connection  with the offering of the SUNs,
         except for any  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities  and  judgments
         resulting from Morgan  Stanley's or such  controlling  person's willful
         misconduct.

                           (f) Notwithstanding  anything contained herein to the
         contrary,  if indemnity may be sought  pursuant to Section 8, paragraph
         (e) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to
         such separate firm for the indemnified  parties, the indemnifying party
         shall be liable for the  reasonable  fees and expenses of not more than
         one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Morgan Stanley
         in its  capacity  as a  "qualified  independent  underwriter"  and  all
         persons,  if any,  who  control  Morgan  Stanley  within the meaning of
         either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

                           9.  Default  by an  Underwriter.  If any  one or more
         Underwriter or  Underwriters  shall fail to purchase and pay for any of
         the SUNs agreed to be purchased  by such  Underwriter  or  Underwriters
         hereunder  and such failure to purchase  shall  constitute a default in
         the performance of its or their obligations  under this Agreement,  the
         remaining  Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay
         for (in the respective  proportions  which the amount of SUNs set forth
         opposite  their  names in  Schedule  II hereto  bears to the  aggregate
         amount  of SUNs set  forth  opposite  the  names  of all the  remaining
         Underwriters) the SUNs which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
         agreed but failed to  purchase;  provided,  however,  that in the event
         that the aggregate  amount of SUNs which the defaulting  Underwriter or
         Underwriters  agreed but  failed to  purchase  shall  exceed 10% of the
         aggregate amount of SUNs set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining
         Underwriters  shall have the right to  purchase  all,  but shall not be
         under  any  obligation  to  purchase  any,  of the  SUNs,  and if  such
         nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the SUNs, this Agreement
         will terminate without  liability to any  nondefaulting  Underwriter or
         the Company.  In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth
         in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period,
         not exceeding five Business Days, as the  Underwriters  shall determine
         in order that the required  changes in the  Registration  Statement and
         the Final  Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements  may be
         effected.  Nothing  contained  in  this  Agreement  shall  relieve  any
         defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any
         nondefaulting   Underwriter  for  damages  occasioned  by  its  default
         hereunder.

                           10.  Termination.  This Agreement shall be subject to
         termination in the absolute  discretion of the Underwriters,  by notice
         given to the Company  prior to delivery of and payment for the SUNs, if
         at any time  prior to such time (i)  trading  in the  Company's  Common
         Stock shall have been suspended by the  Commission,  the New York Stock
         Exchange  or the  NASDAQ  National  Market  or  trading  in  securities
         generally on the New York Stock Exchange,  the American Stock Exchange,
         the NASDAQ National Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange,  the

                                       16
<PAGE>

         Chicago  Mercantile  Exchange or the Chicago  Board of Trade shall have
         been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established
         on such Exchanges,  National  Market or Board of Trade,  (ii) a banking
         moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State
         authorities  or  (iii)  there  shall  have  occurred  any  outbreak  or
         escalation  of  hostilities,  declaration  by the  United  States  of a
         national  emergency  or war or other  calamity  or crisis the effect of
         which on financial  markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment
         of the  Underwriters,  impractical  or  inadvisable to proceed with the
         offering  or  delivery  of  the  SUNs  as  contemplated  by  the  Final
         Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

                           11.  Representations and Indemnities to Survive.  The
         respective  agreements,  representations,  warranties,  indemnities and
         other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters
         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 any Underwriter 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 SUNs.  The provisions of Sections 7 and
         8  hereof  shall  survive  the  termination  or  cancellation  of  this
         Agreement.

                           12. Notices. All communications  hereunder will be in
         writing  and   effective   only  on  receipt,   and,  if  sent  to  the
         Underwriters,  will  be  mailed,  delivered  or  telefaxed  to  Salomon
         Brothers Inc General Counsel (fax no.: (212) 816-7912) and confirmed to
         the General  Counsel,  care of Brad Gans,  388 Greenwich  Street,  32nd
         Floor, New York, NY 10013,  Attention:  General Counsel; or, if sent to
         the Company,  will be mailed,  delivered or telefaxed to (505) 241-2369
         and confirmed to it at Public Service  Company of New Mexico,  Alvarado
         Square, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87158, Attention: Treasurer.

                           13.  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.

                           14.  Applicable  Law. This Agreement will be governed
         by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

                           15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one
         or more  counterparts,  each of which shall  constitute an original and
         all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

                           16.  Headings.  The section  headings used herein are
         for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

                           17. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in
         this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

                                       17
<PAGE>

                           "Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933.

                           "Basic Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus referred
                  to  in  Section  1(a)  above  contained  in  the  Registration
                  Statement at the Effective  Date  including,  any  Preliminary
                  Final Prospectus.

                           "Business  Day"  shall  mean  any  day  other  than a
                  Saturday,  a  Sunday  or a  legal  holiday  or a day on  which
                  banking  institutions  or trust  companies  are  authorized or
                  obligated by law to close in New York City.

                           "Closing  Date"  shall have the  meaning set forth in
                  Section 3 hereof.

