Exhibit A-14(a)
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Between
Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
(as Guarantor)
and
The Bank of New York
(as Trustee)
dated as of
January 28, 1997
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
Section of Section of
Trust Indenture Act Guarantee
of 1939, as amended Agreement
310(a) 4.01(a)
310(b) 4.01(c),2.08
310(c) Inapplicable
311(a) 2.02(b)
311(b) 2.02(b)
311(c) Inapplicable
312(a) 2.02(a)
312(b) 2.02(b)
313 2.03
314(a) 2.04
314(b) Inapplicable
314(c) 2.05
314(d) Inapplicable
314(e) 1.01,
2.05, 3.02
314(f) 2.01, 3.02
315(a) 3.01(d)
315(b) 2.07
315(c) 3.01
315(d) 3.01(d)
316(a) 5.04(a),2.06
316(b) 5.03
316(c) 2.02
317(a) Inapplicable
317(b) Inapplicable
318(a) 2.01(b)
318(b) 2.01
318(c) 2.01(a)
_____________
* This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the
Guarantee Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of
any of its terms or provisions.
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT ("Guarantee Agreement"), dated
as of January 28, 1997, is executed and delivered by Entergy Gulf
States, Inc., a Texas corporation (the "Guarantor"), and The Bank
of New York, as trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the
benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of
the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of Entergy Gulf
States Capital I, a Delaware statutory business trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement (the "Trust Agreement"), dated as of January 28, 1997
between the Trustees of the Issuer named therein, Entergy Gulf
States, Inc., as Depositor, and the several Holders (as defined
therein), the Issuer is issuing as of the date hereof 3,400,000
of its 8.75% Cumulative Quarterly Income Preferred Securities,
Series A ($85,000,000 in aggregate liquidation amount) (the
"Preferred Securities") representing preferred undivided
beneficial ownership interests in the Issuer and having the terms
set forth in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities are to be issued by
the Issuer and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds
from the issuance of the Issuer's Common Securities (as defined
below), are to be used to purchase the Debentures (as defined in
the Trust Agreement) which will be deposited with The Bank of New
York, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as trust
assets; and
WHEREAS, in order to enhance the value of the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires to irrevocably and
unconditionally agree, to the extent set forth herein, to pay to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to
make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth
herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by
each Holder of the Preferred Securities, which purchase the
Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the
Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the
benefit of the Holders from time to time.
I DEFINITIONS
I.11 Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the
terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise
defined terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as in
effect on the date hereof.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other
Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or
under direct or indirect common control with such specified
Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control" when used
with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct
the management and policies of such Person, directly or
indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities,
by contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and
"controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing
common undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of
the Issuer.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on
any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee
Agreement.
"Guarantee Payments" shall mean the following payments
or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the
Preferred Securities, to the extent not paid or made by or on
behalf of the Issuer: (i) any accumulated and unpaid
Distributions that are required to be paid on such Preferred
Securities but only if and to the extent that the Property
Trustee has available in the Payment Account funds sufficient to
make such payment, (ii) the redemption price (the "Redemption
Price"), and all accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the date
of redemption, with respect to the Preferred Securities called
for redemption by the Issuer but only if and to the extent that
the Property Trustee has available in the Payment Account funds
sufficient to make such payment, (iii) upon a voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer
(other than in connection with a redemption of all of the
Preferred Securities), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the
Liquidation Amount and all accumulated and unpaid Distributions
on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, and (b) the
amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for
distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either
case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means The Bank of New York until a
Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted
such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee
Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee
Trustee.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the
books and records of the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities then
outstanding; provided, however, that in determining whether the
holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the
Guarantor.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of January 15,
1997, among the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and The Bank
of New York, as trustee, pursuant to which the Debentures are
issued.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities" means a vote by Holders, voting separately as a
class, of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount of
all Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by
the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the
President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant
Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the
Guarantor, and delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition
or covenant provided for in this Guarantee Agreement shall
include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the
definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in
rendering the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion
as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied
with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means any individual, corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the
Guarantee Trustee, any vice-president, any assistant vice-
president, the secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer,
any assistant treasurer, any trust officer or assistant trust
officer or any other officer of the Corporate Trust Department of
the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to
those performed by any of the above designated officers and also
means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any
other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that
officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular
subject.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as
Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended.
II TRUST INDENTURE ACT
II.11 Trust Indenture Act; Application.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of
the Trust Indenture Act that are required or deemed to be part of
this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be
governed by such provisions; and
(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee
Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed
by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act,
such imposed duties shall control.
II.12 Lists of Holders of Preferred Securities.
