EXHIBIT 4.9
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[FORM OF GUARANTEE AGREEMENT]
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
between
WISCONSIN ENERGY
CORPORATION
(as Guarantor)
and
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
CHICAGO
(as Trustee)
dated as of
[ ]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS......................................................................... 2
Section 1.1. Definitions......................................................................... 2
ARTICLE II. TRUST INDENTURE ACT................................................................. 5
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.................................................... 5
Section 2.2. List of Holders..................................................................... 5
Section 2.3. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee.................................................... 5
Section 2.4. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee........................................... 6
Section 2.5. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.................................... 6
Section 2.6. Events of Default; Waiver........................................................... 6
Section 2.7. Event of Default; Notice............................................................ 6
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests............................................................... 7
ARTICLE III. POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.................................. 7
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.......................................... 7
Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee................................................. 9
ARTICLE IV. GUARANTEE TRUSTEE................................................................... 11
Section 4.1. Guarantee Trustee: Eligibility...................................................... 11
Section 4.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee....................... 11
ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE........................................................................... 12
Section 5.1. Guarantee........................................................................... 12
Section 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand......................................................... 12
Section 5.3. Obligations Not Affected............................................................ 13
Section 5.4. Rights of Holders................................................................... 14
Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment................................................................ 14
Section 5.6. Subrogation......................................................................... 14
Section 5.7. Independent Obligations............................................................. 15
ARTICLE VI. COVENANTS AND SUBORDINATION......................................................... 15
Section 6.1. Subordination....................................................................... 15
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Section 6.2. Pari Passu Guarantees.............................................................. 15
ARTICLE VII. TERMINATION........................................................................ 15
Section 7.1. Termination........................................................................ 15
ARTICLE VIII. MISCELLANEOUS...................................................................... 16
Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns............................................................. 16
Section 8.2. Amendments......................................................................... 16
Section 8.3. Notices....................................................................... 16
Section 8.4. Benefit....................................................................... 17
Section 8.5. Interpretation..................................................................... 17
Section 8.6. Governing Law...................................................................... 18
SIGNATURES............................................................................................. S-1
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of ______________, [ ], is
executed and delivered by WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION, a Wisconsin corporation
(the "Guarantor") having its principal office at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
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Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, and THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO, a national
banking association organized under the laws of the United States, as trustee
(the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein)
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from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of WEC Capital
Trust ___, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Issuer").
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WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement"), dated as of _____________, [ ] among the Issuer trustees
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named therein, the Guarantor, as Depositor, and the Holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer
is issuing up to $_________ ________ aggregate liquidation preference of its
[TITLE OF PREFERRED SECURITIES] (liquidation preference $[ ] per preferred
security) (the "Preferred Securities") and $_________ aggregate liquidation
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preference of its common securities (the "Common Securities" and, together with
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the Preferred Securities, the "Securities") representing undivided beneficial
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ownership interests in the assets of the Issuer and having the terms set forth
in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Issuer and the
proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer's
Common Securities, will be used to purchase the Debentures (as defined in the
Trust Agreement) of the Guarantor which will be deposited with The First
National Bank of Chicago, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as
trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Securities, the
Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set
forth herein, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the Guarantee Payments (as
defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions
set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of
Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the
benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Securities.
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1. Definitions.
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As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall,
unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized
or otherwise defined terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as in effect on the date
hereof.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
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indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the
Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purposes of this
definition, "control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the
power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or
indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings
correlative to the foregoing.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
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payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however,
that, except with respect to a default in payment of any Guarantee Payments, the
Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such
default within 90 days after receipt of such notice.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
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without duplication, with respect to the Securities, to the extent not paid or
made by or on behalf of the Issuer; (i) any accumulated and unpaid Distributions
(as defined in the Trust Agreement) required to be paid on such Securities, to
the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time,
(ii) the redemption price, including all accumulated and unpaid Distributions to
the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), with respect to the Securities
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called for redemption by the Issuer to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on
hand available therefor at such time, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary
termination, winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer, unless Debentures are
distributed to the Holders, the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation
preference of $[ ] per Security plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions on the
Securities to the date of payment to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on
hand available to make such payment at such time and (b) the amount of assets of
the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the
Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
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"Guarantee Trustee" means The First National Bank of Chicago, until a
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Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
pursuant to
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the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
"Holder" means any holder, as registered on the books and records of
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the Issuer, of any Securities; provided, however, that in determining whether
the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any
request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the
Guarantor, the Guarantee Trustee, or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or the
Guarantee Trustee.
