NORTHERN STATES POWER CO /WI/ false 0000072909 false 0000072909 2020-05-26 2020-05-26

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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) May 26, 2020

 

Northern States Power Company

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Wisconsin

 

001-03140

 

39-0508315

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1414 West Hamilton Avenue

Eau Claire, WI

54701

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

(715) 839-2625

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

N/A

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

N/A

 

N/A

 

N/A

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).

Emerging growth company  

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 May 26, 2020, Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation (NSP-Wisconsin), issued $100 million in aggregate principal amount of 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051 (the Bonds) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement between NSP-Wisconsin and Mizuho Securities USA LLC. The Bonds are being issued pursuant to the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-224333-03) (the Registration Statement). A prospectus supplement relating to the offering and sale of the Bonds was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 19, 2020. The Bonds will be governed by NSP-Wisconsin’s Trust Indenture, dated April 1, 1947, as amended, supplemented and restated, by and between NSP-Wisconsin and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor trustee, and the Supplemental Trust Indenture dated as of May 18, 2020.

This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed to report as exhibits certain documents in connection with that offering and sale for incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits.

Exhibit

   

Description

         
 

4.01

   

Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 18, 2020 between Northern States Power Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor Trustee, creating 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051

         
 

5.01

   

Opinion of James L. Altman regarding the validity of certain securities.

         
 

5.02

   

Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP regarding the validity of certain securities.

         
 

104

   

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)


SIGNATURES

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

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY

(a Wisconsin Corporation)

     

By:

 

/s/ Sarah W. Soong

Name:

 

Sarah W. Soong

Title:

 

Vice President and Treasurer

Date: May 26, 2020

Exhibit 4.01

SUPPLEMENTAL TRUST INDENTURE

FROM

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY

(A WISCONSIN CORPORATION)

TO

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

TRUSTEE

DATED AS OF

MAY 18, 2020

SUPPLEMENTAL TO TRUST INDENTURE

DATED APRIL 1, 1947

AND

SUPPLEMENTAL AND RESTATED

TRUST INDENTURE

DATED MARCH 1, 1991


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
PARTIES         1  
RECITALS         1  
ARTICLE I    SPECIFIC SUBJECTION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TO THE LIEN OF THE INDENTURE      8  

Section 1.01

   Grant of Certain Property, Including Personal Property to Comply with the Uniform Commercial Code, Subject to Permitted Encumbrances Contained in the Indenture      8  
ARTICLE II    FORM AND EXECUTION OF SERIES DUE MAY 1, 2051      9  

Section 2.01

   Series Due May 1, 2051      9  

Section 2.02

   Redemption of Bonds      10  

Section 2.03

   Surrender      11  

Section 2.04

   Taxes and Governmental Charges      11  

Section 2.05

   Book-Entry System      11  
ARTICLE III    APPOINTMENT OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT      14  

Section 3.01

   Appointment of Agent or Agents for Bonds of Series due May 1, 2051      14  

Section 3.02

   Concerning the Agent      14  

Section 3.03

   Form of Alternate Certificate of Authentication      15  

Section 3.04

   Limit on Location and Number of Agents      15  
ARTICLE IV    FINANCING STATEMENT TO COMPLY WITH THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE      16  

Section 4.01

   Names and Addresses of Debtor and Securing Party      16  

Section 4.02

   Property Subject to Lien      16  

Section 4.03

   Maturity Dates and Principal Amounts of Obligations Secured      16  

Section 4.04

   Financing Statement Adopted for all First Mortgage Bonds Listed in Section 4.03      16  

Section 4.05

   Recording Data for the Indenture      17  

Section 4.06

   Mortgage Bonds      17  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  

ARTICLE V

  

MISCELLANEOUS

     17  

Section 5.01

   Recitals of Fact, Except as Stated, are Statements of the Company      17  

Section 5.02

   Supplemental Trust Indenture to be Construed as Part of the Indenture      18  

Section 5.03

   Trust Indenture Act and Severability      18  

Section 5.04

   Indenture      18  

Section 5.05

   References to Either Party in Supplemental Trust Indenture Include Successors or Assigns      18  

Section 5.06

   Counterparts and Headings      18  

Schedule A – Properties

 

ii


Supplemental Trust Indenture, made effective as of the 18th day of May, 2020, by and between NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY, a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Wisconsin, having its principal office in the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (the “Company”), party of the first part, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the United States of America, having its principal office in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”), party of the second part;

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company, has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee its Trust Indenture, made as of April 1, 1947 (the “1947 Indenture”), whereby the Company granted, bargained, sold, warranted, released, conveyed, assigned, transferred, mortgaged, pledged, set over and confirmed to the Trustee, and to its respective successors in trust, all property, real, personal and mixed then owned or thereafter acquired or to be acquired by the Company (except as therein excepted from the lien thereof) and subject to the rights reserved by the Company in and by the provisions of the 1947 Indenture, to be held by said Trustee in trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1947 Indenture for the equal pro rata benefit and security of all and every of the bonds issued and to be issued thereunder in accordance with the provisions thereof; and

WHEREAS, the Indenture (as defined below) provides that bonds may be issued thereunder in one or more series, each series to have such distinctive designation as the Board of Directors of the Company may select for such series; and

WHEREAS, the Company heretofore has executed and delivered to the Trustee the following additional Supplemental Trust Indentures which, in addition to conveying, assigning, transferring, mortgaging, pledging, setting over and confirming to the Trustee, and its respective successors in said trust, additional property acquired by it subsequent to the preparation of the next preceding Supplemental Trust Indenture and adding to the covenants, conditions and agreements of the Indenture certain additional covenants, conditions and agreements to be observed by the Company, created the following series of First Mortgage Bonds:


Date of Supplemental

Trust Indenture

  

Designation of Series

March 1, 1949    Series due March 1, 1979 (retired)
June 1, 1957    Series due June 1, 1987 (retired)
August 1, 1964    Series due August 1, 1994 (redeemed)
December 1, 1969    Series due December 1, 1999 (redeemed)
September 1, 1973    Series due October 1, 2003 (redeemed)
February 1, 1982    Pollution Control Series A (redeemed)
March 1, 1982    Series due March 1, 2012 (redeemed)
June 1, 1986    Series due July 1, 2016 (redeemed)
March 1, 1988    Series due March 1, 2018 (redeemed)
April 1, 1991    Series due April 1, 2021 (redeemed)
March 1, 1993    Series due March 1, 2023 (redeemed)
October 1, 1993    Series due October 1, 2003 (retired)
December 1, 1996    Series due December 1, 2026 (redeemed)
September 1, 2003    Series A due October 1, 2018, and Series B due October 1, 2018 (redeemed)
September 1, 2008    Series due September 1, 2038
October 1, 2012    Series due October 1, 2042
June 1, 2014    Series due June 15, 2024
November 1, 2017    Series due December 1, 2047
September 1, 2018    Series due September 1, 2048

WHEREAS, the 1947 Indenture and all of the foregoing Supplemental Trust Indentures are referred to herein collectively as the “Original Indenture”; and