(a) The Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
the Guarantee Trustee (a) semiannually, not later than December
31 and June 30 in each year, a list, in such form as the
Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the Holders ("List of Holders") as of a date not
more than 15 days prior to the delivery thereof, and (b) at such
other times as the Guarantee Trustee may request in writing,
within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of any such
request, a List of Holders as of a date not more than 15 days
prior to the time such list is furnished; provided that, the
Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders
at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most
recent List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders
previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, subject to the
provisions of Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
II.13 Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days
after December 31 of each year, commencing December 31, 1997, the
Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports, if
any, as are required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act
in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313(a) of the
Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply
with the requirements of Sections 313(b), (c) and (d) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
II.14 Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such documents,
reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the times
required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
II.15 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent provided for
in this Guarantee Agreement as and to the extent required by
Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or
opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section
314(c)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act may be given in the form of
an Officers' Certificate.
II.16 Events of Default; Waiver. The Holders of a
Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by
vote, on behalf of all of the Holders, waive any past Event of
Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event
of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising
therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose
of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to
any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
II.17 Event of Default; Notice.
(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all Events of Default
known to the Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been
cured before the giving of such notice, provided that, the
Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice
if and so long as the board of directors, the executive
committee, or a trust committee of directors or Responsible
Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that
the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the
Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee
shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer
charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have
obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.
II.18 Conflicting Interests. The Trust Agreement and
the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in
this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the
first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
III POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
III.11 Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee
shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement or any rights
hereunder to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her
rights pursuant to Section 5.04 or to a Successor Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right,
title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically
vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and
cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing
documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the
appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee, prior to the occurrence of any
Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default
that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such
duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement,
and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an
Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived
pursuant to Section 2.06), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise
such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its
exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under
the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be
construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its
own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its
own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations
as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely,
as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions
furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any
such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee,
the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same
to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of
this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee
Trustee or such Responsible Officer was negligent in ascertaining
the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good
faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities
relating to the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee
Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the
Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise
incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of
its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if
the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing
that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably
assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or
adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
III.12 Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:
(i) the Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully
protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document
reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed,
sent or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate;
(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a
matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or
omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless
other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the
absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an
Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall
be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its
choice, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with
respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such
advice or opinion; such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor
or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees;
the Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(v) the Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this
Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder,
unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee
such adequate security and indemnity as would satisfy a
reasonable person in the position of the Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
complying with such request or direction, including such
reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee;
provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall
be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of
an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and
powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement;
(vi) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document reasonably
believed by it to be genuine, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(vii) the Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the
trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either
directly or by or through agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee
Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence
on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by
it hereunder;
(viii) whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to
receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or
right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee
(1) may request instructions from the Holders, (2) may refrain
from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (3) shall be protected
in acting in accordance with such instructions; and
(ix) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith
and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the
discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this
Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed
to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or
obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in
which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee
shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable
law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such
right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or
authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed
to be a duty.
IV GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
IV.11 Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which
shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory
thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or
Person permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission to act
as an institutional trustee under the Trust Indenture Act,
authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers,
having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S.
dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination
by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority.
If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the
supervising or examining authority referred to above, then, for
the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital
and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee
shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set
out in Section 4.03(c).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor
shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section
310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
IV.12 Compensation and Reimbursement.
The Guarantor agrees:
(a) to pay the Guarantee Trustee from time to time such
reasonable compensation as the Guarantor and the Guarantee
Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all services
rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited
by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to
reimburse the Guarantee Trustee upon its request for all
reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made
by the Guarantee Trustee in accordance with the provisions of
this Guarantee (including the reasonable compensation and
expenses of its agents and counsel), except any such expense,
disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence
or bad faith; and
(c) to indemnify each of the Guarantee Trustee and any
predecessor Guarantee Trustee for, and to hold it harmless from
and against, any and all loss, damage, claim, liability or
expense, including taxes (other than taxes based upon the income
of the Guarantee Trustee) incurred without negligence or bad
faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance of the administration of this Guarantee Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any
claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance
of any its powers or duties hereunder.
As security for the performance of the obligations of
the Guarantor under this Section, the Guarantee Trustee shall
have a lien prior to the Preferred Securities upon all the
property and funds held or collected by the Guarantee Trustee as
such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of,
and premium (if any) or interest on, particular obligations of
the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the
termination of this Guarantee Agreement.
IV.13 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee
Trustee.
(a) Subject to Section 4.03(b), unless an Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, the Guarantee Trustee may
be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the
Guarantor.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed until a
Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted
such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold
office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee
Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or
subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by
the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which
resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee
Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee
Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning
Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section
4.03 within 60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an
instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may
petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a
Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after
prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(e) The Guarantor shall give notice of each resignation and
each removal of the Guarantee Trustee and each appointment of a
successor Guarantee Trustee to all Holders in the manner provided
in Section 8.03 hereof. Each notice shall include the name of
the successor Guarantee Trustee and the address of its Corporate
Trust Office.
V GUARANTEE
V.11 Guarantee. The Guarantor irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the
Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim which the Issuer may have or
assert. The Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment
may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the
Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such
amounts to the Holders.
V.12 Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby
waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of
any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment,
demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first
against the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against
the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor,
notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.
V.13 Obligations Not Affected. The obligation of the
Guarantor to make the Guarantee Payments under this Guarantee
Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of
the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or
implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the
Preferred Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all
or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price,
Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the
terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension of time for
the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or
in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an
extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price,
Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable that results from
the extension of any interest payment period on the Debentures
permitted by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the
part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right,
privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to
the terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part
of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy,
assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization,
arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other
similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of
the Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the
Preferred Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a
guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the
obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and
unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of
any of the foregoing.
V.14 Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly
acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited
with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the
Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this
Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the Holders
of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities
have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee
in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust or
power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee
Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this
Guarantee Agreement without first instituting a legal proceeding
against the Issuer or any other person or entity.
V.15 Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee Agreement creates
a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee
Agreement will not be discharged except by payment of the
Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication).
V.16 Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all
(if any) rights of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of
any amounts paid to the Holders by the Guarantor under this
Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall
not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of
law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may
acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or
other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any
amounts of Guarantee Payments are due and unpaid under this
Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the
Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor
agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay
over such amount to the Holders.
V.17 Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges
that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations
of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities and that
the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of
this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any
event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of
Section 5.03.
VI SUBORDINATION
VI.11 Subordination. This Guarantee Agreement will
constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank
(i) subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Debt
of the Guarantor (which is defined as all obligations (other than
non-recourse obligations and the indebtedness issued under the
Indenture) of, or guaranteed or assumed by, the Guarantor for
borrowed money, including both senior and subordinated
indebtedness for borrowed money (other than the Debentures), or
for the payment of money relating to any lease which is
capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor
and its subsidiaries in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles as in effect from time to time, or
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar
instruments, and in each case, amendments, renewals, extensions,
modifications and refundings of any such indebtedness or
obligations, whether existing as of the date of the Indenture or
subsequently incurred by the Guarantor unless, in the case of any
particular indebtedness, obligation, renewal, extension or
refunding, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or the
assumption or guarantee of the same expressly provides that such
indebtedness, renewal, extension or refunding is not superior in
right of payment to or is pari passu with the Debentures;
provided that the Guarantor's obligations under this Guarantee or
any guarantee issued by the Guarantor on behalf of the holders of
Preferred Securities issued by entities affiliated with the
Guarantor similar to the Issuer shall not be deemed to be Senior
Debt of the Guarantor), and (ii) pari passu with any similar
guarantee now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor on behalf of
the holders of preferred securities issued by entities affiliated
with the Guarantor similar to the Issuer. Nothing in this
Section 6.01 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the
Guarantee Trustee under or pursuant to Section 4.02 hereof.
VII TERMINATION
VII.11 Termination. This Guarantee Agreement shall
terminate and be of no further force and effect upon: (i) full
payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (ii)
the distribution of Debentures to Holders in exchange for all of
the Preferred Securities or (iii) full payment of the amounts
payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation
of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee
Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as
the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment
of any sums paid with respect to the Preferred Securities or
under this Guarantee Agreement.
VIII MISCELLANEOUS
VIII.11 Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and
agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the
successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of
the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of
the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in connection
with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Guarantor that
is permitted under Article Eleven of the Indenture and pursuant
to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the
Guarantor's obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign
its obligations hereunder.
VIII.12 Amendments. This Guarantee Agreement may be
amended only by an instrument in writing entered into by the
Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee. Except with respect to any
changes which do not materially adversely affect the rights of
Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required),
this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the prior
approval of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
liquidation amount of all the outstanding Preferred Securities.
The provisions of Article VI of the Trust Agreement concerning
meetings of Holders shall apply to the giving of such approval.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require that the
Guarantee Trustee enter into any amendment of this Guarantee
Agreement.
VIII.13 Notices. Any notice, request or other
communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall
be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and
delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail as follows:
(a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address set forth below
or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities:
Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Treasurer
(b) if given to the Issuer, in care of the Administrative
Trustees, at the Issuer's (and the Administrative Trustee's)
address set forth below or such other address as the
Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Issuer may give notice
of to the Holders:
Entergy Gulf States Capital I
c/o Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Administrative Trustees
(c) if given to the Guarantee Trustee, to the address set
forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may
give notice of to the Holders of the Preferred Securities:
The Bank of New York
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00 Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
(d) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the
books and records of the Issuer.
All notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been
given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed,
or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a
notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be
delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was
given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been
delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
VIII.14 Benefit. This Guarantee Agreement is solely for
the benefit of the Holders and, subject to Section 3.01(a), is
not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
VIII.15 Interpretation. In this Guarantee Agreement,
unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not
defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings
assigned to them in Section 1.01;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has
the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this
Guarantee Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified,
supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and
Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement
unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise
defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context
otherwise requires;
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa; and
(g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein
shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
VIII.16 Governing Law. This Guarantee Agreement shall be
governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York.
This instrument may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but
one and the same instrument.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and
year first above written.
Entergy Gulf States, Inc.
By:
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
The Bank of New York,
as Guarantee Trustee
By:
Name:
Title:
