Document:

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                                                                    Exhibit 4(h)
                                                                    ------------

                         CP&L ENERGY CAPITAL TRUST II
                                TRUST AGREEMENT

     THIS TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of November 6, 2000, is by and between (i)
CP&L Energy, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the "Depositor"), (ii) Bank One
Delaware, Inc., a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware trustee (the
"Delaware Trustee"), and (iii) Thomas R. Sullivan, as administrative trustee
(the "Administrative Trustee," and together with the Delaware Trustee, the
"Trustees"). The Depositor and the Trustees hereby agree as follows:

     1. The trust created hereby (the "Trust") shall be known as "CP&L Energy
Capital Trust II."

     2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to the
Trust the sum of $10. Such amount shall constitute the initial trust estate. The
Trustees hereby declare that they will hold the trust estate for the Depositor
subject to the terms hereof.

     3. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created hereby
constitute a business trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code,
12 Del. C.ss. 3801 et seq. (the "Business Trust Act"), and that this document
                   -- ----
constitutes the governing instrument of the Trust.

     4. The Trustees are hereby authorized and directed to execute and file a
certificate of trust with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the
provisions of the Business Trust Act.

     5. The Depositor, the Trustees and others will enter into an amended and
restated Trust Agreement, satisfactory to each such party and substantially in
the form to be included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(the "1933 Act Registration Statement") referred to below, or in such other form
as the Trustees and the Depositor may approve, to provide for the contemplated
operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of Trust Preferred
Securities and Trust Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the
execution and delivery of such amended and restated Trust Agreement, the
Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect to the
trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be
necessary to obtain, prior to such execution and delivery, any licenses,
consents or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Trustees may take all actions deemed proper as are necessary
to effect the transactions contemplated herein.

     6. The Depositor and the Trustees hereby authorize and direct the
Depositor, as the sponsor of the Trust, (i) to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and to execute, in the case of the 1933
Act Registration Statement and 1934 Act Registration Statement (as herein
defined), on behalf of the Trust, (a) the 1933 Act Registration Statement,
including pre-effective or post-effective amendments to such Registration
Statement,
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relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), of the Trust Preferred Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary
prospectus or prospectus or supplement thereto relating to the Trust Preferred
Securities required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, and (c)
a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the "1934 Act
Registration Statement") (including all pre-effective and post-effective
amendments thereto) relating to the registration of the Trust Preferred
Securities of the Trust under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended; (ii) to file with any national securities exchange and execute
on behalf of the Trust a listing application and all other applications,
statements, certificates, agreements and other instruments as shall be necessary
or desirable to cause the Trust Preferred Securities to be listed on such
exchange; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the Trust such applications,
reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for
service of process and other papers and documents as shall be necessary or
desirable to register the Trust Preferred Securities under the securities or
"Blue Sky" laws of such jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust,
may deem necessary or desirable; and (iv) to execute, deliver and perform on
behalf of the Trust, an underwriting agreement with the Depositor and the
underwriter or underwriters of the Trust Preferred Securities of the Trust. In
the event that any filing referred to in clauses (i)-(iii) above is required by
the rules and regulations of the Commission, any national securities exchange or
state securities or Blue Sky laws to be executed on behalf of the Trust by the
Trustees, the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, are hereby
authorized and directed to join in any such filing and to execute on behalf of
the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being understood that Bank One
Delaware, Inc., in its capacity as trustee of the Trust, shall not be required
to join in any such filing or execute on behalf of the Trust any such document
unless required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, any national
securities exchange or state securities or Blue Sky laws. In connection with all
of the foregoing, each of the Trustees, solely in its capacity as trustee of the
Trust, and the Depositor hereby constitutes and appoints William Cavanaugh III,
Robert B. McGehee and Timothy S. Goettel, and each of them severally, as its
true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution for the Depositor or in the Depositor's name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including all
pre-effective and post-effective amendments) to the 1933 Act Registration
Statement and the 1934 Act Registration Statement and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto, and any other documents in connection therewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
Depositor might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
said attorney-in-fact and agent or his respective substitute or substitutes,
shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     7. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.

     8. The number of trustees initially shall be two (2) and thereafter the
number of trustees shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a
written instrument signed by the Depositor, who may increase or decrease the
number of trustees; provided, however, that, to the extent required by the
Business Trust Act, one trustee shall either be a natural person who is a
resident of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which has its
principal place of

                                      -2-
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business in the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of
applicable Delaware law. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to
appoint or remove without cause any trustee at any time. Any trustee may resign
upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice to the Depositor.

     9. Bank One Delaware, Inc., in its capacity as trustee of the Trust, shall
not have any of the powers or duties of the Trustees as set forth herein and
shall be a trustee of the Trust for the sole purpose of satisfying the
requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Business Trust Act.

     10. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of laws
principles).

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have
caused this Trust Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written
above.

                                      CP&L ENERGY, INC.
                                      as Depositor

                                      By:  /s/ Thomas R. Sullivan
                                           -------------------------------------
                                               Thomas R. Sullivan, Treasurer

                                      BANK ONE DELAWARE, INC.,
                                      as Delaware trustee, and not in its
                                      individual capacity

                                      By:  /s/ Sandra L. Caruba
                                           -------------------------------------
                                               Sandra, L. Caruba, Vice President

                                      /s/ Thomas R. Sullivan
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      Thomas R. Sullivan, Administrative Trustee

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                                                                    Exhibit 4(i)
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                             CERTIFICATE OF TRUST OF
                          CP&L ENERGY CAPITAL TRUST III

     THIS CERTIFICATE OF TRUST of CP&L Energy Capital Trust III (the "Trust"),
dated November 6, 2000, is being duly executed and filed by Bank One Delaware,
Inc., a Delaware banking corporation, as trustee, to form a business trust under
the Delaware Business Trust Act (12 Del. C. ss. 3801 et seq.).
                                                     -- ---
     1. Name. The name of the business trust formed hereby is "CP&L Energy
        ----
Capital Trust III."

     2. Delaware Trustee. The name and address of the trustee of the Trust with
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a principal place of business in the State of Delaware is: Bank One Delaware,
Inc., Three Christiana Center, 201 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, Delaware
19801.

     3. Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust shall be effective upon its
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filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the sole trustee of the Trust,
has executed this Certificate of Trust as of the date first written above.

                                      BANK ONE DELAWARE, INC.,
                                      not in its individual capacity, but solely
                                      as trustee

                                      By:      /s/ Sandra L. Caruba
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               Sandra, L. Caruba, Vice President

                                      /s/ Thomas R. Sullivan
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Thomas R. Sullivan, Administrative Trustee

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