Exhibit 4.8
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CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Southern Investments UK plc
Dated as of January 29, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation................................. 2
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application............................... 5
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities................................. 6
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee ........... 6
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee....... 6
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent............... 7
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver...................................... 7
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice....................................... 7
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests.......................................... 7
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.. 8
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.........10
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Capital
Securities Guarantee...........................12
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility..............12
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Registration of Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee..............................13
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee......................................................14
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand....................................14
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.......................................14
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders..............................................15
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment...........................................16
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation....................................................16
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations........................................16
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions.....................................17
SECTION 6.2 Ranking........................................................17
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination....................................................18
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation....................................................18
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification................................................19
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns.........................................19
SECTION 9.2 Amendment......................................................19
SECTION 9.3 Notices........................................................19
SECTION 9.4 Exchange Offer.................................................21
SECTION 9.5 Benefit........................................................21
SECTION 9.6 Governing Law..................................................21
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Capital Securities Guarantee"),
dated as of January 29, 1997, is executed and delivered by Southern Investments
UK plc, a public limited liability company incorporated under the Companies Xxx
0000 in England and Wales (the "Guarantor"), and Bankers Trust Company, a New
York banking corporation, as trustee (the "Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time
of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of Southern Investments UK Capital
Trust I, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of
Trust (the "Declaration"), dated as of January 29, 1997, among the trustees of
the Trust, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, the Trust (i) is
issuing on the date hereof 82,000 8.23% Subordinated Capital Income Securities,
having an aggregate liquidation amount of $82,000,000, such capital securities
being designated the 8.23% Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities") and, in
connection with an Exchange Offer (as defined in the Declaration), to execute
and deliver the Exchange Capital Securities Guarantee (as defined in the
Declaration) for the benefit of holders of the Exchange Capital Securities (as
defined in the Declaration).
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Capital
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, to pay to the Holders
the Guarantee Payments (as defined below). The Guarantor agrees to make certain
other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
WHEREAS, the Guarantor is executing and delivering a guarantee
agreement (the "Common Securities Guarantee"), with substantially identical
terms to this Capital Securities Guarantee, for the benefit of the holders of
the Common Securities (as defined herein), except that if an Event of Default
(as defined in the Declaration) has occurred and is continuing, the rights of
holders of the Common Securities to receive guarantee payments under the Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinated, to the extent and in the manner set forth
in the Common Securities Guarantee, to the rights of holders of Capital
Securities and the Exchange Capital Securities to receive Guarantee Payments
under this Capital Securities Guarantee and the Exchange Capital Securities
Guarantee, as the case may be.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each
Holder which purchase the Guarantor hereby acknowledges shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Capital Securities Guarantee
for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation
In this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless the context
otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Capital Securities
Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective
meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) terms defined in the Declaration as at the date of
execution of this Capital Securities Guarantee have the same meaning
when used in this Capital Securities Guarantee unless otherwise defined
in this Capital Securities Guarantee;
(c) a term defined anywhere in this Capital Securities Guarantee
has the same meaning throughout;
(d) all references to "the Capital Securities Guarantee" or
"this Capital Securities Guarantee" are to this Capital Securities
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(e) all references in this Capital Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Capital
Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(f) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Capital Securities Guarantee or unless the
context otherwise requires; and
(g) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule
405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule
thereunder.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday or a
Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York or London
are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.
"Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee" means Bankers Trust
Company, a New York banking corporation, until a Successor Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant
to the terms of this Capital Securities Guarantee and thereafter means each such
Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be
principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this Capital
Securities Guarantee is located at Four Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Capital
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of subordinated debt securities
of the Guarantor designated the 8.23% Subordinated Debentures due February 1,
2027 held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the
Trust.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of
its payment or other obligations under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to
the extent not paid or made by or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accrued and
unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) that are required to be
paid on such Capital Securities to the extent the Trust has funds on hand
legally available therefor at such time, (ii) the redemption price, including
all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption
Price"), to the extent the Trust has funds on hand legally available therefor at
such time, with respect to any Capital Securities called for redemption by the
Trust, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Trust (other than in connection with the distribution of
Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Capital Securities or the redemption
of all of the Capital Securities on maturity or upon redemption of the
Debentures, as provided in the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of
the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Capital
Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Trust has funds on hand
legally available therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of the Trust remaining
available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Trust. If an Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing, no guarantee payments under the
Common Securities Guarantee with respect to the Common Securities shall be made
until the Holders of Capital Securities shall be paid in full the Guarantee
Payments to which they are entitled under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Trust, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Capital
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee, any Affiliate of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, or any
officers, directors, and employees.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of January 29, 1997,
among the Guarantor, Bankers Trust Company, as Indenture Trustee, and Bankers
Trust Xxxxxxxxx X.X., as paying agent and transfer agent pursuant to which the
Debentures are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee of the Trust.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities"
means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of
Capital Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the
aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on
redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions
to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Capital
Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by any
Director of the Guarantor and by any other Director of the Guarantor or the
Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary or any other
officer so authorized and delivered to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
Any Officers' Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition
or covenant provided for in this Capital Securities Guarantee 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 statement that each such 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
(c) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, 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.
"Registration Rights Agreement" means the Registration Rights
Agreement dated as of January 29, 1997, by and among the Guarantor, the Trust
and the Initial Purchasers named therein as such agreement may be amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time.
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee, means any officer within the Corporate Trust
Office of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, including any vice
president, managing director, assistant treasurer, assistant vice president,
assistant secretary or any other officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee, customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any 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.
"Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee" means a
successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to
act as Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and the Capital Securities
and the Exchange Capital Securities, collectively.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application
(a)......This Capital Securities Guarantee is subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this
Capital Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by
such provisions; and
(b)......If and to the extent that any provision of this
Capital Securities Guarantee 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 Lists of Holders of Securities
(a)......The Guarantor shall provide the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee (unless the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee is otherwise
the registrar of the Capital Securities) with a list, in such form as the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the Holders of the Capital Securities ("List of Holders") as of
such date, (i) within one Business Day after June 1 and December 1 of each year,
and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a
written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before
such List of Holders is given to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee,
provided that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of
Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent
List of Holders given to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor. The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of
Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b)......The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall comply
with its obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after December 15 of each year, commencing
December 15, 1997, the Capital Securities 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
Indenture Act. The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with
the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
The Guarantor shall provide to the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section
314 (if any) 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. Delivery of such reports, information and
documents to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee is for informational
purposes only and the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee's receipt of such
shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or
determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor's
compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers'
Certificates).
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
The Guarantor shall provide to the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if
any, provided for in this Capital Securities Guarantee 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
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Capital
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Capital
Securities, 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
Capital Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent
or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice
(a)......The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall,
within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to this Capital
Securities Guarantee, mail by first class postage prepaid, to all Holders of the
Capital Securities, notices of all defaults actually known to a Responsible
Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have
been cured before the giving of such notice, provided that, except in the case
of default in the payment of any Guarantee Payment, the Capital Securities
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 Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interests of the holders of the Capital Securities.
(b)......The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer
of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of
the Declaration shall have obtained actual knowledge, of such Event of Default.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests
The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described
in this Capital Securities Guarantee 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
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
(a)......This Capital Securities Guarantee shall be held by
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Capital Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to
Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee. The right,
title and interest of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, and
such vesting and succession of title shall be effective whether or not
conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the
appointment of such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
(b)......If an Event of Default actually known to a
Responsible Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has occurred and
is continuing, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this
Capital Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
(c)......The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, before the
occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default
that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are
specifically set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, and no implied
covenants shall be read into this Capital Securities Guarantee against the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred
(that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and is actually
known to a Responsible Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and
powers vested in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee, 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 Capital Securities Guarantee
shall be construed to relieve the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee from
liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its
own willful misconduct, except that:
(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 Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the
express provisions of this Capital Securities Guarantee, and
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Capital Securities
Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be
read into this Capital Securities Guarantee against the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, the Capital Securities
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
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee; but in the
case of any such certificates or opinions that by any
provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine
the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible
Officer of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be
proved that the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Capital Securities 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 a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities relating to
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, or exercising
any trust or power conferred upon the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee under this Capital Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall
require the Capital Securities 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 Capital Securities 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
Capital Securities Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
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
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 Capital Securities Guarantee may be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Capital
Securities Guarantee, the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and
conclusively rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of
such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have no
duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument
(or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof).
(v) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of such counsel
with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by
it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or
opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its
Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions
concerning the administration of this Capital Securities Guarantee from
any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be under
no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by
this Capital Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, against the
costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the
expenses of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee's agents, nominees
or custodians) 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 Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi)
shall be taken to relieve the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee,
upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to
exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Capital Securities
Guarantee.
(vii) The Capital Securities 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
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such
further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may
see fit.
(viii) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may execute
any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or
attorneys, and the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent
or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the
signature of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee or its agents
alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No
third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance
with any of the terms and provisions of this Capital Securities
Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy
or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, (ii) may
refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(xi) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith, without negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be
authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon
it by this Capital Securities Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Capital Securities 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 Capital Securities 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 Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Capital Securities
Guarantee
The recitals contained in this Capital Securities Guarantee
shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity
or sufficiency of this Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
(a) There shall at all times be a Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by
the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional
trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus
of at least U.S.$50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination
by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If
such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually,
pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining
authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section
4.1(a)(ii), 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 Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall cease to
be eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in
Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Capital Securities 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 Registration of Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the
Guarantor except during an Event of Default.
(b) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall not be
removed in accordance with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
written instrument executed by such Successor Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall hold office
until a Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
or until its removal or resignation. The Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee
may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an
instrument in writing executed by the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a
Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the
resigning Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall
have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2
within 60 days after delivery of an instrument of removal or resignation, the
Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee resigning or being removed may petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such
notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee shall be liable
for the acts or omissions to act of any Successor Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Capital Securities Guarantee or
removal or resignation of the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee pursuant to
this Section 4.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Capital Securities Guarantee
Trustee all amounts due to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee pursuant to
the terms hereof accrued to the date of such termination, removal or
resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
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 Trust), as and when due, to the extent
not paid by the Trust, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or
counterclaim that the Trust 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 paying the required amount to the
Trust and causing the Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this
Capital Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may
apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first
against the Trust 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.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the
Guarantor under this Capital Securities Guarantee 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 Trust of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital
Securities to be performed or observed by the Trust;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all
or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation
Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Capital
Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other
obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Capital
Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of
Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum
payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period
on the Debentures permitted by the Indenture);
(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 Capital Securities, or any action on the part of the Trust
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 Trust or any of the assets of the Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred;
(g) the consummation of the Exchange Offer; or
(h) 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 with respect to the Guarantee Payments shall be absolute and
unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to,
or obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Capital Securities Guarantee or exercising
any trust or power conferred upon the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee under
this Capital Securities Guarantee.
(b) If the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee fails to
enforce such Capital Securities Guarantee, any Holder may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee's rights under this Capital Securities Guarantee, without
first instituting a legal proceeding against the Trust, the Capital Securities
Guarantee Trustee or any other person or entity. The Guarantor waives any right
or remedy to require that any action be brought first against the Trust or any
other person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment
This Capital Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of
payment and not of collection.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of
the Holders against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by
the Guarantor under this Capital Securities Guarantee; provided, however, that
the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions
of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way
of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases
as a result of payment under this Capital Securities Guarantee, if, at the time
of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Capital
Securities Guarantee. 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.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Capital
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Capital
Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (h), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions
So long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, the
Guarantor shall not (a) declare or pay any dividends on, or redeem, purchase,
acquire or make a distribution or liquidation payment with respect to, any of
the Guarantor's capital stock except for dividends, payments or distributions
payable in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock, reclassifications of its
capital stock and conversions or exchanges of capital stock of one class or
series for capital stock of another class or series and except for a redemption,
purchase or other acquisition of shares of or its capital stock made for the
purpose of an employee incentive plan or benefit plan or other similar
arrangement of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries or (b) make any payment
of interest, principal of or premium, if any, on, or repay, repurchase or redeem
any debt securities issued by the Guarantor that rank pari passu with or junior
in right of payment to the Debentures (except by conversion into or exchange for
shares of its capital stock) or (c) make any guarantee payments with respect to
the foregoing, if at such time (i) the Guarantor shall be in default with
respect to its Guarantee Payments or other payment obligations under this
Capital Securities Guarantee Agreement; (ii) there shall have occurred and be
continuing an event of default under the Indenture; or (iii) the Guarantor shall
have given notice of its election of the exercise of its right to extend the
interest payment period pursuant to Section 313 of the Indenture and any such
period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.