"Indebtedness" means, with respect to a Person, (i) the principal of
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and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on, (A) indebtedness of such Person
for money borrowed and (B) indebtedness evidenced by securities, notes,
debentures, bonds or other similar instruments issued by such Person; (ii) all
capital lease obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person
issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional
sale obligations of such Person and all obligations of such Person under any
conditional sale or title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts
payable and accrued liabilities in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of any letters
of credit, banker's acceptance, security purchase facilities or similar credit
transactions; (v) all obligations in respect of interest rate swap, cap, floor,
collar or other agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency
swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar
agreements; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i)
through (v) of others for the payment of which such Person is responsible or
liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise.
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of [ ], 1999,
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between the Guarantor and The First National Bank of Chicago, as Indenture
Trustee, together with the Securities Resolution dated [ ]
relating to the Debentures, each as amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Junior Subordinated Indebtedness" means all Indebtedness of the
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Guarantor subordinate and junior to Subordinated Indebtedness and Senior
Indebtedness.
"List of Holders" has the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
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"Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities"
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means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by the Holder(s),
voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of
all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
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certificate signed by the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Board, the
President or a Vice President, and by
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the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Comptroller, an Assistant
Comptroller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Person, and
delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers' Certificate delivered with
respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this
Guarantee Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate
has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers'
Certificate;
(c) a statement that each officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such
officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant
or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each officer, such
condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
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estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee,
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any Senior Vice President, any Vice President, any Assistant Vice President, the
Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, any
Trust Officer or Assistant Trust officer or any other officer of the Corporate
Trust Department of the above designated officers and also means, with respect
to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
"Senior Indebtedness" means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor, unless,
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in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same
is outstanding, it is provided that such obligations are not superior in right
of payment to Subordinated Indebtedness or Junior Subordinated Indebtedness or
to other Indebtedness of the Guarantor which is pari passu with, or subordinated
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to, Subordinated Indebtedness or Junior Subordinated Indebtedness.
"Subordinated Indebtedness" means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor
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which is subordinated and Junior in right of payment to Senior Indebtedness, but
does not include Junior Subordinated Indebtedness.
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"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee
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possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
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amended.
ARTICLE II. TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.
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(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the
Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and
shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee
Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
Section 2.2. List of Holders.
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(a) The Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee (a) semiannually, on or before [ ] and [ ] of
each year, a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require,
of the names and addresses of the Holders ("List of Holders") as of a date not
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more than 15 days prior to the delivery thereof, and (b) at such other times as
the Guarantee Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt
by the Guarantor of any such request, a List of Holders as of a date not more
than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, in each case to the
extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is
not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been
received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee
Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a
new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under
Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.3. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee.
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Not later than [ ] of each year, commencing [ ], the
Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by
Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner
provided by Section 313 of the Trust In-
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denture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of
Section 313 (d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.4. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee.
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The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities
and Exchange Commission and the Holders such documents, reports and information,
if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance
certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in
the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.5. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
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The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of
compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this
Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section
314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be
given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an
Officers' Certificate.
Section 2.6. Events of Default; Waiver.
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The Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders, waive any past Event of
Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall
cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to
have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or
impair any right consequent therefrom.
Section 2.7. Event of Default; Notice.
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(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence
of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first
class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default
unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice;
provided, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of a Guarantee
Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if
and so long as the Board of Directors, the executive committee or a trust
committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in
good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of
the Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written
notice, or a Respon-
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sible Officer charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have
obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.
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The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in
this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso
contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III. POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee
for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer
this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her
rights pursuant to Section 5.4(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as
Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee
Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon
acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and
such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not
conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the
appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the
Holders.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have
occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into
this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section
2.6), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested
in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in
its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
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(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee
Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for
the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set
forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to
the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions
expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that
by any provision hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically
required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether
or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent
in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to
any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities relating to the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to
the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the
Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur
personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in
the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall
have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or
liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee
Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
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Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully protected
in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or
other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have
been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this
Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer's
Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be
proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting to take any
action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein
specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part,
request and rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such
request from the Guarantee Trustee, shall be promptly delivered by the
Guarantor.
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with legal counsel, and
the written advice or opinion of such legal counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in
good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such legal
counsel may be legal counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and
may be one of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at
any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this
Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder
shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such adequate security and
indemnity as would satisfy a reasonable person in the position of the
Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees
and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying
with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may
be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in
this Section 3.2(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee,
upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of
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its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this
Guarantee Agreement.
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts
or matters as it may see fit.
(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or
powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through its agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent
or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the holders, and the signature of the Guarantee
Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform
such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the
authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with
any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which
shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee's or its agent's taking
such action.
(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement
the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with
respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action
hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the
Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Securities, (B) may
refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting
in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to
impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or
acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it
in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee
Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law,
to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or
obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee
shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and
authority.
Section 3.3. Indemnity.