                           "Commission"  shall mean the  Securities and Exchange
                  Commission.

                           "Effective  Date"  shall mean each date and time that
                  the Registration  Statement,  any post-effective  amendment or
                  amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement
                  became or become effective.

                           "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act
                  of 1934.

                           "Execution  Time"  shall  mean the date and time that
                  this  Agreement  is  executed  and  delivered  by the  parties
                  hereto.

                           "Final  Prospectus"  shall  mean  the  form of  final
                  prospectus   relating  to  the  SUNs,   including   the  Basic
                  Prospectus,  included  in the  Registration  Statement  at the
                  Effective Date.

                           "Investment  Company  Act" shall mean the  Investment
                  Company Act of 1940.

                           "Losses"  shall have the meaning set forth in section
                  8(d) hereof.

                           "Preliminary   Final   Prospectus"   shall  mean  any
                  preliminary  prospectus  supplement  to the  Basic  Prospectus
                  which describes the SUNs and the offering  thereof and is used
                  prior to filing of the Final Prospectus.

                           "Public  Utility  Holding Company Act" shall mean the
                  Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

                           "Registration  Statement" shall mean the registration
                  statement  referred  to  in  Section  1(a)  above,   including
                  exhibits and financial statements, as amended at the Execution
                  Time (or, if not effective at the Execution  Time, in the form
                  in which it shall  become  effective)  and,  in the  event any
                  post-effective   amendment   thereto   or  any   Rule   462(b)
                  Registration  Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing
                  Date  (as   hereinafter   defined),   shall   also  mean  such
                  registration  statement  as so  amended  or such  Rule  462(b)
                  Registration  Statement,  as the case may be.  Such term shall
                  include  any  Rule  430A  Information  deemed  to be  included
                  therein at the Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A.

                                       18
<PAGE>

                           "Rule  415,"  "Rule  424," "Rule 430A" and "Rule 462"
                  refer to such rules under the Act.

                           "Rule 430A  Information"  shall mean information with
                  respect to the SUNs and the offering  thereof  permitted to be
                  omitted  from  the  Registration  Statement  when  it  becomes
                  effective pursuant to Rule 430A.

                           "Rule  462(b)  Registration  Statement"  shall mean a
                  registration   statement  and  any  amendments  thereto  filed
                  pursuant to Rule 462(b)  relating to the  offering  covered by
                  the initial registration statement.

                           "Trust  Indenture Act" shall mean the Trust Indenture
                  Act of 1939.


                                       19
<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 the several Underwriters.


                                        Very truly yours,

                                        PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
                                        OF NEW MEXICO



                                        By:   ____________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:


The  foregoing  Agreement is hereby
confirmed  and  accepted  as of the
date   specified   in   Schedule  I
hereto.

Salomon Brothers Inc
Chase Securities Inc.,
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
Citicorp Securities, Inc.,
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.,
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens and
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.

By:  SALOMON BROTHERS INC



By:   __________________________
       Name:
       Title:

For  itself  and the other  several
Underwriters  named in  Schedule II
to the foregoing Agreement.


                                       20
<PAGE>




63049424.08

                                   SCHEDULE I


Underwriting Agreement dated August 3, 1998

Registration Statement No. 333-53367

Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

    Title:      7.10% Series A Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2005 ("Series A SUNs")
                7.50% Series B Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2018 ("Series B SUNs"
                and together with the Series A SUNs, the "SUNs")

    Principal   $300,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of Series A SUNs
    Amount:     $135,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of Series B SUNs
                $435,000,000 Total Aggregate Principal Amount of SUNs

    Interest:   The 7.10%  Series A SUNs and the 7.50%  Series B SUNs
                will  bear  interest  at their  respective  rates set
                forth in their respective  titles from August 6, 1998
                payable semiannually on each February 1 and August 1,
                commencing February 1, 1999.

    Maturity:   The Series A SUNs will mature on August 1, 2005 and the Series B
                SUNs will mature on August 1, 2018.

   Purchase Price:
                       Per Series A SUNs         98.893%
                       Per Series B SUNs         98.299%

   Sinking Fund Provisions:  None

   Redemption   Each series of Offered SUNs will be  redeemable at the option of
   Provisions:  the Company in whole at any time or in part from time to time,
                at a redemption  price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of their
                principal  amount or (ii) the sum of the  present  values of the
                remaining  scheduled  payments of principal and interest thereon
                discounted  to the  date of  redemption  on a  semiannual  basis
                (assuming a 360-day year  consisting of twelve 30-day months) at
                the Treasury Yield as defined in the Prospectus  Supplement plus
                50 basis points,  plus in each case accrued interest to the date
                of  redemption.   See  "Description  of  Offered  SUNs"  in  the
                Prospectus   Supplement  and   "Description   of  SUNs"  in  the
                Prospectus.

Other provisions:

        Closing Date,  Time and Location:  August 6, 1998,  10:00  a.m.(New York
                City City time), at the offices of Winthrop,  Stimson,  Putnam &
                Roberts, One Battery Park Plaza, New York, New York 10004.

