Execution Copy


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                         ALLIANT ENERGY RESOURCES, INC.


                            (a Wisconsin corporation)


                                5,166,052 PHONES



                       EXCHANGEABLE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030





                    UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED AS TO PAYMENT
                 OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST BY
                           ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION
                            (A Wisconsin Corporation)





                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT




Dated:  January 26, 2000



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                                Table of Contents


                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----

SECTION 1.  Representations and Warranties by the Company and the Parent.......3

            (a) Representations and Warranties.................................3
                (i)  Offering Memorandum.......................................3
                (ii)  Incorporated Documents...................................3
                (iii)  Independent Accountants.................................4
                (iv)  Financial Statements.....................................4
                (v)  No Material Adverse Change in Business....................4
                (vi) Good Standing of the Company and the Parent...............5
                (vii)  Good Standing of Designated Subsidiaries................5
                (viii)  Capitalization.........................................6
                (ix)  Authorization of Agreement...............................6
                (x)  Authorization of the Indenture............................6
                (xi)  Authorization of the Supplemental Indenture..............6
                (xii) Authorization of the Registration Rights Agreement.......7
                (xiii)  Authorization of the Securities........................7
                (xiv)  Description of the Securities and the Indenture.........7
                (xv)  Absence of Defaults and Conflicts........................8
                (xvi)  Absence of Labor Dispute................................9
                (xvii)  Absence of Proceedings.................................9
                (xviii)  Absence of Further Requirements.......................9
                (xix)  Possession of Licenses and Permits......................9
                (xx)  Title to Property.......................................10
                (xxi)  Environmental Laws.....................................10
                (xxii)  Investment Company Act................................11
                (xxiii)  Similar Offerings....................................11
                (xxiv)  Rule 144A Eligibility.................................11
                (xxv)  No General Solicitation................................12
                (xxvi)  No Registration Required..............................12
                (xxvii)  Reporting Company....................................12
            (b) Officer's Certificates........................................12

SECTION 2.  Sale and Delivery to Initial Purchaser; Closing...................12
            (a)  Initial Securities...........................................12
            (b)  Option Securities............................................12
            (c)  Payment......................................................13


                                       i

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                                                                            ----

            (c)  Denominations; Registration..................................13

SECTION 3.  Covenants of the Company and the Parent...........................13
            (a)  Offering Memorandum..........................................13
            (b)  Notice and Effect of Material Events.........................13
            (c)  Amendment to Offering Memorandum and Supplements.............14
            (d)  Qualification of Securities for Offer and Sale...............14
            (e)  Rating of Securities.........................................14
            (f)  DTC..........................................................15
            (g)  Use of Proceeds..............................................15
            (h)  Restriction on Sale of Securities............................15
            (i)  Filing of Registration Statement.............................15

SECTION 4.  Payment of Expenses...............................................16
            (a)  Expenses.....................................................16
            (b)  Termination of Agreement.....................................17

SECTION 5.  Conditions of Initial Purchaser's Obligations.....................17
            (a)  Opinion of Counsel for Company and the Parent................17
            (b)  Opinion of Counsel for Initial Purchaser.....................17
            (c)  Officers'Certificate.........................................18
            (d)  Accountants'Comfort Letter...................................18
            (e)  Bring-down Comfort Letter....................................18
            (f)  Maintenance of Rating........................................19
            (g)  Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities..................19
                 (i)  Officers'Certificate....................................19
                 (ii)  Opinion of Counsel for the Company and the Parent......19
                 (iii)  Opinion of Counsel for Initial Purchaser..............19
                 (iv)  Bring-down Comfort Letter..............................20
                 (v)  Maintenance of Rating...................................20
            (g)  Additional Documents.........................................20
            (h)  Termination of Agreement.....................................20

SECTION 6.  Subsequent Offers and Resales of the Securities...................20
            (a)  Offer and Sale Procedures....................................20
                (i) Offers and Sales only to Qualified Institutional Buyers or
                        Institutional Accredited Investors....................20
                (ii)  No General Solicitation.................................21
                (iii)  Purchases by Non-Bank Fiduciaries......................21
                (iv)  Subsequent Purchaser Notification.......................21



                                       ii

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                (v)  Minimum Purchase Amount..................................21
                (vi)  Restrictions on Transfer................................21
                (vii)  Delivery of Offering Memorandum........................21
            (b)  Covenants of the Company and the Parent......................22
                (i)  Integration..............................................22
                (ii)  Rule 144A Information...................................22
                (iii)  Restriction on Repurchases.............................22
            (c)  Qualified Institutional Buyer................................22

SECTION 7.  Indemnification...................................................22
            (a)  Indemnification of Initial Purchaser.........................22
            (b)  Indemnification of Company and Parent........................23
            (c)  Actions against Parties; Notification........................24
            (d)  Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse...........25

SECTION 8.  Contribution......................................................25

SECTION 9.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery....26

SECTION 10. Termination of Agreement..........................................26
            (a)  Termination; General.........................................26
            (b)  Liabilities..................................................27

SECTION 11. Default by the Initial Purchaser..................................27

SECTION 12. Notices...........................................................27

SECTION 13. Parties...........................................................28

SECTION 14. Governing Law And Time............................................28

SECTION 15. Effect of Headings................................................28

SECTION 16. Counterparts......................................................28


SCHEDULES

    Schedule A - Pricing Information.....................................Sch A-1
    Schedule B - List of Subsidiaries....................................Sch B-1



                                      iii


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                                                                            ----

EXHIBITS

    Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel.........................A-1
    Exhibit B - Form of Opinion of Parent's Counsel..........................B-1




                                       iv


                         ALLIANT ENERGY RESOURCES, INC.
                            (a Wisconsin corporation)

                                5,166,052 PHONES
                       EXCHANGEABLE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030

                    UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED AS TO PAYMENT
                 OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST BY
                           ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION
                            (A WISCONSIN CORPORATION)



                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT


                                                                January 26, 2000

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
North Tower
World Financial Center
New York, New York  10281

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Alliant  Energy   Resources,   Inc.,  a  Wisconsin   corporation   (the
"Company"),  and  Alliant  Energy  Corporation,  a  Wisconsin  corporation  (the
"Parent"),  confirm their  agreement  with Merrill Lynch & Co.,  Merrill  Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated ("Merrill Lynch") (the "Initial Purchaser"),
with  respect  to the  issue and sale by the  Company  and the  purchase  by the
Initial  Purchaser  of  5,166,052   Exchangeable  Senior  Notes  due  2030  (the
"PHONES").  The  aforesaid  5,166,052  PHONES (the "Initial  Securities")  to be
purchased by the Initial  Purchaser and all or any part of the PHONES subject to
the option  described  in section  2(b) hereof  (the  "Option  Securities")  are
hereinafter  called the  "Securities."  The Securities  will be  unconditionally
guaranteed  as to payment of  principal,  premium,  if any,  and interest by the
Parent and will be issued  pursuant to an indenture dated as of November 4, 1999
(the  "Indenture")  between the Company,  the Parent and Firstar Bank,  N.A., as
trustee (the  "Trustee").  The term  "Indenture,"  as used herein,  includes the
Second Supplemental  Indenture to be executed in connection with the offering of
the PHONES (the "Supplemental Indenture") establishing the form and terms of the
Securities  pursuant  to Section  2.02 of the  Indenture.  Securities  issued in
book-entry form will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of The Depository



Trust  Company  ("DTC")  pursuant to a letter  agreement,  to be dated as of the
Closing  Time (as  defined in Section  2(b))  (the "DTC  Agreement"),  among the
Company, the Trustee and DTC.

         The Company  understands that the Initial Purchaser proposes to make an
offering of the  Securities  on the terms and in the manner set forth herein and
agrees that the Initial  Purchaser  may resell,  subject to the  conditions  set
forth herein,  all or a portion of the  Securities  to  purchasers  ("Subsequent
Purchasers")  at any time after this  Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Securities are to be offered and sold through the Initial  Purchaser without
being  registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"),
in reliance upon exemptions  therefrom.  Pursuant to the terms of the Securities
and the  Indenture,  investors  that  acquire  Securities  may  only  resell  or
otherwise  transfer such Securities if such Securities are hereafter  registered
under the 1933 Act or if an exemption from the registration  requirements of the
1933 Act is  available  (including  the  exemption  afforded by Rule 144A ("Rule
144A")  of the  rules  and  regulations  promulgated  under  the 1933 Act by the
Securities and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission")  and the exemption under
Regulation D  ("Regulation  D") for sales to a limited  number of  institutional
"accredited  investors" as that term is defined in Rule  501(a)(1),  (2), (3) or
(7) under the Securities Act (each, an "Institutional Accredited Investor")).

         Holders (including subsequent  transferees) of the Securities will have
the  registration  rights set forth in the  Registration  Rights  Agreement (the
"Registration  Rights Agreement"),  to be entered at the Closing Time, among the
Company,  the Parent and the Initial  Purchaser,  for so long as such Securities
constitute  "Registrable  Securities"  (as  defined in the  Registration  Rights
Agreement).  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement,  the Company and the
Parent will use their  reasonable best efforts to file with the Commission under
the circumstances set forth therein, (i) a registration statement under the 1933
Act (the "Exchange Offer  Registration  Statement")  registering an issue of the
Company's  PHONES  identical in all  material  respects to the  Securities  (the
"Exchange  Securities")  to be  offered  in  exchange  for the  Securities  (the
"Exchange  Offer")  and  (ii),  under  certain  circumstances,   a  registration
statement  pursuant  to Rule 415  under  the 1933 Act (the  "Shelf  Registration
Statement") to register the Securities.