WHEREAS, the Company heretofore has executed and delivered to the Trustee a Supplemental and Restated Trust Indenture, dated March 1, 1991 (the “Restated Indenture”), which, in addition to conveying, assigning, transferring, mortgaging, pledging, setting over and confirming to the Trustee, and its respective successors in said trust, additional property acquired by it subsequent to the preparation of the next preceding Supplemental Trust Indenture, amended and restated the Original Indenture (except for those Supplemental Trust Indentures executed after March 1, 1991); and

WHEREAS, the Restated Indenture became effective and operative on October 1, 1993; and

WHEREAS, the Original Indenture, the Restated Indenture and all trust indentures supplemental thereto are referred to herein collectively as the “Indenture” and certain capitalized terms defined in Section 1.03 of the Restated Indenture are used with the same meanings herein; and

 

2


WHEREAS, the Company is desirous of providing for the creation under the Indenture of a new series of First Mortgage Bonds, said new series of bonds to be designated “First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051” the bonds of said series to be issued as registered bonds without coupons in denominations of a multiple of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, and the bonds of said series to be substantially in the following form:

(Form of Bonds of Series due May 1, 2051)

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY

(Incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin)

First Mortgage Bond

Series due May 1, 2051

CUSIP 665789 BB8

 

No. _______________

   $________________

[Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, 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 such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.]*

EXCEPT UNDER THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, THIS GLOBAL BOND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITORY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY, ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY, A SUCCESSOR OF THE DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR.*

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Wisconsin (the “Company”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to _________ or its registered assigns, at the office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, the sum of _________ Dollars in lawful money of the United States of America, on the 1st day of May 2051, and to pay interest hereon from the date hereof at the rate of 3.05 percent per annum, in like money, until the principal hereof becomes due and payable; said interest being payable to the person entitled to such interest at the office of U.S. Bank National Association in St. Paul, Minnesota on the 1st day of May and on the 1st day of November in each year, commencing November 1, 2020; provided that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by wire transfer to the person entitled thereto if such person has provided proper wire transfer instructions or by check mailed to the address of such person as such address shall appear in the Bond Register maintained by the Trustee; provided further that as long as there is no existing default in the payment of interest and except for the payment of defaulted interest, the interest payable on any May 1 or November 1 will be paid to the person in whose name this bond was registered at the close of business on the record date (the April 15 prior to such May 1 or October 15 prior to such November 1 (whether or not a business day)). If any interest payment date or date on which the principal of this bond is required to be paid is not a

 

* 

This legend to be included if the bonds are issued as a global bond in book-entry form.

 

3


business day, then payment of principal, premium or interest need not be made on such date but may be made on the next succeeding business day with the same force and effect as if made on such interest payment date or date on which the principal of this bond is required to be paid and, in the case of timely payment thereof, no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such interest payment date or the date on which the principal of this bond is required to be paid. The term “business day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which the offices of the Trustee in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota are closed pursuant to authorization of law.

This bond is one of a duly authorized issue of bonds of the Company, known as its First Mortgage Bonds, of the series and designation indicated on the face hereof, which issue of bonds consists, or may consist, of several series of varying denominations, dates and tenor, all issued and to be issued under and equally secured (except insofar as a sinking fund, or similar fund, established in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture may afford additional security for the bonds of any specific series) by a Trust Indenture dated April 1, 1947 (the “1947 Indenture”), as supplemented by 19 supplemental trust indentures (collectively, the “Supplemental Trust Indentures”), a Supplemental and Restated Trust Indenture dated March 1, 1991 (the “Restated Indenture”) and a new supplemental trust indenture for the bonds of this series (the “Supplemental Trust Indenture”), all of which instruments are herein collectively called the “Indenture,” executed by the Company to U.S. Bank National Association, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”). The Restated Indenture amends and restates the 1947 Indenture and certain of the Supplemental Trust Indentures and became effective and operative on October 1, 1993. Certain capitalized terms defined in the Indenture are used with the same meanings herein. Reference is made to the Indenture for a complete description of its terms. Reference hereby is made to the Indenture for a description of the property mortgaged and pledged, the nature and extent of the security, the rights of the registered holders of the bonds as to such security and the terms and conditions upon which the bonds may be issued under the Indenture and are secured. The principal hereof may be declared or may become due on the conditions, in the manner and at the time set forth in the Indenture upon the happening of a Completed Default as provided in the Indenture.

With the consent of the Company and to the extent permitted by and as provided in the Indenture, the rights and obligations of the Company and of the registered holders of the bonds and the terms and provisions of the Indenture and of any instruments supplemental thereto may be modified or altered by the affirmative vote of the registered holders of at least 66 2/3% in principal amount of the bonds then outstanding under the Indenture and any instruments supplemental thereto (excluding bonds disqualified from voting by reason of the interest of the Company or of certain related persons therein as provided in the Indenture); provided that without the consent of all registered holders of all bonds affected no such modification or alteration shall permit the extension of the maturity of the principal of any bond or the reduction in the rate of interest hereon or any other modification in the terms of payment of such principal or interest.

The Company and the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name this bond is registered as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal hereof and interest hereon and for all other purposes and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

4


At any time prior to November 1, 2050 (which is the date that is six months prior to the maturity of the bonds of this series (the “Par Call Date”)), the Company may redeem, in whole or in part, the bonds of this series, on any date upon not less than 30 days’ previous notice to be given in the manner and with the effect provided in Section 10.02 of the Indenture, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such bonds of this series being redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the bonds of this series being redeemed that would be due if such bonds matured on the Par Call Date (excluding the portion of any such accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption), discounted to but excluding the date fixed for redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 30 basis points plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date fixed for redemption.

At any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem, in whole or in part, the bonds of this series, at 100% of the principal amount being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date fixed for redemption.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the bonds being 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 comparable maturity to the remaining term of the bonds being redeemed.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means with respect to any redemption date of the bonds of this series (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such date fixed for redemption, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such date fixed for redemption, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the date fixed for redemption, the average of all of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the date fixed for redemption.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers or their respective successors or, if such firms or their respective successors are unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

“Primary Treasury Dealer” means any primary U.S. Government securities dealer in the United States.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) Mizuho Securities USA LLC, or its affiliates or successors, provided, however, that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will appoint another Primary Treasury Dealer as a substitute and (2) any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company after consultation with an Independent Investment Banker.

 

5


“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, for any Reference Treasury Dealer and any date fixed for redemption, the average, as determined by an Independent Investment Banker, 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 an Independent Investment Banker by the Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the third business day preceding the date fixed for redemption.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any date fixed for redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such date fixed for redemption. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the date fixed for redemption.

This bond is transferable as prescribed in the Indenture by the registered holder hereof in person, or by his duly authorized attorney, at the office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, or elsewhere if authorized by the Company, upon surrender and cancellation of this bond, and thereupon a new bond or bonds of the same series and of a like aggregate principal amount will be issued to the transferee in exchange therefor as provided in the Indenture, upon payment of taxes or other governmental charges, if any, that may be imposed in relation thereto.

Bonds of this series are interchangeable as to denominations in the manner and upon the conditions prescribed in the Indenture.

No charge shall be made by the Company for any exchange or transfer of bonds of this series, other than for taxes or other governmental charges, if any, that may be imposed in relation thereto.

The Company shall not be required to issue, transfer or exchange any bond of this series during a period of 15 days immediately preceding any selection of bonds of this series to be redeemed. The Company shall not be required to transfer or exchange any bond of this series called or being called for redemption in its entirety or to transfer or exchange the called portion of a bond of this series which has been called for partial redemption.

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or any premium or the interest on this bond, or any part thereof, or of any claim based hereon or in respect hereof or of said Indenture, against any incorporator, or any past, present or future shareholder, officer or director of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company, or through any such predecessor or successor corporation, or through any receiver or a trustee in bankruptcy, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released, as more fully provided in the Indenture.

This bond shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose unless and until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on behalf of U.S. Bank National Association, as successor Trustee under the Indenture, or its successor thereunder.

 

6


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY has caused this bond to be signed in its name by its President or a Vice President and its corporate seal, or a facsimile thereof, to be hereto affixed and attested by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary.

 

Dated: ____________     NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
Attest:   [Form-Not for Signature]     By:   [Form-Not for Signature]
        [Vice] President

(Form of Trustee’s Certificate)

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

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:   [Form-Not for Signature]
  Authorized Officer

and

WHEREAS, the Company is desirous of conveying, assigning, transferring, mortgaging, pledging, setting over and confirming to the Trustee and to its respective successors in trust, additional property that was not expressly described in the Original Indenture, in the Restated Indenture or in any previous Supplemental Trust Indenture; and

WHEREAS, the Indenture provides in substance that the Company and the Trustee may enter into indentures supplemental thereto for the purposes, among others, of creating and setting forth the terms of any new series of bonds and of conveying, assigning, transferring, mortgaging, pledging, setting over and confirming to the Trustee additional property of the Company, and for any other purpose not inconsistent with the terms of the Indenture; and

WHEREAS, the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Trust Indenture have been duly authorized by a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors or a Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company; and

WHEREAS, the Trustee has duly determined to execute this Supplemental Trust Indenture and to be bound, insofar as it may lawfully do so, by the provisions hereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, Northern States Power Company, in consideration of the premises and of one dollar duly paid to it by the Trustee at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and other good and valuable considerations, does hereby covenant and agree to and with U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, and its successors in the trust under the Indenture for the benefit of the registered holders of the bonds, or any of them, issued or to be issued thereunder, as follows:

 

7


ARTICLE I

SPECIFIC SUBJECTION OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTY

TO THE LIEN OF THE INDENTURE

SECTION 1.01. The Company, in order to better secure the payment, of both the principal and interest, of all bonds of the Company at any time outstanding under the Indenture according to their tenor and effect and the performance of and compliance with the covenants and conditions contained in the Indenture, has granted, bargained, sold, warranted, released, conveyed, assigned, transferred, mortgaged, pledged, set over and confirmed, and by these presents does grant, bargain, sell, warrant, release, convey, assign, transfer, mortgage, pledge, set over and confirm, unto U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, and to its respective successors in said trust forever, subject to the rights reserved by the Company in and by the provisions of the Indenture, all of the property described and mentioned or enumerated in the schedule annexed hereto and marked Schedule A, reference to said schedule being made hereby with the same force and effect as if the same were incorporated herein at length; together with all and singular the tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances belonging and in any way appertaining to the aforesaid property or any part thereof with the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, tolls, rents and revenues, issues, income, products and profits thereof;

Also, in order to subject the personal property and chattels of the Company to the Lien of the Indenture and in conformity with the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, all fossil, nuclear, hydro and other electric generating plants, including buildings and other structures, turbines, generators, boilers, reactors, nuclear fuel, other boiler plant equipment, condensing equipment and all other generating equipment; substations; electric transmission and distribution systems, including structures, poles, towers, fixtures, conduits, insulators, wires, cables, transformers, services and meters; steam heating mains and equipment; gas transmission and distribution systems, including structures, storage facilities, mains, compressor stations, purifier stations, pressure holders, governors, services and meters; office, shop and other buildings and structures, furniture and equipment; apparatus and equipment of all other kinds and descriptions; all municipal and other franchises, all leaseholds, licenses, permits, privileges and patent rights, parts or parcels of such real property; all as now owned or hereafter acquired by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture;

All the estate, right, title and interest and claim whatsoever, at law as well as in equity, that the Company now has or hereafter may acquire in and to the aforesaid property and franchises and every part and parcel thereof; excluding, however, (1) all shares of stock, bonds, notes, evidences of indebtedness and other securities other than such as may be or are required to be deposited from time to time with the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; (2) cash on hand and in banks other than such as may be or is required to be deposited from time to time with the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; (3) contracts, claims, bills and accounts receivable and choses in action other than such as may be or are required to be assigned to the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture; (4) motor vehicles; (5) any stock of goods, wares and merchandise, equipment and supplies acquired for the purpose of sale or lease in the usual course of business or for the purpose of consumption in the operation, construction or repair of any of the properties of the Company; and (6) the properties described in Schedule B annexed to the 1947 Indenture;

 

8


To have and to hold all said property, real, personal and mixed, mortgaged, pledged or conveyed by the Company as aforesaid, or intended so to be, to the Trustee and its successors and assigns forever, subject, however, to Permitted Encumbrances and to the further reservations, covenants, conditions, uses and trusts set forth in the Indenture; in trust nevertheless for the same purposes and upon the same conditions as are set forth in the Indenture.

ARTICLE II

FORM AND EXECUTION OF SERIES DUE MAY 1, 2051

SECTION 2.01. There is hereby created, for issuance under the Indenture, a series of bonds designated Series due May 1, 2051, each of which shall bear the descriptive title “First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051,” (such bonds, the “Series 2051 Bonds”) and the form thereof shall contain suitable provisions with respect to the matters specified in this Section 2.01. The bonds of said series shall be substantially of the tenor and purport hereinbefore recited. The bonds of said series shall initially be authenticated and delivered in the aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000. The bonds of said series may be reopened and additional bonds of said series may be issued in excess of the amount initially authenticated and delivered, provided that such additional bonds of said series will contain the same terms (including the maturity date and interest payment terms) as the other bonds of said series, except for the price to the public, the issue date and, if applicable, the first interest accrual and payment dates. Any such additional bonds of said series, together with the bonds of said series initially authenticated, shall constitute a single series for purposes of the Indenture and shall be limited to an aggregate principal amount of $750,000,000. The bonds of said series shall mature on May 1, 2051, and shall be issued as registered bonds without coupons in denominations of a multiple of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The bonds of said series shall bear interest at the rate of 3.05% per annum payable semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 of each year commencing November 1, 2020, and the principal shall be payable at the office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, in lawful money of the United States of America, and the interest shall be payable in like money to the person entitled to such interest at said office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, provided that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by wire transfer to the person entitled thereto if such person has provided proper wire transfer instructions or by check mailed to the address of such person as such address shall appear in the Bond Register maintained by the Trustee. Interest on the Series 2051 Bonds shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. If any interest payment date or date on which the principal of the Series 2051 Bonds is required to be paid is not a business day, then payment of principal, premium or interest need not be made on such date but may be made on the next succeeding business day with the same force and effect as if made on such interest payment date or date on which the principal of the Series 2051 Bonds is required to be paid and, in the case of timely payment thereof, no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such interest payment date or the date on which the principal of the Series 2051 Bonds is required to be paid. The Series 2051 Bonds shall be dated as of the date of authentication thereof by the Trustee.

As long as there is no existing default in the payment of interest on the Series 2051 Bonds, the person in whose name any Series 2051 Bond is registered at the close of business on any Regular Record Date with respect to any interest payment date shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Series 2051 Bond subsequent to the Regular Record Date and on or prior to such interest payment date. Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company as provided in Section 2.03 of the Indenture.

 

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The term “Regular Record Date” as used herein with respect to any interest payment date (May 1 or November 1) shall mean the April 15 prior to such May 1 or October 15 prior to such November 1 (whether or not a business day). The term “business day” as used in this Section 2.01 shall mean any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or a day on which the offices of the Trustee in the City of St. Paul, Minnesota are closed pursuant to authorization of law.

SECTION 2.02. At any time prior to November 1, 2050 (which is the date that is six months prior to the maturity of the Series 2051 Bonds (the “Par Call Date”)), the Company may redeem, in whole or in part, the Series 2051 Bonds, on any date upon not less than 30 days’ previous notice to be given in the manner and with the effect provided in Section 10.02 of the Indenture, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such Series 2051 Bonds being redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Series 2051 Bonds being redeemed that would be due if such Bonds matured on the Par Call Date (excluding the portion of any such accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption), discounted to but excluding the date fixed for redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 30 basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date fixed for redemption. At any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem, in whole or in part, the Series 2051 Bonds at 100% of the principal amount being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to but excluding the date fixed for redemption.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the bonds being redeemed (assuming, for this purpose, that the Series 2051 Bonds 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 comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Series 2051 Bonds being redeemed.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means with respect to any redemption date of the Series 2051 Bonds (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such date fixed for redemption, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such date fixed for redemption, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than four of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the date fixed for redemption, the average of all of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the date fixed for redemption.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers or their respective successors or, if such firms or their respective successors are unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

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“Primary Treasury Dealer” means any primary U.S. Government securities dealer in the United States.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) Mizuho Securities USA LLC, or its affiliates or successors, provided, however, that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will appoint another Primary Treasury Dealer as a substitute and (2) any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company after consultation with an Independent Investment Banker.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, for any Reference Treasury Dealer and any date fixed for redemption, the average, as determined by an Independent Investment Banker, 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 an Independent Investment Banker by the Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the third business day preceding the date fixed for redemption.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any date fixed for redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such date fixed for redemption. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the date fixed for redemption.

The Series 2051 Bonds are not subject to a sinking fund.

The redemption prices of the Series 2051 Bonds need not be specified in any temporary bond of said series if an appropriate reference be made in said temporary bond to the provision of this Section 2.02.

SECTION 2.03. The registered owner of any Series 2051 Bond or Bonds at his, her or its option may surrender the same at the office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, or elsewhere if authorized by the Company, for cancellation, in exchange for other bonds of the said series of the same aggregate principal amount, bearing interest as provided in Section 2.01 hereof thereupon, and upon receipt of any payment required under the provisions of Section 2.04 hereof, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Trustee and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such other registered bonds to such registered holder at its office or at any other place specified as aforesaid.

SECTION 2.04. No charge shall be made by the Company for any exchange or transfer of the Series 2051 Bonds other than for taxes or other governmental charges, if any, that may be imposed in relation thereto.

SECTION 2.05. (a) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (g) of this Section 2.05, the registered holder of all of the Series 2051 Bonds shall be The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and such Series 2051 Bonds shall be registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. Payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any Series 2051 Bonds registered in the name of Cede & Co. shall be made by transfer of New York Federal or equivalent immediately available funds with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds to the account of Cede & Co. on each such payment date for the Series 2051 Bonds at the address indicated for Cede & Co. in the Bond Register kept by the Trustee.

 

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(b) The Series 2051 Bonds shall be initially issued in the form of one or more separate single authenticated fully registered certificates in the aggregate principal amount of the Series 2051 Bonds. Upon initial issuance, the ownership of such Series 2051 Bonds shall be registered in the Bond Register kept by the Trustee in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. The Trustee and the Company may treat DTC (or its nominee) as the sole and exclusive registered holder of the Series 2051 Bonds registered in its name for the purposes of payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Series 2051 Bonds and of giving any notice permitted or required to be given to registered holders under the Indenture, except as provided in Subsection 2.05(g) below; and neither the Trustee nor the Company shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Neither the Trustee nor the Company shall have any responsibility or obligation to any of DTC’s participants (each a “Participant”), any person claiming a beneficial ownership in the Series 2051 Bonds under or through DTC or any Participant (each a “Beneficial Owner”), or any other person that is not shown on the Bond Register maintained by the Trustee as being a registered holder, with respect to (1) the accuracy of any records maintained by DTC or any Participant; (2) the payment of DTC or any Participant of any amount in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Series 2051 Bonds; (3) the delivery by DTC or any Participant of any notice to any Beneficial Owner which is permitted or required to be given to registered holders under the Indenture of the Series 2051 Bonds; (4) the selection of the Beneficial Owners to receive payment in the event of any partial redemption of the Series 2051 Bonds; or (5) any consent given or other action taken by DTC as bondholder. The Trustee shall pay all principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Series 2051 Bonds registered in the name of Cede & Co. only to or “upon the order of” (as that term is used in the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in Wisconsin and New York) DTC, and all such payments shall be valid and effective to fully satisfy and discharge the Company’s obligations with respect to the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Series 2051 Bonds to the extent of the sum or sums so paid. Except as otherwise provided in Subsections 2.05(c) and (g) below, no person other than DTC shall receive authenticated bond certificates evidencing the obligation of the Company to make payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Series 2051 Bonds. Upon delivery by DTC to the Trustee of written notice to the effect that DTC has determined to substitute a new nominee in place of Cede & Co., and subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect to transfers of bonds, the word “Cede & Co.” in this Supplemental Trust Indenture shall refer to such new nominee of DTC.

(c) If the Company in its discretion determines that it is in the best interest of the Beneficial Owners that they be able to obtain bond certificates for the Series 2051 Bonds or there shall have occurred and be continuing a Completed Default with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds, the Company may notify DTC and the Trustee, whereupon DTC will notify the Participants of the availability through DTC of bond certificates. In such event, the Trustee shall issue, transfer and exchange bond certificates as requested by DTC in appropriate amounts pursuant to Article II of the Indenture and Section 2.03 of this Supplemental Trust Indenture. The Company shall pay all costs in connection with the production of bond certificates if the Company makes such a determination under this Subsection 2.05(c). DTC may determine to discontinue providing its services with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds at any time by giving written notice to the Company and the Trustee and discharging its responsibilities with respect

 

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thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances (if there is no successor book-entry depository), the Company and the Trustee shall be obligated (at the sole cost and expense of the Company) to deliver bond certificates as described in this Supplemental Trust Indenture. If bond certificates are issued, the provisions of the Indenture shall apply to, among other things, the transfer and exchange of such certificates and the method of payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such certificates. Whenever DTC requests the Company and the Trustee to do so, the Company will direct the Trustee (at the sole cost and expense of the Company) to cooperate with DTC in taking appropriate action after reasonable notice (1) to make available one or more separate certificates evidencing the Series 2051 Bonds to any Participant or (2) to arrange for another book-entry depository to maintain custody of certificates evidencing the Series 2051 Bonds registered in the name of such depository or its nominee. Any successor book-entry depository must be a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and must enter into an agreement with the Company and the Trustee agreeing to act as the depository and clearing agency for the Series 2051 Bonds (except as provided in Subsection 2.05(g) below). After such agreement has become effective, DTC shall present the Series 2051 Bonds for registration of transfer in accordance with Section 2.11 of the Indenture, and the Trustee shall register them in the name of the successor book-entry depository or its nominee and all references thereafter to DTC shall be to such successor book-entry depository. If a successor book-entry depository has not accepted such position before the effective date of DTC’s termination of its services, the book-entry system shall automatically terminate and may not be reinstated without the consent of all registered holders of the Series 2051 Bonds.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Supplemental Trust Indenture to the contrary, so long as any Series 2051 Bonds are registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, all payments with respect to the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Series 2051 Bonds and all notices with respect to such Series 2051 Bonds shall be made and given, respectively, to DTC as provided in the blanket representation letter among DTC, the Company and the Trustee. The Trustee is hereby authorized and directed to comply with all terms of the representation letter.

(e) In connection with any notice or other communication to be provided pursuant to the Indenture for the Series 2051 Bonds by the Company or the Trustee with respect to any consent or other action to be taken by the registered holders of the Series 2051 Bonds, the Company or the Trustee, as the case may be, shall seek to establish a record date to the extent permitted by the Indenture for such consent or other action and give DTC notice of such record date not less than fifteen (15) calendar days in advance of such record date to the extent possible. Such notice to DTC shall be given only when DTC is the sole registered holder.

(f) NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR THE TRUSTEE WILL HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR OBLIGATIONS TO THE PARTICIPANTS OR THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS WITH RESPECT TO (1) THE ACCURACY OF ANY RECORDS MAINTAINED BY DTC OR ANY PARTICIPANT; (2) THE PAYMENT BY DTC OR ANY PARTICIPANT OF ANY AMOUNT DUE TO ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER IN RESPECT OF THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM, IF ANY, OR INTEREST ON THE SERIES 2051 BONDS; (3) THE DELIVERY BY DTC OR ANY PARTICIPANT OF ANY NOTICE TO ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER WHICH IS REQUIRED OR PERMITTED UNDER THE TERMS OF

 

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THE INDENTURE TO BE GIVEN TO REGISTERED HOLDERS; (4) THE SELECTION OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT IN THE EVENT OF ANY PARTIAL REDEMPTION OF THE SERIES 2051 BONDS; OR (5) ANY CONSENT GIVEN OR OTHER ACTION TAKEN BY DTC AS A REGISTERED HOLDER.

SO LONG AS CEDE & CO. IS THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THE SERIES 2051 BONDS AS NOMINEE OF DTC, REFERENCES HEREIN TO REGISTERED HOLDERS OF THE SERIES 2051 BONDS SHALL MEAN CEDE & CO. AND SHALL NOT MEAN THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF THE SERIES 2051 BONDS NOR THE PARTICIPANTS.

(g) The Company, in its sole discretion, may terminate the services of DTC with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds if the Company determines that: (i) DTC (x) is unable to discharge its responsibilities with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds or (y) at any time ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or (ii) there shall have occurred and be continuing a Completed Default with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds. The Company, in its sole discretion, may terminate the services of DTC with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds if the Company determines that a continuation of the requirement that all of the outstanding Series 2051 Bonds be registered with the registration books kept by the Trustee in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, is not in the best interest of the Beneficial Owners of the Series 2051 Bonds. After such event and if no substitute book-entry depository is appointed by the Company, bond certificates will be delivered as described in the Indenture.

(h) Upon the termination of the services of DTC with respect to the Series 2051 Bonds pursuant to subsections (c) or (g) of this Section 2.05 after which no substitute book-entry depository is appointed, the Series 2051 Bonds shall be registered in whatever name or names registered holders transferring or exchanging the Series 2051 Bonds shall designate in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

ARTICLE III

APPOINTMENT OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT

SECTION 3.01. The Trustee shall, if requested in writing to do so by the Company, promptly appoint an agent or agents of the Trustee who shall have authority to authenticate registered Series 2051 Bonds in the name and on behalf of the Trustee. Such appointment by the Trustee shall be evidenced by a certificate of a vice-president of the Trustee delivered to the Company prior to the effectiveness of such appointment.

SECTION 3.02. (a) Any such authenticating agent shall be acceptable to the Company and at all times shall be a corporation which is organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any State, is authorized under such laws to act as authenticating agent, has a combined capital and surplus of at least $10,000,000 and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 3.02, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

 

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(b) Any corporation into which any authenticating agent may lawfully be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which any authenticating agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency business of any authenticating agent, shall continue to be the authenticating agent without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the authenticating agent.

(c) Any authenticating agent at any time may resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time, and upon written request of the Company to the Trustee shall, terminate the agency of any authenticating agent by giving written notice of termination to such authenticating agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any authenticating agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.02, the Trustee, unless otherwise requested in writing by the Company, promptly shall appoint a successor authenticating agent, which shall be acceptable to the Company. Any successor authenticating agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named. No successor authenticating agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section 3.02.

(d) The Trustee agrees to pay to any authenticating agent, appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.02, reasonable compensation for its services, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments.

SECTION 3.03. If an appointment is made pursuant to this Article III, the registered Series 2051 Bonds shall have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s Certificate, an alternate Trustee’s Certificate in the following form:

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

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:   [Form-Not for Signature]
  Authenticating Agent
By:   [Form-Not for Signature]
  Authorized Officer

SECTION 3.04. No provision of this Article III shall require the Trustee to have at any time more than one such authenticating agent for any one State or to appoint any such authenticating agent in the State in which the Trustee has its principal place of business.

 

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ARTICLE IV

FINANCING STATEMENT TO COMPLY WITH

THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE

SECTION 4.01. The name and address of the debtor and secured party are set forth below:

 

Debtor:   

Northern States Power Company

c/o Dawn Schultz, Siting & Land Rights
Xcel Energy

PO Box 8

Eau Claire, WI 54702-0008

Secured Party:   

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

c/o U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust Services

60 Livingston Avenue, EP-MN-WS3C

St. Paul, Minnesota 55107

NOTE: Northern States Power Company, the debtor above named, is “a transmitting utility” under the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in Wisconsin and Michigan.

SECTION 4.02. Reference to Article I hereof is made for a description of the property of the debtor covered by this Financing Statement with the same force and effect as if incorporated in this Section 4.02 at length.

SECTION 4.03. The maturity dates and respective principal amounts of obligations of the debtor secured and presently to be secured by the Indenture, reference to all of which for the terms and conditions thereof is hereby made with the same force and effect as if incorporated herein at length, are as follows:

 

First Mortgage Bonds

   Principal Amount  

Series due September 1, 2038

   $ 200,000,000  

Series due October 1, 2042

   $ 100,000,000  

Series due June 15, 2024

   $ 200,000,000  

Series due December 1, 2047

   $ 100,000,000  

Series due September 1, 2048

   $ 200,000,000  

Series due May 1, 2051

   $ 100,000,000  

SECTION 4.04. This Financing Statement is hereby adopted for all of the First Mortgage Bonds of the Series mentioned above secured by said Indenture.

 

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SECTION 4.05. The 1947 Indenture, the Restated Indenture and the Supplemental Trust Indentures, as set forth below, have been filed or recorded in each and every office in the States of Wisconsin and Michigan designated by law for the filing or recording thereof in respect of all property of the Company subject thereto:

 

Original Indenture
Dated April 1, 1947

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated March 1, 1949

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated June 1, 1957

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated August 1, 1964

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated December 1, 1969

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated September 1, 1973

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated February 1, 1982

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated March 1, 1982

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated June 1, 1986

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated March 1, 1988

Supplemental and Restated Trust Indenture
Dated March 1, 1991

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated April 1, 1991

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated March 1, 1993

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated October 1, 1993

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated December 1, 1996

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated September 1, 2003

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated September 1, 2008

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated October 1, 2012

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated June 1, 2014

  

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated November 1, 2017

Supplemental Trust Indenture
Dated September 1, 2018

  

SECTION 4.06. The property covered by this Financing Statement also shall secure additional series of First Mortgage Bonds of the debtor that may be issued from time to time in the future in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 5.01. The recitals of fact herein, except the recital that the Trustee has duly determined to execute this Supplemental Trust Indenture and be bound, insofar as it may lawfully so do, by the provisions hereof and in the bonds shall be taken as statements of the Company and shall not be construed as made by the Trustee. The Trustee makes no representations as to the value of any of the property subjected to the Lien of the Indenture, or any part thereof, or as to the title of the Company thereto, or as to the security afforded thereby and hereby, or as to the validity of this Supplemental Trust Indenture or of the bonds issued under the Indenture by virtue hereof (except the Trustee’s certificate), and the Trustee shall incur no responsibility in respect of such matters.

 

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SECTION 5.02. This Supplemental Trust Indenture shall be construed in connection with and as a part of the Indenture.

SECTION 5.03. (a) If any provision of this Supplemental Trust Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision of the Indenture required to be included in indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (as enacted prior to the date of this Supplemental Trust Indenture) by any of the provisions of Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the said Act, such required provisions shall control.

(b) In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplemental Trust Indenture or in the bonds issued hereunder shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and therein shall not in any way be affected, impaired, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

SECTION 5.04. Wherever in this Supplemental Trust Indenture the word “Indenture” is used without the prefix “1947,” “Original,” “Restated” or “Supplemental,” such word was used intentionally to include in its meaning the 1947 Indenture, as amended and restated by the Restated Indenture, and all indentures supplemental thereto.

SECTION 5.05. Wherever in this Supplemental Trust Indenture either of the parties hereto is named or referred to, this shall be deemed to include the successors or assigns of such party, and all the covenants and agreements in this Supplemental Trust Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company or by or on behalf of the Trustee shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of such parties, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 5.06. (a) This Supplemental Trust Indenture may be executed simultaneously in several counterparts, and all said counterparts executed and delivered, each as an original, shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

(b) The Table of Contents and the descriptive headings of the several Articles of this Supplemental Trust Indenture were formulated, used and inserted in this Supplemental Trust Indenture for convenience only and shall not be deemed to affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY, a Wisconsin corporation, party of the first part, has caused its corporate name to be hereunto affixed, and this Supplemental Trust Indenture, to be signed by its President or a Vice President, and attested by an authorized officer, for and in its behalf, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee, party of the second part, to evidence its acceptance of the trust hereby created, has caused this Supplemental Trust Indenture to be signed by its President or a Vice President, and attested by an authorized officer, for and in its behalf, all done this 10th day of May, 2020.

 

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
/s/ Sarah W. Soong
By: Sarah W. Soong
Its: Vice President and Treasurer

 

Attest:
/s/ Wendy B. Mahling
By: Wendy B. Mahling
Its: Vice President, Corporate Secretary

[Signature page to Supplemental Trust Indenture]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
/s/ Joshua A. Hahn
By: Joshua A. Hahn
Its: Vice President

 

Attest:
/s/ Donnie Hurrelbrink
By: Donnie Hurrelbrink
Its: Vice President

[Signature page to Supplemental Trust Indenture]


STATE OF MINNESOTA   )     
  )   SS.:   
COUNTY OF SCOTT   )     

On this the 10th day of May, 2020, before me, Kristin Lynn Westlund, a Notary Public, the undersigned officer, personally appeared Sarah W. Soong and Wendy B. Mahling, who acknowledged themselves to be the Vice President and Treasurer and the Vice President, Corporate Secretary, respectively, of Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation, and that they, as such Vice President and Treasurer and Vice President, Corporate Secretary, respectively, being authorized to do so, executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein contained, by signing the name of the corporation by themselves as Sarah W. Soong and Wendy B. Mahling, respectively.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and official seal.

 

/s/ Kristin Lynn Westlund
Kristin Lynn Westlund
Notary Public In and For County of Scott
State of Minnesota
My commission expires: January 31, 2021

(NOTARY SEAL)

[Notary page to Supplemental Trust Indenture]


STATE OF MINNESOTA   )     
  )   SS.:   
County of Ramsey   )     

On this the 6th day of May, 2020, before me, Judy A. Galberth, notary public, the undersigned officer, personally appeared Joshua A. Hahn and Donnie Hurrelbrink, who acknowledged themselves to each be a Vice President of U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, and that they, as such Vice Presidents, being authorized to do so, executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein contained, by signing the name of the corporation by themselves as Vice President and Vice President, respectively.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and official seal.

 

/s/ Judy Ann Galberth
Judy Ann Galberth
Notary Public In and For County of Ramsey
State of Minnesota
My commission expires: January 31, 2021

(NOTARY SEAL)

[Notary page to Supplemental Trust Indenture]


SCHEDULE A

The property referred to in the granting clause in the foregoing Supplemental Trust Indenture from Northern States Power Company to U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, dated May 18, 2020 includes parts or parcels of real property and other property hereinafter more specifically described. Such description, however, is not intended to limit or impair the scope or intention of the general description contained in the granting clauses or elsewhere herein or in the Indenture.

I. PROPERTIES IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

 

1.

The following described real property, situated, lying and being in the County of Barron, to wit:

Pine Street Substation

Parcel 1: Lot 4 of Certified Survey Map No. 4975, recorded in Volume 34 of Certified Survey Maps, on Page 96, as Document No. 697736, being located in the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 31, also located in Certified Survey Map No. 4906, Volume 34, Page 27, as Document No. 691237, all in Section 31, Township 34 North, Range 14 West, (in the Village of Turtle Lake), Barron County, Wisconsin

Parcel 2: Outlot 1 of Certified Survey Map No. 4906, recorded in Volume 34, Page 27, as Document No. 691237, being located in the Northwest Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Section 31, Township 34 North, Range 14 West, (in the Village of Turtle Lake), Barron County, Wisconsin.

The Parcel Identification Numbers are 186-8047-18-000 and 186-8047-18-020.

 

2.

The following described real property, situated, lying and being in the County of Bayfield, to wit:

Cable Substation Additional Land

Part of Lot One (1), Block Ten (10) of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable, located in Section Eighteen (18), Township Forty-three (43) North, Range Seven (7) West, Village (now Town) of Cable, Bayfield County, Wisconsin, described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Lot 1, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable and being the North right-of-way line of County Trunk Highway M, thence along the South line of Lot 1, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town ) of Cable and the North right-of-way line of County Trunk Highway M, North 82° 49’ 26” East, a distance of 346.00 feet to the Southwest corner of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable; thence North 07° 10’ 34” West along the Westerly line of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable, a distance of 100.00 feet to the Point of Beginning; thence continuing North 07° 10’ 34” West, a distance of 50.00 feet; thence North 82° 49’ 26” East, a distance of 215.25 feet; thence South 07° 10’ 34” East, a distance of 150.00 feet to the North right-of-way line

 

A-1


of County Trunk Highway M; thence South 82° 49’ 26” West along the North right-of-way line of County Trunk Highway M, a distance of 115.25 feet to the Southeast corner of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable; thence North 07° 10’ 34” West along the Easterly line of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of the Village (now Town) of Cable, a distance of 100.00 feet to the Northeast corner of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of Village (now Town) of Cable; thence South 82° 49’ 26” West along the Northerly line of Lot 2, Block 10 of Assessor’s Plat No. 2 of the Village (now Town) of Cable, a distance of 100.00 feet to the Point of Beginning.

The Parcel Identification Number is part of 04-012-2-43-07-18-2 00-116-06500.

 

3.

The following described real property, situated, lying and being in the County of Chippewa, to wit:

Bateman Substation

Lot 1 of Certified Survey Map Number 4846, recorded February 26, 2018 in Volume 22 of Certified Survey Maps, Pages 261-262 as Document Number 875983; being a part of the Southeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter (SE 14 SW 14) Section 5, Township 28 North, Range 7 West, Town of Lafayette, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.

The Parcel Identification Number is 22807-0534-74846001.

 

4.

The following described real property, situated, lying and being in the County of Dunn, to wit:

Wakanda Substation

Lot 2 of Certified Survey Map #3009 as recorded in Volume 13 of Certified Survey Maps on Page 169 as Document #514942; being a part of Lots 2 and 3, Wilson Square Subdivision, City of Menomonie, Dunn County, Wisconsin.

The Parcel Identification Number is 17251-2-281314-310-0006.

 

5.

The following described real property, situated, lying and being in the County of Polk, to wit:

Luck Substation Additional Land

A parcel of land in the North Half of the Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter (N1/2 SE1/4 NW1/4) of Section 28, Township 36 North, Range 17 West, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point 14 rods North of the Northwestern corner of Lot 1, Block 11, Second Addition to Lawson City, in the Village of Luck, Polk County, Wisconsin, thence running North 6 rods, thence at right angles East 6 rods, thence at right angles South 6 rods, thence at right angles West 6 rods to the place of beginning.

 

A-2


The Parcel Identification Number is 146-00485-0002

II. TRANSMISSION LINES OF THE COMPANY

IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN

The electric transmission lines of the Company, including towers, poles, pole lines, wire switch racks, switchboards, insulators, and other appliances and equipment, and all other property forming a part thereof or appertaining thereto, and all service lines extending therefrom; together with all rights for or relating to the construction, maintenance of operation thereof, through, over, under, or upon any private property of public street or highways within as well as without the corporate limits of any municipal corporation, and particularly the following described lines, to wit:

Line 3405

Dunn County

Sections 16, 21 and 22, Township 28 North, Range 12 West

Line 3430

Polk County

Section 28, Township 36 North, Range 17 West

Line 3470

Sawyer County

Section 22, Township 41 North, Range 9 West

Line 3474

Rusk County

Section 31, Township 35 North, Range 6 West

Line 3477

Price County

Sections 11, 14, 22, 23, 26, 27 and 35, Township 34 North, Range 1 East

Taylor County

Sections 2, 3, 10, 15, 22, 27 and 34, Township 33 North, Range 1 East

Section 35, Township 34 North, Range 1 East

Line 3488

Rusk County

Section 31, Township 35 North, Range 6 West

Line 3511

Rusk County

 

A-3


Section 31, Township 35 North, Range 6 West

II. TRANSMISSION LINES OF THE COMPANY

IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

The electric transmission lines of the Company, including towers, poles, pole lines, wire switch racks, switchboards, insulators, and other appliances and equipment, and all other property forming a part thereof or appertaining thereto, and all service lines extending therefrom; together with all rights for or relating to the construction, maintenance of operation thereof, through, over, under, or upon any private property or public street or highways within as well as without the corporate limits of any municipal corporation, and particularly the following described lines, to wit:

Line 3352

Gogebic County

Section 9, Township 46 North, Range 43 West

Line 3316

Gogebic County

Section 27, Township 47 North, Range 47 West

 

A-4


COMPANY’S RECEIPT FOR COPY

The undersigned, Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation, the Company described in the foregoing instrument, hereby acknowledges that it has this day received from U.S. Bank National Association the Supplemental Trust Indenture described therein, a full, true, complete, and correct copy of said instrument with signatures and acknowledgments thereon shown. Dated this 10th day of May, 2020.

 

NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY
/s/ Sarah W. Soong
By: Sarah W. Soong
Its: Vice President and Treasurer

 

Attest:
/s/ Wendy B. Mahling
By: Wendy B. Mahling
Its: Vice President, Corporate Secretary

Exhibit 5.01

 

LOGO   

James L. Altman

Vice President and Deputy General Counsel

  

414 Nicollet Mall, 401-8

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401

Phone: 612.215.4582

Fax: 612.215.4544

May 26, 2020

Northern States Power Company

1414 West Hamilton Avenue

Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701

 

  Re:

$100,000,000 in Principal Amount of Northern States Power Company’s 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am James L. Altman, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Xcel Energy Services Inc., an affiliate of Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”). In that capacity, I and other attorneys in the Company’s law department have acted as counsel for the Company with respect to the issue and sale by the Company of $100,000,000 principal amount of 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051, herein called the “Bonds.” The Bonds will be issued pursuant to the Company’s Indenture to U.S. Bank National Association as successor trustee (the “Trustee”) dated April 1, 1947, as supplemented and restated by the Company’s Supplemental and Restated Trust Indenture to the Trustee dated March 1, 1991 (the “Restated Indenture”), and as further supplemented by the Supplemental Trust Indenture to the Trustee dated as of May 18, 2020 (the “Supplemental Indenture”). The Restated Indenture, as previously supplemented and as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, is hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”. The Bonds will be sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated May 18, 2020 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and between the Company and Mizuho Securities USA LLC (the “Underwriter”).

I, or other attorneys in the Company’s law department, have examined or are otherwise familiar with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-224333-03) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to effect the registration of the Bonds under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to which the Bonds are to be issued, and such other documents, records and instruments as I have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion letter.

Based on the foregoing and the assumptions that follow, I am of the opinion that:

1. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (the “PSCW”) has issued its order authorizing the issuance and sale of the Bonds and such order is final and in full force and effect.

2. No further approval, authorization, consent, certificate or order of, or filing or registration with, any governmental body, pursuant to any Wisconsin or United States Federal statute, rule or regulation that is part of a regulatory scheme specifically applicable to business organizations engaged in the type of regulated business activities conducted by the Company or state law, is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Bonds by the Company as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, except as may be required by state securities laws, except for post-issuance informational filings to be made with the PSCW, and except for recordings and filings to perfect the liens and security interests created by the Indenture.


I have assumed, for purposes of the opinions and views expressed herein, the legal capacity of all natural persons executing documents, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of original and certified documents and the conformity to original or certified copies of all copies submitted as conformed or reproduction copies.

I express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of Wisconsin and the federal laws of the United States of America, nor do I express any opinion concerning local laws, ordinances or regulations, tax laws or laws relating to the obligations of fiduciaries. The opinions herein expressed are limited to the specific issues addressed and to laws existing on the date hereof. By rendering this opinion, I do not undertake to advise you with respect to any other matter or of any change in such laws or in the interpretation thereof which may occur after the date hereof.

This opinion may be relied upon by Foley & Lardner LLP for the purposes of rendering that firm’s opinion that is an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K referred to below.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof filed by the Company and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not hereby admit that I am included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

2


Respectfully submitted,
By:   /s/ James L. Altman
  James L. Altman

 

3

Exhibit 5.02

 

LOGO   

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

 

777 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE

MILWAUKEE, WI 53202-5306

414.271.2400 TEL

414.297.4900 FAX

WWW.FOLEY.COM

 

CLIENT/MATTER NUMBER

108376-0105

May 26, 2020

 

Northern States Power Company

1414 West Hamilton Avenue

Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701

 

  Re:

$100,000,000 principal amount of Northern States Power Company’s 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Wisconsin counsel for Northern States Power Company, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance of $100,000,000 principal amount of the Company’s 3.05% First Mortgage Bonds, Series due May 1, 2051 (the “Bonds”). The Bonds will be issued pursuant to the Company’s Indenture to U.S. Bank National Association as successor trustee (the “Trustee”) dated April 1, 1947, as supplemented and restated by the Company’s Supplemental and Restated Trust Indenture to the Trustee dated March 1, 1991 (the “Restated Indenture”), and as further supplemented by the Supplemental Trust Indenture to the Trustee dated as of May 18, 2020 (the “Supplemental Indenture”). The Restated Indenture, as previously supplemented by trust indentures dated subsequent to its date, and as further supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, is hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”. The Bonds will be sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated May 18, 2020 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and between the Company and Mizuho Securities USA LLC (the “Underwriter”).

We have reviewed and relied upon such documents, records, certifications, and instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications noted elsewhere in this opinion, we are of the opinion that the Bonds, when they are duly executed by the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and issued and delivered to the Underwriter against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent or voidable conveyance or transfer, preference, receivership, and other laws of general application affecting creditors’ rights and the rights of mortgagees and other secured parties generally and state laws which affect the enforcement of certain remedial provisions, (ii) general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith, fair dealing, and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, (iii) public policy considerations that may limit the rights of parties to obtain specific remedies or enforce specific terms, and (iv) governmental authority to limit, delay, or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States. We express

 

BOSTON

BRUSSELS

CHICAGO

DETROIT

 

JACKSONVILLE

LOS ANGELES

MADISON

MIAMI

 

MILWAUKEE

NEWYORK

ORLANDO

SACRMENTO

 

SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO

SHANGHAI

SILICON VALLEY

 

TALLAHASSEE

TAMPA

TOKYO

WASHINGTON, D.C.


LOGO

Northern States Power Company

May 26, 2020

Page 2

 

no opinion as to the enforceability or effect of any provision in the Bonds that (i) authorizes one party to act as attorney-in-fact for another party, (ii) provides for the waiver of legal or equitable defenses or other procedural, judicial, or substantive rights, or (iii) unreasonably restricts the ability of the Company to transfer any property.

The foregoing opinions assume that (a) the Trustee has satisfied those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make the Indenture enforceable against it, (b) the Trustee and the holders of the Bonds issued under the Indenture have complied with all legal requirements pertaining to their status as such status relates to their rights to enforce the Indenture and the Bonds against the Company, (c) the Company has obtained all consents and approvals required to enable it to execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under, and consummate the transactions contemplated by, the Indenture and the Bonds, and such execution, delivery, performance, and consummation do not, and at all relevant times will not, violate or conflict with any law, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, instrument, or agreement binding upon the Company or its properties, (d) each party to the Indenture and the Bonds, including but not limited to the Company, is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization (and, in the case of the Company, is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin), has duly authorized, executed, delivered, and accepted the Indenture and the Bonds, and has the power and authority under its constituent documents and under applicable corporate, regulatory, and other state and federal laws to enter into, deliver, and perform its obligations under the Indenture and the Bonds and to consummate the transactions effected thereby, and (e) the Bonds will be issued upon receipt by the Company of the consideration therefor specified in the Underwriting Agreement (and such consideration is adequate for the Company’s execution and delivery of the Bonds), and the Bonds will be accepted by the holders thereof.

We have relied as to certain relevant factual matters upon certificates of and/or verifications provided by public officials and certificates of and/or information provided by officers and employees of the Company as to the accuracy of such factual matters, and the representations, warranties, certifications, and statements of fact by the Company in the Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement, in each case without independent verification thereof or other investigation. We have also relied, without investigation, upon the following assumptions: (a) natural persons acting on behalf of the Company have sufficient legal capacity to enter into and perform, on behalf of the Company, the transactions in question and carry out their roles therein, (b) each document submitted to us for review is accurate and complete, each such document that is an original is authentic, each such document that is a copy conforms to an authentic original, all signatures on each such document are genuine, and the documents executed and delivered by the parties are in substantially the same form as the forms of those documents that we have reviewed in rendering this opinion, (c) there are no agreements or understandings among the parties, written or oral, and there is no usage of trade or course of prior dealing among the parties that would, in either case, define, supplement, or qualify the terms of any instrument or agreement relevant hereto, and there has been no waiver of any of the provisions of the Indenture or the Bonds by conduct of the parties or otherwise, and (d) the constitutionality or validity of a relevant statute, rule, regulation, or


LOGO

Northern States Power Company

May 26, 2020

Page 3

 

agency action is not in issue unless a published decision in the relevant jurisdiction has specifically addressed but not resolved, or has established, its unconstitutionality or invalidity. To the extent our opinion is deemed to address the satisfaction of regulatory preconditions to the issuance and sale of the Bonds, we have relied, with the Company’s consent, upon the opinion letter of even date herewith addressed to the Company by James L. Altman, and we have made no independent investigation or examination of that matter; all assumptions, qualifications, and exceptions in such opinion letter are incorporated herein by this reference.

The opinion herein expressed is limited to the specific issue addressed and to documents, laws, facts, and circumstances existing on the date hereof. By rendering our opinion, we do not undertake to advise you with respect to any other matter or of any change in such documents, laws, facts, or circumstances or in the interpretation thereof which may occur after the date hereof.

Our opinion herein is limited to the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin of general application. We have assumed that the choice of Wisconsin law to govern the Indenture and the Bonds will be upheld. We express no opinion concerning local laws, ordinances, or regulations, tax laws, or laws relating to the obligations of fiduciaries.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof filed by the Company and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement on Form S-3, as amended (File No. 333-224333-03) (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company to effect the registration of the Bonds under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”), without implying or admitting that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under the Act, or other rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission issued thereunder with respect to any part of the Registration Statement, including this exhibit.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Foley & Lardner LLP