ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY (a New Jersey corporation) First Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due November 15, 2018 PURCHASE AGREEMENT
(a New
Jersey corporation)
First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due November 15, 2018
Dated: November
6, 2008
Table
of Contents
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Page
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SECTION
1.
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Representations
and Warranties
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3
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(a)
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Representations
and Warranties of the Company
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3
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(i)
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Compliance
with Securities Law Requirements
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3
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(ii)
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Incorporated
Documents
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5
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(iii
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Independent
Accountants
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5
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(iv)
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Financial
Statements
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5
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(v)
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No
Material Adverse Change in Business
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5
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(vi)
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Good
Standing of the Company
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5
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(vii)
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No
Significant Subsidiaries
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6
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(viii)
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Capitalization
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6
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(ix)
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Authorization
of this Agreement
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6
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(x)
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Authorization
of the Indenture
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6
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(xi)
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Authorization
of the Securities
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6
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(xii)
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Description
of the Securities and the Indenture
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6
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(xiii)
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Absence
of Defaults and Conflicts
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6
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(xiv)
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Absence
of Labor Disputes
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7
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(xv)
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Absence
of Proceedings
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7
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(xvi)
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Absence
of Further Requirements
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7
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(xvii)
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Possession
of Licenses and Permits
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8
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(xviii)
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Title
to Property and Mortgaged Property
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8
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(xix)
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Lien
of Indenture
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8
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(xx)
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Leases
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9
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(xxi)
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Investment
Company Act
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9
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(xxii)
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Environmental
Laws
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9
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(xxiii)
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Internal
Controls
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9
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(xxiv)
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Compliance
with Sarbanes Oxley
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10
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(b)
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Officer’s
Certificates
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10
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SECTION
2.
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Sale
and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing; Covenants of the
Underwriters
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10
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(a)
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Securities
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10
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(b)
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Payment
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10
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(c)
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Denominations;
Registration
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11
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(d)
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Delivery
of Global Securities
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11
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(e)
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Notice
of Completion
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11
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(f)
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Use
of Free Writing Prospectuses
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11
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SECTION
3.
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Covenants
of the Company
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11
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(a)
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Preparation
and Filing of Term Sheet
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11
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(b)
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Preparation
and Filing of the Prospectus
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11
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(c)
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Review
of Amendments and Supplements
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11
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(d)
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Free
Writing Prospectuses
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12
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(e)
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Notification
of Commission Comments and Orders, Etc.
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12
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(f)
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Delivery
of Registration Statements
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12
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(g)
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Delivery
of Prospectuses
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12
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(h)
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Continued
Compliance with Securities Laws
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13
|
i
(i)
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Blue
Sky Qualifications
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13
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(j)
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Rule
158
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13
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(k)
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Filing
Fees
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14
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(l)
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Use
of Proceeds
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14
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(m)
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Restriction
on Sale of Securities
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14
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SECTION
4.
|
Payment
of Expenses
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14
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|
(a)
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Expenses
Payable by the Company
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14
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(b)
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Expenses
Payable by the Underwriters
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14
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(c)
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Expenses
Upon Termination
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14
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SECTION
5.
|
Conditions
of Underwriters’ Obligations; Termination of Agreement
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14
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(a)
|
Conditions
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14
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|
(i)
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No
Stop Order; Commission Filings
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15
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(ii)
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Opinions
of Counsel for Company
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15
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(iii
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Opinion
of Counsel for Underwriters
|
15
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(iv)
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No
Material Adverse Change; Officers’ Certificate
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15
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(v)
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Accountant’s
Comfort Letter
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15
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(vi)
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Bring-down
Comfort Letter
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16
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(vii)
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Maintenance
of Rating
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16
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(viii)
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Additional
Documents
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16
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(b)
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Termination
of Agreement
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16
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SECTION
6.
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Indemnification
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16
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(a)
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Indemnification
of Underwriters
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16
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(b)
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Indemnification
of Company, Directors and Officers
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17
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(c)
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Actions
against Parties; Notification
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17
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SECTION
7.
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Contribution
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18
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SECTION
8.
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Representations,
Warranties and Agreements to Survive
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19
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SECTION
9.
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Termination
of Agreement
|
19
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|
(a)
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Termination;
General
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19
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(b)
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Liabilities
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19
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SECTION
10.
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Default
by One or More of the Underwriters
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19
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SECTION
11.
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Notices
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20
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SECTION
12.
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Parties
in Interest
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20
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SECTION
13.
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No
Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship
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21
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SECTION
14.
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Governing
Law and Time
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21
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SECTION
15.
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Counterparts
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21
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SECTION
16.
|
Entire
Agreement
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21
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SECTION
17.
|
Effects
of Headings
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21
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ii
SCHEDULES
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Schedule
A -
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List
of Underwriters
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Sch
A-1
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Schedule
B -
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Issuer
Free Writing Prospectuses
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Sch
B-1
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Schedule
C -
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Term
Sheet
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Sch
C-1
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EXHIBITS
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Exhibit
A -
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Form
of Opinion of Xxxx X. Xxxx
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A-1
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Exhibit
B -
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Form
of Opinion of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Esq.
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B-1
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Exhibit
C -
|
Form
of Opinion of Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
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C-1
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iii
(a New
Jersey corporation)
$250,000,000
First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75%Series due November 15, 2018
November
6, 2008
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
As
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Atlantic
City Electric Company, a New Jersey corporation (the “Company”), confirms its
agreement (the “Agreement”) with X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc. (“JPMorgan”), Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
& Co. Incorporated (“Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx”) and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. (“RBSGC”) and each of the other
Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”, which term
shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in
Section 10 hereof), for whom JPMorgan, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and RBSGC are
acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with
respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective principal
amounts set forth in Schedule A hereto of $250,000,000 in aggregate
principal amount of the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due
November 15, 2018 (the “Securities”).
The
Securities are to be issued under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of
January 15, 1937, from the Company to The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly
Irving Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and
supplemented by various instruments including the supplemental indenture, dated
as of November 6, 2008 (the “Supplemental Indenture”),
establishing the terms of the Securities, such Mortgage and Deed of Trust, as so
amended and supplemented, being hereinafter called the “Indenture”.
The
Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of
the Securities promptly after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The
Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on
August 24, 2007 a registration statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-145691-01), for the registration of
securities,
including the Securities, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“1933 Act”), and the
offer and sale thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the
rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”), and
for the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended (the “1939
Act”).
When used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the specified meanings:
“Applicable Time” means 3:00
P.M. (Eastern time), on November 6, 2008.
“Base Prospectus” means the
base prospectus relating to the Securities filed as part of the Registration
Statement, in the form in which it has been most recently filed with the
Commission prior to the date of this Agreement.
“Disclosure Package” means,
collectively, (i) the Pricing Prospectus, (ii) the Term Sheet and (iii) any
other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule B.
“Effective Time” means the
date and time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for purposes of
paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations, as applied to the
Underwriters.
“Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus” means (i) the Term Sheet and (ii) any other “issuer free
writing prospectus” (as defined by Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”)) with respect to
the Securities.
“Preliminary Prospectus” means
either (i) the Base Prospectus or (ii) the Base Prospectus as supplemented by a
preliminary prospectus supplement provided by the Company to the Underwriters
for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, in either case as
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations
(“Rule
424(b)”).
“Pricing Prospectus” means the
Preliminary Prospectus in the form most recently provided to the Underwriters
for use in connection with the offering of the Securities prior to the
Applicable Time.
“Prospectus” means the Base
Prospectus as supplemented by the final prospectus supplement relating to the
offer and sale of the Securities, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b).
