EXHIBIT 25.2-B
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549

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                                   FORM  T-1
                                        
                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                    UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                   A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

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              CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF
                A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) 
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                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)


New York                                                              13-4994650
(State of incorporation                                         (I.R.S. employer
if not a national bank)                                      identification no.)

270 Park Avenue
New York, New York                                                         10017
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)

                               William H. McDavid
                                General Counsel
                                270 Park Avenue
                            New York, New York 10017
                              Tel:  (212) 270-2611
           (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

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                         Duke Energy Capital Trust III
              (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

North Carolina                                                       Applied For
(State or other jurisdiction of                                 (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)

526 South Church Street
Charlotte, North Carolina                                                  28242
(Address of principal executive offices)                              (Zip Code)

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                           Trust Preferred Securities
                      (Title of the indenture securities)
                                        
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                                    GENERAL
                                        
Item 1. General Information.

        Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

        (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which
it is subject.
 
        New York State Banking Department, State House, Albany, New York  12110.

        Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C.
        20551.

        Federal Reserve Bank of New York, District No. 2, 33 Liberty Street, New
        York, N.Y.

        Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C. 20429.

        (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

            Yes.


Item 2. Affiliations with the Obligor.

        If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

        None.



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Item 16. List of Exhibits
 
         List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of
Eligibility.

         1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee as now in
effect, including the Organization Certificate and the Certificates of Amendment
dated February 17, 1969, August 31, 1977, December 31, 1980, September 9, 1982,
February 28, 1985, December 2, 1991 and July 10, 1996 (see Exhibit 1 to Form T-1
filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

         2.  A copy of the Certificate of Authority of the Trustee to Commence
Business (see Exhibit 2 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration
Statement No. 33-50010, which is incorporated by reference.  On July 14, 1996,
in connection with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(National Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed
The Chase Manhattan Bank).

         3. None, authorization to exercise corporate trust powers being
contained in the documents identified above as Exhibits 1 and 2.

         4. A copy of the existing By-Laws of the Trustee (see Exhibit 4 to Form
T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No. 333-06249, which is
incorporated by reference).

         5.  Not applicable.

         6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act
(see Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed in connection with Registration Statement No.
33-50010, which is incorporated by reference. On July 14, 1996, in connection
with the merger of Chemical Bank and The Chase Manhattan Bank (National
Association), Chemical Bank, the surviving corporation, was renamed The Chase
Manhattan Bank).

         7.  A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee, published
pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

         8.  Not applicable.

         9.  Not applicable.


                                   SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the
Trustee, The Chase Manhattan Bank, a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in
the City of New York and State of New York, on the 6th day of May, 1999.

                           THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
 
                               By /s/ P. Kelly
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                                      P. Kelly
                                      Vice President



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                             Exhibit 7 to Form T-1


                                Bank Call Notice



                             RESERVE DISTRICT NO. 2
                      CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF CONDITION OF

                            The Chase Manhattan Bank
                  of 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
                     and Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
                    a member of the Federal Reserve System,

                 at the close of business December 31, 1998, in
        accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this
        District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.
 

                                                          Dollar Amounts
       ASSETS                                              in Millions
 

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
   Noninterest-bearing balances and
  currency and coin................................         $ 13,915
  Interest-bearing balances........................            7,805
Securities:
Held to maturity securities........................            1,429
Available for sale securities......................           56,327
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under        
  agreements to resell.............................           21,733
Loans and lease financing receivables:                   
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income $131,095
  Less: Allowance for loan and lease losses   2,711
  Less: Allocated transfer risk reserve...        0
                                           --------
  Loans and leases, net of unearned income,              
    allowance, and reserve.........................          128,384
Trading assets.....................................           48,949
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized         
  leases)..........................................            3,095
Other real estate owned............................              239
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and           
  associated companies.............................              199
Customers' liability to this bank on acceptances         
  outstanding......................................            1,209
Intangible assets..................................            2,081
Other assets.......................................           11,352
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TOTAL ASSETS.......................................         $296,717
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                                  LIABILITIES
 
Deposits:
  In domestic offices................................  $105,879
  Noninterest-bearing...................... $39,175
  Interest-bearing.........................  66,704
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  In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement,
  subsidiaries and IBF's.............................   79,294  
  Noninterest-bearing ..................... $ 4,082
  Interest-bearing...........................75,212
 
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under
 agreements to repurchase............................   32,546
Demand notes issued to the U.S. Treasury.............      629
Trading liabilities..................................   36,807
 
Other borrowed money (includes mortgage indebtedness
  and obligations under capitalized leases):
  With a remaining maturity of one year or less......    4,478  
  With a remaining maturity of more than one year 
       through three years...........................      213
  With a remaining maturity of more than three years.      115
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and
 outstanding                                             1,209
Subordinated notes and debentures....................    5,408
Other liabilities....................................   10,855
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES....................................  277,433
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                                 EQUITY CAPITAL
 
Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus                0
Common stock.........................................    1,211
Surplus  (exclude all surplus related to preferred 
  stock).............................................   11,016
Undivided profits and capital reserves...............    6,762
Net unrealized holding gains (losses)
  on available-for-sale securities...................      279
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments..       16
 
TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL.................................   19,284
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TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CAPITAL................. $296,717
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I, Joseph L. Sclafani, E.V.P. & Controller of the above-named
bank, do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has
been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued
by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true
to the best of my knowledge and belief.

                          JOSEPH L. SCLAFANI

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness
of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been
examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and
belief has been prepared in conformance with the in-
structions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory
authority and is true and correct.

                          WALTER V. SHIPLEY       )
                          THOMAS G. LABRECQUE     )  DIRECTORS
                          WILLIAM B. HARRISON, JR.)


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