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CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of July 11, 2001
Among
DTE ENERGY COMPANY,
as Borrower
and
THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,
as Initial Lenders
and
CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
and
BARCLAYS BANK PLC, BANK ONE, NA,
as Co-Syndication Agent as Co-Syndication Agent
================================================================================
XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
as Lead Arranger and Sole Book Runner
================================================================================
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS......................................................................1
SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms.........................................................1
SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods..................................................12
SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms.............................................................12
ARTICLE II: AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE REVOLVING CREDIT ADVANCES..................................................12
SECTION 2.01. The Revolving Credit Advances................................................12
SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving Credit Advances.........................................12
SECTION 2.03. Fees.........................................................................13
SECTION 2.04. Termination or Reduction of the Commitments..................................14
SECTION 2.05. Repayment of Revolving Credit Advances.......................................14
SECTION 2.06. Interest on Revolving Credit Advances........................................14
SECTION 2.07. Interest Rate Determination..................................................15
SECTION 2.08. Optional Conversion of Revolving Credit Advances.............................16
SECTION 2.09. Prepayments of Revolving Credit Advances.....................................16
SECTION 2.10. Increased Costs..............................................................17
SECTION 2.11. Illegality...................................................................18
SECTION 2.12. Payments and Computations....................................................18
SECTION 2.13. Taxes........................................................................19
SECTION 2.14. Sharing of Payments, Etc.....................................................21
SECTION 2.15. Use of Proceeds..............................................................21
ARTICLE III: CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING............................................................21
SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of Sections 2.01.......................21
SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Borrowing.......................................23
SECTION 3.03. Determinations Under Section 3.01............................................23
ARTICLE IV: REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES......................................................................24
SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower...............................24
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ARTICLE V: COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER............................................................................26
SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants........................................................26
SECTION 5.02. Negative Covenants...........................................................28
ARTICLE VI: EVENTS OF DEFAULT...................................................................................29
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default............................................................29
ARTICLE VII: THE AGENT..........................................................................................31
SECTION 7.01. Authorization and Action.....................................................31
SECTION 7.02. Agent's Reliance, Etc........................................................31
SECTION 7.03. Citibank and Affiliates......................................................32
SECTION 7.04. Lender Credit Decision.......................................................32
SECTION 7.05. Indemnification..............................................................32
SECTION 7.06. Successor Agent..............................................................33
ARTICLE VIII: MISCELLANEOUS.....................................................................................33
SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc..............................................................33
SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc.................................................................33
SECTION 8.03. No Waiver; Remedies..........................................................34
SECTION 8.04. Costs and Expenses...........................................................34
SECTION 8.05. Right of Set-off.............................................................35
SECTION 8.06. Binding Effect...............................................................35
SECTION 8.07. Assignments, Designations and Participations.................................36
SECTION 8.08. Confidentiality..............................................................40
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law................................................................40
SECTION 8.10. Execution in Counterparts....................................................40
SECTION 8.11. Jurisdiction, Etc............................................................40
SECTION 8.12. Waiver of Jury Trial.........................................................40
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SCHEDULES AND EXHIBITS
Schedules
Schedule I - List of Applicable Lending Offices
Schedule II - Environmental Matters (Section 4.01(f) and (g))
Exhibits
Exhibit A - Form of Note
Exhibit B - Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit C - Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit D - Form of Certificate by Borrower
Exhibit E - Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Borrower
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CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of July 11, 2001 among DTE ENERGY
COMPANY, a Michigan corporation (the "Borrower"), the banks, financial
institutions and other institutional lenders (the "Initial Lenders") listed on
the signature pages hereof, and CITIBANK, N.A. ("Citibank"), as Administrative
Agent (the "Agent") and BANK ONE, NA, as Co-Syndication Agent, and BARCLAYS BANK
PLC, as Co-Syndication Agent for the Lenders (as hereinafter defined).
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS.
The Borrower has requested that the Initial Lenders enter into
this Agreement, and the Initial Lenders have indicated their willingness to
enter into this Agreement upon the terms and conditions stated herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby
agree, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article III,
as follows:
ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings
to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
"Affiliate" means, as to any Person, any other Person that,
directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person.
For purposes of this definition, the term "control" (including the
terms "controlling", "controlled by" and "under common control with")
of a Person means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to
vote 5% or more of the Voting Stock of such Person or to direct or
cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or
otherwise.
"Agent's Account" means the account of the Agent maintained by
the Agent at Citibank with its office at Xxx Xxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, 00000, Account No. 00000000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx.
"Applicable Lending Office" means, with respect to each
Lender, such Lender's Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base
Rate Advance and such Lender's Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of
a Eurodollar Rate Advance.
"Applicable Margin" means, as of any date, (i) with respect to
all Base Rate Advances, 0.0% per annum, and (ii) with respect to all
Eurodollar Rate Advances, 0.625% per annum.
"Applicable Percentage" means, as of any date, 0.175% per
annum.
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"Assignment and Acceptance" means an assignment and acceptance
entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by the
Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
"Audited Statements" means (i) in the case of the Borrower and
DECO, the Consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and DECO as at
December 31, 2000, and the related Consolidated statements of income
and cash flows of the Borrower and DECO for the fiscal year then ended,
accompanied by the opinion thereon of the Borrower's and DECO's
independent public accountants; and (ii) in the case of MCN and
MichCon, the Consolidated balance sheets of MCN and MichCon as at
December 31, 2000, and the related Consolidated statements of income
and cash flows of MCN and MichCon for the fiscal year then ended,
accompanied by the opinion thereon of MCN's and MichCon's independent
public accountants
"Base Rate" means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in
effect from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be
equal to the highest of:
(a) the rate of interest announced publicly by
Citibank in New York, New York, from time to time, as
Citibank's base rate;
(b) the sum (adjusted to the nearest 1/16 of 1% or,
if there is no nearest 1/16 of 1%, to the next higher 1/16 of
1%) of (i) 1/2 of 1% per annum, plus (ii) the rate obtained by
dividing (A) the latest three-week moving average of secondary
market morning offering rates in the United States for
three-month certificates of deposit of major United States
money market banks, such three-week moving average (adjusted
to the basis of a year of 360 days) being determined weekly on
each Monday (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the
next succeeding Business Day) for the three-week period ending
on the previous Friday by Citibank on the basis of such rates
reported by certificate of deposit dealers to and published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, if such publication
shall be suspended or terminated, on the basis of quotations
for such rates received by Citibank from three New York
certificate of deposit dealers of recognized standing selected
by Citibank, by (B) a percentage equal to 100% minus the
average of the daily percentages specified during such
three-week period by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum
reserve requirement (including, but not limited to, any
emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement)
for Citibank with respect to liabilities consisting of or
including (among other liabilities) three-month U.S. dollar
non-personal time deposits in the United States, plus (iii)
the average during such three-week period of the annual
assessment rates estimated by Citibank for determining the
then current annual assessment payable by Citibank to the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (or any successor) for
insuring U.S. dollar deposits of Citibank in the United
States; and
(c) 1/2 of one percent per annum above the Federal
Funds Rate.
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"Base Rate Advance" means a Revolving Credit Advance that
bears interest as provided in Section 2.06(a)(i).
"Borrower" has the meaning specified in the recital of parties
to this Agreement.
"Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous
Revolving Credit Advances of the same Type and (in the case of
Eurodollar Rate Advances) having the same Interest Period, made by each
of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
"Business Day" means a day of the year on which banks are not
required or authorized by law to close in New York City or Chicago,
Illinois and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar
Rate Advances, on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank
market.
"Capitalization" means the sum of tangible net worth plus
Consolidated Debt.
"Commitment" has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
"Confidential Information" means information that the Borrower
furnishes to the Agent or any Lender in a writing designated as
confidential, but does not include any such information that is or
becomes generally available to the public or that is or becomes
available to the Agent or such Lender from a source other than the
Borrower.
"Consolidated" refers to the consolidation of accounts in
accordance with GAAP.
"Convert", "Conversion" and "Converted" each refers to a
conversion of Revolving Credit Advances of one Type into Revolving
Credit Advances of the other Type pursuant to Section 2.07 or 2.08.
"Debt" of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all
indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of
such Person for the deferred purchase price of property or services
(other than trade payables not overdue by more than 60 days incurred in
the ordinary course of such Person's business), (c) all obligations of
such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar
instruments, (d) all obligations of such Person created or arising
under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with
respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and
remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of
default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all
obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that have been or
should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases, (f) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of
acceptances, letters of credit or similar extensions of credit, (g) all
obligations of such Person in respect of Hedge Agreements, (h) all Debt
of others referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above or clause (i)
below guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person,
or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through
an agreement (1) to pay or purchase such Debt or to advance or supply
funds for the payment or purchase of such Debt, (2) to purchase, sell
or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell
services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make
payment of such Debt or to assure the holder of such Debt against loss,
(3) to
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supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor (including
any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether
such property is received or such services are rendered) or (4)
otherwise to assure a creditor against loss, and (i) all Debt referred
to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder
of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be
secured by) any Lien on property (including, without limitation,
accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such
Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Debt.
See the definition of "Nonrecourse Debt" below.
"DECO" means The Detroit Edison Company, a Michigan
corporation wholly owned by the Borrower.
"Default" means any Event of Default or any event that would
constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice be
given or time elapse or both.
"Designating Lender" has the meaning specified in Section
8.07(h).
"Disclosed Litigation" has the meaning specified in Section
3.01(b).
"Domestic Lending Office" means, with respect to any Lender,
the office of such Lender specified as its "Domestic Lending Office"
opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office
of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the
Borrower and the Agent.
"EBITDA" means, for any period, net income (or net loss) plus
the sum of (a) interest expense, (b) income tax expense, (c)
depreciation expense and (d) amortization expense, in each case
determined in accordance with GAAP for such period less the aggregate
amount, if any, of securitization bond charges (or similar charges
imposed on customers for the purpose of servicing Securitization Bonds)
collected by or on behalf of the Securitization SPE, to the extent such
charges are included in the calculation of net income (or net loss).
"Effective Date" has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.
"Eligible Assignee" means (i) a Lender; (ii) an Affiliate of a
Lender; (iii) a commercial bank organized under the laws of the United
States, or any State thereof, and having a combined capital and surplus
of at least $250,000,000; (iv) a savings and loan association or
savings bank organized under the laws of the United States, or any
State thereof, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$250,000,000; (v) a commercial bank organized under the laws of any
other country that is a member of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development or has concluded special lending
arrangements with the International Monetary Fund associated with its
General Arrangements to Borrow, or a political subdivision of any such
country, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$250,000,000, so long as such bank is acting through a branch or agency
located in the United States; (vi) the central bank of any country that
is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development; (vii) a finance company, insurance company or other
financial institution
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or fund (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity)
that is engaged in making, purchasing or otherwise investing in
commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000; and (viii) any
other Person approved by the Agent and the Borrower, such approval not
to be unreasonably withheld or delayed by either party; provided,
however, that neither the Borrower nor an Affiliate of the Borrower
shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.
"Enterprises" means DTE Enterprises, Inc., a Michigan
corporation wholly-owned by the Borrower.
"Environmental Action" means any action, suit, demand, demand
letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of
liability or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent
order or consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental
Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from
alleged injury or threat of injury to health, safety or the
environment, including, without limitation, (a) by any governmental or
regulatory authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response,
remedial or other actions or damages and (b) by any governmental or
regulatory authority or any third party for damages, contribution,
indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief.
"Environmental Law" means any federal, state, local or foreign
statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, order, judgment,
decree or judicial or agency interpretation, policy or guidance
relating to pollution or protection of the environment, health, safety
or natural resources, including, without limitation, those relating to
the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal,
release or discharge of Hazardous Materials.