“Registration Statement” means,
as of any particular time, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-145691-01), referred to above, including (a) any amendments thereto at such
time, (b) the exhibits and schedules thereto at such time and (c) any prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) that, in accordance with Rule
430B of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), is deemed to be a
part thereof.
“Term Sheet” means the term
sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 3(a) of this
Agreement.
The
foregoing definitions are subject to the following qualifications:
(a) all
references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, or the Prospectus or to any of the financial statements, schedules
or other information that is “contained”, “included” or “stated” (or other words
of like import) therein shall be deemed to include the information contained in
documents filed with the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “1934
Act”), that are incorporated, or deemed incorporated, therein by
reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, to the
extent such information has not been
2
superseded
or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the 1933 Act (as qualified by Rule
430B(g) of the 1933 Act Regulations) and (i) in the case of references to the
“Registration Statement” are filed with the Commission at or prior to the
Effective Time and (ii) in the case of references to any “Preliminary
Prospectus” or the “Prospectus” are filed with the Commission at or prior to the
date thereof;
(b) all
references in this Agreement to an amendment to the Registration Statement shall
be deemed to include any document filed under the 1934 Act subsequent to the
date thereof that is deemed incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item
12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act;
(c) all
references in this Agreement to an amendment or supplement to any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include any document filed under
the 1934 Act subsequent to the date thereof that is deemed incorporated by
reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act;
and
(d) all
references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant
to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”).
SECTION 1. Representations and
Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties
of the Company. The Company represents and warrants
to each Underwriter on the date of this Agreement, at the Applicable Time and at
the Closing Time as follows:
(i) Compliance with Securities
Law Requirements.
(A) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer
Status. At the time the Registration Statement was filed with
the Commission, each of the Company and Pepco Holdings, Inc. (“PHI”), of which the Company is
a wholly-owned subsidiary, was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule
405 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
(B) Eligibility to Use Form
S-3. At the time the Registration Statement was filed with the
Commission, the Company met the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933
Act.
(C) Status and Content of the
Registration Statement. The Registration Statement became effective
automatically upon the filing thereof with the Commission under the 1933 Act on
August 24, 2007. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted by the Commission or are pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on
the part of the Commission for additional information with respect to the
Registration Statement has been complied with. At the time the
Registration Statement became effective, at the time of each amendment, if any,
to the Registration Statement for purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of
the 1933 Act and at the Effective Time, the Registration Statement complied in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act
Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
under the 1939 Act (the “1939
Act Regulations”). At the Effective Time, the Registration
Statement did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading.
3
(D) Status and Content of the
Preliminary Prospectus. Each Preliminary Prospectus, as of its
date and at the time it was filed with the Commission, conformed in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations, and did not contain any untrue
statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered
to the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities was
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to XXXXX (except that the registration fee table has been
deleted from the cover thereof), except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus has been issued by the Commission.
(E) Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses. At the earliest time after the filing of the
Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a
bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act
Regulations) of the Securities, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as
defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations. Each Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, at the time it was filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 433 (i) did not include any information that conflicts with (A) information
contained in the Registration Statement, including any prospectus or prospectus
supplement that is part of the Registration Statement, and not superseded or
modified, or (B) information contained in the Company’s periodic and current
reports filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934
Act that are incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, and not superseded or modified, and (ii) complied in all
other respects with the requirements of Rule 164 and Rule 433 (without reliance
on subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164). No order preventing or
suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the
Commission.
(F) Content of the Disclosure
Package. The Disclosure Package, at the Applicable Time, did
not, and, at the Closing Time, will not, contain any untrue statement of
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(G) Status and Content of the
Prospectus. The Prospectus, as of its date, at the time it is
filed with the Commission and at the Closing Time, will conform in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus delivered to the
Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities will be identical
to the copy thereof filed electronically with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX
(except that the registration fee table has been deleted from the cover
thereof), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(H) Description and Filing of
Contracts and Documents. All contracts or documents that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus
or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have
been so described and filed as required.
The
representations and warranties in this subsection (a) shall not apply to any
statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
4
conformity
with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter
expressly for use therein.
(ii) Incorporated
Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission,
complied or will comply, as applicable, in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder (the “1934 Act
Regulations”) and, when filed did not and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(iii) Independent
Accountants. The accountants who audited the financial
statements and financial statement schedules included in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent registered
public accountants within the meaning of Regulation S-X of the
Commission.
(iv) Financial
Statements. The financial statements, together with the
respective schedules and notes relating thereto, included in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, present fairly the
financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates
indicated and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements
have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise stated
therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial
information included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been
compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements
included in the Registration Statement. Any pro forma financial
information included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared
in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro
forma financial information and have been properly compiled on the bases
described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are
reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to
the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The financial
statements and other financial data included in the Registration Statement, each
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with
the requirements of paragraph (e) of Item 10 of Regulation S-K.
(v) No Material Adverse Change
in Business. Since the date of the latest audited balance
sheet included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as
disclosed therein, there has been no material adverse change in the business,
condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (any such change, a “Material Adverse
Change”).
(vi) Good Standing of the
Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New
Jersey and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this
Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not have a material adverse
5
effect on
the business, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business (any such effect, a “Material Adverse
Effect”).
(vii) No Significant
Subsidiaries. The Company has no “significant subsidiaries” as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(viii) Capitalization. The
authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth
in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus. The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable and, except for shares of preferred stock, are owned by PHI; none
of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in
violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(ix) Authorization of this
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company.
(x) Authorization of the
Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized, and the
Indenture (excluding the Supplemental Indenture) has been duly executed and
delivered by the Company; and the Indenture (excluding the Supplemental
Indenture) constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting mortgagees’ and other creditors’ rights
and to general equity principles and except to the extent that the law of the
jurisdictions in which the mortgaged property is located may limit or deny
certain remedial provisions of the Indenture. At the Closing Time,
the Supplemental Indenture will have been duly executed and delivered by the
Company and the Indenture (including the Supplemental Indenture) will constitute
the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject to the limitations described above. The
Indenture has been qualified under the 1939 Act.
(xi) Authorization of the
Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the
Company and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company;
and, when the Securities have been (A) authenticated and delivered by the
Trustee under the Indenture and (B) issued and delivered by the Company against
payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, the
Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity
principles, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture ratably with
all other securities outstanding thereunder.
(xii) Description of the
Securities and the Indenture. The descriptions of the
Securities and the Indenture in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects and the
Securities and the Indenture will be in substantially the respective forms filed
or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the
Registration Statement.
(xiii) Absence of Defaults and
Conflicts. The Company is not in violation of its articles of
incorporation or by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it may
be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the
6
Company
is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”)
except for such defaults as have not resulted, and are not reasonably expected
to result, in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein (including the issuance and
sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the
Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus) and compliance by the Company with its obligations
hereunder, under the Indenture and on the Securities, have been duly authorized
by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or
constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under,
or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (as defined below), other
than the Lien of the Indenture, upon any property or assets of the Company
pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts,
breaches, defaults or Liens as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect),
nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the articles
of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government
instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its assets, properties or operations. As used
herein, a “Repayment
Event” means any event or condition that gives the holder of any note,
debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company.
