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                                                                 EXHIBIT 99.24.2

                                  POWER OF ATTORNEY


    Know all men by these presents:


    That I, Mendel A. Melzer, of Basking Ridge, N.J., a member of the Board of
Directors of Pruco Life Insurance Company, do hereby make, constitute and
appoint as my true and lawful attorneys in fact CLIFFORD E. KIRSCH, THOMAS C.
CASTANO, RICHARD E. MEADE, THOMAS J. LOFTUS, ARTHUR WOODS and C. CHRISTOPHER
SPRAGUE, or any of them severally for me in my name, place and stead to sign,
where applicable:  Annual Reports on Form 10-K, registration statements on the
appropriate forms prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and any
other periodic documents and reports required under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
and all amendments thereto executed on behalf of Pruco Life Insurance Company
and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the following:

    The Pruco Life PRUvider Variable Appreciable Account and variable life
    insurance contracts, to the extent they represent participating interests
    in said Account;

    The Pruco Life Variable Appreciable Account and flexible premium variable
    life insurance contracts, to the extent they represent participating
    interests in said Account;

    The Pruco Life Variable Insurance Account and scheduled premium variable
    life insurance contracts, to the extent they represent participating
    interests in said Account;

    The Pruco Life Single Premium Variable Life Account and flexible premium
    variable life insurance contracts, to the extent they represent
    participating interests in said Account;

    The Pruco Life Variable Universal Account and flexible premium variable
    universal life insurance contracts, to the extent they represent
    participating interests in said Account;

    The Pruco Life Single Premium Variable Annuity Account and single payment
    variable annuity contracts, to the extent they represent participating
    interests in said Account;


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    The Pruco Life Flexible Premium Variable Annuity Account and flexible
    premium variable annuity contracts, to the extent they represent
    participating interests in said Account;

    Market value adjustment annuity contracts; and

    The Pruco Life Variable Contract Real Property Account and individual
    variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity contracts, to the
    extent they represent participating interests in said Account.


    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of March,
    1997.


                                                 /s/ Mendel A. Melzer
                                            ---------------------------------
                                                      Signature



State of      NEW JERSEY     )
        -------------------
                             ) SS
County of       Essex        )
        -------------------



    On this 24th day of March, 1997, before me personally appeared Mendel A.
Melzer known to me to be the person mentioned and described in and who executed
the foregoing instrument and he duly acknowledged to me that he executed the
same.


My commission expires:



                                            /s/ Ann L. Wellbrock
                                            ---------------------------------

                                            ANN L. WELLBROCK
                                            NOTARY PUBLIC OF NEW JERSEY
                                            My Commission Expires July 26, 1999