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) March 25, 2008 (March 19, 2008)

Commission
File Number
 
Registrant’s Name, State of Incorporation,
Address and Telephone Number
  IRS Employer
Identification No.
333-90553   MIDAMERICAN FUNDING, LLC
(An Iowa Limited Liability Company)
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2580
515-242-4300
  47-0819200
         
1-11505   MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY
(An Iowa Corporation)
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2580
515-242-4300
  42-1425214

N/A
(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:

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))
 
 

 

 



Item   8.01 – Other Events.

On March 25, 2008, MidAmerican Energy Company (“MidAmerican”) completed the sale of $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) in a public offering. The terms of the Notes are set forth in the indenture, dated as of October 1, 2006, with The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, as supplemented by a third supplemental indenture (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”) dated March 25, 2008. The Notes were offered and sold pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-142663) filed on May 7, 2007 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

The proceeds from the sale of the Notes will be used by MidAmerican to pay construction costs, including costs for its wind projects in Iowa, repay short-term indebtedness and for general corporate purposes.

The Third Supplemental Indenture, the Notes and opinions of counsel to MidAmerican as well as the related Underwriting Agreement are filed as exhibits hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item   9.01 – Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

 

(d)

Exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

Underwriting Agreement dated March 19, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

Third Supplemental Indenture between MidAmerican Energy Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. dated March 25, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.2

5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

Opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.1

Opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 above)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1 above)

 



Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains statements that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. These statements are ‘‘forward-looking statements’’ within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can typically be identified by the use of forward-looking words, such as ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ “intend,” ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘forecast,’’ and similar terms. These statements are based upon MidAmerican’s current intentions, assumptions, expectations and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors. Many of these factors are outside the control of MidAmerican and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others:

 

general economic, political and business conditions in the jurisdictions in which MidAmerican’s facilities are located;

 

changes in governmental, legislative, or regulatory requirements affecting MidAmerican or the electric or gas utility industries;

 

changes in, and compliance with, environmental laws, regulations, decisions and policies that could increase operating and capital improvement costs, reduce plant output and/or delay plant construction;

 

changes in the outcome of general rate cases and other proceedings conducted by regulatory commissions or other governmental and legal bodies;

 

changes in economic, industry or weather conditions, as well as demographic trends, that could affect customer growth and usage or supply of electricity and gas;

 

changes in prices and availability for both purchases and sales of wholesale electricity, coal, natural gas, other fuel sources and fuel transportation that could have a significant impact on energy costs;

 

the financial condition and creditworthiness of significant customers and suppliers;

 

changes in business strategy or development plans;

 

availability, term and deployment of capital;

 

performance of MidAmerican’s generation facilities, including unscheduled generation outages or repairs;

 

risks relating to nuclear generation;

 

the impact of derivative instruments used to mitigate or manage volume and price risk and changes in the commodity prices, interest rates and other conditions that affect the value of the derivatives;

 

the impact of increases in healthcare costs, changes in interest rates, mortality, morbidity and investment performance on pension and other postretirement benefits expense, as well as the impact of changes in legislation on funding requirements;

 

unanticipated construction delays, changes in costs, receipt of required permits and authorizations, ability to fund capital projects and other factors that could affect future generation plants and infrastructure additions;

 

the impact of new accounting pronouncements or changes in current accounting estimates and assumptions on financial results;

 

other risks or unforeseen events, including litigation and wars, the effects of terrorism, embargoes and other catastrophic events; and

 

other business or investment considerations that may be disclosed from time to time in MidAmerican’s SEC filings or in other publicly disseminated written documents.

MidAmerican undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors should not be construed as exclusive.

 

 



SIGNATURE

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.

 

 

 

MIDAMERICAN FUNDING, LLC
MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

 

 

(Registrant)

Date:  March 25, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Paul J. Leighton

 

 

 

Paul J. Leighton

 

 

 

Secretary of MidAmerican Funding, LLC and
Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Assistant
General Counsel of MidAmerican Energy Company

 

 



EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

Description

 

 

1.1

Underwriting Agreement March 19, 2008

 

 

4.1

Third Supplemental Indenture between MidAmerican Energy Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. dated March 25, 2008

 

 

4.2

5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

 

 

5.1

Opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

8.1

Opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

23.1

Consent of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 above)

 

 

23.2

Consent of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1 above)

 

 



Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

$350,000,000 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

March 19, 2008

Lehman Brothers Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

600 Steamboat Road

Greenwich, Connecticut 06830

Dear Sirs:

1. Introductory . MidAmerican Energy Company, an Iowa corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the Underwriters ), for whom Lehman Brothers Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. are acting as representatives (the “ Representatives ”), U.S. $350,000,000 principal amount of its 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “ Offered Securities ”) to be issued under that certain indenture, dated as of October 1, 2006, with The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as supplemented by a third supplemental indenture to be dated March 25, 2008 (collectively, the “ Indenture ”) pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-142663) filed on May 7, 2007 (the “ Registration Statement ”). The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) under the Trust Indenture Act. The United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is herein referred to as the “ Securities Act ,” and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder are herein referred to as the “ Rules and Regulations .”

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

(a) The Registration Statement in respect of the Offered Securities has been filed with the Commission; the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto prior to the date hereof, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Underwriters and, excluding exhibits to the Registration Statement but including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in such Registration Statement, including any prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B under the Securities Act to be part of the Registration Statement, became effective on filing and is currently effective; and no other document with respect to the Registration Statement or any document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission with respect to the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement (other than (i) documents filed after May 7, 2007 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), (ii) prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations or (iii) any “issuer free writing

 

 



prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ”) filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act and listed on Schedule B hereto, in each case in the form heretofore delivered to the Underwriters); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus (as defined below), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) or the Prospectus (as defined below), has been issued and no proceeding for such purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission.

(b) A preliminary prospectus and a final prospectus relating to the Offered Securities to be offered by the Underwriters have been prepared by the Company. Such preliminary prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Preliminary Prospectus ;” such form of final prospectus relating to the Offered Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Prospectus .” The Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), when considered together with the final term sheet filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, (the “ Disclosure Package ”) as of the Applicable Time did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as of its date and as of the Closing Date (as defined below), did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule B hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , the preceding two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 12 hereof. For purposes of this Agreement, the “ Applicable Time ” is 2:00 p.m., New York City Time, on the date of this Agreement.

