UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


                                


FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  October 17, 2014 (October 14, 2014)

 


PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



New Hampshire

001-06392

02-0181050

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)


Energy Park

780 North Commercial Street

Manchester, New Hampshire



03101-1134

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)


Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (603) 669-4000


Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

o

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 






Section 2

Financial Information

Item 2.03

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

On October 14, 2014, Public Service Company of New Hampshire (“PSNH” or the “Company”) issued an additional $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.50% First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023 (the “Series S Bonds”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated October 6, 2014, among Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and RBS Securities Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein, and PSNH (the “Underwriting Agreement”).  The additional Series S Bonds are part of the same series of debt securities issued by PSNH on November 14, 2013.  Following the closing of this offering, the aggregate principal amount of Series S Bonds outstanding totaled $325,000,000.

The additional Series S Bonds were issued under a Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2014, between PSNH and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, supplementing the First Mortgage Indenture, dated as of August 15, 1978, as supplemented, amended and restated effective as of June 1, 2011, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.  The terms and provisions of the Series S Bonds, and the form thereof, were set forth in the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, which was filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 20, 2013.  A copy of the Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture is filed herewith as Exhibit 4.1.  

Section 9

Financial Statements and Exhibits


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.


(d)

Exhibits.


Exhibit Number

Description

1

Underwriting Agreement, dated October 6, 2014, among Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and RBS Securities Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein, and PSNH.

4.1

Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2014, between PSNH and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture”).

4.2

Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2013, establishing the terms and Form of the Series S Bonds, included therewith as Schedule A (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 20, 2013).

5

Legal opinion of Kerry J. Tomasevich, Esq. relating to the validity of the Series S Bonds (including consent).




2





SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

(Registrant)




October 17, 2014

By:

/ S / J AY S. B UTH

Jay S. Buth

Vice President, Controller and

Chief Accounting Officer




3





EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number

Description

1

Underwriting Agreement, dated October 6, 2014, among Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and RBS Securities Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein, and PSNH.

4.1

Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2014, between PSNH and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture”).

4.2

Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2013, establishing the terms and Form of the Series S Bonds, included therewith as Schedule A (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 20, 2013).

5

Legal opinion of Kerry J. Tomasevich, Esq. relating to the validity of the Series S Bonds (including consent).




EXHIBIT 1


PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

October 6, 2014

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

320 Park Avenue – 12 th Floor
New York, New York 10022

RBS Securities Inc.
600 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901

As Representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto

1.

Purchase and Sale.   On the basis of the representations and warranties, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this agreement (this “ Agreement ”), the Underwriters (defined below) shall purchase from Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (the “ Company ”), severally and not jointly, and the Company shall sell to the Underwriters, the principal amount of the Company’s 3.50% First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023, set forth opposite the name of the Underwriters in Schedule I hereto at the price specified in Schedule III hereto (the aggregate principal amount of the bonds described in Schedule I hereto are hereinafter referred to as the “ Bonds ”).  The Bonds will form a single series with, and will be fungible with, the $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.50% First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023 originally issued on November 14, 2013 (the “ Existing Bonds ”).

2.

Underwriters.   The term “ Underwriters ”, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and RBS Securities Inc. (the “ Representatives ”) and the other several persons, firms or corporations named in Schedule I hereto (including all substituted Underwriters under the provisions of Section 10 hereof).  All obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are several and not joint.

3.

Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Underwriters .  a) The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with the Underwriters that:

(i)

A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-188345-02), relating to the Bonds (i) has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the rules and regulations (the “ Rules and Regulations ”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) thereunder; (ii) has been filed with the Commission under the

6286222



Securities Act; and (iii) is effective under the Securities Act.  Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Company to the Representatives.  As used in this Agreement:

(A)

Effective Date ” means any date as of which any part of such registration statement relating to the Bonds became, or is deemed to have become, effective under the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations;

(B)

Applicable Time ” means 1:50 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement;

(C)

Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Bonds included in the Registration Statement, including any prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Bonds, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(D)

Preliminary Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Bonds included in the Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Bonds, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(E)

Registration Statement ” means, collectively, the various parts of such registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such registration statement;

(F)

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means each “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the Company and approved by the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the Bonds; and

(G)

Pricing Disclosure Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II hereto.

Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.  Any reference to the “ most recent Preliminary Prospectus ” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations on or prior to the date hereof.  Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company filed with the

2

6286222



Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.  The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

(ii)

The Company was at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement, has been at all relevant determination dates thereafter (as provided in clause (2) of the definition of “well-known seasoned issuer” in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations), is on the date hereof and will be on the Closing Date (as defined below) a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in such Rule 405), including not having been an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in such Rule 405) at any such time or date.  The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in such Rule 405), was filed not earlier than the date that is three years prior to the Closing Date and the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form.

(iii)

The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.  The Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations and on the Closing Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.  The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus conformed, and any further documents so incorporated will conform, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(iv)

The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(g) hereof, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), of U.S. Bank National Association (the “ Trustee ”).

3

6286222



(v)

The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the Closing Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(g) hereof.

(vi)

The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(vii)

The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(g) hereof.

(viii)

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.   Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II hereto (the use of which has been consented to by the Representatives), the Company has not made any offer relating to the Bonds that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.  The Company has retained in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.  Schedule II hereto includes a complete list of all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses used in connection with the offering of the Bonds.

(ix)

The Company has been duly formed, is validly existing as a New Hampshire corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, has the power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company.  The Company possesses such material certificates, authorizations, franchises or permits issued by the appropriate state or federal regulatory authorities or bodies as are necessary to conduct its business as currently conducted.

4

6286222



(x)

The Company has no subsidiaries other than Properties, Inc.  Properties, Inc. possesses such material certificates, authorizations, franchises or permits issued by the appropriate state or federal regulatory authorities or bodies as are necessary to conduct its business as currently conducted.

(xi)

The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company.

(xii)

The Indenture dated as of August 15, 1978, as amended, between the Company and the Trustee (as supplemented and previously amended by various supplemental indentures including by the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated November 1, 2013, which established the terms of the Existing Bonds and as to be supplemented by the Twenty First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of October 1, 2014, establishing the terms of the Bonds, the “ Indenture ”), has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity.

(xiii)

The Bonds have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits and security of the Indenture, equally and ratably with the first mortgage bonds of other series presently secured by the Indenture, and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, in each case enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity.

(xiv)

The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Bonds will not contravene any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation or the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Bonds, beyond that contained in (i) Order No. 25,577 of the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (the “ NHPUC ”) dated October 8, 2013 (the “ NHPUC Order ”), (ii) the Order issued by the Vermont Public Service Board in Docket No. 8084, dated September 13, 2013 (the “ VPSB Order ”), (iii) the Order issued by the Maine Public Utilities Commission in Docket No. 98-182 on March 31, 1998 (the “ MPUC Order ”), (iv) such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the trust Indenture Act, and (v) such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the

5

6286222



various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Bonds.  The NHPUC Order, the MPUC Order and the VPSB Order are in full force and effect and are sufficient to authorize the Company to issue the Bonds and to perform its obligations under the Bonds, the Indenture, and this Agreement and are final and not subject to rehearing or appeal.

(xv)

There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(xvi)

There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package and are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required.

(xvii)

Each Preliminary Prospectus filed as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 of the Rules and Regulations, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

(xviii)

The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Bonds and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(xix)

Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (A) is in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environmental Laws ”) (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permits, licenses or approvals, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties), (B) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (C) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permits, licenses or approvals, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

6

6286222



(xx)

As of the date of the Company’s most recent certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “ Sarbanes-Oxley Act ”), the Company maintains systems of internal accounting controls and processes sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles; and (iii) assets are safeguarded from loss or unauthorized use.  The Company evaluated the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures to determine whether they are effective in ensuring that the disclosure of required information is timely made in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules and forms of the Commission.  These evaluations were made under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company, within the 45-day period prior to the filing of the most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.  The principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded, based on their review, that the disclosure controls and procedures, as defined by Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e), are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in Commission rules and forms.  No significant changes were made to the Company’s internal controls or other factors that could significantly affect these controls subsequent to the date of their evaluation.  The Company is not aware of any material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting.

(xxi)

The financial statements and the related notes thereto incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and no other financial statement or schedules of any other person are required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be included in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus.  The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

7

6286222



(xxii)

Deloitte and Touche LLP, who have audited certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the Securities Act.

(xxiii)

The Indenture constitutes a direct and valid first mortgage lien, subject only to liens permitted by the Indenture (including “permitted liens” as defined in the Indenture) on that portion of the Trust Estate (as defined below) located in the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine, or the State of Vermont and under existing New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont law, as applicable, will, subject only to such liens permitted by the Indenture and subject to the provisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Code with respect to liens on property purporting to attach after the date of the commencement of proceedings thereunder, constitute a similar lien at the time of acquisition on all similar properties and assets of the Company acquired after the date hereof located within the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine or the State of Vermont and required by the Indenture to be subjected to the lien thereof, except real property in Maine or Vermont acquired after the date hereof until the filing of a supplemental indenture specifically subjecting such real property to such lien, and other than the properties and assets of the character excluded or excepted from the lien thereof (it being understood, however, that (i) under certain limited circumstances, the lien of the Indenture on real property in New Hampshire and personal property located thereon could be subordinated to a lien in favor of the State of New Hampshire pursuant to New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated 147-b: 10-b, as amended, for expenses incurred in containing or removing hazardous waste or materials, and any necessary mitigation of damages with respect to hazardous waste or materials and (ii) under certain limited circumstances the lien of the Indenture on real property in Maine could be subordinated to a lien in favor of the State of Maine pursuant to Maine Revised Statutes Annotated, Title 38, Section 1371 providing for such a lien for costs of abatement, cleanup or mitigation of hazardous substances).

(xxiv)

The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of the Closing Date and completion of the distribution of the Bonds, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Bonds other than the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Schedule II hereto.

(xxv)

The property specifically described as the trust estate in the Indenture (the “ Trust Estate ”) located in the States of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont constitutes all of the utility franchises held by the Company and all of the Company’s principal properties and substantially all of the property used by the Company in its business other than the exceptions explicitly stated in the Indenture.

(xxvi)

None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions (“ Sanctions ”) administered or enforced by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“ OFAC ”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Bonds hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise

8

6286222



make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Bonds shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

(b)

Each Underwriter hereby agrees that, except for one or more term sheets containing the information set forth in Exhibit A to Schedule II hereto, it will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) one or more term sheets relating to the Bonds which are not Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses and which contain preliminary terms of the Bonds and related customary information, (ii) a free writing prospectus that is not required to be filed with the Commission, (iii) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) of the Rules and Regulations) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in any Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iv) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus prepared pursuant to Section 7(c) hereof, or (v) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing.

4.

Terms of Public Offering.   The Company is advised by the Underwriters that they have made a public offering of the Bonds on the date of this Agreement.  The terms of the public offering of the Bonds are set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

5.

Payment and Delivery.   Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5, payment for the Bonds shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available at the time (the “ Closing Date ”) and place set forth in Schedule III hereto, upon delivery to the Representatives of the Bonds, in fully registered global form registered in the name of Cede & Co., for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Bonds registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not less than the business day immediately preceding the date of delivery, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Bonds to the Underwriters duly paid.  Delivery of the Bonds shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

6.

Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations.   The obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions:

(a)

Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

9

6286222



(i)

there shall not have occurred any downgrading or withdrawal, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or withdrawal or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act;

(ii)

any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 7(b) hereof; the Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with; and the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form; and

(iii)

there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and this Agreement.

(b)

The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a)(i) and (ii) above and to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement that are not qualified as to materiality or material adverse effect are true and correct in all material respects as of  the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement that are qualified as to materiality or material adverse effect are true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date and (ii) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth.  The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c)

At the Closing Date, the Bonds shall have at least the ratings specified in the Pricing Disclosure Package, and the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriters a letter, dated the Closing Date, from each relevant rating agency, or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, confirming that the Bonds have been assigned such ratings;

10

6286222



(d)

The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a legal opinion or legal opinions from Kerry J. Tomasevich, Esq., Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Northeast Utilities, counsel to the Company, or other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i)

the Company has been duly formed, is validly existing as a New Hampshire corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, has the power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company; and the Company possesses such material certificates, authorizations, franchises or permits issued by the appropriate state or federal regulatory authorities or bodies as are necessary to conduct its business as currently conducted;

(ii)

this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(iii)

the Indenture has been (A) duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and (B) duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity;

(iv)

the Bonds have been duly authorized and executed and, when authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits and security of the Indenture, equally and ratably with the first mortgage bonds of other series presently secured by the Indenture, and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, in each case enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity;

(v)

(A) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture and the Bonds will not contravene any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation or the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, and (B) no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Bonds, except for the NHPUC Order, the MPUC Order and the VPSB Order, such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust

11

6286222



Indenture Act and such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states, as to which such counsel need express no opinion, in connection with the offer and sale of the Bonds.  The NHPUC Order, MPUC Order and VPSB Order are in full force and effect and are sufficient to authorize the Company to issue the Bonds and to perform its obligations under the Bonds, the Indenture, and this Agreement and are final and not subject to rehearing or appeal;

(vi)

the statements (A) in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Securities Registered – Public Service Company of New Hampshire – The PSNH Bonds”, “Underwriting” and “Description of the Series S Bonds”, (B) in the Registration Statement under Item 15, (C) in “Item 3 - Legal Proceedings” of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (D) in “Item 1 - Legal Proceedings” of Part II of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, if any, filed since such annual report, in each case insofar as such statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings as of the dates of such reports and fairly summarize the matters referred to therein as of the dates of such reports;

(vii)

after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and are not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required;

(viii)

the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Bonds and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(ix)

except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with any and all applicable Environmental Laws, (B) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (C) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(x)

the Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, no order directed to the

12

6286222



adequacy of any document incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for either such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering are pending before or threatened by the Commission;

(xi)

such counsel (A) is of the opinion that each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements, schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus, as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) complied when so filed as to form in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (B) is of the opinion that the Registration Statement, on the Effective Date, and each of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time it was filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations (except for financial statements, schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as to which such counsel need not express any opinion), complied as to form in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations;

(xii)

the Trust Estate, located in the States of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, constitutes all of the utility franchises held by the Company and its subsidiaries and all of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ principal properties and substantially all of the property used by the Company and its subsidiaries in its business other than the exceptions explicitly stated in the Indenture;

(xiii)

the manner in which the Trust Estate is described in the granting clauses of the Indenture is adequate for the purpose of creating the lien described in subparagraph (xiv) hereof on the portion of such property located in the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine and the State of Vermont; and

(xiv)

the Indenture constitutes a direct and valid first mortgage lien, subject only to liens permitted by the Indenture (including “permitted liens” as defined in the Indenture) on that portion of the Trust Estate located in the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine, or the State of Vermont and under existing New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont law, as applicable, will, subject only to such liens permitted by the Indenture and subject to the provisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Code with respect to liens on property purporting to attach after the date of the commencement of proceedings thereunder, constitute a similar lien at the time of acquisition on all similar properties and assets of the Company acquired after the date hereof located within the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine, or the State of Vermont and required by the Indenture to be subjected to the lien thereof, except real property in Maine or Vermont acquired after the date hereof until the filing of a supplemental indenture specifically subjecting such real property to such lien, and other than the properties and assets of the character excluded or excepted from the lien thereof (it being understood, however, that (i) under certain limited circumstances, the lien of the Indenture on real property in New

13

6286222



Hampshire and personal property located thereon could be subordinated to a lien in favor of the State of New Hampshire pursuant to New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated 147-B:10-b, as amended, for expenses incurred in containing or removing hazardous waste or materials, and any necessary mitigation of damages with respect to hazardous waste or materials and (ii) under certain limited circumstances the lien of the Indenture on real property in Maine could be subordinated to a lien in favor of the State of Maine pursuant to Maine Revised Statutes Annotated, Title 38, Section 1371 providing for such a lien for costs of abatement, cleanup or mitigation of hazardous substances); no liens of the type referred to in the immediately preceding parenthetical have been recorded, or, to such counsel’s knowledge, threatened to be recorded, by the State of New Hampshire or the State of Maine, as applicable, against any of the Company’s New Hampshire or Maine properties; and the Indenture, and/or one or more appropriate certificates and/or financing statements with respect thereto, has been duly recorded or filed for recordation in all places within the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine, and the State of Vermont in which such recording or filing is required to protect and preserve the lien of the Indenture on said properties and assets of the Company located in the State of New Hampshire, the State of Maine, and the State of Vermont which are presently subject thereto, and all New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont taxes and fees required to be paid with respect to the execution and recording of the Indenture and the issuance of the Bonds have been paid (other than in connection with or in compliance with the provisions of the state securities or “Blue Sky” laws of any jurisdiction, as to which counsel need not express an opinion).

Such counsel shall also state that he has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements, schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus, and except for that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Form T-1, as to all of which such counsel need not express any belief):

(A)

any part of the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

(B)

the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or

(C)

the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the date such opinion is delivered, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Such counsel may state that his belief is based upon his participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and documents

14

6286222



incorporated therein by reference and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.

Insofar as Mr. Tomasevich’s opinion relates to matters governed by the law of the State of New Hampshire, he may rely on the opinions of even date therewith of Robert A. Bersak, Chief Regulatory Counsel of Northeast Utilities Service Company and Sulloway & Hollis, P.L.L.C., counsel for the Company, each as addressed to him.  Insofar as Mr. Tomasevich’s opinion relates to matters governed by the law of the State of Maine he may rely on the opinion of even date therewith of Drummond Woodsum, counsel for the Company, and for matters governed by the law of the State of Vermont, he may rely on the opinion of even date therewith of Zuccaro, Willis & Sipples, P.C., counsel for the Company, each as addressed to him.  Each of the foregoing opinions shall be addressed to or shall allow the Underwriters to rely on such opinion as if they were an addressee thereto.

The opinion(s) of Counsel described in this Section 6(d) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.

(e)

The Underwriters shall have received from Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, special counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(f)

The Underwriters shall have received on the date hereof and on the Closing Date, letters, the first dated the date hereof and the second dated the Closing Date, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives.  Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

7.

Covenants of the Company.   In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a)

To furnish the Representatives, without charge, one (1) signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and, for delivery to each other Underwriter, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in

15

6286222



Section 7(e) hereof, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b)

To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement.  If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Pricing Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Underwriters in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(c)

If required by the Securities Act, to timely file with the Commission under the Securities Act each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  The Company will prepare a final term sheet, substantially in the form of Exhibit A to Schedule II hereto, in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such final term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations within the time required by such Rule and to file all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations.

(d)

Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus with respect to the Bonds, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(e)

If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Bonds as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered (including in such circumstances where such requirement can be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 of the Rules and Regulations) in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Bonds may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in

16

6286222



the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.

(f)

To endeavor to qualify the Bonds for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a consent to service of process or to file annual reports or to comply with any other requirements deemed by the Company in its reasonable judgment to be unduly burdensome.

(g)

Not to make any offer relating to the Bonds that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.

(h)

To retain in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses it uses or refers to; and if at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(i)

To make generally available to the Company’s security holders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning after the “effective date of the registration statement” within the meaning of Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations, which earning statement shall be in such form, and be made generally available to security holders in such a manner, as to meet the requirements of the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

(j)

During the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and continuing to and including the Closing Date, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any debt securities of the Company or warrants to purchase debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Bonds (other than (i) the Bonds and (ii) commercial paper issued in the ordinary course of business), without the prior written consent of the Representatives.

(k)

Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Bonds under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and amendments and

17

6286222



supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Bonds to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Bonds under state law and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Bonds for offer and sale under state law as provided in Section 7(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters not to exceed $10,000 in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky memorandum, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s accountants and the Trustee and its counsel, (v) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with any review and qualification of the offering of the Bonds by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, (vi) any fees charged by the rating agencies for the rating of the Bonds and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.  It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, and clause (b) of Section 10 entitled “Defaulting Underwriters” hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel (except as set forth in this Section 7(k)), and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

(l)

The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and will use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(m)

The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Bonds.

(n)

If the supplemental indenture establishing the terms of the Bonds (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”) is not recorded prior to the Closing Date, then (1) within 10 days after the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver such Supplemental Indenture in recordable form to the appropriate real estate recording office in all jurisdictions specified in such Supplemental Indenture for recording and deliver to the office of the Secretary of State of the State of New Hampshire a UCC-1 financing statement relating to the Supplemental Indenture for filing in such office and (2) within 25 days after the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to counsel to the Underwriters a certificate signed by an officer of the Company certifying that the actions required by the foregoing clause (1) have been taken.  The Company shall further provide counsel to the Underwriters, as soon as it is available, a copy of the related opinion of counsel contemplated by Section 5.8(b) of the Indenture.  To the extent not covered by the opinion described in the previous sentence, the Company shall also provide counsel to the Underwriters, concurrently with the furnishing of such opinion, a list of the recording information for all such filings.

18

6286222



(o)

The Company will pay the applicable Commission filing fees relating to the Bonds within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) of the Rules and Regulations without regard to the proviso thereof.

(p)

If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “ Renewal Deadline ”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Bonds remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Bonds, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives.  If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Bonds, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline.  The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Bonds to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Bonds.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

(q)

If at any time when Bonds remain unsold by the Underwriters the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Bonds, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness.  The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Bonds to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

8.

Indemnity and Contribution.   a)  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities when and as incurred by them (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that are based upon or arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations) contained in any free writing prospectus, so long as the Company consented in writing to such free writing prospectus prior to its first use or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or

19

6286222



omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(g) hereof.

(b)

Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendments or supplements thereto, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(g) hereof.

(c)

In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either Section 8(a) or 8(b) hereof, such person (the “ indemnified party ”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “ indemnifying party ”) in writing (but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party under this subsection shall not relieve it from any liability which it otherwise might have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this subsection) and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party has not retained counsel within a reasonable period of time after the request by the indemnified party to do so.  It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representatives, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof, and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b) hereof.  The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested the Company to reimburse such indemnified party for legal or other expenses in connection with investigating, responding to or defending any proceedings as contemplated by this Section 8, the Company shall be liable for any settlement of any proceedings effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is

20

6286222



entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the Company of such request for reimbursement and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d)

To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) hereof is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Bonds or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of each indemnifying party on the one hand and each indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Bonds shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of such Bonds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Bonds.  The relative fault of each indemnifying party on the one hand and each indemnified party on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by such indemnifying party or by such indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective principal amounts of Bonds they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.

(e)

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d) hereof.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Bonds underwritten by

21

6286222



it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

(f)

The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Bonds.

(g)

The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the statements regarding ((i) delivery of the Bonds by the Underwriters set forth in the last paragraph of text on the cover page, (ii) in the fourth and fifth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting” and (iii) in the second, third and fourth sentences of the third paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto.

9.

Termination.   This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade or there shall have been established by any of such exchanges or by the Commission or by any federal or state agency or by the decision of any court, any general limitation on prices for such trading or any general restrictions on the distribution of securities, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company or Northeast Utilities shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred any (A) outbreak of hostilities affecting the United States, or (B) other national or international calamity or crisis, or any material adverse change in financial, political or economic conditions affecting the United States, including, but not limited to, an escalation of hostilities that existed prior to the date of this Agreement, or (v) there shall have occurred any material disruption in commercial banking, securities settlement or clearance services and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clauses 9(a)(i) through 9(a)(v), such event, singly or together with any other such event, makes it impracticable or inadvisable, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, to proceed with the offer, sale or

22

6286222



delivery of the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.

10.

Defaulting Underwriters.  a)  If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase the Bonds set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter or Underwriters in Schedule I hereto that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate amount of such Bonds which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of the Bonds of such Underwriter or Underwriters to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the amount of such Bonds set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of such Bonds set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Bonds which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the amount of the Bonds that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such amount of such Bonds without the written consent of such Underwriter.  If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase such Bonds and the aggregate amount of such Bonds with respect to which such default occurs is more than one tenth of the aggregate amount of such Bonds to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Bonds are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company.  In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.  Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

(b)  If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because any condition to the obligation of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 9 hereof or because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out of pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

11.

No Fiduciary Duty.   The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this offering, sale of the Bonds or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (i) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Bonds,

23

6286222



and such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial and based on arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company.  The Company hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

12.

Representations and Indemnities to Survive .  The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Bonds.  The provisions of Sections 8 and 10(b) hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

13.

Notices .  All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Mizuho Securities USA Inc., 320 Park Avenue – 12 th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Facsimile No.: (212) 205-7812, Attention:  Debt Capital Markets Desk; and RBS Securities Inc., 600 Washington Boulevard, Stamford, Connecticut 06901, Facsimile No.: (203) 873-4534, Attention:  Debt Capital Markets Syndicate; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Public Service Company of New Hampshire, Facsimile No.: (860) 728-4585, Attention:  Assistant Treasurer, with a copy to the General Counsel at the same address and confirmed to it at Public Service Company of New Hampshire, c/o Northeast Utilities Service Company, 56 Prospect Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, Facsimile No.: (860) 728-4584, Attention: Assistant Treasurer.

14.

Counterparts.   This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

15.

Waiver of Jury Trial.   The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

16.

Applicable Law.   This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

17.

Headings.   The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.


24

6286222



Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

Very truly yours,


PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE



By: /s/ P HILIP J. L EMBO _____________

     Name:  Philip J. Lembo      

     Title:   Vice President and Treasurer


Accepted and Agreed:


MIZUHO SECURITIES USA INC.



By:  /s/ W. S COTT T RACHSEL                  

      Name:  W. Scott Trachsel

      Title:    Managing Director



RBS SECURITIES INC.



By:   /s/ M ATT S CHIFFMAN                      

      Name:  Matt Schiffman

      Title:    Vice President






6286222




SCHEDULE I

Underwriters

Principal Amount of Bonds

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

$34,500,000

RBS Securities Inc.

$34,500,000

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

$  6,000,000

Total

$75,000,000




6286222




SCHEDULE II

Complete list of all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
used in connection with the offering of the Bonds

Term sheet, dated October 6, 2014, attached as Exhibit A to this Schedule II, relating to the Bonds.



6286222




Exhibit A to Schedule II


Free Writing Prospectus

Filed pursuant to Rule 433

Registration No. 333-188345-02


October 6, 2014


Public Service Company of New Hampshire

Pricing Term Sheet

Issuer:

Public Service Company of New Hampshire

Security:

$75,000,000 3.50% First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023 (the “ Bonds ”), which will be part of the same series of debt securities issued on November 14, 2013 by the Issuer in the amount of $250,000,000 (the “ Existing Bonds ”)

Maturity Date:

November 1, 2023

Coupon:

3.50%

Price to Public:

102.719% of face amount plus accrued interest from and including May 1, 2014 to but excluding the settlement date

Accrued Interest Payable to the Issuer:

$1,188,541.67 accrued interest from and including May 1, 2014 to but excluding the settlement date

Benchmark Treasury:

2.375% due August 15, 2024

Spread to Benchmark Treasury:

+73 basis points

Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:

99-21 / 2.414%

Re-Offer Yield:

3.144%

Interest Payment Dates:

May 1 and November 1, commencing November 1, 2014

Redemption Provisions:

Make-whole call at any time prior to August 1, 2023 at a discount rate of Treasury plus 15 basis points and, thereafter at par

Qualified Reopening:

The offering of the Bonds is expected to qualify as a “qualified reopening” of the Existing Bonds under the United States Treasury Regulations.  See “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated October 6, 2014.

Trade Date:

October 6, 2014

Settlement Date*:

October 14, 2014

CUSIP / ISIN:

744482BL3 / US744482BL38

Ratings**:

[Ratings omitted]



6286222






Joint Book-Running Managers:

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

RBS Securities Inc.

Co-Manager:

Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.


* Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade bonds on the date hereof or the succeeding business day will be required, by virtue of the fact that the bonds initially will settle T+5 (on October 14, 2014) to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of bonds who wish to trade bonds on the date hereof should consult their own advisors.

** Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.   You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov .  Alternatively, the issuer, any Underwriter or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Mizuho Securities USA Inc. toll-free at (866) 271-7403 or RBS Securities Inc. toll-free at (866) 884-2071.

 



6286222




SCHEDULE III

Closing Date and Location:

10:00 a.m., New York time

October 14, 2014

Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP

Two International Place

Boston, MA 02110

Purchase Price for the Bonds:

102.069% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest from and including May 1, 2014 to but excluding the Closing Date



6286222


EXHIBIT 4

PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY

OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


Successor to WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


and to FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


Formerly Known as FIRST FIDELITY BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

NEW JERSEY


Successor to BANK OF NEW ENGLAND, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Formerly Known as NEW ENGLAND MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK)

and to

NEW BANK OF NEW ENGLAND, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, TRUSTEE

TWENTY-FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
Dated as of October 1, 2014


TO ISSUE SERIES S
FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS



$75,000,000 First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023





TABLE OF CONTENTS


Page


Date and Parties

Recitals

1

Granting Clauses

2

Exceptions

4

Habendum

5

Declaration in Trust

5


ARTICLE 1 – ADDITIONAL ISSUANCE OF SERIES S BONDS

1.01

Designation; Amount

5

1.02

Consent to Amendment and Restatement of Mortgage Indenture

5


ARTICLE 2 –MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

2.01

Recitals

6

2.02

Benefits of Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture

6

2.03

Effect of Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture

6

2.04

Termination

6

2.05

Trust Indenture Act

6

2.06

Counterparts

6

2.07

Notices

7


Testimonium
Signatures


Schedule A

-

Description of Certain Properties Acquired Since November 1, 2013


Acknowledgments
Endorsement


i



THIS TWENTY-FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE dated as of October 1, 2014, between PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE (with its successors and assigns, the “Company”), a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of New Hampshire, having its principal place of business at Energy Park, 780 North Commercial Street in Manchester, New Hampshire 03101, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association, and by merger to First Union National Bank, formerly known as First Fidelity Bank, National Association, New Jersey, successor in trust to Bank of New England, National Association (formerly known as New England Merchants National Bank) and to New Bank of New England, National Association), said U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION being a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America having a corporate trust office at 21 South Street, Third Floor, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 and duly authorized to execute the trusts hereof (with its successors in trust, the “Trustee”), as trustee under the General and Refunding Mortgage Indenture, dated August 15, 1978 (as heretofore amended, including as amended and restated on June 1, 2011, being hereinafter generally called the “Mortgage Indenture” and, together with each and every prior indenture supplemental thereto and each and every other instrument, including this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, supplemental to the Mortgage Indenture, as the “Indenture”).


WHEREAS, the Company has previously executed and delivered to the Trustee twenty supplemental indentures which are part of the Indenture for the purposes recited therein and for the purpose of issuing bonds under the Indenture, the currently outstanding series of which are set forth in the following table:


Supplemental Indenture No.

Dated

as of

Series

Series Designation

Principal Amount

Authorized

Principal Amount

Issued

Principal Amount Outstanding

Twelfth

December 1, 2001

Series I

First Mortgage Bonds (Series I due 2021)*

$89,250,000

$89,250,000

$89,250,000

Fourteenth

October 1, 2005

Series M

5.60% First Mortgage Bonds (Series M, due 2035)

$50,000,000

$50,000,000

$50,000,000

Fifteenth

September 1, 2007

Series N

6.15% First Mortgage Bonds (Series N, due 2017)

$70,000,000

$70,000,000

$70,000,000

Sixteenth

May 1, 2008

Series O

6.00% First Mortgage Bonds (Series O, due 2018)

$110,000,000

$110,000,000

$110,000,000

Seventeenth

December 1, 2009

Series P

4.50% First Mortgage Bonds (Series P, due 2019)

$150,000,000

$150,000,000

$150,000,000


1





Eighteenth

May 1, 2011

Series Q

4.05% First Mortgage Bonds (Series Q, due 2021)

$122,000,000

$122,000,000

$122,000,000

Nineteenth



September 1, 2011

Series R

3.20% First Mortgage Bonds (Series R, due 2021)

$160,000,000

$160,000,000

$160,000,000

Twentieth



November 1, 2013

Series S

3.50% First Mortgage Bonds (Series S, due 2023)

$250,000,000

$250,000,000

$250,000,000

 

 

 

Total Outstanding Principal Amount:

$1,001,250,000


*

These First Mortgage Bonds contain provisions for changes in the interest rate.

WHEREAS, the Company, by appropriate corporate action in conformity with the Mortgage Indenture, created a series of bonds designated as First Mortgage Bonds, 3.50% Series S due 2023 (hereinafter generally referred to as the “Series S Bonds” or the “bonds of Series S”);

WHEREAS, the terms and provisions of the Series S Bonds, and the form thereof, were set forth in the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2013, between the Company and the Trustee (referred to as the “Twentieth Supplemental Indenture”), which Twentieth Supplemental Indenture also provided for the initial issuance of $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Series S Bonds;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue an additional Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000) in aggregate principal amount of the Series S Bonds and the Company therefore proposes to execute and deliver this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture (i) to provide for the issue of the additional bonds of Series S and confirm the lien of the Indenture on the property referred to below, all as permitted by Section 1301 of the Mortgage Indenture and (ii) to provide for the future amendment and restatement of the Mortgage Indenture as provided in Section 1.02 hereof;

WHEREAS, the Company has purchased, constructed or otherwise acquired certain additional property not heretofore specifically described in the Indenture but which is and is intended to be subject to the lien thereof, and proposes specifically to subject such additional property to the lien of the Indenture at this time;

WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the issuance of the Series S Bonds, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee and delivered as in the Mortgage Indenture provided, the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company according to their terms and to make this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture a legal, valid and binding instrument for the security of the bonds, in accordance with its and their terms, have been done


2



and performed, and the execution and delivery of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture has in all respects been duly authorized;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the acceptance of said Series S Bonds by the holder thereof, and of the sum of $1.00 duly paid by the Trustee to the Company, and of other good and valuable considerations, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and in confirmation of and supplementing the Mortgage Indenture as previously supplemented, amended and restated by said twenty preceding supplemental indentures, and in performance of and compliance with the provisions thereof, said Public Service Company of New Hampshire, by these presents, does give, grant, bargain, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, mortgage and convey unto U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, as provided in the Mortgage Indenture, as previously supplemented, amended and restated and as supplemented by this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, and its successor or successors in the trust thereby and hereby created, and its and their assigns, (a) all and singular the property, and rights and interests in property, described in the Mortgage Indenture and the twenty preceding supplemental indentures and thereby conveyed, pledged, assigned, transferred and mortgaged, or intended so to be (said descriptions in said Mortgage Indenture being hereby made a part hereof to the same extent as if set forth herein at length), whether then or now owned or thereafter or hereafter acquired, except such of said properties or interests therein as may have been released or sold or disposed of in whole or in part as permitted by the provisions of the Mortgage Indenture, and (b) also, but without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, all the right, title and interest of the Company, now owned or hereafter acquired, in and to the rights, titles, interests and properties described or referred to in Schedule A hereto attached and hereby made a part hereof as fully as if set forth herein at length, in all cases not specifically reserved, excepted and excluded; the foregoing property, and rights and interests in property, being located in the following listed municipalities in New Hampshire and unincorporated areas in Coös County, New Hampshire, as well as in various municipalities in the States of Maine, Vermont and elsewhere:

BELKNAP COUNTY — Alton, Barnstead, Belmont, Center Harbor, Gilford, Gilmanton, Laconia, Meredith, New Hampton, Sanbornton, Tilton;

CARROLL COUNTY — Albany, Brookfield, Chatham, Conway, Eaton, Effingham, Freedom, Madison, Moultonboro, Ossipee, Sandwich, Tamworth, Tuftonboro, Wakefield, Wolfeboro;

CHESHIRE COUNTY — Alstead, Chesterfield, Dublin, Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Harrisville, Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Keene, Marlborough, Marlow, Nelson, Richmond, Rindge, Roxbury, Stoddard, Sullivan, Surry, Swanzey, Troy, Westmoreland, Winchester;

COÖS COUNTY — Bean’s Grant, Berlin, Cambridge, Carroll, Chandler’s Purchase, Clarksville, Colebrook, Columbia, Crawford’s Purchase, Dalton, Dummer, Errol, Gorham, Green’s Grant, Jefferson, Lancaster, Martin’s Location, Milan, Millsfield, Northumberland, Pinkham’s Grant, Pittsburg, Randolph, Shelburne, Stark, Stewartstown, Stratford, Success, Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase, Wentworth’s Location, Whitefield;


3



GRAFTON COUNTY — Alexandria, Ashland, Bath, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Bristol, Campton, Easton, Enfield, Franconia, Grafton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hebron, Holderness, Landaff, Lincoln, Lisbon, Littleton, Lyman, Lyme, Orange, Orford, Piermont, Plymouth, Rumney, Sugar Hill, Thornton, Woodstock;

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY — Amherst, Antrim, Bedford, Bennington, Brookline, Deering, Francestown, Goffstown, Greenfield, Greenville, Hancock, Hillsborough, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Manchester, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, New Boston, New Ipswich, Pelham, Peterborough, Sharon, Temple, Weare, Wilton, Windsor;

MERRIMACK COUNTY — Allenstown, Andover, Boscawen, Bow, Bradford, Canterbury, Chichester, Concord, Danbury, Dunbarton, Epsom, Franklin, Henniker, Hill, Hooksett, Hopkinton, Loudon, Newbury, New London, Northfield, Pembroke, Pittsfield, Salisbury, Sutton, Warner, Webster, Wilmot;

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY — Auburn, Atkinson, Brentwood, Candia, Chester, Danville, Deerfield, Derry, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Greenland, Hampstead, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, Kingston, Londonderry, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Northwood, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rye, Sandown, Seabrook, South Hampton, Stratham, Windham;

STRAFFORD COUNTY — Barrington, Dover, Durham, Farmington, Lee, Madbury, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Rochester, Rollinsford, Somersworth, Strafford;

SULLIVAN COUNTY — Charlestown, Claremont, Cornish, Croydon, Goshen, Grantham, Lempster, Newport, North Charleston, Plainfield, Springfield, Sunapee, Unity, Washington;

SUBJECT, HOWEVER, as to all of the foregoing, to the specific rights, privileges, liens, encumbrances, restrictions, conditions, limitations, covenants, interests, reservations, exceptions and otherwise as provided in the Mortgage Indenture, and in the descriptions in the schedules thereto and hereto and in the deeds or grants in said schedules referred to;

BUT SPECIFICALLY RESERVING, EXCEPTING AND EXCLUDING (as the same are reserved, excepted and excluded from the lien of the Mortgage Indenture) from this instrument and the grant, conveyance, mortgage, transfer and assignment herein contained, all right, title and interest of the Company, now owned or hereafter acquired, in and to the properties and rights specified in subclauses (a) to (m), both inclusive, of the paragraph beginning “BUT SPECIFICALLY RESERVING, EXCEPTING AND EXCLUDING...” which paragraph is part of the granting clauses of the Mortgage Indenture;

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD all said plant, premises, property, franchises and rights hereby conveyed, assigned, pledged or mortgaged, or intended so to be, unto the Trustee, its successor or successors in trust, and to its and their assigns forever;


4



BUT IN TRUST, NEVERTHELESS, with power of sale, for the equal pro rata benefit, security and protection of the owners of the bonds without any preference, priority or distinction whatever of any one bond over any other bond by reason of priority in the issue, sale or negotiation thereof, or otherwise;

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, and these presents are upon the condition, that if the Company shall pay or cause to be paid or make appropriate provision for the payment unto the holders of the bonds of the principal, premium, if any, and interest to become due thereon at the times and in the manner stipulated therein, and shall keep, perform and observe all and singular the covenants, agreements and provisions in the Indenture expressed to be kept, performed and observed by or on the part of the Company, then the Indenture and the estate and rights thereby and hereby granted shall, pursuant and subject to the provisions of Article 8 of the Mortgage Indenture, cease, determine and be void, but otherwise shall be and remain in full force and effect.

AND IT IS HEREBY COVENANTED, DECLARED AND AGREED, upon the trusts and for the purposes aforesaid, as set forth in the following covenants, agreements, conditions and provisions, viz.:

ARTICLE 1
ADDITIONAL ISSUANCE OF

SERIES S BONDS


SECTION 1.01.   Designation; Amount .  The additional bonds of Series S for the aggregate principal amount of Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000), shall forthwith be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee and shall be authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in accordance with the request of the Company and in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture.  Said bonds shall be issued as a Tranche of the bonds of Series S as defined in the Indenture and shall be designated “First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023.” The terms of such additional bonds shall be identical in all respects to the bonds of Series S originally issued (except as to the date of original issuance, the initial interest payment date and the offering price), as set forth in the form of bond included as Schedule A of the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture.  Upon the issuance of said bonds of Series S, the total outstanding aggregate principal amount of bonds of Series S shall be Three Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($325,000,000).   The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such additional bonds of Series S at any time upon application by the Company and compliance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture.  Pursuant to Section 1.01 of the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, additional bonds of Series S, without limitation as to amount, having the same terms and conditions as the bonds of Series S (except for the date of original issuance, the initial interest payment date and the offering price) may also be issued by the Company without the consent of the holders of the bonds of Series S pursuant to a separate Supplemental Indenture related thereto, and such additional bonds of Series S shall be part of the same series as the bonds of Series S.


SECTION 1.02.   Consent to Amendment and Restatement of Mortgage Indenture .  Each holder of a Series S Bond, solely by virtue of its acquisition thereof, including as an owner of a

 

5


book entry interest therein, shall have and be deemed to have consented, without the need for any further action or consent by such holder, to the amendment and restatement of the Mortgage Indenture in substantially the form set forth in Schedule C appended to the Eighteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 1, 2011.


ARTICLE 2
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS


SECTION 2.01.   Recitals .  The recitals in this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture shall be incorporated herein by reference, and shall be taken as recitals by the Company alone, and shall not be considered as made by or as imposing any obligation or liability upon the Trustee, nor shall the Trustee be held responsible for the legality or validity of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, and the Trustee makes no covenants or representations, and shall not be responsible, as to or for the effect, authorization, execution, delivery or recording of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, except as expressly set forth in the Mortgage Indenture.  The Trustee shall not be taken impliedly to waive by this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture any right it would otherwise have.


SECTION 2.02.   Benefits of Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture .  Nothing in this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, expressed or implied, is intended or shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and the holders of the Series S Bonds, any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of the Indenture or any covenant, condition or stipulation thereof; and the covenants, stipulations and agreements in the Indenture contained are and shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, their successors and assigns, and holders of the bonds.


SECTION 2.03.   Effect of Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture.  This Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture is executed, shall be construed as and is expressly stated to be an indenture supplemental to the Mortgage Indenture and shall form a part of the Indenture; and the Mortgage Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, is hereby confirmed and adopted by the Company as its obligation.  All terms used in this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture shall be taken to have the meaning specified in the Mortgage Indenture, except in cases where the context clearly indicates otherwise.


SECTION 2.04.   Termination .  This Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture shall become void when the Indenture shall be void.


SECTION 2.05.   Trust Indenture Act.  If and to the extent that any provision of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with any of the applicable provisions of Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, such required provision shall control.


SECTION 2.06.   Counterparts.  This Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture may be simultaneously executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original; and all said counterparts executed and delivered, each as an original, shall constitute but


6



one and the same instrument, which shall for all purposes be sufficiently evidenced by any such original counterpart.


SECTION 2.07.   Notices .  Any notice to the Trustee under any provision of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture shall be sufficiently given if served personally upon a responsible officer of the Trustee or mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Trustee at its corporate trust office, which is U.S. Bank National Association, 21 South Street, Third Floor, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 as of the date hereof. The Trustee shall notify the Company from time to time of any change in the address of its corporate trust office.



[The remainder of this page left blank intentionally.]




7



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE has caused this instrument to be executed and its corporate seal to be hereto affixed, by its officers, thereunto duly authorized, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION has caused this instrument to be executed by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first above written but actually executed on October 6, 2014.



PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY

OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

 

 

 


By:

/S/ P HILIP J. L EMBO       

Philip J. Lembo

Vice President and Treasurer  



CORPORATE SEAL



Attest:




/S/ R ICHARD J. M ORRISON       

Richard J. Morrison

Secretary    


Signed, sealed and delivered by
Public Service Company of New
Hampshire in the presence of us:



/S/ M ATTHEW B ENSON         




/S/ F LORENCE J. I ACONO        


 
Witnesses



8




COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

)

 

 

)

ss:  Westwood

COUNTY OF NORFOLK

)

 



Then personally appeared before me Philip J. Lembo, Vice President and Treasurer of Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed in his said capacity and the free act and deed of said corporation.


Witness my hand and notarial seal this 6th day of October, 2014, at Westwood, Massachusetts.


 

Name:     /S/ B ARBARA J. M URPHY             

 

Notary Public

 

My Commission Expires  March 30, 2018

 

 

(Notarial Seal)



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

)

 

 

)

ss:  Boston

COUNTY OF SUFFOLK

)

 



Then personally appeared before me Richard J. Morrison, Secretary of Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed in his said capacity and the free act and deed of said corporation.


Witness my hand and notarial seal this 6th day of October, 2014, at Boston, Massachusetts.


 

Name:     /S/ F LORENCE J. I ACONO             

 

Notary Public

 

My Commission Expires  January 28, 2016

 

 

(Notarial Seal)


9




 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee as aforesaid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/S/ S TEPHANIE R OCHE            

       Stephanie Roche

       Vice President



Attest:


/S/ P AUL O’B RIEN                            

Paul O'Brien

Vice President


Signed and delivered by
U.S. Bank National Association

in the presence of us:



/S/ R ICK B ARNES                                

Rick Barnes, Vice President



/S/ C HRISTOPHER E. G OLABEK        

Christopher E. Golabek, Vice President


 
Witnesses


10




STATE OF NEW JERSEY

)

 

 

)

ss: Morristown  

COUNTY OF MORRIS

)

 


Then personally appeared before me Stephanie Roche, Vice President of U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be her free act and deed in her said capacity and the free act and deed of said association.


Witness my hand and notarial seal this 7th day of October, 2014, at Morristown, New Jersey.



 

Name:    /s/ F LORENCE J. N OLL

 

Notary Public

 

My Commission Expires April 13, 2017

 

 

(Notarial Seal)




11



SCHEDULE A

Description of Properties
Acquired
Since November 1, 2013



Book-Page

Grantor

Town

Date

Registry

1391-463

City of Berlin

Berlin

12-12-13

Coos

2864-555

Lisa Sullivan

Fitzwilliam

12-18-13

Cheshire

2864-564

Norman Descoteaux

Fitzwilliam

02-03-14

Cheshire

5548-738

Searay Realty, LLC

Portsmouth

07-23-14

Rockingham

5557-1841

James K. Cowdery

Kingston

08-27-14

Rockingham

5563-2259

Lisa Lane and Jody Lane, Co-Trustees of

JAG Diamond Ranch Trust

Kingston

09-14-14

Rockingham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
















A-1



ENDORSEMENT


U.S. Bank National Association, Trustee, being the mortgagee in the foregoing Supplemental Indenture, hereby consents to the cutting of any timber standing upon any of the lands covered by said Supplemental Indenture and to the sale of any such timber so cut and of any personal property covered by said Supplemental Indenture to the extent, but only to the extent, that such sale is permitted under the provisions of the Mortgage Indenture as supplemented by the Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 1, 2014.

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee as aforesaid




By:  /S/ S TEPHANIE R OCHE           

Stephanie Roche

Vice President


Signed and acknowledged
on behalf of U.S. Bank National Association
in the presence of us:





/S/ R ICK B ARNES                                 

Rick Barnes, Vice President




/S/ C HRISTOPHER E. G OLABEK        

Christopher E. Golabek, Vice President



Witnesses














EXHIBIT 5

[KJTOPINION2014001.JPG]

 


107 Selden Street, Berlin, CT 06037


Northeast Utilities

P.O. Box 270

Hartford, CT 06141-0270

Phone:

(860) 665-5744

Fax:

(860) 665-5504

e-mail:

kerry.tomasevich@nu.com

Kerry J. Tomasevich

Assistant General Counsel and

Assistant Corporate Secretary*

*Admitted in CT, MA and DC

October 14, 2014



Public Service Company of New Hampshire

Energy Park

780 North Commercial Street

Manchester, New Hampshire 03101-1134


Re:      Public Service Company of New Hampshire First Mortgage Bonds


Ladies and Gentlemen:


I am Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Northeast Utilities, and counsel to Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Hampshire (the “Company”).  I have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the issuance and sale to the public of an additional $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.50% First Mortgage Bonds, Series S, due 2023 (the “Series S Bonds”) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated October 6, 2014, among Mizuho Securities USA Inc. and RBS Securities Inc., as representatives of the underwriters named therein, (the “Underwriting Agreement”).  The additional Series S Bonds are part of the same series of debt securities issued by the Company on November 14, 2013.  The Series S Bonds were issued pursuant to a First Mortgage Indenture, dated as of August 15, 1978, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association as Trustee, as supplemented, amended and restated effective as of June 1, 2011, and as further supplemented by the Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2013, and the Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2014 (the “Indenture”).  The Company has registered its first mortgage bonds with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-188345-02, the “Registration Statement”).  The additional Series S Bonds were issued on October 14, 2014.

 

For purposes of the opinion I express below, I have examined, among other agreements, instruments and documents, the Registration Statement, including the prospectus which is a part of the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated October 6, 2014 (the “Prospectus”), and its exhibits, including the organizational documents of the Company, the Indenture and originals, or copies certified to my satisfaction, of such corporate records of the Company, certificates of public officials, certificates of officers and representatives of the Company and other documents as I have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed.  In my examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all









 

signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals and the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to me as copies.  As to various questions of fact material to such opinions, I have, when relevant facts were not independently established, relied upon certifications by officers of the Company and other appropriate persons and statements contained in the Registration Statement.


Based on the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations which I deem relevant, I am of the opinion that the Series S Bonds are legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable and are valid and binding obligations of the Company.


The opinions set forth herein are subject to the following further assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions:


1.

I express no opinion regarding the effectiveness of any waiver in respect of the Series S Bonds of any rights of any party, or duties owing to it, as a matter of law, or that is broadly stated or does not describe the right or duty purportedly waived with reasonable specificity.


2.

My opinions set forth above are subject to the effect of (a) applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium and other similar laws and court decisions of general application (including without limitation statutory or other laws regarding fraudulent or preferential transfers) relating to, limiting or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and (b) principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in proceedings at law or in equity) that may limit the enforceability of any of the remedies, covenants or other provisions of the Series S Bonds or Indenture, or the availability of injunctive relief or other equitable remedies or as such principles relate to, limit or affect the enforcement of creditor’s rights generally.


3.

In addition, I express no opinion as to any provisions of the Series S Bonds or the Indenture regarding the remedies available to any person (a) to take action that is arbitrary, unreasonable or capricious or is not taken in good faith or in a commercially reasonable manner, whether or not such action is permitted under the Series S Bonds or the Indenture, or (b) for violation or breaches that are determined by a court to be non-material or without substantially adverse effect upon the ability of the Company to perform its material obligations under the Series S Bonds or the Indenture.


4.

This opinion is limited to the current laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of Connecticut, the current federal laws of the United States, and to the limited extent set forth below, the current laws of the State of New Hampshire, and to the facts as they exist on the date hereof.  I am admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut.  I am not admitted to practice law in the State of New Hampshire, but I am generally familiar with the laws of such State and have made such inquiries as I considered necessary to render my opinion.  I express no opinion as to matters involving the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of Connecticut, the State of New Hampshire and the United States.  I undertake no obligation to advise you as a result of developments occurring after the date hereof including changes in such



laws or interpretations thereof, or as a result of facts or circumstances brought to my attention after the date hereof.


This opinion is furnished only to you in connection with the transaction contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement and is solely for your benefit.  Other than as stated below, this opinion is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose or relied upon by any other person for any purpose without my prior written consent (including by any person that acquires Bonds from you).


I hereby consent to filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 17, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.


Very truly yours,


/S/ K ERRY J. T OMASEVICH


Kerry J. Tomasevich