(xiv) Absence of Labor
Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company
exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not
aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of
its principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in
either case, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xv) Absence of
Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened, against or affecting the Company, that (A) is required to be
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the
Prospectus and is not disclosed as required, (B) could reasonably be expected to
materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions
contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder or (C) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement,
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect. The aggregate of all pending
legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company is a party or of which
any of its properties or assets is the subject that are not described in the
Pricing Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the
business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xvi) Absence of Further
Requirements. All filings with, and authorizations, approvals,
consents, licenses, orders, registrations, qualifications or decrees of, any
court or governmental authority or agency that are necessary or required for the
performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the
offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or for the due execution,
delivery or performance by the Company of the Indenture, have been obtained,
except such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or
under state securities laws, and the Company has complied with all terms and
conditions contained in such authorizations, approvals, consents, licenses,
orders, registrations, qualifications or decrees as have been
obtained.
7
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and
Permits. The Company possesses such permits, licenses,
approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued
by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or
bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it and is in compliance
with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except (a) as
disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus or (b) where the failure so to possess any such Governmental License
or to comply therewith would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and
effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure
of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; and the Company has not received any notice of
proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental
Licenses, the revocation or modification of which would, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Title to Property and
Mortgaged Property. The Company has good and marketable title
to all real property owned by the Company and described in the Indenture as
subject to the lien thereof, and good title to all other property owned by the
Company and so described as subject to such lien, in each case, subject only to
such exceptions, defects and qualifications as do not (A) affect the value of
any such properties that are material to the business of the Company in any
material respect or (B) affect the use made or proposed to be made of such
properties by the Company in any material respect; and the descriptions of all
such property contained in the Indenture are correct and adequate for purposes
of the lien purported to be created by the Indenture.
(xix) Lien of
Indenture. The Indenture (excluding the Supplemental
Indenture) constitutes, and at the Closing Time the Indenture will constitute, a
valid first lien upon and security interest in the interest held by the Company
in its property covered by the Indenture, subject to no mortgage, pledge, lien,
security interest, charge or other encumbrance of any kind (collectively, “Liens”) prior to the lien of
the Indenture except “permitted liens” (as defined in the Indenture) and other
Liens permitted by the Indenture and to such other matters as do not materially
affect the security for the Securities. The Indenture (excluding the
Supplemental Indenture) by its terms effectively subjects, and at and after the
Closing Time the Indenture by its terms will effectively subject, to the lien
thereof all property (except property of the kinds specifically excepted from
the lien of the Indenture) acquired by the Company after the date of the
execution and delivery of the Indenture, subject to no Lien prior to the lien of
the Indenture except (A) “permitted liens” (as defined in the Indenture), (B)
any Lien thereon existing at the time of such acquisition, (C) any Lien for
unpaid portions of the purchase price thereof placed thereon at the time of such
acquisition, (D) with respect to real property, any Lien placed thereon
following the acquisition thereof by the Company and prior to the recording and
filing of a supplemental indenture or other instrument specifically describing
such real property, (E) as otherwise provided in Article XII of the Indenture,
(F) except for possible claims in bankruptcy and possible claims for taxes and
(G) such other matters as would not materially affect the security for the
Securities. At the Closing Time, the Indenture (except for the
Supplemental Indenture) will have been duly recorded, and the Supplemental
Indenture will have been duly filed for recordation as a mortgage of real
estate, in the only counties in which any real property subject to the lien of
the Indenture is located, and all requisite steps will have been taken to
perfect the security interest of the Indenture in personal property of the
Company; and at the Closing Time all taxes and recording and filing fees
required to be paid with respect to the execution, recording or filing of the
Indenture, the filing of financing statements and similar documents and the
issuance of the Securities will have been paid.
8
(xx) Leases. All
of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, and under
which the Company holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and the
Company has no notice of any claim of any sort asserted by anyone adverse to the
rights of the Company under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or
affecting or questioning the rights of the Company to the continued possession
of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, that, if
the subject of an adverse decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(xxi) Investment Company
Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the
Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by
an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
(xxii) Environmental
Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not, singly or in the
aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) the Company is not in
violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule,
regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or
administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative
order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human
health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface
water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including,
without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened
release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances,
hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to
the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal,
transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the
Company has all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any
applicable Environmental Laws and is in compliance with their requirements, (C)
there are no pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters,
claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or
proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company and (D) to the
knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances that could
reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company relating to
Hazardous Materials or Environmental Laws.
(xxiii) Internal
Controls. (A) The Company has established and
maintains the following:
(I) a
system of “internal accounting controls” as contemplated in Section 13(b)(2)(B)
of the 1934 Act (the “Accounting
Controls”);
(ii) “disclosure
controls and procedures” as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the
1934 Act (the “Disclosure
Controls”); and
(III) “internal
control over financial reporting” as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f)
under the 1934 Act (the “Reporting Controls” and,
together with the Accounting Controls and the Disclosure Controls, the “Internal
Controls”);
9
(B) The
Internal Controls are evaluated by the Company periodically as appropriate and,
in any event, as required by law;
(C) Based
on the most recent evaluations of the Accounting Controls, the Accounting
Controls perform the functions for which they were established in all material
respects;
(D) As
of the most recent date as of which the effectiveness of the design and
operation of the Disclosure Controls were evaluated by the Company, the
Disclosure Controls were effective to provide reasonable assurance that material
information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries that is required to be
disclosed in reports filed with, or submitted to, the Commission under the 1934
Act (I) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified by the Commission rules and forms and (II) is accumulated and
communicated to management, including its chief executive officer and chief
financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure;
(E) As
of December 31, 2007 (the most recent date as of which the Reporting Controls
were evaluated by the Company), the Reporting Controls were effective based on
criteria established in Internal Control -- Integrated Framework issued by the
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Xxxxxxxx Commission;
and
(F) Since
the respective dates as of which the Internal Controls were last evaluated,
nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to
conclude that (I) the Accounting Controls do not perform the functions for which
they were established in all material respects or (II) the Disclosure Controls
or the Reporting Controls are not effective (within the meaning of the
evaluation standards identified above).
(xxiv) Compliance with Sarbanes
Oxley. The Company is in compliance in all material respects
with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the
Commission that have been adopted thereunder, all to the extent that such Act
and such rules and regulations are in effect and applicable to the
Company.
(b) Officer’s
Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with the offer and sale of the Securities shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
covered thereby.
SECTION
2. Sale and Delivery to
Underwriters; Closing; Covenants of the Underwriters.
(a) Securities. On the
basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not
jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 98.891% of
the principal amount thereof, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set
forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional
principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to
purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment
of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Securities
shall be made at the offices of Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP at 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon
by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the
fifth business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in
10
accordance
with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten
business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and
the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called
“Closing
Time”).
Payment
shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to
a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates
for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that
each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and to make payment of the purchase price for, the
Securities which it has agreed to purchase. Any or all of the
Representatives, individually and not as representatives of the Underwriters,
may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the
Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received
by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from
its obligations hereunder.
(c) Denominations;
Registration. The Securities shall be in such denominations
($1,000 or integral multiples thereof) and registered in such names as the
Representatives may request in writing at least one full business day before the
Closing Time. The Securities will be made available for examination
and packaging by the Representatives in Washington D.C. not later than
10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior to the Closing
Time.
(d) Delivery of Global
Securities. In lieu of the delivery to the Underwriters of
certificates representing the Securities at the Closing Time, as contemplated
above, the Company, with the approval of the Representatives, may deliver one or
more global Securities to a custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), to be held by DTC
initially for the accounts of the several Underwriters.
(e) Notice of
Completion. Promptly after the completion of the distribution
of the Securities by the Underwriters, the Representatives shall deliver to the
Company a notice in writing confirming the completion of the distribution (the
“Notice of
Completion”).
(f) Use of Free Writing
Prospectuses. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly,
represents and agrees that it has not made and, without the prior written
consent of the Company and the Representatives, will not make any offer relating
to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined
in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) that the Company
would be required to file with the Commission under Rule 433, except the Term
Sheet to be prepared and filed in accordance with Section 3(a).
SECTION
3. Covenants of the
Company.
(a) Preparation and Filing of Term
Sheet. The Company will prepare a term sheet (the “Term Sheet”), containing
solely a description of the final terms of the Securities and the offering
thereof, in the form attached as Schedule C hereto, and after affording the
Representatives the opportunity to comment thereon, file the Term Sheet with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such
Rule.
(b) Preparation and Filing of the
Prospectus. The Company will prepare the Prospectus and, after
affording the Representatives the opportunity to comment thereon, file the
Prospectus with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) not later than the
Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the
execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(c) Review of Amendments and
Supplements. The Company will not amend the Registration
Statement, or amend or supplement the Prospectus or the Term Sheet, prior to the
delivery of the Notice
11
of
Completion without providing notice to the Representatives at least 24 hours, or
such shorter period as is reasonably required by the circumstances, prior to the
filing thereof with the Commission. Except in the case of any such
amendment or supplement to be made by the filing under the 1934 Act of a
document that will be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus that would be made by the Company irrespective of the offer and
sale of the Securities, the Company will not effect such amendment or supplement
without the consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, such
consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Neither the
consent of the Representatives, nor the delivery of any such amendment or
supplement by any Underwriter, shall constitute a waiver of any of the
conditions set forth in Section 5 hereof.
Prior to
the delivery of the Notice of Completion, the Company will notify the
Representatives immediately, and confirm such notice in writing, when any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or
shall become effective and when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended
Prospectus shall have been filed.
(d) Free Writing
Prospectuses. Other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
listed on Schedule B and the Term Sheet to be prepared and filed in accordance
with Section 3(a), the Company has not made and, without the consent of the
Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, will not make any offer relating
to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined
by Rule 405, including an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(e) Notification of Commission Comments
and Orders, Etc. The Company will notify the Representatives
of (i) the receipt of any comments from the Commission with respect to the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any request by the Commission for any
amendment, supplement or additional information with respect thereto,
(ii) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding
for such purpose. The Company will make every reasonable effort to
prevent the issuance of any stop order and, in the event of any stop order, to
obtain the lifting thereof as soon as possible.
(f) Delivery of Registration
Statements. The Company will deliver to each of the
Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters, upon request and without
charge, one conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and
of each amendment thereto (including, in each case, all exhibits filed therewith
or incorporated by reference). Such copies of the Registration
Statement and amendments thereto so furnished to the Representatives will be
identical to the copies thereof filed electronically with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX (except that the registration fee table has been deleted from
the cover thereof), except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
(g) Delivery of
Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter,
without charge, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such copies by the Underwriters for purposes of
the offer and sale of the Securities in a manner consistent with the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations. The Company will furnish to each
Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus (or, in lieu
thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 0000 Xxx) is required
to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (and
any supplements thereto and amendments thereof) as such Underwriter may
reasonably request. Such copies of the Prospectus (and supplements
thereto and amendments thereof) so furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the copies thereof filed electronically with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
12
(h) Continued Compliance with Securities
Laws. (i) Until the Notice of Completion has been
delivered, the Company will file all reports and other documents that it is
required to file with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the
1934 Act Regulations and will otherwise comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act
Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this
Agreement and the Prospectus.
(ii) The
Company will notify the Representatives promptly if, prior to the delivery of
the Notice of Completion, (A) any filing is made by the Company of information
relating to the offering of the Securities with any securities exchange or any
other regulatory body in the United States or any other jurisdiction or (B) any
material change occurs in or affecting the business, condition (financial or
otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise that (I) is not disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or (II) makes any statement in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus false or misleading.
(iii) Upon
any notification pursuant to clause (ii)(B) above, or if prior to delivery of
the Notice of Completion any event shall occur as a result of which it is
necessary, in the reasonable judgment of the Company or of the Representatives,
(A) to amend the Registration Statement in order that it shall not, as of the
Effective Time, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading
or otherwise to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act
Regulations or (B) to amend the Prospectus in order that it shall not, as of the
time it (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the
0000 Xxx) is delivered to purchasers, contain any untrue statement of material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at such time, not
misleading or otherwise to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the
1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the
Commission, subject to Section 3(c), such amendment or supplement as may be
necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will
furnish to each Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or
supplement as each Underwriter may reasonably request.
(i) Blue Sky
Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to take such action, if any, as may be
required to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable
securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives
may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect as long as required
for the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to
qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in
respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so
subject. The Company will notify the Representatives of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of
such purposes. The Company will make every reasonable effort to
prevent any such suspension and, in the event of any such suspension, to obtain
the lifting thereof as soon as possible.
(j) Rule 158. The
Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary
in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the
benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act
and Rule 158 thereunder.
13
(k) Filing Fees. The
Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the
Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the 1933 Act
Regulations and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933
Act Regulations.
(l) Use of
Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it
from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under
“Use of Proceeds”.
(m) Restriction on Sale of
Securities. The Company will not offer, sell, contract to
sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the
Commission a registration statement under the 1933 Act relating to debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a maturity of more
than one year from the date of issue, or publicly disclose the intention to make
any such offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written
consent of the Representatives for a period beginning at the date of this
Agreement and ending at the later of the Closing Time or the date of receipt by
the Company of a Notice of Completion.
SECTION
4. Payment of
Expenses.
(a) Expenses Payable by the
Company. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of
this Agreement, any agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other
documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale,
issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance
and delivery of the certificate or certificates for the Securities to the
Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel,
accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities
under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(i)
hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees (not to exceed $5,000) and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky survey and any supplement
thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of
each Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of any Blue Sky
survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee,
including the fees and disbursements of its counsel, and (ix) any fees payable
in connection with the rating of the Securities.
(b) Expenses Payable by the
Underwriters. Except as provided in subsection (a)(v) above
and subsection (c) below, the Underwriters will pay all of their out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters.
(c) Expenses Upon
Termination. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Underwriters in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or
Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for
all of their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel
for the Underwriters.
SECTION
5. Conditions of Underwriters’
Obligations; Termination of Agreement.
(a) Conditions. The
obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy,
as of the date of this Agreement, as of the Applicable Time and as of the
Closing Time, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
Section 1 hereof and in all certificates of officers of the Company delivered
pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Company
14
of its
covenants and other obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the
Closing Time, and to the following further conditions:
(i) No Stop Order; Commission
Filings. At the Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the
1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission and
the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to
Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to use of the automatic
shelf registration statement form, and any request on the part of the Commission
for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. The Prospectus shall
have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
424(b). The Term Sheet, and any other material required to be filed
by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d), shall have been filed with the
Commission in accordance with the applicable time periods prescribed for such
filings under Rule 433.
(ii) Opinions of Counsel for
Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received the opinions, dated the date of the Closing Time, of Xxxx X. Xxxx,
Esq., General Counsel of the Company, Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, counsel for the
Company, and Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, substantially
in the form of Exhibits A, B, and C hereto, respectively, together with signed
or reproduced copies thereof for each of the other Underwriters.
