THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY (an Ohio corporation) $250,000,000 5.70% Senior Notes due 2017 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
1
THE
CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY
(an
Ohio
corporation)
$250,000,000
5.70%
Senior Notes due 2017
March
22,
2007
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
KeyBanc
Capital Markets
a
division of
McDonald Investments Inc.
As
Representatives of the Underwriters
named
in
Schedule I to the Underwriting
Agreement
(as
defined below)
|
c/o Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
KeyBanc
Capital Markets
a
division of McDonald Investments Inc.
000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
Ladies
and
Gentlemen:
The
Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Ohio (the “Company”),
proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the
several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”,
which term, when
the context permits, shall also include any underwriters substituted as
hereinafter provided in Section 11), for whom KeyBanc Capital Markets, a
division of McDonald Investments Inc. (“KBCM”)
and Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc. (“RBS”)
are acting as
representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”),
$250,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.70% Senior Notes due 2017 (the
“Notes”),
to be issued
under an indenture dated as of December 1, 2003, between the Company and The
Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee to JPMorgan Chase
Bank (the “Trustee”),
as heretofore
supplemented (the “Base
Indenture”)
as so
supplemented by an officer’s certificate to be dated March 27, 2007 (the
“Senior
Notes
Officer’s Certificate”)
together with the
Base Indenture, being hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”)
in accordance
with the terms set forth in this underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting
Agreement”).
The Notes shall
have the series designation, denominations, issue price, maturities, interest
rates, redemption provisions, if any, and other terms as set forth in the
General Disclosure Package (hereinafter defined).
SECTION
1. Representations
and Warranties.
(a) Representations
and Warranties by the Company.
The
Company
represents and warrants to and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(i) The
Company has
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
a registration
statement on Form S-3, including a prospectus (Registration Statement File
No.
333-138101) (the “Registration
Statement”),
for the
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities
Act”),
of up to
$550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its unsecured debt securities. The
Registration Statement was declared effective on October 31, 2006. The Company
will file with the Commission a prospectus supplement specifically relating
to
the terms of the Notes pursuant to Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”)
under the
Securities Act. The Company qualifies for use of Form S-3 for the registration
of the Notes and the Notes are registered under the Securities Act.
“Registration
Statement”
as
of any time
means such registration statement in the form then filed with the Commission,
including any amendment thereto, any document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein and any information in a prospectus or
prospectus supplement deemed or retroactively deemed to be a part thereof
pursuant to Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”)
or 430C
(“Rule 430C”)
under the
Securities Act that has not been superseded or modified. “Registration
Statement”
without
reference
to a time means the Registration Statement as of the Applicable Time, which
time
shall be considered the “Effective
Date”
of
the
Registration Statement relating to the Notes. For purposes of this definition,
information contained in a form of prospectus or prospectus supplement that
is
deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule
430B shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of
the
time specified in Rule 430B.
(ii) At
the time the
Registration Statement initially became effective, at the time that each
amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report
or
form of prospectus) became effective and on the Effective Date relating to
the
Notes, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture
Act
of 1939 (“Trust
Indenture
Act”),
as the case may
be, and the rules and regulations of the Commission (“Rules
and
Regulations”)
and did not and
will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading. On the date hereof, on the date of any filing pursuant
to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus (as defined in this paragraph (ii)) will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture Act
and
the Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents will include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
except that the foregoing does not apply to statements in or omissions from
any
of such documents made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the
Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein or to any statements
in or
omissions from the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture,
it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by
any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b)
hereof, but nothing contained herein is intended as a waiver of compliance
with
the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. For purposes of this
Underwriting Agreement, “Statutory
Prospectus”
as
of any time
means the preliminary prospectus supplement (which term includes the base
prospectus) or prospectus relating to the Notes that is included in the
Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document
incorporated by reference therein and any basic prospectus or prospectus
supplement deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B or 430C that has
not been superseded or modified. For purposes of this definition, information
contained in a form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) that
is
deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to
Rule
430B shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus only as
of
the actual time that form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement)
is
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.
“Prospectus”
means
the
Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price and other final
terms of the Notes and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Securities
Act.
2
(iii) The
documents
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure
Package (as hereinafter defined) and the Prospectus, at the time they were
or
hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all
material respects with the requirements, as applicable, of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange
Act”)
and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, and, when read together with other
information in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as applicable,
do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading.
(iv) (A)
At the earliest
time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another
offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule
164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Notes and (B) on the date hereof,
the
Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405
(“Rule
405”)
under the
Securities Act, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the
preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor
or
having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order
as
described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not
having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar
proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a
proceeding under Section 8 of the Securities Act and not being the subject
of a
proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the
offering of the Securities, all as described in Rule 405.
(v) As
of the Applicable
Time (as defined in this paragraph (v)), neither (A) the Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus(es) (as defined in this paragraph (v)) listed in Schedule II hereto,
the Statutory Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the
“General
Disclosure Package”),
nor (B) any
individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in this paragraph (v)),
when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence
does not apply to statements in or omissions from any prospectus included in
the
Registration Statement or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b)
hereof. “Applicable
Time”
means
4:15 p.m.