So long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, the
Guarantor (i) will remain the sole direct or indirect owner of all of the
outstanding Common Securities and shall not cause or permit the Common
Securities to be transferred except to the extent permitted by the Declaration;
provided, that any permitted successor of the Guarantor under the Indenture may
succeed to the Guarantor's ownership of the Common Securities, and (ii) will not
take any action which will cause the Trust to cease to be treated as a grantor
trust for United States federal income tax purposes except in connection with a
distribution of Debentures.
SECTION 6.2 Ranking
This Capital Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured
obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and junior in right of
payment to all other liabilities of the Guarantor, including the Debentures,
except liabilities made pari passu or subordinate by their terms, and (ii)
senior to all capital stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor, and to any
guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any of
its capital stock.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination
This Capital Securities Guarantee shall terminate and be of no
further force and effect (i) upon full payment of the Redemption Price (as
defined in the Declaration) of all Capital Securities, or (ii) upon distribution
of the Debentures to the Holders in exchange for all of the outstanding Capital
Securities, or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable upon liquidation
of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Capital Securities Guarantee
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 the
Capital Securities or this Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for
any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or
omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Capital
Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably
believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified
Person by this Capital Securities Guarantee or by law, except that an
Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred
by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful misconduct with
respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying
in good faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information,
opinions, reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to
matters the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other
Person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with
reasonable care by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information,
opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets,
liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and
amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for,
and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any and all loss,
liability, damage, claim or expense incurred without negligence, willful
misconduct or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the
costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of defending
itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability in connection with the
exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The obligation
to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the termination of
this Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Capital
Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, conveyance,
transfer, lease or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under the
Indenture, the Guarantor may not assign its obligations under this Capital
Securities Guarantee.
SECTION 9.2 Amendments
Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely
affect the rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be
required), this Capital Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the prior
approval of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined). The provisions of Article 12 of
the Declaration with respect to meetings of Holders of the Securities apply to
the giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices
All notices provided for in this Capital Securities Guarantee
shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be
delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Trust, in care of the Regular Trustees at
the mailing addresses set forth below (or such other address as the Trust may
give notice of to the Holders):
Southern Investments UK Capital Trust I
c/o Southern Investments UK plc
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx West
Almondsbury, Xxxxxxx XX00 0XX
Xxxxxxx
Attention:.......Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Telecopy: 011-44-1454-452-361
and
Southern Investments UK Capital Trust I
c/o Southern Company Services, Inc.
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention:.......Xxxxx Boston or Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Regular Trustees
Telecopy:........000-000-0000
(b) If given to the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee, at
the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or
such other address as the Capital Securities Guarantee Trustee may give notice
of to the Holders):
Bankers Trust Company
Four Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention:.......Corporate Trust and Agency Group
Manager Public Utilities Group
Telecopy:........000-000-0000
(c) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing
address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice
of to the Holders of the Capital Securities):
Southern Investments UK plc
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx West
Almondsbury, Bristol BS12 4SE
England
Attention:
Telecopy:
(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Trust.
All such notices 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 9.4 Exchange Offer
In the event an Exchange Offer Registration Statement (as
defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) becomes effective and the Trust
issues any Exchange Capital Securities in the Exchange Offer, the Guarantor will
enter into a new capital securities guarantee agreement, in substantially the
same form as this Capital Securities Guarantee, with respect to the Exchange
Capital Securities.
SECTION 9.5 Benefit
This Capital Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of
the Holders of the Capital Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not
separately transferable from the Capital Securities.
SECTION 9.6 Governing Law
THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day
and year first above written.
SOUTHERN INVESTMENTS UK plc,
as Guarantor
By:
Name:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, as Capital
Securities Guarantee Trustee
By:
Name:
Title:
