Contract
EXHIBIT
10.1
EXECUTION
COPY
GUARANTY,
dated as
of April 3, 2006, made by FIRSTENERGY CORP., an Ohio corporation (the
“Guarantor”),
in favor of the
Banks
(as defined in the Reimbursement Agreement referred to below), Barclays Bank
PLC, as Administrative Agent for the Banks (the “Administrative
Agent”)
and as fronting
bank (the “Fronting
Bank”),
and KeyBank
National Association,
as Syndication
Agent (the “Syndication
Agent”,
and together with
the Banks, the Administrative Agent, and the Fronting Bank, the “Beneficiaries”).
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENT
FIRSTENERGY
GENERATION CORP., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”)
is party
to
a
Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of April 3, 2006 (as
amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to
time, the “Reimbursement
Agreement”;
the capitalized
terms defined therein and not otherwise defined herein being used herein as
therein defined), with
the
Beneficiaries.
The Guarantor will
derive substantial direct and indirect benefits from the transactions
contemplated by the Reimbursement Agreement. It is a condition precedent to
the
effectiveness of the Reimbursement Agreement that the Guarantor deliver this
Guaranty.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and in order to induce the Fronting Bank to issue
the Letter of Credit for the account of the Company and to otherwise satisfy
its
obligations under the Reimbursement Agreement, the Guarantor hereby agrees
as
follows:
SECTION
1. Guaranty; Limitation of Liability.
(a) The
Guarantor hereby
absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the punctual payment
when
due, whether at scheduled maturity or on any date of a required prepayment
or by
acceleration, demand or otherwise, of the Applicable Percentage (as defined
below) of all payment, performance and other obligations of the Company now
or
hereafter existing under or in respect of the Credit Documents (including,
without limitation, the Obligations and any extensions, modifications,
substitutions, amendments or renewals of any or all of the Obligations), whether
direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, and whether for principal, interest,
reimbursement obligations, premiums, fees, indemnities, contract causes of
action, costs, expenses or otherwise, including, without limitation, (i) the
obligation of the Company to pay principal, interest, letter of credit fees,
charges, expenses, fees, attorneys’ fees and disbursements, indemnities and
other amounts payable by the Company under any Credit Document, (ii) the
obligation of the Company to reimburse any amount in respect of any drawing
under the Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Company and (iii)
any
liability of the Company on any claim, whether or not the right of any creditor
to payment in respect of such claim is reduced to judgment, liquidated,
unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, disputed, undisputed, legal,
equitable, secured or unsecured, and whether or not such claim is discharged,
stayed or otherwise affected by any proceeding (such Applicable Percentage
of
such obligations being the “Guaranteed
Obligations”),
and agrees to
pay any and all expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses
of
counsel) incurred by any Beneficiary in enforcing any rights under this
Guaranty
or any other Credit Document. As used herein, “Applicable
Percentage”
shall
mean (i) 0%,
from and after the third Business Day following delivery of a certificate of
the
chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the
Guarantor to the Administrative Agent certifying (and including reasonably
detailed supporting calculations thereof) the existence of the conditions set
forth in the following clauses (a) or (b) and so long as such conditions shall
continue to exist: (a) the Company has Reference Ratings of BBB- or better
by
S&P and Baa3 or better by Xxxxx’x and is in compliance with the financial
covenant described in Section 5.03 of the Reimbursement Agreement and the
Company shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies
for the Banks, an annual report and related audited consolidated financial
statements as of the last day of each of the two most recently completed fiscal
years of the Company as set forth in Section 5.01(g)(ii) of the Reimbursement
Agreement (provided that any such audited financial statements for the Company’s
fiscal year 2005 shall be prepared on the same basis as shall be required of
an
issuer of public securities by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any
national securities exchange) or (b) FES (x) has an Applicable Percentage (under
and as such term is defined in the FES Guaranty Agreement) of 100% and the
FES
Guaranty Agreement shall have been effective for not less than 91 days, (y)
has
Reference Ratings of BBB- or better by S&P and Baa3 or better by Xxxxx’x and
(z) is in compliance with the financial covenant described in Section 7.3 of
the
FES Guaranty Agreement, and (ii) 100%, at all other times. Without limiting
the
generality of the foregoing, the Guarantor’s liability shall extend to all
amounts that constitute part of the Guaranteed Obligations and would be owed
by
the Company to any Beneficiary under or in respect of the Credit Documents
but
for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence
of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving the Company.
The
Guarantor hereby agrees that this Guaranty is an absolute, irrevocable and
unconditional guaranty of payment and is not a guaranty of
collection.
CH1
3470284v.2
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(b) The
Guarantor, and
by its acceptance of this Guaranty, each Beneficiary hereby confirms that it
is
the intention of all such Persons that this Guaranty and the Guaranteed
Obligations of the Guarantor hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer
or
conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law (as hereinafter defined), the Uniform
Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar
foreign, federal or state law to the extent applicable to this Guaranty and
the
Guaranteed Obligations. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Beneficiaries
and the Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the Guaranteed Obligations
at
any time shall be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the Guaranteed
Obligations not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. For purposes
hereof, “Bankruptcy Law” means any proceeding of the type referred to in Section
6.01(f) of the Reimbursement Agreement or Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar
foreign, federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
SECTION
2. Guaranty Absolute.
The
Guarantor
guarantees that the Guaranteed Obligations will be paid strictly in accordance
with the terms of the Credit Documents, regardless of any law, regulation or
order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such
terms
or the rights of any Beneficiary with respect thereto. The obligations of the
Guarantor under or in respect of this Guaranty are independent of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any other obligations the Company under or in respect of the
Credit Documents, and a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted
against
the Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty, irrespective of whether any action
is
brought against the Company or whether the Company is joined in any such action
or actions. The liability of the Guarantor under this Guaranty shall be
irrevocable, absolute and unconditional irrespective of, and the Guarantor
hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire
in
any way relating to, any or all of the following:
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(a) any
lack of validity
or enforceability of any Credit Document or any agreement or instrument relating
thereto;
(b) any
change in the
time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of
the
Guaranteed Obligations or any other obligations of the Company under or in
respect of the Credit Documents, or any other amendment or waiver of or any
consent to departure from any Credit Document, including, without limitation,
any increase in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting from the extension of
additional credit to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
otherwise;
(c) any
taking,
exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any taking, release
or
amendment or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any other guaranty, for
all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) any
manner of
application of any collateral, or proceeds thereof, to all or any of the
Guaranteed Obligations, or any manner of sale or other disposition of any
collateral for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other assets
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(e) any
change,
restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(f) any
failure of any
Beneficiary to disclose to the Guarantor any information relating to the
business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance,
properties or prospects of the Company now or hereafter known to such
Beneficiary (the Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of Beneficiaries to
disclose such information);
(g) the
failure of any
other Person to execute or deliver this Guaranty or any other guaranty or
agreement or the release or reduction of liability of the Guarantor or other
guarantor or surety with respect to the Guaranteed Obligations; or
(h) any
other
circumstance (including, without limitation, any statute of limitations) or
any
existence of or reliance on any representation by any Beneficiary that might
otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Guarantor
or
any other guarantor or surety.
This
Guaranty shall
continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time
any payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise
be returned by any Beneficiary or any other Person upon the insolvency,
bankruptcy or reorganization of the Guarantor, the Company or otherwise, all
as
though such payment had not been made.
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SECTION
3. Waivers and Acknowledgments.
(a) The
Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably waives promptness, diligence, notice of
acceptance, presentment, demand for performance, notice of nonperformance,
default, acceleration, protest or dishonor and any other notice with respect
to
any of the Guaranteed Obligations and this Guaranty and any requirement that
any
Beneficiary protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien or any property subject
thereto or exhaust any right or take any action against the Company or any
other
Person or any collateral.
(b) The
Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably waives any right to revoke this Guaranty and
acknowledges that this Guaranty is continuing in nature and applies to all
Guaranteed Obligations, whether existing now or in the future.
(c) The
Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably waives (i) any defense arising by reason of
any
claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by any Beneficiary that
in
any manner impairs, reduces, releases or otherwise adversely affects the
subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification rights
of the Guarantor or other rights of the Guarantor to proceed against the
Company, any other guarantor or any other Person or any collateral and (ii)
any
defense based on any right of set-off or counterclaim against or in respect
of
the Guaranteed Obligations.
(d) The
Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably waives any duty on the part of any Beneficiary
to disclose to the Guarantor any matter, fact or thing relating to the business,
condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or
prospects of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries now or hereafter known
by
such Beneficiary.
(e) The
Guarantor
acknowledges that it will receive substantial direct and indirect benefits
from
the financing arrangements contemplated by the Credit Documents and that the
waivers set forth in Section 2 and this Section 3 are knowingly made in
contemplation of such benefits.
SECTION
4. Subrogation.
The
Guarantor hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably agrees not to exercise any rights that it may
now have or hereafter acquire against the Company that arise from the existence,
payment, performance or enforcement of the Guaranteed Obligations under or
in
respect of this Guaranty, including, without limitation, any right of
subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and
any
right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Beneficiary against the
Company, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under
contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to
take or receive from the Company, directly or indirectly, in cash or other
property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account
of
such claim, remedy or right, unless and until all of the Guaranteed Obligations
and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty shall have been paid in full
in cash, the Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Company shall have
expired or been terminated and the Commitments shall have expired or been
terminated. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the
immediately preceding sentence at any time prior to the latest of (a) the
payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts
payable
under this Guaranty, (b) the Stated Expiration Date, and (c) the latest date
of
expiration or termination of the Letter of Credit issued for the account of
the
Company, such amount shall be received and held in trust for the benefit of
the
Beneficiaries, shall be segregated from other property and funds of the
Guarantor and shall forthwith be paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent
in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement or assignment)
to be credited and applied to the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts
payable under this Guaranty, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with
the terms of the Credit Documents, or to be held as collateral for any
Guaranteed Obligations or other amounts payable under this Guaranty thereafter
arising. If (i) the Guarantor shall make payment to any Beneficiary of all
or
any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, (ii) all of the Guaranteed Obligations
and all other amounts payable under this Guaranty shall have been paid in full
in cash, (iii) the Stated Expiration Date shall have occurred and (iv) the
Letter of Credit shall have expired or been terminated, the Beneficiaries will,
at the Guarantor’s request and expense, execute and deliver to the Guarantor
appropriate documents, without recourse and without representation or warranty,
necessary to evidence the transfer by subrogation to the Guarantor of an
interest in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting from such payment made by
the
Guarantor pursuant to this Guaranty.
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SECTION
5. Payments Free and Clear of Taxes, Etc.
(a) Any
and all payments
made by the Guarantor under or in respect of this Guaranty or any other Credit
Document shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.16 of the Reimbursement
Agreement, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present
or
future Taxes. If the Guarantor shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes
from
or in respect of any sum payable under or in respect of this Guaranty or any
other Credit Document to any Beneficiary, (i) the sum payable by the Guarantor
shall be increased as may be necessary so that after the Guarantor and the
Administrative Agent have made all required deductions (including deductions
applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 5), such Beneficiary
receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such
deductions been made, (ii) the Guarantor shall make all such deductions and
(iii) the Guarantor shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation
authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In
addition, the
Guarantor agrees to pay any present or future Other Taxes that arise from any
payment made by or on behalf of the Guarantor under or in respect of this
Guaranty or any other Credit Document or from the execution, delivery or
registration of, performance under, or otherwise with respect to, this Guaranty
and the other Credit Documents.
