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):  November 9, 2017

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

North Carolina
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or
Organization)

 

1-04928
(Commission File Number)

 

56-0205520
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

526 South Church Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1803

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

 

(704) 382-3853

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

o             Emerging growth company

 

o             If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

 

 



 

Item 8.01.                 Other Events.

 

On November 14, 2017, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (the “Company”) consummated the issuance and sale of the securities described below pursuant to an underwriting agreement, dated November 9, 2017 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Underwriters $550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047 (the “Mortgage Bonds”).  The Mortgage Bonds were sold to the Underwriters at a discount to their principal amount.  The Mortgage Bonds were issued under the First and Refunding Mortgage, dated as of December 1, 1927, as amended and supplemented from time to time, including by the Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of November 14, 2017, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, relating to the Mortgage Bonds (collectively, the “Mortgage”).  The disclosure in this Item 8.01 is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of the Mortgage, the Supplemental Indenture, which together with the form of global notes evidencing the Mortgage Bonds, is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto, and the Underwriting Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.  Such exhibits are incorporated herein by reference. Also, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Mortgage Bonds, the Company is filing a legal opinion regarding the validity of the Mortgage Bonds as Exhibit 5.1 to this Form 8-K for the purpose of incorporating the opinion into the Company’s Registration Statement, as amended No. 333-213765-05.

 

Item 9.01.                 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)                                  Exhibits

 

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

Ninety-ninth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 14, 2017, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, and form of global notes

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Opinion regarding validity of the Mortgage Bonds

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated November 9, 2017, among the Company and BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein

 

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EXHIBIT  INDEX

 

Exhibit

 

Description

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

Ninety-ninth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 14, 2017, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, and form of global notes

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Opinion regarding validity of the Mortgage Bonds

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated November 9, 2017, among the Company and BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein

 

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SIGNATURE

 

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

 

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

Date: November 14, 2017

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert T. Lucas III

 

 

Name:

Robert T. Lucas III

 

 

Title:

Assistant Secretary

 

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Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

TO

 

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

Trustee

 

NINETY-NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of November 14, 2017

 


 

CREATING A SERIES OF FIRST AND REFUNDING

MORTGAGE BONDS

$550,000,000 FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE BONDS, 3.70% SERIES DUE 2047

 


 

SUPPLEMENTAL TO

FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE
DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 1927

 

 

Drawn By and Return To:

Hunton & Williams LLP
200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

Attention:  Patrick Jamieson

 



 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, bearing date as of the 14th day of November, 2017, made and entered into by and between Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of North Carolina, hereinafter called the “Company”, party of the first part, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.), a national banking association, having a corporate trust office at 10161 Centurion Parkway N., Jacksonville, Florida 32256, hereinafter called the “Trustee”, as Trustee, party of the second part. The Trustee is the successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank, formerly known as Chemical Bank (successor to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York)), as Trustee.

 

WHEREAS the Company’s predecessor is Duke Energy Corporation (formerly known as Duke Power Company), a corporation organized under the laws of the State of North Carolina, which converted its form of organization on April 3, 2006 from a North Carolina corporation to a North Carolina limited liability company named “Duke Power Company LLC,” which changed its name to Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC on October 1, 2006; and

 

WHEREAS Duke Power Company, a New Jersey corporation, hereinafter called the “New Jersey Company”, duly executed and delivered its First and Refunding Mortgage, dated as of December 1, 1927, to Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee, to secure its First and Refunding Mortgage Gold Bonds, to be issued from time to time in series as provided in said Mortgage, and has from time to time duly executed and delivered supplemental indentures, including supplemental indentures dated as of September 1, 1947 and February 1, 1949, to Guaranty Trust Company of New York (the corporate name of which has been changed to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as Trustee, and a supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1960 to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee, supplementing and modifying said Mortgage (said Mortgage, as so supplemented and modified by the supplemental indentures dated as of September 1, 1947, February 1, 1949 and February 1, 1960, being hereinafter referred to as the “original indenture”); and

 

WHEREAS bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2.65% Series Due 1977” (herein called “bonds of the 2.65% Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2 7/8% Series Due 1979” (herein called “bonds of the 1979 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 3/8% Series Due 1998” (herein called “bonds of the 1998 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Pollution Control Facilities Revenue Refunding Series Due 2014” (herein called “bonds of the 1990 Pollution Control Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, City of Greensboro Series Due 2027” (herein called “bonds of the 2027 City of Greensboro Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Medium-Term Notes Series” (herein called “bonds of the Medium-Term Notes Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 5/8% Series B Due 2003” (herein called “bonds of the 2003 Series B”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 3/8% Series Due 2008” (herein called “bonds of the 2008 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 5 7/8% Series C Due 2003” (herein called “bonds of the 2003 Series C”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Pollution Control Facilities Revenue Refunding Series Due 2014” (herein called “bonds of the 1993 Pollution Control Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 1/4% Series B 2004” (herein called “bonds of the 2004 Series B”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7% Series Due 2033” (herein called “bonds of the 2033 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 7/8% Series B Due 2023” (herein called “bonds of the 2023 Series B”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6 3/4% Series Due 2025” (herein called “bonds of the 2025 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7 7/8% Series Due 2024” (herein called “bonds of the 2024 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage

 

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Bonds, 7 1/2% Series B Due 2025” (herein called “bonds of the 2025 Series B”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7 1/2% Series Due 1999” (herein called “bonds of the 1999 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7% Series Due 2000” (herein called “bonds of the 2000 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7% Series B Due 2000” (herein called “bonds of the 2000 Series B”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6.625% Series Due 2003” (herein called “bonds of the 2003 Series”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 9 5/8% Series Due 2020” (herein called “bonds of the 9 5/8% Series due 2020”), bonds of a series known as the “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 8 3/4% Series Due 2021” (herein called “bonds of the 2021 Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7% Series Due 2005” (herein called “bonds of the 2005 Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.75% Series A Due 2008” (herein called “bonds of the 3.75% Series A”), bonds of series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.75% Series B Due 2008” (herein called “bonds of the 3.75% Series B,” and together with the bonds of the 3.75% Series A, the “bonds of the 3.75% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7 3/8% Series Due 2023” (herein called “bonds of the 7 3/8% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 4 1/2% Series Due 2010” (herein called “bonds of the 4 1/2% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 5.30% Series Due 2015” (herein called “bonds of the 5.30% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 5.25% Series Due 2018” (herein called “bonds of the 5.25% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6.00% Series Due 2038” (herein called “bonds of the 6.00% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2007A Pledge Series Due 2040” (herein called “bonds of the 2007A Pledge Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2007B Pledge Series Due 2040” (herein called “bonds of the 2007B Pledge Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 5.10% Series B Due 2018” (herein called “bonds of the 5.10% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 6.05% Series B Due 2038” (herein called “bonds of the 6.05% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 7.00% Series C Due 2018 (herein called “bonds of the 2018 Series C”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 5.30% Series Due 2040” (herein called “bonds of the 2040 Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 4.30% Series due 2020”(herein called “bonds of the 2020 Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds Series 2010A Due 2031” (herein called “bonds of the 2010A Solid Waste Disposal Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds Series 2010B Due 2031” (herein called “bonds of the 2010B Solid Waste Disposal Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds Series 2010C Due 2040” (herein called “bonds of the 2010C Solid Waste Disposal Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds Series 2010D Due 2040 (herein called “bonds of the 2010D Solid Waste Disposal Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.90% Series due 2021” (herein called “bonds of the 3.90% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 1.75% Series due 2016” (herein called “bonds of the 1.75% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 4.25% Series due 2041” (herein called “bonds of the 4.25% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 4.00% Series due 2042” (herein called “bonds of the 4.00% Series”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.75% Series due 2045” (herein called “bonds of the 3.75% Series due 2045”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2.500% Series due 2023” (herein called “bonds of the 2.500% Series due 2023”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.875% Series due 2046” (herein called “bonds of the 3.875% Series due 2046”), bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 2.95% Series due 2026” (herein called “bonds of the 2.95% Series due 2026”) and such other bonds that have heretofore been issued and (except for bonds of the 2.65% Series, bonds of the 1979 Series, bonds of the 1998 Series, bonds of the 1990 Pollution Control Series, bonds of the Medium Term Notes Series, bonds of the

 

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2003 Series B, bonds of the 2008 Series, bonds of the 2003 Series C, bonds of the 1993 Pollution Control Series, bonds of the 2004 Series B, bonds of the 2033 Series, bonds of the 2023 Series B, bonds of the 2025 Series, bonds of the 2024 Series, bonds of the 2025 Series B, bonds of the 1999 Series, bonds of the 2000 Series, bonds of the 2000 Series B, bonds of the 2003 Series, bonds of the 9 5/8% Series due 2020, bonds of the 2021 Series, bonds of the 2005 Series, bonds of the 3.75% Series, bonds of the 7 3/8% Series, bonds of the 2007A Pledge Series, bonds of the 2007B Pledge Series, bonds of the 4 1/2% Series, bonds of the 5.30% Series, bonds of a series known as “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, Pollution Control Facilities Revenue Refunding Series Due 2017,” bonds of the 1.75% Series and other such bonds which have been redeemed or retired in their entirety) are the only bonds now outstanding under the original indenture as heretofore supplemented; and