        Type of Offering:  Shelf Debt Offering


63049424.08
<PAGE>

                                   SCHEDULE II




                                      Principal      Principal   Total Principal
                                      Amount of      Amount of     Amount of
Underwriters                        Series A SUNs  Series B SUNs  Offered SUNs
- ------------                        -------------  ------------- ---------------

Salomon Brothers Inc............... $ 96,000,000   $ 43,200,000   $139,200,000
Chase Securities Inc...............   52,500,000     23,625,000     76,125,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated..   52,500,000     23,625,000     76,125,000
Citicorp Securities, Inc...........   42,000,000     18,900,000     60,900,000
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.........   42,000,000     18,900,000     60,900,000
BancAmerica Robertson Stephens.....    7,500,000      3,375,000     10,875,000
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp..............    7,500,000      3,375,000     10,875,000
                                    ------------   ------------   ------------
       Total ...................... $300,000,000   $135,000,000   $435,000,000
                                                                  ============



<PAGE>


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


                      PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO


                                       TO


                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK


                                     Trustee


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

                          FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE


                           Dated as of August 1, 1998


                                       To


                                    INDENTURE


                           Dated as of August 1, 1998



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

                                  Providing for


                 7.10% Series A Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2005


                                       and


                 7.50% Series B Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2018


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

<PAGE>



FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of August 1, 1998, between PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO,  a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws
of the State of New Mexico (herein called the  "Company"),  having its principal
office  at  Alvarado  Square,  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico  87158,  and THE  CHASE
MANHATTAN  BANK, a New York banking  corporation,  as Trustee (herein called the
"Trustee") under the Indenture,  dated as of August 1, 1998, between the Company
and the Trustee (the "Indenture").


                             RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

         The Company has executed and  delivered the Indenture to the Trustee to
provide for the issuance  from time to time of its senior  notes (the  "Notes"),
said Notes to be issued in one or more series as in the Indenture provided.

         Pursuant to the terms of the Indenture,  the Company desires to provide
for the establishment of two new series of its Notes to be known,  respectively,
as its 7.10% Series A Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2005 (herein called the "Series
A Notes") and 7.50% Series B Senior  Unsecured Notes Due 2018 (herein called the
"Series  B Notes"  and,  together  with the  Series A Notes,  the  "1998  Senior
Notes"),  the form and  substance  of such  1998  Senior  Notes  and the  terms,
provisions,  and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Indenture
and this First Supplemental Indenture.

         All things necessary to make this First Supplemental  Indenture a valid
agreement of the Company,  and to make the 1998 Senior  Notes,  when executed by
the  Company  and  authenticated  and  delivered  by  the  Trustee,   the  valid
obligations of the Company, have been done.

         NOW, THEREFORE, THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

         For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Series
A Notes by the Holders  thereof,  and the  purchase of the Series B Notes by the
Holders  thereof,  and for the  purpose of setting  forth,  as  provided  in the
Indenture,  the form and  substance  of the 1998  Senior  Notes  and the  terms,
provisions,  and conditions  thereof,  it is mutually agreed,  for the equal and
proportionate  benefit of all Holders of the Series A Notes,  in the case of the
Series A Notes,  and for the equal and  proportionate  benefit of all Holders of
the Series B Notes, in the case of the Series B Notes, as follows:


                                   ARTICLE I

                         GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
                              THE 1998 SENIOR NOTES


         Section 1.01    There  shall  be  and are hereby  authorized two series
of Notes  designated,  respectively,  the "7.10% Series A Senior Unsecured Notes
Due 2005" and the "7.50% Series B Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2018". The Series A
Notes shall be limited in aggregate principal amount to $300,000,000. The Series
A Notes shall mature and the principal thereof shall be due and payable together
with all accrued  and unpaid  interest  thereon on August 1, 2005.  The Series B
Notes shall be limited in aggregate principal amount to $135,000,000. The Series
B Notes shall mature and the principal thereof shall be due and payable together
with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon on August 1, 2018.


                                       
<PAGE>


         Section 1.02    The  1998  Senior  Notes  shall  be  issued  in  fully 
registered  form without  coupons,  initially as one or more Global Notes to and
registered  in the  name of  Cede & Co.,  as  nominee  of The  Depository  Trust
Company,  as  Depositary  therefor.  Any  1998  Senior  Notes  to be  issued  or
transferred to, or to be held by, Cede & Co. (or any successor thereof) for such
purpose shall bear the depositary  legend in substantially the form set forth in
the second  paragraph  at the top of the form of 1998  Senior Note in Article II
hereof (in addition to that set forth in Section 2.04 of the Indenture),  unless
otherwise  agreed by the Company,  such  agreement to be confirmed in writing to
the  Trustee.  Each such Global Note may be  exchanged in whole or in part for a
1998 Senior Note of the same series registered,  and any transfer of such Global
Note in  whole  or in part may be  registered,  in the name or names of  Persons
other than such Depositary or a nominee thereof only under the circumstances set
forth in Clause (2) of the last paragraph of Section 3.05 of the  Indenture,  or
such other  circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in Clause
(2) of the last  paragraph  of  Section  3.05 of the  Indenture  as to which the
Company shall agree, such agreement to be confirmed in writing to the Trustee.


         Section 1.03    Each  Series A Note will bear  interest  at the rate of
7.10% per annum from  August 6, 1998 or from the most  recent  Interest  Payment
Date (as  hereinafter  defined) to which interest has been paid or duly provided
for,  payable  semi-annually  on  February  1 and August 1 in each year (each an
"Interest  Payment  Date"),  commencing  February 1, 1999,  until the  principal
thereof is paid or made  available  for  payment.  Each  Series B Note will bear
interest  at the rate of 7.50%  per annum  from  August 6, 1998 or from the most
recent  Interest  Payment Date to which  interest has been paid or duly provided
for,  payable  semi-annually  on  each  Interest  Payment  Date  in  each  year,
commencing  February  1,  1999,  until  the  principal  thereof  is paid or made
available for payment.  The interest so payable on a Series A Note or a Series B
Note, as applicable,  and punctually  paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture,  be paid to the Person in whose
name such Series A Note or Series B Note, as the case may be, or any Predecessor
Note is registered at the close of business on the Regular  Record Date for such
interest,  which  shall be the  January 15 or July 15 (whether or not a Business
Day), as the case may be, next  preceding  such Interest  Payment Date. Any such
installment  of  interest  not so  punctually  paid or duly  provided  for  will
forthwith  cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may
either be paid to the Person in whose name such  Series A Note or Series B Note,
as the  case may be,  or any  Predecessor  Note 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 the Series
A Notes or the  Series B Notes,  as the case may be, not less than 10 days prior
to such  Special  Record  Date,  or may be paid at any time in any other  lawful
manner not  inconsistent  with the  requirements  of any securities  exchange on
which the  Series A Notes or Series B Notes,  as the case may be, may be listed,
and upon such  notice as may be  required  by such  exchange,  all as more fully
provided in the Indenture.

                                       2
<PAGE>

         The amount of interest  payable on the 1998 Senior Notes for any period
will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.  In the
event that any Interest Payment Date,  Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any
1998 Senior Note is not a Business  Day,  then  payment of interest or principal
(and premium,  if any) payable on such date will be made on the next  succeeding
day which is a  Business  Day (and  without  any  interest  or other  payment in
respect  of any such  delay),  in each case with the same force and effect as if
made on such Interest Payment Date,  Redemption Date or Stated Maturity,  as the
case may be.

         As used herein,  a "Business  Day" means any day, other than a Saturday
or Sunday,  which is not a day on which banking institutions in the State of New
York or The City of New York are  authorized or obligated by law,  regulation or
executive order to close.

         Section 1.04    Payment of the principal  of, and premium,  if any, and
interest on the Series A Notes and on the Series B Notes  shall be payable,  and
registration  of transfer  and  exchanges of the Series A Notes and the Series B
Notes may be effected, and notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect
of the Series A Notes, the Series B Notes and the Indenture may be served at the
office or agency of the  Company  maintained  for that  purpose  in The City and
State of New York,  which shall be the Corporate  Trust Office of the Trustee or
at such other  office or agency in The City of New York and State of New York as
may be  designated  for such purpose by the Company from time to time;  and such
payment  shall be made in such coin or currency of the United  States of America
as at the time of payment  is legal  tender  for  payment of public and  private
debts; provided,  however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest
may be made by check  mailed to the  address of the Person  entitled  thereto as
such address shall appear in the Note Register.

         Section 1.05    The Company, at its option, may redeem at any time all,
or, from time to time, any part of the Series A Notes and/or the Series B Notes,
upon notice as provided  in the  Indenture  (except  that,  notwithstanding  the
provisions of Section 11.04 of the  Indenture,  any notice of redemption for the
1998  Series  Notes  given  pursuant  to said  Section  need not set  forth  the
Redemption  Price but only the manner of  calculation  thereof) at a  Redemption
Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of their principal amount or (ii) the sum
of the present  values of the  remaining  scheduled  payments of  principal  and
interest  thereon  discounted  to the  Redemption  Date  on a  semiannual  basis
(assuming a 360-day year  consisting  of twelve  30-day  months) at the Treasury
Yield plus 50 basis points, plus in each case accrued interest to the Redemption
Date,  such  Redemption  Price  to be  set  forth  in an  Officers'  Certificate
delivered  to the  Trustee on or before the  Redemption  Date and upon which the
Trustee may conclusively rely.

         For purposes of this Section 1.05,  the following  terms shall have the
following meanings:

         "Treasury  Yield" means,  with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate
per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable
Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as
a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for
such Redemption Date.


                                       3
<PAGE>

         "Comparable  Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury  security
selected by an Independent  Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to
the remaining  term of the series of 1998 Senior Notes being redeemed that would
be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial
practice,  in pricing new issues of  corporate  debt  securities  of  comparable
maturity to the remaining term of such series of 1998 Senior Notes. "Independent
Investment  Banker" means Salomon  Brothers Inc or, if such firm is unwilling or
unable to select the Comparable  Treasury Issue, one of the remaining  Reference
Treasury Dealers appointed by the Trustee after consultation with the Company.