(c) The
Guarantor agrees
to indemnify each Beneficiary for and hold it harmless against the full amount
of Taxes and Other Taxes, (including, without limitation, any Taxes or Other
Taxes of any kind imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this
Section 5) imposed on or paid by such Beneficiary and any liability (including
penalties, additions to tax, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with
respect thereto. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the
date
such Beneficiary makes written demand therefor.
(d) From
time to time
thereafter if requested by the Guarantor or the Administrative Agent, each
Beneficiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States
shall provide the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and the Guarantor
with
the forms prescribed
by the
Internal Revenue Service of the United States certifying that such Beneficiary
is exempt from United States withholding taxes with respect to all payments
to
be made to such Beneficiary hereunder. If for any reason during the term of
this
Guaranty, any Beneficiary becomes unable to submit the forms referred to above
or the information or representations contained therein are no longer accurate
in any material respect, such Beneficiary shall promptly notify the
Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and the Guarantor in writing to that
effect. Unless the Guarantor, the Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent
have received forms or other documents satisfactory to them indicating that
payments hereunder are not subject to United States withholding tax, the
Guarantor, the Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent shall withhold taxes
from such payments at the applicable statutory rate in the case of payments
to
or for any Beneficiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the
United States.
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(e) Any
Beneficiary
claiming any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section 5 shall
use its best efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and
regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Booking
Office if the making of such a change would avoid the need for, or reduce the
amount of, any such additional amounts that may thereafter accrue and would
not,
in the reasonable judgment of such Beneficiary, be otherwise disadvantageous
to
such Beneficiary.
(f) Without
prejudice to
the survival of any other agreement of the Guarantor hereunder, the agreements
and obligations of the Guarantor contained in this Section 5 shall survive
the
payment in full or termination of the Guaranteed Obligations.
SECTION
6. Representations and Warranties.
As
of (i) the date
hereof, (ii) the Date of Issuance, (iii) the date of any Tender Advance, and
(iv) the date of any amendment, modification or extension of the Letter of
Credit, the Guarantor hereby makes each representation and warranty made in
the
Credit Documents by the Company with respect to the Guarantor and the Guarantor
hereby further represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Conditions
Precedent.
There are no
conditions precedent to the effectiveness of this Guaranty that have not been
satisfied or waived.
(b) Credit
Analysis.
The Guarantor has,
independently and without reliance upon any Beneficiary and based on such
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Guaranty and each other Credit Document
to which it is or is to be a party, and the Guarantor has established adequate
means of obtaining from the Company on a continuing basis information pertaining
to, and is now and on a continuing basis will be completely familiar with,
the
business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance,
properties and prospects of the Company.
(c) Corporate
Existence and Power.
It is a
corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under
the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, is duly qualified to do business
as a foreign corporation in and is in good standing
under the
laws of each state in which the ownership of its properties or the conduct
of
its business makes such qualification necessary except where the failure to
be
so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on its business or
financial condition or its ability to perform its obligations under this
Guaranty, and has all corporate powers and all material governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as
now
conducted.
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(b) Corporate
Authorization.
The execution,
delivery and performance by it of this Guaranty, or is to become, a party,
have
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part and do not,
and will not, require the consent or approval of its shareholders, or any
trustee or holder of any Debt or other obligation of it, other than such
consents and approvals as have been duly obtained, given or
accomplished.
(c) No
Violation,
Etc.
Neither the
execution, delivery or performance by it of this Guaranty, nor the consummation
by it of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor compliance by it with the
provisions hereof, conflicts or will conflict with, or results or will result
in
a breach or contravention of any of the provisions of its Organizational
Documents, any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, lease or any other
agreement or instrument to which it or any of its Affiliates is party or by
which its property or the property of any of its Affiliates is bound, or results
or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its
property or the property of any of its Affiliates except as provided herein.
There is no provision of its Organizational Documents, or any Applicable Law,
or
any such indenture, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument that
materially adversely affects, or in the future is likely (so far as it can
now
foresee) to materially adversely affect, its business, operations, affairs,
condition, properties or assets or its ability to perform its obligations under
this Guaranty. The Guarantor and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance
with
all laws (including, without limitation, ERISA and Environmental Laws),
regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its
property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon
it or
its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the
aggregate, has not had and could not reasonably be expected to have a material
adverse effect on (i) the business, assets, operations, condition (financial
or
otherwise) or prospects of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
or (ii) the legality, validity or enforceability of any of this Guaranty or
the
rights, remedies and benefits available to the parties thereunder or the ability
of the Guarantor to perform its obligations under this Guaranty.
(d) Governmental
Actions.
No Governmental
Action is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or
performance by it, or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated
by
this Guaranty, other than such as have been duly obtained, given or
accomplished.
(e) Execution
and
Delivery.
This Guaranty has
been duly executed and delivered by it, and this Guaranty is the legal, valid
and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its
terms, subject, however, to the application by a court of general principles
of
equity and to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally.
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(f) Litigation.
Except as
disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there is no pending or threatened action
or proceeding (including, without limitation, any proceeding relating to or
arising out of Environmental Laws) affecting it or any of its Subsidiaries
before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that has a reasonable
possibility of having a material adverse effect on the business, condition
(financial or otherwise), results of operations or prospects of it and its
consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the ability of the Guarantor
to perform its obligations under this Guaranty, and there has been no
development in the matters disclosed in such filings that has had such a
material adverse effect.
(g) Financial
Statements; Material Adverse Change.
The consolidated
balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2005
(the
“Audited
Financials Date”),
and the related
consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of the
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, certified by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, copies of each
of
which have been furnished to each Bank, in all cases as amended and restated
to
the date hereof, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the
Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at such dates and the consolidated results
of
the operations of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended
on
such dates, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied. Except as
disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there has been no material adverse change
in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations
or
prospects of the Guarantor and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
since the Audited Financials Date.