 

WHEREAS the Company has duly executed and delivered a supplemental indenture, dated as of June 15, 1964, to Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee, for the purpose of evidencing the succession by merger of the Company to the New Jersey Company and the assumption by the Company of the covenants and conditions of the New Jersey Company in the original indenture and to enable the Company to have and exercise the powers and rights of the New Jersey Company under the original indenture in accordance with the terms thereof and whereby the Company assumed and agreed to pay duly and punctually the principal of and interest on the bonds issued under the original indenture in accordance with the provisions of said bonds and the coupons thereto appertaining and the original indenture, and agreed to perform and fulfill all the terms, covenants and conditions of the original indenture binding upon the New Jersey Company, and

 

WHEREAS Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York resigned as Trustee under the original indenture as heretofore supplemented and Chemical Bank was appointed successor Trustee, said resignation and appointment having taken effect on August 30, 1994 pursuant to an Instrument of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance dated as of August 30, 1994 among the Company, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee, and Chemical Bank (now known as JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.), as successor Trustee; and

 

WHEREAS JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. resigned as Trustee and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.) was appointed successor Trustee, said resignation and appointment having taken effect on September 24, 2007 pursuant to an Instrument of Resignation, Appointment and Acceptance dated as of September 24, 2007 among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Trustee, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor Trustee; and

 

WHEREAS the Company desires to create under the original indenture, as heretofore supplemented and as to be supplemented by this supplemental indenture, a new series of bonds, to be known as its “First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047,” and to determine the terms and provisions and the form of the bonds of such series; and

 

WHEREAS for the purposes hereinabove recited, and pursuant to due limited liability company action, the Company has duly determined to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture in the form hereof supplementing the original indenture (the original indenture, as previously supplemented by supplemental indentures and as hereby supplemented, being sometimes hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”); and

 

WHEREAS all conditions and requirements necessary to make this supplemental indenture a valid, legal and binding instrument in accordance with its terms have been done and performed, and the execution and delivery hereof have been in all respects duly authorized:

 

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NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

That in consideration of the premises and of the sum of one dollar duly paid by the Company to the Trustee at or before the execution and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the Company hereby covenants and agrees with the Trustee and its successors in the trust under the Indenture as follows:

 

PART ONE.

 

BONDS OF THE 3.70% SERIES

 

SECTION 1.                          The Company hereby creates a new series of bonds to be issued under and secured by the Indenture and known as its First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047 (herein called “bonds of the 3.70% Series”) and the Company hereby establishes, determines and fixes the terms and provisions of the bonds of the 3.70% Series as hereinafter in this Part One set forth.

 

Each bond of the 3.70% Series shall be dated the date of its authentication (except that if any such bond shall be authenticated on any interest payment date, it shall be dated the following day) and interest shall be payable on the principal represented thereby commencing June 1, 2018, from June 1 or December 1, as the case may be, next preceding the date thereof to which interest has been paid, unless such date of authentication is prior to June 1, 2018, in which case interest shall be payable from November 14, 2017; provided , however , that interest shall be payable on each bond of the 3.70% Series authenticated after the record date (as defined in the next succeeding paragraph of this Section 1) with respect to any interest payment date and prior to such interest payment date, only from such interest payment date.

 

Interest on any bond of the 3.70% Series shall be paid to the person who, according to the bond register of the Company, is the registered holder of such bond of the 3.70% Series at the close of business on the applicable record date, and such interest payments shall be made by check mailed to such registered holder at his last address shown on such bond register or, at the option of the Company, by wire transfer at such place and to such account at a banking institution in the United States as may be designated in writing to the Trustee at least sixteen (16) days prior to the date of payment by the Person entitled thereto ( provided , that if the bonds of the 3.70% Series are represented by Global Securities held by the Depositary, payment may be made pursuant to the procedures of the Depositary); provided , however , that, if the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on any interest payment date on any bond of the 3.70% Series, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the registered holder of such bond (or any bond or bonds of the 3.70% Series issued upon transfer, exchange or substitution thereof) on the date of subsequent payment of such defaulted interest or, at the election of the Company, to the person in whose name such bond (or any bond or bonds of the 3.70% Series issued upon transfer, exchange or substitution thereof) is registered on a subsequent record date established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Company to the holders of all bonds of the 3.70% Series not less than ten (10) days preceding such subsequent record date. The term “record date” as used in this Section 1 shall mean, with respect to any semi-annual interest payment date, the close of business on the May 15 or November 15, whether or not a business day, next preceding such interest payment date or, in the case of a payment of defaulted interest, the close of business on any subsequent record date established as provided above.

 

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SECTION 2.                          All bonds of the 3.70% Series shall mature as to principal on December 1, 2047 and shall bear interest at a rate of 3.70% per annum, payable semi-annually on the first day of June and December in each year, commencing on the first day of June, 2018. Interest on the bonds of the 3.70% Series will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

SECTION 3.                          The bonds of the 3.70% Series shall be fully registered bonds, without coupons, in denominations of two thousand dollars ($2,000) and integral multiples of one thousand dollars ($1,000) in excess thereof, all such bonds to be numbered, and shall be transferable and exchangeable as provided in the form of bond set forth as Exhibit A to this supplemental indenture. The provisions of §1.19 and any other provision in the Indenture in respect of coupon bonds or reservation of coupon bond numbers shall be inapplicable to the bonds of the 3.70% Series.

 

SECTION 4.                          At any time before June 1, 2047 (the “Par Call Date”), the bonds of the 3.70% Series may be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the bonds of the 3.70% Series being redeemed that would be due if the bonds of the 3.70% Series matured on the Par Call Date (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date) discounted 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 15 basis points, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the redemption price with respect to any redemption pursuant to this paragraph promptly after the calculation thereof. The Trustee shall not be responsible for calculating said redemption price.

 

At any time on or after the Par Call Date , the bonds of the 3.70% Series may be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption.

 

The bonds of the 3.70 % Series are also subject to redemption through the operation of the Replacement Fund provided in Part Two of this supplemental indenture or through the application of moneys paid to the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of §5.05 of the Indenture, at any time or from time to time prior to maturity, upon prior notice as hereinafter provided, at the redemption prices specified in the fifth paragraph of the reverse side of the form of bond set forth as Exhibit A to this supplemental indenture, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption thereof.

 

In the event that any redemption date is not a business day, the Company shall pay the redemption price on the next business day without any interest or other payment due to the delay.

 

All such redemptions of bonds of the 3.70 % Series shall be effected as provided in Article 3 of the Indenture except that, in case a part only of the bonds of the 3.70% Series is to be paid and redeemed, the particular bonds or part thereof shall be selected by the Trustee in such manner as the Trustee in its uncontrolled discretion shall determine to be fair and in any case where several bonds are registered in the same name, the Trustee may treat the aggregate principal amount so registered as if it were represented by one bond and except that when bonds are redeemed in part only the notice given to any particular holder need state only the principal amount of the bonds of that holder which is to be redeemed and except that notice to the holders of bonds to be redeemed shall be given by mailing to such holders a notice of such redemption, first class mail postage prepaid, not later than the tenth day, and not earlier than the sixtieth day, before the date fixed for redemption, at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the bond register of the Company. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice; and failure duly to give

 

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such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice, to the holder of any bond designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other bond. No publication of notice of such redemption shall be required.

 

SECTION 5.                          The limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series which may be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Indenture shall initially be $550,000,000.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may, without the consent of the holders of the bonds of the 3.70% Series, reopen the bonds of the 3.70% Series and issue an unlimited amount of additional bonds having the same ranking, interest rate, maturity and other terms as the bonds of the 3.70% Series authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Indenture, other than, if applicable, the initial interest accrual date and interest payment date; provided, that, the Company may reopen the bonds of the 3.70% Series only if the additional bonds issued will be fungible for United States federal income tax purposes with the bonds of the 3.70% Series authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Indenture. Any such additional bonds will be consolidated with and form a single series of bonds under the Indenture with the bonds of the 3.70% Series authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Ninety-Ninth Supplemental Indenture.

 

SECTION 6.                          The place or places of payment (as to principal and premium, if any, and interest), redemption, transfer, exchange and registration of the bonds of the 3.70% Series shall be the office or offices or the agency or agencies of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, designated from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Company (provided, that if the bonds of the 3.70% Series are represented by Global Securities held by or on behalf of the Depositary, the procedures of the Depositary may be followed for any action under this Section 6 of Part One).

 

SECTION 7.                          The form of the bonds of the 3.70% Series and the certificate of the Trustee to be endorsed on such bonds, respectively, shall be in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

 

PART TWO.

 

REPLACEMENT FUND.

 

SECTION 1.                          So long as any of the bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding, the Company will continue to maintain the Replacement Fund set forth in, and in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions now contained in, Part Two of the supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1949, and the covenants on the part of the Company contained in such Part Two shall continue and remain in full force and effect, whether or not bonds of the 1979 Series are outstanding and to the same extent as though the words “or any bonds of the 3.70% Series” were inserted after the word “Series” appearing in the second line of Section 1 and the second line of Section 4 of said Part Two of said supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1949.