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for
Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received the opinion, dated the date of the Closing Time, of Xxxxx &
XxXxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, as to such matters as the
Underwriters shall reasonably request, together with signed or reproduced copies
thereof for each of the other Underwriters. In giving such opinion
such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions
other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United
States upon the opinions of counsel to the Company. Such counsel may
also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have
relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the
Company and certificates of public officials.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change;
Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, (A) there shall
not have been (I) since the date of the latest audited balance sheet included in
the Disclosure Package and except as disclosed therein or (II) since the
Applicable Time, any Material Adverse Change and (B) the Representatives shall
have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company
and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the
date of the Closing Time, to the effect that (I) there has been no such
Material Adverse Change, (II) the representations and warranties in
Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as
though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (III) the Company has
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part required
by this Agreement to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and
(IV) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the signers, contemplated by
the Commission.
(v) Accountant’s Comfort
Letter. On the date of this Agreement, the Representatives
shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter dated such date, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, together with
signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters,
containing statements and information of the type customarily included in
accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the
15
financial
statements of, and certain financial information relating to, the Company
contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(vi) Bring-down Comfort
Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated the date of the Closing
Time, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the
other Underwriters, to the effect that such firm reaffirms the statements made
in the letter furnished pursuant to clause (v) above, except that the specified
date referred to therein shall be a date not more than three business days prior
to the Closing Time.
(vii) Maintenance of
Rating. After the execution of this Agreement and prior to the
Closing Time, no rating of any of the Company’s debt securities shall have been
reduced, suspended or withdrawn and there shall have been no public announcement
that any such debt securities have been placed on CreditWatch, Watchlist, or
under any similar surveillance or review, in each case with negative
implications, by Moody’s Investor’s Service Inc. or Standard & Poor’s
Ratings Services, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc., or any
successor agencies thereto.
(viii) Additional
Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters
shall have been furnished with such additional documents and opinions as they
may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(b) Termination of
Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall
not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may
be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or
prior to the Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of
any party to any other party, except as provided in Section 4 and except that
Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
SECTION
6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of
Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Underwriter, its directors and officers and each person, if any,
who controls any Underwriter, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred,
(A) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or (B) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred,
to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or
any
16
investigation
or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of
any claim whatsoever based upon any untrue statement or omission, or any alleged
untrue statement or omission in either case of the nature described in clause
(i) above; provided
that any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;
and
(iii) against
any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or
omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that
any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to
the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company,
Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in subsection (a) of this Section, as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto) or any Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(c) Actions against Parties;
Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action
commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but
failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying
party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced
as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity
agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
6(a), counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
6(b), counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in
the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the
indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party)
also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel
(in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all
indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or
related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification could be
sought under this Section 6 or contribution could be sought under Section 7
hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties
thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does
not
17
include a
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or
on behalf of any indemnified party.
SECTION
7. Contribution.
If the
indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect
of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified
party, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one
hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to
this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the
total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this
Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial
public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover.
The
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
or by any Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.
The
Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation
(even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate
amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an
indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the
public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise
been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission.
No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
18
For
purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act
shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each
director of the Company, each officer of the Company, and each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 7 are several (and not joint) in proportion to the
principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule A hereto.
SECTION
8. Representations, Warranties
and Agreements to Survive.
All of
the respective representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the
several Underwriters contained in this Agreement, or in certificates of officers
of the Company delivered pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain operative and
in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or controlling person of any Underwriter, or by or on behalf
of the Company, or any director, officer or controlling person of the Company,
and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION
9. Termination of
Agreement.
(a) Termination;
General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by
notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if
there has been (A) since the date of the latest audited balance sheet included
in the Disclosure Package and except as disclosed therein or (B) since the
Applicable Time, any Material Adverse Change, or (ii) if there has occurred
any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or in
the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation
thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to offer, sell or
deliver the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities,
or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or
materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if
trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE Alternext U.S. or
in the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market has been
suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have
been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by either of such
exchanges or Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. with respect to such markets or by order
of the Commission or any other governmental authority, or (iv) a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or
clearance services in the United States, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If
this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
4 hereof; and provided, further, that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
10. Default by One or More of
the Underwriters.
If one or
more of the Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time to purchase the Securities
which it or they are then obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the right, within 24 hours
thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters approved by the Company, to purchase
all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may
be agreed upon and
19
upon the
terms herein set forth. If, however, the non-defaulting Underwriters
shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period,
then:
(a) if
the amount of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to
purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective
underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all
non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if
the amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount
of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate
without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company,
except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall
survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect with respect to
any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action
taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the
event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this
Agreement, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to
effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
in any other documents or arrangements. As used in this Agreement,
the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for a defaulting
Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION
11. Notices.
All
notices, requests and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if received by mail or transmitted by
any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters
shall be directed to the Representatives at X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., 000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, attention: High Grade
Syndicate Desk; Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000, attention: Investment Banking Department; Greenwich Capital Markets,
Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000, attention: FAO Debt
Capital Markets Syndicate, Fax: 000-000-0000; and notices to the Company shall
be directed to it at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000, attention:
Treasurer.
SECTION
12. Parties in
Interest.
This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and
the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed in
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or
corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said
controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or
corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Underwriters shall
be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
20
SECTION
13. No Advisory or Fiduciary
Relationship.
The
Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities
pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering
price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an
arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering
contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter
is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary
of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party,
(c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary
responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated
hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter
has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no
Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this
Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged
in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those
of the Company and (e) no Underwriter has provided any legal, accounting,
regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, and
the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors
to the extent it deemed appropriate.
SECTION
14. Governing Law and
Time.
This agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York. Specified times of day refer to New York City
time.
SECTION
15. Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be
an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the
same agreement.
SECTION
16. Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or
oral) between the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the subject
matter of this Agreement.
SECTION
17. Effect of
Headings.
The
Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
21
If the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign
and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along
with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters
and the Company in accordance with its terms.
|
Very
truly yours,
|
|
By: /s/ A.. X.
XXXXXXXX
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Title: Vice
President and Treasurer
|
Confirmed
and Accepted,
as of the
date first above written
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
By: /s/ XXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
Name: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By: /s/ YURIJ
SLYZ
Name: Yurij
Slyz
Title: Vice
President
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
By: /s/ XXXX
XXXXXXX
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
For
themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A
hereto.
22
SCHEDULE
A
Name of Underwriter
|
Principal
Amount of Securities
|
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
|
$ 75,000,000
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
|
75,000,000
|
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
|
75,000,000
|
Scotia
Capital (USA) Inc.
|
25,000,000
|
|
|
Total
|
$250,000,000
|
Sch
A-1
SCHEDULE
B
Issuer
Free Writing Prospectuses
1. Term
Sheet attached as Schedule C hereto
Sch
B-1
SCHEDULE
C
Filed
Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration
No. 333-145691-01
November
6, 0000
XXXXXXXX
XXXX ELECTRIC COMPANY
|
|||
$250,000,000
|
|||
First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75%Series due November 15, 2018
|
|||
Issuer:
|
|||
Issue:
|
First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due November 15, 2018
|
||
Ratings:*
|
A3
(negative)/A- (stable)/A- (stable)
(Moody’s/S&P/Fitch)
|
||
Offering
Size:
|
$250,000,000
|
||
Coupon:
|
7.75%
|
||
Trade
Date:
|
November
6, 2008
|
||
Settlement
Date:
|
November
14, 2008 (T+5)
|
||
Stated
Maturity:
|
November
15, 2018
|
||
Initial
Public Offering Price:
|
99.541%
per Bond
|
||
Proceeds
to Issuer (before expenses):
|
$247,227,500
|
||
Yield
to Maturity:
|
7.817%
|
||
Benchmark
Treasury:
|
4.000%
due August 2018
|
||
Benchmark
Treasury Yield:
|
3.692%
|
||
Spread
to Benchmark Treasury:
|
+
412.5 bps
|
||
Optional
Redemption:
|
Make-whole
call, 50 bps spread over U.S. Treasuries
|
||
Interest
Payment Dates:
|
May
15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on
May 15, 2009
|
||
CUSIP
Number:
|
000000XX0
|
||
Book-runners:
|
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
|
* A
security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and
should be evaluated independently of any other rating. The rating is subject to
revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating
organization.