At the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 162(h)(2) under the Rules and Regulations ) of the Offered Securities and at the date of this Agreement, the Company (i) was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 and (ii) was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus when made will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Registration Statement conforms, and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement when made will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Registration Statement as of its effective date and any amendments thereto as of the Closing Date does not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

 

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(d) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Iowa with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify and be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company.

(e) The Company has the legal right to function and operate as an electric public utility company in the States of Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and as a gas public utility company in the States of Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska.

(f) The Company has no significant subsidiaries, as “significant subsidiary” is defined in Rule 405 of Regulation C of the Rules and Regulations.

(g) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or when so filed will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (“ Exchange Act Rules and Regulations ”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not misleading. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(h) The accountants who issued their reports on the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

(i) The financial statements and any supporting schedules of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package present fairly the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations for the periods specified; and, except as stated therein, said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis; and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package present fairly the information required to be stated therein.

(j) This Agreement has been duly authorized by and, upon execution and delivery by the parties hereto, will be a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company; the Indenture has been duly authorized by and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms; the Offered Securities have been duly and validly authorized for issuance, offer and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued, authenticated and delivered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and the Indenture against payment of the consideration therefor specified in the Prospectus, the Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms; except as enforcement of the Indenture and the Offered Securities may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,

 

 

3

 



reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles; the Offered Securities and the Indenture will be substantially in the form heretofore delivered to the Underwriters and conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Offered Securities will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.

(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, except as may otherwise be stated therein or contemplated thereby, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and (B) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company other than those in the ordinary course of business.

(l) The Company is not in violation of its Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or bylaws, or in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or its properties may be bound; the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein will not conflict with, constitute a breach of or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any material property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries may be bound or to which any of the material property or assets of the Company or any such subsidiary is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or bylaws of the Company or any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court order or decree.

(m) The Company has made all necessary filings and obtained all necessary consents, orders or approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“ FERC ”) and the Illinois Commerce Commission (“ ICC ”) in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof, and no consent, approval, authorization, order or decree of any other court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under state securities (“ Blue Sky ”) laws.

(n) Except as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company which would be reasonably likely to result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, or would be reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect its properties or assets or would be reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture; and there are no contracts or documents of the Company which are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not been so filed.

(o) Any certificate signed by any director or officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Offered

 

 

4

 



Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.

3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the Offered Securities, at a purchase price of 99.007% of the principal amount thereof, the respective principal amounts of the Offered Securities set forth opposite the names of the several Underwriters in Schedule A hereto.

The Company will deliver against payment of the purchase price the Offered Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder and to be offered and sold by each Underwriter in the form of one or more global securities in registered form without interest coupons (the “ Global Securities ”) deposited with the Trustee as custodian for the Depositary Trust Company (“ DTC ”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. Interests in the Global Securities will be held only in book-entry form through DTC, except in the limited circumstances described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by the Representatives in Federal (same day) funds by wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Company, at the office of Latham & Watkins LLP, 885 Third Avenue, New York, New York, 10022, at 10:00 A.M., (New York time), on March 25, 2008, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “ Closing Date ,” against delivery to the Trustee as custodian for DTC of the Global Securities. The Global Securities will be made available for checking at the above office of Latham & Watkins LLP at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.

4. Representations by Underwriters; Resale by Underwriters .

(a) Each of the Underwriters severally represents and agrees that (i) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “ FSMA ”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any Offered Securities in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company; and (ii) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Offered Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

(b) In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make an offer of notes to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the notes which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of the notes to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

 

 

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(i) to legal entities which are authorised or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorised or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;

(ii) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000; and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; or

(iii) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the Issuer of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

(c) In Hong Kong, it has not offered or sold the Offered Securities by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Offered Securities may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Offered Securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

It will not circulate or distribute the Prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Offered Securities, nor will it offer or sell, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, the Offered Securities, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “ FSA ”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

(d) It will not offer or sell any Offered Securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan; and;

 

 

6

 



5. Certain Agreements of the Company . The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) It will prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and will file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the date of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus prior to the Closing Date that shall be reasonably disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of the Offered Securities, in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Offered Securities; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such steps including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement, at its own expense, as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement).

(b) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Offered Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented 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 when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon the Representatives’ request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Representatives and to any

 

 

7

 



dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of any of the Offered Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon such Underwriter’s request but at the expense of such Representatives, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as such Underwriter may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act.

(c) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Underwriters as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Underwriters and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(d) The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, such number of copies of each Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company as each such Underwriter may reasonably request. To the extent applicable, each such document furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e) The Company will advise the Underwriters promptly of any additional action by the FERC or ICC pertaining to the Offered Securities.

(f) The Company will furnish promptly to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters one signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto filed prior to the date hereof and relating to the Offered Securities, including all documents incorporated therein by reference and all consents and exhibits filed therewith.

(g) The Company will deliver promptly to the Underwriters such reasonable number of the following documents as the Underwriters may request: (i) the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package and (ii) to the extent not available via the Commission’s Electronic Data, Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“ EDGAR ”), (1) conformed copies of the Registration Statement (excluding exhibits other than the computation of the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, the Indenture, and this Agreement), and (2) any documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.

(h) In connection with the offering, until the earlier of (i) 180 days following the Closing Date and (ii) the date the Representatives shall have notified the Company of the completion of the resale of the Offered Securities, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates

 

 

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has or will, either alone or with one or more other persons, bid for or purchase for any account in which it or any of its affiliates has a beneficial interest any Offered Securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any Offered Securities; and neither it nor any of its affiliates will make bids or purchases for the purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in, or of raising the price of, the Offered Securities.

(i) From the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any United States dollar-denominated debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a maturity of more than one year from the date of issue.

(j) As soon as practicable, the Company shall make generally available to its security holders and to deliver to the Representatives an earnings statement, conforming with the requirements of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations, covering a period of at least twelve months beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Rules and Regulations.

(k) During the period of five years hereafter, or such lesser period as any of the Offered Securities shall be outstanding, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives or make generally available on EDGAR, (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report of the Company mailed to its shareholders or report filed by the Company with the Commission and (ii) from time to time such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(l) The Company will endeavor, in cooperation with the Representatives, to qualify the Offered Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United States as the Representatives may designate, and will maintain such qualifications in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the Offered Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. The Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Offered Securities have been qualified as above provided. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale in any such state or jurisdiction or the initiating or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

(m) The Company will pay all costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities; the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto; the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing of the documents and any amendments and exhibits thereto required to be filed by the Company under the Exchange Act; the costs of distributing the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment and post-effective amendment thereto (including exhibits), any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any documents incorporated by reference in any of the foregoing documents; the costs of printing this Agreement and the Indenture; the costs of any filings with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; fees paid to rating agencies in connection with the rating of the Offered Securities; the fees and expenses of qualifying the Offered Securities under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in subsection (l) of this Section and of preparing and printing a Blue Sky Memorandum (including fees of counsel to the

 

 

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Underwriters in such connection not to exceed $10,000 in the aggregate); the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters; and all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement (including fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel); provided that, except as provided in this Section 5(m), the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, any transfer taxes on the Offered Securities which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Offered Securities made by the Underwriters.

6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters . The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company herein, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Offered Securities shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) by the Rules and Regulations and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof); no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or to the knowledge of the Company threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with.

(b) Paul J. Leighton, Esq., counsel to the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, a letter addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date stating his opinion to the effect that:

(i) the Company is a validly organized and existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Iowa; and the Company is an indirect subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, an Iowa corporation;

(ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity;

(iii) the Indenture is in due and proper form, has been duly and validly authorized by the necessary corporate action, has been duly and validly executed and delivered and is a valid instrument legally binding on the Company, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles;

(iv) the Offered Securities are in due and proper form; the issue and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the necessary corporate action; the Offered Securities, when duly executed (which execution may include facsimile signatures of officers of the Company), authenticated and delivered to the Underwriters, against payment of the agreed consideration therefor, will constitute legal, valid and binding

 

 

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obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles; and each holder of Offered Securities will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture;

(v) the Offered Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects with the statements concerning them made in the Prospectus and Disclosure Package, and such statements accurately set forth the matters respecting the Offered Securities and the Indenture required to be set forth in the Prospectus and Disclosure Package;

(vi) the Indenture is qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;

(vii) the orders of the FERC and the ICC referred to in Section 2(m) hereof pertaining to the Offered Securities have been duly issued and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, are still in force and effect; and no further approval, authorization, consent, certificate or order of any state or federal commission or regulatory authority (other than in connection or compliance with the provisions of the securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction) is necessary with respect to the issue and sale of the Offered Securities as contemplated by this Agreement or the application of the proceeds thereof;

(viii) the Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the Securities Act;

(ix) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations and Sections 305(a)(2) and 305(c) of the Trust Indenture Act (except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements and financial data contained therein);

(x) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceeding required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not described as required, or of any contract or document of a character required to be described or incorporated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not described, incorporated or filed as required;

(xi) neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Indenture nor the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities in accordance with the terms of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, nor compliance with the terms and provisions hereof or thereof, will conflict with, or violate or result in a breach of, any law, any administrative regulation or any court decree known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company, conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or the bylaws of the Company, as amended, or of any material agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or constitute a default thereunder, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance of

 

 

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any nature whatsoever upon any of the material properties or assets of the Company or any such subsidiary;

(xii) the documents referred to in Sections 2(a), (b) and (c) hereof, as of their respective filing dates, complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Rules and Regulations (except that such counsel does not need to express any opinion as to the financial statements and financial data contained therein);

(xiii) the Company is a public utility authorized by its Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to carry on the businesses in which it is engaged, as set forth in the Prospectus and Disclosure Package; the Company has the legal right to function and operate as an electric public utility company in the States of Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and as a gas public utility company in the States of Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska; and the franchises and permits of the Company are valid and subsisting and authorize the Company to carry on the utility businesses in which it is engaged in the communities and territory covered by such franchises and permits;

(xiv) the descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package of statutes, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents are accurate and fairly present the information required to be presented; and

(xv) except as set forth in the Prospectus and Disclosure Package, (A) there are no pending legal proceedings to which the Company is a party or in which any of its property is the subject which are material to the Company, other than ordinary routine legal proceedings incident to the business in which the Company is engaged, and (B) there are no material pending administrative or judicial proceedings to which the Company is a party or in which any of its property is the subject arising under any federal, state or local provisions regulating the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment, and, to the best of the knowledge of said counsel, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities;

Such counsel shall additionally state that no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused him to believe that (i) the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective, and if an amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, then at the time such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) the Prospectus as of its date or the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements, schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need not express a view).

 

 

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(c) Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, counsel to the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, a letter addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date stating its opinion to the effect that:

(i) Each of the Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the Offered Securities registered thereby and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee and the Company, constitute a valid and binding instrument of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its respective terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, rehabilitation, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or transfer or similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such principles are considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);

(ii) The Offered Securities, when issued, executed and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, rehabilitation, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or transfer or similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such principles are considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);

(iii) The execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and the use of proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus on the date hereof do not require any consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations, declarations or filings by the Company under any Applicable Laws (as customarily defined), except such as have been obtained under the Federal Power Act, the laws of the state of Illinois governing securities issuances by public utilities, the Securities Act, and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters (as to which such counsel need not express an opinion);

(iv) The Indenture and the Offered Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Base Prospectus under the heading “Description of Debt Securities,” the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Description of the Senior Notes” and the descriptions thereof in the Disclosure Package, in each case insofar as such statements purport to constitute a summary of the Indenture and the Offered Securities. The statements set forth in the Base Prospectus under the heading “Description of Debt Securities,” the statements set forth in the Prospectus Supplement and the Disclosure Package under the captions “Description of Senior Notes” and “Underwriting,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the documents referred to therein, fairly summarize the terms of such documents in all material respects;

(v) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and, based solely on a telephone conversation with representatives of the Commission, as of the date hereof, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor have been initiated

 

 

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by the Commission; the Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement and Pricing Supplement have been filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and 430B under the Act and the Specified Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed in accordance with Rule 433 under the Act;

(vi) The Registration Statement, as of March 19, 2008, including the information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, the Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date, the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, and the Disclosure Package, as of its date, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements for registration statements on Form S-3ASR under the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; it being understood, however, that such counsel need not express an opinion with respect to the financial statements, schedules, other financial data, or exhibits included or incorporated by reference in, or omitted from, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the Specified Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. In passing on the compliance as to form of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the Specified Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, such counsel being permitted to assume that the statements made and incorporated by reference therein are correct and complete;

(vii) Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement nor the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities under the circumstances described in the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and

(viii) Based on the facts and other information set forth in the Prospectus, and subject to the limitations and assumptions set forth in the Prospectus, it is such counsel’s opinion that the statements contained in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal income tax law and regulations thereunder or legal conclusions with respect thereto fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

Such counsel shall additionally state that no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused it to believe that (i) the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective, and if an amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, then at the time such amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) the Prospectus as of its date or the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements, schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1, as to which such counsel need not express a view).