 

SECTION 2.                          If at any time (a) any of the bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding and (b) no Outstanding Mortgage Bonds (as defined in Section 1 of Part Three of this supplemental indenture) entitled to the benefit of the Replacement Fund are outstanding and (c) cash which shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to such Replacement Fund shall not within five years from the date of deposit thereof have been paid out, or used or set aside by the Trustee for the payment, purchase or redemption of bonds, pursuant to such Replacement Fund, such cash shall, if in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), be applied to the redemption of bonds of the 3.70% Series in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to exhaust as nearly as possible the full amount of such cash. Anything in Section 5 of Part Two of the aforesaid supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1949, in Section 3 of Part Two of the supplemental indentures dated as of May 1, 1993, July 1, 1993, August 1, 1993, August 20, 1993, May 1, 1994, February 25, 2003, March 21, 2003 and September 23, 2003, in Section 3 of Part Three of the supplemental indenture dated as of March 1, 1990 and in Section 5 of Part Four of the supplemental

 

6



 

indenture dated as of March 1, 1993 to the contrary notwithstanding, no cash shall be paid over to the Company thereunder if at the time any bonds of the 3.70% Series are then outstanding, and such cash shall in such event be applied as in this Part Two set forth.

 

SECTION 3.                          Whenever all of the bonds of the 3.70% Series and all of the Outstanding Mortgage Bonds entitled to the benefit of the Replacement Fund shall have been paid, purchased or redeemed, the Trustee shall, upon application of the Company, pay to or upon the order of the Company all cash theretofore deposited with the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of the Replacement Fund and not previously disposed of pursuant to the provisions of the Replacement Fund, and shall deliver to the Company any bonds which shall theretofore have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of the Replacement Fund or paid, purchased or redeemed pursuant to the provisions of the Replacement Fund.

 

PART THREE.

 

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 1.                          Whether or not the covenants on the part of the Company contained in Part Three of the supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1949 are modified with the consent of the holders of bonds of the 2027 City of Greensboro Series, the 5.25% Series, the 6.00% Series, the 5.10% Series, the 6.05% Series, the 2018 Series C, the 2040 Series, the 2020 Series, the 2010A Solid Waste Disposal Series, the 2010B Solid Waste Disposal Series, the 2010C Solid Waste Disposal Series, the 2010D Solid Waste Disposal Series, the 3.90% Series, the 4.25% Series or the 4.00% Series (collectively, the “Outstanding Mortgage Bonds”), such covenants on the part of the Company contained in said Part Three shall continue and remain in full force and effect so long as any of the bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding and to the same extent as though the words “or so long as any bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding” were inserted after the words “so long as any of the bonds of the 1979 Series or any bonds of the 2.65% Series are outstanding” wherever such words appear in said Part Three of the supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1949.

 

SECTION 2.                          Whether or not the second sentence of paragraph (a) of §2.08 of the original indenture (making certain provisions for the definition of the term “net amount” applicable while bonds of the 2.65% Series were outstanding and which was originally set forth in Section 4 of Article One of the supplemental indenture dated as of September 1, 1947 and which is corrected and clarified by Section 2 of Part Four of the supplemental indenture dated as of February 1, 1968) is modified with the consent of the holders of any of the Outstanding Mortgage Bonds, said sentence shall continue and remain in full force and effect so long as any bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding, and with the same force and effect as though said sentence had stated that such provisions were to be applicable so long as any of the bonds of the 3.70% Series are outstanding.

 

PART FOUR.

 

GLOBAL SECURITIES; TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE

 

SECTION 1.                          The bonds of the 3.70% Series shall initially be issued in the form of one or more Global Securities registered in the name of the Depositary (which initially shall be The Depository Trust Company) or its nominee. Except under the limited circumstances described below, bonds of the 3.70% Series represented by such Global Security or Global Securities shall not be exchangeable for, and shall not otherwise be issuable as, bonds of the 3.70% Series in definitive form. The Global Securities described in this Part Four may not be transferred except 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 to a successor Depositary or its nominee.

 

7



 

None of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

A Global Security shall be exchangeable for bonds of the 3.70% Series registered in the names of persons other than the Depositary or its nominee only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for such Global Security and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed by the Company within 90 days of receipt by the Company of such notification, or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act at a time when the Depositary is required to be so registered to act as such Depositary and no successor Depositary shall have been appointed by the Company within 90 days after it becomes aware of such cessation, (ii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the bonds of the 3.70% Series or (iii) the Company in its sole discretion, and subject to the procedures of the Depositary, determines that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for bonds of the 3.70% Series registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct.

 

SECTION 2.                          Depository Legend .  Each of the Global Securities shall bear the following legend (the “Depository Legend”) on the face thereof:

 

“UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY 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.

 

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO DTC, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.”

 

SECTION 3.                          Transfer and Exchange .

 

(a)                                  Every bond of the 3.70% Series presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed, by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

(b)                                  No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of bonds of the 3.70% Series, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other

 

8



 

governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration or transfer or exchange of bonds of the 3.70% Series.

 

SECTION 4.                          Definitions. The following defined terms used herein shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meanings specified below. Capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Indenture.

 

“Business day” means any day other than a day on which banks in New York City are required or authorized to be closed.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the bonds of the 3.70% Series to be redeemed (assuming, for this purpose, that the bonds of the 3.70% Series matured on the Par Call Date), 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 a comparable maturity to the remaining term of such bonds of the 3.70% Series.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (B) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations as determined by the Company.

 

“Depositary” means a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as Depositary for the bonds of the 3.70% Series, which Depositary shall initially be The Depository Trust Company.

 

“Depository Legend” means a legend set forth in Section 2 of this Part Four.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Global Security” means a bond of the 3.70% Series in global form.

 

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a bond of the 3.70% Series is registered in the registration books maintained by the Trustee.

 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or corporation, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Quotation Agent” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, or their respective affiliates or successors, each of which is a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”); provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or their affiliates or successors shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Quotation Agent, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted

 

9



 

in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

 

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated maturity (on a day count basis) 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 such redemption date.

 

PART FIVE.

 

MISCELLANEOUS.

 

SECTION 1.

 

(a)                                  For the purposes of §2.10 of the Indenture and for the purposes of any modification of the provisions of the Replacement Fund referred to in Part Two of this supplemental indenture, the covenants and provisions on the part of the Company which are set forth or incorporated in Part Two of this supplemental indenture shall be for the benefit only of the holders of the bonds of the 3.70% Series. Such covenants and provisions shall remain in force and be applicable only so long as any bonds of the 3.70% Series shall be outstanding, and, subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of §10.01 of the Indenture, any such covenants and provisions may be modified with respect to the bonds of the 3.70% Series with the consent, in writing or by vote at a bondholders’ meeting of the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds per cent (66 2/3%) of the principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series, as the case may be, at the time outstanding and without the consent of the holders of any other bonds then outstanding under the Indenture; provided that no such consent shall be effective to waive any past default under such covenants and provisions, and its consequences, unless the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all bonds then outstanding under the Indenture is obtained. Such covenants shall be deemed to be additional covenants and none of them shall affect or derogate from, or relieve the Company from, its obligation to comply with any of the other covenants, conditions, requirements or provisions of the Indenture or any other supplemental indenture.

 

(b)                                  For the purposes of §2.10 of the Indenture and for the purposes of any modification of the provisions of Part Three of this supplemental indenture, the covenants and provisions on the part of the Company which are set forth or incorporated in said Part Three shall be for the benefit only of the holders of the bonds of the 3.70% Series. Such covenants and provisions shall remain in force and be applicable only so long as any bonds of the 3.70% Series shall be outstanding, and, subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of §10.01 of the Indenture, any such covenants and provisions may be modified with respect to the bonds of the 3.70% Series with the consent, in writing or by vote at a bondholders’ meeting of the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds per cent (66 2/3 %) of the principal amount of the bonds of the 3.70% Series at the time outstanding and without the consent of the holders of any other bonds then outstanding under the Indenture; provided that no such consent shall be effective to waive any past default under such covenants and provisions, and its consequences, unless the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all bonds then outstanding under the Indenture is obtained. Such covenants shall be deemed to be additional covenants and none of them shall affect or derogate from, or relieve the Company from, its obligation to comply with any of the other covenants, conditions, requirements or provisions of the Indenture or any other supplemental indenture.

 

SECTION 2.                          All terms contained in this supplemental indenture shall, except as specifically provided herein or except as the context may otherwise require, have the meanings given to such terms in the Indenture.

 

10



 

SECTION 3.                          In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this supplemental indenture should be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision contained in this supplemental indenture, and, to the extent, but only to the extent, that such provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, this supplemental indenture shall be construed as if such provision had never been contained herein.

 

SECTION 4.                          The Trustee hereby accepts the trusts herein declared and provided upon the terms and conditions in the Indenture set forth.

 

SECTION 5.                          This supplemental indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all collectively but one instrument.