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The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without
negligence or bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, arising out of or
in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or
liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or
duties hereunder. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or
charge on any Guarantee Payments as a result of any amount due to it under this
Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE IV. GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. Guarantee Trustee: Eligibility.
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(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture
Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000, and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section
310(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports
of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of
the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this
Section and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the
combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of
condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible
to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign
in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions
of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 4.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee
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Trustee.
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(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed
or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
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(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed until a Successor
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to
the Guarantor.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed hereunder shall hold office until
a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or
resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for
prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not
take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee
Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and
accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after
delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning
Guarantee Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Guarantor, any court of
competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.
ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. Guarantee.
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The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by or on behalf of the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim which the Issuer may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.
Section 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand.
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The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of the Guarantee
Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment,
demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the
Guarantee Trustee, Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the
Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of
redemption and all other notices and demands.
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Section 5.3. Obligations Not Affected.
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The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
under this Guarantee Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason
of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Securities to be
performed or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any
portion of the Distributions (other than an extension of time for payment
of Distributions that results from the extension of any interest payment
period on the Debentures as so provided in the Indenture), Redemption
Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms
of the Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other
obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Securities;
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or
remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Securities, or
any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of
any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of
any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or
readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer
or any of the assets of the Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby
or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute
a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the
intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder
shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
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Section 5.4. Rights of Holders.
-----------------
The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee
Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the
benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this
Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation preference of the Securities have the right to direct the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust
or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;
and (iv) if the Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Guarantee Agreement
after a Holder has made a written request for the Guarantee Trustee to do so,
any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee
Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee
Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the
Guarantor has failed to make a Guarantee Payment, a Holder may directly
institute a proceeding against the Guarantor for enforcement of this Guarantee
Agreement for such payment. The Guarantor waives, any right or remedy to
require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the
Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the
Guarantor.
Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment.
--------------------
This Guarantee Agreement creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment
of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer) or upon distribution of Debentures to Holders as provided in
the Trust Agreement.
Section 5.6. Subrogation.
-----------
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the
Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to the Holders by the
Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement and shall have the right to waive
payment by the Issuer pursuant to Section 5.1; provided, however, that the
Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of
law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may acquire by way
of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases
as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if at the time of any
such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If
any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding
sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and
to pay over such amount to the Holders.
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Section 5.7. Independent Obligations.
-----------------------
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Securities and
that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement
notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a)
through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI. COVENANTS AND SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1. Subordination.
-------------
This Guarantee Agreement will constitute an unsecured obligation of
the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all
Senior Indebtedness and Subordinated Indebtedness of the Guarantor. If an Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing under the Trust Agreement, the rights
of the holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments hereunder
shall be subordinated to the rights of the holders of Preferred Securities to
receive Guarantee Payments under this Guarantee.
Section 6.2. Pari Passu Guarantees.
---------------------
This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar
---- -----
Guarantee Agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of the holders of
Preferred Securities issued by WEC Capital Trust __.
ARTICLE VII. TERMINATION
Section 7.1. Termination.
-----------
This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force
and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Securities, (ii)
the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in exchange for all of the
Securities or (iii) full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the
Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as
the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid
with respect to Preferred Securities or this Guarantee Agreement.
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ARTICLE VIII. MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns.
----------------------
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement
shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of
the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Securities
then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale
involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 5 of the Indenture and
pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor's
obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.
Section 8.2. Amendments.
----------
Except with respect to any changes which do not adversely affect the
rights of the Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of the
Holders will be required), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the
prior approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation
preference of all the outstanding Preferred Securities. The provisions of
Article VI of the Trust Agreement concerning meetings of the Holders shall apply
to the giving of such approval.
Section 8.3. Notices.
-------
Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be
given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such
notice, and delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail as follows:
(a) if given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee's
mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee
Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):
The First National Bank of Chicago
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Division
(b) if given to the Guarantor, to the address set forth below or such
other address, facsimile number or to the attention of such other Person as
the Guarantor may give notice to the Holders of the Preferred Securities:
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Wisconsin Energy Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: [ ]
(c) if given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the
Issuer's (and the Guarantee Trustee's) address set forth below or such
other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give
notice to the Holders:
WEC Capital Trust __
c/o Wisconsin Energy Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: [ ]
with a copy to:
The First National Bank of Chicago
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Division
(d) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Issuer.
All notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given when received
in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery
or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was
given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on
the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
Section 8.4. Benefit.
-------
This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Holders and
is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
Section 8.5. Interpretation.
--------------
In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
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(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not
defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to
them in Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or
amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and
Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless
otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this
Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa;
and
(g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein shall
include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
Section 8.6. Governing Law.
-------------
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
S-1
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the date first above
written.
WISCONSIN ENERGY CORPORATION
By:___________________________________
Name:
Title:
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO,
as Guarantee Trustee
By:___________________________________
Name:
Title:
