PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF NORTH CAROLINA INC
S-3, 2000-09-06
NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION
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                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 333-




                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

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

                                    FORM S-3

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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

             PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, INCORPORATED
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                                 South Carolina
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

                                   56-2128483
                                (I.R.S. Employer
                               Identification No.)


                       400 Cox Road, Post Office Box 1398
                       Gastonia, North Carolina 28053-1398
                                 (704) 864-6731
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of Registrant's principal
                               executive offices)

                                 ---------------
                               H. T. Arthur, Esq.
                    Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                                SCANA Corporation
                                1426 Main Street
                         Columbia, South Carolina 29201
                                 (803) 217-8547
       (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
                        area code, of agent for service)

                                   COPIES TO:

         John W. Currie, Esq.                         J. Michael Parish, Esq.
         McNair Law Firm, P.A.                        Thelen Reid & Priest LLP
   1301 Gervais Street - 17th Floor                     40 West 57th Street
    Columbia, South Carolina 29201                    New York, New York 10019
            (803) 799-9800                                 (212) 603-2154

                                 ---------------
Approximate  date of commencement of the proposed sale to the public:  From time
to time after the effective date of the Registration  Statement as determined by
the registrant based on market conditions.

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

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

If this Form is used to register additional  securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933,  please check the following box
and list the Securities Act of 1933 registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the  Securities  Act of  1933,  please  check  the  following  box and  list the
Securities Act of 1933  registration  statement number of the earlier  effective
registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

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

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


                                       Proposed    Proposed
   Title of each                       maximum     maximum
     class of                          offering   aggregate
   securities to       Amount to be     price      offering        Amount of
  be registered         registered     per unit*    prie*      registration fee

 Medium Term Notes    $150,000,000       100%     $150,000,000      $39,600

* Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.

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


<PAGE>


                                                         2

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

                       SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED , 2000.

                                   PROSPECTUS

                                  $150,000,000
                                Medium Term Notes
                             Due from Nine Months to
                         Thirty Years from Date of Issue

             Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated
                       400 Cox Road, Post Office Box 1398
                       Gastonia, North Carolina 28053-1398
                                 (704) 864-6731

         The terms for each Note that are not specified in this  prospectus will
be included in a pricing supplement to this prospectus.  We will receive between
$149,812,500 and $148,875,000 of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes,  after
paying the agents'  commissions of between $187,500 and $1,125,000.  We may sell
the Notes at one or more times. Some or all of the following terms will apply to
the Notes:
o  Mature nine months or more from date of issue
o  Be priced at 100% of face value, unless otherwise specified in a pricing
   supplement
o  Fixed or floating interest rate.  The floating interest rate formula may be
   based on:
o  Commercial paper rate
o  LIBOR rate
o  Treasury rate
o  Any other base rate specified in a pricing supplement
o Interest on fixed rate  Notes paid on April 1 and October 1
o  Interest  on  floating   rate  Notes  paid   monthly,   quarterly,
   semi-annually,  annually or as  otherwise  specified  in a pricing
   supplement
o Issued  in  book-entry  form  except  under  circumstances  described  in this
prospectus o Subject to redemption  and repurchase at option of the holder or at
our option o Minimum denominations of $1,000, increased in multiples of $1,000

We urge  you to  carefully  read  this  prospectus  and the  applicable  pricing
supplement,  which will describe the specific terms of the offering,  before you
make your investment decision.

         A pricing supplement will name any agents involved in the sale of Notes
and will describe any compensation not described in this prospectus.

         Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission has approved or  disapproved  of these  securities or passed upon the
accuracy  or  adequacy  of  this  prospectus  or  any  pricing  supplement.  Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


              The date of this prospectus is ___________ ___, 2000.

PaineWebber Incorporated

                       Banc of America Securities LLC

                                               Credit Suisse First Boston

<PAGE>


                                Table of Contents

                                                                      Page

       About this Prospectus.......................................
       Where You Can Find More Information.........................
       Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated......
       Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Information....
       Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges..........................
       Use of Proceeds.............................................
       Description of the Notes....................................
       Book-Entry System...........................................
       Plan of Distribution........................................
       Experts.....................................................
       Validity of the Notes.......................................
       Glossary....................................................




<PAGE>



                              About This Prospectus

         This prospectus is part of a registration  statement that we filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission utilizing a "shelf" registration process.
Under  this  shelf  registration  process,  we may sell any or all of the  Notes
described  in this  prospectus  in one or more  offerings  up to a total  dollar
amount of $150,000,000.  This prospectus provides you with a general description
of the Notes. Each time we sell Notes, we will provide a pricing supplement that
will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.  The pricing
supplement  and the  prospectus  may also  add,  update  or  change  information
contained in this initial  prospectus.  You should read both this prospectus and
the  relevant  pricing  supplement,  together  with the  additional  information
described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."


                       Where You Can Find More Information

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

         This prospectus does not repeat important information that you can find
elsewhere in the  registration  statement and in the reports and other documents
which we file with the SEC under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934.  The SEC
allows us to  "incorporate  by reference" the information we file with it, which
means that we can disclose  important  information  to you by  referring  you to
those documents.  The information incorporated by reference is an important part
of this  prospectus,  and  information  that we file  later  with  the SEC  will
automatically update and supersede that information. We incorporate by reference
our  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year  ended  September  30,  1999,  our
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as amended,  for the quarters ended December 31,
1999 and  March 31 and June 30,  2000,  our  Current  Reports  on Form  8-K,  as
amended,  dated February 10 and March 27, 2000, and all future filings made with
the SEC under Sections 13(a),  13(c),  14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until we
sell all of the Notes. In addition,  we are also  incorporating by reference any
additional documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to these sections of the
Exchange  Act  after  the  date  of the  filing  of the  registration  statement
containing this prospectus and prior to the  effectiveness  of the  registration
statement.

         We are not required to, and do not,  provide  annual reports to holders
of our debt securities unless specifically requested by a holder.

         You may  request a copy of our SEC  filings  at no cost by  writing  or
telephoning us at the following address:


                  Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated
                  c/o SCANA Corporation
                  1426 Main Street
                  Columbia, South Carolina 29201
                  Attn: H. John Winn, III
                  Manager - Investor Relations and Shareholder Services
                  Telephone: (803) 217-9240

         You may obtain more information by contacting our Internet website,  at
http://www.psnc.com  (which  is not  intended  to be an active  hyperlink).  The
information  on our Internet  website is not  incorporated  by reference in this
prospectus, and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus.

         You should rely only on the  information we incorporate by reference or
provide in this  prospectus or any pricing  supplement.  We have not  authorized
anyone  else to provide  you with  different  information.  We are not making an
offer of these  securities  in any state where the offer is not  permitted.  You
should  not  assume  that the  information  in this  prospectus  or any  pricing
supplement  is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those
documents.


             Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated

         We are a public utility engaged primarily in transporting, distributing
and selling natural gas to  approximately  352,000  residential,  commercial and
industrial  customers  in North  Carolina.  In  connection  with our natural gas
distribution  business,  we promote,  sell and install both new and  replacement
cooking,  water heating,  laundry,  space heating,  cooling and humidity control
natural gas  appliances and equipment.  Through a  nonregulated  subsidiary,  we
provide conversion and maintenance  services for natural gas-fueled  vehicles in
selected cities in and beyond our certificated territory.  Through subsidiaries,
we also participate in nonregulated businesses such as natural gas brokering and
supply services.

         Our 28-county  certificated service territory includes Raleigh,  Durham
and the Research  Triangle Park area in the north central  portion of the state,
which accounted for  approximately 61% of our customers and 53% of our total gas
sales and  transportation  as of June 30, 2000.  Our central North Carolina area
includes  the  cities of  Gastonia,  Concord  and  Statesville,  located  in the
Charlotte  metropolitan  statistical  area, which accounted for 26% of customers
and 31% of total gas sales and  transportation  as of June 30, 2000. Our western
area includes  Asheville,  Hendersonville  and Brevard,  which accounted for the
remaining 13% of customers and 16% of total gas sales and  transportation  as of
June 30, 2000. Our diversified industrial base in our service territory includes
manufacturers  of  textiles,  chemicals,  ceramics  and  clay  products,  glass,
automotive products,  minerals,  pharmaceuticals,  plastics,  metals, electronic
equipment, furniture and a variety of food and tobacco products.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission regulates our utility operations.

         We were  organized as a North  Carolina  corporation in 1938 and merged
into a South Carolina corporation,  in connection with our acquisition,  through
merger, by SCANA Corporation, a South Carolina corporation ("SCANA") on February
10, 2000. We are now a wholly-owned  subsidiary of SCANA,  a registered  holding
company under the Public Utility  Holding  Company Act of 1935, as amended.  Our
corporate  offices are located at 400 Cox Road, Post Office Box 1398,  Gastonia,
North Carolina 28053-1398, telephone (704) 864-6731.

         The  information  above  concerning  us is only a summary  and does not
purport to be  comprehensive.  For  additional  information  concerning  us, you
should  refer  to  the  information  described  in  "Where  You  Can  Find  More
Information."


            Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Information

                                   Nine Months Ended        Twelve Months Ended
                                       June 30,                September 30,
                                    2000         1999        1999         1998
                                    ----         ----        ----         ----
                                              (Dollars in Thousands)
Operating Revenues.............. $  330,885    $261,590     $298,854    $330,672
Operating Income(1).............     43,961      54,521       38,200      39,695
Income before Interest Charges..     40,755      41,011       42,474      42,615
Interest Charges................     14,827      13,485       18,023      17,778
Net Income......................     25,928      27,526       24,451      24,837

Net Utility Plant(2)............    982,852     530,185      534,245     519,517
Total Assets....................  1,132,448     642,222      648,571     618,753

(1) Beginning with the Form 10-Q for June 30, 2000, income taxes were separately
reported in the income  statement and were no longer  included as a component of
operating  expenses.  Operating Income for each period  presented  reflects this
reporting  reclassification.  (2) Net Utility Plant increased  significantly  in
2000 as a result of the  acquisition by SCANA  Corporation.  The  application of
push down accounting for the acquisition  resulted in a $467 million acquisition
adjustment.


                       Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

         Our historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges are as follows:

   Twelve Months Ended               Year Ended September 30,
        June 30, 2000(1)   1999      1998       1997      1996       1995
        -------------      ----      ----       ----      ----       ----

              2.93         3.22       3.18      3.39      3.56       3.64

(1)  Our historical ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the six-month and
nine-month periods ended June 30, 2000 were 4.52 and 3.90, respectively.

For  purposes  of  this  ratio,  earnings  represent  consolidated  income  from
continuing  operations  before  income taxes and fixed  charges.  Fixed  charges
include interest, whether expensed or capitalized,  and the amortization of debt
expense.


                                 Use of Proceeds

         Unless we state  otherwise  in a pricing  supplement,  the net proceeds
from the sale of the Notes will be used to retire  short-term  indebtedness  and
for other general corporate  purposes.  Pending  application of the net proceeds
for specific  purposes,  we may invest the proceeds in  short-term or marketable
securities.


                            Description of the Notes

General

         We will issue the Notes under an Indenture dated as of January 1, 1996,
as supplemented, between us and First Union National Bank, as Trustee. A copy of
the Indenture, as supplemented, has been incorporated by reference as an exhibit
to  the  registration  statement  of  which  this  prospectus  is a  part.  This
prospectus  briefly  outlines  some of the  provisions  of the Indenture and the
supplements  to the  Indenture.  If you  would  like more  information  on those
provisions,  please review the Indenture  and the  supplements  to the Indenture
that we filed with the SEC. See "Where You Can Find More  Information" on how to
obtain a copy of the Indenture and the  supplements  to the  Indenture.  You may
also review the Indenture and the  supplements to the Indenture at the Trustee's
offices at First Union National  Bank,  1441 Main Street,  Suite 440,  Columbia,
South Carolina 29201, Attention: Corporate Trust Department.

         The summaries under this heading are not detailed.  Whenever particular
provisions  of the  Indenture or terms defined in the Indenture are referred to,
those  statements  are  qualified by reference to the  Indenture.  References to
article and section numbers under this heading, unless otherwise indicated,  are
references to article and section numbers of the Indenture.

         The Notes and all other debt securities issued under the Indenture will
be  unsecured  and will in all  respects be equally and ratably  entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture, without preference, priority or distinction, and will
rank equally with all other  unsecured and  unsubordinated  indebtedness  of the
Company.

         The Indenture does not limit the amount of debt  securities that can be
issued under the Indenture. The Indenture allows us to "reopen" a previous issue
of a series of debt  securities and to issue  additional debt securities of that
series,  if  permitted  by the  terms of the  applicable  series.  Further,  the
Indenture  does not limit our  incurring  or  issuing  other  unsecured  debt or
secured debt,  except to the extent described under  "Covenants,  Consolidation,
Merger,  Etc." Agreements  governing our other outstanding funded debt generally
prohibit us from issuing:

o             additional  funded  debt  unless,   after  giving  effect  to  the
              issuance,  our  consolidated  funded debt is equal to or less than
              70% of  consolidated  capitalization  and earnings  available  for
              fixed charges for a recent  12-month  period are at least equal to
              175% of fixed charges for that period; and

          o any short-term  debt,  unless such short-term debt is unsecured and,
     for a period of 60 consecutive days during each consecutive 12-month period
     beginning  October 1 in each year, all  short-term  debt does not exceed an
     amount equal to 5% of the sum of (1) the funded debt and short-term debt of
     us and our  subsidiaries  and  (2) the  tangible  net  worth  of us and our
     subsidiaries  (such amount of short term debt in excess of 5% of the sum of
     (1)  and (2)  being  referred  to  herein  as  "excess  short-term  debt");
     provided,  however, that such excess short-term debt is permissible if, for
     such 60-day period referred to above, we could issue additional funded debt
     pursuant to the foregoing in an amount equal to the excess short-term debt.

         Each pricing  supplement  which  accompanies  this  prospectus will set
forth the  following  information  to describe the Notes related to that pricing
supplement, unless the information is the same as the information included under
the captions "Payment of Notes" and "Redemptions" in this prospectus:

o    any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Notes;

o    the date or dates on which the principal of the Notes will be payable;

o    the rate or rates at which the Notes  will  bear  interest,  if any (or the
     method of calculating the rate);  the date or dates from which the interest
     will  accrue;  the  date or dates on which  the  interest  will be  payable
     ("Interest  Payment Dates");  and the record date or dates for the interest
     payable on the Interest Payment Dates;

o    any  option  on our part to  redeem  the  Notes  and  redemption  terms and
     conditions;

o    any  obligation on our part to redeem or purchase the Notes pursuant to any
     sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of the holder and the
     relevant terms and conditions for that redemption or purchase;

o    the denominations of the Notes;

o    whether  the Notes are  subject to a  book-entry  system of  transfers  and
     payments; and

o    any other  particular  terms of the Notes and of their  offering.  (Section
     3.1)

Payment of Notes

         Unless  otherwise  provided  in a pricing  supplement,  we will pay any
interest due on each Note to the person in whose name that Note is registered as
of the close of business on the record date  relating to each  Interest  Payment
Date.  At our  option,  interest  on  registered  Notes may be paid (1) by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled  thereto or (2) by wire transfer to
an  account  maintained  by the person  entitled  thereto  as  specified  on the
register of holders of debt securities  maintained by the Trustee. If there is a
default in the  payment  of  interest  on the Notes,  we may either (1) choose a
special record date and pay the holders of the Notes at the close of business on
that  date,  or (2) pay the  holders  of the Notes in any other  lawful  manner.
(Section 3.7)

         We will pay principal of, any premium and interest due on, the Notes at
maturity or upon earlier  redemption  or  repayment of a Note upon  surrender of
that Note at the office of the paying agent  (currently,  the  Trustee's  office
located at 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd.,  Charlotte,  North Carolina  28288-1153,
Attention:  Corporate Trust  Operations).  (Section 3.7) The applicable  pricing
supplement  identifies any other place of payment and any other paying agent. We
may  change  the place at which the Notes will be  payable  (Section  9.2),  may
appoint one or more  additional  paying  agents and may remove any paying agent,
all at our discretion. Further, if we provide money to a paying agent to be used
to make payments of principal  of,  premium (if any) or interest on any Note and
that  money has not  rightfully  been  claimed  two years  after the  applicable
principal,  premium or interest  payment is due, then we may instruct the paying
agent to remit that money to us, and any holder of a Note seeking those payments
may thereafter look only to us for that money. (Section 9.3)

         If interest is payable on a day which is not a Business Day (as defined
herein),  payment will be postponed to the next  Business Day, and no additional
interest will accrue as a result of the delayed payment. (Section 1.12) However,
for LIBOR Rate Notes (as defined  herein),  if the next  Business  Day is in the
next calendar month, interest will be paid on the preceding Business Day.

         "Business  Day" means any day other than a Saturday  or Sunday that (1)
is not a day on which banking institutions in Washington,  D.C., or in New York,
New York,  are  authorized or obligated by law or executive  order to be closed,
and (2) with  respect to LIBOR Rate Notes  only,  is a day on which  dealings in
deposits in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.

         All  percentages  resulting  from  any  calculation  of  Notes  will be
rounded,  if necessary,  to the nearest  one-hundred  thousandth of a percentage
point,  with five  one-millionths  of a percentage  point rounded upwards (e.g.,
9.876545% (or  .09876545)  being rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655) and 9.876544%
(or .09876544) being rounded to 9.87654% (or .0987654)),  and all dollar amounts
used in or resulting from such  calculation  will be rounded to the nearest cent
(with one-half cent being rounded upwards).

Interest Rates Payable on Notes

         We have provided a glossary at the end of this prospectus to define the
capitalized  words used in discussing  the interest  rates payable on the Notes.
Whenever we refer to time in this section,  we mean the time as in effect in New
York, New York, unless otherwise specified.

         The interest rate on the Notes will either be fixed or floating.

         Fixed Rate Notes

     If we issue  Notes  that bear  interest  at a fixed rate (the  "Fixed  Rate
Notes"),  the  applicable  pricing  supplement  will designate the fixed rate of
interest  payable on the Notes.  Unless  otherwise  set forth in the  applicable
pricing supplement,  interest on a Fixed Rate Note will be payable semi-annually
each  April 1 and  October  1 and at  maturity  or upon  earlier  redemption  or
repayment.  Unless  otherwise  indicated  herein  or in the  applicable  pricing
supplement,  the  record  dates  for the  Fixed  Rate Note will be March 15 (for
interest  to be paid on April 1) and  September  15 (for  interest to be paid on
October 1) whether or not such record date is a Business Day.  Interest payments
will be the  amount of  interest  accrued  to, but  excluding,  each April 1 and
October 1.  Interest  will be  computed  using a 360-day  year of twelve  30-day
months.

         Floating Rate Notes

         General.  Each  Note  that  bears  interest  at a  floating  rate  (the
"Floating  Rate Notes") will have an interest rate formula which may be based on
one of the following base rates, as determined by the pricing supplement:

o        the commercial paper rate (the "Commercial Paper Rate Note");

o        LIBOR (the "LIBOR Rate Note");

o        the treasury rate (the "Treasury Rate Note"); or

o        any other base rate specified in the pricing supplement.

         The pricing  supplement  will also  indicate the Spread  and/or  Spread
Multiplier,  if any. The interest  rates  applicable  to the Floating Rate Notes
will be equal to one of the base  rates,  plus or minus the  Spread,  if any, or
multiplied  by the Spread  Multiplier,  if any. Any Floating  Rate Note may have
either or both of the following:

o             a maximum numerical interest rate limitation,  or ceiling,  on the
              rate of interest that accrues during any interest period; and

o             a minimum  numerical  interest rate  limitation,  or floor, on the
              rate of interest that accrues during any interest period.

In addition, the interest rate on a Floating Rate Note will never be higher than
the maximum rate  permitted by applicable  law,  including  United States law of
general application.

     The pricing supplement will indicate the record date for a Floating Rate
Note, and the designation of such record date shall be irrespective of whether
such day is a Business Day, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
pricing supplement.


     Date of Interest Rate Change.  The interest rate on each Floating Rate Note
may be reset daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly,  semi-annually,  annually or for
any other period  specified in the pricing  supplement.  The Interest Reset Date
will be:

o        for Floating Rate Notes which reset daily, each Business Day;

o for Floating  Rate Notes (other than  Treasury  Rate Notes) that reset weekly,
Wednesday of each week;

o        for Treasury Rate Notes that reset weekly, Tuesday of each week;

o    for Floating  Rate Notes that reset  monthly,  the third  Wednesday of each
     month;

o    for Floating Rate Notes that reset quarterly, the third Wednesday of March,
     June, September and December;

o             for  Floating  Rate  Notes  that  reset  semi-annually,  the third
              Wednesday of the two months  specified in the  applicable  pricing
              supplement;

o             for Floating Rate Notes that reset  annually,  the third Wednesday
              of the month specified in the applicable pricing supplement; and

o             for Floating Rate Notes which reset for other periods,  the day of
              the week and month or months  specified in the applicable  pricing
              supplement.

         The initial  interest  rate or interest  rate formula on each  Floating
Rate  Note  effective  until the first  Interest  Reset  Date will be shown in a
pricing supplement. Thereafter, the interest rate will be the rate determined on
the next  Interest  Determination  Date,  as  explained  below.  Each time a new
interest rate is determined, it will become effective on the subsequent Interest
Reset Date. If any Interest  Reset Date is not a Business Day, then the Interest
Reset Date will be postponed to the next Business Day. However, in the case of a
LIBOR Rate Note,  if the next Business Day is in the next  calendar  month,  the
Interest Reset Date will be the immediately  preceding Business Day. Further, if
an applicable  auction of Treasury Bills (as defined herein) falls on a day that
would otherwise be an Interest Reset Date for Treasury Rate Notes,  the Interest
Reset Date will be the next Business Day.

         When Interest Rate is Determined.  The Interest  Determination Date for
the Commercial Paper Rate (the "Commercial Paper Interest  Determination  Date")
and for LIBOR  (the  "LIBOR  Interest  Determination  Date")  will be the second
Business Day preceding each Interest Reset Date. The Interest Determination Date
for the Treasury Rate (the "Treasury Rate Interest  Determination Date") will be
the day on which Treasury Bills would normally be auctioned.  Treasury Bills are
usually  sold at  auction  on Monday of each  week,  unless  that day is a legal
holiday,  in which case the  auction is usually  held on Tuesday.  However,  the
auction  may be held  on the  preceding  Friday.  If an  auction  is held on the
preceding Friday, that day will be the Interest Determination Date pertaining to
the Interest Reset Date occurring in the next week.

         When Interest is Paid.  Interest on Floating Rate Notes will be payable
monthly,  quarterly,  semi-annually  or  annually,  as  provided  in the pricing
supplement.  Except as provided below or in the pricing supplement,  interest is
paid as follows:

o    for Floating  Rate Notes on which  interest is payable  monthly,  the third
     Wednesday of each month;

o             for Floating  Rate Notes on which  interest is payable  quarterly,
              the third Wednesday of March, June, September and December;

o             for   Floating   Rate   Notes  on  which   interest   is   payable
              semi-annually,  the third Wednesday of the two months specified in
              the applicable pricing supplement; and

o             for Floating Rate Notes on which interest is payable annually, the
              third Wednesday of the month  specified in the applicable  pricing
              supplement.

         The interest payable for Floating Rate Notes (other than those Floating
Rate Notes which reset daily or weekly)  will be the amount of interest  accrued
(1) from and including the date the  applicable  Floating Rate Notes were issued
or (2) from but excluding the last date for which interest has been paid, to but
excluding the Interest  Payment Date for those Floating Rate Notes. For Floating
Rate Notes which reset daily or weekly, the interest payable will be:

o             the amount of interest accrued (a) from and including the date the
              applicable  Floating  Rate  Notes  were  issued,  or (b)  from but
              excluding  the last date for which  interest has been paid, to and
              including the day  immediately  preceding  the  applicable
              Interest Payment Date; and

o             at maturity, the amount of interest accrued (a) from and including
              the date the  applicable  Floating  Rate Notes were  issued or (b)
              from but excluding the last date in respect of which  interest has
              been paid, to but  excluding the maturity date for those  Floating
              Rate Notes.

         The accrued  interest for any period is calculated by  multiplying  the
principal  amount of a Floating  Rate Note by an accrued  interest  factor.  The
accrued interest factor is computed by adding the interest factor calculated for
each day in the period  for which  accrued  interest  is being  calculated.  The
interest  factor  (expressed  as a decimal) is computed by dividing the interest
rate applicable to that date by 360,  except for Treasury Rate Notes,  for which
it will be divided by the actual number of days in the year.

         "Calculation  Date"  means the  tenth  calendar  day after an  Interest
Determination Date or, if the tenth day is not a Business Day, the next Business
Day. Unless otherwise provided in the pricing  supplement,  First Union National
Bank is the "Calculation  Agent" for the Floating Rate Notes,  and, upon request
of any holder of a Floating  Rate Note,  will provide (1) the interest rate then
in effect and (2) if  available,  the interest  rate to be effective on the next
Interest Reset Date for that Floating Rate Note.

         Commercial Paper Rate Notes.  Each Commercial Paper Rate Note will bear
interest at the rate (calculated with reference to the Commercial Paper Rate and
the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier,  if any) specified in that Commercial Paper
Rate Note and in the pricing supplement.

         "Commercial  Paper Rate" means,  with respect to any  Commercial  Paper
Rate  Interest  Determination  Date,  the  Money  Market  Yield  (calculated  as
described  below) on such date of the rate for commercial paper having the Index
Maturity  specified  in  the  applicable  pricing  supplement  as  published  in
H.15(519) under the heading "Commercial Paper-Nonfinancial."

         The  following  procedures  will  occur  if the rate  cannot  be set as
described above:

o             If the  applicable  rate  is not  published  by 3:00  P.M.  on the
              Calculation Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate will be the Money
              Market Yield, on that Commercial Paper Rate Interest Determination
              Date, of the rate for  commercial  paper having the Index Maturity
              specified in the  applicable  pricing  supplement  as published in
              H.15 Daily Update  (defined  below) under the heading  "Commercial
              Paper - Non-Financial," or any successor heading.

o             If the  applicable  rate is not  published in either  H.15(519) or
              H.15 Daily Update by 3:00 P.M. on such Calculation  Date, then the
              Commercial Paper Rate will be calculated by the Calculation  Agent
              and will be the Money  Market  Yield of the average of the offered
              rates, as of  approximately  11:00 A.M. on that  Commercial  Paper
              Rate Interest  Determination  Date,  of three  leading  dealers of
              commercial   paper  in  New  York,  New  York,   selected  by  the
              Calculation  Agent for commercial  paper of the  applicable  Index
              Maturity  placed for a  non-financial  issuer whose bond rating is
              "AA," or the equivalent,  from a nationally recognized statistical
              rating agency.

o             If the dealers  selected by the Calculation  Agent are not quoting
              rates as set forth above,  the Commercial Paper Rate in effect for
              the applicable period will be the Commercial Paper Rate determined
              as of the  immediately  preceding  Commercial  Paper Rate Interest
              Determination Date.

         LIBOR Rate Notes.  Each LIBOR Rate Note will bear  interest at the rate
(calculated with reference to LIBOR and the Spread and/or Spread Multiplier,  if
any) specified on the LIBOR Rate Note and in the pricing supplement,  determined
by the Calculation Agent as follows:

         The Calculation Agent will determine LIBOR as follows:

o With  respect  to  any  LIBOR  Interest  Determination  Date,  LIBOR  will  be
determined by either:

                  (1) if "LIBOR Reuters" is specified in the pricing supplement,
              the average of the offered  rates for  deposits in the  Designated
              LIBOR  Currency  having  the  Index  Maturity   specified  in  the
              applicable  pricing  supplement,  beginning on the second Business
              Day immediately  after that date, that appears on the Reuters Page
              as of 11:00  A.M.,  London  time,  on that  date,  if at least two
              offered rates appear on the Reuters Page, or

                  (2)  if  "LIBOR   Telerate"   is   specified  in  the  pricing
              supplement, the rate for deposits in the Designated LIBOR Currency
              having the Index  Maturity  specified  in the  applicable  pricing
              supplement, beginning on the second Business Day immediately after
              that date,  that  appears on the  Telerate  Page as of 11:00 A.M.,
              London time, on that date.

              If neither  LIBOR  Reuters nor LIBOR  Telerate is specified in the
              pricing supplement,  LIBOR will be determined as if LIBOR Telerate
              (and, if the U.S. dollar is the Designated  LIBOR  Currency,  page
              3750) had been specified.

o             In the case where (1) above  applies,  if fewer  than two  offered
              rates appear on the Reuters Page,  or, in the case where (2) above
              applies,  if no rate appears on the Telerate Page,  LIBOR for that
              date will be determined as follows:

     (1)  LIBOR will be  determined  based on the rates at  approximately  11:00
          A.M., London time, on that LIBOR Interest  Determination Date at which
          deposits in the Designated  LIBOR Currency having the applicable Index
          Maturity are offered to prime banks in the London  interbank market by
          four  major  banks in the  London  interbank  market  selected  by the
          Calculation Agent for a single transaction in that market at that time
          (a  "Representative  Amount").  The  offered  rates  must begin on the
          second   Business   Day   immediately   after  that   LIBOR   Interest
          Determination Date.

     (2)  The Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each
          of the four banks  mentioned  aboveto provide a quotation of its rate.
          If at least two such  quotations  are  provided,  LIBOR will equal the
          average of such quotations.

     (3)  If fewer  than two  quotations  are  provided,  LIBOR  will  equal the
          average  of the  rates  quoted  as of 11:00  A.M on that date by three
          major banks in the applicable  Principal  Financial Center selected by
          the Calculation  Agent.  The rates will be for loans in the Designated
          LIBOR Currency to leading banks having the Index Maturity specified in
          the pricing supplement beginning on the second Business Day after that
          date and in a Representative Amount; and

     (4)  If the banks are not quoting as  mentioned  in (3) above,  the rate of
          interest in effect for the  applicable  period will be the same as the
          rate of interest in effect for the prior Interest Reset Period.

         "Designated  LIBOR Currency" means, with respect to any LIBOR Note, the
currency  (including  composite  currency  units),  if  any,  designated  in the
applicable   pricing  supplement  as  the  currency  for  which  LIBOR  will  be
calculated. If no such currency is designated in the Floating Rate Notes and the
applicable  pricing  supplement,  the  Designated  LIBOR  Currency shall be U.S.
dollars.

         Treasury Rate Notes.  Each Treasury Rate Note will bear interest at the
rate  (calculated  with  reference  to the Treasury  Rate and the Spread  and/or
Spread  Multiplier,  if any)  specified  on the  Treasury  Rate  Note and in the
pricing supplement.

         "Treasury  Rate"  means,  with respect to any  Treasury  Rate  Interest
Determination  Date,  the rate  applicable to the most recent  auction of direct
obligations  of the United States  ("Treasury  Bills") having the Index Maturity
specified  in the  applicable  pricing  supplement  on  the  display  on  Bridge
Telerate,  Inc.  (or any  successor  service) on page 56 or 57 under the heading
"AVGE INVEST YIELD."

         The  following  procedures  will  occur  if the rate  cannot  be set as
described above:

o             If that  rate is not  published  by 3:00  P.M.  on the  applicable
              Calculation  Date,  the  rate  will be the  auction  average  rate
              (expressed as a bond equivalent,  on the basis of a year of 365 or
              366 days,  as  applicable,  and applied on a daily basis) for such
              auction as otherwise  announced by the United States Department of
              the Treasury.

o             If the  results  of the  auction  of  Treasury  Bills  having  the
              applicable  Index  Maturity  are not reported by 3:00 P.M. on such
              Calculation  Date,  or if no such  auction is held in a particular
              week,   then  the  Treasury   Rate  shall  be  calculated  by  the
              Calculation Agent as follows:

                  (1) The  rate  shall  be  calculated  as a yield  to  maturity
              (expressed  as a bond  equivalent on the basis of a year of 365 or
              366 days,  as  applicable,  and  applied on a daily  basis) of the
              average of the  secondary  market bid rates,  as of  approximately
              3:30 P.M. on such Treasury Rate  Interest  Determination  Date, of
              three leading primary United States government  securities dealers
              selected by the Calculation  Agent for the issue of Treasury Bills
              with a remaining maturity closest to the specified Index Maturity;
              and

                  (2) If fewer than three dealers are quoting as mentioned,  the
              rate of interest in effect for the  applicable  period will be the
              rate of interest in effect for the prior interest reset period.

Redemptions

         Redemption Elected by Us

         As specified in the applicable  pricing  supplement,  we may either (1)
redeem the Notes or (2) not redeem the Notes, prior to their stated maturity. If
we can redeem the Notes, then the following terms will apply as specified in the
applicable pricing supplement:

     o    we may redeem all or some of the Notes at one time;

     o    we may  redeem  Notes on any date or after the date  specified  as the
          "Initial Redemption Date" in the applicable pricing supplement; and

     o    we may redeem Notes at the price  specified in the applicable  pricing
          supplement,  together with accrued  interest to the  redemption  date.
          (Section 10.1)

         If we  redeem  some or all of the  Notes,  we  must,  unless  otherwise
specified in the applicable pricing  supplement,  notify the Trustee at least 60
days before the redemption  date, and the Trustee must notify you between 30 and
60 days before the redemption date (by first-class  mail,  postage prepaid) that
some or all of the Notes will be redeemed.  (Sections 10.2 and 10.4) Further, if
only a part of a Note is  redeemed,  then the holder of the  unredeemed  part of
that Note will receive one or more new Notes.  (Section 10.7) The Notes will not
be subject to any sinking fund. (Section 11.1)

         Redemption Elected by You

         You may be able to  instruct  us to  purchase  the  Note  that you hold
before that Note reaches its stated maturity date,  pursuant to the terms of the
Notes.  (Section  3.1) If you can  elect  for us to  redeem  some or all of your
Notes, the applicable  pricing  supplement will specify (1) the date or dates on
which  that Note may be sold by you and (2) the price  (plus  accrued  interest)
that we must pay you for that Note.

         To instruct us to purchase  your Note,  you must  deliver to the paying
agent (currently,  the Trustee), between 30 and 45 days before the date on which
the Note may be sold by you, the following items:

     o    the Note;

     o    the completed form entitled  "Option to Elect Repayment" which will be
          printed on the reverse side of the Note; and

     o    a fax or letter from (1) a member of a national  securities  exchange,
          (2) a member of the National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc.
          or  (3) a  U.S.  commercial  bank  or  trust  company  containing  the
          following information:

                  (a)    your name;

                  (b)    the principal amount of the Note you wish to sell;

                  (c) the  certificate  number or a description of the tenor and
terms of that Note;

                  (d) a statement that you are  exercising  your option to elect
              repayment of the Note you hold; and

                  (e) a guarantee  that the Note and the completed  form will be
              received by the paying agent within five  Business  Days after the
              date the fax or letter is received by the paying agent.

         Once you tender the Note to be  redeemed to the paying  agent,  you may
not revoke your earlier  election.  You may instruct us to purchase  part of the
Notes  you  hold,  provided  that the  Notes you  continue  to hold  after  that
redemption  are  outstanding  in an  authorized  denomination  of $1,000  and an
integral multiple of $1,000.

         If a series of Notes is held in book-entry  form by DTC or its nominee,
as more particularly  described under the heading  "Book-Entry  System," only it
(as the actual  holder of the Notes) may  instruct us to purchase  those  Notes.
However,  you, as the  beneficial  owner of the Notes,  may direct the broker or
other direct or indirect  participant  through which you hold an interest in the
Notes to notify DTC of your desire to have your Notes  purchased  (which will in
turn notify us according to the above-mentioned  procedures).  Because different
firms and brokers have different  cut-off times for accepting  instructions from
their  customers,  you should  consult  your broker or other  direct or indirect
participant through which you hold an interest in the Notes to determine by when
you must act, so that timely notice is delivered to DTC.

         At  any  time,  we may  purchase  the  Notes  or  beneficial  ownership
interests in the Notes (if they are held in book-entry form) at any price in the
open market or otherwise. In our sole discretion,  we may hold, resell or retire
any Notes or beneficial ownership interests in those Notes that we purchase.

Defaults, The Trustee

         The  following are defaults  under the  Indenture  with respect to debt
securities issued under the Indenture:

         (1)    We  fail to make  payment  of  interest  or  certain  additional
                amounts  on the  debt  securities  when  due  (if  such  default
                continues for 30 days);

         (2)    We fail to make  payment of  principal  or  premium  (if any) or
                deposit  any  mandatory   sinking  fund  payment  for  the  debt
                securities when due;

         (3)    We  file  for  bankruptcy  or  certain  other  events  involving
                insolvency, receivership or bankruptcy occur; and

         (4) We fail to perform certain covenants or default under certain other
agreements.

Certain of these  events  become  defaults  only  after the lapse of  prescribed
periods of time and/or notice from the Trustee. (Section 5.1)

     Upon the occurrence of a default under the Indenture, either the Trustee or
the  holder  of at  least  33 1/3%  in  principal  amount  of  outstanding  debt
securities  of the  affected  series may  declare the  principal  of and accrued
interest,  if  any,  on all  outstanding  debt  securities  immediately  due and
payable.  However,  if the  default  is cured,  the  holders  of a  majority  in
principal  amount of  outstanding  debt  securities  of the affected  series may
rescind  that  declaration  and  annul  the  declaration  and its  consequences.
(Section 5.2)

     The  holders  of  a  majority  in  principal  amount  of  outstanding  debt
securities  of the  affected  series may  direct  the time,  method and place of
conducting any proceeding  for any remedy  available  under the Indenture to the
Trustee or  exercising  any trust or power  conferred on it with respect to debt
securities of that series. (Section 5.8)

     No holder of any debt security of any series has the right to institute any
proceeding with respect to the Indenture unless:

     o    the holder  previously gave written notice of a continuing  default to
          the Trustee,

     o    the holders of at least 25% in principal  amount of  outstanding  debt
          securities of the affected  series request in writing that the Trustee
          take action and tender to the  Trustee  reasonable  indemnity  against
          costs and liabilities,

     o    the Trustee declines to take action for 60 days thereafter, and

     o    during such  60-day  period,  the  holders of a majority in  principal
          amount of outstanding  debt  securities of the affected series give no
          direction inconsistent with such written request;

     provided,  however,  that  each  holder of a Note  shall  have the right to
enforce payment of that Note when due. (Sections 5.9 and 5.10)

         The  Trustee  must  notify the  holders of the debt  securities  of any
series within 90 days after a default with respect to those debt  securities has
occurred,  unless that default has been cured or waived, but, except in the case
of a default in the payment of principal  of,  premium (if any),  or interest or
other amount payable on any debt  security,  the Trustee may withhold the notice
if it determines  that it is in the interest of those holders to do so. (Section
6.6)

         We are required under the Trust  Indenture Act of 1939, as amended,  to
furnish  to the  Trustee  at  least  once  every  year a  certificate  as to our
compliance with the conditions and covenants under the Indenture.
(Section 9.7)

Covenants, Consolidation, Merger, Etc.

         Except  as  described  in the  next  paragraph,  we will  maintain  our
corporate  existence,  rights and  franchises  necessary to conduct our business
properly.  However,  we are not required to preserve (a) the corporate existence
of any of our  subsidiaries  or (b) any such right or  franchise if we determine
that its  preservation  is not  desirable  in the conduct of our business or its
loss is not  disadvantageous  in any  material  respect  to the  holders  of the
outstanding debt securities of any series. (Section 9.4)

         Notwithstanding  the provisions of the Indenture  described in the next
paragraph,  we may not  consolidate  or merge with or into, or transfer or lease
all or substantially  all of our assets to, another entity,  unless:  (1) we are
the continuing  corporation,  or, if not, the successor  entity (a) is organized
and  existing  under the laws of the  United  States,  any state  thereof or the
District of Columbia and (b) assumes by a supplemental indenture our obligations
under the Indenture and (2) immediately  after giving effect to such transaction
there will be no continuing default under the Indenture. (Section 7.1)

         Limitations on Liens

         The  Indenture  provides  that we will  not,  and will not  permit  any
subsidiary to, incur,  assume,  or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money
secured  by  a  mortgage,   pledge,  lien,  charge,  security  interest,   trust
arrangement,  conditional  sale, or other title  retention  agreement,  or other
encumbrance of any nature whatsoever (referred to in this prospectus as "liens")
on any property, if the sum, without duplication, of (a) the aggregate principal
amount of all secured debt and (b) all Attributable  Debt (as defined herein) in
respect of sale and leaseback transactions (other than certain excluded sale and
leaseback  transactions) exceeds 15% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets (as
defined  herein),  unless we provide  that the debt  securities  will be secured
equally and ratably with (or, at our option,  prior to) such secured  debt.  The
provisions  described in the preceding  sentence do not apply to, and there will
be excluded in  computing  the  aggregate  amount of secured debt for purpose of
such restriction, indebtedness secured by the following liens:

     o    Liens existing as of the date of the Indenture;

     o    Liens relating to a contract that was entered into by us or any of our
          subsidiaries prior to the date of the Indenture;

     o    Liens  on any  property  existing  at the time of  acquisition  of the
          property  (whether  the  acquisition  is direct or by  acquisition  of
          stock,  assets,  or  otherwise)  by us or  any  of  our  subsidiaries,
          provided that those liens do not extend to or cover any property other
          than the property being acquired and fixed  improvements then or later
          erected on the property;

     o    Liens on or relating to any property,  including  any contract  rights
          relating  to  the  property,  acquired,  constructed,  refurbished  or
          improved by us or any of our  subsidiaries,  including but not limited
          to  liens  to  secure  all or any  part of the  cost of  construction,
          alteration,  or repair of any building,  equipment,  facility or other
          improvement  on,  all or any  part of  such  property,  including  any
          pipeline financing, after the date of the Indenture which are created,
          incurred or assumed:

                  (1)  contemporaneously  with,  or within 360 days  after,  the
              latest to occur of the  acquisition  (whether  by  acquisition  of
              stock,   assets  or   otherwise),   completion  of   construction,
              refurbishment,  or improvement,  or the commencement of commercial
              operation,  of the property  (or, in the case of liens on contract
              rights,  the completion of  construction,  or the  commencement of
              commercial  operation of the facility to which the contract rights
              relate,  regardless  of the date  when the  contract  was  entered
              into),

                  (2) to secure or  provide  for the  payment of any part of the
              purchase  price of the  property or the cost of the  construction,
              refurbishment, or improvement;

              provided,  however,  that  in the  case of any  such  acquisition,
              construction,  refurbishment, or improvement, the lien will relate
              only  to   indebtedness   reasonably   incurred   to  finance  the
              acquisition, construction,  refurbishment, or improvement and will
              not  extend  to  cover  any  other   property   other  than  fixed
              improvements then or later existing on the property;

     o    Liens  securing  indebtedness  owing by any subsidiary to us or to any
          other subsidiary of ours;

     o    Liens in  connection  with the sale or other  transfer in the ordinary
          course of  business of (1) crude oil,  natural  gas,  other  petroleum
          hydrocarbons,  or other  minerals in place for a period of time until,
          or in an amount such that,  the  purchaser  or other  transferee  will
          realize  a  specified  amount  of  money  (however  determined)  or  a
          specified  amount  of the  minerals,  or (2)  any  other  interest  in
          property  of  the  character  commonly  referred  to as a  "production
          payment;"

     o    Liens on current assets to secure any indebtedness maturing (including
          any extensions or renewals of the indebtedness) not more than one year
          from the date of the creation of such lien; and

     o    Liens for the sole  purpose of  extending,  renewing,  or replacing in
          whole or in part the indebtedness  secured by the liens referred to in
          each  of the  bullet  points  above,  inclusive,  or in  this  clause;
          provided,  however,  that the liens  excluded  pursuant to this clause
          will be excluded only in an amount not to exceed the principal  amount
          of  indebtedness  secured at the time of the  extension,  renewal,  or
          replacement, and that such extension,  renewal, or replacement will be
          limited to all or part of the property  subject to the lien  extended,
          renewed, or replaced (plus refurbishment of, or improvements on or to,
          the property).

         "Attributable  Debt" means,  as to a lease under which any person is at
the time  liable  that is  required  to be  classified  and  accounted  for as a
Capitalized Lease Obligation on a person's balance sheet under GAAP, at any date
as of which the amount of the Attributable  Debt is to be determined,  the total
net amount of rent required to be paid by that person under the lease during the
remaining primary term of the lease, discounted from the respective due dates of
the rent to be paid to that date at the annual rate equal to the  interest  rate
implicit  in the  lease.  The net amount of rent  required  to be paid under the
lease for that period  will be the  aggregate  amount of rent  payable by lessee
with  respect to that  period  after  excluding  amounts  required to be paid on
account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments,  water rates,
and similar expenses, or any amount required to be paid by the lessee thereunder
contingent on the amount of revenues (or other similar contingent  amounts).  In
the case of any lease that is  terminable  by the lessee  upon the  payment of a
penalty, the net amount will also include the amount of the penalty, but no rent
will be  considered  as required to be paid under the lease after the first date
on  which  it  may  be  so  terminated.  Notwithstanding  the  above,  the  term
Attributable  Debt  excludes  any  amounts  relating  to any sale and  leaseback
transaction  which we or a  subsidiary  of ours is  permitted  to enter  into in
accordance with the provisions described in the second and third sentences under
the caption "Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions."

         "Capitalized  Lease  Obligation"  means, as applied to any person,  the
rental obligation,  as described above, under any lease of any property (whether
real, personal, or mixed) the discounted present value of the rental obligations
of that person as lessee under which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be
capitalized on the balance sheet of that person.

         "Consolidated  Net Tangible Assets" means, with respect to us as of any
date, our total assets as they appear on our most recently prepared consolidated
balance sheet as of the end of a fiscal quarter,  less (1) all liabilities shown
on the  consolidated  balance  sheet that are  classified  and  accounted for as
current  liabilities or that otherwise would be considered  current  liabilities
under GAAP; and (2) all assets shown on the consolidated  balance sheet that are
classified and accounted for as our intangible assets or that otherwise would be
considered  intangible  assets  under  GAAP,   including,   without  limitation,
franchises, licenses, patents and patent applications,  trademarks, brand names,
and goodwill.

         "GAAP" means  generally  accepted  accounting  principles in the United
States in effect on the date of application.

         Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

         Pursuant to the Indenture,  neither we nor any of our  subsidiaries may
enter into,  assume,  guarantee,  or otherwise become liable with respect to any
direct or  indirect  arrangement  with any  person  or to which any  person is a
party,  providing for the leasing to us or a subsidiary of ours of any property,
whether  owned at the date of the  Indenture or acquired  afterwards,  which has
been or is to be sold or  transferred  by us or the subsidiary to that person or
to any other  person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by the person
on the security of the property  (referred to in this  prospectus as a "sale and
leaseback  transaction")  involving any property,  if the latest to occur of the
acquisition,  the completion of construction,  or the commencement of commercial
operation of the  property  will have  occurred  more than 180 days prior to any
such  action,  unless  after  giving  effect  to that  action  the sum,  without
duplication,  of  (a)  the  aggregate  principal  amount  of  all  secured  debt
(excluding  indebtedness secured by the liens described in the exclusions to the
restriction  contained in the first sentence under "Limitations on Liens" above)
and (b) all Attributable  Debt relating to sale and leaseback  transactions does
not exceed 15% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

o             This  restriction  will  not  apply  to  any  sale  and  leaseback
              transaction  if,  within 180 days from the  effective  date of the
              sale and  leaseback  transaction,  we or the  subsidiary  apply an
              amount not less than the greater of:

     (a)  either the net proceeds of the sale of the property leased pursuant to
          the arrangement, or

     (b)  the fair  value,  in the  opinion  of our Board of  Directors,  of the
          property to retire its Funded Debt,  including,  for this purpose, any
          currently  maturing  portion of the Funded Debt, or to purchase  other
          property  having a fair value at least  equal to the fair value of the
          property leased in the sale and leaseback transaction.

     o    This  restriction  also  does not  apply  to any  sale  and  leaseback
          transaction:

          (x)  between us and any subsidiary or between any subsidiaries,

          (y)  entered into prior to the date of the Indenture, or

          (z)  for which,  at the time the transaction is entered into, the term
               of the related lease to us or the subsidiary of the property sold
               pursuant to the transaction is three years or less.

         "Funded  Debt"  means  all  indebtedness  for  borrowed  money  owed or
guaranteed by us or any of our  subsidiaries and any other  indebtedness  which,
under GAAP, would appear as indebtedness on our most recent consolidated balance
sheet,  which  matures  by its terms  more  than 12 months  from the date of the
consolidated  balance sheet or which matures by its terms in less than 12 months
but by its terms is  renewable or  extendible  beyond 12 months from the date of
the consolidated balance sheet at the option of the borrower.

Modification, Waiver and Meetings

         We  may,  without  the  consent  of any  holders  of  outstanding  debt
securities,  enter  into  supplemental  indentures  with  the  Trustee  for  the
following purposes:

o    to add to our  covenants  for the benefit of the Holders or to  surrender a
     right or power conferred upon us in the Indenture,

o    to secure the debt securities,

o    to establish the form or terms of any series of debt securities, or

o    to  make  certain  other  modifications,  generally  of  a  ministerial  or
     immaterial nature. (Section 8.1)

         We may amend the Indenture for other  purposes only with the consent of
the holders of a majority in principal amount of each adversely  affected series
of outstanding debt securities.  However, we may not amend the Indenture without
the consent of the holder of each  affected  outstanding  debt  security for the
following purposes:

o             to change the stated  maturity of the principal of or premium,  if
              any, or any  installment  of principal  of or premium,  if any, or
              interest on, any debt security or to reduce the  principal  amount
              of, the interest rate of, or any premium payable on the redemption
              of, any debt security;

o             to reduce the principal  amount of any debt  security  which is an
              original  issue  discount  security  that  would  be  due  upon  a
              declaration of acceleration of that security's maturity;

o             to change the  currency in which any debt  security or any premium
              or  the  interest  thereon  is  payable,   to  change  the  index,
              securities or  commodities  with reference to which or the formula
              by which the amount of  principal  of or any  premium or  interest
              thereon is determined;

o             to impair the right to institute  suit for the  enforcement of any
              payment on or with respect to any debt  security  after the stated
              maturity or redemption date of that debt security;

o             to reduce the percentage in principal  amount of outstanding  debt
              securities  of any series for which the  consent of the holders is
              required to modify or amend the  Indenture or to waive  compliance
              with certain provisions of the Indenture, or reduce certain quorum
              or voting requirements of the Indenture;

o             to change our  obligation  to  maintain an office or agency in the
              places and for the  purposes  specified in the  provisions  of the
              Indenture described in "Payment of Notes" above; or

o    to  modify  the  foregoing   requirements   or  reduce  the  percentage  of
     outstanding debt securities  necessary to waive any past default.  (Section
     8.2)

         Except with respect to certain fundamental provisions, the holders of a
majority in principal  amount of outstanding  debt  securities of any series may
waive past defaults with respect to that series. (Section 5.7)

Notices

         Notices to holders of the Notes will be given by mail to the  addresses
of such  holders  as they  appear in the  register  maintained  by the  Trustee.
(Section 1.6)

Defeasance

         If we deposit with the Trustee,  money,  governmental  obligations or a
combination  thereof,  sufficient to pay, when due, the  principal,  premium (if
any) and interest due on the Notes,  then we will be discharged from any and all
obligations with respect to the Notes, except for certain continuing obligations
to register  the  transfer or  exchange  of those debt  securities,  to maintain
paying agencies and to hold moneys for payment in trust.
(Sections 4.4, 4.6 and 4.7)




Governing Law

     The Indenture and the debt  securities will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (Section 1.11)


                                Book-Entry System

         If provided in the  applicable  pricing  supplement,  except  under the
circumstances  described  below,  we will issue the Notes as one or more  global
Notes (each a "Global Note"), each of which will represent  beneficial interests
in the  Notes.  Each  such  beneficial  interest  in a Global  Note is  called a
"Book-Entry  Note" in this prospectus.  We will deposit those Global Notes with,
or on behalf of The  Depository  Trust  Company,  New York,  New York ("DTC") or
another depository which we subsequently  designate (the "Depository")  relating
to the Notes, and register them in the name of a nominee of the Depository.

         So long as the Depository, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a
Global  Note,  the  Depository  or its  nominee,  as the  case  may be,  will be
considered  the owner of that Global Note for all purposes  under the Indenture.
We will make payments of principal  of, any premium,  and interest on the Global
Note to the  Depository  or its nominee,  as the case may be, as the  registered
owner of that Global  Note.  Except as set forth  below,  owners of a beneficial
interest  in a Global Note will not be  entitled  to have any  individual  Notes
registered in their names,  will not receive or be entitled to receive  physical
delivery of any Notes and will not be  considered  the owners of Notes under the
Indenture.

         Accordingly,  to exercise any of the rights of the registered owners of
the Notes, each person holding a beneficial  interest in a Global Note must rely
on the procedures of the Depository.  If that person is not a Direct Participant
(hereinafter  defined),  then that  person must also rely on  procedures  of the
Direct Participant through which that person holds its interest.

         DTC

         The following information  concerning DTC and its book-entry system has
been  obtained  from sources that we believe to be reliable,  but neither we nor
any underwriter,  dealer or agent takes any  responsibility  for the accuracy of
that information.

         DTC will act as the initial securities depository for the Global Notes.
The Global Notes will be issued only as fully-registered  securities  registered
in the name of Cede & Co., DTC's partnership  nominee, or such other name as may
be requested by an authorized  representative of DTC. One fully-registered  Note
certificate  will be issued for each issue of the Notes,  each in the  aggregate
principal amount of such issue, and will be deposited with DTC or its custodian.

         DTC is a  limited-purpose  trust company  organized  under the New York
Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking
Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the
meaning  of the New  York  Uniform  Commercial  Code,  and a  "clearing  agency"
registered  pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. DTC holds securities that its participants ("Direct  Participants")
deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among Direct  Participants
of  securities  transactions,  such  as  transfers  and  pledges,  in  deposited
securities  through  electronic   computerized   book-entry  changes  in  Direct
Participants'  accounts,  thereby  eliminating the need for physical movement of
securities  certificates.  Direct  Participants  include  securities brokers and
dealers,  banks,  trust  companies,  clearing  corporations,  and certain  other
organizations.  DTC is owned by a number of its Direct  Participants  and by The
New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange LLC, and the National
Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  Access  to the DTC  system  is also
available to others such as  securities  brokers and dealers,  banks,  and trust
companies that clear through or maintain a custodial  relationship with a Direct
Participant, either directly or indirectly ("Indirect Participants").  The Rules
applicable to DTC and its Direct and Indirect  Participants are on file with the
SEC.

         Purchases  of the Notes under the DTC system must be made by or through
Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Notes on DTC's records.
The ownership interest of the actual purchaser of each Note ("Beneficial Owner")
is in turn to be  recorded  on the Direct and  Indirect  Participants'  records.
Beneficial  Owners  will  not  receive  written  confirmation  from DTC of their
purchase,  but Beneficial  Owners are expected to receive written  confirmations
providing  details of the transaction,  as well as periodic  statements of their
holdings,  from the Direct or Indirect  Participant through which the Beneficial
Owner  entered into the  transaction.  Transfers  of ownership  interests in the
Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Participants acting
on behalf of Beneficial Owners.  Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates
representing  their ownership  interests in the Notes,  except in the event that
use of the book-entry system for the Notes is discontinued.

         To  facilitate  subsequent  transfers,  all Notes  deposited  by Direct
Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC's  partnership  nominee,
Cede & Co., or such other name as requested by an authorized  representative  of
DTC. The deposit of Notes with DTC and their  registration in the name of Cede &
Co. or such other nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership.  DTC
has no knowledge of the actual  Beneficial  Owners of the Notes;  DTC's  records
reflect  only the identity of the Direct  Participants  to whose  accounts  such
Notes are credited,  which may or may not be the Beneficial  Owners.  The Direct
and Indirect  Participants will remain  responsible for keeping account of their
holdings on behalf of their customers.

         Conveyance  of  notices  and  other  communications  by DTC  to  Direct
Participants,  by Direct  Participants to Indirect  Participants,  and by Direct
Participants and Indirect  Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by
arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory  requirements as
may be in effect from time to time.  Beneficial Owners of Notes may wish to take
certain steps to augment  transmission to them of notices of significant  events
with respect to the Notes, such as redemptions,  tenders,  defaults and proposed
amendments  to the security  documents.  Beneficial  Owners of Notes may wish to
ascertain  that the nominee  holding  the Notes for their  benefit has agreed to
obtain  and  transmit  notices  to  Beneficial  Owners,  or in the  alternative,
Beneficial Owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the registrar
and request that copies of the notices be provided directly to them.

         Redemption  notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the Notes
within an issue are being  redeemed,  DTC's  practice is to determine by lot the
amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed.

         Neither DTC nor Cede & Co., nor such other DTC nominee, will consent or
vote with respect to the Notes. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an omnibus
proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns
Cede & Co.'s  consenting or voting rights to those Direct  Participants to whose
accounts  the Notes are  credited  on the record date  (identified  in a listing
attached to the omnibus proxy).

         Principal and interest payments on the Notes will be made to Cede & Co.
or such other  nominee as may be requested by an  authorized  representative  of
DTC.  DTC's  practice is to credit  Direct  Participants'  accounts,  upon DTC's
receipt of funds and corresponding detail from us or the Trustee on the relevant
payment  date in  accordance  with  their  respective  holdings  shown  on DTC's
records.  Payments  by  Participants  to  Beneficial  Owners will be governed by
standing  instructions and customary  practices,  as is the case with securities
held for the  accounts  of  customers  in bearer form or  registered  in "street
name," and will be the  responsibility  of such  Participant and not of DTC (nor
its  nominee),  the  Trustee  or us,  subject  to any  statutory  or  regulatory
requirements  as may be in effect from time to time.  Payment of  principal  and
interest  to  Cede & Co.,  or  such  other  nominee  as may be  requested  by an
authorized  representative of DTC, is our responsibility or that of the Trustee.
Disbursement of such payments to Direct  Participants is the  responsibility  of
DTC, and  disbursement  of such payments to the  Beneficial  Owners shall be the
responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

         A  Beneficial  Owner  shall  give  notice  to elect  to have its  Notes
purchased or tendered by us, through its  Participant,  to the Trustee and shall
effect delivery of such Notes by causing the Direct  Participant to transfer the
Participant's  interest in the Notes,  on DTC's  records,  to the  Trustee.  The
requirement  for  physical  delivery  of Notes in  connection  with a demand for
repayment will be deemed  satisfied  when the ownership  rights in the Notes are
transferred by Direct Participants on DTC's records and followed by a book-entry
credit of tendered Notes to the Trustee's DTC account.

         DTC may  discontinue  providing its services as  securities  depository
with respect to the Notes at any time by giving  reasonable  notice to us or the
Trustee.  Under such  circumstances,  in the event that a  successor  securities
depository  is not  obtained,  Notes in  certificated  form are  required  to be
printed and  delivered.  In addition,  we may decide to  discontinue  use of the
system of book-entry transfers through DTC or a successor securities depository.
In that event, Notes in certificated form will be printed and delivered.

         Neither we nor the Trustee will have any  responsibility  or obligation
to the Depository,  any  Participant in the book-entry  system or any Beneficial
Owner with respect to (1) the accuracy of any records  maintained  by DTC or any
Participant;  (2) the payment by DTC or by any  Participant of any amount due to
any Participant or Beneficial Owner,  respectively,  in respect of the principal
amount or purchase price or redemption  price of, or interest on, any Notes; (3)
the delivery of any notice by DTC or any  Participant;  (4) the selection of the
Beneficial  Owners to receive payment in the event of any partial  redemption of
the Notes; or (5) any other action taken by DTC or any Participant.


                              Plan of Distribution

         We are  offering  the Notes on a  continuous  basis  through the agents
named on the cover of this prospectus or the applicable  pricing supplement (the
"Agents"), who have agreed to use reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of the
Notes.  Initial  purchasers may propose certain terms of the Notes,  but we will
have the sole right to accept offers to purchase  Notes and may reject  proposed
purchases  in whole or in part.  Each  Agent  will also have the  right,  in its
discretion reasonably exercised and without notice to us, to reject any proposed
purchase  of Notes in whole  or in  part.  We will pay each  Agent a  commission
ranging from .125% to .750% of the  principal  amount of Notes sold through such
Agent,  depending upon stated maturity or the effective  maturity as dictated by
combinations  of options or other  provisions  found in the  applicable  pricing
supplement.

         We may sell Notes  directly to  investors  on our own behalf.  In these
cases,  no commission or discount will be paid or allowed.  In addition,  we may
accept offers from additional agents for the sale of particular Notes;  provided
that any such  solicitation  and sale of Notes  shall be on terms  substantially
similar,  including the same  commission  schedule,  as agreed to by the Agents.
Such additional agents will be named in the applicable pricing supplement.

         We may also  sell  Notes to  Agents  as  principals.  Unless  otherwise
specified in the  applicable  pricing  supplement,  any Note sold to an Agent as
principal  will  be  purchased  by the  Agent  at a price  equal  to 100% of the
principal amount thereof,  less a percentage equal to the commission  applicable
to an agency trade of identical stated maturity. Notes may be resold by an Agent
to investors or other purchasers from time to time in one or more  transactions,
including  negotiated  transactions,  at a fixed  public  offering  price  or at
varying  prices  determined  by the Agent at the time of sale, or may be sold to
certain dealers as described  below.  After the initial public offering of Notes
to be resold to investors or other purchasers, the public offering price (in the
case of Notes to be  resold  at a fixed  offering  price),  the  concession  and
discount may be changed. In addition,  any Agent may sell Notes to any dealer at
a discount and, unless otherwise  specified in an applicable pricing supplement,
such discount  allowed to any dealer will not be in excess of the discount to be
received by the Agent from us.

         No Note will have an established  trading market when issued. The Notes
will not be listed on any securities  exchange.  The Agents may make a market in
the Notes,  but the Agents are not  obligated to do so and may  discontinue  any
market-making  at any  time  without  notice.  There  can be no  assurance  of a
secondary market for any Notes, or that the Notes will be sold.

         Each Agent,  whether acting as agent or principal,  may be deemed to be
an  "underwriter"  within the meaning of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the  "Securities  Act"). We have agreed to indemnify each Agent against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to
payments that the Agents may be required to make in respect thereof. Each of the
Agents and certain of their affiliates  engage in transactions  with and perform
services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.


                                     Experts

         The consolidated  financial  statements  incorporated by reference from
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  September 30, 1999, have been
audited by Arthur Andersen LLP,  independent  public  accountants,  as stated in
their report,  which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus and is so
incorporated  in reliance  upon the  authority of said firm as experts in giving
said reports.


                              Validity of the Notes

         McNair Law Firm,  P.A.,  of  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  and H. Thomas
Arthur, Esq. of Columbia,  South Carolina, our Senior Vice President and General
Counsel,  will pass upon the validity of the Notes for us.  Thelen Reid & Priest
LLP,  of New York,  New York,  will pass upon the  validity of the Notes for any
underwriters,  lenders or Agents.  Thelen  Reid & Priest LLP will rely as to all
matters of South Carolina law upon the opinion of H. Thomas Arthur,  Esq. and as
to all matters of North  Carolina law upon the opinion of McNair Law Firm,  P.A.
From time to time, Thelen Reid & Priest LLP renders legal services to SCANA, our
parent company, and certain of its subsidiaries.

         At July 31, 2000, H. Thomas  Arthur,  Esq.  owned  beneficially  12,335
shares of the  common  stock of our  parent  company,  SCANA,  including  shares
acquired  by the  trustee  under its Stock  Purchase-Savings  Program  by use of
contributions  made by Mr.  Arthur and  earnings  thereon and  including  shares
purchased by the trustee by use of SCANA contributions and earnings thereon.


                                    Glossary

         Set forth  below  are  definitions  of some of the  terms  used in this
prospectus.

         "Composite  Quotations" means the daily statistical  release designated
as  "Composite  3:30 P.M.  Quotations  for U.S.  Government  Securities"  or any
successor publication, published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

         "H.15(519)"  means  the  weekly   statistical   release  designated  as
"Statistical  Release  H.15(519),  Selected  Interest  Rates"  or any  successor
publication, published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

         "H.15 Daily  Update"  means the daily  update of  H.15(519),  available
through the world wide web site of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System at  http://www.bog.frb.fed.us/releases/h15/update,  or any successor site
or publication.

         "Index  Maturity"  means,  with  respect to a Floating  Rate Note,  the
period to maturity of the Note on which the interest  rate formula is based,  as
indicated in the applicable pricing supplement.

         "Interest  Determination  Date" means the date as of which the interest
rate for a Floating  Rate Note is to be  calculated,  to be  effective as of the
following  Interest  Reset Date and calculated on the related  Calculation  Date
(except in the case of LIBOR which is calculated  on the related LIBOR  Interest
Determination  Date). The Interest  Determination Dates will be indicated in the
applicable pricing supplement and in the Note.

         "Interest Reset Date" means the date on which a Floating Rate Note will
begin to bear  interest at the rate  determined  on any  Interest  Determination
Date.  The  Interest  Reset Dates will be indicated  in the  applicable  pricing
supplement and in the Note.

         "Money  Market Yield" is the yield  (expressed as a percentage  rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next higher one-hundred-thousandth of a percentage
point) calculated in accordance with the following formula:

                                        D x 360
                Money Market Yield =  -------------- x 100 360 -
                                        (D x M)

where "D" refers to the per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on a bank
discount  basis and expressed as a decimal;  and "M" refers to the actual number
of days in the period for which interest is being calculated.

         "Principal Financial Center" means the capital city of the country that
issues as its legal  tender the  Designated  LIBOR  Currency of such LIBOR Note,
except that with respect to U.S. dollars and European Currency Units (as defined
and  revised  from time to time by the  Council of  European  Communities),  the
Principal   Financial   Center  shall  be  New  York,  New  York  and  Brussels,
respectively.

         "Reuters  Page" means the display on the  Reuters  Monitor  Money Rates
Service on the page  designated in the  applicable  pricing  supplement (or such
other page as may replace that  designated page on that service) for the purpose
of  displaying  London  interbank  offered  rates of major banks for the related
Designated LIBOR Currency).

         "Spread"  means the number of basis points  specified in the applicable
pricing  supplement as being applicable to the interest rate for a Floating Rate
Note.

         "Spread  Multiplier"  means the percentage  specified in the applicable
pricing  supplement as being applicable to the interest rate for a Floating Rate
Note.

         "Telerate Page" means the display on the Dow Jones Telerate  Service on
the page designated in the applicable  pricing supplement (or such other page as
may replace that page on that  service or such other  service or services as may
be nominated by the British Bankers  Association)  for the purpose of displaying
London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits.


<PAGE>


                                  $150,000,000














                               Medium-Term Notes,


                              Due From Nine Months
                                 to Thirty Years
                               From Date of Issue






             PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, INCORPORATED




                                   Prospectus


                            PaineWebber Incorporated
                         Banc of America Securities LLC
                           Credit Suisse First Boston

                                     , 2000


<PAGE>


                 PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

         Securities and Exchange Commission filing fee.......  $ 39,600
         Printing Expense....................................     7,000#
         Blue Sky and Legal fees.............................    25,000#
         Rating Agency fees..................................   153,000#
         Trustee fees........................................    20,000#
         Accounting services.................................    20,000#
         Miscellaneous.......................................    10,000#
                                                                -------
          Total..............................................  $274,600#
                                                               ========
# Estimated

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

         The South Carolina  Business  Corporation Act of 1988 permits,  and the
registrant's By-Laws require,  indemnification of the registrant's directors and
officers in a variety of circumstances,  which may include  indemnification  for
liabilities  under the Securities  Act. Under  Sections  33-8-510,  33-8-550 and
33-8-560  of the  South  Carolina  Business  Corporation  Act of  1988,  a South
Carolina  corporation  is  authorized  generally to indemnify  its directors and
officers in civil or criminal actions if they acted in good faith and reasonably
believed  their conduct to be in the best interests of the  corporation  and, in
the case of  criminal  actions,  had no  reasonable  cause to  believe  that the
conduct was  unlawful.  The  registrant's  By-Laws  require  indemnification  of
directors  and  officers  with  respect to  expenses  actually  and  necessarily
incurred by them in  connection  with the defense or  settlement  of any action,
suit or  proceeding  (which shall include any  threatened,  pending or completed
action,   suit  or   proceeding,   whether  civil,   criminal,   administrative,
investigative  or  arbitrative) in which they, or any of them, are made parties,
or a party,  by reason of being or having been a director or officer,  except in
relation  to matters as to which they shall be adjudged to be liable for willful
misconduct in the performance of duty and to such matters as shall be settled by
agreement  predicated  on the  existence of such  liability.  In  addition,  the
registrant  carries  insurance on behalf of  directors,  officers,  employees or
agents that may cover liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 16. Exhibits

         Exhibits  required  to be filed with this  registration  statement  are
listed in the  following  Exhibit  Index.  Certain of such  exhibits  which have
heretofore  been filed with the SEC and which are  designated  by  reference  to
their  exhibit  numbers  in prior  filings  are  hereby  incorporated  herein by
reference and made a part hereof.

Item 17. Undertakings

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

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

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

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

provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (1)(i)  and  (1)(ii)  do not apply if the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports filed with or furnished to the SEC
by the  registrant  pursuant  to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are  incorporated  by  reference  in the  registration
statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed
to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

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

         The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934) that is  incorporated  by  reference  in this
registration  statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  registration  statement
relating to the securities  offered herein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of
the  registrant  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,   or  otherwise,  the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such  indemnification
is  against   public  policy  as  expressed  in  the  Act  and  is,   therefore,
unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such
liabilities  (other than the payment by the  registrant of expenses  incurred or
paid by a  director,  officer or  controlling  person of the  registrant  in the
successful  defense of any  action,  suit or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the  requirements  for  filing on Form S-3,  except for the  assignment  of a
security  rating  pursuant to  transaction  requirement  B.2. of Form S-3, which
requirement the registrant  reasonably believes will be met at the time of sale,
and has duly caused this  registration  statement  to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Columbia,  State of
South Carolina, on September 6, 2000.

(REGISTRANT)           Public Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated

                       By:   /s/W. B. Timmerman
(Name & Title):              W.  B.  Timmerman,  Chairman  of the  Board, Chief
                             Executive Officer and Director

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
registration  statement  or amendment  thereto has been signed by the  following
persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

(i) Principal executive officer:


By:                        /s/W. B. Timmerman
(Name & Title):            W. B. Timmerman, Chairman of the Board, Chief
                           Executive Officer and Director
Date:                      September 6, 2000
                           -----------------

(ii) Principal financial officer:


By:                        /s/K. B. Marsh
(Name & Title):            K. B. Marsh, Senior Vice President and Chief
                           Financial Officer
Date:                      September 6, 2000

(iii) Principal accounting officer:


By:                        /s/M. R. Cannon
(Name & Title):            M. R. Cannon, Controller
Date:                      September 6, 2000

(iv) Other Directors:

* B. L. Amick; J. A. Bennett, W. B. Bookhart, Jr.; H. C. Stowe; H. M. Chapman;
E. T. Freeman; L. M. Gressette, Jr., W. H. Hipp; L. M. Miller, D. M. Hagood;
M. K. Sloan; W. C. Burkhardt; G. S. York; C. E. Ziegler, Jr.

* Signed on behalf of each of these persons:

         /s/K. B. Marsh
         K. B. Marsh
         (Attorney-in-Fact)

Directors who did not sign:

  J. A. Bennett
  M. K. Sloan


<PAGE>


             PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, INCORPORATED
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

1.01   Form of Selling Agency Agreement (Filed herewith)

2.01   Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of February 16, 1999, as amended
       and restated as of May 10, 1999, by and among Public Service Company of
       North Carolina, Incorporated (the "Company"), SCANA Corporation, New Sub
       I, Inc. and New Sub II, Inc. (Filed herewith)

3.01   Articles of Incorporation of New Sub II, Inc., dated February 12, 1999
       (Filed herewith)

3.02   Articles of Amendment of New Sub II, Inc., as adopted on February 10,
       2000 (Filed herewith)

3.03   Articles of Correction of PSNC dated February 11, 2000 (Filed herewith)

4.01   Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of September 15, 1988, as
       amended,  with respect to $25,000,000 of 10% Senior  Debentures
       due October 1, 2003 (Filed herewith)

4.02   Amendment to Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of September 15, 1988,
       between the Company and Southland Life Insurance Company (Filed herewith)

4.03   Amendment to Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of September 15, 1988,
       between the Company and Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Company (Filed
       herewith)

4.04   Amendment to Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of September 15, 1988,
       between the Company and The Franklin Life Insurance Company (Filed
       herewith)

4.05   Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of December 5, 1989, as amended,
       with respect to $43,000,000 of 10% Senior Debentures due December 1, 2004
       (Filed herewith)

4.06   Amendment to Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of December 5, 1989,
       between the Company and The Prudential Life Insurance Company of America
       (Filed herewith)

4.07   Debenture Purchase Agreement dated as of June 25, 1992, with respect to
       $32,000,000 of 8.75% Senior Debentures due June 30, 2012 (Filed herewith)

4.08   Indenture dated as of January 1, 1996 (Filed herewith)

4.09   First Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 1, 1996,  between Public
       Service Company of North Carolina, Incorporated and First Union National
       Bank of North Carolina, as Trustee  (Filed herewith)

4.10   Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of December 15, 1996
       (Filed herewith)

4.11   Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of February 10, 2000
       (Filed herewith)

4.12   Form of Fourth  Supplemental  Indenture relating to Notes to be
       offered pursuant to the prospectus  constituting a part of this
       Registration Statement (Filed herewith)

5.01   Opinion of H. Thomas Arthur, Esq. re legality (Filed herewith)

8.01   Opinion re tax matters (Not applicable)

10.01  Operating Agreement of Pine Needle LNG Company, LLC dated August 8, 1995
       (Filed herewith)

10.02  Amendment to Operating Agreement of Pine Needle LNG Company, LLC dated
       October 1, 1995 (Filed herewith)

10.03  Amended Operating Agreement of Cardinal Extension Company, LLC dated
       December 19, 1996 (Filed herewith)

10.04  Amended Construction, Operation and Maintenance Agreement by and between
       Cardinal Operating Company and Cardinal Extension Company, LLC dated
       December 10. 1996 (Filed herewith)

10.05  Form of Severance Agreement between PSNC and its Executive Officers
      (Filed herewith)

10.06  Service Agreement between PSNC and SCANA Services, Inc., effective
       April 1, 2000 (Filed herewith)

12.01  Statement Re Computation of Ratios (Filed herewith)

15.01  Letter re unaudited interim financial information (Not applicable)

23.01  Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP (Filed herewith)

23.02  Consent of H. Thomas Arthur, Esq. (Included in his opinion filed as
       Exhibit 5.01)

24.01  Power of Attorney (Filed herewith)

25.01  Statement of eligibility of First Union National Bank, as Trustee
       (Form T-1) (Filed herewith)

26.01  Invitations for competitive bids (Not applicable)

27.01  Financial Data Schedule (Not applicable)

99.01  Additional Exhibits (Not applicable)

* Previously filed.



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