Exhibit 1.1
$100,000,000 Series S 4.000% Senior Notes
due January 15, 2011
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
January 12, 2004
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Georgia Power Company, a Georgia corporation (the "Company"),
confirms its agreement (the "Agreement") with you and each of the other
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters", which
term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in
Section 10 hereof) for whom you are acting as representative (in such capacity
you shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Representative"), with respect to
the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally
and not jointly, of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Series S
4.000% Senior Notes due January 15, 2011 (the "Senior Notes") as set forth in
Schedule I hereto.
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make
a public offering of the Senior Notes as soon as the Representative deems
advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered. The Senior Notes
will be issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of January 1, 1998 (the "Base
Indenture"), by and between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly known
as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee (the "Trustee"), as heretofore
supplemented and amended and as to be further supplemented and amended by a
nineteenth supplemental indenture, dated as of January 23, 2004, to the Base
Indenture relating to the Senior Notes (the "Supplemental Indenture" and,
together with the Base Indenture and any other amendments or supplements
thereto, the "Indenture"), between the Company and the Trustee.
SECTION 1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. The Company represents and warrants
to the Underwriters as follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-105815,
000-000000-00, 000-000000-00, 000-000000-00 and 333-105815-04) in
respect of the Senior Notes and certain other securities has been
prepared and filed in accordance with the provisions of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); such registration statement and
any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore
delivered or to be delivered to the Underwriters, has been declared
effective by the Commission in such form (except that copies of the
registration statement and any post-effective amendment delivered to
the Underwriters need not include exhibits but shall include all
documents incorporated by reference therein); and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the
best knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission (any
preliminary prospectus, included in such registration statement or
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act, being hereinafter
called a "Preliminary Prospectus"); such registration statement, as it
became effective, including the exhibits thereto and all documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 at
the time such registration statement became effective, being
hereinafter called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus
relating to the Senior Notes, in the form in which it was included in
the Registration Statement at the time it became effective, being
hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to
Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, as of the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference
to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed
after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the
case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"1934 Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the effective date of the
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement; and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
in final form by a prospectus supplement relating to the Senior Notes
in the form in which it is filed with the Commission, pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the 1933 Act in accordance with Section 3(e) hereof,
including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the
date of such filing, being hereinafter called the "Final Supplemented
Prospectus".
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in
all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934 Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and as of
such time of filing, when read together with the Prospectus, none of
such documents 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, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any
further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such
documents are filed with the Commission, will comply in all material
respects with the applicable provisions of the 1934 Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder and, when read together
with the Prospectus as it otherwise may be amended or supplemented,
will not contain an 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 the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, except that the Company makes no
warranty or representation to the Underwriters with respect to: (A) any
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters
through the Representative expressly for use in the Final Supplemented
Prospectus; or (B) any information set forth in the Final Supplemented
Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Series S Senior
Notes-- Book-Entry Only Issuance-- The Depository Trust Company".
(c) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, when any such post-effective
amendments are declared effective or supplements are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will comply, in all material respects
with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1939
Act (as hereinafter defined) and the General Rules and Regulations of
the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, (i) as of the
applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto and (ii) as of the applicable filing date as to the
Final Supplemented Prospectus and any Prospectus as further amended or
supplemented, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein
not misleading in the case of the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto, and, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading in the case of the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and any Prospectus as further amended or supplemented;
except that the Company makes no warranties or representations with
respect to: (A) that part of the Registration Statement which shall
constitute the Statements of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act"); (B) statements or
omissions made in the Registration Statement or the Final Supplemented
Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriters through the
Representative expressly for use therein; or (C) any information set
forth in the Final Supplemented Prospectus under the caption
"Description of the Series S Senior Notes-- Book-Entry Only Issuance--
The Depository Trust Company".
(d) With respect to the Registration Statement, the conditions for use of
Form S-3, as set forth in the General Instructions thereof, have been
satisfied.
(e) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, except as
otherwise stated therein, there has been no material adverse change in
the business, properties or financial condition of the Company.
(f) The Company is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws
of the State of Georgia and has due corporate authority to carry on the
public utility business in which it is engaged and to own and operate
the properties used by it in such business, to enter into and perform
its obligations under this Agreement and the Indenture and to issue and
sell the Senior Notes to the Underwriters.
(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.