(h) ERISA.
(i) No
Termination Event
has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
Plan.
(ii) Schedule
B
(Actuarial Information) to the most recent annual report (Form 5500 Series)
with
respect to each Plan, copies of which have been filed with the Internal Revenue
Service and furnished to the Banks, is complete and accurate and fairly presents
the funding status of such Plan, and since the date of such Schedule B there
has
been no material adverse change in such funding status.
(iii) Neither
it nor any
member of the Controlled Group has incurred nor reasonably expects to incur
any
withdrawal liability under ERISA to any Multiemployer Plan.
(i) Taxes.
The Guarantor and
each of its Subsidiaries has filed all tax returns (federal, state and local)
required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon to be due, including
interest and penalties, or provided adequate reserves for payment thereof in
accordance
with GAAP other than such taxes that the Guarantor or such Subsidiary is
contesting in good faith by appropriate legal proceedings.
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(j) Investment
Company.
The Guarantor is
not an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or an
“investment advisor” within the meaning of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended.
(k) No
Event of
Default.
No event has
occurred and is continuing that constitutes an Event of Default or that would
constitute an Event of Default (including, without limitation, an Event of
Default under Section 6.01(s) of the Reimbursement Agreement) but for the
requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.
(l) Solvency.
(i) The fair
saleable value of the Guarantor’s assets will exceed the amount that will be
required to be paid on or in respect of the probable liability on its existing
debts and other liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they mature;
(ii) the Guarantor’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to
carry out its business as now conducted or as proposed to be conducted; (iii)
the Guarantor does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such
debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to
be
received by it and the amounts to be payable on or in respect of its
obligations); and (iv) the Guarantor does not believe that final judgments
against it in actions for money damages presently pending will be rendered
at a
time when, or in an amount such that, it will be unable to satisfy any such
judgments promptly in accordance with their terms (taking into account the
maximum reasonable amount of such judgments in any such actions and the earliest
reasonable time at which such judgments might be rendered). The Guarantor’s cash
flow, after taking into account all other anticipated uses of its cash
(including the payments on or in respect of debt referred to in clause (iii)
above), will at all times be sufficient to pay all such judgments promptly
in
accordance with their terms.
(m) No
Material
Misstatements.
The reports,
financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf
of
the Guarantor to the Administrative Agent or any Bank pursuant to or in
connection with the Guaranty and the transactions contemplated hereby do not
contain and will not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of
a
material fact and do not omit and will not omit, when taken as a whole, to
state
any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were or will be made, not misleading in any
material respect.
SECTION
7. Covenants and Guarantor Defaults.
7.1.
Covenants.
The Guarantor
covenants and agrees that, so long as any part of the Guaranteed Obligations
shall remain unpaid, the Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Company
shall be outstanding or any Bank shall have any Commitment, the Guarantor will
perform and observe, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform and observe,
all of the terms, covenants and agreements set forth in the Credit Documents
on
its or their part to be performed or observed
or that
the Guarantor has agreed to cause the Company or such Subsidiaries to perform
or
observe.
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7.2 Affirmative
Covenants.
So long as a
drawing is available under the Letter of Credit or any Bank shall have any
Commitment under the Reimbursement Agreement or any Credit Party shall have
any
obligation to pay any amount to any Bank under any Credit Document or the
Guarantor shall have any obligations hereunder, the Guarantor will, unless
the
Required Banks shall otherwise consent in writing:
(a) Preservation
of
Corporate Existence, Etc.
Without limiting
the right of the Guarantor to merge with or into or consolidate with or into
any
other corporation or entity in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.4(c)
hereof, (i) preserve and maintain its corporate existence in the state of its
incorporation and qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation in
each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is reasonably necessary in view of
its
business and operations or the ownership of its properties and (ii) preserve,
renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, privileges and franchises
necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business.
(b) Compliance
with
Laws, Etc.
Comply, and cause
each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects with all applicable
laws, rules, regulations, and orders of any Governmental Authority, the
noncompliance with which would materially and adversely affect the business
or
condition of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, such
compliance to include, without limitation, compliance with the USA Patriot
Act
(Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), regulations
promulgated by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control,
Environmental Laws and ERISA and paying before the same become delinquent all
material taxes, assessments and governmental charges imposed upon it or upon
its
property, except to the extent compliance with any of the foregoing is then
being contested in good faith by appropriate legal proceedings.
(c) Maintenance
of
Insurance, Etc.
Maintain insurance
with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations or through
its own program of self-insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as
is
usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar
properties in the same general areas in which the Guarantor operates and furnish
to the Administrative Agent, within a reasonable time after written request
therefor, such information as to the insurance carried as any Bank, through
the
Administrative Agent, may reasonably request.
(d) Inspection
Rights.
At any reasonable
time and from time to time as the Administrative Agent or any Bank may
reasonably request, permit the Administrative Agent or such Bank or any agents
or representatives thereof to examine and make copies of and abstracts from
the
records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Guarantor
and
any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts
of
the Guarantor and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their respective officers
or directors; provided, however, that the Guarantor reserves the right to
restrict access to any of its Subsidiaries’ generating facilities in accordance
with reasonably adopted procedures relating to safety and security. The
Administrative Agent and each Bank agree to use reasonable efforts to ensure
that any information concerning the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries
obtained by the Administrative Agent or
such Bank
pursuant to this subsection (d) or subsection (g) that is not contained in
a
report or other document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
distributed by the Guarantor to its security holders or otherwise generally
available to the public, will, to the extent permitted by law and except as
may
be required by valid subpoena or in the normal course of the Administrative
Agent’s or such Bank’s business operations be treated confidentially by the
Administrative Agent or such Bank, as the case may be, and will not be
distributed or otherwise made available by the Administrative Agent or such
Bank, as the case may be, to any Person, other than the Administrative Agent’s
or such Bank’s employees, authorized agents or representatives (including,
without limitation, attorneys and accountants).
