LETTER OF CREDIT AND REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT Dated as of April 3, 2006 among FIRSTENERGY GENERATION CORP., and THE PARTICIPATING BANKS LISTED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO and BARCLAYS BANK PLC, acting through its New York Branch, as Fronting Bank and...
EXHIBIT
10.2
LETTER
OF
CREDIT
AND
REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT
Dated
as of
April 3, 2006
among
FIRSTENERGY
GENERATION CORP.,
and
THE
PARTICIPATING BANKS
LISTED
ON
THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO
and
BARCLAYS
BANK PLC,
acting
through its New York Branch,
as
Fronting Bank
and
Administrative Agent
and
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
Syndication Agent
relating
to
$90,140,000
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2006-A
(FirstEnergy
Generation Corp. Project)
BARCLAYS
CAPITAL and KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
Joint
Lead Arrangers
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Page
|
|
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS
|
1
|
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.01.
|
Certain
Defined Terms
|
2
|
SECTION
1.02.
|
Computation
of
Time Periods
|
13
|
SECTION
1.03.
|
Accounting
Terms
|
13
|
SECTION
1.04.
|
Internal
References
|
13
|
ARTICLE
II
AMOUNT
AND TERMS OF
THE LETTER OF CREDIT
SECTION
2.01.
|
The
Letter of
Credit
|
14
|
SECTION
2.02.
|
Issuing
the
Letter of Credit; Termination
|
14
|
SECTION
2.03.
|
Commissions
and Fees
|
14
|
SECTION
2.04.
|
Reimbursement
On Demand
|
15
|
SECTION
2.05.
|
Tender
Advances; Interest Rates
|
15
|
SECTION
2.06.
|
Prepayments
|
16
|
SECTION
2.07.
|
Yield
Protection
|
16
|
SECTION
2.08.
|
Changes
in
Capital Adequacy Regulations
|
16
|
SECTION
2.09.
|
Payments
and
Computations
|
17
|
SECTION
2.10.
|
Non-Business
Days
|
17
|
SECTION
2.11.
|
Source
of
Funds
|
17
|
SECTION
2.12.
|
Extension
of
the Stated Expiration Date
|
17
|
SECTION
2.13.
|
Amendments
Upon Extension
|
18
|
SECTION
2.14.
|
Evidence
of
Debt
|
18
|
SECTION
2.15.
|
Obligations
Absolute
|
18
|
SECTION
2.16.
|
Net
of Taxes,
Etc
|
18
|
SECTION
2.17.
|
Participation
by Banks in Letter of Credit
|
20
|
ARTICLE
III
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
SECTION
3.01.
|
Conditions
Precedent to Issuance of the Letter of Credit
|
24
|
SECTION
3.02.
|
Additional
Conditions Precedent to Issuance of the Letter of Credit
|
|
and
Amendment
of the Letter of Credit
|
26
|
|
SECTION
3.03.
|
Conditions
Precedent to Each Tender Advance
|
27
|
i
Page
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND
WARRANTIES
SECTION
4.01.
|
Representations
and Warranties of the Company
|
28
|
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
OF THE
COMPANY
SECTION
5.01.
|
Affirmative
Covenants
|
32
|
SECTION
5.02.
|
Negative
Covenants
|
37
|
ARTICLE
VI
EVENTS
OF
DEFAULT
SECTION
6.01.
|
Events
of
Default
|
43
|
SECTION
6.02.
|
Upon
an Event
of Default
|
45
|
ARTICLE
VII
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE
VIII
THE
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT AND THE FRONTING BANK
SECTION
8.01.
|
Appointment
|
46
|
SECTION
8.02.
|
Delegation
of
Duties
|
46
|
SECTION
8.03.
|
Exculpatory
Provisions
|
47
|
SECTION
8.04.
|
Reliance
by
Administrative Agent
|
47
|
SECTION
8.05.
|
Notice
of
Default
|
47
|
SECTION
8.06.
|
Non-Reliance
on Administrative Agent and Other Banks
|
48
|
SECTION
8.07.
|
Indemnification
|
48
|
SECTION
8.08.
|
Administrative
Agent in Its Individual Capacity
|
48
|
SECTION
8.09.
|
Successor
Administrative Agent
|
49
|
SECTION
8.10.
|
Fronting
Bank
|
49
|
SECTION
8.11.
|
Notices;
Actions Under Related Documents
|
49
|
ii
ARTICLE
IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
9.01.
|
Amendments,
Etc
|
49
|
SECTION
9.02.
|
Notices,
Etc
|
50
|
SECTION
9.03.
|
No
Waiver;
Remedies
|
50
|
SECTION
9.04.
|
Set-off
|
51
|
SECTION
9.05.
|
Indemnification
|
51
|
SECTION
9.06.
|
Liability
of
the Banks
|
52
|
SECTION
9.07.
|
Costs,
Expenses and Taxes
|
53
|
SECTION
9.08.
|
Binding
Effect
|
53
|
SECTION
9.09.
|
Assignments
and Participation
|
53
|
SECTION
9.10.
|
Severability
|
56
|
SECTION
9.11.
|
GOVERNING
LAW
|
56
|
SECTION
9.12.
|
Headings
|
56
|
SECTION
9.13.
|
Submission
To
Jurisdiction; Waivers
|
57
|
SECTION
9.14.
|
Acknowledgments
|
57
|
SECTION
9.15.
|
WAIVERS
OF
JURY TRIAL
|
57
|
SECTION
9.16.
|
Execution
in
Counterparts
|
58
|
SECTION
9.17.
|
"Reimbursement
Agreement" for Purposes of Indenture
|
58
|
SECTION
9.18.
|
USA
PATRIOT
Act
|
58
|
iii
SCHEDULES
|
||
Schedule
I
|
-
|
Commitments,
Commitment Percentages and Applicable Booking
Offices
|
Schedule
5.02(i)
|
-
|
Existing
Investments and Guarantees
|
EXHIBITS
|
||
Exhibit
A
|
-
|
Form
of
Letter of Credit
|
Exhibit
B
|
-
|
Form
of
Assignment and Acceptance
|
Exhibit
C
|
-
|
Form
of
Custodian Agreement
|
Exhibit
D
|
-
|
Form
of
Opinion of Xxxx X. Benz, Esq., Counsel to FirstEnergy and the
Company
|
Exhibit
E
|
-
|
Form
of
Opinion of Akin Gump Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP, special New York
counsel to FirstEnergy and the Company
|
Exhibit
F
|
-
|
Form
of
Opinions of Sidley Austin LLP, special New York counsel to the Fronting
Bank
|
Exhibit
G
|
-
|
Form
of
Opinion of Lovells, special English counsel to the Fronting
Bank
|
Exhibit
H
|
-
|
Form
of
Guaranty Agreement
|
iv
LETTER
OF
CREDIT AND
REIMBURSEMENT
AGREEMENT
LETTER
OF
CREDIT AND REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT,
dated as of
April 3, 2006 among:
(i)
|
FIRSTENERGY
GENERATION CORP., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”);
|
(ii)
|
the
participating banks listed on the signature pages hereto (the
“Banks”);
and
|
(iii)
|
BARCLAYS
BANK
PLC, a banking corporation organized under the laws of England and
Wales,
acting through its New York Branch (“Barclays”),
as
Fronting Bank and Administrative Agent (in such capacities, together
with
its successors and permitted assigns in such capacities, respectively,
the
“Fronting Bank”
and
the
“Administrative
Agent”).
|
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS
(1) The
Ohio Water
Development Authority (the “Issuer”)
has caused to be
issued, sold and delivered, pursuant to a Trust Indenture, dated as of April
1,
2006 (as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and
hereof, the “Indenture”),
between the
Issuer and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (such entity,
or
its successor as trustee, being the “Trustee”),
$90,140,000
original aggregate principal amount of State of Ohio Pollution Control Revenue
Refunding Bonds, Series 2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project) (the
“Bonds”)
to various
purchasers.
(2) The
Company has
requested that the Fronting Bank issue and the Fronting Bank agrees to issue, on
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, its Irrevocable
Transferable Letter of Credit Xx. XX00000, to be dated on or before April 3,
2006, in favor of the Trustee in the stated amount of $91,029,053, a form of
which is attached hereto as Exhibit A (such letter of credit, as it may from
time to time be extended or amended pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
(as
defined below), the “Letter
of Credit”),
of which (i)
$90,140,000 shall support the payment of principal of the Bonds, and (ii)
$889,053 shall support the payment of up to 36 days’ interest on the principal
amount of the Bonds computed at a maximum rate of 10.0% per
annum
(calculated
on the
basis of a year of 365 days for the actual days elapsed).
NOW,
THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and in order to induce the Fronting Bank to issue
the Letter of Credit and the Banks to participate in the Letter of Credit and
to
make demand loans and Tender Advances (as defined below) as provided herein,
the
parties hereto agree as follows:
2
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.01. Certain Defined Terms As
used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings
to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
“Acceleration
Drawing” means
a drawing
under the Letter of Credit resulting from the presentation of a certificate
in
the form of Exhibit 1 to the Letter of Credit.
“Administrative
Agent”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the preamble hereto.
“Affiliate”
means,
as to any
Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled
by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer
of
such Person.
“Agreement”
means
this Letter
of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement as it may be amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified in accordance with the terms hereof at any time and from
time
to time.
“Alternate
Base Rate”
means,
for any day,
a rate of interest per
annum
equal
to the higher
of (i) the Base Rate for such day and (ii) the sum of the Federal Funds Rate
for
such day plus
0.50%
per
annum.
“Applicable
Booking Office” means,
with respect
to each Bank, the office of such Bank specified as such opposite its name on
Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it
became a Bank, or such other office of such Bank as such Bank may from time
to
time specify to the Company and the Administrative Agent.
“Applicable
Margin for Alternate Base Rate”
means,
on any
date, the applicable rate per
annum
determined pursuant
to the Pricing Grid.
“Applicable
Commitment Rate”
means,
on any
date, the applicable rate per
annum
determined pursuant
to the Pricing Grid.
“Applicable
Law” means
all applicable
laws, statutes, treaties, rules, codes, ordinances, regulations, permits,
certificates, orders, interpretations, licenses, and permits of any Governmental
Authority and judgments, decrees, injunctions, writs, orders or like action
of
any court, arbitrator or other judicial or quasi-judicial tribunal (including,
without limitation, those pertaining to health, safety, the environment or
otherwise).
“Applicable
LC Fee Rate” means,
on any date,
the applicable rate per
annum
determined pursuant
to the Pricing Grid; provided that such rate shall be increased by 2.0%
per
annum
upon the occurrence
and during the continuance of an Event of Default.
“Available
Amount”
in
effect at any
time means the maximum amount available to be drawn at such time under the
Letter of Credit, the determination of such maximum amount to assume compliance
with all conditions for drawing and no reduction for any amount drawn by the
Trustee in order to make a regularly scheduled payment of interest on the Bonds
(unless such amount is not reinstated under the Letter of Credit).
3
“Bankruptcy
Code”
means
Title 11 of
the United States Code, as now constituted or hereafter amended.
“Banks”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the preamble hereto, and includes their respective
successors and permitted assigns.
“Barclays”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the preamble hereto.
“Base
Rate”
means
the
rate of interest
announced publicly by the Administrative Agent in New York, New York, from
time
to time, as its base rate.
The Base Rate
shall change concurrently with each change in such base rate.
“Bonds”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Preliminary Statements hereto.
“Business
Day”
means
any day
other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday or legal holiday or day on which banking
institutions in the city or cities in which the “Designated Office” (as defined
in the Indenture) of the Trustee, the Tender Agent or the Paying Agent or the
office of the Fronting Bank which will honor draws upon the Letter of Credit,
are located are authorized by law or executive order to close or (ii) a day
on
which the New York Stock Exchange, the Company or the Remarketing Agent is
closed.
“Cancellation
Date”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Letter of Credit.
“Capital
Adequacy Change”
means
(i) any
change after the date of this Agreement in the Risk-Based Capital Guidelines
or
(ii) any adoption of or change in any other law, governmental or
quasi-governmental rule, regulation, policy, guideline, interpretation, or
directive (whether or not having the force of law) after the date of this
Agreement which affects the amount of capital required or expected to be
maintained by the Fronting Bank or any Bank or any Applicable Booking Office
or
any corporation controlling the Fronting Bank or such Bank.
“Capital
Lease”
means
any lease
which is capitalized on the books of the lessee in accordance with GAAP,
consistently applied. The term “Capital Lease” shall not include any operating
leases that, under GAAP, are not so capitalized.
“Cash
and
Cash Equivalents”
means
(i) cash on
hand; (ii) demand deposits maintained in the United States or any other country
with any commercial bank, trust company, savings and loan association, savings
bank or other financial institution; (iii) time deposits maintained in the
United States or any other country with, or certificates of deposit having
a
maturity of one year or less issued by, any commercial bank, securities dealer,
trust company, savings and loan association, savings bank or other financial
institution; (iv) direct obligations of, or unconditionally guaranteed by,
the
United States or any agency thereof and having a maturity of one year or less;
and (v) commercial paper having a maturity of one year or less.
4
“Change
in Control (Company)” means
the occurrence
of either of the following: (i) any entity, person (within the meaning of
Section 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange
Act”))
or group (within
the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than
FES, which theretofore was beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under
the
Exchange Act) of less than 20% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock
either (x) acquires shares of common stock of the Company in a transaction
or
series of transactions that results in such entity, person or group directly
or
indirectly owning beneficially 20% or more of the outstanding common stock
of
the Company, other than solely as a result of such entity, person or group
having acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding common
stock of FirstEnergy, or (y) acquires, by proxy or otherwise, the right to
vote
for the election of directors, for any merger, combination or consolidation
of
the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, or, for any other
matter or question, more than 20% of the then outstanding voting securities
of
the Company; or (ii) at any time prior to the Cancellation Date when FirstEnergy
is not the sole legal and beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of the
outstanding capital stock of the Company, the election or appointment of persons
to the Company’s board of directors who were not directors of the Company on the
date hereof, and whose election or appointment was not approved by a majority
of
those persons who were directors at the beginning of such period, where such
newly elected or appointed directors constitute 20% or more of the directors
of
the board of directors of the Company.
“Code”
means
the United
States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the
applicable regulations thereunder.
“Commitment” means,
as to any
Bank, the obligation of such Bank to make Tender Advances and participate in
the
Letter of Credit in an aggregate principal amount and/or face amount at any
one
time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Bank’s name on
Schedule I hereto (as such amount may be amended in connection with an
assignment pursuant to Section 9.09). “Commitments”
means
the total of
the Banks’ Commitments hereunder.
“Commitment
Percentage”
means,
as to any
Bank, the percentage of the aggregate Commitments constituted by such Bank’s
Commitment.
“Company”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the preamble hereto.
“Consolidated
Debt”
means,
with
respect to any applicable Credit Party at any date of determination the
aggregate Debt of such Credit Party and its Consolidated Subsidiaries determined
on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but shall not include (i)
Nonrecourse Debt of such Credit Party and any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the
aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities of such Credit Party
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (iii) obligations under leases that shall
have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as operating leases
in
respect of which such Credit Party or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries
is
liable as a lessee, and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Stranded Cost
Securitization Bonds of such Credit Party and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries.
5
“Consolidated
Subsidiary”
means,
as to any
Person, any Subsidiary of such Person the accounts of which are or are required
to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person in accordance with
GAAP.
“Controlled
Group”
means
all members
of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether
or
not incorporated) under common control that, together with FirstEnergy and
its
Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or 414(c)
of
the Code.
“Conversion
Date”
means
the
effective date for conversion to an Interest Rate Mode for an Interest Period
ending on the maturity date of the Bonds as such date is specified in the
certificate of the Trustee in the form of Exhibit 6 to the Letter of Credit.
“Credit
Documents”
means
this
Agreement, the Guaranty Agreements and any and all other instruments and
documents (including, without limitation, any fee letter) executed and delivered
in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Credit
Party”
means
each of the
Company, FirstEnergy and FES.
“Custodian”
means
The Bank of
New York Trust Company, N.A., in its capacity as Custodian under the Custodian
Agreement, together with its successors and assigns in such
capacity.
“Custodian
Agreement”
means
the
Custodian and Pledge Agreement of even date herewith among the Company, the
Fronting Bank and the Custodian, substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached
hereto.
“Date
of
Issuance”
means
the date of
issuance of the Letter of Credit.
“Debt”
of
any Person
means at any date, without duplication, (i) all obligations of such Person
for
borrowed money, or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, or for
the
deferred purchase price of property or services, (ii) all obligations of such
Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (iii)
all
obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid,
(iv) all obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in
accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Person
is liable as lessee, (v) liabilities in respect of unfunded vested benefits
under Plans, (vi) withdrawal liability incurred under ERISA by such Person
or
any of its affiliates to any Multiemployer Plan, (vii) reimbursement obligations
of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of
credit, bankers acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments,
(viii) all Debt of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether
or not such Debt is assumed by such Person and (ix) obligations of such Person
under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations (contingent
or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise acquire, or otherwise to assure a
creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or obligations of others
of
the kinds referred to above.
“Debt
to
Capitalization Ratio”
means
the ratio of
Consolidated Debt of the applicable Credit Party to Total Capitalization of
such
Credit Party.
6
“Default” means
any event or
condition that would constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement
that
notice be given or time elapse or both.
“Default
Rate” means
a fluctuating
interest rate equal to (i) in the case of any amount of overdue principal
with respect to any Tender Advance, 2% per
annum
above the interest
rate required to be paid on such Tender Advance immediately prior to the date
on
which the Default Rate becomes effective with respect thereto, and (ii) in
all other cases, 2% per
annum
above
the Alternate
Base Rate in effect from time to time.
“Disclosure
Documents” means
FirstEnergy’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
for
the year ended December 31, 2005 and FirstEnergy’s Current Reports on Form 8-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or before March 31,
2006.
“Environmental
Laws” means
any federal,
state or local laws, ordinances or codes, rules, orders, or regulations relating
to pollution or protection of the environment, including, without limitation,
laws relating to hazardous substances, laws relating to reclamation of land
and
waterways and laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened
releases of pollutants, contaminants, chemicals, or industrial, toxic or
hazardous substances or wastes into the environment (including, without
limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface
strata) or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution,
use,
treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of pollution, contaminants,
chemicals, or industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes.
“ERISA” means
the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to
time.
“Event
of
Default” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in Section 6.01.
“Existing
Reimbursement Agreements”
means
(i) that
certain Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of June 15,
2004,
by and among The Toledo Edison Company, the lenders from time to time parties
thereto, the Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent relating to $18,800,000
State of Ohio Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 1999-A (The
Toledo Edison Company Project), as amended or otherwise modified from time
to
time, (ii) that certain Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated
as
of June 15, 2004, by and among The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company,
the
lenders from time to time parties thereto, the Fronting Bank and the
Administrative Agent relating to $27,700,000 State of Ohio Pollution Control
Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 1999-A (The Cleveland Electric Illuminating
Company Project), as amended or otherwise modified from time to time, (iii)
that
certain Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2004,
by and among The Toledo Edison Company, the lenders from time to time parties
thereto, the Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent relating to $34,850,000
Beaver County Industrial Development Authority Pollution Control Revenue
Refunding Bonds, Series 1999-A (The Toledo Edison Company Project), as amended
or otherwise modified from time to time, and (iv) that certain Letter of Credit
and Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2005, by and among The
Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, the lenders from time to time parties
thereto, the Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent relating to $47,500,000
State of Ohio Collateralized Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series
1997-B (The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company Project), as amended or
otherwise modified from time to time.
7
“Federal
Funds Rate” means,
for any day,
an interest rate per
annum
equal
to the
weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with
members of the Federal Reserve system arranged by Federal funds brokers on
such
day, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for
the
immediately preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
or,
if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the
average of the quotations at approximately 10:00 a.m. (New York City time)
on
such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative
Agent in its sole discretion.
“FES”
means
FirstEnergy
Solutions Corp., an Ohio corporation and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of
FirstEnergy.
“FES
Guaranty Agreement”
means
that certain
Guaranty by FES, in substantially the form of Exhibit H hereto, as the same
may
be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time;
provided that the effectiveness of the FES Guaranty Agreement shall be
conditioned upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt of (i) a certificate signed
by a duly authorized officer of FES confirming that the conditions set forth
in
Section 3.02 shall be true and correct as of the effective date of the FES
Guaranty Agreement and (ii) documents, certificates and opinion letters
consistent with those delivered on the date of this Agreement with respect
to
FirstEnergy as to the corporate power and authority of FES to execute, deliver
and perform its obligations under the FES Guaranty Agreement.
“FirstEnergy”
means
FirstEnergy
Corp., an Ohio corporation and the holder, directly or indirectly, of all of
the
common shares of FES and the Company on the date hereof, or any successor
thereto.
“FirstEnergy
Guaranty Agreement”
means
that certain
Guaranty, dated as of April 3, 2006, by FirstEnergy, in substantially the form
of Exhibit H hereto, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time.
“First
Mortgage Bonds”
means
first
mortgage bonds at any time issued by the Company pursuant to a First Mortgage
Bond Indenture.
“First
Mortgage Bond Indenture”
means,
with
respect to any Significant Subsidiary, an indenture or similar instrument
pursuant to which such Person may issue bonds, notes or similar instruments
secured by a lien on all or substantially all of such Person’s fixed assets, as
amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures, and as the same
may
be further amended, modified or supplemented after the date hereof in accordance
with the terms hereof.
“Fixed
Assets”
means,
with
respect to any Person, at any time, total net plant, including construction
work
in progress, as reported by such Person on its most recent consolidated balance
sheet.
“Fronting
Bank”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the preamble hereto.
8
“GAAP”
means
generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States in effect from time to
time.
“Governmental
Action”
means
all
authorizations, consents, approvals, waivers, exceptions, variances, orders,
licenses, exemptions, publications, filings, notices to and declarations of
or
with any Governmental Authority, other than routine reporting requirements
the
failure to comply with which will not affect the validity or enforceability
of
any Credit Document or any Related Documents or have a material adverse effect
on the transactions contemplated by any Credit Document or any Related
Document.
“Governmental
Authority” means
any nation or
government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative
functions of or pertaining to government.
“Guarantee”
of
or by any
Person (the “guarantor”)
means any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having
the
economic effect of guaranteeing any Debt or other monetary obligation of any
other Person (the “primary
obligor”)
in any manner,
whether directly or indirectly, and including in any event any obligation of
the
guarantor, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply
funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt or other obligation or to
purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for
the payment thereof, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services
for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Debt or other obligation of the
payment thereof, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other
financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor as to enable
the primary obligor to pay such Debt or other obligation or (iv) as an account
party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support
such Debt or obligation, provided
that the term
“Guarantee”
shall
not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
The
term “Guaranteed”
has
a meaning
correlative thereto.
“Guarantor”
means
each of
FirstEnergy and, from and after the effective date of the FES Guaranty
Agreement, FES.
“Guaranty
Agreements”
means
each of the
FirstEnergy Guaranty Agreement and the FES Guaranty Agreement, as the same
may
be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“Indenture” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Preliminary Statements hereto.
“Interest
Period” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Indenture.
“Interest
Rate Mode”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Indenture.
“Issuer” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Preliminary Statements hereto.
“Letter
of Credit” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Preliminary Statements hereto.
9
“Lien” means,
with respect
to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or
encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset. For the purposes of this
Agreement and the other Credit Documents, a Person or any of its Subsidiaries
shall be deemed to own, subject to a Lien, any asset that it has acquired or
holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale
agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such
asset.
“Loan
Agreement”
has
the meaning
assigned to the term “Agreement”
in
the
Indenture.
“Material
Adverse Effect” means
a material
adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, property, condition (financial
or otherwise) or prospects of any Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole or the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability
of
any Credit Party to perform its obligations under any Credit Document or any
Related Document or (c) the validity or enforceability of any Credit Document
for any Related Document or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent,
the Fronting Bank or the Banks hereunder or thereunder.
“Notes” means
any bonds,
notes or similar instruments (unsecured other than by First Mortgage Bonds)
issued by the Company in exchange for cash in any publicly-registered offering,
private placement, or other offering exempt from registration under Federal
and
state securities laws, but
excluding
any
notes issued by
the Company in connection with any revolving credit facility, term loan
facility, letter of credit reimbursement agreement or other bank credit facility
of the Company.
“Moody’s” means
Xxxxx’x
Investors Service, Inc., or any successor thereto.
“Multiemployer
Plan” means
a
“multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Nonrecourse
Debt”
means
any Debt
that finances the acquisition, development, ownership or operation of an asset
in respect of which the Person to which such Debt is owed has no recourse
whatsoever to FirstEnergy or any of its Affiliates other than:
(i) recourse
to the
named obligor with respect to such Debt (the “Debtor”)
for amounts
limited to the cash flow or net cash flow (other than historic cash flow) from
the asset; and
(ii) recourse
to the
Debtor for the purpose only of enabling amounts to be claimed in respect of
such
Debt in an enforcement of any security interest or lien given by the Debtor
over
the asset or the income, cash flow or other proceeds deriving from the asset
(or
given by any shareholder or the like in the Debtor over its shares or like
interest in the capital of the Debtor) to secure the Debt, but only if the
extent of the recourse to the Debtor is limited solely to the amount of any
recoveries made on any such enforcement; and
(iii) recourse
to the
Debtor generally or indirectly to any Affiliate of the Debtor, under any form
of
assurance, undertaking or support, which recourse is limited to a claim for
damages (other than liquidated damages and damages required to be calculated
in
a specified way) for a breach of an obligation (other than a payment obligation
or an obligation to comply or to procure compliance by another with any
financial ratios or other tests of financial condition) by the Person against
which such recourse is available.
10
“Obligations” means
the Tender
Advances, fees relating to the Letter of Credit, any and all obligations of
the
Company to reimburse the Banks for any drawings under the Letter of Credit,
all
accrued and unpaid commitment fees and all other obligations of the Credit
Parties to the Banks arising under or in relation to this Agreement and the
Letter of Credit or any other Credit Document.
“Official
Statement” means
the Official
Statement, dated March 27, 2006 relating to the Bonds, together with any
supplements or amendments thereto and all documents incorporated therein (or
in
any such supplements or amendments) by reference.
“Organizational
Documents”
shall
mean, as
applicable to any Person, the charter, code of regulations, articles of
incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, operating agreement,
certificate of partnership, partnership agreement, certificate of limited
partnership, limited partnership agreement or other constitutive documents
of
such Person.
“Paying
Agent” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Indenture.
“PBGC”
means
the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.
“Permitted
Investments”
means
(i) direct
obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are
unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency
thereof to the extent that such obligations are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year
from the date of acquisition thereof, (ii) investments in commercial paper
maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at
such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or
Xxxxx’x, (iii) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and
time deposits maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof
issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued
or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the
laws of the United States of America or any State thereof that has combined
capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000, and
(iv) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than
30
days for securities described in clause (i) of this definition and entered
into
with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (iii)
of this definition.
“Permitted
Liens” has
the meaning
assigned to that term in Section 5.02(a).
“Person”
means
an
individual, partnership, corporation (including, without limitation, a business
trust), joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated
association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or any political
subdivision or agency thereof.
“Plan”
means,
at any
time, an employee pension benefit plan that is covered by Title IV of ERISA
or
subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code and
is
either (i) maintained by a member of the Controlled Group for employees of
a
member of the Controlled Group or (ii) maintained pursuant to a collective
bargaining agreement or any other arrangement under which more than one employer
makes contributions and to which a member of the Controlled Group is then making
or accruing an obligation to make contributions or has within the preceding
five
plan years made contributions.
11
“Pledged
Bonds”
means
the Bonds
purchased with moneys received under the Letter of Credit in connection with
a
Tender Drawing and owned or held by the Company or an affiliate of the Company
or by the Trustee and pledged to the Fronting Bank on behalf of the Banks
pursuant to the Custodian Agreement.
“Pricing
Grid”
means
the pricing
grid attached hereto as Annex 1.
“PUCO”
means
The Public
Utilities Commission of Ohio or any successor thereto.
“Purchase
Agreement”
means
the Bond
Purchase Agreement dated March 31, 2006, between the Issuer and the
“Underwriters” identified therein.
“Reference
Rating”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term on Annex 1 hereto.
“Related
Documents”
means
the Bonds,
the Indenture, the Loan Agreement, the Remarketing Agreement and the Custodian
Agreement.
“Remarketing
Agent”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Indenture.
“Remarketing
Agreement”
means
any
agreement or other arrangement pursuant to which a Remarketing Agent has agreed
to act as such pursuant to the Indenture.
“Required
Banks”
means
Banks whose
aggregate Commitment Percentages are greater than 50% at such time.
“Restricted
Payment”
means
any dividend
or other distribution by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (whether in
cash, securities or other property) with respect to any ownership interest
or
shares of any class of equity securities of the Company or any such Subsidiary,
or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including,
without limitation, any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination
of
any such interest or shares or any option, warrant or other right to acquire
any
such interest or shares.
“Risk-Based
Capital Guidelines”
means
(i) the
risk-based capital guidelines in effect in the United States on the date of
this
Agreement, including transition rules, and (ii) the corresponding capital
regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities outside the United States
implementing the July 1988 report of the Basle Committee on Banking Regulation
and Supervisory Practices Entitled “International Convergence of Capital
Measurements and Capital Standards,” including transition rules, and any
amendments to such regulations adopted prior to the date of this
Agreement.
“S&P”
means
Standard
& Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc., or
any successor thereto.
12
“Significant
Subsidiaries”
means
(i) the
Company, (ii) each regulated energy Subsidiary of FirstEnergy, including, but
not limited to, Ohio Edison Company, Pennsylvania Power Company, The Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company, The Toledo Edison Company, Jersey Central Power
& Light Company, Metropolitan Edison Company and Pennsylvania Electric
Company, and any successor to any of them, (iii) FES and American Transmission
Systems, Incorporated, and (iv) each other Subsidiary of FirstEnergy the annual
revenues of which exceed $100,000,000 or the total assets of which exceed
$50,000,000.
“Stated
Expiration Date”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Letter of Credit.
“Stranded
Cost Securitization Bonds”
means
any
instruments, pass-through certificates, notes, debentures, certificates of
participation, bonds, certificates of beneficial interest or other evidences
of
indebtedness or instruments evidencing a beneficial interest that are secured
by
or otherwise payable from non-bypassable cent per kilowatt hour charges
authorized pursuant to an order of a state commission regulating public
utilities to be applied and invoiced to customers of such utility. The charges
so applied and invoiced must be deducted and stated separately from the other
charges invoiced by such utility against its customers.
“Subsidiary”
means,
with
respect to any Person, any corporation or unincorporated entity of which more
than 50% of the outstanding capital stock (or comparable interest) having
ordinary voting power (irrespective of whether at the time capital stock (or
comparable interest) of any other class or classes of such corporation or entity
shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency) is
at
the time directly or indirectly owned by said Person (whether directly or
through one of more other Subsidiaries). In the case of an unincorporated
entity, a Person shall be deemed to have more than 50% of interests having
ordinary voting power only if such Person’s vote in respect of such interests
comprises more than 50% of the total voting power of all such interests in
the
unincorporated entity.
“Tender
Advance”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in Section 2.05(a).
“Tender
Agent”
has
the meaning
assigned to that term in the Indenture.
“Tender
Drawing” means
a drawing
under the Letter of Credit resulting from the presentation of a certificate
in
the form of Exhibit 2 to the Letter of Credit.
“Termination
Event”
means
(i) a
Reportable Event described in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued
thereunder (other than a Reportable Event not subject to the provision for
30-day notice to the PBGC under such regulations), or (ii) the withdrawal of
any
member of the Controlled Group from a Plan during a plan year in which it was
a
“substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a) (2) of ERISA, or (iii) the
filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a Plan
amendment as a termination under Section 4041 of ERISA, or (iv) the institution
of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, or (v) any other event or
condition which might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the
termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any
Plan.
“Total
Capitalization”
means,
with
respect to the applicable Credit Party at any date of determination the sum,
without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Debt of such Credit Party, (ii)
consolidated equity of the common stockholders of such Credit Party and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries, (iii) consolidated equity of the preference
stockholders of such Credit Party and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, and (iv)
the aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities of such Credit
Party and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.
13
“Transition
Plan Order”
means
the Opinion
and Order of The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in Case Nos.
99—1212—EL—ETP, 99—1213—EL—ATA and 99—1214—EL—AAM, entered July 19, 2000, as
amended and supplemented by the Opinion and Order in Case No. 03-2144-EL-ATA,
entered June 9, 2004.
“Trustee”
has
the meaning
assigned to
that term in the
Preliminary Statements hereto.
“Trust
Preferred Securities”
means
(i) the
issued and outstanding preferred securities of Cleveland Electric Financing
Trust I and (ii) any other securities, however denominated, (A) issued by
FirstEnergy or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (B) that are not subject
to
mandatory redemption or the underlying securities, if any, of which are not
subject to mandatory redemption, (C) that are perpetual or mature no less than
30 years from the date of issuance, (D) the indebtedness issued in connection
with which, including any guaranty, is subordinate in right of payment to the
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the issuer of such indebtedness
or
guaranty, and (E) the terms of which permit the deferral of the payment of
interest or distributions thereon to a date occurring after the Stated
Expiration Date.
“Underwriters”
means
the
“Underwriters” identified in the Purchase Agreement.
“Unfunded
Vested Liabilities”
means,
with
respect to any Plan at any time, the amount (if any) by which (i) the present
value of all vested nonforfeitable benefits under such Plan exceeds (ii) the
fair market value of all Plan assets allocable to such benefits, all determined
as of the then most recent valuation date for such Plan, but only to the extent
that such excess represents a potential liability of a member of the Controlled
Group to the PBGC or the Plan under Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION
1.02. Computation of Time Periods. In
this Agreement,
in the computation of a period of time from a specified date to a later
specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to”
and “until” each means “to but excluding”.
SECTION
1.03. Accounting Terms. All
accounting terms
not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP,
except as otherwise stated herein.
SECTION
1.04. Internal References. The
words “herein”,
“hereof’ and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this
Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any provision
of
this Agreement, and “Article”, “Section”, “subsection”, “paragraph”, “Exhibit”,
“Schedule” and respective references are to this Agreement unless otherwise
specified. References herein or in any Related Document to any agreement or
other document shall, unless otherwise specified herein or therein, be deemed
to
be references to such agreement or document as it may be amended, modified
or
supplemented after the date hereof from time to time in accordance with the
terms hereof or of such Related Document, as the case may be.
14
ARTICLE
II
AMOUNT
AND
TERMS OF THE LETTER OF CREDIT
SECTION
2.01. The Letter of Credit. The
Fronting Bank
agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth (including, without
limitation, the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 3.01 and
3.02), to issue the Letter of Credit to the Trustee at or before 5:00 P.M.
(New
York City time) on April 3, 2006.
SECTION
2.02. Issuing the Letter of Credit; Termination. (a)
The Letter of
Credit shall be issued on at least one Business Day’s notice from the Company to
the Fronting Bank specifying the Date of Issuance, which shall be a Business
Day. On the Date of Issuance, upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions
set
forth in Article III, the Fronting Bank will issue the Letter of Credit to
the
Trustee and shall promptly notify the Banks thereof and provide them with a
copy
of the Letter of Credit.
(b) Any
outstanding
Tender Advances and all other unpaid Obligations shall be paid in full by the
Company on the Cancellation Date. Notwithstanding the termination of this
Agreement on the Cancellation Date, until all of the Obligations (other than
contingent indemnity obligations) shall have been fully paid and satisfied
and
all financing arrangements among the Company and the Banks hereunder shall
have
been terminated, all of the rights and remedies under this Agreement shall
survive.
(c) Provided
that the
Company shall have delivered notice thereof to the Administrative Agent not
less
than three Business Days prior to any proposed termination, the Company may
terminate this Agreement (other than those provisions which expressly survive
termination hereof) upon (i) payment in full of all outstanding Tender Advances,
together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon and on the Letter of Credit,
(ii) the cancellation and return of the Letter of Credit, (iii) the payment
in
full of all accrued and unpaid fees, and (iv) the payment in full of all
reimbursable expenses and other Obligations together with accrued and unpaid
interest thereon.
SECTION
2.03. Commissions and Fees. (a)
The Company
hereby agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of
the
Banks, a commitment fee (the “Commitment
Fee”)
on the
Commitments in effect from time to time (notwithstanding that the Date of
Issuance has not occurred or that the applicable conditions set forth in Article
III have not been satisfied) from the date hereof until the Date of Issuance,
at
a rate per
annum
equal to the
Applicable Commitment Rate. The Commitment Fee shall be payable quarterly in
arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December, commencing
on June 30, 2006, and on the Date of Issuance.
(b) The
Company hereby
agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of the Banks,
a letter of credit fee (the “Letter
of Credit Fee”) on
the Available
Amount in effect from time to time from the Date of Issuance until the
Cancellation Date, at a rate per
annum
equal to the
Applicable LC Fee Rate. The Letter of Credit Fee shall be payable quarterly
in
arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December, commencing
on June 30, 2006, and on the Cancellation Date.
15
(c) The
Company hereby
agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Bank such further
fees as are specified in the letter agreement, dated the date hereof, among
the
Company, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Bank.
SECTION
2.04. Reimbursement On Demand.
Except as otherwise
specified in Section 2.05 (and provided that the conditions precedent specified
therein have been fulfilled), each amount paid by the Fronting Bank under the
Letter of Credit (including, without limitation, amounts in respect of any
reinstatement of interest on the Bonds at the election of the Banks
notwithstanding any failure by the Company to reimburse the Banks for any
previous drawing to pay interest on the Bonds) shall constitute a demand loan
made by the Banks to the Company on the date of such payment by the Fronting
Bank under the Letter of Credit. The Company agrees to pay or cause to have
paid
to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Banks, after the honoring
by
the Fronting Bank of any drawing under the Letter of Credit giving rise to
such
demand loan, each such demand loan no later than 5:00 P.M. (New York City time)
on the date of its making. Any such demand loan (or any portion thereof) not
so
paid on such date shall bear interest, payable on demand, from the date of
making of such demand loan until payment in full, at a fluctuating interest
rate
per annum
equal to the
Default Rate.
SECTION
2.05. Tender Advances; Interest Rates.
(a) If the Fronting
Bank shall make any payment under the Letter of Credit in response to a Tender
Drawing and, on the date of such payment, the conditions precedent set forth
in
Section 3.03 shall have been fulfilled, that portion of such payment equal
to
the principal amount of the Bonds purchased with the proceeds of such Tender
Drawing shall be deemed to constitute an advance made by the Banks to the
Company on the date and in the amount of such principal amount (each such
advance being a “Tender
Advance”).
Each Tender
Advance shall bear interest as provided in Section 2.05(b), and the principal
amount thereof and all interest thereon shall be due and payable on the earliest
to occur of (i) the date that occurs 30 days after the date of such Tender
Advance, (ii) the Cancellation Date, (iii) the date on which the Pledged Bonds
are redeemed or cancelled pursuant to the Indenture, (iv) the date on which
any
Pledged Bonds are remarketed pursuant to the Indenture and (v) the date on
which
the Letter of Credit is replaced by a substitute letter of credit in accordance
with the terms of the Indenture. To the extent that the Administrative Agent
receives interest payable on account of any Pledged Bonds such interest received
shall be applied and credited against accrued and unpaid interest on the Tender
Advances that financed the Tender Drawing in respect of which such Pledged
Bonds
were purchased.
(b) The
Company shall
pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Tender Advance, from the
date of such Tender Advance until the date such Tender Advance is due and
payable, at a fluctuating interest rate per
annum
equal to the sum of
(i) the Alternate Base Rate in effect from time to time plus
(ii) the then
Applicable Margin for Alternate Base Rate, payable on any date on which such
Tender Advance is repaid, whether by acceleration or otherwise, and on the
date
such Tender Advance is due and payable as herein provided.
(c) Notwithstanding
any
provision to the contrary herein, the Company shall pay interest on all past-due
amounts of principal and (to the fullest extent permitted by law) interest,
costs, fees and expenses hereunder or under any other Credit Document, from
the
date when such amounts became due until paid in full, payable on demand, at
the
Default Rate in effect from time to time.
16
SECTION
2.06. Prepayments. (a) The
Company
may, upon at least one Business Day’s notice to the Administrative Agent, prepay
without premium or penalty the outstanding amount of any Tender Advance in
whole
or in part with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the amount
prepaid.
(b) Prior
to or
simultaneously with the receipt of proceeds related to the remarketing of Bonds
purchased pursuant to one or more Tender Drawings, the Company shall directly,
or through the Remarketing Agent, the Tender Agent or the Paying Agent on behalf
of the Company, repay or prepay (as the case may be) the then-outstanding demand
loans and Tender Advances (in the order in which they were made) by
paying to
the
Administrative Agent for the pro
rata
share of the Banks
an amount equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of the
Bonds remarketed plus
(ii) all
accrued interest on the principal amount of demand loans and/or Tender Advances
so repaid or prepaid.
SECTION
2.07. Yield Protection.
If any law or any
governmental or quasi-governmental rule, regulation, policy, guideline or
directive (whether or not having the force of law), or any interruption thereof,
or the compliance of the Fronting Bank or any Bank therewith,
(i) imposes
or increases
or deems applicable any reserve, assessment, insurance charge, special deposit
or similar requirement against letters of credit issued by, or assets held
by,
deposits in or for the account of, or credit extended by, the Fronting Bank
or
such Bank or any Applicable Booking Office, or
(ii) imposes
any other
condition the result of which is to increase the cost to the Fronting Bank
or
such Bank or any Applicable Booking Office of issuing or participating in the
Letter of Credit or making, funding or maintaining loans or reduces any amount
receivable by the Fronting Bank or such Bank or any Applicable Booking Office
in
connection with letters of credit or loans, or requires the Fronting Bank or
such Bank or any Applicable Booking Office to make any payment calculated by
reference to the amount of letters of credit or loans held or interest received
by it, by an amount deemed material by the Fronting Bank or such Bank or any
Applicable Booking Office,
then,
upon demand by
the Fronting Bank or such Bank, the Company shall pay the Fronting Bank or
such
Bank that portion of such increased expense incurred or reduction in an amount
received which the Fronting Bank or such Bank determines is attributable to
issuing or participating in the Letter of Credit or making, funding and
maintaining any demand loan hereunder, Tender Advance or its
Commitment.
SECTION
2.08. Changes in Capital Adequacy Regulations. If
the Fronting Bank
or any Bank determines the amount of capital required or expected to be
maintained by the Fronting Bank or such Bank, any Applicable Booking Office
of
the Fronting Bank or such Bank or any corporation controlling the Fronting
Bank
or such Bank is increased as a result of a Capital Adequacy Change, then, upon
demand by the Fronting Bank or such Bank, the Company shall pay the Fronting
Bank or such Bank the amount necessary to compensate for any shortfall in the
rate of return on the portion of such increased capital which the Fronting
Bank
or such Bank determines is attributable to this Agreement, the Letter of Credit,
its Commitment, any demand loan hereunder, or any Tender Advance (or any
participations therein or in the Letter of Credit) (after taking into account
the Fronting Bank’s or such Bank’s policies as to capital
adequacy).
17
SECTION
2.09. Payments and Computations. Other
than payments
made pursuant to Section 2.04, the Company shall make each payment hereunder
not
later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the day when due in lawful money
of the United States of America to the Administrative Agent at its address
referred to in Section 9.02 in same day funds. Computations of the Alternate
Base Rate (when based on the Federal Funds Rate), the Default Rate (when based
on the Federal Funds Rate) and fees under Section 2.03 shall be made by the
Administrative Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days for the actual number
of
days (including the first day but excluding the last day) elapsed, and
computations of the Alternate Base Rate (when based on the Base Rate) and the
Default Rate (when based on the Base Rate) shall be made by the Administrative
Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, for the
actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day)
elapsed.
SECTION
2.10. Non-Business Days. Whenever
any payment
to be made hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a Business
Day such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such
extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment
of interest or fees, as the case may be.
SECTION
2.11. Source of Funds. All
payments made by
the Fronting Bank and any Bank pursuant to the Letter of Credit shall be made
from funds of the Fronting Bank and such Bank, respectively, and not from funds
obtained from any other Person.
SECTION
2.12. Extension of the Stated Expiration Date.
Unless the Letter
of Credit shall have expired in accordance with its terms on the Cancellation
Date, at least 90 but not more than 365 days before the Stated Expiration Date,
the Company may request the Fronting Bank with the consent of all the Banks,
by
notice to the Administrative Agent in writing (each such request being
irrevocable) to extend for one year the Stated Expiration Date. If the Company
shall make such a request the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the
Banks thereof, and if the Fronting Bank and the Banks, in their sole discretion,
elect to extend the Stated Expiration Date then in effect, the Administrative
Agent shall deliver to the Company a notice (herein referred to as a
“Notice
of Extension”) designating
the date
to which the Stated Expiration Date will be extended and the conditions of
such
consent (including, without limitation, conditions relating to legal
documentation and the consent of the Trustee). If all such conditions are
satisfied and such extension of the Stated Expiration Date shall be effective
(which effective date shall occur on the Business Day following the date of
delivery by the Fronting Bank to the Trustee of an Extension Certificate
(“Extension
Certificate”)
in the form of
Exhibit 8 to the Letter of Credit designating the date to which the Stated
Expiration Date will be extended), thereafter all references in any Credit
Document to the Stated Expiration Date shall be deemed to be references to
the
date designated as such in such legal documentation and the most recent
Extension Certificate delivered to the Trustee. Any date to which the Stated
Expiration Date has been extended in accordance with this Section 2.12 may
be
further extended for one-year periods in like manner. Failure of the
Administrative Agent to deliver a Notice of Extension as herein provided within
thirty (30) days of a request by the Company to extend such Stated Expiration
Date shall constitute an election by the Fronting Bank and the Banks not to
extend the Stated Expiration Date.
18
SECTION
2.13. Amendments Upon Extension. Upon
any extension
of a Stated Expiration Date pursuant to Section 2.12 of this Agreement, the
Fronting Bank and the Banks reserve the right to renegotiate any provision
hereof.
SECTION
2.14. Evidence of Debt. The
Fronting Bank
and each Bank shall maintain, in accordance with its usual practice, an account
or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Company resulting from each
drawing under the Letter of Credit, from each demand loan and from each Tender
Advance made from time to time hereunder and the amounts of principal and
interest payable and paid from time to time hereunder. In any legal action
or
proceeding in respect of this Agreement, the entries made in such account or
accounts shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive evidence of
the
existence and amounts of the Obligations of the Company therein
recorded.
SECTION
2.15. Obligations Absolute.
The payment
obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall be unconditional and
irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement under all circumstances, including, without limitation, the following
circumstances:
(a) any
lack of validity
or enforceability of the Letter of Credit, any Credit Document, any Related
Document or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto;
(b) any
amendment or
waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of any Credit Document
or
any Related Document;
(c) the
existence of any
claim, set-off, defense or other right which any Credit Party may have at any
time against the Trustee or any other beneficiary, or any transferee, of the
Letter of Credit (or any persons or entities for whom the Trustee, any such
beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the Fronting Bank, or any
other person or entity, whether in connection with any Credit Document, the
transactions contemplated herein or therein or in the Related Documents, or
any
unrelated transaction;
(d) any
statement or any
other document presented under the Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein
being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;
(e) payment
by the
Fronting Bank under the Letter of Credit against presentation of a certificate
which does not comply with the terms of the Letter of Credit; or
(f) any
other
circumstance or happening whatsoever, including, without limitation, any other
circumstance which might otherwise constitute a defense available to or
discharge of the Company, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing.
Nothing
in this
Section 2.15 is intended to limit any liability of the Fronting Bank pursuant
to
Section 9.06 in respect of its willful misconduct or gross
negligence.
19
SECTION
2.16. Net of Taxes, Etc. (a)
All payments
made by the Company under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of, and
without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future
income, stamp or other taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions
or withholdings, now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld or
assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding,
in the case of the
Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and each Bank, taxes imposed on its
overall net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it by the jurisdiction under
the laws of which the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or such Bank
(as
the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof and, in
the
case of each Bank, taxes imposed on its overall net income, and franchise taxes
imposed on it by the jurisdiction of such Bank’s Applicable Booking Office or
any political subdivision thereof (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts,
deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter referred
to
as “Taxes”).
If any Taxes are
required to be withheld from any amounts payable to the Administrative Agent,
the Fronting Bank or any Bank hereunder, the amounts so payable to the
Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or such Bank shall be increased to
the
extent necessary to yield to the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or
such
Bank (after payment of all Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable
hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement. Whenever
any Taxes are payable by the Company, as promptly as possible thereafter the
Company shall send to the Administrative Agent for its own account or for the
account of the Fronting Bank or such Bank, as the case may be, a certified
copy
of an original official receipt received by the Company showing payment thereof.
If the Company fails to pay any Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing
authority or fails to remit to the Administrative Agent the required receipts
or
other required documentary evidence, the Company shall indemnify the
Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and the Banks for any incremental taxes,
interest or penalties that may become payable by the Administrative Agent,
the
Fronting Bank or any Bank as a result of any such failure. The agreements in
this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment
of
the obligations hereunder and all other amounts payable hereunder.
(b) Each
Bank that is
not incorporated under the laws of the United States of America or a state
thereof agrees that it will deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent
on or before the latter of the date hereof and the date such Bank becomes a
Bank
two duly completed copies of United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN
or W-8ECI or successor applicable form, as the case may be. Each such Bank
also
agrees to deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent two further copies
of said Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI or successor applicable forms or other manner
of
certification, as the case may be, on or before the date that any such form
previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or after the occurrence of
any
event requiring a change in the most recent form previously delivered by it
to
the Company, and such extensions or renewals thereof as may reasonably be
requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, unless in any such case
an
event (including, without limitation, any change in treaty, law or regulation)
has occurred prior to the date on which any such delivery would otherwise be
required which renders all such forms inapplicable or which would prevent such
Bank from duly completing and delivering any such form with respect to it and
such Bank so advises the Company and the Administrative Agent. Such Bank shall
certify that it is entitled to receive payments under this Agreement without
deduction or withholding of any United States federal income taxes and that
it
is entitled to an exemption from United States backup withholding
tax.
20
(c) If
any Bank shall
request compensation for costs pursuant to this Section 2.16, (i) such Bank
shall make reasonable efforts (which shall not require such Bank to incur a
loss
or unreimbursed cost or otherwise suffer any disadvantage deemed by it to be
significant) to make within 30 days an assignment of its rights and delegation
and transfer of its obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches
or
affiliates, if such assignment would reduce such costs in the future, (ii)
the
Company may with the consent of the Required Banks and the Fronting Bank, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, secure a substitute bank to replace
such Bank, which substitute bank shall, upon execution of a counterpart of
this
Agreement and payment to such Bank of any and all amounts due under this
Agreement, be deemed to be a Bank hereunder (any such substitution referred
to
in clause (ii) shall be accompanied by an amount equal to any loss or reasonable
expense incurred by such Bank as a result of such substitution); provided
that this Section
2.16(c) shall not be construed as limiting the liability of the Company to
indemnify or reimburse such Bank for any costs or expenses the Company is
required hereunder to indemnify or reimburse.
SECTION
2.17. Participation by Banks in Letter of Credit.
(a) The Fronting
Bank irrevocably agrees to grant and hereby grants, without recourse, to each
Bank, and, to induce the Fronting Bank to issue the Letter of Credit hereunder,
each Bank irrevocably agrees to accept and purchase and hereby accepts and
purchases, without recourse, on the terms and conditions hereinafter stated,
for
such Bank’s own account and risk an undivided interest equal to such Bank’s
Commitment Percentage in the Fronting Bank’s obligations and rights under the
Letter of Credit and the amount of each drawing paid by the Fronting Bank
thereunder.
(b) Upon
receipt of
written notice of a drawing under the Letter of Credit, the Fronting Bank shall
notify the Administrative Agent, who in turn shall notify each Bank promptly
by
telex, telecopier or telephone (such telephonic notice to be confirmed in
writing) of such drawing under the Letter of Credit. In the event that such
drawing is actually paid by the Fronting Bank and either (i) the Fronting Bank
has not been reimbursed in full therefor by the Company by 5:00 p.m. (New York
City time) on the day such drawing is paid by the Fronting Bank or (ii) the
reimbursement obligation arising from such drawing is to be refinanced through
a
Tender Advance, the Administrative Agent shall notify promptly each Bank
thereof. Upon receipt of such notice, each Bank shall make available to the
Administrative Agent such Bank’s Commitment Percentage of the demand loans or
the Tender Advances resulting from such drawing, in immediately available funds,
by 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the next succeeding Business Day after
the
date of such notice. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have received
a
Bank’s payment at the time that a FedWire confirmation number with respect to
the payment of such Bank is received by the Administrative Agent.
(c) Upon
receipt by the
Administrative Agent of any payment of, or whenever the Administrative Agent
makes an application of funds in respect of, the principal portion of any
Obligations in respect of which a Bank has fulfilled its obligations hereunder,
the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay over to such Bank, so long as such
Bank is not in default of any of its obligations hereunder, in the same funds
which the Administrative Agent receives in respect thereof, such Bank’s
Commitment Percentage of the amount of such payment or application.
(d) (i) Upon
receipt by the
Administrative Agent of any payment of, or whenever the Administrative Agent
makes an application of funds in respect of, the interest portion of any
Obligations as to which a Bank has fulfilled its obligations hereunder, the
Administrative Agent shall promptly pay over to such Bank, so long as such
Bank
is not in default of any of such Bank’s obligations hereunder, in the same funds
which the Administrative Agent receives in respect thereof, such Bank’s
Commitment Percentage of the amount of such payment or application; but subject
to the provisions of clause (ii) of this Section 2.17(d).
21
(ii) If
a Bank does not
make available to the Administrative Agent such Bank’s Commitment Percentage of
any demand loan or Tender Advance on any date on which the related payment
under
the Letter of Credit is made by the Fronting Bank (a “Disbursement
Date”), such
Bank shall be
required to pay interest to the Administrative Agent for the account of the
Fronting Bank on its Commitment Percentage of such demand loan or Tender Advance
at the Federal Funds Rate from such Disbursement Date until (but excluding)
the
date such amount is received by the Fronting Bank. If the Fronting Bank receives
a Bank’s Commitment Percentage of any demand loan or Tender Advance on the
related Disbursement Date or if the Fronting Bank receives interest on any
late
payment from such Bank in accordance with the provisions of the preceding
sentence and such late payment is received within five Business Days of the
related Disbursement Date such Bank shall receive interest on its pro
rata
share
of such demand
loan or Tender Advance in accordance with clause (i) of this Section 2.17(d)
from such Disbursement Date. If the Fronting Bank does not receive a Bank’s
Commitment Percentage of any demand loan or Tender Advance on the Disbursement
Date therefor and does not receive interest on any such late payment together
with such late payment within five Business Days from such Disbursement Date
from such Bank in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, such Bank
shall receive interest on its Commitment Percentage of such demand loan or
Tender Advance in accordance with clause (i) of this Section 2.17(d) only from
the date, if any, on which such Bank’s payment is received by the Fronting
Bank.
(e) Upon
receipt by the
Administrative Agent of any payment of, or whenever the Administrative Agent
makes an application of funds in respect of, the fees payable pursuant to
Section 2.03(a) and (b) hereof (the “Shared
Fees”),
the
Administrative
Agent shall promptly pay over to each Bank, so long as such Bank is not in
default of any of such Bank’s obligations hereunder, in the same funds which the
Administrative Agent receives in respect thereof, such Bank’s pro
rata
share
of the amount
of such payment or application, which share shall be based on such Bank’s
Commitment Percentage of the Shared Fees applicable.
(f) Upon
receipt by the
Administrative Agent of any payment of, or whenever the Administrative Agent
makes an application of funds in respect of, any amount owed to any Bank
pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.08 or 2.16, the Administrative Agent shall promptly
pay over to such Bank, so long as such Bank is not in default of any of such
Bank’s obligations hereunder, in the same funds which the Administrative Agent
receives in respect thereof, the amount of such payment or
application.
(g) Upon
receipt by the
Fronting Bank from time to time of any amount pursuant to the terms of any
Related Document (other than pursuant to the terms of this Agreement), the
Fronting Bank shall promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent any such
amount. Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of any such amount, the
Administrative Agent shall distribute such amounts as follows:
22
First: To
the Fronting Bank
in an amount equal to any draw under the Letter of Credit not reimbursed in
full
by the Company or refinanced through a demand loan or a Tender Advance by the
Banks pursuant to Section 2.17(b) hereof on the date of such
distribution;
Second:
To the Fronting
Bank (for its own account), the Administrative Agent (for its own account)
and
the Banks, pro
rata,
in an amount equal
to the commissions and fees due and payable hereunder to the Fronting Bank,
the
Administrative Agent and the Banks on the date of such
distribution;
Third:
To the Banks,
pro
rata, in
an amount equal
to the interest due and payable on any demand loan or Tender Advance outstanding
hereunder on the date of such distribution;
Fourth:
To the Banks,
pro
rata, in
an amount equal
to the principal due and payable to the Banks hereunder on the date of such
distribution;
Fifth: To
the Fronting Bank
and the Administrative Agent, in an amount equal to any amount due and payable
to the Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent in their capacities as such
pursuant to Section 9.07 hereof (or any similar provision in any other Credit
Document) on the date of such distribution;
Sixth: To
the Banks,
pro
rata, in
an amount equal
to any amount due and payable to the Banks pursuant to Section 9.07 hereof
(or
any similar provision in any other Credit Document) on the date of such
distribution; and
Seventh:
To
the Fronting Bank
(for its own account), the Administrative Agent (for its own account) and the
Banks, pro rata,
for
any other
amounts not described above due and payable hereunder or under any other Credit
Document to such Persons on the date of such distribution.
(h) If
all or any part
of any payment made to the Administrative Agent with respect to the Obligations
or hereunder and paid over by the Administrative Agent to any Bank pursuant
to
the terms hereof is thereafter recovered or returned from or by the
Administrative Agent for any reason, then such Bank shall pay to the
Administrative Agent such Bank’s pro rata
share
thereof (based
upon the amount such Bank has received in respect thereof) upon the
Administrative Agent’s demand therefor (together with interest thereon to the
extent that the Administrative Agent is required to pay interest on the amount
so recovered or returned).
(i) Each
Bank shall
indemnify and hold harmless the Fronting Bank from and against any and all
liabilities (including liabilities for penalties), actions, suits, judgments,
demands, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable
attorneys’ fees and expenses) resulting from any failure on such Bank’s part to
provide, or from any delay in providing, any payment required by such Bank
under
subsection (b) of this Section 2.17. If any Bank fails to make any payments
under subsection (b) of this Section 2.17 within five Business Days of the
due
date therefor, then the Fronting Bank may acquire, or transfer to an assignee,
in exchange for the unpaid sum or sums due from such Bank, such Bank’s unfunded
portion of its Commitment Percentage of the Obligations and the Letter of Credit
without, however, relieving such Bank from any liability for damages, costs
and
expenses suffered by the Fronting Bank as a result of such failure. The
purchaser of any such interest (including the Fronting Bank) shall be deemed
to
have acquired an interest senior to such Bank’s remaining interest hereunder (if
any), and accordingly, such purchaser shall be entitled to receive all
subsequent payments allocable to such Bank’s interest hereunder which the
Administrative Agent would otherwise have made to such Bank until such time
as
the purchaser shall have obtained recovery of the amount it paid for its
interest, with interest at the Default Rate. After any such transfer, such
Bank
shall have no further obligations hereunder (except for any liability for
damages, costs and expenses as aforesaid) and shall not be entitled to its
Commitment Percentage of any fees or commissions accruing after the effective
date of such transfer.
23
(j) Each
Bank hereby
irrevocably authorizes the Fronting Bank to pay drawings under the Letter of
Credit, and authorizes the Administrative Agent to receive from the Company
payment of all fees, costs, expenses, charges, principal and interest and to
take such action on such Bank’s behalf hereunder and the Related Documents and
to exercise such powers and to perform such duties hereunder and thereunder
as
are specifically delegated to or required of the Administrative Agent by the
terms hereof and thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto.
(k) Each
Bank hereby
acknowledges and agrees that such Bank’s obligation to participate in the Letter
of Credit and such Bank’s obligation to pay to the Administrative Agent on the
dates specified herein amounts equal to such Bank’s Commitment Percentage of
drawings paid by the Fronting Bank under the Letter of Credit, the Tender
Advances and the demand loans made hereunder shall be at all times and in all
events absolute, irrevocable and unconditional obligations, and that such
obligations shall not be affected in any way by any intervening circumstances
occurring after the payment of any drawing under the Letter of Credit or the
making of any Tender Advances or demand loans including, without
limitation:
(i) the
existence of any
claim, set-off, defense or other right that any Credit Party may have against
the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank, any Bank or any other party;
or
(ii) any
certificate or
any other document presented under the Letter of Credit proving to have been
forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement
therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect except in the case of the
gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Fronting Bank; or
(iii) any
other act or
omission to act of any kind by the Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent
or
any Credit Party or any Person providing security or guarantees in connection
with this Agreement, the Letter of Credit or any other Credit Document except
in
the case of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Fronting Bank;
or
(iv) the
existence of any
Event of Default, Default or other default hereunder; or
(v) any
change of any
kind whatsoever in the financial position or creditworthiness of any Credit
Party, any guarantor or any other Person.
(1) Each
Bank agrees to
indemnify the Fronting Bank for such Bank’s Commitment Percentage of any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits,
costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind and nature whatsoever which may
be
imposed on, incurred by or asserted against it in any way relating to or arising
out of the Obligations, the Related Documents or the transactions contemplated
hereby or thereby or the enforcement of any of the terms thereof (including,
without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel), provided
that no Bank shall
be liable for any of the foregoing to the extent they arise from the Fronting
Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct or to the extent the Fronting Bank
has been indemnified or reimbursed by the Company. This indemnity shall survive
the termination of this Agreement.
24
ARTICLE
III
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
SECTION
3.01. Conditions Precedent to Issuance of the Letter of
Credit. The
obligation of
the Fronting Bank to issue the Letter of Credit is subject to the conditions
precedent that (i) the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Company
the amounts payable by the Company to the Administrative Agent upon the issuance
of the Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.03, (ii) the Administrative
Agent shall have received from the Company pursuant to Section 9.07 payment
for
the costs and expenses, including legal expenses for which an invoice has been
submitted to the Company, of the Administrative Agent incurred and unpaid
through such date and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall have received on
or
before the Date of Issuance the following, each dated such date, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Banks, with copies
for each Bank:
(a) Counterparts
of (i)
this Agreement, duly executed by the Company, the Administrative Agent, the
Fronting Bank and the Banks and (ii) the FirstEnergy Guaranty Agreement, duly
executed by FirstEnergy;
(b) Counterparts
of the
Custodian Agreement, duly executed by the Company, the Fronting Bank and the
Custodian;
(c) Certified
copies of
each of the Company’s and FirstEnergy’s Organizational Documents;
(d) Evidence
of the
status of each of the Company and First Energy as a duly organized and validly
existing corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio;
(e) A
duplicate copy,
certified, as of the Date of Issuance, by the Company (in a manner satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent) to be a true and complete copy, of all proceedings
relating to the issuance and sale of the Bonds;
(f) A
duplicate copy,
certified, as of the Date of Issuance, by the Company (in a manner satisfactory
to the Administrative Agent) to be a true and complete copy, of each Related
Document not delivered pursuant to subsection (e) above, together with opinion
letters of counsel to the Issuer, the Trustee and/or the Custodian, as
applicable, providing for the reliance thereon by the Administrative Agent
and
the Banks and any related closing certificates of the Issuer;
25
(g) Certified
copies of
audited consolidated financial statements of FirstEnergy and its Subsidiaries
for the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years;
(h) Certified
copies of
the resolutions of the Board of Directors of each of the Company and FirstEnergy
authorizing each Credit Document to which it is a party and all of the Related
Documents to which each such Credit Party is a party and the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby, and of all other documents evidencing any
other
necessary corporate action;
(i) Evidence
that the
Remarketing Agent has acknowledged and accepted in writing its appointment
as
Remarketing Agent under the Indenture and its duties and obligations
thereunder;
(j) Duplicate
copies
(certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to be
true
and complete copies) of all governmental actions and regulatory approvals
(including, without limitation, approvals or orders of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the Issuer and the PUCO, if any) necessary for the Company
to enter into this Agreement and each of the Related Documents to which the
Company is a party and the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby;
(k) A
certificate of the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each of the Company and FirstEnergy
certifying the names, true signatures and incumbency of the officers of each
such Credit Party authorized to sign each Credit Document to which it is a
party
and the other documents to be delivered by it hereunder or
thereunder;
(l) An
opinion letter of
Xxxx X. Benz, Esq., Associate General Counsel of FirstEnergy and counsel to
the
Company, in substantially the form of Exhibit D and as to such other matters
as
the Administrative Agent may reasonably request;
(m) An
opinion letter of
Akin Gump Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP, special New York counsel to FirstEnergy
and the Company, in substantially the form of Exhibit E and as to such matters
as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request;
(n) An
opinion letter of
Sidley Austin LLP, special New York counsel to the Fronting Bank, in
substantially the form of Exhibit F and as to such other matters as the Fronting
Bank my reasonably request;
(o) An
opinion letter of
Lovells, special English counsel to the Fronting Bank, in substantially the
form
of Exhibit G and as to such matters as the Fronting Bank may reasonably request;
(p) A
letter from
Squire, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, L.L.P., Bond Counsel, addressed to the
Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and the Banks and stating therein that
such Persons may rely on the opinion letter of such firm delivered in connection
with the issuance of the Bonds;
(q) Copies
of the
Official Statement used
in connection with
the offering of the Bonds;
26
(r) Letters
from S&P
and Xxxxx’x to the effect that the Bonds have been rated at least A-1 and P-1,
respectively, such letters to be in form and substance satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent;
(s) A
certificate of an
authorized officer of the Custodian certifying the names, true signatures and
incumbency of the officers of the Custodian authorized to sign the documents
to
be delivered by it hereunder and as to such other matters as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request;
(t) A
certificate of an
authorized officer of the Trustee certifying the names, true signatures and
incumbency of the officers of the Trustee authorized to make drawings under
the
Letter of Credit and as to such other matters as the Administrative Agent may
reasonably request; and
(u) Evidence
that,
concurrently with the effectiveness of this Agreement and the issuance of the
Letter of Credit:
(i)
|
the
“Bonds”
(as defined in each of the Existing Reimbursement Agreements) shall
be
subject to conditional redemption as of the date hereof;
|
(ii)
|
proceeds
of
the Bonds and all other revenue refunding bonds issued on behalf
of the
Company or FirstEnergy Nuclear Generation Corp., an affiliate of
the
Company, in an amount equal to the aggregate unpaid reimbursement
obligations relating to the principal amount of all redemption draws
in
respect of the “Bonds” under (and as defined in) the Existing
Reimbursement Agreements (the “Existing
Redemption Draw Obligations”)
shall be
transferred to the applicable beneficiary trustee of each letter
of credit
issued pursuant thereto for immediate application to the Existing
Redemption Draw Obligations on such
date;
|
(iii)
|
all
unpaid
obligations of the applicable account party (other than the Existing
Redemption Draw Obligations) under the Existing Reimbursement Obligations
shall have been paid in full; and
|
(iv)
|
after
giving
effect to such application of such amounts under clauses (ii) and
(iii)
above, (a) all obligations of the applicable account party under
the
Existing Reimbursement Agreements shall have been paid in full, (b)
all
letters of credit issued pursuant thereto shall have been returned
as
“cancelled” to the Administrative Agent or the applicable issuer thereof
and (c) each Existing Reimbursement Agreement shall be terminated
(other
than in respect of contingent indemnity obligations and any other
obligation that expressly survives the termination
thereof).
|
SECTION
3.02. Additional Conditions Precedent to Issuance of the Letter of Credit and
Amendment of the Letter of Credit. The
obligation of
the Fronting Bank to issue the Letter of Credit, or to amend, modify or extend
the Letter of Credit, shall be subject to the further conditions precedent
that
on the Date of Issuance and on the date of such amendment, modification or
extension, as the case may be:
27
(a) The
following
statements shall be true and the Administrative Agent shall have received a
certificate from each Credit Party signed by a duly authorized officer of such
Credit Party (including FES only if the FES Guaranty Agreement shall be
effective), dated such date, stating that:
(i) The
representations
and warranties of such Credit Party contained in Sections 4.01 of this Agreement
or in Section 6 of its Guaranty Agreement, as the case may be, and as applicable
in the Related Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and
as
of such date as though made on and as of such date (except to the extent such
representations and warranties relate solely to a specified earlier date, in
which case such representations and warranties were true and correct on and
as
of such earlier date); and
(ii) No
event has
occurred and is continuing, or would result from the issuance of the Letter
of
Credit or such amendment, modification or extension of the Letter of Credit
(as
the case may be), which constitutes a Default or an Event of Default;
and
(iii) True
and complete
copies of the Related Documents (including all exhibits, attachments, schedules,
amendments or supplements thereto) have previously been delivered to the
Administrative Agent and the Related Documents have not been modified, amended
or rescinded, and are in full force and effect as of the Date of Issuance;
and
(b) The
Administrative
Agent shall have received such other approvals, opinions or documents as the
Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
SECTION
3.03. Conditions Precedent to Each Tender Advance. The
obligation of
the Banks to make each Tender Advance shall be subject to the condition
precedent that, on the date of such Tender Advance, the following statements
shall be true:
(a) The
representations
and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01 of this Agreement and
of
each Guarantor in Section 6 of its Guaranty Agreement are true and correct
in
all material respects on and as of the date of such Tender Advance as though
made on and as of such date, both before and after giving effect to such Tender
Advance and to the application of the proceeds thereof;
(b) The
Bonds to be
purchased with the proceeds of the Tender Drawing relating to such Tender
Advance shall simultaneously be pledged in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5.05 of the Indenture and of the Custodian Agreement; and
(c) No
event has
occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Tender Advance or the
application of the proceeds thereof, which constitutes a Default or an Event
of
Default.
28
Unless
the Credit
Parties shall have previously advised the Banks in writing that one or more
of
the statements contained in clauses (a) and (c) above is no longer true, each
Credit Party shall be deemed to have represented and warranted, on the date
of
any Tender Advance made by the Banks hereunder, that on the date of such Tender
Advance the above statements are true.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
SECTION
4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The
Company hereby
represents and warrants as of (i) the date hereof, (ii) the Date of Issuance,
(iii) the date of any Tender Advance, and (iv) the date of any amendment,
modification or extension of the Letter of Credit, as follows:
(a) Corporate
Existence and Power. The
Company is a
corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under
the
laws of the State of Ohio, is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation in and is in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and each other state in which the ownership of its properties
or
the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary except where
the
failure to be so qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and has
all
corporate powers and all material governmental licenses, authorizations,
consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now
conducted.
(b) Corporate
Authorization. The
execution,
delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and each Related
Document are within the Company’s corporate powers, have been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and did not, do not,
and will not, require the consent or approval of the Company shareholders,
or
any trustee or holder of any Debt or other obligation of the Company, other
than
such consents and approvals as have been, or on or before the Date of Issuance,
will have been, duly obtained, given or accomplished.
(c) No
Violation, Etc. Neither
the
execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or any
Related Document nor the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated hereby, nor compliance by the Company with the provisions hereof,
conflicts or will conflict with, or results or will result in a breach or
contravention of any of the provisions of the Company’s Organizational Documents
or any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, lease or any other agreement
or instrument to which it or any of its Affiliates is party or by which its
property or the property of any of its Affiliates is bound, or results or will
result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or
the
property of any of its Affiliates. There is no provision of (i) any of the
Company’s Organizational Documents, (ii) except as disclosed in the Disclosure
Documents, any Applicable Law, or (iii) any such indenture, mortgage, lease
or
other agreement or instrument that materially adversely affects, or in the
future is likely to materially adversely affect, the business, operations,
affairs, condition, properties or assets of the Company, or its ability to
perform its obligations under this Agreement or any Related
Document.
29
(d) Governmental
Actions. No Governmental
Action
is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance
by the Company of, or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated by, this Agreement or any Related Document to which it is, or
is to
become, a party, except such Governmental Actions as have been duly obtained,
given or accomplished. No Governmental Action by any Governmental Authority
relating to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange
Act
of 1934, as amended, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Federal
Power Act, the Atomic Energy Act, the Nuclear Waste Act, the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935, the Ohio Public Utility Act, energy or nuclear
matters, public utilities, the environment or health and safety matters is
or
will be required in connection with the participation by the Administrative
Agent, the Fronting Bank or any Bank in the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Related Documents, or will be required
to
be obtained by any of such Persons during the term of this Agreement, except
such Governmental Actions (i) as have been duly obtained, given or accomplished
or (ii) as may be required by Applicable Law not now in effect. None of the
Governmental Actions referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d)
or
in clause (i) of the second sentence of this subsection (d) are the subject
of
appeal or reconsideration or other review, and the time in which to make an
appeal or request the review or reconsideration of any such Governmental Action
has expired with any appeal or request for review or reconsideration not having
been taken or made.
(e) Execution
and Delivery. This Agreement
and any
Related Document to which the Company is a party have been duly executed and
delivered by the Company, and this Agreement and each such Related Document
is
the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance
with its respective terms.
(f) Full
Force and Effect. Each
Related
Document is in full force and effect. The Company has duly and punctually
performed and observed all the terms, covenants and conditions contained in
each
such Related Document on its part to be performed or observed, and no Default
or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
(g) Bonds
Validly Issued. The
Bonds have been
duly authorized, authenticated and issued and delivered, and are the legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, and are not in
default.
(h) Material
Adverse Change. Since
December 31,
2005, there has been no material adverse change in such condition or in the
Company’s properties or business or results of operations, or in the prospects
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or in the ability of the Company to perform
its obligations under this Agreement or any Related Document to which it is
a
party.
(i) Litigation.
There is no pending
or threatened action, investigation or proceeding (including, without
limitation, any proceeding relating to or arising out of Environmental Laws)
before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator against or affecting the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries which (i) purports to affect the legality,
validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any Related Document or (ii)
may
have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the business,
operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except (with respect to this
clause (ii) only) as is disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.
30
(j) Taxes.
The Company and
each of its Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns (Federal, state and local)
required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon to be due, including
interest and penalties, or provided adequate reserves for payment thereof other
than such taxes that the Company or such Subsidiary is contesting in good faith
by appropriate legal proceedings.
(k) Environmental.
Except as otherwise
disclosed in the Disclosure Documents or otherwise to the Banks by the Company
in writing, (i) facilities and property (including underlying groundwater)
owned
or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been, and continue
to
be, owned or leased by it and its Subsidiaries in compliance with all
Environmental Laws, except for such failures to comply which would not give
rise
to any potential material liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
and (ii) there have been no past, and, to the Company’s actual knowledge, there
are no pending or threatened (A) claims, complaints or notices for information
received by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any alleged
violation of any Environmental Law, or (B) complaints or notices to the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries regarding potential material liability under any
Environmental Law, except for such alleged violations which would not give
rise
to any potential material liability of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(l) Title
to
Real Property. The
Company and each
of its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all of the real property
it
purports to own, free and clear of Liens other than Permitted
Liens.
(m) ERISA.
(i) No Termination
Event has occurred nor is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
Plan.
(ii) Schedule
B
(Actuarial Information) to the 2003 annual report (Form 5500 Series) with
respect to each Plan, copies of which have been filed with the Internal Revenue
Service and furnished to the Banks, is complete and accurate and fairly presents
the funding status of such Plan, and since the date of such Schedule B there
has
been no material adverse change in such funding status.
(iii) Neither
the Company
nor any of its Affiliates has incurred nor reasonably expects to incur any
withdrawal liability under ERISA to any Multiemployer Plan.
(n) Official
Statement.
Except for
information contained in the Official Statement furnished in writing by or
on
behalf of the Issuer, the Trustee, the Tender Agent, the Paying Agent, the
Underwriters, the Remarketing Agent or the Fronting Bank specifically for
inclusion therein, the Official Statement and any supplement or “sticker”
thereto are accurate in all material respects for the purposes for which their
use shall be authorized; and the Official Statement and any such supplement
or
“sticker”, when read together with the statement that it supplements or amends,
does not, as of its date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they are or were made, not
misleading.
31
(o) Accuracy
of Information.
No exhibit,
schedule, report or other written information provided by or on behalf of the
Company or its agents to the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or the
Banks in connection with the negotiation, execution and closing of this
Agreement and the Custodian Agreement (including, without limitation, the
Official Statement) knowingly contained when made any material misstatement
of
fact or knowingly omitted to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under
which they were made.
(p) Margin
Stock; Investment Company.
No proceeds of the
Bonds or of the Letter of Credit will be used in violation of, or in any manner
that would result in a violation by any party hereto of, Regulations T, U or
X
promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any
successor regulations. The Company (i) is not an “investment
company” within
the meaning
ascribed to that term in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and (ii) is not
engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of buying or
carrying margin stock.
(q) Taxability.
The performance of
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein will not affect the
status of the interest on the Bonds as exempt from Federal income
tax.
(r) Solvency.
(i) The
fair salable
value of the Company’s assets will exceed the amount that will be required to be
paid on or in respect of the probable liability on the Company’s existing debts
and other liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they mature; (ii)
the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry out
its business as now conducted or as proposed to be conducted; (iii) the Company
does not intend to incur debt beyond its ability to pay such debts as they
mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be received by
it
and the amounts to be payable on or in respect of its obligations); and (iv)
the
Company does not believe that final judgments against it in actions for money
damages presently pending will be rendered at a time when, or in an amount
such
that, it will be unable to satisfy any such judgments promptly in accordance
with their terms (taking into account the maximum reasonable amount of such
judgments in any such actions and the earliest reasonable time at which such
judgments might be rendered). The Company’s cash flow, after taking into account
all other anticipated uses of its cash (including the payments on or in respect
of debt referred to in clause (iii) above), will at all times be sufficient
to
pay all such judgments promptly in accordance with their terms.
32
(s)
No
Material Misstatements.
The reports,
financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf
of
the Company to the Administrative Agent or any Bank pursuant to or in connection
with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby do not contain
and
will not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material
fact
and do not omit and will not omit, when taken as a whole, to state any fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were or will be made, not misleading in any material respect.
(t)
Public
Utility Holding Company Act.
Pursuant to the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, the Company will be subject to
the
jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”)
as a “public
utility” within the meaning of the Federal Power Act, as amended (“FPA”),
and subject to
FERC regulation, including such regulations as FERC may adopt relating to
accounting, cost allocation, record keeping another rules governing transactions
between holding companies and their service companies. The Company is also
subject to the limited jurisdiction of any State commission with jurisdiction
to
regulate a public utility company in the Company's holding company system,
with
respect to access to the books and records of the Company. The Company has
obtained blanket authority from FERC under Section 204 of the FPA, and/or is
exempt from any requirement to obtain FERC approval, to issue securities and
assume liabilities, and such authorization and/or exemption remains in full
force and effect. No further regulatory authorizations from either FERC or
any
State commission are required for this transaction.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
OF
THE COMPANY
SECTION
5.01. Affirmative Covenants. So
long as a drawing
is available under the Letter of Credit or any Bank shall have any Commitment
hereunder or the Company shall have any obligation to pay any amount to any
Bank
hereunder or any Guarantor shall have any obligations under any Guaranty
Agreement, the Company will, unless the Required Banks shall otherwise consent
in writing:
(a) Preservation
of Corporate Existence, Etc. Without
limiting the
rights of the Company under Section 5.02(f) hereof, (i) preserve and maintain
its corporate existence in the state of its incorporation and qualify and remain
qualified as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is reasonably necessary in view of its business and operations
or
the ownership of its properties and (ii) preserve, renew and keep in full force
and effect the rights, privileges, licenses, permits and franchises necessary
or
desirable in the normal conduct of its business.
(b) Compliance
with Laws, Payment of Taxes, Etc. Comply,
and cause
each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all respects with all Applicable Laws
of
any Governmental Authority, the noncompliance with which in such respect could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, such compliance to
include, without limitation, paying before the same become delinquent all taxes,
assessments and governmental charges imposed upon it or upon its property,
except to the extent compliance with any of the foregoing is then being
contested is good faith.
33
(c) Maintenance
of Insurance, Etc.
Maintain insurance
with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations or through
its own program of self-insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as
is
usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar
properties in the same general areas in which the Company operates and furnish
to the Administrative Agent, within a reasonable time after written request
therefor, such information as to the insurance carried as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request.
(d) Visitation
Rights. At
any reasonable
time and from time to time as the Administrative Agent or any Bank may
reasonably request, permit the Administrative Agent or such Bank or any agents
or representatives thereof to examine and make copies of and abstracts from
the
records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Company and
any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts
of
the Company and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their respective officers
or
directors and with their independent public accountants; provided,
however, that
the Company
reserves the right to restrict access to any of its generating facilities in
accordance with reasonably adopted procedures relating to safety and security.
The Administrative Agent and each Bank agree to use reasonable efforts to ensure
that any information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries obtained
by the Administrative Agent or such Bank pursuant to this Section which is
not
contained in a report or other document filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, distributed by the Company to its security holders or otherwise
generally available to the public, will, to the extent permitted by law and
except as may be required by valid subpoena or in the normal course of the
Administrative Agent’s or such Bank’s business operations (which shall include,
without limitation, providing such information to regulatory authorities and
such Bank’s sharing of its liability under the Letters of Credit with other
banks), be treated confidentially by the Administrative Agent or such Bank
and
will not be distributed or otherwise made available by the Administrative Agent
or such Bank to any Person, other than (i) the Administrative Agent’s or such
Bank’s affiliates, employees, authorized agents or representatives, (ii) to
legal counsel, accountants, and other professional advisors to such Bank or
to
prospective assignees and participants pursuant to Section 9.09, (iii) to its
direct or indirect contractual counterparties in swap agreements or to legal
counsel, accountants and other professional advisors to such counterparties,
and
(iv) to rating agencies if requested or required by such agencies in connection
with a rating relating to the Letters of Credit issued hereunder; provided
that, for purposes
of the foregoing clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), prior to any such disclosure
to
any such Person, such Person shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of
any
confidential information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
received by it from the Administrative Agent or such Bank.
(e) Keeping
of Books; Access to Information on Remarketing Agent and Tender
Agent. Keep,
and cause each
of its Subsidiaries to keep, proper books of record and account in which entries
shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of
the
Company and such Subsidiary in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, consistently applied except to the extent described therein, and
to
the extent permitted under the terms of the Indenture and reasonably requested
by the Administrative Agent, inspect, and provide access to information received
by the Company with respect to any inspection of, the books and records of
the
Remarketing Agent and the Tender Agent.
34
(f) Maintenance
of Properties. Maintain
and
preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve all of
its
properties which are used or which are useful in the conduct of its business
in
good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted (it being
understood that this covenant relates only to the good working order and
condition of such properties and shall not be construed as a covenant of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries not to dispose of such properties by sale,
lease, transfer or otherwise).
(g) Reporting
Requirements. Furnish,
or cause to
be furnished, to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies for Banks,
the
following:
(i) as
soon as possible
and in any event within five Business Days after the occurrence of each Default
or Event of Default, the statement of an authorized officer of the Company
setting forth details of such Default or Event of Default and the action which
the Credit Parties have taken and propose to take with respect
thereto;
(ii) as
soon as available
and in any event within 50 days after the close of each of the first three
quarters in each fiscal year of the Company (A) unaudited consolidated balance
sheets of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and
consolidated statements of income and of cash flows of the Company and its
Subsidiaries for the twelve-month period then ended, fairly presenting the
financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at such date and
the
cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period and setting
forth
in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding
period of the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and duly certified
(subject to year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer,
treasurer, assistant treasurer, or comptroller of the Company as having been
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied, and (B) a certificate of such officer (1) stating whether
he has any knowledge of the occurrence at any time prior to the date of such
certificate of any Default or Event of Default not theretofore reported pursuant
to the provisions of paragraph (i) of this subsection (g) and, if so, setting
forth the details of such Default or Event of Default and (2) setting forth
in a
true and correct manner, the calculation of the ratio contemplated by Section
5.03 hereof, if applicable, to show the Company’s compliance with or the status
of the financial covenant contained in Section 5.03 hereof; provided, however,
that the Company shall have no obligation to satisfy the reporting obligation
under clause (A) above unless and until the earlier of (x) the date the
“Applicable Percentage” under (and as defined in) each then effective Guaranty
Agreement shall be 0% and (y) such earlier date as the Company shall elect
in
its sole discretion;
35
(iii) (A)
as soon as
available and in any event within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year
of
the Company, a copy of the annual report for such year for the Company and
its
Subsidiaries containing financial statements for such year, in each case,
prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by independent
public accountants of recognized national standing selected by the Company
and
certified in a manner acceptable to the Banks by such independent public
accountants, and (B) a certificate of the chief financial officer, treasurer,
assistant treasurer, comptroller or corporate secretary of the Company stating
whether he has any knowledge of the occurrence at any time prior to the date
of
such certificate of any Default or Event of Default not theretofore reported
pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (i) of this subsection (g) and, if
so,
setting forth the details of such Default or Event of Default; provided,
however, that the Company shall have no obligation to satisfy the reporting
obligation under clause (A) above unless and until the earliest of (x) the
date
the “Applicable Percentage” under (and as defined in) each then effective
Guaranty Agreement shall be 0% and (y) such earlier date as the Company shall
elect in its sole discretion;
(iv) promptly
after the
sending or filing thereof, (A) copies of all reports which the Company sends
to
its security holders generally and (B) copies of all reports which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries files with the Securities and Exchange Commission
or
any national securities exchange;
(v) as
soon as possible
and in any event (A) within 30 days after the Company or any Affiliate knows
or
has reason to know that any Termination Event described in clause (i) of the
definition of Termination Event with respect to any Plan has occurred and (B)
within 10 days after the Company or any Affiliate knows or has reason to know
that any other Termination Event with respect to any Plan has occurred, a
statement of the chief financial officer of the Company describing such
Termination Event and the action, if any, which the Company or such Affiliate
proposes to take with respect thereto;
(vi) promptly
and in any
event within two Business Days after receipt thereof by the Company or any
Affiliate from the PBGC, copies of each notice received by the Company or any
such Affiliate of the PBGC’s intention to terminate any Plan or to have a
trustee appointed to administer any Plan;
(vii) promptly
and in any
event within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Internal Revenue Service,
copies of each Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the annual report (Form
5500 Series) with respect to each Plan which is a pension plan (other than
a
Multiemployer Plan) maintained for employees of the Company or any Affiliate,
which provides payments at, or defers receipt of payment until, retirement
and
is subject to Title IV of ERISA;
(viii) if
and for so long
as the Company or any Affiliate shall incur, or expect to incur, any liability
under a Multiemployer Plan, promptly and in any event within five Business
Days
after receipt thereof by the Company or any Affiliate from a Multiemployer
Plan
sponsor, a copy of each notice received by the Company or any Affiliate
concerning (A) the imposition of withdrawal liability by a Multiemployer Plan
pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA, (B) the determination that a Multiemployer
Plan is, or is expected to be, in reorganization within the meaning of Title
IV
of ERISA, (C) the termination of a Multiemployer Plan within the meaning of
Title IV of ERISA, or (D) the amount of liability incurred, or expected to
be
incurred, by the Company or any Affiliate in connection with any event described
in clause (A), (B) or (C), above;
36
(ix) promptly
after the
Company becomes aware of the occurrence thereof, notice of all actions, suits,
proceedings or other events (A) of the type described in Section 4.01(i) or
Section 4.01(k) or (B) for which the Administrative Agent or the Banks will
be
entitled to indemnity under Section 9.05;
(x) such
other
information respecting the condition or operations, financial or otherwise,
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as any Bank may from time to time
reasonably request;
(xi) promptly
and in any
event within five Business Days after Xxxxx’x or S&P has modified its rating
of any of the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds, if any, notice of such
modification;
(xii)
promptly
and in any
event within two Business Days after receipt thereof, copies of each written
notice received by the Company from the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the
Underwriters, the Remarketing Agent or the Tender Agent pursuant to any of
the
Related Documents; and
(xiii) promptly
and in any
event within two Business Days after the Trustee resigns as trustee under the
Indenture, notice of such resignation.
(h) Transactions
with Affiliates.
Conduct, and cause
each of its Subsidiaries to conduct, all transactions with any of its Affiliates
on terms that are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Company
or
such Subsidiary than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction
with a Person not an Affiliate; provided,
however, that
any transaction
with any Affiliate of the Company which transaction (or any plan that involves
such transaction) has been approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio,
the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission or the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the case may be, shall
not be subject to this Section.
(i) Environmental
Laws.
(i) Comply with,
cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply with, and insure compliance by all
tenants and subtenants, if any, with, all Environmental Laws and obtain and
comply with and maintain, cause each of its Subsidiaries to obtain and comply
with and maintain, and insure that all tenants and subtenants obtain and comply
with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, registrations or permits
required by Environmental Laws, except to the extent that failure to do so
would
not have a material adverse effect on the business, condition (financial or
otherwise), operations, performance, properties or prospects of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries.
37
(ii) Conduct
and
complete, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to conduct and complete, all
investigations, studies, sampling, and testing and remedial, removal and other
actions required under Environmental Laws and promptly comply with, and cause
each of its Subsidiaries to promptly comply with, all lawful orders and
directives of all Governmental Authorities respecting Environmental Laws, except
to the extent that the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and the pendency of such proceedings would not have a material
adverse effect on the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations,
performance, properties or prospects of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
(iii) Defend,
indemnify
and hold harmless the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank and each Bank,
and
their respective employees, agents, officers, directors and affiliates from
and
against any claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements,
damages, costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature known or unknown,
contingent or otherwise, arising out of or in any way relating to the violation
of or noncompliance with any Environmental Laws applicable to the real property
owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any orders,
requirements or demands of Governmental Authorities relating thereto, including,
without limitation, attorney’s and consultant’s fees, investigation and
laboratory fees, court costs and litigation expenses, except to the extent
that
any of the foregoing arise out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct
of
the party seeking indemnification therefor.
(j) Redemption
or Defeasance of Bonds.
Use
its best efforts
to cause the Trustee, upon redemption or defeasance of all of the Bonds pursuant
to the Indenture, to surrender the Letter of Credit to the Fronting Bank for
cancellation.
(k) Registration
of Bonds.
Cause all Bonds
which it acquires, or which it has had acquired for its account, to be
registered forthwith in accordance with the Indenture and the Custodian
Agreement in the name of the Company or its nominee (the name of any such
nominee to be disclosed to the Trustee and the Administrative
Agent).
(l) Related
Documents.
Perform and comply
in all material respects with each of the provisions of each Related Document
to
which it is a party.
(m) Use
of
Letter of Credit.
Cause the Letter
of Credit to be used in support of the payment of principal, and interest on
the
principal amount, of the Bonds.
SECTION
5.02. Negative Covenants. So
long as a drawing
is available under the Letter of Credit or the Fronting Bank or any Bank shall
have any Commitment hereunder or the Company shall have any obligation to pay
any amount to the Banks hereunder or any Guarantor shall have any obligations
under any Guaranty Agreement, the Company will not, without the written consent
of the Required Banks:
38
(a) Liens,
Etc.
Except as permitted
in Section 5.02(b) and (c), create or suffer to exist, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any Lien upon or with respect to
any
of its properties, in each case to secure or provide for the payment of Debt,
other than the following Liens (“Permitted Liens”) (i) Liens consisting of (A)
pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations
under worker’s compensation laws or similar legislation, (B) deposits in the
ordinary course of business to secure, or in lieu of, surety, appeal, or customs
bonds to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, (C) pledges
or
deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure performance in connection
with bids, tenders or contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money),
or (D) materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairmen’s or other like
Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or
currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently
conducted, or deposits to obtain in the release of such Liens; (ii) purchase
money liens or purchase money security interests upon or in any property
acquired or held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary
course of business to secure the purchase price of such property or to secure
indebtedness incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of
such property; (iii) Liens existing on the property of any Person at the time
that such Person becomes a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company;
provided
that
such Liens were
not created to secure the acquisition of such Person; (iv) Liens created to
secure Debt in respect of First Mortgage Bonds; provided,
however, that
the principal
amount of Debt secured by the Liens described in this clause (iv) shall not
at
any time exceed the depreciated book value of the property subject to such
Liens; (v) Liens in existence on the date of this Agreement; and (vi) Liens
created for the sole purpose of extending, renewing or replacing in whole or
in
part Debt secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through
(v);
provided,
however, that
the principal
amount of Debt secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of Debt
so
secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement, and that such
extension, renewal or replacement, as the case may be, shall be limited to
all
or a part of the property or Debt that secured the Lien so extended, renewed
or
replaced (and any improvements on such property). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
this subsection (a) shall have no force or effect if and for so long as the
Obligations are secured by First Mortgage Bonds and/or cash collateral in an
aggregate principal amount at least equal to the sum of (x) the Available Amount
and (y) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all unreimbursed Letter
of
Credit drawings, demand loans hereunder and Tender Advances.
(b) Cash
Collateral.
Create or suffer to
exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any
lien,
security interest, other charge or encumbrance, or any other type of
preferential arrangement upon or with respect to its Cash and Cash Equivalents
or marketable securities, in each case to secure or provide for the payment
of
Debt, in an amount in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate, unless,
on
or prior to the date thereof, the Company shall have (i) pursuant to
documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and Required Banks,
equally and ratably secured the obligations of the Company under this agreement
by a preferential arrangement with respect to such Cash and Cash Equivalents
and
marketable securities of a similar type acceptable to the Administrative Agent
in its sole discretion, and (ii) caused the creditor or creditors, as the case
may be, in respect of such Debt to have entered into an intercreditor agreement
in form, scope and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the
Required Banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this subsection (b) shall have
no
force or effect if and for so long as the Obligations are secured by First
Mortgage Bonds and/or cash collateral in an aggregate principal amount at least
equal to the sum of (x) the Available Amount and (y) the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of all unreimbursed Letter of Credit drawings, demand loans
hereunder and Tender Advances.
39
(c) Security. In
connection with
any Debt incurred after the date hereof by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries (other than refinancings of Debt of the Company or any such
Subsidiary that is outstanding and secured in the manner described below as
of
the date hereof), sell or otherwise transfer, or arrange for the sale or
transfer by any Person of, any security of any Person (including, without
limitation, First Mortgage Bonds), which security is secured, in whole or in
part, directly or indirectly, by any property of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, in any case to secure the obligations of the Company thereunder
or
in respect thereof, unless,
on
or prior to the date thereof, the Company or such Subsidiary (as the case may
be) shall have (i) pursuant to documentation satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent and the Required Banks, equally and ratably secured the Obligations of
the
Company hereunder by a preferential arrangement with respect to, or by a
transfer to the Administrative Agent of, such securities of a similar type
acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, and (ii) caused
the creditor or creditors, as the case may be, in respect of such Debt to have
entered into with the Administrative Agent an intercreditor agreement in form,
scope and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required
Banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed
that
this subsection (c) shall: (I) not apply to the issuance by the Company of
(A)
First Mortgage Bonds sold or issued in exchange for cash in an amount, or other
assets having an aggregate fair market value, in each case not less than the
fair market value of such First Mortgage Bonds at the time of such sale or
exchange; (B) First Mortgage Bonds issued to provide for the payment of the
Company’s (1) reimbursement obligations to any financial institution in respect
of any letter of credit, bond insurance policy or similar credit support that
supports the payment of principal, interest and/or premium (if any) under
pollution control revenue bonds issued for the benefit of the Company, (2)
payment obligations to the trustee under any indenture pursuant to which
pollution control revenue bonds have been issued for the benefit of the Company,
to enable the issuer of such pollution control revenue bonds to satisfy its
payment obligations to the holders of such pollution control revenue bonds,
or
(3) obligations to the holders of Notes issued by the Company; or (C) First
Mortgage Bonds issued pursuant to a First Mortgage Bond Indenture of the Company
to the trustee under any new mortgage bond indenture of the Company, which
new
indenture shall provide that the Company may not, while any mortgage bonds
are
outstanding under such new indenture, issue any First Mortgage Bonds under
a
First Mortgage Bond Indenture except to such trustee as the basis for the
issuance of mortgage bonds thereunder described in the foregoing clauses (B)
and
(C) to entitle such financial institutions and the holders of such pollution
control revenue bonds, Notes and mortgage bonds to the benefits of the Lien
of a
First Mortgage Bond Indenture; and (II) have no force or effect if and for
so
long as the Obligations are fully secured by First Mortgage Bonds and/or cash
collateral in an aggregate principal amount at least equal to the sum of (x)
the
Available Amount and (y) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all
unreimbursed Letter of Credit drawings, demand loans hereunder and Tender
Advances. For purposes of this subsection (c), the phrase “refinancings of Debt”
shall include, but shall not be limited to, Debt incurred after the date hereof
pursuant to a commitment to extend credit so long as such commitment replaced
one or more commitments to extend credit entered into prior to the date hereof
and the new commitment to extend credit is in an aggregate principal amount
(whether drawn or undrawn) of the Debt being refinanced.
40
(d) Certain
Amendments.
Amend or modify, or
enter into or consent to any amendment or modification of: (i) any of its
Organizational Documents (including the provisions thereof restricting the
payment of dividends), (ii) its accounting policies, (iii) any First Mortgage
Bond Indenture (including the provisions thereof restricting the payment of
dividends), or (iv) any Related Document, in each case in any manner adverse
to
the interests of the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or the Banks in
their reasonable judgment and, with respect to the Indenture and the Loan
Agreement, except in compliance with Section 15.01, 15.02 and 15.03 of the
Indenture; provided,
however,
that any amendment
or modification of any Related Document that assigns or otherwise transfers
the
Company’s rights or obligations thereunder to any other Person shall require the
prior written consent of the Fronting Bank and all of the Banks.
(e) Compliance
with ERISA.
(i) Enter into any
“prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 4975 of the Code, as amended,
and in ERISA) involving any Plan which may result in any liability of the
Company to any Person which (in the reasonable opinion of the Required Banks)
is
material to the financial position or operations of the Company or (ii) allow
or
suffer to exist any other event or condition known to the Company which results
in any liability of the Company to the PBGC which (in the reasonable opinion
of
the Required Banks) is material to the financial position or operations of
the
Company. For purposes of this Section 5.02(d), “liability” shall not include
termination insurance premiums payable under Section 4007 of ERISA.
(f) Mergers,
Etc.
Merge, consolidate
or amalgamate, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any
liquidation or dissolution), or (except as permitted by Section 5.02(g)) convey,
sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of, all or substantially
all
of its property, business or assets, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do
so,
except that:
(i) any
Subsidiary of
the Company may be merged or consolidated with or into the Company (provided
that the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation) or with
or
into any one or more wholly-owned Subsidiaries of the Company (provided
that such
wholly-owned Subsidiary or Subsidiaries shall be the continuing or surviving
corporation); and
(ii) any
wholly-owned
Subsidiary of the Company may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of
any
or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Company
or
any other wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company;
41
provided,
that,
in any such case,
after giving effect thereto: (x) no Default or Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing and (y) in the case of any merger or consolidation
to
which the Company is a party, the corporation formed by such consolidation
or
into which the Company shall be merged shall assume the Company’s obligations
under this Agreement in a written document satisfactory in form and substance
to
the Required Banks.
(g) Sale
of
Assets, etc. Sell,
lease,
transfer, enter into any sale and leaseback agreement involving or otherwise
dispose of (including by the Company to any affiliate of the Company), or permit
any of its Subsidiaries to sell, lease, transfer, enter into any sale and
leaseback agreement involving or otherwise dispose of, whether in one or a
series of transactions, more than 15% (determined at the time of each such
sale,
lease, transfer, agreement or disposition) of the aggregate Fixed Assets of
the
Company and its Subsidiaries; provided,
however,
that the Company
may consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transition Plan
Order.
(h) Change
in Nature of Business.
Have as its
principal business any business other than the unregulated production,
generation and sale of electricity to Affiliates and other Persons, all in
compliance with all Applicable Law; and it will only conduct such a business
in
a manner to ensure its continued operation as an unregulated producer, generator
and supplier of electricity and related activities. For purposes hereof,
“unregulated” shall mean unregulated by a public utility commission or similar
agency of any State.
(i) Investments,
Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.
Purchase, hold or
acquire (including, without limitation, pursuant to any merger) any capital
stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including, without
limitation, any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing)
of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations
of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any
other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series
of transactions (including, without limitation, pursuant to any merger)) any
assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to do so, except:
(i) Permitted
Investments;
(ii) investments
and
Guarantees existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule
5.02(i);
(iii) investments
made by
the Company in the equity securities or other ownership interests of any of
its
Subsidiaries and made by any such Subsidiary in the equity securities or other
ownership interests of any other such Subsidiary;
(iv) loans
or advances
made by the Company to any of its Affiliates and made by any such Subsidiary
to
the Company or any other Affiliate of the Company, in each case in the ordinary
course of business;
42
(v) acquisitions
made by
the Company from any of its Subsidiaries or made by any such Subsidiary from
the
Company or any other such Subsidiary;
(vi) any
transaction
permitted by Section 5.02(f); and
(vii) if
at the time
thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, other investments, loans,
advances, Guarantees and acquisitions, provided
that the sum of (A)
the aggregate consideration paid by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
in
connection with all such acquisitions, (B) the aggregate amount of all such
other investments, loans and advances outstanding and (C) the amount of
obligations and liabilities outstanding in the aggregate that is Guaranteed
pursuant to all such other Guarantees, shall not exceed $5,000,000 at any
time.
(j) Restricted
Payments.
If any Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, declare or make, or agree
to
pay for or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or permit
any
of its Subsidiaries to do so, except
that (i) the
Company may declare and pay dividends or other distributions with respect to
its
equity interests payable solely in additional equity interests, and (ii) any
Subsidiary of the Company may declare and pay dividends or other distributions
with respect to its equity interests to the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company.
(k) No
Action on Bonds.
The Company shall
not cause, nor shall it consent to, or instruct any other Person to cause,
(i)
any redemption or defeasance of all or any portion of the Bonds pursuant to
the
Indenture, (ii) any termination of the Letter of Credit or (iii) any conversion
of the Interest Rate Mode applicable to the Bonds; provided that the Company
may
cause, instruct and direct the Issuer to cause, instruct and direct the Trustee,
and the Issuer may cause, instruct and direct the Trustee, to ,and the Trustee
may, conditionally call all of the Bonds for optional redemption on any date
on
which the Bonds can be optionally redeemed pursuant to Section 4.01(c)(i) of
the
Indenture pursuant to such notices and instructions in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION
5.03. Financial Covenant. So
long as a drawing
is available under the Letter of Credit or the Fronting Bank or any Bank shall
have any Commitment hereunder or the Company shall have any obligation to pay
any amount to the Banks hereunder or any Guarantor shall have any obligations
under any Guaranty Agreement:
(a) Debt
to
Capitalization Ratio.
The Company shall
maintain a Debt to Capitalization Ratio of no more than 0.65 to 1.00 (determined
as of the last day of each fiscal quarter); provided that the Company shall
be
required to comply with this financial covenant only so long as FirstEnergy’s
“Applicable Percentage”, and, at any time the FES Guaranty Agreement shall be in
effect, FES’ “Applicable Percentage”, in each case under (and as defined in)
such Guarantor’s Guaranty Agreement, shall be 0%.
43
ARTICLE
VI
EVENTS
OF
DEFAULT
SECTION
6.01. Events of Default. The
occurrence of
any of the following events (whether voluntary or involuntary) shall be an
“Event
of
Default”
hereunder:
(a) Any
Credit Party
shall fail to pay any amount of principal, interest, fees or other amounts
payable under any Credit Document when due; or
(b) Any
representation
or warranty made, or deemed made, by the Company herein or by the Company (or
any of its officers) in connection with this Agreement, any other Credit
Document or any of the Related Documents or any document delivered pursuant
hereto or thereto shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect
when made or deemed made; or
(c) The
Company shall
fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in clause
(i) of Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.02 or Section 5.03;
(d) The
Company shall
fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained
in
this Agreement or any material term, covenant or agreement contained in any
of
the Related Documents on its part to be performed or observed and, in any such
case, such failure shall continue for 30 days after written notice thereof
from
the Administrative Agent to the Company; or
(e) The
Company or any
of its Subsidiaries shall fail to make when due (whether by scheduled maturity,
required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise) any payment on any
Debt
(other than the Debt represented by this Agreement or the Bonds) the aggregate
principal amount of which is greater than (x) at any time the “Applicable
Percentage” under (and as defined in) any Guaranty Agreement shall be 100%,
$50,000,000 or (y) at any other time, $20,000,000, or to make when due any
payment of any interest or premium thereon, and such failure shall continue
after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or
instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event or condition shall occur
and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in
any
agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt, if the effect thereof is
to
accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of (other than by a specified
mandatory redemption provision in connection with pollution control bonds
unrelated to any default or event of default with respect thereto) the maturity
of any such Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared due and payable, or
required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment
or a specified mandatory redemption provision in connection with pollution
control bonds unrelated to any default or event of default with respect thereof)
prior to the stated maturity thereof; or
(f) (i)
The Company or
any Subsidiary of the Company shall (A) apply for or consent to the appointment
of a receiver, trustee, liquidator or custodian or the like of itself or of
its
property, (B) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as
they
become due, (C) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (D)
be
adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or (E) commence a voluntary case under
the
Bankruptcy Code or file a voluntary petition or answer seeking reorganization,
an arrangement with creditors or any order for relief or seeking to take
advantage of any insolvency law or file an answer admitting the material
allegations of a petition filed against it in any bankruptcy, reorganization
or
insolvency proceeding; or corporate action shall be taken by it for the purpose
of effecting any of the foregoing, or (ii) if, without the application, approval
or consent of the Company or such Subsidiary, a proceeding shall be instituted
in any court of competent jurisdiction, seeking in respect of the Company or
such Subsidiary an adjudication in bankruptcy, reorganization, dissolution,
winding up, liquidation, a composition or arrangement with creditors, a
readjustment of debts, the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator or
custodian or the like of the Company or such Subsidiary or of all or any
substantial part of its assets, or other like relief in respect thereof under
any bankruptcy or insolvency law and if such proceeding is being contested
by
the Company or such Subsidiary in good faith, the same shall (x) result in
the
entry of an order for relief of any such adjudication or appointment or (y)
continue undismissed, or pending and unstayed, for any period of sixty (60)
consecutive days; or
44
(g) (x)
at any time the
“Applicable Percentage” under (and as defined in) any Guaranty Agreement shall
be 100%, any judgment or order for the payment of money exceeding any applicable
insurance coverage by more than $50,000,000 shall be rendered by a court of
final adjudication against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and either
(i)
valid enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon
such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 10 consecutive
days
during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of
a
pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect, or (y) at any other time,
any judgment or order for the payment of money exceeding applicable insurance
coverage (if the insurance company shall have admitted liability) by more than
$10,000,000 (or, if there is no applicable insurance coverage, exceeding
$20,000,000) shall be rendered against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
and either (i) enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor
upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 30 consecutive
days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason
of
a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or
(h) Any
Termination
Event with respect to a Plan shall have occurred, and, 30 days after notice
thereof shall have been given to FirstEnergy by the Administrative Agent or
any
Bank, (i) such Termination Event (if correctable) shall not have been corrected
and (ii) the then Unfunded Vested Liabilities of such Plan exceed $10,000,000
(or in the case of a Termination Event involving the withdrawal of a
“substantial employer” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA), the
withdrawing employer’s proportionate share of such excess shall exceed such
amount); or
(i) FirstEnergy
or any
member of the Controlled Group as employer under a Multiemployer Plan shall
have
made a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan and the
Plan
sponsor of such Multiemployer Plan shall have notified such withdrawing employer
that such employer has incurred a withdrawal liability in an amount exceeding
$10,000,000; or
45
(j) Any
“Event
of
Default” under and as defined in the Indenture shall have occurred and be
continuing; or
(k) Any
approval or
order of any Governmental Authority related to any Credit Document or any
Related Document shall be (i) rescinded, revoked or set aside or otherwise
cease
to remain in full force and effect, or (ii) modified in any
manner that, in
the opinion of the Required Banks, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect;
or
(l) Any
change in
Applicable Law or any Governmental Action shall occur which has the effect
of
making the transactions contemplated by the Credit Documents or the Related
Documents unauthorized, illegal or otherwise contrary to Applicable Law;
or
(m) Any
provision of
this Agreement, or any material provision of any Related Document to which
the
Company is a party, shall at any time for any reason cease to be valid and
binding on the Company other than in accordance with the terms of such Related
Document, or shall be declared to be null and void, or the validity or
enforceability thereof shall be denied or contested by the Company, or a
proceeding shall be commenced by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction
over the Company seeking to establish the invalidity or unenforceability thereof
and the Company shall fail diligently or successfully to defend such proceeding;
or
(n) The
Custodian
Agreement after delivery under Article III hereof shall for any reason, except
to the extent permitted by the terms thereof, fail or cease to create valid
and
perfected Liens (to the extent purported to be granted by the Custodian
Agreement and subject to the exceptions permitted thereunder) in any of the
collateral purported to be covered thereby, provided,
that
such failure or
cessation relating to any non-material portion of such collateral shall not
constitute an Event of Default hereunder unless the same shall not have been
corrected within 30 days after the Company becomes aware thereof;
or
(o) A
Change in Control
(Company) shall occur; or
(p) Any
“Guarantor
Event
of Default” under (and as defined in) Section 7.5(e) of any Guaranty Agreement
shall occur; or
(q) Any
other “Guarantor
Event of Default” under (and as defined in) any Guaranty Agreement shall
occur.
SECTION
6.02. Upon an Event of Default. If
any Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Fronting Bank (in the case
of
clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) below) and the Administrative Agent may, or if
requested by the Required Banks, the Administrative Agent shall (i) by notice
to
the Company, declare the obligation of the Fronting Bank to issue the Letter
of
Credit to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, (ii)
give
notice (or, in the case of the Administrative Agent, cause the Fronting Bank
to
give notice) to the Trustee (A) directing a mandatory purchase of the Bonds
as
provided in Section 5.01(b)(iii) of the Indenture and/or (B) as provided in
Section 11.02 of the Indenture to declare the principal of all Pledged Bonds
then outstanding to be immediately due and payable, (iii) declare the principal
amount of all demand loans and Tender Advances hereunder, all interest thereon
and all other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document
or in
respect hereof or thereof to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon all such
principal, interest and all such other amounts shall become and be forthwith
due
and payable, without presentment, demand, protest, or further notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Company, and (iv) in
addition to other rights and remedies provided for herein or in the Custodian
Agreement or otherwise available to any of them, as holder of the Pledged Bonds
or otherwise, exercise all the rights and remedies of a secured party on default
under the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York at that
time; provided
that,
if
an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(f) shall have occurred with
respect to the Company then or an Event of Default described in Section 6.01(p)
shall have occurred with respect to a Guarantor, automatically, (x) the
obligation of the Fronting Bank hereunder to issue the Letter of Credit shall
terminate, (y) any demand loans and Tender Advances, all interest thereon and
all other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document or in
respect hereof or thereof shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without
presentment, demand, protest, or further notice of any kind, all of which are
hereby expressly waived by the Company and (z) the Fronting Bank shall give
the
notice to the Trustee referred to in clauses (ii) and (iv) above.
46
ARTICLE
VII
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE
VIII
THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE FRONTING BANK
SECTION
8.01. Appointment. Each
Bank and the
Fronting Bank hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Barclays as the
Administrative Agent of such Bank and of the Fronting Bank under this Agreement,
the other Credit Documents and the other Related Documents, and each such Bank
and the Fronting Bank irrevocably authorizes Barclays, as the Administrative
Agent for such Bank and for the Fronting Bank, to take such action on its behalf
under the provisions of this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the
other
Related Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are
expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement,
the other Credit Documents and the other Related Documents, together with such
other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision
to the contrary elsewhere in any Credit Document, the Administrative Agent
shall
not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein
and in the Related Documents, or any fiduciary relationship with any Bank,
and
no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or
liabilities shall be read into this Agreement, any other Credit Document or
any
other Related Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative
Agent.
SECTION
8.02. Delegation of Duties. The
Administrative
Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement, the other Credit
Documents and the other Related Documents by or through agents or
attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all
matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be
responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact
selected by it with reasonable care.
47
SECTION
8.03. Exculpatory Provisions. Neither
the
Administrative Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents,
attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully
taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with
this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any other Related Document (except
in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court
of competent jurisdiction) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the
Banks
for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Credit
Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement, any other Credit
Document or any Related Document or in any certificate, report, statement or
other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative
Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement, any other Credit Document
or
any Related Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness,
enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement, the Letter of Credit, any
other
Credit Document or any Related Document or for any failure of any Credit Party
to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Administrative Agent
shall not be under any obligation to any Bank to ascertain or to inquire as
to
the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or
conditions of, this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any Related
Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Credit
Parties.
SECTION
8.04. Reliance by Administrative Agent. The
Administrative
Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon
any writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter,
cablegram, telegram, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order
or
other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and
to
have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice
and statements of legal counsel (including, without limitation, counsel to
the
Credit Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by the
Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee
of
any evidence of indebtedness in respect of any demand loans or other
indebtedness hereunder as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written
notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed
with
the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified
in
failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement, any other Credit
Documents or any Related Document unless it shall first receive such advice
or
concurrence of the Required Banks (unless all of the Banks’ action is required
hereunder) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its
satisfaction by the Banks against any and all liability and expense which may
be
incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The
Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in
refraining from acting, under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and
the
Related Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Banks (unless
all
of the Banks’ action is required hereunder), and such request and any action
taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the
Banks.
SECTION
8.05. Notice of Default. The
Administrative
Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of
any
Event of Default hereunder unless the Administrative Agent has received notice
from a Bank or the Credit Parties referring to this Agreement, describing such
Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the
event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative
Agent shall give notice thereof to the Banks. The Administrative Agent shall
take such action with respect to such Event of Default as shall be reasonably
directed by the Required Banks; provided
that unless and
until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the
Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action,
or
refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Event of Default as it
shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Banks.
48
SECTION
8.06. Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other
Banks.
Each Bank expressly
acknowledges that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its officers,
directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates has made any
representations or warranties to it and that no act by the Administrative Agent
hereinafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Credit Parties,
shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the
Administrative Agent to any Bank. Each Bank represents to the Administrative
Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative
Agent or any other Bank, and based on such documents and information as it
has
deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the
business, operations, property, financial and other condition and
creditworthiness of the Credit Parties and made its own decision to enter into
this Agreement. Each Bank also represents that it will, independently and
without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Bank, and based
on
such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time,
continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking
or
not taking action under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the
Related Documents and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform
itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition
and creditworthiness of the Credit Parties. Except for notices, reports and
other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Banks by the
Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any
duty
or responsibility to provide any Bank with any credit or other information
concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or
otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of the Credit Parties which may come
into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers,
directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.
SECTION
8.07. Indemnification.
The Banks agree to
indemnify the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not
reimbursed by the Credit Parties and without limiting the obligation of the
Credit Parties to do so), ratably according to the respective amounts of their
Commitments, from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses,
damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements
of any kind whatsoever which may at any time (including, without limitation,
at
any time following the termination of the Letter of Credit) be imposed on,
incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating
to
or arising out of this Agreement, the Letter of Credit, any other Credit
Document, any of the Related Documents or any documents contemplated by or
referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby
or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under or in
connection with any of the foregoing; provided
that
no
Bank shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements resulting from the Administrative Agent’s gross
negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive
the termination of the Letter of Credit and the payment of all amounts payable
hereunder or under any other Credit Document.
SECTION
8.08. Administrative Agent in Its Individual Capacity. The
Administrative
Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally
engage in any kind of business with the Credit Parties as though the
Administrative Agent were not the Administrative Agent hereunder. With respect
to its interest in the demand loans and any other amounts owed to it hereunder,
the Administrative Agent shall have the same rights and powers under the Credit
Documents as any Bank and may exercise the same as though it were not the
Administrative Agent, and the terms “Bank” and “Banks” shall include the
Administrative Agent in its individual capacity.
49
SECTION
8.09. Successor Administrative Agent.
The Administrative
Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon ten days’ notice to the Banks. If
the Administrative Agent shall resign as Administrative Agent under the Credit
Documents, then the Required Banks, with the consent of the Company, shall
appoint from among the Banks a successor agent for the Banks, whereupon such
successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the
Administrative Agent, and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such
successor agent effective upon its appointment, and the former Administrative
Agent’s rights, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated,
without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former
Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement. After any retiring
Administrative Agent’s resignation as Administrative Agent, the provisions of
this Section shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted
to be
taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under the Credit
Documents.
SECTION
8.10. Fronting Bank. Each
Bank hereby
acknowledges that the provisions of this Article VIII shall apply to the
Fronting Bank in its capacity as such, in the same manner as such provisions
are
expressly stated to apply to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION
8.11. Notices; Actions Under Related Documents. All
notices received
by the Fronting Bank pursuant to this Agreement, any other Credit Document
or
any Related Document shall be promptly delivered by the receiving party to
the
Administrative Agent, for distribution to the Banks, and any notices, reports
or
other documents received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement
shall be promptly delivered to the Fronting Bank and the Banks. The Fronting
Bank hereby agrees not to amend or waive any provision or consent to the
amendment or waiver of any Related Document without the consent of the Required
Banks (or, to the extent required pursuant to Section 9.01, all of the
Banks).
ARTICLE
IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
9.01. Amendments, Etc.
No amendment or
waiver of any provision of any Credit Document, nor consent to any departure
by
any Credit Party therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same
shall be in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent, the Company, the
Guarantors and the Required Banks and then such waiver or consent shall be
effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which
given; provided,
however, that
no such waiver
and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (a) extend the Stated
Expiration Date or the maturity of any Tender Advance or unreimbursed drawing,
or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest in respect thereof,
or reduce any fee payable to any Bank hereunder or extend the time for the
payment thereof or change the amount of any Bank’s Commitment, in each case
without the written consent of all the Banks, (b) amend, modify or waive any
provision of this Section 9.01 or Section 9.04(b) or reduce the percentage
specified in the definition of Required Banks, or consent to the assignment
or
transfer by any Credit Party of any of its rights and obligations under any
Credit Document, in each case without the written consent of all the Banks,
(c)
amend, modify or waive any provision of Article VIII without the written consent
of the then Administrative Agent and Fronting Bank, (d) waive, modify or
eliminate any of the conditions precedent specified in Article III, in each
case
without the written consent of all the Banks, (e) forgive principal, interest,
fees or other amounts payable hereunder, in each case without the written
consent of all the Banks, (f) release any Guarantor from its obligations under
the Guaranty Agreement to which it is a party without the written consent of
all
the Banks, or (g) waive any requirement for the release of collateral, in each
case without the written consent of all the Banks.
50
SECTION
9.02. Notices, Etc.
All notices and
other communications provided for hereunder or under any other Credit Document
shall be in writing (including telegraphic communication) and mailed,
telecopied, telegraphed or delivered as follows:
The
Company or the
Guarantors:
FirstEnergy
Corp.
FirstEnergy
Generation Corp.
00
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx,
Xxxx
00000
Attention:
Treasurer
Telecopy
No.: (000)
000-0000
The
Administrative
Agent or the Fronting Bank:
Barclays
Bank PLC
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Telecopy
No.: (000)
000-0000
with
a copy
to:
Barclays
Bank PLC
c/o
Barclays Capital Services, LLC
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
XX
00000
Attention:
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Telecopy
No.: (000)
000-0000
and
if to any Bank,
at its address or telecopy number set forth on Schedule I hereto; or, as to
each
party or at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written
notice to the other parties. All such notices and communications shall, when
mailed, be effective three days after being deposited in the mails or when
sent
by telecopy or telex or delivered to the telegraph company, respectively,
addressed as aforesaid.
51
SECTION
9.03. No Waiver; Remedies. No failure
on the part
of the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank or any Bank to exercise, and
no
delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any other Credit Document
shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise
of
any right hereunder or thereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof
or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
SECTION
9.04. Set-off. (a)
Upon the
occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Bank is
hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special,
time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness
at
any time owing by such Bank to or for the credit or the account of any Credit
Party against any and all of the obligations of the Credit Parties now or
hereafter existing under any Credit Document, irrespective of whether or not
such Bank shall have made any demand hereunder and although such obligations
may
be contingent or unmatured.
(b) If
any Bank (a
“benefited Bank”) shall
at any time
receive any payment of all or part of the demand loans or other obligations
of
any Credit Party to it under any Credit Document (such Bank’s “Credit
Party Obligations”),
or interest
thereon, or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily
or
involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature
referred to in Section 6.01(f), or otherwise), in a greater proportion than
any
such payment to or collateral received by any other Bank, if any, in respect
of
such other Bank’s Credit Party Obligations, or interest thereon, such benefited
Bank shall purchase for cash from the other Banks such portion of each such
other Bank’s Credit Party Obligations, or shall provide such other Banks with
the benefits of any such collateral, or the proceeds thereof, as shall be
necessary to cause such benefited Bank to share the excess payment or benefits
of such collateral or proceeds ratably with each of the Banks; provided,
however,
that if all or any
portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such
benefited Bank, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and
benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest. The
Company agrees that each Bank so purchasing a portion of another Bank’s Credit
Party Obligations may exercise all rights of payment (including, without
limitation, rights of set-off) with respect to such portion as fully as if
such
Bank were the direct holder of such portion.
(c) Each
Bank agrees
promptly to notify the Credit Parties after any such set-off and application
referred to in subsection (a) above; provided
that the failure to
give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.
The rights of each Bank under this Section 9.04 are in addition to other rights
and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) which
each
Bank may have.
SECTION
9.05. Indemnification. The
Company hereby
indemnifies and holds the Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent and each
Bank
harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities,
costs and expenses which such party may incur or which may be claimed against
such party by any Person:
(a) by
reason of any
inaccuracy or alleged inaccuracy in any material respect, or any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact, contained in the
Official Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, except to the extent
contained in or arising from information in the Official Statement (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) supplied in writing by and describing the
Fronting Bank; or by reason of the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a material fact necessary to make such statements, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
52
(b) by
reason of or in
connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, the
other Credit Documents or the Related Documents, or any transaction contemplated
by this Agreement, the other Credit Documents or the Related Documents, other
than as specified in subsection (c) below; or
(c) by
reason of or in
connection with the execution and delivery or transfer of, or payment or failure
to make payment under, the Letter of Credit; provided,
however, that
the Company
shall not be required to indemnify any such party pursuant to this Section
9.05(c) for any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs or expenses to
the
extent caused by (i) the Fronting Bank’s willful misconduct or gross negligence
in determining whether documents presented under the Letter of Credit comply
with terms of the Letter of Credit or (ii) the Fronting Bank’s willful or
grossly negligent failure to make lawful payment under the Letter of Credit
after the presentation to it by the Trustee or the Tender Agent under the
Indenture of a certificate strictly complying with the terms and conditions
of
the Letter of Credit.
Nothing
in this
Section 9.05 is intended to limit the Company’s obligations contained in Article
II. Without prejudice to the survival of any other obligation of the Credit
Parties hereunder or under any other Credit Document, the indemnities and
obligations of the Credit Parties contained in this Section 9.05 and under
the
Guaranty Agreements shall survive the payment in full of amounts payable
pursuant to Article II and the termination of the Letter of Credit.
SECTION
9.06. Liability of the Banks. Each
Credit Party
assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of the Trustee, the Tender Agent,
the
Paying Agent and any other beneficiary or transferee of the Letter of Credit
with respect to its use of the Letter of Credit. None of the Fronting Bank,
the
Administrative Agent, the Banks nor any of their respective officers or
directors shall be liable or responsible for: (a) the use which may be made
of
the Letter of Credit or any acts or omissions of the Trustee, the Tender Agent,
the Paying Agent and any other beneficiary or transferee in connection
therewith; (b) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of documents, or of
any
endorsement thereon, even if such documents should prove to be in any or all
respects invalid, insufficient, fraudulent or forged; (c) payment by the
Fronting Bank against presentation of documents which do not comply with the
terms of the Letter of Credit, including failure of any documents to bear any
reference or adequate reference to the Letter of Credit; or (d) any other
circumstances whatsoever in making or failing to make payment under the Letter
of Credit, except that the Company shall have a claim against the Fronting
Bank
and the Fronting Bank shall be liable to the Company, to the extent of any
direct, as opposed to consequential, damages suffered by the Company which
the
Company proves were caused by (i) the Fronting Bank’s willful misconduct or
gross negligence in determining whether documents presented under the Letter
of
Credit are genuine or comply with the terms of the Letter of Credit or (ii)
the
Fronting Bank’s willful or grossly negligent failure, as determined by a court
of competent jurisdiction, to make lawful payment under the Letter of Credit
after the presentation to it by the Trustee or the Paying Agent under the
Indenture of a certificate strictly complying with the terms and conditions
of
the Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing,
the
Fronting Bank may accept original or facsimile (including telecopy) certificates
presented under the Letter of Credit that appear on their face to be in order,
without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice
or
information to the contrary.
53
SECTION
9.07. Costs, Expenses and Taxes. The
Company agrees
to pay on demand all costs and expenses in connection with the preparation,
issuance, delivery, filing, recording, and administration of this Agreement,
the
Letter of Credit, the other Credit Documents and any other documents which
may
be delivered in connection with the Credit Documents, including, without
limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the
Administrative Agent and the Fronting Bank incurred in connection with the
preparation and negotiation of this Agreement, the Letter of Credit, the other
Credit Documents and any document delivered in connection therewith and all
costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of
clause (iii) or (iv) below, any Bank) (including reasonable fees and
out-of-pocket expenses of counsel) in connection with (i) the transfer, drawing
upon, change in terms, maintenance, renewal or cancellation of the Letter of
Credit, (ii) any and all amounts which the Administrative Agent or any Bank
has
paid relative to the Administrative Agent’s or such Bank’s curing of any Event
of Default resulting from the acts or omissions of any Credit Party under this
Agreement, any other Credit Document or any Related Document, (iii) the
enforcement of, or protection of rights under, this Agreement, any other Credit
Document or any Related Document (whether through negotiations, legal
proceedings or otherwise), (iv) any action or proceeding relating to a court
order, injunction, or other process or decree restraining or seeking to restrain
the Fronting Bank from paying any amount under the Letter of Credit or (v)
any
waivers or consents or amendments to or in respect of this Agreement, the Letter
of Credit or any other Credit Document requested by any Credit Party. In
addition, the Company shall pay any and all stamp and other taxes and fees
payable or determined to be payable in connection with the execution, delivery,
filing and recording of this Agreement, the Letter of Credit, any other Credit
Documents or any of such other documents (“Other
Taxes”),
and agrees to
save the Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent and the Banks harmless from
and
against any and all liabilities with respect to or resulting from any delay
in
paying or omission to pay such Other Taxes.
SECTION
9.08. Binding Effect.
This Agreement
shall become effective when it shall have been executed and delivered by the
Company and the Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent and the Banks and
thereafter shall (a) be binding upon the Company and its respective successors
and assigns, and (b) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Banks
and
each of their respective successors, transferees and assigns; provided
that,
the
Company may not
assign all or any part of its rights or obligations under any Credit Document
without the prior written consent of the Banks.
SECTION
9.09. Assignments and Participation. (a)
Each Bank may
assign to one or more banks, financial institutions or other entities all or
a
portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, the other Credit
Documents and the Related Documents (including, without limitation, all or
a
portion of its Commitment and the Tender Advances and demand loans owing to
it);
provided,
however, that
(i) the Company
(unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing) and the
Fronting Bank shall have consented to such assignment (which consent, in the
case of the Company, shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and, in
the
case of the Fronting Bank, shall be in its sole and absolute discretion) by
signing the Assignment and Acceptance referred to in clause (iii) below, (ii)
each such assignment shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and be of a
constant, and not a varying, percentage of all of the assigning Bank’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the Related
Documents and (iii) the parties to each such assignment shall execute and
deliver to the Administrative Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the
Register (as defined in Section 9.09(c)), an Assignment and Acceptance, together
with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, payable by the assigning Bank
or the assignee, as agreed upon by such parties. Upon such execution, delivery,
acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date specified in each
Assignment and Acceptance, (x) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto
and, to the extent that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned
to
it pursuant to such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations
of a Bank hereunder and (y) the Bank assignor thereunder shall, to the extent
that rights and obligations hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to
such
Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Acceptance covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning Bank’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement, such Bank shall cease to be a party
hereto). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement,
any Bank may at any time assign all or any portion of the demand loans owing
to
it to any affiliate of such Bank. No such assignment referred to in the
preceding sentence, other than to an affiliate of such Bank consented to by
the
Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), shall release
the assigning Bank from its obligations hereunder. Nothing contained in this
Section 9.09 shall be construed to relieve the Fronting Bank of any of its
obligations under the Letter of Credit.
54
(b) By
executing and
delivering an Assignment and Acceptance, the Bank assignor thereunder and the
assignee thereunder confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties
hereto as follows: (i) other than as provided in such Assignment and
Acceptance, such assigning Bank makes no representation or warranty and assumes
no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations
made in or in connection with this Agreement, any other Credit Document or
any
Related Document or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability,
genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement, any other Credit Document
or any Related Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant
hereto; (ii) such assigning Bank makes no representation or warranty and
assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of any Credit
Party or the performance or observance by any Credit Party of any of its
obligations under this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any Related
Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or
thereto; (iii) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of each Credit
Document, together with copies of the financial statements referred to in
Section 6(g) of the Guaranty Agreements and such other documents and information
as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to
enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee will,
independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, such assigning
Bank or any other Bank and based on such documents and information as it shall
deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in
taking or not taking action under the Credit Documents; (v) such assignee
appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent
on
its behalf and to exercise such powers under the Credit Documents as are
delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such
powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vi) such assignee agrees
that
it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which
by
the terms of the Credit Documents are required to be performed by it as a
Bank.
55
(c) The
Administrative
Agent shall maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.02 a copy of each
Assignment and Acceptance delivered to and accepted by it and a register for
the
recordation of the names and addresses of the Banks and the Commitment of,
and
principal amount of the demand loans and unreimbursed drawings owing to, each
Bank from time to time (the “Register”).
The entries in
the Register shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest
error, and the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Bank
and
the Banks may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as a
Bank
hereunder for all purposes of the Credit Documents. The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Credit Parties or any Bank at any reasonable
time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Upon
its receipt of
an Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Bank and an assignee,
the
Administrative Agent shall, if such Assignment and Acceptance has been completed
and is in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, and has been signed by
the
Company (if the Company’s consent is required), (i) accept such Assignment and
Acceptance, (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register and
(iii) give prompt notice of such recordation to the Credit Parties.
(e) Each
Bank may sell
participations to one or more banks, financial institutions or other entities
in
all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, the other
Credit Documents and the Related Documents (including, without limitation,
all
or a portion of its Commitment and the demand loans owing to it); provided,
however,
that (i) such
Bank’s obligations under this Agreement (including, without limitation, its
Commitment to the Company hereunder) shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Bank
shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance
of such obligations, and (iii) the Credit Parties, the Administrative Agent
and
the other Banks shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Bank in
connection with such Bank’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any
agreement pursuant to which any Bank may grant such a participating interest
shall provide that such Bank shall retain the sole right and responsibility
to
enforce the obligations of the Credit Parties hereunder or under any other
Credit Document including, without limitation, the right to approve any
amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Credit Documents;
provided
that such
participation agreement may provide that such Bank will not agree to any
modification, amendment or waiver of any Credit Document which would (a) waive,
modify or eliminate any of the conditions precedent specified in Article III,
(b) increase or extend the Commitments of the Banks or subject the Banks to
any
additional obligations, (c) forgive principal, interest, fees or other amounts
payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document or reduce the rate at
which
interest or any fee is calculated, (d) postpone any date fixed for any payment
of principal, interest, fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any
other Credit Document, (e) change the percentage of the Commitments or the
number of Banks which shall be required for the Banks or any of them to take
any
action hereunder or under any other Credit Document, (f) or waive any
requirement for the release of collateral or (g) amend this Section
9.09(e).
56
(f) Any
Bank may, in
connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or
participation pursuant to this Section 9.09, disclose to the assignee or
participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to
any
Credit Party furnished to such Bank by or on behalf of any Credit Party;
provided
that,
prior to any
such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant
shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any confidential information
relating to any Credit Party received by it from such Bank.
(g) Anything
in this
Section 9.09 to the contrary notwithstanding, any Bank may assign and pledge
all
or any portion of its Commitment and the demand loans owing to it to any Federal
Reserve Bank (and its transferees) as collateral security pursuant to Regulation
A of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and any Operating
Circular issued by such Federal Reserve Bank. No such assignment shall release
the assigning Bank from its obligations hereunder.
(h) If
any Bank (or any
bank, financial institution, or other entity to which such Bank has sold a
participation) shall make any demand for payment under Section 2.07 or 2.08,
then within 30 days after any such demand, the Company may, with the approval
of
the Administrative Agent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld)
and
provided
that
no Event of
Default or Default shall then have occurred and be continuing, demand that
such
Bank assign in accordance with this Section 9.09 to one or more assignees
designated by the Company all (but not less than all) of such Bank’s Commitment
and the demand loans and Tender Advances owing to it within the period ending
on
such 30th day. If any such assignee designated by the Company shall fail to
consummate such assignment on terms acceptable to such Bank, or if the Company
shall fail to designate any such assignees for all or part of such Bank’s
Commitment, demand loans or Tender Advances, then such demand by the Company
shall become ineffective; it being understood for purposes of this subsection
(h) that such assignment shall be conclusively deemed to be on terms acceptable
to such Bank, and such Bank shall be compelled to consummate such assignment
to
an assignee designated by the Company, if such assignee (i) shall agree to
such
assignment by entering into an Assignment and Acceptance in substantially the
form of Exhibit B hereto with such Bank and (ii) shall offer compensation to
such Bank in an amount equal to all amounts then owing by the Credit Parties
to
such Bank hereunder, whether for principal, interest, fees, costs or expenses
(other than the demanded payment referred to above and payable by the Credit
Parties as a condition to the Company’s right to demand such assignment), or
otherwise.
SECTION
9.10. Severability. Any
provision of
this Agreement which is prohibited, unenforceable or not authorized in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such prohibition, unenforceability or non-authorization without invalidating
the
remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity, enforceability or
legality of such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION
9.11. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE
OF
NEW YORK.
SECTION
9.12. Headings. Section
headings in
this Agreement are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall
not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose.
57
SECTION
9.13. Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers.
The Company hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally:
(a) submits
for itself
and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement
and the other Related Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition
and
enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general
jurisdiction of the Courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United
States of America for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts
from any thereof;
(b) consents
that any
such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection
that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding
in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an
inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;
(c) agrees
that service
of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy
thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form
of
mail), postage prepaid, to the Guarantors at their address set forth in Section
9.02 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have
been
notified pursuant thereto; and
(d) agrees
that nothing
herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner
permitted by law or shall limit the right to xxx in any other
jurisdiction.
This
Section 9.13
shall not be construed to confer a benefit upon, or grant a right or privilege
to, any Person other than the parties hereto.
SECTION
9.14. Acknowledgments. The
Company hereby
acknowledges:
(a) it
has been advised
by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
other Credit Documents and other Related Documents;
(b) no
Bank has a
fiduciary relationship to any Credit Party, and the relationship between any
Bank, on the one hand, and any Credit Party on the other hand, is solely that
of
debtor and creditor; and
(c) no
joint venture
exists between any Credit Party and any Bank.
SECTION
9.15. WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. THE
COMPANY,
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE FRONTING BANK AND EACH BANK HEREBY IRREVOCABLY
AND
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY RELATED DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.
THIS
SECTION
9.15 SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO CONFER A BENEFIT UPON, OR GRANT A RIGHT OR
PRIVILEGE TO, ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE PARTIES HERETO.
58
SECTION
9.16. Execution in Counterparts.
This Agreement
may be
executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in
separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be
an
original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement.
SECTION
9.17. “Reimbursement Agreement” for Purposes of
Indenture.
This Agreement
shall be
deemed to be a “Reimbursement Agreement” for the purpose of the
Indenture.
SECTION
9.18.
USA
PATRIOT Act.
Each Bank hereby
notifies each Credit Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT
Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the
“Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies
such Credit Party, which information includes the name and address of such
Credit Party and other information that will allow such Bank to identify such
Credit Party in accordance with the Act.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered
by their respective duly authorized officers as of the date first
above
written.
FIRSTENERGY
GENERATION CORP.
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
BARCLAYS
BANK PLC,
|
|
acting
through
its New York Branch,
|
|
as
Administrative Agent and Fronting Bank and
|
|
as
a
Bank
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
Sydney
X. Xxxxxx
|
|
Title:
Director
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
KEYBANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as
|
|
Syndication Agent and as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
LASALLE
BANK, N.A.,
as
Co-Documentation
|
|
Agent and as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
BANK
OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as
Co-
|
|
Documentation Agent and as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
MIZUHO
CORPORATE BANK, LTD,
as
Co-
|
|
Documentation Agent and as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
SUMITOMO
MITSUI BANKING
|
|
CORPORATION, as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
BAYERISCHE
LANDESBANK,
as a
Bank
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
BANK
HAPOALIM B.M.,
as a
Bank
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
KBC
BANK N.V.,
as a
Bank
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
THE
NORINCHUKIN BANK, NEW YORK
|
|
BRANCH, as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
XXXXX
XXX COMMERCIAL BANK, LTD., NEW
|
|
YORK BRANCH, as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
MELLON
BANK, N.A.,
as a
Bank
|
|
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
Ohio
Water
Development Authority
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
TAIPEI
FUBON COMMERCIAL BANK, NEW
|
|
YORK AGENCY, as a Bank | |
By
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
Signature
Page to Letter of Credit and Reimbursement Agreement
State
of
Ohio
Pollution
Control Revenue Refunding Bonds
Series
2006-A (FirstEnergy Generation Corp. Project)
ANNEX
1
PRICING
GRID
The
“Applicable LC Fee Rate”, “Applicable Margin for Alternate Base Rate” or
“Applicable Commitment Rate” for any day, as the case may be, is the percentage
set forth below in the applicable row under the column corresponding to the
Status that exists on such day:
Status
|
Level
1 Status
Reference
Ratings at least A- by S&P or A3 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
2 Status
Reference
Ratings lower than Level 1 but at least BBB+ by S&P or Baa1 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
3 Status
Reference
Ratings of lower than Level 2 but at least BBB by S&P or Baa2 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
4 Status
Reference
Ratings lower than Level 3 but at least BBB- by S&P and Baa3 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
5 Status
Reference
Ratings lower than Level 3 but at least BBB- by S&P or Baa3 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
6 Status
Reference
Ratings lower than Level 4 but at least BB+ by S&P or Ba1 by
Xxxxx’x
|
Level
7 Status
Reference
Ratings lower than BB+ by S&P and Ba1 by Xxxxx’x or if no Reference
Rating exists
|
Applicable
LC Fee Rate
(basis
points)
|
35.0
|
40.0
|
50.0
|
65.0
|
70.0
|
87.5
|
112.5
|
Applicable
Margin for Alternate Base Rate (basis
points)
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
Applicable
Commitment Rate
|
8.0
|
10.0
|
12.5
|
15.0
|
17.5
|
20.0
|
30.0
|
For
purposes of this Pricing Grid, the following terms have the following meanings
(as modified by the provisos below):
“Index
Debt”
means
the senior
unsecured long-term debt securities of FirstEnergy, without third-party credit
enhancement provided by any Person; provided that (i) at any time the Company’s
senior unsecured long-term debt securities shall have an assigned rating of
BBB-
or better by S&P and Baa3 or better by Xxxxx’x, “Index Debt” shall mean such
senior unsecured long-term debt securities of the Company and (ii) if
clause
(i)
of this paragraph shall not be applicable, at any time FES’ senior unsecured
long-term debt securities shall have an assigned rating of BBB- or better by
S&P and Baa3 or better by Xxxxx’x and FES’ “Applicable Percentage” under
(and as defined in) the FES Guaranty Agreement shall be 100%, “Index Debt” shall
mean such senior unsecured long-term debt securities of FES.
“Reference
Ratings”
means
the ratings
assigned by S&P and Xxxxx’x to the Index Debt; provided that if there is no
such rating, “Reference
Ratings”
shall
mean the
ratings that are one Level below the rating assigned by S&P and Xxxxx’x to
(i) at any time the Company’s senior secured debt shall have an assigned rating
of BBB or better by S&P and Baa2 or better by Xxxxx’x, such senior secured
debt of the Company, (ii) if clause
(i)
of this paragraph shall not be applicable, at any time FES’ senior secured debt
shall have an assigned rating of BBB or better by S&P and Baa2 or better by
Xxxxx’x and FES’ “Applicable Percentage” under (and as defined in) the FES
Guaranty Agreement shall be 100%, such senior secured debt of FES, or (iii)
at
any other time, the senior secured debt of FirstEnergy.
For
purposes of the foregoing, if (i) there is a difference of one level in
Reference Ratings of S&P and Xxxxx’x and the higher of such Reference
Ratings falls in Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 3 Status, Level 5 Status
or Level 6 Status, then the higher Reference Rating will be used to determine
the applicable Status or (ii) there is a difference of more than one level
in
Reference Ratings of S&P and Xxxxx’x, the level that is one level above the
lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the applicable Status,
unless the lower of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 5 Status or Level
7
Status, in which case the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to
determine the applicable Status. If there exists only one Reference Rating,
such
Reference Rating shall be used to determine the applicable Status.
“Status”
refers
to the
determination of which of Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 3 Status, Xxxxx
0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0 Xxxxxx or Level 7 Status exists at any
date.
The
credit ratings to be utilized for purposes of this Pricing Grid are (subject
to
the proviso in the first sentence of the definition of “Reference Ratings”
above) those assigned to the Index Debt, and any rating assigned to any other
debt security of FirstEnergy shall be disregarded. The rating in effect at
any
date is that in effect at the close of business on such date, provided, that
the
applicable Status shall change as and when the applicable Index Debt (or other
debt security to the extent applicable pursuant to the proviso in the first
sentence of the definition of “Reference Ratings” above) ratings
change.