"Environmental Permit" means any permit, approval,
identification number, license or other authorization required under
any Environmental Law.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings issued thereunder.
"ERISA Affiliate" means any Person that for purposes of Title
IV of ERISA is a member of the Borrower's controlled group, or under
common control with the Borrower, within the meaning of Section 414 of
the Internal Revenue Code.
"ERISA Event" means (a) (i) the occurrence of a reportable
event, within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to any
Plan unless the 30-day notice requirement with respect to such event
has been waived by the PBGC, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (1)
of Section 4043(b) of ERISA (without regard to subsection (2) of such
Section) are met with a contributing sponsor, as defined in Section
4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event described in paragraph
(9), (10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is reasonably
expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the following 30
days; (b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to
a Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a notice
of intent to
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terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA (including
any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in Section
4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a facility of the
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described in
Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by the Borrower or any
ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for
which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2)
of ERISA; (f) the conditions for the imposition of a lien under Section
302(f) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan; (g) the
adoption of an amendment to a Plan requiring the provision of security
to such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA; or (h) the institution
by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to Section 4042
of ERISA, or the occurrence of any event or condition described in
Section 4042 of ERISA that constitutes grounds for the termination of,
or the appointment of a trustee to administer, a Plan.
"Eurocurrency Liabilities" has the meaning assigned to that
term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, as in effect from time to time.
"Eurodollar Lending Office" means, with respect to any Lender,
the office of such Lender specified as its "Eurodollar Lending Office"
opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office
is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of
such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the
Borrower and the Agent.
"Eurodollar Rate" means, for any Interest Period for each
Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, an
interest rate per annum equal to the rate per annum obtained by
dividing (a) the average (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple
of 1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) of the
rate per annum at which deposits in U.S. dollars are offered by the
principal office of each of the Reference Banks in London, England to
prime banks in the London interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London time)
two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period in an
amount approximately equal to such Reference Bank's Eurodollar Rate
Advance comprising part of such Borrowing to be outstanding during such
Interest Period and for a period equal to such Interest Period by (b) a
percentage equal to 100% minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage
for such Interest Period. The Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period
for each Eurodollar Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing
shall be determined by the Agent on the basis of applicable rates
furnished to and received by the Agent from the Reference Banks two
Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period, subject,
however, to the provisions of Section 2.07.
"Eurodollar Rate Advance" means a Revolving Credit Advance
that bears interest as provided in Section 2.06(a)(ii).
"Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage" for any Interest Period
for all Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing
means the reserve percentage applicable two Business Days before the
first day of such Interest Period under regulations issued from time to
time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
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System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve
requirement (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental
or other marginal reserve requirement) for a member bank of the Federal
Reserve System in New York City with respect to liabilities or assets
consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to
any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference
to which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is determined)
having a term equal to such Interest Period.
"Events of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
"Facility Fee" has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any period, a fluctuating
interest rate per annum equal for each day during such period to the
weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions
with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds
brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business
Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a
Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such
transactions received by the Agent from three federal funds brokers of
recognized standing selected by it.
"Financial Officer" of any Person means the chief executive
officer, president, chief financial officer, any vice president,
controller, treasurer or any assistant treasurer of such Person.
"GAAP" has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.
"Hazardous Materials" means (a) petroleum and petroleum
products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials,
asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas
and (b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated,
classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or
contaminant under any Environmental Law.
"Hedge Agreements" means interest rate swap, cap or collar
agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap
agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar
agreements.
"Insufficiency" means, with respect to any Plan, the amount,
if any, of its unfunded benefit liabilities, as defined in Section
4001(a)(18) of ERISA.
"Interest Period" means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance
comprising part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the
date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of
any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on
the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the
provisions below and, thereafter, with respect to Eurodollar Rate
Advances, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the
immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the
period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The
duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, two, three or
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six months, as the Borrower may, upon notice received by the Agent not
later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day
prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided,
however, that:
(i) the Borrower may not select any Interest Period
that ends after the Revolver Termination Date then in effect;
(ii) Interest Periods commencing on the same date for
Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same
Borrowing;
(iii) whenever the last day of any Interest Period
would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the
last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on
the next succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that, if
such extension would cause the last day of such Interest
Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last
day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding
Business Day; and
(iv) whenever the first day of any Interest Period
occurs on a day of an initial calendar month for which there
is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that
succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months
equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such
Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such
succeeding calendar month.
"Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings issued thereunder.
"Junior Subordinated Debentures" means subordinated junior
deferrable interest debentures issued by DECO from time to time in an
outstanding aggregate principal amount not to exceed the aggregate
principal amount of such debentures outstanding on the date hereof, and
subordinated junior deferrable interest debentures issued by MCN and
the related preferred securities of Subsidiaries of MCN outstanding as
of the date hereof.
"Lenders" means the Initial Lenders and each Person that shall
become a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.07(a), (b) and (c) and,
except when used in reference to a Revolving Credit Advance, a
Borrowing, a Note, a Commitment or a related term.
"Lien" means any lien, security interest or other charge or
encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement,
including, without limitation, the lien or retained security title of a
conditional vendor and any easement, right of way or other encumbrance
on title to real property.
"Loan Documents" means this Agreement and the Notes.
"Material Adverse Change" means any material adverse change in
the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations,
performance, properties or prospects of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
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"Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on
(a) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations,
performance, properties or prospects of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Agent
or any Lender under any Loan Document or (c) the ability of the
Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it
is a party.
"Maximum Facility Amount" means $400,000,000.
"MCN" means MCN Energy Group Inc., a Michigan corporation,
which as of the date hereof, has been merged into Enterprises, with
Enterprises as the survivor of such merger.
"MichCon" means Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, a Michigan
corporation, wholly owned (indirectly) by the Borrower.
"Moody's" means Xxxxx'x Investors Service, Inc.
"Multiemployer Plan" means a multiemployer plan, as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions, or
has within any of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an
obligation to make contributions.
"Multiple Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as
defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for
employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one
Person other than the Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so
maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event
such plan has been or were to be terminated.
"Nonrecourse Debt" means Debt of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries in respect of which no recourse may be had by the
creditors under such Debt against the Borrower or such Subsidiary in
its individual capacity or against the assets of the Borrower or such
Subsidiary, other than assets which were purchased by the Borrower or
such Subsidiary with the proceeds of such Debt; it being understood
that Securitization Bonds shall constitute Nonrecourse Debt for all
purposes of the Loan Documents, except to the extent (and only to the
extent) of any claims made against DECO in respect of its
indemnification obligations relating to such Securitization Bonds.
"Note" means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the
order of any Lender, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto,
evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender
resulting from the Revolving Credit Advances made by such Lender.
"Notice of Borrowing" has the meaning specified in Section
2.02(a).
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any
successor).
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"Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation
(including a business trust), joint stock company, trust,
unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company or
other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof.
"Plan" means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer
Plan.
"Reference Banks" means Citibank, N.A., Barclays Bank PLC and
Bank One, NA.
"Register" has the meaning specified in Section 8.07(d).
"Required Lenders" means at any time Lenders owed at least
66-2/3% of the then aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Revolving
Credit Advances owing to Lenders, or, if no such principal amount is
then outstanding, Lenders having at least 66-2/3% of the Commitments.
"Revolver Termination Date" means the earlier of (a) November
16, 2001, and (b) the date of termination in whole of the Commitments
pursuant to Section 2.04 or 6.01.
"Revolving Credit Advance" means an advance by a Lender to the
Borrower as part of a Borrowing, and refers to a Base Rate Advance or a
Eurodollar Rate Advance (each of which shall be a "Type" of Revolving
Credit Advance).
"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Group, a division of
XxXxxx-Xxxx, Inc.
"SEC Reports" means the following reports and financial
statements of the Borrower, DECO, MCN and MichCon, as the case may be:
(i) the Borrower's and DECO's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2000, as filed with or sent to the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including therein the Audited Statements
of the Borrower and DECO;
(ii) MCN's and MichCon's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2000, as filed with or sent to the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including therein the Audited Statements of
MCN and MichCon;
(iii) the Borrower's and DECO's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended March 31, 2001, including therein the Unaudited
Statements of the Borrower and DECO, and the Borrower's and DECO's
Current Reports on Form 8-K, if any, provided to the Lenders prior
to the date of this Agreement; and
(iv) MCN's and MichCon's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2001, including therein the Unaudited Statements
of MCN and MichCon, and MCN's and MichCon's Current Reports on
Form 8-K, if any, provided to the Lenders prior to the date of
this Agreement.
"SPV" has the meaning specified in Section 8.07(h).
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"Securitization Bonds" means Debt of the Securitization SPE,
issued pursuant to Enrolled Senate Xxxx No. 1253, Public Act 142 of
2000 of the State of Michigan.
"Securitization SPE" means The Detroit Edison Securitization
Funding LLC, a single-member limited liability company organized under
the laws of the State of Michigan, all of the membership interest in
which is held indirectly by the Borrower.
"Significant Subsidiary" means (i) DECO, Enterprises and
MichCon, and (ii) any other Subsidiary of the Borrower (A) the total
assets (after intercompany eliminations) of which exceed 30% of the
total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or (B) the net worth
of which exceeds 30% of the Consolidated Net Worth of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries, in each case as shown on the audited consolidated
financial statements of the Borrower as of the end of the fiscal year
immediately preceding the date of determination.
"Single Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as
defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for
employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other
than the Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and
in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have
liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been
or were to be terminated.
"Subsidiary" of any Person means any corporation, partnership,
joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or
in which) more than 50% of (a) the issued and outstanding capital stock
having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of
Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time
capital stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall
or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), (b)
the interest in the capital or profits of such limited liability
company, partnership or joint venture or (c) the beneficial interest in
such trust or estate is at the time directly owned or controlled by
such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries
or by one or more of such Person's other Subsidiaries.
"Unaudited Statements" means (i) in the case of the Borrower
and DECO, the unaudited condensed Consolidated balance sheets of the
Borrower and DECO, as at March 31, 2001, and the related condensed
Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and
DECO for the three-month period then ended, duly certified by a
Financial Officer of the Borrower and DECO; and (ii) in the case of MCN
and MichCon, the unaudited condensed Consolidated balance sheets of MCN
and MichCon as at March 31, 2001, and the related condensed
Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of MCN and MichCon for
the three-month period then ended, duly certified by a Financial
Officer of MCN and MichCon.
"Utilization Fee" has the meaning specified in Section
2.03(c).
"Voting Stock" means capital stock issued by a corporation, or
equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which are
ordinarily, in the absence of
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contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or
persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right
so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.
"Withdrawal Liability" has the meaning specified in Part I of
Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement
in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified
date, the word "from" means "from and including" and the words "to" and "until"
each mean "to but excluding".
SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not
specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistent with those applied in the preparation
of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(e) ("GAAP").
ARTICLE II: AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE REVOLVING CREDIT ADVANCES
SECTION 2.01. The Revolving Credit Advances. Each Lender
severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make
Revolving Credit Advances to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day
during the period from the Effective Date until the Revolver Termination Date in
an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount set forth
opposite such Lender's name on Schedule 1 hereto or, if such Lender has entered
into any Assignment and Acceptance, set forth for such Lender in the Register
maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.07(d), as such amount may be
reduced pursuant to Section 2.04 (such Lender's "Commitment"). Each Borrowing
shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof and shall consist of Revolving Credit Advances of
the same Type made on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their
respective Commitments. Within the limits of each Lender's Commitment, the
Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay pursuant to Section 2.09 and
reborrow under this Section 2.01.
SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving Credit Advances. (a) Each
Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York
City time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing
in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, or 10:00 A.M.
(New York City time) the Business Day of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a
Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances, by the Borrower to the Agent, which
shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier or telex. Each
such notice of a Borrowing (a "Notice of Borrowing") shall be by telephone,
confirmed immediately in writing, or telecopier or telex in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such
Borrowing, (ii) Type of Revolving Credit Advances comprising such Borrowing,
(iii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the case of a Borrowing
consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for each such
Revolving Credit Advance. Each Lender shall, before 12:00 noon (New York City
time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its
Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent's Account, in same day
funds, such Lender's ratable portion of such Borrowing. After the Agent's
receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable
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conditions set forth in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to
the Borrower at the Agent's address referred to in Section 8.02.
(b) Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding,
(i) the Borrower may not select Eurodollar Rate Advances for any Borrowing if
the aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than $5,000,000 or if the
obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate Advances shall then be
suspended pursuant to Section 2.07 or 2.11 and (ii) the Eurodollar Rate Advances
may not be outstanding as part of more than ten separate Borrowings.
(c) Each Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the
Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that the related Notice of Borrowing
specifies is to be comprised of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Borrower shall
indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender
as a result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in such
Notice of Borrowing for such Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in
Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of
anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or
reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the
Revolving Credit Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing
when such Revolving Credit Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on
such date.
(d) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to
the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Agent
such Lender's ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such
Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such
Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such
date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not
have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent, such Lender and the
Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such
corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date
such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is
repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate
applicable at the time to Revolving Credit Advances comprising such Borrowing
and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Lender
shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall
constitute such Lender's Revolving Credit Advance as part of such Borrowing for
purposes of this Agreement.
(e) The failure of any Lender to make the Revolving Credit Advance to
be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its
obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Revolving Credit Advance on the date
of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any
other Lender to make the Revolving Credit Advance to be made by such other
Lender on the date of any Borrowing.
SECTION 2.03. Fees. (a) Facility Fee. The Borrower agrees to
pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee (the "Facility
Fee") on the aggregate amount of such Lender's Commitment from the date hereof
in the case of each Initial Lender and from effective date specified in the
Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of
each other Lender until all of the Revolving Credit Advances have been paid in
full and the Commitments under this Agreement have been terminated at a rate per
annum equal to
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the Applicable Percentage in effect from time to time, payable in arrears
quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and December, and on
the Revolving Loan Termination Date.
(b) Agent's Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for its own
account such fees as may from time to time be agreed between the Borrower and
the Agent.
(c) Utilization Fee. If the aggregate outstanding amount of all
Revolving Credit Advances hereunder exceeds thirty-three percent (33%) of the
aggregate amount of all Commitments then in effect on such date (or, if the
Commitments have been terminated, the aggregate amount of all Commitments in
effect immediately prior to such termination), the Borrower will pay to the
Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders a utilization fee (the "Utilization
Fee") at a per annum rate of forty-five one hundredths of one percent (0.45%) on
the aggregate outstanding amount of all Revolving Credit Advances on such date,
payable in arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and
December, and on the Revolving Loan Termination Date.
SECTION 2.04. Termination or Reduction of the Commitments. (a)
The Commitments shall be automatically terminated on the Revolver Termination
Date.
(b) The Borrower shall have the right, upon at least three Business
Days' notice to the Agent, to terminate in whole or reduce ratably in part the
unused portions of the respective Commitments of the Lenders, provided that each
partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral
multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Once terminated, a Commitment or
portion thereof may not be reinstated.
SECTION 2.05. Repayment of Revolving Credit Advances. The
Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders on the
Revolver Termination Date the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit
Advances then outstanding.
SECTION 2.06. Interest on Revolving Credit Advances. (a)
Scheduled Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal
amount of each Revolving Credit Advance owing to each Lender from the date of
such Revolving Credit Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full,
at the following rates per annum:
(i) Base Rate Advances. During such periods as such Revolving
Credit Advance is a Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all
times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus
(y) the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, payable in
arrears quarterly on the last day of each March, June, September and
December during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance
shall be Converted or paid in full.
(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances. During such periods as such
Revolving Credit Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum
equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Revolving
Credit Advance to the sum of (x) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest
Period for such Revolving Credit Advance plus (y) the Applicable Margin
in effect from time to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such
Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more
than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period
every three months from the first day of such
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Interest Period and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be
Converted or paid in full.
(b) Default Interest. (i) Upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default, the Borrower shall pay interest on the
unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Credit Advance owing to each Lender,
payable in arrears on the dates referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above,
at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum
required to be paid on such Revolving Credit Advance pursuant to clause (a)(i)
or (a)(ii) above, and (ii) the Borrower shall pay, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, the amount of any interest, fee or other amount payable
hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due
until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such
amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal at all
times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate
Advances pursuant to clause (a)(i) above.
SECTION 2.07. Interest Rate Determination. (a) Each Reference
Bank agrees to furnish to the Agent timely information for the purpose of
determining each Eurodollar Rate. If any one or more of the Reference Banks
shall not furnish such timely information to the Agent for the purpose of
determining any such interest rate, the Agent shall determine such interest rate
on the basis of timely information furnished by the remaining Reference Banks.
The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and the Lenders of the
applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes of Section
2.06(a)(i) or (ii), and the rate, if any, furnished by each Reference Bank for
the purpose of determining the interest rate under Section 2.06(a)(ii).
(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Required
Lenders notify the Agent that the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for
such Eurodollar Rate Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such
Required Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective Eurodollar
Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the
Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will
automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor,
Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to
make, or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances
shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders
that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
(c) If the Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest
Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions
contained in the definition of "Interest Period" in Section 1.01, the Agent will
forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and such Eurodollar Rate
Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest
Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of
Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment
or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such Eurodollar Rate
Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of
Default, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of
the then existing Interest Period
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therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) the obligation of the
Lenders to make, or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances into, Eurodollar Rate
Advances shall be suspended.
(f) If fewer than two Reference Banks furnish timely information to the
Agent for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any Eurodollar Rate Advances:
(i) the Agent shall forthwith notify the Borrower and the
Lenders that the interest rate cannot be determined for such Eurodollar
Rate Advances,
(ii) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, each such
Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then
existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance (or
if such Eurodollar Rate Advance is then a Base Rate Advance, will
continue as a Base Rate Advance), and
(iii) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate
Advances or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances into Eurodollar Rate
Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower
and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no
longer exist.
SECTION 2.08. Optional Conversion of Revolving Credit
Advances. The Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent
not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior
to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections
2.07 and 2.11, Convert all Revolving Credit Advances of one Type comprising the
same Borrowing into Revolving Credit Advances of the other Type (it being
understood that such Conversion of a Revolving Credit Advance or of its Interest
Period does not constitute a repayment or prepayment of such Revolving Credit
Advance); provided, however, that any Conversion of Eurodollar Rate Advances
into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period
for such Eurodollar Rate Advances, any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into
Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be in an amount not less than the minimum amount
specified in Section 2.02(b) and no Conversion of any Revolving Credit Advances
shall result in more separate Borrowings than permitted under Section 2.02(b).
Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above,
specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Revolving Credit Advances to
be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into Eurodollar Rate Advances, the
duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Eurodollar Rate Advance.
Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower.
SECTION 2.09. Prepayments of Revolving Credit Advances. (a)
Optional Prepayment. The Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to
the Agent not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time), (i) on the same day
for Base Rate Advances and (ii) on the second Business Day prior to the
prepayment in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances stating the proposed date and
aggregate principal amount of the prepayment (and if such notice is given the
Borrower shall) prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Revolving Credit
Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part,
together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal
amount prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment shall be in
an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a
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Eurodollar Rate Advance, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the
Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(c).
(b) Mandatory Prepayment. The Borrower shall, upon five
Business Days notice from the Agent given at the request or with the consent of
the Required Lenders, prepay the aggregate principal amount outstanding plus all
interest thereon and all other amounts payable hereunder or under the Notes, in
the event that: (i) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall
have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934),
directly or indirectly, of Voting Stock of the Borrower (or other securities
convertible into such Voting Stock) representing 20% or more of the combined
voting power of all Voting Stock of the Borrower; or (ii) any Person or two or
more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired by contract or otherwise, or
shall have entered into a contract or arrangement that, upon consummation, will
result in its or their acquisition of the power to exercise, directly or
indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the
Borrower.
SECTION 2.10. Increased Costs. (a) If, due to either (i) the
introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or
regulation or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request from any central
bank or other governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law),
there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or
making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances (excluding for purposes
of this Section 2.10 any such increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other
Taxes (as to which Section 2.13 shall govern) and (ii) changes in the basis of
taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or
by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such Lender is
organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision
thereof), then the Borrower shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender
(with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of
such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such
increased cost. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost, submitted
to the Borrower and the Agent by such Lender, shall be conclusive and binding
for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any law or regulation
or any guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental
authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect the
amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or any
corporation controlling such Lender and that the amount of such capital is
increased by or based upon the existence of such Lender's commitment to lend
hereunder and other commitments of this type, then, upon demand by such Lender
(with a copy of such demand to the Agent), the Borrower shall pay to the Agent
for the account of such Lender, from time to time as specified by such Lender,
additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such corporation in
the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender reasonably
determines such increase in capital to be allocable to the existence of such
Lender's commitment to lend hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts
submitted to the Borrower and the Agent by such Lender shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(c) In the event that a Lender demands payment from the Borrower for
amounts owing pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 2.10, the
Borrower may, upon payment of
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such amounts and subject to the requirements of Sections 8.04 and 8.07,
substitute for such Lender another financial institution, which financial
institution shall be an Eligible Assignee and shall assume the Commitments of
such Lender and purchase the Notes held by such Lender in accordance with
Section 8.07, provided, however, that (i) no Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, (ii) the Borrower shall have satisfied all of its obligations in
connection with the Loan Documents with respect to such Lender, and (iii) if
such assignee is not a Lender, (A) such assignee is acceptable to the Agent and
(B) the Borrower shall have paid the Agent a $3,000 administrative fee.
SECTION 2.11. Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Agent that the introduction of
or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it
unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is
unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its
obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain
Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will
automatically, upon such demand, Convert into a Base Rate Advance or a Revolving
Credit Advance that bears interest at the rate set forth in Section 2.06(a)(i),
as the case may be, and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar
Rate Advances or to Convert Revolving Credit Advances into Eurodollar Rate
Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the
Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
SECTION 2.12. Payments and Computations. (a) The Borrower
shall make each payment hereunder and under the Notes not later than 11:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on the day when due in U.S. dollars to the Agent at the
Agent's Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to
be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest,
facility fees or the Utilization Fee ratably (other than amounts payable
pursuant to Section 2.10, 2.13 or 8.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account of
their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the
payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account
of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Acceptance
and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to
Section 8.07(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment
and Acceptance, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the Notes
in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder,
and the parties to such Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate
adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly
between themselves.
(b) The Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender, if and to the extent
payment owed to such Lender is not made when due hereunder or under the Note
held by such Lender, to charge from time to time against any or all of the
Borrower's accounts with such Lender any amount so due.
(c) All computations of interest based on the Base Rate shall be made
by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and
all computations of interest based on the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds
Rate and of facility fees and the Utilization Fee shall be made by the Agent on
the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days
(including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for
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which such interest, facility fees or Utilization Fee are payable. Each
determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(d) Whenever any payment hereunder or under the Notes shall be stated
to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the
next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be
included in the computation of payment of interest, facility fee or the
Utilization Fee, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if such extension
would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to
be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the
next preceding Business Day.
(e) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior
to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the
Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the
Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on
such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the
extent the Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent,
each Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed
to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such
amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such
amount to the Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.