(h) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the
Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), will have been duly executed and
delivered by the Company, and, assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee, the Indenture will, on
the Closing Date, constitute a valid and binding obligation of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (1)
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation,
fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally or (2) general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law
or in equity) (the "Enforceability Exceptions"); the Indenture will
conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto
contained in the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and, on the Closing
Date, the Indenture will have been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
(i) The issuance and delivery of the Senior Notes have been duly authorized
by the Company and, on the Closing Date, the Senior Notes will have
been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated in the manner
provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment therefor as
described in the Final Supplemented Prospectus, will constitute valid
and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that
enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions,
will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of,
the Indenture and will conform in all material respects to all
statements relating thereto in the Final Supplemented Prospectus.
(j) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this
Agreement, the Indenture and the Senior Notes and the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and
compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder
shall have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on
the part of the Company and do not and will not result in any violation
of the charter or bylaws of the Company, and do not and will not
conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions
of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company under (A) any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of its
properties may be subject (except for conflicts, breaches or defaults
which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be materially
adverse to the Company or materially adverse to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement), or (B) any existing applicable law,
rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any government,
governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, or any
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body
having jurisdiction over the Company, or any of its properties.
(k) No authorization, approval, consent or order of any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary in connection with the
issuance and sale by the Company of the Senior Notes or the
transactions by the Company contemplated in this Agreement, except (A)
such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder; (B) such as may be required under the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended; (C) the qualification of the
Indenture under the 1939 Act; (D) the approval of the Georgia Public
Service Commission (the "Georgia Commission"); and (E) such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or "blue sky" laws.
(l) The financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, together with the
related schedules and notes, present fairly, in all material respects,
the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company as of and for the dates indicated; said financial statements
have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis
(except that the unaudited financial statements may be subject to
normal year-end adjustments) throughout the periods involved and
necessarily include amounts that are based on the best estimates and
judgments of management. The selected financial data and the summary
financial information included in the Registration Statement and the
Final Supplemented Prospectus present fairly the information shown
therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the
audited and unaudited financial statements incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement.
SECTION 2. SALE AND DELIVERY TO THE UNDERWRITERS; CLOSING.
(a) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter, severally and
not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, the principal amount
of Senior Notes set forth in Schedule I to this Agreement opposite the
name of such Underwriter (plus any additional amount of Senior Notes
that such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the
provisions of Section 10 hereof), at a price equal to 98.398% of the
principal amount thereof.
(b) Payment of the purchase price and delivery of certificates for the
Senior Notes shall be made at the offices of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, 000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx at 10:00 A.M., New
York time, on January 23, 2004 (unless postponed in accordance with the
provisions of Section 10) or such other time, place or date as shall be
agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date
of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing Date").
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer in federal funds
at the Closing Date against delivery of the Senior Notes to the
Representative. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized
the Representative, for each Underwriter's account, to accept delivery
of, receipt for, and make payment of the principal amount of the Senior
Notes which each Underwriter has agreed to purchase. The
Representative, individually and not as a representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the
principal amount of the Senior Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter
whose payment has not been received by the Closing Date, but such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder.
The delivery of the Senior 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) for the Senior Notes will be made available
for examination by the Representative not later than 12:00 Noon, New York time,
on the last business day prior to the Closing Date.
SECTION 3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants with the
Underwriters as follows:
(a) The Company, on or prior to the Closing Date, will deliver to the
Underwriters conformed copies of the Registration Statement as
originally filed and of all amendments thereto, heretofore or hereafter
made, including any post-effective amendment (in each case including
all exhibits filed therewith, and including unsigned copies of each
consent and certificate included therein or filed as an exhibit
thereto, except exhibits incorporated by reference, unless specifically
requested). As soon as the Company is advised thereof, it will advise
the Representative orally of the issuance of any stop order under the
1933 Act with respect to the Registration Statement, or the institution
of any proceedings therefor, of which the Company shall have received
notice, and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any
such stop order and to secure the prompt removal thereof, if issued.
The Company will deliver to the Representative sufficient conformed
copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus and of all supplements and amendments thereto
(in each case without exhibits) for distribution to the Underwriters
and, from time to time, as many copies of the Prospectus and the Final
Supplemented Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request for
the purposes contemplated by the 1933 Act or the 0000 Xxx.
(b) The Company will furnish the Underwriters with copies of each amendment
and supplement to the Final Supplemented Prospectus relating to the
offering of the Senior Notes in such quantities as the Underwriters may
from time to time reasonably request. If, during the period (not
exceeding nine months) when the delivery of a prospectus shall be
required by law in connection with the sale of any Senior Notes by an
Underwriter, any event relating to or affecting the Company, or of
which the Company shall be advised in writing by the Underwriters,
shall occur, which in the opinion of the Company or of Underwriters'
counsel should be set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the
Final Supplemented Prospectus in order to make the Final Supplemented
Prospectus not misleading in the light of the circumstances when it is
delivered, or if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such
period to amend or supplement the Final Supplemented Prospectus or to
file under the 1934 Act any document incorporated by reference in the
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus in order to comply with the
1933 Act or the 1934 Act, the Company forthwith will (i) notify the
Underwriters to suspend solicitation of purchases of the Senior Notes
and (ii) at its expense, make any such filing or prepare and furnish to
the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of a supplement or
supplements or an amendment or amendments to the Final Supplemented
Prospectus which will supplement or amend the Final Supplemented
Prospectus so that, as supplemented or amended, it will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances when the Final Supplemented Prospectus is delivered, not
misleading or which will effect any other necessary compliance. In case
any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with
the sale of any Senior Notes after the expiration of the period
specified in the preceding sentence, the Company, upon the request of
such Underwriter, will furnish to such Underwriter, at the expense of
such Underwriter, a reasonable quantity of a supplemented or amended
prospectus, or supplements or amendments to the Final Supplemented
Prospectus, complying with Section 10(a) of the 1933 Act. During the
period specified in the second sentence of this subsection, the Company
will continue to prepare and file with the Commission on a timely basis
all documents or amendments required under the 1934 Act and the rules
and regulations thereunder; provided, that the Company shall not file
such -------- documents or amendments without also furnishing copies
thereof prior to such filing to the Representative and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
LLP.
(c) The Company will endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to
qualify the Senior Notes for offering and sale under the applicable
securities laws of such states and the other jurisdictions of the
United States as the Representative may designate; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be obligated to qualify as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
file a consent to service of process or to file annual reports or to
comply with any other requirements in connection with such
qualification deemed by the Company to be unduly burdensome.
(d) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as
soon as practicable but not later than 45 days after the close of the
period covered thereby, an earnings statement of the Company (in form
complying with the provisions of Rule 158 of the rules and regulations
under the 0000 Xxx) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later
than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the
"effective date" (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration
Statement.
(e) As soon as practicable after the date of this Agreement, and in any
event within the time prescribed by Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, to
file the Final Supplemented Prospectus with the Commission and to
advise the Representative of such filing and to confirm such advice in
writing.
(f) During a period of 15 days from the date of this Agreement, the Company
will not, without the Representative's prior written consent, directly
or indirectly, sell, offer to sell, grant any option for the sale of,
or otherwise dispose of, any Senior Notes or any security convertible
into or exchangeable into or exercisable for the Senior Notes or any
debt securities substantially similar to the Senior Notes (except for
the Senior Notes issued pursuant to this Agreement and the Company's
Series T Senior Notes due January 15, 2044). The Representative agrees
that commercial paper or other debt securities with scheduled
maturities of less than one year are not subject to this Section 3(f).
SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company will pay all expenses incidental to
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including but
not limited to, the expenses of (i) the printing and filing of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the
certificate(s) for the Senior Notes, (iii) the fees and disbursements
of the Company's counsel and accountants, (iv) the qualification of the
Senior Notes under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of
Section 3(c) 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 any blue sky survey (such
fees and disbursements of counsel shall not exceed $3,500), (v) the
printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto and of the
Prospectus, the Final Supplemented Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters
of copies of any blue sky survey, (vii) the fee of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with its review
of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, if applicable, (viii)
the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the
Indenture and the Senior Notes, (ix) any fees payable in connection
with the rating of the Senior Notes, (x) the cost and charges of any
transfer agent or registrar and (xi) the cost of qualifying the Senior
Notes with The Depository Trust Company.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9 hereof, the
Underwriters shall pay all other expenses incurred by them in connection with
their offering of the Senior Notes, including fees and disbursements of their
counsel, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP.
SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Senior Notes are subject to the
following conditions:
(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall be in effect on the Closing Date and no proceedings for that purpose shall
be pending before, or to the knowledge of the Company threatened by, the
Commission on such date. If filing of the Final Supplemented Prospectus, or any
supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424, the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and any such supplement shall have been filed in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 424.
(b) Any required orders of the Georgia Commission and the Commission permitting
the transactions contemplated hereby substantially in accordance with the terms
and conditions hereof shall be in full force and effect and shall contain no
provision unacceptable to the Underwriters or the Company (but all provisions of
such order or orders heretofore entered, copies of which have heretofore been
delivered to the Representative, are deemed acceptable to the Underwriters and
the Company and all provisions of such order or orders hereafter entered shall
be deemed acceptable to the Underwriters and the Company unless within 24 hours
after receiving a copy of any such order any party to this Agreement shall give
notice to the other parties to the effect that such order contains an
unacceptable provision).
(c) On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received:
(1) The opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for
the Company, substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule II.
(2) The opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP, counsel
to the Trustee, substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule III.
(3) The opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for
the Underwriters, substantially in the form attached hereto as Schedule IV.
(4) At the Closing Date, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or
since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, any material adverse change in
the business, properties or financial condition of the Company, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have
received a certificate of the President or any Vice President of the Company,
and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that (i) there has been no such
material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1
hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly
made at and as of the Closing Date, (iii) the Company has complied with all
agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
on or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been initiated or, to the knowledge of such Officer,
threatened by the Commission.
(5) On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received from Deloitte &
Touche LLP a letter dated the Closing Date to the effect that: (A) they are
independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations under the 1933 Act; (B) in
their opinion, the financial statements audited by them and incorporated by
reference in the Final Supplemented Prospectus comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1934 Act and the
rules and regulations under the 1934 Act; and (C) on the basis of certain
limited procedures performed through a specified date not more than five
business days prior to the date of such letter, namely (i) reading the minute
books of the Company; (ii) performing the procedures specified by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim financial
information as described in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71, "Interim
Financial Information" and in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, "Interim
Financial Information", as applicable, on the unaudited financial statements, if
any, of the Company incorporated by reference in the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and of the latest available unaudited financial statements of the
Company, if any, for any calendar quarter subsequent to the date of those
incorporated in the Final Supplemented Prospectus; and (iii) making inquiries of
certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters regarding such unaudited financial statements or any
specified unaudited amounts derived therefrom (it being understood that the
foregoing procedures do not constitute an audit performed in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards and they would not necessarily reveal
matters of significance with respect to the comments made in such letter, and
accordingly that Deloitte & Touche LLP make no representations as to the
sufficiency of such procedures for the Underwriters' purposes), nothing came to
their attention that caused them to believe that: (1) any material modifications
should be made to the unaudited condensed financial statements, if any,
incorporated by reference in the Final Supplemented Prospectus, for them to be
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles; (2) such unaudited
condensed financial statements do not comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1934 Act as it applies to
Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; (3) the
unaudited amounts for Operating Revenues, Earnings Before Income Taxes and Net
Income After Dividends on Preferred Stock and the unaudited Ratio of Earnings to
Fixed Charges set forth in the Final Supplemented Prospectus do not agree with
the amounts set forth in or derived from the unaudited financial statements for
the same period included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement; (4) as of a specified date not more than five business days prior to
the date of delivery of such letter, there has been any change in the capital
stock or long-term debt of the Company or any decrease in net assets as compared
with amounts shown in the latest audited balance sheet incorporated by reference
in the Final Supplemented Prospectus, except in each case for changes or
decreases which (i) the Final Supplemented Prospectus discloses have occurred or
may occur, (ii) are occasioned by the declaration of dividends, (iii) are
occasioned by draw-downs and regularly scheduled payments of capitalized lease
obligations, (iv) are occasioned by the purchase or redemption of bonds or stock
to satisfy mandatory or optional redemption provisions relating thereto, (v) are
occasioned by reclassification of current maturities of long-term debt or (vi)
are disclosed in such letter; and (5) the unaudited amounts for Operating
Revenues, Earnings Before Income Taxes and Net Income After Dividends on
Preferred Stock and the unaudited Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges for any
calendar quarter subsequent to those set forth in (3) above, which, if
available, shall be set forth in such letter, do not agree with the amounts set
forth in or derived from the unaudited financial statements for the same period
or were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with that of the
corresponding audited amounts or ratios included or incorporated by reference in
the Final Supplemented Prospectus.
(6) On the Closing Date, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished
with such documents and opinions as it may reasonably require for the purpose of
enabling it to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes as herein
contemplated and related proceedings, 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 Senior Notes as herein contemplated
shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.
(7) That no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Final
Supplemented Prospectus filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement
(including any filing made by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the
0000 Xxx) shall be unsatisfactory in form to Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP or shall
contain information (other than with respect to an amendment or supplement
relating solely to the activity of the Underwriters) which, in the reasonable
judgment of the Representative, shall materially impair the marketability of the
Senior Notes.
(8) The Company shall have performed its obligations when and as provided under
this Agreement.
If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated
by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time prior to the Closing
Date, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Sections 4, 7 and 9(b) hereof.
SECTION 6. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company shall be subject to the
conditions set forth in the first sentence of Section 5(a) and in Section 5(b).
In case such conditions shall not have been fulfilled, this Agreement may be
terminated by the Company by mailing or delivering written notice thereof to the
Representative. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to
any other party except as otherwise provided in Sections 4, 7 and 9(b) hereof.
SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Underwriters
and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20(a) of the 1934 Act, against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any
of them may become subject under the 1933 Act, 1934 Act or otherwise, and to
reimburse any such Underwriter and such controlling person or persons, if any,
for any legal or other expenses incurred by them in connection with defending
any actions, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or the Final Supplemented Prospectus or, if the
Company shall furnish to the Underwriters any amendments or any supplements
thereto, or shall make any filings pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the 1934 Act
which are incorporated by reference therein, in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Final Supplemented Prospectus as
so amended or supplemented, 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, except insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based
upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission which was made in such Registration Statement, Preliminary
Prospectus, Prospectus or Final Supplemented Prospectus in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representative for use therein and except that this
indemnity with respect to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the
Final Supplemented Prospectus, if the Company shall have furnished any amendment
or supplement thereto, shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or of
any person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions arising from the sale of the Senior Notes to any
person if a copy of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Final
Supplemented Prospectus (exclusive of documents incorporated therein by
reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3), as the same may then be amended or
supplemented, shall not have been sent or given by or on behalf of such
Underwriter to such person with or prior to the written confirmation of the sale
involved and the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission was corrected in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or
the Final Supplemented Prospectus as supplemented or amended at the time of such
confirmation. Each Underwriter agrees, within ten days after the receipt by it
of notice of the commencement of any action in respect of which indemnity may be
sought by it, or by any person controlling it, from the Company on account of
its agreement contained in this Section 7, to notify the Company in writing of
the commencement thereof but the omission of such Underwriter so to notify the
Company of any such action shall not release the Company from any liability
which it may have to such Underwriter or to such controlling person otherwise
than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7. In case
any such action shall be brought against an Underwriter or any such person
controlling such Underwriter and such Underwriter shall notify the Company of
the commencement thereof as above provided, the Company shall be entitled to
participate in (and, to the extent that it shall wish, including the selection
of counsel, to direct) the defense thereof, at its own expense. In case the
Company elects to direct such defense and select such counsel, any Underwriter
or controlling person shall have the right to employ its own counsel, but, in
any such case, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such Underwriter or such controlling person unless the employment of such
counsel has been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with
defending such action. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or
not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or
claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an
unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of
such action or claim and (ii) does not include any statement as to, or an
admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any
indemnified party. In no event shall any indemnifying party have any liability
or responsibility in respect of the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim effected without its prior written consent.
(b) Each Underwriter agrees severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its directors and such of its officers who have signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20(a) of the 1934 Act to
the same extent and upon the same terms as the indemnity agreement of the
Company set forth in Section 7(a) hereof, but only with respect to alleged
untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Final Supplemented Prospectus, or
such documents as amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by, or any Underwriter
through the Representative for use therein.
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in
this Agreement, or contained in certificates of officers of the Company
submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
controlling person, or by, or on behalf of the Company and shall survive
delivery of the Senior Notes to the Underwriters.
SECTION 9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.
(a) The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company,
at any time at or prior to the Closing Date if (i) trading in securities on the
New York Stock Exchange shall have been generally suspended or there shall have
been a material disruption in settlement in securities generally, (ii) minimum
or maximum ranges for prices shall have been generally established on the New
York Stock Exchange by the Commission or by the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) a
general banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York State
authorities, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of
major hostilities in which the United States is involved, any declaration of war
by the United States Congress or any other substantial national or international
calamity, crisis or emergency (including, without limitation, acts of terrorism)
affecting the United States, in any such case provided for in clauses (i)
through (iv) with the result that, in the reasonable judgment of the
Representative, the marketability of the Senior Notes shall have been materially
impaired.
(b) If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Representative pursuant to
subsection (a) above or because of any failure or refusal on the part of the
Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this
Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, then in any such case, the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters for the reasonable fees and disbursements of Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx LLP and for the out of pocket expenses (in an amount not exceeding
$10,000) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the
purchase, sale and delivery of the Senior Notes and, upon such reimbursement,
the Company shall be absolved from any further liability hereunder, except as
provided in Sections 4 and 7.
SECTION 10. DEFAULT BY AN UNDERWRITER.
If an Underwriter shall fail on the Closing Date to purchase
the Senior Notes that it is obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the
"Defaulted Securities"), the Representative shall have the right, within 24
hours thereafter, to make arrangements for the non-defaulting Underwriters, or
any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted
Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set
forth. If, however, the Representative shall not have completed such
arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the principal amount of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
Senior Notes, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and
not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their
respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting
obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the Senior
Notes, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a
termination of this Agreement, either the Representative 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 Registration Statement or
Final Supplemented Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
SECTION 11. 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 the Representative at Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000, Attention: Credit Capital Markets; notices to the Company
shall be mailed to 241 Xxxxx XxXxxx Xxxxxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
00000-0000, Attention: Corporate Secretary, with a copy to Southern Company
Services, Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxx.
SECTION 12. PARTIES. This 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 Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the
Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers
and directors referred to in Section 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and
all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and 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 Senior Notes from the Underwriters shall be deemed
to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in said State. Except as otherwise set forth
herein, specified times of day refer to New York City time.
SECTION 14. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of
the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed
to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together
constitute one and the same instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding
agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY
By: ________________________
Name:
Title:
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written
---------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.)
As Representative of the other Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto
SCHEDULE I
NAME OF UNDERWRITER Principal Amount of Series S
Senior Notes
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. $ 70,000,000
ABN AMRO Incorporated $ 10,000,000
Banc One Capital Markets, Inc. $ 10,000,000
Xxxxxxx Securities, LLC $ 10,000,000
TOTAL $100,000,000
============
Schedule II
[Letterhead of XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX LLP]
January 23, 2004
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY
Series S 4.000% Senior Notes due January 15, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Georgia Power Company (the
"Company") in connection with (i) the Company's issuance and sale of
$100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series S 4.000% Senior Notes due
January 15, 2011 (the "Notes") pursuant to a Senior Note Indenture dated as of
January 1, 1998, by and between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly
known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee (the "Trustee"), as heretofore
supplemented and as supplemented by the Nineteenth Supplemental Indenture dated
as of January 23, 2004 (collectively, the "Indenture"); and (ii) the purchase by
the Underwriters (as defined herein) of the Notes pursuant to the terms of an
Underwriting Agreement dated January 12, 2004 (the "Underwriting Agreement"),
among the Company and the Underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the
"Underwriters") for whom you are acting as Representative. This opinion is being
delivered to you pursuant to Section 5(c)(1) of the Underwriting Agreement.
All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined
the registration statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-105815, 000-000000-00,
000-000000-00, 000-000000-00 and 333-105815-04) pertaining to the Notes and
certain other securities (the "Registration Statement") filed under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the prospectus of the
Company dated June 25, 2003 as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated
January 12, 2004 (the "Final Supplemented Prospectus"), which pursuant to Form
S-3 incorporates by reference the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q of
the Company for the quarters ended March 31, 2003, June 30, 2003 and September
30, 2003 and the Current Reports on Form 8-K of the Company dated February 13,
2003, February 21, 2003, April 10, 2003, September 8, 2003, September 23, 2003,
December 2, 2003, December 8, 2003, January 12, 2004 and January __, 2004 (the
"Exchange Act Documents"), each as filed under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
In addition, we have examined, and have relied as to matters
of fact upon, the documents delivered to you at the closing (except the
certificate representing the Notes, of which we have examined a specimen), and
we have made such other and further investigations as we deemed necessary to
express the opinions hereinafter set forth. In such examination, we have assumed
the genuineness of all signatures, other than those of the Company, the legal
capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us
as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to
us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of
such latter documents.
The Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement are herein
referred to collectively as the "Agreements".
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and
limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion, relying as to matters of New
York law upon the opinion dated the date hereof rendered to you by Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx LLP, that:
1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Georgia, and has due
corporate authority to carry on the public utility business in which it is
engaged, to own and operate the properties used by it in such business and to
enter into and perform its obligations under the Agreements and the Notes.
2. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the
Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action, and the Underwriting Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
the Company.
3. All orders, consents or other authorizations or approvals of the
Georgia Public Service Commission and the Commission legally required for the
issuance and sale of the Notes have been obtained; such orders are sufficient
for the issuance and sale of the Notes; the issuance and sale of the Notes
conform in all material respects with the terms of such orders; and no other
order, consent or other authorization or approval of any Georgia or United
States governmental body (other than in connection or in compliance with the
provisions of the securities or "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction, as to which
we express no opinion) is legally required for the issuance and sale of the
Notes in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement.
4. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof
by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject
to the qualifications that the enforceability of the Company's obligations
thereunder may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and
by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Indenture conforms as
to legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof in the
Final Supplemented Prospectus.
5. The Notes have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and,
when authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the Indenture and
delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the
qualifications that the enforceability of the Company's obligations under the
Notes may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and
other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and by
general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Notes conform as to
legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof in the Final
Supplemented Prospectus.
6. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended.
We have not independently verified the accuracy, completeness
or fairness of the statements made or included in the Registration Statement,
the Final Supplemented Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents and take no
responsibility therefor, except as and to the extent set forth in paragraphs 4
and 5 above. In the course of the preparation by the Company of the Registration
Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus and the Exchange Act Documents, we
participated in conferences with certain officers and employees of the Company,
with representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP and with your counsel. Based upon
our examination of the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus
and the Exchange Act Documents, our investigations made in connection with the
preparation of the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus and
the Exchange Act Documents and our participation in the conferences referred to
above, (i) we are of the opinion that the Registration Statement, as of its
effective date, and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, as of January 12, 2004,
complied as to form in all material respects with the relevant requirements of
the Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and that the Exchange Act Documents, as of their respective dates of filing with
the Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the relevant
requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, except that in each case we express no opinion as to the
financial statements or other financial or statistical data contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented
Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents, and (ii) nothing came to our attention
which gives us reason to believe that the Registration Statement, as of its
effective date (including the Exchange Act Documents on file with the Commission
as of such date), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Final Supplemented
Prospectus (including the Exchange Act Documents) contained, as of its date, or
contains, on the date hereof, any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted, as of its date, or omits, on the date hereof, to state a 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 each
case we express no opinion or belief with respect to the financial statements or
other financial or statistical data contained or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus or the Exchange
Act Documents and with respect to information set forth in the Final
Supplemented Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Series S Senior
Notes -- Book-Entry Only Issuance -- The Depository Trust Company".
We are members of the State Bar of Georgia and we do not
express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of
Georgia and the federal law of the United States and, to the extent set forth
herein, the laws of the State of New York.
This opinion is rendered to you in connection with the
above-described transaction. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any
other purpose or relied upon by or furnished to any other person without our
prior written consent, except that Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx LLP may rely on this opinion
in giving its opinion pursuant to Section 5(c) of the Underwriting Agreement
insofar as such opinion relates to matters of Georgia law.
Yours very truly,
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX LLP
Schedule III
[Letterhead of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP]
January 23, 2004
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
Georgia Power Company
000 Xxxxx XxXxxx Xxxxxxxxx, X.X.
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000-0000
Georgia Power Company
Series S 4.000% Senior Notes
due January 15, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly
known as The Chase Manhattan Bank) (the "Bank") in connection with (a) the
Senior Note Indenture, dated as of January 1, 1998 as heretofore supplemented
(the "Original Indenture"), between Georgia Power Company (the "Company") and
the Bank, as Trustee, and (b) the Nineteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of
January 23, 2004 (together with the Original Indenture, herein called the
"Indenture"), between the Company and the Bank, as Trustee.
In that connection, we have examined originals, or copies
certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents,
records and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the
purpose of this opinion, including copies of the Indenture and certain
resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Bank.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
(i) the Bank has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a banking
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New York;
(ii) the Bank has the corporate trust power and
authority to execute, deliver and
perform its duties under the Indenture, has duly executed and delivered the
Indenture, and, insofar as the laws governing the trust powers of the Bank are
concerned and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the
Company, the Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the
Bank, enforceable against the Bank in accordance with its terms, subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally from time to time
in effect and to general principles of equity (including, without limitation,
concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing),
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law;
(iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the
Bank of the Indenture do not
conflict with or constitute a breach of the charter or bylaws of the Bank; and
(iv) no approval, authorization or other action by,
or filing with, any
governmental authority of the United States of America or the State of New York
having jurisdiction over the trust powers of the Bank is required in connection
with the execution and delivery by the Bank of the Indenture or the performance
by the Bank of its duties thereunder, except such as have been obtained, taken
or made.
We are admitted to practice only in the State of New York, and
we express no opinion as to matters governed by any laws other than the laws of
the State of New York and the Federal law of the United States of America. We
are furnishing this opinion to you solely for your benefit. This opinion is not
to be relied upon by any other person or used, circulated, quoted or otherwise
referred to for any other purpose.
Very truly yours,
CRAVATH, SWAINE & XXXXX LLP
Schedule IV
[Letterhead of XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX LLP]
January 23, 2004
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY
Series S 4.000% Senior Notes
due January 15, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have represented you in connection with (i) the issuance by
Georgia Power Company (the "Company") of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of its Series S 4.000% Senior Notes due January 15, 2011 (the "Notes") pursuant
to a Senior Note Indenture dated as of January 1, 1998, by and between the
Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as
trustee (the "Trustee"), as heretofore supplemented and as further supplemented
by the Nineteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 23, 2004
(collectively, the "Indenture"); and (ii) the purchase by the Underwriters (as
defined herein) of the Notes pursuant to the terms of an Underwriting Agreement
dated January 12, 2004 (the "Underwriting Agreement"), among the Company and the
underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the "Underwriters") for whom you are
acting as Representative. This opinion is being delivered to you pursuant to
Section 5(c)(3) of the Underwriting Agreement.
All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined
the registration statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-105815, 000-000000-00,
000-000000-00, 000-000000-00 and 333-105815-04) pertaining to the Notes and
certain other securities (the "Registration Statement"), filed under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the prospectus dated June
25, 2003, as supplemented by a final prospectus supplement relating to the Notes
dated January 12, 2004 (the "Final Supplemented Prospectus"), which pursuant to
Form S-3 incorporates by reference the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
of the Company for the quarters ended March 31, 2003, June 30, 2003 and
September 30, 2003 and the Current Reports on Form 8-K of the Company dated
February 13, 2003, February 21, 2003, April 10, 2003, September 8, 2003,
September 23, 2003, December 2, 2003, December 8, 2003, January 12, 2004 and
January __, 2004 (the "Exchange Act Documents"), each as filed under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
In addition, we have examined, and have relied as to matters
of fact upon, the documents delivered to you at the closing (except the
certificate representing the Notes, of which we have examined a specimen), and
we have made such other and further investigations as we deemed necessary to
express the opinions hereinafter set forth. In such examination, we have assumed
the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to
original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic
copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.
The Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement are herein
referred to as the "Agreements".
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications
and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion, relying as aforesaid and
as to all matters covered hereby which are governed by or dependent upon the law
of the State of Georgia upon the opinion of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, dated the date
hereof and addressed to you that:
1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Georgia and has due corporate authority to carry on the public utility business
in which it is engaged and to own and operate the properties used by it in such
business and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Agreements and
the Notes.
2. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
the Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action, and the Underwriting Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
the Company.
3. All orders, consents, or other authorizations or approvals
of the Georgia Public Service Commission and the Commission legally required for
the issuance and sale of the Notes have been obtained; such orders are
sufficient for the issuance and sale of the Notes; the issuance and sale of the
Notes conform in all material respects with the terms of such orders; and no
other order, consent or other authorization or approval of any Georgia or United
States governmental body (other than in connection or in compliance with the
provisions of the securities or "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction, as to which
we express no opinion) is legally required for the issuance and sale of the
Notes in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement.
4. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding
instrument of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
its terms, subject to the qualifications that the enforceability of the
Company's obligations under the Indenture may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors' rights generally and by general principles of equity
(regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); and the Indenture conforms as to legal matters in all
material respects to the description thereof in the Final Supplemented
Prospectus.
5. The Notes have been duly authorized and executed by the
Company and, when authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the
Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject
to the qualifications that the enforceability of the Company's obligations under
the Notes may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and
by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Notes conform as to
legal matters in all material respects to the description thereof in the Final
Supplemented Prospectus.
6. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended.
We have not independently verified the accuracy, completeness
or fairness of the statements made or included in the Registration Statement,
the Final Supplemented Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents and take no
responsibility therefor, except as and to the extent set forth in paragraphs 4
and 5 above. In the course of the preparation by the Company of the Registration
Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus and the Exchange Act Documents, we
participated in conferences with certain officers and employees of the Company,
with representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP and with counsel to the Company.
Based upon our examination of the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and the Exchange Act Documents, our investigations made in connection
with the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Final Supplemented
Prospectus and our participation in the conferences referred to above, (i) we
are of the opinion that the Registration Statement, as of its effective date,
and the Final Supplemented Prospectus, as of January 12, 2004, complied as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and that the
Exchange Act Documents, as of their respective dates of filing with the
Commission, complied as to form in all material respects with the relevant
requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, except that in each case we express no opinion as to the
financial statements or other financial or statistical data contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented
Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents, and (ii) nothing came to our attention
which gives us reason to believe that the Registration Statement, as of its
effective date (including the Exchange Act Documents on file with the Commission
as of such date), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Final Supplemented
Prospectus (including the Exchange Act Documents) contained, as of its date, or
contains, on the date hereof, any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted, as of its date, or omits, on the date hereof, to state a 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 each
case we express no opinion or belief with respect to the financial statements or
other financial or statistical data contained or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, the Final Supplemented Prospectus or the Exchange
Act Documents and with respect to information set forth in the Final
Supplemented Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Series S Senior
Notes -- Book-Entry Only Issuance -- The Depository Trust Company".
We are members of the State Bar of New York and we do not
express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of
New York and the federal law of the United States, and to the extent set forth
herein, the law of the State of Georgia.
This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the
above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose
or relied upon by or furnished to any other person without our prior written
consent except that Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP may rely on this opinion in giving its
opinion pursuant to Section 5(c) of the Underwriting Agreement and to Sections
102, 302 and 904 of the Indenture, insofar as such opinion relates to matters of
New York law.
Very truly yours,
XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX LLP