11
(e) Keeping
of
Books.
Keep, and cause
each Subsidiary to keep, proper books of record and account in which entries
shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of
the
Guarantor and each of its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
(f) Maintenance
of
Properties.
Maintain and
preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all
of
its properties that are used or that are useful in the conduct of its business
in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, it being
understood that this covenant relates only to the good working order and
condition of such properties and shall not be construed as a covenant of the
Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries not to dispose of such properties by sale,
lease, transfer or otherwise.
(g) Reporting
Requirements.
Furnish, or cause
to be furnished, to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies for each
Bank, the following:
(i) as
soon as available
and in any event within 50 days after the close of each of the first three
quarters in each fiscal year of the Guarantor, consolidated balance sheets
of
the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and
consolidated statements of income of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for
the
period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the
end
of such quarter, fairly presenting the financial condition of the Guarantor
and
its Subsidiaries as at such date and the results of operations of the Guarantor
and its Subsidiaries for such period and setting forth in each case in
comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding period of
the
preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and duly certified (subject
to
year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant
treasurer or controller of the Guarantor as having been prepared in accordance
with GAAP consistently applied;
(ii) as
soon as available
and in any event within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Guarantor, a copy of the annual report for such year for the Guarantor and
its
Subsidiaries, containing consolidated and consolidating financial statements
of
the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such year certified in a manner
acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Banks by PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP or other independent public accountants acceptable to the Administrative
Agent and the Banks, together with statements of projected financial performance
prepared by management for the next fiscal year, in form satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent;
12
(iii) concurrently
with
the delivery of the financial statements specified in clauses (i) and (ii)
above
a certificate of the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer
or
controller of the Guarantor (A) stating whether he has any knowledge of the
occurrence at any time prior to the date of such certificate of an Event of
Default not theretofore reported pursuant to the provisions of Section
5.01(g)(i) of the Reimbursement Agreement or of the occurrence at any time
prior
to such date of any such Event of Default, except Events of Default theretofore
reported pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.01(g)(i) of the Reimbursement
Agreement and remedied, and, if so, stating the facts with respect thereto,
and
(B) setting forth in a true and correct manner, the calculation of the ratio
contemplated by Section 7.3 hereof, as of the date of the most recent financial
statements accompanying such certificate, to show the Guarantor’s compliance
with or the status of the financial covenant contained in Section 7.3
hereof;
(iv) promptly
after the
sending or filing thereof, copies of any reports that the Guarantor sends to
any
of its securityholders, and copies of all reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or
Form 8-K that the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries files with the Securities
and Exchange Commission;
(v) as
soon as possible
and in any event (A) within 30 days after the Guarantor or any member of the
Controlled Group knows or has reason to know that any Termination Event
described in clause (i) of the definition of Termination Event with respect
to
any Plan has occurred and (B) within 10 days after the Guarantor or any member
of the Controlled Group knows or has reason to know that any other Termination
Event with respect to any Plan has occurred, a statement of the chief financial
officer of the Guarantor describing such Termination Event and the action,
if
any, that the Guarantor or such member of the Controlled Group, as the case
may
be, proposes to take with respect thereto;
(vi) promptly
and in any
event within two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Guarantor or any
member of the Controlled Group from the PBGC, copies of each notice received
by
the Guarantor or any such member of the Controlled Group of the PBGC’s intention
to terminate any Plan or to have a trustee appointed to administer any
Plan;
(vii) promptly
and in any
event within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service,
copies of each Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the annual report (Form
5500 Series) with respect to each Plan;
(viii) promptly
and in any
event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by the Guarantor or any
member of the Controlled Group from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor, a copy of
each
notice received by the Guarantor or any member of the Controlled Group
concerning the imposition of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202
of
ERISA;
(ix) promptly
and in any
event within five Business Days after Xxxxx’x or S&P has changed any
relevant Reference Rating, notice of such change; and
13
(x) such
other
information respecting the condition or operations, financial or otherwise,
of
the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, copies
of all reports and registration statements that the Guarantor or any Subsidiary
files with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities
exchange, as the Administrative Agent or any Bank (through the Administrative
Agent) may from time to time reasonably request.
(h) Guarantor
Approvals.
Maintain all
approvals of all Governmental Authorities necessary connection with the
execution, delivery or performance by it, or the consummation by it of the
transactions contemplated by this Guaranty in full force and effect and comply
with all terms and conditions thereof until all Obligations shall have been
repaid or paid (as the case may be) and the Stated Expiration Date has
occurred.
7.3.
Financial
Covenants of the Guarantor.
Unless
the Required
Banks shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as a drawing is available
under the Letter of Credit or any Bank shall have any Commitment under the
Reimbursement Agreement or any Credit Party shall have any obligation to pay
any
amount to any Bank hereunder or the Guarantor shall have any obligations
hereunder:
(a) Debt
to
Capitalization Ratio.
The Guarantor will
maintain a Debt to Capitalization Ratio of no more than 0.65 to 1.00 (determined
as of the last day of each fiscal quarter); provided that the Guarantor shall
be
required to comply with this financial covenant only so long as the Guarantor’s
Applicable Percentage shall be 100%.
7.4.
Negative
Covenants of the Guarantor.
So long as a
drawing is available under the Letter of Credit or any Bank shall have any
Commitment under the Reimbursement Agreement or any Credit Party shall have
any
obligation to pay any amount to any Bank hereunder, the Guarantor will not,
without the written consent of the Required Banks:
(a) Sales,
Etc.
(i) Sell, lease,
transfer or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock of any domestic
Significant Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the
Guarantor, or permit any Significant Subsidiary to do so or (ii) permit the
Guarantor or any Subsidiary to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of
(whether in one transaction or a series of transactions) assets located in
The
United States of America representing in the aggregate more than 15% (determined
at the time of each such transaction) of the value of all of the consolidated
fixed assets of the Guarantor, as reported on the most recent consolidated
balance sheet of the Guarantor, to any entity other than the Guarantor or any
of
its wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries or, in the case of The Toledo
Edison Company, to Centerior Funding Corporation; provided, however, that this
provision shall not restrict the transfer of nuclear and fossil generation
assets from Pennsylvania Power Company, Ohio Edison Company, The Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company and The Toledo Edison Company to the Company
and
FirstEnergy Generation Corp., respectively (the “Generation
Transfers”).
14
(b) Liens,
Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any Significant Subsidiary to
create or suffer to exist, any Lien upon or with respect to any of its
properties (including, without limitation, any shares of any class of equity
security of any Significant Subsidiary), in each case to secure or provide
for
the payment of Debt, other than (i) liens consisting of (A) pledges or
deposits
in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations under worker’s
compensation laws or similar legislation, (B) deposits in the ordinary
course of
business to secure, or in lieu of, surety, appeal, or customs bonds to
which the
Guarantor or Significant Subsidiary is a party, (C) pledges or deposits
in the
ordinary course of business to secure performance in connection with bids,
tenders or contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), or
(D)
materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairmen’s or other like Liens
incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or currently
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted,
or deposits to obtain in the release of such Liens; (ii) purchase money
liens or
purchase money security interests upon or in any property acquired or held
by
the Guarantor or Significant Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business,
which secure the purchase price of such property or secure indebtedness
incurred
solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property; (iii)
Liens existing on the property of any Person at the time that such Person
becomes a direct or indirect Significant Subsidiary; provided that such
Liens
were not created to secure the acquisition of such Person; (iv) Liens in
existence on the date of this Guaranty; (v) Liens created by any First
Mortgage
Indenture, so long as (A) under the terms thereof no “event of default”
(howsoever designated) in respect of any bonds issued thereunder will be
triggered by reference to an Event of Default or Default and (B) no such
Liens
shall apply to assets acquired from the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary
if such assets were free of Liens (other than as a result of a release
of such
Liens in contemplation of such acquisition) immediately prior to any such
acquisition; (vi) Liens on assets of American Transmission Systems, Incorporated
to secure Debt of American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, provided,
however, that the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by such Liens
shall
not at any time exceed 60% of the depreciated book value of the property
subject
to such Liens; (vii) Liens securing Stranded Cost Securitization Bonds;
(viii)
Liens on cash (in an aggregate amount not to exceed $270,000,000) pledged
to
secure reimbursement obligations for letters of credit issued for the account
of
Ohio Edison Company; (ix) Liens on assets transferred in the Generation
Transfers in favor of the transferor thereof; and (x) Liens created for
the sole
purpose of extending, renewing or replacing in whole or in part Debt secured
by
any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (ix); provided,
however, that the principal amount of Debt secured thereby shall not exceed
the
principal amount of Debt so secured at the time of such extension, renewal
or
replacement, and that such extension, renewal or replacement, as the case
may
be, shall be limited to all or a part of the property or Debt that secured
the
Lien so extended, renewed or replaced (and any improvements on such
property).
(c) Mergers,
Etc.
Merge with or into
or consolidate with or into any other Person, or permit any of its Subsidiaries
to do so unless (i) immediately after giving effect thereto, no event shall
occur and be continuing that constitutes an Event of Default, (ii) the
consolidation or merger shall not materially and adversely affect the ability
of
the Guarantor (or its successor by merger or consolidation as contemplated
by
clause (i) of this subsection (c)) to perform its obligations hereunder, and
(iii) in the case of any merger or consolidation to which the Guarantor is
a
party, the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Guarantor
shall be merged shall assume the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guaranty to
which it is a party in a writing satisfactory in form and substance to the
Required Banks.
15
(d) Compliance
with
ERISA.
(i) Enter into any
“prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 4975 of the Code, and in ERISA)
involving any Plan that may result in any liability of the Guarantor to any
Person that (in the opinion of the Required Banks) is material to the financial
position or operations of the Guarantor or (ii) allow or suffer to exist any
other event or condition known to the Guarantor that results in any liability
of
the Guarantor to the PBGC that (in the opinion of the Required Banks) is
material to the financial position or operations of the Guarantor. For purposes
of this subsection (d), “liability” shall not include termination insurance
premiums payable under Section 4007 of ERISA.
7.5.
Guarantor
Defaults.
The occurrence of
any of the following events (whether voluntary or involuntary) shall be a
“Guarantor
Event of Default”
hereunder:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
Any representation
or warranty made or deemed made by the Guarantor (or any of its officers) in
any
Credit Document or in connection with any Credit Document shall prove to have
been incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made;
or
(b) Covenant
Performance.
(i) the Guarantor
shall fail to perform or observe any covenant set forth in clause (i) of Section
7.2(a), or Section 7.3 or Section 7.4 hereof on its part to be performed or
observed or (ii) the Guarantor shall fail to perform or observe any other term,
covenant or agreement contained in Credit Document on its part to be performed
or observed and such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written
notice thereof shall have been given to the Guarantor by the Administrative
Agent or any Bank; or
(c) Credit
Documentation.
Any material
provision of any Credit Document to which the Guarantor is a party shall at
any
time and for any reason cease to be valid and binding upon the Guarantor, except
pursuant to the terms thereof, or shall be declared to be null and void, or
the
validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested by the Guarantor or any
Governmental Authority, or the Guarantor shall deny that it has any or further
liability or obligation under any Credit Document to which it is a party;
or
(d) Cross-Default.
The Guarantor or
any Significant Subsidiary shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or
interest on any Debt (other than Debt owed by the Guarantor hereunder) that
is
outstanding in a principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 in the aggregate
when
the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required
prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue
after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or
instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition
shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and
shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such
agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to
accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Debt; or
any
such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid
(other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment), prior to the stated
maturity thereof; or
16
(e) Bankruptcy
Matters.
The Guarantor or
any Significant Subsidiary shall generally not pay its debts as such debts
become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally,
or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any
proceeding shall be
instituted by or
against the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary seeking to adjudicate it
a
bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization,
arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition or arrangement
with
creditors, a readjustment of its debts, in each case under any law relating
to
bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the
entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee,
custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its
property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but
not
instituted or acquiesced in by it), either such proceeding shall remain
undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 consecutive days, or any of the
actions sought in such proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry
of
an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee,
custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of
its
property) shall occur; or the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary shall
take
any corporate action to authorize or to consent to any of the actions set forth
above in this subsection (e); or
(f) Judgments.
Any judgment or
order for the payment of money exceeding any applicable insurance coverage
by
more than $50,000,000 shall be rendered by a court of final adjudication against
the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary and either (i) valid enforcement
proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or
order or (ii) there shall be any period of 10 consecutive days during which
a
stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal
or
otherwise, shall not be in effect; or
(g) Change
of
Control.
(i) FirstEnergy
shall fail to own directly or indirectly 100% of the issued and outstanding
shares of common stock of each Significant Subsidiary, (ii) any Person or two
or
more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial ownership (within
the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of
securities of FirstEnergy (or other securities convertible into such securities)
representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of all securities of
FirstEnergy entitled to vote in the election of directors; (iii) commencing
after the date of this Agreement, individuals who as of the date of this
Agreement were directors shall have ceased for any reason to constitute a
majority of the Board of Directors of FirstEnergy unless the Persons replacing
such individuals were nominated by the stockholders or the Board of Directors
of
FirstEnergy in accordance with FirstEnergy’s Organizational Documents; or (iv)
90 days shall have elapsed after any Person or two or more Persons acting in
concert shall have entered into a contract or arrangement that upon consummation
will result in its or their acquisition of, or control over, securities of
FirstEnergy (or other securities convertible into such securities) representing
30% or more of the combined voting power of all securities of FirstEnergy
entitled to vote in the election of directors.
SECTION
8. Amendments, Guaranty Supplements, Etc.
No
amendment or
waiver of any provision of this Guaranty and no consent to any departure by
the
Guarantor therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be
in
writing and signed by the Administrative Agent, the Company, the Guarantors
and
the Required Banks, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only
in
the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided,
however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and
signed by all of the Beneficiaries, (a) reduce or limit the obligations of
the
Guarantor hereunder, release the Guarantor hereunder or otherwise limit the
Guarantor’s liability with respect to the Obligations owing to the Beneficiaries
under or in respect of the Credit Documents, (b) postpone any date fixed for
payment hereunder or (c) change the number of Beneficiaries or the percentage
of
(x) the Commitments, (y) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Tender
Advances or (z) the aggregate available amount of the Letter of Credit that,
in
each case, shall be required for the Beneficiaries or any of them to take any
action hereunder; and provided,
further, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and
signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Banks required above
to
take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under
this Guaranty; and provided, further, that no amendment, waiver or consent
that
would adversely affect the rights of, or increase the obligations of, the
Fronting Bank, shall be effective unless agreed to in writing by the Fronting
Bank; and provided, further, that this Guaranty may be amended and restated
without the consent of any Beneficiary if, upon giving effect to such amendment
and restatement, such Beneficiary shall no longer be a Beneficiary of this
Guaranty (as so amended and restated) or have any obligation hereunder and
shall
have been paid in full all amounts payable hereunder to such
Beneficiary.
17
SECTION
9. Notices, Etc.
All
notices and
other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including
telegraphic, telecopy or cable communication) and mailed, telegraphed,
telecopied, cabled or delivered to it, if to the Guarantor, addressed to it
at
the Guarantor’s addresses specified in Section 9.02 of the Reimbursement
Agreement, if to the Administrative Agent, any Bank or the Fronting Bank, at
its
address specified in Section 9.02 of the Reimbursement Agreement, or, as to
each
party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written
notice to each other party. All such notices and other communications shall,
when mailed, telegraphed, telecopied or cabled, be effective when deposited
in
the mails, delivered to the telegraph company, telecopied or delivered to the
cable company, respectively. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart
of a signature page to any amendment or waiver of any provision of this Guaranty
or of any guaranty supplement to be executed and delivered hereunder shall
be
effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart thereof.
SECTION
10. No Waiver, Remedies.
No
failure on the
part of any Beneficiary to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right
hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial
exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof
or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
SECTION
11. Right of Set-off.
Upon
the occurrence
and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Beneficiary and each
of
its Affiliates that is acting as the Fronting Bank under the Reimbursement
Agreement is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general
or
special, time or demand, provisional or final, excluding, however, any payroll
accounts maintained by the Guarantor with such Beneficiary if and to the extent
that such Beneficiary shall have expressly waived its set-off rights in writing
in respect of such payroll account) at any time held and other indebtedness
at any
time owing by such Beneficiary or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the
account of the Guarantor against any and all of the obligations of the Guarantor
now or hereafter existing under this Guaranty, irrespective of whether such
Beneficiary shall have made any demand under this Guaranty or any other Credit
Document and although such obligations may be unmatured. Each Beneficiary agrees
promptly to notify the Guarantor after any such set-off and application;
provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the
validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Beneficiary and
its
respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and
remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) that such
Beneficiary and its respective Affiliates may have.
