Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.28

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED

         FIRST AMENDMENT TO COAL FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY AGREEMENT

         This First Amendment to Coal Feedstock Supply Agreement (this
"Amendment") is made and entered into this 28th day of February, 2002, but
effective as of October 26, 2001 (the "Effective Date") by SynFuel Solutions
Operating LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Purchaser"), and Hopkins
County Coal, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Seller"). Purchaser and
Seller may be referred to herein individually as a "Party," and collectively as
the "Parties."

                                    RECITALS

         A. The Parties entered into that certain Coal Feedstock Supply
Agreement dated October 26, 2001 (the "Supply Agreement").

         B. Capitalized terms herein shall have the same meaning ascribed to
such terms in the Supply Agreement, unless otherwise defined herein.

         C. The Parties now desire to amend the Supply Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby amend the
Supply Agreement effective as of the Effective Date as follows:

1        Section 2.4(b)

         Section 2.4(b) of the Supply Agreement is deleted in its entirety and
the following is substituted in lieu thereof:

                  (b) All Coal supplied by Seller to Purchaser shall be sold to
         Purchaser at the applicable Purchase Price (being the Purchase Price
         under the Coal Purchase Order relating to the Synfuel Purchase
         Agreement under which the Coal Synfuel produced from such Coal was sold
         in effect for the applicable quality of Coal for the Month in which
         such Coal Synfuel is delivered) as adjusted (i.e. increased or
         decreased, as applicable) for applicable Quality Price Adjustments
         (applied as provided in Section 2.4(d) below) and the Btu Content
         Adjustments. In the event any Coal supplied by Seller to Purchaser is
         not used to produce Coal Synfuel within ***** Days following delivery
         to Purchaser of such Coal, or if the Coal Synfuel produced therefrom is
         not sold within ***** Days following the delivery to Purchaser of such
         Coal, then unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing, the Purchase
         Price for such Coal shall be equal to the weighted average Purchase
         Price of a quantity of Coal used to produce the most recent equivalent
         amount of Coal Synfuel sold (e.g. the Purchase Price for ***** tons of
         such Coal shall be equal to the average Purchase Price of Coal used to
         produce the most recent ***** tons of Coal Synfuel sold .

----------
***** denotes confidential information with respect to which a separate
confidential treatment request has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

<PAGE>

2.       Sections 2.4(d) and (e)

         Section 2.4 of the Supply Agreement is amended by adding new Sections
2.4(d) and (e), as follows:

                  (d) Based on the results of the Daily sampling and analysis
         performed pursuant to Section 2.9, each Month there shall be calculated
         the average Btu content, sulfur content, moisture content, and ash
         content for all Coal delivered under all Coal Purchase Orders during
         such Month (such average Btu, sulfur, moisture, and ash content being
         the "Average Specifications" for such Month). For purposes of applying
         the Quality Price Adjustments in determining the applicable Purchase
         Price pursuant to Section 2.4(b), all Coal delivered under any Coal
         Purchase Order during any Month shall be deemed to have the Average
         Specifications for such Month, but prior to the first Day of the first
         Month that commences after the Scales are installed and are operable
         (the "Transition Date") only the Average Specification for Btu content
         will be used to determine Quality Price Adjustments and there shall be
         no Quality Price Adjustments based on the other Average Specifications
         prior to the Transition Date.

                  (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.8, until the
         Transition Date, the weight of the Coal delivered hereunder shall be
         the weight of the Coal Synfuel produced from such Coal as measured by
         the binding weights reported by the Coal Synfuel purchasers less the
         weight of the chemical reagent (in diluted form) applied plus moisture
         added (assumed to be 50% of diluted chemical reagent applied).

3.       Miscellaneous

         (a) The Supply Agreement, as hereby amended, contains the entire
agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter thereof and
supersedes all prior agreements and undertakings between the Parties relating to
the subject matter thereof. This Amendment may be modified, amended or waived
only by a separate writing agreed to by the Parties expressly modifying,
amending or waiving this Amendment.

         (b) The construction and enforcement of this Amendment shall be
exclusively governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect
to the conflict or choice of law principles thereof.

         (c) This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall
be deemed to be an original but all of which together will be considered one and
the same agreement, and will become effective when one or more such counterparts
have been signed by all signatories hereto and delivered to each signatory
hereto.

         (d) As amended hereby, the Supply Agreement shall remain in full force
and effect.

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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have entered into this Amendment as of
the Effective Date.

                                SYNFUEL SOLUTIONS OPERATING LLC

                                By:   SynFuel Solutions LLC,
                                      its Managing Member

                                      By:  SynFuel Solutions Holdings LLC,
                                           its Managing Member

                                           By: /s/ Joseph E. Slamm, III
                                              ---------------------------------
                                           Name:   Joseph E. Slamm, III
                                                -------------------------------
                                           Title:  Vice President
                                                 ------------------------------

                                HOPKINS COUNTY COAL, LLC

                                By: /s/ Gary J. Rathburn
                                   --------------------------------------------
                                Name:   Gary J. Rathburn
                                Title:  Senior Vice President - Marketing

                                       3<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2

================================================================================

                            CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                                       AND

                              JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,

                                  RIGHTS AGENT

                                   ----------

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                           DATED AS OF JANUARY 1, 2002

================================================================================

<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<Table>
<Caption>
                                                                                                               PAGE
                                                                                                               ----
<S>            <C>                                                                                             <C>
Section 1.     Certain Definitions................................................................................1

Section 2.     Appointment of Rights Agent........................................................................7

Section 3.     Issue of Rights Certificates.......................................................................7

Section 4.     Form of Rights Certificates........................................................................9

Section 5.     Countersignature and Registration.................................................................10

Section 6.     Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights
               Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates............................10

Section 7.     Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price................................................................11

Section 8.     Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates...............................................13

Section 9.     Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.....................................................13

Section 10.    Preferred Stock Record Date.......................................................................14

Section 11.    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares
               or Number of Rights...............................................................................15

Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares........................................22

Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets, Cash Flow
               or Earning Power..................................................................................22

Section 14.    Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...........................................................25

Section 15.    Rights of Action..................................................................................26

Section 16.    Agreement of Rights Holders.......................................................................26

Section 17.    Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder................................................27

Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent.......................................................................27

Section 19.    Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.........................................28

Section 20.    Duties of Rights Agent............................................................................28

Section 21.    Change of Rights Agent............................................................................30

Section 22.    Issuance of New Rights Certificates...............................................................31
</Table>

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<Table>
<S>            <C>                                                                                             <C>
Section 23.    Redemption and Termination........................................................................32

Section 24.    Exchange..........................................................................................32

Section 25.    Notice of Certain Events..........................................................................33

Section 26.    Notices...........................................................................................34

Section 27.    Supplements and Amendments........................................................................34

Section 28.    Successors........................................................................................35

Section 29.    Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors, etc.........................................35

Section 30.    Benefits of this Agreement........................................................................36

Section 31.    Severability......................................................................................36

Section 32.    Governing Law.....................................................................................36

Section 33.    Counterparts......................................................................................36

Section 34.    Descriptive Headings..............................................................................38

Exhibit A --   Form of Statement of Resolution Establishing Series of Shares designated Series A Preferred Stock

Exhibit B --   Form of Rights Certificate

Exhibit C --   Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Stock
</Table>

                                       ii
<PAGE>

                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                  This Rights Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2002 (the
"Agreement"), between CenterPoint Energy, Inc., a Texas corporation (the
"Company"), and JPMorgan Chase Bank (the "Rights Agent"),

                                   WITNESSETH:

                  WHEREAS, in connection with the merger of Reliant Energy
MergerCo, Inc., a Texas corporation ("MergerCo"), with and into Reliant Energy,
Incorporated, a Texas corporation ("REI"), with REI being the surviving
corporation (the "Merger"), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated
as of October 19, 2001, by and among REI, MergerCo and the Company (the "Merger
Agreement"), the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the issuance of
one Right (as such number may hereinafter be adjusted pursuant to the provisions
of Section 11(p) hereof) for each share of common stock, without par value, of
the Company (the "Common Stock") issued (whether originally issued or delivered
from the Company's treasury) from and after the Effective Time (as hereinafter
defined) and prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date (as hereinafter
defined) and the Expiration Date (as hereinafter defined), and, in certain
circumstances provided for in Section 22 hereof, after the Distribution Date,
each Right initially representing the right to purchase one Fractional Share (as
hereinafter defined) of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company, upon the terms
and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");

                  NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

                  Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

                  "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the
Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding,
but shall not include any Exempt Person; provided, however, that a Person shall
not be or become an Acquiring Person if such Person, together with its
Affiliates and Associates, shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of
the shares of Common Stock then outstanding solely as a result of a reduction in
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding due to the repurchase of Common
Stock by the Company, unless and until such time as such Person together with
its Affiliate or Associate shall purchase or otherwise become the Beneficial
Owner of additional shares of Common Stock constituting 1% or more of the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other Person (or Persons) who is (or
collectively are) the Beneficial Owner of shares of Common Stock constituting 1%
or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall become an Affiliate
or Associate of such Person, unless, in either such case, such Person, together
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is not then the Beneficial
Owner of 20% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding; and
provided, further, that if the Board of Directors, with the concurrence of a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors who are not, and are not
representatives, nominees, Affiliates or Associates of, such Person or an
Acquiring Person, determines in good faith that a Person that would otherwise be
an "Acquiring Person" has become such inadvertently

                                       1
<PAGE>

(including, without limitation, because (i) such Person was unaware that it
beneficially owned a percentage of Common Stock that would otherwise cause such
Person to be an "Acquiring Person" or (ii) such Person was aware of the extent
of its Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock but had no actual knowledge of the
consequences of such Beneficial Ownership under this Agreement) and without any
intention of changing or influencing control of the Company, and if such Person
as promptly as practicable divested or divests itself of Beneficial Ownership of
a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock so that such Person would no
longer be an "Acquiring Person," then such Person shall not be deemed to be or
to have become an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.

                  At any time that the Rights are redeemable, the Board of
Directors may, generally or with respect to any specified Person or Persons,
determine to increase to a specified percentage greater than that set forth
herein or decrease to a specified percentage lower than that set forth herein or
determine a number of shares to be (but in no event less than or equal to the
percentage or number of shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by such
Person), the level of Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock at which a Person or
such Person or Persons becomes an Acquiring Person.

                  "Adjustment Shares" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

                  "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in
effect on the date of this Agreement.

                  "Associate" shall mean, with reference to any Person, (1) any
corporation, firm, partnership, association, unincorporated organization or
other entity (other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) of which
such Person is an officer or general partner (or officer or general partner of a
general partner) or is, directly or indirectly, the Beneficial Owner of 10% or
more of any class of equity securities, (2) any trust or other estate in which
such Person has a substantial beneficial interest or as to which such Person
serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity and (3) any relative or
spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same home as
such Person.

                  A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall
be deemed to "beneficially own," any securities:

                  (i) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates, directly or indirectly, is the "beneficial owner" of (as
         determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
         under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) or
         otherwise has the right to vote or dispose of, including pursuant to
         any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
         writing); provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
         "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own," any security under
         this subparagraph (i) as a result of an agreement, arrangement or
         understanding to vote such security if such agreement, arrangement or
         understanding: (A) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent
         given in response to a public (i.e., not including a solicitation
         exempted by Rule 14a-2(b)(2) of the General Rules and Regulations under
         the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement) proxy or

                                       2
<PAGE>

         consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the
         applicable provisions of the General Rules and Regulations under the
         Exchange Act, (B) is not then reportable by such Person on Schedule 13D
         under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report) and (C)
         does not constitute a trust, proxy, power of attorney or other device
         with the purpose or effect of allowing two or more persons, acting in
         concert, to avoid being deemed "beneficial owners" of such security or
         otherwise avoid the status of "Acquiring Person" under the terms of
         this Agreement or as part of a plan or scheme to evade the reporting
         requirements under Schedule 13D or Sections 13(d) or 13(g) of the
         Exchange Act;

                  (ii) that such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
         Associates, directly or indirectly, has the right or obligation to
         acquire (whether such right or obligation is exercisable or effective
         immediately or only after the passage of time or the occurrence of an
         event) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
         or not in writing) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange
         rights, other rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided,
         however, that a Person shall not be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of,
         or to "beneficially own," (A) securities tendered pursuant to a tender
         or exchange offer made by such Person or any of such Person's
         Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted
         for purchase or exchange, or (B) securities issuable upon exercise of
         Rights at any time prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event, or
         (C) securities issuable upon exercise of Rights from and after the
         occurrence of a Triggering Event which Rights were acquired by such
         Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates prior to the
         Distribution Date or pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22 hereof (the
         "Original Rights") or pursuant to Section 11(i) or (p) hereof in
         connection with an adjustment made with respect to any Original Rights;
         or

                  (iii) that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
         (A) any other Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which
         such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any
         agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) for
         the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except pursuant to a
         revocable proxy or consent as described in the proviso to subparagraph
         (i) of this definition) or disposing of any voting securities of the
         Company or (B) any group (as that term is used in Rule 13d-5(b) of the
         General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on
         the date of this Agreement) of which such Person is a member;

provided, however, that nothing in this definition shall cause a Person engaged
in business as an underwriter of securities to be the "Beneficial Owner" of, or
to "beneficially own," any securities acquired through such Person's
participation in good faith in a firm commitment underwriting (including,
without limitation, securities acquired pursuant to stabilizing transactions to
facilitate a public offering in accordance with Regulation M promulgated under
the Exchange Act, or to cover overallotments created in connection with a public
offering) until the expiration of forty days after the date of such acquisition.
For purposes of this Agreement, "voting" a security shall include voting,
granting a proxy, acting by consent, making a request or demand relating to
corporate action (including, without limitation, calling a shareholder meeting),
entering into a voting trust or voting agreement or otherwise giving an
authorization (within the meaning of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act as in
effect on the date of this Agreement) in respect of such security.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                  "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday,
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or Texas
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

                  "close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 p.m.,
New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a
Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

                  "Closing Price" of a security for any day shall mean the last
sales price, regular way, on such day or, in case no such sale takes place on
such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on such
day, in either case as reported in the principal transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
Exchange, or, if such security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New
York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which such
security is listed or admitted to trading, or, if such security is not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but sales price
information is reported for such security, as reported by Nasdaq or such other
self-regulatory organization or registered securities information processor (as
such terms are used under the Exchange Act) that then reports information
concerning such security, or, if sales price information is not so reported, the
average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market on
such day, as reported by Nasdaq or such other entity, or, if on such day such
security is not quoted by any such entity, the average of the closing bid and
asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such
security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on such day no
market maker is making a market in such security, the fair value of such
security on such day as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.

                  "Common Stock" shall mean the common stock, without par value,
of the Company, except that "Common Stock" when used with reference to equity
interests issued by any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital
stock of such Person with the greatest voting power, or the equity securities or
other equity interest having power to control or direct the management, of such
Person.

                  "Common Stock Equivalents" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

                  "Company" shall mean the Person named as the "Company" in the
preamble of this Agreement until a successor Person shall have become such or
until a Principal Party shall assume, and thereafter be liable for, all
obligations and duties of the Company hereunder, pursuant to the applicable
provisions of this Agreement, and thereafter "Company" shall mean such successor
Person or Principal Party.

                  "Current Market Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d) hereof.

                  "Current Value" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

                  "Distribution Date" shall mean the earlier of (i) the close of
business on the tenth day (or, if such Stock Acquisition Date results from the
consummation of a Permitted Offer, such

                                       4
<PAGE>

later date as may be determined by the Company's Board of Directors as set forth
below at any time when the Rights are redeemable) after the Stock Acquisition
Date or (ii) the close of business on the tenth Business Day (or such later date
as may be determined by the Company's Board of Directors as set forth below
before the Distribution Date occurs) after the date that a tender offer or
exchange offer by any Person (other than any Exempt Person) is first published
or sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Exchange Act as then in effect, if upon consummation
thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring Person, other than a tender or
exchange offer that is determined before the Distribution Date occurs to be a
Permitted Offer. The Board of Directors of the Company may, to the extent set
forth in the preceding sentence, defer the date set forth in clause (i) or (ii)
of the preceding sentence to a specified later date or to an unspecified later
date to be determined by a subsequent action or event (but in no event to a date
later than the close of business on the tenth day after the first occurrence of
a Triggering Event).

                  "Effective Time" shall mean the time of the issuance of the
certificate of merger with respect to the Merger by the Secretary of State of
the State of Texas or, if a later effective time was provided in the articles of
merger with respect to the Merger, such later time.

                  "Equivalent Preferred Stock" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 11(b) hereof.

                  "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

                  "Exchange Ratio" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
24 hereof.

                  "Exempt Person" shall mean the Company, any Subsidiary of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the
Company, and any Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for
or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such
plan or funding other employee benefits for employees of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company.

                  "Expiration Date" shall mean the earliest of (i) the Final
Expiration Date, (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in
Section 23 hereof, (iii) the time at which the Rights expire pursuant to Section
13(d) hereof and (iv) the time at which all Rights then outstanding and
exercisable are exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof.

                  "Final Expiration Date" shall mean the close of business on
December 31, 2011.

                  "Flip-In Event" shall mean an event described in Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.

                  "Flip-In Trigger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

                  "Flip-Over Event" shall mean any event described in clause
(x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a) hereof, but excluding any transaction described
in Section 13(d) hereof that causes the Rights to expire.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                  "Fractional Share" with respect to the Preferred Stock shall
mean one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock.

                  "Merger" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.

                  "Merger Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals clause at the beginning of this Agreement.

                  "Nasdaq" shall mean the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System.

                  "Original Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Beneficial Owner."

                  "Permitted Offer" shall mean a tender offer or an exchange
offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms
determined, prior to the time the Person making the offer or any Affiliate or
Associate thereof is an Acquiring Person, by at least a majority of the members
of the Board of Directors who are not, and are not representatives, nominees,
Affiliates or Associates of, an Acquiring Person or the Person making the offer,
after receiving advice from one or more investment banking firms, to be (a) at a
price and on terms that are fair to shareholders (taking into account all
factors that such members of the Board deem relevant including, without
limitation, prices that could reasonably be achieved if the Company or its
assets were sold on an orderly basis designed to realize maximum value) and (b)
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.

                  "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated
organization or other entity or any group of Persons acting in concert.

                  "Preferred Stock" shall mean shares of Series A Preferred
Stock, without par value, of the Company having the rights, powers and
preferences set forth in the Company's Statement of Resolution Establishing
Series of Shares designated Series A Preferred Stock, a copy of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit A and, to the extent that there is not a sufficient
number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full
exercise of the Rights, any other series of Preferred Stock, without par value,
of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially
similar to the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock.

                  "Principal Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(b) hereof.

                  "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a) hereof.

                  "Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
23(a) hereof.

                  "Rights" shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals
clause at the beginning of this Agreement.

                                       6
<PAGE>

                  "Rights Agent" shall mean the Person named as the "Rights
Agent" in the preamble of this Agreement until a successor Rights Agent shall
have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and thereafter
"Rights Agent" shall mean such successor Rights Agent. If at any time there is
more than one Person appointed by the Company as Rights Agent pursuant to the
applicable provisions of this Agreement, "Rights Agent" shall mean and include
each such Person.

                  "Rights Certificates" shall mean the certificates evidencing
the Rights.

                  "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

                  "Spread" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(a)(iii) hereof.

                  "Stock Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition and Section 23, shall
include, without limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.

                  "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any
corporation or other Person of which an amount of voting securities sufficient
to elect at least a majority of the directors or other persons performing
similar functions is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person,
or otherwise controlled by such Person.

                  "Substitution Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof.

                  "Summary of Rights" shall mean the Summary of Rights sent
pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof.

                  "Trading Day" with respect to a security shall mean a day on
which the principal national securities exchange on which such security is
listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business, or, if
such security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange but is quoted by Nasdaq, a day on which Nasdaq reports trades, or, if
such security is not so quoted, a Business Day.

                  "Triggering Event" shall mean any Flip-In Event or any
Flip-Over Event.

                  Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby
appoints the Rights Agent (i) to act as agent for the Company and (ii) to take
certain actions in respect of the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with
Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of
the Common Stock) (although it is expressly agreed that the Rights Agent shall
not act as agent for such holders) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may
from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.

                  Section 3. Issue of Rights Certificates.

                  (a) Until the Distribution Date, (x) the Rights will be
evidenced (subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section 3) by the
certificates for Common Stock registered in

                                       7
<PAGE>

the names of the holders of the Common Stock and not by separate certificates,
and (y) the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of
the underlying shares of Common Stock (including a transfer to the Company). As
soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will send by
first-class, insured, postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common
Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date (other than any
Person referred to in the first sentence of Section 7(e)), at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the Company, one or more Rights
Certificates, evidencing one Right for each share of Common Stock so held,
subject to adjustment as provided herein. In the event that an adjustment in the
number of Rights per share of Common Stock has been made pursuant to Section
11(p) hereof, at the time of distribution of the Rights Certificates, the
Company shall make the necessary and appropriate rounding adjustments (in
accordance with Section 14(a) hereof) so that Rights Certificates representing
only whole numbers of Rights are distributed and cash is paid in lieu of any
fractional Rights. As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be
evidenced solely by such Rights Certificates.

                  (b) Promptly following the Effective Time, the Company will
make available, upon request of any record holder of Common Stock, a copy of a
Summary of Rights, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, by
first-class, postage prepaid mail. With respect to certificates for Common Stock
outstanding as of the Effective Time, until the Distribution Date or the earlier
surrender for transfer thereof or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the shares of Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be
evidenced by such certificates for Common Stock, and the registered holders of
the Common Stock shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights.
Until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the transfer
of any of the certificates for Common Stock outstanding at the Effective Time,
with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights, shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such
certificates.

                  (c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of Common
Stock that are issued (whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's
treasury) after the Effective Time but prior to the earlier of the Distribution
Date or the Expiration Date or, in certain circumstances provided in Section 22
hereof, after the Distribution Date. Certificates issued for shares of Common
Stock that shall so become outstanding or shall be transferred or exchanged
after the Effective Time but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or
the Expiration Date shall also be deemed to be certificates for Rights, and
shall bear the following legend:

                  This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof
         to certain Rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between
         CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (the "Company") and JPMorgan Chase Bank (the
         "Rights Agent") dated as of January 1, 2002 as it may from time to time
         be supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
         are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on
         file at the principal offices of the Company. Under certain
         circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights may be
         redeemed, may be exchanged, may expire or may be evidenced by separate
         certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. The
         Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
         Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
         promptly after receipt of a written request therefor. UNDER CERTAIN
         CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,

                                       8
<PAGE>

         RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS
         OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS
         SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), AND CERTAIN
         TRANSFEREES THEREOF, WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
         TRANSFERABLE.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the Rights associated
with the Common Stock represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by
such certificates alone, and registered holders of Common Stock shall also be
the registered holders of the associated Rights, and the transfer of any of such
certificates shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with
the Common Stock represented by such certificates.

                  Section 4. Form of Rights Certificates.

                  (a) The Rights Certificates (and the forms of election to
purchase and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof), when, as and
if issued, shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and
may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries
or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or quotation system
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed or quoted, or to conform to
usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 and Section 22 hereof, the Rights
Certificates, whenever issued, shall be dated as of the Effective Time and on
their face shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price
set forth therein (such exercise price per Fractional Share (or, as set forth in
this Agreement, for other securities), the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and
type of securities purchasable upon the exercise of each Right and the Purchase
Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

                  (b) Any Rights Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or
Section 22 hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by a Person
described in the first sentence of Section 7(e), and any Rights Certificate
issued pursuant to Section 6 or Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange,
replacement or adjustment of any such Rights, shall contain (to the extent
feasible) the following legend, modified as applicable to apply to such Person:

         The Rights represented by this Rights Certificate are or were
         beneficially owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or
         an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
         defined in the Rights Agreement). Accordingly, this Rights Certificate
         and the Rights represented hereby [will] [have] become null and void in
         the circumstances and with the effect specified in Section 7(e) of such
         Agreement.

The provisions of Section 7(e) of this Agreement shall be operative whether or
not the foregoing legend is contained on any such Rights Certificate. The
Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes aware of
the existence of any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof.

                                       9
<PAGE>

                  Section 5. Countersignature and Registration.

                  (a) The Rights Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President or any Vice President,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, which shall be attested by the Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Rights Certificates shall be countersigned by the Rights Agent,
either manually or by facsimile signature, and shall not be valid for any
purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall
have signed any of the Rights Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the
Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the
Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and
effect as though the person who signed such Rights Certificates had not ceased
to be such officer of the Company; and any Rights Certificate may be signed on
behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of
such Rights Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such
Rights Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

                  (b) Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will
keep or cause to be kept, at the office or offices designated by the Rights
Agent as the appropriate place for surrender of Rights Certificates upon
exercise or transfer, books for registration and transfer of the Rights
Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of
the respective holders of the Rights Certificates, the number of Rights
evidenced on its face by each of the Rights Certificates and the certificate
number and the date of each of the Rights Certificates.

                  Section 6. Transfer, Split-Up, Combination and Exchange of
Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.

                  (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b), Section 7(e),
Section 13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, at any time after the close of
business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on
the Expiration Date, any Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates may be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number
of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or, following a Triggering Event,
Common Stock, other securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) as the
Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder
(or former holder in the case of a transfer) to purchase. Any registered holder
desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent, and shall surrender the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office or offices designated
by the Rights Agent for such purpose. Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company
shall be obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of
any such surrendered Rights Certificate until the registered holder shall have
completed and signed the certificate contained in the form of assignment on the
reverse side of such Rights Certificate and shall have provided such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner)
thereof or of the Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 4(b),

                                       10
<PAGE>

Section 7(e), Section 13(d), Section 14 and Section 24 hereof, countersign and
deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Rights Certificate or Rights
Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require
payment by the holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split-up,
combination or exchange of Rights Certificates.

                  (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of a Rights Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction,
of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Rights
Certificate if mutilated, the Company will, subject to Section 4(b), Section
7(e), Section 13(d), Section 14 and Section 24, execute and deliver a new Rights
Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for countersignature and delivery
to the registered owner in lieu of the Rights Certificate so lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated.

                  Section 7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price.

                  (a) Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of
any Rights Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as
otherwise provided herein including, without limitation, the restrictions on
exercisability set forth in Section 9(c), Section 11(a)(iii) and Section 23(a)
hereof) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon
surrender of the Rights Certificate, with the form of election to purchase and
the certificate on the reverse side thereof duly completed and executed, to the
Rights Agent at the office or offices designated by the Rights Agent for such
purpose, together with payment of the aggregate Purchase Price with respect to
the total number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or other securities,
cash or other assets, as the case may be) as to which such surrendered Rights
are then exercisable, at or prior to the Expiration Date.

                  (b) The Purchase Price for each Fractional Share of Preferred
Stock pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $42.50, and shall
be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13(a)
hereof and shall be payable in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

                  (c) Upon receipt of a Rights Certificate representing
exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on
the reverse side thereof duly executed, accompanied by payment, with respect to
each Right so exercised, of the Purchase Price per Fractional Share of Preferred
Stock (or other shares, securities, cash or other assets, as the case may be) to
be purchased as set forth below and an amount equal to any applicable transfer
tax, the Rights Agent shall, subject to Section 20(k) hereof, thereupon promptly
(i)(A) requisition from any transfer agent of the shares of Preferred Stock (or
make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer agent for such shares)
certificates for the total number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock to be
purchased, and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to
comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company, in its sole discretion,
shall have elected to deposit the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder with a depositary agent, requisition from the
depositary agent depositary receipts representing interests in such number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock as are to be purchased (in which

                                       11
<PAGE>

case certificates for the shares of Preferred Stock represented by such receipts
shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the
Company will direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii)
requisition from the Company the amount of cash, if any, to be paid in lieu of
fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of
such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to or
upon the order of the registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) after receipt
thereof, deliver such cash, if any, to or upon the order of the registered
holder of such Rights Certificate. The payment of the Purchase Price (as such
amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof) may be made in cash
or by certified check, cashier's or official bank check or bank draft payable to
the order of the Company or the Rights Agent. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Stock) of the Company, pay
cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) or Section 13(a)
hereof, the Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for distribution by the
Rights Agent, if and when appropriate. The Company reserves the right to require
prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would
be issued.

                  (d) In case the registered holder of any Rights Certificate
shall exercise fewer than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Rights
Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to, or upon the order of, the
registered holder of such Rights Certificate, registered in such name or names
as may be designated by such holder, subject to the provisions of Section 14
hereof.

                  (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, from and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights
beneficially owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring Person or an Associate
or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person other than any such Person that became such
pursuant to a Permitted Offer and the Board of Directors in good faith
determines was not involved in and did not cause or facilitate, directly or
indirectly, such Triggering Event, (ii) a direct or indirect transferee of such
Rights from such Acquiring Person (or any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after such Triggering Event or (iii) a direct or indirect
transferee of such Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with such Triggering Event and
receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for
consideration) from such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or Associate) to
holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate or
Associate) or to any Person with whom such Acquiring Person (or such Affiliate
or Associate) has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer that the Board of Directors
of the Company determines is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding that
has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall
become null and void without any further action, no holder of such Rights shall
have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under any
provision of this Agreement or otherwise, and such Rights shall not be
transferable. The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the
provisions of this Section 7(e) and Section 4(b) hereof are complied with, but
shall have no liability to any holder of Rights Certificates or other Person as
a result of its failure to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.

                                       12
<PAGE>

                  (f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to
undertake any action with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of
any purported exercise as set forth in this Section 7 unless such registered
holder shall have (i) completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Rights Certificate
surrendered for such exercise and (ii) provided such additional evidence of the
identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or
Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.

                  Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Rights
Certificates. All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split-up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company
or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in
canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it,
and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver
to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall
so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver
all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written
request of the Company, destroy such canceled Rights Certificates, and in such
case shall deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

                  Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Capital Stock.

                  (a) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be
reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, out of its
authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and/or other securities or out of
its authorized and issued shares held in its treasury), the number of shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) that, as provided in this Agreement, including
Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of
all outstanding Rights.

                  (b) So long as any shares of Preferred Stock (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Stock and/or other securities)
issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights are listed on any
national securities exchange or quoted on any trading system, the Company shall
use its best efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become
exercisable, all shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such
exchange, or quoted on such system, upon official notice of issuance upon such
exercise. Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company will use
its best efforts to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
securities issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights on one or
more national securities exchanges or to cause the Rights and the securities
purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by Nasdaq or such other
transaction reporting system then in use.

                  (c) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) prepare and
file, as soon as practicable following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event
or, if applicable, as soon as practicable following the earliest date after the
first occurrence of a Flip-In Event on which the consideration to be delivered
by the Company upon exercise of the Rights has been determined

                                       13
<PAGE>

pursuant to this Agreement (including in accordance with Section 11(a)(iii)
hereof), a registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities
Act with respect to the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights, (ii)
cause such registration statement to become effective as soon as practicable
after such filing, and (iii) cause such registration statement to remain
effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the
Securities Act) until the earlier of (A) the date as of which the Rights are no
longer exercisable for such securities and (B) the Expiration Date. The Company
will also take such action as may be appropriate under, or to ensure compliance
with, the securities or "blue sky" laws of the various states in connection with
the exercisability of the Rights. The Company may temporarily suspend, for a
period of time not to exceed 90 days after the date set forth in clause (i) of
the first sentence of this Section 9(c), the exercisability of the Rights in
order to prepare and file such registration statement and permit it to become
effective. In addition, if the Company shall determine that the Securities Act
requires an effective registration statement under the Securities Act following
the Distribution Date, the Company may temporarily suspend the exercisability of
the Rights until such time as such a registration statement has been declared
effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public
announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no
longer in effect. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained, the
exercise thereof shall not be permitted under applicable law or any required
registration statement shall not have been declared effective.

                  (d) The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all
such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Stock and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the
Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and
nonassessable.

                  (e) The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay
when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges
that may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Rights
Certificates and of any certificates for a number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay
any transfer tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Rights Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or delivery of a
number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) in respect of a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Rights Certificates evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or deliver any certificates for a number of Fractional
Shares of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case
may be) in a name other than that of the registered holder upon the exercise of
any Rights until such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by
the holder of such Rights Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has
been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax is due.

                  Section 10. Preferred Stock Record Date. Each Person in whose
name any certificate for a number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (or
Common Stock and/or other securities, as the case may be) is issued upon the
exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be

                                       14
<PAGE>

deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares (fractional or
otherwise) of Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other securities, as the
case may be) represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly
surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and all applicable transfer
taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and
payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or other
securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are closed, such
Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares
(fractional or otherwise) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock (or Common Stock and/or
other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of the Company are open.
Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights
Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of
the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable,
including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

                  Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of
Shares or Number of Rights. The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or
other securities subject to purchase upon exercise of each Right and the number
of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in
this Section 11.

                           (a)(i) In the event the Company shall at any time
         after the Effective Time (A) declare a dividend on the outstanding
         shares of Preferred Stock payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B)
         subdivide the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock, (C) combine the
         outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares
         or (D) otherwise reclassify the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock
         (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation
         or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving
         corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a) and
         Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
         record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such
         subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind
         of shares of Preferred Stock or capital stock or other securities, as
         the case may be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately
         adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time
         shall be entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then
         in effect, the aggregate number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock
         or capital stock or other securities, as the case may be, which, if
         such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a
         time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open,
         he would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by
         virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.
         If an event occurs that would require an adjustment under both this
         Section 11(a)(i) and Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the adjustment provided
         for in this Section 11(a)(i) shall be in addition to, and shall be made
         prior to, any adjustment required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

                           (ii) Subject to Sections 23 and 24 of this Agreement,
         in the event any Person shall, at any time after the Effective Time,
         become an Acquiring Person, unless the event causing such Person to
         become an Acquiring Person is (1) a Flip-Over Event or (2) an
         acquisition of shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Permitted Offer
         (provided

                                       15
<PAGE>

         that this clause (2) shall cease to apply if such Acquiring Person
         thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of
         Common Stock other than pursuant to such Permitted Offer or a
         transaction set forth in Section 13(a) or 13(d) hereof), then, unless
         applicable law prohibits the enforcement of the first sentence of
         Section 7(e), (x) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
         Purchase Price immediately prior to the first occurrence of a Flip-In
         Event multiplied by the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock
         for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first
         occurrence and (y) each holder of a Right (except as provided below in
         Section 11(a)(iii) and in Section 7(e) hereof) shall thereafter have
         the right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the
         Purchase Price in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in lieu
         of the shares of Preferred Stock otherwise purchasable hereunder, such
         number of shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the
         result obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by 50% of the Current
         Market Price per share of Common Stock on the date of such first
         occurrence (such number of shares, the "Adjustment Shares"); provided
         that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall be
         further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events
         occurring after the date of such first occurrence.

                           (iii) In the event that the number of shares of
         Common Stock that are authorized by the Company's articles of
         incorporation but not outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes
         other than upon exercise of the Rights is not sufficient to permit the
         exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing
         subparagraph (ii) of this Section 11(a), the Company shall, to the
         extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, (A) determine the
         excess of (1) the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
         exercise of a Right (computed using the Current Market Price used to
         determine the number of Adjustment Shares) (the "Current Value") over
         (2) the Purchase Price (such excess is herein referred to as the
         "Spread"), and (B) with respect to each Right, make adequate provision
         to substitute for the Adjustment Shares, upon the exercise of the
         Rights and payment of the applicable Purchase Price, (1) cash, (2) a
         reduction in the Purchase Price, (3) Common Stock or other equity
         securities of the Company (including, without limitation, shares, or
         units of shares, of preferred stock (including, without limitation, the
         Preferred Stock) that the Board of Directors of the Company has
         determined to have the same value as shares of Common Stock (such
         shares of preferred stock are herein referred to as "Common Stock
         Equivalents")), (4) debt securities of the Company, (5) other assets or
         (6) any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
         to the Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
         the Board of Directors of the Company based upon the advice of a
         nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Board of
         Directors of the Company; provided, however, if the Company shall not
         have made adequate provision to deliver value pursuant to clause (B)
         above within 30 days following the first occurrence of a Flip-In Event
         (the "Flip-In Trigger Date"), then the Company shall be obligated to
         deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
         requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to the
         extent available) and then, if necessary, cash, which shares and/or
         cash have an aggregate value equal to the Spread. If the Board of
         Directors of the Company shall determine in good faith that it is
         likely that sufficient additional shares of Common Stock could be
         authorized for issuance upon exercise in full

                                       16
<PAGE>

         of the Rights, the 30-day period set forth above may be extended to the
         extent necessary, but not more than 90 days after the Flip-In Trigger
         Date, in order that the Company may seek shareholder approval for the
         authorization of such additional shares (such period, as it may be
         extended, the "Substitution Period"). To the extent that the Company or
         the Board of Directors determines that some action need be taken
         pursuant to the first and/or second sentences of this Section
         11(a)(iii), the Company (x) shall provide, subject to Section 7(e)
         hereof, that such action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding
         Rights, and (y) may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the
         expiration of the Substitution Period in order to seek any
         authorization of additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate
         form of distribution to be made pursuant to such first sentence and to
         determine the value thereof. In the event of any such suspension, the
         Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
         exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended, as well as
         a public announcement at such time as the suspension is no longer in
         effect. For purposes of this Section 11(a)(iii), the value of the
         Common Stock shall be the Current Market Price per share of the Common
         Stock on the Flip-In Trigger Date and the value of any Common Stock
         Equivalent shall be deemed to have the same value as the Common Stock
         on such date.

                  (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the
issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Stock
entitling them to subscribe for or purchase (for a period expiring within 45
calendar days after such record date) Preferred Stock (or shares having
substantially the same rights, privileges and preferences as the shares of
Preferred Stock ("Equivalent Preferred Stock")) or securities convertible into
Preferred Stock or Equivalent Preferred Stock at a price per share of Preferred
Stock or per share of Equivalent Preferred Stock (or having a conversion price
per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Stock) less than the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock
on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date
shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the
number of shares of Preferred Stock that the aggregate offering price of the
total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock so
to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at such Current Market Price, and
the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock
outstanding on such record date, plus the number of additional shares of
Preferred Stock and/or Equivalent Preferred Stock to be offered for subscription
or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). In case such subscription price may be paid by delivery
of consideration, part or all of which may be in a form other than cash, the
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent and the
holders of the Rights. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the
account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any
such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed, and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so
issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would
then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

                                       17
<PAGE>

                  (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for a
distribution to all holders of Preferred Stock (including any such distribution
made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other
than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of the earnings or retained earnings
of the Company), assets (other than a dividend payable in Preferred Stock, but
including any dividend payable in stock other than Preferred Stock) or
subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)
hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock on such record date, less the fair market
value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights
Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash,
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription
rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred Stock and the denominator
of which shall be such Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock. Such
adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed, and
in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price that would have been in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.

                  (d)(i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other
         than computations made pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the
         "Current Market Price" per share of Common Stock of a Person on any
         date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily Closing Prices per
         share of such Common Stock for the 30 consecutive Trading Days
         immediately prior to such date, and for purposes of computations made
         pursuant to Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "Current Market Price" per
         share of Common Stock on any date shall be deemed to be the average of
         the daily Closing Prices per share of such Common Stock for the 10
         consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided,
         however, that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of
         Common Stock is determined during a period following the announcement
         of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Common Stock other than a
         regular quarterly cash dividend or the dividend of the Rights, or (B)
         any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock,
         and the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the
         record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification,
         shall not have occurred prior to the commencement of the requisite 30
         Trading Day or 10 Trading Day period, as set forth above, then, and in
         each such case, the Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to
         take into account ex-dividend trading. If the Common Stock is not
         publicly held or not so listed or traded, "Current Market Price" per
         share shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith
         by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
         described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
         conclusive for all purposes.

                           (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder,
         the "Current Market Price" per share (or Fractional Share) of Preferred
         Stock shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above for the
         Common Stock in clause (i) of this Section 11(d) (other than the last
         sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per share (or Fractional
         Share) of Preferred Stock cannot be determined in the manner provided
         above

                                       18
<PAGE>

         or if the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or listed or traded in a
         manner described in clause (i) of this Section 11(d), the "Current
         Market Price" per share of Preferred Stock shall be conclusively deemed
         to be an amount equal to 1000 (as such number may be appropriately
         adjusted for such events as stock splits, stock dividends and
         recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock occurring after the
         date of this Agreement) multiplied by the Current Market Price per
         share of the Common Stock. If neither the Common Stock nor the
         Preferred Stock is publicly held or so listed or traded, Current Market
         Price per share of the Preferred Stock shall mean the fair value per
         share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the
         Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed
         with the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all purposes. For all
         purposes of this Agreement, the Current Market Price of a Fractional
         Share of Preferred Stock shall be equal to the Current Market Price of
         one share of Preferred Stock divided by 1000.

                  (e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no
adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided,
however, that any adjustments that by reason of this Section 11(e) are not
required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any
subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to
the nearest cent or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a share of Common Stock or
other share or to the nearest ten-thousandth of a Fractional Share of Preferred
Stock, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section
11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than
the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which mandates
such adjustment or (ii) the Expiration Date.

                  (f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section
11(a) or Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right thereafter exercised
shall become entitled to receive in respect of such Right any shares of capital
stock other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so
receivable upon exercise of any Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly
equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock
contained in Sections 11(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k) and (m)
hereof, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 hereof with respect
to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

                  (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to
any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Fractional Shares of
Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

                  (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as
provided in Section 11(i) hereof, upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as
a result of the calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c) hereof, each Right
outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter
evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one
ten-thousandth of a Fractional Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number
of Fractional Shares of

                                       19
<PAGE>

Preferred Stock covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y)
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the
Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price
in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

                  (i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any
adjustment of the Purchase Price, to adjust the number of Rights in lieu of any
adjustment in the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the
adjustment in the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of
Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the
time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date
on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the
Rights Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the
date of the public announcement. If Rights Certificates have been issued, upon
each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Rights Certificates on such record date Rights Certificates
evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such
holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of
the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in
substitution and replacement for the Rights Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the
Company, new Rights Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders
shall be entitled after such adjustment. Rights Certificates so to be
distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided
for herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted Purchase
Price) and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Rights
Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

                  (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase
Price or the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Rights Certificates theretofore and thereafter
issued may continue to express the Purchase Price per Fractional Share and the
number of Fractional Shares that were expressed in the initial Rights
Certificates issued hereunder.

                  (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment
reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, or the stated
capital of the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock or of the number
of shares of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon exercise of a Right,
the Company shall take any corporate action that may, in the opinion of its
counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue
fully paid and nonassessable such number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock
or such number of shares of Common Stock or other securities at such adjusted
Purchase Price.

                                       20
<PAGE>

                  (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an
adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a
specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such
event the issuance to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above
the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock and other capital stock or
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of
the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that
the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate
instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional shares
(fractional or otherwise) or securities upon the occurrence of the event
requiring such adjustment.

                  (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the
Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as and to the extent that in their good faith judgment the Board of
Directors of the Company shall determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for
cash of any shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price,
(iii) issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities that
by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Preferred
Stock, (iv) stock dividends or (v) issuance of rights, options or warrants
referred to in this Section 11 hereafter made by the Company to holders of its
Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders.

                  (n) The Company covenants and agrees that it shall not, at any
time that there is an Acquiring Person, (i) consolidate with any other Person,
(ii) merge with or into or be acquired pursuant to a share exchange by any other
Person, or (iii) sell, lease or transfer (or permit one or more Subsidiaries to
sell, lease or transfer), in one transaction or a series of related
transactions, assets, earning power or cash flow aggregating more than 50% of
the assets, earning power or cash flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons, if (x) at the time of or
immediately after such consolidation, merger, share exchange, sale, lease or
transfer there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities of
the Company or any other Person outstanding or agreements, arrangements or
understandings in effect that would substantially diminish or otherwise
eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights, (y) prior to,
simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger, share
exchange, sale, lease or transfer, the shareholders or other equity owners of
the Person who constitutes, or would constitute, the "Principal Party" for
purposes of Section 13(a) hereof shall have received a distribution of Rights
previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates or Associates, or (z)
the identity, form or nature of organization of the Principal Party (including
without limitation the selection of the Person that will be the Principal Party
as a result of the Company's entering into one or more consolidations, mergers,
share exchanges, sales, leases, transfers or transactions with more than one
party) would preclude or limit the exercise of Rights or otherwise diminish
substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

                  (o) The Company covenants and agrees that, after the
Distribution Date, it will not, except as permitted by Section 23, Section 24 or
Section 27 hereof, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if the
purpose of such action is

                                       21
<PAGE>

to, or if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that
such action will, diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to
be afforded by the Rights.

                  (p) Notwithstanding Section 3(c) hereof or any other provision
of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Company shall at any
time after the Effective Time and prior to the Distribution Date (i) declare a
dividend on the outstanding shares of Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iii) combine the
outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv)
otherwise reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock (including any such
reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), the number of Rights
associated with each share of Common Stock then outstanding, or issued or
delivered thereafter with Rights, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the
number of Rights thereafter associated with each share of Common Stock following
any such event shall equal the result obtained by multiplying the number of
Rights associated with each share of Common Stock immediately prior to such
event by a fraction (the "Adjustment Fraction") the numerator of which shall be
the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
occurrence of the event and the denominator of which shall be the total number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately following the occurrence of
such event. In lieu of such adjustment in the number of Rights associated with
one share of Common Stock, the Company may elect to adjust the number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of one Right
and the Purchase Price. If the Company makes such election, the number of Rights
associated with one share of Common Stock shall remain unchanged, and the number
of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of one Right
and the Purchase Price shall be proportionately adjusted so that (i) the number
of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Right
following such adjustment shall equal the product of the number of Fractional
Shares of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of a Right immediately prior
to such adjustment multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction and (ii) the Purchase
Price following such adjustment shall equal the product of the Purchase Price
immediately prior to such adjustment multiplied by the Adjustment Fraction.

                  Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number
of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section
13 hereof, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent, and with each transfer
agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, a copy of such certificate
and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Rights
Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each registered holder of
a certificate representing shares of Common Stock) in accordance with Section 26
hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such
certificate and on any adjustment therein contained.

                  Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of
Assets, Cash Flow or Earning Power.

                  (a) In the event that, from and after the time an Acquiring
Person has become such, directly or indirectly, (x) the Company shall
consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, and the Company
shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such

                                       22
<PAGE>

consolidation or merger, (y) any Person shall consolidate with, or merge with or
into, the Company, and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation of such consolidation or merger, or the Company shall be party to a
share exchange, and, in connection with such consolidation or merger or share
exchange, all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed
into or exchanged for stock or other securities of the Company or any other
Person or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall sell, lease or
otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell, lease or
otherwise transfer), in one transaction or a series of related transactions,
assets, cash flow or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets, cash
flow or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to
any Person or Persons (other than the Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of
the Company or any combination thereof in one or more transactions each of which
complies (and all of which together comply) with Section 11(o) hereof), then,
and in each such case (except as may be contemplated by Section 13(d) hereof),
proper provision shall be made so that: (i) the Purchase Price shall be adjusted
to be the Purchase Price immediately prior to the first occurrence of a
Triggering Event multiplied by the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such first
occurrence; (ii) on and after the Distribution Date, each holder of a Right,
except as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at the Purchase Price in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, in lieu of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock of
the Company, such number of validly authorized and issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and freely tradeable shares of Common Stock of the Principal Party
(as such term is hereinafter defined), not subject to any liens, encumbrances,
rights of first refusal or other adverse claims, as shall be equal to the result
obtained by dividing the Purchase Price by 50% of the Current Market Price per
share of the Common Stock of such Principal Party on the date of consummation of
such Flip-Over Event; provided that the Purchase Price and the number of shares
of Common Stock of such Principal Party issuable upon exercise of each Right
shall be further adjusted as provided in this Agreement to reflect any events
occurring after the date of such first occurrence of a Triggering Event or after
the date of such Flip-Over Event, as applicable; (iii) such Principal Party
shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such Flip-Over
Event, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;
(iv) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such Principal
Party, it being specifically intended that the provisions of Section 11 hereof
shall apply only to such Principal Party following the first occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event; (v) such Principal Party shall take such steps (including, but
not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of shares of its Common
Stock) in connection with the consummation of any such transaction as may be
necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable,
as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its shares of Common Stock
thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights; and (vi) the provisions
of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall be of no effect following the occurrence of
any Flip-Over Event.

                  (b) "Principal Party" shall mean

                  (i) in the case of any transaction described in clause (x) or
         (y) of the first sentence of Section 13(a), (A) the Person that is the
         issuer of any securities into which shares of Common Stock of the
         Company are converted in such merger or consolidation or share
         exchange, or, if there is more than one such issuer, the issuer the
         Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market value, or (B)
         if no securities are so issued, (x) the Person that survives such
         consolidation or is the other party to the merger and

                                       23
<PAGE>

         survives such merger, or, if there is more than one such Person, the
         Person the Common Stock of which has the greatest aggregate market
         value or (y) if the Person that is the other party to the merger does
         not survive the merger, the Person that does survive the merger
         (including the Company if it survives); and

                  (ii) in the case of any transaction described in clause (z) of
         the first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the party
         receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
         transferred pursuant to such transaction or transactions, or, if each
         Person that is a party to such transaction or transactions receives the
         same portion of the assets or earning power so transferred, or if the
         Person receiving the greatest portion of the assets or earning power
         cannot be determined, the Person the Common Stock of which has the
         greatest aggregate market value;

provided, however, that in any such case, if the Common Stock of such Person is
not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding twelve-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and if (1) such Person
is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Stock of which
is and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other
Person; (2) such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, of more than
one Person, the Common Stocks of all of which are and have been so registered,
"Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the issuer of the
Common Stock having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3) such Person is
owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed by two or more Persons
that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same Person, the rules set
forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the chains of ownership having
an interest in such joint venture as if such party were a "Subsidiary" of both
or all of such joint venturers and the Principal Parties in each such chain
shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section 13 in the same ratio as
their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear to the total of such
interests.

                  (c) The Company shall not consummate any Flip-Over Event
unless each Principal Party (or Person that may become a Principal Party as a
result of such Flip-Over Event) shall have a sufficient number of authorized
shares of its Common Stock that have not been issued or reserved for issuance to
permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with this Section 13 and
unless prior thereto the Company and each such Principal Party shall have
executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement providing
for the terms set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further
providing that, as soon as practicable after the date of such Flip-Over Event,
the Principal Party at its own expense will

                  (i) prepare and file a registration statement under the
         Securities Act with respect to the Rights and the securities
         purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and
         will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to (A)
         become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and (B)
         remain effective (with a prospectus at all times meeting the
         requirements of the Securities Act) until the Expiration Date;

                  (ii) use its best efforts to qualify or register the Rights
         and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights under the
         "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions as may be necessary or
         appropriate;

                                       24
<PAGE>

                  (iii) use its best efforts, if the Common Stock of the
         Principal Party is or shall become listed on a national securities
         exchange, to list (or continue the listing of) the Rights and the
         securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights on such securities
         exchange and, if the Common Stock of the Principal Party shall not be
         listed on a national securities exchange, to cause the Rights and the
         securities purchasable upon exercise of the Rights to be reported by
         Nasdaq or such other transaction reporting system then in use; and

                  (iv) deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial
         statements for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates that
         comply in all respects with the requirements for registration on Form
         10 under the Exchange Act.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. In the event that a Flip-Over Event
shall occur at any time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, the Rights that
have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in the
manner described in Section 13(a).

                  (d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, Section 13 shall not be applicable to a transaction described in
subparagraphs (x) and (y) of Section 13(a) if (i) such transaction is
consummated with a Person or Persons who acquired shares of Common Stock
pursuant to a Permitted Offer (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of any such Person
or Persons), (ii) the price per share of Common Stock offered in such
transaction is not less than the price per share of Common Stock paid to all
holders of Common Stock whose shares were purchased pursuant to such Permitted
Offer, and (iii) the form of consideration being offered to the remaining
holders of shares of Common Stock pursuant to such transaction is the same as
the form of consideration paid pursuant to such Permitted Offer. Upon
consummation of any such transaction contemplated by this Section 13(d), all
Rights hereunder shall expire.

                  Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

                  (a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Rights, except prior to the Distribution Date as provided in Section 11(p)
hereof, or to distribute Rights Certificates or scrip evidencing fractional
Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered
holders of the Rights Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights
would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the
Closing Price of one Right for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on
which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable.

                  (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided in Section 7(c)
hereof, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional Share of Preferred
Stock) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or scrip
evidencing fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than, except as provided
in Section 7(c) hereof, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional
Share of Preferred Stock). Interests in fractions of shares of Preferred Stock
in integral multiples of a Fractional Share of Preferred Stock may, at the
election of the Company in its sole discretion, be evidenced by depositary
receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a
depositary selected by it, provided that such agreement shall provide that the
holders of

                                       25
<PAGE>

such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the shares of Preferred Stock
represented by such depositary receipts. In lieu of fractional shares of
Preferred Stock that are not integral multiples of a Fractional Share of
Preferred Stock, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of one one-thousandth of the Closing Price of
a share of Preferred Stock for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
such exercise.

                  (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock,
the Company may pay to the registered holders of Rights Certificates at the time
such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the Closing Price of one share of Common Stock for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

                  (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right
expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional
shares upon exercise of a Right, except as permitted by this Section 14.

                  Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect
of this Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent
pursuant to Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders
of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered
holders of the Common Stock) and, where applicable, the Company; and any
registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date,
of the Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder
of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the
Common Stock), may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may
institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to
enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights
evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights
Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any
remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged
that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any
breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the
obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened
violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.
After a Triggering Event, holders of Rights shall be entitled to recover the
reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by them in
any action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement.

                  Section 16. Agreement of Rights Holders. Every holder of a
Right by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights
Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

                  (a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be
evidenced by Rights Certificates and will be transferable only in connection
with the transfer of Common Stock;

                  (b) after the Distribution Date, the Rights Certificates will
be transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at
the office or offices designated by the

                                       26
<PAGE>

Rights Agent for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper
instrument of transfer and with the form of assignment set forth on the reverse
side thereof and the certificate contained therein duly completed and fully
executed;

                  (c) subject to Section 6(a) and Section 7(f) hereof, the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name a
Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common
Stock certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights
evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the
Rights Certificates or the associated Common Stock certificate made by anyone
other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and
neither the Company nor the Rights Agent, subject to the last sentence of
Section 7(e) hereof, shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

                  (d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to
any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform
any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or
permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of
competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency
or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated
or enacted by any governmental authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining
performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best
efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned
as soon as possible.

                  Section 17. Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to
vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of
Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company that
may at any time be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights represented thereby,
nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to
confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of
a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors
or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give
or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or
Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised in
accordance with the provisions hereof.

                  Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent.

                  (a) The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time,
on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and
disbursements and other reasonable disbursements incurred in the administration
and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

                                       27
<PAGE>

                  (b) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in
connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Rights
Certificate or certificate for Common Stock or for other securities of the
Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement,
affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other
paper or document believed by it, after proper inquiry or examination, to be
genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, guaranteed, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons.

                  Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of
Rights Agent.

                  (a) Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or
any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation
succeeding to the corporate trust or stock transfer business of the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under
this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided, however, that such
corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under
the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights
Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement, any of the Rights
Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of a predecessor Rights Agent and
deliver such Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any
of the Rights Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor
Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either in the name of the
predecessor or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases
such Rights Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights
Certificates and in this Agreement.

                  (b) In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be
changed and at such time any of the Rights Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature
under its prior name and deliver Rights Certificates so countersigned; and in
case at that time any of the Rights Certificates shall not have been
countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Rights Certificates either
in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Rights
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Rights Certificates and
in this Agreement.

                  Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent
undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the
following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of
Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

                  (a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may
be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

                  (b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or
matter (including, without

                                       28
<PAGE>

limitation, the identity of any Acquiring Person and the determination of
"Current Market Price") be proved or established by the Company prior to taking
or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in
respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant
Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered
to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the
Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the
provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

                  (c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its
own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. In no event shall the Rights
Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any
kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless
of the form of action.

                  (d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of
any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the
Rights Certificates or be required to verify the same (except as to its
countersignature on such Rights Certificates), but all such statements and
recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

                  (e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in
respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof
(except the due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the
validity or execution of any Rights Certificate (except its countersignature
thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Rights Certificate;
nor shall it be responsible for any adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or Section 13 hereof or responsible for the manner, method or amount
of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would
require any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Rights Certificates after receipt of actual knowledge of any such
adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares
of Preferred Stock or Common Stock or other securities to be issued pursuant to
this Agreement or any Rights Certificate or as to whether any shares of
Preferred Stock or Common Stock or other securities will, when so issued, be
validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

                  (f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute,
acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may
reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

                  (g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to
accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from
the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, any
Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its
duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered to be taken
by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer.

                                       29
<PAGE>

                  (h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other
securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in
which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the
Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent
under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting
in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

                  (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the
rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself
or by or through its attorneys or agents (including the Company), and the Rights
Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, omission, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the
Company resulting from any such act, omission, default, neglect or misconduct;
provided, however, that reasonable care was exercised in the selection and
continued employment thereof.

                  (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights
Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability
in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of its
rights if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such
funds or adequate indemnification against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.

                  (k) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to
the Rights Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate attached to the form
of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case may be, has either
not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause 1 and/or 2
thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to such
requested exercise or transfer without first consulting with the Company.

                  Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this
Agreement upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company, and to each
transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, by registered or
certified mail, and to the registered holders, if any, of the Rights
Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent (with or without cause) upon 30 days' notice in writing,
mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to
each transfer agent of the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, by registered
or certified mail, and to the registered holders of the Rights Certificates, if
any, by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or
shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a
successor to the Rights Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section 21, in no event shall the resignation or removal of a Rights Agent be
effective until a successor Rights Agent shall have been appointed and have
accepted such appointment. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment
within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has
been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the registered holder of a Rights Certificate
(who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by
the Company), then the Rights Agent or the registered holder of any Rights
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation or trust company
organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of the State
of New York or Texas (or of any

                                       30
<PAGE>

other state of the United States so long as such corporation or trust company is
authorized to conduct a stock transfer or corporate trust business in the State
of New York or Texas), in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision
or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its
appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000 or (b) an affiliate of a corporation or trust company described in
clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall
be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the
predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights
Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later
than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice
thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of
the Common Stock and the Preferred Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing
to the registered holders, if any, of the Rights Certificates. Failure to give
any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein,
shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the
Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.

                  Section 22. Issuance of New Rights Certificates.
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the
contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates
evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to
reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or
class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In
addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock
following the Distribution Date and prior to the Expiration Date, the Company
(a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock so issued or sold pursuant to
the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement granted
or awarded on or prior to the Distribution Date, or upon the exercise,
conversion or exchange of securities issued by the Company on or prior to the
Distribution Date, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or
appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company, issue Rights Certificates
representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance
or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued
if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such
issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and
(ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance
thereof.

                  Section 23. Redemption and Termination.

                  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person, cause the
Company to redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a
redemption price of $.005 per Right, as such amount may be appropriately
adjusted, if necessary, to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar
transaction occurring after the Effective Time (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price"). The Company may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, shares of Common Stock (based on the
Current Market Price of the Common

                                       31
<PAGE>

Stock at the time of redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed
appropriate by the Board of Directors.

                  (b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights (the
effectiveness of which action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or
more events or on the existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some
future time), evidence of which shall be filed with the Rights Agent and without
any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to
receive the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the
effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors ordering the redemption of
the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the then outstanding Rights by mailing such notice
to all such holders at each holder's last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the Company for the Common Stock. Any notice that is mailed in
the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder
receives the notice. Each such notice of redemption shall state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made.

                  Section 24. Exchange.

                  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option,
at any time and from time to time after the occurrence of a Flip-In Event,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section
7(e) hereof) for shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or any
combination thereof, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock, or such
number of Common Stock Equivalents or units representing fractions thereof as
would be deemed to have the same value as one share of Common Stock, per Right,
appropriately adjusted, if necessary, to reflect any stock split, stock dividend
or similar transaction occurring after the Effective Time (such exchange ratio
being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio"). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Directors may not effect such exchange at any time after
(i) any Person (other than an Exempt Person), together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding or (ii) the occurrence of a Flip-Over
Event.

                  (b) Immediately upon the effectiveness of the action of the
Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant
to and in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 24 (the effectiveness
of which action may be conditioned on the occurrence of one or more events or on
the existence of one or more facts or may be effective at some future time) and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such
Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights
shall be to receive that number of shares of Common Stock and/or Common Stock
Equivalents equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by
the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such
exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such
notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly
shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the registered holders of
such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall
be deemed given, whether or not the holder

                                       32
<PAGE>

receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which
the exchange of the shares of Common Stock and/or Common Stock Equivalents for
Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of
Rights that will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected as nearly
pro rata as possible based on the number of Rights (other than Rights that have
become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each
holder of Rights.

                  (c) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock
that are authorized by the Company's articles of incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of
the Rights is not sufficient to permit an exchange of Rights as contemplated in
accordance with this Section 24, the Company may, at its option, take all such
action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Common Stock for
issuance upon exchange of the Rights.

                  (d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
shares of Common Stock or to distribute certificates or scrip evidencing
fractional shares of Common Stock. In lieu of such fractional shares of Common
Stock, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Rights with regard to
which such fractional shares of Common Stock would otherwise be issuable an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the value of a whole share of
Common Stock. For purposes of this Section 24, the value of a whole share of
Common Stock shall be the Closing Price per share of Common Stock for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to this Section
24, and the value of any Common Stock Equivalent shall be deemed to have the
same value as the Common Stock on such date.

                  Section 25. Notice of Certain Events.

                  (a) In case the Company shall propose, at any time after the
Distribution Date, (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the
holders of Preferred Stock or to make any other distribution to the holders of
Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend out of earnings or
retained earnings of the Company), or (ii) to offer to the holders of Preferred
Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares
of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities,
rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred
Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of
outstanding shares of Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or
merger into or with any other Person (other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of
the Company in a transaction that complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or to
effect any sale, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all the
Company's assets, cash flow or earning power to any other Person or Persons
(other than a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction that
complies with Section 11(o) hereof), or (v) to effect the liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to be acquired pursuant to a
share exchange, then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder
of record of a Rights Certificate, to the extent feasible and in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, distribution of rights or
warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger,
sale, lease, transfer, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is to take place
and the date of participation therein by the holders of the shares of Preferred
Stock, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the
case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to
the record date

                                       33
<PAGE>

for determining holders of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such
action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20 days prior to the
date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein
by the holders of the shares of Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier.
The failure to give notice required by this Section 25 or any defect therein
shall not affect the legality or validity of the action taken by the Company or
the vote upon any such action.

                  (b) In case any Flip-In Event or Flip-Over Event shall occur,
then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each registered
holder of a Rights Certificate (or if occurring prior to the Distribution Date,
the registered holders of Common Stock), in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a
notice of the occurrence of such event, which shall specify the event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 13(a) hereof, and all references in the preceding paragraph to Preferred
Stock shall be deemed thereafter to refer to Common Stock and/or, if
appropriate, other securities.

                  Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed (until
another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

                  CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
                  1111 Louisiana
                  Houston, Texas 77002
                  Attention: General Counsel

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this
Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights
Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if
sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed
(until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

                  JPMorgan Chase Bank
                  600 Travis Street, Suite 1150
                  Houston, Texas 77002
                  Attention:

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, if
prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of certificates representing
shares of Common Stock) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

                  Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the time a
Person becomes an Acquiring Person and subject to the penultimate sentence of
this Section 27, the Company may in its sole and absolute discretion and the
Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,

                                       34
<PAGE>

supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement in any respect without the
approval of any holders of Rights or holders of Common Stock. From and after the
time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person and subject to the penultimate
sentence of this Section 27, the Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the
Company so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of
any holders of Rights in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or
supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent
with any other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period
hereunder or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereunder in any manner
that the Company may deem necessary or desirable; provided that no such
amendment or supplement shall materially and adversely affect the interests of
the holders of Rights (other than an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person) and further provided that this Agreement may
not be supplemented or amended pursuant to this sentence to lengthen (A) a time
period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed or (B) any other time period
unless the lengthening of such other time period is for the purpose of
protecting, enhancing or clarifying the rights of, and/or benefits to, the
holders of Rights (other than any Acquiring Person and its Affiliates and
Associates). Upon the delivery of a certificate from an appropriate officer of
the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in
compliance with the terms of this Section 27, the Rights Agent shall execute
such supplement or amendment; provided, however, that the Rights Agent may, but
shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplement or amendment that
affects the Rights Agent's own rights, duties or immunities under this
Agreement. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
no supplement or amendment shall be made that decreases the Redemption Price.

                  Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of
this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall
bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.

                  Section 29. Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors, etc. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including
for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares
of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in
accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the General Rules
and Regulations under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this
Agreement. The Board of Directors of the Company (or, as set forth herein,
certain specified members thereof) shall have the exclusive power and authority
to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically
granted to the Board of Directors of the Company or to the Company, or as may be
necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Agreement (including, without limitation, a determination
to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this Agreement). All such
actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for
purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) that
are done or made by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith, shall
(x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights, as such, and all other parties, and (y) not subject the
Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

                                       35
<PAGE>

                  Section 30. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this
Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior
to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall
be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the
registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, registered holders of the Common Stock).

                  Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or
other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the
terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated;
provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such
court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of
Directors of the Company determines in its good faith judgment that severing the
invalid language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the close of business on the
tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors of
the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, if any provision requiring that a
determination be made by less than the entire Board of Directors of the Company
is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid,
void or unenforceable, such determination shall then be made by the entire Board
of Directors of the Company.

                  Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement, each Right and each
Rights Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under
the laws of the State of Texas and for all purposes shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts made
and to be performed entirely within such State.

                  Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes
be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.

                  Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the
several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.

                                       36
<PAGE>

                 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                                       CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                                       By /s/ Rufus S. Scott
                                          --------------------------------------
                                       Name: Rufus S. Scott
                                            ------------------------------------
                                       Title: Vice President and
                                              Deputy General Counsel
                                             -----------------------------------

                                       JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

                                       By /s/ Greg Campbell
                                          --------------------------------------
                                       Name: Greg Campbell
                                            ------------------------------------
                                       Title: Vice President & Trust Officer
                                             -----------------------------------

                                       37
<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit A

                                     FORM OF

              STATEMENT OF RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING SERIES OF SHARES

                                   DESIGNATED

                            SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

                                       OF

                            CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                          Pursuant to Article 2.13D of
                       the Texas Business Corporation Act

                  Pursuant to the provisions of Article 2.13D of the Texas
Business Corporation Act, the undersigned submits the following statement for
the purpose of establishing and designating a series of shares of its Preferred
Stock, without par value, designated "Series A Preferred Stock" and fixing and
determining the relative rights and preferences thereof:

         1. The name of the company is CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC. (the "Company").

         2. The following resolution establishing and designating a series of
shares and fixing and determining the relative rights and preferences thereof,
was duly adopted by all necessary action on the part of the Company on
____________, 2001:

                  RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board
of Directors of this Company in accordance with the provisions of the Amended
and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, a series of Preferred
Stock, without par value, of the Company be and hereby is created, and that the
designation and number of shares thereof and the preferences, limitations and
relative rights, including voting rights, of the shares of such series and the
qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof are as follows:

                            Series A Preferred Stock

         1. Designation and Amount. There shall be a series of Preferred Stock
that shall be designated as "Series A Preferred Stock," and the number of shares
constituting such series shall be 1,000,000. Such number of shares may be
increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided,
however, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock to less than the number of shares then issued and outstanding
plus the number of shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options
or warrants or upon conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Company.

                                      A-1
<PAGE>

         2. Dividends and Distributions.

         (A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of any class or
series of stock of the Company ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock,
shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors
out of assets of the Company legally available for the purpose, quarterly
dividends payable in cash on the first day of January, April, July and October
in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after
the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred
Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (a) $10.00 or (b) the Adjustment Number (as defined below) times the
aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and the Adjustment Number
times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends
or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock,
without par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock") or a subdivision of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared
on the Common Stock, since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the
first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock.
The "Adjustment Number" shall initially be 1,000. In the event the Company shall
at any time after the time of the issuance by the Secretary of State of the
State of Texas of the certificate of merger with respect to the merger of
Reliant Energy MergerCo, Inc., a Texas corporation ("MergerCo"), with and into
Reliant Energy, Incorporated, a Texas corporation ("REI"), pursuant to the
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 19, 2001, by and among REI,
MergerCo and the Company (the "Merger"), or, if a later effective time was
provided in the articles of merger with respect to the Merger, such later time
(the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable
in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii)
combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in
each such case the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event
shall be adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the
numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

         (B) The Company shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series
A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or
distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period
between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $10.00 per share on the Series A Preferred
Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date.

         (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a

                                      A-2
<PAGE>

Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to
receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon.

         3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have the following voting rights:

         (A) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder
thereof to a number of votes equal to the Adjustment Number on all matters
submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Company.

         (B) Except as otherwise provided by law or the Amended and Restated
Articles of Incorporation of the Company, the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of any other class or series entitled to
vote with the Common Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock shall vote
together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the
Company.

         (C) (i) If at any time dividends on any Series A Preferred Stock shall
be in arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly dividends thereon, the
occurrence of such contingency shall mark the beginning of a period (herein
called a "default period") that shall extend until such time when all accrued
and unpaid dividends for all previous quarterly dividend periods and for the
current quarterly dividend period on all shares of Series A Preferred Stock then
outstanding shall have been declared and paid or set apart for payment. During
each default period, (1) the number of directors of the Company shall be
increased by two, effective as of the time of election of such directors as
herein provided, and (2) the holders of Preferred Stock (including holders of
the Series A Preferred Stock) upon which these or like voting rights have been
conferred and are exercisable (the "Voting Preferred Stock") with dividends in
arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly dividends thereon, voting as a
class, irrespective of series, shall have the right to elect such two directors.

                  (ii) During any default period, such voting right of the
holders of Series A Preferred Stock may be exercised initially at a special
meeting called pursuant to subparagraph (iii) of this Section 3(C) or at any
annual meeting of shareholders, and thereafter at annual meetings of
shareholders, provided that such voting right shall not be exercised unless the
holders of at least one-third in number of the shares of Voting Preferred Stock
outstanding shall be present in person or by proxy. The absence of a quorum of
the holders of Common Stock shall not affect the exercise by the holders of
Voting Preferred Stock of such voting right.

                  (iii) Unless the holders of Voting Preferred Stock shall,
during an existing default period, have previously exercised their right to
elect directors, the Board of Directors

                                      A-3
<PAGE>

may order, or any shareholder or shareholders owning in the aggregate not less
than ten percent of the total number of shares of Voting Preferred Stock
outstanding, irrespective of series, may request, the calling of a special
meeting of the holders of Voting Preferred Stock, which meeting shall thereupon
be called by the Chairman, the President, a Vice President or the Corporate
Secretary of the Company. Notice of such meeting and of any annual meeting at
which holders of Voting Preferred Stock are entitled to vote pursuant to this
paragraph (C)(iii) shall be given to each holder of record of Voting Preferred
Stock by mailing a copy of such notice to him at his last address as the same
appears on the books of the Company. Such meeting shall be called for a time not
earlier than 20 days and not later than 60 days after such order or request or,
in default of the calling of such meeting within 60 days after such order or
request, such meeting may be called on similar notice by any shareholder or
shareholders owning in the aggregate not less than ten percent (10%) of the
total number of shares of Voting Preferred Stock outstanding. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this paragraph (C)(iii), no such special meeting shall be
called during the period within 60 days immediately preceding the date fixed for
the next annual meeting of the shareholders.

                  (iv) In any default period, after the holders of Voting
Preferred Stock shall have exercised their right to elect directors voting as a
class, (x) the directors so elected by the holders of Voting Preferred Stock
shall continue in office until their successors shall have been elected by such
holders or until the expiration of the default period, and (y) any vacancy in
the Board of Directors may be filled by vote of a majority of the remaining
directors theretofore elected by the holders of the class or classes of stock
which elected the director whose office shall have become vacant. References in
this paragraph (C) to directors elected by the holders of a particular class or
classes of stock shall include directors elected by such directors to fill
vacancies as provided in clause (y) of the foregoing sentence.

                  (v) Immediately upon the expiration of a default period, (x)
the right of the holders of Voting Preferred Stock as a class to elect directors
shall cease, (y) the term of any directors elected by the holders of Voting
Preferred Stock as a class shall terminate and (z) the number of directors shall
be such number as may be provided for in the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Company or the Amended and Restated Bylaws irrespective of
any increase made pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (C) of this Section 3
(such number being subject, however, to change thereafter in any manner provided
by law or in the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company
or the Amended and Restated Bylaws). Any vacancies in the Board of Directors
effected by the provisions of clauses (y) and (z) in the preceding sentence may
be filled by a majority of the remaining directors.

         (D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred Stock
shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required
(except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as
set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

         4. Certain Restrictions.

         (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Company shall not:

                                      A-4
<PAGE>

         (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
         redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
         stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
         dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

         (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on any
         shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
         liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred
         Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock
         and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears
         in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such
         shares are then entitled; or

         (iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any
         shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a
         parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a
         purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the
         Board of Directors) to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock, or to
         all such holders and the holders of any such shares ranking on a parity
         therewith, upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
         consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other
         relative powers, preferences and rights of the respective series and
         classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and
         equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

         (B) The Company shall not permit any subsidiary of the Company to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of capital stock of
the Company unless the Company could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

         5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased
or otherwise acquired by the Company in any manner whatsoever shall be retired
and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and
may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by
resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to any conditions
and restrictions on issuance set forth in the Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation of the Company.

         6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. (A) Upon any liquidation
(voluntary or otherwise), dissolution or winding up of the Company, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock shall have received $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference"). Following
the payment of the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no
additional distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock
shall have received an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the
quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii)
the Adjustment Number. Following the payment of the full amount of the Series A
Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment in respect of all outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock and

                                      A-5
<PAGE>

Common Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Preferred Stock and holders of
shares of Common Stock shall, subject to the prior rights of all other series of
Preferred Stock, if any, ranking prior thereto, receive their ratable and
proportionate share of the remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio of
the Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Series A Preferred Stock and
Common Stock, on a per share basis, respectively.

         (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets
available to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and
the liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, that
rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion
to their respective liquidation preferences. In the event, however, that there
are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Common
Adjustment, then such remaining assets shall be distributed ratably to the
holders of Common Stock.

         (C) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Company into or with
another Company nor the merger or consolidation of any other Company into or
with the Company shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up
of the Company within the meaning of this Section 6, but the sale, lease or
conveyance of all or substantially all of the Company's assets shall be deemed
to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company within the meaning
of this Section 6.

         7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Company shall enter into any
consolidation, merger, combination, share exchange or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share equal to the Adjustment Number times the
aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is changed or exchanged.

         8. Redemption. (A) The Company, at its option, may redeem shares of the
Series A Preferred Stock in whole at any time and in part from time to time, at
a redemption price equal to the Adjustment Number times the current per share
market price (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Common Stock on the
date of the mailing of the notice of redemption, together with unpaid
accumulated dividends to the date of such redemption. The "current per share
market price" on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the closing price
per share of such Common Stock for the ten consecutive Trading Days (as such
term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however,
that in the event that the current per share market price of the Common Stock is
determined during a period following the announcement of (A) a dividend or
distribution on the Common Stock other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or
(B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Common Stock and
the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for
such subdivision, combination or reclassification, shall not have occurred prior
to the commencement of such ten Trading Day period, then, and in each such case,
the current per share market price shall be properly adjusted to take into
account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall be the last
sales price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
reported in the principal transaction reporting system with respect to
securities listed or admitted to trading on the New

                                      A-6
<PAGE>

York Stock Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not listed or admitted to
trading on the New York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities
exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading, or, if the
Common Stock is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities
exchange but sales price information is reported for such security, as reported
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations
System ("Nasdaq") or such other self-regulatory organization or registered
securities information processor (as such terms are used under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that then reports information concerning the
Common Stock, or, if sales price information is not so reported, the average of
the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market on such day, as
reported by Nasdaq or such other entity, or, if on any such date the Common
Stock is not quoted by any such entity, the average of the closing bid and asked
prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Common
Stock selected by the Board of Directors. If on any such date no such market
maker is making a market in the Common Stock, the fair value of the Common Stock
on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors shall be
used. The term "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national
securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading
is open for the transaction of business, or, if the Common Stock is not listed
or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange but is quoted by
Nasdaq, a day on which Nasdaq reports trades, or, if the Common Stock is not so
quoted, a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking
institutions in the State of New York or Texas are not authorized or obligated
by law or executive order to close.

         (B) In the event that fewer than all of the outstanding shares of the
Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the number of shares to be redeemed
shall be determined by the Board of Directors and the shares to be redeemed
shall be determined by lot or pro rata as may be determined by the Board of
Directors or by any other method that may be determined by the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion to be equitable.

         (C) Notice of any such redemption shall be given by mailing to the
holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed a notice of
such redemption, first class postage prepaid, not later than the twentieth day
and not earlier than the sixtieth day before the date fixed for redemption, at
their last address as the same shall appear upon the books of the Company. Each
such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares to
be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be
redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the
redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares
are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that
dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the close of
business on such redemption date. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not
the shareholder received such notice, and failure duly to give such notice by
mail, or any defect in such notice, to any holder of Series A Preferred Stock
shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other
shares of Series A Preferred Stock that are to be redeemed. On or after the date
fixed for redemption as stated in such notice, each holder of the shares called
for redemption shall surrender the certificate evidencing such shares to the
Company at the place designated in such notice and shall thereupon be entitled
to receive payment of the redemption price. If fewer than all the shares
represented by any such surrendered certificate are redeemed, a new certificate
shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares.

                                      A-7
<PAGE>

         (D) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be subject to the
operation of any purchase, retirement or sinking fund.

         9. Ranking. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all other
series of Preferred Stock (other than any such series of Preferred Stock the
terms of which shall provide otherwise) in respect to dividend and liquidation
rights, and shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to such matters.

         10. Amendment. At any time that any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
are outstanding, the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the
Company shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock,
voting separately as a class.

         11. Fractional Shares. Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Preferred Stock.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC. has caused this
Statement to be executed on its behalf by the undersigned officer this ___ day
of __________, 200_.

                                       CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                       Title:

                                      A-8
<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit B

                          [Form of Rights Certificate]

Certificate No. R-                                               ________ Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2011 OR EARLIER IF REDEEMED OR EXCHANGED BY
THE COMPANY. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY,
AT $.005 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY OR
TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN
AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO
LONGER BE TRANSFERABLE.

                               RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

                            CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                  This certifies that _____________________, or registered
assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each
of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2002 as it may from
time to time be supplemented or amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., a Texas corporation (the "Company"), and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time prior
to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on December 31, 2011 at the office or offices
designated by the Rights Agent for such purpose, or its successors as Rights
Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share (a "Fractional
Share") of Series A Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a
purchase price of $42.50 per one one-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase
Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the
Form of Election to Purchase and related Certificate set forth on the reverse
hereof duly executed. The Purchase Price may be paid in cash or by certified
check, cashier's or official bank check or bank draft payable to the order of
the Company or the Rights Agent. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per Fractional Share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of _____________, 2002, based on the
Preferred Stock as constituted at such date. The Company reserves the right to
require prior to the occurrence of a Triggering Event (as such term is defined
in the Rights Agreement) that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole
shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

                  From and after the first occurrence of a Triggering Event (as
such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this
Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by or transferred to (i) an Acquiring
Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Rights Agreement), (ii) a transferee of any such

                                      B-1
<PAGE>

Acquiring Person, Associate or Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances
specified in the Rights Agreement, a transferee of a person who, concurrently
with or after such transfer, became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person, such Rights shall, with certain exceptions,
become null and void in the circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, and
no holder hereof shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights
from and after the occurrence of such Triggering Event.

                  As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and
the number and kind of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities or assets
that may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of
certain events, including Triggering Events.

                  This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms,
provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and
conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof
and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of
the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates,
which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the
exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the
Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the
above-mentioned office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written
request to the Company.

                  This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights
Certificates, upon surrender at the office or offices designated by the Rights
Agent for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or
Rights Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the
holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates
surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights
Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive
upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Rights Certificates for the
number of whole Rights not exercised.

                  Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights
evidenced by this Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at its option
at a redemption price of $.005 per Right, payable, at the election of the
Company, in cash or shares of Common Stock or such other consideration as the
Board of Directors may determine, at any time prior to the time a Person becomes
an Acquiring Person or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for shares of
the Company's Common Stock, without par value, and/or other equity securities of
the Company deemed to have the same value as shares of Common Stock, at any time
prior to a person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the shares
of Common Stock outstanding or the occurrence of a Flip-Over Event.

                  No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be
issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than,
except as set forth above, fractions that are integral multiples of a Fractional
Share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash payment may be
made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                                      B-2
<PAGE>

                  No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be
entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of
shares of Preferred Stock or of any other securities of the Company that may at
any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the
Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as
such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as
provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription
rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

                  This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for
any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

                  WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.

Dated as of __________________, 2002

ATTEST:                                CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                                       By
------------------------                  --------------------------------
Secretary                                               Title:

Countersigned:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK

By
   -------------------------------
   Authorized Signature

                                      B-3
<PAGE>

                  [Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

         (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires
          to transfer any Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________________________ hereby sells,
assigns and transfers unto ___________________________________________

                  (Please print name and address of transferee)
_________ Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate, together with all right,
title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
__________________ Attorney, to transfer the said Rights on the books of the
within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated: _________________, 20__

                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).

                                      B-4
<PAGE>

                                   CERTIFICATE

                  The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:

                  (1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [
] are not being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who
is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring
Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

                  (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or subsequently became an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or
indirect transferee of an Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.

Dated: _____________, 20__

                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).

                                     NOTICE

                 The signatures to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                      B-5
<PAGE>

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

                  (To be executed if holder desires to exercise
                 Rights represented by the Rights Certificate.)

To: CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                  The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise
_________ Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares
of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other
securities of the Company or of any other person that may be issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares (or other
securities) be issued in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

                  If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced
by this Rights Certificate, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such
Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

                         (Please print name and address)

Dated: ____________, 20__

                                    Signature
Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).

                                      B-6
<PAGE>

                                   CERTIFICATE

                  The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate
boxes that:

                  (1) the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate [ ] are [
] are not being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

                  (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the
undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Rights
Certificate from any Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or who is a direct or indirect
transferee of an Acquiring Person or of an Affiliate or Associate of an
Acquiring Person.

Dated: _____________, 20__

                                    Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a national securities
exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., a
commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United
States or another eligible guarantor institution (as defined pursuant to Rule
17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).

                                     NOTICE

                 The signatures to the foregoing Election to Purchase and
Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights
Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change
whatsoever.

                                      B-7
<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit C

                  SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE PREFERRED STOCK

                  Effective November 1, 2001, the Board of Directors of
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (the "Company") authorized the issuance of one right
("Right") for each share of the Company's Common Stock, without par value
("Common Stock"), of the Company issued from and after the Effective Time. Each
Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company a unit
consisting of one one-thousandth of a share (a "Fractional Share") of Series A
Preferred Stock, without par value (the "Preferred Stock"), at a purchase price
of $42.50 per Fractional Share, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price").
The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement,
dated as of January 1, 2002, as it may from time to time be supplemented or
amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank,
as Rights Agent.

                  Detachment of Rights; Exercisability. Initially, the Rights
will be attached to all Common Stock certificates, and no separate certificates
for the Rights ("Rights Certificates") will be distributed. The Rights will
separate from the Common Stock and a "Distribution Date" will occur, with
certain exceptions, upon the earlier of (i) ten days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the date of
the announcement being the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten business days
following the commencement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result
in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person. In certain circumstances, the
Distribution Date may be deferred by the Board of Directors. Certain inadvertent
acquisitions will not result in a person's becoming an Acquiring Person if the
person promptly divests itself of sufficient Common Stock. Until the
Distribution Date, (a) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock
certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (b) new Common Stock certificates issued will contain a notation
incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference and (c) the surrender for
transfer of any Common Stock certificate will also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificate.

                  The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and
will expire at the close of business on December 31, 2011, unless earlier
redeemed or exchanged by the Company as described below.

                  As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights
Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date and, from and after the Distribution Date,
the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights. All shares of
Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.
Shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date in connection with
certain employee benefit plans or upon conversion of certain securities will be
issued with Rights. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, no
other shares of Common Stock issued after the Distribution Date will be issued
with Rights.

                                      C-1
<PAGE>

                  Flip-In. In the event (a "Flip-In Event") that a person
becomes an Acquiring Person (except pursuant to a tender or exchange offer for
all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and on terms that a majority
of the independent directors of the Company determines to be fair to and
otherwise in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders (a
"Permitted Offer")), each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise of such Right, a number of shares of Common Stock (or, in
certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company) having
a Current Market Price (as defined in the Rights Agreement) equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the
occurrence of any Triggering Event, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by or
transferred to an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties) will be null
and void in the circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement.

                  Flip-Over. In the event (a "Flip-Over Event") that, at any
time from and after the time an Acquiring Person becomes such, (i) the Company
is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction (other than
certain mergers that follow a Permitted Offer), or (ii) 50% or more of the
Company's assets, cash flow or earning power is sold or transferred, each holder
of a Right (except Rights that are voided as set forth above) shall thereafter
have the right to receive, upon exercise, a number of shares of common stock of
the acquiring company having a Current Market Price equal to two times the
exercise price of the Right. Flip-In Events and Flip-Over Events are
collectively referred to as "Triggering Events."

                  Preferred Stock. After the Distribution Date, each Right will
entitle the holder to purchase a Fractional Share of Preferred Stock, which will
be essentially the economic equivalent of one share of Common Stock.

                  Antidilution. The number of outstanding Rights associated with
a share of Common Stock, or the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred Stock
issuable upon exercise of a Right and the Purchase Price, are subject to
adjustment in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or
reclassification of, the Common Stock occurring prior to the Distribution Date.
The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Fractional Shares of Preferred
Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are
subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution in the event of
certain transactions affecting the Preferred Stock.

                  With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price
will be required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock that are not integral
multiples of a Fractional Share are required to be issued and, in lieu thereof,
an adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred
Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise. Pursuant to the
Rights Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the
occurrence of a Triggering Event that, upon any exercise of Rights, a number of
Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will be issued.

                  Redemption of Rights. At any time until the time a person
becomes an Acquiring Person, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not
in part, at a price of $.005 per Right, payable, at the option of the Company,
in cash, shares of Common Stock or such other

                                      C-2
<PAGE>

consideration as the Board of Directors may determine. Immediately upon the
effectiveness of the action of the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the
Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights
will be to receive the $.005 redemption price.

                  Exchange of Rights. At any time after the occurrence of a
Flip-In Event and prior to a person's becoming the beneficial owner of 50% or
more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding or the occurrence of a
Flip-Over Event, the Company may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by
an Acquiring Person or an affiliate or an associate of an Acquiring Person,
which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one
share of Common Stock, and/or other equity securities deemed to have the same
value as one share of Common Stock, per Right, subject to adjustment.

                  Substitution. If the Company has an insufficient number of
authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock available to permit an exercise
or exchange of Rights upon the occurrence of a Flip-In Event, it may substitute
certain other types of property for the Common Stock so long as the total value
received by the holder of the Rights is equivalent to the value of the Common
Stock that would otherwise have been received. The Company may substitute cash,
property, equity securities or debt of the Company, effect a reduction in the
exercise price of the Right or use any combination of the foregoing.

                  No Rights as a Shareholder. Until a Right is exercised, the
holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company,
including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

                  Amendment of Terms of Rights. Other than the Redemption Price,
any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board of
Directors of the Company prior to the time a Person becomes an Acquiring Person.
Thereafter, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board
of Directors in order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency or to make
changes that do not materially and adversely affect the interests of holders of
Rights (excluding the interests of any Acquiring Person).

                  Rights Agent. JPMorgan Chase Bank serves as Rights Agent with
regard to the Rights.

                  Rights Agreement; Summary. A copy of the Rights Agreement is
available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the
Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Rights Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

                                      C-3

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