(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Chief Executive Officer, its President or a Vice President and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer stating that, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 2 hereof are true and correct as of the date hereof; the Company has complied with all its

 

 

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agreements contained herein; and the conditions set forth in Sections 6(a),(h) and (i) hereof have been fulfilled.

(e) On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received a letter from the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm addressed to the Underwriters dated as of the date hereof and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and their counsel, to the effect that:

(i) They are an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations;

(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and financial statement schedule(s) of the Company audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations with respect to registration statements on Form S-3ASR and the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Rules and Regulations;

(iii) They have performed specified procedures, not constituting an audit, including a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company, a reading of the minute books of the Company since the end of the most recent fiscal year with respect to which an audit report has been issued, inquiries of and discussions with certain officials of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters with respect to the latest available interim unaudited financial statements of the Company, and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, and on the basis of such inquiries and procedures nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that at a specified date not more than three days prior to the date of such letter, there was any change in the capital stock or any increase in long-term debt of the Company or any decrease in the net current assets or common shareholder’s equity of the Company other than for the declaration of regular quarterly dividends, in each case as compared with the amounts shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package or, during the period from the date of such balance sheet to a specified date not more than three days prior to the date of such letter, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in operating revenues or net income of the Company, except in each such case as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package or except for such exceptions (e.g., inability to determine such decreases because of insufficient accounting information available after the date of such most recent balance sheet) enumerated in such letter as shall have been agreed to by the Underwriters and the Company; and

(iv) In addition to the examination referred to in their report included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, and the limited procedures referred to in clause (iii) above, they have carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Prospectus and the Disclosure Package and which are specified by the Underwriters, and have found such amounts, percentages and financial information to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, financial and other records of the Company identified in such letter.

 

 

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(v) The Representatives shall have received a letter, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm which meets the requirements of subsection (e)(i)-(iv) of this Section, except that (A) the specified date referred to in such subsection will be a date not more than one day prior to the Closing Date for the purposes of this subsection, and (B) references to the Preliminary Prospectus will be replaced with references to the Prospectus.

(f) Subsequent to the Applicable Time, there shall not have been (A) any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (B) any attack on, or outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving, the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency, if in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act of terrorism, declaration of war, calamity or emergency makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Offered Securities, (C) any material suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum prices for trading on such exchange, or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, or (D) any banking moratorium declared by U.S. Federal or New York authorities.

(g) Latham & Watkins LLP, as counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representatives on the Closing Date such opinions with respect to the validity of the Offered Securities and with respect to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require.

(h) The orders of the FERC and the ICC referred to in Section 2(m) hereof shall be in full force and effect and no proceedings to suspend the effectiveness of either such order shall be pending or threatened.

(i) Subsequent to the execution of this Agreement, the rating assigned by any nationally recognized securities rating agency to any debt securities of the Company shall not have been lowered or any such rating agency shall not have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any debt securities of the Company.

(j) On the date hereof and on the Closing Date, counsel to the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as such counsel may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling such counsel to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities as herein contemplated and related proceedings, or in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the representations and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and to counsel to the Underwriters.

A. The Company (i) represents and agrees that, other than the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and (ii) has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending.

 

 

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B. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, other than one or more term sheets relating to the Offered Securities containing customary information (including the final termsheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof), it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act); and

C. Any such free writing prospectus (including any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives (including the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof) is listed on Schedule B hereto.

7. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made (in the case of the Registration Statement, necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading), not misleading, including any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the Company’s failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this Agreement, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriters specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below; provided, further , that the foregoing indemnity with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), in connection with clauses (i) through (iii) below, purchased Offered Securities, or any person controlling such Underwriter, where it shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment that (i) prior to the Applicable Time the Company has notified such Underwriter that the Preliminary Prospectus, dated March 19, 2008 contains an untrue statement of material fact or omits to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) such untrue statement or omission of a material fact was corrected in an amended or supplemented Preliminary Prospectus and such corrected Preliminary Prospectus was provided to such Underwriter sufficiently in advance of the Applicable Time so that such corrected Preliminary Prospectus could have been conveyed to such person prior to the Applicable Time and (iii) such corrected Preliminary Prospectus was not conveyed to such person at or prior to the Applicable Time to such person.

 

 

17

 



(b) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made (in the case of the Registration Statement, necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading), not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists solely of the information described as such in Section 12 hereof; provided, however, that the Underwriters shall not be liable for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the Company’s failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this Agreement.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through forfeiture or impairment of procedural or substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however , that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent the indemnified party and their respective controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the indemnified party against the indemnifying party under this Section 7 if the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense of such action, if in the written opinion of counsel to either the indemnifying party or the indemnified party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or likely conflicts of interest between them or the indemnifying party shall have failed to employ counsel within a reasonable period of time, and in that event the fees and expenses of one firm of separate counsel (in addition to the fees and expenses of one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction)

 

 

18

 



shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action 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 (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (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 from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (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 (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which 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 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Offered Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters from the Company under this Agreement. The relative fault 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 the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Offered Securities were purchased by it were resold exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. 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 Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations and not joint.

(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

8. Default of Underwriters . If any Underwriter or Underwriters defaults in its or their obligations to purchase the Offered Securities hereunder, and the aggregate principal amount of Offered

 

 

19

 



Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount of the Offered Securities, the non-defaulting Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including themselves, but if no such arrangements are made by the Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so defaults and the aggregate principal amount of the Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal amount of the Offered Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the non-defaulting Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company, except as provided in Section 9 hereof. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein, including the Company’s obligations pursuant to Section 9 hereof, will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

9. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations . The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8 or if for any reason the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated other than such default by an Underwriter, the Company shall be responsible for the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $100,000.

10. No Fiduciary Duty . The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities, including the determination of the offering price of such Offered Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and each Underwriter, on the other hand; (ii) each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company in connection with the offering of such Offered Securities and the process leading to such transaction (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an Underwriter of, the Company; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of such Offered Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Offered Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; and (iv) the Underwriters are not advising the Company as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction and the Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto.

11. Notices . All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to each of (i) Lehman Brothers Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Debt Capital Markets, Global Power (Fax: 646-834-8133), with a copy to the General Counsel at the same address; and (ii) Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc, 600 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830 (Fax: 203-422-4534), Attention: Debt Capital Markets Syndicate; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and

 

 

20

 



confirmed to it at MidAmerican Energy Company, 666 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309, Attention: Treasurer.

12. Underwriter Information . It is understood and agreed that the only information furnished by any Underwriter to the Company consists of the following information in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter to the Company expressly for use therein, as applicable: under the caption “Underwriting”, paragraphs 4 (except for the first sentence), 5, 6 (second sentence only), 7, 8 and 9.

13. Successors . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon each Underwriter and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Section 7 hereof and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and respective successors and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Offered Securities shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

14. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

15. Applicable Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.

The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

 

21

 



If the foregoing is in accordance with the Underwriters’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to us one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

 

 

 

By: 


/s/ Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Name: 

Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Title: 

Vice President and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

 

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 


/s/ Greg Hall

 

 

Name: 

Greg Hall

 

 

 

Title: 

Managing Director

 

 

 

 

GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 


/s/ Okwudiri Onyedum

 

 

Name: 

Okwudiri Onyedum

 

 

 

Title: 

Senior Vice President

 

 

 

As Representatives of each of the Underwriters

( Underwriting Agreement )

 

 



SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriters

 

Aggregate Principal
Amount

Lehman Brothers Inc.

 

$122,500,000.00

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

 

122,500,000.00

Barclays Capital Inc.

 

35,000,000.00

UBS Securities LLC

 

35,000,000.00

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

 

35,000,000.00

Total

 

$350,000,000.00

 



SCHEDULE B

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433(d)

Registration No. 333-142633

Dated March 19, 2008

FINAL TERM SHEET

Issuer:

 

MidAmerican Energy Company

Legal Format:

 

SEC-Registered

Expected Ratings:

 

A2 / A/ A (stable/stable/stable)

Issue:

 

5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

Offering Size:

 

$350,000,000 in aggregate principal amount

Coupon:

 

5.30% per annum, payable semi-annually on each March 15 and September 15, commencing September 15, 2008

Trade Date:

 

March 19, 2008

Settlement Date:

 

March 25, 2008

Maturity:

 

March 15, 2018

Treasury Benchmark:

 

3.50% due February 15, 2018

US Treasury Spot:

 

100-14+

US Treasury Yield:

 

3.445%

Spread to Treasury:

 

190 bps

Re-offer Yield:

 

5.345%

Price to Public (Issue Price):

 

99.657%

Gross Proceeds:

 

$348,799,500.00

Optional Redemption:

 

Make Whole call, at any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 30 bps

Minimum Denomination:

 

$2,000 x $1,000

Joint Bookrunning Managers:

 

Lehman Brothers Inc., Greenwich Capital Markets Inc.

Co-Managers:

 

Barclays Capital Inc., UBS Securities LLC, Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

CUSIP:

 

595620 AH8

ISIN:

 

US595620AH83

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the 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 the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Lehman Brothers Inc. toll-free at 1-888-603-5847 or Greenwich Capital Markets Inc. toll-free at 1-866-884-2071.

 

 



Exhibit 4.1

 

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,

as Trustee

 

5.30 % Senior Notes due 2018

 

Third Supplemental Indenture

 

Dated as of March 25, 2008

 

 



THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 25, 2008 (herein called the “ Third Supplemental Indenture ”), between MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Iowa (herein called the “ Company ”), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a New York banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”), under the Original Indenture referred to below.

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture dated as of October 1, 2006 (herein called the “ Original Indenture ”), to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsubordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, the form and terms of which are to be established as set forth in Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Original Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee (i) a first supplemental indenture dated as of October 6, 2006, to provide for the issuance under the Original Indenture of up to an aggregate principal amount of three hundred fifty million dollars ($350,000,000) of its 5.800% Notes due 2036 and (ii) a second supplemental indenture dated as of June 29, 2007, to provide for the issuance under the Original Indenture of up to an aggregate principal amount of four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) of its 5.65% Senior Notes due 2012 and two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) of its 5.95% Senior Notes due 2017;

WHEREAS, Section 9.01 of the Original Indenture provides, among other things, that the Company and the Trustee may enter into indentures supplemental to the Original Indenture for, among other things, (i) the purpose of establishing the form and terms of the Securities (as defined in the Original Indenture) of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Original Indenture, and (ii) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as defined in the Original Indenture);

WHEREAS, the Company desires to create a series of its unsecured securities in an aggregate principal amount of $250,000,000 to be designated the “5.30% Senior Notes due 2018” (the “ Securities ”), and all action on the part of the Company necessary to authorize the issuance of the Securities under the Original Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture has been duly taken;

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to make certain amendments to the Original Indenture in conformance with the requirements described above; and

 

 

 

 

 



WHEREAS, all acts and things necessary to make the Securities, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee as provided in the Original Indenture, the valid and binding obligations of the Company and to constitute these presents a valid and binding supplemental indenture and agreement according to its terms, have been done and performed.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

That in consideration of the premises and of the acceptance and purchase of the Securities by the holders thereof and of the acceptance of this trust by the Trustee, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee, for the equal benefit of holders of the Securities, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Unless otherwise defined herein, the use of the terms and expressions herein is in accordance with the definitions, uses and constructions contained in the Original Indenture and the forms of Securities attached hereto as Exhibits A and B .

ARTICLE II

TERMS AND ISSUANCE OF THE SECURITIES

Section 2.01. Issue of Securities . A series of debt securities, which shall be designated the “5.30% Senior Notes due 2018” shall be executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the provisions of, and shall in all respects be subject to, the terms, conditions and covenants of the Original Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture (including the forms of Securities set forth in Exhibit A ).

Section 2.02. Optional Redemption . The Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company pursuant to the terms set forth in Annex 1 to the Securities to be redeemed. The provisions of Article XI of the Original Indenture shall also apply to any optional redemption of Securities by the Company.

Section 2.03. Defeasance and Discharge . The provisions of Section 14.02 of the Original Indenture shall be applicable to the Securities.

Section 2.04. Covenant Defeasance . The provisions of Section 14.03 of the Original Indenture shall be applicable to the Securities.

Section 2.05. Place of Payment . The Place of Payment in respect of the Securities will be initially at the Corporate Trust Office of The Bank of New York Trust

 

 

2

 



Company, N.A. (which as of the date hereof is located at 2 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1020, Chicago, Illinois 60602, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration).

Section 2.06. Form of Securities; Incorporation of Terms . The form of the Securities shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A, the terms of which are herein incorporated by reference and which are part of this Third Supplemental Indenture. Each of the Securities shall be issued as one or more Global Securities in fully registered form, as determined in accordance with Section 2.01 of the Original Indenture. The Global Securities shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary, as the Holder thereof, or a nominee or custodian therefore, to be held by the Depositary in accordance with the Original Indenture.

Section 2.07. Exchange of the Global Securities . Each of the Global Securities shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only as provided in Section 3.05 of the Original Indenture.

Section 2.08. Regular Record Date for the Securities . The Regular Record Date for the Securities shall be the first of March or the first of September immediately prior to each Interest Payment Date.

Section 2.09. Authorized Denominations. Beneficial interests in Global Securities, as well as definitive Securities, may be held only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Section 2.10. Additional Securities. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Securities, create and issue further securities having the same terms and conditions as the Securities in all respects, except for the original issue date and offering price. Additional Securities of each series issued in this manner will be consolidated with, and form a single series with, the Securities of such series and shall thereafter be deemed Securities for all purposes.

ARTICLE III

DEPOSITARY

Section 3.01. Depositary . The Depositary Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors are hereby appointed Depositary with respect to the Global Securities of each series.

 

 

3

 



ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.01. Execution as Supplemental Indenture . This Third Supplemental Indenture is executed and shall be construed as an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture and, as provided in the Original Indenture, this Third Supplemental Indenture forms a part thereof.

Section 4.02. Effect of Headings . The Article and Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 4.03. Successors and Assigns . All covenants and agreements contained in this Third Supplemental Indenture made by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 4.04. Separability Clause . In case any provision in this Third Supplemental Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 4.05. Benefits of Third Supplemental Indenture . Nothing in this Third Supplemental Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder and the Holders of the Securities, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Third Supplemental Indenture.

Section 4.06. Execution and Counterparts . This Third Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 4.07. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals . The recitals herein contained are made by the Company and not by the Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Third Supplemental Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

[ SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS ]

 

 

4

 



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereof have caused this Third Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers or directors duly authorized thereto, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

       

 

By: 

/s/ Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Name: Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Trustee

       

 

By: 

/s/ Roxane Ellwanger

 

 

 

Name: Roxane Ellwanger

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Vice President

 

 

5

 



EXHIBIT A

Form of 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

 

 



Exhibit 4.2

 

REGISTERED

No. 1

ILL.C.C. No. 6415 ($350,000,000 issued pursuant to Illinois Commerce Commission Docket No. 07-0199)

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

 

5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

 

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation (“DTC”), to the Company (as defined below) or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

The following summary of terms is subject to the provisions set forth below:

 

CUSIP: 595620 AH8

ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE: March 25, 2008

PRINCIPAL AMOUNT: $350,000,000

MATURITY DATE: March 15, 2018

INTEREST RATE: 5.30%

INTEREST PAYMENT DATES: March 15 and September 15, commencing September 15, 2008.

RECORD DATES: March 1 and September 1.

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION:

x    Yes

o    No

MidAmerican Energy Company, an Iowa corporation (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO. or registered assigns the principal amount of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($350,000,000), in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts, on the Maturity date specified above and to pay interest thereon, in such coin or currency, from and including the Original Issue Date specified above, or from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date specified above to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, as the case may be. Interest shall be paid in arrears semiannually on each Interest Payment Date in each year commencing on September 15, 2008, at the per annum Interest Rate set forth above until Maturity and the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture (as defined below), be paid to the Person in

 

 

i

 



whose name this Global Security is registered at the close of business on the Record Date specified above next preceding such Interest Payment Date; provided, however , that interest payable on the Maturity date or, if applicable, upon redemption, shall be payable to the Person to whom principal shall be payable. Except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Record Date and shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Global Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to Holders not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date. Payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on this Global Security shall be made on or before 10:30 A.M., New York City time or such other time as shall be agreed upon between the Trustee and the Depositary, of the day on which such payment is due, by wire transfer into the account specified by the Depositary; provided, however , that as a condition to the payment at the Maturity date of any part of the principal of and any applicable premium on this Global Security, the Depositary shall surrender, or cause to be surrendered, this Global Security to the Trustee. The Company will pay any administrative costs imposed by banks in connection with making payments by wire transfer, but not any tax or other governmental charge imposed on the Holder of this Global Security.

Under certain circumstances, this Global Security is exchangeable in whole or from time to time in part for a definitive individual Security or Securities, with the same Original Issue Date, Maturity date, Interest Rate and redemption and other provisions as provided herein or in the Indenture.

REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO THE FURTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SET FORTH IN FULL ON THE REVERSE HEREOF, WHICH FURTHER PROVISIONS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS IF SET FORTH IN FULL AT THIS PLACE.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof, directly or through an Authenticating Agent, by manual signature of an authorized signatory, this Global Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

 

ii

 



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

Dated: March 25, 2008

 

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

 


By: 

/s/ Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Name: Brian K. Hankel

 

 

 

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

Attest:

 

 

 

 

By: 

/s/ Paul J. Leighton

 

 

 

Name: Paul J. Leighton

 

 

 

 

Title: Vice President and Secretary

 

 

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee

 


By: 

/s/ Roxane Ellwanger

 

 

 

Name: Roxane Ellwanger
Authorized Officer

 

 

iii

 



REVERSE OF NOTE

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY

5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

This Global Security is one of, and a global security which represents Securities which are part of, the duly authorized 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018 of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued under an Indenture dated as of October 1, 2006, as amended and supplemented (herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.

Interest on this Global Security will be payable on the Interest Payment Date or Interest Payment Dates as specified on the face hereof and, in either case, at Maturity. Unless otherwise specified on the face hereof, payments on this Global Security with respect to any particular Interest Payment Date or the Maturity date will include interest accrued from and including the applicable Original Issue Date, or from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, to but excluding the particular Interest Payment Date or the Maturity date. Interest on this Global Security will be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

All percentages resulting from any calculation with respect to this Global Security will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point (with five one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward) and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from any such calculation with respect to this Global Security will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upward).

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise specified on the face hereof, any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that in The City of New York is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.

This Global Security will be subject to redemption at the option of the Company on any date in whole or from time to time in part in increments of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, at the Redemption Prices specified in an annex attached to this Global Security, plus accrued interest on the principal amount thereof to the Redemption Date, but payments due with respect to this Global Security prior to the Redemption Date will be paid to the Person in whose name this Global Security is registered at the close of business on the relevant Record Date specified on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture. The Company may exercise such option by causing the Trustee to mail a notice of such redemption, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture. In the event of redemption of this Global Security in part only, this Global Security will be cancelled and a new Global Security representing the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof. This Global Security is not subject to a sinking fund.

 

 

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The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series that would be affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain covenants in the Indenture. The Indenture also provides that the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any affected series may on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series waive certain existing Events of Default and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions and limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series shall have any right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series.

THIS GLOBAL SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF AND, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

If at any time the Depositary for this Global Security notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for this Global Security or if at any time the Depositary for this Global Security shall no longer be registered or in good standing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other applicable statute or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to this Global Security. If a successor Depositary for this Global Security is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such condition, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of this series, shall authenticate and deliver Securities of this series in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of this Global Security in exchange for this Global Security.

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Securities of this series shall no longer be represented by a Global Security. In such event the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of this series, shall authenticate and deliver, Securities of this series in definitive registered form without coupons, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of this Global Security, in exchange for this Global Security.

The Company may from time to time, without the consent of Holders of the Securities, create and issue further notes having the same terms and conditions as the Securities in all respects, except for the

 

 

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Original Issue Date and Issue Price. Additional Securities issued in this manner will be consolidated with, and form a single series with, the Securities and shall thereafter be deemed Securities for all purposes.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Global Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Global Security at the times, places and rates, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

The Indenture contains provisions for the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions specified therein, which provisions apply to this Global Security.

The Indenture contains provisions for the defeasance and discharge of the Indenture upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions specified therein, which provisions apply to this Global Security.

The Indenture contains provisions for the defeasance of certain covenants of the Company upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions specified therein, which provisions apply to this Global Security.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Global Security is registered as the owner of this Global Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and, subject to Section 3.07 of the Indenture, interest on this Global Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not this Global Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Indenture and the Securities are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of said state without regard to the conflicts of laws rules of said state.

All terms used in this Global Security which are defined in the Indenture but are not defined in this Global Security shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

 

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ANNEX 1

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION PROVISIONS

The Securities will be redeemable as a whole at any time or in part, from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price equal to the sum of (a) the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities being redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon from the Redemption Date to the maturity date, computed by discounting such payments, in each case, to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points, plus (b) accrued interest on the principal amount thereof to the Redemption Date.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Security.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (i) the average of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) on the third business day in New York City preceding such redemption date, as set forth in the daily statistical release (or any successor release) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and designated ‘‘Composite 3:30 p.m. Quotations for U.S. Government Securities’’ or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not published or does not contain such prices on such business day, the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation for such redemption date.

“Independent Investment Banker” means an investment banking institution of international standing appointed by the Company.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means a primary U.S. government securities dealer in New York City appointed by the Company.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to the Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount and quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m. on the third business day in New York City preceding such redemption date).

“Treasury Rate” means the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent or interpolated (on a day-count basis) yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for that redemption date.

Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each holder of the Securities to be redeemed. If, at the time notice of redemption is given, the redemption moneys are not held by the Trustee, the redemption may be made subject to their receipt on or before the Redemption Date and such notice shall be of no effect unless such moneys are so received. Upon payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on Securities or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

 

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM –

as tenants in common

TEN ENT –

as tenants by the entireties

JT TEN –

as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

UNIT GIFT MIN ACT –

__________________ (Cust) Custodian
__________________ (Minor) under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

__________________________________
                               (State)

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

 

 

Please print or typewrite name and address
including postal zip code of assignee

 

 

the within Security and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing _____________________ attorney to transfer said Security on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:___________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. The signature must be guaranteed by a commercial bank, a trust company or a member of the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 

5

 



Exhibit 5.1

 


Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-6092

 

tel +
fax +

1 212 259 8000
1 212 259 6333

 

www.dl.com

March 25, 2008

 

MidAmerican Energy Company

666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500

Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2580

 

Re:

MidAmerican Energy Company (the “Company”) $350,000,000 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to MidAmerican Energy Company, an Iowa corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance by the Company of $350,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Senior Notes”) to be issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2006 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and the Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture, to be dated as of March 25, 2008 (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”) and the sale of the Notes by the Company to the Underwriters, for whom Lehman Brothers Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. are acting as Representatives, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated March 19, 2008 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and the Underwriters. All terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.

In connection therewith, we have examined (i) the registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-142663) filed on May 7, 2007, (the “Registration Statement”), (ii) the Prospectus dated May 7, 2007, (iii) the Prospectus Supplement, dated March 19, 2008, (iv) the Free Writing Prospectus, dated March 19, 2008, (v) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement, (vi) the Base Indenture, (vii) the form of Third Supplemental Indenture, (viii) form of the Senior Notes and (ix) the resolutions of the directors of the Company, duly adopted at a meeting duly held on March 19, 2008 at which a quorum was present (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”).

N EW . Y ORK   |   L ONDON . MULTINATIONAL . PARTNERSHIP   |   W ASHINGTON , . DC

A LBANY   |   A LMATY   |   A USTIN   |   B EIJING   |   B OSTON   |   B RUSSELS   |   C HARLOTTE   |   C HICAGO   |   D UBAI

E AST . P ALO . A LTO   |   F RANKFURT   |  . H ARTFORD   |  . H ONG . K ONG  . |  . H OUSTON   |   J ACKSONVILLE  . |  . J OHANNESBURG ( PTY ) . LTD .

L OS . A NGELES | M ILAN | M OSCOW | P ARIS . MULTINATIONAL . PARTNERSHIP | R IYADH . AFFILIATED . OFFICE | R OME | S AN . F RANCISCO | W ARSAW

 

 



March 25, 2008

Page 2

In such examination, we have assumed, without inquiry, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures on all documents examined by us, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified/or photostatic copies and the authenticity of such originals. We have also assumed that the books and records of the Company are maintained in accordance with proper corporate procedures. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon the aforesaid agreements, instruments, certificates, documents and records and upon statements and certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and of public officials.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and subject to the further limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth below, we are of the opinion that:

The Notes have been duly authorized and when they have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.

The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium and other similar laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such principles are considered in a proceeding in law or equity) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith, reasonableness and fair dealing, and standards of materiality.