The
issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus and a
preliminary prospectus supplement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
or SEC, for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest,
you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the preliminary
prospectus supplement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for
more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these
documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx.
Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in this
offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. collect at 0-000-000-0000, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
Incorporated toll-free at 1-866-718-1649 or Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
toll-free at 0-000-000-0000.
Sch C-1
Exhibit
A
Form
of Opinion of Xxxx X. Xxxx, Esq.
to
be Delivered Pursuant to Section 5(a)(ii)
November
14, 2008
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
As
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
I am
General Counsel of Atlantic City Electric Company, a New Jersey corporation (the
“Company”), and have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the
issuance and sale of $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due November 15, 2018 (the “Securities”) pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement, dated November 6, 2008, among the Company and X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated and Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc., for themselves and as representatives of the other
underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Purchase
Agreement”). The Securities will be issued under the Mortgage and
Deed of Trust, dated as of January 15, 1937, from the Company to The Bank of New
York Mellon (formerly Irving Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as
amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures including the
supplemental indenture, dated as of November 6, 2008 (the “Supplemental
Indenture”), establishing the terms of the Securities (such Mortgage and Deed of
Trust, as so amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”). This opinion
is being delivered to you in accordance with Section 5(a)(ii) of the Purchase
Agreement. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the respective
meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
In
connection with rendering the opinions set forth herein, I, or my
representatives, have reviewed:
(i) the
Purchase Agreement;
(ii) the
Registration Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 000-000000-00, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on August 24, 2007
(the “Registration Statement”), registering, inter alia, the Securities
for sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933
Act”);
A-1
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
2
(iii) the
preliminary prospectus, consisting of the prospectus, dated August 24, 2007 (the
“Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement,
dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the Securities,
filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
1933 Act (the “Pricing Prospectus”);
(iv) the
term sheet, dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the
Securities, filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule
433(d) under the 1933 Act (the “Term Sheet” and together with the Pricing
Prospectus, the “Disclosure Package”);
(v) the
final prospectus, dated November 6, 2008, consisting of the Base Prospectus, as
supplemented by a final prospectus supplement, dated November 6, 2008, with
respect to the offer and sale of the Securities, filed with the Commission on
November 7, 2008, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the
“Prospectus”);
(vi) the
Indenture;
(vii) the
Supplemental Indenture; and
(viii) a
facsimile copy of the Securities furnished by the Trustee.
I, or my
representatives, also have examined or caused to be examined originals, or
copies that have been certified or otherwise identified to my or their
satisfaction as being true copies, of such other instruments, certificates and
other documents or records as I or they have deemed necessary or appropriate to
enable me to render the opinions set forth below. In my or my
representatives’ review and examination, I or they have assumed the genuineness
of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me or them as
originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted
to me or them as copies.
Based
upon the foregoing, and subject to the reservations and exceptions set forth
herein, I am of the opinion that:
1. The
Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of
business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
2. The
Registration Statement is effective under the 1933 Act, and, to the best of my
knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued under Section 8(d) of the 1933 Act and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted by the Commission or are pending or
threatened by the Commission. The Pricing Prospectus and the
Prospectus have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act and the Term Sheet has been filed in the manner
and within the time period required by Rule 433(d) under the 0000
Xxx.
3. The
documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (other than the financial
statements, including the notes thereto, the financial schedules and the other
financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or with respect to
the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1
A-2
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
3
filed as
Exhibits 25.05, 25.06 and 25.07 to the Registration Statement, as to which I
express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, complied as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934
Act Regulations.
4. The
execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the Purchase Agreement
and the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance with the terms
thereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of, or constitute a default or Repayment Event under, or result in
the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than the Lien of the Indenture)
upon any property or assets of the Company under, (i) any statute, any rule,
regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having
jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any of their
properties that in my experience customarily applies to transactions of the type
contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, (ii)
any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a
party or by which the Company or any such subsidiary is bound or to which any of
the properties of the Company or any such subsidiary is subject, or (iii) the
articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any such subsidiary,
except, in the cases of clauses (i) and (ii) above, for any such breach,
violation, default, Repayment Event or Lien that would not result in a Material
Adverse Effect; and the Company has full corporate power and authority to
authorize, issue and sell the Securities as contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement.
5. Except
as disclosed in the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the best of my
knowledge, threatened, any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation,
to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or to which the
property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, before or brought
by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which could
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which could
reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the consummation of
the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by
the Company of its obligations thereunder.
6. No
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental
agency or body or any court is required for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Purchase Agreement in connection with the offering,
issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities by the Company, except such as have
already been obtained or such as may be required under state securities laws,
and the Company has complied, in all material respects, with all terms and
conditions contained in all such consents, approvals, authorizations and orders
as have been obtained.
I am not
passing upon and do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and make no representations that I have
independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of such
statements, except insofar as such statements refer specifically to
me. However, based on my or my representatives’ examination of the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on my general
familiarity with the affairs of the Company and on my or my representatives’
participation in conferences with officials and other representatives of, and
other counsel for, the Company, with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the independent
accountants of the Company, and with your representatives and your counsel, I do
not believe that (a) the Registration Statement, on the date of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement as provided in Rule 430B(f)(2) under
the 1933 Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (b) the Disclosure Package, as of
the
A-3
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
4
Applicable
Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (c) the
Prospectus, as of its date contained, or as of the date hereof contains an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
foregoing statement is subject to the qualification that I am not expressing any
opinion or belief on the financial statements, including the notes thereto, the
financial schedules and the other financial data included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus or with respect to the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 filed as
Exhibits 25.05, 25.06 and 25.07 to the Registration Statement.
I am a
member of the Bar of the District of Columbia and the Bar of the State of
Maryland, and I express no opinion herein as to any law other than the law of
the State of New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal law of
the United States. With respect to the law of the State of New Jersey
and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I have received advice, satisfactory to
me, from New Jersey and Pennsylvania counsel admitted in such jurisdictions whom
I deem fully competent to furnish such advice. For purposes of the
opinion expressed in paragraph 4(ii) above, we have assumed that any document
referred to therein which is not stated to be governed by the law of the State
of New Jersey would be construed and enforced as written.
The
opinions contained herein are rendered solely for your benefit and may not be
relied on by any other person, except that I hereby authorize Xxxxx &
XxXxxxx LLP, in connection with rendering its opinion to you on the date hereof
relating to the offer and sale of the Securities, to rely on such opinions with
respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The opinions expressed in this letter
are limited to the matters set forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred
beyond those opinions expressly stated. I assume no obligation to
advise you of any facts that come to my attention, or any changes in law,
subsequent to the date hereof.
|
Very
truly yours,
|
|
Xxxx
X. Xxxx
|
A-4
Exhibit
B
Form
of Opinion of Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Esq.
to
be Delivered Pursuant to Section 5(a)(ii)
November
14, 2008
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
As
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
I am an
employee of PHI Service Company and I am authorized to provide legal services to
its affiliate, Atlantic City Electric Company, a New Jersey corporation (the
“Company”). I have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with
the issuance and sale of $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of First
Mortgage Bonds, 7.75% Series due November 15, 2018 (the “Securities”) pursuant
to the Purchase Agreement, dated November 6, 2008, among the Company and X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated and Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc., for themselves and as representatives of the other
underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the “Purchase
Agreement”). The Securities will be issued under the Mortgage and
Deed of Trust, dated as of January 15, 1937, from the Company to The Bank of New
York Mellon (formerly Irving Trust Company), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as
amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures including the
supplemental indenture, dated as of November 6, 2008 (the “Supplemental
Indenture”), establishing the terms of the Securities (such Mortgage and Deed of
Trust, as so amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”). This opinion
is being delivered to you in accordance with Section 5(a)(ii) of the Purchase
Agreement. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the respective
meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
In
connection with rendering the opinions set forth herein, I have
reviewed:
(i) the
Purchase Agreement;
(ii) the
Registration Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 000-000000-00, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on August 24, 2007
(the “Registration Statement”), registering, inter alia, the Securities
for sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933
Act”);
B-1
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
2
(iii) the
preliminary prospectus, consisting of the prospectus, dated August 24, 2007 (the
“Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement,
dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the Securities,
filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
1933 Act (the “Pricing Prospectus”);
(iv) the
term sheet, dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the
Securities, filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule
433(d) under the 1933 Act (the “Term Sheet” and together with the Pricing
Prospectus, the “Disclosure Package”);
(v) the
final prospectus, dated November 6, 2008, consisting of the Base Prospectus, as
supplemented by a final prospectus supplement, dated November 6, 2008, with
respect to the offer and sale of the Securities, filed with the Commission on
November 7, 2008, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the
“Prospectus”);
(vi) the
Indenture;
(vii) the
Supplemental Indenture; and
(viii) a
facsimile copy of the Securities furnished by the Trustee.
I have
also examined or caused to be examined originals, or copies that have been
certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction as being true copies, of
such other instruments, certificates and other documents or records as I have
deemed necessary or appropriate to enable me to render the opinions set forth
below. In my review and examination, I have assumed the genuineness
of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as
originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted
to me as copies.
I have
assumed that (i) the Securities have been duly executed by the Company (except
to the extent that the execution thereof is governed by the laws of the State of
New Jersey) and (ii) the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture have been duly
executed and delivered by the Company (except to the extent that the execution
and delivery thereof is governed by the laws of the State of New
Jersey).
Based
upon the foregoing, and subject to the reservations and exceptions set forth
herein, I am of the opinion that:
1. The
Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
2. The
Company has corporate power and authority to own or lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to
enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement.
3. All
of the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and,
except for the shares of issued and outstanding preferred stock, are owned by
Pepco Holdings, Inc. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock
of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights
of any securityholder of the Company.
B-2
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
3
4. The
Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and duly executed and
delivered by the Company (insofar as the validity of such execution and delivery
is governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey).
5. No
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any governmental
agency or body or any court is required for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by the Purchase Agreement in connection with the offering,
issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities by the Company, except such as have
already been obtained or such as may be required under state securities laws,
and the Company has complied with all terms and conditions contained in such
consents, approvals, authorizations and orders as have been
obtained.
6. The
Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and duly executed
and delivered by the Company (insofar as the validity of such execution and
delivery is governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey) and constitutes a
valid and binding instrument of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting mortgagees’ and other creditors’ rights and to general
equity principles and except to the extent that the law of the jurisdictions in
which the mortgaged property is located may limit or deny certain remedial
provisions of the Indenture.
7. The
Securities are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly
authorized and executed by the Company (insofar as the validity of such
execution is governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey), and when the
Securities have been (A) authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under the
Indenture and (B) issued and delivered by the Company against payment of the
purchase price therefor as provided in the Purchase Agreement, the Securities
will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general
equity principles, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Mortgage ratably
with all other securities outstanding thereunder.
8. The
Company has good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company
and described in the Indenture as subject to the lien thereof, subject only to
such exceptions, defects and qualifications as do not (I) affect the value of
any such properties that are material to the business of the Company in any
material respect or (II) affect the use made or proposed to be made of such
properties by the Company in any material respect; and the descriptions of all
such property contained in the Indenture are adequate for purposes of the lien
purported to be created by the Indenture.
9. The
Indenture constitutes a valid first lien or charge, to the extent that it
purports to be such, upon the interest held by the Company in its property
covered by the Indenture, subject only to such exceptions, defects,
qualifications and other matters as may be permitted by the Indenture and to
such other matters as in my opinion do not materially affect the security for
the Securities. The Indenture (except for the Supplemental Indenture)
has been duly recorded, and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly filed for
recordation as a mortgage of real estate, in each county in which real property
subject to the lien of the Indenture is located, and all requisite steps have
been taken to perfect the security interest of the Indenture in personal
property of the Company; and all taxes and recording and filing fees required
to
B-3
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
4
be paid
with respect to the execution, recording or filing of the Indenture, the filing
of financing statements and similar documents and the issuance of the Securities
have been paid.
10. The
statements of law and legal conclusions contained in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus under “Description of First Mortgage Bonds-Security” are true and
correct in all material respects and fairly present the information purported to
be given.
My
opinions in paragraphs 6 and 7 above are subject to the following limitations
and qualifications:
(a) I
express no opinion as to:
(i) waivers
of defenses or other rights or benefits bestowed by operation of
law;
(ii) releases
or waivers of unmatured claims or rights;
(iii) provisions
requiring amendments and waivers to be in writing;
(iv) provisions
making notices effective even if not actually received; or
(v) provisions
purporting to make a party’s determination conclusive.
(b) I
have assumed at your request that the validity and enforceability of the
Indenture and Securities are governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey;
however I am not expressing an opinion as to whether the validity and
enforceability of the Indenture or the Securities are or are not governed by the
laws of the State of New Jersey.
I am a
member of the Bar of the State of New Jersey, and I express no opinion herein as
to any law other than the law of the State of New Jersey and the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. With respect to the law of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, I have received advice, satisfactory to me, from Pennsylvania
counsel admitted in such jurisdictions whom I deem fully competent to furnish
such advice.
The
opinions contained herein are rendered solely for your benefit and may not be
relied on by any other person, except that I hereby authorize Xxxxx &
XxXxxxx LLP, in connection with rendering its opinion to you on the date hereof
relating to the offer and sale of the Securities, to rely on such opinions with
respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The opinions expressed in this letter
are limited to the matters set forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred
beyond those opinions expressly stated. I assume no obligation to
advise you of any facts that come to my attention, or any changes in law,
subsequent to the date hereof.
|
Very
truly yours,
|
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx
|
B-4
Exhibit
C
Form
of Opinion of Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx
to
be Delivered Pursuant to Section 5(a)(ii)
November
14, 2008
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
As
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We have
acted as special counsel to Atlantic City Electric Company, a New Jersey
corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the
Company of $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of First Mortgage Bonds,
7.75% Series due November 15, 2018 (the “Securities”) pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement, dated November 6, 2008, among the Company and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities
Inc., Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
for themselves and as representatives of the other underwriters named in
Schedule A thereto (the “Purchase Agreement”). The Securities will be
issued under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of January 15, 1937, from
the Company to The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly Irving Trust Company), as
trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by various supplemental
indentures, including the supplemental indenture, dated as of November 6, 2008
(the “Supplemental Indenture”), establishing the terms of the Securities (such
Mortgage and Deed of Trust, as so amended and supplemented, the
“Mortgage”). This opinion is being delivered to you in accordance
with Section 5(a)(ii) of the Purchase Agreement. Unless otherwise
defined herein, capitalized terms used herein have the respective meanings
provided in the Purchase Agreement.
We have
reviewed:
(i) the
Purchase Agreement;
(ii) the
Registration Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 000-000000-00, filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on August 24, 2007
(the “Registration Statement”), registering, inter alia, the Securities for sale
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”);
C-1
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
2
(iii) the
preliminary prospectus, consisting of the prospectus, dated August 24, 2007 (the
“Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement,
dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the Securities,
filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
1933 Act (the “Pricing Prospectus”);
(iv) the
term sheet, dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and sale of the
Securities, filed with the Commission on November 6, 2008, pursuant to Rule
433(d) under the 1933 Act (the “Term Sheet” and together with the Pricing
Prospectus, the “Disclosure Package”);
(v) the
final prospectus consisting of the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by a final
prospectus supplement, dated November 6, 2008, with respect to the offer and
sale of the Securities, filed with the Commission on November 7, 2008, pursuant
to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the “Prospectus”);
(vi) the
Mortgage; and
(vii) a
facsimile copy of the Securities furnished by the Trustee.
We also
have reviewed such corporate records, certificates and other documents, and such
questions of law, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of
rendering this opinion.
We have
assumed that all signatures are genuine, that all documents submitted to us as
originals are authentic and that all copies of documents submitted to us conform
to the originals. We have assumed further that (i) the Company is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of the State of New Jersey and has all legal right, power and authority and has
obtained all authorizations and approvals of governmental authorities necessary
(A) to issue and sell the Securities and (B) to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under the Purchase Agreement, the Mortgage and the Securities, (ii)
the issuance and sale of the Securities and the execution, delivery and
performance by the Company of its obligations under the Purchase Agreement, the
Mortgage and the Securities have been duly authorized by the Company, (iii) the
Securities have been duly executed by the Company (except to the extent that the
execution and delivery thereof is governed by the laws of the State of New York)
and, upon issuance, will constitute valid securities within the meaning of
Section 12A:8-110a.(1) of the New Jersey Uniform Commercial Code, (iv) the
Purchase Agreement and the Supplemental Indenture have has been duly executed
and delivered by the Company (except to the extent that the execution and
delivery thereof is governed by the laws of the State of New York), (v) the
Mortgage (excluding the Supplemental Indenture) has been duly executed and
delivered by the Company and (vi) the Mortgage and the Securities constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Company under the laws of the State of New
Jersey.
We have
made no investigation for the purpose of verifying the assumptions set forth
herein.
We have
relied as to certain matters on information obtained from public officials,
officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be responsible, and
on information regarding the Company contained in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus.
C-2
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
3
As used
in this opinion, all references to the “Registration Statement,” the “Pricing
Prospectus” and the “Prospectus” include all material incorporated by reference
therein, to the extent not modified or superseded by statements and other
information in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or Prospectus or
in later filed material so incorporated. In addition, the
qualification in paragraph 5 of this letter “to the best of our knowledge” means
the actual knowledge, but not constructive or imputed knowledge, of the
attorneys in our firm who have given substantive attention to the transaction
that is the subject of this opinion, without any representation or implication
that any inquiry has been made with respect to such statements.
Based
upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of
the opinion that:
1. The
Supplemental Indenture and the Purchase Agreement have been duly executed and
delivered by the Company (insofar as the validity of such execution and delivery
is governed by the laws of the State of New York).
2. The
Mortgage constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general
equity principles and except to the extent that the law of the jurisdictions in
which the mortgaged property is located may limit or deny certain remedial
provisions of the Mortgage. The Mortgage has been qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”).
3. The
Securities are in the form contemplated by the Mortgage and have been duly
executed by the Company (insofar as the validity of such execution is governed
by the laws of the State of New York), and when the Securities have been (A)
authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under the Mortgage and (B) issued and
delivered by the Company against payment of the purchase price therefor as
provided in the Purchase Agreement, the Securities will constitute valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles, and
will be entitled to the benefits of the Mortgage.
4. The
descriptions of the Securities and the Mortgage contained in the Prospectus are
accurate in all material respects.
5. The
Registration Statement is effective under the 1933 Act; the Pricing Prospectus
and the Prospectus have been filed in the manner and within the time period
required by Rule 424(b), and the Term Sheet has been filed in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 433(d), under the 1933 Act; and, to the
best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the
Commission.
6. The
Registration Statement, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement as provided in Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act, and the Prospectus,
as of the date thereof (excluding the documents incorporated in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus by reference and
C-3
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
4
other
than the financial statements, including the notes thereto, the financial
schedules and the other financial and statistical data included therein and the
Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 filed as Exhibits 25.05, 25.06 and 25.07
to the Registration Statement, as to which we express no opinion) complied as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and with the 1939 Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
7. The
Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated
by the Prospectus and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described
in the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” or an entity
“controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Our
opinions in paragraphs 2 and 3 above are subject to the following limitations
and qualifications:
(a) We
express no opinion as to:
|
(i)
|
waivers
of defenses or other rights or benefits bestowed by operation of
law;
|
|
(ii)
|
releases
or waivers of unmatured claims or
rights;
|
|
(iii)
|
provisions
requiring amendments and waivers to be in
writing;
|
|
(iv)
|
provisions
making notices effective even if not actually received;
or
|
|
(v)
|
provisions
purporting to make a party’s determination
conclusive.
|
(b) We
express no opinion as to (i) the ownership of or title to any property, or as to
the adequacy of any description of property or (ii) any security interest or
lien or the perfection or priority thereof.
In
addition, in accordance with our understanding with the Company as to the scope
of our services in connection with the offering of the Securities, as special
counsel to the Company, we reviewed the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus and participated in discussions with your
representatives and those of the Company, your counsel and the Company’s
accountants. On the basis of the information which was reviewed by us
in the course of the performance of the services referred to above, considered
in the light of our understanding of the applicable law and the experience we
have gained through our practice under the Federal securities laws, we confirm
to you that nothing came to our attention in the course of such review which has
caused us to believe that (a) the Registration Statement, on the date of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement as provided in Rule 430B(f)(2) under
the 1933 Act, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (b) the Disclosure Package, as of the
Applicable Time (as specified in the Purchase Agreement), contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading, or (c) the Prospectus, as of its date contained, or
as of the date hereof contains any untrue statement of a material
C-4
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
as
Representatives of the Several Underwriters
November
14, 2008
Page
5
fact or
omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
The
limitations inherent in the independent verification of factual matters and the
character of determinations involved in the registration process are such,
however, that we do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness
or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as specified in paragraph 4
above. Also, we do not express any opinion or belief as to the
financial statements, including the notes thereto, the financial schedules and
the other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or with
respect to the Statements of Eligibility on Form T-1 filed as Exhibits 25.05,
25.06 and 25.07 to the Registration Statement.
We do not
express any opinion on any laws other than the laws of the State of New York and
the federal securities laws of the United States. We are not
expressing an opinion as to whether the validity and enforceability of the
Indenture and the Securities are or are not governed by the laws of the State of
New York.
This
letter is given to you as Representatives of the several Underwriters and is
solely for the benefit of the several Underwriters. It may not be
disclosed to or relied upon by any other person without our written
consent.
Very truly yours,
C-5