         "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
(i) the average of the bid and asked prices for the  Comparable  Treasury  Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage  of its  principal  amount) on the third
Business  Day  preceding  such  Redemption  Date,  as set  forth  in  the  daily
statistical  release (or any successor release) published by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New  York  and  designated  "Composite  3:30  p.m.  Quotations  for U.S.
Government Securities" or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not
published or does not contain such prices on such  Business Day, (A) the average
of the Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations for such Redemption  Date,  after
excluding the highest and lowest such Reference  Treasury Dealer  Quotations for
such  Redemption  Date,  or (B) if the  Trustee  obtains  fewer  than  four such
Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations,  the  average  of all such  Quotations.
"Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations"  means with respect to each  Reference
Treasury  Dealer and any  Redemption  Date,  the average,  as  determined by the
Trustee,  of the  bid  and  asked  prices  for  the  Comparable  Treasury  Issue
(expressed  in each case as a  percentage  of its  principal  amount)  quoted in
writing to the  Trustee by such  Reference  Treasury  Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the
third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

         "Reference  Treasury  Dealer"  means (i) each of Salomon  Brothers Inc,
Chase Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co.  Incorporated,  Citicorp Securities,
Inc., J.P.  Morgan  Securities  Inc.,  BancAmerica  Robertson  Stephens and CIBC
Oppenheimer Corp.;  provided,  however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease
to be a primary U.S.  Government  securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary
Treasury  Dealer"),  the  Company  shall  substitute  therefor  another  Primary
Treasury  Dealer;  and (ii) any other Primary  Treasury  Dealer  selected by the
Company.

         If less than all of the 1998  Senior  Notes of either  series are to be
redeemed,  the Trustee shall select, in such manner as it shall deem appropriate
and fair, the particular  1998 Senior Notes or portions  thereof to be redeemed.
Notice  of  redemption  shall be given by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60
days prior to the  Redemption  Date to the  Holders of 1998  Senior  Notes to be
redeemed  (which,  as long as the 1998 Senior  Notes are held in the  book-entry
only  system,  will  be The  Depository  Trust  Company  (or its  nominee)  or a
successor  Depositary);  provided,  however,  that the failure to duly give such
notice by mail,  or any defect  therein,  shall not affect the  validity  of any
proceedings for the redemption of 1998 Senior Notes as to which there shall have
been no such failure or defect. Such notice may state that such redemption shall
be  conditional  upon receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents for such 1998 Senior
Notes,  on or prior to the  Redemption  Date,  of  money  sufficient  to pay the
principal of and premium,  if any, and interest,  if any, on such Notes and that
if such money shall not have been so received  such notice  shall be of no force
or effect and the Company  shall not be  required  to redeem such Notes.  On and
after the  Redemption  Date (unless the Company  shall default in the payment of
the  series of 1998  Senior  Notes or  portions  thereof to be  redeemed  at the
applicable  Redemption  Price,  together with interest  accrued  thereon to such
date),  interest on the series of 1998 Senior Notes or the  portions  thereof so
called for redemption shall cease to accrue.

                                       4
<PAGE>


         The Trustee  shall be under no duty to inquire into,  may  conclusively
presume  the  correctness  of, and shall be fully  protected  in acting upon the
Company's calculation of any Redemption Price.

         The Company shall give to the Trustee  written notice of the Redemption
Price  applicable  to the  Series A Notes or the Series B Notes  promptly  after
calculation thereof.

         The 1998 Senior Notes will not be subject to any sinking fund.


         Section 1.06    The Series A  Notes  shall  be  defeasible  pursuant to
Section  13.02 and Section 13.03 of the  Indenture.  The Series B Notes shall be
defeasible pursuant to Section 13.02 and Section 13.03 of the Indenture.


                                   ARTICLE II

                            FORM OF 1998 SENIOR NOTES


         Section 2.01    The Series  A  Notes  and  the  Series B  Notes and the
Trustee's  certificate  of  authentication  to be  endorsed  thereon  are  to be
substantially  in the following form (where  bracketed  material appears in said
form of Note, the material in the first set of brackets  relates to the Series A
Notes and the  material  in the second set of  brackets  relates to the Series B
Notes):

         Form of 1998 Senior Note.

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL  NOTE  WITHIN  THE  MEANING OF THE  INDENTURE  HEREINAFTER
REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE  THEREOF.
THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A NOTE REGISTERED, AND NO
TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED,  IN THE NAME OF ANY
PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH  DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE  THEREOF,  EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

UNLESS THIS  CERTIFICATE  IS PRESENTED BY AN  AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE  OF THE
DEPOSITARY  TRUST COMPANY,  A NEW YORK  CORPORATION  ("DTC"),  TO PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO 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 DTC (AND
ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER  ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), 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.

                                       5
<PAGE>


         Form of Face of [7.10] [7.50]% Series[A] [B] Senior Unsecured Notes Due
[2005] [2018].

                      PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO

     [7.10] [7.50] % Series [A] [B] Senior Unsecured Notes Due [2005] [2018]

No. ________                                                         $________
                                                            CUSIP No. ________

         PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO,  a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of New Mexico  (herein called the "Company",  which term
includes any successor Person under the Indenture  hereinafter referred to), for
value received,  hereby promises to pay to _________, or registered assigns, the
principal  sum of  ________  Dollars  on August  1,  [2005]  [2018],  and to pay
interest  thereon from August 6, 1998 or from the most recent  Interest  Payment
Date to which  interest has been paid or duly  provided  for,  semi-annually  on
February 1 and August 1 in each year,  commencing  February 1, 1999, at the rate
of  [7.10]  [7.50]%  per  annum,  until  the  principal  hereof  is paid or made
available  for payment.  The interest so payable,  and  punctually  paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest  Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture,
be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes)
is  registered  at the close of  business  on the  Regular  Record Date for such
interest,  which  shall be the  January 15 or July 15 (whether or not a Business
Day), as the case may be, next  preceding  such Interest  Payment Date. Any such
interest not so punctually  paid or duly provided for will 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 Note (or one or more Predecessor  Notes) 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 Notes 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 Notes 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) and interest on this
Note will be made at the  office or agency of the  Company  maintained  for that
purpose in The City of New York,  in such coin or currency of the United  States
of America as at the time of payment is legal  tender for  payment of public and
private debts;  provided,  however, that at the option of the Company payment of
interest  may be made by check  mailed to the  address  of the  Person  entitled
thereto as such address shall appear in the Note Register.

         Reference  is hereby  made to the further  provisions  of this Note set
forth on the reverse  hereof,  which further  provisions  shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

                                       6
<PAGE>

         Unless the  certificate of  authentication  hereon has been executed by
the Trustee  referred to on the reverse  hereof by manual  signature,  this Note
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.

                                     PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO



                                     By:
                                         --------------------------------
                                         [Title]
Attest:



- ------------------------------------
[Title]

         Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication.


                         CERTIFICATION OF AUTHENTICATION

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

Dated:                                    THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,

                                                               As Trustee



                                          By:
                                             --------------------------------
                                                  Authorized Officer


Form of Reverse of [7.10]  [7.50]%  Series  [A] [B] Senior  Unsecured  Notes Due
[2005] [2018].

         This  Note is one of a duly  authorized  issue of  senior  notes of the
Company  (herein  called  the  "Notes"),  issued and to be issued in one or more
series  under an  Indenture,  dated as of  August  1, 1998  (herein  called  the
"Indenture",  which  term  shall  have  the  meaning  assigned  to  it  in  such
instrument),  between  the  Company  and The Chase  Manhattan  Bank,  as Trustee
(herein  called the "Trustee",  which term includes any successor  trustee under
the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of
the respective rights,  limitations of rights,  duties and immunities thereunder
of the  Company,  the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes and of the terms upon
which the Notes are, and are to be,  authenticated  and delivered.  This Note is
one of the series  designated on the face hereof limited in aggregate  principal
amount to $[300,000,000] [135,000,000].


                                       7
<PAGE>

         The Company,  at its option, may redeem at any time, all, or, from time
to time,  any part of the Notes of this  series,  upon notice as provided in the
Indenture  (except that  notwithstanding  the provisions of Section 11.04 of the
Indenture,  any notice of  redemption  of the Notes of this  series need not set
forth the  Redemption  Price but only the manner of  calculation  thereof)  at a
Redemption  Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of their principal  amount or
(ii) the sum of the  present  values  of the  remaining  scheduled  payments  of
principal and interest thereon discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual
basis  (assuming  a 360-day  year  consisting  of twelve  30-day  months) at the
Treasury Yield plus 50 basis points,  plus in each case accrued  interest to the
Redemption  Date,  such  Redemption  Price  to be  set  forth  in  an  Officers'
Certificate  delivered to the Trustee on or before the Redemption  Date and upon
which the Trustee may conclusively rely.

         For  purposes of the  foregoing  optional  redemption  provisions,  the
following terms shall have the following meanings:

         "Treasury  Yield" means,  with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate
per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable
Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as
a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for
such Redemption Date.

         "Comparable  Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury  security
selected by an Independent  Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to
the  remaining  term of the Notes of this series that would be utilized,  at the
time of selection  and in  accordance  with  customary  financial  practice,  in
pricing new issues of corporate  debt  securities of comparable  maturity to the
remaining  term of the Notes of this  series.  "Independent  Investment  Banker"
means Salomon Brothers Inc or, if such firm is unwilling or unable to select the
Comparable  Treasury  Issue,  one of the remaining  Reference  Treasury  Dealers
appointed by the Trustee after consultation with the Company.

         "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any Redemption Date,
(i) the average of the bid and asked prices for the  Comparable  Treasury  Issue
(expressed in each case as a percentage  of its  principal  amount) on the third
Business  Day  preceding  such  Redemption  Date,  as set  forth  in  the  daily
statistical  release (or any successor release) published by the Federal Reserve
Bank of New  York  and  designated  "Composite  3:30  p.m.  Quotations  for U.S.
Government Securities" or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not
published or does not contain such prices on such  Business Day, (A) the average
of the Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations for such Redemption  Date,  after
excluding the highest and lowest such Reference  Treasury Dealer  Quotations for
such  Redemption  Date,  or (B) if the  Trustee  obtains  fewer  than  four such
Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations,  the  average  of all such  Quotations.
"Reference  Treasury  Dealer  Quotations"  means with respect to each  Reference
Treasury  Dealer and any  Redemption  Date,  the average,  as  determined by the
Trustee,  of the  bid  and  asked  prices  for  the  Comparable  Treasury  Issue
(expressed  in each case as a  percentage  of its  principal  amount)  quoted in
writing to the  Trustee by such  Reference  Treasury  Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the
third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.


                                       8
<PAGE>

         "Reference  Treasury  Dealer"  means (i) each of Salomon  Brothers Inc,
Chase Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co.  Incorporated,  Citicorp Securities,
Inc., J.P.  Morgan  Securities  Inc.,  BancAmerica  Robertson  Stephens and CIBC
Oppenheimer Corp.;  provided,  however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease
to be a primary U.S.  Government  securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary
Treasury  Dealer"),  the  Company  shall  substitute  therefor  another  Primary
Treasury  Dealer;  and (ii) any other Primary  Treasury  Dealer  selected by the
Company.

         The Trustee  shall be under no duty to inquire into,  may  conclusively
presume  the  correctness  of, and shall be fully  protected  in acting upon the
Company's calculation of any Redemption Price.

         The Notes of this series will not be subject to any sinking fund.

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

         The Indenture  contains  provisions  for  defeasance at any time of the
entire indebtedness of this Note or certain restrictive  covenants and Events of
Default with  respect to this Note,  in each case upon  compliance  with certain
conditions set forth in the Indenture.

         If an Event of Default with respect to Notes of this series shall occur
and be continuing, the principal of the Notes of this series 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
Company and 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 Notes
of all series then  Outstanding  under the  Indenture,  considered as one class;
provided,  however,  that if  there  shall be  Notes  of more  than  one  series
Outstanding under the Indenture and if a proposed  supplemental  indenture shall
directly affect the rights of the Holders of Notes 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  Notes of all series so directly
affected,  considered as one class,  shall be required;  and provided,  further,
that if the Notes 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 Notes 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  Notes 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 Notes of each, or
all series, as the case may be, then Outstanding under the Indenture,  on behalf
of the Holders of all Notes of such series,  to waive  compliance by the Company
with certain provisions of the Indenture and permitting the Holders of specified
percentages in principal  amount of the Notes of each series  Outstanding  under
the  Indenture,  on behalf of the Holders of all Notes of such series,  to waive
certain past  defaults  under the Indenture  and their  consequences,  provided,
however,  that if any such past  default  affects more than one series of Notes,
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes
of all such series,  considered as one class, shall have the right to waive such
past default,  and not the Holders of the Notes of any one such series. Any such
consent  or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be  conclusive  and  binding
upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note 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
Note.


                                       9
<PAGE>

         As provided  in and subject to the  provisions  of the  Indenture,  the
Holder of this Note shall not have the right to institute  any  proceeding  with
respect to the Indenture or for the  appointment of a receiver or trustee or for
any other remedy thereunder,  unless such Holder shall have previously given the
Trustee  written  notice of a  continuing  Event of Default  with respect to the
Notes of this  series,  the  Holders  of not less than a majority  in  aggregate
principal  amount of the Notes of all series at the time  Outstanding in respect
of which an Event of Default shall have  occurred and be  continuing  shall have
made written request to the Trustee to institute  proceedings in respect of such
Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee  reasonable  indemnity,  and
the Trustee  shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of Notes of all  series at the time  Outstanding  in  respect of which an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing a direction  inconsistent
with such request,  and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding,  for
60 days after  receipt  of such  notice,  request  and offer of  indemnity.  The
foregoing  shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Note for
the  enforcement  of any payment of principal  hereof or any premium or interest
hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

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

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth,  the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Note Register,  upon
surrender of this Note for  registration  of transfer at the office or agency of
the Company in any place where the  principal of and any premium and interest on
this Note are payable,  duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument
of transfer in form  satisfactory  to the  Company and the Note  Registrar  duly
executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly  authorized in writing,  and
thereupon one or more new Notes of this series and of like tenor,  of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the
designated transferee or transferees.

         The Notes of this series are issuable only in  registered  form 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,
Notes of this series are exchangeable  for a like aggregate  principal amount of
Notes of this series and of like tenor of a different  authorized  denomination,
as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.


                                       10
<PAGE>

         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 Note 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  Note is  registered  as the  owner  hereof  for all
purposes,  whether or not this Note be overdue,  and neither  the  Company,  the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         As used herein,  a "Business  Day" means any day, other than a Saturday
or Sunday,  which is not a day on which banking institutions in the State of New
York or The City of New York are  authorized or obligated by law,  regulation or
executive order to close. All other terms used in this Note which are defined in
the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.


                                  ARTICLE III

                       ORIGINAL ISSUE OF 1998 SENIOR NOTES


         Section 3.01    Series A  Notes in  the aggregate  principal  amount of
$300,000,000 may, upon execution of this First Supplemental  Indenture,  or from
time to time thereafter,  be executed on behalf of the Company by any officer or
employee  authorized to do so by a Board  Resolution,  under its corporate  seal
affixed thereto or reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or by one of its
Assistant  Secretaries and delivered to the Trustee for authentication,  and the
Trustee  shall  thereupon  authenticate  and  deliver  said  Series  A Notes  in
accordance with a Company Order delivered to the Trustee by the Company.


         Section 3.02    Series B  Notes  in the  aggregate  principal amount of
$135,000,000 may, upon execution of this First Supplemental  Indenture,  or from
time to time thereafter,  be executed on behalf of the Company by any officer or
employee  authorized to do so by a Board  Resolution,  under its corporate  seal
affixed thereto or reproduced thereon attested by its Secretary or by one of its
Assistant  Secretaries and delivered to the Trustee for authentication,  and the
Trustee  shall  thereupon  authenticate  and  deliver  said  Series  B Notes  in
accordance with a Company Order delivered to the Trustee by the Company.


                                   ARTICLE IV
 
                          PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR


         Section 4.01    The Chase  Manhattan  Bank will be the Paying Agent and
Note Registrar for the 1998 Senior Notes.


                                       11
<PAGE>


                                   ARTICLE V

                                SUNDRY PROVISIONS


         Section 5.01    Except as otherwise expressly  provided  in this  First
Supplemental  Indenture or in the form of 1998 Senior Notes or otherwise clearly
required by the context hereof or thereof, all terms used herein or in said form
of the 1998  Senior  Notes  that are  defined  in the  Indenture  shall have the
several meanings respectively assigned to them thereby.

         Section 5.02    The  Indenture,   as   supplemented   by   this   First
Supplemental  Indenture,  is in all respects  ratified and  confirmed,  and this
First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Indenture in the manner
and to the extent herein and therein provided.

         Section 5.03    The Trustee hereby accepts the trusts herein  declared,
provided, created,  supplemented, or amended and agrees to perform the same upon
the terms and  conditions  herein  and in the  Indenture  set forth and upon the
following terms and conditions:

            The  Trustee  shall  not  be  responsible  in  any  manner
            whatsoever   for  or  in  respect  of  the   validity   or
            sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or for or
            in respect of the recitals  contained herein, all of which
            recitals are made by the Company solely. In general,  each
            and every term and  condition  contained  in Article VI of
            the  Indenture  shall apply to and form part of this First
            Supplemental  Indenture  with the same force and effect as
            if the  same  were  herein  set  forth in full  with  such
            omissions,  variations,  and insertions, if any, as may be
            appropriate  to make the same conform to the provisions of
            this First Supplemental Indenture.


         Section 5.04    This First  Supplemental Indenture may  be  executed in
any number of  counterparts,  each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an
original,  but all such counterparts  shall together  constitute but one and the
same instrument.


                                       12
<PAGE>



         IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,   the  parties  hereto  have  caused  this  First
Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals
to be  hereunto  affixed  and  attested,  all as of the day and year first above
written.

                                        PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO



                                        By:
                                            -------------------------------- 
                                            M.H. Maerki
                                            Senior Vice President
                                            and Chief Financial Officer
Attest:



- -----------------------------------
      Assistant Secretary
                                        THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Trustee



                                        By:
                                            -------------------------------- 
                                            P. Morabito
                                            Vice President
Attest:



- -----------------------------------
      Senior Trust Officer



                                       13
<PAGE>



STATE OF NEW MEXICO  )
                     ) ss.:
COUNTY OF BERNALILLO )


         On the ____ day of August, 1998, before me personally came M.H. Maerki,
to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he is a Senior
Vice  President and Chief  Financial  Officer of Public  Service  Company of New
Mexico,  one of the  corporations  described in and which executed the foregoing
instrument; that he knows the seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to
said  instrument is such corporate  seal; that it was so affixed by authority of
the Board of Directors of said corporation;  and that he signed his name thereto
by like authority.


                                            -------------------------------- 
                                                   Notary Public

                                            My Commission Expires:

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

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


         On the ____ day of August, 1998, before me personally came P. Morabito,
to me known,  who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that she is a Vice
President of The Chase Manhattan Bank, one of the corporations  described in and
which  executed  the  foregoing  instrument;  that  she  knows  the seal of said
corporation;  that the seal affixed to said  instrument is such corporate  seal;
that  it was so  affixed  by  authority  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  said
corporation; and that she signed her name thereto by like authority.



                                            -------------------------------- 
                                                   Notary Public



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