 

SECTION 6.                          In addition to the amendment provisions of the Indenture, the terms and conditions of this supplemental indenture and the bonds of the 3.70% Series may be modified, amended or supplemented by the Company and the Trustee, without the consent of the holders of the bonds of the 3.70% Series, and if not inconsistent with the Indenture, to cure ambiguities in this supplemental indenture or the bonds of the 3.70% Series, or correct defects or inconsistencies in the provisions of this supplemental indenture or the bonds of the 3.70% Series or to provide for such appropriate additional provisions in this supplemental indenture or the bonds of the 3.70% Series as are necessary for certificated bonds to be issued in lieu of Global Securities or to reflect additional provisions related to the issuance of Global Securities (including changes in the procedures of the Depositary).

 

11



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, the party of the first part hereto, has caused this supplemental indenture to be signed in its name by one of its Senior Vice Presidents and its company seal to be hereunto affixed, and the same to be attested by one of its Assistant Secretaries, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., the party of the second part hereto, in token of its acceptance of the trust hereby created, has caused this supplemental indenture to be signed in its name by one of its Vice Presidents and its company seal to be hereunto affixed, and the same to be attested by one of its Vice Presidents, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Stephen G. De May

 

 

Name:

Stephen G. De May

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President, Tax and Treasurer

 

 

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Robert T. Lucas III

 

Name:

Robert T. Lucas III

 

Title:

Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

Signed, sealed, executed, acknowledged

 

and delivered by Duke Energy

 

Carolinas, LLC, in the presence of:

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Delcia S. Dunlap

 

Delcia S. Dunlap

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Aloma M. Felder

 

Aloma M. Felder

 

 

[COMPANY’S SIGNATURE PAGE]

 

[NINETY-NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

TO THE DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE

DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 1927]

 



 

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ R. Tarnas

 

 

Name:

R. Tarnas

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Lawrence M. Kusch

 

Name:

Lawrence M. Kusch

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

Signed, sealed, executed,

 

acknowledged and delivered by The Bank of New York

 

Mellon Trust Company, N.A.,

 

in the presence of:

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Robert W. Hardy

 

Name:  Robert W. Hardy

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Emily Gigerich

 

Name:  Emily Gigerich

 

 

[TRUSTEE’S SIGNATURE PAGE]

 

[NINETY-NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

TO THE DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE

DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 1927]

 



 

State of Illinois

)

 

 

)

ss.:

County of Cook

)

 

 

Personally appeared before me, Emily Gigerich, and made oath that she is not a party to or beneficiary of the transaction and that she saw R. Tarnas, a, Vice President and Lawrence M. Kusch, a Vice President, respectively, of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., sign, attest and affix hereto the corporate seal of said The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., and, as the act and deed of said corporation, deliver the within written and foregoing deed, and that she, with Robert W. Hardy, witnessed the execution thereof.

 

 

 

/s/ Emily Gigerich

 

Name:   Emily Gigerich

 

 

 

 

 

Sworn and subscribed before me

 

this 13 th  day of November, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Carrie M. Beecher

 

Name:  Carrie M. Beecher

 

Notary Public — State of Illinois

 

Commission Expires 3/29/2021

 

 

State of Illinois

)

 

 

)

ss.:

County of Cook

)

 

 

I, Carrie M. Beecher , a Notary Public in and for the State aforesaid, certify that Lawrence M. Kusch personally came before me this day and acknowledged that he is a Vice President of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association, and that, by authority duly given and as the act of the corporation, the foregoing instrument was signed in its name by one of its Vice Presidents, sealed with its corporate seal, and attested by himself as one of its Vice Presidents.

 

Witness may hand and official seal, this 13 th  day of November, 2017.

 

 

 

/s/ Carrie M. Beecher

 

Name:  Carrie M. Beecher

 

Notary Public — State of Illinois

 

Commission Expires 3/29/2021

 



 

State of North Carolina

)

 

 

)

ss.:

County of Mecklenburg

)

 

 

I, Phoebe P. Elliot, a Notary Public in and for the State and County aforesaid, certify that Delcia S. Dunlap personally appeared before me this day, and being duly sworn, stated that she is not a party to or beneficiary of the transaction and that in her presence Stephen G. De May executed the foregoing instrument, and that she, with Aloma M. Felder, witnessed the execution thereof.

 

Witness my hand and official seal, this 14 th  day of November, 2017.

 

 

 

/s/ Delcia S. Dunlap

 

Delcia S. Dunlap

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Phoebe P. Elliott

 

Name:  Phoebe P. Elliott

 

Notary Public, State of North Carolina

 

Mecklenburg County

 

My Commission Expires: June 26, 2021

 

 

State of North Carolina

)

 

 

)

ss.:

County of Mecklenburg

)

 

 

I, Phoebe P. Elliot, a Notary Public in and for the State and County aforesaid, certify that Robert T. Lucas III personally came before me this day and acknowledged that he is an Assistant Secretary of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company, and that, by authority duly given and as the act of the company, the foregoing instrument was signed in its name by one of its Senior Vice Presidents, sealed with its seal, and attested by himself as one of its Assistant Secretaries.

 

Witness my hand and official seal, this 14 th  day of November, 2017.

 

 

 

/s/ Phoebe P. Elliott

 

Name:  Phoebe P. Elliott

 

Notary Public, State of North Carolina

 

Mecklenburg County

 

My Commission Expires: June 26, 2021

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC
FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE BOND,
3.70% SERIES DUE 2047

 

[FACE SIDE OF BOND]

 

[DEPOSITORY LEGEND, IF APPLICABLE]
DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE BOND,
3.70% SERIES DUE 2047

 

No.

 

$                          

CUSIP No.

26442C AT1

 

ISIN

US26442CAT18

 

 

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (hereinafter called the “Company”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                                    or registered assigns, the principal sum of                                    Dollars on December 1, 2047 in any coin or currency of the United States of America which at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and to pay interest thereon at said office or agency from the interest payment date next preceding the date hereof to which interest on outstanding bonds of this series has been paid (unless the date hereof is prior to June 1, 2018, in which case from November 14, 2017, and unless the date hereof is subsequent to a record date (as defined below) and prior to the next succeeding June 1 or December 1, in which case from the next succeeding June 1 or December 1 as the case may be), at the rate of 3.70% per annum, in like coin or currency, semi-annually on June 1 and December 1, in each year, commencing June 1, 2018, until the principal hereof shall become due and payable. Such interest payments shall be made to the person in whose name this bond is registered at the close of business on the May 15 or November 15, whether or not a business day, next preceding each semi-annual interest payment date (a “record date”) (subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture hereinafter mentioned), at his last address as it shall appear upon the bond register of the Company.

 

The provisions of this bond are continued on the reverse hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth in this place.

 

This bond shall not become or be valid or obligatory for any purpose until the Trustee shall have signed the form of certificate endorsed hereon.

 

A- 1



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be signed in its name by its President or one of its Vice Presidents, manually or by facsimile signature, and its company seal to be hereto affixed, or a facsimile thereof to be hereon engraved, lithographed or printed, and to be attested by the manual or facsimile signature of its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries.

 

Dated:

 

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

A- 2



 

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

This bond is one of the bonds, of the series designated therein, described in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

A- 3



 

[REVERSE SIDE OF BOND]

 

This bond is one of the bonds of a series, designated specially as First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047, of an authorized issue of bonds of the Company, without limit as to aggregate principal amount, designated generally as First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, all issued and to be issued under and equally and ratably secured by a First and Refunding Mortgage dated as of December 1, 1927, duly executed by Duke Power Company, a New Jersey corporation (hereinafter called the “New Jersey Company”), to Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Trustee (The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee), as supplemented and modified by indentures supplemental thereto, including a supplemental indenture dated as of November 14, 2017 providing for said series (said First and Refunding Mortgage as so supplemented and modified being hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”), to which Indenture reference is made for a description of the property mortgaged, the nature and extent of the security, the rights of the holders of the bonds in respect thereof, the terms and conditions upon which the bonds are secured and the restrictions subject to which additional bonds secured thereby may be issued. To the extent permitted by, and as provided in, the Indenture, modifications or alterations of the Indenture, or of any indenture supplemental thereto, and of the rights and obligations of the Company and of the holders of the bonds, may be made with the consent of the Company by the affirmative vote, or with the written consent, of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in principal amount of the bonds then outstanding, and by the affirmative vote, or with the written consent, of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in principal amount of the bonds of any series then outstanding and affected by such modification or alteration, in case one or more but less than all of the series of bonds then outstanding under the Indenture are so affected, evidenced, in each case, as provided in the Indenture; provided that any supplemental indenture may be modified in accordance with the provisions contained therein for its modification; and provided, further, that no such modification or alteration shall be made which will affect the terms of payment of the principal of, or interest or premium on, this bond, or the right of any bondholder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the respective due dates expressed in this bond, or reduce the percentage required for the taking of any such action. Any such affirmative vote of, or written consent given by, any holder of this bond is binding upon all subsequent holders hereof as provided in the Indenture.

 

In case an event of default as defined in the Indenture shall occur, the principal of all the bonds outstanding thereunder may become or be declared due and payable at the time, in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

At any time before June 1, 2047 (the “Par Call Date”), the bonds of this series may be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the bonds of this series to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on such bonds being redeemed that would be due if the bonds of this series matured on the Par Call Date (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date), discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the bonds of this series being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption.

 

At any time on or after the Par Call Date, the bonds of this series may be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the bonds of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the date of such redemption.

 

“Business day” means any day other than a day on which banks in New York City are required or authorized to be closed.

 

A- 4



 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the bonds of this series to be redeemed (assuming, for this purpose, that the bonds of this series matured on the Par Call Date), 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 a comparable maturity to the remaining term of such bonds.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (B) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations as determined by the Company.

 

“Quotation Agent” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, or their respective affiliates or successors, each of which is a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”); provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or their affiliates or successors shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

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

 

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated maturity (on a day count basis) 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 such redemption date.

 

The bonds of this series are also subject to redemption for the Replacement Fund for bonds of this series provided for in the supplemental indenture dated as of November 14, 2017, providing for this series, or upon application of moneys arising from a taking of any of the mortgaged property by eminent domain or similar action, at any time or from time to time prior to maturity, at 100% of their principal amount, in each case together with accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

 

Redemption is in every case to be effected at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, upon at least ten, but not more than sixty, days’ prior notice, given by mail as more fully provided in the Indenture.

 

If this bond or any portion hereof ($2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) is called for redemption and payment is duly provided, this bond or such portion thereof shall cease to bear interest from and after the date fixed for such redemption.

 

This bond is transferable, as provided in the Indenture, by the registered owner hereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The

 

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City of New York, upon surrender and cancellation of this bond, and thereupon a new bond of the same series and of like aggregate principal amount will be issued to the transferee in exchange herefor as provided in the Indenture; or the registered owner of this bond, at his option, may surrender the same for cancellation at said office or agency of the Company and receive in exchange herefor the same aggregate principal amount of bonds of the same series of authorized denominations; all subject to the terms of the Indenture but without payment of any charges other than a sum sufficient to reimburse the Company for any stamp taxes or other governmental charges incident thereto.

 

This bond is a company obligation only and no recourse whatsoever, either directly or through the Company or any trustee, receiver, assignee or any other person, shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on this bond, or for the enforcement of any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof or of the Indenture, against any promoter, subscriber to the capital stock, incorporator, or any past, present or future stockholder, member, officer or director of the Company as such, or of any successor or predecessor corporation or entity, whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment, penalty, subscription or otherwise, any and all such liability of promoters, subscribers, incorporators, stockholders, members, officers and directors being waived and released by each successive holder hereof by the acceptance of this bond, and as a part of the consideration for the issue hereof, and being likewise waived and released by the terms of the Indenture.

 

[END OF BOND FORM]

 

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ABBREVIATIONS

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on 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

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ________ Custodian ________

 

 

(Cust)                       (Minor)

TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JT TEN — as joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

 

under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

 

 

 

 

(State)

 

 

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

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(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 bond and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing agent to transfer said bond 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.

 

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

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SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Trustee, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Trustee in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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Exhibit 5.1

 

DUKE ENERGY BUSINESS SERVICES LLC

526 South Church Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

 

November 14, 2017

 

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

550 S. Tryon Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

 

Re:                              Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC $550,000,000 First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

I am Deputy General Counsel of Duke Energy Business Services LLC, the service company affiliate of Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (the “Company”), and in such capacity I have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the public offering of $550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047 (the “Securities”) to be issued pursuant to a First and Refunding Mortgage, dated as of December 1, 1927, (the “Original Mortgage”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures including by the Ninety-ninth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 14, 2017, relating to the Securities (the “Supplemental Indenture”) (collectively, the  “Mortgage”).  On November 9, 2017, the Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), relating to the sale by the Company to the Underwriters of the Securities.

 

This opinion is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

I am a member of the bar of the State of North Carolina and my opinion set forth herein is limited to North Carolina limited liability company law.  I do not express any opinion with respect to any other law of the State of North Carolina or any other jurisdiction, or as to the effect thereof on the opinion herein stated.  The Mortgage and the form of Securities do not include provisions specifying the governing law.  For purposes of my opinions, I have assumed that the Mortgage and the Securities are governed exclusively by the internal substantive laws and judicial interpretations of the State of North Carolina.

 

In connection with this opinion, I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have examined and are familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:

 

(a)                                  the registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (File No. 333-213765-05) of the Company originally filed on September 23, 2016, and subsequently filed on January 26, 2017, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act allowing for delayed

 



 

offerings pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act and the information deemed to be a part of such registration statement as of the date hereof pursuant to Rule 430B of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act (the “Rules and Regulations”) (such registration statement, effective upon original filing with the Commission on September 23, 2016 pursuant to Rule 462(e) of the Rules and Regulations, being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”);

 

(b)                                  the prospectus, dated January 26, 2017, which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

 

(c)                                   the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 9, 2017, relating to the offering of the Securities in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

 

(d)                                  the prospectus supplement, dated November 9, 2017, relating to the offering of the Securities in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

 

(e)                                   the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed with the Commission on November 9, 2017 pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act and Section 5(e) of the Underwriting Agreement;

 

(f)                                    the Articles of Organization of the Company, dated as of April 3, 2006, as amended;

 

(g)                                   the Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of the Company, dated as of April 3, 2006, as amended;

 

(h)                                  an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement;

 

(i)                                      a specimen of the Securities;

 

(j)                                     an executed copy of the Mortgage;

 

(k)                                  an executed copy of the Supplemental Indenture;

 

(l)                                      resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, effective September 16, 2016, relating to the preparation and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Company’s securities; and

 

(m)                              the written consent of Assistant Treasurer, John L. Sullivan, III, effective November 9, 2017, relating to the offering of the Securities.

 

I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements and certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents, certificates and records as I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth below.

 

In my examination, I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of such copies.  In

 



 

making my examination of executed documents, I have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had the power, limited liability company or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and I have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, limited liability company or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents and, except to the extent expressly set forth below, the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently established or verified, I or attorneys under my supervision (with whom I have consulted) have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

 

The opinion set forth below is subject to the following further qualifications, assumptions and limitations:

 

(i)                                      the validity or enforcement of any agreements or instruments may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and

 

(ii)                                   I do not express any opinion as to the applicability or effect of any fraudulent transfer, preference or similar law on any agreements or instruments or any transactions contemplated thereby.

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and that when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Mortgage, the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Mortgage and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement through incorporation by reference of a current report on Form 8-K.  I also consent to the reference to my name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement.  In giving this consent, I do not hereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.  This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and I disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Robert T. Lucas III

 

Robert T. Lucas III, Esq.

 


Exhibit 99.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

FIRST AND REFUNDING MORTGAGE BONDS,
$550,000,000 3.70% SERIES DUE 2047

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

November 9, 2017

 

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

TD Securities (USA) LLC

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

 

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

 

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
550 South Tryon Street, 5
th  Floor
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

1.               Introductory . DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (the “ Company ”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell $550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047 (the “ Bonds ”), to be issued under and secured by a First and Refunding Mortgage, dated as of December 1, 1927 (the “ Original Mortgage ”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as amended and supplemented by various supplemental indentures, including the Ninety-ninth Supplemental Indenture, to be dated as of November 14, 2017 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”) (the Original Mortgage, as so amended and supplemented, being hereinafter called the “ Mortgage ”).  BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (the “ Representatives ”) are acting as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (together with the Representatives, the “ Underwriters ”). The Company understands that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Bonds for sale upon the terms and conditions contemplated by (i) this Agreement and (ii) the Base Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (each as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) (the documents referred to in the foregoing subclause (ii) are referred to herein as the “ Pricing Disclosure Package ”).

 

2.               Representations and Warranties of the Company. As of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time (as defined below) and as of the Closing Date (as defined below) the Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:

 

1



 

(a)                                  Registration statement, as amended (No. 333-213765-05), including a prospectus, relating to the Bonds and certain other securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ 1933 Act ”). Such registration statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “ 1933 Act Regulations ”), and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (if prepared, any preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Bonds immediately prior to the Applicable Time included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations being hereinafter called a “ Preliminary Prospectus ”); the term “ Registration Statement ” means the registration statement as deemed revised pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(1) of the 1933 Act Regulations on the date of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the 1933 Act, as such section applies to the Company and the Underwriters for the Bonds pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations (the “ Effective Date ”), including all exhibits thereto and including the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time such part of the Registration Statement became effective; the term “ Base Prospectus ” means the prospectus filed with the Commission on the date hereof by the Company; and the term “ Prospectus ” means the Base Prospectus together with the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Bonds prepared in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B and promptly filed after execution and delivery of this Agreement pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations; any information included in such Prospectus that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be a part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “ Rule 430B Information ;” and any reference herein to any Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, prior to the date hereof; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ 1934 Act ”), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement).  For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Applicable Time ” means 3:35 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

(b)                                  The Registration Statement, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus specified on Schedule B hereto, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus conform, and

 

2



 

any amendments or supplements thereto will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations; and (A) the Registration Statement, as of its original effective date and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations, and at the Closing Date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (B) (i) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, (ii) the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of their dates, will not, and (iii) the Prospectus as of the Closing Date will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the Company makes no warranty or representation to the Underwriters with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for use in the Registration Statement, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

(c)                                   Any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus specified on Schedule B hereto as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Bonds or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Underwriters as described in Section 5(f) did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicts with the information (not superseded or modified as of the Effective Date) contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

(d)                                  At the earliest time the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Bonds, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations.  The Company is, and was at the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement, eligible to use Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.

 

(e)                                   The documents and interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“ XBRL ”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “ 1934 Act Regulations ”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the Applicable Time and (c) on the Closing Date 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 to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

3



 

(f)                                  The Company’s most recent Annual Report filed on Form 10-K meets the conditions specified in General Instruction I(1) of the General Instructions for Form 10-K, and the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report filed on Form 10-Q meets the conditions specified in General Instruction H(1) of the General Instructions for Form 10-Q.

 

(g)                                 The compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject that would have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Organization, the Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement or other governing document of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property that would have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for authorization by the North Carolina Utilities Commission and The Public Service Commission of South Carolina and the registration under the 1933 Act of the Bonds, qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “1939 Act”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Bonds by the Underwriters.

 

(h)                                This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(i)                                    The Original Mortgage has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized and when executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, the Mortgage constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the qualifications that the enforceability of the Company’s obligations under the Mortgage may be limited by (x) the laws of the States of North Carolina and South Carolina (in which states all physical property of the Company subject to the Mortgage is located except for certain interconnection lines) with respect to or affecting the remedies to enforce the security provided by the Mortgage, which laws do not make inadequate the remedies necessary for the realization of the benefits of such security, and by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights

 

4



 

generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (y) that the provisions of the Mortgage subjecting to the lien thereof the revenues and income from the mortgaged property may not be effective prior to the delivery or taking of possession of such revenues or income or of the mortgaged property by or on behalf of the Trustee.

 

(j)                                   The Bonds have been duly authorized and when executed by the Company, and when authenticated by the Trustee, in the manner provided in the Mortgage and delivered against payment therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and are entitled to the benefits and security afforded by the Mortgage in accordance with the terms of the Mortgage and the Bonds, except as set forth in paragraph (i) above.

 

(k)                                Any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument set forth on Annex A hereto or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 or any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company or Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company are all indentures, mortgages, deeds of trust, loan agreements or other agreements or instruments that are material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

(l)                                    The Company has no “significant subsidiaries” within the meaning of Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations.

 

3.               Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Bonds. 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, at a purchase price of 98.979% of the principal amount of the Bonds plus accrued interest, if any, from November 14, 2017 (and in the manner set forth below), the principal amount of Bonds set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter on Schedule A hereto plus the principal amount of additional Bonds which each such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 hereof.  The Underwriters hereby agree to make a payment to the Company in an aggregate amount equal to $687,500, including in respect of expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the offering of the Bonds.

 

Payment of the purchase price for the Bonds to be purchased by the Underwriters and the payment referred to above shall be made at the offices of Hunton & Williams LLP, 200 Park Avenue, 52 nd  Floor, New York, NY 10166, or at such other place as shall be mutually agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on November 14, 2017 or such other time and date as shall be agreed upon in writing by the Company and the

 

5



 

Representatives (the “ Closing Date ”).  All other documents referred to herein that are to be delivered at the Closing Date shall be delivered at that time at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019.  Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds, payable to the order of the Company against delivery of the Bonds, in fully registered form, to you or upon your order.  The Bonds shall be delivered in the form of one or more global certificates in aggregate denomination equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Bonds upon original issuance, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”).

 

4.               Offering by the Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Bonds for sale to the public as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

5.               Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:

 

(a)                                The Company will cause any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus to be filed pursuant to, and in compliance with, Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, and advise the Underwriters promptly of the filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and of the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement, and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.

 

(b)                                If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Bonds (or the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the 1933 Act Regulations)  is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act any event occurs as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an amendment, supplement or an appropriate document pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the 1934 Act which will correct such statement or omission or which will effect such compliance.

 

(c)                                 The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Bonds is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will timely file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the 1934 Act.

 

(d)                                Without the prior consent of the Underwriters, the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Bonds that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company, it has not

 

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made and will not make any offer relating to the Bonds that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or a free writing prospectus that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“ Rule 433 ”); any such free writing prospectus (which shall include the pricing term sheet discussed in Section 5(e) below), the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Underwriters, is listed on Schedule B and herein is called a “ Permitted Free Writing Prospectus .”  The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.

 

(e)                                 The Company agrees to prepare a pricing term sheet specifying the terms of the Bonds not contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto and approved by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and to file such pricing term sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof.

 

(f)                                  The Company agrees that if at any time following the issuance of a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus any event occurs as a result of which such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information (not superseded or modified as of the Effective Date) in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriters and, if requested by the Underwriters, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter a free writing prospectus or other document, the use of which has been consented to by the Underwriters, which will correct such conflict, statement or omission.

 

(g)                                 The Company will make generally available to its security holders, in each case as soon as practicable but not later than 60 days after the close of the period covered thereby, earnings statements (in form complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act, which need not be certified by independent certified public accountants unless required by the 1933 Act) covering (i) a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter next following the effective date of the Registration Statement and (ii) a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter next following the date of this Agreement.

 

(h)                                The Company will furnish to you, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (three of which will include all exhibits other than those incorporated by reference), the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all

 

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amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as you reasonably request.

 

(i)                                    The Company will arrange or cooperate in arrangements for the qualification of the Bonds for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as you designate and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign limited liability company or to file any general consents to service of process under the laws of any state where it is not now so subject.

 

(j)                                   The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement including (i) the printing and filing of the Registration Statement and the printing of this Agreement and any Blue Sky Survey, (ii) the preparation and printing of certificates for the Bonds, (iii) the issuance and delivery of the Bonds as specified herein, (iv) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the qualification of the Bonds under the securities laws of any jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(i) and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey, such fees not to exceed $5,000, (v) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters, in quantities as hereinabove referred to, of copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, of any Preliminary Prospectus, of the Prospectus, of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vi) any fees charged by independent rating agencies for rating the Bonds, (vii) any fees and expenses in connection with the listing of the Bonds on the New York Stock Exchange, (viii) any filing fee required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (ix) the costs of any depository arrangements for the Bonds with DTC or any successor depositary and (x) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Bonds, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the Underwriters and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; provided, however, the Underwriters shall reimburse a portion of the costs and expenses referred to in this clause (x).

 

6.               Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Bonds 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 shall have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for filing by the 1933 Act Regulations and in accordance herewith and each Permitted Free

 

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Writing Prospectus shall have been filed by the Company with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by, and otherwise in compliance with, Rule 433.

 

(b)                                On or after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or you, shall be threatened by the Commission.

 

(c)                                 On or after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, the rating assigned by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or S&P Global Ratings (or any of their successors) to any debt securities or preferred stock of the Company as of the date of this Agreement shall not have been lowered.

 

(d)                                Since the respective most recent dates as of which information is given in the  Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and up to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the condition of the Company, financial or otherwise, except as reflected in or contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and, since such dates and up to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any material transaction entered into by the Company other than transactions contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and transactions in the ordinary course of business, the effect of which in your reasonable judgment is so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(e)                                 You shall have received an opinion of Robert T. Lucas III, Esq., Deputy General Counsel of Duke Energy Business Services LLC, the service company subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation (who in such capacity provides legal services to the Company) (or other appropriate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, which may include Duke Energy Corporation’s other “in-house” counsel), dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

 

(i)                                    The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the law of the State of North Carolina, with power and authority (limited liability company and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(ii)                                 The Company is duly qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which the ownership or leasing of its property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify, considering all such cases in the aggregate, does not have a material

 

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adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition or results of operations of the Company.

 

(iii)                              The Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the 1933 Act Regulations, and, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, 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 1933 Act.

 

(iv)                             The descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of any legal or governmental proceedings are accurate and fairly present the information required to be shown, and such counsel does not know of any litigation or any legal or governmental proceeding instituted or threatened against the Company or any of its properties that would be required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and is not so disclosed.

 

(v)                                This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(vi)                             The issue and sale of the Bonds by the Company and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Mortgage and the Bonds will not contravene any of the provisions of the Articles of Organization or the Operating Agreement, the North Carolina Limited Liability Company Act or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of which such counsel is aware of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property, nor will such action conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it or its property is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject or any instrument filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 or the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017 of the Company or any Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company with an execution or filing date after December 31, 2016 or identified in Annex A to this Agreement, which affects in a material way the Company’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Mortgage or the Bonds.

 

(vii)                          The North Carolina Utilities Commission and the Public Service Commission of South Carolina have issued appropriate orders with respect to the issuance and sale of the Bonds in accordance with this Agreement, and, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, such orders are still in

 

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effect; the issuance and sale of the Bonds to the Underwriters are in conformity with the terms of such orders.

 

(viii)                       The Mortgage has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and qualified under the 1939 Act, and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding instrument of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (x) as the same may be limited by the laws of the States of North Carolina and South Carolina (in which States such counsel is advised all physical property of the Company subject to the Mortgage is located except for certain interconnection lines) with respect to or affecting the remedies to enforce the security provided by the Mortgage, which laws do not, in the opinion of such counsel, make inadequate the remedies necessary for the realization of the benefits of such security, and (y) that the provisions of the Mortgage subjecting to the lien thereof the revenues and income from the mortgaged property may not be effective prior to the delivery or taking of possession of such revenues or income or of the mortgaged property by or on behalf of the Trustee.

 

(ix)                             The Bonds have been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company and, when the same have been authenticated by the Trustee as specified in the Mortgage and delivered against payment therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and are entitled to the benefits and security afforded by the Mortgage in accordance with the terms of the Mortgage and the Bonds, except as set forth in paragraph (viii) above.

 

(x)                                The Company has good title to all properties owned by it, subject only (a) to the lien of the Mortgage, (b) to permitted encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage, (c) to minor exceptions and defects which do not, in the aggregate, in the opinion of such counsel, materially interfere with the use by the Company of such properties for the purposes for which they are held, materially detract from the value of said properties or in any material way impair the security afforded by the Mortgage, and (d) in the case of the Company’s existing hydroelectric plants, to provisions of licenses issued by the Federal Power Commission or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and to the provisions of the Federal Power Act.

 

(xi)                             The Mortgage complies as to form with all applicable laws of the states wherein the properties subjected or intended to be subjected to the lien of the Mortgage are located, including all applicable recording laws, and constitutes a valid, direct first mortgage lien on all properties and franchises purported to be owned by the Company, except such property as is specifically excepted from the lien thereof, subject only to the liens, charges and encumbrances stated in paragraph (x) above; all fixed electric

 

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properties hereafter acquired by the Company will, upon such acquisition, become subject to the lien of the Mortgage, subject, however, to liens or charges of the character permitted to exist by the Mortgage, and to liens, if any, existing or placed on such property at the time of the acquisition thereof by the Company, and the description of such property and franchises in the Mortgage is adequate to constitute a lien on such property and franchises of the Company except as aforesaid.

 

(xii)                          The Original Mortgage and the supplemental indentures thereto, other than the Supplemental Indenture have been duly recorded or filed for recordation in all such offices as are necessary to perfect and to preserve and protect the lien of the Mortgage upon the property intended to be subjected to the lien thereof, and upon the filing and recording of the Supplemental Indenture, no other recording or any periodic or other refiling or rerecording of the Mortgage is or will be required in order to perfect and to preserve and protect the lien of the Mortgage upon such property, and there are no mortgage, recording or other taxes required to be paid in connection with such filing and recording or in connection with the issuance of the Bonds other than customary filing and recording fees.

 

(xiii)                       No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any federal, North Carolina or South Carolina governmental agency or body or, to such counsel’s knowledge, any federal or North Carolina court, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize or for the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Bonds by the Underwriters.

 

Such counsel may state that such counsel’s opinions in paragraphs (viii) and (ix) above are subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and to an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.  Such counsel may also state that such counsel’s opinion in paragraph (x) above is based upon the Company’s title insurance.  Such counsel shall state that nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that has caused such counsel to believe that each document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when filed, was not, on its face, appropriately responsive, in all material respects, to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.  Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to such counsel’s attention that has caused such counsel to believe that (i) the Registration Statement as of the effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations, contained any 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 Pricing Disclosure Package at the Applicable Time contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the

 

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light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (iii) that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, as of their respective dates, or at the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Such counsel may also state that, except as otherwise expressly provided in such opinion, such counsel does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and does not express any opinion or belief as to (i) the financial statements or other financial and accounting data contained or incorporated by reference therein, or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data, (ii) the statement of the eligibility and qualification of the Trustee included in the Registration Statement (the “ Form T-1 ”) or (iii) the information in the Prospectus under the caption “Book-Entry System.”

 

In rendering the foregoing opinion, such counsel may state that such counsel does not express any opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of North Carolina or, to the extent set forth in the foregoing opinions, the federal securities laws and the law of the State of South Carolina, and may rely as to all matters of the law of the State of South Carolina on the opinion of Karol P. Mack, Esq., Associate General Counsel of Duke Energy Business Services LLC, the service company subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation (who in such capacity provides legal services to the Company) (or other appropriate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, which may include Duke Energy Corporation’s other “in-house” counsel).  Such counsel may also state that such counsel has relied as to certain factual matters on information obtained from public officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by such counsel to be responsible.

 

(f)                                  You shall have received an opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

 

(i)                                    The statements set forth (i) under the caption “Description of First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds” in the Base Prospectus and (ii) under the caption “Description of the Mortgage Bonds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Mortgage and the Bonds, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.

 

(ii)                                 No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for, the execution or delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(iii)                              The Company is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Bonds and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be subject to registration and regulation as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

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(iv)                             The execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the issuance and sale of the Bonds, will not violate or conflict with, or result in any contravention of, any Applicable Laws of the States of North Carolina and New York.

 

(v)                                The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest),” insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of this Agreement, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.

 

(vi)                             The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal income tax law, constitute accurate and complete summaries, in all material respects, subject to the qualifications set forth therein.

 

In rendering the foregoing opinions, Hunton & Williams LLP may state that (i) “Governmental Approval” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, qualification or registration with, any Governmental Authority required to be made or obtained by the Company pursuant to Applicable Laws, other than any consent, approval, license, authorization, validation, filing, qualification or registration that may have become applicable as a result of the involvement of any party (other than the Company) in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or because of such parties’ legal or regulatory status or because of any other facts specifically pertaining to such parties; (ii) “Governmental Authorities” means any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or governmental body of the States of North Carolina and New York having jurisdiction over the Company under Applicable Laws and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but excluding the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the New York State Public Service Commission; and (iii) “Applicable Laws” means those laws, rules and regulations of the States of North Carolina and New York that, in such counsel’s experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement (other than state securities or blue sky laws, antifraud laws, the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., the North Carolina Public Utilities Act, the rules and regulations of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the New York State Public Service Commission and the New York State Public Service Law), but without such counsel having made any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation, and the Federal Power Act and the rules and regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission thereunder.  In addition, such counsel may state that they have relied as to certain factual matters on information obtained from public officials, officers and representatives

 

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of the Company and that the signatures on all documents examined by them are genuine, assumptions which such counsel have not independently verified.

 

You shall also have received a statement of Hunton & Williams LLP, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

 

(i) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the documents filed by the Company under the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations that are incorporated by reference in the preliminary prospectus supplement that forms a part of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when filed, were not, on their face, appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, compliance with XBRL interactive data requirements or the Form T-1) (ii) the Registration Statement, at the Applicable Time, and the Prospectus, as of its date, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Rules and Regulations (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, compliance with XBRL interactive data requirements or the Form T-1) and (iii) no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the Applicable Time, 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, or that the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (except that in each case such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and accounting information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data, or that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the statement of eligibility on the Form T-1).  Such counsel shall further state that, in addition, no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have caused such counsel to believe that the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (except that such counsel need not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial and accounting

 

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information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, including XBRL interactive data, or that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the statement of eligibility on the Form T-1).

 

In addition, such statement shall confirm that the Prospectus has been filed with the Commission within the time period required by Rule 424 of the 1933 Act Regulations and any required filing of a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations has been filed with the Commission within the time period required by Rule 433(d) of the 1933 Act Regulations.  Such statement shall further state that assuming the accuracy of the factual matters contained in the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2(d) of this Agreement, the Registration Statement became effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462 of the 1933 Act Regulations and, pursuant to Section 309 of the 1939 Act, the Mortgage has been qualified under the 1939 Act, and that based solely on such counsel’s review of the Commission’s website, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.

 

In addition, such counsel may state that such counsel does not pass upon, or assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and has made no independent check or verification thereof (except to the limited extent referred to in Section 6(f)(i) above).

 

(g)                                 You shall have received an opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the validity of the Bonds, the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and such other related matters as you may require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.  In giving their opinion, Sidley Austin LLP may rely on the opinion of Robert T. Lucas III, Esq. as to matters of North Carolina law and on the opinion of Karol P. Mack, Esq., Associate General Counsel of Duke Energy Business Services, LLC, the service company subsidiary of Duke Energy Corporation (or other appropriate counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives) as to matters of South Carolina law.

 

(h)                                On or after the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally or of the securities of the Company or Duke Energy Corporation, on the New York Stock Exchange; or (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material

 

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disruption in commercial banking services or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; or (iii) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this subsection (h) in your reasonable judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Bonds on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. In such event there shall be no liability on the part of any party to any other party except as otherwise provided in Section 7 hereof and except for the expenses to be borne by the Company as provided in Section 5(j) hereof.

 

(i)                                    You shall have received a certificate of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary and any financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date, that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, that the conditions specified in Section 6(c) and Section 6(d) have been satisfied, and that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened by the Commission.

 

(j)                                   At the time of the execution of this Agreement, you shall have received a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to you, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company’s independent registered  public accounting firm, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including specific references to inquiries regarding any increase in long-term debt (excluding current maturities), decrease in net current assets (defined as current assets less current liabilities) or member’s equity, and decrease in operating revenues or net income for the period subsequent to the latest financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement when compared with the corresponding period from the preceding year, as of a specified date not more than three business days prior to the date of this Agreement.

 

(k)                                At the Closing Date, you shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP, a letter dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (j) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to shall be not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

 

The Company will furnish you with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as you reasonably request.

 

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7.               Indemnification. (a)  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, their respective officers and directors, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, as follows:

 

(i)                                    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus;

 

(ii)                                 against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and

 

(iii)                              against any and all expense whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) of this Section 7.

 

In no case shall the Company be liable under this indemnity agreement with respect to any claim made against any Underwriter or any such controlling person unless the Company shall be notified in writing of the nature of the claim within a reasonable time after the assertion thereof, but failure so to notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than under subsections 7(a) and 7(b). The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim, but if it so elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and approved by the Underwriter or Underwriters or controlling person or persons, or defendant or defendants in any suit so brought, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In any such suit, any

 

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Underwriter or any such controlling person shall have the right to employ its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling person unless (i) the Company and such Underwriter shall have mutually agreed to the employment of such counsel, or (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Underwriter or such controlling person and the Company and such Underwriter or such controlling person shall have been advised by such counsel that a conflict of interest between the Company and such Underwriter or such controlling person may arise and for this reason it is not desirable for the same counsel to represent both the indemnifying party and also the indemnified party (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for all such Underwriters and all such controlling persons, which firm shall be designated in writing by you). The Company agrees to notify you within a reasonable time of the assertion of any claim against it, any of its officers or directors or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, in connection with the sale of the Bonds.

 

(b)                                Each Underwriter severally agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and each of the officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act to the same extent as the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, but only with respect to statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.  In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any person so indemnified based on the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the Underwriters, by the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section.

 

(c)                                 No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding, and does not include a

 

19



 

statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)                                If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (or actions in respect thereof) that would otherwise have been indemnified under the terms of such indemnity, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (or actions in respect thereof) 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 Bonds. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits 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 loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (or actions in respect thereof), 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 (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Underwriters in respect of the underwriting discount as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. 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 on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Bonds underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public 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 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent

 

20



 

misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

8.               Default by One or More of the Underwriters.   (a)  If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the principal amount of the Bonds which it has agreed to purchase hereunder on the Closing Date, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Bonds on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Bonds, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Bonds on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Bonds, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Bonds, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Closing Date for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which may be required. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Bonds.

 

(b)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Bonds of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you or the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate amount of such Bonds which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Bonds to be purchased at such Closing Date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the amount of Bonds which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Closing Date and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the amount of Bonds which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Bonds of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

(c)                                   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Bonds of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you or the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate amount of such Bonds which remains unpurchased exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Bonds to be purchased at such Closing Date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase the Bonds of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company as provided in Section 5(j) hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreement in Section 7 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

21



 

9.               Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. 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 or the Company, or any of its officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Bonds.

 

10.        Reliance on Your Acts. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.

 

11.        No Fiduciary Relationship .  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Bonds pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other hand, (ii) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or its shareholders, creditors, employees, or any other party, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby 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 contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transaction contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

12.        Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed or telecopied and confirmed to BNP Paribas Securities Corp., 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, Attn: Syndicate Desk — 7 th  Floor, Telephone 212-841-3435, (E-mail: new.york.syndicate@bnpparibas.com); Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013 (Fax No.: (646) 291-1469); Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, Attention: Debt Capital Markets (Fax No.: (212) 225-6550); TD Securities (USA) LLC, 31 West 52 nd  Street, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Debt Capital Markets, Telephone 855-495-9846 (Fax No.: (212) 827-7284); Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 South Tryon Street, 5 th  Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Transaction Management (Fax No.: (704) 410-0326); or if sent to the Company, will be mailed or telecopied and confirmed to it at 550 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28202 (Fax No.: (980) 373-3699), attention of Assistant Treasurer. Any such communications shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

13.        Business Day. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

 

22



 

14.        Successors. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters 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, officers and directors referred to in Section 7 and their respective successors, 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 being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and said controlling persons, officers and directors and their respective successors, heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Bonds from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

15.        Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

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

 

23



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, kindly sign and return to us two counterparts hereof, and upon confirmation and acceptance by the Underwriters, this letter and such confirmation and acceptance will become a binding agreement between the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in accordance with its terms.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ John L. Sullivan, III

 

 

Name: John L. Sullivan, III

 

 

Title: Assistant Treasurer

 

[ Remainder of page left blank intentionally ]

 



 

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

 

BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.
TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

 

On behalf of each of the Underwriters

 

 

BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard Murphy

 

By:

/s/ Adam D. Bordner

Name: Richard Murphy

Name: Adam D. Bordner

Title: Managing Director

Title: Vice President

 

 

 

 

SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Paul McKeown

 

By:

/s/ Elsa Wang

Name: Paul McKeown

Name: Elsa Wang

Title: Managing Director & Head

Title: Director

 

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Carolyn Hurley

 

 

Name: Carolyn Hurley

 

Title: Director

 

 

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

 



 

SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriter

 

Principal Amount
of Bonds
to be Purchased

 

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.

 

$

95,700,000

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

 

95,700,000

 

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

 

95,700,000

 

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

95,700,000

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

 

95,700,000

 

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC

 

21,084,000

 

KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.

 

21,083,000

 

PNC Capital Markets LLC

 

21,083,000

 

Academy Securities, Inc.

 

2,750,000

 

Drexel Hamilton, LLC

 

2,750,000

 

Mischler Financial Group, Inc.

 

2,750,000

 

Total

 

$

550,000,000

 

 

A- 1



 

SCHEDULE B

 

PRICING DISCLOSURE PACKAGE

 

1)                                      Base Prospectus

2)                                      Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated November 9, 2017

3)                                      Permitted Free Writing Prospectus

a)                                      Pricing Term Sheet attached as Schedule C hereto

 

B- 1



 

SCHEDULE C

 

Filed pursuant to Rule 433

November 9, 2017

Relating to

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated November 9, 2017 to

Prospectus dated January 26, 2017

Registration Statement No. 333-213765-05

 

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds,

$550,000,000 3.70% Series due 2047

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Issuer:

 

Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC

 

 

 

Trade Date:

 

November 9, 2017

 

 

 

Settlement Date:

 

November 14, 2017; T+3

 

 

 

Security Description:

 

First and Refunding Mortgage Bonds, 3.70% Series due 2047 (the “ Bonds ”)

 

 

 

Interest Payment Dates:

 

June 1 and December 1, beginning on June 1, 2018

 

 

 

Principal Amount:

 

$550,000,000

 

 

 

Maturity Date:

 

December 1, 2047

 

 

 

Price to Public:

 

99.854% per Bond, plus accrued interest, if any, from November 14, 2017

 

 

 

Coupon:

 

3.70%

 

 

 

Benchmark Treasury:

 

3.00% due May 15, 2047

 

 

 

Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:

 

103-26+ / 2.808%

 

 

 

Spread to Benchmark Treasury:

 

+90 bps

 

 

 

Yield to Maturity:

 

3.708%

 

C- 1



 

Redemption Provisions/
Make-Whole Call:

 

At any time before June 1, 2047 (which is the date that is six months prior to maturity of the Bonds (the “ Par Call Date ”)), the issuer will have the right to redeem the Bonds, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Bonds being redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Bonds being redeemed that would be due if the Bonds matured on the Par Call Date (exclusive of interest accrued to the redemption date), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement) plus 15 basis points, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Bonds being redeemed to, but excluding, such redemption date.

At any time on or after the Par Call Date, the issuer will have the right to redeem the Bonds, in whole or in part and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Bonds being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Bonds being redeemed to, but excluding, such redemption date.

 

 

 

CUSIP / ISIN:

 

26442C AT1 / US26442C AT18

 

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers:

 

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
TD Securities (USA) LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

 

 

 

Co-Managers:

 

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.
PNC Capital Markets LLC

 

 

 

Junior Co-Managers:

 

Academy Securities, Inc.
Drexel Hamilton, LLC
Mischler Financial Group, Inc.

 

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 BNP Paribas Securities Corp. toll free at 1-800-854-5674, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at 1-800-831-9146, Scotia Capital

 

C- 2



 

(USA) Inc. toll-free at 1-800-372-3930, TD Securities (USA) LLC toll free at 1-855-495-9846, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll free at 1-800-645-3751 .

 

C- 3



 

Annex A

 

Material Agreements

 

$425,000,000 Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2015, among Duke Energy Receivables Finance Company, LLC, as Borrower, the Lenders listed therein and Mizuho Bank, Ltd., as Administrative Agent.

 

Amended and Restated Servicing Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2013, among Duke Energy Receivables Finance Company, LLC, as Buyer, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, as initial Servicer, and Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 13, 2013, between Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, as Seller, and Duke Energy Receivables Finance Company, LLC, as Buyer.

 

Annex A- 1