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of New York.

 

 



March 25, 2008

Page 3

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 24, 2008, which is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and to the use of our name under the caption “Experts” contained in the Prospectus. In giving our consent, we do not thereby concede that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,
 

 

 

/s/ Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 



Exhibit 8.1


Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

1301 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019-6092

 

tel +
fax +

1 212 259 8000
1 212 259 6333

   March 25, 2008

MidAmerican Energy Company

666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500

Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2580

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special U.S. federal income tax counsel to MidAmerican Energy Company, an Iowa corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance by the Company of $350,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 5.30% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Senior Notes”) to be issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2006 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and the Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 25, 2008 (the “Third Supplemental Indenture”) (the Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture together, the “Indenture”) and the sale of the Senior Notes by the Company to the underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom Lehman Brothers Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated March 19, 2008 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and the Underwriters. The terms of the Senior Notes are described in the Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-142663) filed on May 7, 2007, (the “Registration Statement”), filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), a base prospectus dated May 7, 2007 (the “Base Prospectus”), and a prospectus supplement dated March 19, 2008 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) (the Base Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement together, the “Prospectus”) each filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, and the “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rules 433 and 405 under the Securities Act) dated March 19, 2008 relating to the Senior Notes in the form filed with the Commission on March 19, 2008 pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act (the “FWP”).

In connection with the delivery of this letter, we have examined (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Prospectus, (iii) the FWP, (iv) the form of certificates representing the Senior Notes, (v) the Base Indenture, (vi) the form of Third Supplemental Indenture, (vii) resolutions of the board of directors of the Company duly adopted at a meeting duly held on

 

N EW Y ORK   |   L ONDON MULTINATIONAL PARTNERSHIP   |   W ASHINGTON , DC

A LBANY   |   A LMATY   |   A USTIN   |   B EIJING   |   B OSTON   |   B RUSSELS   |   C HARLOTTE   |   C HICAGO   |   D UBAI

E AST P ALO A LTO   |   F RANKFURT   |   H ARTFORD   |   H ONG K ONG   |   H OUSTON   |   J ACKSONVILLE   |   J OHANNESBURG ( PTY ) LTD .

L OS A NGELES | M ILAN | M OSCOW | P ARIS MULTINATIONAL PARTNERSHIP | R IYADH AFFILIATED OFFICE | R OME | S AN F RANCISCO | W ARSAW

 



March 25, 2008
Page 2

 

March 19, 2008 at which a quorum was present and (viii) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, we have examined copies of such other agreements, instruments, certificates, documents and records and have reviewed such questions of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion letter.

In such examination, we have assumed: (i) the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies (and the authenticity of the originals of such documents); (ii) that all of the information, statements, representations, covenants, warranties and similar disclosures contained in the documents referred to above are true, correct and complete and will be fully complied with; and (iii) that all of the transactions contemplated by the aforesaid documents will be carried out in accordance with the terms of those documents. As to any facts material to our analysis, we have relied upon the aforesaid agreements, instruments, certificates, documents and records and upon statements and certificates of officers and representatives of the Company and of public officials.

We have assumed for facts, statements and representations set forth in this opinion letter and in the documents referred to above that (1) all such facts, statements and representations are true, correct and complete, (2) with respect to any factual assertion or representation made (a) “to the best of our knowledge,” or (b) where a person states they “understand(s) that,” “expect(s) that,” “intend(s) that,” “intend(s) to,” “indicates that,” “believes that” or any similarly qualified fact or representation, such qualified fact or representation is true without such qualification in each case, (3) with respect to any fact, statement or representation relating to the absence of any plan, expectation, intention, understanding or agreement, there is in fact no plan, expectation, intention, understanding or agreement, and (4) with respect to any fact, statement or representation relating to the presence of any plan, expectation, intention, understanding or agreement, such plan, expectation, intention, understanding or agreement will be fully realized or implemented.

In connection with the delivery of this opinion letter, we have considered the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, pertinent judicial authorities, interpretive rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and such other authorities as we have considered relevant. It should be noted that statutes, regulations, judicial decisions and administrative interpretations are subject to change at any time and in certain circumstances with retroactive effect.

We have not independently undertaken to verify the accuracy or completeness of any of the matters referred to herein. We note further that in reaching

 

 



March 25, 2008
Page 3

 

the conclusions set forth in this opinion letter, we have assumed, with your consent, that if challenged, the facts, statements, representations and assumptions upon which the opinion letter is based will be properly presented, and the IRS and the courts of competent jurisdiction, if necessary, will find that such facts, statements, representations and assumptions are true, correct and complete. In the event that any one or more of the matters referred to herein are inaccurate or incomplete, the conclusions reached in this opinion letter may be incorrect.

*  *  *  *  *

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, under current law and based upon the facts, representations, assumptions and qualifications contained herein and in the Prospectus, we are of the opinion that the statements contained in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal income tax law and regulations thereunder or legal conclusions with respect thereto fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

*  *  *  *  *

Our opinion is based upon U.S. federal income tax law as of the date hereof, and no assurance can be given that changes in the law or the administrative or judicial interpretation thereof will not occur so as to adversely affect the treatment of the Senior Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We have assumed no obligation, and do not undertake, to update, revise or supplement any statement herein for any reason whatsoever or to advise you of any matters which may subsequently come to our attention.

We can give no assurance that the IRS will not take positions in conflict with the opinions expressed herein, which positions of the IRS might ultimately be sustained by the courts. This opinion letter represents only our interpretation of the law and has no binding, legal effect upon the IRS or any courts. Our opinion is provided to you as a legal opinion only, and not as a guaranty or warranty, and is limited to the specific transactions, documents and matters described above. No opinion on any matter is expressed or implied except as specifically set forth herein.

This opinion letter is intended solely for your benefit in connection with the transactions described herein and may not be relied upon or used in any manner by any other person or entity or for any other purpose without our express prior written consent. We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 8-K to be filed in connection with the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes, incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby concede that we are within the category of persons whose

 

 



March 25, 2008
Page 4

 

consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 
/s/ Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 



March 25, 2008
Page 5

 

SCHEDULE A

Lehman Brothers Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

600 Steamboat Road

Greenwich, CT 06830

Barclays Capital Inc.

200 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10166

UBS Securities LLC

677 Washington Blvd.

Stamford, CT 06901

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

One Wachovia Center, DC-6

301 South College Street

Charlotte, NC 28288-0613