MODIFICATION NUMBER THREE TO PROMISSORY NOTE

Exhibit 10.1

MODIFICATION NUMBER THREE

TO PROMISSORY NOTE

Roanoke Gas Company

000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

(Hereinafter referred to as “Borrower”)

Wachovia Bank, National Association

Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000

(Hereinafter referred to as “Bank”)

THIS AGREEMENT is entered into as of October 28, 2009 by and between Bank and Borrower.

RECITALS

Bank is the holder of a Promissory Note, as modified from time to time, executed and delivered by Borrower, dated March 23, 2009, in the original principal amount of $18,000,000.00 (the “Note”);

Borrower and Bank have agreed to modify the terms of the Note.

In consideration of Bank’s continued extension of credit and the agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BALANCE. Borrower acknowledges that the most recent Commercial Loan Invoice sent to Borrower with respect to the Obligations under the Note is correct.

MODIFICATIONS.

The Note is hereby modified by deleting the provisions in the Note establishing the LINE OF CREDIT paragraph and substituting the following in their place and stead:

LINE OF CREDIT. Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow, and, upon the request of Borrower, Bank shall advance and readvance under the Note from time to time until the maturity hereof (each an “Advance” and together the “Advances”), so long as the total principal balance outstanding under the Note at any one time does not exceed (i) $3,000,000.00 from the date of this Modification Number One to Promissory Note through and including October 23, 2009; (ii) $7,000,000.00 from October 24, 2009 through and including January 22, 2010; (iii) $8,000,000.00 from January 23, 2010 through and including February 24, 2010; (iv) $5,000,000.00 from February 25, 2010 through and including March 31, 2010, subject to the limitations described in any loan agreement to which the Note is subject. Bank’s obligation to make Advances under the Note shall terminate if Borrower is in Default. As of the date of each proposed Advance, Borrower shall be deemed to represent that each representation made in the Loan Documents is true as of such date.

If Borrower subscribes to Bank’s cash management services and such services are applicable to this line of credit, the terms of such service shall control the manner in which funds are transferred between the applicable demand deposit account and the line of credit for credit or debit to the line of credit.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND REPRESENTATIONS. Borrower acknowledges and represents that the Note and other Loan Documents, as amended hereby, are in full force and effect without any defense, counterclaim, right or claim of set-off; that, after giving effect to this Agreement, no default or event that with the passage of time or giving of notice would constitute a default under the Loan Documents has occurred, all representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct as of this date, all necessary action to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement has been taken; and this Agreement is a modification of an existing obligation and is not a novation.

MISCELLANEOUS. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the applicable state as originally provided in the Loan Documents, without reference to that state’s conflicts of law principles. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the sole agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter thereof and supersede all oral negotiations and prior writings with respect to the subject matter thereof. No amendment of this Agreement, and no waiver of any one or more of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless set forth in writing and signed by the parties hereto. The illegality, unenforceability or inconsistency of any provision of this Agreement shall not in any way affect or impair the legality, enforceability or consistency of the remaining provisions of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents are intended to be consistent. However, in the event of any inconsistencies among this Agreement and any of the Loan Documents, the terms of this Agreement, and then the Note, shall control. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties on separate counterparts. Each such counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same agreement. Terms used in this Agreement which are capitalized and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Note. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY; WAIVER OF PUNITIVE DAMAGES. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO, INCLUDING BANK BY ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IN ANY JUDICIAL, MEDIATION OR ARBITRATION PROCEEDING OR ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY BETWEEN OR AMONG THEM THAT MAY ARISE OUT OF OR BE IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY OTHER AGREEMENT OR DOCUMENT BETWEEN OR AMONG THEM OR THE OBLIGATIONS EVIDENCED HEREBY OR RELATED HERETO, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY HAVE A REMEDY OF, OR BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR, (1) INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR (2) PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES. EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT OR CLAIM TO PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES THEY MAY HAVE OR WHICH MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY, WHETHER THE SAME IS RESOLVED BY ARBITRATION, MEDIATION, JUDICIALLY OR OTHERWISE. Telephone Communication Monitoring. Borrower agrees that Borrower’s telephone communications with Bank may be monitored and/or recorded to improve customer service and security. Final Agreement. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the final agreement between the parties and may not be contradicted by evidence of prior, contemporaneous or subsequent agreements of the parties. There are no unwritten agreements between the parties.

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH OF BORROWER BY EXECUTION HEREOF AND BANK BY ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED ON, OR ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY AGREEMENT CONTEMPLATED TO BE EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, OR ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (WHETHER VERBAL OR WRITTEN) OR ACTIONS OF ANY PARTY WITH RESPECT HERETO. THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT TO BANK TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF THE PARTIES AGREES THAT THE TERMS HEREOF SHALL SUPERSEDE AND REPLACE ANY PRIOR AGREEMENT RELATED TO ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES BETWEEN THE PARTIES CONTAINED IN ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR AGREEMENT HERETOFORE EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH, RELATED TO OR BEING REPLACED, SUPPLEMENTED, EXTENDED OR MODIFIED BY, THIS AGREEMENT.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly signed and sealed this Agreement the day and year first above written.

Roanoke Gas Company
By:		/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx		(SEAL)
		Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, III, Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer
Wachovia Bank, National Association
By:		/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.		(SEAL)
		Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx., Vice President

Work Request / Tracking #: 1548295

CAT - Deal # 1238886 Facility #: 995790

Obligor #: 7181150009 Obligation #: 744128

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