SECTION 2.13. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by the Borrower
hereunder or under the Notes shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.12,
free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes,
levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with
respect thereto, excluding, in the case of each Lender and the Agent, taxes
imposed on its overall net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it in lieu of
net income taxes, by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender or the
Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof
and, in the case of each Lender, taxes imposed on its overall net income, and
franchise taxes imposed on it in lieu of net income taxes, by the jurisdiction
of such Lender's Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof
(all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings
and liabilities in respect of payments hereunder or under the Notes being
hereinafter referred to as "Taxes"). If the Borrower shall be required by law to
deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any
Note to any Lender or the Agent, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as may
be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions
applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.13) such Lender or
the Agent (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have
received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such
deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the
relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable
law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any present or future stamp
or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar
levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or under the Notes or from the
execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or otherwise with
respect to, this Agreement or the Notes (hereinafter referred to as "Other
Taxes").
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(c) The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender and the Agent for the full
amount of Taxes or Other Taxes (including, without limitation, any taxes imposed
by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.13) imposed on or
paid by such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) and any liability
(including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect
thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date such
Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) makes written demand therefor.
(d) Within 30 days after the date of any payment of Taxes, the Borrower
shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 8.02, the
original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof. In the
case of any payment hereunder or under the Notes by or on behalf of the Borrower
through an account or branch outside the United States or by or on behalf of the
Borrower by a payor that is not a United States person, if the Borrower
determines that no Taxes are payable in respect thereof, the Borrower shall
furnish, or shall cause such payor to furnish, to the Agent, at such address, an
opinion of counsel acceptable to the Agent stating that such payment is exempt
from Taxes. For purposes of this subsection (d) and subsection (e), the terms
"United States" and "United States person" shall have the meanings specified in
Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(e) Each Lender organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the
United States, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this
Agreement in the case of each Initial Lender and on the date of the Assignment
and Acceptance pursuant to which it becomes a Lender in the case of each other
Lender, and from time to time thereafter as requested in writing by the Borrower
(but only so long as such Lender remains lawfully able to do so), shall provide
each of the Agent and the Borrower with two original Internal Revenue Service
Form W-8BEW or W-8ECI, as appropriate, or any successor or other form prescribed
by the Internal Revenue Service, certifying that such Lender is exempt from or
entitled to a reduced rate of United States withholding tax on payments pursuant
to this Agreement or the Notes. If the forms provided by a Lender at the time
such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement indicates a United States
interest withholding tax rate in excess of zero, withholding tax at such rate
shall be considered excluded from Taxes unless and until such Lender provides
the appropriate forms certifying that a lesser rate applies, whereupon
withholding tax at such lesser rate only shall be considered excluded from Taxes
for periods governed by such form; provided, however, that, if at the date of
the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which a Lender assignee becomes a
party to this Agreement, the Lender assignor was entitled to payments under
subsection (a) in respect of United States withholding tax with respect to
interest paid at such date, then, to such extent, the term Taxes shall include
(in addition to withholding taxes that may be imposed in the future or other
amounts otherwise includable in Taxes) United States withholding tax, if any,
applicable with respect to the Lender assignee on such date. If any form or
document referred to in this subsection (e) requires the disclosure of
information, other than information necessary to compute the tax payable and
information required on the date hereof by Internal Revenue Service Form W8BEW
or W-8ECI, that the Lender reasonably considers to be confidential, the Lender
shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and shall not be obligated to include
in such form or document such confidential information.
(f) For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide
the Borrower with the appropriate form described in Section 2.13(e) (other than
if such failure is due to a change in law occurring subsequent to the date on
which a form originally was required to be
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provided, or if such form otherwise is not required under the first sentence of
subsection (e) above), such Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification
under Section 2.13(a) or (c) with respect to Taxes imposed by the United States
by reason of such failure; provided, however, that should a Lender become
subject to Taxes because of its failure to deliver a form required hereunder,
the Borrower shall take such steps as the Lender shall reasonably request to
assist the Lender to recover such Taxes.
(g) In the event that a Lender demands payment from the Borrower for
amounts owing pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 2.13, the
Borrower may, upon payment of such amounts and subject to the requirements of
Sections 8.04 and 8.07, substitute for such Lender another financial
institution, which financial institution shall be an Eligible Assignee and shall
assume the Commitments of such Lender and purchase the Notes held by such Lender
in accordance with Section 8.07, provided, however, that (i) no Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, (ii) the Borrower shall have satisfied all of
its obligations in connection with the Loan Documents with respect to such
Lender, and (iii) if such assignee is not a Lender, (A) such assignee is
acceptable to the Agent and (B) the Borrower shall have paid the Agent a $3,000
administrative fee.
SECTION 2.14. Sharing of Payments, Etc. If any Lender shall
obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any
right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Revolving Credit Advances
owing to it (other than pursuant to Section 2.10, 2.13 or 8.04(c)) in excess of
its ratable share of payments on account of the Revolving Credit Advances
obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other
Lenders such participations in the Revolving Credit Advances owing to them as
shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment
ratably with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such
excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, such
purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the
purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together
with an amount equal to such Lender's ratable share (according to the proportion
of (i) the amount of such Lender's required repayment to (ii) the total amount
so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or
payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered.
The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another
Lender pursuant to this Section 2.14 may, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with
respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct
creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
SECTION 2.15. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Revolving
Credit Advances shall be available (and the Borrower agrees that it shall use
such proceeds) solely for general corporate purposes, including commercial paper
liquidity, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
ARTICLE III: CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING
SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of
Sections 2.01. Section 2.01 of this Agreement shall become effective on and as
of the date hereof (the
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"Effective Date"), provided that the following conditions precedent have been
satisfied on such date:
(a) There shall have occurred no Material Adverse Change since
March 31, 2001.
(b) There shall exist no action, suit, investigation,
litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries pending or threatened before any court,
governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) could be reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect other than the matters disclosed or
contemplated in the SEC Reports (the "Disclosed Litigation") or (ii)
purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of any Loan
Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
and there shall have been no adverse change in the status, or financial
effect on the Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries of the
Disclosed Litigation from that disclosed or contemplated in the SEC
Reports.
(c) The Lenders shall have been given such access, as such
Lenders have reasonably requested, to the management, records, books of
account, contracts and properties of the Borrower and its Significant
Subsidiaries as they shall have requested.
(d) All governmental and third party consents and approvals
necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall
have been obtained (without the imposition of any conditions that are
not acceptable to the Lenders) and shall remain in effect, and no law
or regulation shall be applicable in the reasonable judgment of the
Lenders that restrains, prevents or imposes materially adverse
conditions upon the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents.
(e) The Borrower shall have notified each Lender and the Agent
in writing as to the proposed Effective Date.
(f) The Borrower shall have paid all accrued fees and
reasonable expenses of the Agent and the Lenders with respect to this
Agreement for which the Agent shall have made reasonable demand in
accordance with Section 8.04 on or prior to the Effective Date.
(g) On the Effective Date, the following statements shall be
true and the Agent shall have received for the account of each Lender a
certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Borrower, dated
the Effective Date, stating that:
(i) The representations and warranties contained in
Section 4.01 are correct on and as of the Effective Date, and
(ii) No event has occurred and is continuing that
constitutes a Default.
(iii) The Borrower shall have delivered a
certificate, substantially in form of Exhibit D hereto, signed
on behalf of the Borrower by a Financial Officer of the
Borrower.
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(h) The Agent shall have received on or before the Effective
Date the following, each dated such day, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Agent and (except for the Notes) in sufficient
copies for each Lender:
(i) The Notes to the order of the Lenders,
respectively.
(ii) Certified copies of the resolutions of the Board
of Directors of the Borrower approving each Loan Document to
which it is a party, and of all documents evidencing other
necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any,
with respect to each Loan Document to which it is a party.
(iii) A certificate of the Corporate Secretary or an
Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Borrower certifying the
names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower
authorized to sign each Loan Document to which it is a party
and the other documents to be delivered hereunder or
thereunder.
(iv) Copies of the SEC Reports.
(v) A favorable opinion of X.X. Xxxxxx, the Associate
General Counsel of the Borrower, substantially in the form of
Exhibit E hereto and as to such other matters as any Lender
through the Agent may reasonably request.
SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Borrowing. The
obligation of each Lender to make a Revolving Credit Advance on the occasion of
each Borrowing shall be subject to the conditions precedent that the Effective
Date shall have occurred and on the date of such Borrowing (a) the following
statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable Notice of
Borrowing and the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing
shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that on the date
of such Borrowing such statements are true):
(i) the representations and warranties contained in Section
4.01 (other than the representations and warranties contained in the
last sentence of Section 4.01(e) and in Section 4.01(f)) are correct on
and as of the date of such Borrowing, before and after giving effect to
such Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as
though made on and as of such date, and
(ii) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result
from such Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom,
that constitutes a Default;
and (b) the Agent shall have received such other approvals, opinions or
documents as any Lender through the Agent may reasonably request.
SECTION 3.03. Determinations Under Section 3.01. For purposes
of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 3.01, each
Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be
satisfied with each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented
to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer
of the Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the date that the
Borrower,
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by notice to the Lenders, designates as the proposed Effective Date, specifying
its objection thereto. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of the
occurrence of the Effective Date.
ARTICLE IV: REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower.
The Borrower represents and warrants as follows:
(a) The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation.
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of
the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, are within the Borrower's
corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action, and do not contravene (i) the Borrower's charter or by-laws or
(ii) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting the
Borrower.
(c) No authorization or approval or other action by, and no
notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body
or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery
and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the Notes or any
other Loan Document to which it is a party.
(d) This Agreement has been, and each of the Notes and each of
the other Loan Documents to which it is a party when delivered
hereunder will have been, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower.
This Agreement is, and each of the Notes and each of the other Loan
Documents to which it is a party when delivered hereunder will be, the
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable against
the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the
effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar law affecting creditors rights generally.
(e) (i) The Audited Statements of the Borrower and DECO and
the Unaudited Statements of the Borrower and DECO, copies of each of
which have been furnished to each Lender, fairly present, subject in
the case of Unaudited Statements to normal year-end audit adjustments,
the Consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the relevant Persons and entities, as at the dates and for the
periods therein indicated, all in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles consistently applied and (ii) The Audited
Statements of MCN and MichCon and the Unaudited Statements of MCN and
MichCon, copies of each of which have been furnished to each Lender,
fairly present, subject in the case of Unaudited Statements to normal
year-end audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows of the relevant Persons and
entities, as at the dates and for the periods therein indicated, all in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently
applied. Since March 31, 2001, there has been no Material Adverse
Change, except as shall have been disclosed or contemplated in the SEC
Reports.
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(f) There is no pending or threatened action, suit,
investigation, litigation or proceeding, including, without limitation,
any Environmental Action, affecting the Borrower or any of the
Significant Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or
arbitrator that (i) could be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Litigation) or (ii) purports
to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement,
any Note or any other Loan Document or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and there has been no adverse change
in the status of any Disclosed Litigation, or its financial effect on
the Borrower or any of the Significant Subsidiaries from that disclosed
or contemplated in the SEC Reports or as set forth on Schedule II.
(g) The operations and properties of the Borrower and each of
the Significant Subsidiaries comply in all material respects with all
applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits, all past
non-compliance with such Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits
has been resolved without ongoing obligations or costs, except as
disclosed or contemplated in the SEC Reports, and, except as set forth
on Schedule II, no circumstances exist that could be reasonably likely
to (i) form the basis of an Environmental Action against the Borrower
or any of the Significant Subsidiaries or any of their properties that
could have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) cause any such property to
be subject to any restrictions on ownership, occupancy, use or
transferability under any Environmental Law that could have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(h) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to
occur with respect to any Plan.
