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                                                                     Exhibit 10a
 
                         PROVIDENCE ENERGY CORPORATION

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is made, entered into, and is effective as of this
26th day of May, 1998 (hereinafter referred to as the "Effective Date"), by and
between Providence Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries and
affiliates (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), a Rhode Island
corporation having its principal offices at Providence Rhode Island and SUSANN
G. MARK (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive").

WHEREAS, the Executive has been offered employment by the Company in the
capacity of VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY;

WHEREAS, the Executive possesses considerable experience and knowledge of
business affairs and operations and, as such, the Executive has unique
qualifications to act in an executive capacity for the Company; and

WHEREAS, the Company is desirous of encouraging the full attention by the
Executive to her duties in her capacity aforesaid and wishes to make provisions
for certain protections of the Executive in the event of the termination of her
employment under specified conditions.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and
agreements of the parties set forth in this Agreement, and of other good and
valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree as
follows:

SECTION 1   TERMINATION FOR GOOD REASON. At any time during the six (6) full
calendar month period prior to the effective date of a Change in Control (as
defined in Section 2.2) or the twenty four (24) month period following the
effective date of a Change in Control (as defined in Section 2.2), the Executive
may terminate this Agreement for Good Reason (as defined below) by giving the
Board of Directors of the Company thirty (30) calendar days written notice of
intent to terminate, which notice sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and
circumstances claimed to provide a basis for such termination.

Upon the expiration of the thirty (30) day notice period, the Good Reason
termination shall become effective, and the Company shall pay and provide to the
Executive the benefits set forth in Section 2.1 herein.

Good Reason shall mean, without the Executive's express written consent, the
occurrence of any one or more of the following:

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(a)  The assignment of the Executive to duties materially inconsistent with the
        Executive's authorities, duties, responsibilities, and status as an
        officer of the Company, or a reduction or alteration in the nature or
        status of the Executive's authorities, duties, or responsibilities from
        those in effect during the immediately preceding fiscal year;

(b)  The Company's requiring the Executive to be based at a location which is at
        least fifty (50) miles further from the Executive's current primary
        residence than is such residence from the Company's current
        headquarters, except for required travel on the Company's business to an
        extent substantially consistent with the Executive's business
        obligations as of the Effective Date;

(c)  A reduction by the Company in the Executive's Base Salary as in effect on
        the Effective Date, which Base Salary is One Hundred Twenty-Five
        Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) as of the Effective Date, or a reduction
        from any subsequent increase to the Base Salary as of the Effective
        Date;

(d)  A material reduction in the Executive's level of participation in any of
        the Company's short- and/or long-term incentive compensation plans, or
        employee benefit or retirement plans, policies, practices, or
        arrangements in which the Executive participates as of the Effective
        Date; provided, however, that reductions in the levels of participation
        in any such plans shall not be deemed to be "Good Reason" if the
        Executive's reduced level of participation in each such program remains
        substantially consistent with the average level of participation of
        other executives who have positions commensurate with the Executive's
        position; or

(e)  The failure of the Company to obtain a satisfactory agreement from any
        successor to the Company to assume and agree to perform this Agreement,
        as contemplated in Section 5.1 herein.

Upon a termination for Good Reason within the six (6) full calendar month period
prior to the effective date of a Change in Control, or within the twenty-four
(24) months following the effective date of a Change in Control, the Executive
shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits set forth in Section 2.1
herein.

The Executive's right to terminate employment for Good Reason shall not be
affected by the Executive's incapacity due to physical or mental illness. The
Executive's continued employment shall not constitute consent to, or a waiver of
rights with respect to, any circumstance constituting Good Reason herein.

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SECTION 2 
CHANGE IN CONTROL

2.1  EMPLOYMENT TERMINATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH A CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the
event of a Qualifying Termination (as defined below) within six (6) full
calendar months prior to the effective date of a Change in Control, or within
twenty-four (24) months following the effective date of a Change in Control,
then in lieu of all other benefits provided to the Executive under the
provisions of this Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Executive in a lump
sum payment and provide her with the following severance benefits (hereinafter
referred to as the "Severance Benefits"):

(a)  An amount equal to two (2) times the highest rate of the Executive's
        annualized Base Salary rate in effect at any time up to and including
        the effective date of termination;

(b)  An amount equal to two (2) times the Executive's target incentive award
        (both cash and long-term) established for the fiscal year in which the
        Executive's effective date of termination occurs;

(c)  An amount equal to the Executive's unpaid Base Salary and accrued vacation
        pay through the effective date of termination;

(d)  An amount equal to the Executive's unpaid targeted annual bonus, 
        established for the plan year in which the Executive's effective date of
        termination occurs, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is
        the number of completed days in the then-existing fiscal year through 
        the effective date of termination, and the denominator of which is three
        hundred sixty-five (365);

(e)  A continuation of the welfare benefits of medical insurance, dental 
        insurance, and group term life insurance for two (2) full years after
        the effective date of termination. These benefits shall be provided to
        the Executive at the same premium cost, and at the same coverage level,
        as in effect as of the Executive's effective date of termination.
        However, in the event the premium cost and/or level of coverage shall
        change for all employees of the Company, the cost and/or coverage level,
        likewise, shall change for the Executive in a corresponding manner.

        The continuation of these welfare benefits shall be discontinued prior
        to the end of the two (2) year period in the event the Executive has
        available substantially similar benefits from a subsequent employer, as
        determined by the Company's Board of Directors or the Board's designee.

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(f)  A lump-sum cash payment of the actuarial present value equivalent of the
        aggregate benefits accrued by the Executive as of the effective date of
        termination under the terms of any and all supplemental retirement plans
        in which the Executive participates. For purposes of determining "final
        average pay" under such programs, the Executive's actual pay history as
        of the effective date of termination shall be used.

For purposes of this Section 2, a Qualifying Termination shall mean any
termination of the Executive's employment OTHER THAN: (1) by the Company for
Cause ; (2) by reason of death, Disability, or Retirement (as such term is then
defined in the Company's tax qualified defined benefit retirement plan;
[provided that a termination which qualifies as a Retirement and which would
otherwise qualify as a termination for Good Reason under Section 1 herein will
be deemed to be a Qualifying Termination)].

2.2  DEFINITION OF "CHANGE IN CONTROL." A Change in Control of the Company shall
be deemed to have occurred as of the first day any one or more of the following
conditions shall have been satisfied:

(a)  Any individual, corporation (other than the Company), partnership, trust,
        association, pool, syndicate, or any other entity or any group of
        persons acting in concert becomes the beneficial owner, as that concept
        is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
        Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, of securities of
        the Company possessing twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power
        for the election of directors of the Company;

(b)  There shall be consummated any consolidation, merger, or other business
        combination involving the Company or the securities of the Company in
        which holders of voting securities of the Company immediately prior to
        such consummation own, as a group, immediately after such consummation,
        voting securities of the Company (or, if the Company does not survive
        such transaction, voting securities of the corporation surviving such
        transaction) having less than sixty percent (60%) of the total voting
        power in an election of directors of the Company (or such other
        surviving corporation);

(c)  During any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the
        beginning of such period constitute the directors of the Company cease
        for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless the
        election, or the nomination for election by the Company's shareholders,
        of each new director of the Company was approved by a vote of at least
        two-thirds (2/3) of the directors of the Company then still in office
        who were directors of the Company at the beginning of any such period;
        or

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(d)  There shall be consummated any sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer (in
        one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all, or
        substantially all, of the assets of the Company (on a consolidated
        basis) to a party which is not controlled by or under common control
        with the Company.

2.3  EXCISE TAX EQUALIZATION PAYMENT.  In the event that the Executive becomes
entitled to Severance Benefits or any other payment or benefit under this Plan,
or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company (in the aggregate, the
"Total Payments"), if any of the Total Payments will be subject to the tax (the
"Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any similar tax that may
hereafter be imposed), the Company shall pay to the Executive in cash an
additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by
the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax upon the Total Payments and any
Federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the Gross-Up Payment
provided for by this Section 7.3 (including FICA and FUTA), shall be equal to
the Total Payments. Such payment shall be made by the Company to the Executive
as soon as practical following the effective date of termination, but in no
event beyond thirty (30) days from such date.

2.4  TAX COMPUTATION. For purposes of determining whether any of the Total
Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amounts of such Excise Tax:

(a)  Any other payments or benefits received or to be received by the Executive
        in connection with a Change in Control of the Company or the Executive's
        termination of employment (whether pursuant to the terms of this Plan or
        any other plan, arrangement, or agreement with the Company, or with any
        person (which shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(9) of the
        Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including a "group" as defined in
        Section 13(d) therein) whose actions result in a Change in Control of
        the Company or any person affiliated with the Company or such persons)
        shall be treated as "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section
        280G(b)(2) of the Code, and all "excess parachute payments" within the
        meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) shall be treated as subject to the Excise
        Tax, unless in the opinion of tax counsel as supported by the Company's
        independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive, such other
        payments or benefits (in whole or in part) do not constitute parachute
        payments, or unless such excess parachute payments (in whole or in part)
        represent reasonable compensation for services actually rendered within
        the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code in excess of the base
        amount within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code, or are
        otherwise not subject to the Excise Tax;

(b)  The amount of the Total Payments which shall be treated as subject to the
        Excise Tax shall be equal to the lesser of: (i) the total amount of the
        Total Payments; or (ii) the amount of excess parachute payments within
        the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) (after applying clause (a) above); and

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(c)  The value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall
        be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with
        the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code.

For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive
shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of
Federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to
be made, and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rate of
taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's residence on the effective
date of termination, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which
could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes.

2.5  SUBSEQUENT RECALCULATION. In the event the Internal Revenue Service adjusts
the computation of the Company under Section 2.4 herein so that the Executive
did not receive the greatest net benefit, the Company shall reimburse the
Executive for the full amount necessary to make the Executive whole, plus a
market rate of interest, as determined by the Committee.

2.6  PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES. To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall 
pay all legal fees, costs of litigation, prejudgment interest, and other
expenses incurred in good faith by the Executive as a result of the Company's
refusal to provide the severance benefits under this Section 2 to which the
Executive becomes entitled under this Agreement, or as a result of the Company's
contesting the validity, enforceability, or interpretation of this Agreement, or
as a result of any conflict (including conflicts related to the calculation of
parachute payments) between the parties pertaining to their Agreement.

SECTION 3.  INDEMNIFICATION

The Company hereby covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Executive fully, completely, and absolutely against and in respect to any and
all actions, suits, proceedings, claims, demands, judgments, costs, expenses
(including attorney's fees), losses, and damages resulting from the Executive's
good faith performance of her duties and obligations under the terms of this
Agreement.

SECTION 4.  OUTPLACEMENT ASSISTANCE

Following a termination of the Executive's employment as described in Sections 1
or 2 herein, the Executive shall be reimbursed by the Company for the costs of
all outplacement services obtained by the Executive within the six (6) months
prior and two (2) year periods after the effective date of termination;
provided, however, that the total reimbursement shall be limited to an amount
equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the Executive's Base Salary as of the
effective date of termination.

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SECTION 5.  ASSIGNMENT

5.1  ASSIGNMENT BY COMPANY. This Agreement may and shall be assigned or
transferred to, and shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of, any
successor of the Company, and any such successor shall be deemed substituted for
all purposes of the "Company" under the terms of this Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the term "successor" shall mean any person, firm, corporation, or
business entity which at any time, whether by merger, purchase, or otherwise,
acquires all or essentially all of the assets of business of the Company.
Notwithstanding such assignment, the Company shall remain, with such successor,
jointly and severally liable for all its obligations hereunder.

Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effectiveness of
any such succession shall be a breach of this Agreement and shall immediately
entitle the Executive to compensation from the Company in the same amount and on
the same terms as the Executive would be entitled in the event of a termination
by the Company, as provided in Section 2.1 herein.

Except as herein provided, this Agreement may not otherwise be assigned by the
Company.

5.2  ASSIGNMENT BY EXECUTIVE. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors,
and administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees, and legatees. If
the Executive should die while any amounts payable to the Executive hereunder
remain outstanding, all such amounts, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be
paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to the Executive's devisee,
legatee, or other designee or, in the absence of such designee, to the
Executive's estate.

SECTION 6.  DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND NOTICE

6.1  ARBITRATION. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with
this Agreement shall be settled by arbitration, conducted before a panel of
three (3) arbitrators sitting in a location selected by the Executive within
fifty (50) miles from the location of her employment with the Company, in
accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in
effect.

Judgment may be entered on the award of the arbitrator in any court having
proper jurisdiction. All expenses of such arbitration, including the fees and
expenses of the counsel for the Executive, shall be borne by the Company.

6.2  NOTICE. Any notices, requests, demands, or other communications provided
for by this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing and if sent by
registered or certified mail to the Executive at the last address she has filed
in writing with the Company or, in the case of the Company, at its principal
offices.

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SECTION 7.  MISCELLANEOUS

7.1  ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement supersedes any prior agreements or
understandings, oral or written, between the parties hereto or between the
Executive and the Company, with respect to the subject matter hereof and
constitutes the entire Agreement of the parties with respect thereto.

7.2  MODIFICATION. This Agreement shall not be varied, altered, modified,
canceled, changed, or in any way amended except by mutual agreement of the
parties in a written instrument executed by the parties hereto or their legal
representatives.

7.3  SEVERABILITY. In the event that any provision or portion of this Agreement
shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining
provisions of this Agreement shall be unaffected thereby and shall remain in
full force and effect.

7.4  COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together will
constitute one and the same Agreement.

7.5  TAX WITHHOLDING. The Company may withhold from any benefits payable under
this Agreement all federal, state, city, or other taxes as may be required
pursuant to any law or govern-mental regulation or ruling.

7.6  BENEFICIARIES. The Executive may designate one or more persons or entities
as the primary and/or contingent beneficiaries of any amounts to be received
under this Agreement. Such designation must be in the form of a signed writing
acceptable to the Board or the Board's designee. The Executive may make or
change such designation at any time.

SECTION 8.  GOVERNING LAW

To the extent not preempted by federal law, the provisions of this Agreement
shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the state of
Rhode Island.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive and the Company (pursuant to a resolution
adopted at a duly constituted meeting of its Board of Directors) have executed
this Agreement, as of the day and year first above written.

                                   Executive:


                                   _____________________________________


ATTEST                             Providence Energy Corporation


By:______________________          By:__________________________________
   Corporate Secretary                Chairman, President and CEO

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