18
SECTION
12. Indemnification.
(a)
Without
limitation
on any other Guaranteed Obligations of the Guarantor or remedies of the
Beneficiaries under this Guaranty, the Guarantor shall, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, indemnify, defend and save and hold harmless each Beneficiary
and each of its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees,
agents and advisors (each, an “Indemnified
Party”)
from and against,
and shall pay on demand, any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities and
expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel) that may be incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnified
Party in connection with or as a result of any failure of any Guaranteed
Obligations to be the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
(b) The
Guarantor hereby
also agrees that none of the Indemnified Parties shall have any liability
(whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to the Guarantor
or
any of its respective Affiliates or any of their respective officers, directors,
employees, agents and advisors, and the Guarantor hereby agrees not to assert
any claim against any Indemnified Party on any theory of liability, for special,
indirect, consequential or punitive damages in connection with, arising out
of,
or otherwise relating to this Guaranty, any of the transactions contemplated
herein or the actual or proposed use of the Letter of Credit.
(c) Without
prejudice to
the survival of any of the other agreements of the Guarantor under this Guaranty
or any of the other Credit Documents, the agreements and obligations of the
Guarantor contained in Section 1(a) (with respect to enforcement expenses),
the
last sentence of Section 2, Section 5 and this Section 12 shall survive the
payment in full of the Guaranteed Obligations and all of the other amounts
payable under this Guaranty.
SECTION
13. Subordination.
If
any Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, the Guarantor agrees to subordinate any and
all
debts, liabilities and other obligations owed to the Guarantor by the Company
(the “Subordinated
Obligations”)
to the Guaranteed
Obligations to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth in this
Section 13:
(a) Prohibited
Payments, Etc.
Except during the
continuance of an Default (including the commencement and continuation of any
proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law relating to the Company), the Guarantor
may
receive regularly scheduled payments from the Company
on account
of the Subordinated Obligations. After the occurrence and during the continuance
of any Default (including the commencement and continuation of any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law relating to the Company), however, unless the
Administrative Agent otherwise agrees, the Guarantor shall not demand, accept
or
take any action to collect any payment on account of the Subordinated
Obligations.
19
(b) Prior
Payment of Guaranteed Obligations.
In any proceeding
under any Bankruptcy Law relating to the Company, the Guarantor agrees that
the
Beneficiaries shall be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of all
Guaranteed Obligations (including all interest and expenses accruing after
the
commencement of a proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law, whether or not
constituting an allowed claim in such proceeding (“Post
Petition Interest”))
before the
Guarantor receives payment of any Subordinated Obligations.
(c) Turn-Over.
After the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Default (including the commencement
and continuation of any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law relating to the
Company), the Guarantor shall, if the Administrative Agent so requests, collect,
enforce and receive payments on account of the Subordinated Obligations as
trustee for the Beneficiaries and deliver such payments to the Administrative
Agent on account of the Guaranteed Obligations (including all Post Petition
Interest), together with any necessary endorsements or other instruments of
transfer, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of
the
Guarantor under the other provisions of this Guaranty.
(d) Administrative
Agent
Authorization. After the occurrence and during the continuance of any Default
(including the commencement and continuation of any proceeding under any
Bankruptcy Law relating to any other the Company), the Administrative Agent
is
authorized and empowered (but without any obligation to so do), in its
discretion, (i) in the name of the Guarantor, to collect and enforce, and to
submit claims in respect of, Subordinated Obligations and to apply any amounts
received thereon to the Guaranteed Obligations (including any and all Post
Petition Interest), and (ii) to require the Guarantor (A) to collect and
enforce, and to submit claims in respect of, Subordinated Obligations and (B)
to
pay any amounts received on such obligations to the Administrative Agent for
application to the Guaranteed Obligations (including any and all Post Petition
Interest).
SECTION
14. Continuing Guaranty; Assignments under the Reimbursement
Agreement.
This
Guaranty is a
continuing guaranty and shall (a) remain in full force and effect until the
latest of (i) the payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations and
all
other amounts payable under this Guaranty, (ii) the Stated Expiration Date,
(iii) the latest date of expiration or termination of the Letter of Credit
issued for the account of the Company, (b) be binding upon the Guarantor, its
successors and assigns and (c) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
the
Beneficiaries and their successors, transferees and assigns. Without limiting
the generality of clause (c) of the immediately preceding sentence, any
Beneficiary may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of its rights
and obligations under the Reimbursement Agreement (including, without
limitation, all or any portion of its Commitments and the Obligations owing
to
it) to any other Person, and such other Person shall thereupon become vested
with all the benefits
in respect
thereof granted to such Beneficiary herein or otherwise, in each case as and
to
the extent provided in Section 9.08 of the Reimbursement Agreement. The
Guarantor shall not have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any
interest herein without the prior written consent of the
Beneficiaries.
20
SECTION
15. Execution in Counterparts.
This
Guaranty and
each amendment, waiver and consent with respect hereto may be executed in any
number of counterparts and by different parties thereto in separate
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original
and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Guaranty by
telecopier shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart
of
this Guaranty.
SECTION
16. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial,
Etc.
(a) THIS
GUARANTY SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
NEW
YORK.
(b) To
the fullest
extent permitted by law, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally
(i) submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction
of
any New York State court or Federal court of the United States of America
sitting in New York City, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any
action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Guaranty or any of
the
other Credit Documents to which it is or is to be a party, and (ii) agrees
that
all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and
determined in such New York State court or, in such Federal court. The Guarantor
agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that a final judgment in any
such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
(c) The
Guarantor hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by
law,
any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any
suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Guaranty or any
of
the other Credit Documents to which it is or is to be a party in any New York
State or federal court. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance
of such suit, action or proceeding in any such court. The Guarantor also,
irrevocably consents, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to the service
of
any and all process in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of certified
mail of copies of such process to the Guarantor at its address specified in
Section 9.
(d) THE
GUARANTOR AND
EACH BENEFICIARY HEREBY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION,
PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY, ANY
OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENT, OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT DELIVERED HEREUNDER
OR THEREUNDER.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the Guarantor has caused this Guaranty to be duly executed and delivered by
its
officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above
written.
FIRSTENERGY
CORP.
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title: