EXHIBIT 10-A-24


                                                              Contract No.1.2381













                                SERVICE AGREEMENT

                                     between

                   TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION

                                       and

                 PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.




















                                January 24, 1996









                                SERVICE AGREEMENT


         THIS AGREEMENT entered into this twenty-fourth day of January, 1996, by
and between TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION,  a Delaware corporation,
hereinafter  referred to as "Seller," first party, and PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF
NORTH CAROLINA, INC., hereinafter referred to as "Buyer," second party,

                               W I T N E S S E T H

         WHEREAS,  pursuant  to Order Nos.  636,  issued by the  Federal  Energy
Regulatory  Commission  (Commission) and Seller's procedures set forth on page 7
of  Seller's  August  4, 1993  Order No.  636  Compliance  Filing in Docket  No.
RS92-86,  Buyer has  notified  Seller of its desire to unbundle its bundled firm
transportation  service  under  Seller's  Rate  Schedule  FT-NT and convert such
service from Part 157 of the Commission's regulations to service with Seller and
the upstream pipeline(s) under Part 284(G) of the Commission's regulations; and

         WHEREAS, Buyer has designated that Seller's Part 284(G) service will be
rendered under Seller's Rate Schedule FT; and

         WHEREAS, Seller has prepared this agreement for service for Buyer under
Rate Schedule FT, and this  agreement  will supersede and terminate the existing
service  agreement  between  Seller and Buyer under Rate Schedule FT-NT (Transco
system contract number .6213); and

         WHEREAS,  this agreement shall not be effective until Seller's  service
agreement(s) with the upstream transporter(s) has (have) been amended to reflect
Seller's reduced transportation service entitlement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, Seller and Buyer agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I
                           GAS TRANSPORTATION SERVICE

         1.  Subject  to the  terms  and  provisions  of this  agreement  and of
Seller's  Rate  Schedule FT, Buyer agrees to deliver or cause to be delivered to
Seller  gas for  transportation  and Seller  agrees to  receive,  transport  and
redeliver  natural gas to Buyer or for the account of Buyer, on a firm basis, up
to the dekatherm  equivalent of a  Transportation  Contract  Quantity ("TCQ") of
5,000 Mcf per day.

         2.  Transportation  service rendered  hereunder shall not be subject to
curtailment  or  interruption  except as  provided  in Section 11 of the General
Terms and Conditions of Seller's FERC Gas Tariff.

                                   ARTICLE II
                               POINT(S) OF RECEIPT

         Buyer shall  deliver or cause to be  delivered  gas at the  point(s) of
receipt  hereunder at a pressure  sufficient to allow the gas to enter  Seller's
pipeline system at the varying pressures that may exist in such system from time
to time;  provided,  however,  the pressure of the gas delivered or caused to be
delivered  by Buyer  shall not  exceed  the  maximum  operating  pressure(s)  of
Seller's  pipeline system at such point(s) of receipt.  In the event the maximum
operating  pressure(s) of Seller's  pipeline system,  at the point(s) of receipt
hereunder,  is from  time to time  increased  or  decreased,  then  the  maximum
allowable pressure(s) of the gas delivered or caused to be delivered by Buyer to
Seller  at the  point(s)  of  receipt  shall  be  correspondingly  increased  or
decreased upon written  notification of Seller to Buyer. The point(s) of receipt
for natural gas received for transportation pursuant to this agreement shall be:





                          SERVICE AGREEMENT (CONTINUED)

         See Exhibit A, attached hereto, for points of receipt.

                                   ARTICLE III
                              POINT(S) OF DELIVERY

         Seller  shall  redeliver  to Buyer or for the  account of Buyer the gas
transported hereunder at the following point(s) of delivery and at a pressure(s)
of :

         See Exhibit B, attached hereto, for points of delivery and pressures.



                                   ARTICLE IV
                                TERM OF AGREEMENT

         This  agreement  shall be  effective  as of January  24, 1996 and shall
remain in force and effect until 8:00 a.m.  Eastern  Standard  Time  November 1,
2007,  and thereafter  until  terminated by Seller or Buyer upon at least twelve
(12) months prior  written  notice;  provided,  however,  this  agreement  shall
terminate  immediately and, subject to the receipt of necessary  authorizations,
if any,  Seller may  discontinue  service  hereunder  if (a) Buyer,  in Seller's
reasonable judgement fails to demonstrate credit worthiness, and (b) Buyer fails
to provide adequate  security in accordance with Section 32 of the General Terms
and  Conditions  of Seller's  Volume No. 1 Tariff.  As set forth in Section 8 of
Article II of Seller's  August 7, 1989  revised  Stipulation  and  Agreement  in
Docket Nos. RP88-68 et. al., (a) pregranted abandonment under Section 284.221(d)
of the  Commission's  Regulations  shall not apply to any long term  conversions
from firm sales service to  transportation  service under Seller's Rate Schedule
FT and (b)  Seller  shall not  exercise  its  right to  terminate  this  service
agreement as it applies to  transportation  service  resulting from  conversions
from  firm  sales  service  so long as Buyer  is  willing  to pay  rates no less
favorable  than Seller is otherwise  able to collect from third parties for such
service.

                                    ARTICLE V
                             RATE SCHEDULE AND PRICE

         1. Buyer shall pay Seller for natural gas delivered to Buyer  hereunder
in accordance  with Seller's Rate Schedule FT and the  applicable  provisions of
the General  Terms and  Conditions of Seller's FERC Gas Tariff as filed with the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,  and as the same may be legally amended or
superseded  from  time to  time.  Such  Rate  Schedule  and  General  Terms  and
Conditions are by this reference made a part hereof.

         2. Seller and Buyer agree that the quantity of gas that Buyer  delivers
or causes to be delivered  to Seller shall  include the quantity of gas retained
by Seller for applicable  compressor  fuel, line loss makeup (and injection fuel
under Seller's Rate Schedule GSS, if applicable) in providing the transportation
service  hereunder,  which  quantity  may be changed from time to time and which
will be specified  in the  currently  effective  Sheet No. 44 of Volume No. 1 of
this  Tariff  which  relates  to  service  under  this  agreement  and  which is
incorporated herein.


         3. In  addition  to the  applicable  charges  for  firm  transportation
service  pursuant  to  Section 3 of  Seller's  Rate  Schedule  FT,  Buyer  shall
reimburse  Seller for any and all filing  fees  incurred  as a result of Buyer's
request for service under Seller's Rate Schedule FT, to the extent such fees are
imposed upon Seller by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or any successor
governmental authority having jurisdiction.







                                   ARTICLE VI
                                  MISCELLANEOUS


         1. This  Agreement  supersedes  and  cancels as of the  effective  date
hereof the  following  contract(s)  between the parties  hereto:

            Rate Schedule FT-NT Service  Agreement  between  Seller  and  Buyer,
            dated July 20, 1992 (Transco system contract number .6213).

         2. No waiver by either  party of any one or more  defaults by the other
in the  performance  of any  provisions  of this  agreement  shall operate or be
construed as a waiver of any future  default or  defaults,  whether of a like or
different character.

         3. The  interpretation  and  performance of this agreement  shall be in
accordance  with the laws of the State of  Texas,  without  recourse  to the law
governing  conflict  of laws,  and to all  present  and  future  valid laws with
respect to the subject matter,  including  present and future orders,  rules and
regulations of duly constituted authorities.

         4. This  agreement  shall be binding upon, and  inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

         5. Notices to either party shall be in writing and shall be  considered
as duly delivered when mailed to the other party at the following address:

            (a) If to Seller:
                Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation
                P.O. Box 1396
                Houston, Texas, 77251
                Attn:  Customer Services

            (b) If to Buyer:
                Public Service Company of North Carolina
                P.O. Box 1398
                Gastonia, North Carolina 28053-1398
                Attn:  Vice President - Gas Supply

Such  addresses may be changed from time to time by mailing  appropriate  notice
thereof to the other party by certified or registered mail.










         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this agreement to be
signed  by  their  respective   officers  or   representatives   thereunto  duly
authorized.





                                  TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE CORPORATION
                                    (Seller)

                                  By: s\ Frank J. Ferazzi
                                      ------------------------------
                                      Frank J. Ferazzi
                                      Vice President - Customer Service



                                  PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
                                    (Buyer)

                                  By: s\ Franklin H. Yoho
                                      -------------------------------
                                      Franklin H. Yoho
                                      Senior Vice President







                                    EXHIBIT A





                                                         Buyer's Capacity
Point(s) of Receipt                                      Entitlement (Mcf/d)  1/

The point of interconnection between the                        5,000
facilities of Seller and CNG Transmission Corporation
at Leidy in Clinton County, Pennsylvania.





1/       These  quantities  do not  include  the  additional  quantities  of gas
         retained by Seller for applicable compressor fuel and line loss make-up
         provided  for in  Article  V,2 of this  Service  Agreement,  which  are
         subject to change as provided for in Article V,2 hereof.








                                    EXHIBIT B



Point(s) of Delivery                        Pressure(s)

The point of interconnection                Prevailing pressures in Seller's
between Seller's Leidy Line and             pipeline system.
its main line in Mercer County,
New Jersey.