         The Company has prepared and delivered to the Initial  Purchaser copies
of a preliminary  offering  memorandum dated January 26, 2000 (the  "Preliminary
Offering  Memorandum")  and  has  prepared  and  will  deliver  to  the  Initial
Purchaser,  on the date  hereof or the next  succeeding  day,  copies of a final
offering  memorandum  dated January 26, 2000 (the "Final Offering  Memorandum"),
each for use by the Initial  Purchaser in connection  with its  solicitation  of
purchases of, or offering of, the Securities.  "Offering Memorandum" means, with
respect  to any date or time  referred  to in this  Agreement,  the most  recent
offering  memorandum  (whether the Preliminary  Offering Memorandum or the Final
Offering  Memorandum,  or any amendment or supplement to either such  document),
including exhibits thereto and any documents incorporated


                                       2


therein by  reference,  which has been  prepared and delivered by the Company to
the Initial  Purchaser in connection  with its  solicitation of purchases of, or
offering of, the Securities.

         All references in this Agreement to financial  statements and schedules
and other  information  which is  "contained,"  "included"  or  "stated"  in the
Offering Memorandum (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean
and include all such financial  statements  and schedules and other  information
which  are  incorporated  by  reference  in the  Offering  Memorandum;  and  all
references  in this  Agreement  to  amendments  or  supplements  to the Offering
Memorandum  shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under
the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") which is  incorporated  by
reference in the Offering Memorandum.

         SECTION 1.Representations and Warranties by the Company and the Parent.

         (a) Representations  and Warranties.  Except as otherwise noted herein,
the Company and the Parent  severally  and jointly  represent and warrant to the
Initial  Purchaser as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time  referred to
in Section  2(b)  hereof,  and  severally  and  jointly  agree with the  Initial
Purchaser, as follows:

                 (i) Offering Memorandum.  The Offering Memorandum does not, and
         at the Closing Time will not, include an untrue statement of a material
         fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary  in order to make the
         statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
         were made, not misleading; provided that this representation,  warranty
         and agreement  shall not apply to  statements in or omissions  from the
         Offering  Memorandum  made in  reliance  upon  and in  conformity  with
         information  furnished  to  the  Company  in  writing  by  the  Initial
         Purchaser expressly for use in the Offering Memorandum.

                (ii)  Incorporated  Documents.  (A) The Offering  Memorandum  as
         delivered  from time to time shall  incorporate  by reference  the most
         recent  annual  report of the  Parent  on Form 10-K for the year  ended
         December 31, 1998, as amended by Form 10-K/A filed with the  Commission
         on November 1, 1999,  the quarterly  reports of the Parent on Form 10-Q
         for the  quarters  ended  March  31,  1999 and June 30,  1999,  each as
         amended by Form 10-Q/As filed with the  Commission on November 1, 1999,
         and for the quarter ended September 30, 1999 and the current reports of
         the Parent on Form 8-K,  two filed with the  Commission  on January 20,
         1999, one filed on January 25, 2000 as amended by the current report on
         Form 8-K/A  filed on January  25,  2000,  and one filed on January  26,
         2000, and any such reports filed with the Commission  after the date of
         the  Offering  Memorandum  and  before the end of the  offering  of the
         Securities.  (B) With  respect  to this  subsection  clause (B) of this
         clause (ii) only, the Parent represents and


                                       3


         warrants that the documents  incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated
         by  reference  in the  Offering  Memorandum  at the time  they  were or
         hereafter are filed with the Commission complied or will comply, as the
         case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934
         Act and the rules and  regulations of the Commission  thereunder,  and,
         when  read  together  with  the  other   information  in  the  Offering
         Memorandum,  at the time the Offering  Memorandum was issued and at the
         Closing  Time,  did not and will not include an 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.

               (iii) Independent Accountants.  The accountants who certified the
         financial  statements and supporting schedules included in the Offering
         Memorandum  are  independent  public  accountants  with  respect to the
         Company,  the  Parent  and their  respective  subsidiaries  within  the
         meaning of Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act.

                (iv) Financial Statements.  The financial  statements,  together
         with  the  related  schedules  and  notes,  included  in  the  Offering
         Memorandum  present  fairly in all  materials  respects  the  financial
         position  of the  Company  and its  consolidated  subsidiaries  and the
         Parent and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the
         statement  of  operations,  shareowners'  equity  and cash flows of the
         Company  and  its  consolidated  subsidiaries  and the  Parent  and its
         consolidated  subsidiaries  for the periods  specified;  said financial
         statements  have been prepared in conformity  with  generally  accepted
         accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout
         the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the
         Offering  Memorandum  present  fairly  in  all  materials  respects  in
         accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The
         selected financial data and the summary financial  information included
         in the Offering Memorandum present fairly in all materials respects the
         information  shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent
         with that of the audited financial  statements included in the Offering
         Memorandum.

                 (v)  No  Material   Adverse  Change  in  Business.   Since  the
         respective  dates as of  which  information  is  given in the  Offering
         Memorandum,  except as otherwise stated therein,  (A) there has been no
         material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in
         the  earnings  or  business  affairs of the  Company and the Parent and
         their  respective  subsidiaries,   in  each  case,  considered  as  one
         enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary  course of business
         nor has there been any  developments  involving a prospective  material
         adverse  change of the  Company  and the  Parent  and their  respective
         subsidiaries,  in each case,  considered as one enterprise,  whether or
         not arising in the  ordinary  course of business (a  "Material  Adverse
         Effect"),  (B) there  have  been no  transactions  entered  into by the
         Company and the Parent or any of their respective


                                       4


         subsidiaries,  other than  those in the  ordinary  course of  business,
         which are material with respect to the Company and the Parent and their
         respective  subsidiaries,  and (C) except for regular  dividends on the
         common  stock,  par value $.01 per share,  of the Parent  (the  "Common
         Stock") in amounts per share that are  consistent  with past  practice,
         there has been no dividend or distribution  of any kind declared,  paid
         or made by the Parent on any class of its capital stock.

                (vi) Good  Standing of the  Company and the Parent.  Each of the
         Company and the Parent has been duly organized and is validly  existing
         as a  corporation  under  the laws of the  State of  Wisconsin  and has
         corporate   power  and  authority  to  own,  lease  and  operate  their
         respective  properties  and to conduct their  respective  businesses as
         described  in the  Offering  Memorandum  and to enter into and  perform
         their  respective  obligations  under this  Agreement;  and each of the
         Company and the Parent is duly  qualified as a foreign  corporation  to
         transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in
         which  such  qualification  is  required,  whether  by  reason  of  the
         ownership  or leasing of property or the  conduct of  business,  except
         where the  failure so to qualify  or to be in good  standing  would not
         result in a Material Adverse Effect.

               (vii) Good  Standing of  Designated  Subsidiaries.  Each material
         subsidiary  of the  Company  is  listed  on  Schedule  B  hereto  (each
         subsidiary  on the list shall be  referred  to herein as a  "Designated
         Subsidiary" and, collectively, as the "Designated Subsidiaries").  Each
         Designated  Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly  existing
         as  a  corporation   under  the  laws  of  the   jurisdiction   of  its
         incorporation,  has  corporate  power and  authority to own,  lease and
         operate its  properties and to conduct its business as described in the
         Offering  Memorandum and is duly qualified as a foreign  corporation to
         transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
         such  qualification is required,  whether by reason of the ownership or
         leasing of  property  or the  conduct  of  business,  except  where the
         failure so to qualify or to be in good  standing  would not result in a
         Material Adverse Effect;  except as otherwise disclosed in the Offering
         Memorandum,  all of the issued and  outstanding  capital  stock of each
         Designated  Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued,  is
         fully  paid  and  non-assessable  (except,  in the  case of  Designated
         Subsidiaries  that are Wisconsin  corporations,  for certain  statutory
         liabilities that may be imposed by Section 180.0622(b) of the Wisconsin
         Business Corporation Law (the "WBCL") for unpaid employee wages) and is
         owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries,  free and clear
         of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
         equity;  and none of the  outstanding  shares of  capital  stock of the
         Designated  Subsidiaries  was issued in violation of any  preemptive or
         similar rights of any securityholder of such Designated Subsidiary.


                                       5


              (viii)  Capitalization.  The  authorized,  issued and  outstanding
         capital stock of the Parent is as set forth in the Offering  Memorandum
         in the columns  entitled  "Actual"  under the caption  "Capitalization"
         (except for subsequent  issuances,  if any, pursuant to this Agreement,
         pursuant to reservations,  agreements,  employee benefit plans referred
         to  in  the  Offering   Memorandum  or  pursuant  to  the  exercise  of
         convertible   securities  or  options   referred  to  in  the  Offering
         Memorandum).  All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock
         of the Company  have been duly  authorized  and validly  issued and are
         fully paid and non-assessable (except for certain statutory liabilities
         that may be  imposed  by  Section  180.0622(b)  of the WBCL for  unpaid
         employee  wages)  and  are  owned  by  the  Parent;  and  none  of  the
         outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock of the  Company  was  issued in
         violation  of  the   preemptive   or  other   similar   rights  of  any
         securityholder of the Company. All of the issued and outstanding shares
         if capital  stock of the Parent have been duly  authorized  and validly
         issued  and are  fully  paid and  non-assessable  (except  for  certain
         statutory liabilities that may be imposed by Section 180.0622(b) of the
         WBCL for unpaid employee wages);  and all of the issued and outstanding
         capital stock of its significant  subsidiaries (as such term is defined
         in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X), including the Company,  have been duly
         authorized  and  validly  issued and are fully paid and  non-assessable
         (except,   in  the  case  of  such   subsidiaries  that  are  Wisconsin
         corporations,  for certain statutory liabilities that may be imposed by
         Section  180.0622(b) of the WBCL for unpaid employee wages) and (except
         for directors'  qualifying  shares and except as otherwise set forth in
         the  Offering  Memorandum)  are owned  directly  or  indirectly  by the
         Parent, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

                (ix) Authorization of Agreement. The Company and the Parent have
         all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
         Agreement and to perform their  obligations  hereunder.  This Agreement
         has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the
         Parent.

                 (x) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly
         authorized,  executed and delivered by the Company,  the Parent and the
         Trustee and  constitutes  a valid and binding  agreement of the Company
         and the  Parent,  enforceable  against  the  Company  and the Parent in
         accordance with its terms, except as (A) the enforcement thereof may be
         limited by bankruptcy,  insolvency (including,  without limitation, all
         laws relating to fraudulent transfers),  reorganization,  moratorium or
         similar laws affecting  enforcement of creditors'  rights generally and
         (B) as enforcement  thereof is subject to general  principles of equity
         (regardless  of whether  enforcement  is  considered in a proceeding in
         equity or at law).

                 (xi)   Authorization   of   the   Supplemental   Indenture  The
         Supplemental  Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and the
         Parent and, when executed and


                                       6


         delivered by the Company, the Parent and the Trustee, will constitute a
         valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Parent,  enforceable
         against the Company and the Parent in accordance with its terms, except
         (A) as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
         (including,   without  limitation,  all  laws  relating  to  fraudulent
         transfers),  reorganization,   moratorium  or  similar  laws  affecting
         enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  and (B) as  enforcement
         thereof  is  subject to general  principles  of equity  (regardless  of
         whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

                 (xii)  Authorization of the Registration Rights Agreement.  The
         Company and the Parent have all requisite corporate power and authority
         to  execute  and  deliver  the  Registration   Rights  Agreement.   The
         Registration  Rights  Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company
         and the Parent and,  when  executed and  delivered by the Company,  the
         Parent and the Initial  Purchaser,  will constitute a valid and binding
         agreement  of the  Company  and the  Parent,  enforceable  against  the
         Company and the Parent in accordance with its terms,  except (A) as the
         enforcement   thereof  may  be  limited  by   bankruptcy,   insolvency,
         (including,   without  limitation,  all  laws  relating  to  fraudulent
         transfers),  reorganization,   moratorium  or  similar  laws  affecting
         enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  and (B) as  enforcement
         thereof  is  subject to general  principles  of equity  (regardless  of
         whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

              (xiii)  Authorization of the Securities.  The Securities have been
         duly  authorized and the Guarantees  have been duly  authorized and, at
         the Closing  Time or the Date of Delivery (as defined  herein),  as the
         case may be,  will have  been  duly  executed  by the  Company  and the
         Securities   will  have  been   guaranteed  by  the  Parent  and,  when
         authenticated,  issued and delivered in the manner  provided for in the
         Indenture and delivered  against payment of the purchase price therefor
         as  provided  in this  Agreement,  will  constitute  valid and  binding
         obligations  of the  Company and the  Parent,  enforceable  against the
         Company and the Parent in  accordance  with their terms,  except (A) as
         the  enforcement  thereof  may be  limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency
         (including,   without  limitation,  all  laws  relating  to  fraudulent
         transfers),  reorganization,   moratorium  or  similar  laws  affecting
         enforcement  of  creditors'  rights  generally  and (B) as  enforcement
         thereof  is  subject to general  principles  of equity  (regardless  of
         whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law),
         and will be in the form  contemplated  by, and entitled to the benefits
         of, the Indenture.

               (xiv)  Description  of the  Securities  and  the  Indenture.  The
         Securities and the Indenture  will conform in all material  respects to
         the respective  statements  relating thereto  contained in the Offering
         Memorandum  and will be in  substantially  the  respective  forms  last
         delivered to the Initial Purchaser prior to the date of this Agreement.


                                       7


                (xv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. None of the Company, the
         Parent or any of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of their
         respective  charters  or by-laws or in  default in the  performance  or
         observance  of  any  obligation,   agreement,   covenant  or  condition
         contained in any contract, indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, loan or
         credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which
         the Company,  the Parent or any of their  respective  subsidiaries is a
         party or by  which  any of them may be  bound,  or to which  any of the
         property  or  assets  of the  Company,  the  Parent  or  any  of  their
         respective  subsidiaries  is  subject  (collectively,  "Agreements  and
         Instruments")  except  for such  defaults  that  would not  result in a
         Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of
         this Agreement,  the Indenture,  the Registration Rights Agreement, the
         Securities  and the  Guarantees  and any other  agreement or instrument
         entered  into or issued or to be entered  into or issued by the Company
         and the Parent in connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby
         or thereby or in the Offering  Memorandum and the  consummation  of the
         transactions   contemplated  herein  and  in  the  Offering  Memorandum
         (including  the issuance and sale of the  Securities and the use of the
         proceeds  from the sale of the  Securities as described in the Offering
         Memorandum  under the caption "Use of Proceeds")  and compliance by the
         Company and the Parent with their respective obligations hereunder have
         been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate  action and do not and
         will not,  whether  with or without  the giving of notice or passage of
         time or both,  conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or a
         Repayment  Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or
         imposition  of any lien,  charge or  encumbrance  upon any  property or
         assets  of  the  Company,   the  Parent  or  any  of  their  respective
         subsidiaries  pursuant to, the  Agreements and  Instruments  except for
         such conflicts,  breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances
         that,  singly  or in the  aggregate,  would not  result  in a  Material
         Adverse  Effect,  nor will such action  result in any  violation of the
         provisions of (x) the charter or by-laws of the Company,  the Parent or
         any of  their  respective  subsidiaries  (except  for  such  conflicts,
         breaches, defaults, events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would
         not result in a Material  Adverse  Effect) or (y) any  applicable  law,
         statute,  rule,  regulation,  judgment,  order,  writ or  decree of any
         government,  government  instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign,
         having  jurisdiction  over  the  Company,  the  Parent  or any of their
         respective   subsidiaries  or  any  of  their  assets,   properties  or
         operations,  except for any such violations with respect to this clause
         (y) as  would  not,  individually  or in  the  aggregate,  result  in a
         Material Adverse Effect.  As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means any
         event or  condition  which gives the holder of any note,  debenture  or
         other evidence of  indebtedness  (or any person acting on such holder's
         behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
         all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company, the Parent or any
         of their respective subsidiaries.


                                       8


               (xvi)  Absence  of  Labor  Dispute.  No  labor  dispute  with the
         employees of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  exists or, to the
         knowledge of the Company or the Parent,  is  imminent,  and neither the
         Company  nor the  Parent is aware of any  existing  or  imminent  labor
         disturbance by the employees of the Company,  its subsidiaries or their
         respective   principal   suppliers,    manufacturers,    customers   or
         contractors,  which,  in either  case,  may  reasonably  be expected to
         result in a Material Adverse Effect.

              (xvii) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Offering
         Memorandum,   there  is  no  action,  suit,   proceeding,   inquiry  or
         investigation  before or brought by any court or governmental agency or
         body,  domestic or foreign,  now pending,  or, to the  knowledge of the
         Company or the Parent,  threatened,  against or affecting  the Company,
         the  Parent  or  any  of  their  respective  subsidiaries  which  might
         reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which
         might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect (A) the
         properties  or  assets  of the  Company,  the  Parent  or any of  their
         respective  subsidiaries or (B) the  consummation  of the  transactions
         contemplated  by this  Agreement or the  performance by the Company and
         the Parent of their respective obligations hereunder.  The aggregate of
         all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company, the
         Parent or any of their  respective  subsidiaries is a party or of which
         any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not
         described  in  the  Offering  Memorandum,  including  ordinary  routine
         litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected
         to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

             (xviii)  Absence  of  Further  Requirements.  No  filing  with,  or
         authorization,   approval,   consent,  license,  order,   registration,
         qualification  or decree of,  any court or  governmental  authority  or
         agency is necessary or required for the  performance by the Company and
         the Parent of their  respective  obligations  hereunder,  in connection
         with (A) the offering,  issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or
         the consummation of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or
         (B) for the due execution,  delivery or performance of the Indenture by
         the Company and the Parent,  except such as have been already  obtained
         and  except  such  as may be  required  by the  securities  laws of the
         various states in which the Securities  will be offered or sold and the
         Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended (the "1935 Act")
         (solely with respect to filings required to be made with the Commission
         subsequent  to the  Closing  Time),  with  the  offer  and  sale of the
         Securities  or by the 1933 Act or the Trust  Indenture  Act of 1939, as
         amended  (the "1939 Act"),  in  connection  with the exchange  offer as
         contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement.

                 (xix)  Possession  of Licenses  and Permits.  The Company,  the
         Parent  and  their  respective   subsidiaries   possess  such  permits,
         licenses, approvals, consents and other


                                       9


         authorizations  (collectively,  "Governmental  Licenses") issued by the
         appropriate  federal,  state, local or foreign  regulatory  agencies or
         bodies  necessary  to conduct the  business now operated by them except
         where the failure to possess any such  Governmental  Licenses would not
         have a  Material  Adverse  Effect;  the  Company,  the Parent and their
         respective subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions
         of all such  Governmental  Licenses,  except  where the  failure  so to
         comply would not, singly or in the aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse
         Effect;  all of the  Governmental  Licenses are valid and in full force
         and effect,  except where the invalidity of such Governmental  Licenses
         or the  failure of such  Governmental  Licenses to be in full force and
         effect  would  not  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect;  and none of the
         Company,  the  Parent  nor any of  their  respective  subsidiaries  has
         received  any  notice of  proceedings  relating  to the  revocation  or
         modification of any such Governmental  Licenses which, singly or in the
         aggregate,  if  the  subject  of an  unfavorable  decision,  ruling  or
         finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                (xx)  Title to  Property.  The  Company,  the  Parent  and their
         respective  subsidiaries  have  good and  marketable  title to all real
         property  owned  by  the  Company,  the  Parent  and  their  respective
         subsidiaries  and good title to all other  properties owned by them, in
         each case, free and clear of all mortgages,  pledges,  liens,  security
         interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such
         as (A) are described in the Offering  Memorandum or (B) do not,  singly
         or in the aggregate,  materially  affect the value of such property and
         do not  interfere  with the use made  and  proposed  to be made of such
         property  by  the  Company,  the  Parent  or any  of  their  respective
         subsidiaries;  and all of the  leases  and  subleases  material  to the
         business of the Company, the Parent and their respective  subsidiaries,
         considered as one enterprise,  and under which the Company,  the Parent
         or any of their respective  subsidiaries holds properties  described in
         the Offering Memorandum,  are in full force and effect, and none of the
         Company,  the Parent nor any of their  respective  subsidiaries has any
         notice  of any  material  claim of any sort that has been  asserted  by
         anyone adverse to the rights of the Company, the Parent or any of their
         respective  subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned
         above, or affecting or questioning the rights of such the Company,  the
         Parent or any  subsidiary  thereof to the  continued  possession of the
         leased or subleased  premises under any such lease or sublease,  except
         where such would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

               (xxi)  Environmental  Laws.  Except as  described in the Offering
         Memorandum  and the  documents  incorporated  by reference  therein and
         except such matters as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in
         a Material Adverse Effect,  (A) none of the Company,  the Parent or any
         of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state,
         local or foreign  statute,  law,  rule,  regulation,  ordinance,  code,
         policy  or  rule  of  common  law or  any  judicial  or  administrative
         interpretation thereof, including any


                                       10


         judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating
         to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including,
         without  limitation,  ambient air,  surface  water,  groundwater,  land
         surface or subsurface strata) including,  without limitation,  laws and
         regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals,
         pollutants,   contaminants,   wastes,   toxic   substances,   hazardous
         substances,  petroleum or petroleum products (collectively,  "Hazardous
         Materials")  or to  the  manufacture,  processing,  distribution,  use,
         treatment,  storage,  disposal,  transport  or  handling  of  Hazardous
         Materials  (collectively,  "Environmental  Laws"), (B) the Company, the
         Parent   and   their   respective   subsidiaries   have  all   permits,
         authorizations    and   approvals   required   under   any   applicable
         Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their  requirements,
         (C)  there  are no  pending  or,  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Company,
         threatened  administrative,  regulatory  or  judicial  actions,  suits,
         demands,  demand letters,  claims,  liens,  notices of noncompliance or
         violation,  investigation or proceedings  relating to any Environmental
         Law  against  the  Company,  the  Parent  or  any of  their  respective
         subsidiaries  and (D) there are no events or  circumstances  that might
         reasonably  be expected  to form the basis of an order for  clean-up or
         remediation,  or an action,  suit or proceeding by any private party or
         governmental  body or agency,  against or affecting  the  Company,  the
         Parent or any of their  respective  subsidiaries  relating to Hazardous
         Materials or Environmental Laws.

              (xxii) Investment  Company Act. Neither the Company nor the Parent
         is,  and  upon  the  issuance  and  sale of the  Securities  as  herein
         contemplated  and the  application  of the net  proceeds  therefrom  as
         described in the Offering  Memorandum will be, an "investment  company"
         or an entity "controlled" by an "investment  company" as such terms are
         defined in the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as amended (the "1940
         Act").

             (xxiii) Similar Offerings.  None of the Company,  the Parent or any
         of their respective affiliates,  as such term is defined in Rule 501(b)
         under the 1933 Act (each, an "Affiliate"), has, directly or indirectly,
         solicited  any  offer  to buy,  sold or  offered  to sell or  otherwise
         negotiated  in respect of, or will  solicit  any offer to buy,  sell or
         offer to sell or  otherwise  negotiate  in  respect  of, in the  United
         States or to any United States citizen or resident,  any security which
         is or would be integrated  with the sale of the  Securities in a manner
         that would require the Securities to be registered under the 1933 Act.

              (xxiv) Rule 144A  Eligibility.  The  Securities  are  eligible for
         resale  pursuant to Rule 144A and will not be, at the Closing  Time, of
         the same class as securities listed on a national  securities  exchange
         registered  under  Section  6 of the  1934  Act,  or  quoted  in a U.S.
         automated interdealer quotation system.


                                       11


               (xxv) No General  Solicitation.  None of the Company, the Parent,
         their  Affiliates  or any person  acting on its or any of their  behalf
         (other  than the  Initial  Purchaser,  as to whom the  Company  and the
         Parent  make  no  representation)   has  engaged  or  will  engage,  in
         connection with the offering of the Securities,  in any form of general
         solicitation or general  advertising  within the meaning of Rule 502(c)
         under the 1933 Act.

              (xxvi) No  Registration  Required.  Subject to  compliance  by the
         Initial Purchaser with the  representations and warranties set forth in
         Section 2 and the procedures  set forth in Section 6 hereof,  it is not
         necessary  in  connection  with the  offer,  sale and  delivery  of the
         Securities to the Initial Purchaser and to each Subsequent Purchaser in
         the manner  contemplated by this Agreement and the Offering  Memorandum
         to  register  the  Securities  under  the  1933 Act or to  qualify  the
         Indenture under the 1939 Act.

             (xxvii)  Reporting  Company.  With  respect to this clause  (xxvii)
         only,  the Parent  represents  and  warrants  that it is subject to the
         reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the 1934 Act.

         (b) Officer's  Certificates.  Any certificate  signed by any officer of
the Company and of the Parent or any of their respective  subsidiaries delivered
to the Initial Purchaser or to counsel for the Initial Purchaser shall be deemed
a  representation  and  warranty  by the  Company  and the Parent to the Initial
Purchaser as to the matters covered thereby.

         SECTION 2.  Sale and Delivery to Initial Purchaser; Closing.

         (a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties
and agreements  herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions  herein
set forth,  the Company agrees to sell to the Initial  Purchaser and the Initial
Purchaser agrees to purchase from the Company 5,166,052 Initial  Securities,  at
the price per PHONES set forth in Schedule A.

         (b)   Option   Securities.   In   addition,   on  the   basis   of  the
representations,  warranties and agreements  herein contained and subject to the
terms and  conditions  herein set forth,  the Company hereby grants an option to
the Initial Purchaser to purchase from it any or all of the Option Securities at
the  same  price  as is to be  paid by the  Initial  Purchaser  for the  Initial
Securities plus, in the case of the Option Securities, accrued interest, if any,
from the Closing Time to the Date of Delivery.  The option  hereby  granted will
expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at
any one time only for the purpose of covering  over-allotments which may be made
in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial  Securities upon
notice by the  Initial  Purchaser  to the  Company  setting  forth the number of
Option Securities as to which the Initial Purchaser is exercising the option and
the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities.  Such time
and date of delivery for the Option Securities (the "Date of Delivery") shall be
determined by the Initial Purchaser, but shall


                                       12


not be later than seven full  business  days nor earlier than two full  business
days after the  exercise of said  option,  nor in any event prior to the Closing
Time, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Initial Purchaser and the Company.  If
the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option  Securities,  the
Initial Purchaser will purchase the total number of Option Securities then being
purchased.

         (c)  Payment.  Payment of the  purchase  price  for,  and  delivery  of
certificates  for, the Securities shall be made at the offices of the Company at
222 West Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703, or at such other place as
shall be agreed upon by the Initial  Purchaser  and the  Company,  at 10:00 A.M.
(Eastern time) on the third business day after the date hereof (unless postponed
in accordance  with the  provisions of Section 11), or such other time not later
than ten  business  days after such date as shall be agreed  upon by the Initial
Purchaser  and the  Company  (such time and date of payment and  delivery  being
herein called the "Closing Time").

         Payment  shall be made to the Company by wire  transfer of  immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to
the Initial  Purchaser of  certificates  for the  Securities  to be purchased by
them.

         (d)   Denominations;   Registration.   Certificates   for  the  Initial
Securities  and  the  Option  Securities  shall  be in  such  denominations  and
registered  in such names as the  Initial  Purchaser  may  request in writing at
least one full business day before the Closing Time or the Date of Delivery,  as
the case may be. The Initial  Securities and the Option  Securities will be made
available for  examination  and  packaging by the Initial  Purchaser in Madison,
Wisconsin  not later  than  10:00  A.M.  on the last  business  day prior to the
Closing Time or the Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

         SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Parent. The Company and the
Parent, jointly and severally, covenant with the Initial Purchaser as follows:

         (a)  Offering  Memorandum.  The Company and the Parent,  as promptly as
possible, will furnish to the Initial Purchaser,  without charge, such number of
copies of the Preliminary Offering Memorandum, the Final Offering Memorandum and
any amendments and supplements  thereto and documents  incorporated by reference
therein as the Initial Purchaser may reasonably request.

         (b) Notice and Effect of  Material  Events.  The Company and the Parent
will  immediately  notify the  Initial  Purchaser,  and  confirm  such notice in
writing,  of (x) any filing  made by the  Company  or the Parent of  information
relating to the offering of the Securities  with any securities  exchange or any
other  regulatory body in the United States or any other  jurisdiction,  and (y)
prior to the  completion  of the  placement  of the  Securities  by the  Initial


                                       13


Purchaser as evidenced by a notice in writing from the Initial  Purchaser to the
Company,  any  material  changes in or  affecting  the  condition,  financial or
otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of the Company and the Parent and
their  respective  subsidiaries,  taken  as a  whole,  nor has  there  been  any
developments  involving a prospective material adverse change of the Company and
the Parent and their respective  subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, which (i) make
any statement in the Offering Memorandum  materially false or misleading or (ii)
are not  disclosed in the Offering  Memorandum.  In such event or if during such
time  any  event  shall  occur as a result  of  which  it is  necessary,  in the
reasonable opinion of any of the Company, the Parent, their counsel, the Initial
Purchaser or counsel for the Initial Purchaser, to amend or supplement the Final
Offering  Memorandum in order that the Final Offering Memorandum not include any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary
in order to make the  statements  therein  not  misleading  in the  light of the
circumstances then existing,  the Company will forthwith amend or supplement the
Final Offering  Memorandum by preparing and furnishing to the Initial  Purchaser
an amendment or  amendments  of, or a supplement  or  supplements  to, the Final
Offering  Memorandum  (in  form and  substance  satisfactory  in the  reasonable
opinion  of  counsel  for the  Initial  Purchaser)  so that,  as so  amended  or
supplemented, the Final Offering Memorandum will not include an untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary in order to make
the statements therein,  in the light of the circumstances  existing at the time
it is delivered to a Subsequent Purchaser, not misleading.

         (c) Amendment to Offering  Memorandum and Supplements.  The Company and
the Parent will advise the Initial  Purchaser  promptly of any proposal to amend
or  supplement  the Offering  Memorandum  and will not effect such  amendment or
supplement without the consent of the Initial Purchaser, which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld.  Neither the consent of the Initial Purchaser, nor the
Initial  Purchaser's  delivery  of  any  such  amendment  or  supplement,  shall
constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof.  The
Company will furnish to the Initial  Purchaser,  without charge,  such number of
copies of such  amendment or supplement as the Initial  Purchaser may reasonably
request.

         (d)  Qualification  of Securities  for Offer and Sale. The Company will
use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Initial Purchaser,  to qualify the
Securities  for offering and sale under the applicable  securities  laws of such
states and other  jurisdictions as the Initial  Purchaser may designate and will
maintain such  qualifications  in effect as long as required for the sale of the
Securities;  provided,  however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file
any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation
or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified
or  to  subject  itself  to  taxation  in  respect  of  doing  business  in  any
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

         (e) Rating of Securities.  The Company shall take all reasonable action
necessary to enable  Standard & Poor's  Ratings  Services,  a division of McGraw
Hill, Inc. ("S&P"),  and


                                       14


Moody's  Investors  Service Inc.  ("Moody's") to provide their respective credit
ratings of the Securities.

         (f) DTC. The Company will cooperate with the Initial  Purchaser and use
its best  efforts to permit the  Securities  to be eligible  for  clearance  and
settlement through the facilities of DTC.

         (g) Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the net proceeds received by
it from the sale of the  Securities  in the  manner  specified  in the  Offering
Memorandum under "Use of Proceeds."

         (h)  Restriction on Sale of Securities.  During a period of ninety (90)
days from the date of the Closing Time, none of the Company, the Parent or their
respective  subsidiaries  will,  without  the prior  written  consent of Merrill
Lynch,  directly or indirectly,  issue,  sell, offer or agree to sell, grant any
option for the sale of, or  otherwise  dispose  of, any of the  Securities,  any
securities  substantially  similar  to the  Securities,  any  securities  of the
Company or the Parent  convertible  into or  exchangeable or exercisable for the
Securities, or any securities substantially similar to the Securities, except in
connection  with a registered  exchange  offer for the Securities and except for
the  offer  or  sale  of up to an  aggregate  of  300,000  shares  of  McLeodUSA
Incorporated's  Class A Common  Stock,  par value  $0.01 per share (the  "McLeod
Shares")  pursuant to Section 3.1(b) of the Second Amended and Restated November
1998  Stockholders'  Agreement  dated  as of  December  17,  1999  by and  among
McLeodUSA  Incorporated  ("McLeod"),  the Parent,  certain  subsidiaries  of the
Parent and certain stockholders of McLeod named therein; provided, however, that
the  foregoing  shall not prohibit the Company from taking any of the  foregoing
actions in connection with any exchanges or redemptions of the Securities.

         (i) Filing of  Registration  Statement.  The Company and the Parent (A)
shall use their reasonable best efforts to file the Exchange Offer  Registration
Statement on an appropriate  form under the 1933 Act (assuming that the Exchange
Offer can be effectively  registered  thereunder) with the Commission within 135
days of the Closing Time, (B) shall use their  reasonable  best efforts to cause
the Exchange Offer  Registration  Statement to be declared  effective  under the
1933 Act within 180 days of the  Closing  Time,  (C) shall use their  reasonable
best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration  Statement  effective until
the  closing  of the  Exchange  Offer and (D) shall  use their  reasonable  best
efforts to cause the  Exchange  Offer to be  consummated  not later than 45 days
following the effective date of the Exchange Offer  Registration  Statement.  In
the event that (a) the  Company and the Parent are not  permitted  to effect the
Exchange Offer as contemplated because the law or applicable  interpretations of
the law by the staff of the  Commission,  United States Treasury or the Internal
Revenue   Service  do  not  permit  the  Company  and  the  Parent  or  make  it
impracticable  or  inadvisable  for the  Company  and the  Parent to effect  the
Exchange  Offer as  contemplated,  (b) for any other reason,  the Exchange Offer
Registration


                                       15


Statement is not declared  effective  within 180 days following the Closing Time
or the Exchange Offer is not consummated  within 45 days after the effectiveness
of the  Exchange  Offer  Registration  Statement,  (c) upon the  request  of the
Initial  Purchaser  within 90 days  following the  consummation  of the Exchange
Offer (d) if, as a result of any changes in law, Commission rules or regulations
or  applicable  interpretations  thereof  by  the  staff  of the  commission  or
otherwise  a holder of  Securities  (other than the  Initial  Purchaser  holding
Securities  acquired  directly from the Company) is not permitted to participate
in the Exchange Offer or does not receive fully  tradeable  Exchange  Securities
pursuant  to the  Exchange  Offer  or (e)  if,  unless  the  Company  determines
otherwise, at the time of the issuance of the Exchange Securities or the Private
Exchange  Securities (as defined  herein),  the interest rate of such securities
will be 300 basis points above the yield to maturity of a United States Treasury
obligation  having a remaining  term equal to the average life of such security,
the Company and the Parent shall thereafter use their reasonable best efforts to
cause to be declared effective as promptly as practicable but not later than 210
days after the  issuance of the  Securities  a Shelf  Registration  Statement as
provided in the Registration  Rights Agreement.  For purposes of this Agreement,
"Private Exchange  Securities" shall mean those securities issued by the Company
and the Parent upon the request of the Initial Purchaser for the Securities held
by the  Initial  Purchaser  which were  acquired  from the  Company and have the
status of an unsold allotment in the initial distribution.  The Private Exchange
Securities shall be issued and delivered to the Initial Purchaser simultaneously
with the delivery of the Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer.

         SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

         (a)  Expenses.  The  Company  will  pay all  expenses  incident  to the
performance  of  its  obligations  under  this  Agreement,   including  (i)  the
preparation,  printing,  delivery to the Initial Purchaser and any filing of the
Offering  Memorandum  (including  financial  statements  and  any  schedules  or
exhibits  and  any  document  incorporated  therein  by  reference)  and of each
amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the preparation,  printing and delivery to
the Initial Purchaser of this Agreement,  the Indenture and such other documents
as may be required in connection with the offering,  purchase, sale, issuance or
delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation,  issuance and delivery of the
Securities to the Initial Purchaser,  including any transfer taxes, any stamp or
other duties  payable upon the sale,  issuance and delivery of the Securities to
the Initial Purchaser and any charges of DTC in connection  therewith,  (iv) the
fees and disbursements of the Company's counsel, accountants and other advisors,
(v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with
the provisions of Section 3(d) hereof,  including filing fees and the reasonable
fees and  disbursements  of counsel  for the  Initial  Purchaser  in  connection
therewith and in connection  with the  preparation  of the Blue Sky Survey,  any
supplement thereto;  provided, that, counsel fees in connection therewith do not
exceed $5,000, (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and
disbursements of


                                       16


counsel for the Trustee in connection  with the Indenture and the Securities and
(vii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities

         (b)  Termination  of Agreement.  If this Agreement is terminated by the
Initial  Purchaser in  accordance  with the  provisions  of Section 5 or Section
10(a)(i)  hereof,  the Company shall reimburse the Initial  Purchaser for all of
their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Initial Purchaser, provided, that, such fees and expenses do not
exceed $200,000.

         SECTION  5.  Conditions  of  Initial   Purchaser's   Obligations.   The
obligations  of the Initial  Purchaser  hereunder are subject to the accuracy in
all material respects of the  representations  and warranties of the Company and
the Parent  contained in Section 1 hereof or in  certificates  of any officer of
the  Company,  the  Parent  or any of their  respective  subsidiaries  delivered
pursuant to the provisions  hereof,  to the performance in all material respects
by  the  Company  and  the  Parent  of  their  respective  covenants  and  other
obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

         (a)  Opinions of Counsel  for  Company  and the Parent.  At the Closing
Time, the Initial Purchaser shall have received the favorable opinions, dated as
of the  Closing  Time,  of Brown & Wood LLP (as to tax  matters),  Thelen Reid &
Priest (as to 1935 Act matters)  and Foley & Lardner (as to all other  matters),
in each case  counsel for the Company,  in form and  substance  satisfactory  to
counsel for the Initial  Purchaser  to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
In addition,  the Initial Purchaser shall have received the favorable  opinions,
dated as of the Closing Time,  of Brown & Wood LLP (as to tax  matters),  Thelen
Reid & Priest  (as to 1935 Act  matters)  and Foley &  Lardner  (as to all other
matters),   in  each  case  counsel  for  the  Parent,  in  form  and  substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Initial Purchaser to effect set forth in Exhibit
B hereto.  Such counsel may also state that they have relied on  certificates of
public officials and,  insofar as such opinions  involve factual  matters,  they
have relied,  to the extent they deem proper,  upon  certificates of officers of
the Company, the Parent and their respective subsidiaries.

         (b) Opinion of Counsel for Initial Purchaser.  At the Closing Time, the
Initial  Purchaser  shall have received the favorable  opinion,  dated as of the
Closing Time, of Chadbourne & Parke LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchaser, with
respect to certain matters.  In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to
all  matters  governed  by the laws of  jurisdictions  other than the law of the
State  of New  York,  the  federal  law of the  United  States  and the  General
Corporation  Law  of the  State  of  Delaware,  upon  the  opinions  of  counsel
satisfactory to the Initial Purchaser. Such counsel may also state that, insofar
as such opinion involves factual matters,  they have relied,  to the extent they
deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company,  the Parent and their
respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.


                                       17


         (c) Officers'  Certificate.  At the Closing Time,  there shall not have
been,  since  the  date  hereof  or  since  the  respective  dates  as of  which
information is given in the Offering Memorandum,  any material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of
the  Company  and the Parent and their  respective  subsidiaries,  in each case,
considered as one  enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business,  nor has there been any developments  involving a prospective material
adverse change of the Company and the Parent and their respective  subsidiaries,
in each  case,  considered  as one  enterprise,  whether  or not  arising in the
ordinary  course of business,  and the Initial  Purchaser  shall have received a
certificate of the President, Chief Executive Officer or a Vice President of the
Company and of the chief financial or chief  accounting  officer of the Company,
dated as of the  Closing  Time,  to the  effect  that (i) there has been no such
material adverse change,  (ii) the  representations  and warranties in Section 1
hereof are true and correct in all  materials  respects  with the same force and
effect  as though  expressly  made at and as of the  Closing  Time and (iii) the
Company has complied in all material  respects with all agreements and satisfied
all  conditions  on its part to be  performed  or  satisfied  at or prior to the
Closing Time.  The Initial  Purchaser  shall also have received a certificate of
the President,  Chief  Executive  Officer or Vice President of the Parent and of
the chief financial or chief accounting  officer of the Parent,  dated as of the
Closing  Time,  to the effect that (i) the  representations  and  warranties  in
Section 1 hereof are true and  correct in all  material  respects  with the same
force and  effect as  through  made at and as of the  Closing  Time and (ii) the
Parent has complied in all material  respects with all  agreements and satisfied
all  conditions  on its part to be  performed  or  satisfied  at or prior to the
Closing Time.

         (d) Accountants'  Comfort Letter.  At the time of the execution of this
Agreement,  the Initial Purchaser shall have received from Arthur Andersen LLP a
letter  dated such  date,  in form and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Initial
Purchaser containing  statements and information of the type ordinarily included
in  accountants'  "comfort  letters" to initial  purchasers  with respect to the
financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Offering
Memorandum.

         (e)  Bring-down  Comfort  Letter.  At the  Closing  Time,  the  Initial
Purchaser shall have received from Arthur Andersen LLP a letter, dated as of the
Closing Time,  (i) to the effect that they reaffirm the  statements  made in the
letter furnished  pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section and (ii) responsive
to the additional statements and information requested by the Initial Purchaser,
of the type  ordinarily  included in accountants'  "comfort  letters" to initial
purchasers  with  respect to the  financial  statements  and  certain  financial
information  contained  in  the  Offering  Memorandum,  in  form  and  substance
satisfactory to the Initial  Purchaser;  except that the specified date referred
to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.


                                       18


         (f)  Maintenance  of  Rating.  At the  Closing  Time and at the Date of
Delivery, the Securities shall be rated at least A3 by Moody's and A by S&P, and
the Company  shall have  delivered  to the Initial  Purchaser a letter dated the
Closing Time,  from each such rating agency,  or other evidence  satisfactory to
the Initial  Purchaser,  confirming that the Securities  have such ratings;  and
since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in
the  rating  assigned  to the  Securities  or any of the  Company's  other  debt
securities by any  "nationally  recognized  statistical  rating agency," as that
term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2)  under the 1933
Act, and no such securities rating agency shall have publicly  announced that it
has under  surveillance  or review,  with possible  negative  implications,  its
rating of the Securities or any of the Company's other debt securities .

         (g) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities.  In the event that the
Initial  Purchaser  exercise  its  option  provided  in Section  2(b)  hereof to
purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities,  the  representations  and
warranties of the Company and the Parent  contained herein and the statements in
any certificates furnished by the Company, the Parent or any of their respective
subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of the Date of Delivery and,
at the Date of Delivery, the Initial Purchaser shall have received:

                 (i) Officers'  Certificate.  A  certificate,  dated the Date of
         Delivery, of the President, Chief Executive Officer or a Vice President
         of the Company and of the chief financial or chief  accounting  officer
         of the Company  confirming  that the  certificate  delivered at Closing
         Time pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof remains true and correct as of the
         Date of Delivery, and a certificate, dated the Date of Delivery, of the
         President,  Chief  Executive  Officer or a Vice President of the Parent
         and of the chief  financial or chief  accounting  officer of the Parent
         confirming  that the  certificate  delivered  pursuant to Section  5(c)
         hereof remains true and correct as of the Date of Delivery;

                (ii)  Opinions of Counsel  for the  Company and the Parent.  The
         favorable opinions of Brown & Wood LLP (as to tax matters), Thelen Reid
         & Priest (as to 1935 Act  matters) and Foley & Lardner (as to all other
         matters),  in each case counsel for the Company and the Parent, in form
         and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Initial Purchaser,  dated
         the Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased
         on the Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion
         required by Section 5(a) hereof;

               (iii)  Opinion of Counsel for Initial  Purchaser.  The  favorable
         opinion of Chadbourne & Parke LLP,  counsel for the Initial  Purchaser,
         dated the Date of  Delivery,  relating to the Option  Securities  to be
         purchased on the Date of Delivery  and  otherwise to the same effect as
         the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof;


                                       19


                (iv) Bring-down  Comfort  Letter.  A letter from Arthur Andersen
         LLP, in form and substance  satisfactory  to the Initial  Purchaser and
         dated  the  Date of  Delivery,  substantially  the  same  in  form  and
         substance as the letters furnished to the Initial Purchaser pursuant to
         Section 5(e)  hereof,  except that the  "specified  date" in the letter
         furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than five
         days prior to the Date of Delivery; and

                 (v) Maintenance of Rating. A letter from the rating agencies or
         other evidence in form  satisfactory to the Initial Purchaser dated the
         Date of Delivery confirming that the Securities have the ratings as set
         forth in Section  5(f) hereof and  otherwise  to the same effect as the
         letter required by Section 5(f) hereof.

         (h)  Additional  Documents.  At the  Closing  Time  and at the  Date of
Delivery,  counsel for the Initial  Purchaser shall have been furnished with the
above-referenced opinions and such documents as they may require for the purpose
of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the  Securities as herein
contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations
or warranties,  or the fulfillment of any of the conditions,  herein  contained;
and all  proceedings  taken by the Company in  connection  with the issuance and
sale of the Securities as herein  contemplated shall be reasonably  satisfactory
in form and  substance  to the  Initial  Purchaser  and  counsel for the Initial
Purchaser.

         (i)  Termination  of  Agreement.  If any  condition  specified  in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement  (or,  with  respect  to  the  Initial  Purchaser's  exercise  of  the
over-allotment  option  for the  purchase  of Option  Securities  on the Date of
Delivery  after the Closing Time, the  obligations  of the Initial  Purchaser to
purchase the Option Securities on the Date of Delivery) may be terminated by the
Initial  Purchaser  by  notice  to the  Company  at any  time at or prior to the
Closing  Time (or the Date of Delivery,  as  applicable),  and such  termination
shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section  4 and  except  that  Sections  1, 7, 8 and 9  shall  survive  any  such
termination and remain in full force and effect.

         SECTION 6. Subsequent Offers and Resales of the Securities.

         (a) Offer and Sale  Procedures.  The Initial  Purchaser and the Company
hereby  establish  and agree to observe the  following  procedures in connection
with the offer and sale of the Securities:

                 (i) Offers and Sales only to Qualified  Institutional Buyers or
         Institutional Accredited Investors.  Offers and sales of the Securities
         shall only be made (A) to persons whom the offeror or seller reasonably
         believes to be qualified  institutional buyers, as defined in Rule 144A
         under  the  1933 Act  ("Qualified  Institutional  Buyers")  or (B) to a


                                       20


         limited  number  of  persons  who are  other  institutional  accredited
         investors,  as such term is defined in Rule 501(a)(1),  (2), (3) or (7)
         under the 1933 Act that the offeror or seller reasonably believes to be
         and, with respect to sales and deliveries,  that are such institutional
         accredited investors ("Institutional Accredited Investors").

                (ii) No General Solicitation. No general solicitation or general
         advertising (within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the 1933 Act) will
         be used in the United States in connection with the offering or sale of
         the Securities.

               (iii)  Purchases  by  Non-Bank  Fiduciaries.  In  the  case  of a
         non-bank  Subsequent  Purchaser of a Security acting as a fiduciary for
         one or more third parties,  each third party shall,  in the judgment of
         the Initial  Purchaser,  be an Institutional  Accredited  Investor or a
         Qualified Institutional Buyer.

                (iv) Subsequent  Purchaser  Notification.  The Initial Purchaser
         will  take  reasonable  steps to  inform,  and  cause  each of its U.S.
         Affiliates  to take  reasonable  steps  to  inform,  persons  acquiring
         Securities from the Initial Purchaser or affiliate, as the case may be,
         in the United States that the Securities (A) have not been and will not
         be  registered  under the 1933 Act,  (B) are being sold to them without
         registration  under  the  1933  Act in  reliance  on  Rule  144A  or in
         accordance with another exemption from registration under the 1933 Act,
         as the  case  may be,  and (C) may not be  offered,  sold or  otherwise
         transferred  except (1) to the Company or (2) inside the United  States
         in accordance with (x) Rule 144A to a person whom the seller reasonably
         believes is a Qualified  Institutional  Buyer that is  purchasing  such
         Securities  for  its own  account  or for the  account  of a  Qualified
         Institutional  Buyer to whom  notice is given that the  offer,  sale or
         transfer  is being made in  reliance  on Rule 144A or (y)  pursuant  to
         another available exemption from registration under the 1933 Act.

                 (v) Minimum Purchase  Amount.  No sale of the Securities to any
         one Subsequent  Purchaser  will be for less than an original  principal
         amount of $100,000. If the Subsequent Purchaser is a non-bank fiduciary
         acting on behalf of  others,  each  person  for whom it is acting  must
         purchase at least an original principal amount of $100,000.

                (vi) Restrictions on Transfer. The transfer restrictions and the
         other provisions set forth in the Offering Memorandum under the heading
         "Transfer  Restrictions,"  including the legend required thereby, shall
         apply to the Securities  except as otherwise  agreed by the Company and
         the Initial Purchaser.

               (vii) Delivery of Offering Memorandum. The Initial Purchaser will
         deliver to each purchaser of the Securities from the Initial Purchaser,
         in connection with its original


                                       21


         distribution of the Securities,  a copy of the Offering Memorandum,  as
         amended and supplemented at the date of such delivery.

         (b)  Covenants  of the  Company  and the  Parent.  The  Company and the
Parent, jointly and severally, covenant with the Initial Purchaser as follows:

                 (i)  Integration.  The Company  and the Parent  agree that they
         will not and will cause their respective Affiliates not to, directly or
         indirectly,  solicit  any offer to buy,  sell or make any offer or sale
         of, or otherwise  negotiate in respect of, securities of the Company of
         any class if, as a result of the doctrine of "integration"  referred to
         in Rule 502 under the 1933 Act, such offer or sale would render invalid
         (for the  purpose of (i) the sale of the  Securities  by the Company to
         the Initial Purchaser, (ii) the resale of the Securities by the Initial
         Purchaser  to  Subsequent   Purchasers  or  (iii)  the  resale  of  the
         Securities by such Subsequent  Purchasers to others) the exemption from
         the registration  requirements of the 1933 Act provided by Section 4(2)
         thereof or by Rule 144A thereunder or otherwise.

                (ii) Rule 144A  Information.  The Company  and the Parent  agree
         that, in order to render the Securities eligible for resale pursuant to
         Rule  144A  under  the 1933 Act,  while  any of the  Securities  remain
         outstanding,  they will make available,  upon request, to any holder of
         Securities or  prospective  purchasers of  Securities  the  information
         specified in Rule  144A(d)(4),  unless such information is furnished to
         the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.

               (iii)  Restriction  on  Repurchases.  Until the expiration of two
         years after the original  issuance of the  Securities,  the Company and
         the Parent will not, and will cause their respective Affiliates not to,
         resell any Securities  which are "restricted  securities" (as such term
         is  defined  under  Rule  144(a)(3)  under the 1933  Act),  whether  as
         beneficial  owner or otherwise  (except as agent acting as a securities
         broker on behalf of and for the account of  customers  in the  ordinary
         course of business in unsolicited broker's transactions).

         (c) Qualified Institutional Buyer. The Initial Purchaser represents and
warrants to, and agrees with,  the Company and the Parent that it is a Qualified
Institutional  Buyer  within the  meaning of Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and an
"accredited  investor"  within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the 1933 Act (an
"Accredited Investor").

         SECTION 7. Indemnification.

         (a)  Indemnification of Initial Purchaser.  The Company and the Parent,
jointly  and  severally,  agree to  indemnify  and  hold  harmless  the  Initial
Purchaser and each person, if any,


                                       22


who controls the Initial  Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

                 (i)  against  any and all loss,  liability,  claim,  damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
         alleged   untrue   statement  of  a  material  fact  contained  in  any
         Preliminary  Offering  Memorandum or the Final Offering  Memorandum (or
         any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto),  or the  omission  or alleged
         omission  therefrom of a material  fact  necessary in order to make the
         statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
         were made, not misleading;

                (ii)  against  any and all loss,  liability,  claim,  damage and
         expense whatsoever,  as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
         paid  in  settlement  of  any  litigation,   or  any  investigation  or
         proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
         or of any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such  untrue  statement  or
         omission,  or any such alleged untrue  statement or omission;  provided
         that  (subject to Section 7(d) below) any such  settlement  is effected
         with the written consent of the Company and the Parent; and

               (iii)  against  any  and  all  expense  whatsoever,  as  incurred
         (including  the fees and  disbursements  of  counsel  chosen by Merrill
         Lynch),  reasonably  incurred in investigating,  preparing or defending
         against any  litigation,  or any  investigation  or  proceeding  by any
         governmental  agency or body,  commenced  or  threatened,  or any claim
         whatsoever  based upon any such untrue  statement or  omission,  or any
         such alleged untrue statement or omission,  to the extent that any such
         expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided,  however,  that this indemnity  agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability,  claim,  damage or expense to the  extent  arising  out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged  untrue  statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information  furnished to the Company or the
Parent,  as the case may be, by any Initial  Purchaser  expressly for use in the
Offering Memorandum (or any amendment thereto).

         (b) Indemnification of Company and Parent. The Initial Purchaser agrees
to indemnify  and hold  harmless the Company and the Parent and each person,  if
any, who controls the Company or the Parent  within the meaning of Section 15 of
the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss,  liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)
of this  Section,  as incurred,  but only with respect to untrue  statements  or
omissions,  or alleged  untrue  statements  or  omissions,  made in the Offering
Memorandum in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the  Company  or the  Parent,  as the case may be, by the  Initial  Purchaser
expressly for use in the Offering Memorandum.


                                       23


         (c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall
give notice as promptly as reasonably  practicable to each indemnifying party of
any action  commenced  against it in  respect of which  indemnity  may be sought
hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such
indemnifying  party  from  any  liability  hereunder  to  the  extent  it is not
materially  prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it
from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement.  In the case of parties  indemnified  pursuant to Section 7(a) above,
counsel to the indemnified  parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch,  and, in
the case of parties indemnified  pursuant to Section 7(b) above,  counsel to the
indemnified  parties shall be selected by the Parent. An indemnifying  party may
participate  at its own  expense in the  defense of any such  action;  provided,
however,  that  counsel to the  indemnifying  party shall not  (except  with the
consent of the indemnified  party) also be counsel to the indemnified  party. In
no event shall the indemnifying  parties be liable for fees and expenses of more
than one counsel  (in  addition to any local  counsel)  separate  from their own
counsel  for all  indemnified  parties  in  connection  with any one  action  or
separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction  arising out of
the same general  allegations or  circumstances.  In addition,  the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other
similarly  notified  indemnifying  party,  to assume the defense of any claim or
action brought against an indemnified party with counsel reasonably satisfactory
to the  indemnified  party.  After  notice  from the  indemnifying  party to the
indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action,
the indemnifying  party shall not be liable to the indemnified  party under this
Section  7 for  any  legal  or  other  expenses  subsequently  incurred  by  the
indemnified  party in connection  with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation; provided, however, that the Initial Purchaser shall have
the right to employ one counsel to represent it and its officers,  employees and
controlling  persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in
respect of which  indemnity may be sought by the Initial  Purchaser  against the
Company and the Parent  under this Section 7 if, in the  reasonable  judgment of
the  Initial  Purchaser,  either  (i) there is an actual or  potential  conflict
between  the  position  of the  Company  and the  Parent on the one hand and the
Initial  Purchaser on the other hand or (ii) there may be defenses  available to
it or them that are  different  from or  additional  to those  available  to the
Company and Parent (in any of which events the Company  shall not have the right
to direct the  defense of such action on behalf of the  Initial  Purchaser  with
respect to such different defenses), in any of which events such reasonable fees
and expenses  shall be borne by the Company and Parent.  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  or contribution could be sought under this Section or Section 8
hereof (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


                                       24



to or an admission of fault,  culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.

         (d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse.  If at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified  party for fees and  expenses of counsel,  such  indemnifying  party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature  contemplated by
Section 7(a)(ii)  effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such  indemnifying  party of the
aforesaid  request,  (ii) such indemnifying  party shall have received notice of
the terms of such  settlement  at least 30 days prior to such  settlement  being
entered into and (iii) such  indemnifying  party shall not have  reimbursed such
indemnified  party in  accordance  with such  request  prior to the date of such
settlement.

         SECTION 8. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section
7 hereof is for any reason  unavailable to or  insufficient  to hold harmless an
indemnified  party in respect of any  losses,  liabilities,  claims,  damages or
expenses referred to therein,  then each indemnifying  party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses,  liabilities,  claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such  indemnified  party, as incurred,  (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate  to reflect the  relative  benefits  received by the Company and the
Parent on the one hand and the  Initial  Purchaser  on the  other  hand from the
offering of the Securities  pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the relative  benefits  referred to in clause
(i) above but also the  relative  fault of the Company and the Parent on the one
hand and of the  Initial  Purchaser  on the other  hand in  connection  with the
statements  or omissions  which  resulted in such losses,  liabilities,  claims,
damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

         The relative benefits received by the Company and the Parent on the one
hand and the Initial Purchaser on the other hand in connection with the offering
of the Securities  pursuant to this Agreement  shall be deemed to be in the same
respective  proportions  as the  total net  proceeds  from the  offering  of the
Securities  pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting  expenses)  received by
the  Company  and  the  total  underwriting  discount  received  by the  Initial
Purchaser, bear to the aggregate initial offering price of the Securities.

         The  relative  fault of the  Company and the Parent on the one hand and
the Initial  Purchaser on the other hand shall be  determined  by reference  to,
among other  things,  whether any such untrue or alleged  untrue  statement of a
material  fact or omission or alleged  omission to state a material fact relates
to  information  supplied  by the  Company  and  the  Parent  or by the  Initial
Purchaser and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.


                                       25


         The Company,  the Parent and the Initial  Purchaser agree that it would
not be  just  and  equitable  if  contribution  pursuant  to this  Section  were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchaser were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable  considerations referred to above in this Section.
The  aggregate  amount of losses,  liabilities,  claims,  damages  and  expenses
incurred by an indemnified  party and referred to above in this Section shall be
deemed  to  include  any legal or other  expenses  reasonably  incurred  by such
indemnified  party  in   investigating,   preparing  or  defending  against  any
litigation,  or any  investigation or proceeding by any  governmental  agency or
body,  commenced  or  threatened,  or any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

         Notwithstanding  the provisions of this Section,  the Initial Purchaser
shall not be required to contribute  any amount in excess of the amount by which
the  total  price at which the  Securities  purchased  and sold by it  hereunder
exceeds the amount of any damages which the Initial Purchaser has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission.

         No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

         For purposes of this  Section,  each  person,  if any, who controls the
Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20
of the 1934 Act  shall  have the same  rights  to  contribution  as the  Initial
Purchaser,  and each  person,  if any,  who  controls  the Company or the Parent
within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and the Parent.

         SECTION  9.  Representations,  Warranties  and  Agreements  to  Survive
Delivery.  All  representations,  warranties  and  agreements  contained in this
Agreement or in  certificates  of officers of the Company,  the Parent or any of
their respective  subsidiaries  submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative
and in full force and  effect,  regardless  of any  investigation  made by or on
behalf of the Initial Purchaser or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the
Company or the  Parent,  and shall  survive  delivery of the  Securities  to the
Initial Purchaser.

         SECTION 10.  Termination of Agreement.

         (a)  Termination;  General.  The Initial  Purchaser may terminate  this
Agreement,  by notice to the Company and the Parent,  at any time at or prior to
the  Closing  Time (i) if there has been,  since the time of  execution  of this
Agreement or since the respective dates as of which  information is given in the
Offering Memorandum, any material adverse change in the condition,  financial or
otherwise,  or in the earnings or business affairs of the Company and the Parent
and


                                       26


their  respective  subsidiaries,  in each case,  considered  as one  enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary  course of  business,  nor has there been
any developments  involving a prospective material adverse change of the Company
and the Parent and their respective  subsidiaries,  in each case,  considered as
one enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii)
if there has occurred any material  adverse  change in the financial  markets in
the United  States or the  international  financial  markets,  any  outbreak  of
hostilities  or escalation  thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development   involving  a  prospective  change  in  national  or  international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is
such as to  make  it,  in the  reasonable  judgment  of the  Initial  Purchaser,
impracticable  to market the Securities or to enforce  contracts for the sale of
the Securities, (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company or the Parent,
or in McLeod Shares, has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission,
the New York Stock  Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market,  as the case may be, or
if  trading  generally  on the  American  Stock  Exchange  or the New York Stock
Exchange or in the NASDAQ System has been  suspended or materially  limited,  or
minimum or maximum  prices for trading  have been fixed,  or maximum  ranges for
prices  have been  required,  by any of said  exchanges  or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
any  other  governmental  authority  or (iv) if a  banking  moratorium  has been
declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

         (b)  Liabilities.  If this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant to this
Section,  such termination  shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 7, 8 and 9 shall  survive  such  termination  and  remain  in full  force and
effect.

         SECTION 11. Default by the Initial Purchaser.  If the Initial Purchaser
shall fail at the Closing Time or the Date of  Delivery,  as the case may be, to
purchase the  Securities  which it is obligated to purchase under this Agreement
(the "Defaulted Securities"), this Agreement shall terminate.

         The  termination  of this  Agreement due to such default by the Initial
Purchaser  shall not relieve the Initial  Purchaser from liability in respect of
its default.

         SECTION 12.  Notices.  All notices and other  communications  hereunder
shall be in  writing  and shall be  deemed to have been duly  given if mailed or
transmitted  by any standard form of  telecommunication.  Notices to the Initial
Purchaser  shall be directed  to the Initial  Purchaser  at North  Tower,  World
Financial  Center,  New  York,  New York  10281,  attention  of John  Thorndike,
Managing  Director,  notices to the  Company  shall be  directed  to it 222 West
Washington Avenue, Madison,  Wisconsin 53703, attention of Edward M. Gleason and
notices to the Parent  shall be  directed to it at 222 West  Washington  Avenue,
Madison, Wisconsin 53703, attention of Edward M. Gleason.


                                       27


         SECTION 13.  Parties.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
be  binding  upon the  Initial  Purchaser,  the  Company,  the  Parent and their
respective  successors.  Nothing  expressed or  mentioned  in this  Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any person,  firm or  corporation,  other
than the  Initial  Purchaser,  the  Company,  the  Parent  and their  respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections  7 and 8 and  their  heirs  and  legal  representatives,  any  legal or
equitable  right,  remedy or claim under or in respect of this  Agreement or any
provision  herein  contained.  This  Agreement and all conditions and provisions
hereof are  intended  to be for the sole and  exclusive  benefit of the  Initial
Purchaser,  the Company,  the Parent and their respective  successors,  and said
controlling  persons  and  officers  and  directors  and  their  heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No
purchaser  of  Securities  from the  Initial  Purchaser  shall be deemed to be a
successor by reason merely of such purchase.

         SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND  CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS
OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

         SECTION 15. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein
and the Table of  Contents  are for  convenience  only and shall not  affect the
construction hereof.

         SECTION 16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts  and,  if  executed  in more  than one  counterpart,  the  executed
counterparts hereof shall constitute a single instrument.




                                       28




         If the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of our
agreement,  please sign and return to the  Company and the Parent a  counterpart
hereof,  whereupon this instrument,  along with all counterparts,  will become a
binding agreement between the Initial  Purchaser,  the Company and the Parent in
accordance with its terms.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        ALLIANT ENERGY RESOURCES, INC.


                                        By: /s/ Edward M. Gleason
                                            ----------------------------------
                                             Name: Edward M. Gleason
                                             Title: Vice President-Treasurer and
                                                    Corporate Secretary


                                        ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION


                                        By: /s/ Edward M. Gleason
                                            ----------------------------------
                                             Name: Edward M. Gleason
                                             Title: Vice President-Treasurer and
                                                    Corporate Secretary


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
  as of the date first above written:


MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
           INCORPORATED


     By: /s/ Mary E. Ryan
         -----------------------------
           Authorized Signatory



                                       29


                                   SCHEDULE A

                         ALLIANT ENERGY RESOURCES, INC.
                                5,166,052 PHONES
                       EXCHANGEABLE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030

                    UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED AS TO PAYMENT
                 OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST BY
                           ALLIANT ENERGY CORPORATION


     1. The Price to Investors of the Securities shall be $67.75 per PHONES.

     2. The Initial Purchaser's Discount for the Securities shall be $2.0325 per
PHONES.

     3. The Securities shall be issued in an Original Principal Amount of $67.75
per PHONES.

     4. The number of  Reference  Shares  attributable  to each PHONES  shall be
0.8772 shares of McLeodUSA  Incorporated  Class A Common Stock,  par value $0.01
per  share,  subject  to  dilution  adjustments  as  described  in the  form  of
Securities.

     5.  Quarterly  interest  shall  be paid in the  amount  equal to the sum of
$1.2280 per PHONES,  reflecting a basic  interest  rate of 7.25% per year on the
Original  Principal  Amount,  through  February 15, 2003,  and  thereafter in an
amount equal to $0.4234 per PHONES,  reflecting a basic  interest  rate of 2.50%
per year on the Original  Principal Amount, in each case plus an amount equal to
the  amount  of  any  regular  cash  dividends  paid  on  the  Reference  Shares
attributable to each PHONES.

     6. The Securities may be redeemed at any time, in whole but not in part, at
a  redemption  price equal to the sum of (a) the  greater of (i) the  Contingent
Principal  Amount of the PHONES or (ii) the sum of the then Current Market Value
of the  Reference  Shares on the  Redemption  Date plus any  deferred  quarterly
payment of interest (including any Accrued Interest thereon),  plus, in the case
of either  (i) or (ii),  the Final  Period  Distribution,  and (b) a  Redemption
Premium in an amount equal to $14.736 per PHONES if the Redemption Date is prior
to the Interest Payment Date on May 15, 2000, which Redemption  Premium shall be
successively  reduced by $1.2280 if the  Securities  are redeemed  prior to each
following quarterly Interest Payment Date through the twelfth quarterly Interest
Payment Date on February 15, 2003,  provided that no Redemption Premium shall be
payable in the event the Securities are redeemed between February 6 and February
15, 2003.



                                    Sch A - 1


     7. This offering of the Securities is subject to an  over-allotment  option
to the Initial  Purchaser  to purchase  up to 774,908  additional  PHONES at the
Price to Investors, less then Initial Purchaser's Discount, as described above.

     8. Any capitalized terms above not specifically  defined herein are as used
in the form of Securities attached to the Indenture.



                                    Sch A - 2


                                   SCHEDULE B

                              List of Subsidiaries


Alliant Energy Investments, Inc.
Alliant Energy International, Inc.
Alliant Energy Industrial Services, Inc.
Whiting Petroleum Corporation




                                    Sch B - 1