(Eastern Time) on the date hereof. “Issuer
Free
Writing Prospectus”
means
any “issuer
free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 (“Rule 433”)
under the
Securities Act, relating to the Notes in the form filed or required to be filed
with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in
the
Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
(vi) Each
Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through
the
completion of the public offering and sale of the Notes or until any earlier
date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described
in
the next sentence and in Section 3(j) hereof, did not, does not and will not
include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the
information then contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements
in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and
in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b)
hereof.
(vii) The
historical
consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package present fairly
in
all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the Company as of the dates and, for the periods indicated and have
been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as
otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package.
(viii)
Since the most
recent time as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, there has not occurred any material adverse change, or
any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business
prospects, earnings, business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise)
or
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than
changes and developments contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and
the
Prospectus, respectively.
3
(ix) The
Company has been
duly incorporated and is validly subsisting as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Ohio, has the corporate power and authority
to
own, lease or operate its property and to conduct its business as described
in
the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package and is duly qualified as
a
foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other
jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing
of
property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure
to
be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(x) Each
subsidiary of
the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has
the corporate power and authority to own, lease or operate its property and
to
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure
Package and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
and
is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its
business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification,
except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing
would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xi) This
Underwriting
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company,
and
constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against
the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may
be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’
rights generally, or by general principles of equity (whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant
of
good faith and fair dealing, and except that the enforcement of rights to
indemnification and contribution hereunder may be limited by applicable law
or
public policy.
(xii)
The
Base Indenture has been, and on the Closing Date, the Indenture will be, (1)
duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and (2) duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as may
be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization,
moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement
of
creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or in law) and by an
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(xiii)
The
Notes have been duly authorized by the Company, and, when they have been duly
executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee, and issued and delivered
against payment therefor as provided herein, will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable
principles (whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law) and by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and will
be
entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.
(xiv)
The
Notes and the Base Indenture conform, and on the Closing Date, the Indenture
will conform, in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained
in
the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package.
4
(xv)
Neither
the issuance and sale of the Notes nor the execution and delivery by the Company
of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this
Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes will (A) contravene, or
(B)
result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property
or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (a) any provision
of applicable law, (b) the amended articles of incorporation or amended and
restated code of regulations, or other organizational documents, each as
amended, of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (c) any agreement
or
other instrument binding upon the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
or
(d) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court
having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any
of
their properties. Furthermore, neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the
Company is (x) in violation of any applicable law, or (y) in violation or in
default, of its respective amended articles of incorporation or amended and
restated code of regulations, each as amended, or other organizational
documents, or in the performance of any bond, debenture, note or any other
evidence of indebtedness or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other
contract, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which any
of
them is bound, or to which any of its property or assets is subject, except
such
defaults as have been waived or which would not have, singly or in the
aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xvi)
Other
than as disclosed in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, there
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened, to which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
is a
party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any subsidiary of
the
Company are subject wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding could
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties
of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Underwriting
Agreement, or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Prospectus
and
the General Disclosure Package; and there is no franchise, contract or other
document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, or to be filed or incorporated
by reference as an exhibit thereto, which is not described, filed or
incorporated as required.
(xvii)
No
consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or
governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities
Act
and the Trust Indenture Act, such as has been obtained from the Public Utilities
Commission of Ohio, and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of
any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes
by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the General Disclosure
Package. The Company possesses such certificates, authorizations or permits
issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or
bodies necessary to conduct its business as currently operated, except where
the
failure to possess such certificate, authorization or permit would not have
a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole.
(xviii)
The
Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) is in compliance with any and all
applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating
to
the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or
toxic
substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental
Laws”),
(ii) has
received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in
compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or
approval, except in cases in which that noncompliance with Environmental Laws,
failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or failure
to
comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals
would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business
or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(xix)
The
Company maintains (x) systems of internal controls and processes sufficient
to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted
only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv)
the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets
at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences; and (y) disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
accordance with Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act).
5
(xx)
The
Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes
and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus
and
the General Disclosure Package will not be, an “investment company” within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xxi)
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, which have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries, are an independent registered public accounting firm as required
by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and
regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(xxii)
The
Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation or
other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule III
hereto.
(b) Officer’s
Certificates.
Any certificate
signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the
Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with this offering
shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters
as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION
2. Sale
and Delivery
to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Purchase
and
Sale. Subject
to the terms
and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein
set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase
price of $247,977,500, the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite
such
Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto plus any additional principal amount of
Notes which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the
provisions of Section
11,
subject to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives,
on
behalf of the Underwriters, shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases
of
fractional Notes.
(b) Payment
and Delivery.
Payment
of the
purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Notes shall be made
at
the office of Xxxxxx, Halter & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxx., Xxxxx 0000,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, at 10:00 a.m.,
(Eastern Time), on the third business day after the date hereof, or such other
time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon
by
the Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters (such time
and
date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing
Date”).
Payment
shall be
made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Underwriters for
the
account of the Underwriters of the Notes to be purchased by them.
The
delivery of the
Notes shall be made in fully registered form, registered in the name of CEDE
& CO., to the offices of The Depository Trust Company in New York, New York,
or its designee, and the Underwriters shall accept such delivery.
The
certificate(s)
representing the Notes shall be made available for examination by the
Representatives not later than 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the last business
day
prior to the Closing Date at such place as may be agreed upon between the
Representatives and the Company.
SECTION
3. Covenants
of the
Company.
The Company
covenants with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) To
promptly file
each Statutory Prospectus (including the Prospectus) with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.
(b) The
Company will
advise the Representatives promptly of the institution by the Commission of
any
stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement or of any part
thereof or any order suspending or preventing the use of the Statutory
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and will
use
its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or other such
order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.
6
(c) To
furnish without
charge to the Representatives a signed copy of the Registration Statement,
including all exhibits filed with the Registration Statement and the documents
incorporated by reference therein (other than exhibits which are incorporated
by
reference therein) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration
Statement without exhibits and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (e)
below, as many copies of the Prospectus and any documents incorporated by
reference therein at or after the date thereof and any amendments and
supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The terms
“supplement” and “amendment” as used in this Underwriting Agreement shall
include all documents filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to
the
date of the Prospectus pursuant to the Exchange Act which are deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.
(d) Before
amending or
supplementing the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus or filing
with the Commission any document pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, during the period referred to in paragraph (e) below, to furnish
to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment, supplement or
document for the Representatives’ review prior to filing and not to file any
such proposed amendment, supplement or document to which the Representatives
reasonably object.
(e) The
Company will
promptly notify the Underwriters, and confirm such notice in writing (which
notice and confirmation may be satisfied by providing the Underwriters with
any
related periodic report filed under the Exchange Act), of (x) any filing
made by the Company of information relating to the offering of the Notes with
any securities exchange or any other regulatory body in the United States or
any
other jurisdiction, and (y) any material changes in or affecting the
condition (financial or otherwise) business prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, which
(i) make any statement in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented
materially false or misleading or (ii) are not disclosed in the Prospectus
as then amended or supplemented. If, at any time when a prospectus covering
the
Notes is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 under the Securities Act would
be) required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by
an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a
result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters
or counsel for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or to amend
or
supplement the Prospectus or modify the information incorporated by reference
therein in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statement
of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time
the
Prospectus is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 under the Securities Act
would be) delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus or modify such information to comply with
the
Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, forthwith to prepare and file
with
the Commission and to furnish (subject to the conditions in paragraph (c)
above), at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names
and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Notes
may have been sold by the Underwriters, and to any other dealers upon request,
such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or modifications to the
documents incorporated by reference therein, so that the statements in the
Prospectus as so amended, supplemented or modified will not, in the light of
the
circumstances existing at the time such Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,
be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with the Securities Act
and
the Rules and Regulations. If, prior to the Closing Date, there occurs an event
or development as a result of which the General Disclosure Package would include
an untrue statement of a material fact or would omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances when the General Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser,
not misleading, the Company promptly will notify the Representatives so that
any
use of the General Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or
supplemented, and will promptly prepare an amendment or supplement that will
correct such statement or omission.
(f)
The
Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to
qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
of
such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate and will maintain such
qualifications in effect as long as required for the sale of the Notes;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as
a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or
to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction
in
which it is not otherwise so subject. The Company will file such statements
and
reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Notes
have been qualified as above provided. The Company will promptly advise the
Representatives of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect
to the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for sale in any such state
or jurisdiction or the initiating or threatening of any proceedings for such
purpose. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information
as
is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Notes for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably
request.
7
(g) The
Company shall
take all reasonable action necessary to enable Standard & Poor’s Ratings
Services, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc. (“S&P”),
and Xxxxx’x
Investors Service, Inc. (“Xxxxx’x”)
to provide their
respective
credit ratings of
the Notes.
(h) The
Company will use
the proceeds received by it from the sale of the Notes in the manner specified
in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(i)
During
a period beginning on the date of this Underwriting Agreement and continuing
to
and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written
consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer
or
agree to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, any
other debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its
subsidiaries substantially similar to the Notes or securities of the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries that are convertible into, or exchangeable for, the
Notes.
(j) If
at any time
following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurs an
event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement
would include an untrue statement of a material fact or would omit to state
a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
of
the circumstances prevailing at that time, not misleading, (A) the Company
will
promptly notify the Representatives and (B) the Company will promptly amend
or
supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such
conflict, untrue statement or omission.
SECTION
4. Free
Writing
Prospectuses.
(a) Free
Writing
Prospectuses. The
Company
represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of
the
Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it
obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representatives, it
has
not made and will not make any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute
an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free
writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the
Commission. The Company represents that it has complied and will comply with
the
requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and
record keeping. The parties hereto agree that the only Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses issued on or prior to the Applicable Time and consented to by
the
Company and the Representatives are specified on Schedule II hereto (including
the final term sheet prepared in accordance with Section 4(b)
below).
(b) Final
Term
Sheet. The
Company will
prepare a final term sheet relating to the Notes, containing only information
that describes the final terms of the Notes and otherwise in a form consented
to
by the Representatives, and will file such final term sheet within the period
required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii). Any such final term sheet is an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Underwriting Agreement and is specified
in Schedule II hereto.
SECTION
5. Payment
of
Expenses.
(a) Expenses.
The
Company will pay
all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Underwriting Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and any
filing of each Statutory Prospectus (including the Prospectus) and each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and of each amendment or supplement thereto,
(ii) the preparation, reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of this
Underwriting Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection
with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Notes, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Notes to the
Underwriters, including any charges of DTC in connection therewith,
(iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and
other advisors (but not the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters), (v) the qualification of the Notes under securities laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees
and
the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky
Survey, any supplement thereto and any legal investment survey (such fees and
disbursements not to exceed $7,500), (vi) the fees and expenses of the
Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in
connection with the Indenture and the Notes and (vii) any fees payable in
connection with the rating of the Notes in accordance with Section 3(g)
hereof.
8
(b) Termination
of
Underwriting Agreement.
If
this Underwriting Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in accordance
with
the provisions of Section
6,
the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket
expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
which
were reasonably incurred.
SECTION
6. Conditions
of
Underwriters’ Obligations.
The obligations of
the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations
and warranties of the Company contained in Section
1(a)
as of the
Applicable Time, the time this Underwriting Agreement is executed and delivered
by the parties hereto and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements
made in certificates of the Company executed by any officer of the Company
or
any officer of any of the Company’s subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other
obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) No
Stop
Orders.
Subsequent to the
execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement and prior to the Closing
Date:
(i)
no
stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof
shall be in effect, no order of the Commission directed to the adequacy or
accuracy of any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus shall be in effect, and no proceedings for either purpose
or
pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or relating
to
the offering of the Notes shall be pending before or threatened by the
Commission; and
(ii) there
shall not have
been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
(exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the Applicable
Time), any material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of
business.
(b) Officer’s
Certificate.
The Underwriters
shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date
and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth
in
Section
6(a)(i)
and (ii)
above and to the
effect that the representations and warranties of the Company in Section
1(a)
were true and
correct in all material respects when made and are true and correct in all
material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at
and
as of the Closing Date, and that the Company has complied in all material
respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date. The officer signing
and
delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge
as to
proceedings threatened.
(c) Opinions
of
Counsel for the Company.
At
the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinions,
each dated as of the Closing Date, of Xxxx X. Xxxx, Associate General Counsel
for the Company’s parent, FirstEnergy Corp., and Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx &
Xxxx LLP, special counsel to the Company, each in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letters for the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth
in
Exhibits A-1
and A-2
hereto and to such
further effects as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request. In giving
his opinion, Xxxx X. Xxxx may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws
of
the State of New York, upon the opinion of Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx
LLP. Each counsel may state that, insofar as his or its opinion involves factual
matters, such counsel has relied, to the extent he or it deems proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates
of
public officials.
(d) Opinion
of
Counsel for Underwriters.
At
the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion,
dated as of the Closing Date, of Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for
the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters. In
giving such opinion such counsel may state that, insofar as such opinion
involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper,
upon
certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates
of
public officials.
9
(e) Comfort
Letter.
(i)
On
or
prior to the date of this Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriters shall have
received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a comfort letter, dated the date
hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters,
containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in
accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters (of the type ordinarily issued in
transactions covered by registration statements filed under the Securities
Act)
with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information
contained in the Registration Statement and any Statutory Prospectus (including
the Prospectus) or incorporated therein by reference, with a specified date
not
more than three business days prior to the date hereof.
(ii) At
the Closing Date,
the Underwriters shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter
dated as of the Closing Date, confirming, as of a date not more than three
business days prior to the Closing Date, the statements contained in the letter
delivered pursuant to Section 6(e)(i) hereof.
(f) Maintenance
of
Rating.
At
the Closing Date, the Notes shall be rated at least Baa3 by Moody’s and BBB- by
S&P, and the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriters a letter,
dated as of the Closing Date, from each such rating agency, or other evidence
reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, confirming that the Notes have
been
assigned such ratings; and since the date of this Underwriting Agreement, there
shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given
of
any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change
that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating
accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule
436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.
(g) Clearance
and
Settlement.
At
the Closing Date, the Notes shall be eligible for clearance and settlement
through the facilities of DTC.
(h) Additional
Documents.
At
the Closing Date, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with
such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose
of
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein
contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations
or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained;
and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and
sale of the Notes as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in
form and substance to the Underwriters and counsel for the
Underwriters.
(i) Termination
of
Underwriting Agreement.
If
any condition contemplated by this Section shall not have been fulfilled when
and as required to be fulfilled, or if any of the opinions and certificates
mentioned above or elsewhere in this Underwriting Agreement shall not be
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel
for the Underwriters, this Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the
Underwriters by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing
Date, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 5
and except that
Sections
7,
8
and 9
shall survive any
such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
7. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification
of Underwriters.
The
Company agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages and liabilities that arise out of or are based upon
any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the
Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus at any time, the
Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to
make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each
Underwriter and each such controlling person, as incurred, for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating
or
defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, except insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of or are based upon
any
such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission are
based upon information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter
expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described
as such in Section 7(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition
to
any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
10
(b) Indemnification
of Company, Directors and Officers.
Each
Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and any person
controlling the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the
foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with
reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished in writing
by
such Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Statutory
Prospectus, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth
in
the last paragraph of the cover page of the Prospectus regarding the delivery
of
the Notes and, under the caption “Underwriting,” (i) the concession and
reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph, (ii) the second sentence
of the fourth paragraph related to market-making activities, and (iii) the
sixth
paragraph relating to stabilization, syndicate and covering transactions and
penalty bids, in the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in
writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for use in the Registration
Statement, any Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
the Underwriters may otherwise have.
(c) Actions
Against
Parties; Notification.
In
case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be
instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought
pursuant to either of the two preceding paragraphs, such person (the
“indemnified
party”)
shall promptly
notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying
party”)
in writing and
the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such
proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related
to
such proceeding. The omission so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will
not
relieve it from any liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to
the
extent such failure results in the loss by the indemnifying party of substantial
rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event relieve the indemnifying
party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the
indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of
such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the
named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include
both
the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party
shall have reasonably concluded upon advice of counsel that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or (iii) the
indemnifying party fails to assume the defense of such proceeding or to employ
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. It is understood
that,
except as provided in the following sentence, the indemnifying party shall
not,
in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
counsel for all such indemnified parties. Such counsel shall be designated
in
writing by the Representatives in the case of parties indemnified pursuant
to
the second preceding paragraph, and by the Company in the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to the first preceding paragraph.
(d) Settlement.
The
indemnifying
party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there has been
a
final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify
the
indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent
to
the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder (whether the indemnified parties are actual or potential
parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
(i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does
not include any statement as to, or any admission of, fault, culpability or
failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
11
SECTION
8. Contribution.
In the event that
the indemnity provided for in Section 7 is held by a court to be unavailable,
in
whole or in part, to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the
Company and the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to contribute
to
the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending
same)
(collectively “Losses”)
to which the
Company and any of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one
hand and by the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Notes.
If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is held by
a
court to be unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agree to contribute in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand
in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses,
as
well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the
Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and benefits received
by
the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the discounts and commissions
received by the Underwriters. Relative fault shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other hand, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section
8,
no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the Notes underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amounts of
any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason
of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. The
Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if
contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of
allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no person guilty
of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For
purposes of this
Section 8, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall
have
the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the
Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion
to the principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their respective names
in
Schedule I hereto and not joint.
SECTION
9. Representations,
Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
All
representations, warranties and indemnity and contribution agreements contained
in this Underwriting Agreement or in certificates of the Company submitted
pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of any termination of this Underwriting Agreement, any investigation made by
or
on behalf of the Underwriters or controlling person, or by or on behalf of
the
Company, and shall survive delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters.
SECTION
10. Termination
of
Underwriting Agreement.
The Underwriters
may terminate this Underwriting Agreement by notice given by the Representatives
to the Company, if after the effectiveness of this Underwriting Agreement and
prior to delivery of and payment for the Notes (i) trading generally shall
have
been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of
the
New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market,
the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the
Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall
have
been suspended on any exchange or in any over the counter market, (iii) any
moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal
or New York State authorities or any material disruption in commercial banking,
securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall
have occurred, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation
of
hostilities, or any change in financial markets, any declaration of war by
Congress, or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the
Representatives, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with
any
other event specified in this clause (iv), makes it, in the judgment of the
Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale
or
delivery of the Notes on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Sections
7,
8
and 9
shall survive any
termination under this Section
10
and remain in full force and effect.
12
SECTION
11. Default
by One or
More of the Underwriters.
If one or more of
the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Date to purchase the Notes which
it
or they are obligated to purchase under this Underwriting Agreement (the
“Defaulted
Notes”),
the Underwriters
shall have the right, but not the obligation, within 36 hours thereafter, to
make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any
other Underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted
Notes in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth;
if, however, the Underwriters shall not have completed such arrangements within
such 36-hour period, then:
(a) if
the number of
Defaulted Notes does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the
Notes, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their
respective obligations to purchase hereunder bear to the obligations of all
non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if
the number of
Defaulted Notes exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes,
this
Underwriting Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No
action taken
pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default under this Underwriting
Agreement.
In
the event of any
such default which does not result in a termination of this Underwriting
Agreement, either the Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to
effect any required changes in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
SECTION
12. Notices.
All notices and
other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to KeyBanc
Capital Markets, Inc., 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx, Facsimile (000) 000-0000; and to Greenwich Capital
Markets, Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx/Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Facsimile (000) 000-0000/(000)000-0000;
notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 00 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx,
Xxxx 00000, Attention: Treasurer, Facsimile: (000) 000-0000.
SECTION
13. Parties.
This Underwriting
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters,
the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned
in
this Underwriting Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their
respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors
referred to in Sections 7 and 8 and their heirs and legal representatives,
any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Underwriting Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Underwriting
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective
successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their
heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm
or
corporation. No purchaser of Notes from the Underwriters shall be deemed to
be a
successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION
14. Absence
of
Fiduciary Relationship.
The Company
acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) the
Representatives
have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale
of
Notes and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company
and the Representatives have been created in respect of any of the transactions
contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement, irrespective of whether the
Representatives have advised or are advising the Company on other matters;
(b) the
price of the
Notes set forth in the Final Term Sheet attached as Annex A to Schedule II
hereto was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length
negotiations with the Representatives and the Company is capable of evaluating
and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions
of
the transactions contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement;
(c) the
Company has been
advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad
range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of
the
Company and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such
interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory
or agency relationship; and
13
(d) the
Company waives,
to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the
Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary
duty
and agrees that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct
or
indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any
person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company,
including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
SECTION
15. Miscellaneous.
(a) GOVERNING
LAW AND
TIME.
THIS AGREEMENT
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF
NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER
TO
NEW YORK CITY TIME.
(b) Waiver
of Jury
Trial.
The Company hereby
irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any
and
all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating
to
this Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(c) Counterparts.
This Underwriting
Agreement may be executed in any number of separate counterparts, each of which,
when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of
which taken together, shall constitute but one and the same
agreement.
(d) Successors.
This Underwriting
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon, each of the
Company, the several Underwriters, and their respective successors and the
officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Sections
7,
8
and 9
hereof. The term
“successor” as used in this section shall not include any purchaser, as such, of
any Notes from the Underwriters.
(e) Integration.
This Underwriting
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written
or
oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect
to
the subject matter hereof.
(f)
Effect
of
Headings.
The Section
headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction
hereof.
14
If
the foregoing is
in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign counterparts
hereof.
Very
truly
yours,
THE
CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY
as
Issuer
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
|
Title:
Assistant Treasurer
|
CONFIRMED
AND
ACCEPTED,
as
of the date first above written:
GREENWICH
CAPITAL
MARKETS, INC.
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
Name:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title:
Vice President
|
KEYBANC
CAPITAL
MARKETS
a
division of McDonald Investments Inc.
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxx
|
Name:
Xxxx Xxxx
|
|
Title:
Director
|
Acting
as
representatives of the several Underwriters
named
in Schedule
I.
15
Schedule
I
Underwriters
|
Principal
Amount
of
Notes
|
|
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc..
|
100,000,000
|
|
KeyBanc
Capital Markets,
|
||
a
division of
McDonald Investments Inc
|
100,000,000
|
|
Mizuho
Securities USA Inc.
|
12,500,000
|
|
PNC
Capital
Markets LLC
|
12,500,000
|
|
Scotia
Capital
(USA) Inc.
|
12,500,000
|
|
The
Xxxxxxxx
Capital Group, L.P.
|
12,500,000
|
|
Total
|
$250,000,000
|
Sch.
I
Schedule II
Schedule
of
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
· |
Final
Term
Sheet attached to this Schedule II as Annex A (Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus)
|
Sch.
II
ANNEX
A
TO
SCHEDULE
II
Final
Term
Sheet
Attched
hereto.
Sch.
II,Annex
A-1
Filed
Pursuant to
Rule 433
Registration
No.
333-138101
March
22,
2007
The
Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company
Pricing
Term
Sheet
Issuer
|
The
Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company
|
Ratings
|
Baa3
(Positive) / BBB- (Stable) / BBB- (Positive)
(Xxxxx’x/S&P/Fitch)
|
Principal
Amount
|
$250,000,000
|
Security
Type
|
Senior
Unsecured Notes
|
Trade
Date
|
March
22,
2007
|
Settlement
Date
|
March
27,
2007
|
Maturity
Date
|
April
1,
2017
|
Coupon
Payment Dates
|
Semi-annual
payments on April 1 and October 1
of
each year,
beginning October 1, 2007
|
Call
Structure
|
Make-whole
call at T+20
|
Benchmark
|
UST
4.625% due
2/17
|
Benchmark
Price
|
100-
06
|
Benchmark
Yield
|
4.601%
|
Reoffer
Spread
|
+112.0
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
5.721%
|
Coupon
|
5.700%
|
Price
|
99.841%
of
principal amount
|
Gross
Spread (%)
|
0.6500%
|
Gross
Spread ($)
|
$1,625,000
|
Net
Proceeds (%)
|
99.191%
|
Net
Proceeds ($)
|
$247,977,500
|
Bookrunner
|
KeyBanc
Capital Markets, a division of McDonald Investments Inc.
(40%)
|
Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc. (40%)
|
|
Co-Manager(s)
|
Mizuho
Securities USA Inc. (5%)
|
PNC
Capital
Markets LLC (5%)
|
|
Scotia
Capital
(USA) Inc. (5%)
|
|
The
Xxxxxxxx
Capital Group, L.P. (5%)
|
|
CUSIP
|
000000XX0
|
ISIN
|
US186108CF17
|
The
issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus)
with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for this
offering.
Before you invest, you should read the prospectus for this offering
in
that registration statement, and
other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete
information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these
documents for free by searching the SEC online database (XXXXX) at
xxx.xxx.xxx.
Alternatively, you may obtain a copy of the prospectus from Greenwich
Capital Markets, Inc. by calling toll-free at 0-000-000-0000 or KeyBanc
Capital Markets by calling toll-free at
0-000-000-0000.
|
Sch.
II,Annex
A-2
Schedule
III
Subsidiaries
Name
of Subsidiary
|
Business
|
State
of Organization
|
%
Ownership
|
Centerior
Funding Corporation
|
Special-Purpose
Finance
|
Delaware
|
100%
|
Cleveland
Electric Financing Trust I
|
Special-Purpose
Finance
|
Delaware
|
100%
|
The
Toledo
Edison Capital Trust
|
Special-Purpose
Finance
|
Delaware
|
10%
|
Sch.
III -
1
Exhibit
A-1
FORM
OF IN-HOUSE
OPINION
1. |
The
Company
was duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good
standing under the laws of the State of Ohio, with full corporate
power
and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate
its
properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure
Package, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation
and
is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires
such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability
by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such
jurisdiction.
|
2. |
The
Indenture
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes the valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as may be
limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance,
moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement
of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied
covenant
of good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness.
|
3. |
The
Notes have
been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when authenticated
by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered by
the
Company against payment therefor by the Underwriters pursuant to
the
Underwriting Agreement, they will constitute valid and binding obligations
of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their
terms and entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, except
as
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent
conveyance, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting
the
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law)
and by
an implied covenant of good faith, fair dealing and
reasonableness.
|
4. |
The
Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by
the Company.
|
5. |
No
consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency is required in connection with the transaction contemplated
by the
Underwriting Agreement, except such as has been obtained from the
Public
Utilities Commission of Ohio and such as may be required under the
securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction (other than the federal
law of the United States of America), as to which such counsel may
express
no opinion.
|
6. |
Neither
the
consummation of the transaction contemplated in the Underwriting
Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Notes, nor the
fulfillment of the terms thereof, will conflict with, result in breach
or
violation of, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to,
(A)
the Restated Articles of Incorporation or the Amended and Restated
Code of
Regulations of the Company, (B) the terms of any indenture, contract,
lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or
other
material agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument,
to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound
or to
which its or their property is subject, (C) any Ohio law, rule or
regulation or (D) any judgment, order or decree known to us applicable
to
the Company of any Ohio court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction
over
the Company or any of its
properties.
|
7. |
To
the best of
such counsel’s knowledge, no order directed to the adequacy of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued by the
Commission, and no challenge by the Commission has been made to the
adequacy of such document.
|
Exh.
A-1 -
1
In
connection with
the preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement, the General
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, such counsel has had discussions with
certain of the Company’s officers and representatives, with other counsel for
the Company and certain of its representatives and with PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, the Company’s independent public accountants who audited certain of the
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Such counsel’s
review of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the above-mentioned
discussions did not disclose to such counsel any information that gives such
counsel reason to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, as of each
Effective Date relating to the Notes, contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the General
Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to
make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading or (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the
Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact
or
omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. Such counsel may not express any belief as to the
financial statements, including the notes thereto and any related schedules,
and
other financial and statistical data derived therefrom included
or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure
Package or the Prospectus.
Exh.
A-I -
2
Exhibit
A-2
FORM
OF OPINION OF
AKIN GUMP XXXXXXX XXXXX & XXXX LLP
1. |
The
statements
made in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the
headings “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of the Senior
Notes,” insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the Notes and
the Indenture, are accurate in all material respects and the Notes
are
consistent with the information in the General Disclosure Package
and the
Prospectus.
|
2. |
The
Indenture
has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and
constitutes the valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms.
|
3. |
When
the Notes
have been duly executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee
in
accordance with the Indenture and delivered by the Company against
payment
therefor by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement,
they
will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to
the
benefits provided by the Indenture.
|
4. |
The
Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by
the Company.
|
5. |
No
authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or
filing
with, any governmental authority or regulatory body is required under
any
of the Included Laws for the due execution and delivery of the
Underwriting Agreement by the Company and its transactions contemplated
by
the Underwriting Agreement, except (i) such as have already been
obtained
and are in full force and effect and (ii) such as may be required
under
the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction, as to which
such
counsel may express no opinion.
|
6. |
Neither
the
consummation of the transaction contemplated in the Underwriting
Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Notes, nor the
fulfillment of the terms thereof, will result in breach or violation
of,
result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon
any
property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) any agreement
or
instrument of the Company listed on Schedule A thereto, (ii) any rule
or regulation or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any order of any
governmental authority or regulatory body having jurisdiction over
the
Company or any of its properties under any Included Law.
|
7. |
Each
of the
Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date relating to the
Notes,
and the Prospectus, as of its date, and any amendment or supplement
thereto, as of its date (except in each case for the financial statements,
including the notes thereto and any related schedules, and other
financial
and statistical data derived therefrom included
or
incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel expresses
no
opinion),
appeared on
its face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects
to the
requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations
thereunder; and the documents or portions thereof filed by the Company
with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, and incorporated
or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus pursuant
to Item
12 of Form S-3, on the date filed with the Commission, appeared on
its
face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the
requirements of the Exchange Act pursuant to which it was filed and
the
applicable rules and regulations
thereunder.
|
8. |
To
the best of
such counsel’s knowledge, no order directed to the adequacy of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued by the
Commission, and no challenge by the Commission has been made to the
adequacy of such document.
|
9. |
The
Company is
not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Senior
Notes,
and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus
and the General Disclosure Package will not be, an “investment company”
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
|
Exh.
A-2 -
1
The opinions and other matters in the letter may be qualified in their entirety
and subject to the following:
A. |
Such
counsel
may express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than
the
Included Laws. Such counsel may have made no special investigation
or
review of any published constitutions, treaties, laws, rules or
regulations or judicial or administrative decisions (“Laws”),
other than
a review of (i) the Laws of the State of New York, and (ii) the Federal
Laws of the United States of America. For purposes of this letter,
the
term “Included
Laws”
means
the
items described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence
that
are, in such counsel’s experience, normally applicable to transactions of
the type contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement. The term Included
Laws specifically excludes (a) Laws of any counties, cities, towns,
municipalities and special political subdivisions and any agencies
thereof
and (b) Laws relating to land use, zoning and building code issues,
taxes,
environmental issues, intellectual property Laws, antitrust issues
and
Federal Reserve Board margin regulation
issues.
|
B. |
When
used in
the letter, the phrases “known
to such counsel”,
“to
such counsel’s actual knowledge,” “best of such counsel’s
knowledge”
and similar
phrases (i) mean the conscious awareness of facts or other information
by
(a) the lawyer in such counsel’s firm who signed the letter, (b) any
lawyer in such counsel’s firm actively involved in negotiating and
preparing the Transaction Documents (as such term is defined in the
letter), (c) solely as to information relevant to a particular opinion,
issue or confirmation regarding a particular factual matter, any
lawyer in
such counsel’s firm who is primarily responsible for providing the
response concerning that particular opinion, issue or confirmation
and (d)
any lawyer in such counsel’s firm who otherwise devotes substantive
attention to matters of the Company on behalf of such firm and could
reasonably be expected to have information material to the opinions
expressed herein, and (ii) do not require or imply (a) any examination
of
such firm’s, such lawyer’s or any other person’s or entity’s files, (b)
that any inquiry be made of the client, any lawyer (other than the
lawyers
described above), or any other person or entity, or (c) any review
or
examination of any agreements, documents, certificates, instruments
or
other papers other than the Transaction Documents, the corporate
records
referred to in the third paragraph of the letter and any agreement
or
instrument of the Company listed on Schedule A
thereto.
|
C. |
The
letter and
the matters addressed in the letter will as of the date thereof or
such
earlier date as is specified therein, and such counsel may undertake
no,
and may disclaim any, obligation to advise the addressees thereof
of any
change in any matter set forth in the letter, whether based on a
change in
the law, a change in any fact relating to the Company or any other
Person,
or any other circumstance. The letter may be limited to the matters
expressly stated therein and no opinions are to be inferred or may
be
implied beyond the opinions expressly set forth therein.
|
D. |
The
matters
expressed in the letter may be subject to and qualified and limited
by (i)
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and conveyance,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
and remedies generally; (ii) general principles of equity, including
principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law
or in
equity); and (iii) the power of the courts to award damages in lieu
of
equitable remedies.
|
X. |
Xxxx
counsel
may assume that no fraud, dishonesty, forgery, coercion, duress or
breach
of fiduciary duty exists or will exist with respect to any of the
matters
relevant to the opinions expressed in the
letter.
|
F. |
Such
counsel
may express no opinion as to (i) the compliance of the transactions
contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement with any regulations or
governmental requirements applicable to any party other than the
Company;
(ii) the financial condition or solvency of the Company; (iii) the
ability
(financial or otherwise) of the Company or any other party to meet
their
respective obligations under the Underwriting Agreement; (iv) except
to
the extent covered by the last paragraph of the letter, the compliance
of
the Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby
with,
or the effect of any of the foregoing with respect to, the antifraud
provisions of the Federal and state securities laws, rules and
regulations; and (v) the conformity of the Underwriting Agreement
to any
term sheet or commitment letter.
|
G. |
The
letter may
be solely for the benefit of the addressees thereof, and no other
Persons
shall be entitled to rely upon the letter. Without such counsel’s prior
written consent, the letter may not be quoted in whole or in part
or
otherwise referred to in any document and may not be furnished or
otherwise disclosed to or used by any other Person, except for (i)
delivery of copies thereof to counsel for the addressees thereof,
(ii)
inclusion of copies thereof in a closing file, and (iii) use thereof
in
any legal proceeding arising out of the transactions contemplated
by the
Underwriting Agreement filed by an addressee thereof against such
law firm
or in which any addressee thereof is a
defendant.
|
Exh.
A-2 -
2
Based
on such
counsel’s participation in such conferences and conversations as such counsel
shall describe in the letter and such counsel’s review of the documents to be
described in the letter, including those included in the General Disclosure
Package, and the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, such counsel shall
state that in the letter no information has come to such counsel’s attention
that causes such counsel to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, as
of
each Effective Date relating to the Notes,
contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to
be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
(ii)
the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary
in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading or (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date
and
as of the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, not misleading, except that in the case of each of the clauses (i)-(iii)
above, such firm may state that it does not express any view as to the financial
statements, financial schedules and other financial, accounting and statistical
data derived therefrom contained
or
incorporated by reference therein.
Exh.
A-2 -
3