EXHIBIT 1(b)

                             KENTUCKY POWER COMPANY

                             Underwriting Agreement

                           Dated ____________________


      AGREEMENT made between KENTUCKY POWER COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the "Company"), and the
several persons,  firms and corporations (the "Underwriters") named in Exhibit 1
hereto.

                                   WITNESSETH:

      WHEREAS,  the  Company  proposes to issue and sell  $__________  principal
amount of its [Unsecured  Notes] to be issued pursuant to the Indenture dated as
of September 1, 1997, between the Company and Bankers Trust Company,  as trustee
(the  "Trustee"),  as heretofore  supplemented  and amended and as to be further
supplemented  and amended (said  Indenture as so  supplemented  being  hereafter
referred to as the Indenture); and

      WHEREAS,   the  Underwriters  have  designated  the  person  signing  this
Agreement  (the  Representative)  to  execute  this  Agreement  on behalf of the
respective Underwriters and to act for the respective Underwriters in the manner
provided in this Agreement; and

      WHEREAS,  the Company  has  prepared  and filed,  in  accordance  with the
provisions of the  Securities  Act of 1933 (the Act),  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission (the Commission), a registration statement and prospectus or
prospectuses  relating to the [Unsecured Notes] and such registration  statement
has become effective; and

      WHEREAS, such registration  statement,  as it may have been amended to the
date hereof,  including the financial statements,  the documents incorporated or
deemed incorporated  therein by reference and the exhibits,  being herein called
the Registration  Statement,  and the prospectus,  as included or referred to in
the  Registration  Statement to become  effective,  as it may be last amended or
supplemented prior to the effectiveness of the agreement (the Basic Prospectus),
and the Basic  Prospectus,  as  supplemented  by a prospectus  supplement  which
includes certain information relating to the Underwriters, the principal amount,
price and terms of offering,  the  interest  rate and  redemption  prices of the
[Unsecured  Notes],  first filed with the Commission  pursuant to the applicable
paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Commission's General Rules and Regulations under
the Act (the Rules), including all documents then incorporated or deemed to have
been incorporated therein by reference, being herein call the Prospectus.

      NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed between the parties as follows:

      1. Purchase and Sale: Upon the basis of the warranties and representations
and on the terms and  subject to the  conditions  herein set forth,  the Company
agrees  to sell to the  respective  Underwriters  named  in  Exhibit  1  hereto,
severally and not jointly,  and the respective  Underwriters,  severally and not
jointly, agree to purchase from the Company, the respective principal amounts of
the  [Unsecured  Notes] set opposite  their names in Exhibit 1 hereto,  together
aggregating  all of the  [Unsecured  Notes],  at a price equal to ______% of the
principal amount thereof.

      2. Payment and Delivery:  Payment for the [Unsecured  Notes] shall be made
to the Company or its order by certified or bank check or checks, payable in New
York  Clearing  House funds,  at the office of Simpson  Thacher & Bartlett,  425
Lexington Avenue,  New York, New York 10017-3909,  or at such other place as the
Company  and the  Representative  shall  mutually  agree  in  writing,  upon the
delivery  of the  [Unsecured  Notes] to the  Representative  for the  respective
accounts  of  the   Underwriters   against   receipt   therefor  signed  by  the
Representative on behalf of itself and for the other Underwriters. Such payments
and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York Time, on _______________  (or
on such later business day, not more than five business days  subsequent to such
day, as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters), unless
postponed in accordance  with the  provisions  of Section 7 hereof.  The time at
which payment and delivery are to be made is herein called the Time of Purchase.

      [The delivery of the [Unsecured  Notes] shall be made in fully  registered
form,  registered  in the name of CEDE & CO., to the  offices of The  Depository
Trust  Company in New York,  New York and the  Underwriters  shall  accept  such
delivery.]

      3. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations: The several obligations of the
Underwriters  hereunder  are  subject  to the  accuracy  of the  warranties  and
representations on the part of the Company on the date hereof and at the Time of
Purchase and to the following other conditions:

            (a)   That all legal  proceedings to be taken and all legal opinions
                  to be  rendered in  connection  with the issue and sale of the
                  [Unsecured  Notes] shall be satisfactory in form and substance
                  to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel to the Underwriters.

            (b)   That,  at the Time of Purchase,  the  Representative  shall be
                  furnished  with the following  opinions,  dated the day of the
                  Time of Purchase, with conformed copies or signed counterparts
                  thereof for the other Underwriters,  with such changes therein
                  as may be agreed upon by the  Company  and the  Representative
                  with the  approval  of Dewey  Ballantine  LLP,  counsel to the
                  Underwriters:

                  (1)   Opinion of Simpson  Thacher & Bartlett and any of John
                        F. Di Lorenzo, Jr., Esq., Thomas G. Berkemeyer,  Esq.,
                        Ann B. Graf,  Esq.,  David C. House,  Esq., or William
                        E.   Johnson,    Esq.,   counsel   to   the   Company,
                        substantially   in  the  forms   attached   hereto  as
                        Exhibits A and B; and

                  (2)   Opinion  of  Dewey   Ballantine  LLP,   counsel  to  the
                        Underwriters,  substantially in the form attached hereto
                        as Exhibit C.

            (c)   That the  Representative  shall have  received a letter from
                  Deloitte & Touche LLP in form and substance  satisfactory to
                  the  Representative,  dated  as of the  day of the  Time  of
                  Purchase,  (i) confirming that they are  independent  public
                  accountants   within   the   meaning  of  the  Act  and  the
                  applicable   published   rules   and   regulations   of  the
                  Commission  thereunder,  (ii) stating that in their  opinion
                  the  financial  statements  audited by them and  included or
                  incorporated  by  reference  in the  Registration  Statement
                  complied as to form in all material  respects  with the then
                  applicable   accounting   requirements  of  the  Commission,
                  including the applicable  published rules and regulations of
                  the  Commission  and  (iii)  covering  as of a date not more
                  than  five  business  days  prior  to the day of the Time of
                  Purchase   such   other   matters   as  the   Representative
                  reasonably requests.

            (d)   That no amendment to the Registration  Statement and that no
                  prospectus or prospectus  supplement of the Company relating
                  to the  [Unsecured  Notes] and no  document  which  would be
                  deemed  incorporated  in the  Prospectus by reference  filed
                  subsequent  to the  date  hereof  and  prior  to the Time of
                  Purchase shall contain  material  information  substantially
                  different from that contained in the Registration  Statement
                  which is unsatisfactory  in substance to the  Representative
                  or  unsatisfactory  in form to Dewey Ballantine LLP, counsel
                  to the Underwriters.

            (e)   That,  at the Time of Purchase,  an  appropriate  order of the
                  Kentucky  Public Service  Commission,  necessary to permit the
                  sale of the [Unsecured Notes] to the Underwriters, shall be in
                  effect; and that, prior to the Time of Purchase, no stop order
                  with  respect  to  the   effectiveness   of  the  Registration
                  Statement  shall  have  been  issued  under  the  Act  by  the
                  Commission or proceedings therefor initiated.

            (f)   That,  at the Time of  Purchase,  there  shall not have been
                  any material  adverse change in the business,  properties or
                  financial  condition  of the Company  from that set forth in
                  the  Prospectus  (other  than  changes  referred  to  in  or
                  contemplated  by  the  Prospectus),  and  that  the  Company
                  shall,  at the  Time  of  Purchase,  have  delivered  to the
                  Representative a certificate of an executive  officer of the
                  Company to the effect  that,  to the best of his  knowledge,
                  information and belief, there has been no such change.

            (g)   That the Company shall have performed such of its  obligations
                  under this  Agreement  as are to be performed at or before the
                  Time of Purchase by the terms hereof.

      4.  Certain  Covenants  of the Company:  In further  consideration  of the
agreements  of the  Underwriters  herein  contained,  the Company  covenants  as
follows:

            (a)   As soon as  practicable,  and in any event  within  the time
                  prescribed   by  Rule  424  under  the  Act,   to  file  any
                  Prospectus  Supplement  relating  to the  [Unsecured  Notes]
                  with  the  Commission;  as soon as the  Company  is  advised
                  thereof,  to  advise  the  Representative  and  confirm  the
                  advice in writing of any request made by the  Commission for
                  amendments to the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus
                  or for  additional  information  with respect  thereto or of
                  the entry of a stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of
                  the  Registration  Statement or of the  initiation or threat
                  of any  proceedings  for that  purpose  and,  if such a stop
                  order  should be  entered by the  Commission,  to make every
                  reasonable  effort to obtain the  prompt  lifting or removal
                  thereof.

            (b)   To deliver to the  Underwriters,  without charge, as soon as
                  practicable  (and in any  event  within  24 hours  after the
                  date hereof),  and from time to time thereafter  during such
                  period of time (not  exceeding  nine months)  after the date
                  hereof as they are required by law to deliver a  prospectus,
                  as  many  copies  of  the  Prospectus  (as  supplemented  or
                  amended if the Company  shall have made any  supplements  or
                  amendments  thereto) as the  Representative  may  reasonably
                  request;  and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver
                  a prospectus  after the  expiration of nine months after the
                  date hereof,  to furnish to any  Underwriter,  upon request,
                  at the expense of such  Underwriter,  a reasonable  quantity
                  of a  supplemental  prospectus  or  of  supplements  to  the
                  Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.

            (c)   To furnish to the  Representative  a copy,  certified by the
                  Secretary or an Assistant  Secretary of the Company,  of the
                  Registration   Statement   as   initially   filed  with  the
                  Commission  and  of all  amendments  thereto  (exclusive  of
                  exhibits),   and,   upon   request,   to   furnish   to  the
                  Representative  sufficient  plain copies thereof  (exclusive
                  of  exhibits)   for   distribution   of  one  to  the  other
                  Underwriters.

            (d)   For such period of time (not  exceeding  nine months)  after
                  the date  hereof as they are  required  by law to  deliver a
                  prospectus,  if any event shall have occurred as a result of
                  which it is necessary to amend or supplement  the Prospectus
                  in order to make the  statements  therein,  in the  light of
                  the  circumstances  when the  Prospectus  is  delivered to a
                  purchaser,  not contain any untrue  statement  of a material
                  fact or not omit to state any material  fact  required to be
                  stated  therein or necessary in order to make the statements
                  therein not  misleading,  forthwith  to prepare and furnish,
                  at its  own  expense,  to the  Underwriters  and to  dealers
                  (whose names and  addresses  are furnished to the Company by
                  the   Representative)  to  whom  principal  amounts  of  the
                  [Unsecured  Notes] may have been sold by the  Representative
                  for the accounts of the Underwriters  and, upon request,  to
                  any  other  dealers  making  such  request,  copies  of such
                  amendments  to  the   Prospectus  or   supplements   to  the
                  Prospectus.

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

            (f)   To use its best  efforts to qualify  the  [Unsecured  Notes]
                  for offer and sale under the  securities  or "blue sky" laws
                  of such  jurisdictions as the  Representative  may designate
                  within six months  after the date  hereof and itself to pay,
                  or to  reimburse  the  Underwriters  and their  counsel for,
                  reasonable filing fees and expenses in connection  therewith
                  in  an  amount  not   exceeding   $3,500  in  the  aggregate
                  (including  filing fees and expenses paid and incurred prior
                  to the effective date hereof),  provided,  however, that the
                  Company  shall  not be  required  to  qualify  as a  foreign
                  corporation  or to file a consent  to  service of process or
                  to  file  annual   reports  or  to  comply  with  any  other
                  requirements deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.

            (g)   To pay all  expenses,  fees and taxes  (other than  transfer
                  taxes on resales of the [Unsecured  Notes] by the respective
                  Underwriters)  in connection  with the issuance and delivery
                  of the [Unsecured  Notes],  except that the Company shall be
                  required  to pay the  fees  and  disbursements  (other  than
                  disbursements  referred to in paragraph  (f) of this Section
                  4) of Dewey  Ballantine  LLP,  counsel to the  Underwriters,
                  only  in the  events  provided  in  paragraph  (h)  of  this
                  Section  4, the  Underwriters  hereby  agreeing  to pay such
                  fees and disbursements in any other event.

            (h)   If the  Underwriters  shall  not  take  up and  pay  for the
                  [Unsecured  Notes]  due to the  failure  of the  Company  to
                  comply  with any of the  conditions  specified  in Section 3
                  hereof,  or,  if  this  Agreement  shall  be  terminated  in
                  accordance with the provisions of Section 7 or 8 hereof,  to
                  pay the fees and  disbursements  of  Dewey  Ballantine  LLP,
                  counsel to the Underwriters,  and, if the Underwriters shall
                  not  take up and pay for the  [Unsecured  Notes]  due to the
                  failure of the Company to comply with any of the  conditions
                  specified   in   Section  3   hereof,   to   reimburse   the
                  Underwriters  for their reasonable  out-of-pocket  expenses,
                  in an  aggregate  amount not  exceeding  a total of $10,000,
                  incurred in connection  with the financing  contemplated  by
                  this Agreement.

            (i)   The Company will timely file any certificate  required by Rule
                  52 under the Public  Utility  Holding  Company  Act of 1935 in
                  connection with the sale of the [Unsecured Notes].

            [(j)  The  Company  will use its best  efforts  to list,  subject to
                  notice  of  issuance,  the  [Unsecured  Notes] on the New York
                  Stock Exchange.]

            [(k)  During the period  from the date  hereof and  continuing  to
                  and  including  the  earlier  of (i) the date which is after
                  the  Time of  Purchase  on  which  the  distribution  of the
                  [Unsecured    Notes]   ceases,    as   determined   by   the
                  Representative  in its  sole  discretion,  and (ii) the date
                  which is 30 days  after the Time of  Purchase,  the  Company
                  agrees not to offer,  sell,  contract  to sell or  otherwise
                  dispose  of any  [Unsecured  Notes]  of the  Company  or any
                  substantially  similar securities of the Company without the
                  consent of the Representative.]

      5. Warranties of and Indemnity by the Company:  The Company represents and
warrants to, and agrees with you, as set forth below:

            (a)   the  Registration  Statement on its effective date complied,
                  or was deemed to comply,  with the applicable  provisions of
                  the Act and the rules and  regulations of the Commission and
                  the  Registration  Statement at its effective  date did not,
                  and at the Time of  Purchase  will not,  contain  any untrue
                  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a  material
                  fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the
                  statements therein not misleading,  and the Basic Prospectus
                  at  the  time  that  the   Registration   Statement   became
                  effective,   and  the   Prospectus   when  first   filed  in
                  accordance  with Rule  424(b)  complies,  and at the Time of
                  Purchase the  Prospectus  will comply,  with the  applicable
                  provisions  of the Act and the Trust  Indenture Act of 1939,
                  as   amended,   and  the  rules  and   regulations   of  the
                  Commission,  the  Basic  Prospectus  at the  time  that  the
                  Registration Statement became effective,  and the Prospectus
                  when first  filed in  accordance  with Rule  424(b) did not,
                  and  the  Prospectus  at the  Time  of  Purchase  will  not,
                  contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to
                  state a  material  fact  required  to be stated  therein  or
                  necessary to make the  statements  therein,  in the light of
                  the   circumstances   under   which  they  were  made,   not
                  misleading,  except  that the  Company  makes no warranty or
                  representation  to  the  Underwriters  with  respect  to any
                  statements or omissions made in the  Registration  Statement
                  or  Prospectus  in  reliance  upon  and in  conformity  with
                  information  furnished  in  writing  to the  Company  by, or
                  through  the  Representative  on behalf of, any  Underwriter
                  expressly for use in the Registration  Statement,  the Basic
                  Prospectus  or  Prospectus,  or  to  any  statements  in  or
                  omissions from that part of the Registration  Statement that
                  shall  constitute  the  Statement of  Eligibility  under the
                  Trust  Indenture Act of 1939 of any indenture  trustee under
                  an indenture of the Company.

            (b)   As of the Time of  Purchase,  the  Indenture  will have been
                  duly  authorized by the Company and duly qualified under the
                  Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended,  and, when executed
                  and   delivered  by  the  Trustee  and  the  Company,   will
                  constitute   a   legal,   valid   and   binding   instrument
                  enforceable  against  the  Company  in  accordance  with its
                  terms  and  such  [Unsecured  Notes]  will  have  been  duly
                  authorized,  executed,  authenticated  and, when paid for by
                  the purchasers  thereof,  will constitute  legal,  valid and
                  binding  obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits
                  of the Indenture,  except as the enforceability  thereof may
                  be limited by bankruptcy,  insolvency, or other similar laws
                  affecting the  enforcement of creditors'  rights in general,
                  and except as the  availability  of the  remedy of  specific
                  performance  is  subject  to  general  principles  of equity
                  (regardless   of  whether   such   remedy  is  sought  in  a
                  proceeding in equity or at law), and by an implied  covenant
                  of good faith and fair dealing.

            (c)   To the extent  permitted by law, to  indemnify  and hold you
                  harmless  and each  person,  if any, who controls you within
                  the  meaning of Section 15 of the Act,  against  any and all
                  losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities,  joint or several,
                  to which you, they or any of you or them may become  subject
                  under the Act or  otherwise,  and to reimburse  you and such
                  controlling  person  or  persons,  if any,  for any legal or
                  other  expenses  incurred by you or them in connection  with
                  defending  any  action,  insofar  as  such  losses,  claims,
                  damages,  liabilities  or actions  arise out of or are based
                  upon any alleged untrue  statement or untrue  statement of a
                  material fact contained in the  Registration  Statement,  in
                  the  Basic  Prospectus,  or in  the  Prospectus,  or if  the
                  Company  shall  furnish or cause to be  furnished to you any
                  amendments   or  any   supplemental   information,   in  the
                  Prospectus  as  so  amended  or   supplemented   other  than
                  amendments  or  supplements  relating  solely to  securities
                  other than the Notes  (provided  that if such  Prospectus or
                  such Prospectus,  as amended or supplemented,  is used after
                  the period of time  referred to in Section 4(b)  hereof,  it
                  shall contain such  amendments or supplements as the Company
                  deems  necessary to comply with  Section  10(a) of the Act),
                  or arise out of or are based upon any  alleged  omission  or
                  omission  to state  therein a material  fact  required to be
                  stated therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein
                  not  misleading,  except  insofar  as such  losses,  claims,
                  damages,  liabilities  or actions  arise out of or are based
                  upon any such  alleged  untrue  statement  or  omission,  or
                  untrue   statement  or  omission   which  was  made  in  the
                  Registration  Statement,  in the Basic  Prospectus or in the
                  Prospectus,   or  in  the   Prospectus   as  so  amended  or
                  supplemented,  in  reliance  upon  and  in  conformity  with
                  information  furnished  in  writing  to  the  Company  by or
                  through   you   expressly   for  use  therein  or  with  any
                  statements   in  or   omissions   from   that  part  of  the
                  Registration  Statement that shall  constitute the Statement
                  of  Eligibility  under  the  Trust  Indenture  Act,  of  any
                  indenture  trustee  under an indenture  of the Company,  and
                  except that this  indemnity  shall not inure to your benefit
                  (or  of  any  person  controlling  you)  on  account  of any
                  losses,  claims,  damages,  liabilities  or actions  arising
                  from  the  sale of the  Notes  to any  person  if such  loss
                  arises from the fact that a copy of the  Prospectus,  as the
                  same may then be  supplemented or amended to the extent such
                  Prospectus  was  provided to you by the Company  (excluding,
                  however,   any   document   then   incorporated   or  deemed
                  incorporated  therein by  reference),  was not sent or given
                  by  you  to  such  person  with  or  prior  to  the  written
                  confirmation  of the sale involved and the alleged  omission
                  or alleged untrue  statement or omission or untrue statement
                  was corrected in the Prospectus as  supplemented  or amended
                  at the time of such  confirmation,  and such Prospectus,  as
                  amended or supplemented,  was timely delivered to you by the
                  Company.  You agree  promptly  after the  receipt  by you of
                  written notice of the  commencement of any action in respect
                  to  which  indemnity  from the  Company  on  account  of its
                  agreement  contained  in this  Section 5(c) may be sought by
                  you,  or by  any  person  controlling  you,  to  notify  the
                  Company  in writing of the  commencement  thereof,  but your
                  omission so to notify the  Company of any such action  shall
                  not  release  the Company  from any  liability  which it may
                  have to you or to such controlling  person otherwise than on
                  account  of  the  indemnity   agreement  contained  in  this
                  Section  8(a).  In case any  such  action  shall be  brought
                  against  you or any  such  person  controlling  you  and you
                  shall  notify the Company of the  commencement  thereof,  as
                  above   provided,   the   Company   shall  be   entitled  to
                  participate  in,  and,  to the  extent  that it shall  wish,
                  including  the  selection  of  counsel  (such  counsel to be
                  reasonably  acceptable to the indemnified  party), to direct
                  the  defense  thereof  at  its  own  expense.  In  case  the
                  Company  elects to  direct  such  defense  and  select  such
                  counsel  (hereinafter,  "Company's  counsel"),  you  or  any
                  controlling  person  shall have the right to employ your own
                  counsel,  but,  in any such case,  the fees and  expenses of
                  such  counsel  shall  be at  your  expense  unless  (i)  the
                  Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and  expenses
                  or (ii) the named parties to any such action  (including any
                  impleaded  parties)  include  both  you or  any  controlling
                  person and the  Company  and you or any  controlling  person
                  shall have been  advised by your  counsel that a conflict of
                  interest  between  the  Company  and you or any  controlling
                  person  may arise  (and the  Company's  counsel  shall  have
                  concurred  in good  faith  with  such  advice)  and for this
                  reason it is not  desirable  for the  Company's  counsel  to
                  represent both the  indemnifying  party and the  indemnified
                  party (it being understood,  however, that the Company shall
                  not, in connection  with any one such action or separate but
                  substantially   similar  or  related  actions  in  the  same
                  jurisdiction  arising out of the same general allegations or
                  circumstances,   be  liable  for  the  reasonable  fees  and
                  expenses of more than one  separate  firm of  attorneys  for
                  you  or any  controlling  person  (plus  any  local  counsel
                  retained  by  you  or  any   controlling   person  in  their
                  reasonable  judgment),   which  firm  (or  firms)  shall  be
                  designated  in  writing by you or any  controlling  person).
                  No  indemnifying  party  shall,  without  the prior  written
                  consent of the indemnified parties,  settle or compromise or
                  consent  to the entry of any  judgment  with  respect to any
                  litigation,  or  any  investigation  or  proceeding  by  any
                  governmental  agency or body,  commenced or  threatened,  or
                  any claim  whatsoever  in respect  of which  indemnification
                  could be sought  under this  Section 5  (whether  or not the
                  indemnified   parties  are  actual  or   potential   parties
                  thereto), unless such settlement,  compromise or consent (i)
                  includes an unconditional  release of each indemnified party
                  from  all   liability   arising  out  of  such   litigation,
                  investigation,   proceeding  or  claim  and  (ii)  does  not
                  include  a  statement  as  to  or  an  admission  of  fault,
                  culpability  or a  failure  to  act by or on  behalf  of any
                  indemnified  party.  In  no  event  shall  any  indemnifying
                  party have any  liability  or  responsibility  in respect of
                  the  settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of
                  any  judgment  with  respect to, any  pending or  threatened
                  action or claim effected without its prior written consent.

            (d)   The documents  incorporated by reference in the Registration
                  Statement  or  Prospectus,  when  they were  filed  with the
                  Commission,  complied  in all  material  respects  with  the
                  applicable  provisions  of the  1934 Act and the  rules  and
                  regulations  of the  Commission  thereunder,  and as of such
                  time of  filing,  when read  together  with the  Prospectus,
                  none of such  documents  contained an untrue  statement of a
                  material  fact or omitted to state a material  fact required
                  to be stated  therein or  necessary  to make the  statements
                  therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they
                  were made, not misleading.

            (e)   Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
                  the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus,  except  as
                  otherwise  stated therein,  there has been no material adverse
                  change in the business,  properties or financial  condition of
                  the Company.

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

            (g)   The   consummation  by  the  Company  of  the   transactions
                  contemplated  herein will not conflict  with, or result in a
                  breach of any of the terms or  provisions  of, or constitute
                  a default under,  or result in the creation or imposition of
                  any lien,  charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets
                  of the  Company  under any  contract,  indenture,  mortgage,
                  loan   agreement,   note,   lease  or  other   agreement  or
                  instrument  to which the  Company  is a party or by which it
                  may be  bound  or to  which  any of  its  properties  may be
                  subject  (except for  conflicts,  breaches or defaults which
                  would not,  individually or in the aggregate,  be materially
                  adverse  to  the  Company  or  materially   adverse  to  the
                  transactions contemplated by this Agreement.)

            (h)   No  authorization,  approval,  consent or order of any court
                  or   governmental   authority  or  agency  is  necessary  in
                  connection  with the issuance and sale by the Company of the
                  Notes or the  transactions  by the Company  contemplated  in
                  this  Agreement,  except (A) such as may be  required  under
                  the 1933 Act or the rules and  regulations  thereunder;  (B)
                  such as may be  required  under the Public  Utility  Holding
                  Company Act of 1935,  as amended (the "1935  Act");  (C) the
                  qualification  of the Indenture  under the 1939 Act; (D) the
                  approval of The Indiana Utility Regulatory  Commission;  and
                  (E) such consents, approvals, authorizations,  registrations
                  or  qualifications as may be required under state securities
                  or Blue Sky laws.

      The Company's  indemnity  agreement  contained in Section 5(c) hereof, and
its covenants, warranties and representations contained in this Agreement, shall
remain in full force and effect  regardless of any  investigation  made by or on
behalf of any  person,  and shall  survive  the  delivery of and payment for the
[Unsecured Notes] hereunder.

      6. Warranties of and Indemnity by Underwriters:

            (a)   Each Underwriter  warrants and represents that the information
                  furnished in writing to the Company through the Representative
                  for  use  in  the   Registration   Statement,   in  the  Basic
                  Prospectus, in the Prospectus, or in the Prospectus as amended
                  or supplemented is correct as to such Underwriter.

            (b)   Each Underwriter  agrees, to the extent permitted by law, to
                  indemnify,  hold  harmless and  reimburse  the Company,  its
                  directors  and such of its officers as shall have signed the
                  Registration  Statement,   and  each  person,  if  any,  who
                  controls  the  Company  within the  meaning of Section 15 of
                  the Act,  to the same  extent and upon the same terms as the
                  indemnity  agreement  of the  Company  set forth in  Section
                  5(c) hereof,  but only with respect to untrue  statements or
                  alleged untrue  statements or omissions or alleged omissions
                  made  in  the  Registration   Statement,  or  in  the  Basic
                  Prospectus,  or in the  Prospectus,  or in the Prospectus as
                  so  amended  or  supplemented,   in  reliance  upon  and  in
                  conformity  with  information  furnished  in  writing to the
                  Company by the  Representative on behalf of such Underwriter
                  expressly  for use  therein.  The  Company  agrees  promptly
                  after  the   receipt  by  it  of   written   notice  of  the
                  commencement  of any action in  respect  to which  indemnity
                  from you on  account  of your  agreement  contained  in this
                  Section 6(b) may be sought by the Company,  or by any person
                  controlling  the  Company,  to notify  you in writing of the
                  commencement  thereof,  but  the  Company's  omission  so to
                  notify you of any such  action  shall not  release  you from
                  any  liability  which you may have to the Company or to such
                  controlling   person   otherwise  than  on  account  of  the
                  indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b).

      The  indemnity  agreement  on the part of each  Underwriter  contained  in
Section 6(b) hereof, and the warranties and  representations of such Underwriter
contained in this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or other person, and shall
survive the delivery of and payment for the [Unsecured Notes] hereunder.

      7. Default of Underwriters:  If any Underwriter under this Agreement shall
fail or  refuse  (otherwise  than for some  reason  sufficient  to  justify,  in
accordance  with the  terms  hereof,  the  cancellation  or  termination  of its
obligations  hereunder)  to  purchase  and  pay  for  the  principal  amount  of
[Unsecured Notes] which it has agreed to purchase and pay for hereunder, and the
aggregate   principal   amount  of  [Unsecured   Notes]  which  such  defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more
than one-tenth of the aggregate  principal amount of the [Unsecured  Notes], the
other  Underwriters  shall be obligated  severally in the proportions  which the
amounts of [Unsecured  Notes] set forth opposite their names in Exhibit 1 hereto
bear to the aggregate  principal amount of [Unsecured  Notes] set forth opposite
the names of all such  non-defaulting  Underwriters,  to purchase the [Unsecured
Notes] which such defaulting  Underwriter or  Underwriters  agreed but failed or
refused to purchase  on the terms set forth  herein;  provided  that in no event
shall the principal amount of [Unsecured Notes] which any Underwriter has agreed
to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof be increased pursuant to this Section 7
by an amount  in excess of  one-ninth  of such  principal  amount of  [Unsecured
Notes] without the written  consent of such  Underwriter.  If any Underwriter or
Underwriters  shall  fail  or  refuse  to  purchase  [Unsecured  Notes]  and the
aggregate  principal  amount of  [Unsecured  Notes]  with  respect to which such
default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate  principal  amount of the
[Unsecured  Notes] then this Agreement shall terminate  without liability on the
part of any defaulting Underwriter;  provided,  however, that the non-defaulting
Underwriters  may agree,  in their sole  discretion,  to purchase the [Unsecured
Notes] which such defaulting  Underwriter or  Underwriters  agreed but failed or
refused to  purchase  on the terms set forth  herein.  In the event the  Company
shall be  entitled  to but shall not elect  (within  the time  period  specified
above) to exercise its rights under clause (a) and/or (b),  then this  Agreement
shall terminate. In the event of any such termination,  the Company shall not be
under any liability to any Underwriter  (except to the extent,  if any, provided
in Section 4(h) hereof),  nor shall any  Underwriter  (other than an Underwriter
who shall have failed or refused to purchase the [Unsecured  Notes] without some
reason  sufficient  to  justify,  in  accordance  with  the  terms  hereof,  its
termination of its obligations  hereunder) be under any liability to the Company
or any other Underwriter.

      Nothing herein contained shall release any defaulting Underwriter from its
liability  to  the  Company  or  any  non-defaulting   Underwriter  for  damages
occasioned by its default hereunder.

      8.  Termination  of Agreement by the  Underwriters:  This Agreement may be
terminated at any time prior to the Time of Purchase by the  Representative  if,
after the  execution  and  delivery of this  Agreement  and prior to the Time of
Purchase, in the Representative's reasonable judgment, the Underwriters' ability
to market the [Unsecured  Notes] shall have been materially  adversely  affected
because:

              (i) trading in  securities  on the New York Stock  Exchange  shall
      have been  generally  suspended by the Commission or by the New York Stock
      Exchange, or

             (ii) (A) a war  involving  the United  States of America shall have
      been declared, (B) any other national calamity shall have occurred, or (C)
      any conflict  involving the armed services of the United States of America
      shall have escalated, or

            (iii) a general  banking  moratorium  shall  have been  declared  by
      Federal or New York State authorities, or

             (iv)  there  shall  have been any  decrease  in the  ratings of the
      Company's  first  mortgage  bonds  by  Moody's  Investors  Services,  Inc.
      (Moody's) or Standard & Poor's  Ratings  Group (S&P) or either  Moody's or
      S&P shall  publicly  announce that it has such first  mortgage bonds under
      consideration for possible downgrade.

            If  the  Representative  elects  to  terminate  this  Agreement,  as
provided in this Section 8, the Representative  will promptly notify the Company
by  telephone or by telex or facsimile  transmission,  confirmed in writing.  If
this  Agreement  shall not be  carried  out by any  Underwriter  for any  reason
permitted hereunder, or if the sale of the [Unsecured Notes] to the Underwriters
as herein  contemplated shall not be carried out because the Company is not able
to comply with the terms hereof,  the Company shall not be under any  obligation
under this Agreement and shall not be liable to any Underwriter or to any member
of any selling group for the loss of anticipated  profits from the  transactions
contemplated  by this Agreement  (except that the Company shall remain liable to
the extent provided in Section 4(h) hereof) and the Underwriters  shall be under
no liability to the Company nor be under any liability  under this  Agreement to
one another.

      9.    Notices:  All notices hereunder shall,  unless otherwise expressly
provided,  be in  writing  and be  delivered  at or  mailed  to the  following
addresses  or by telex or facsimile  transmission  confirmed in writing to the
following      addresses:      if      to      the      Underwriters,       to
_______________________________________________,       as      Representative,
_____________________________________________,  and,  if to  the  Company,  to
Kentucky Power Company,  c/o American  Electric Power Service  Corporation,  1
Riverside Plaza,  Columbus,  Ohio 43215,  attention of A. A. Pena,  Treasurer,
(fax 614/223-1687).

      10.  Parties in Interest:  The agreement  herein set forth has been and is
made solely for the benefit of the  Underwriters,  the  Company  (including  the
directors  thereof  and such of the  officers  thereof as shall have  signed the
Registration  Statement),  the  controlling  persons,  if  any,  referred  to in
Sections 5 and 6 hereof, and their respective successors, assigns, executors and
administrators, and, except as expressly otherwise provided in Section 7 hereof,
no other person  shall  acquire or have any right under or by the virtue of this
Agreement.

      11. Definition of Certain Terms: If there be two or more persons, firms or
corporations named in Exhibit 1 hereto, the term "Underwriters", as used herein,
shall be deemed to mean the several  persons,  firms or  corporations,  so named
(including the  Representative  herein mentioned,  if so named) and any party or
parties substituted pursuant to Section 7 hereof, and the term "Representative",
as used herein,  shall be deemed to mean the  representative or  representatives
designated by, or in the manner authorized by, the Underwriters. All obligations
of the Underwriters  hereunder are several and not joint. If there shall be only
one  person,   firm  or  corporation  named  in  Exhibit  1  hereto,   the  term
"Underwriters" and the term  "Representative",  as used herein,  shall mean such
person,  firm or  corporation.  The term  "successors" as used in this Agreement
shall not include any  purchaser,  as such  purchaser,  of any of the [Unsecured
Notes] from any of the respective Underwriters.

      12.  Conditions  of the  Company's  Obligations:  The  obligations  of the
Company  hereunder  are  subject  to  the  Underwriters'  performance  of  their
obligations  hereunder,  and the further  condition that at the Time of Purchase
the Kentucky Public Service  Commission shall have issued an appropriate  order,
and  such  order  shall  remain  in  full  force  and  effect,  authorizing  the
transactions contemplated hereby.

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

      14. Execution of  Counterparts:  This Agreement may be executed in several
counterparts,  each of which shall be  regarded as an original  and all of which
shall constitute one and the same document.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties  hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their respective  officers  thereunto duly  authorized,  on the date
first above written.

                                    KENTUCKY POWER COMPANY


                                    By:____________________________
                                                A. A. Pena
                                                Treasurer


- -----------------------------------
        as Representative
and on behalf of the Underwriters
   named in Exhibit 1 hereto




                                    EXHIBIT 1

            Name                                      Principal Amount