(i) Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the most recent
annual report (Form 5500 Series) for each Plan, copies of which have
been filed with the Internal Revenue Service, is complete and accurate
and fairly presents the funding status of such Plan, and since the date
of such Schedule B there has been no material adverse change in such
funding status.
(j) Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred
or is reasonably expected to incur any Withdrawal Liability to any
Multiemployer Plan.
(k) Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has been
notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer
Plan is in reorganization or has been terminated, within the meaning of
Title IV of ERISA, and no such Multiemployer Plan is reasonably
expected to be in reorganization or to be terminated, within the
meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
(l) Except as set forth in the financial statements referred
to in subsections e(i) and e(ii) above, the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries have no material liability with respect to "expected post
retirement benefit obligations" within the meaning of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 106.
(m) The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending
credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within
the meaning of Regulation U
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issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no
proceeds of any Revolving Credit Advance will be used to purchase or
carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of
purchasing or carrying any margin stock; and after applying the
proceeds of each Revolving Credit Advance hereunder, margin stock
(within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System) constitutes less than twenty-five percent
(25%) of the value of those assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
which are subject to any limitation on sale or pledge, or any other
restriction hereunder.
(n) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or
after the making of any Revolving Credit Advance or the application of
the proceeds or repayment thereof, or the consummation of any of the
other transactions contemplated hereby, will be, an "investment
company", or an "affiliated person" of, or "promoter" or "principal
underwriter" for, an "investment company" (within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended).
(o) At all times the Borrower is exempt from being required to
seek approval to perform its obligations under the Loan Documents
pursuant to Rule 2 of the Rules and Regulations promulgated pursuant to
the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
ARTICLE V: COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER
SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants. So long as any Revolving
Credit Advance shall remain unpaid or any Lender shall have any Commitment
hereunder, the Borrower will:
(a) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects, with all applicable
laws, rules, regulations and orders, such compliance to include,
without limitation, compliance with ERISA and Environmental Laws.
(b) Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge, and cause each
of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become
delinquent, (i) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or
levies imposed upon it or upon its property and (ii) all lawful claims
that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its property;
provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax,
assessment, charge or claim that is being contested in good faith and
by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being
maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to
its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors.
(c) Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain, and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable
insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such
risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses
and owning similar properties (including customary self-insurance) in
the same general areas in which the Borrower or such Subsidiary
operates.
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(d) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and
maintain its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory) and
franchises; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required
to preserve any right or franchise if the Board of Directors of the
Borrower or such Subsidiary shall determine that the preservation
thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the
Borrower and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any
material respect to the Borrower or the Lenders.
(e) Visitation Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to
time, permit the Agent or any of the Lenders or any agents or
representatives thereof, to examine and make copies of and abstracts
from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of,
the Borrower and any of the Significant Subsidiaries, and to discuss
the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and any of the
Significant Subsidiaries with any of their officers or directors and
with their independent certified public accountants.
(f) Keeping of Books. Keep, and cause each of its Significant
Subsidiaries to keep, proper books of record and account, in which full
and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the
assets and business of the Borrower and each such Subsidiary in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect from
time to time.
(g) Maintenance of Properties, Etc. Subject to clause (d)
above, maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Significant
Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of their respective
properties that are used or useful in the conduct of their respective
businesses in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear
excepted.
(h) Reporting Requirements. Furnish to the Lenders:
(i) as soon as available and in any event within 45
days after the end of each of the first three quarters of each
fiscal year of the Borrower, Consolidated balance sheet of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of
such quarter and Consolidated statements of income and cash
flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period
commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending
with the end of such quarter;
(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 90
days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy
of the annual report to Shareholders for such year for the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, containing the
Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year
and Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each
case accompanied by an opinion by Deloitte & Touche LLP or
other independent public accountants acceptable to the
Required Lenders;
(iii) as soon as possible and in any event within
five days after the occurrence of each Default continuing on
the date of such statement, a statement
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of a Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth details
of such Default and the action that the Borrower has taken and
proposes to take with respect thereto;
(iv) promptly after the sending or filing thereof
copies of all reports and registration statements that the
Borrower or any Subsidiary filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange;
(v) promptly after the commencement thereof, notice
of all actions and proceedings before any court, governmental
agency or arbitrator affecting the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 4.01(f); and
(vi) such other information respecting the Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries as any Lender through the Agent may
from time to time reasonably request.
SECTION 5.02. Negative Covenants. At all times on and after
the Effective Date so long as any Revolving Credit Advance shall remain unpaid
or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will not:
(a) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any
Significant Subsidiary to create or suffer to exist, any Lien
on or with respect to any shares of any class of equity
securities (including, without limitation, Voting Stock) of
any Significant Subsidiary, whether such shares are now owned
or hereafter acquired.
(b) Debt. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Debt
except Debt that is expressly or effectively pari passu with or
expressly subordinated to the Debt of the Borrower hereunder.
(c) Mergers, Etc. Merge or consolidate with or into, or
convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one
transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of
its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to, any Person, or
permit any Significant Subsidiary to do so, except that (i) any
Significant Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into any other
Significant Subsidiary, (ii) any Significant Subsidiary may merge into
or dispose of assets to the Borrower, and (iii) the Borrower may merge
or consolidate with or into any other Person if the surviving entity
has senior unsecured Debt outstanding rated at least BBB- by S&P and
Baa3 by Xxxxx'x; provided, in each case, that no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing at the time of such proposed transaction or
would result therefrom.
(d) Change in Nature of Business. Make, or permit any of its
Significant Subsidiaries (including Enterprises and MichCon) to make,
any material change in the nature of its business as carried on the
date hereof, other than as disclosed or contemplated in the SEC
Reports.
(e) Accounting Changes. Make or permit, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to make or permit, any change in accounting policies or
reporting practices, except as required or permitted by generally
accepted accounting principles.
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ARTICLE VI: EVENTS OF DEFAULT
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default. If any of the following
events ("Events of Default") shall occur and be continuing:
(a) The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any
Revolving Credit Advance when the same becomes due and payable; or the
Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Revolving Credit Advance
or make any other payment of fees or other amounts payable under this
Agreement or any Note within three Business Days after the same becomes
due and payable; or
(b) Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower
herein, by the Borrower (or any of its officers) in connection with
this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material
respect when made; or
(c) (i) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any
term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 2.09(b), 5.01(d), (e)
or (h) or 5.02, or (ii) the Borrower shall fail to perform or observe
any other term, covenant or agreement contained in any Loan Document on
its part to be performed or observed if such failure shall remain
unremedied for 10 days after written notice thereof shall have been
given to the Borrower by the Agent or any Lender; or
(d) The Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall
fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any Debt that is
outstanding in a principal or notional amount of at least $25,000,000
in the aggregate (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder and
Nonrecourse Debt) of the Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary (as
the case may be), when the same becomes due and payable (whether by
scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or
otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace
period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to
such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist
under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and shall
continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such
agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to
accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such
Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or
required to be prepaid or redeemed (other than by a regularly scheduled
required prepayment or redemption), purchased or defeased, or an offer
to prepay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to
be made, in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; or
(e) The Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall
generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in
writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a
general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding
shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or
insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization,
arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or
its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or
reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order
for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or
other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its
property
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and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not
instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or
unstayed for a period of 30 days, or any of the actions sought in such
proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for
relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or
other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its
property) shall occur; or the Borrower or any of its Significant
Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the
actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or
(f) Any judgment or order for the payment of money,
individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $25,000,000 shall be
rendered against the Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any
creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period
of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such
judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall
not be in effect; or
(g) Any non-monetary judgment or order shall be rendered
against the Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries that could
be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and there
shall be any period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of
enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or
otherwise, shall not be in effect; or
(h) The Borrower shall at any time cease to hold 100% of the
Voting Stock of DECO and MichCon; or
(i) The Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates shall incur,
or, in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders, shall be
reasonably likely to incur liability in excess of $25,000,000
individually or in the aggregate as a result of one or more of the
following: (i) the occurrence of any ERISA Event; (ii) the partial or
complete withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from
a Multiemployer Plan; or (iii) the reorganization or termination of a
Multiemployer Plan; or
(j) The Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a Consolidated
basis, shall at any time cease to:
(i) Maintain a ratio of Consolidated EBITDA to cash
interest payable on all Debt (excluding, (A) such Nonrecourse
Debt of their own and of their Subsidiaries and Affiliates as
would be listed as such in the financial statements of the
Borrower of the kind delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(h)(ii)
and (iii) and (B) the Junior Subordinated Debentures) of not
less than 2:1 for each period of four consecutive fiscal
quarters ending on the last day of September, December, March
and June of each year, or
(ii) Maintain a ratio of Consolidated Debt
(excluding, (A) such Nonrecourse Debt of their own and of
their Subsidiaries as would be listed in such financial
statements of the Borrower and (B) the Junior Subordinated
Debentures) to Capitalization of not greater than .65:1; or
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(k) any provision of any of the Loan Documents after delivery
thereof pursuant to Section 3.01 shall for any reason cease to be valid
and binding on or enforceable against the Borrower, or the Borrower
shall so state in writing;
then, and in any such event, the Agent (i) shall at the request, or may with the
consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the
obligation of each Lender to make Revolving Credit Advances to be terminated,
whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) shall at the request, or
may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower,
declare the Notes, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this
Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Notes, all such
interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable,
without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which
are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that in the
event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the
Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to
make Revolving Credit Advances shall automatically be terminated and (B) the
Notes, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become and be
due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind,
all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.
ARTICLE VII: THE AGENT
SECTION 7.01. Authorization and Action. Each Lender hereby
appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and
to exercise such powers and discretion under this Agreement as are delegated to
the Agent by the terms hereof, together with such powers and discretion as are
reasonably incidental thereto. As to any matters not expressly provided for by
this Agreement (including, without limitation, enforcement or collection of the
Notes), the Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any
action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be
fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the instructions of
the Required Lenders, and such instructions shall be binding upon all Lenders
and all holders of Notes; provided, however, that the Agent shall not be
required to take any action that exposes the Agent to personal liability or that
is contrary to this Agreement or applicable law. The Agent agrees to give to
each Lender prompt notice of each notice given to it by the Borrower pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement.
SECTION 7.02. Agent's Reliance, Etc. Neither the Agent nor any
of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action
taken or omitted to be taken by it or them under or in connection with this
Agreement, except for its or their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Without limitation of the generality of the foregoing, the Agent: (i) may treat
the payee of any Note as the holder thereof until the Agent receives and accepts
an Assignment and Acceptance entered into by the Lender that is the payee of
such Note, as assignor, and an Eligible Assignee, as assignee, as provided in
Section 8.07; (ii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel for the
Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and
shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by
it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts; (iii)
makes no warranty or representation to any Lender and shall not be responsible
to any Lender for any statements, warranties or representations (whether written
or oral) made in or in
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connection with this Agreement; (iv) shall not have any duty to ascertain or to
inquire as to the performance or observance of any of the terms, covenants or
conditions of this Agreement on the part of the Borrower or to inspect the
property (including the books and records) of the Borrower; (v) shall not be
responsible to any Lender for the due execution, legality, validity,
enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of, or the perfection or
priority of any lien or security interest created or purported to be created
under or in connection with, any Loan Document or any other instrument or
document furnished pursuant hereto; and (vi) shall incur no liability under or
in respect of this Agreement by acting upon any notice, consent, certificate or
other instrument or writing (which may be by telecopier, telegram or telex)
believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent by the proper party or parties.
SECTION 7.03. Citibank and Affiliates. With respect to its
Commitment, the Revolving Credit Advances made by it and the Note issued to it,
Citibank shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other
Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent; and the term
"Lender" or "Lenders" shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated, include
Citibank in its individual capacity. Citibank and its Affiliates may accept
deposits from, lend money to, act as trustee under indentures of, accept
investment banking engagements from and generally engage in any kind of business
with, the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries and any Person who may do business
with or own securities of the Borrower or any such Subsidiary, all as if
Citibank were not the Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the
Lenders.
SECTION 7.04. Lender Credit Decision. Each Lender acknowledges
that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other
Lender and based on the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 and
such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own
credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or
any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under this Agreement.
SECTION 7.05. Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify
the Agent (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower), ratably according to
the respective principal amounts of the Notes then held by each of them (or if
no Notes are at the time outstanding or if any Notes are held by Persons that
are not Lenders, ratably according to the respective amounts of their
Commitments), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements
of any kind or nature whatsoever that may be imposed on, incurred by, or
asserted against the Agent in any way relating to or arising out of any Loan
Document or any action taken or omitted by the Agent under any Loan Document,
provided that no Lender shall be liable for any portion of such liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements resulting from the Agent's gross negligence or willful
misconduct. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender agrees to reimburse
the Agent promptly upon demand for its ratable share of any out-of-pocket
expenses (including counsel fees) incurred by the Agent in connection with the
preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or
enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of,
or legal advice
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in respect of rights or responsibilities under, any Loan Document, to the extent
that the Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by the Borrower.
SECTION 7.06. Successor Agent. The Agent may resign at any
time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders and the Borrower and may be
removed at any time with or without cause by the Required Lenders. Upon any such
resignation or removal, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a
successor Agent. If no successor Agent shall have been so appointed by the
Required Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after
the retiring Agent's giving of notice of resignation or the Required Lenders'
removal of the retiring Agent, then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the
Lenders, appoint a successor Agent, which shall be a commercial bank organized
under the laws of the United States of America or of any State thereof and
having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. Upon the
acceptance of any appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor Agent, such
successor Agent shall thereupon succeed to and become vested with all the
rights, powers, discretion, privileges and duties of the retiring Agent, and the
retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this
Agreement. After any retiring Agent's resignation or removal hereunder as Agent,
the provisions of this Article VII shall inure to its benefit as to any actions
taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent under this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII: MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any
provision of this Agreement or the Notes, nor consent to any departure by the
Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in
writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and then such waiver or consent
shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose
for which given; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall,
unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders, do any of the following: (a)
waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01, (b) increase the
Commitments of the Lenders or subject the Lenders to any additional obligations,
(c) reduce the principal of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other
amounts payable hereunder, (d) postpone any date fixed for any payment of
principal of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable
hereunder, (e) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate
unpaid principal amount of the Notes, or the number of Lenders, that shall be
required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder or (f)
amend this Section 8.01; and provided further that no amendment, waiver or
consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Agent in addition to the
Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the
Agent under this Agreement or any Note.
SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc. All notices and other
communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopier,
telegraphic or telex communication) and mailed, telecopied, telegraphed, telexed
or delivered, if to the Borrower, at its address at 0000 0xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX
00000, Attention: Treasurer; if to any Initial Lender, at its Domestic Lending
Office specified opposite its name on Schedule I hereto; if to any other Lender,
at its Domestic Lending Office specified in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a Lender; and if to the Agent, at its address at Xxx
Xxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 Attention: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx,
with a copy to J. Xxxxxxxx XxXxx, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000; or, as to the Borrower or the Agent, at such other
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address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other
parties and, as to each other party, at such other address as shall be
designated by such party in a written notice to the Borrower and the Agent. All
such notices and communications shall, when mailed, telecopied, telegraphed or
telexed, be effective when deposited in the mails, telecopied, delivered to the
telegraph company or confirmed by telex answerback, respectively, except that
notices and communications to the Agent pursuant to Article II, III or VII shall
not be effective until received by the Agent. Delivery by telecopier of an
executed counterpart of any amendment or waiver of any provision of this
Agreement or the Notes or of any Exhibit hereto to be executed and delivered
hereunder shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart
thereof.
SECTION 8.03. No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of
any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right
hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any
single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein
provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
SECTION 8.04. Costs and Expenses. (a) The Borrower agrees to
pay on demand, upon presentation of a statement of account and absent manifest
error, all reasonable costs and reasonable expenses of the Agent in connection
with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification and
amendment of this Agreement, the Notes, each other Loan Document and the other
documents to be delivered hereunder and thereunder, including, without
limitation, (A) all due diligence, syndication (including printing, distribution
and bank meetings), transportation, computer, duplication, appraisal,
consultant, and audit expenses and (B) the reasonable fees and reasonable
expenses of counsel for the Agent with respect thereto and with respect to
advising the Agent as to its rights and responsibilities under the Loan
Documents. The Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all reasonable costs and
reasonable expenses of the Agent and the Lenders, if any (including, without
limitation, reasonable internal and external counsel fees and expenses, provided
such fees and expenses are not duplicative), in connection with the "workout",
restructuring or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or
otherwise) of this Agreement, the Notes and the other documents to be delivered
hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel for the Agent and each Lender in connection with the enforcement of
rights under this Section 8.04(a).
(b) The Borrower agrees to indemnify, to the extent legally
permissible, and hold harmless the Agent and each Lender and each of their
Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors (each,
an "Indemnified Party") from and against any and all claims, damages, losses,
liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel) that may be incurred by or asserted or awarded against any
Indemnified Party, in each case arising out of or in connection with or by
reason of, or in connection with the preparation for a defense of, any
investigation, litigation or proceeding arising out of, related to or in
connection with (i) the Notes, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents any of
the transactions contemplated herein or therein or the actual or proposed use of
the proceeds of the Revolving Credit Advances or (ii) the actual or alleged
presence of Hazardous Materials on any property of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or any Environmental Action relating in any way to the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, in each case whether or not such investigation,
litigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower, its directors, shareholders
or creditors or an
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Indemnified Party or any other Person or any Indemnified Party is otherwise a
party thereto and whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are
consummated, except to the extent such claim, damage, loss, liability or expense
is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent
jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Party's gross negligence or
willful misconduct. The Borrower also agrees not to assert any claim against the
Agent, any Lender, any of their Affiliates, or any of their respective
directors, officers, employees, attorneys and agents, on any theory of
liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages arising out
of or otherwise relating to the Notes, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents
any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein or the actual or proposed
use of the proceeds of the Revolving Credit Advances.
(c) If any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar
Rate Advance is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender other
than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Revolving Credit Advance,
as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.07(d) or (e), 2.09
or 2.11, acceleration of the maturity of the Notes pursuant to Section 6.01 or
for any other reason, the Borrower shall, upon demand by such Lender (with a
copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such
Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses,
costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or
Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of
anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or
reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or
maintain such Revolving Credit Advance.
(d) Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the
Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Borrower contained in
Sections 2.10, 2.13 and 8.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal,
interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the Notes.
SECTION 8.05. Right of Set-off. Upon (i) the occurrence and
during the continuance of any Event of Default and (ii) the making of the
request or the granting of the consent specified by Section 6.01 to authorize
the Agent to declare the Notes due and payable pursuant to the provisions of
Section 6.01, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any
time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off
and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional
or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such
Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower
against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing
under the Loan Documents Agreement and the Note held by such Lender, whether or
not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such Note and
although such obligations may be unmatured. Each Lender agrees promptly to
notify the Borrower after any such set-off and application, provided that the
failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and
application. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are
in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other
rights of set-off) that such Lender and its Affiliates may have.
SECTION 8.06. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become
effective (other than Section 2.01, which shall only become effective upon
satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.01) when it
shall have been executed by the Borrower and the
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Agent and when the Agent shall have been notified by each Initial Lender that
such Initial Lender has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Agent and each Lender and their
respective successors and assigns, except that the Borrower shall not have the
right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior
written consent of the Lenders to any Person.
SECTION 8.07. Assignments, Designations and Participations.
(a) Each Lender may, with the prior consent of the Agent and (for so long as no
Default has occurred and is continuing) the Borrower (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld) assign to one or more Persons all or a portion of its
rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, all
or a portion of its Commitment, the Revolving Credit Advances owed to it and the
Note or Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) each such assignment
shall be of a constant, and not a varying, percentage of all rights and
obligations under this Agreement, (ii) except in the case of an assignment to a
Person that, immediately prior to such assignment, was a Lender or an assignment
of all of a Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, the amount of
the Commitment of the assigning Lender being assigned pursuant to each such
assignment (determined as of the date of the Assignment and Acceptance with
respect to such assignment) shall in no event be less than $10,000,000 or an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) each such assignment
shall be to an Eligible Assignee, and (iv) the parties to each such assignment
shall execute and deliver to the Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the
Register, an Assignment and Acceptance, together with any Note subject to such
assignment and a processing and recordation fee of $3,000. Upon such execution,
delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified
in each Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party
hereto and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been
assigned to it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and
obligations of a Lender hereunder and (y) the Lender assignor thereunder shall,
to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it
pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be
released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an
Assignment and Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning
Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to
be a party hereto).
(b) By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the
Lender assignor thereunder and the assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with
each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided
in such Assignment and Acceptance, such assigning Lender makes no representation
or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements,
warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement or
the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or
value of, or the perfection or priority of any lien or security interest created
or purported to be created under or in connection with, this Agreement or any
other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (ii) such assigning
Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with
respect to the financial condition of the Borrower or the performance or
observance by the Borrower of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any
other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee
confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with copies of
the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01 and such other documents
and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and
decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will,
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independently and without reliance upon the Agent, such assigning Lender or any
other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under this Agreement; (v) such assignee confirms that it is an
Eligible Assignee; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Agent to take
such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion
under this Agreement as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof, together
with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vii)
such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all of
the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed
by it as a Lender.
(c) Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an
assigning Lender and an assignee representing that it is an Eligible Assignee,
together with any Note or Notes subject to such assignment, the Agent shall, if
such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed and is in substantially the
form of Exhibit C hereto, (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) record
the information contained therein in the Register and (iii) give prompt notice
thereof to the Borrower. Within five Business Days after its receipt of such
notice, the Borrower, at its own expense, shall execute and deliver to the Agent
in exchange for the surrendered Note a new Note to the order of such Eligible
Assignee in an amount equal to the Commitment assumed by it pursuant to such
Assignment and Acceptance and, if the assigning Lender has retained a Commitment
hereunder, a new Note to the order of the assigning Lender in an amount equal to
the Commitment retained by it hereunder. Such new Note or Notes shall be in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of such
surrendered Note or Notes, shall be dated the effective date of such Assignment
and Acceptance and shall otherwise be in substantially the form of Exhibit A
hereto.
(d) The Agent shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 8.02
a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a
register for the recordation of the names and addresses and Commitment of, and
principal amount of Revolving Credit Advances owing to, each Lender from time to
time (the "Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive and
binding for all purposes, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agent and
the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a
Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Borrower or any Lender at any reasonable time
and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(e) Each Lender may sell participations to one or more banks or other
entities (other than the Borrower or any of its Affiliates) in or to all or a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment, the Advances owing to it and the
Note or Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) such Lender's obligations
under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its Commitment to the
Borrower hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely
responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations,
(iii) such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Note for all purposes of
this Agreement, (iv) the Borrower, the Agent and the other Lenders shall
continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such
Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement and (v) no participant
under any such participation shall have any right to approve any amendment or
waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Note, or any consent to any
departure by the Borrower therefrom, except to
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the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would (A) reduce the principal
of, or interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, or
(B) increase the Commitments, in each case to the extent subject to such
participation, or postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or
interest on, the Notes or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in each
case to the extent subject to such participation. Each participant shall be
entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 2.13 to the same extent as
if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest under this Agreement by an
assignment made pursuant to this Section 8.07, provided, however, that in no
event shall the Borrower be obligated to make any payment with respect to such
Sections that is greater than the amount that the Borrower would have otherwise
made had no participations been sold under this Section 8.07(e).
(f) Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment, designation or
participation or proposed assignment, designation or participation pursuant to
this Section 8.07, disclose to the assignee, designee or participant or proposed
assignee, designee or participant, any information relating to the Borrower
furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower; provided that, prior
to any such disclosure, the assignee, designee or participant or proposed
assignee, designee or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of
any Confidential Information relating to the Borrower received by it from such
Lender.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this Agreement,
any Lender may at any time (i) create a security interest in all or a portion of
its rights under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Revolving
Credit Advances owing to it and the Note or Notes held by it) in favor of any
Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with Regulation A of the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System or (ii) with notice to the Agent and the Borrower,
assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement
(including, without limitation, all or a portion of its Commitment, the
Revolving Credit Advances owed to it and the Note or Notes held by it) to any of
its Affiliates.
(h) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any
Lender (a "DESIGNATING LENDER") may grant to one or more special purpose funding
vehicles (each an "SPV"), identified as such in writing from time to time by the
Designating Lender to the Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the
Borrower all or any part of any Revolving Credit Advance that such Designating
Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any
SPV to make any Revolving Credit Advance, (ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise
such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Revolving
Credit Advance, the Designating Lender shall be obligated to make such Revolving
Credit Advance pursuant to the terms hereof, (iii) the Designating Lender shall
remain liable for any indemnity or other payment obligation with respect to its
Commitment hereunder and (iv) no SPV or Designating Lender shall be entitled to
receive any greater amount under this Agreement than the Designating Lender
would have been entitled to receive had the Designating Lender not otherwise
granted such SPV the option to provide any Revolving Credit Advance to the
Borrower. The making of a Revolving Credit Advance by an SPV hereunder shall
utilize the Commitment of the Designating Lender to the same extent, and as if,
such Revolving Credit Advance were made by such Designating Lender.
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(i) Each party hereto hereby acknowledges and agrees that no SPV shall
have the rights of a Lender hereunder, such rights being retained by the
applicable Designating Lender. Accordingly, and without limiting the foregoing,
each party hereby further acknowledges and agrees that no SPV shall have any
voting rights hereunder and that the voting rights attributable to any Revolving
Credit Advance made by an SPV shall be exercised only by the relevant
Designating Lender and that each Designating Lender shall serve as the
administrative agent and attorney-in-fact for its SPV and shall on behalf of its
SPV receive any and all payments made for the benefit of such SPV and take all
actions hereunder to the extent, if any, such SPV shall have any rights
hereunder. No additional Note shall be required to evidence the Revolving Credit
Advances or portion thereof made by an SPV; and the related Designating Lender
shall be deemed to hold its Note or Notes as administrative agent for such SPV
to the extent of the Revolving Credit Advances or portion thereof funded by such
SPV. In addition, any payments for the account of any SPV shall be paid to its
Designating Lender as administrative agent for such SPV.
(j) Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be liable for any
indemnity or payment under this Agreement for which a Lender would otherwise be
liable so long as, and to the extent that, the related Designating Lender
provides such indemnity or makes such payment; provided, with respect to such
agreement by the Borrower that the related Designating Lender shall not be in
breach of its obligation to make Revolving Credit Advances to the Borrower
hereunder. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees
(which agreements shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that prior to
the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all
outstanding commercial paper or other senior indebtedness of any SPV, it will
not institute against, or join any other person in instituting against, such SPV
any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation
proceedings under the laws of the United States or any State thereof; provided,
with respect to such agreement by the Borrower that the related Designating
Lender shall not be in breach of its obligation to make Revolving Credit
Advances to the Borrower hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Designating Lender unconditionally agrees to indemnify the Borrower, the Agent
and each Lender against all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages,
penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any
kind or nature whatsoever which may be incurred by or asserted against the
Borrower, the Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, in any way relating to
or arising as a consequence of any such forbearance or delay in the initiation
of any such proceeding against its SPV.
(k) In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
subsection 8.07(h), (i), (j) or (k) or otherwise in this Agreement, any SPV may
(i) at any time and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign or
participate all or a portion of its interest in any Revolving Credit Advances to
the Designating Lender or to any financial institutions providing liquidity
and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding
or maintenance of Revolving Credit Advances and (ii) disclose on a confidential
basis any non-public information relating to its Revolving Credit Advances to
any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee
or credit or liquidity enhancements to such SPV. Subsection 8.07(h), (i), (j) or
(k) may not be amended without the written consent of any Designating Lender
affected thereby.
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44
SECTION 8.08. Confidentiality. Neither the Agent nor any
Lender shall disclose any Confidential Information to any other Person without
the consent of the Borrower, other than (a) to the Agent's or such Lender's
Affiliates and their officers, directors, employees, agents and advisors and, as
contemplated by Section 8.07(f), to actual or prospective assignees and
participants, and then only on a confidential basis, (b) as required by any law,
rule or regulation or judicial process, (c) to any rating agency when required
by it, provided that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall
undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Confidential Information
relating to the Borrower received by it from such Lender and (d) as requested or
required by any state, federal or foreign authority or examiner regulating banks
or banking.
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law. This Agreement and the Notes
shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York.
SECTION 8.10. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be
executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this
Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed
counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 8.11. Jurisdiction, Etc. (a) Each of the parties
hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its
property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or
federal court of the United States of America sitting in New York City, and any
appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or
relating to this Agreement or the Notes, or for recognition or enforcement of
any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or
proceeding may be heard and determined in any such New York State court or, to
the extent permitted by law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto
agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be
conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or
in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any
right that any party may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding
relating to this Agreement or the Notes in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives,
to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection that
it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes in any New
York State or federal court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably
waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient
forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
SECTION 8.12. Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the Borrower, the
Agent and the Lenders hereby irrevocably waives all right to trial by jury in
any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based on contract, tort or
otherwise) arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes or the
actions of the Agent or any Lender in the negotiation, administration,
performance or enforcement thereof.
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REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK
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46
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized,
as of the date first above written.
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
By: /s/ X.X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------
Name: X.X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
Lenders
CITIBANK, N.A., Individually and as
Administrative Agent
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Director
BARCLAYS BANK PLC, Individually and as
Co-Syndication Agent
By: /s/ Sydney X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------
Name: Sydney X. Xxxxxx
Title: Director
BANK ONE, NA (MAIN OFFICE -
CHICAGO), Individually and as Co-
Syndication Agent
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
47
SCHEDULE I
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
APPLICABLE LENDING OFFICES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAME OF INITIAL LENDER DOMESTIC LENDING OFFICE EURODOLLAR LENDING OFFICE COMMITMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citibank, N.A. Two Penns Way, Suite 200 Same as Domestic Lending Office $133,333,333.34
Xxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bank One, NA One Bank One Plaza Same as Domestic Lending Xxxxxx x000,000,000.00
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barclays Bank PLC 000 Xxxxxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxx $133,333,333.33
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
Telecopier: (000) 000-0000 Telecopier: (000) 000-0000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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SCHEDULE II
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated
enforcement action against a number of electric utilities for alleged violation
of the new source review permitting provisions of the Clean Air Act. The
industry claimed that the EPA allegations were a reinterpretation of the
long-accepted understanding of the meaning of the rules. Although no action has
been initiated against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the development
of this issue is being closely followed. The Xxxx Administration has undertaken
a review of the EPA's interpretation of regulations applying to new source
review requirements. This review is expected to focus on the ability of
fossil-fueled plant owners to perform plant maintenance without additional
significant environmentally-related modifications.
While the Borrower anticipates its ability to continue to
economically maintain its plants, the outcome of this governmental review cannot
be predicted.
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49
EXHIBIT A - FORM OF
REVOLVING CREDIT
PROMISSORY NOTE
U.S.$_______________ Dated: _______________, 2001
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, DTE ENERGY COMPANY, a
Michigan corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
_________________________ (the "Lender") for the account of its Applicable
Lending Office on the Revolver Termination Date (each as defined in the Credit
Agreement referred to below), the principal sum of U.S.$[amount of the Lender's
Commitment in figures] or, if less, the aggregate principal amount of the
Revolving Credit Advances made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the
Credit Agreement dated as of July 11, 2001 (as amended or modified from time to
time, the "Credit Agreement"; the terms defined therein being used herein as
therein defined) among the Borrower, the Lender and certain other lenders
parties thereto, and Citibank, N.A., as Agent for the Lender and such other
lenders outstanding on the Revolver Termination Date.
The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal
amount of each Revolving Credit Advance from the date of such Revolving Credit
Advance until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates, and
payable at such times, as are specified in the Credit Agreement.
Both principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the
United States of America to Citibank, N.A., as Agent, at Xxx Xxxxx Xxx, Xxxxx
000, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Account No. 00000000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, in same day funds. Each Revolving Credit Advance owing to the Lender
by the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and all payments made on
account of principal thereof, shall be recorded by the Lender and, prior to any
transfer hereof, endorsed on the grid attached hereto which is part of this
Promissory Note.
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This Promissory Note is one of the Notes referred to in, and
is entitled to the benefits of, the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement,
among other things, (i) provides for the making of Revolving Credit Advances by
the Lender to the Borrower from time to time in an aggregate amount not to
exceed at any time outstanding the U.S. dollar amount first above mentioned, the
indebtedness of the Borrower resulting from each such Revolving Credit Advance
being evidenced by this Promissory Note, and (ii) contains provisions for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated events
and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof prior to the maturity
hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
By________________________________
Title:
4
51
ADVANCES AND PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL
===============================================================================================================================
DATE AMOUNT OF AMOUNT OF PRINCIPAL PAID OR UNPAID PRINCIPAL NOTATION
ADVANCE PREPAID BALANCE MADE BY
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EXHIBIT B - FORM OF NOTICE OF
REVOLVING CREDIT BORROWING
Citibank, N.A., as Agent for the Lenders parties
to the Credit Agreement referred to below
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 [Date]
Attention: _______________
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, DTE ENERGY COMPANY, refers to the Credit
Agreement, dated as of July 11, 2001 (as amended or modified from time to time,
the "Credit Agreement"; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein
defined), among the undersigned, certain Lenders parties thereto and Citibank,
N.A., as Agent for said Lenders, and hereby gives you notice, irrevocably,
pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Credit Agreement that the undersigned hereby
requests a Borrowing under the Credit Agreement, and in that connection sets
forth below the information relating to such Borrowing (the "Proposed
Borrowing") as required by Section 2.02(a) of the Credit Agreement:
(i) The Business Day of the Proposed Borrowing is
_______________, ____.
(ii) The Type of Advances comprising the Proposed Borrowing is
[Base Rate Advances] [Eurodollar Rate Advances].
(iii) The aggregate amount of the Proposed Borrowing is
$_______________.
[(iv) The initial Interest Period for each Eurodollar Rate
Advance made as part of the Proposed Borrowing is _____ month[s].]
The undersigned hereby certifies that the following statements
are true on the date hereof, and will be true on the date of the Proposed
Borrowing:
(A) the representations and warranties contained in Section
4.01 of the Credit Agreement are correct, before and after giving
effect to the Proposed Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds
therefrom, as though made on and as of such date; and
(B) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result
from such Proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds
therefrom, that constitutes a Default.
Very truly yours,
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
By________________________________
Title:
6
53
EXHIBIT C - FORM OF
ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement dated as of July 11,
2001 (as amended or modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among
DTE Energy Company, a Michigan corporation (the "Borrower"), the Lenders (as
defined in the Credit Agreement) and Citibank, N.A., as agent for the Lenders
(the "Agent"). Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the
same meaning.
The "Assignor" and the "Assignee" referred to on Schedule I
hereto agree as follows:
1. The Assignor hereby sells and assigns to the Assignee, and
the Assignee hereby purchases and assumes from the Assignor, an interest in and
to the Assignor's rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement as of the
date hereof equal to the percentage interest specified on Schedule 1 hereto of
all outstanding rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement. After giving
effect to such sale and assignment, the Assignee's Commitment and the amount of
the Revolving Credit Advances owing to the Assignee will be as set forth on
Schedule 1 hereto.
2. The Assignor (i) represents and warrants that it is the
legal and beneficial owner of the interest being assigned by it hereunder and
that such interest is free and clear of any adverse claim; (ii) makes no
representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any
statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the
Credit Agreement or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability,
genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any other
instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto; (iii) makes no representation
or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial
condition of the Borrower or the performance or observance by the Borrower of
any of its obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or
document furnished pursuant thereto; and (iv) attaches the Note held by the
Assignor and requests that the Agent exchange such Note for a new Note payable
to the order of the Assignee in an amount equal to the Commitment assumed by the
Assignee pursuant hereto or new Notes payable to the order of the Assignee in an
amount equal to the Commitment assumed by the Assignee pursuant hereto and the
Assignor in an amount equal to the Commitment retained by the Assignor under the
Credit Agreement, respectively, as specified on Schedule 1 hereto.
3. The Assignee (i) confirms that it has received a copy of
the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements referred
to in Section 4.01 thereof and such other documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into
this Assignment and Acceptance; (ii) agrees that it will, independently and
without reliance upon the Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender and based on
such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time,
continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under
the Credit Agreement; (iii) confirms that it is an Eligible Assignee; (iv)
appoints and authorizes the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and
to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement as are
delegated to the Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers and
discretion as are
7
54
reasonably incidental thereto; (v) agrees that it will perform in accordance
with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of the Credit
Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender; and (vi) attaches any
U.S. Internal Revenue Service forms required under Section 2.13 of the Credit
Agreement.
4. Following the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance,
it will be delivered to the Agent for acceptance and recording by the Agent. The
effective date for this Assignment and Acceptance (the "Effective Date") shall
be the date of acceptance hereof by the Agent, unless otherwise specified on
Schedule 1 hereto.
5. Upon such acceptance and recording by the Agent, as of the
Effective Date, (i) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and,
to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and
obligations of a Lender thereunder and (ii) the Assignor shall, to the extent
provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be
released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.
6. Upon such acceptance and recording by the Agent, from and
after the Effective Date, the Agent shall make all payments under the Credit
Agreement and the Notes in respect of the interest assigned hereby (including,
without limitation, all payments of principal, interest, facility fees and the
Utilization Fee with respect thereto) to the Assignee. The Assignor and Assignee
shall make all appropriate adjustments in payments under the Credit Agreement
and the Notes for periods prior to the Effective Date directly between
themselves.
7. This Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
8. This Assignment and Acceptance may be executed in any
number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts,
each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of
which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an
executed counterpart of Schedule 1 to this Assignment and Acceptance by
telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of
this Assignment and Acceptance.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Assignor and the Assignee have caused
Schedule 1 to this Assignment and Acceptance to be executed by their officers
thereunto duly authorized as of the date specified thereon.
8
55
Schedule 1
to
Assignment and Acceptance
Percentage interest assigned: _____%
Assignee's Commitment: $__________
Aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Credit Advances assigned:
$__________
Principal amount of Note payable to Assignee: $__________
Principal amount of Note payable to Assignor: $__________
Effective Date(1): _______________, ____
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR], as Assignor
By_________________________________
Title:
Dated: _______________, ____
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE], as Assignee
By_________________________________
Title:
Dated: _______________, ____
Domestic Lending Office:
[Address]
Eurodollar Lending Office:
[Address]
Accepted [and Approved](2) this
__________ day of _______________, ____
_________________________, as Agent
By____________________________
Title:
____________________
(1) This date should be no earlier than five Business Days after the delivery of
this Assignment and Acceptance to the Agent.
(2) Required if the Assignee is an Eligible Assignee solely by reason of clause
(viii) of the definition of "Eligible Assignee".
9
56
[Approved this __________ day of _______________, ____.]
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
By____________________________]**
Title:
10
57
EXHIBIT D - FORM OF CERTIFICATE
BY DTE ENERGY COMPANY
DTE ENERGY COMPANY
OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE
I, _________________________, [Insert title of Financial
Officer (as defined in the Credit Agreement)] of DTE ENERGY COMPANY, a Michigan
corporation (the "Borrower"), DO HEREBY CERTIFY, in connection with a Borrowing
on this date under the Credit Agreement dated as of July 11, 2001 among the
Borrower, the financial institutions from time to time parties thereto (the
"Lenders"), and Citibank, N.A., as agent for said Lenders (the "Credit
Agreement", the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined),
that:
1. The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Michigan.
2. The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of
the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, are within the Borrower's
corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action, and do not contravene (i) the Borrower's charter or by-laws or
(ii) law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting the
Borrower.
3. All governmental and third party consents and approvals
necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan
Documents to which the Borrower is a party shall have been obtained
(without the imposition of any conditions that are not acceptable to
the Lenders) and shall remain in effect, and no law or regulation shall
be applicable that restrains, prevents or imposes materially adverse
conditions upon the Borrower with respect to the transactions
contemplated by the Loan Documents to which it is a party.
4. Each of the Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party
when delivered pursuant to the Credit Agreement will have been duly
executed and delivered by the Borrower. Each of the other Loan
Documents to which it is a party when delivered hereunder will be, the
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable against
the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the
effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or similar law affecting creditors rights generally.
5. The Consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower, DECO, MCN
and MichCon and their respective Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2000,
and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the
Borrower, DECO, MCN and MichCon and their respective Subsidiaries for
the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of Deloitte &
Touche LLP, independent public accountants, and the Consolidated
balance sheets of the Borrower, DECO, MCN and MichCon and their
respective Subsidiaries as at March 31, 2001 and the related
Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower, DECO,
MCN and MichCon and their respective
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58
Subsidiaries for the three months then ended, copies of which have been
furnished to each Lender, attached hereto as Annex A are hereby duly
certified by [Insert title of Financial Officer], as fairly presenting,
subject in the case of said balance sheet as at March 31, 2001, and
said statements of income and cash flows for the three months then
ended, to year-end audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial
condition of the Borrower, DECO, MCN and MichCon and their respective
Subsidiaries, as applicable, as at such dates and the Consolidated
results of the operations of the Borrower, DECO, MCN and MichCon and
their respective Subsidiaries, as applicable, for the periods ended on
such dates, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied. Since March 31, 2001 there has been no
Material Adverse Change with respect to the Borrower.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this certificate this 11th
day of July, 2001.
------------------------------------
[Title:]
12
59
EXHIBIT E - FORM OF
OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE BORROWER
[Date]
To each of the Lenders parties
to the Credit Agreement
dated as of July 11, 2001
among DTE Energy Company,
said Lenders and Citibank, N.A.,
as Agent, with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Inc.,
as Lead Arranger and Sole Book Runner
DTE Energy Company
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 3.01(h)(v) of
the Credit Agreement, dated as of July 11, 2001 (the "CREDIT AGREEMENT"),
among DTE Energy Company (the "BORROWER"), the Lenders parties thereto and
Citibank, N.A., as Agent for said Lenders, with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney, Inc., as
Lead Arranger and Sole Book Runner. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are
used herein as therein defined.
I am the Associate General Counsel of the Borrower and have acted as
counsel for the Borrower in connection with the preparation, execution and
delivery of the Loan Documents.
In that connection, I, in conjunction with the members of my staff,
have examined:
(1) Each Loan Document, executed by each of the parties thereto.
(2) The other documents furnished by the Borrower pursuant to
Article III of the Credit Agreement.
(3) The Articles of Incorporation of the Borrower and all
amendments thereto (the "CHARTERS").
(4) The By-Laws of the Borrower and all amendments thereto (the
"BY-LAWS").
(5) Certificates from the State of Michigan attesting to the
continued corporate existence and good standing of the Borrower.
I have also examined the originals, or copies certified to my satisfaction, of
the documents listed in a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower,
dated the date hereof (the "CERTIFICATES"), certifying that the documents
listed in such certificate are all of the indentures, loan or credit
agreements, leases, guarantees, mortgages, security agreements, bonds, notes
and
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60
other agreements or instruments, and all of the orders, writs, judgments,
awards, injunctions and decrees, that affect or purport to affect the
Borrower's right to borrow money or the Borrower's obligations under the Loan
Documents to which it is party. In addition, I have examined the originals,
copies certified to my satisfaction, of such other corporate records of the
Borrower, certificates of public officials and of officers of the Borrower,
and agreements, instruments and other documents, as we have deemed necessary
as a basis for the opinions expressed below. As to questions of fact material
to such opinions, I have, when relevant facts were not independently
established by me, relied upon certificates of public officials. I have
assumed the due execution and delivery, pursuant to due authorization, of the
Credit Agreement by the Initial Lenders and the Agent.
My opinions expressed below are limited to the law of the State
of Michigan and the federal law of the United States.
Based upon the foregoing and upon such investigation as I have
deemed necessary, I am of the following opinion:
1. The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the State of Michigan.
2. The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the
Loan Documents to which it is party, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby, are within the Borrower's corporate powers, have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not contravene (i)
the Charters or the By-Laws of the Borrower or (ii) any law, rule or
regulation applicable to the Borrower (including, without limitation,
Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) or (iii)
any contractual or legal restriction contained in any document listed in the
Certificates or, to the best of my knowledge (after due inquiry), contained in
any other similar document.
3. No authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice
to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other
third party is required for the due execution, delivery, recordation, filing
or performance by the Borrower of the Loan Documents to which each is a party.
4. Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered on
behalf of the Borrower thereto.
5. Except as may have been disclosed to you in the SEC Reports,
to the best of my knowledge (after due inquiry) there are no pending or
overtly threatened actions or proceedings affecting the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (i)
could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) purport
to affect the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any Loan
Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby.
6. In a properly presented case, a Michigan court or a federal
court sitting in the State of Michigan applying Michigan choice of law rules
should give effect to the choice of law provisions of the Loan Documents and
should hold that such Loan Documents are to be governed by the laws of the
State of New York rather than the laws of the State of Michigan. In
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rendering the foregoing opinion, I note that by their terms the Loan Documents
expressly select New York law as the laws governing their interpretation and
that the Loan Documents governed by New York law were delivered by the parties
thereto to the Agent in New York. The choice of law provisions of the Loan
Documents are not voidable under the laws of the State of Michigan.
7. If, despite the provisions of Section 8.09 of the Credit
Agreement wherein the parties thereto agree that the Loan Documents shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New
York, a court of the State of Michigan or a federal court sitting in the State
of Michigan were to hold that the Loan Documents are governed by, and to be
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, the Loan
Documents would be, under the laws of the State of Michigan, legal, valid and
binding obligations of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in
accordance with their respective terms.
8. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an
"investment company," or an "affiliated person" of, or "promoter" or
"principal underwriter" for, an "investment company," as such terms are
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; the Borrower is an
exempt holding company pursuant to the provisions of Rule 2 of the rules and
regulations promulgated pursuant to the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, as amended.
The opinions set forth above are subject to the following
qualifications:
(b) My opinion in paragraph 7 above as to enforceability is
subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent
transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar law affecting
creditors' rights generally.
(c) My opinion in paragraph 7 above as to enforceability is
subject to the effect of general principles of equity, including,
without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good
faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(d) I express no opinion as to participation and the effect
of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of Michigan
wherein any Lender may be located or wherein enforcement of the
Loan Documents may be sought that limits the rates of interest
legally chargeable or collectible.
Very truly yours,
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