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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 8, 2024

Registration No. 333-   

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Form S-4

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   4911   20-5763884

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

5001 NASA Boulevard

Fairmont, WV 26554

(800) 736-3402

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

James A. Arcuri

Associate General Counsel

FirstEnergy Corp.

76 South Main Street

Akron, OH 44308

(800) 736-3402

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With a copy to:

Celia A. Soehner

Erin E. Martin

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

One Oxford Centre, 32nd Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15219-6401

(412) 560-3300

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.

If the securities being registered on this Form are being offered in connection with the formation of a holding company and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

If applicable, place an X in the box to designate the appropriate rule provision relied upon in conducting this transaction:

Exchange Act Rule 13e-4(i) (Cross-Border Issuer Tender Offer) ☐

Exchange Act Rule 14d-1(d) (Cross-Border Third-Party Tender Offer) ☐

 

 

The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not complete this exchange offer and issue these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 8, 2024

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

Offer to exchange up to

400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030

(CUSIP No. 33767B AG4)

registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”)

for

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030

(CUSIP Nos. 33767B AE9 and U3200V AE0)

that have not been registered under the Securities Act

and

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

(CUSIP No. 33767B AH2)

registered under the Securities Act

for

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

(CUSIP Nos. 33767B AF6 and U3200V AF7)

that have not been registered under the Securities Act

THE EXCHANGE OFFER EXPIRES AT 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME,

ON    , 2025, UNLESS WE EXTEND IT.

Terms of the Exchange Offer

 

 

We are offering to exchange all outstanding (i) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Outstanding 2030 Notes”) and (ii) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Outstanding 2035 Notes” and, together with the Outstanding 2030 Notes, the “Outstanding Notes”) that were issued in a transaction not requiring registration under the Securities Act for an equal amount of new (i) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “New 2030 Notes”) and (ii) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “New 2035 Notes” and, together with the New 2030 Notes, the “New Notes”). We refer to this offer to exchange as the “exchange offer.”

 

   

We are conducting the exchange offer in order to provide you with an opportunity to exchange your unregistered Outstanding Notes for freely tradable New Notes that have been registered under the Securities Act.

 

   

The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on    , 2025, unless extended. The exchange offer will remain open for at least 20 full business days calculated in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 14E under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we


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refer to as the “Exchange Act” (or longer if required by applicable law, including Regulation 14E), after the date notice of the exchange offer is first sent to holders of the Outstanding Notes. We do not currently intend to extend the expiration date.

 

   

Upon expiration of the exchange offer, all Outstanding Notes that are validly tendered and not withdrawn will be exchanged for an equal principal amount of the applicable series of New Notes.

 

   

You may withdraw tendered Outstanding Notes at any time prior to the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

 

   

The exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

   

We will not receive any proceeds from the exchange offer.

 

   

The terms of the New Notes to be issued in the exchange offer are substantially the same as the terms of the corresponding series of Outstanding Notes, except that the offer of the New Notes is registered under the Securities Act, and the New Notes have no transfer restrictions, rights to additional interest or registration rights. In addition, the New Notes will bear a different CUSIP number than the Outstanding Notes.

 

   

The exchange offer is not subject to any minimum tender condition but is subject to customary conditions.

 

   

There is no existing public market for the Outstanding Notes or the New Notes. We do not intend to list the New Notes on any securities exchange or quotation system.

 

 

Investing in the New Notes to be issued in the exchange offer involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12.

We are not making an offer to exchange Outstanding Notes for New Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the New Notes to be distributed in the exchange offer or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes. By so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. A broker dealer who acquired Outstanding Notes as a result of market making or other trading activities may use this prospectus, as supplemented or amended from time to time, in connection with any resales of the New Notes. We have agreed that, for a period of up to 180 days after the commencement of the exchange offer, we will make this prospectus available for use in connection with any such resale. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

 

The date of this prospectus is    , 2024.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     ii  

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

     iv  

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     12  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     32  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     33  

OUR BUSINESS

     58  

MANAGEMENT

     77  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     80  

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

     81  

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     83  

THE EXCHANGE OFFER

     86  

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

     96  

CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

     112  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     113  

LEGAL MATTERS

     114  

EXPERTS

     114  

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES

     F-1  

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any additional information or any information that is different from that contained in this prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus may be used only for the purposes for which it has been published, and no person has been authorized to give any information not contained herein. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We caution you that this prospectus contains forward-looking statements based on information currently available to us. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements include declarations regarding management’s intents, beliefs and current expectations. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms “anticipate,” “potential,” “expect,” “could,” “target,” “will,” “intend,” “believe,” “project,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “plan” and similar words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the following important factors, which are difficult to predict, contain uncertainties, are in some cases beyond our control and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements:

 

   

the risks and uncertainties associated with government investigations and audits regarding House Bill 6, as passed by Ohio’s 133rd General Assembly (“HB 6”) and related matters, including potential adverse impacts on federal or state regulatory matters, including, but not limited to, matters relating to rates;

 

   

the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and similar proceedings, particularly regarding FE’s HB 6 and related matters, including risks associated with obtaining dismissal of the FE derivative shareholder lawsuits;

 

   

the ability to experience growth in our business at ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL (collectively, the “Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries”);

 

   

the accomplishment of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ regulatory and operational goals in connection with their transmission plan;

 

   

changes in assumptions regarding factors such as economic conditions within our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ territories, assessments of the reliability of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission systems, or the availability of capital or other resources supporting identified transmission investment opportunities;

 

   

the reliability of the transmission grid;

 

   

the ability of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits through establishing a culture of continuous improvement and our other strategic and financial goals, including, but not limited to, overcoming current uncertainties and challenges associated with the ongoing government investigations, executing Energize365, FirstEnergy’s transmission and distribution investment plan (“Energize365”), executing on FirstEnergy’s rate filing strategy, controlling costs, improving credit metrics, maintaining investment grade ratings, and growing earnings;

 

   

costs being higher than anticipated and the success of our policies to control costs at our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries;

 

   

variations in weather conditions and severe weather (including events caused, or exacerbated, by climate change, such as wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, high wind events and extreme heat events) and other natural disasters affecting future revenues and all associated regulatory events or actions in response to such conditions;

 

   

changes in national and regional economic conditions, including recession, volatile interest rates, inflationary pressure, supply chain disruptions, higher fuel costs and workforce impacts, affecting our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and other counterparties with which they do business;

 

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the risks associated with physical attacks, such as acts of war, terrorism, sabotage or other acts of violence, cyber-attacks and other disruptions to our information technology system, which may compromise our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission services, and data security breaches of sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary or personally identifiable information regarding our business, employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, business partners and other individuals in our data centers and on our networks;

 

   

our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ ability to comply with applicable federal reliability standards;

 

   

other legislative and regulatory developments, including, but not limited to, matters related to rates, compliance and enforcement activity, cybersecurity and climate change;

 

   

changes to environmental laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, those related to climate change and the energy transition;

 

   

changes in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ customers’ demand for power, including, but not limited to, economic conditions, the impact of climate change, emerging technology, particularly with respect to data centers, electrification, energy storage and distributed sources of generation;

 

   

the impact of changes to significant accounting policies;

 

   

the impact of any changes in tax laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA of 2022”), or adverse tax audit results or rulings;

 

   

the ability to access the public securities and other capital and credit markets in accordance with our announced financial plans, the cost of such capital and overall condition of the capital and credit markets affecting us and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, including the increasing number of financial institutions evaluating the impact of climate change on their investment decisions;

 

   

future actions that may be taken by credit rating agencies that could negatively affect either our access to or terms of financing or our financial condition and liquidity;

 

   

issues concerning the stability of domestic and foreign financial institutions and counterparties with which we do business;

 

   

our dependence on FE and its affiliates, including FESC, for employees and key personnel;

 

   

the risks and other factors discussed in this prospectus and in our financial statements and other similar factors; and

 

   

any other statements that relate to non-historical or future information.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the risk factors and other disclosures contained in this prospectus. The foregoing review of factors also should not be construed as exhaustive. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors or assess the impact of any such factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update or revise, except as required by law, any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The following abbreviations and acronyms are used to identify frequently used terms in this prospectus:

 

2021 Credit Facilities    Collectively, the two separate senior unsecured five-year syndicated revolving credit facilities entered into by FE, FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, on October 18, 2021, as amended through October 20, 2023
2023 Credit Facilities    Collectively, the FET Revolving Facility and the ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL revolving facilities as amended through October 20, 2023
A&R FET LLC Agreement    Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET
AEP    American Electric Power Company, Inc.
AFUDC    Allowance for Funds Used During Construction
ARO    Asset Retirement Obligation
ASC    Accounting Standards Codification
ASIC    Australian Securities and Investments Commission
ASX    ASX Limited
ATSI    American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, a transmission subsidiary of FET
Brookfield    North American Transmission Company II L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and a controlled investment vehicle entity of Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners
CEI    The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE
CWIP    Construction work in progress
D.C. Circuit    United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Distribution Segment    FirstEnergy reportable segment consisting of the Ohio Companies and FE PA
DPA    Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into on July 21, 2021 between FE and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio
DTC    The Depository Trust Company
DTCC    The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation
EEA    European Economic Area
EEI    The Edison Electric Institute
EESG    Employee, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance
EH    Energy Harbor Corp
Electric Companies    OE, CEI, TE, FE PA, JCP&L, MP, and PE

 

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Energize365    FirstEnergy’s Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure Investment Program
EPA    United States Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct 2005    2005 Energy Policy Act
ERO    Electric Reliability Organization
Exchange Act    Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
FASB    Financial Accounting Standards Board
FATCA    Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
FE    FirstEnergy Corp., a public electric power holding company
FE Board    The Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corp.
FE PA    FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, a Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Holding Company LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of FE
FE Revolving Facility    FE and the Electric Companies’ former five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, as amended, and replaced by the 2021 Credit Facilities on October 18, 2021
FENOC    Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp. (formerly known as FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company), a subsidiary of EH, which operates EH’s nuclear generating facilities
FERC    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FES    Energy Harbor LLC (formerly known as FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.), a subsidiary of EH, which provides energy-related products and services
FESC    FirstEnergy Service Company, which provides legal, financial and other corporate support services
FET    FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a consolidated VIE of FE, and the parent company of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, and having a joint venture in PATH
FET Board    The Board of Directors of FET
FET Minority Equity
Interest Sale
   Sale of an additional 30% membership interest of FET, such that Brookfield will own 49.9% of FET
FET Revolving Facility    FET’s five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, dated as of October 20, 2023
FirstEnergy    FirstEnergy Corp., together with its consolidated subsidiaries
Fitch    Fitch Ratings, Inc.
FPA    Federal Power Act
FSMA    Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
GAAP    Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America
GHG    Greenhouse Gas

 

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HB 6    House Bill 6, as passed by Ohio’s 133rd General Assembly
Integrated Segment    FirstEnergy reportable segment consisting of MP, PE and JCP&L
IRA    Individual Retirement Account
IRA of 2022    Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
IRS    Internal Revenue Service
ISO    Independent System Operator
JCP&L    Jersey Central Power & Light Company, a New Jersey electric power company subsidiary of FE
KATCo    Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company, a wholly owned transmission subsidiary of FE
kV    Kilovolt
LOC    Letter of Credit
LSE    Load Serving Entity
MAIT    Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, a transmission subsidiary of FET
MDPSC    Maryland Public Service Commission
ME    Metropolitan Edison Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024
MISO    Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.
Moody’s    Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
MP    Monongahela Power Company, a West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE
N.D. Ohio    Federal District Court, Northern District of Ohio
NERC    North American Electric Reliability Corporation
New 2030 Notes    New $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030
New 2035 Notes    New $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035
New Notes    New 2030 Notes and New 2035 Notes
OAG    Ohio Attorney General
OCC    Ohio Consumers’ Counsel
ODSA    Ohio Development Service Agency
OE    Ohio Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE
Ohio Companies    CEI, OE and TE

 

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OOCIC    Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which is composed of members of the Ohio law enforcement community and is chaired by the OAG
OPEB    Other Postemployment Benefits
Outstanding 2030 Notes    $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030
Outstanding 2035 Notes    $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of our 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035
Outstanding Notes    The Outstanding 2030 Notes and the Outstanding 2035 Notes
PA Consolidation    Consolidation of the Pennsylvania Companies, effective January 1, 2024
PATH    Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC, a joint venture between FE and a subsidiary of AEP
PATH-Allegheny    PATH Allegheny Transmission Company, LLC
PATH-WV    PATH West Virginia Transmission Company, LLC
PE    The Potomac Edison Company, a Maryland and West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE
Penn    Pennsylvania Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of OE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024
Pennsylvania Companies    ME, PN, Penn and WP, each of which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024
PN    Pennsylvania Electric Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024
PJM    PJM Interconnection, LLC
PJM CTOA    Consolidated Transmission Owners Agreement of PJM
PJM OA    Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of PJM
PJM OATT    PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff
PJM Tariff    PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff
PPUC    Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
PTRR    Projected Transmission Revenue Requirement
PUCO    Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
Registration Rights Agreements    Registration Rights Agreements in respect of each series of Outstanding Notes entered into on September 5, 2024, among FET and the initial purchasers.
Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries    ATSI, MAIT, and TrAIL, collectively
RFC    ReliabilityFirst Corporation
ROE    Return on Equity
RTEP    PJM’s Regional Transmission Expansion Plan

 

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RTO    Regional Transmission Organization
S.D. Ohio    Federal District Court, Southern District of Ohio
SEC    United States Securities and Exchange Commission
SLC    Special Litigation Committee of the FE Board
SOFR    Secured Overnight Financing Rate
S&P    Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service
SVC    Static Var Compensator
Stand-Alone Transmission Segment    FirstEnergy reportable segment consisting of FE’s ownership in FET and KATCo
Tax Act    Tax Cuts and Jobs Act adopted December 22, 2017
TE    The Toledo Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE
TrAIL    Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company, a transmission subsidiary of FET
Transmission Companies    ATSI, KATCo, MAIT and TrAIL
USAO    U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio
VEPCO    Virginia Electric and Power Company
VIE    Variable Interest Entity
VSCC    Virginia State Corporation Commission
WP    West Penn Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024
WVPSC    Public Service Commission of West Virginia

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary may not contain all of the information that is important to you, and it is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information and financial statements, including the notes to those financial statements, appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. Before making an investment decision, we encourage you to consider the information contained in this prospectus, including the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus.

In this prospectus, unless the context requires otherwise, references to “we,” “us,” “our,” “FET” and the “Company” refer to FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC. Capitalized terms used in this prospectus without definition have the meanings set forth in the Glossary of Terms included herein.

The Company

FET was organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2006. On May 31, 2022, North American Transmission Company II L.P. (“Brookfield”), a controlled investment vehicle entity of Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners, acquired 19.9% of the membership interests of FET. On March 25, 2024, Brookfield acquired an additional 30% of the outstanding membership interests of FET for $3.5 billion. As a result, Brookfield’s equity interest in FET increased to 49.9%, while FirstEnergy Corp. (“FE”) retained the remaining 50.1% equity interest in FET. We are a consolidated variable interest entity of FE. Our principal executive offices are located at 5001 NASA Blvd., Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. Our telephone number is (800) 736-3402.

Our Business

FET is the holding company for American Transmission Systems, Incorporated (“ATSI”), Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC (“MAIT”) and Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company (“TrAIL”), and is in the process of winding up a joint venture in Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC (“PATH”) with a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company, Inc. (“AEP”). Through its subsidiaries, FET owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities within PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”), a regional transmission organization, which consist of approximately 12,500 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia, and has a rate base of $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2023. We refer herein to ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, collectively, as our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. We refer herein to FE and its consolidated subsidiaries, collectively, as FirstEnergy.

Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries

ATSI was organized under the laws of the State of Ohio in 1998 to engage exclusively in the transmission of electricity (i.e., at voltages of 69 kV and above). The substantial portion of ATSI’s transmission assets were originally acquired in September 2000 from certain of FE’s Ohio and Pennsylvania distribution utility subsidiaries. In June 2011, ATSI transferred functional control of its transmission facilities from Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (“MISO”) to PJM.

MAIT was organized under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2015 to own and operate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) jurisdictional transmission assets that were transferred to MAIT on January 31, 2017, by two regulated utility subsidiaries of FE, Metropolitan Edison Company (“ME”) and Pennsylvania Electric Company (“PN”), following receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. In exchange for their transmission asset contributions, MAIT issued Class B membership interests to ME and PN. On January 1,

 

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2024, FirstEnergy consolidated its Pennsylvania electric utility subsidiaries, ME, PN, Penn and West Penn Power Company (“WP”) (together, the “Pennsylvania Companies”), into FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (“FE PA”), a Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Holding Company LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of FE. In addition to merging each of the Pennsylvania Companies with and into FE PA, with FE PA surviving such mergers as the successor-in-interest to all assets and liabilities of the Pennsylvania Companies, (i) WP transferred certain of its Pennsylvania-based transmission assets to KATCo, and (ii) PN and ME contributed their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE (the “PA Consolidation”), which were ultimately contributed to FET in exchange for a special purpose membership interest in FET. So long as FE holds the FET special purpose membership interests, it will receive 100% of any Class B distributions made by MAIT.

We own all of the outstanding Class A membership interests of MAIT, which MAIT issued to us in exchange for our cash contribution. TrAIL was organized under the laws of the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2006 to finance, construct, own, operate and maintain high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM. TrAIL currently has several transmission facilities in operation including a 500 kV transmission line extending approximately 150 miles from southwestern Pennsylvania through West Virginia to a point of interconnection with an unaffiliated utility, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“VEPCO”) in northern Virginia that was completed and placed into service in May 2011. This line is known as the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line.

Revenues and Rates

We derive all of our revenue from our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, in turn, derive nearly all of their revenues from providing:

 

   

network transmission service;

 

   

point-to-point transmission service; and

 

   

scheduling, control and dispatch service over their respective systems.

PJM, on behalf of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, charges rates established by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries using a forward-looking cost-of-service formula rate template on file with FERC. Under these formulas, MAIT and ATSI post to PJM’s website their Projected Transmission Revenue Requirement (“PTRR”) each October 5 and October 15 respectively, to be effective for the following January through December (the “Rate Year”). The PTRR represents the amount of revenue necessary to recover projected prudently-incurred expenses and a return on projected rate base, consisting primarily of property, plant and equipment on a 13-month average, for the Rate Year. MAIT and ATSI determine their respective PTRRs based on updates to the inputs to the formula rate template. MAIT and ATSI on each June 1 and May 1, respectively, calculate actual results for the previous Rate Year and compare them to the amount PJM billed on their behalf based on the PTRR for that Rate Year and include the resulting true-up in the PTRR for the coming Rate Year. MAIT’s and ATSI’s projected rate bases for the PTRRs effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 are $2.4 billion and $4.1 billion, respectively. Each May 15, TrAIL posts to PJM’s website its “Annual Update” consisting of (1) a “Reconciliation” reflecting its actual revenue requirement for the previous calendar year and (2) a “Forecast” reflecting the Reconciliation plus projected capital projects placed into service for the current calendar year as well as a true-up for the difference between the previous calendar year Forecast and Reconciliation. During June 1 through May 31 of each year, PJM bills, on behalf of TrAIL, TrAIL’s revenue requirement determined by its Forecast. TrAIL’s projected rate base in its Forecast posting on May 15, 2024 is $1.4 billion.

Operations

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission facilities are connected to generation resources, distribution facilities and neighboring transmission systems. Our transmission facilities currently transmit

 

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electricity in PJM from generating stations to local electricity distribution facilities located, in the case of ATSI, primarily in Ohio and Pennsylvania, in the case of MAIT, primarily in Pennsylvania, and in the case of TrAIL, primarily in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and northern Virginia. ATSI’s facilities consist of approximately 7,900 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 345 kV, 138 kV (bulk transmission) and 69 kV (area transmission). MAIT’s facilities consist of approximately 4,300 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV. TrAIL’s facilities consist of approximately 260 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltage of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV and 138 kV.

As transmission-only companies, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries function as conduits, moving power from unaffiliated generators to local distribution facilities or to interconnected transmission systems either entirely through their own systems or in conjunction with neighboring transmission systems. Affiliated and unaffiliated entities then distribute power through these local distribution facilities to end-use customers. The transmission of electricity by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries is a central function to the provision of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial end-use customers. As a member of PJM, functional control, but not ownership, over the transmission assets of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries has been transferred to PJM.

FirstEnergy’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment, including our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, together with PJM, plans, operates and maintains its transmission systems in accordance with the reliability standards developed by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) (which is the Electric Reliability Organization (“ERO”), designated by FERC under Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”) and approved by FERC to ensure reliable service to customers. FirstEnergy’s business strategy for its transmission systems, which includes those of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, is to operate, maintain and invest in transmission infrastructure to continue to ensure system integrity and reliability and to prudently manage expenses, capital expenditures and regulatory compliance.

Executive Offices

Our principal executive offices are located at 5001 NASA Blvd., Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. Our telephone number is (800) 736-3402.

Risk Factors

You should carefully consider the information set forth under the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus as well as the other information contained in this prospectus before participating in the exchange offer.

 

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Summary of the Exchange Offer

A brief description of the material terms of the exchange offer follows. We are offering to exchange both series of New Notes for the corresponding series of Outstanding Notes. The terms of each series of New Notes offered in the exchange offer are substantially identical to the terms of the corresponding series of Outstanding Notes, except that the New Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional interest provisions relating to the Outstanding Notes do not apply to the New Notes. For a more complete description of the exchange offer, see “The Exchange Offer.”

 

Background

On September 5, 2024, we issued $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Outstanding 2030 Notes and $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Outstanding 2035 Notes in a private offering. In connection with that offering, we entered into Registration Rights Agreements corresponding to each series of Outstanding Notes (as defined in “The Exchange Offer”) in which we agreed, among other things, to deliver this prospectus to you and use our reasonable best efforts to cause this exchange offer to be completed before the 366th day after the initial issuance of the Outstanding Notes.

 

  Under the terms of the exchange offer, you are entitled to exchange the Outstanding 2030 Notes and the Outstanding 2035 Notes for New 2030 Notes and New 2035 Notes, respectively, evidencing the same indebtedness and with substantially identical terms to the corresponding series of Outstanding Notes. You should read the discussion under the heading “Description of the Notes” for further information regarding the New Notes.

 

New Notes Offered

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2030; and

 

  $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2035.

 

Exchange Offer

We are offering to exchange the Outstanding Notes for a like principal amount of the corresponding series of New Notes. Outstanding Notes may be exchanged only in minimum denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The exchange offer is being made pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreements, which grant the initial purchasers and any subsequent holders of the Outstanding Notes certain exchange and registration rights. This exchange offer is intended to satisfy those exchange and registration rights with respect to the Outstanding Notes. After the exchange offer is complete, you will no longer be entitled to any exchange or registration rights with respect to your Outstanding Notes.

 

Expiration Date

The exchange offer will expire 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on      , 2025, or a later time if we choose to extend this exchange offer in our sole and absolute discretion. We do not currently intend to extend the expiration date for the exchange offer. The exchange offer will remain open for at least 20 full business days (or longer if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the exchange offer is first sent to holders of the Outstanding Notes.

 

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Withdrawal of Tender

You may withdraw your tender of Outstanding Notes at any time prior to the expiration date. All Outstanding Notes that are validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange.

 

Conditions to the Exchange Offer

Our obligation to accept for exchange, or to issue the New Notes in exchange for, any Outstanding Notes is subject to certain customary conditions, including our determination that the exchange offer does not violate applicable law or interpretation by the Staff of the SEC, some of which may be waived by us. We currently expect that each of the conditions will be satisfied and that no waivers will be necessary. See “The Exchange Offer — Conditions to the Exchange Offer.”

 

Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes Held in the Form of Book-Entry Interests

The Outstanding Notes were issued as global securities and were deposited upon issuance with U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, which issued uncertificated depositary interests in those Outstanding Notes, which represent a 100% interest in those Outstanding Notes, to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

 

  Beneficial interests in the Outstanding Notes, which are held by direct or indirect participants in DTC, are shown on, and transfers of the Outstanding Notes can only be made through, records maintained in book-entry form by DTC.

 

  You may tender your Outstanding Notes by instructing your broker or bank where you keep the Outstanding Notes to tender them for you. In some cases, you may be asked to submit the letter of transmittal that may accompany this prospectus. By tendering your Outstanding Notes, you will be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to be bound by the terms set forth under “The Exchange Offer.” Your Outstanding Notes must be tendered in minimum denominations of $2,000 and in multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

  We are not providing for guaranteed delivery procedures, and therefore you must allow sufficient time for the necessary tender procedures to be completed during normal business hours of DTC on or prior to the expiration time. If you hold your Outstanding Notes through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, you should consider that such entity may require you to take action with respect to the exchange offer a number of days before the expiration time in order for such entity to tender notes on your behalf on or prior to the expiration time. In order for your tender to be considered valid, the exchange agent must receive a confirmation of book-entry transfer of your Outstanding Notes into the exchange agent’s account at DTC, under the procedure described in this prospectus under the heading “The Exchange Offer,” on or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer.

 

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  By executing the letter of transmittal or by transmitting an agent’s message in lieu thereof, you will represent to us that, among other things:

 

   

the New Notes that you receive will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business;

 

   

you are not participating in, and have no arrangement with any person or entity to participate in, the distribution of the New Notes;

 

   

you are not our “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) or if you are such an “affiliate,” you will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable in connection with any resale of the New Notes; and

 

   

if you are a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for your own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes acquired as a result of market making or other trading activities, then you will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable, in connection with any resale of the New Notes.

 

United States Federal Income Tax Consequences

The exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes pursuant to the exchange offer generally will not be a taxable event for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

 

Use of Proceeds

We will not receive any proceeds from the issuance of the New Notes in the exchange offer.

 

Fees and Expenses

We will pay all of our expenses incident to the exchange offer.

 

Exchange Agent

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association is serving as the exchange agent for the exchange offer.

 

Resales of New Notes

Based on interpretations by the staff of the SEC, as set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties that are not related to us, we believe that the New Notes you receive in the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold or otherwise transferred by you without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act so long as:

 

   

the New Notes are being acquired in the ordinary course of business;

 

   

you are not participating, do not intend to participate, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the New Notes issued to you in the exchange offer;

 

   

you are not our affiliate;

 

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you are not a broker-dealer tendering Outstanding Notes acquired directly from us for your account, or if you are such a broker-dealer, then you will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable, in connection with any resale of the New Notes.

 

  The SEC has not considered this exchange offer in the context of a no-action letter, and we cannot assure you that the SEC would make similar determinations with respect to this exchange offer. If any of these conditions are not satisfied, or if our belief is not accurate, and you transfer any New Notes issued to you in the exchange offer without delivering a resale prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act or without an exemption from registration of your New Notes from those requirements, you may incur liability under the Securities Act. We will not assume, nor will we indemnify you against, any such liability. Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes, where the Outstanding Notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes. See “Plan of Distribution.”

 

Consequences of Not Exchanging Outstanding Notes

Outstanding Notes that are not tendered or that are tendered but not accepted will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer that are described in the legend on the Outstanding Notes.

 

  In general, you may offer or sell your Outstanding Notes only if they are registered under, or offered or sold under an exemption from, or are not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. If you do not participate in the exchange offer, the liquidity of your Outstanding Notes could be adversely affected. See “The Exchange Offer — Consequences of Failure to Exchange.”

 

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Summary of the Terms of the New Notes

The New Notes will be substantially identical to the Outstanding Notes, except that the New Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not have restrictions on transfer, rights to additional interest or registration rights. The New Notes will evidence the same debt as the Outstanding Notes, and the same Indenture (as defined herein) will govern the New Notes and the Outstanding Notes. We sometimes refer to the New Notes and the Outstanding Notes collectively as the “Notes.”

The following summary contains basic information about the New Notes and is not intended to be complete. It does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a more complete understanding of the New Notes, please read “Description of the Notes.”

 

Issuer

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.

 

Securities Offered

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2030; and

 

  $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2035.

 

Maturity Dates

New 2030 Notes: January 15, 2030.

 

  New 2035 Notes: January 15, 2035.

 

Interest Rates and Interest Rate Periods

Interest on the New 2030 Notes will accrue at a rate of 4.550% per annum from the date of the original issuance and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on each January 15 and July 15, beginning on January 15, 2025.

 

  Interest on the New 2035 Notes will accrue at a rate of 5.000% per annum from the date of original issuance and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on each January 15 and July 15, beginning on January 15, 2025.

 

Security and Ranking

The New Notes will be our senior unsecured general obligations. They will rank equally with all of our other existing and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness, senior to all of our existing and future subordinated indebtedness and junior to all of our future senior secured indebtedness. As of June 30, 2024, we had $2.0 billion of senior unsecured and unsubordinated long-term indebtedness outstanding and no other long-term debt outstanding. See “Description of the Notes— Ranking.”

 

  The New Notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of our subsidiaries, including:

 

   

trade payables;

 

   

ATSI’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.00% Senior Notes due 2026;

 

   

ATSI’s $100 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.32% Senior Notes due 2030;

 

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ATSI’s $100 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.38% Senior Notes due 2031;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.66% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

ATSI’s $600 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 2.65% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.13% Senior Notes due 2033;

 

   

ATSI’s $400 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.00% Senior Notes due 2044;

 

   

ATSI’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.23% Senior Notes due 2045;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.63% Senior Notes due 2034;

 

   

MAIT’s $600 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.10% Senior Notes due 2028;

 

   

MAIT’s $125 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.60% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

MAIT’s $175 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.39% Senior Notes due 2033;

 

   

MAIT’s $250 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.94% Senior Notes due 2034;

 

   

MAIT’s $125 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.70% Senior Notes due 2035;

 

   

TrAIL’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.76% Senior Notes due 2025; and

 

   

TrAIL’s $550 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.85% Senior Notes due 2025.

 

  For more information, see Note 6, “Capitalization—Long-Term Debt and Other Long-Term Obligations” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements and Note 8, “Fair Value Measurements” of the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements in this prospectus.

 

Optional Redemption

The New 2030 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option, at any time prior to December 15, 2029 (the date that is one month prior to the scheduled maturity date of the New 2030 Notes) at a “make-whole” redemption price, as described under the heading “Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption” below, and, on or after such date, at par.

 

 

The New 2035 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option, at any time prior to October 15, 2034 (the date that is three months prior to the scheduled maturity date of the New 2035 Notes) at a “make-whole” redemption price, as described under the heading

 

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Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption” below, and, on or after such date, at par.

 

  See “Description of the Notes — Optional Redemption.”

 

Form and Denomination

The New Notes will be issued in fully-registered form. The New Notes will be represented by one or more global notes, deposited with the trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., DTC’s nominee. Beneficial interests in the global notes will be shown on, and any transfers will be effective only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

  The New Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Certain Covenants

The terms of the New Notes contain only very limited protections for holders of New Notes. In particular, the New Notes will not place any restrictions on our or our subsidiaries’ ability to:

 

   

issue debt securities or otherwise incur additional indebtedness or other obligations ranking equal in right of payment with the New Notes; or

 

   

conduct other transactions that may adversely affect the holders of the New Notes.

 

Events of Default and Acceleration

The only events of default with respect to the New Notes are:

 

   

failure to pay principal, any premium or required interest for 30 days after it is due;

 

   

failure to perform other covenants in the Indenture for 90 days after we are given notice from the Trustee or the Trustee receives, and provides to us, written notice from the registered holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the outstanding New Notes of such series; provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the holders of such principal amount of the New Notes of such series can agree to an extension of the 90-day period and, will be deemed to have agreed to an extension of that period if corrective action has been initiated by us within that period and is being diligently pursued; and

 

   

certain events of insolvency or bankruptcy, whether voluntary or not, involving FET.

 

  Only these events of default provide for a right of acceleration of the New Notes. No other events will result in acceleration.

 

  See “Risk Factors — Risks Associated with the Exchange Offer.”

 

Additional Notes

We may from time to time, without consent of the holders of the Notes, issue Notes having the same terms and conditions as any series of New Notes being offered hereby or any series of Outstanding Notes (except for the issue date, offering price and, if applicable, the first interest payment date). Additional Notes issued in this manner will form a single series with the applicable outstanding series of

 

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Notes and will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture governing the Notes, including, without limitation, voting, waivers and amendments.

 

Risk Factors

See “Risk Factors” and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of the factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in the New Notes.

 

No Listing of the Notes

There is no public trading market for the New Notes, and we do not intend to list the New Notes on any national securities exchange or to arrange for quotation on any automated dealer quotation systems. There can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop for the New Notes. If an active trading market does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the New Notes may be adversely affected.

 

No Public Market

The New Notes will be new securities for which no market currently exists, and we cannot assure you that any public market for the New Notes will develop or be sustained.

 

Governing Law

The New Notes will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

Trustee

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association).

 

Book-Entry Depository

DTC.

 

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RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the following risk factors and all other information contained in this prospectus before participating in the exchange offer. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only risks facing us and your investment in the exchange notes. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or those we currently deem immaterial, also may become important factors that affect us. The following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, cash flows or results of operations.

Risks Associated with Damage to FirstEnergy’s Reputation and HB 6 Related Litigation and Investigations

Damage to our and/or FirstEnergy’s reputation may arise from numerous sources making it and its subsidiaries vulnerable to negative customer perception, adverse regulatory outcomes, or other consequences, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Our reputation is important. Damage to FirstEnergy’s reputation, including the reputation of any of its subsidiaries, such as FET, could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Such damage may arise from numerous sources further discussed below, negative outcomes associated with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into on July 21, 2021 between FE and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio (the “DPA”), the SEC investigation or other HB 6 litigation or investigations, a significant cyber-attack, data security or physical security breach, failure to provide safe and reliable service and negative perceptions regarding the operation of coal-fired generation, particularly Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) emissions. Any damage to our reputation, either generally or as a result of the foregoing, may lead to negative customer perception, which may make it difficult for us to compete successfully for new opportunities, or could adversely impact our ability to launch new sophisticated technology-driven solutions to meet our customer expectations. A damaged reputation could further result in FERC, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (the “PUCO”) and other regulatory and legislative authorities being less likely to view us in a favorable light and could negatively impact the rates we charge customers or otherwise cause us to be susceptible to unfavorable legislative and regulatory outcomes, as well as increased regulatory oversight and more stringent legislative or regulatory requirements.

HB 6 related investigation and litigation could have a material adverse effect on FirstEnergy’s reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows and such adverse effects could extend to us.

On July 21, 2020, a complaint and supporting affidavit containing federal criminal allegations were unsealed against the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. In March 2023, a jury found Mr. Householder and his co-defendant, Matthew Borges, guilty and in June 2023, the two were sentenced to prison for 20 and five years, respectively. Messrs. Householder and Borges have appealed their sentences. Also, on July 21, 2020, and in connection with the USAO’s investigation, FirstEnergy received subpoenas for records from the USAO. FirstEnergy was not aware of the criminal allegations, affidavit or subpoenas before July 21, 2020. On July 21, 2021, FE entered into a three-year DPA with the USAO that, subject to court proceedings, resolves this matter. Among other things under the DPA, FirstEnergy paid a $230 million monetary penalty in 2021 and agreed to the filing of a criminal information charging FirstEnergy with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. The $230 million payment will neither be recovered in rates or charged to FirstEnergy customers, nor will FirstEnergy seek any tax deduction related to such payment. As of July 21, 2024, FirstEnergy successfully completed the obligations required within the three-year term of the DPA. Under the DPA, and until the conclusion of any related investigation, criminal prosecution and civil proceeding brought by the USAO, FirstEnergy has an obligation to continue (i) publishing quarterly a list of all payments to 501(c)(4) entities and all payments to entities known by FirstEnergy operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or

 

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indirectly; (ii) not making any statements that contradict the DPA; (iii) notifying the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Ohio (the “USAO”) of any changes in FirstEnergy’s corporate form; and (iv) cooperating with the USAO.

Following the announcement by the USAO of the investigation surrounding HB 6 in July 2020, certain of FirstEnergy’s stockholders and customers filed several lawsuits against FirstEnergy and certain current and former directors, officers and other employees, including the federal securities class action litigation In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation (Federal District Court, Southern District of Ohio (“S.D. Ohio”)). We and FirstEnergy believe that it is probable that FirstEnergy will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, we and FirstEnergy cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss that may arise from its resolution. However, if it is resolved against FirstEnergy, substantial monetary damages could result and its reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows may be materially adversely affected, which may, in turn, have an adverse material impact on us.

The investigations and litigation related to HB 6 could divert management’s focus and have resulted in, and could continue to result in, substantial investigation expenses and the commitment of substantial corporate resources. The outcome, duration, scope, result or related costs of the investigations and related litigation of the government investigations, particularly the securities class action litigation In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation discussed above, are inherently uncertain. Therefore, any of these risks could impact us significantly beyond expectations. Moreover, we are unable to predict the potential for any additional investigations or litigation, including the potential focus thereof on FirstEnergy’s subsidiaries, any of which could expose us to potential criminal or civil liabilities, sanctions or other remedial measures, and could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows.

On August 10, 2020, the SEC, through its Division of Enforcement, issued an order directing an investigation of possible securities laws violations by FirstEnergy, and on September 1, 2020, issued subpoenas to FirstEnergy and certain of its officers. FirstEnergy continues to cooperate with the SEC in their ongoing investigation. On April 28, 2021, July 11, 2022, and May 25, 2023, the SEC issued additional subpoenas to FirstEnergy, with which FirstEnergy has complied. On September 12, 2024, the SEC issued a settlement order that concludes and resolves, in its entirety, the SEC investigation. Under the terms of the settlement, FirstEnergy agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100 million and to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of specified provisions of the federal securities laws and rules promulgated thereunder. Prior to the issuance of the settlement order, FirstEnergy had recorded a loss contingency of $100 million relating to the SEC investigation during the second quarter of 2024. This civil penalty was neither allocated nor charged to FET.

The HB 6 related state regulatory proceedings could have a material adverse effect on FirstEnergy’s reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows and such adverse effects could extend to us, including on an indirect basis.

There are several ongoing HB 6 related state regulatory proceedings relating to FirstEnergy. As a result of those proceedings, there could be adverse impacts to FET, including because the rates that the Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are allowed to charge may be decreased as a result of regulatory action taken within the jurisdictions to which the Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject. Furthermore, any failure by FirstEnergy to have complied with anti-corruption laws, contractual requirements, or other legal or regulatory requirements, could adversely impact FET, including through reputational harm.

We are unable to predict the adverse impacts of such regulatory matters, including with respect to rates charged by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, and, therefore, any of these risks could impact us significantly beyond expectations. Moreover, we are unable to predict the potential for any additional regulatory actions, any of which could exacerbate these risks or expose FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries and FET to adverse

 

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outcomes in pending or future rate cases and could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity or cash flows.

Risks Associated with Our Business and Industry

Failure to comply with debt covenants in FET’s five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, dated as of October 20, 2023 (the “FET Revolving Facility”) could adversely affect our ability to execute future borrowings and/or require early repayment and could restrict our ability to obtain additional or replacement financing on acceptable terms or at all.

Our FET Revolving Facility contains various financial and other covenants, including maintaining a consolidated debt to total capitalization ratio of no more than 75%. Compliance with each covenant is measured at the end of each fiscal quarter.

Our FET Revolving Facility contains certain negative and affirmative covenants. Our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in our FET Revolving Facility has been, and may in the future, be affected by events related to the ongoing government investigations or otherwise.

A breach of any of the covenants contained in our FET Revolving Facility, including any breach related to alleged failures to comply with anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, could result in an event of default under the FET Revolving Facility and we would not be able to access the FET Revolving Facility for additional borrowings and letters of credit while any default exists. Upon the occurrence of such an event of default, any amounts outstanding under our FET Revolving Facility, which was $215 million as of June 30, 2024, could be declared to be immediately due and payable and all applicable commitments to extend further credit could be terminated. If future indebtedness under our FET Revolving Facility is accelerated, there can be no assurance that we will have sufficient assets to repay the indebtedness. In addition, certain events, including but not limited to any covenant breach related to alleged failures to comply with anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, an event of default under our FET Revolving Facility and the acceleration of applicable commitments under our FET Revolving Facility could restrict our ability to obtain additional or replacement financing on acceptable terms or at all. The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in our FET Revolving Facility and any future financing agreements may adversely affect our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to engage in other business activities.

In connection with FirstEnergy’s actions to focus on its regulated operations, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have taken steps to focus on growing their respective businesses and earnings. The ability of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to successfully grow their respective businesses is subject to certain risks that could adversely affect profitability and our financial condition in the future.

FirstEnergy has undertaken a transmission expansion plan designed to improve operating flexibility, increase reliability, position transmission capacity for future load growth and facilitate response to system events. This plan allows FirstEnergy to capitalize on growth opportunities available to its regulated operations, particularly in transmission. FirstEnergy intends to grow its Stand-Alone Transmission Segment and Integrated Segment with projects extending throughout FirstEnergy’s service area, including the transmission systems of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

The success of FirstEnergy’s growth strategy will depend, in part, on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ successful recovery of our transmission investments. Factors that may affect rate recovery of our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission investments may include: (1) FERC’s timely approval of rates to recover such investments; (2) whether the investments are included in PJM’s Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (“RTEP”); (3) FERC’s evolving policies with respect to incentive rates for transmission investment assets; (4) FERC’s evolving policies with respect to the calculation of the base return on equity (“ROE”) component of transmission rates; (5) consideration and potential impact of the objections of those who oppose such investments and their recovery; and (6) timely development, construction and operation

 

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of the new facilities. See “—Complex and changing government regulations, including those associated with rates, could have a negative impact on our results of operations and —Certain elements of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ cost recovery through rates can be challenged, which could result in lower rates and/or refunds of amounts previously collected and thus have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows” below.

Our ability to capitalize on investment opportunities available to our business depends, in part, on any future transmission rate filings at FERC, including maintaining the affordability of the rates charged to customers. Any denial of, or delay in, the approval of any future transmission rate requests could restrict us from fully recovering our cost of service, may impose risks on the transmission operations and could have a material adverse effect on our regulatory strategy, results of operations and financial condition.

FirstEnergy’s growth strategy also could be adversely impacted by any impediments to its or our ability to finance the proposed expansion projects while maintaining adequate liquidity. There can be no assurance that FirstEnergy’s investment strategy will deliver the desired result, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to risks arising from our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ operation of transmission facilities.

Operation of transmission facilities involves risk, including the risk of potential breakdown or failure of equipment or processes due to aging infrastructure, fuel supply or transportation disruptions, accidents, labor disputes or work stoppages by employees, human error in operations or maintenance, acts of terrorism or sabotage, cyber-attacks, construction delays or cost overruns, shortages of or delays in obtaining equipment, material and labor, operational restrictions resulting from environmental requirements and governmental interventions and operational performance below expected levels. In addition, weather-related incidents and other natural disasters can disrupt transmission systems and, in some cases, lead to catastrophic effects such as wildfires. Because our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission facilities are interconnected with those of third parties, the operation of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ facilities could be adversely affected by unexpected or uncontrollable events occurring on the systems of such third parties.

We and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries remain obligated to provide safe and reliable service to customers. Meeting this commitment requires the expenditure of significant capital resources. Failure to provide safe and reliable service and failure to meet regulatory reliability standards due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, equipment failure and weather, could harm our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ business reputations and adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ operating results through reduced revenues and increased capital and operating costs, the concurrence of liabilities to claimholders and the imposition of penalties/fines or other adverse regulatory outcomes.

Current or future litigation or administrative proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have been and continue to be involved in legal proceedings, administrative proceedings, claims and other litigation that arise in the ordinary course of business. Various individuals and interest groups may challenge the issuance of relevant state utility commission authorizations to construct new transmission lines, or other relevant certificates, permits or approvals. In addition, we and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are sometimes subject to investigations and inquiries by various state and federal regulators due to the heavily regulated nature of our industry. Unfavorable outcomes or developments relating to these or other proceedings or investigations, such as judgments for monetary damages and other remedies, including injunctions or revocation of relevant authorizations, certificates, permits or approvals, could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the Notes.

 

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Although our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries intend to vigorously defend these matters, the results of these proceedings or investigations cannot be determined. For more information on these proceedings and other litigation, see “Our Business—Litigation.”

We and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject to various regulatory requirements, including reliability standards, rate tariff and contract filing requirements, reporting, recordkeeping and accounting requirements, transaction approval requirements, requirements of the regional transmission organization in which they operate, and foreign investment regulations. Violations of current or future requirements, whether intentional or unintentional, or failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals may result in substantial costs, sanctions or penalties that, under some circumstances, could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our operations and other regulated activities are subject to audit by FERC, which may conduct routine or special audits and issue requests designed to ensure compliance with FERC rules, regulations, policies and procedures. Owners, operators and users of the bulk electric system are subject to mandatory reliability standards promulgated by NERC and approved by FERC. The standards are based on the functions that need to be performed to ensure that the bulk electric system operates reliably. NERC, FERC and ReliabilityFirst Corporation (“RFC”), which is one of the regional reliability entities responsible for the PJM region, continue to refine existing reliability standards as well as develop and adopt new reliability standards. The reliability standards address operation, planning and security of the bulk electric system, including requirements with respect to real-time transmission operations, emergency operations, vegetation management, critical infrastructure protection and personnel training. Compliance with modified or new reliability standards may subject our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to higher operating costs and/or increased capital expenditures. If one of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries were found not to be in compliance with one or more of the mandatory reliability standards, we or such Regulated Transmission Subsidiary could be subject to sanctions, including substantial monetary penalties.

Monetary penalties for violations of reliability standards vary based on an assigned risk factor for each potential violation, the severity of the violation and various other circumstances, such as whether the violation was intentional or concealed, whether there are repeated violations, the degree of the violator’s cooperation in investigating and remediating the violation and the presence of a compliance program. FERC has authority under the FPA to impose penalties up to and including $1.5 million per day, subject thereafter to annual adjustments for inflation, for failure to comply with these mandatory reliability standards. Potential non-monetary sanctions include imposing limitations on the violator’s activities or operation and placing the violator on a watch list for major violators.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are also subject to requirements under Sections 203, 204 and 205 of the FPA, including the requirement to obtain prior FERC approval of certain transactions, issuances of securities and assumptions of liabilities; reporting, recordkeeping and accounting requirements; and for filing rate tariffs and contracts related to the provision of services subject to FERC jurisdiction. Under FERC policy, failure to file a jurisdictional tariff or agreement on a timely basis may result in an entity having to refund the time value of revenues collected under the relevant tariff or agreement. The failure to obtain timely approval of transactions subject to Section 203 of the FPA or of issuances of securities or assumptions of liabilities under Section 204 of the FPA, or to comply with applicable filing, reporting, recordkeeping or accounting requirements under Section 205 of the FPA, could subject our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to penalties. FERC has authority under the FPA to impose penalties in 2024 up to and including $1.5 million per day, subject thereafter to annual adjustments for inflation, per violation of the FPA or rules or orders issued pursuant thereto.

Despite our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ best efforts to comply and FirstEnergy’s implementation of a compliance program intended to ensure reliability and compliance with the FPA and rules and orders issued

 

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by FERC, there can be no assurance that violations that could result in material penalties or sanctions will not occur. If any of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries were to violate mandatory reliability standards or other NERC or FERC requirements, even unintentionally, in any material way, any penalties or sanctions imposed against us or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

In addition to direct regulation by FERC, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are also subject to rules and terms of participation imposed and administered by PJM. Although PJM is itself ultimately regulated by FERC, it can impose rules, restrictions and terms of service that are quasi-regulatory in nature and could have a material adverse impact on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ business. For example, PJM may direct our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries or other transmission-owning affiliates to build new transmission facilities to meet PJM’s reliability requirements or to provide new or expanded transmission service under the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff (“PJM OATT”). Compliance with PJM’s rules may subject our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to higher operating costs and/or increased capital expenditures.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) is an interagency body of the U.S. government authorized to review certain foreign investment transactions in domestic businesses in order to determine the effect of such transactions on the national security of the United States of America. We sought CFIUS approval for the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale. On November 24, 2023, CFIUS concluded its review of the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale and determined that there are no unresolved national security concerns. As part of the resolution of the CFIUS review, we entered into a National Security Agreement (“NSA”) with certain CFIUS monitoring agencies (“CMAs”). Pursuant to the NSA, we have agreed to protect our data by, among other things, implementing a security policy, appointing a security officer, and periodically reporting to the CMAs. Our operating results may be negatively affected if we fail to comply with our obligations under the NSA, we may be subject to potential penalties.

Any failure by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to comply with any applicable regulations or any limitations on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ ability to raise capital and/or pursue acquisitions, development opportunities or other transactions imposed by any such regulations could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

Complex and changing government regulations, including those associated with rates, could have a negative impact on our results of operations.

Each of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries is regulated by FERC as a “public utility” under the FPA and is a transmission owner in PJM. We cannot predict whether FERC will change its policies or regulations, or whether the approved transmission rates or rate determination mechanism or methodology for any of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will be changed. In addition, the U.S. Congress periodically considers enacting energy legislation that could give FERC new responsibilities, modify provisions of the FPA, or provide FERC or another entity with increased authority to regulate rates and services for the transmission of electricity. We cannot predict whether, or to what extent, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may be affected by any such changes in federal energy laws, regulations or policies in the future.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries each use a formula rate template to calculate their respective annual revenue requirements. Under the FPA, their formula rates will remain in effect until they obtain approval from FERC pursuant to Section 205 of the FPA to change to a different mechanism or until FERC determines in a proceeding under Section 206 of the FPA that the formula rate or any aspect of such rate is unjust and unreasonable or is unduly discriminatory or preferential. Such a determination could result from a challenge initiated at FERC by an interested party, or by FERC on its own initiative. State utility commissions, transmission customers, end-use consumers and entities supplying electricity to end-use consumers may attempt

 

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to influence the government and/or regulators to change our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ formula rate template and/or their approved ROE, particularly if transmission rates increase substantially. As such, there can be no assurance that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will obtain their expected revenue requirements in future Section 205 rate proceedings. The inability of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to obtain their expected revenue requirements would have a negative impact on our results of operations.

On March 20, 2020, FERC initiated a rulemaking proceeding on the transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act (the “EPAct 2005”). FirstEnergy submitted comments through the Edison Electric Institute (“EEI”) and as part of a consortium of PJM transmission owners. In a supplemental rulemaking proceeding that was initiated on April 15, 2021, FERC requested comments on, among other things, whether to require utilities that have been members of a regional transmission organization (“RTO”) for three years or more and that have been collecting an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder to file tariff updates that would terminate collection of the incentive adder. Initial comments on the proposed rule were filed on June 25, 2021, and reply comments were filed on July 26, 2021. The rulemaking remains pending before FERC. FirstEnergy is a member of PJM and its transmission subsidiaries could be affected by the supplemental proposed rule. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups. If there were to be any changes to FirstEnergy transmission incentive ROE, such changes will be applied on a prospective basis and could have a negative impact on our results of operations.

Certain elements of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ cost recovery through rates can be challenged, which could result in lower rates and/or refunds of amounts previously collected and thus have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries provide electric transmission service under rates regulated by FERC. FERC has allowed the use by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries of formula rate mechanisms set forth in the PJM OATT. However, under the formula rate mechanisms, FERC is not required to approve the amount of actual capital and operating expenditures used in the formulas. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries update the inputs to their formula rate templates annually. MAIT and ATSI post to PJM’s website their PTRR each October 5 and October 15, respectively, to be effective for the following Rate Year. The PTRR represents the amount of revenue necessary to recover projected prudently-incurred expenses and a return on projected rate base, consisting primarily of property, plant and equipment on a 13-month average, for the Rate Year. MAIT and ATSI on each June 1 and May 1, respectively, calculate actual results for the previous Rate Year and compare them to the amount PJM billed on their behalf based on the PTRR for that Rate Year and include the resulting true-up in the PTRR for the coming Rate Year. Each May 15, TrAIL posts to PJM’s website its “Annual Update” consisting of (1) a “Reconciliation” reflecting its actual revenue requirement for the previous calendar year and (2) a “Forecast” reflecting the Reconciliation plus projected capital projects placed into service for the current calendar year as well as a true-up for the difference between the previous calendar year Forecast and Reconciliation. During June 1 through May 31 of each year, PJM bills, on behalf of TrAIL, TrAIL’s revenue requirement determined by its Forecast.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ formula rate updates are posted on PJM’s website and are subject to discovery requests and challenges by interested parties under provisions specified in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ formula rate implementation protocols in the PJM OATT. In addition, all aspects of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ formula rates on file with FERC, including the ROE (including any incentive rates) on the actual equity portion of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ capital structure and the data inputs provided by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries for calculation of each year’s rates, are subject to challenge by interested parties before FERC pursuant to the formula rate protocols or in a proceeding instituted under Section 206 of the FPA. In a formal challenge pursuant to the protocols, the burden of proof is on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to demonstrate that the rate, or any aspect thereof, is just, reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. However, in a Section 206 proceeding, the burden of proof is on

 

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the challenger to demonstrate that any aspect of the rate is unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory or preferential. If our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries fail to meet the burden of proof in a challenge under the protocols or a challenger meets its burden of proof in a Section 206 proceeding, then FERC will make appropriate adjustments to the challenged rate. In a Section 206 complaint proceeding, the refund effective date is no earlier than the date the complaint was filed and no later than five months after the date the complaint was filed. Such challenges could result in a lower rate and/or refunds of amounts collected during the annual update period to which the challenge under the protocols applied or commencing on the refund effective date established by FERC in a Section 206 proceeding. Such a result could have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

In addition, FERC policy currently permits recovery of prudently-incurred costs associated with the expansion of transmission infrastructure within its jurisdiction. If FERC were to adopt a different policy regarding recovery of transmission costs or if transmission needs do not continue or develop as projected, FirstEnergy’s strategy of investing in transmission could be affected. If FERC were to lower the rates of return it has authorized for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, it could have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ actual capital expenditures may be lower than planned, which would decrease their expected rate bases and therefore their and our revenues and earnings compared to current expectations.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ rate bases, revenues and earnings are determined in part by additions to property, plant and equipment and when those additions are placed in service. We expect that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will continue to make significant capital investments over the next three years across their respective electric transmission systems. In particular, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are expected to annually invest $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion in capital investments from 2024 through 2028 to upgrade their transmission systems. If such capital investment and the resulting in-service property, plant and equipment are lower than anticipated for any reason, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will have lower than anticipated rate bases, thus causing our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ revenue requirements and future earnings to be potentially lower than anticipated, which, in turn, could restrict the amount of cash such Regulated Transmission Subsidiary can distribute to us and thereby negatively affect our ability to meet our debt and other monetary obligations, including obligations under the New Notes. Reasons that capital expenditures may be lower than expected may include, among others, the impact of weather conditions, union strikes, labor shortages, material and equipment prices and availability, limitations on the amount of construction that can be undertaken on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ systems at any one time, regulatory approvals relating to environmental, siting or regional planning issues, legal proceedings related to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission projects and variances between estimated and actual costs of construction contracts awarded.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries depend on PJM transmission service customers for a substantial portion of their revenues, and any material failure by any of those customers to make payments for transmission service would adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries recover their revenue requirements through rates charged by PJM to transmission customers that utilize their facilities. Although PJM bills and collects transmission revenues on behalf of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and other transmission owners and has established credit requirements designed to protect our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries as well as other transmission owners and other market participants in the event of a payment default by a PJM customer, a material failure by one or more of those customers to make payments for transmission service could adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

 

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Failure to retain and attract skilled professionals and technical employees could have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business is dependent on the ability of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ affiliates and that of their contractors to recruit, retain and motivate employees and contractors. Competition for skilled workers in some areas is high.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ affiliates and contractors must find ways to balance the retention of an aging skilled workforce while recruiting new talent to mitigate losses in critical knowledge and skills due to retirements.

Further, a significant number of our affiliates and their contractors’ physical workforce are represented by unions. While we believe that our relations with their employees are generally fair, neither our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries nor we can provide assurances that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will be completely free of labor disruptions such as work stoppages, work slowdowns, union organizing campaigns, strikes or lockouts or that any existing labor disruption will be favorably resolved.

Mitigating these risks could require additional financial commitments and the failure to prevent labor disruptions and retain and/or attract trained and qualified labor could have an adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

Acts of war, terrorist attacks and threats or the escalation of military activity in response to such attacks or otherwise may negatively affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

As a result of the continued threat of physical acts of war, terrorism, sabotage or other attacks in the United States, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ electric transmission facilities and other infrastructure and the generation and distribution facilities and other infrastructure of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ customers, suppliers and other interconnected parties, including power plants, transformers and high-voltage lines and substations, or the facilities or other infrastructure of an interconnected company, could be direct targets of, or indirect casualties of, an act of war, terrorism, sabotage or other attack, which could result in disruption of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ ability to transmit electricity for a significant period of time, otherwise disrupt customer operations and/or result in incidents that could result in harmful effects on the environment and human health, including loss of life. Any such disruption or incident could result in a significant decrease in revenue, significant additional capital and operating costs, including costs to implement additional security systems or personnel to replace or repair the assets of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries over and above any available insurance reimbursement, higher insurance deductibles, higher premiums and more restrictive insurance policies, legal claims or proceedings, greater regulation with higher attendant costs, generally, and significant damage to our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ reputations, which could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject to environmental regulations and to laws that can give rise to substantial expenses for environmental compliance and contamination.

The operations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, which impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the environment, establish standards for the management, treatment, storage, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials and of solid and hazardous wastes and impose obligations to investigate and remediate contamination in certain circumstances. Liabilities to investigate or remediate contamination, as well as other

 

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liabilities concerning hazardous materials or contamination, such as claims for personal injury or property damage, may arise at many locations, including formerly owned or operated properties and sites where wastes have been treated or disposed of, as well as at properties currently owned or operated by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Such liabilities may arise even where the contamination does not result from noncompliance with applicable environmental laws. Under a number of environmental laws, such liabilities may also be joint and several, meaning that a party can be held responsible for more than its share of the liability involved, or even the entire share. Environmental requirements generally have become more stringent over time, and compliance with those requirements has become more expensive.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have incurred expenses in connection with environmental compliance, and we anticipate that they will continue to do so in the future. Failure to comply with the extensive environmental laws and regulations applicable to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries could result in significant civil or criminal penalties and remediation costs. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ assets and operations also involve the use of materials classified as hazardous, toxic, or otherwise dangerous. Some of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ facilities and properties are located near environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands and habitats of endangered, threatened or otherwise protected species. These sensitive areas increase the expense of current operations and siting requirements for future operations. Compliance with these laws and regulations, and liabilities concerning contamination or hazardous materials, may adversely affect our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ costs and, therefore, our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

In addition, claims have been made or threatened against electric utilities for bodily injury, disease or other damages allegedly related to exposure to electromagnetic fields associated with electric transmission and distribution lines and climate change alleged to result from greenhouse gas emissions. We cannot assure you that such claims will not be asserted against us or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries or that, if determined in a manner adverse to our interests, such claims would not have a material effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and our ability to pay interest on, and the principal of, the New Notes.

Significant increases in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ operation and maintenance expenses, including health care and pension costs, could adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ future earnings and liquidity.

We do not have any employees and have contracted with FirstEnergy Service Company (“FESC”), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of FE, to provide us with corporate, administrative, management and other services. To the extent that FESC is subject to increases in expenses in connection with the services that it provides to us, we will therefore face corresponding cost increases in fees paid to FESC. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries expect to continue to face increased cost pressures related to such operation and maintenance expenses, including in the areas of health care and pension costs. For example, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have experienced cost increases that correlate with health care cost inflation in recent years, and we therefore expect cash outlay for health care costs, including prescription drug coverage, to continue to increase despite measures taken to limit obligations to future retirees and requiring employees to bear a higher portion of the costs of their health care benefits. The measurement of the expected future health care and pension obligations and costs is highly dependent on a variety of assumptions, many of which relate to factors beyond FESC’s, or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ control. These assumptions include investment returns, interest rates, discount rates, health care cost trends, benefit design changes, salary increases, the demographics of plan participants and regulatory requirements. While we anticipate that our services fees paid to FESC will continue to increase, in part due to increasing operation and maintenance expenses, if actual results differ materially from our assumptions, our costs could be significantly higher than expected, which could adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.

 

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Our results may be adversely affected by the volatility in pension and other post-employment benefit expenses.

FirstEnergy recognizes in income the change in the fair value of plan assets and net actuarial gains and losses for the portion of the FirstEnergy defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit (“OPEB”) plans that ultimately are attributed to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. This adjustment to income associated with the change in fair value is recognized in the fourth quarter of each year and whenever a plan is determined to qualify for a remeasurement, which could result in greater volatility in pension and OPEB expenses and may materially impact the results of operations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Certain of the plan assets held in these trusts do not have readily determinable market values. Changes in the estimates and assumptions inherent in the value of these assets could affect the value of the trusts. If the value of the assets held by the trusts declines by a material amount, the funding obligation of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to the trusts could materially increase. These assets are subject to market fluctuations and may yield uncertain returns, which may fall below FirstEnergy’s projected return rates. Forecasting investment earnings and costs to pay future pension and other benefit obligations, requires significant judgment and actual results may differ significantly from current estimates. Capital market conditions that generate investment losses or that negatively impact the discount rate and increase the present value of liabilities may have significant impacts on the value of the pension and other trust funds, which could require significant additional funding and negatively impact the results of operations and financial position of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

Cyber-attacks, data security breaches and other disruptions to our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ information technology systems could compromise our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ business operations, critical and proprietary information and contractor employee and customer data, which could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, financial condition and reputations.

In the ordinary course of their business, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and their affiliates depend on information technology systems that utilize sophisticated operational systems and network infrastructure to run all facets of our business.

Additionally, FET, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and our affiliates store sensitive data, intellectual property and proprietary or personally identifiable information regarding our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, contractor employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, business partners and other individuals in our individual and collective data centers and on our respective networks. We may also need to provide sensitive data to vendors and service providers who require access to this information. The secure maintenance of information and information technology systems is critical to FirstEnergy’s operations.

Over the last several years, there has been an increase in the frequency of cyber-attacks by terrorists, hackers, international activist organizations, foreign governments and individuals. These and other unauthorized parties may attempt to gain access to our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ network systems or facilities, or those of third parties with whom we or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries do business in many ways, including directly through network infrastructure or through fraud, trickery, or other forms of deception against our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ employees, contractors and temporary staff. Additionally, our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ information and information technology systems and those of our vendors and service providers may be increasingly vulnerable to data security breaches, damage and/or interruption due to viruses, ransomware, unauthorized physical access, theft of access devices, human error, malfeasance, faulty password management or other malfunctions and disruptions. Further, hardware, software, or applications we or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries develop or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information and/or security.

 

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As a source of critical infrastructure, the energy industry is at heightened threat of cyber-attacks, which are becoming increasingly more difficult to anticipate and prevent due to their rapidly evolving nature. We cannot anticipate, detect, or implement fully preventive measures against all cybersecurity threats because the techniques used are increasingly sophisticated and constantly evolving. For example, as artificial intelligence continues to evolve, cyber-attackers could use artificial intelligence to develop malicious code, denial-of-service attacks, sophisticated phishing attempts and other attacks leading to data loss, loss of operational control, or exploitation of inherent vulnerabilities.

In addition, the increased use of smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices, as well as ongoing remote work-from-home arrangements for a substantial portion of FirstEnergy’s corporate employees, may also heighten these and other operational risks. Furthermore, economic sanctions issued by one country against another, such as those issued by the U.S. and other countries against Russia in response to its war with Ukraine, or other increasing global geopolitical tensions, such as the war between Israel and Hamas, could increase the risk of state-sponsored cyber-attacks.

Despite security measures and safeguards that we and FirstEnergy have employed, including certain measures implemented pursuant to mandatory NERC critical infrastructure protection standards, our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ infrastructure, as well as the transmission facilities of third parties with whom we are interconnected may be increasingly vulnerable to such attacks as a result of the rapidly evolving and increasingly sophisticated means by which attempts to defeat our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ security measures and gain access to information technology systems may be made. Because our transmission facilities are interconnected with those of third parties, the operation of our facilities could be adversely affected by cyber-attacks or other unexpected or uncontrollable events occurring on the systems of such third parties. Given the rapidly evolving nature, sophistication and complexity of cyber-attacks, despite our reasonable efforts to mitigate and prevent such attacks, it is possible that we may not be able to anticipate, prevent, detect, or implement effective preventive measures to protect against all cyber-attack incidents.

Any actual or perceived cyber-attack, data security breach, damage, interruption and/or defect could: (i) disable our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ operations (including our interconnected regional transmission grid) for a significant period of time; (ii) delay development and construction of new facilities or capital improvement projects; (iii) adversely affect our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ customers’ operations; (iv) expose us to increased risk of lawsuits; (v) expose us to increased risk of regulatory penalties; (vi) expose us to increased risk of loss of potential or existing customers; (vii) expose us to increased risk of damage relating to loss of proprietary information; (viii) corrupt data; and/or (ix) result in unauthorized access to the information stored in our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ data centers and on our respective networks and those of our vendors and service providers, including company proprietary information, supplier information, employee data and personal customer data, causing the information to be publicly disclosed, lost or stolen or result in incidents that could result in economic loss and liability and harmful effects on the environment and human health, including loss of life. Additionally, because our, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ and our affiliates’ regulated generation, transmission and distribution services are part of an interconnected system, disruption caused by a cybersecurity incident at an unaffiliated utility, electric generator, regional transmission organization, or RTO, or commodity supplier could also adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses.

Although FirstEnergy maintains cyber insurance and property and casualty insurance, there can be no assurance that liabilities or losses we or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may incur, including as a result of cybersecurity-related litigation, will be covered under such policies or that the amount of insurance will be adequate. Further, as cyber threats continually evolve and become more difficult to detect and successfully defend against, there can be no assurance that we or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries can implement or maintain adequate preventive measures, accurately assess the likelihood of a cyber-incident or quantify potential liabilities or losses. Also, we or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may not discover any data security breach and loss of information for a significant period of time after the data security breach occurs, particularly those of our vendors and service providers.

 

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For all of these reasons, for any of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, any such cyber incident could result in significant lost revenue, the inability to conduct critical business functions and serve customers for a significant period of time, the loss of confidential, sensitive and proprietary information, including but not limited to personal information of customers, contractor and affiliate employees, suppliers, vendors and other third parties, the use of significant management resources, legal claims or proceedings, regulatory penalties, significant remediation costs, increased regulation, increased capital costs, increased protection costs for enhanced cybersecurity systems or personnel, damage to our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ reputations and/or the rendering of our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ internal controls ineffective, all of which could materially adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.

Energy companies are subject to adverse publicity that makes them vulnerable to negative regulatory and legislative outcomes.

Energy companies, including our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, have been the subject of criticism on matters including the reliability of their electric distribution or transmission systems and services and the speed with which they are able to respond to power outages, such as those caused by storm damage. Adverse publicity of this nature, as well as negative publicity associated with the operation of coal-fired generation or proceedings seeking regulatory recoveries may cause less favorable legislative and regulatory outcomes and damage our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ reputations, which could have an adverse impact on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses and financial condition.

The physical risks associated with climate change may have an adverse impact on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses, operating results and cash flows.

Physical risks of climate change, such as more frequent or extreme weather events, changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, flooding, wildfires, rising sea levels and other related phenomena, could affect some, or all, of our operations. Frequent or extreme weather events could disrupt our operations and/or be destructive, which could result in increased costs, including supply chain costs, or the incurrence of liabilities for damages. An extreme weather event within our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ service areas could also directly affect our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ capital assets, such as downed wires and poles, or damage to other operating equipment, resulting in service disruptions to customers and possibly creating hazardous conditions. Further, as extreme weather conditions increase system stress, we may incur costs relating to additional system backup or service interruptions and, in some instances, we may be unable to recover such costs. For all of these reasons, these physical risks could have an adverse financial impact on our business operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Climate change poses other financial risks as well. To the extent weather conditions are affected by climate change, customers’ energy use could increase or decrease depending on the duration and magnitude of the changes. Increased energy use due to weather changes may require us to invest in additional system assets and purchase additional power. Additionally, decreased energy use due to weather changes may affect our financial condition through decreased revenues, margins or earnings.

Transition risks associated with climate change, including those related to regulatory mandates, could negatively impact our financial results.

Where federal or state legislation mandates the use of renewable fuel sources, such as wind and solar, and such legislation does not also provide for adequate cost recovery of our revenue requirements, it could result in significant changes in our business, including material increases in renewable energy credit purchase costs, purchased power costs and capital investments, as such costs are spread over reduced sales volumes. Such mandatory renewable portfolio requirements may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

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A number of regulatory and legislative bodies have introduced requirements and/or incentives to reduce peak demand and energy consumption. Such conservation programs have previously resulted in and could result in further load reduction and adversely impact our financial results in different ways. We currently have energy efficiency riders in place in certain of our states to recover the cost of these programs either at or near a current recovery time frame in the states where we operate.

In our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, energy conservation could negatively impact us depending on the regulatory treatment of the associated impacts. Should we be required to invest in conservation measures that result in reduced sales from effective conservation, regulatory lag in adjusting rates for the impact of these measures could have a negative financial impact. In the past, we have been adversely impacted by reduced electric usage due in part to energy conservation efforts such as the use of efficient lighting products such as compact fluorescent lights, halogens and light emitting diodes. We are unable to determine what impact, if any, future conservation activities will have on our financial condition or results of operations.

Future changes in accounting standards may affect our reported financial results.

We have agreed to file a registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, with the SEC with respect to this exchange offer. In addition, upon effectiveness of the registration statement, FET will become a reporting company subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The SEC, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) or other authoritative bodies or governmental entities may issue new pronouncements or new interpretations of existing accounting standards that may require us to change our accounting policies. These changes are beyond our control, can be difficult to predict and could materially impact how we report our financial condition and results of operations. We could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, which could adversely affect our financial position.

Changes in local, state or federal tax laws applicable to us and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) or adverse audit results or tax rulings and any resulting increases in taxes and fees, may adversely affect our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ results of operations, financial condition and cash flow.

We and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject to various local, state and federal taxes, including income, franchise, real estate, sales and use related taxes. We and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries exercise significant judgment in calculating such tax obligations, booking reserves as necessary to reflect potential adverse outcomes regarding tax positions we and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have taken and utilizing tax benefits, such as carryforwards and credits. Additionally, various tax rate and fee increases may be proposed or considered in connection with such changes in local, state or federal tax law.

Neither we nor our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries can predict whether legislation or regulation will be introduced, the form of any legislation or regulation, or whether any such legislation or regulation will be passed by legislatures or regulatory bodies. Any such changes, or any adverse tax audit results or adverse tax rulings on positions taken by us, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries or our affiliates could have a negative impact on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Neither we nor our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries can predict whether, when or to what extent new U.S. tax laws, regulations, interpretations or rulings will be issued. A reform of U.S. tax laws may be enacted in a manner that negatively impacts our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ cash flow, results of operations and financial condition.

 

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ATSI’s and MAIT’s respective rights to occupy and use the land and rights-of-way leased pursuant to ground leases upon or over which a substantial portion of their transmission facilities are located could be impaired by transfers of the leased property or because the ground leases do not describe the leased property with specificity.

Most of the land and rights-of-way on which ATSI’s and MAIT’s transmission assets are located are leased from FirstEnergy’s Ohio and Pennsylvania distribution utility subsidiaries under long-term and extendable ground leases, which are referred to collectively herein as the Ground Leases. Neither the Ground Leases nor any memoranda of the Ground Leases have been recorded in the jurisdictions where the relevant land and rights-of-way are located. Accordingly, in the event of a transfer by the owner of land or rights-of-way that are subject to a Ground Lease, there is a risk that a purchaser acting in good faith and without actual or constructive knowledge of ATSI’s or MAIT’s interests under the Ground Lease could obtain rights in such land and rights-of-way that are superior to that of ATSI or MAIT under such Ground Lease.

The descriptions of the leased property contained in the Ground Leases are general in nature and do not specifically identify, by metes and bounds legal descriptions or otherwise, individual parcels of property (or specific leased portions of parcels). The Ground Leases do, however, reference bills of sale and other documents containing detailed information regarding the location of the transmission assets that is useful in identifying the leased property. Because of the lack of specificity in the property descriptions in the Ground Leases, in the event of a challenge to ATSI’s or MAIT’s rights to any leased property under the Ground Leases, a court may be required to inquire beyond the actual terms of the Ground Leases to determine the full scope of ATSI’s and MAIT’s rights to such leased property, which inquiry may include an examination of such bills of sale and other documents. If in such a case the court is unable to specifically identify the property in question, the scope of ATSI’s and MAIT’s rights to access such property and operate related transmission facilities could be limited to something less than a complete leasehold interest, such as a contractual right to enter into a lease, or an access license, or an equitable right similar thereto. To the extent that there are defects or other imperfections with respect to the title to any of ATSI’s or MAIT’s assets or those ATSI or MAIT leases under the Ground Leases, ATSI, MAIT or we may incur significant expense or experience other financial losses in connection with, for example, legal proceedings contesting the validity of ATSI’s or MAIT’s title.

We are jointly owned by FE and Brookfield. FE and Brookfield may exercise, within certain regulatory, corporate law and other limitations, substantial control over our dividend policy, business and operations, which may be inconsistent with the interests of the holders of the New Notes.

As a result of certain corporate transactions, we are 50.1% owned by FE and 49.9% owned by Brookfield. Certain of our officers and directors are also officers of FE and Brookfield. The FET Board makes determinations with respect to a number of significant corporate events, including payment of our dividends. If FE’s cash requirements increase or, if for any reason, Brookfield seeks distributions from FET in connection with its investment, our board and FE and Brookfield, as our members, may determine that we should pay increased dividends to help support cash needs or make distributions to achieve a return on investment, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity.

We are entirely dependent on FE and its affiliates, including FESC, for key personnel, including our executive officers, and other operational support. The unavailability of skilled workers, failure to attract and retain qualified personnel, and changes in our key personnel could adversely affect us.

We have contracted with FESC to provide us with corporate, administrative, management and other services under a service agreement. We depend on FESC hiring and retaining personnel sufficient to provide us support for our and our subsidiaries’ day-to day operations.

Our executive officers are employees of FESC and officers of FE. We do not maintain key person life insurance policies on any personnel, and we do not have any employment contracts or other agreements with key

 

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personnel binding them to provide services for any particular term. The loss of the services of any of these individuals could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, our future success will depend in part on FESC’s ability to attract and retain, additional qualified personnel.

We are also dependent on other subsidiaries of FE, including FESC, to provide goods and services to us under a mutual assistance agreement. If FESC or other subsidiaries of FE are unable or unwilling to perform for any reason or terminate the mutual assistance and service agreements, we would be required to engage substitute service providers. This could result in a significant interference with operations and increased costs.

Risks Associated with Financing and Capital Structure

In the event of volatility or unfavorable conditions in the capital and credit markets, our business, including the immediate availability and cost of short-term funds for liquidity requirements and our ability to meet long-term commitments, may be adversely affected, which could negatively impact our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

We rely on the capital and credit markets and our FET Revolving Facility to meet both our long-term financial commitments and short-term liquidity needs if internal funds are not available from our operations. We also deposit cash in short-term investments. In the event of volatility in the capital and credit markets, our ability to access the capital markets or draw on the FET Revolving Facility and obtain cash may be adversely affected. Our access to funds under the FET Revolving Facility is dependent on the ability of the financial institutions that are parties to the FET Revolving Facility to meet their funding commitments. Those institutions may not be able to meet their funding commitments if they experience shortages of capital and liquidity or if they experience excessive volumes of borrowing requests within a short period of time. Any delay in our ability to access those funds, even for a short period of time, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Should there be fluctuations in the capital and credit markets as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation, reduced alternatives or failures of significant foreign or domestic financial institutions or foreign governments, our access to liquidity needed for our business could be adversely affected. Unfavorable conditions could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the markets stabilize or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged. Such measures could include deferring capital expenditures and reducing or eliminating future dividend payments or other discretionary uses of cash. Energy markets depend heavily on active participation by multiple counterparties, which could be adversely affected should there be disruptions in the capital and credit markets. Reduced capital and liquidity and failures of significant institutions that participate in the energy markets could diminish the liquidity and competitiveness of energy markets that are important to our business. Perceived weaknesses in the competitive strength of the energy markets could lead to pressures for greater regulation of those markets or attempts to replace those market structures with other mechanisms for the sale of power, including the requirement of long-term contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

Interest rates and/or a credit rating downgrade could negatively affect our financing costs and ability to access capital.

We have near-term exposure to interest rates from outstanding indebtedness indexed to variable interest rates, and we have exposure to future interest rates to the extent we seek to raise debt in the capital markets to meet maturing debt obligations and fund capital contributions to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries or other investment opportunities. Past disruptions in capital and credit markets, as well as quantitative tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, have resulted in higher interest rates on newly issued debt securities and increased costs for variable interest rate debt securities. Disruptions in capital and credit markets, or continued quantitative tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, could result in higher interest rates on newly issued debt securities and increase our financing costs and adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and

 

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liquidity. Also, interest rates could change as a result of economic or other events that are beyond our risk management processes. As a result, we cannot always predict the impact that our risk management decisions may have on us if actual events lead to greater losses or costs than our risk management positions were intended to hedge. Although we employ risk management techniques to hedge against interest rate volatility, significant and sustained increases in market interest rates could materially increase our financing costs and negatively impact our reported results of operations, cash flows and liquidity.

We expect to rely on access to bank and capital markets in the future as sources of liquidity for cash requirements not satisfied by cash distributions from our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Increased scrutiny of the energy industry and the impacts of regulation, as well as changes in our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ financial performance, could result in credit agencies reexamining our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ credit ratings. A downgrade in our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ credit ratings from the nationally recognized credit rating agencies, particularly to levels below investment grade, could negatively affect our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ ability to access the bank and capital markets at attractive rates and increase our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ borrowing costs, especially in a time of uncertainty in either of those markets. Furthermore, a downgrade could increase the cost of such capital by causing us to incur higher interest rates and fees associated with such capital. A rating downgrade would also further increase our interest expense on our FET Revolving Facility and would also further increase the fees we pay on our FET Revolving Facility, thus increasing the cost of our working capital. Such a rating downgrade could also negatively impact our ability to grow our business or execute our business strategies by substantially increasing the cost of, or limiting access to, capital.

Further, events related to the ongoing government investigations may expose us to higher interest rates for additional indebtedness, whether as a result of a rating downgrade or otherwise, which could restrict our ability to obtain additional or replacement financing on acceptable terms or at all.

We must rely on cash from our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to make payments on the New Notes.

As a holding company with no business operations and no material assets other than the stock and membership interests in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, we conduct our operations primarily through our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Accordingly, our cash flow and our ability to meet our obligations under the New Notes are largely dependent upon the earnings of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and the distribution or other payment of these earnings to us in the form of dividends. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to pay any amounts due on the New Notes or to make any funds available for payment of amounts due on the New Notes. The ability of each of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to pay dividends and make other payments to us is subject to, among other things, the availability of funds, after taking into account capital expenditure requirements, organizational documents, the terms of its indebtedness, applicable state laws, FERC regulations and the FPA and various other agreements.

Our obligations under the New Notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries.

Because we are a holding company, our obligations under the New Notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries. Therefore, our rights and the rights of our creditors, including the rights of the holders of the New Notes, to participate in the liquidation of assets of any subsidiary will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors. To the extent that we may be a creditor with recognized claims against any of our subsidiaries, our claims would still be effectively subordinated to any security interest in, or mortgages or other liens on, the assets of the subsidiary and would be subordinated to any indebtedness, other liabilities and preferred securities, of the subsidiary, senior to that held by us. As of June 30,

 

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2024, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries had approximately $3.7 billion of external indebtedness outstanding, consisting of senior notes and obligations under bank credit facilities, of which $1.8 billion, $1.275 billion and $625 million represents outstanding indebtedness of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, respectively. In addition, as of June 30, 2024, MAIT had $6 million of intercompany money pool borrowings. Our subsidiaries have no preferred securities outstanding.

Risks Associated with the New Notes

There are limited covenants and protections in the Indenture; consequently, we and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantially more indebtedness, a portion of which could be secured indebtedness.

While the Indenture (as defined under “Description of the Notes”) contains and the New Notes will contain terms intended to provide protection to holders upon the occurrence of certain events, those terms are and will be limited and may not be sufficient to protect your investment in the New Notes. For example, the Indenture does not limit the amount of unsecured indebtedness we may incur; however, the limitation on liens provision of the Indenture does limit the amount of secured indebtedness that we may incur without ratably securing the New Notes. Such secured indebtedness would be senior to the New Notes. The liens that are expressly permitted under that provision of the Indenture are summarized herein under the heading “Description of the Notes—Certain Covenants—Limitation on Liens.”

The New Notes are not secured by any liens on our assets; consequently, any future secured creditors will be entitled to remedies that would give them priority over the holders of the New Notes to collect amounts due to them.

In addition to being effectively subordinated to the existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, the New Notes will not be secured by any liens on our or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ assets. Because the New Notes are our unsecured obligations, the right of repayment of the holders of the New Notes will be effectively subordinated to any future secured creditors to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the related debt if we enter into bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up proceedings or if an event of default occurs under any such future secured indebtedness.

Your ability to resell the New Notes may be limited by a number of factors; prices for the New Notes may be volatile.

There currently is no established market, and no active or liquid trading market may develop for the New Notes. We do not intend to apply for listing of the New Notes on any securities exchange or on any automated dealer quotation system. If a market for the New Notes were to develop, the New Notes could trade at prices that may be higher or lower than reflected by their initial offering price, depending on many factors, including among other things:

 

   

changes in the overall market for debt securities;

 

   

changes in our financial performance or prospects;

 

   

the prospects for companies in our industry generally;

 

   

the number of holders of the New Notes;

 

   

the interest of securities dealers in making a market for the New Notes; and

 

   

prevailing interest rates.

 

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Risks Associated with the Exchange Offer

If you fail to exchange your Outstanding Notes, the existing transfer restrictions will remain in effect and the market value of your Outstanding Notes may be adversely affected because they may be more difficult to sell.

If you fail to exchange your Outstanding Notes for New Notes under the exchange offer, then you will continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions on the Outstanding Notes. In general, the Outstanding Notes may not be offered or sold unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Except in connection with this exchange offer or as required by the Registration Rights Agreements, we do not intend to register resales of the Outstanding Notes.

If you do not exchange your Outstanding Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer, you will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer of your Outstanding Notes described in the legend on the certificates for your Outstanding Notes. In general, you may only offer or sell the Outstanding Notes if they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or offered and sold under an exemption from these requirements. Except in connection with this exchange offer or as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the Outstanding Notes under the Securities Act. For further information regarding the consequences of not tendering your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer, please read “The Exchange Offer — Consequences of Failure to Exchange.”

The exchange offer may not be completed.

We are not obligated to complete the exchange offer under certain circumstances. See “The Exchange Offer — Conditions to the Exchange Offer.” Even if the exchange offer is completed, it may not be completed on the schedule described in this prospectus. Accordingly, holders participating in the exchange offer may have to wait longer than expected to receive their New Notes, during which time those holders of Outstanding Notes will not be able to effect transfers of their Outstanding Notes tendered in the exchange offer.

If you do not properly tender your Outstanding Notes, you will continue to hold unregistered notes and your ability to transfer your Outstanding Notes will be adversely affected.

We will only issue New Notes in exchange for Outstanding Notes that you timely and properly tender. Therefore, you should allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery of the Outstanding Notes, and you should carefully follow the instructions on how to tender your Outstanding Notes. Neither we nor the exchange agent is required to tell you of any defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of Outstanding Notes. See “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes through Brokers and Banks” and “Description of the Notes.”

If you do not exchange your Outstanding Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer, you will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer of your Outstanding Notes described in the legend on the certificates for your Outstanding Notes. In general, you may only offer or sell the Outstanding Notes if they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or offered and sold under an exemption from these requirements. Except in connection with this exchange offer or as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the Outstanding Notes under the Securities Act. For further information regarding the consequences of not tendering your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer, see “The Exchange Offer—Consequences of Failure to Exchange.”

You may be required to deliver prospectuses and comply with other requirements in connection with any resale of the New Notes.

If you tender your Outstanding Notes for the purpose of participating in a distribution of the New Notes, you will be required to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in

 

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connection with any resale of the New Notes. In addition, if you are a broker-dealer that receives New Notes for your own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes that you acquired as a result of market-making activities or any other trading activities, you will be required to acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under the Registration Rights Agreements that we entered into in connection with the private offerings of the Outstanding Notes. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of New Notes in the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the New Notes, we will receive Outstanding Notes in like principal amount. The Outstanding Notes surrendered in exchange for the New Notes will be retired and cancelled.

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements and involves numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those described in “Risk Factors.” Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” to “we,” “us,” “our,” and “the Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, together with all of its subsidiaries.

Our Business

FET, a consolidated variable interest entity (“VIE”) of FE, is the parent of ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and PATH. In March 2024, PATH completed the process of terminating all of its FERC-jurisdictional rates and facilities, with the result that PATH no longer is a “public utility” and no longer is subject to FERC jurisdiction. FET and its non-affiliated joint venture partner are completing the process of terminating the PATH corporate entities. Through its subsidiaries, FET owns high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM, which consist of approximately 12,500 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia, and has a rate base of $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2023. FET plans, operates and maintains its transmission system in accordance with NERC reliability standards, and other applicable regulatory requirements. In addition, FET and its subsidiaries comply with the regulations, orders, policies and practices prescribed by FERC and the PUCO, PPUC, WVPSC, MDPSC and VSCC.

Summary of Results of Operations—Second Quarter of 2024 Compared with Second Quarter of 2023

FET financial results for the second quarter of 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

 

     For the Three Months Ended June 30,  

(In millions)

    2024       2023       Change   

REVENUES:

      

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 440     $ 405     $ 35  

Revenues from affiliates

     5       4       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     445       409       36  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

      

Other operating expenses

     82       85       (3

Provision for depreciation

     80       73       7  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     2       2       —   

General taxes

     70       64       6  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     234       224       10  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     211       185       26  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

      

Interest income from affiliates

     2       4       (2

Miscellaneous income, net

     3       —        3  

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     —        5       (5

Interest expense—other

     (66     (55     (11

Interest expense—affiliates

     (2     (2     —   

Capitalized financing costs

     14       9       5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (49     (39     (10
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     162       146       16  

INCOME TAXES

     39       32       7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     123       114       9  
      

 

 

 

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     17       18       (1
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 106     $ 96     $ 10  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Results of Operations

Earnings attributable to FET increased $10 million in the second quarter of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, as described below.

Revenues

Total revenues increased by $36 million in the second quarter of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to a higher rate base and recovery of higher transmission operating expenses. Revenues by transmission asset owner are shown in the following table:

 

     For the Three Months Ended June 30,  

Revenues by Transmission Asset Owner

    2024        2023       Increase
(Decrease)
 
     (In millions)  

ATSI

   $ 266      $ 246      $ 20  

TrAIL

     72        66        6  

MAIT

     111        99        12  

PATH

     (2      —         (2

Intercompany Eliminations

     (2      (2      —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenues

   $ 445      $ 409      $ 36  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses increased by $10 million in the second quarter of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to higher depreciation of $7 million and property tax expenses of $6 million from a higher asset base. Nearly all operating expenses are recovered through formula rates, resulting in no material impact to earnings.

Other Expenses

Total other expense increased $10 million in the second quarter of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to higher interest on short-term borrowings of $4 million and net interest expense due to the new debt issuances of $6 million and the absence of the pension mark-to-market adjustment of $5 million, partially offset by higher capitalized financing costs of $5 million.

Income Taxes

FET’s effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, was 24.1% and 21.9%, respectively. Please see Note 3, “Taxes,” of the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements for additional information.

 

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Summary of Results of Operations—First Six Months of 2024 Compared with First Six Months of 2023

FET financial results for the first six months of 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

(In millions)

    2024       2023       Change   

REVENUES:

      

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 854     $ 780     $ 74  

Revenues from affiliates

     9       8       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     863       788       75  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

      

Other operating expenses

     154       148       6  

Provision for depreciation

     157       145       12  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     3       3       —   

General taxes

     139       127       12  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     453       423       30  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     410       365       45  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

      

Interest income from affiliates

     3       11       (8

Miscellaneous income (expense), net

     1       (1     2  

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     —        5       (5

Interest expense—other

     (124     (107     (17

Interest expense—affiliates

     (7     (6     (1

Capitalized financing costs

     26       17       9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (101     (81     (20
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     309       284       25  

INCOME TAXES

     96       63       33  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     213       221       (8
      

 

 

 

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     35       35       —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 178     $ 186     $ (8
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Results of Operations

Earnings attributable to FET decreased $8 million in the first six months of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, as described below.

Revenues

Total revenues increased by $75 million in the first six months of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to a higher rate base and recovery of higher transmission operating expenses. Revenues by transmission asset owner are shown in the following table:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

Revenues by Transmission Asset Owner

    2024        2023       Increase
 (Decrease) 
 
     (In millions)  

ATSI

   $ 514      $ 473      $ 41  

TrAIL

     140        130        10  

MAIT

     216        190        26  

PATH

     (2      —         (2

Intercompany Eliminations

     (5      (5      —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenues

   $ 863      $ 788      $ 75  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses increased by $30 million in the first six months of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to higher depreciation of $12 million and property tax expenses of $11 million from a higher asset base. Nearly all operating expenses are recovered through formula rates, resulting in no material impact to earnings.

Other Expense

Total other expense increased $20 million in the first six months of 2024, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to higher interest on short-term borrowings of $7 million and net interest expense due to the new debt issuances of $10 million and the absence of the pension mark-to-market adjustment of $5 million, partially offset by higher capitalized financing costs of $9 million.

Income Taxes

FET’s effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, was 31.1% and 22.2%, respectively. Please see Note 3, “Taxes,” of the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements for additional information.

Summary of Results of Operations—2023 Compared with 2022

FET financial results for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, were as follows:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2023       2022       Change   

REVENUES:

      

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 1,636     $ 1,523     $ 113  

Revenues from affiliates

     16       15       1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     1,652       1,538       114  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

      

Other operating expenses

     313       378       (65

Provision for depreciation

     291       263       28  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     6       6       —   

General taxes

     256       247       9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     866       894       (28
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     786       644       142  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

      

Interest income from affiliates

     16       49       (33

Miscellaneous income, net

     2       2       —   

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     (31     (11     (20

Interest expense—other

     (220     (207     (13

Interest expense—affiliates

     (17     (49     32  

Capitalized financing costs

     38       36       2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (212     (180     (32
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     574       464       110  

INCOME TAXES

     136       111       25  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     438       353       85  

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     69       59       10  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 369     $ 294     $ 75  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Results of Operations

Earnings attributable to FET increased $75 million in 2023, as compared to the same period of 2022, as described below.

Revenues

Total revenues increased by $114 million in 2023, as compared to 2022, primarily due to the absence of a reserve for customer refunds associated with the FERC Audit, as discussed below, a true-up adjustment for the recovery of certain transmission formula rate operating costs during 2023 and a higher rate base.

Revenues by transmission asset owner are shown in the following table:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31  

Revenues by Transmission Asset Owner

   2023      2022      Increase
(Decrease)
 
     (In millions)  

ATSI

   $ 982      $ 924      $ 58  

TrAIL

     279        279        —   

MAIT

     399        344        55  

PATH

     2        1        1  

Intercompany Eliminations

     (10      (10      —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Consolidated Revenues

   $ 1,652      $ 1,538      $ 114  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses decreased by $28 million in 2023, as compared to 2022, primarily due to the absence of the reclassification of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses of $99 million as a result of the FERC Audit, partially offset by higher depreciation of $28 million and property tax expenses of $9 million from a higher asset base. Other than the write-off of nonrecoverable transmission assets, nearly all operating expenses are recovered through formula rates, resulting in no material impact on current period earnings.

Other Expenses

Total other expense increased $32 million in 2023, as compared to the same period of 2022, primarily due to lower affiliated company interest income at FET of $33 million and an increase in the pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment of $20 million, partially offset by lower interest on debt to associated companies of $32 million.

Income Taxes

FET’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, was 23.7% and 23.9%, respectively. Please see Note 3, “Taxes,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements for additional information.

 

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Summary of Results of Operations—2022 Compared with 2021

FET financial results for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, were as follows:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2022       2021       Change   

REVENUES:

      

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 1,523     $ 1,332     $ 191  

Revenues from affiliates

     15       15       —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     1,538       1,347       191  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

      

Other operating expenses

     378       249       129  

Provision for depreciation

     263       256       7  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     6       15       (9

General taxes

     247       238       9  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     894       758       136  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     644       589       55  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

      

Interest income from affiliates

     49       6       43  

Miscellaneous income, net

     2       2       —   

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     (11     19       (30

Interest expense—other

     (207     (219     12  

Interest expense—affiliates

     (49     (4     (45

Capitalized financing costs

     36       26       10  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (180     (170     (10
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     464       419       45  

INCOME TAXES

     111       103       8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     353       316       37  

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     59       61       (2
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 294     $ 255     $ 39  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Results of Operations

Earnings attributable to FET increased $39 million in 2022, as compared to the same period of 2021, as described below.

Revenues

Total revenues increased by $191 million in 2022, as compared to 2021, primarily due to higher recoverable expenses and a higher rate base, partially offset by customer refunds associated with the FERC Audit, as further discussed below.

 

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Revenues by transmission asset owner are shown in the following table:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31  

Revenues by Transmission Asset Owner

   2022      2021      Increase
(Decrease)
 
     (In millions)  

ATSI

   $ 924      $ 820      $ 104  

TrAIL

     279        240        39  

MAIT

     344        293        51  

PATH

     1        4        (3

Intercompany Eliminations

     (10      (10      —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Consolidated Revenues

   $ 1,538      $ 1,347      $ 191  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses increased by $136 million in 2022, as compared to 2021, primarily due to the reclassification of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses of $99 million as a results of the FERC Audit, $85 million higher operating and maintenance expenses and a charge resulting from the filed settlement with FERC in January 2023, partially offset by a charge in the third quarter of 2021 resulting from the filed ATSI settlement of $48 million. Other than the write-off of nonrecoverable transmission assets, nearly all operating expenses are recovered through formula rates, resulting in no material impact on current period earnings.

Other Expenses

Total other expense increased $10 million in 2022, as compared to 2021, primarily due to an increase in the pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment of $30 million, partially offset by lower interest on long-term debt and borrowings under the revolving credit facilities of $12 million, higher unregulated money pool interest income of $43 million by FET, and higher capitalized financing costs of $10 million.

Income Taxes

FET’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, was 23.9% and 24.6%, respectively. Please see Note 3, “Taxes,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements for additional information.

REGULATORY ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

The following table provides information about the composition of net regulatory assets and liabilities as of June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 and the changes during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

 

     As of June 30, 2024     As of December 31,              

Net Regulatory Assets (Liabilities) by
Source

  2023     2022     2021     Change 
23-22
    Change 
22-21
 
     (In millions)  

Customer payables for future income taxes

   $ (577   $ (588   $ (594   $ (537   $ 6     $ (57

Asset removal costs

     (6     1       (9     (8     10       (1

Deferred transmission costs

     209       262       124       44       138       80  

MISO exit fee

     28       30       34       38       (4     (4

Vegetation management costs

     6       7       8       2       (1     6  

Other

     (1     (4     (5     —        1       (5
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net Regulatory Liabilities included on the Balance Sheets

   $ (341   $ (292   $ (442   $ (461   $ 150     $ 19  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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The following is a description of the regulatory assets and liabilities described above:

Customer payables for future income taxes—Reflects amounts to be recovered or refunded through future rates to pay income taxes that become payable when rate revenue is provided to recover items such as AFUDC-equity and depreciation of property, plant and equipment for which deferred income taxes were not recognized for ratemaking purposes, including amounts attributable to federal and state tax rate changes such as the Tax Act and Pennsylvania House Bill 1342. These amounts are being amortized over the period in which the related deferred tax assets reverse, which is generally over the expected life of the underlying asset.

Asset removal costs—Reflects amounts to be recovered or refunded through future rates to pay for the cost of activities to remove assets, including obligations for which an asset retirement obligation (“ARO”) has been recognized, that are expected to be incurred at the time of retirement.

Deferred transmission costs—Reflects differences between revenues earned based on actual costs for ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL’s formula transmission rates and the amounts billed, including amounts expected to be refunded to, or recoverable from, wholesale transmission customers resulting from the FERC Audit, as further described below, which amounts are recorded as a regulatory asset or liability and recovered or refunded, respectively, in subsequent periods.

MISO exit fee—Relates to the recovery of certain costs from the transfer of control of ATSI’s transmission assets from MISO to PJM (amortized though 2030).

Vegetation management costs—Relates to regulatory assets associated with the recovery of certain transmission vegetation management costs at MAIT and ATSI (amortized through 2024 and 2030, respectively).

CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY

We expect our existing sources of liquidity to remain sufficient to meet our anticipated obligations. Our business is capital intensive, requiring significant resources to fund operating expenses, construction expenditures, scheduled debt maturities and interest and dividend payments to help support its cash needs. The payment of dividends is reviewed by senior management on an ongoing basis. Earnings, cash, capital structures, restrictions and expected ongoing cash and earnings are reviewed by our senior management prior to a dividend recommendation being made for consideration and authorization by the FET Board. In addition to internal sources to fund liquidity and capital requirements for 2024 and beyond, FET and its subsidiaries expect to rely on external sources of funds. Short-term cash requirements not met by cash provided from operations are generally satisfied through affiliated and non-affiliated short-term borrowings. Long-term cash needs may be met through the issuance of long-term debt or equity contributions from our equity holders. FET and its subsidiaries expect that borrowing capacity under the FET Revolving Facility and the ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL revolving facilities as amended through October 20, 2023 (the “2023 Credit Facilities”) will continue to be available to manage working capital requirements along with continued access to long-term capital markets.

FET’s subsidiaries will continue to make significant capital investments over the next five years across their respective electric transmission systems. In particular, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are expected to annually invest $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion in capital investments from 2024 through 2028 to upgrade their transmission system.

Post-pandemic economic conditions have stabilized across numerous material categories, but lead times have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Several key suppliers have seen improvements with labor shortages and raw material availability, and FET and its subsidiaries continue to monitor the situation as capacity can be constrained with increased demand. Inflationary pressures have moderated, which has positively impacted the cost of materials, but certain categories have remained elevated. FET and its subsidiaries continue to implement mitigation strategies to address supply constraints and do not expect service disruptions or any material impact on their capital investment plan. However, the situation remains fluid and a prolonged continuation or further increase in supply chain disruptions could have an adverse effect on FET’s consolidated results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

 

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Any financing plans by FET including the issuance of equity and debt, and the refinancing of short-term and maturing long-term debt are subject to market conditions and other factors. No assurance can be given that any such issuances, financing or refinancing, as the case may be, will be completed as anticipated or at all. Any delay in the completion of financing plans could require FET and its subsidiaries to utilize short-term borrowing capacity, which could impact available liquidity. In addition, FET and its subsidiaries expect to continually evaluate any planned financings, which may result in changes from time to time.

As of June 30, 2024, FET’s net deficit in working capital (current assets less current liabilities) was primarily due to current portion of long-term debt, short-term borrowings and accrued interest and taxes. FET believes its cash from operations and available liquidity will be sufficient to meet its current working capital needs.

Short-Term Borrowings

FET had $221 million, $383 million and $154 million of outstanding short-term borrowings as of June 30, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

Revolving Credit Facility

On October 18, 2021 FE, FET and certain of its subsidiaries entered into two separate senior unsecured five-year syndicated revolving credit facilities (the “2021 Credit Facilities”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and PNC Bank, National Association that replaced the FE and OE, CEI, TE, Penn, Jersey Central Power & Light Company (“JCP&L”), ME, PN, Monongahela Power Company (“MP”), the Potomac Edison Company (“PE”) and WP (the “Electric Companies”) former five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, as amended (the “FE Revolving Facility”) and the FET Revolving Facility, and provide for aggregate commitments of $1.85 billion. Under the 2021 Credit Facilities, an aggregate amount of $1.85 billion is available to be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed, subject to each borrower’s respective sublimit under the respective facilities. These credit facilities provide substantial liquidity to support the Regulated businesses and each of the operating companies within the businesses.

On October 20, 2023, FE and certain of its subsidiaries entered into the amendments to each of the 2021 Credit Facilities to, among other things; (i) amend the FE Revolving Facility to release FET as a borrower and (ii) extend the maturity date of the 2021 Credit Facilities for an additional one-year period, from October 18, 2026 to October 18, 2027. Also, on October 20, 2023, FET entered into a separate facility of which $1.0 billion is available to be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed until October 20, 2028.

The 2023 Credit Facilities are as follows:

 

   

FET, $1.0 billion revolving credit facility;

 

   

ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, $850 million revolving credit facility;

Borrowings under the 2023 Credit Facilities may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes. Generally, borrowings under each of the credit facilities are available to each borrower separately and mature on the earlier of 364 days from the date of borrowing or the commitment termination date, as the same may be extended. Each of the 2023 Credit Facilities contain financial covenants requiring each borrower to maintain a consolidated debt-to-total-capitalization ratio (as defined under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities) of no more than 65%, and 75% for FET, measured at the end of each fiscal quarter.

 

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Table of Contents

The following table summarizes the limitations on short-term indebtedness applicable to each borrower under current regulatory approvals and applicable statutory and/or charter limitations as of June 30, 2024:

 

Individual Borrower

   Regulatory Debt
Limitations
     Credit Facility
Limitations
     Debt-to-Total-
Capitalization Ratio
 
     (In millions)         

FET

     N/A      $ 1,000        64.0

ATSI(1)

   $ 500        350        40.4

MAIT(1)

     400        350        40.7

TrAIL(1)

     400        150        38.5

 

(1)

Includes amounts which may be borrowed under the regulated companies’ money pool.

The 2023 Credit Facilities bear interest at fluctuating interest rates, primarily based on Secured Overnight Financial Rate (“SOFR”), including term SOFR and daily simple SOFR. FET has not hedged its interest rate exposure with respect to its floating rate debt. Accordingly, FET’s interest expense for any particular period will fluctuate based on SOFR and other variable interest rates. The high interest rate environment has caused the rate and interest expense on borrowings under the various FET credit facilities to be significantly higher. Restricted access to capital markets and/or increased borrowing costs could have an adverse effect on FET’s results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and liquidity.

Subject to each borrower’s sublimit, the amounts noted below are available for the issuance of LOCs (subject to borrowings drawn under the 2023 Credit Facilities) expiring up to one year from the date of issuance. The stated amount of outstanding LOCs will count against total commitments available under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities and against the borrowers’ borrowing sublimit. As of June 30, 2024, FET did not have any outstanding LOCs.

 

Revolving Credit Facility

   LOC Availability as of June 30, 2024
FET    $100 million
ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL    $200 million

The 2023 Credit Facilities do not contain provisions that restrict the ability to borrow or accelerate payment of outstanding advances in the event of any change in credit ratings of the borrowers. Pricing is defined in “pricing grids,” whereby the cost of funds borrowed under the 2023 Credit Facilities are related to the credit ratings of the company borrowing the funds. Additionally, borrowings under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities are subject to the usual and customary provisions for acceleration upon the occurrence of events of default, including a cross-default for other indebtedness in excess of $100 million.

As of June 30, 2024, FET and its subsidiaries were in compliance with the applicable interest coverage and debt-to-total-capitalization ratio covenants in each case as defined under the 2023 Credit Facilities.

FirstEnergy Money Pools

As regulated money pool participants, FET’s subsidiaries have the ability to borrow from each other, regulated affiliates and FE to meet their short-term working capital requirements. As of December 31, 2023, FET had a similar but separate arrangement with FE’s unregulated money pool participants. FESC administers these money pools and tracks surplus funds of FE and the respective regulated and unregulated subsidiaries, as the case may be, as well as proceeds available from bank borrowings. Companies receiving a loan under the money pool agreements must repay the principal amount of the loan, together with accrued interest, within 364 days of borrowing the funds. The rate of interest is the same for each company receiving a loan from their respective pool and is based on the average cost of funds available through the pool. Interest rates have increased significantly, which has caused the rate and interest expense on borrowings under the various FirstEnergy credit

 

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Table of Contents

facilities to be significantly higher. As of June 1, 2024, FET is no longer participating in the unregulated money pool.

 

Average Interest Rates

   Regulated Companies’ Money
Pool
    Unregulated Companies’ Money
Pool
 
     2024     2023     2024     2023  

For the Three Months Ended June 30,

     6.21     6.15     6.69     6.08

For the Six Months Ended June 30,

     6.26     6.00     6.89     5.64

Long-Term Debt Capacity

FET’s and certain of its subsidiaries access to capital markets and costs of financing are influenced by the credit ratings of their securities. The following table displays FET’s and its subsidiaries credit ratings as of October 2, 2024:

 

     Corporate Credit Rating      Senior Secured      Senior Unsecured      Outlook/Credit Watch(1)  

Issuer

   S&P      Moody’s      Fitch      S&P      Moody’s      Fitch      S&P      Moody’s      Fitch      S&P      Moody’s      Fitch  

FET

     A-        Baa2        BBB+        —         —         —         BBB+        Baa2        BBB+        P        S        S  

ATSI

     A-        A3        A        —         —         —         A-        A3        A+        P        S        S  

MAIT

     A-        A3        A        —         —         —         A-        A3        A+        P        S        S  

TrAIL

     A-        A3        A        —         —         —         A-        A3        A+        P        S        S  

 

(1)

S = Stable, P = Positive

The applicable undrawn and drawn margin on the 2023 Credit Facilities are subject to ratings-based pricing grids. The applicable fee paid on the undrawn commitments under the 2023 Credit Facilities are based on each borrower’s senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt ratings as determined by Standard & Poor’s Rating Service (“S&P”) and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”). The fees paid on actual borrowings are determined based on each borrower’s senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt ratings as determined by S&P and Moody’s.

Changes in Cash Position

As of June 30, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, FET had $9 million, $76 million and $77 million in cash and cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively.

The following table summarizes the major classes of cash flow items for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

(In millions)

     2024          2023    

Net cash provided from operating activities

   $ 541      $ 325  

Net cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     (769      757  

Net cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     161        (1,082
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

     (67      —   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     76        77  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 9      $ 77  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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The following table summarizes the major classes of cash flow items for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2023        2022        2021   

Net cash provided from operating activities

   $ 637      $ 712      $ 841  

Net cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     406        (2,022      (133

Net cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     (1,044      1,112        (654
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

     (1      (198      54  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     77        275        221  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 76      $ 77      $ 275  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash Flows From Operating Activities

In the first six months of 2024, net cash provided from operating activities was $541 million, as compared to $325 million during the same period of 2023. The increase in cash provided from operating activities in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023 is primarily due to higher revenues from transmission investments and the timing of transmission revenue collections.

Net cash provided from operating activities during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were $637 million, $712 million and $841 million, respectively. The decrease in cash provided from operating activities in 2023 compared to 2022 is primarily due to the timing of transmission revenue collections. The decrease in cash provided from operating activities in 2022 compared to 2021 is primarily due to the timing of transmission revenue collections.

Cash Flows From Investing Activities

Cash provided from (used for) investing activities in the first six months of 2024 principally represented cash used for capital investments, and loans with affiliated companies, net, including outstanding amounts paid in early 2023 relating to the $2.3 billion notes payable to FE as payment for a dividend. The following table summarizes investing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

Cash From Investing Activities

    2024        2023   
     (in millions)  

Capital investments

   $ (538    $ (438

Loans with affiliated companies, net

     (194      1,232  

Asset removal costs

     (37      (37
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ (769    $ 757  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash provided from (used for) investing activities during the first six months of 2024 decreased $1,526 million, as compared to the same period of 2023, primarily due to higher capital investments and loans to affiliated companies, net.

 

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Cash provided from (used for) investing activities in 2023 principally represented cash used for capital investments and loans with affiliated companies, net. The following table summarizes investing activities for 2023, 2022 and 2021:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

Cash From Investing Activities

    2023        2022        2021   
     (in millions)  

Capital investments

   $ (1,042    $ (836    $ (643

Loans with affiliated companies, net

     1,537        (1,126      572  

Asset removal costs

     (91      (55      (65

Other

     2        (5      3  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 406      $ (2,022    $ (133
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Cash provided from (used for) investing activities during 2023 increased $2,428 million, as compared to 2022, primarily due to loans with affiliated companies, net, partially offset by higher capital investments.

Cash provided from (used for) investing activity during 2022 decreased $1,889 million, as compared to 2021, primarily due to loans with affiliated companies, net and higher capital investments.

Cash Flows From Financing Activities

In the first six months of 2024, cash provided from (used for) financing activities was $161 million compared to $(1,082) million during the same period of 2023. The following table summarizes the financing activities for the first six months of 2024 and 2023:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

Cash From Financing Activities

     2024          2023    
     (in millions)  

New financing—

     

Long-term debt

   $ 400      $ 325  

Short-term borrowings—net

     215        185  

Redemptions and Repayments—

     

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     (377      (152

Dividend payments

     (75      (1,438

Other

     (2      (2
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 161      $ (1,082
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, cash provided from (used for) financing activities were $(1,044) million, $1,112 million and $(654) million, respectively. The following table summarizes the financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

Cash From Financing Activities

   2023      2022      2021  
     (in millions)  

New financing—

        

Long-term debt

   $ 325      $ —       $ 1,250  

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     229        105        1  

Redemptions and Repayments—

        

Long-term debt

     —         —         (400

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     —         (50      (1,311

Equity contribution from parent

     —         61        —   

Capital contributions from Brookfield

     —         9        —   

Proceeds from FET minority interest sale, net of transaction costs

     —         2,348        —   

Cash dividends paid to noncontrolling interest

     (66      (57      (55

Dividend payments

     (1,527      (1,304      (130

Other

     (5      —         (9
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ (1,044    $ 1,112      $ (654
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

FET had the following issuances during the six months ended June 30, 2024:

 

Company

   Type    Issuance
Date
   Interest
Rate
    Maturity      Amount
(In millions)
    

Description

                     Redemptions       

ATSI

   Unsecured
Notes
   March,
2024
     5.63     2034      $ 150      Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

MAIT

   Unsecured
Notes
   May,
2024
     5.94     2034      $ 250      Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

 

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During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, FET had the following redemptions and issuances:

 

Company

   Type    Redemption/
Issuance Date
   Interest
Rate
    Maturity      Amount
(In millions)
    

Description

                     Redemptions(1)       

ATSI

   Unsecured
Notes
   December 29,
2021
     5.25     2022      $ 400      Make whole call prior to maturity in early 2022.
                     Issuances       

FET

   Unsecured
Notes
   3/19/2021      2.87     2028      $ 500      Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings under the former FET Revolving Facility.

MAIT

   Unsecured
Notes
   5/24/2021      4.10 %(1)      2028      $ 150      Proceeds were used to repay borrowings outstanding under FirstEnergy’s regulated money pool, fund MAIT’s ongoing capital expenditures, to fund working capital and for other general corporate purposes.

ATSI

   Unsecured
Notes
   12/1/2021      2.65     2032      $ 600      Proceeds were used to repay outstanding notes and short-term borrowings, to fund ATSI’s ongoing capital expenditures, working capital requirements and for other general corporate purposes.

MAIT

   Unsecured
Notes
   February,
2023
     5.39     2033      $ 175      Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

ATSI

   Unsecured
Notes
   May, 2023      5.13     2033      $ 150      Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

 

(1)

New debt was issued at a premium under a previously issued note series, resulting in an effective interest rate of 2.55%.

FET may from time to time, seek to retire or purchase outstanding debt through open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such repurchases, if any, will be upon such terms and at such prices as FET or its affiliates may determine, and will depend on prevailing market conditions, liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors.

 

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Cash Requirements and Commitments

FET and its subsidiaries have certain affiliated and non-affiliated obligations and commitments to make future payments under contracts.

 

As of December 31, 2023 (Undiscounted)

   Total      2024      2025-2026      2027-2028      Thereafter  
     (In millions)  

Long-term debt(1)

   $ 5,300      $ —       $ 1,300      $ 1,100      $ 2,900  

Short-term borrowings

     383        383        —         —         —   

Interest on long-term debt

     2,256        217        342        308        1,389  

Operating leases(2)

     1,584        21        42        42        1,479  

Committed investments

     1,638        750        520        368        —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 11,161      $ 1,371      $ 2,204      $ 1,818      $ 5,768  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Excludes unamortized discounts and premiums.

(2)

See Note 4, “Leases,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements.

The table above excludes regulatory liabilities (see “—Regulatory Assets and Liabilities above), asset retirement obligations, reserves for litigation, injuries and damages, environmental remediation, and annual insurance premiums, since the amount and timing of the cash payments are uncertain. The table also excludes accumulated deferred income taxes and investment tax credits since cash payments for income taxes are determined based primarily on taxable income for each applicable fiscal year.

GUARANTEES AND OTHER ASSURANCES

FET has various financial and performance guarantees and indemnifications which are issued in the normal course of business. These contracts include performance guarantees, stand-by LOCs, debt guarantees, surety bonds and indemnifications. FET enters into these arrangements to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties by enhancing the value of the transaction to the third party. The maximum potential amount of future payments FET could be required to make under these guarantees as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $21 million, relating to surety bonds, which are not tied to a credit rating. Surety bonds’ impact assumes maximum contractual obligations, which is ordinarily 100% of the face amount of the surety bond except with respect to $1 million as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 of surety bond obligations for which the collateral obligation is capped at 60% of the face amount, and typical obligations require 30 days to cure.

Collateral and Contingent-Related Features

In the normal course of business, FET may enter into physical or financially settled contracts. Certain agreements contain provisions that require FET to post collateral. This collateral may be posted in the form of cash or credit support with thresholds contingent upon FET’s credit rating from each of the major credit rating agencies. The collateral and credit support requirements vary by contract and by counterparty. FET has posted $3 million and $2 million of net cash collateral as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which is included in “Prepaid taxes and other current assets” on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

CREDIT RISK

Credit risk is the risk that FET would incur a loss as a result of nonperformance by counterparties of their contractual obligations. FET maintains risk policies and procedures with respect to counterparty credit (including requirements that counterparties maintain specified credit ratings) and require other assurances in the form of credit support or collateral in certain circumstance in order to limit counterparty credit risk. FET has concentrations of suppliers and counterparties. These concentrations may impact FET’s overall exposure to credit risk, positively or negatively, as counterparties may be similarly affected by changes in economic, regulatory or other conditions.

 

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INTEREST RATE RISK

FET and its subsidiaries exposure to fluctuations in market interest rates is reduced since all long-term debt has fixed interest rates, as noted in the table below. FET and its subsidiaries are subject to the inherent interest rate risks related to refinancing maturing debt by issuing new debt securities.

 

Comparison of Carrying Value to Fair Value as of December 31, 2023  

Year of Maturity or Notice of Redemption

   2024     2025     2026     2027     2028     There-after     Total     Fair Value  
     (In millions)  

Liabilities:

                

Long-term Debt:

                

Fixed rate

   $ —      $ 1,225     $ 75     $ —      $ 1,100     $ 2,900     $ 5,300     $ 4,949  

Average interest rate

     —      4.1     4.0     —      3.5     4.3     4.1  

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

FET prepares consolidated financial statements in accordance with Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Application of these principles often requires a high degree of judgment, estimates and assumptions that affect financial results. FET’s accounting policies require significant judgment regarding estimates and assumptions underlying the amounts included in the financial statements. Additional information regarding the application of accounting policies is included in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Loss Contingencies

FET and its subsidiaries regularly assess liabilities and contingencies in connection with asserted or potential matters and establish reserves when appropriate. In the preparation of the financial statements, FET and its subsidiaries make judgments regarding the future outcome of contingent events based on currently available information and accrue liabilities when it is concluded that it is probable that it has an obligation for such costs and can reasonably estimate the amount of such costs. In cases where FET and its subsidiaries determine that it is not probable, but reasonably possible that they have a material obligation, FET discloses such obligations and the possible loss or range of loss if such estimate can be made. Circumstances change over time and actual results may vary significantly from estimates. Please see Note 8, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 9, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements and Note 5, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 6, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements included in this prospectus for additional information.

Revenue Recognition

FET and its subsidiaries account for revenue from contracts with customers under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Revenue from leases, financial instruments, other contractual rights or obligations and other revenues that are not from contracts with customers are outside the scope of the standard and accounted for under other existing GAAP.

Revenues are primarily derived from forward-looking formula rates which recover costs that the regulatory agencies determine are permitted to be recovered and provide a return on transmission capital investment. Under forward-looking formula rates, the revenue requirement is updated annually based on a projected rate base and projected costs, which is subject to an annual true-up based on actual rate base and costs. Revenues and cash receipts for the stand-ready obligation of providing transmission service are recognized ratably over time.

FET and its subsidiaries have elected the optional invoice practical expedient for most revenues and utilize the optional short-term contract exemption for transmission revenues due to the annual establishment of revenue requirements, which eliminates the need to provide certain revenue disclosures regarding unsatisfied performance obligations. See Note 2, “Revenue,” of the notes to consolidated financial statements for additional information.

 

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Regulatory Accounting

FET’s subsidiaries are subject to regulation that sets the prices (rates) permitted to charge customers based on costs that FERC determines are permitted to be recovered. At times, regulatory agencies permit the future recovery of costs that would be currently charged to expense by an unregulated company. The ratemaking process results in the recording of regulatory assets and liabilities based on anticipated future cash inflows and outflows.

FET’s subsidiaries review the probability of recovery of regulatory assets, and settlement of regulatory liabilities, at each balance sheet date and whenever new events occur. Factors that may affect probability include changes in the regulatory environment, issuance of a regulatory commission order, or passage of new legislation. Upon material changes to these factors, where applicable, FET’s subsidiaries will record new regulatory assets or liabilities and will assess whether it is probable that currently recorded regulatory assets and liabilities will be recovered or settled in future rates. If recovery of a regulatory asset is no longer probable, FET’s subsidiaries will write off that regulatory asset as a charge against earnings. FET’s subsidiaries consider the entire regulatory asset balance as the unit of account for the purposes of balance sheet classification rather than the next years recovery and as such net regulatory assets and liabilities are presented in the noncurrent section on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Please see Note 8, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 9, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements and Note 5, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 6, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements included in this prospectus for additional information.

Income Taxes

Judgment and the use of estimates are required in developing the provision for income taxes, reserve amounts for uncertain tax positions, and reporting of tax-related assets and liabilities such as the interpretation of tax laws and associated regulations. FET and its subsidiaries are required to make judgments regarding the potential tax effects of various transactions and results of operations in order to estimate their obligations to taxing authorities.

Accounting for tax obligations requires judgments, including assessing whether tax benefits are more likely than not to be sustained, and estimating reserves for potential adverse outcomes regarding tax positions that have been taken. FET and its subsidiaries record income taxes in accordance with the liability method of accounting. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts recognized for tax purposes. Investment tax credits, which were deferred when utilized, are being amortized over the recovery period of the related property. Deferred income tax liabilities related to temporary tax and accounting basis differences and tax credit carryforward items are recognized at the statutory income tax rates in effect when the liabilities are expected to be paid. Deferred tax assets are recognized based on income tax rates expected to be in effect when they are settled.

FET and its subsidiaries account for uncertainty in income taxes in the financial statements using a benefit recognition model with a two-step approach, a more-likely-than-not recognition criterion and a measurement attribute that measures the position as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being ultimately realized upon settlement. If it is not more likely than not that the benefit will be sustained on its technical merits, no benefit will be recorded. Uncertain tax positions that relate only to timing of when an item is included on a tax return are considered to have met the recognition threshold. FET recognizes interest expense or income and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income taxes. That amount is computed by applying the applicable statutory interest rate to the difference between the tax position recognized and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken on the federal income tax return.

Actual income taxes could vary from estimated amounts due to the future impacts of various items, including future changes in income tax laws, or new regulations or guidance, forecasted results of operations,

 

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failure to successfully implement tax planning strategies, as well as results of audits and examinations of filed tax returns by taxing authorities.

See the Notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements for additional information on income taxes.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

See Note 1, “Organization and Basis of Presentation,” of the notes to the audited consolidated annual financial statements and the notes to the unaudited consolidated interim financial statements included in this prospectus for a discussion of new accounting pronouncements.

OUTLOOK

INCOME TAXES

The IRA of 2022, among other things, imposes a new 15% corporate AMT based on AFSI applicable to corporations with a three-year average AFSI over $1 billion. The AMT is effective for the 2023 tax year and, if applicable, corporations must pay the greater of the regular corporate income tax or the AMT. Although NOL carryforwards created through the regular corporate income tax system cannot be used to reduce the AMT, financial statement NOLs can be used to reduce AFSI and the amount of AMT owed. The IRA of 2022 as enacted requires the U.S. Treasury to provide regulations and other guidance necessary to administer the AMT, including further defining allowable adjustments to determine AFSI, which directly impacts the amount of AMT to be paid. Based on interim guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during 2022 and 2023, FirstEnergy and FET continue to believe that it is more likely than not the AMT will be applicable beginning with 2023. Although FET and its subsidiaries constitute a separate consolidated tax group, as described above, because it is a majority-owned subsidiary of FE, the AMT may be applicable to FET and its subsidiaries. The future issuance of U.S. Treasury regulations could significantly change FirstEnergy’s and/or FET’s AMT estimates or its conclusion as to whether they are AMT payers at all. Additionally, the regulatory treatment of the impacts of this legislation may also be subject to regulation by FERC. Any adverse development in this legislation, including guidance from the U.S. Treasury and/or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or unfavorable regulatory treatment, could negatively impact FirstEnergy’s and/or FET’s cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

Due to a private letter ruling recently issued by the IRS to an unaffiliated utility company, FET is evaluating the potential requirement to transition ATSI, TrAIL and/or MAIT to stand-alone treatment of NOL carryforwards for ratemaking purposes. Currently, neither ATSI, TrAIL, nor MAIT have transitioned to stand-alone treatment. FET expects that if transitioning is required, ATSI, TrAIL and/or MAIT will make appropriate regulatory filings to include the NOL carryforward deferred tax asset in rate base and revenue requirement, which could have a material, favorable impact on future net income.

FERC REGULATORY MATTERS

With respect to their transmission services and rates, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are subject to regulation by FERC. Under the FPA, FERC regulates rates for transmission of electric power, accounting and other matters. FERC regulations require ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL to provide open access transmission service at FERC-approved rates, terms and conditions. Transmission facilities of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are subject to functional control by PJM, and transmission service using ATSI’s, MAIT’s and TrAIL’s transmission facilities is provided by PJM under the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff (the “PJM Tariff”).

 

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The following table summarizes the key terms of rate orders in effect for transmission customer billings for each one of FET’s transmission owner entities:

 

Company

   Rates Effective    Capital Structure    Allowed ROE

ATSI

   January 1, 2015    Actual (13 month average)    10.38%

MAIT

   July 1, 2017    Lower of Actual (13 month

average) or 60%

   10.3%

TrAIL

   July 1, 2008    Actual (year-end)    12.7%(1) /11.7%(2)

 

(1)

TrAIL the Line and Black Oak Static Var Compensator

(2)

All other projects

Federally enforceable mandatory reliability standards apply to the bulk electric system and impose certain operating, record-keeping and reporting requirements on ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL. NERC is the ERO designated by FERC to establish and enforce these reliability standards, although NERC has delegated day-to-day implementation and enforcement of these reliability standards to six regional entities, including RFC. All of the facilities that FirstEnergy operates, including those of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, are located within RFC. FirstEnergy actively participates in the NERC and RFC stakeholder processes, and otherwise monitors and manages its companies, including ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, in response to the ongoing development, implementation and enforcement of the reliability standards implemented and enforced by RFC.

FET and/or its subsidiaries believes that it is in material compliance with all currently-effective and enforceable reliability standards. Nevertheless, in the course of operating its extensive electric utility systems and facilities FET and/or its subsidiaries, occasionally learns of isolated facts or circumstances that could be interpreted as excursions from the reliability standards. If and when such occurrences are found, FET and/or its subsidiaries develops information about the occurrence and develops a remedial response to the specific circumstances, including in appropriate cases “self-reporting” an occurrence to RFC. Moreover, it is clear that NERC, RFC and FERC will continue to refine existing reliability standards as well as to develop and adopt new reliability standards. Any inability on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ part to comply with the reliability standards for its bulk electric system could result in the imposition of financial penalties, or obligations to upgrade or build transmission facilities, that could have a material adverse effect on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

FERC Audit

FERC’s Division of Audits and Accounting initiated a nonpublic audit of FESC in February 2019. Among other matters, the audit is evaluating FirstEnergy’s compliance with certain accounting and reporting requirements under various FERC regulations. On February 4, 2022, FERC filed the final audit report for the period of January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2021, which included several findings and recommendations that FirstEnergy has accepted. The audit report included a finding and related recommendation on FirstEnergy’s methodology for allocation of certain corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts under certain FERC regulations and reporting. Effective in the first quarter of 2022 and in response to the finding, FirstEnergy had implemented a new methodology for the allocation of these corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts for its regulated distribution and transmission companies on a prospective basis.

With the assistance of an independent outside firm, FirstEnergy completed an analysis during the third quarter of 2022 of these costs and how it impacted certain FERC-jurisdictional wholesale transmission customer rates for the audit period of 2015 through 2021. As a result of this analysis, FET recorded in the third quarter of 2022 approximately $34 million (after-tax) in expected customer refunds, plus interest, due to its wholesale transmission customers and reclassified approximately $99 million of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses for the audit period, of which $9 million are not expected to be recoverable and impacted FirstEnergy’s earnings since they relate to costs capitalized during stated transmission rate time periods. FET is

 

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currently recovering approximately $91 million of costs reclassified to operating expenses in its transmission formula rate revenue requirements, of which $57 million of costs have been recovered as of June 30, 2024. These reclassifications also resulted in a reduction to FET’s rate base by approximately $77 million, which is not expected to materially impact FET’s future earnings. The expected wholesale transmission customer refunds were recognized as a reduction to revenue, and the amount of reclassified transmission capital assets that are not expected to be recoverable were recognized within “Other operating expenses” on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

On December 8, 2023, FERC audit staff issued a letter advising that two unresolved audit matters, primarily related to FET’s plan to recover the reclassified operating expenses in formula transmission rates, were being referred to other offices within FERC for further review. On July 5, 2024 the FERC Office of Enforcement issued a set of data requests related to the 2022 reclassification of O&M. Responses to the data requests were provided July 29, 2024. On September 10, 2024, the FERC Office of Enforcement issued a second set of data requests. FirstEnergy submitted its response on September 27, 2024. In addition, on September 26, 2024, the FERC Office of Energy Market Regulation issued data requests to FirstEnergy, including FET’s Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, also related to the 2022 reclassification of O&M. If the FERC Office of Energy Market Regulation and the FERC Office of Enforcement were to successfully challenge the recovery of these transmission costs, it could result in future charges and/or adjustments.

ATSI ROE – Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On February 24, 2022, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (the “OCC”) filed a complaint with FERC against ATSI, AEP’s Ohio affiliates and American Electric Power Service Corporation and Duke Energy Ohio, LLC asserting that FERC should reduce the ROE utilized in the utilities’ transmission formula rates by eliminating the 50 basis point adder associated with RTO membership, effective February 24, 2022. The OCC contends that this result is required because Ohio law mandates that transmission owning utilities join an RTO and that the 50 basis point adder is applicable only where RTO membership is voluntary. On December 15, 2022, FERC denied the complaint as to ATSI and Duke, but granted it as to AEP. AEP and OCC appealed FERC’s orders to the Sixth Circuit and the case remains pending. FirstEnergy is unable to predict the outcome of this proceeding, but it is not expected to have a material impact.

Transmission ROE Methodology

A proposed rulemaking proceeding concerning transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act was initiated in March of 2020 remains pending before FERC. Among other things, the rulemaking explored whether utilities should collect an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder for more than three years. FirstEnergy is a member of PJM, and its transmission subsidiaries could be affected by the proposed rulemaking. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups. If there were to be any changes to FirstEnergy’s transmission incentive ROE, such changes will be applied on a prospective basis.

Transmission Planning Supplemental Projects: Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On September 27, 2023, the OCC filed a complaint against ATSI, PJM and other transmission utilities in Ohio alleging that the PJM Tariff and operating agreement are unjust, unreasonable and unduly discriminatory because they include no provisions to ensure PJM’s review and approval for the planning, need, prudence and cost-effectiveness of the PJM Tariff Attachment M-3 “Supplemental Projects.” Supplemental Projects are projects that are planned and constructed to address local needs on the transmission system. The OCC demands that FERC: (i) require PJM to review supplemental projects for need, prudence and cost-effectiveness; (ii) appoint an independent transmission monitor to assist PJM in such review; and (iii) require that Supplemental Projects go into rate base only through a “stated rate” procedure whereby prior FERC approval would be needed for projects with costs that exceed an established threshold. In subsequent pleadings, parties to the proceeding

 

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expanded the scope of the complaint to encompass all of the transmission owners in PJM. ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and the other transmission utilities in Ohio and PJM filed comments and the complaint is pending before FERC.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

Various federal, state and local authorities regulate FET with regard to air and water quality, hazardous and solid waste disposal and other environmental matters. While FET’s environmental policies and procedures are designed to achieve compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations, such laws and regulations are subject to periodic review and potential revision by the implementing agencies. FET cannot predict the timing or ultimate outcome of any of these reviews or how any future actions taken as a result thereof may materially impact its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On July 21, 2020, a complaint and supporting affidavit containing federal criminal allegations were unsealed against the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. In March 2023, a jury found Mr. Householder and his co-defendant, Matthew Borges, guilty and in June 2023, the two were sentenced to prison for 20 and five years, respectively. Messrs. Householder and Borges have appealed their sentences. Also, on July 21, 2020, and in connection with the U.S Attorney’s Office’s investigation, FirstEnergy received subpoenas for records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. FirstEnergy was not aware of the criminal allegations, affidavit or subpoenas before July 21, 2020.

On July 21, 2021, FE entered into a three-year DPA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that, subject to court proceedings, resolves this matter. Under the DPA, FE has agreed to the filing of a criminal information charging FE with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. The DPA requires that FirstEnergy, among other obligations: (i) continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in all matters relating to the conduct described in the DPA and other conduct under investigation by the U.S. government; (ii) pay a criminal monetary penalty totaling $230 million within sixty days, which shall consist of (x) $115 million paid by FE to the United States Treasury and (y) $115 million paid by FE to the Ohio Development Service Agency (the “ODSA”) to fund certain assistance programs, as determined by the ODSA, for the benefit of low-income Ohio electric utility customers; (iii) publish a list of all payments made in 2021 to either 501(c)(4) entities or to entities known by FirstEnergy to be operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly, and update the same on a quarterly basis during the term of the DPA; (iv) issue a public statement, as dictated in the DPA, regarding FE’s use of 501(c)(4) entities; and (v) continue to implement and review its compliance and ethics program, internal controls, policies and procedures designed, implemented and enforced to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. laws throughout its operations, and to take certain related remedial measures. The $230 million payment will neither be recovered in rates or charged to FirstEnergy customers, nor will FirstEnergy seek any tax deduction related to such payment. The entire amount of the monetary penalty was recognized as expense in the second quarter of 2021 and paid in the third quarter of 2021. As of July 21, 2024, FirstEnergy has successfully completed the obligations required within the three-year term of the DPA. Under the DPA, FirstEnergy has an obligation to continue (i) publishing quarterly a list of all payments to 501(c)(4) entities and all payments to entities known by FirstEnergy operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly; (ii) not making any statements that contradict the DPA; (iii) notifying the U.S Attorney’s Office of any changes in FirstEnergy’s corporate form; and (iv) cooperating with the U.S Attorney’s Office until the conclusion of any related investigation, criminal prosecution and civil proceeding brought by the U.S Attorney’s Office. Within 30 days of those matters concluding, and FirstEnergy’s successful completion of its remaining obligations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will dismiss the criminal information.

 

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Legal Proceedings Relating to United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On August 10, 2020, the SEC, through its Division of Enforcement, issued an order directing an investigation of possible securities laws violations by FE, and on September 1, 2020, issued subpoenas to FE and certain FE officers relating to the conduct described in the DPA. On April 28, 2021, July 11, 2022, and May 25, 2023, the SEC issued additional subpoenas to FE, with which FE has complied. FirstEnergy has cooperated fully with the SEC investigation. On September 12, 2024, the SEC issued a settlement order that concludes and resolves, in its entirety, the SEC investigation. Under the terms of the settlement, FirstEnergy agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100 million and to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of specified provisions of the federal securities laws and rules promulgated thereunder. FirstEnergy recorded a loss contingency of $100 million relating to the SEC investigation in the second quarter of 2024 included in “Other Operating expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other for segment reporting.

On June 29, 2023, the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (the “OOCIC”) served FE a subpoena, seeking information relating to the conduct described in the DPA. FirstEnergy was not aware of the OOCIC’s investigation prior to receiving the subpoena and understands that the OOCIC’s investigation is also focused on the conduct described in the DPA, other than with respect to the March 25, 2024, felony indictment of Mr. Householder brought in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. FirstEnergy is cooperating with the OOCIC in its investigation. On February 12, 2024, and in connection with the OOCIC’s ongoing investigation, an indictment by a grand jury of Summit County, Ohio was unsealed against the, now-deceased, former chairman of the PUCO, and two former FirstEnergy senior officers, Charles E. Jones, and Michael J. Dowling, charging each of them with several felony counts, including bribery, telecommunications fraud, money laundering and aggravated theft, related to payments described in the DPA. On August 12, 2024, FirstEnergy entered into a settlement with the OOCIC, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office to resolve both the investigation and State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp., noted below. The settlement includes, among other things, a non-prosecution agreement and a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded in the second quarter of 2024 in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other segment reporting.

In addition to the subpoenas referenced above under “United States v. Larry Householder, et. al.” and the SEC investigation, certain FE stockholders and FirstEnergy customers filed several lawsuits against FirstEnergy and certain current and former directors, officers and other employees, and the complaints in each of these suits is related to allegations in the complaint and supporting affidavit relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. The plaintiffs in each of the below cases seek, among other things, to recover an unspecified amount of damages (unless otherwise noted). Unless otherwise indicated, no contingency has been reflected in FirstEnergy’s consolidated financial statements with respect to these lawsuits as a loss is neither probable, nor is a loss or range of a loss reasonably estimable.

 

   

In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation (S.D. Ohio); on July 28, 2020 and August 21, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed putative class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws. Those actions have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff, the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, has been appointed by the court. A consolidated complaint was filed on February 26, 2021. The consolidated complaint alleges, on behalf of a proposed class of persons who purchased FE securities between February 21, 2017 and July 21, 2020, that FE and certain current or former FE officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing misrepresentations or omissions concerning FE’s business and results of operations. The consolidated complaint also alleges that FE, certain current or former FE officers and directors and a group of underwriters violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 as a result of alleged misrepresentations or omissions in connection with offerings of senior notes by FE in February and June 2020. On March 30, 2023, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. On April 14, 2023, FE filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit seeking to appeal that order;

 

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the Sixth Circuit granted FE’s petition on November 16, 2023, and conducted oral argument on July 17, 2024. On November 30, 2023, FE filed a motion with the S.D. Ohio to stay all proceedings pending the circuit court appeal. On August 20, 2024, the S.D Ohio lifted the stay as to fact discovery. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this lawsuit. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

MFS Series Trust I, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and Brighthouse Funds II – MFS Value Portfolio, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. (S.D. Ohio); on December 17, 2021 and February 21, 2022, purported stockholders of FE filed complaints against FE, certain current and former officers and certain current and former officers of Energy Harbor Corp (“EH”). The complaints allege that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing alleged misrepresentations or omissions regarding FE’s business and its results of operations, and seek the same relief as the In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation described above. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur losses in connection with the resolution of these lawsuits. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp. (Common Pleas Court, Franklin County, OH, all actions have been consolidated); on September 23, 2020 and October 27, 2020, the Ohio Attorney General (the “OAG”) and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus, respectively, filed complaints against several parties including FE, each alleging civil violations of the Ohio Corrupt Activity Act and related claims in connection with the passage of HB 6. On January 13, 2021, the OAG filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against FirstEnergy seeking to enjoin FirstEnergy from collecting CEI, OE and TE’s (the “Ohio Companies”) decoupling rider. On January 31, 2021, FE reached a partial settlement with the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus with respect to the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction request and related issues. In connection with the partial settlement, the Ohio Companies filed an application on February 1, 2021, with the PUCO to set their respective decoupling riders (Conservation Support Rider) to zero. On February 2, 2021, the PUCO approved the application of the Ohio Companies setting the rider to zero, and no additional customer bills will include new decoupling rider charges after February 8, 2021. On August 13, 2021, new defendants were added to the complaint, including two former officers of FirstEnergy. On December 2, 2021, the cities and FE entered a stipulated dismissal with prejudice of the cities’ suit. This matter was stayed through a criminal trial in United States v. Larry Householder, et al. described above, but resumed pursuant to an order, dated March 15, 2023. On July 31, 2023, FE and other defendants filed motions to dismiss in part the OAG’s amended complaint, which the OAG opposed. On February 16, 2024, the OAG moved to stay discovery in the case in light of the February 9, 2024, indictments against defendants in this action, which the court granted on March 14, 2024. In connection with the ongoing OOCIC resolution discussions, FE is also discussing an appropriate settlement of this civil action with the OAG. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this matter and the ongoing OOCIC investigation and, as noted above, in the second quarter of 2024, a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded.

On February 9, 2022, FE, acting through the Special Litigation Committee of the FE Board (the “SLC”), agreed to a settlement term sheet to resolve the following shareholder derivative lawsuits relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder that were filed in the S.D. Ohio, the Federal District Court, Northern District of Ohio (“N.D. Ohio”) and the Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Summit County:

 

   

Gendrich v. Anderson, et al. and Sloan v. Anderson, et al. (Common Pleas Court, Summit County, Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on July 26, 2020 and July 31, 2020, respectively, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative action lawsuits against certain current and former FE

 

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directors and officers, alleging, among other things, breaches of fiduciary duty. On August 30, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the state court action, which the court granted on September 2, 2022.

 

   

Miller v. Anderson, et al. (N.D. Ohio); on August 7, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corp. (the “FE Board”) and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On August 24, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the action pending in the N.D. Ohio based upon the approval of the settlement by the S.D. Ohio, which was granted on May 17, 2024.

 

   

Bloom, et al. v. Anderson, et al.; Employees Retirement System of the City of St. Louis v. Jones, et al.; Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. v. Anderson et al.; Massachusetts Laborers Pension Fund v. Anderson et al.; The City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement v. Anderson et al.; Atherton v. Dowling et al.; Behar v. Anderson, et al. (S.D. Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on September 1, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On March 11, 2022, the parties executed a stipulation and agreement of settlement, and filed a motion the same day requesting preliminary settlement approval in the S.D. Ohio, which the S.D. Ohio granted on May 9, 2022. Subsequently, following a hearing on August 4, 2022, the S.D. Ohio granted final approval of the settlement on August 23, 2022, which was appealed by a purported FE stockholder on June 15, 2023. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s final settlement approval. All appeal options were exhausted on May 16, 2024.

The above settlement included a series of corporate governance enhancements and a payment to FE of $180 million, less approximately $36 million in court-ordered attorney’s fees awarded to plaintiffs, and a $7 million net return on deposited funds, which was received in the second quarter of 2024. The judgment and settlement are final and, therefore, the derivative lawsuits are now fully resolved.

The outcome of any of these lawsuits, governmental investigations and audit is uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on FE’s or its subsidiaries’, including FET’s, reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

Other Legal Matters

There are various lawsuits, claims and proceedings related to FET’s normal business operations pending against FET or its subsidiaries. The loss or range of loss in these matters is not expected to be material to FET or its subsidiaries. The other potentially material items not otherwise discussed above are described under Note 5, “Regulatory Matters.”

FET accrues legal liabilities only when it concludes that it is probable that it has an obligation for such costs and can reasonably estimate the amount of such costs. In cases where FET determines that it is not probable, but reasonably possible that it has a material obligation, it discloses such obligations and the possible loss or range of loss if such estimate can be made. If it were ultimately determined that FET or its subsidiaries have legal liability or are otherwise made subject to liability based on any of the matters referenced above, it could have a material adverse effect on FET’s or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

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OUR BUSINESS

Overview

We were organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2006. On May 31, 2022, Brookfield acquired 19.9% of the membership interests of FET. On March 25, 2024, Brookfield acquired an additional 30% of the outstanding membership interest of FET for $3.5 billion. As a result, Brookfield’s equity interest in FET increased to 49.9%, while FE retained the remaining 50.1% equity interest in FET. We are a consolidated variable interest entity of FE and we are the holding company for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

Our principal executive offices are located at 5001 NASA Blvd., Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. Our telephone number is (800) 736-3402.

Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries

ATSI was organized under the laws of the State of Ohio in 1998 to engage exclusively in the transmission of electricity (i.e., at voltages of 69 kV and above). The substantial portion of ATSI’s transmission assets were originally acquired in September 2000 from certain FE Ohio and Pennsylvania distribution utility subsidiaries. In June 2011, ATSI transferred functional control of its transmission facilities from MISO to PJM.

MAIT was organized under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2015 to own and operate all of the FERC-jurisdictional transmission assets that were transferred to MAIT on January 31, 2017 by ME and PN, following receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. In exchange for their transmission asset contributions, MAIT issued Class B membership interests to ME and PN. We own all of the outstanding Class A membership interests of MAIT, which MAIT issued to us in exchange for our cash contribution.

TrAIL was organized under the laws of the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2006 to finance, construct, own, operate and maintain high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM. TrAIL currently has several transmission facilities in operation, including a 500 kV transmission line extending approximately 150 miles from southwestern Pennsylvania through West Virginia to a point of interconnection with an unaffiliated entity, VEPCO, in northern Virginia that was completed and placed into service in May 2011.

Relationship of Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to FirstEnergy Reportable Segments

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company (“KATCo”) comprise FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment.

All of the transmission assets and facilities comprising FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment are scheduled and dispatched in a coordinated fashion by PJM, with decisions about capital investment and maintenance made by the relevant transmission owner, subject to reliability requirements. Planning for significant new regional transmission facilities is coordinated through PJM’s RTEP process, as described further below. The Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s revenues are primarily derived from rates that recover prudently-incurred costs and provide a return on transmission capital investment. These revenues are derived from transmission service provided to transmission customers pursuant to the PJM OATT. The Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s financial results also reflect the net transmission expenses related to the delivery of electricity over FirstEnergy’s transmission facilities, including those of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

Revenues and Rates

We derive all of our revenue from our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, in turn, derive nearly all of their revenues from providing:

 

   

network transmission service;

 

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point-to-point transmission service; and

 

   

scheduling, control and dispatch service over their respective systems.

PJM, on behalf of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, charges rates established by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries using a forward-looking cost-of-service formula rate template on file with FERC. Under these formulas, MAIT and ATSI post to PJM’s website their PTRR each October 5 and October 15, respectively, to be effective for the following January through December “Rate Year.” The PTRR represents the amount of revenue necessary to recover projected prudently-incurred expenses and a return on projected rate base, consisting primarily of property, plant and equipment on a 13-month average, for the Rate Year. MAIT and ATSI determine their respective PTRRs based on updates to the inputs to the formula rate template. MAIT and ATSI, on each June 1 and May 1, respectively, calculate actual results for the previous Rate Year and compare them to the amount PJM billed on their behalf based on the PTRR for that Rate Year and include the resulting true-up in the PTRR for the coming Rate Year. MAIT’s and ATSI’s projected rate bases for the PTRRs effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 are $2.4 billion and $4.1 billion, respectively. Each May 15, TrAIL posts to PJM’s website its “Annual Update” consisting of (1) a “Reconciliation” reflecting its actual revenue requirement for the previous calendar year and (2) a “Forecast” reflecting the Reconciliation plus projected capital projects placed into service for the current calendar year as well as a true-up for the difference between the previous calendar year Forecast and Reconciliation. During June 1 through May 31 of each year, PJM bills, on behalf of TrAIL, TrAIL’s revenue requirement determined by its Forecast. TrAIL’s projected rate base in the Forecast posting on May 15, 2024 is $1.4 billion.

Operations

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission facilities are connected to generation resources, distribution facilities and neighboring transmission systems. Our transmission facilities currently transmit electricity in PJM from generating stations to local electricity distribution facilities located, in the case of ATSI, primarily in Ohio and Pennsylvania, in the case of MAIT, primarily in Pennsylvania, and in the case of TrAIL, primarily in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and northern Virginia. ATSI’s facilities consist of approximately 7,900 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 345 kV, 138 kV (bulk transmission) and 69 kV (area transmission). MAIT’s facilities consist of approximately 4,300 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV. TrAIL’s facilities consist of approximately 260 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltage of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV and 138 kV.

As transmission-only companies, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries function as conduits, moving power from affiliated and unaffiliated generators to local distribution facilities or to interconnected transmission systems either entirely through their own systems or in conjunction with neighboring transmission systems.

Affiliated and unaffiliated entities then distribute power through these local distribution facilities to end-use customers. The transmission of electricity by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries is a central function to the provision of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial end-use customers. As members of PJM, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have transferred functional control, but not ownership, over the transmission assets to PJM. See “—Rates and Regulation—PJM.”

General/FirstEnergy Transmission Coordination

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, together with PJM, plans, operates and maintains its transmission systems in accordance with the reliability standards developed by NERC and approved by FERC to ensure reliable service to customers. FirstEnergy’s business strategy for its transmission systems, which includes those of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, is to operate, maintain and invest in transmission infrastructure to continue to ensure system integrity and reliability and to prudently manage expenses, capital expenditures and regulatory compliance.

 

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The operations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries fall into the following categories:

 

   

asset planning;

 

   

portfolio and project management;

 

   

engineering, design and construction;

 

   

maintenance; and

 

   

real-time operations.

Asset Planning

FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s asset planning group uses detailed system models and long-term load forecasts to develop system expansion capital plans for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. These expansion plans identify projects that address potential future reliability issues, produce economic savings for customers by eliminating transmission constraints or supplement the system to provide faster storm restoration, respond to customer expansion needs more quickly and/or enhance system operation flexibility. The asset planning group works closely with PJM in the development of annual system expansion capital plans by performing technical evaluations and detailed studies. PJM develops its expansion plan through the RTEP process, which reflects transmission system improvement projects by its members, including our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

Portfolio and Project Management

FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s portfolio and project management organizations are tasked with developing and prioritizing a long-term capital transmission portfolio for capital investments, prioritizing and managing the active portfolio and managing the individual construction projects that comprise the portfolio. These specialized professionals are skilled in identifying, prioritizing, scheduling, managing and closing out planned and emergent capital transmission projects; contractors augment internal staff when necessary. This team works closely with internal and external stakeholders, such as FirstEnergy’s system planning and real time operations organizations, PJM, local and regional governmental organizations and FirstEnergy’s customers, with the goal of delivering capital projects safely, on time and within the forecasted budget.

Engineering, Design and Construction

FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s engineering, design and construction group is responsible for design, equipment specifications, engineering and construction for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ capital investments. The group is comprised of affiliate employees and is supplemented with outside contractors, as needed. These technical experts have experience with respect to the key elements of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission system, such as substations, lines, equipment and protective relaying systems, which allows them to effectively manage outside contractors.

Maintenance

FE’s Stand-Alone Transmission Segment’s maintenance group develops and tracks preventive maintenance plans for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to promote safe and reliable systems. By performing preventative maintenance on our assets, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries can minimize the need for unplanned maintenance, resulting in improved reliability. The bulk of the maintenance work is performed pursuant to agreements between our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and certain FirstEnergy affiliates. These agreements provide our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries with access to an experienced and scalable workforce with knowledge of our system at an established rate with rolling evergreen terms unless terminated by either party after the required notice period. See “—Material Agreements—Service Agreements.”

 

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Real-Time Operations

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission system operations are operated and managed from their own isolated, secure, real-time operations facilities. Transmission system operations at these facilities include switching and taking proactive safety measures to facilitate capital construction projects and maintenance programs, system monitoring, contingency and security analysis and responding to unplanned incidents on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ systems. Pursuant to PJM’s Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM OA”) and the Consolidated Transmission Owners Agreement, (“PJM CTOA”), PJM acts as the balancing authority for FirstEnergy’s footprint. In that role, PJM is responsible for managing the minute-to-minute supply/demand balance for electricity within its borders to assure reliability. PJM also acts as transmission operator, with a variety of related functions assigned to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, as the transmission owners.

Energize365

A robust plan for customer-focused growth, Energize365 is the centerpiece of FirstEnergy’s regulated distribution and transmission capital investment strategy that aims to utilize all investments to support its Employee, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (“EESG”) and strategic priorities including clean energy, improving grid reliability and resiliency and supporting the clean energy transition. Through the Energize365 program, FirstEnergy expects to spend approximately $26 billion in system-wide capital investments from 2024 through 2028. FirstEnergy expects that these investments will comprise the FirstEnergy reportable segment consisting of the Ohio Companies and FE PA (the “Distribution Segment”) (29%), the reportable segment consisting of MP, PE and JCP&L (the “Integrated Segment”) (39%) and the reportable segment consisting of FE’s ownership in FET and KATCo (the “Stand-Alone Transmission”) Segment (32%).

FirstEnergy expects to make distribution and transmission investments in order to support improvements in grid reliability and resiliency and support interconnection of renewable sources. The program’s focus for the Stand-Alone Transmission Segment, which includes FET and the Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, is building capacity and supporting an evolving grid such as the interconnection of New Jersey offshore wind and data center load (the “Operational Flexibility Projects”), enhancing system performance by implementing new designs and technologies to reduce load at risk and upgrading system conditions that enhance reliability.

FirstEnergy believes there is a continued long-term pipeline of investment opportunities for its existing distribution and transmission infrastructure beyond those identified through 2028, which are expected to strengthen grid and cybersecurity and make the transmission system more reliable, robust, secure and resistant to extreme weather events, with improved operational flexibility.

Rates and Regulation

Federal Regulation

FERC Jurisdiction

FERC is an independent agency within the United States Department of Energy that regulates certain aspects of the United States electric utility industry under the FPA. The businesses of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are significantly influenced by the actions of FERC through policies, regulations and orders issued pursuant to the FPA.

Under the FPA, FERC has jurisdiction over the rates for transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce and accordingly regulates the rates that are charged by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and other transmission owners and operators subject to FERC jurisdiction to ensure that such rates are just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. An allowance for return on capital that is within the range of returns for enterprises with comparable risk has been found by FERC to be an acceptable component of

 

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a just and reasonable rate. Rates for transmission service must be filed with and accepted by FERC under Section 205 of the FPA. As transmission owners in the PJM region, each of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries recovers its rates through the PJM OATT.

The EPAct 2005 significantly changed FERC’s regulatory oversight of the United States electric industry under the FPA by creating new responsibilities and authority for FERC that are pertinent to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, including:

 

   

overseeing the establishment and enforcement of mandatory reliability standards for the United States bulk electric system;

 

   

adopting incentive-based (including performance-based) rate treatments for public utilities’ transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce for the purpose of benefitting consumers by ensuring reliability and reducing the cost of delivered power by reducing transmission congestion; and

 

   

issuing permits for the construction or modification of electric transmission facilities in designated national interest electric transmission corridors under certain limited circumstances.

Federal Reliability Standards

Federally enforceable mandatory reliability standards apply to the bulk electric system and impose certain operating, record-keeping and reporting requirements on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. NERC is the ERO designated by FERC under Section 215 of the FPA to establish and enforce these reliability standards.

NERC has delegated day-to-day implementation and enforcement of these reliability standards to eight regional entities, including RF. All of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ facilities are located within the RFC region. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries actively participate in the NERC and RFC stakeholder processes and otherwise monitor and manage their assets and operations in response to the ongoing development, implementation and enforcement of the reliability standards.

We believe that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are in material compliance with all currently effective and enforceable reliability standards. Nevertheless, in the course of operating their extensive systems and facilities, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may occasionally learn of isolated facts or circumstances that could be interpreted as inconsistent with the reliability standards. If and when such incidents are identified, our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries will analyze the relevant facts and circumstances and develop a remedial response, including, in appropriate cases, “self-reporting” an item to RF. NERC and FERC continue to refine existing reliability standards as well as to develop and adopt new reliability standards. Any inability on the part of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to comply with the reliability standards for our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission systems could result in the imposition of financial penalties or obligations to upgrade transmission facilities that could have a material adverse effect on our and our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Since 2010, RFC has completed several compliance audits that included our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries were substantially compliant as only minor findings, which had minimal or no impact on reliability, were identified during these audits. All findings from the audits have been resolved with RFC without any material adverse financial impact.

Federal Transmission Investment Incentives

The EPAct 2005 directed FERC to develop incentive-based mechanisms to encourage new investment in electric transmission infrastructure for the purpose of benefitting consumers by ensuring reliability and reducing the cost of delivered power by reducing transmission congestion. In July 2006, FERC issued Order No. 679 to

 

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implement this directive. In December 2006, FERC issued Order No. 679-A, which revised and clarified certain aspects of Order No. 679. Under Order No. 679, FERC may authorize incentive-based rate treatment for transmission infrastructure investment, provided that the proposed incentive-based rate treatment is just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. A public utility’s request for one or more incentive-based rate treatments is made in a filing pursuant to Section 205 of the FPA or in a petition for a declaratory order that precedes a filing pursuant to Section 205. Such a filing must include a detailed explanation of how the proposed rate treatment complies with the requirements of Section 219 of the FPA and a demonstration that the proposed rate treatment is just, reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. The applicant must demonstrate that the facilities for which it seeks incentives either ensure reliability or reduce the cost of delivered power by reducing transmission congestion consistent with the requirements of Section 219, that the total package of incentives is tailored to address the demonstrable risks or challenges faced by the applicant in undertaking the project and that the resulting rates are just and reasonable. Incentive-based rate treatment may include any of the following:

 

   

incentive ROE for new investment in transmission facilities by public utilities (including both traditional utilities and stand-alone transmission companies) that benefit consumers by ensuring reliability or relieving congestion;

 

   

recovery of 100% of the capital invested in transmission-related construction work in progress (“CWIP”), rather than an allowance for funds used during construction until the plant is placed in service;

 

   

full recovery of prudently-incurred, pre-commercial operations costs;

 

   

full recovery of the prudently-incurred costs of transmission facilities that are abandoned or cancelled for reasons beyond the public utility’s control;

 

   

use of a hypothetical capital structure;

 

   

accelerated depreciation of investment in new transmission facilities reflected in rates for transmission service;

 

   

a higher ROE for public utilities that join and/or continue to be members of RTOs or independent system operators (“ISOs”); and

 

   

on a case-by-case basis, an adjustment to the book value of transmission assets being sold to a stand-alone transmission company to remove the disincentive associated with the impact of accelerated depreciation on federal capital gains tax liabilities.

On November 15, 2012, FERC issued a policy statement providing guidance regarding its evaluation of future applications for transmission rate incentives. The policy statement generally signaled a retreat from FERC’s prior approach of broad application of incentive ROEs across the transmission sector.

An incentive rate applicant must demonstrate a specific nexus between the incentive(s) sought and the investment being made. In the policy statement, FERC announced that it would no longer rely on an analysis of whether a project is routine or non-routine as a proxy for its “nexus test.” Instead, FERC announced that it would require applicants to demonstrate that the total package of incentives requested is tailored to address the demonstrable risks and challenges of the proposed project. FERC emphasized its expectation that applicants will take reasonable steps to mitigate project risks and look first to risk-reducing incentives, such as recovery of 100% of CWIP, before seeking an incentive ROE. FERC also stated that it would no longer consider requests for a stand-alone ROE incentive based on utilization of advanced technology in a proposed project. Finally, FERC required certain specific showings for an incentive ROE, including project risks and challenges not accounted for in the base ROE or risk-reducing incentives, appropriate mechanisms to minimize risks during project development, consideration of project alternatives in an appropriate forum and limiting the application of the incentive ROE to a certain project cost estimate.

 

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On March 20, 2020, FERC initiated a rulemaking proceeding on the transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the EPAct 2005. In a supplemental rulemaking proceeding that was initiated on April 15, 2021, FERC requested comments on, among other things, whether to require utilities that have been members of an RTO for three years or more and that have been collecting an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder to file tariff updates that would terminate collection of the incentive adder. Initial comments on the proposed rule were filed on June 25, 2021, and reply comments were filed on July 26, 2021. The rulemaking remains pending before FERC. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups.

Federal Rate Matters

Transmission ROE Methodology

FERC’s methodology for calculating electric transmission utility ROE has been in transition as a result of an April 14, 2017 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (the “D.C. Circuit”), that vacated FERC’s then-effective methodology. On November 21, 2019, FERC issued Opinion 569 and announced that, going forward, it would employ two financial models—discounted cash flow and capital-asset pricing—to calculate a composite zone of reasonableness. However, on May 21 and November 19, 2020, FERC issued Opinion Nos. 569-A and 569-B, and clarified that going forward, it would add the “risk premium” methodology back into the mix for calculating the zone of reasonableness. FERC’s Opinion Nos. 569-A and 569-B, upon which Opinion No. 575 is based, were appealed to the D.C. Circuit. On appeal, the D.C. Circuit, ruled that FERC erred in Orders 569-A/B in adding back the risk premium methodology after having previously removed it in Order 569; and vacated the 569 series of orders and remanded back to FERC for further proceedings. Any changes to FERC’s transmission rate ROE and incentive policies for transmission rates would be applied on a prospective basis.

On March 20, 2020, FERC initiated a rulemaking proceeding on the transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the EPAct 2005. FirstEnergy submitted comments through the Edison Electric Institute (“EEI”) and as part of a consortium of PJM transmission owners. In a supplemental rulemaking proceeding that was initiated on April 15, 2021, FERC requested comments on, among other things, whether to require utilities that have been members of an RTO for three years or more and that have been collecting an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder to file tariff updates that would terminate collection of the incentive adder. Initial comments on the proposed rule were filed on June 25, 2021, and reply comments were filed on July 26, 2021. The rulemaking remains pending before FERC. FirstEnergy is a member of PJM and its transmission subsidiaries, including ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, could be affected by the supplemental proposed rule. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups. If there were to be any changes to FirstEnergy’s transmission incentive ROE, such changes will be applied on a prospective basis.

Current Federal Regulatory Matters

ATSI ROE—Ohio Consumers Counsel v. ATSI, et al.

On February 24, 2022, the OCC filed a complaint with FERC against ATSI, AEP’s Ohio affiliates and American Electric Power Service Corporation and Duke Energy Ohio, LLC asserting that FERC should reduce the ROE utilized in the utilities’ transmission formula rates by eliminating the 50 basis point adder associated with RTO membership, effective February 24, 2022. The OCC contends that this result is required because Ohio law mandates that transmission owning utilities join an RTO and that the 50 basis point adder is applicable only where RTO membership is voluntary. On December 15, 2022, FERC denied the complaint as to ATSI and Duke, but granted it as to AEP. AEP and OCC appealed FERC’s orders to the Sixth Circuit and the case remains pending. FirstEnergy is unable to predict the outcome of this proceeding, but it is not expected to have a material impact.

 

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Transmission Planning Supplemental Projects: Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On September 27, 2023, the OCC filed a complaint against ATSI, PJM and other transmission utilities in Ohio alleging that the PJM Tariff and operating agreement are unjust, unreasonable and unduly discriminatory because they include no provisions to ensure PJM’s review and approval for the planning, need, prudence and cost-effectiveness of the PJM Tariff Attachment M-3 “Supplemental Projects.” Supplemental Projects are projects that are planned and constructed to address local needs on the transmission system. The OCC demands that FERC: (i) require PJM to review supplemental projects for need, prudence and cost-effectiveness; (ii) appoint an independent transmission monitor to assist PJM in such review; and (iii) require that Supplemental Projects go into rate base only through a “stated rate” procedure whereby prior FERC approval would be needed for projects with costs that exceed an established threshold. In subsequent pleadings, parties to the proceeding expanded the scope of the complaint to encompass all of the transmission owners in PJM. ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and the other transmission utilities in Ohio and PJM filed comments and the complaint is pending before FERC.

PATH Transmission Project

In 2012, the PJM Board of Managers canceled the PATH project, a proposed transmission line from West Virginia through Virginia and into Maryland. As a result of PJM canceling the project, approximately $62 million and approximately $59 million in costs incurred by PATH-Allegheny Transmission Company, LLC (“PATH-Allegheny”) and PATH-West Virginia Transmission Company, LLC, (“PATH-WV”), respectively, were reclassified from net property, plant and equipment to a regulatory asset for future recovery. PATH-Allegheny and PATH-WV requested authorization from FERC to recover the costs with a proposed ROE of 10.9% (10.4% base plus 0.5% for RTO membership). PATH’s efforts to recover the costs of the “abandoned” project were subject to significant regulatory litigation at FERC, but all issues ultimately were resolved. In March, 2024, PATH completed the process of terminating all of its FERC-jurisdictional rates and facilities, with the result that PATH no longer is a “public utility” and no longer is subject to FERC jurisdiction. FirstEnergy and AEP are completing the process of terminating the PATH corporate entities and otherwise “winding up” the PATH enterprise.

FERC Audit

FERC’s Division of Audits and Accounting initiated a nonpublic audit of FESC in February 2019. Among other matters, the audit is evaluating FirstEnergy’s compliance with certain accounting and reporting requirements under various FERC regulations. On February 4, 2022, FERC filed the final audit report for the period of January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2021, which included several findings and recommendations that FirstEnergy has accepted. The audit report included a finding and related recommendation on FirstEnergy’s methodology for allocation of certain corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts under certain FERC regulations and reporting. Effective in the first quarter of 2022 and in response to the finding, FirstEnergy had implemented a new methodology for the allocation of these corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts for its regulated distribution and transmission companies on a prospective basis.

With the assistance of an independent outside firm, FirstEnergy completed an analysis during the third quarter of 2022 of these costs and how it impacted certain FERC-jurisdictional wholesale transmission customer rates for the audit period of 2015 through 2021. As a result of this analysis, FET and its subsidiaries recorded in the third quarter of 2022 approximately $34 million (after-tax) in expected customer refunds, plus interest, due to its wholesale transmission customers and reclassified approximately $99 million of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses for the audit period, of which $9 million are not expected to be recoverable and impacted FirstEnergy’s earnings since they relate to costs capitalized during stated transmission rate time periods. FET and its subsidiaries are currently recovering approximately $91 million of costs reclassified to operating expenses in transmission formula rate revenue requirements, of which $57 million of costs have been recovered as of June 30, 2024. These reclassifications also resulted in a reduction to FET’s rate base by approximately $77 million, which is not expected to materially impact FET’s future earnings. The expected

 

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wholesale transmission customer refunds were recognized as a reduction to revenue, and the amount of reclassified transmission capital assets that are not expected to be recoverable were recognized within “Other operating expenses” on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

On December 8, 2023, FERC audit staff issued a letter advising that two unresolved audit matters, primarily related to FET’s plan to recover the reclassified operating expenses in formula transmission rates, were being referred to other offices within FERC for further review. On July 5, 2024 the FERC Office of Enforcement issued a set of data requests related to the 2022 reclassification of O&M. Responses to the data requests were provided July 29, 2024. On September 10, 2024, the FERC Office of Enforcement issued a second set of data requests. FirstEnergy submitted its response on September 27, 2024. In addition, on September 26, 2024, the FERC Office of Energy Market Regulation issued data requests to FirstEnergy, including FET’s Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, also related to the 2022 reclassification of O&M. If the FERC Office of Energy Market Regulation and the FERC Office of Enforcement were to successfully challenge the recovery of these transmission costs, it could result in future charges and/or adjustments.

PJM

PJM, which is an RTO regulated by FERC, coordinates wholesale electric transmission and associated wholesale electric markets in 13 states and the District of Columbia, including all or most of Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. All of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission facilities are located within the PJM region, and PJM maintains functional control over the transmission facilities owned by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries that are currently in service and will maintain functional control of new projects of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries when they are placed in service. PJM serves as an independent third party that schedules transmission for its transmission customers across the transmission facilities under its control and also ensures the provision of required ancillary services. In addition, PJM operates as the interface between power suppliers (generators and marketers) and the local distribution companies that ultimately deliver power to end users. PJM has an obligation to efficiently utilize the transmission system and operate its systems in a safe and reliable manner. All of PJM’s expenses currently are recovered from PJM market participants and transmission customers under the FERC-approved PJM OATT and PJM OA. See “—Material Agreements—PJM Agreements” below.

FERC requires public utilities that own or operate transmission facilities to make such facilities available on a non-discriminatory, open-access basis and to comply with standards of conduct that prevent transmission-owning public utilities from giving their marketing function employees or affiliated sellers of electric energy preferential access to the transmission system and transmission information. To further competition, FERC provides incentives for transmission-owning utilities to participate in RTOs, such as PJM, by transferring functional control over their transmission facilities to RTOs.

PJM’s primary objectives, among other things, include ensuring non-discriminatory, open access to transmission facilities and maintaining and enhancing transmission system reliability. PJM performs security coordination, tariff administration, real-time system monitoring and other RTO functions. Although PJM has functional control over the transmission systems of its transmission-owner members, the transmission owners, such as our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, retain ownership and maintenance responsibility for their respective transmission facilities and perform many operational functions under PJM’s direction. The transmission owners also are responsible for maintaining and financing the existing system, as well as providing funds for new construction. However, the planning for significant new regional transmission facilities and cost allocation for those facilities is coordinated through the RTEP process described further below.

 

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Illustrative Flow of Funds

 

LOGO

Transmission customers, including Load Serving Entities (“LSEs”), can include investor-owned electric distribution utilities, municipalities, rural electric cooperatives and retail energy service providers. Residential, commercial and industrial customers, or end users, pay their bills to the LSE. The LSE arranges for power supply, the associated transmission service reservation and the delivery of energy to the end users. LSEs are a conduit for the transfer of generation and transmission revenues from end users to PJM. PJM collects payments from the LSEs on behalf of transmission owners, such as our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Transmission revenue then is passed on to the transmission owners pursuant to PJM’s settlement and billing processes. PJM’s ability to fully and timely meet its obligations to our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and other transmission owners is directly correlated to the ability of the LSEs to pay PJM.

PJM’s member LSEs include several large utilities such as Potomac Electric Power Company, Atlantic City Electric Company, Delmarva Power & Light Company, Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, Public Service Electric & Gas Company, PECO Energy Company, Commonwealth Edison Company, PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, VEPCO, AEP’s eastern utility companies, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and FirstEnergy’s distribution utility companies.

If an LSE defaults on its payment obligations to PJM, other LSEs and PJM members, under their joint and several obligations to PJM, are responsible to pay the amount of such default, which is intended to mitigate the impact of any single LSE’s default.

Rate Setting/Formula Rate

As discussed above, PJM charges for rates on behalf of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, which our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries update annually in accordance with forward-looking, cost-of-service formula rate templates on file with FERC. These updates are posted on PJM’s website for informational purposes and are subject to discovery requests and challenges by interested parties under provisions specified in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ formula rate implementation protocols in the PJM OATT. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ rates also are subject to challenge under Section 206 of the FPA.

 

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Below is a summary of the formula rates used by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

 

    

ATSI

  

MAIT

  

TrAIL

ROE    10.38%    10.3%    12.7% for TrAIL the Line and the Black Oak SVC; 11.7% for all other projects
Rate Base    $4,125 million(1)    $2,432 million(1)    $1,443 million(2)
Rate Year    January 1 to December 31    January 1 to December 31    June 1 to May 31
Rate Formula    Forward-Looking: Projected rate base and expenses for the calendar year; Network Service Peak Load updated effective January 1    Forward-Looking: Projected rate base and expenses for the calendar year; Network Service Peak Load updated effective January 1    Forward-Looking: Utilizes prior year plant-in-service from FERC Form 1 and adds capital additions projected to be in service within the current calendar year
True-up Mechanism    Yes    Yes    Yes
Calculation    Revenue requirement used to calculate transmission rates    Revenue requirement used to calculate transmission rates   

Revenue Requirement by project:

 

•  TrAIL

 

•  Other RTEP projects

 

(1)

Represents projected rate base from 2024 PTRR effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

(2)

Represents projected average rate base and actual year-end capitalization structure from the 2024 Formula Rate Annual updated filing for the period June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025.

RTEP Process

As it did with TrAIL in 2006 and PATH in 2007, PJM may direct future construction of transmission projects pursuant to its RTEP process to assure the continued reliability of the transmission grid and reduce congestion in the PJM region. Through the RTEP process, PJM periodically directs the construction of transmission additions, replacements and upgrades to address near-term needs (i.e., within five years) and assesses long-term needs that require a planning horizon of 15 years or more. PJM designates one or more existing transmission owners or transmission developers to construct, own and/or finance each transmission enhancement. Reasonably-incurred costs for RTEP projects directed by PJM are recovered by the transmission owners through the PJM OATT. However, transmission projects identified as necessary by PJM and approved by the PJM Board of Managers as a part of the RTEP process are not guaranteed to proceed to completion, as illustrated by the cancellation of the PATH project.

State Regulation

Primary jurisdiction for the approval of the siting and construction of new transmission lines generally lies with the utility regulatory body in each state where the line will be located. In Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, respectively, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PPUC”), the Virginia State Corporation Commission (“VSCC”) and the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (“WVPSC”), have such jurisdiction. In Ohio, the Ohio Power Siting Board has jurisdiction over the siting and construction of transmission facilities. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may also occasionally request approval from relevant state regulators for minor changes in existing transmission routes and facilities.

 

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Environmental

The operations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, which impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the environment, establish standards for the management, treatment, storage, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials and of solid and hazardous wastes and impose obligations to investigate and remediate contamination in certain circumstances. Liabilities to investigate or remediate contamination, as well as other liabilities concerning hazardous materials or contamination, such as claims for personal injury or property damage, may arise even where the contamination does not result from noncompliance with applicable environmental laws. Under a number of environmental laws, these liabilities may also be joint and several, meaning that a party can be held responsible for more than its share of the liability involved, or even the entire share. Environmental requirements generally have become more stringent over time and compliance with those requirements more expensive. We are not aware of any specific developments that would increase the costs for such compliance in a manner that would be expected to have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, financial condition or liquidity of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

The assets and operations of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries also involve the use of materials classified as hazardous, toxic or otherwise dangerous. Many of the properties that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries operate have been used for power transmission and distribution operations for many years, and include older facilities and equipment that may be more likely than newer equipment to contain or be made from these materials. Some of them also include aboveground or underground storage tanks and associated piping.

Some of them also include large electrical equipment filled with mineral oil, which may contain or previously have contained polychlorinated biphenyls. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ facilities and equipment are often situated close to or on property owned by others so that, if they are the source of contamination, others’ property may be affected. For example, aboveground and underground transmission lines sometimes traverse properties that our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries do not own, and, at some of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission substations, transmission assets (owned or operated by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries) and distribution assets (owned or operated by our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission customers) are comingled.

Some properties in which our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have an ownership interest or at which they operate are suspected of being affected by environmental contamination. We are not aware of any claims pending or threatened against our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries with respect to environmental contamination, or of any investigation or remediation of contamination at any properties, that entail costs likely to materially affect our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Some facilities and properties are located near environmentally sensitive areas such as waterways, wetlands and habitats of endangered, threatened or otherwise protected species. These sensitive areas increase the expense of current operations and siting requirements for future operations.

Pursuant to the lease agreements relating to substantially all of the land, easements and other real property interests on, under or over which ATSI’s transmission assets are situated, which are collectively referred to herein as the Ground Leases, ATSI has certain indemnification rights relating to environmental liability accruing prior to the commencement of each Ground Lease or related to the activities of the applicable utility lessor. See “—Material Agreements—Ground Leases.”

Claims have been made or threatened against electric utilities for bodily injury, disease or other damages allegedly related to exposure to electromagnetic fields associated with electricity transmission and distribution lines. While we do not believe electromagnetic field exposure and injury has been generally established and accepted in the scientific community, if such a relationship is established or accepted, the liabilities and costs imposed on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries and us could be significant. We are not aware of any claims pending or threatened against our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries for bodily injury, disease or other

 

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damages allegedly related to exposure to electromagnetic fields that entail costs likely to have a material adverse effect on our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Properties

ATSI

In 2000, ATSI acquired ownership of all of the transmission facilities of Ohio Edison Company (“OE”), The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (“CEI”), The Toledo Edison Company (“TE”) and Pennsylvania Power Company (“Penn”), which operate at nominal voltages of 345 kV, 138 kV (bulk transmission) and 69 kV (area transmission). ATSI’s facilities consist of approximately 7,900 circuit miles of transmission lines ATSI’s assets do not include distribution facilities used to provide retail service or generation facilities, although it is party to an agency agreement with OE, CEI, TE and Penn that permits it to use their distribution facilities as needed to provide wholesale electric service. In addition, a major portion of the land, easements and other real property interests on, under or over which ATSI’s transmission facilities are situated continue to be owned by OE, CEI, TE and Penn and are leased to ATSI pursuant to the Ground Leases. See “—Material Agreements—Ground Leases.” We believe that ATSI has adequate land rights for the operation and maintenance of its transmission facilities.

Akron Transmission Operations Center

A state-of-the-art transmission operations center for ATSI located in Akron, Ohio was completed in late 2013 at a cost of approximately $45 million, owned by ATSI.

Center for Advanced Energy Technology (CAET)

A state-of-the art facility dedicated to evaluating transmission technology, security hardening cyber assets and training staff on grid solutions. The facility, located in Akron, Ohio, was completed in 2019 at a cost of approximately $37 million and is owned by ATSI,

MAIT

MAIT owns and operates the FERC-jurisdictional transmission assets previously owned by ME and PN. MAIT’s assets consist of approximately 4,300 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV in PJM. MAIT’s assets do not include distribution facilities used to provide retail service or generation facilities, although it is party to agency agreements with ME and PN that permits it to use their distribution facilities as needed to provide wholesale electric service. In addition, a major portion of the land, easements and other real property interests on, under or over which MAIT’s transmission facilities are situated continue to be owned by ME and PN and are leased to MAIT pursuant to the Ground Leases. See “—Material Agreements—Ground Leases.”

TrAIL

The Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line is a 500 kV transmission line that spans approximately 150 miles and extends from southwest Pennsylvania through West Virginia and into northern Virginia. The line was completed and placed in service on May 19, 2011. TrAIL’s facilities consist of approximately 260 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltage of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV and 138 kV.

PJM directed the construction of the line pursuant to its 2006 RTEP to assure the continued reliability of the transmission grid and reduce congestion in the PJM region. See “—Rates and Regulation—PJM.”

TrAIL constructed, owns, operates and maintains the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line, which is situated within the Allegheny Power zone of PJM, as well as the related transformers, substations and other equipment and facilities.

 

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West Virginia Transmission Operations Center

A state-of-the-art transmission operations center for TrAIL located in Fairmont, West Virginia in the I-79 Technology Park was completed in late 2010 at a cost of approximately $62 million, owned by TrAIL.

Material Agreements

Interconnection Agreements

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries have entered into three general types of interconnection agreements with generators, LSEs and other transmission companies:

 

   

generator-transmission interconnection agreements;

 

   

distribution-transmission interconnection agreements; and

 

   

utility-to-utility interconnection agreements.

The generator-transmission interconnection agreements govern the terms and conditions of the interconnection of an unaffiliated generator owner’s generation facilities with the transmission facilities of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. The distribution-transmission interconnection agreements govern the terms and conditions of the interconnection of an LSE’s distribution facilities with the transmission facilities of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries also have entered into interconnection agreements with other transmission owners or operators, which agreements govern the interconnection of their respective transmission facilities.

PJM Agreements

PJM’s operations are governed by the PJM OATT, the PJM Reliability Assurance Agreement and the PJM OA, on file with FERC. Each member of PJM must sign the PJM OA to be a part of PJM.

In addition, the PJM CTOA, which is a multi-party agreement by and among PJM and the PJM transmission owners, including our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, establishes the parties’ respective rights and obligations and provides for the coordination of planning and operation of the transmission owners’ respective transmission facilities, the transfer of certain planning and operating responsibilities to PJM and the provision by PJM of regional transmission service pursuant to the PJM OATT and subject to administration by PJM. As part of its administration of the PJM OATT, PJM is responsible for billing, collecting and distributing revenues to the PJM transmission owners, including our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

Service Agreements

We and each of our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries are party to a mutual assistance agreement (the “Mutual Assistance Agreement”) with certain FirstEnergy affiliates pursuant to which we and such affiliates provide certain non-power goods and services to the other party at fully-allocated cost, including all applicable indirect and direct costs, or, in certain instances, at market price. This agreement is a rolling evergreen contract that is automatically renewed for five-year terms, unless either party provides written notice prior to the beginning of the final year of the then-current term, and is also terminable by any party as to itself with 180 days’ prior written notice.

FESC also provides corporate, administrative, management and other services to us and each of our Regulation Transmission Subsidiaries pursuant to a service agreement (the “Service Agreement”) at full-allocated cost, including direct and indirect costs, plus any expenses and fees, pursuant to the cost allocation methodology outlined therein. This agreement also is a rolling evergreen contract that is automatically renewed for five-year terms, unless either party provides written notice prior to the beginning of the final year of the then-current term, and is also terminable by any party as to itself with 180 days’ prior written notice.

 

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Ground Leases

MAIT and ATSI lease (but do not own) a major portion of the real property and rights-of-way underlying their transmission assets pursuant to the Ground Leases entered into with each of OE, CEI, TE, Penn, ME and PN, as lessors, in connection with the acquisition of those transmission assets. The Ground Leases provide for ATSI’s and MAIT’s non-exclusive use of the land, easements and other real property interests on, over or under which those transmission assets are situated. ATSI’s ground lease has an initial term that ends on December 31, 2049, which ATSI may extend for up to 10 periods of 50 years each. MAIT’s ground lease has an initial term of approximately 25 years, which MAIT may extend for two additional 25-year periods plus an additional 24-year period if MAIT is not in material default under the applicable lease at the time of renewal. The lessors have reserved the right to use, and to permit authorized users to use, portions of the real property underlying ATSI’s and MAIT’s transmission facilities for all purposes that do not cause the transmission facilities to violate the National Electric Safety Code or applicable laws or regulations and do not materially impair their ability to satisfy its service obligations under applicable tariffs. ATSI and MAIT have the priority right to use the leased property for electric transmission and the right to replace and modify transmission facilities on the leased property so long as they do not increase their use of, or burden upon, the portions of the land that are not within the leased property and the lessors and other authorized users may use the land and transmission facilities to the extent those uses are compatible.

Under the terms of the ground leases, ATSI is obligated to pay aggregate rent, on a quarterly basis, of approximately $20 million annually. This base rent is net to the lessors of any taxes, costs, expenses, liabilities, charges and other deductions with respect to the premises or interest of the lessors therein, except as specifically provided otherwise. MAIT pays a calculated charge along similar parameters.

Subject to their ability to mortgage the leases and to incur certain tax-related liens, ATSI and MAIT may not permit their interests or the interest of the applicable lessors to become subject to any lien. In addition, if a lessor determines to sell any leased property, ATSI and MAIT will have a right of first refusal to purchase such leased property, and if they do not elect to exercise such right of purchase and a third party purchases the leased property, ATSI’s and MAIT’s lease rights will be preserved under the applicable Ground Lease and will not result in an adjustment of the base rent. The Ground Leases contain standard provisions for leases of this kind, including provisions regarding quiet enjoyment, indemnification and events of default. ATSI and MAIT may not assign the Ground Leases without the prior written approval of the applicable lessors, which they may withhold for any reason or no reason. Additionally, ATSI and MAIT typically acquire real estate and rights-of-way necessary for construction of new transmission facilities directly in their own names and these property rights are not subject to the Ground Leases.

We do not believe any of the foregoing issues are likely to impair ATSI’s or MAIT’s ability to occupy such land and rights-of-way and to access and operate their transmission facilities because OE, CEI, TE, Penn, ME, PN, or any successor or transferee of any of their assets would be unable to deliver power to their customers without ATSI’s or MAIT’s transmission assets. In addition, because these transmission assets provide an important public service, we believe that there will be strong public policy reasons for federal, state and local regulators to minimize any disruption or interruption of their ability to provide transmission service. If the land and rights-of-way on which these transmission assets are located are transferred, we believe that any future transferees, and if necessary, regulators, will continue to grant ATSI and MAIT access to the land for the purpose of utilizing their transmission assets.

Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ businesses may be affected by the use by third parties of economic substitutes for transmission over their systems, physical constraints which restrict their systems’ use and the possibility of “merchant transmission.” Economic substitutes may include geographic distribution of generation capability through the use of local generation facilities, such as small-scale generation plants or fuel cells that deliver electric power directly to end users without transmission. Our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries may also be affected by the physical constraints of the systems to which they are connected. Such constraints could limit the ability of potential users to transmit power over the transmission systems.

 

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Merchant transmission facilities represent electric transmission infrastructure that is constructed, owned and operated by merchant transmission entities within the transmission zone of an incumbent transmission owner.

The services provided by merchant transmission facilities are (i) subscribed to by specific users at prices not subject to cost-of-service regulation by FERC or (ii) for merchant transmission projects that are constructed as PJM RTEP projects, available to transmission customers in PJM under rates that are collected pursuant to Schedule 12 of the PJM OATT.

Non-incumbent transmission developers and merchant transmission providers may compete with our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries to build transmission infrastructure in the transmission zones where they operate. If significant non-incumbent and merchant transmission development occurs in our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries’ transmission zones, our financial condition could be adversely affected.

Employees

As of June 30, 2024, FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL had no direct employees. Each of these companies, however, relies on employees of their affiliates for the performance of necessary services including FESC under the Service Agreement. See “—Material Agreements—Service Agreements.” The aggregate cost to FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL for these services for 2023 was approximately $219 million and for January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024 was approximately $111.3 million.

Litigation

United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On July 21, 2020, a complaint and supporting affidavit containing federal criminal allegations were unsealed against the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. In March 2023, a jury found Mr. Householder and his co-defendant, Matthew Borges, guilty and in June 2023, the two were sentenced to prison for 20 and five years, respectively. Messrs. Householder and Borges have appealed their sentences. Also, on July 21, 2020, and in connection with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s investigation, FirstEnergy received subpoenas for records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. FirstEnergy was not aware of the criminal allegations, affidavit or subpoenas before July 21, 2020.

On July 21, 2021, FE entered into a three-year DPA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that, subject to court proceedings, resolves this matter. Under the DPA, FE has agreed to the filing of a criminal information charging FE with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. The DPA requires that FirstEnergy, among other obligations: (i) continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in all matters relating to the conduct described in the DPA and other conduct under investigation by the U.S. government; (ii) pay a criminal monetary penalty totaling $230 million within sixty days, which shall consist of (x) $115 million paid by FE to the United States Treasury and (y) $115 million paid by FE to the ODSA to fund certain assistance programs, as determined by the ODSA, for the benefit of low-income Ohio electric utility customers; (iii) publish a list of all payments made in 2021 to either 501(c)(4) entities or to entities known by FirstEnergy to be operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly, and update the same on a quarterly basis during the term of the DPA; (iv) issue a public statement, as dictated in the DPA, regarding FE’s use of 501(c)(4) entities; and (v) continue to implement and review its compliance and ethics program, internal controls, policies and procedures designed, implemented and enforced to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. laws throughout its operations and to take certain related remedial measures. The $230 million payment will neither be recovered in rates or charged to FirstEnergy customers, nor will FirstEnergy seek any tax deduction related to such payment. The entire amount of the monetary penalty was recognized as expense in the second quarter of 2021 and paid in the third quarter of 2021.

 

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As of July 21, 2024, FirstEnergy has successfully completed the obligations required within the three-year term of the DPA. Under the DPA, FirstEnergy has an obligation to continue (i) publishing quarterly a list of all payments to 501(c)(4) entities and all payments to entities known by FirstEnergy operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly; (ii) not making any statements that contradict the DPA; (iii) notifying the U.S Attorney’s Office of any changes in FirstEnergy’s corporate form; and (iv) cooperating with the U.S Attorney’s Office until the conclusion of any related investigation, criminal prosecution and civil proceeding brought by the U.S Attorney’s Office. Within 30 days of those matters concluding, and FirstEnergy’s successful completion of its remaining obligations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will dismiss the criminal information.

Legal Proceedings Relating to United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On August 10, 2020, the SEC, through its Division of Enforcement, issued an order directing an investigation of possible securities laws violations by FE, and on September 1, 2020, issued subpoenas to FE and certain FE officers relating to the conduct described in the DPA. On April 28, 2021, July 11, 2022, and May 25, 2023, the SEC issued additional subpoenas to FE, with which FE has complied. FirstEnergy has cooperated fully with the SEC investigation. On September 12, 2024, the SEC issued a settlement order that concludes and resolves, in its entirety, the SEC investigation. Under the terms of the settlement, FirstEnergy agreed to pay a civil penalty of $100 million and to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of specified provisions of the federal securities laws and rules promulgated thereunder. FirstEnergy recorded a loss contingency of $100 million relating to the SEC investigation in the second quarter of 2024 included in “Other Operating expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other for segment reporting. This civil penalty was neither allocated nor charged to FET.

On June 29, 2023, the OOCIC served FE a subpoena, seeking information relating to the conduct described in the DPA. FirstEnergy was not aware of the OOCIC’s investigation prior to receiving the subpoena and understands that the OOCIC’s investigation is also focused on the conduct described in the DPA, other than with respect to the March 25, 2024, felony indictment of Mr. Householder brought in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. FirstEnergy is cooperating with the OOCIC in its investigation. On February 12, 2024, and in connection with the OOCIC’s ongoing investigation, an indictment by a grand jury of Summit County, Ohio was unsealed against the, now-deceased, former chairman of the PUCO, and two former FirstEnergy senior officers, Charles E. Jones and Michael J. Dowling, charging each of them with several felony counts, including bribery, telecommunications fraud, money laundering and aggravated theft, related to payments described in the DPA. On August 12, 2024, FirstEnergy entered into a settlement with the OOCIC, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office to resolve both the investigation and State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp., noted below. The settlement includes, among other things, a non-prosecution agreement and a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded in the second quarter of 2024 in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other segment reporting.

In addition to the subpoenas referenced above under “United States v. Larry Householder, et. al.” and the SEC investigation, certain FE stockholders and FirstEnergy customers filed several lawsuits against FirstEnergy and certain current and former directors, officers and other employees, and the complaints in each of these suits is related to allegations in the complaint and supporting affidavit relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. The plaintiffs in each of the below cases seek, among other things, to recover an unspecified amount of damages (unless otherwise noted). Unless otherwise indicated, no contingency has been reflected in FirstEnergy’s consolidated financial statements with respect to these lawsuits as a loss is neither probable, nor is a loss or range of a loss reasonably estimable.

 

   

In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation (S.D. Ohio); on July 28, 2020 and August 21, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed putative class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws. Those actions have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff, the Los Angeles County

 

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Employees Retirement Association, has been appointed by the court. A consolidated complaint was filed on February 26, 2021. The consolidated complaint alleges, on behalf of a proposed class of persons who purchased FE securities between February 21, 2017 and July 21, 2020, that FE and certain current or former FE officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing misrepresentations or omissions concerning FE’s business and results of operations. The consolidated complaint also alleges that FE, certain current or former FE officers and directors and a group of underwriters violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 as a result of alleged misrepresentations or omissions in connection with offerings of senior notes by FE in February and June 2020. On March 30, 2023, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. On April 14, 2023, FE filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit seeking to appeal that order; the Sixth Circuit granted FE’s petition on November 16, 2023, and conducted oral argument on July 17, 2024. On November 30, 2023, FE filed a motion with the S.D. Ohio to stay all proceedings pending the circuit court appeal. On August 20, 2024, the S.D. Ohio lifted the stay as to fact discovery. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this lawsuit. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

MFS Series Trust I, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and Brighthouse Funds II—MFS Value Portfolio, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. (S.D. Ohio): on December 17, 2021 and February 21, 2022, purported stockholders of FE filed complaints against FE, certain current and former officers and certain current and former officers of EH. The complaints allege that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing alleged misrepresentations or omissions regarding FE’s business and its results of operations, and seek the same relief as the In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation described above. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur losses in connection with the resolution of these lawsuits. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp. (Common Pleas Court, Franklin County, OH, all actions have been consolidated): on September 23, 2020 and October 27, 2020, the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus, respectively, filed complaints against several parties including FE, each alleging civil violations of the Ohio Corrupt Activity Act and related claims in connection with the passage of HB 6. On January 13, 2021, the OAG filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against FirstEnergy seeking to enjoin FirstEnergy from collecting the Ohio Companies’ decoupling rider. On January 31, 2021, FE reached a partial settlement with the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus with respect to the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction request and related issues. In connection with the partial settlement, the Ohio Companies filed an application on February 1, 2021, with the PUCO to set their respective decoupling riders (Conservation Support Rider) to zero. On February 2, 2021, the PUCO approved the application of the Ohio Companies setting the rider to zero, and no additional customer bills will include new decoupling.

 

   

rider charges after February 8, 2021. On August 13, 2021, new defendants were added to the complaint, including two former officers of FirstEnergy. On December 2, 2021, the cities and FE entered a stipulated dismissal with prejudice of the cities’ suit. This matter was stayed through a criminal trial in United States v. Larry Householder, et al. described above, but resumed pursuant to an order, dated March 15, 2023. On July 31, 2023, FE and other defendants filed motions to dismiss in part the OAG’s amended complaint, which the OAG opposed. On February 16, 2024, the OAG moved to stay discovery in the case in light of the February 9, 2024, indictments against defendants in this action, which the court granted on March 14, 2024. In connection with the ongoing OOCIC resolution discussions, FE is also discussing an appropriate settlement of this civil action with the OAG. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this matter and the ongoing OOCIC investigation and, as noted above, in the second quarter of 2024, a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded.

 

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On February 9, 2022, FE, acting through the SLC, agreed to a settlement term sheet to resolve the following shareholder derivative lawsuits relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder that were filed in the S.D. Ohio, the N.D. Ohio and the Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Summit County:

 

   

Gendrich v. Anderson, et al. and Sloan v. Anderson, et al. (Common Pleas Court, Summit County, Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on July 26, 2020 and July 31, 2020, respectively, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative action lawsuits against certain current and former FE directors and officers, alleging, among other things, breaches of fiduciary duty. On August 30, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the state court action, which the court granted on September 2, 2022.

 

   

Miller v. Anderson, et al. (N.D. Ohio); on August 7, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On August 24, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the action pending in the N.D. Ohio based upon the approval of the settlement by the S.D. Ohio, which was granted on May 17, 2024.

 

   

Bloom, et al. v. Anderson, et al.; Employees Retirement System of the City of St. Louis v. Jones, et al.; Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. v. Anderson et al.; Massachusetts Laborers Pension Fund v. Anderson et al.; The City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement v. Anderson et al.; Atherton v. Dowling et al.; Behar v. Anderson, et al. (S.D. Ohio, all actions have been consolidated): on September 1, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On March 11, 2022, the parties executed a stipulation and agreement of settlement, and filed a motion the same day requesting preliminary settlement approval in the S.D. Ohio, which the S.D. Ohio granted on May 9, 2022. Subsequently, following a hearing on August 4, 2022, the S.D. Ohio granted final approval of the settlement on August 23, 2022, which was appealed by a purported FE stockholder on June 15, 2023. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s final settlement approval. All appeal options were exhausted on May 16, 2024.

The above settlement included a series of corporate governance enhancements and a payment to FE of $180 million, less approximately $36 million in court-ordered attorney’s fees awarded to plaintiffs, and a $7 million net return on deposited funds, which was received in the second quarter of 2024. The judgment and settlement are final and, therefore, the derivative lawsuits are now fully resolved.

The outcome of any of these lawsuits, governmental investigations and audit is uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on FE’s, or its subsidiaries’, including FET’s, reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows.

Other Legal Matters

There are various lawsuits, claims (including claims for asbestos exposure) and proceedings related to our normal business operations pending against us or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries. The loss or range of loss in these matters is not expected to be material to us or our Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries.

 

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MANAGEMENT

Overview

We are a Delaware limited liability company managed by our board of directors (the “Directors”). Pursuant to the A&R FET LLC Agreement, each Director is designated as a “manager” of the Company within the meaning of Section 18-101 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act.

The following sets forth information, as of October 1, 2024, regarding our Directors and executive officers.

 

Mark D. Mroczynski    59    President
K. Jon Taylor    51    Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Jason J. Lisowski    42    Vice President, Controller and Director
Natalie Hadad    40    Director
Jeff Rosenthal    64    Director
Wade Smith    60    Director
Toby Thomas    52    Director

Other than Ms. Hadad and Mr. Rosenthal, all of our Directors and executive officers each serve as an executive officer and/or employee of other affiliated entities, including FE and direct or indirect subsidiaries of FE.

Executive Officers

Set forth below is certain information regarding each of our executive officers as of October 1, 2024, other than for Mr. Lisowski, whose information appears under “Directors” below. As a result of the structure of FE, FET does not directly employ the executive officers responsible for the management of our business.

Once elected, officers hold office until his or her resignation, death, permanent disability, removal or until a successor is duly appointed. There are no family relationships among our directors and executive officers.

Mark D. Mroczynski has served as our President since 2024. He joined FirstEnergy in 2004 and currently serves as President of Transmission for FirstEnergy. He has also served as Executive Director, Transmission Programs from 2013 to 2018, and Vice President, Construction and Design Services from 2018 to 2023. He became Acting Vice President of Operations of FirstEnergy in 2023 before being promoted to President of Transmission in June 2024. Mr. Mroczynski served as one of our Directors from May 2023 to June 2024.

K. Jon Taylor has served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since May 2020. Mr. Taylor currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Strategy of FirstEnergy and FESC, a position he has held since 2021, and served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2020. He previously served as Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of FE from 2013 to 2018. Mr. Taylor was named President of Ohio Operations from 2018 to 2019 and was promoted to Vice President, FirstEnergy Utilities in April 2019. Mr. Taylor is also Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of many other subsidiaries of FE. Mr. Taylor served as one of our Directors from October 2020 to June 2024.

Jason J. Lisowski has served as one of our Directors since June 2024 and has served as FET’s Vice President and Controller since 2018. Mr. Lisowski has also served as Controller and Treasurer of Energy Harbor LLC (formerly known as FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.), a subsidiary of EH, which provides energy-related products and services (“FES”) from 2016 to 2018 and Energy Harbor Nuclear Corp. (formerly known as FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company), a subsidiary of EH, which operates EH’s nuclear generating facilities (“FENOC”) from 2017 to 2018. Mr. Lisowski is also Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of FE and FESC, and Vice President and Controller of many other subsidiaries of FE. Mr. Lisowski’s experience in the electric utility industry and audit expertise makes him a valuable member of the FET Board.

 

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Directors

Set forth below is certain information regarding each Director as of October 1, 2024 other than for Mr. Lisowski whose information appears under “Executive Officers” above. Directors are appointed annually to serve until his or her resignation, death, permanent disability, removal, or until their successors are duly appointed. Pursuant to the A&R FET LLC Agreement, Brookfield is entitled to appoint two Directors and FE is entitled to appoint three Directors. Ms. Hadad and Mr. Rosenthal currently serve as the Brookfield-appointed Directors, and Messrs. Lisowski, Thomas and Smith currently serve as the FE-appointed Directors.

Natalie Hadad is a Managing Partner in Brookfield Asset Management’s Infrastructure Group and co-head of Brookfield’s open-end core infrastructure fund. In this role, Ms. Hadad oversees the origination, execution, and asset management of the firm’s infrastructure super-core investments in the utilities, energy, telecom and transportation sectors. Prior to joining Brookfield Asset Management in 2013, Ms. Hadad was an investment professional in Ashmore Group and Ashmore Energy International, with a focus on private equity investments in the infrastructure space. Ms. Hadad has a Master of Science in Finance from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Hadad’s broad infrastructure expertise, including in the energy sector, provides the FET Board with valuable insight relevant to its business.

Jeff Rosenthal is a Vice Chair and Operating Partner in Brookfield Asset Management’s Infrastructure Group. In this role, Mr. Rosenthal provides oversight of Brookfield’s utility investments, as well as risk management, capital expenditure and sustainability oversight as the group’s Chief Risk Officer. Mr. Rosenthal currently sits on a number of Brookfield Portfolio Company Boards in addition to FET including SGN, a Gas LDC serving over 6 million customers in the UK, VANTI, a Gas LDC in Colombia serving over 3 million customers in Bogota and surrounding regions and Los Ramones, a gas transmission pipeline company in Mexico. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Rosenthal has also sat on the Board and directly participated in numerous electricity transmission companies including Transelec, the state grid of Chile, WETT, a transmission operator in Texas that was formed to deliver the part CREZ mandate, Cross Sound Cable, a HVDC link between Connecticut and Long Island and Quantum, the build out of over 5000 km of 345 kV transmission in Brazil. Prior to joining Brookfield in 2007, Mr. Rosenthal was President and Chief Executive Officer of Oshawa Power and Utilities in Ontario. Mr. Rosenthal has also been Chair of the Ontario Energy Association representing electricity and gas companies in the Province. Mr. Rosenthal has a Master of Business Administration from York University and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto. Mr. Rosenthal’s deep utility expertise qualifies him to serve on the FET Board.

Wade Smith has served as one of our Directors since June 2024. He joined FirstEnergy in December 2023 as president of FirstEnergy Utilities. In that role he is responsible for overseeing FirstEnergy’s state businesses and the stand-alone transmission companies, as well as the Rates & Regulatory Affairs and External Affairs groups. Prior to joining FirstEnergy, Mr. Smith served as chief operating officer of Puget Sound Energy (“PSE”) from 2022 to 2023, where he was responsible for all of PSE’s operational areas, including natural gas and electric operations, safety and health, and energy supply. From 2021 to 2022, Mr. Smith served as senior vice president of Electric Operations for Pacific Gas & Electric Company (“PG&E”), leading electric transmission and distribution system operations and maintenance, generation, and project management and construction teams for PG&E’s electric operations. Prior to PG&E, he spent 32 years at American Electric Power (“AEP”), where he held increasingly responsible leadership roles, including being named senior vice president, Grid Development for AEP Transmission in 2015, where was responsible for planning, engineering, project and construction management, and real-time operation. Mr. Smith’s more than three decades of experience leading utilities provide valuable industry insight to the FET Board.

Toby Thomas has served as one of our Directors since June 2024. He joined FirstEnergy as chief operating officer in November 2023 and is responsible for a broad range of transmission and distribution business functions, including planning and protection, transmission and substation engineering, project and construction management, system operations and support operations. He also has responsibility for the Customer Experience group. Prior to joining FirstEnergy, Mr. Thomas served with AEP for over 20 years, most recently serving as

 

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senior vice president – AEP Energy Delivery from 2021 to 2023, where he helped achieve efficiencies in transmission, distribution and telecommunications operations, project management, construction, engineering and standards. Mr. Thomas joined AEP in 2001 as a project engineer in Industrial Marketing and Origination, progressing through various roles of increasing responsibility in asset optimization and generation, including being named president and chief operating officer of Indiana Michigan Power in 2017 to oversee business performance, operations and a wide range of customer, policy and regulatory relationships. Mr. Thomas’s deep expertise with transmission and the customer experience make him a valuable member of the FET Board.

Director Independence

FET does not have securities listed on a national securities exchange and is not required to have independent directors.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

All of our executive officers are employees of FESC, a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of FE, and officers of FE. We, as well as other FE subsidiaries, are party to a Service Agreement with FESC, pursuant to which FESC provides corporate, administrative, management, and other services to us. In addition to providing services to us, each of our executive officers devotes a significant portion of his time to work for FE and other FE subsidiaries.

We have not paid any compensation to our executive officers since inception and have no plans to do so in the future. Our executive officers are compensated by FESC for the performance of their duties as officers of FE and its affiliates, including us. Because the services performed by these officers in their capacities as such are not performed exclusively for us, FESC does not segregate and identify the portion of the officers’ services that are provided to us and services provided to FirstEnergy. Accordingly, we reimburse FESC specifically for the cost of providing all corporate, administrative, management and other services to us, which costs would include a portion of the salaries and benefits that are paid to our executive officers by FESC. Our executive officers may participate in employee benefit plans and arrangements sponsored by FE, including plans that may be established by FE in the future. The FET Board does not review any of the compensation decisions made by FE with regard to compensation of our executive officers.

For additional information, refer to the discussion under the heading “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions —Service Agreement.”

Director Compensation

The A&R FET LLC Agreement provides that the FET Board is authorized to determine Director compensation, if any. We have paid no compensation to members of the FET Board since inception and have no plans to do so in the future.

 

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

As of October 8, 2024, FE held 50.1% of our issued and outstanding membership interests and Brookfield held 49.9% of such interests.

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership (as beneficial ownership is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of FET’s membership interests as of October 8, 2024 by:

 

   

Each person who beneficially owns more than 5% of our membership interests;

 

   

Each member of the FET Board;

 

   

Each of our named executive officers; and

 

   

All of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Except as otherwise indicated in the footnotes below, each of the beneficial owners has, to the best of our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the indicated membership interests. According to the rules adopted by the SEC, a person “beneficially owns” securities if the person has or shares the power to vote them or to direct their investment or has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of such securities within 60 days through the exercise of an option, warrant, right of conversion of a security or otherwise.

 

Name and Address of Beneficial Holder(1)

   Percentage of Limited
Liability Company
Interests Beneficially
Owned
 

FirstEnergy Corp. (2)

     50.1

North American Transmission Company II L.P.(3)

     49.9

Mark D. Mroczynski

     —   

K. Jon Taylor

     —   

Jason J. Lisowski

     —   

Natalie Hadad

     —   

Jeff Rosenthal

     —   

Wade Smith

     —   

Toby Thomas

     —   

All executive officers and members of the FET Board as a group (seven persons)

     —   

 

(1)

Except as otherwise indicated, the address for the beneficial owners listed is c/o FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, 5001 NASA Blvd., Fairmont, West Virginia 26554.

(2)

The FE Board has voting and dispositive power over the units. The FE Board is composed of more than three individuals who have authority over the voting and disposition of the units. The business address is FirstEnergy Corp., 76 S. Main Street, Akron, Ohio. In connection with the PA Consolidation, the Class B equity interests of MAIT were contributed by FE to FET. In exchange, FE received a special purpose membership interest in FET. So long as FE holds the FET special purpose membership interests, it will receive 100% of any Class B distributions made by MAIT.

(3)

Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“General Partner”), is the general partner of North American Transmission Company II L.P. (“NATC”). Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners GP of GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Manager”), is the manager of General Partner. BIG Capital Holdings US LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“BIG Capital”), is the sole member of Manager. Brookfield US Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“US Capital”), is the sole member of BIG Capital. Brookfield US Corporate Holdings Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada (“US Holdings”), is the sole stockholder of US Capital. Brookfield Corporate Treasury Ltd., a corporation formed under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada (“Brookfield Treasury”), is the sole stockholder of US Holdings. Brookfield Holdings Canada Inc.,

 

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  a corporation formed under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada (“Canada Holdings”), is the sole stockholder of Brookfield Treasury. Brookfield Corporation, a corporation formed under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada (“Brookfield Corp”), is the sole stockholder of Canada Holdings and ultimate parent of NATC. BAM Partners Trust (the “BAM Partnership”), a trust formed under the laws of the Province of Ontario, Canada, holds all of the class B limited voting shares of Brookfield Corp which entitle it to appoint one half of the board of directors of Brookfield Corp. The trustee of the BAM Partnership is BAM Class B Partners Inc., an Ontario corporation (“BAM Partners”). Brookfield Corp, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P., a Bermuda limited partnership (“BIP”) and certain of their affiliates have entered into that certain amended and restated relationship agreement, dated as of March 28, 2014, whereby Brookfield Corp has agreed to exercise its control over FET at the direction of BIP and its affiliates. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Limited, a Bermuda corporation (“BIPL”), is the general partner of BIP. Brookfield Corp. is the ultimate parent of BIP and BIPL. As a result of the above, each of NATC, General Partner, Manager, BIG Capital, US Capital, US Holdings, Brookfield Treasury, Canada Holdings, BIP, BIPL, Brookfield Corp, BAM Partnership and BAM Partners may be deemed to beneficially own FET’s membership interests held of record by NATC. The principal business address of NATC, General Partner, Manager, BIG Capital, US Capital, US Holdings, Brookfield Treasury, Canada Holdings, Brookfield Corp, BAM Partnership and BAM Partners is 181 Bay Street, Suite 100, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2T3, Canada. The principal business address of BIP and BIPL is 73 Front Street, 5th Floor, Hamilton HM12, Bermuda.

 

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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Agreements with FirstEnergy

We are party to several agreements with FirstEnergy, which held 50.1% of our outstanding membership interests as of October 8, 2024.

Service Agreement

We, as well as other subsidiaries of FE, are party to a Service Agreement with FESC, pursuant to which FESC provides services to us and other subsidiaries of FE. Among other things, FESC provides us with basic operating services including, but not limited to, executive services, accounting and finance, internal auditing, risk management, human resources, corporate affairs, corporate communications, information technology, policy and compliance, records management, and legal services. We may also request additional services from FESC, such as operations management, construction, maintenance, asset oversight, customer service, rates and regulatory affairs, environmental, corporate real estate, strategic planning and operations, business development, and investment management. Since January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024 and for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we compensated FESC an aggregate amount of approximately $112 million and, $217 million, $202 million and $178 million, respectively, for services provided under the Service Agreement.

Money Pool Agreement

We, as well as other FE regulated subsidiaries, including FET’s Regulated Transmission Subsidiaries, have entered into a money pool agreement which provides for the ability to borrow from each other and FE to meet short-term working capital requirements. FESC administers this money pool and tracks surplus funds of FE and the respective regulated subsidiaries, as well as proceeds available from bank borrowings. Companies receiving a loan under the money pool agreement must repay the principal amount of the loan, together with accrued interest, within 364 days of borrowing the funds. The rate of interest is the same for each company receiving a loan from the regulated pool and is based on the average cost of funds available through the money pool.

Ground Leases

Two of FET’s subsidiaries, ATSI and MAIT, had ground lease expense transactions with affiliated companies of $25 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, and $13 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2024.

ATSI has a ground lease with OE, Penn, CEI and TE under an operating lease agreement. Land use is rented to ATSI under the terms and conditions of a ground lease. ATSI, OE, Penn, CEI, and TE reserve the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair ATSI’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for ATSI’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating companies. ATSI purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. ATSI makes fixed quarterly lease payments.

MAIT has a ground lease with FE PA under an operating lease agreement. FE PA reserves the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair MAIT’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for MAIT’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating company. MAIT purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. MAIT makes variable quarterly lease payments through January 1, 2043, unless terminated prior to maturity, or extended by MAIT for up to two additional successive periods of 25 years each and one successive term of 24 years.

 

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Mutual Assistance Agreement

We entered into a Mutual Assistance Agreement with other subsidiaries of FE, pursuant to which we and the other subsidiaries of FE are able to request and receive non-power goods and services from one another consistent with the terms and conditions of the agreement. Since January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024 and for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we compensated subsidiaries of FE an aggregate amount of approximately $27 million, $64 million, $35 million and $34 million, respectively, for goods and services provided under the Mutual Assistance Agreement.

Income Tax Allocation Agreement

We have entered into an income tax allocation agreement with our subsidiaries that sets forth the terms for allocating the consolidated tax liability of the FET consolidated federal income tax group, reimbursing FET for payment of such tax liability, and compensating any member of the group for use of its tax losses or credits. FET, as the parent company of the FET consolidated federal income tax group, is responsible for filing the consolidated federal income tax return of the group. FET and its subsidiaries also continue to be a party to a similar tax allocation agreement with FE with respect to certain state combined return groups and for the tax periods (or the portion thereof) ending on or before March 25, 2024.

Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement

FE and Brookfield are party to the A&R FET LLC Agreement, which was entered into as of March 25, 2024 in connection with the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale. The A&R FET LLC Agreement establishes the general framework for managing FET, including the relationship between FE and Brookfield as members of FET, and confers certain governance rights to Brookfield so long as certain requisite ownership percentages are maintained. As described under “Management — Directors,” for so long as Brookfield maintains at least a 19.8% ownership interest in FET, Brookfield has the right to appoint two out of the five members of the FET board (with the remaining directors being appointed by FE). In the event that (a) Brookfield’s ownership of FET’s common membership interests decreases below 19.8%, but is at least 9.9%, Brookfield shall designate one of its appointed directors for removal from the FET Board such that there is one remaining Brookfield-appointed director, and (b) Brookfield’s ownership of FET’s common membership interests decreases below 9.9%, the remaining Brookfield-appointed director shall be automatically removed from the FET Board. Correspondingly, in the event that (i) FE is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least a majority of FET’s common membership interests but is the beneficial owner of at least 19.8% of FET’s common membership interests, FE shall designate one director appointed by FE for removal from the FET Board such that there are two remaining FE-appointed directors, (ii) FE is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least 19.8% of FET’s common membership interests but is the beneficial owner of at least 9.9%, FE shall designate one or more of its appointed FET directors for removal from the FET Board such that there is one remaining FE-appointed director, and (iii) FE no longer directly or indirectly beneficially owns at least 9.9% of FET’s common membership interests, then the remaining FE-appointed director shall be automatically removed from the FET Board.

For so long as Brookfield maintains at least a 30.0% ownership interest in FET, certain additional actions require the consent, vote or approval of Brookfield before such actions can be taken by FET. Such actions include, among other things, certain acquisitions or dispositions in excess of certain dollar thresholds, establishing or amending the annual budget, incurring cost overruns on certain capital expenditure projects during any fiscal year in excess of a certain percentage overage of the budgeted amounts or incurring cost overruns on the aggregate capital expenditure budget of FET’s subsidiaries during any fiscal year in excess of a certain percentage overage of the aggregated budgeted amount, material decisions relating to litigation where either the liability of FET would reasonably be expected to exceed a certain threshold dollar amount or such proceeding would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on Brookfield or FET, making certain material regulatory filings, incurring or refinancing indebtedness by FET or its subsidiaries, which, in the case of

 

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its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to cause such subsidiary to deviate from its targeted capital structure, entering into joint ventures, appointing or replacing any member of its transmission leadership team, amending the accounting policies of FET or its subsidiaries (but only if FE is no longer the majority owner of FET), taking any action that would reasonably be expected to cause a default or breach of any material contract of FET or any of its subsidiaries, creating certain material liens (excluding certain permitted liens), or causing any reorganization of FET or any of its subsidiaries. The A&R FET LLC Agreement also includes provisions relating to the resolution of disputes and to address deadlocks.

Related Person Policies and Procedures

The A&R FET LLC Agreement sets forth certain procedures to be followed in the event of affiliate transactions that may occur between FET and its subsidiaries (the “Company Group”), on the one hand, and FE and its subsidiaries, other than FET and FET’s subsidiaries (the “FE Outside Group”), on the other. The A&R FET LLC Agreement requires that such affiliate transactions be entered into and carried out in a manner that, except as may be required by any applicable law, is (i) consistent with past practices and the corporate allocation and affiliate transaction policies of the FE Outside Group and the Company Group in effect at such time, (ii) on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, and (iii) in accordance with the requirements of any applicable law. The A&R FET LLC Agreement, among other things, provides for the governance, exit, capital and distribution, and other arrangements for FET.

 

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THE EXCHANGE OFFER

Purpose of the Exchange Offer

The exchange offer is designed to provide holders of Outstanding Notes with an opportunity to acquire New Notes which, unlike the Outstanding Notes, will be freely transferable at all times, subject to any restrictions on transfer imposed by state “blue sky” laws and provided that the holder is not our affiliate within the meaning of the Securities Act and represents that the New Notes are being acquired in the ordinary course of the holder’s business and the holder is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of the New Notes.

The Outstanding Notes were originally issued and sold on September 5, 2024 to the initial purchasers, pursuant to the purchase agreement dated September 3, 2024. The Outstanding Notes were issued and sold in transactions not registered under the Securities Act in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The concurrent resale of the Outstanding Notes by the initial purchasers to investors was done in reliance upon the exemptions provided by Rule 144A and Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act. The Outstanding Notes may not be reoffered, resold or transferred other than (i) to us or our subsidiaries, (ii) to a qualified institutional buyer in compliance with Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”), (iii) outside the United States to a non-U.S. person within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iv) pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (if available) or (v) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.

In connection with the original issuances and sales of the Outstanding Notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement in respect to each series of Outstanding Notes on September 5, 2024, among FET and the initial purchasers (each, a “Registration Rights Agreement” and collectively, the “Registration Rights Agreements”), pursuant to which we agreed to use our reasonable best efforts to cause to be filed with the SEC a registration statement covering the exchange by us of the New Notes for the Outstanding Notes, pursuant to the exchange offer. The Registration Rights Agreements provide that we will use our reasonable best efforts to cause to be filed with the SEC an exchange offer registration statement on an appropriate form under the Securities Act and cause the exchange offer to be commenced promptly after the exchange offer registration statement is declared effective by the SEC to holders of Outstanding Notes who are able to make certain representations the opportunity to exchange their Outstanding Notes for New Notes.

Under existing interpretations by the Staff of the SEC as set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties in other transactions, the New Notes would, in general, be freely transferable after the exchange offer without further registration under the Securities Act; provided, however, that in the case of broker-dealers participating in the exchange offer, a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act must be delivered by such broker-dealers in connection with resales of the New Notes. We have agreed to furnish a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act to any such broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any New Notes acquired in the exchange offer. A broker-dealer that delivers such a prospectus to purchasers in connection with such resales will be subject to certain of the civil liability provisions under the Securities Act and will be bound by the provisions of the applicable Registration Rights Agreement (including certain indemnification rights and obligations).

We do not intend to seek our own interpretation regarding the exchange offer, and we cannot assure you that the Staff of the SEC would make a similar determination with respect to the New Notes as it has in other interpretations to third parties.

Each holder of Outstanding Notes that exchanges such Outstanding Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer will be deemed to have made certain representations, including representations that (i) any New Notes to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) it has no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of New Notes, and (iii) it is not our affiliate as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, or if it is an affiliate, it will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable.

 

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If the holder is not a broker-dealer, it will be required to represent that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of Outstanding Notes or New Notes. If the holder is a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for its own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it will be required to acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes.

Terms of the Exchange Offer; Period for Tendering Outstanding Notes

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus, we will cause any and all Outstanding Notes to be accepted that were acquired pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date of the exchange offer. We will issue $1,000 principal amount of New Notes in exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of Outstanding Notes accepted in the exchange offer. Holders may tender some or all of their Outstanding Notes pursuant to the exchange offer; provided that, Outstanding Notes may be tendered only in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The form and terms of the New Notes are the same as the form and terms of the Outstanding Notes except that:

 

  (1)

the New Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not have legends restricting their transfer;

 

  (2)

the New Notes will not contain the registration rights and increased interest provisions contained in the Outstanding Notes; and

 

  (3)

interest on the New Notes will accrue from the last interest date on which interest was paid on your Outstanding Notes.

The New Notes will evidence the same debt as the Outstanding Notes and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC.

The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purpose of receiving the New Notes from us.

If any tendered Outstanding Notes are not accepted for exchange because of an invalid tender or the occurrence of specified other events set forth in this prospectus, the certificates for any unaccepted Outstanding Notes will be promptly returned, without expense, to the tendering holder.

Holders who tender Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of Outstanding Notes pursuant to the exchange offer. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than transfer taxes in certain circumstances, in connection with the exchange offer. See “Fees and Expenses” and “Transfer Taxes” below.

The exchange offer will remain open for at least 20 full business days. The term “expiration date” will mean 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on    , 2025, unless we, in our sole discretion, extend the exchange offer, in which case the term “expiration date” will mean the latest date and time to which the exchange offer is extended.

To extend the exchange offer, prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date, we will:

 

  (1)

notify the exchange agent of any extension by oral notice (promptly confirmed in writing) or written notice, and

 

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  (2)

mail to the registered holders an announcement of any extension and issue a notice by press release or other public announcement before such expiration date.

We reserve the right, in our sole discretion:

 

  (1)

if any of the conditions below under the heading “Conditions to the Exchange Offer” shall have not been satisfied,

 

  a.

to delay accepting any Outstanding Notes,

 

  b.

to extend the exchange offer, or

 

  c.

to terminate the exchange offer, or

 

  (2)

to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner, provided however, that if we amend the exchange offer to make a material change, including the waiver of a material condition, we will extend the exchange offer, if necessary, to keep the exchange offer open for at least five business days after such amendment or waiver; provided further, that if we amend the exchange offer to change the percentage of Outstanding Notes being exchanged or the consideration being offered, we will extend the exchange offer, if necessary, to keep the exchange offer open for at least ten business days after such amendment or waiver.

Any delay in acceptance, extension, termination or amendment will be followed as promptly as practicable by oral or written notice to the registered holders.

Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes through Brokers and Banks

Since the Outstanding Notes are represented by global book-entry notes, DTC, as depositary, or its nominee is treated as the registered holder of the Outstanding Notes and will be the only entity that can tender your Outstanding Notes for New Notes. Therefore, to tender Outstanding Notes subject to this exchange offer and to obtain New Notes, you must instruct the institution where you keep your Outstanding Notes to tender your Outstanding Notes on your behalf so that they are received on or prior to the expiration of this exchange offer.

The letter of transmittal that may accompany this prospectus may be used by you to give such instructions.

YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE AT THE BROKER OR BANK WHERE YOU KEEP YOUR OUTSTANDING NOTES TO DETERMINE THE PREFERRED PROCEDURE.

IF YOU WISH TO ACCEPT THIS EXCHANGE OFFER, PLEASE INSTRUCT YOUR BROKER OR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE IN TIME FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING NOTES TO BE TENDERED BEFORE THE 5:00 PM (NEW YORK CITY TIME) DEADLINE ON      , 2025.

Deemed Representations

To participate in the exchange offer, we require that you represent to us that:

 

  (1)

you or any other person acquiring New Notes in exchange for your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer is acquiring them in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (2)

neither you nor any other person acquiring New Notes in exchange for your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer is engaging in or intends to engage in a distribution of the New Notes within the meaning of the federal securities laws;

 

  (3)

neither you nor any other person acquiring New Notes in exchange for your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer has an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of New Notes issued in the exchange offer;

 

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  (4)

neither you nor any other person acquiring New Notes in exchange for your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer is an “affiliate” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act; and

 

  (5)

if you or another person acquiring New Notes in exchange for your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer is a broker-dealer and you acquired the Outstanding Notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you acknowledge that you will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the New Notes.

BY TENDERING YOUR OUTSTANDING NOTES YOU ARE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE THESE REPRESENTATIONS.

Broker-dealers who cannot make the representations in item (5) of the paragraph above cannot use this exchange offer prospectus in connection with resales of the New Notes issued in the exchange offer.

If you are our “affiliate,” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act, if you are a broker-dealer who acquired your Outstanding Notes in the initial offering and not as a result of market-making or trading activities, or if you are engaged in or intend to engage in or have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in a distribution of New Notes acquired in the exchange offer, you or that person:

 

  (1)

may not rely on the applicable interpretations of the Staff of the SEC and therefore may not participate in the exchange offer; and

 

  (2)

must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom when reselling the Outstanding Notes.

You may tender some or all of your Outstanding Notes in this exchange offer. However, your Outstanding Notes may be tendered only in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

When you tender your Outstanding Notes and we accept them, the tender will be a binding agreement between you and us as described in this prospectus.

The method of delivery of Outstanding Notes and all other required documents to the exchange agent is at your election and risk.

We will decide all questions about the validity, form, eligibility, acceptance and withdrawal of tendered Outstanding Notes, and our reasonable determination will be final and binding on you. We reserve the absolute right to:

 

  (1)

reject any and all tenders of any particular Outstanding Note not properly tendered;

 

  (2)

refuse to accept any Outstanding Note if, in our reasonable judgment or the judgment of our counsel, the acceptance would be unlawful; and

 

  (3)

waive any defects or irregularities or conditions of the exchange offer as to any particular Outstanding Notes before the expiration of the offer.

Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer will be final and binding on all parties. You must cure any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Outstanding Notes as we will reasonably determine. Neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will incur any liability for failure to notify you of any defect or irregularity with respect to your tender of Outstanding Notes. If we waive any terms or conditions pursuant to (3) above with respect to a noteholder, we will extend the same waiver to all noteholders with respect to that term or condition being waived.

 

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Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account

In order to accept this exchange offer on behalf of a holder of Outstanding Notes you must submit or cause your DTC participant to submit an Agent’s Message as described below.

The exchange agent, on our behalf will seek to establish an Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) account with respect to the Outstanding Notes at DTC promptly after the delivery of this prospectus. Any financial institution that is a DTC participant, including your broker or bank, may make book-entry tender of Outstanding Notes by causing the book-entry transfer of such Outstanding Notes into our ATOP account in accordance with DTC’s procedures for such transfers. Concurrently with the delivery of Outstanding Notes, an Agent’s Message in connection with such book-entry transfer must be transmitted by DTC to, and received by, the exchange agent on or prior to 5:00 pm, New York City Time on the expiration date. The confirmation of a book entry transfer into the ATOP account as described above is referred to herein as a “Book-Entry Confirmation.”

The term “Agent’s Message” means a message transmitted by the DTC participants to DTC, and thereafter transmitted by DTC to the exchange agent, forming a part of the Book-Entry Confirmation which states that DTC has received an express acknowledgment from the participant in DTC described in such Agent’s Message stating that such participant and beneficial holder agree to be bound by the terms of this exchange offer.

Each Agent’s Message must include the following information:

 

  (1)

Name of the beneficial owner tendering such Outstanding Notes;

 

  (2)

Account number of the beneficial owner tendering such Outstanding Notes;

 

  (3)

Principal amount of Outstanding Notes tendered by such beneficial owner; and

 

  (4)

A confirmation that the beneficial holder of the Outstanding Notes tendered has made the representations for our benefit set forth under “Deemed Representations” above.

BY SENDING AN AGENT’S MESSAGE THE DTC PARTICIPANT IS DEEMED TO HAVE CERTIFIED THAT THE BENEFICIAL HOLDER FOR WHOM NOTES ARE BEING TENDERED HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH A COPY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.

The delivery of Outstanding Notes through DTC, and any transmission of an Agent’s Message through ATOP, is at the election and risk of the person tendering Outstanding Notes. We will ask the exchange agent to instruct DTC to promptly return those Outstanding Notes, if any, that were tendered through ATOP but were not accepted by us, to the DTC participant that tendered such Outstanding Notes on behalf of holders of the Outstanding Notes.

Acceptance of Outstanding Notes for Exchange; Delivery of New Notes

We will accept validly tendered Outstanding Notes when the conditions to the exchange offer have been satisfied or we have waived them. We will have accepted your validly tendered Outstanding Notes when we have given oral or written notice to the exchange agent. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purpose of receiving the New Notes from us. If we do not accept any tendered Outstanding Notes for exchange by book-entry transfer because of an invalid tender or other valid reason, we will credit the notes to an account maintained with DTC promptly after the exchange offer terminates or expires.

THE AGENT’S MESSAGE MUST BE TRANSMITTED TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT ON OR BEFORE 5:00 PM, NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON THE EXPIRATION DATE.

No Guaranteed Delivery Procedures

Guaranteed delivery procedures are not available in connection with the exchange offer.

 

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Withdrawal Rights

You may withdraw your tender of Outstanding Notes at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.

For a withdrawal to be effective, you should contact your bank or broker where your Outstanding Notes are held and have them send an ATOP notice of withdrawal so that it is received by the exchange agent before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date. Such notice of withdrawal must:

 

  (1)

specify the name of the person that tendered the Outstanding Notes to be withdrawn; and

 

  (2)

identify the Outstanding Notes to be withdrawn, including the CUSIP number and principal amount at maturity of the Outstanding Notes; specify the name and number of an account at the DTC to which your withdrawn Outstanding Notes can be credited.

We will decide all questions as to the validity, form and eligibility of the notices and our determination will be final and binding on all parties. Any tendered Outstanding Notes that you withdraw will not be considered to have been validly tendered. We will promptly return any Outstanding Notes that have been tendered but not exchanged, or credit them to the DTC account. You may re-tender properly withdrawn Outstanding Notes by following one of the procedures described above before the expiration date.

Conditions to the Exchange Offer

Notwithstanding any other provision of the exchange offer, or any extension of the exchange offer, we will not be required to accept for exchange, or to issue New Notes in exchange for, any Outstanding Notes and may terminate the exchange offer (whether or not any Outstanding Notes have been accepted for exchange) or amend the exchange offer, if any of the following conditions has occurred or exists or has not been satisfied, or has not been waived by us in our sole reasonable discretion, prior to the expiration date:

 

   

there is threatened, instituted or pending any action or proceeding before, or any injunction, order or decree issued by, any court or governmental agency or other governmental regulatory or administrative agency or commission:

 

  (1)

seeking to restrain or prohibit the making or completion of the exchange offer or any other transaction contemplated by the exchange offer, or assessing or seeking any damages as a result of this transaction; or

 

  (2)

resulting in a material delay in our ability to accept for exchange or exchange some or all of the Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer; or

 

  (3)

any statute, rule, regulation, order or injunction has been sought, proposed, introduced, enacted, promulgated or deemed applicable to the exchange offer or any of the transactions contemplated by the exchange offer by any governmental authority, domestic or foreign; or

 

   

any action has been taken, proposed or threatened, by any governmental authority, domestic or foreign, that, in our sole reasonable judgment, would directly or indirectly result in any of the consequences referred to in clauses (1), (2) or (3) above or, in our sole reasonable judgment, would result in the holders of New Notes having obligations with respect to resales and transfers of New Notes which are greater than those described in the interpretation of the SEC referred to above, or would otherwise make it inadvisable to proceed with the exchange offer; or the following has occurred:

 

  (1)

any general suspension of or general limitation on prices for, or trading in, securities on any national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market; or

 

  (2)

any limitation by a governmental authority which adversely affects our ability to complete the transactions contemplated by the exchange offer; or

 

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  (3)

a declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States or any limitation by any governmental agency or authority which adversely affects the extension of credit; or

 

  (4)

a commencement of a war, armed hostilities or other similar international calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States, or, in the case of any of the preceding events existing at the time of the commencement of the exchange offer, a material acceleration or worsening of these calamities; or

 

   

any change, or any development involving a prospective change, has occurred or been threatened in our business, financial condition, operations or prospects and those of our subsidiaries taken as a whole that is or may be adverse to us, or we have become aware of facts that have or may have an adverse impact on the value of the Outstanding Notes or the New Notes, which in our sole reasonable judgment in any case makes it inadvisable to proceed with the exchange offer and/or with such acceptance for exchange or with such exchange; or

 

   

there shall occur a change in the current interpretation by the Staff of the SEC which permits the New Notes issued pursuant to the exchange offer in exchange for Outstanding Notes to be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by holders thereof (other than broker-dealers and any such holder which is our affiliate within the meaning of Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that such New Notes are acquired in the ordinary course of such holders’ business and such holders have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of such New Notes; or

 

   

any law, statute, rule or regulation shall have been adopted or enacted which, in our reasonable judgment, would impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer; or

 

   

a stop order shall have been issued by the SEC or any state securities authority suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement, or proceedings shall have been initiated or, to our knowledge, threatened for that purpose, or any governmental approval has not been obtained, which approval we shall, in our sole reasonable discretion, deem necessary for the consummation of the exchange offer as contemplated hereby; or

 

   

we have received an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that there exists any actual or threatened legal impediment (including a default or prospective default under an agreement, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which we are a party or by which we are bound) to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the exchange offer.

If we determine in our sole reasonable discretion that any of the foregoing events or conditions has occurred or exists or has not been satisfied, we may, subject to applicable law, terminate the exchange offer (whether or not any Outstanding Notes have been accepted for exchange) or may waive any such condition or otherwise amend the terms of the exchange offer in any respect. If such waiver or amendment constitutes a material change to the exchange offer, we will promptly disclose such waiver or amendment by means of a prospectus supplement that will be distributed to the registered holders of the Outstanding Notes and will extend the exchange offer to the extent required by Rule 14e-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

These conditions are for our sole benefit and we may assert them regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any of these conditions, or we may waive them, in whole or in part, in our sole reasonable discretion, provided that we will not waive any condition with respect to an individual holder of Outstanding Notes unless we waive that condition for all such holders. Any reasonable determination made by us concerning an event, development or circumstance described or referred to above will be final and binding on all parties. Our failure at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights will not be a waiver of our rights and each such right will be deemed an ongoing right which may be asserted at any time before the expiration of the exchange offer.

 

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Exchange Agent

We have appointed U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association as the exchange agent for the exchange offer. You should direct questions, requests for assistance, and requests for additional copies of this prospectus and the letter of transmittal that may accompany this prospectus to the exchange agent addressed as follows:

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

By Mail or in Person

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association

Attn: Corporate Actions

111 Fillmore Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107-1402

For Email or Facsimile Transmission (for Eligible Institutions Only)

Email: cts.specfinance@usbank.com

Facsimile: (651) 466-7367

For Information and to Confirm by Telephone

(800) 934-6802

Delivery to an address other than set forth above will not constitute a valid delivery.

Fees and Expenses

The principal solicitation is being made through DTC by U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as exchange agent. We will pay the exchange agent customary fees for its services, reimburse the exchange agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the provisions of these services and pay other registration expenses, including registration and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state blue sky securities laws, printing expenses, messenger and delivery services and telephone, fees and disbursements to our counsel, application and filing fees and any fees and disbursements to our independent registered public accountants. We will not make any payment to brokers, dealers, or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer except for reimbursement of mailing expenses.

Additional solicitations may be made by telephone, facsimile or in person by our and our affiliates’ officers, employees and by persons so engaged by the exchange agent.

Accounting Treatment

The New Notes will be recorded at the same carrying value as the existing Outstanding Notes, as reflected in our accounting records on the date of exchange. Accordingly, we will recognize no gain or loss for accounting purposes.

Transfer Taxes

If you tender Outstanding Notes for exchange, you will not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes. However, if you instruct us to register New Notes in the name of, or request that your Outstanding Notes not tendered or not accepted in the exchange offer be returned to, a person other than the registered tendering holder, you will be responsible for paying any transfer tax owed.

 

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YOU MAY SUFFER ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES IF YOU FAIL TO EXCHANGE OUTSTANDING NOTES

If you do not tender your Outstanding Notes, you will not have any further registration rights, except for the rights described in the applicable Registration Rights Agreement and described above, and your Outstanding Notes will continue to be subject to the provisions of the Indenture governing the Outstanding Notes regarding transfer and exchange of the Outstanding Notes and the restrictions on transfer of the Outstanding Notes imposed by the Securities Act and states securities law when we complete the exchange offer. These transfer restrictions are required because the Outstanding Notes were issued under an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, if you do not tender your Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer, your ability to sell your Outstanding Notes could be adversely affected. Once we have completed the exchange offer, holders who have not tendered notes will not continue to be entitled to any increase in interest rate that the Indenture governing the Outstanding Notes provides for if we do not complete the exchange offer.

Consequences of Failure to Exchange

The Outstanding Notes that are not exchanged for New Notes pursuant to the exchange offer will remain restricted securities. Accordingly, the Outstanding Notes may be resold only:

 

  (1)

to us upon redemption thereof or otherwise;

 

  (2)

so long as the outstanding securities are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, to a person inside the United States who is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, which other exemption is based upon an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to us;

 

  (3)

outside the United States to a foreign person in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 904 under the Securities Act; or

 

  (4)

pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States.

Shelf Registration

The Registration Rights Agreements also require that we cause to be filed a shelf registration statement if:

 

  (1)

the Issuer determines that the registration of the New Notes is not available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last exchange date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the SEC;

 

  (2)

a holder participating in the exchange offer does not receive New Notes on the date of the exchange that may be sold without restriction under state and federal securities laws (other than due solely to the status of such holder as an affiliate of the Issuer within the meaning of the Securities Act) and notifies the Issuer within 30 days after such holder first becomes aware of such restrictions;

 

  (3)

the exchange offer is not for any reason completed by the 366th day after the initial issuance of the Outstanding Notes; or

 

  (4)

the Issuer receives a written request from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Outstanding Notes that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the exchange offer.

We will also register the New Notes under the securities laws of jurisdictions that holders may request before offering or selling notes in a public offering. We do not intend to register New Notes in any jurisdiction unless a holder requests that we do so.

 

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Outstanding Notes may be subject to restrictions on transfer until:

 

  (1)

a person other than a broker-dealer has exchanged the Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer;

 

  (2)

a broker-dealer has exchanged the Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer and sells them to a purchaser that receives a prospectus from the broker, dealer on or before the sale;

 

  (3)

the Outstanding Notes are sold under an effective shelf registration statement that we have caused to be filed; or

 

  (4)

the Outstanding Notes are sold to the public under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The Outstanding Notes were issued on September 5, 2024 in private offerings in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

In the exchange offer, we will issue up to $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of New 2030 Notes and up to $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of New 2035 Notes. The New Notes will be issued under an indenture dated as of May 19, 2014, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 4, 2024, between us and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Officer’s Certificates for the 2030 Notes and 2035 Notes (collectively, the “Indenture”), under which the Outstanding Notes were also issued. The following statements relating to the Notes, and the Indenture are summaries of certain provisions thereof and are subject to the detailed provisions of the forms of Notes and the Indenture, to which reference is hereby made, including the definitions of certain terms therein and those terms made part thereof by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”). The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of senior notes that we may issue under the Indenture.

The New Notes of each series will be treated as a single class with any Outstanding Notes of such series that remain outstanding after the completion of the exchange offer. If the exchange offer is consummated, holders of Outstanding Notes who do not exchange their Outstanding Notes for New Notes will vote together with the holders of the applicable series of New Notes for all relevant purposes under the Indenture. In that regard, the Indenture requires that certain actions by the holders under the Indenture (including acceleration after an Event of Default) must be taken, and certain rights must be exercised, by holders of specified minimum percentages of the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Notes of the applicable series issued under the Indenture. In determining whether holders of the requisite percentage of aggregate principal amount of a series of Notes have given any notice, consent or waiver or taken any other action permitted under the Indenture, any Outstanding Notes of such series that remain outstanding after the exchange offer will be aggregated with the New Notes of such series, and the holders of these Outstanding Notes and New Notes will vote together as a single series for all such purposes. Accordingly, all references in this Description of the Notes to specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of a series of the outstanding Notes mean, at any time after the exchange offer for the Outstanding Notes is consummated, such percentage in aggregate principal amount of such Outstanding Notes and the New Notes of the applicable series then outstanding. As used in this Description of the Notes, the term “Notes” refers to both the Outstanding Notes and the New Notes, the term “2030 Notes” refers to the Outstanding 2030 Notes and the New 2030 Notes, and the term “2035 Notes” refers to the Outstanding 2035 Notes and the New 2035 Notes.

General

The 2030 Notes will mature on January 15, 2030, and the 2035 Notes will mature on January 15, 2035, unless earlier redeemed as described under “—Optional Redemption” below.

We will not pay any additional amounts on the Notes to compensate any beneficial owner for any United States tax withheld from payments of principal or interest on the Notes. There is no sinking fund for the Notes. The Notes are not convertible into, or exchangeable for, equity securities of FirstEnergy.

Ranking

The Notes will rank equally with all of our other existing and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness, senior to all of our existing and future subordinated indebtedness and junior to all of our future senior secured indebtedness. As of June 30, 2024, we had $2,000,000,000 of senior unsecured and unsubordinated long-term indebtedness outstanding and no other long-term debt outstanding.

 

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The New Notes will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of our subsidiaries, including:

 

   

trade payables;

 

   

ATSI’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.00% Senior Notes due 2026;

 

   

ATSI’s $100 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.32% Senior Notes due 2030;

 

   

ATSI’s $100 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.38% Senior Notes due 2031;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.66% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

ATSI’s $600 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 2.65% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.13% Senior Notes due 2033;

 

   

ATSI’s $400 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.00% Senior Notes due 2044;

 

   

ATSI’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.23% Senior Notes due 2045;

 

   

ATSI’s $150 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.63% Senior Notes due 2034;

 

   

MAIT’s $600 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 4.10% Senior Notes due 2028;

 

   

MAIT’s $125 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.60% Senior Notes due 2032;

 

   

MAIT’s $175 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.39% Senior Notes due 2033;

 

   

MAIT’s $250 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 5.94% Senior Notes due 2034;

 

   

MAIT’s $125 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.70% Senior Notes due 2035;

 

   

TrAIL’s $75 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.76% Senior Notes due 2025; and

 

   

TrAIL’s $550 million aggregate principal amount of outstanding 3.85% Senior Notes due 2025.

Interest

Interest on the Notes will:

 

   

be payable in U.S. dollars at the rate of 4.550% per annum for the 2030 Notes and 5.000% per annum for the 2035 Notes;

 

   

be computed for each interest period on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and, for any period shorter than a full month, on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in such period;

 

   

be payable on a semi-annual basis in arrears, on January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning on January 15, 2025;

 

   

initially accrue from, and include, the date of original issuance; and

 

   

be paid to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the regular record date, which is the business day immediately preceding the interest payment date (other than an interest payment date that is a maturity date or a redemption date), so long as the Notes are issued in the form of global securities deposited with or on behalf of DTC or a successor depositary and otherwise, the record date will be the fifteenth calendar day next preceding the interest payment date (whether or not a business day); provided, however, that if and to the extent we shall default in the payment of interest due on such interest payment date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the respective persons in whose names such outstanding New Notes are registered at the close of business on a date (the “Subsequent Record Date”) not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of payment of such defaulted interest, such Subsequent Record Date to be established by the

 

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Trustee, and by notice given by mail by or on behalf of us to the registered owners of such New Notes not less than 10 days preceding such Subsequent Record Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, interest payable at maturity or upon earlier redemption will be payable to the person to whom principal shall be payable. If any interest payment date should fall on a day that is not a business day, then the interest payment shall be made on the next succeeding business day and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period with respect to the payment so deferred.

Additional interest is payable with respect to the applicable series of Notes in certain circumstances if we do not consummate the exchange offer (or shelf registration, if applicable for such series) as described in this prospectus under the heading “The Exchange Offer.” The Company shall pay all additional interest, if any, on the interest payment date for the period for which additional interest has accrued in the same manner as interest is paid on the applicable series of Notes. References herein to “interest” are deemed to include additional interest unless the context expressly requires otherwise.

Optional Redemption

Prior to December 15, 2029 (one month prior to the maturity date of the 2030 Notes) (the “2030 Notes Par Call Date”), we may redeem the 2030 Notes at our option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

 

   

(a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the redemption date (assuming the 2030 Notes matured on the 2030 Notes Par Call 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 less (b) interest accrued to the date of redemption; and

 

   

100% of the principal amount of the 2030 Notes to be redeemed;

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

Prior to October 15, 2034 (three months prior to the maturity date of the 2035 Notes) (the “2035 Notes Par Call Date” and, together with the 2030 Notes Par Call Date, the “Par Call Dates”), we may redeem the 2035 Notes at our option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

 

   

(a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the redemption date (assuming the 2035 Notes matured on the 2035 Notes Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points less (b) interest accrued to the date of redemption; and

 

   

100% of the principal amount of the 2035 Notes to be redeemed;

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

On or after the applicable Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes of a series, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the yield determined by us in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

Treasury Rate shall be determined by us after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that

 

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appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)—H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities—Treasury constant maturities—Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, we shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the redemption date to the applicable Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields—one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life—and shall interpolate to the applicable Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the redemption date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date H.15 TCM is no longer published, we shall calculate the Treasury Rate applicable to such redemption based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such redemption date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the applicable Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the applicable Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the applicable Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the applicable Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the applicable Par Call Date, we shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the applicable Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the applicable Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, we shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

Our actions and determinations in determining the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine the Redemption Price.

Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of Notes to be redeemed.

In the case of a partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made by lot or, in the case of global Notes, in accordance with the applicable procedures of the depositary. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by DTC (or another depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the depositary.

Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

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We will not be required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may consolidate or merge with or into any other corporation, partnership, trust company or trust, and we may convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our assets to any corporation, partnership, trust company or trust, provided that (other than in the case of the conveyance, transfer or lease of our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to one or more of our subsidiaries):

 

   

the resulting corporation, partnership, trust company or trust, if other than us, is organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any U.S. state and assumes all of our obligations on the Notes under the Indenture;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of us or any subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by us or such subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no event of default or, with respect to any series, a covenant breach, and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default or a covenant breach shall have happened and be continuing under the Indenture; and

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that the consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture, comply with the Indenture and all conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

The surviving business entity will succeed to, and be substituted for, us under the Indenture and, except in the case of a lease, we shall be released from all obligations under the Indenture and the Notes.

The covenants contained in the Indenture and the Notes will not protect holders in the event of a sudden decline in our creditworthiness that might result from a recapitalization, restructuring or other highly leveraged transaction.

Events of Default

An event of default with respect to a series of Notes is defined in the Indenture as being any one of the following:

 

   

failure to pay interest on the Notes of such series, including additional interest payable pursuant to the applicable Registration Rights Agreement, when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;

 

   

failure to pay principal of and premium, if any, on the Notes of such series when due and payable, whether at stated maturity or upon earlier acceleration or redemption;

 

   

failure to perform other covenants in the Indenture for 90 days after we are given notice from the Trustee or the Trustee receives, and provides to us, written notice from the registered holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of such series; provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the holders of such principal amount of the Notes of such series can agree to an extension of the 90-day period and, will be deemed to have agreed to an extension of that period if corrective action has been initiated by us within that period and is being diligently pursued; and

 

   

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, assignment or receivership.

We are required to deliver to the Trustee each year an officer’s certificate as to whether we are in compliance with the conditions and covenants under the Indenture. The Indenture provides that the Trustee may

 

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withhold notice to the holders of a series of Notes of any default, except in payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes of such series, if the Trustee in good faith determines that it is in the interest of the holders of the Notes of such series to do so.

The Indenture provides that, if an event of default with respect to the Notes of a series occurs and continues, either the Trustee or the holders of 33% or more in aggregate principal amount of such series of Notes may declare the principal amount of such series of Notes to be due and payable immediately. However, if the event of default is applicable to all outstanding Notes under the Indenture (including the Notes), only the Trustee or holders of at least 33% in principal amount of all outstanding Notes of all series, voting as one class, and not the holders of the Notes or any other series of Notes, may make such a declaration of acceleration.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes of a series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained, the event of default giving rise to such declaration of acceleration will be considered waived, and such declaration and its consequences will be considered rescinded and annulled, if:

 

   

we have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

 

   

all overdue interest, if any, on all Notes of such series,

 

   

the principal of and premium, if any, on any Notes of such series which have otherwise become due and interest, if any, that is currently due, including interest on overdue interest, if any, and

 

   

all amounts due to the Trustee under the Indenture; and

 

   

any other event of default with respect to the Notes of such series has been cured or waived as provided in the Indenture.

There is no automatic acceleration, even in the event of our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the duties of the Trustee, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the Notes, unless the holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity.

Subject to the provision for indemnification, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes of a series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to such series of Notes. However, if the event of default relates to more than one series of Notes, only the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all affected series will have the right to give this direction, provided, that such direction not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the Indenture, and could not involve the Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where indemnity would not, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, be adequate. The Trustee may take any other action, deemed proper by the Trustee, which is not inconsistent with any such direction.

Modification with Consent of Holders

Under the Indenture, our rights and the rights of the holders of the Notes of a series may be changed with the consent of the holders representing a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of such series and all other outstanding series of Notes affected by the change, provided, that the following changes may not be made without the consent of the holders of each outstanding Senior Note of such series affected thereby:

 

   

change the stated maturity of the principal of or any installment of principal of or interest on any Senior Note of such series, or reduce the principal amount or the amount of any installment of interest on or the rate of interest on any Senior Note of such series, or change the method of calculating such rate or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption, or change the coin or currency or other property in

 

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which any Senior Note of such series or any premium, if any, or the interest on such Senior Note of such series is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity of any Senior Note of such series or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date;

 

   

reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of such series, the consent of the holders of which is required for any supplemental indenture, or the consent of the holders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with any provision of the Indenture or any default under the Indenture and its consequences, or reduce the requirements for quorum or voting; or

 

   

modify certain provisions of the Indenture relating to supplemental indentures and waivers of certain covenants and past defaults.

Modification of the Indenture without Consent of Holders

The Indenture also permits us and the Trustee to amend the Indenture without the consent of the holders of the Notes of a series for any of the following purposes:

 

   

to evidence the assumption by any permitted successor of our covenants in the Indenture and in the Notes of such series;

 

   

to add to the covenants with which we must comply or to surrender any of our rights or powers under the Indenture;

 

   

to add additional events of default;

 

   

to change, eliminate, or add any provision to the Indenture; provided, however, if the change, elimination, or addition will adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes of such series, in any material respect, such change, elimination, or addition will become effective when:

 

   

the consent of the holders of the Notes of such series has been obtained in accordance with the Indenture; or

 

   

no Notes of such series remain outstanding under the Indenture;

 

   

to provide collateral security for all but not part of the Notes;

 

   

to make such provisions as may be necessary to issue any exchange notes issued in exchange for the Notes of such series pursuant to the applicable Registration Rights Agreement or similar agreement;

 

   

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment of a successor trustee;

 

   

to provide for the procedures required for use of a noncertificated system of registration for the Notes;

 

   

to change any place where principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be payable, the Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and notices to us may be served;

 

   

to cure any ambiguity or inconsistency or to make any other provisions with respect to matters and questions arising under the Indenture; provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes of such series in any material respect; or

 

   

at our election, to comply with any requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA, if such qualification is required.

Satisfaction and Discharge

We will be discharged from our obligations on the Notes of a series, or any portion of the principal amount of the Notes of such series, if we:

 

  (1)

irrevocably deposit with the Trustee sufficient cash or eligible obligations (or a combination of both) to pay any principal, or portion of principal, interest, premium and other sums when due on the Notes of such series at their stated maturity or earlier acceleration or redemption; and

 

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  (2)

if such deposit was made prior to the maturity of the Notes of such series, deliver to the Trustee:

 

  (a)

a company order stating that the money and eligible obligations deposited in accordance with the Indenture will be held in trust and, if eligible obligations have been deposited, certain opinions of counsel and of an independent public accountant;

 

  (b)

an officer’s certificate stating our intention that, upon delivery of the officer’s certificate, our indebtedness in respect of the Notes of such series, or the portions thereof, will have been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in the Indenture; and

 

  (c)

an opinion of counsel to the effect that, other than as a result of a change in law or a ruling of the United States Internal Revenue Service, the holders of the Notes of such series, or portions thereof, will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the satisfaction and discharge of our indebtedness and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if we had not so satisfied and discharged our indebtedness.

For this purpose, “eligible obligations” include direct obligations of, or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof and certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in such obligations or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof and which do not contain provisions permitting their redemption or other prepayment at the option of the issuer thereof.

In the event that all of the conditions set forth above have been satisfied for the Notes of such series, or portions thereof, except that, for any reason, we have not delivered the officer’s certificate and opinion described in clauses (b) and (c) above, the holders of the Notes of such series will no longer be entitled to the benefits of certain of our covenants under the Indenture, including the covenant described below in “—Limitation on Liens.” Our indebtedness in respect of such series of Notes, however, will not be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged prior to their maturity, and the holders of such series of Notes may continue to look to us for payment of the indebtedness represented by such series of Notes.

The Indenture will be deemed satisfied and discharged when no Notes of such series remain outstanding and when we have paid all other sums payable by us under the Indenture. Subject to any applicable abandoned property laws, all moneys we pay to the Trustee or any paying agent on the Notes of such series which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after payments have become due will be paid to us or upon our order. Thereafter, the holder of such series of Notes may look only to us for payment and not the Trustee or any paying agent.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale or Disposition of Assets

We may not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or entity or sell or otherwise dispose of our properties as or substantially as an entirety unless:

 

   

the successor is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state of the United States or the District of Columbia;

 

   

the successor expressly assumes by a supplemental indenture the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes and all other outstanding Notes under the Indenture and the performance of every covenant of the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreements to be performed or observed by us;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to the transactions, no event of default with respect to the Notes or any other series of Notes outstanding under the Indenture and no event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an event of default with respect to the Notes or any other series of Notes outstanding under the Indenture will have occurred and be continuing; and

 

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we deliver to the Trustee an officer’s certificate and opinion of counsel stating that such transactions and such supplemental indenture comply with the Indenture.

Upon any permitted consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition of our properties substantially as an entirety, the successor entity formed by the consolidation or into which we are merged or to which the transfer is made will succeed us, and be substituted for us, and may exercise every right and power of ours, under the Indenture with the same effect as if the successor entity had been named as “the Company” in the Indenture, and we will be released from all obligations under the Indenture.

Certain Covenants

Limitation on Liens

The Indenture provides that we will not pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in, or permit any mortgage, pledge, security interest, or other lien upon, any capital stock of any subsidiary now or hereafter directly owned by us, to secure any indebtedness without also equally and ratably securing the Notes and all other outstanding Notes under the Indenture and all other indebtedness entitled to be so secured.

This restriction does not apply to, or prevent the creation or existence of, or, in the case of the first two bullets below, does not apply to, or prevent the creation or existence of, any extension, renewal or refunding of:

 

   

any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any capital stock created at the time we acquire it or within one year after such time to secure the purchase price for the capital stock;

 

   

any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any capital stock existing at the time we acquire it, whether or not we assume the secured obligations;

 

   

any judgment, levy, execution, attachment or other similar lien arising in connection with court proceedings, provided, that:

 

   

the execution or enforcement of the lien is effectively stayed within 30 days after entry of the corresponding judgment, or the corresponding judgment has been discharged within that 30-day period, and the claims secured by the lien are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings timely commenced and diligently prosecuted;

 

   

the payment of each lien is covered in full by insurance and the insurance company has not denied or contested coverage thereof; or

 

   

so long as each lien is adequately bonded, any appropriate and duly initiated legal proceedings for the review of the corresponding judgment, decree or order has not been fully terminated or the period within which these proceedings may be initiated has not expired; or

 

   

any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any capital stock of any subsidiary that we directly own to secure interim construction financing for new projects undertaken by such subsidiary to improve the transmission system, provided, that:

 

   

the amount of outstanding Indebtedness secured by such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance under this clause, together with outstanding indebtedness secured by liens pursuant to the paragraph below, does not exceed the greater of 40% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or 40% of our Total Capitalization; and

 

   

such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance under this clause are discharged not later than 90 days following the date that such new projects are placed into service.

We may, without securing the Notes or any other outstanding Notes of any other series, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in, or permit any mortgage, pledge, security interest or other lien, in addition to liens expressly permitted as described in the preceding paragraphs, upon capital stock of any

 

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subsidiary now or hereafter owned by us to secure any indebtedness that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restriction, in an aggregate amount which, together with all other such indebtedness, does not exceed the greater of 15% of our Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or 15% of our Total Capitalization.

For purposes of this covenant:

 

   

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the amount shown as total assets on our consolidated balance sheet, less (i) intangible assets including, without limitation, such items as goodwill, trademarks, trade names and patents; (ii) current liabilities; and (iii) appropriate adjustments, if any, related to minority interests; and

 

   

“Total Capitalization” means the total of all the following items appearing on, or included in, our consolidated balance sheet: (i) liabilities for indebtedness maturing more than 12 months from the date of determination; (ii) accumulated other comprehensive income; (iii) noncontrolling interest; and (iv) common stock, preferred stock, hybrid preferred securities, member’s equity, premium on capital stock, capital surplus, capital in excess of par value and retained earnings (however designated), less, to the extent not otherwise deducted, the cost of shares of our capital stock held in treasury.

These amounts will be determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and as of a date not more than 60 days prior to the happening of an event for which the determination is being made.

The foregoing limitation does not limit in any manner:

 

   

our ability to place liens on any of our assets other than the capital stock of subsidiaries that we directly own;

 

   

our ability to cause the transfer of our assets or those of our subsidiaries, including the capital stock covered by the foregoing restrictions; or

 

   

the ability of any of our subsidiaries to place liens on any of their assets.

Availability of Financial Statements

So long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

 

  (1)

at any time the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, we will make available to the holders of the Notes our audited annual and unaudited quarterly financial statements within 105 days after the end of the period covered by such financial statements either by posting such financial statements on a website (which may be a private website or any website maintained by the SEC, including EDGAR) or by delivering such financial statements through any other method as may be permitted by the procedures of DTC. For the avoidance of doubt, “financial statements,” as used in the Indenture, will include only a balance sheet, a statement of operations and a statement of cash flows, each prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (United States or, as may become applicable in the future, international) and such financial statements need not satisfy the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and, in the case of such statements that are unaudited, may be subject to year-end adjustments and may exclude detailed footnotes; and

 

  (2)

at any time the Company is subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, any annual or quarterly reports (on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q or any respective successor form) that we are required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any such information, documents or reports, or portions thereof, subject to confidential treatment and any correspondence with the SEC) must be filed by us with the Trustee within 15 days after the same are required to be filed with the SEC (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule)). Documents filed by us with the SEC via the EDGAR system (or any successor

 

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  system) will be deemed to be filed with the Trustee as of the time such documents are filed via EDGAR (or any successor thereto), it being understood that the Trustee shall not be responsible for determining whether such filings have been made.

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

The Trustee may resign at any time by giving us written notice or may be removed at any time by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and all other outstanding Notes under the Indenture. The resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor trustee will not be effective until the successor trustee accepts the appointment in accordance with the Indenture. In addition, so long as no event of default under the Indenture or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, under certain circumstances, we may, by resolution of our Board of Directors, appoint a successor trustee. If that successor accepts the appointment, the Trustee will be deemed to have resigned, and the successor will be deemed to have been appointed as trustee in accordance with the Indenture.

Concerning the Trustee

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association) is the Trustee under the Indenture. The Indenture provides that our obligations to compensate the Trustee and reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances will constitute indebtedness which will be secured by a lien generally prior to that of the Notes upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such.

The Indenture provides that the Trustee shall be subject to and shall comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the TIA, and that nothing in the Indenture shall be deemed to prohibit the Trustee or us from making any application permitted pursuant to such section. The Trustee is also a depositary of certain of our affiliates and has in the past made, and may in the future make, periodic loans to us and certain of our affiliates.

Book-Entry

Global Notes

The Notes will initially be represented by one or more global certificates, which will be issued in definitive, fully registered, book-entry form. The global certificates will be deposited with or on behalf of DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.

Notes purchased pursuant to Regulation S will initially be represented by the Temporary Regulation S Global Certificate. After the expiration of the period ending 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering and the date the Notes were initially issued (the “Regulation S Distribution Compliance Period”), holders of beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Certificate may exchange their beneficial interests for beneficial interests in a permanent global certificate representing Notes purchased pursuant to Regulation S, upon certification that such beneficial owner is not a “U.S. person” as such term is used in Regulation S or upon certification that such beneficial owner is a U.S. person who purchased its interest in the Notes in a transaction that did not require registration of the Notes under the Securities Act. Prior to the expiration of the Regulation S Distribution Compliance Period, any sale or transfer of interests in Notes purchased pursuant to Regulation S to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons will not be permitted.

DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear

Beneficial interests in the global certificates will be represented through book-entry accounts of financial institutions acting on behalf of beneficial owners as direct and indirect participants in DTC. Investors may hold

 

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interests in the global certificates through either DTC (in the United States), Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, Luxembourg (“Clearstream”) or Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”), either directly if they are participants in such systems or indirectly through organizations that are participants in such systems. Clearstream and Euroclear will hold interests in the global certificates on behalf of their participants, through customer securities accounts in Clearstream’s or Euroclear’s names on the books of their respective U.S. depositaries, which in turn will hold those positions in customers’ securities accounts in the U.S. depositaries’ names on the books of DTC.

We have provided the descriptions of the operations and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear in this prospectus solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of those organizations and are subject to change by them from time to time. Neither we, the initial purchasers, nor the Trustee take any responsibility for these operations or procedures, and you are urged to contact DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear or their participants directly to discuss these matters.

We understand that:

 

   

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act.

 

   

DTC holds and provides asset servicing for U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments that DTC’s participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.

 

   

DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”, and together with the Direct Participants, the “Participants”).

 

   

The DTC Rules applicable to its Participants are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about DTC can be found at www.dtcc.com. The information on such website is specifically not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

   

Purchases of Notes under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each Senior Note (a “Beneficial Owner”) is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in Notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Notes is discontinued.

 

   

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all Notes deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an

 

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authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of Notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the securities; DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such securities are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

 

   

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

 

   

Beneficial Owners of Notes may wish to take certain steps to augment the transmission to them of notices of significant events with respect to the Notes, such as redemptions, tenders, defaults and proposed amendments to the Indenture. For example, Beneficial Owners of Notes may wish to ascertain that the nominee holding the Notes for their benefit has agreed to obtain and transmit notices to Beneficial Owners. In the alternative, Beneficial Owners may wish to provide their names and addresses to the Registrar and request that copies of notices be provided directly to them.

 

   

Redemption notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all of the Notes within an issue are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in such issue to be redeemed.

 

   

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to Notes unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with DTC’s MMI Procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an Omnibus Proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants to whose accounts Notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).

 

   

Redemption proceeds and distributions on the Notes will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit Direct Participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us or the Trustee, on the date such amounts are payable in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC, the Trustee or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds and distributions to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is our or the Trustee’s responsibility, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

 

   

DTC may discontinue providing its services as depository with respect to the Notes at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or the Trustee. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depository is not obtained, certificated Notes are required to be printed and delivered.

 

   

We may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, certificated Notes will be printed and delivered to DTC.

We understand that Clearstream is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depositary. Clearstream holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between its customers through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its customers, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream provides to its customers, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and

 

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securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. As a professional depositary, Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Commission for the Supervision of the Financial Sector. Clearstream customers are recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations and may include the initial purchasers. Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream customer either directly or indirectly.

We understand that Euroclear was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of Euroclear and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash. Euroclear provides various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. Euroclear is operated by Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., which we refer to as the Euroclear Operator, under contract with Euroclear Clearance Systems S.C., a Belgian cooperative corporation, which we refer to as the Cooperative. All operations are conducted by the Euroclear Operator, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator, not the Cooperative. The Cooperative establishes policy for Euroclear on behalf of Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the initial purchasers. Indirect access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly.

We understand that the Euroclear Operator is licensed by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission to carry out banking activities on a global basis. As a Belgian bank, it is regulated and examined by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission.

We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

 

   

upon deposit of the global certificate with DTC or its custodian, DTC will credit on its internal system the accounts of Direct Participants designated by the initial purchasers with portions of the principal amounts of the Notes; and

 

   

ownership of the Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee, with respect to interests of Direct Participants, and the records of Direct and Indirect Participants, with respect to interests of persons other than Participants.

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the Notes represented by a global certificate to those persons may be limited. In addition, because DTC can act only on behalf of its participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through Participants, the ability of a person having an interest in Notes represented by a global certificate to pledge or transfer those interests to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of such interest.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a global certificate, DTC or that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Notes of the applicable series represented by that global certificate for all purposes under the Indenture and under the Notes of such series. Except as provided below under “—Certificated Notes,” owners of beneficial interests in a global certificate will not be entitled to have Notes represented by that global certificate registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Notes and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the Indenture or under the Notes for any purpose, including with respect to the giving of any direction, instruction or approval to the Trustee. Accordingly, each holder owning a beneficial interest in a global certificate must rely on the

 

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procedures of DTC and, if that holder is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which that holder owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder of Notes under the Indenture or a global certificate.

Neither we nor the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of Notes by DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of those organizations relating to the Notes.

Payments on the Notes represented by the global certificates will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner thereof. We expect that DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment on the Notes represented by a global certificate, will credit Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the global certificates as shown in the records of DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments by Participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global certificates held through such Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. The Participants will be responsible for those payments.

Payments on the Notes held beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash accounts of its customers in accordance with its rules and procedures, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Clearstream.

Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System, and applicable Belgian law (the “Terms and Conditions”). The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear, and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no record of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear participants.

Payments on the Notes held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of its participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Euroclear.

Clearance and Settlement Procedures

Initial settlement for the Notes will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between DTC Participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between Clearstream customers and/or Euroclear participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear, as applicable, and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional Eurobonds in immediately available funds.

Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants, on the other, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by the U.S. depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to the U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving the Notes in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream customers and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to their U.S. depositaries.

 

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Because of time-zone differences, credits of the Notes received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC Participant will be made during subsequent securities settlement processing and dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Such credits or any transactions in the Notes settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants on such business day. Cash received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of the Notes by or through a Clearstream customer or a Euroclear participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of the Notes among participants of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be changed or discontinued at any time.

Certificated Notes

We will issue certificated Notes to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of the Notes represented by a global certificate upon surrender by DTC of the global certificates if:

 

   

DTC notifies us that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary for such global certificate or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and we have not appointed a successor depositary within 90 days of that notice or becoming aware that DTC is no longer so registered;

 

   

an event of default under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, and DTC requests the issuance of certificated Notes; or

 

   

we determine not to have the Notes represented by such global certificate.

Neither we nor the Trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the Notes. We and the Trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the certificated Notes to be issued.

Governing Law

The Indenture and Outstanding Notes are, and the New Notes will be, governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the law of any other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.

 

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CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations related to the exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer. This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, U.S. Treasury Regulations, administrative rulings and judicial decisions in effect as of the date of this prospectus, any of which may subsequently be changed, possibly retroactively, or interpreted differently by the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. Except where noted, this summary is limited to holders who hold their Outstanding Notes as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally for investment purposes). This summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxes related to the exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes in the exchange offer and does not address all tax consequences that may be relevant to holders in light of their personal circumstances or particular situations, such as:

 

   

tax consequences to holders who may be subject to special tax treatment, including investors subject to the rules of Section 451(b) by reason of their use of certain financial statements, dealers or traders in securities or currencies, banks and other financial institutions, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, tax-exempt entities, insurance companies, pension plans, individual retirement accounts or other tax-deferred accounts, investors subject to the alternative minimum tax, and traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities;

 

   

tax consequences to persons holding Outstanding Notes as a part of a hedging, integrated, conversion or constructive sale transaction or a straddle or other risk reduction transaction;

 

   

tax consequences to holders of Outstanding Notes whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar;

 

   

tax consequences to entities or arrangements treated as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes and their members; and

 

   

tax consequences to certain former citizens or residents of the United States.

If a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership or other pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Outstanding Notes, the tax treatment of the exchange offer to a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A beneficial owner that is a partnership and partners in such a partnership should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of the exchange offer.

This summary of U.S. federal income tax considerations is for general information only and is not tax advice for any particular investor. This summary does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any non-U.S., state, or local jurisdiction. This summary also does not address any U.S. federal tax consequences other than income tax, such as U.S. federal alternative minimum tax consequences, the potential application of the Medicare tax on net investment income, and any U.S. federal estate or gift tax consequences. If you are considering the purchase of Notes, you should consult your tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to you in light of your own specific situation, as well as consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

Exchange Offer

The exchange of Outstanding Notes for New Notes will not constitute a taxable exchange. As a result, (1) a holder of Outstanding Notes should not recognize a taxable gain or loss as a result of exchanging such holder’s Outstanding Notes for New Notes, (2) the holding period of the New Notes received should include the holding period of the Outstanding Notes exchanged therefor, and (3) the adjusted tax basis of the New Notes received should be the same as the adjusted tax basis of the Outstanding Notes exchanged therefor immediately before such exchange. The United States federal income tax consequences of holding and disposing of your New Notes generally will be the same as those applicable to your Outstanding Notes.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

Each broker-dealer that receives New Notes for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such New Notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of New Notes received in exchange for Outstanding Notes, where such Outstanding Notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. Starting on the expiration date and ending on the close of business 180 days after the commencement of the exchange offer, we have agreed to cause this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, to be made available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until      , all dealers effecting transactions in the New Notes may be required to deliver a prospectus.

We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of New Notes by broker-dealers. New Notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to the exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the New Notes or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer and/or the purchasers of any such New Notes. Any broker-dealer that resells New Notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant to the exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such New Notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and any profit on any such resale of New Notes and any commissions or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. The letter of transmittal states that by acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

For a period of 180 days after the commencement of the exchange offer, we will promptly send additional copies of this prospectus and any amendment or supplement to this prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents in the letter of transmittal. We have agreed to pay the expenses incident to the exchange offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the holders of the Notes) other than underwriting discounts and commissions and any brokerage commissions and transfer taxes and will indemnify the holders of the Notes (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the New Notes offered hereby and certain other matters relating to this exchange offer will be passed upon for us by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 included in this Prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

     Page  
FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023, 2022 AND 2021   

Glossary of Terms

     F-2  

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the financial statements as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, which comprise the Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and the Statements of Income, of Members’ Equity, and of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021

     F-5  

Statements of Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021

     F-7  

Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022

     F-8  

Statements of Members’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021

     F-9  

Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021

     F-10  

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-11  

Schedule I - Condensed Financial Information of Parent FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

     F-36  
FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 AND 2023   

Glossary of Terms

     F-39  

Statements of Income for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023

     F-42  

Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023

     F-43  

Statements of Common Members’ Equity for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023

     F-44  

Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 and 2023

     F-45  

Notes to Financial Statements

     F-46  

 

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The following abbreviations and acronyms may be used in these financial statements to identify FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and its current and former subsidiaries and affiliated companies:

 

ATSI   

American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, a transmission subsidiary of FET

CEI   

The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

Electric Companies   

OE, CEI, TE, FE PA, JCP&L, MP, and PE

FE   

FirstEnergy Corp., a public electric power holding company

FE PA   

FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, a Pennsylvania electric utility subsidiary of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Holding Company LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of FE

FESC   

FirstEnergy Service Company, which provides legal, financial and other corporate support services

FET   

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC a consolidated VIE of FE and the parent company of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, and having a joint venture in PATH

FirstEnergy   

FirstEnergy Corp., together with its consolidated subsidiaries

JCP&L   

Jersey Central Power & Light Company, a New Jersey electric power company subsidiary of FE

KATCo   

Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company, a wholly owned transmission subsidiary of FE

MAIT   

Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, a transmission subsidiary of FET

ME   

Metropolitan Edison Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

MP   

Monongahela Power Company, a West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE

OE   

Ohio Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

Ohio Companies   

CEI, OE and TE

PATH   

Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC, a joint venture between FE and a subsidiary of AEP

PE   

The Potomac Edison Company, a Maryland and West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE

Penn   

Pennsylvania Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of OE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

Pennsylvania Companies   

ME, PN, Penn and WP, each of which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

PN   

Pennsylvania Electric Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

TE   

The Toledo Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

TrAIL   

Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company, a transmission subsidiary of FET

WP   

West Penn Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

 

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The following abbreviations and acronyms may be used to identify frequently used terms in these financial statements:

 

2021 Credit Facilities   

Collectively, the two separate senior unsecured five-year syndicated revolving credit facilities entered into by FE, FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, on October 18, 2021, as amended through October 20, 2023

2023 Credit Facilities   

Collectively, the FET Revolving Facility and the ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL revolving facilities as amended through October 20, 2023

A&R FET LLC Agreement   

Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET

AEP   

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

AFSI   

Adjusted Financial Statement Income

AFUDC   

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction

AMT   

Alternative Minimum Tax

ARO   

Asset Retirement Obligation

ASC   

Accounting Standards Codification

ASU   

Accounting Standards Update

Brookfield   

North American Transmission Company II L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and a controlled investment vehicle entity of Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners

Brookfield Guarantors   

Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners L.P., Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners (NUS) L.P., and Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners (ER) SCSp

CFIUS   

Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States

DPA   

Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into on July 21, 2021 between FE and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio

EH   

Energy Harbor Corp

EPA   

United States Environmental Protection Agency

ERO   

Electric Reliability Organization

Exchange Act   

Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

FASB   

Financial Accounting Standards Board

FE Board   

The Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corp.

FE Revolving Facility   

FE and the Electric Companies’ former five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, as amended, and replaced by the 2021 Credit Facilities on October 18, 2021

FERC   

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

FET Board   

The Board of Directors of FET

FET LLC Agreement   

Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET

FET Minority Equity Interest Sale   

Sale of an additional 30% membership interest of FET, such that Brookfield will own 49.9% of FET

FET P&SA I   

Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on November 6, 2021, by and between FE, FET, Brookfield, and Brookfield Guarantors

FET P&SA II   

Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on February 2, 2023, by and between FE, FET, Brookfield, and the Brookfield Guarantors

FET Revolving Facility   

FET’s five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, dated as of October 20, 2023

Fitch   

Fitch Ratings Service

FPA   

Federal Power Act

GAAP   

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America

HB 6   

House Bill 6, as passed by Ohio’s 133rd General Assembly

IRA of 2022   

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

IRS   

Internal Revenue Service

kV   

Kilovolt

 

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LIBOR   

London Inter-Bank Offered Rate

LOC   

Letter of Credit

MDPSC   

Maryland Public Service Commission

MISO   

Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.

Moody’s   

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

N.D. Ohio   

Federal District Court, Northern District of Ohio

NERC   

North American Electric Reliability Corporation

NOL   

Net Operating Loss

OAG   

Ohio Attorney General

OCC   

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel

ODSA   

Ohio Development Service Agency

OOCIC   

Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which is composed of members of the Ohio law enforcement community and is chaired by the OAG

OPEB   

Other Postemployment Benefits

PJM   

PJM Interconnection, LLC

PJM Tariff   

PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff

PPUC   

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

PUCO   

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

RFC   

ReliabilityFirst Corporation

ROE   

Return on Equity

RTO   

Regional Transmission Organization

S.D. Ohio   

Federal District Court, Southern District of Ohio

SEC   

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

SLC   

Special Litigation Committee of the FE Board

SOFR   

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

S&P   

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service

Tax Act   

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act adopted December 22, 2017

VIE   

Variable Interest Entity

VSCC   

Virginia State Corporation Commission

WVPSC   

Public Service Commission of West Virginia

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Members of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income, of members’ equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, including the related notes and schedule of condensed financial information of parent as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 listed in the index appearing on page F-1 (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Accounting for the Effects of Rate Regulation

As described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company is subject to regulation that sets the prices (rates) the Company is permitted to charge customers based on costs that the regulatory agencies determine are permitted to be recovered. At times, regulatory agencies permit the future recovery of costs that would be currently charged to expense by an unregulated company. The ratemaking process results in the

 

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recording of regulatory assets and liabilities based on anticipated future cash inflows and outflows. Management reviews the probability of recovery of regulatory assets, and settlement of regulatory liabilities, at each balance sheet date and whenever new events occur. Factors that may affect probability include changes in the regulatory environment, issuance of a regulatory commission order, or passage of new legislation. Upon material changes to these factors, where applicable, management will record new regulatory assets or liabilities and will assess whether it is probable that currently recorded regulatory assets and liabilities will be recovered or settled in future rates. As of December 31, 2023, there were $15 million of regulatory assets and $307 million of regulatory liabilities.

The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to accounting for the effects of rate regulation is a critical audit matter is a high degree of auditor effort in performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence related to the recovery of regulatory assets and the settlement of regulatory liabilities.

Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included, among others, (i) obtaining the Company’s correspondence with regulators, (ii) evaluating the reasonableness of management’s assessment regarding regulatory guidance, proceedings, and legislation and the related accounting implications, and (iii) testing, on a sample basis, the regulatory assets and liabilities by considering the provisions outlined in rate orders and other correspondence with regulators.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Cleveland, Ohio

October 8, 2024

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2011.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

 

      For the Years Ended December 31,   

(In millions)

    2023        2022        2021   

REVENUES:

        

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 1,636      $ 1,523      $ 1,332  

Revenues from affiliates

     16        15        15  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenues

     1,652        1,538        1,347  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

        

Other operating expenses(1)

     313        378        249  

Provision for depreciation

     291        263        256  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     6        6        15  

General taxes

     256        247        238  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     866        894        758  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     786        644        589  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

        

Interest income from affiliates

     16        49        6  

Miscellaneous income, net

     2        2        2  

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     (31      (11      19  

Interest expense—other

     (220      (207      (219

Interest expense—affiliates

     (17      (49      (4

Capitalized financing costs

     38        36        26  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (212      (180      (170
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     574        464        419  

INCOME TAXES

     136        111        103  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     438        353        316  

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     69        59        61  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 369      $ 294      $ 255  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $350 million, $297 million and $272 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, of related party costs, certain of which are subject to capitalization.

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

(In millions)

    December 31, 
2023
      December 31, 
2022
 

ASSETS

     

CURRENT ASSETS:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 76      $ 77  

Receivables—

     

Affiliated companies

     10        12  

Other

     88        79  

Notes receivable from affiliated companies

     17        1,554  

Prepaid taxes and other

     23        24  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     214        1,746  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

     

In service

     11,861        11,078  

Less—Accumulated provision for depreciation

     2,410        2,242  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     9,451        8,836  

Construction work in progress

     770        523  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     10,221        9,359  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

INVESTMENTS AND OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS:

     

Goodwill

     224        224  

Investments

     19        20  

Regulatory assets

     15        1  

Property taxes

     277        247  

Operating lease right-of-use asset(1)

     413        413  

Other

     36        30  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     984        935  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 11,419      $ 12,040  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

     

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

     

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies

   $ 383      $ 154  

Note payable to affiliated company

     —         1,168  

Accounts payable—affiliated companies

     30        30  

Accounts payable—other

     2        —   

Accrued taxes

     262        278  

Accrued interest

     62        58  

Other

     14        7  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     753        1,695  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:

     

Long-term debt and other long-term obligations

     5,275        4,949  

Accumulated deferred income taxes

     1,218        1,129  

Property taxes

     277        247  

Regulatory liabilities

     307        443  

Noncurrent operating lease obligation(2)

     406        406  

Other

     8        8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     7,491        7,182  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

     8,244        8,877  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

MEMBERS’ EQUITY:

     

Members’ equity

     2,250        2,312  

Retained earnings

     159        88  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total members’ equity

     2,409        2,400  

Noncontrolling interest

     766        763  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL EQUITY

     3,175        3,163  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

COMMITMENTS, GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 9)

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

   $ 11,419      $ 12,040  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $410 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 associated with related party leases.

(2)

Includes $404 million and $405 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, associated with related party leases.

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF MEMBERS’ EQUITY

 

(In millions)   Members’
Equity
    Retained
Earnings
    Total
Members’
Equity
    Noncontrolling
Interest
    Total
Equity
 

Balance, January 1, 2021

  $ 1,057     $ 945     $ 2,002     $ 753     $ 2,755  

Net income

      255       255       61       316  

Consolidated tax benefit allocation

    6         6         6  

Dividends declared

      (130     (130       (130

Distribution to noncontrolling interest

        —        (55     (55
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2021

  $ 1,063     $ 1,070     $ 2,133     $ 759     $ 2,892  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

      294       294       59       353  

Consolidated tax benefit allocation

    27         27       2       29  

Dividends declared

    (1,196     (1,276     (2,472       (2,472

Minority interest sale, net of issuance costs(1)

    2,348         2,348         2,348  

Equity contribution from parent

    61         61         61  

Equity contribution from Brookfield

    9         9         9  

Distribution to noncontrolling interest

        —        (57     (57
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2022

  $ 2,312     $ 88     $ 2,400     $ 763     $ 3,163  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

      369       369       69       438  

Dividends declared

    (62     (298     (360       (360

Distribution to noncontrolling interest

        —        (66     (66
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2023

  $ 2,250     $ 159     $ 2,409     $ 766     $ 3,175  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $27 million of issuance costs. See Note 1, “Organization and Basis of Presentation,” for additional information on the minority interest sale.

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2023       2022       2021   

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

      

Net income

   $ 438     $ 353     $ 316  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities—

      

Depreciation, amortization and impairments

     292       276       300  

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     31       11       (19

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits, net

     90       44       98  

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

     (26     (29     (15

Transmission revenue collections, net

     (138     25       137  

Changes in current assets and liabilities—

      

Receivables

     (7     27       15  

Prepaid taxes and other current assets

     2       (7     —   

Accounts payable—affiliated companies

     (35     (17     (8

Accrued taxes

     (16     30       22  

Accrued interest

     4       6       (8

Other current liabilities

     6       —        1  

Other

     (4     (7     2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from operating activities

     637       712       841  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

      

Capital investments

     (1,042     (836     (643

Loans with affiliated companies, net

     1,537       (1,126     572  

Asset removal costs

     (91     (55     (65

Other

     2       (5     3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     406       (2,022     (133
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

      

New financing-

      

Long-term debt

     325       —        1,250  

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     229       105       1  

Redemptions and Repayments-

      

Long-term debt

     —        —        (400

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     —        (50     (1,311

Equity contribution from parent

     —        61       —   

Capital contributions from Brookfield

     —        9       —   

Proceeds from FET minority interest sale, net of transaction costs

     —        2,348       —   

Cash dividends paid to noncontrolling interest

     (66     (57     (55

Dividend payments

     (1,527     (1,304     (130

Other

     (5     —        (9
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     (1,044     1,112       (654
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

     (1     (198     54  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     77       275       221  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 76     $ 77     $ 275  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

      

Cash paid (received) during the year:

      

Interest (net of amounts capitalized)

   $ 218     $ 240     $ 217  

Income taxes, net of refunds

   $ 74     $ 18     $ (20

Significant non-cash transactions:

      

Accrued capital investments

   $ 116     $ 100     $ 43  

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Note

Number

       Page
Number
1   Organization and Basis of Presentation    F-12
2   Revenue    F-19
3   Taxes    F-19
4   Leases    F-22
5   Fair Value Measurements    F-25
6   Capitalization    F-25
7   Short-Term Borrowings and Bank Lines of Credit    F-27
8   Regulatory Matters    F-28
9   Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies    F-30
10   Transactions with Affiliated Companies    F-34

 

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1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Unless otherwise indicated, defined terms and abbreviations used herein have the meanings set forth in the accompanying Glossary of Terms.

FET, a consolidated VIE of FE, is the parent of ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and PATH. Through its subsidiaries, FET owns high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM, which consist of approximately 12,500 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia, and has a rate base of $7.3 billion. FET plans, operates, and maintains its transmission system in accordance with NERC reliability standards, and other applicable regulatory requirements. In addition, FET and its subsidiaries comply with the regulations, orders, policies and practices prescribed by FERC and the PUCO, PPUC, WVPSC, MDPSC and VSCC. FET does not have separate reportable segments.

FET and its subsidiaries consolidate all majority-owned subsidiaries over which they exercise control and, when applicable, entities for which they have a controlling financial interest. Intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation as appropriate and permitted pursuant to GAAP. FET and its subsidiaries consolidate a VIE (MAIT) when it is determined to be a primary beneficiary. An enterprise has a controlling financial interest if it has both power and economic control, such that an entity has: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance; and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

MAIT, which is organized under Delaware law, is a consolidated VIE of FET. Following receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, on January 31, 2017, MAIT issued membership interests to FET and FE PA predecessors, PN and ME in exchange for their respective cash and transmission asset contributions. As of December 31, 2023, ME’s and PN’s approximate ownership of MAIT was 17% and 25%, respectively. As further discussed below, on January 1, 2024, FE PA, as successor-in-interest to PN and ME, transferred their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE. MAIT owns and operates all of the FERC-jurisdictional transmission assets previously owned by ME and PN.

On November 6, 2021, FirstEnergy, along with FET, entered into the FET P&SA I, with Brookfield and the Brookfield Guarantors, pursuant to which FET agreed to issue and sell to Brookfield at the closing, and Brookfield agreed to purchase from FET, certain newly issued membership interests of FET, such that Brookfield would own 19.9% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of FET, for a purchase price of $2.375 billion. The transaction closed on May 31, 2022. KATCo, which was a subsidiary of FET, became a wholly owned subsidiary of FE prior to the closing of the transaction.

Pursuant to the terms of the FET P&SA I, on May 31, 2022, Brookfield, FET and FE entered into the FET LLC Agreement. The FET LLC Agreement, among other things, provides for the governance, exit, capital and distribution, and other arrangements for FET from and following the closing. Under the FET LLC Agreement, Brookfield is entitled to appoint a number of directors to the FET Board, in approximate proportion to Brookfield’s ownership percentage in FET (rounded to the next whole number). The FET Board now consists of five directors, one appointed by Brookfield and four appointed by FE. The FET LLC Agreement contains certain investor protections, including, among other things, requiring Brookfield’s approval for FET and its subsidiaries to take certain major actions. Under the terms of the FET LLC Agreement, for so long as Brookfield holds a 9.9% interest in FET, Brookfield’s consent is required for FET or any of its subsidiaries to incur indebtedness (other than the refinancing of existing indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms reflecting then-current credit market conditions) that would reasonably be expected to result in FET’s consolidated Debt-to-Capital Ratio (as defined in the FET LLC Agreement) equaling or exceeding (i) prior to the fifth anniversary of the effective date, 65%, and (ii) thereafter, 70%. As discussed below, pursuant to the terms of the FET P&SA II and in connection with the closing thereof, Brookfield, FET and FE will enter into the A&R FET LLC Agreement, which will amend and restate in its entirety the FET LLC Agreement.

 

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Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation, including presenting long-term debt and other long-term obligations within “Noncurrent Liabilities” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as compared to “Total Capitalization”.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make periodic estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates. The reported results of operations are not necessarily indicative of results of operations for any future period. FET and its subsidiaries have evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through March 8, 2024, the date the financial statements were originally available to be issued.

These annual financial statements have been subsequently updated on to incorporate information required by rules and regulations of the SEC, including the addition of changes in valuation allowances, further segregation of the income statement to include amounts associated with related parties and the inclusion of Schedule I - Condensed Financial Statement Information of Parent and related disclosure of information regarding restricted net assets of FET’s consolidated subsidiaries. In connection with the reissuance of the financial statements, the Company has evaluated subsequent events through October 8, 2024, the date the financial statements were available to be reissued.

Economic Conditions

Post-pandemic economic conditions have increased supply chain lead times across numerous material categories, with some as much as tripling from pre-pandemic lead times. Several key suppliers have struggled with labor shortages and raw material availability, which along with inflationary pressure that appears to be moderating, have increased costs and decreased the availability of certain materials, equipment and contractors. FET and its subsidiaries have taken steps to mitigate these risks and do not currently expect service disruptions or any material impact on capital spending plans. However, the situation remains fluid and a prolonged continuation or further increase in supply chain disruptions could have an adverse effect on FET’s consolidated results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

Sale of Minority Equity Interest in FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

On February 2, 2023, FE, along with FET, entered into the FET P&SA II with Brookfield and the Brookfield Guarantors, pursuant to which FE agreed to sell to Brookfield at the closing, and Brookfield agreed to purchase from FE, an incremental 30% equity interest in FET for a purchase price of $3.5 billion. The majority of the purchase price is expected to be paid in cash upon closing, and the remainder will be payable by the issuance of a promissory note, which is expected to be repaid by the end of 2024. As a result of the consummation of the transaction, Brookfield’s interest in FET will increase from 19.9% to 49.9%, while FE will retain the remaining 50.1% ownership interests of FET.

Pursuant to the terms of the FET P&SA II, in connection with the closing, Brookfield, FET and FE will enter into the A&R FET LLC Agreement, which will amend and restate in its entirety the current limited liability company agreement of FET. The A&R FET LLC Agreement, among other things, provides for the governance, exit, capital and distribution, and other arrangements for FET from and following the closing. Under the A&R FET LLC Agreement, at the closing, the FET Board will consist of five directors, two appointed by Brookfield and three appointed by FE. Each of Brookfield’s and FE’s respective appointment rights are subject to such party maintaining certain minimum ownership percentages. The A&R FET LLC Agreement contains certain investor protections, including, among other things, requiring Brookfield’s approval for FET and its subsidiaries to take certain major actions. Under the terms of the A&R FET LLC Agreement, for so long as Brookfield holds at least a 30.0% interest in FET, Brookfield’s consent is required for FET or any of its subsidiaries to, among other things, undertake certain acquisitions or dispositions in excess of certain dollar thresholds, establish or amend the annual budget, incur cost overruns on certain capital expenditures projects during any fiscal year in excess of a

 

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certain percentage overage of the budgeted amounts or incur cost overruns on the aggregate capital expenditure budget of FET’s subsidiaries during any fiscal year in excess of a certain percentage overage of the aggregated budgeted amount, make material decisions relating to litigation where either the potential liability exposure is in excess of a certain threshold dollar amount or such proceeding would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on Brookfield or FET, make certain material regulatory filings, incur or refinance indebtedness by FET or its subsidiaries, which, in the case of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to cause such subsidiary to deviate from its targeted capital structure, enter into joint ventures, appoint or replace any member of its transmission leadership team, amend the accounting policies of FET or its subsidiaries (but only if FirstEnergy Corp is no longer the majority owner of FET), take any action that would reasonably be expected to cause a default or breach of any material contract of FET or any of its subsidiaries, create certain material liens (excluding certain permitted liens), or cause any reorganization of FET or any of its subsidiaries. The A&R FET LLC Agreement also includes provisions relating to the resolution of disputes and to address deadlocks.

The FET Minority Equity Interest Sale is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval from the PPUC, and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2024. On May 5, 2023, FirstEnergy and Brookfield submitted applications to FERC and to the PPUC to facilitate the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale. On May 12, 2023, the parties also filed an application with the VSCC, which was approved on June 20, 2023. On August 14, 2023, FERC issued an order approving the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale. On November 24, 2023, CFIUS notified FET, Brookfield and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority that it has determined that there were no unresolved national security issues and its review of the transaction was concluded. On November 29, 2023, the parties filed a settlement agreement recommending that the PPUC approve the transaction subject to the terms of the settlement, which include among other things, a number of ring-fencing provisions and a commitment to improve transmission reliability over the next five years. The settlement has been approved without modification by the administrative law judges and is currently pending final PPUC approval. Upon closing, FET will continue to be consolidated in FirstEnergy’s financial statements.

ACCOUNTING FOR THE EFFECTS OF REGULATION

FET’s subsidiaries are subject to regulation that sets the prices (rates) permitted to charge customers based on costs that FERC determines are permitted to be recovered. At times, regulatory agencies permit the future recovery of costs that would be currently charged to expense by an unregulated company. The ratemaking process results in the recording of regulatory assets and liabilities based on anticipated future cash inflows and outflows.

FET’s subsidiaries review the probability of recovery of regulatory assets, and settlement of regulatory liabilities, at each balance sheet date and whenever new events occur. Factors that may affect probability include changes in the regulatory environment, issuance of a regulatory commission order, or passage of new legislation. Upon material changes to these factors, where applicable, FET’s subsidiaries will record new regulatory assets or liabilities and will assess whether it is probable that currently recorded regulatory assets and liabilities will be recovered or settled in future rates. If recovery of a regulatory asset is no longer probable, FET’s subsidiaries will write off that regulatory asset as a charge against earnings. FET’s subsidiaries consider the entire regulatory asset balance as the unit of account for the purposes of balance sheet classification rather than the next years recovery and as such net regulatory assets and liabilities are presented in the noncurrent section on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 8, “Regulatory Matters,” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

 

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The following table provides information about the composition of net regulatory assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the changes during the year ended December 31, 2023:

 

     As of December 31,         

Net Regulatory Assets (Liabilities) by Source

    2023        2022        Change   
     (In millions)  

Customer payables for future income taxes

   $ (588    $ (594    $ 6  

Asset removal costs

     1        (9      10  

Deferred transmission costs

     262        124        138  

MISO exit fee

     30        34        (4

Vegetation management costs

     7        8        (1

Other

     (4      (5      1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net Regulatory Liabilities included on the Consolidated Balance Sheets

   $ (292    $ (442    $ 150  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The following is a description of the regulatory assets and liabilities described above:

Customer payables for future income taxes—Reflects amounts to be recovered or refunded through future rates to pay income taxes that become payable when rate revenue is provided to recover items such as AFUDC-equity and depreciation of property, plant and equipment for which deferred income taxes were not recognized for ratemaking purposes, including amounts attributable to federal and state tax rate changes such as the Tax Act and Pennsylvania House Bill 1342. These amounts are being amortized over the period in which the related deferred tax assets reverse, which is generally over the expected life of the underlying asset.

Asset removal costs—Reflects amounts to be recovered or refunded through future rates to pay for the cost of activities to remove assets, including obligations for which an ARO has been recognized, that are expected to be incurred at the time of retirement.

Deferred transmission costs—Reflects differences between revenues earned based on actual costs for ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL’s formula transmission rates and the amounts billed, including amounts expected to be refunded to, or recoverable from, wholesale transmission customers resulting from the FERC Audit, as further described below, which amounts are recorded as a regulatory asset or liability and recovered or refunded, respectively, in subsequent periods.

MISO exit fee—Relates to the recovery of certain costs from the transfer of control of ATSI’s transmission assets from MISO to PJM (amortized though 2030).

Vegetation management costs—Relates to regulatory assets associated with the recovery of certain transmission vegetation management costs at MAIT and ATSI (amortized through 2024 and 2030, respectively).

GOODWILL

On January 31, 2017, MAIT issued membership interests to FET and FE PA predecessors PN and ME in exchange for their respective cash and transmission asset contributions, which included $224 million of goodwill.

In a business combination, the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recognized as goodwill. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment annually on July 31 and more frequently if indicators of impairment arise. In evaluating goodwill for impairment, qualitative factors are assessed to determine whether it is more likely than not (that is, likelihood of more than 50%) that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value (including goodwill). If it is concluded that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, then no further testing is required. However, if management concludes that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting

 

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unit is less than its carrying value or bypasses the qualitative assessment, then the quantitative goodwill impairment test is performed to identify a potential goodwill impairment and measure the amount of impairment to be recognized, if any.

No impairment of goodwill was indicated in 2023 and 2022. In 2023 and 2022, a qualitative assessment was performed, assessing economic, industry and market considerations in addition to MAIT’s (FET’s subsidiary) overall performance. Key factors used in the assessment included: growth rates, interest rates, expected investments, utility sector market performance, regulatory and legal developments, and other market considerations. It was determined that the fair values of the reporting unit was, more likely than not, greater than their carrying values and a quantitative analysis was not necessary.

INVESTMENTS

All temporary cash investments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less are reported as cash equivalents on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, at cost, which approximates their fair market value.

PATH, a proposed transmission line from West Virginia through Virginia into Maryland which PJM cancelled in 2012, is a series limited liability company that is comprised of multiple series, each of which has separate rights, powers and duties regarding specified property and the series profits and losses associated with such property. FET owns 100% of the Allegheny Series (PATH-Allegheny) and 50% of the West Virginia Series (PATH-WV), which is a joint venture with a subsidiary of AEP. FET is not the primary beneficiary of PATH-WV, as it does not have control over the significant activities affecting the economics of PATH-WV. FET’s ownership interest in PATH-WV is subject to the equity method of accounting. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the carrying value of the equity method investment were $17 million and $18 million, respectively.

RECEIVABLES

Under a formula rate mechanism approved by the FERC, FET’s subsidiaries make annual filings in order to recover incurred costs and an allowed return. An initial rate filing is made for each calendar year using estimated costs, which is used to determine the initial billings to customers. All prudently incurred allowable operation and maintenance costs, a return earned on rate base and income taxes are recovered or refunded through a subsequent true-up mechanism. As such, FET recognizes revenue as it incurs recoverable costs and earns the allowed return. Any differences between revenues earned based on actual costs and the amounts billed based on estimated costs are recognized as a regulatory asset or liability, and will be recovered or refunded, respectively, in subsequent periods.

Other receivables include PJM receivables resulting from transmission sales. FET’s subsidiaries uncollectible risk on PJM receivables is minimal due to the nature of PJM’s settlement process whereby members of PJM legally agree to share the cost of defaults and as a result there is no allowance for doubtful accounts.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment reflects original cost (net of any impairments recognized), including payroll and related costs such as taxes, employee benefits, administrative and general costs, and financing costs incurred to place the assets in service. The costs of normal maintenance, repairs and minor replacements are expensed as incurred. Liabilities for planned major maintenance projects are recognized as they are incurred.

FET and its subsidiaries provide for depreciation on a straight-line basis at various rates over the estimated lives of property included in plant in service. The annual composite rates for FET’s subsidiaries’ electric plant were 2.5%, 2.4% and 2.5% in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

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For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, capitalized financing costs on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income include $26 million, $28 million and $16 million, respectively, of allowance for equity funds used during construction and $12 million, $8 million and $10 million, respectively, of capitalized interest.

Long-lived assets classified as held and used are evaluated for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the long-lived assets may not be recoverable. First, the estimated undiscounted future cash flows attributable to the assets is compared with the carrying value of the assets. If the carrying value is greater than the undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized equal to the amount the carrying value of the assets exceeds its estimated fair value.

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

At its inception, MAIT issued Class A membership interests to FET and Class B membership interests to FE PA predecessors (PN and ME). The Class A interests represent the functional equivalent of managing interests, providing FET with the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact MAIT’s performance. The Class B interests represent the functional equivalent of economic interest conveying no kick-out or participating rights over the Class A membership interests. Management concluded that MAIT is a VIE and that FET is the primary beneficiary because FET has exposure to the economics of MAIT and the power to direct the significant activities of MAIT through its ownership of the Class A membership interests. On January 1, 2024, FE PA, as successor-in-interest to PN and ME, transferred their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE.

The following shows the carrying amounts and classification of the MAIT assets and liabilities included in the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Amounts exclude intercompany balances which were eliminated in consolidation. FET has not provided any guarantees or other credit support for the benefit of MAIT or MAIT’s creditors.

 

Assets

   December 31,
2023
     December 31,
2022
 
(In millions)  

Receivables

   $ 22      $ 23  

Prepaid taxes and other current assets

     4        2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current assets

     26        25  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

     3,013        2,563  

Goodwill

     224        224  

Regulatory assets

     13        —   

Operating lease right-of-use asset

     1        1  

Other noncurrent assets

     11        8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total noncurrent assets

     3,262        2,796  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 3,288      $ 2,821  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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Liabilities

   December 31,
2023
     December 31,
2022
 
(In millions)  

Short-term borrowings

   $ 125      $ 113  

Accounts payable

     3        3  

Accrued interest

     8        5  

Other current liabilities

     8        1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     144        122  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt and other long-term obligations

     1,029        856  

Regulatory liabilities

     —         42  

Accumulated deferred income taxes

     325        277  

Other noncurrent liabilities

     2        2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total noncurrent liabilities

     1,356        1,177  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

   $ 1,500      $ 1,299  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

Reference Rate Reform—In March of 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): “Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (issued March 2020 and subsequently updated). This ASU, which introduces Topic ASC 848 to the FASB codification, provides temporary optional expedients and exceptions that, if elected, will ease the financial reporting burdens related to the market transition from LIBOR and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates.

On April 27, 2023, FET and certain of its subsidiaries entered into amendments to the 2021 Credit Facilities to, among other things: (i) permit the sale from FE to Brookfield of an incremental 30% equity interest in FET for a purchase price of $3.5 billion and (ii) transition the benchmark interest rate for borrowings under the 2021 Credit Facilities from LIBOR to SOFR. During the second quarter of 2023, FET and its subsidiaries utilized the optional expedient within ASC 848 to account for the amendments to the credit facilities as a continuation of the existing contract without additional analysis.

Recently Issued Pronouncements—The following new authoritative accounting guidance issued by the FASB has not yet been adopted. Unless otherwise indicated, such guidance is currently being assessed for the impact it may have on the financial statements and disclosures, as well as the potential to early adopt where applicable. New accounting standards not described below have been assessed and based upon current expectations will not significantly impact the financial statements.

ASU 2023-09,Income taxes (Topic 280): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures” (Issued in December 2023): ASU 2023-09 enhances disclosures primarily related to existing rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information to help investors better assess how a company’s operations and related tax risks and tax planning and operational opportunities affect the tax rate and prospects for future cash flows. For public companies, the guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The amendments within ASU 2023-09 are to be applied on a prospective basis, with retrospective application permitted.

ASU 2023-07,Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures” (Issued in November 2023): ASU 2023-07 enhances interim disclosure requirements, clarifies circumstances in which an entity can disclose multiple segment measures of profit or loss, provides new segment disclosure requirements for entities with a single reportable segment, and contains other disclosure requirements. Disclosure requirements within ASU 2023-07 include disclosing significant segment expenses by reportable segment if they are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of segment profit or loss.

 

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Disclosures are required on both an annual and an interim basis. For public companies, the guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted.

2. REVENUE

FET and its subsidiaries account for revenue from contracts with customers under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Revenue from leases, financial instruments, other contractual rights or obligations and other revenues that are not from contracts with customers are outside the scope of the standard and accounted for under other existing GAAP.

FET and its subsidiaries have elected to exclude sales taxes and other similar taxes collected on behalf of third parties from revenue as prescribed in the standard. As a result, tax collections and remittances within the scope of this election are excluded from recognition in the income statement and instead recorded through the balance sheet. Gross receipts taxes that are assessed are not subject to the election and are included in revenue. FET and its subsidiaries have elected the optional invoice practical expedient for most revenues and utilize the optional short-term contract exemption for transmission revenues due to the annual establishment of revenue requirements, which eliminates the need to provide certain revenue disclosures regarding unsatisfied performance obligations.

Through its subsidiaries, FET owns high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM to transmit electricity from generation sources to distribution facilities. FET’s subsidiary transmission revenue is primarily derived from the forward-looking formula transmission rates of its subsidiaries. Revenue requirements under forward-looking formula rates for ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are updated annually based on a projected rate base and projected costs, which is subject to an annual true-up based on rate base and actual costs. Revenues and cash receipts for the stand-ready obligation of providing transmission service are recognized ratably over time.

The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with regulated transmission customers for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, by transmission owner:

 

Revenues from Contracts with Customers by Transmission
Asset Owner

   For the Year Ended
December 31, 2023
     For the Year Ended
December 31, 2022
     For the Year Ended
December 31, 2021
 
     (In millions)         

ATSI

   $ 964      $ 908      $ 806  

TrAIL

     275        275        233  

MAIT

     395        340        289  

PATH

     2        1        4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Revenue from Contracts with Customers(1)

     1,636        1,524        1,332  

Other revenue unrelated to contracts with customers

     16        14        15  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenues

   $ 1,652      $ 1,538      $ 1,347  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $(3) million and $(2) in reductions to revenue related to amounts subject to refund resulting from the Tax Act for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and none in 2023.

3. TAXES

FET and its subsidiaries record income taxes in accordance with the liability method of accounting. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts recognized for tax purposes. Investment tax credits, which were deferred when utilized, are being amortized over the recovery period of the related property.

 

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Deferred income tax liabilities related to temporary tax and accounting basis differences and tax credit carryforward items are recognized at the statutory income tax rates in effect when the liabilities are expected to be paid. Deferred tax assets are recognized based on income tax rates expected to be in effect when they are settled.

In May 2022, FET elected corporate status for federal income tax purposes, whereas previously it had been treated as a disregarded entity. FET’s financial statements include its allocated amount of current and deferred tax expense for all years presented. FET is party to an intercompany income tax allocation agreement with FirstEnergy that provides for the allocation of consolidated tax liabilities. Immediately following the close of the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale, FET and its subsidiaries will no longer be members of the FirstEnergy consolidated group for federal income tax purposes and, instead, will constitute a separate consolidated group with a separate income tax allocation agreement for federal income tax purposes.

The IRA of 2022, among other things, imposes a new 15% corporate AMT based on AFSI applicable to corporations with a three-year average AFSI over $1 billion. The AMT is effective for the 2023 tax year and, if applicable, corporations must pay the greater of the regular corporate income tax or the AMT. Although NOL carryforwards created through the regular corporate income tax system cannot be used to reduce the AMT, financial statement NOLs can be used to reduce AFSI and the amount of AMT owed. The IRA of 2022 as enacted requires the U.S. Treasury to provide regulations and other guidance necessary to administer the AMT, including further defining allowable adjustments to determine AFSI, which directly impacts the amount of AMT to be paid. Based on interim guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during 2022 and 2023, FirstEnergy and FET continue to believe that it is more likely than not they will be subject to the AMT beginning in 2023. Although FET and its subsidiaries will constitute a separate consolidated tax group, as described above, because it is a majority-owned subsidiary of FE, the AMT may be applicable to FET and its subsidiaries. FirstEnergy made a first quarter estimated payment of AMT of approximately $49 million in April 2023, of which approximately $15 million related to FET. In June 2023, the U.S. Treasury issued additional guidance that eliminated the requirement of corporations to include AMT in quarterly estimated tax payments, pending further guidance on the application and administration of AMT. Therefore, as a result of guidance issued to date, the current forecast of AMT obligation, and the amount of AMT already paid in April 2023, neither FirstEnergy nor FET made additional AMT payments for the 2023 tax year. Until final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued, the amount of AMT FirstEnergy and/or FET pays could be significantly different than current estimates or they may not be payers at all. The regulatory treatment of the impacts of this legislation may also be subject to the regulation by FERC and/or applicable state regulatory authorities. Any adverse development in this legislation, including guidance from the U.S. Treasury and/or the IRS or unfavorable regulatory treatment, could negatively impact FirstEnergy’s and/or FET or its subsidiaries’ cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.

On March 29, 2023, the West Virginia Governor signed into law House Bill 3286, which provides corporate taxpayers a reduction to pre-apportionment federal taxable income with the amount necessary to offset the increase in the net deferred tax liability (or decrease in the net deferred tax asset) caused by West Virginia’s apportionment law change enacted in 2021. Beginning with the 2033 tax year, qualifying taxpayers can subtract one-tenth of the amount each year for ten years. Taxpayers intending to claim this subtraction will have to file a statement with the West Virginia tax commissioner by July 1, 2024, specifying the total amount of subtraction to be claimed. Accordingly, FET, as a taxpayer included in the FirstEnergy West Virginia unitary combined group, recorded a state deferred tax asset of approximately $2 million and recorded a corresponding $2 million regulatory liability associated with the amount expected to be refunded to customers in future rates.

 

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     For the Years Ended December 31,  

INCOME TAXES:

    2023        2022        2021   
     (In millions)  

Currently payable (receivable)—

        

Federal

   $ 38      $ 58      $ (5

State

     8        9        10  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     46        67        5  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Deferred, net—

        

Federal

     70        25        78  

State

     20        20        20  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 
     90        45        98  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Investment tax credit amortization

     —         (1      —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total income taxes

   $ 136      $ 111      $ 103  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

FET’s tax rates are affected by permanent items, such as AFUDC equity and other flow-through items, as well as discrete items that may occur in any given period, but are not consistent from period to period. The following table provides a reconciliation of federal income tax expense at the federal statutory rate to the total income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2023       2022       2021   

Book income before income taxes

   $ 574     $ 464     $ 419  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Federal income tax expense at statutory rate (21%)

   $ 121     $ 97     $ 88  

Increases (reductions) in taxes resulting from—

      

State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit

     28       24       24  

State and municipal valuation allowances

     (4     —        (1

AFUDC equity and other flow-through

     (5     (7     (3

Excess deferred amortization due to the Tax Act

     (3     (2     (5

Federal tax credits claimed

     —        —        (3

Uncertain tax positions

     —        —        2  

Other, net

     (1     (1     1  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total income taxes

   $ 136     $ 111     $ 103  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effective income tax rate

     23.7     23.9     24.6

Accumulated deferred income taxes as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, were as follows:

 

     As of December 31,  

(In millions)

   2023      2022      2021  

Property basis differences

   $ 1,283      $ 1,191      $ 1,215  

Regulatory asset/liability

     98        65        46  

Loss carryforwards and tax credits

     (184      (152      (147

Valuation reserve

     22        27        28  

Other

     (1      (2      1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accumulated deferred income tax liability, net

   $ 1,218      $ 1,129      $ 1,143  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

FET has recorded as deferred income tax assets the effect of NOLs and tax credits that will more likely than not be realized through future operations and through the reversal of existing temporary differences. As of December 31, 2023, FET’s loss carryforwards consisted of approximately $640 million ($134 million, net of tax)

 

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of federal NOL carryforwards that begin to expire in 2031, and approximately $580 million ($28 million, net of tax) of state and municipal NOL carryforwards, of which approximately $151 million ($7 million, net of tax) is expected to be utilized based on current estimates and assumptions prior to expiration, which will begin in 2029. In addition, FET’s tax credit carryforwards primarily consisted of AMT credits of $19 million, which have no expiration.

The following table summarizes the changes in valuation allowances on DTAs related to state NOLs discussed above for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021.

 

     As of December 31,  

(In millions)

   2023      2022      2021  

Beginning of year balance

   $ 27      $ 28      $ 29  

Charged to income

     (5      (1      (1

Charged to other accounts

     —         —         —   

Write-offs

     —         —         —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

End of year balance

   $ 22      $ 27      $ 28  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

FET accounts for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in its financial statements. A recognition threshold and measurement attribute are utilized for financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a company’s tax return. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, FET’s total unrecognized income tax benefits were immaterial. As of December 31, 2023, FET does not anticipate any of the unrecognized income tax benefits will be resolved during 2024.

FET recognizes interest expense or income and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income taxes. That amount is computed by applying the applicable statutory interest rate to the difference between the tax position recognized and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken on the federal income tax return. During 2023 and 2022, FET did not record any interest related to uncertain tax positions, nor does FET have a cumulative net interest payable recorded on its Consolidated Balance Sheets.

FET has tax returns under review by state taxing authorities at the audit or appeals level for tax years 2020-2022.

General Taxes

General taxes associated with real and personal property taxes for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were $256 million, $247 million and $238 million, respectively.

4. LEASES

FET and its subsidiaries primarily lease fiber optics, land and other property and equipment under cancelable and noncancelable leases.

FET’s subsidiary, ATSI, has a ground lease with OE, Penn, CEI and TE under an operating lease agreement. Land use is rented to ATSI under the terms and conditions of a ground lease. ATSI, OE, Penn, CEI, and TE reserve the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair ATSI’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for ATSI’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating companies. ATSI purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. ATSI makes fixed quarterly lease payments for the ground lease of approximately $5 million through December 31, 2049, unless terminated prior to maturity, or extended by ATSI for up to 10 additional successive periods of 50 years each.

 

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FET’s consolidated VIE, MAIT, has a ground lease with FE PA predecessors PN and ME under an operating lease agreement. ME and PN reserve the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair MAIT’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for MAIT’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating company. MAIT purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. MAIT makes variable quarterly lease payments through January 1, 2043, unless terminated prior to maturity, or extended by MAIT for up to two additional successive periods of 25 years each and one successive term of 24 years. MAIT’s lease payment for the ground lease was approximately $4 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021. MAIT does not have an operating lease liability or asset associated with this agreement as the lease payments are variable.

FET and its subsidiaries account for leases under, “Leases (Topic 842). Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are recognized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term and not recorded on the balance sheet. Most leases include one or more, options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term from 1 to 40 years, and certain leases include options to terminate. The exercise of lease renewal options is at FET and its subsidiaries sole discretion. Renewal options are included within the lease liability if they are reasonably certain based on various factors relative to the contract. Certain leases also include options to purchase the leased property. The depreciable life of leased assets and leasehold improvements are limited by the expected lease term, unless there is a transfer of title or purchase option reasonably certain of exercise. FET and its subsidiaries have elected a policy to not separate lease components from non-lease components for all asset classes.

Finance leases for assets used in regulated operations are recognized in FET’s Consolidated Statement of Income such that amortization of the right-of-use asset and interest on lease liabilities equals the expense recorded for ratemaking purposes. All operating lease expenses are recognized in Other operating expense. The components of lease expense were as follows:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  

(In millions)

    2023        2022        2021   

Operating lease costs(1)

   $ 34      $ 28      $ 26  

Finance lease costs:

        

Amortization of right-of-use assets

     1        1        1  

Interest on lease liabilities

     —         —         —   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total finance lease cost

     1        1        1  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total lease cost

   $ 35      $ 29      $ 27  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $13 million, $7 million and $5 million of short-term lease costs for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

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Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:

 

(In millions)

 

Financial Statement Line Item

  As of
December 31, 2023
    As of
December 31, 2022
 

Assets

     

Operating lease assets(1)

  Operating lease right-of-use asset   $ 413     $ 413  

Finance lease assets(2)

  Property, plant and equipment     16       17  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total leased assets

    $ 429     $ 430  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities

     

Current:

     

Operating

  Other current liabilities   $ 6     $ 6  

Noncurrent:

     

Operating

  Noncurrent operating lease obligation     406       406  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total leased liabilities

    $ 412     $ 412  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Operating lease assets are recorded net of accumulated amortization of $3 million and $2 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(2)

Finance lease assets are recorded net of accumulated amortization of $4 million and $3 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:

 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

   For the Year Ended December 31,  
(in millions)    2023      2022      2021  

Operating cash flows from operating leases

   $ 21      $ 21      $ 21  

Lease terms and discount rates were as follows:

 

     As of
December 31, 2023
    As of
December 31, 2022
    As of
December 31, 2021
 

Weighted-average remaining lease terms (years)

      

Operating leases

     75.7       76.7       77.6  

Finance leases

     15.4       16.5       16.4  

Weighted-average discount rate(1)

      

Operating leases

     5.00     5.00     5.00

 

(1)

When an implicit rate is not readily determinable, an incremental borrowing rate is utilized, determining the present value of lease payments. The rate is determined based on expected term and information available at the commencement date.

 

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Maturities of lease liabilities as of December 31, 2023, were as follows:

 

(In millions)

   Operating Leases  

2024

   $ 21  

2025

     21  

2026

     21  

2027

     21  

2028

     21  

Thereafter

     1,479  
  

 

 

 

Total lease payments

     1,584  

Less imputed interest

     1,172  
  

 

 

 

Total net present value

   $ 412  
  

 

 

 

5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

All borrowings with initial maturities of less than one year are defined as short-term financial instruments under GAAP and are reported as Short-term borrowings on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at cost. Since these borrowings are short-term in nature, FET and its subsidiaries believe that their costs approximate their fair market value. The following table provides the approximate fair value and related carrying value of long-term debt, which excludes net unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts:

 

     December 31, 2023      December 31, 2022  

(In millions)

   Carrying
Value
     Fair
Value
     Carrying
Value
     Fair
Value
 

Long-term debt

   $ 5,300      $ 4,949      $ 4,975      $ 4,501  

The fair value of long-term debt reflects the present value of the cash outflows relating to those securities based on the current call price, the yield to maturity or the yield to call, as deemed appropriate at the end of each respective period. The yields assumed were based on securities with similar characteristics offered by corporations with credit ratings similar to those of FET and its subsidiaries. FET and its subsidiaries classified long-term debt as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

6. CAPITALIZATION

DIVIDENDS

Earnings, cash, capital structures, restrictions, and expected ongoing cash and earnings are reviewed by FET senior management prior to a dividend recommendation being made for consideration and authorization by the FET board of directors. Furthermore, the organizational documents, indentures, regulatory limitations, and various other agreements, including those relating to the long-term debt of subsidiaries contain provisions that could further restrict the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions by FET and subsidiaries of FET.

As of December 31, 2023, restricted net assets of FET’s consolidated subsidiaries exceeded 25%. FET subsidiaries would need regulatory authorization in order to loan funds to FET. In addition, certain of FET’s subsidiaries have regulatory limitations including requirements to maintain a consolidated debt-to-total-capitalization ratio (as defined under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities) of no more than 65% measured at the end of each fiscal quarter.

 

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LONG-TERM DEBT AND OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents outstanding long-term debt and other long-term obligations for FET and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

 

     As of December 31, 2023      As of December 31,  
      Maturity Date        Interest Rate        2023       2022   
                   (In millions)  

Unsecured notes—fixed rate

     2025—2049        2.65%—5.45%        $5,300       $4,975  

Unamortized debt premiums/discounts

           3       4  

Unamortized debt issuance costs

           (28     (30
        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total long-term debt and other long-term obligations

         $ 5,275     $ 4,949  
        

 

 

   

 

 

 

The following issuances occurred during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.

 

Company

   Type    Issuance Date    Interest
Rate
  Maturity    Amount
(in Millions)
  

Description

                        Issuances     

MAIT

   Unsecured
Notes
   February, 2023    5.39%   2033    $175    Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

ATSI

   Unsecured
Notes
   May, 2023    5.13%   2033    $150    Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

The following table presents scheduled debt repayments for outstanding long-term debt, excluding finance leases, fair value purchase accounting adjustments and unamortized debt discounts and premiums, for the next five years as of December 31, 2023:

 

(In millions)

    2024        2025        2026        2027        2028   

Scheduled debt repayments

   $ —       $ 1,225      $ 75      $ —       $ 1,100  

Debt Covenant Default Provisions

FET and its subsidiaries have various debt covenants under certain financing arrangements, including the revolving credit facility. The most restrictive of the debt covenants relate to the nonpayment of interest and/or principal on such debt and the maintenance of certain financial ratios. The failure by FET or its subsidiaries to comply with the covenants contained in any of their financing arrangements could result in an event of default, which may have an adverse effect on FET’s and its subsidiaries’ financial condition.

Additionally, there are cross-default provisions in certain financing arrangements of FE and its subsidiaries, including FET. These provisions generally trigger a default in the applicable financing arrangement of an entity if it or any of its significant subsidiaries default under another financing arrangement in excess of a certain principal amount, typically $100 million. Although such defaults by FET would cross-default FE financing arrangements containing these provisions, defaults by FE would generally not cross-default applicable FET financing arrangements, but defaults by ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL would cross-default applicable FET financing arrangements.

As of December 31, 2023, FET was in compliance with all debt covenant default provisions.

 

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7. SHORT-TERM BORROWINGS AND BANK LINES OF CREDIT

FET had $383 million and $1,322 million of outstanding short-term borrowings as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Revolving Credit Facility

On October 18, 2021 FE, FET and certain of its subsidiaries entered into the 2021 Credit Facilities, which were two separate senior unsecured five-year syndicated revolving credit facilities with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and PNC Bank, National Association that replaced the FE Revolving Facility and the FET Revolving Facility, and provide for aggregate commitments of $1.85 billion. Under the 2021 Credit Facilities, an aggregate amount of $1.85 billion is available to be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed, subject to each borrower’s respective sublimit under the respective facilities. These credit facilities provide substantial liquidity to support the Regulated businesses, and each of the operating companies within the businesses.

On October 20, 2023, FE and certain of its subsidiaries entered into the amendments to each of the 2021 Credit Facilities to, among other things; (i) amend the FE Revolving Facility to release FET as a borrower and (ii) extend the maturity date of the 2021 Credit Facilities for an additional one-year period, from October 18, 2026 to October 18, 2027. Also, on October 20, 2023, FET entered into a separate facility of which $1.0 billion is available to be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed until October 20, 2028.

The 2023 Credit Facilities are as follows:

 

   

FET, $1.0 billion revolving credit facility;

 

   

ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, $850 million revolving credit facility;

Borrowings under the 2023 Credit Facilities may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes. Generally, borrowings under each of the credit facilities are available to each borrower separately and mature on the earlier of 364 days from the date of borrowing or the commitment termination date, as the same may be extended. Each of the 2023 Credit Facilities contain financial covenants requiring each borrower to maintain a consolidated debt-to-total-capitalization ratio (as defined under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities) of no more than 65%, and 75% for FET, measured at the end of each fiscal quarter.

Under their credit facilities, ATSI, MAIT, and TrAIL may borrow up to $350 million, $350 million, and $150 million, respectively, all of which was available to them as of December 31, 2023. These short-term debt limitations are subject to the regulatory short-term debt authorization of $500 million, $400 million, and $400 million, respectively, which also includes amounts that may be borrowed under the regulated companies’ money pool.

The 2023 Credit Facilities do not contain provisions that restrict the ability to borrow or accelerate payment of outstanding advances in the event of any change in credit ratings of the borrowers. Pricing is defined in “pricing grids,” whereby the cost of funds borrowed under the 2023 Credit Facilities are related to the credit ratings of the company borrowing the funds. Additionally, borrowings under each of the 2023 Credit Facilities are subject to the usual and customary provisions for acceleration upon the occurrence of events of default, including a cross-default for other indebtedness in excess of $100 million.

As of December 31, 2023, FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL had a debt-to-total-capitalization ratio of 64.1%, 40.7%, 39.2%, and 39.6%, respectively, which was in compliance with the applicable covenants under their respective 2023 Credit Facility.

FirstEnergy Money Pools

As regulated money pool participants, FET’s subsidiaries have the ability to borrow from each other, regulated affiliates and FE to meet their short-term working capital requirements. As of December 31, 2023, FET

 

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had a similar but separate arrangement with FE’s unregulated money pool participants. FESC administers these money pools and tracks surplus funds of FE and the respective regulated and unregulated subsidiaries, as the case may be, as well as proceeds available from bank borrowings. Companies receiving a loan under the money pool agreements must repay the principal amount of the loan, together with accrued interest, within 364 days of borrowing the funds. The rate of interest is the same for each company receiving a loan from their respective pool and is based on the average cost of funds available through the pool. Interest rates have increased significantly, which has caused the rate and interest expense on borrowings under the various FirstEnergy credit facilities to be significantly higher.

 

Average Interest Rates

   Regulated Companies’ Money
Pool
    Unregulated Companies’ Money
Pool
 
     2023     2022     2021     2023     2022     2021  

For the Years ended December 31,

     6.30     2.27     1.01     6.01     2.14     0.60

8. REGULATORY MATTERS

FERC REGULATORY MATTERS

With respect to their transmission services and rates, ATSI, MAIT, PATH and TrAIL are subject to regulation by FERC. Under the FPA, FERC regulates rates for transmission of electric power, accounting and other matters. FERC regulations require ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL to provide open access transmission service at FERC-approved rates, terms and conditions. Transmission facilities of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are subject to functional control by PJM, and transmission service using ATSI’s, MAIT’s and TrAIL’s transmission facilities is provided by PJM under the PJM Tariff.

The following table summarizes the key terms of rate orders in effect for transmission customer billings for each one of FET’s transmission owner entities:

 

Company

  

Rates Effective

  

Capital Structure

  

Allowed ROE

ATSI

   January 1, 2015    Actual (13 month average)    10.38%

MAIT

   July 1, 2017   

Lower of Actual (13 month

average) or 60%

   10.3%

TrAIL

   July 1, 2008    Actual (year-end)    12.7%(1) /11.7%(2)

 

(1)

TrAIL the Line and Black Oak Static Var Compensator

(2)

All other projects

Federally enforceable mandatory reliability standards apply to the bulk electric system and impose certain operating, record-keeping and reporting requirements on ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL. NERC is the ERO designated by FERC to establish and enforce these reliability standards, although NERC has delegated day-to-day implementation and enforcement of these reliability standards to six regional entities, including RFC. All of the facilities that FirstEnergy operates, including those of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, are located within RFC. FirstEnergy actively participates in the NERC and RFC stakeholder processes, and otherwise monitors and manages its companies, including ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, in response to the ongoing development, implementation and enforcement of the reliability standards implemented and enforced by RFC.

FET and/or its subsidiaries believes that it is in material compliance with all currently-effective and enforceable reliability standards. Nevertheless, in the course of operating its extensive electric utility systems and facilities, FET and/or its subsidiaries, occasionally learns of isolated facts or circumstances that could be interpreted as excursions from the reliability standards. If and when such occurrences are found, FET and/or its subsidiaries, develops information about the occurrence and develops a remedial response to the specific circumstances, including in appropriate cases “self-reporting” an occurrence to RFC. Moreover, it is clear that NERC, RFC and FERC will continue to refine existing reliability standards as well as to develop and adopt new

 

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reliability standards. Any inability on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ part to comply with the reliability standards for its bulk electric system could result in the imposition of financial penalties, or obligations to upgrade or build transmission facilities, that could have a material adverse effect on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

FERC Audit

FERC’s Division of Audits and Accounting initiated a nonpublic audit of FESC in February 2019. Among other matters, the audit is evaluating FirstEnergy’s compliance with certain accounting and reporting requirements under various FERC regulations. On February 4, 2022, FERC filed the final audit report for the period of January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2021, which included several findings and recommendations that FirstEnergy has accepted. The audit report included a finding and related recommendation on FirstEnergy’s methodology for allocation of certain corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts under certain FERC regulations and reporting. Effective in the first quarter of 2022 and in response to the finding, FirstEnergy had implemented a new methodology for the allocation of these corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts for its regulated distribution and transmission companies on a prospective basis. With the assistance of an independent outside firm, FirstEnergy completed an analysis during the third quarter of 2022 of these costs and how it impacted certain FERC-jurisdictional wholesale transmission customer rates for the audit period of 2015 through 2021. As a result of this analysis, FET recorded in the third quarter of 2022 approximately $34 million (after-tax) in expected customer refunds, plus interest, due to its wholesale transmission customers and reclassified approximately $99 million of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses for the audit period, of which $9 million are not expected to be recoverable and impacted FirstEnergy’s earnings since they relate to costs capitalized during stated transmission rate time periods. FET is currently recovering approximately $91 million of costs reclassified to operating expenses in its transmission formula rate revenue requirements, of which $13 million of costs have been recovered as of December 31, 2023. On December 8, 2023, FERC audit staff issued a letter advising that two unresolved audit matters, primarily related to FET’s plan to recover the reclassified operating expenses in formula transmission rates, were being referred to other offices within FERC for further review. These reclassifications also resulted in a reduction to FET’s rate base by approximately $77 million, which is not expected to materially impact FET’s future earnings. The expected wholesale transmission customer refunds were recognized as a reduction to revenue, and the amount of reclassified transmission capital assets that are not expected to be recoverable were recognized within “Other operating expenses” on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income. If FirstEnergy or FET are unable to recover these transmission costs, it could result in future charges and/or adjustments and have an adverse impact on FET’s financial condition.

ATSI ROE – Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On February 24, 2022, the OCC filed a complaint with FERC against ATSI, AEP’s Ohio affiliates and American Electric Power Service Corporation, and Duke Energy Ohio, LLC asserting that FERC should reduce the ROE utilized in the utilities’ transmission formula rates by eliminating the 50 basis point adder associated with RTO membership, effective February 24, 2022. The OCC contends that this result is required because Ohio law mandates that transmission owning utilities join an RTO and that the 50 basis point adder is applicable only where RTO membership is voluntary. On December 15, 2022, FERC denied the complaint as to ATSI and Duke, but granted it as to AEP. AEP and OCC appealed FERC’s orders to the Sixth Circuit. FirstEnergy is actively participating in the appeal and the case remains pending. FirstEnergy is unable to predict the outcome of this proceeding, but it is not expected to have a material impact.

Transmission ROE Methodology

On March 20, 2020, FERC initiated a rulemaking proceeding on the transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act. FirstEnergy submitted comments through the Edison Electric Institute and as part of a consortium of PJM Transmission Owners. In a supplemental rulemaking proceeding that

 

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was initiated on April 15, 2021, FERC requested comments on, among other things, whether to require utilities that have been members of an RTO for three years or more and that have been collecting an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder to file tariff updates that would terminate collection of the incentive adder. Initial comments on the proposed rule were filed on June 25, 2021, and reply comments were filed on July 26, 2021. The rulemaking remains pending before FERC. FirstEnergy is a member of PJM, and its transmission subsidiaries could be affected by the supplemental proposed rule. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups. If there were to be any changes to FirstEnergy’s transmission incentive ROE, such changes will be applied on a prospective basis.

Transmission Planning Supplemental Projects: Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On September 27, 2023, the OCC filed a complaint against ATSI, PJM and other transmission utilities in Ohio alleging that the PJM Tariff and operating agreement are unjust, unreasonable, and unduly discriminatory because they include no provisions to ensure PJM’s review and approval for the planning, need, prudence and cost-effectiveness of the PJM Tariff Attachment M-3 “Supplemental Projects.” Supplemental Projects are projects that are planned and constructed to address local needs on the transmission system. The OCC demands that FERC: (i) require PJM to review supplemental projects for need, prudence and cost-effectiveness; (ii) appoint an independent transmission monitor to assist PJM in such review; and (iii) require that Supplemental Projects go into rate base only through a “stated rate” procedure whereby prior FERC approval would be needed for projects with costs that exceed an established threshold. ATSI and the other transmission utilities in Ohio and PJM filed comments and the complaint is pending before FERC.

9. COMMITMENTS, GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES

GUARANTEES AND OTHER ASSURANCES

FET has various financial and performance guarantees and indemnifications which are issued in the normal course of business. These contracts include performance guarantees, stand-by LOCs, debt guarantees, surety bonds and indemnifications. FET enters into these arrangements to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties by enhancing the value of the transaction to the third party. The maximum potential amount of future payments FET could be required to make under these guarantees as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was $21 million and $20 million, respectively, relating to surety bonds, which are not tied to a credit rating. Surety bonds’ impact assumes maximum contractual obligations, which is ordinarily 100% of the face amount of the surety bond except with respect to $1 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 of surety bond obligations for which the collateral obligation is capped at 60% of the face amount, and typical obligations require 30 days to cure.

Collateral and Contingent-Related Features

In the normal course of business, FET may enter into physical or financially settled contracts. Certain agreements contain provisions that require FET to post collateral. This collateral may be posted in the form of cash or credit support with thresholds contingent upon FET’s credit rating from each of the major credit rating agencies. The collateral and credit support requirements vary by contract and by counterparty. FET has posted $2 million of net cash collateral as of December 31, 2023, which is included in “Prepaid taxes and other current assets” on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

Various federal, state and local authorities regulate FET with regard to air and water quality, hazardous and solid waste disposal, and other environmental matters. While FET’s environmental policies and procedures are designed to achieve compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations, such laws and regulations are subject to periodic review and potential revision by the implementing agencies. FET cannot predict the timing or ultimate outcome of any of these reviews or how any future actions taken as a result thereof may materially impact its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

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OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On July 21, 2020, a complaint and supporting affidavit containing federal criminal allegations were unsealed against the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. In March 2023, a jury found Mr. Householder and his co-defendant, Matthew Borges, guilty and in June 2023, the two were sentenced to prison for 20 and 5 years, respectively. Messrs. Householder and Borges have appealed their sentences. Also, on July 21, 2020, and in connection with the DOJ’s investigation, FirstEnergy received subpoenas for records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. FirstEnergy was not aware of the criminal allegations, affidavit or subpoenas before July 21, 2020.

On July 21, 2021, FE entered into a three-year DPA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that, subject to court proceedings, resolves this matter. Under the DPA, FE has agreed to the filing of a criminal information charging FE with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. The DPA requires that FirstEnergy, among other obligations: (i) continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in all matters relating to the conduct described in the DPA and other conduct under investigation by the U.S. government; (ii) pay a criminal monetary penalty totaling $230 million within sixty days, which shall consist of (x) $115 million paid by FE to the United States Treasury and (y) $115 million paid by FE to the ODSA to fund certain assistance programs, as determined by the ODSA, for the benefit of low-income Ohio electric utility customers; (iii) publish a list of all payments made in 2021 to either 501(c)(4) entities or to entities known by FirstEnergy to be operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly, and update the same on a quarterly basis during the term of the DPA; (iv) issue a public statement, as dictated in the DPA, regarding FE’s use of 501(c)(4) entities; and (v) continue to implement and review its compliance and ethics program, internal controls, policies and procedures designed, implemented and enforced to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. laws throughout its operations, and to take certain related remedial measures. The $230 million payment will neither be recovered in rates or charged to FirstEnergy customers nor will FirstEnergy seek any tax deduction related to such payment. The entire amount of the monetary penalty was recognized as expense in the second quarter of 2021 and paid in the third quarter of 2021. Under the terms of the DPA, the criminal information will be dismissed after FirstEnergy fully complies with its obligations under the DPA.

Legal Proceedings Relating to United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On August 10, 2020, the SEC, through its Division of Enforcement, issued an order directing an investigation of possible securities laws violations by FE, and on September 1, 2020, issued subpoenas to FE and certain FE officers. On April 28, 2021, July 11, 2022, and May 25, 2023, the SEC issued additional subpoenas to FE, with which FE has complied. While no contingency has been reflected in its consolidated financial statements, FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of the SEC investigation. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of the review, inquiries and investigations, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss that may arise from the resolution of the SEC investigation.

On June 29, 2023, the OOCIC served FE a subpoena, seeking information relating to the conduct described in the DPA. FirstEnergy was not aware of the OOCIC’s investigation prior to receiving the subpoena and understands that the OOCIC’s investigation is also focused on the conduct described in the DPA. FirstEnergy is cooperating with the OOCIC in its investigation. On February 12, 2024, and in connection with the OOCIC’s ongoing investigation, an indictment by a grand jury of Summit County, Ohio was unsealed against the former chairman of the PUCO, Samuel Randazzo, and two former FirstEnergy senior officers, Charles E. Jones, and Michael J. Dowling, charging each of them with several felony counts, including bribery, telecommunications fraud, money laundering and aggravated theft, related to payments described in the DPA. No contingency has been reflected in FirstEnergy’s consolidated financial statements, as a loss is neither probable, nor is a loss or range of loss reasonably estimable.

In addition to the subpoenas referenced above under “—United States v. Larry Householder, et. al.” and the SEC investigation, certain FE stockholders and FirstEnergy customers filed several lawsuits against FirstEnergy

 

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and certain current and former directors, officers and other employees, and the complaints in each of these suits is related to allegations in the complaint and supporting affidavit relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. The plaintiffs in each of the below cases seek, among other things, to recover an unspecified amount of damages (unless otherwise noted). Unless otherwise indicated, no contingency has been reflected in FirstEnergy’s consolidated financial statements with respect to these lawsuits as a loss is neither probable, nor is a loss or range of a loss reasonably estimable.

 

   

In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation (S.D. Ohio); on July 28, 2020 and August 21, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed putative class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws. Those actions have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff, the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, has been appointed by the court. A consolidated complaint was filed on February 26, 2021. The consolidated complaint alleges, on behalf of a proposed class of persons who purchased FE securities between February 21, 2017 and July 21, 2020, that FE and certain current or former FE officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing misrepresentations or omissions concerning FE’s business and results of operations. The consolidated complaint also alleges that FE, certain current or former FE officers and directors, and a group of underwriters violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 as a result of alleged misrepresentations or omissions in connection with offerings of senior notes by FE in February and June 2020. On March 30, 2023, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. On April 14, 2023, FE filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit seeking to appeal that order, which the Sixth Circuit granted on November 16, 2023. On November 30, 2023, FE filed a motion with the S.D. Ohio to stay all proceedings pending the circuit court appeal. All discovery is stayed during the pendency of the district court motion. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this lawsuit. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

MFS Series Trust I, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and Brighthouse Funds II – MFS Value Portfolio, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. (S.D. Ohio) on December 17, 2021 and February 21, 2022, purported stockholders of FE filed complaints against FE, certain current and former officers, and certain current and former officers of EH. The complaints allege that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing alleged misrepresentations or omissions regarding FE’s business and its results of operations, and seek the same relief as the In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation described above. All discovery is stayed during the pendency of the district court motion in In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation described above. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur losses in connection with the resolution of these lawsuits. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp. (Common Pleas Court, Franklin County, OH, all actions have been consolidated); on September 23, 2020 and October 27, 2020, the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus, respectively, filed complaints against several parties including FE, each alleging civil violations of the Ohio Corrupt Activity Act and related claims in connection with the passage of HB 6. On January 13, 2021, the OAG filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against FirstEnergy seeking to enjoin FirstEnergy from collecting the Ohio Companies’ decoupling rider. On January 31, 2021, FE reached a partial settlement with the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus with respect to the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction request and related issues. In connection with the partial settlement, the Ohio Companies filed an application on February 1, 2021, with the PUCO to set their respective decoupling riders (Conservation Support Rider) to zero. On February 2, 2021, the PUCO approved the application of the Ohio Companies setting the rider to zero, and no additional customer bills will include new decoupling rider charges after February 8, 2021. On August 13, 2021, new defendants were added to the complaint, including two former officers of FirstEnergy. On December 2, 2021, the cities and FE

 

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entered a stipulated dismissal with prejudice of the cities’ suit. After a stay, pending final resolution of the United States v. Larry Householder, et al. criminal proceeding described above, the litigation has resumed pursuant to an order, dated March 15, 2023. Discovery is ongoing. On July 31, 2023, FE and other defendants filed motions to dismiss in part the OAG’s section amended complaint, which the OAG opposed. On February 16, 2024, the OAG moved to stay the case in its entirety in light of the February 9, 2024, indictments against defendants in this action.

On February 9, 2022, FE, acting through the SLC, agreed to a settlement term sheet to resolve the following shareholder derivative lawsuits relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder that were filed in the S.D. Ohio, the N.D. Ohio, and the Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Summit County:

 

   

Gendrich v. Anderson, et al. and Sloan v. Anderson, et al. (Common Pleas Court, Summit County, Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on July 26, 2020 and July 31, 2020, respectively, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative action lawsuits against certain current and former FE directors and officers, alleging, among other things, breaches of fiduciary duty.

 

   

Miller v. Anderson, et al. (N.D. Ohio); Bloom, et al. v. Anderson, et al.; Employees Retirement System of the City of St. Louis v. Jones, et al.; Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. v. Anderson et al.; Massachusetts Laborers Pension Fund v. Anderson et al.; The City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement v. Anderson et al.; Atherton v. Dowling et al.; Behar v. Anderson, et al. (S.D. Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); beginning on August 7, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act.

On March 11, 2022, the parties executed a stipulation and agreement of settlement, and filed a motion the same day requesting preliminary settlement approval in the S.D. Ohio, which the S.D. Ohio granted on May 9, 2022. Subsequently, following a hearing on August 4, 2022, the S.D. Ohio granted final approval of the settlement on August 23, 2022.

The settlement includes a series of corporate governance enhancements and a payment to FE of $180 million, to be paid by insurance after the judgment has become final, less approximately $36 million in court-ordered attorney’s fees awarded to plaintiffs. On September 20, 2022, a purported FE stockholder filed a motion for reconsideration of the S.D. Ohio’s final settlement approval. The parties filed oppositions to that motion on October 11, 2022, and the S.D. Ohio denied that motion on May 22, 2023. On June 15, 2023, the purported FE stockholder filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. On February 16, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s final settlement approval. Once all appeal options are exhausted the judgement will become final. The settlement agreement is expected to resolve fully these shareholder derivative lawsuits.

On June 2, 2022, the N.D. Ohio entered an order to show cause why the court should not appoint new plaintiffs’ counsel, and thereafter, on June 10, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the matter without prejudice, which the N.D. Ohio denied on July 5, 2022. On August 15, 2022, the N.D. Ohio issued an order stating its intention to appoint one group of applicants as new plaintiffs’ counsel, and on August 22, 2022, the N.D. Ohio ordered that any objections to the appointment be submitted by August 26, 2022. The parties filed their objections by that deadline, and on September 2, 2022, the applicants responded to those objections. In the meantime, on August 25, 2022, a purported FE stockholder represented by the applicants filed a motion to intervene, attaching a proposed complaint-in-intervention purporting to assert claims that the FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act as well as a claim against a third party for professional negligence and malpractice. The parties filed oppositions to that motion to intervene on September 8, 2022, and the proposed intervenor’s reply in support of his motion to intervene was filed on September 22, 2022. On August 24, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the action pending in the N.D. Ohio based upon and in light of the approval of the settlement by the S.D. Ohio. On August 30, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the state court action, which the court granted on

 

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September 2, 2022. On September 29, 2023, the N.D. Ohio issued a stay of the case pending the appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

In letters dated January 26, and February 22, 2021, staff of FERC’s Division of Investigations notified FirstEnergy that the Division was conducting an investigation of FirstEnergy’s lobbying and governmental affairs activities concerning HB 6, and staff directed FirstEnergy to preserve and maintain all documents and information related to the same as such have been developed as part of an ongoing non-public audit being conducted by FERC’s Division of Audits and Accounting. On December 30, 2022, FERC approved a Stipulation and Consent Agreement that resolves the investigation. The agreement includes a FirstEnergy admission of violating FERC’s “duty of candor” rule and related laws, and obligates FirstEnergy to pay a civil penalty of $3.86 million, and to submit two annual compliance monitoring reports to FERC’s Office of Enforcement regarding improvements to FirstEnergy’s compliance programs. FE paid the civil penalty on January 4, 2023 and it will not be recovered from customers. The first annual compliance monitoring report was submitted in December 2023.

The outcome of any of these lawsuits, governmental investigations and audit is uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on FE’s or its subsidiaries’, including FET’s, reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

Other Legal Matters

There are various lawsuits, claims and proceedings related to FET’s normal business operations pending against FET or its subsidiaries. The loss or range of loss in these matters is not expected to be material to FET or its subsidiaries. The other potentially material items not otherwise discussed above are described under Note 8, “Regulatory Matters.”

FET accrues legal liabilities only when it concludes that it is probable that it has an obligation for such costs and can reasonably estimate the amount of such costs. In cases where FET determines that it is not probable, but reasonably possible that it has a material obligation, it discloses such obligations and the possible loss or range of loss if such estimate can be made. If it were ultimately determined that FET or its subsidiaries have legal liability or are otherwise made subject to liability based on any of the matters referenced above, it could have a material adverse effect on FET’s or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

10. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATED COMPANIES

In addition to the intercompany income tax allocation and the short-term borrowing arrangement, FET and its subsidiaries have revenues, operating expense and interest expense transactions with affiliated companies, primarily FESC and the Electric Companies. The affiliated company transactions during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,  
      2023        2022        2021   
     (In millions)  

Revenues

   $ 16      $ 15      $ 15  

Other operating expenses:

        

Ground lease expense(1)

     25        25        25  

FESC support services(2)

     219        187        159  

Other affiliate support services(2)

     106        85        88  

Interest income

     16        49        6  

Interest expense

     17        49        4  

 

(1)

See Note 4, “Leases”.

(2)

Includes amounts capitalized.

 

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FE does not bill directly or allocate any of its costs to any subsidiary company. FESC provides corporate support and other services, including executive administration, accounting and finance, risk management, human resources, corporate affairs, communications, information technology, legal services and other similar services at cost, in accordance with its cost allocation manual, to affiliated FirstEnergy companies under FESC agreements. Allocated costs are for services that are provided on behalf of more than one company, or costs that cannot be precisely identified and are allocated using formulas developed by FESC. Intercompany transactions are generally settled under commercial terms within thirty days.

As FET and its subsidiaries do not have employees, employees from the Electric Companies perform maintenance and project work in support of FET and its subsidiaries. Labor and overhead costs associated with these activities are charged by the affiliates to FET’s subsidiaries at cost.

As regulated money pool participants, FET’s subsidiaries have the ability to borrow from each other, regulated affiliates and the FE holding company to meet their short-term working capital requirements. As of December 31, 2023, FET had a similar but separate arrangement with FE’s unregulated money pool participants. Affiliated company notes receivables and payables related to the money pool are reported as Notes receivable from affiliated companies or Short-term borrowings — affiliated companies on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Affiliate accounts receivable and accounts payable balances relate to intercompany transactions that have not yet settled through the FirstEnergy money pool (see Note 7, “Short-Term Borrowings and Bank Lines of Credit”).

In May of 2022, FET issued a $2.3 billion note payable with interest to FE, an affiliated company, as payment for a dividend. Half of the principal amount was paid in December 2022, with the remaining balance paid in January 2023. The note is included within “Note payable to affiliated companies” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

FET and its subsidiaries are party to an intercompany income tax allocation agreement with FirstEnergy that provides for the allocation of consolidated tax liabilities. Prior to tax returns for years before 2022, net tax benefits attributable to FE, excluding any tax benefits derived from certain interest expense, were generally reallocated to the subsidiaries of FE that have taxable income. Effective January 1, 2022, the intercompany income tax allocation agreement was amended and revised such that FE no longer reallocates such tax benefits to the FE subsidiaries. Immediately following the close of the FET Minority Equity Interest Sale, FET and its subsidiaries will no longer be members of the FirstEnergy consolidated group for federal income tax purposes and, instead, will constitute a separate consolidated group with a separate income tax allocation agreement for federal income tax purposes. See Note 3, “Taxes” for additional information.

In addition to service costs, interest on obligations, expected return on plan assets, and prior service costs, FirstEnergy recognizes in net periodic benefit costs a pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment for the change in the fair value of plan assets and net actuarial gains and losses annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year and whenever a plan is determined to qualify for a remeasurement. FET’s subsidiaries are allocated a portion of net periodic benefit costs from affiliates. These amounts are expected to be refunded or recovered through formula transmission rates. During 2023, 2022 and 2021 FET’s subsidiaries allocated amount of the pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustments from affiliates were gains or (losses) of $(31) million, $(11) million and $19 million, respectively. These amounts are expected to be refunded or recovered through formula transmission rates. Additionally, other pension and OPEB net periodic costs (credits) allocated to FET’s subsidiaries from affiliates were approximately $8 million, $(18) million and $(18) million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 

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SCHEDULE I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF PARENT

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

 

      For the Years Ended December 31,   

(In millions)

    2023       2022       2021   

Operating revenues

   $ —      $ —      $ —   

Operating expenses

     1       —        —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (1     —        —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

      

Equity in earnings of subsidiaries

     440       369       324  

Interest income from affiliates

     8       44       5  

Interest expense from affiliates

     (10     (49     —   

Interest expense—other

     (89     (89     (93
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other income

     349       275       236  

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX BENEFITS

     348       275       236  

INCOME TAX BENEFITS

     (21     (19     (19
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

   $ 369     $ 294     $ 255  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF PARENT

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

 

(In millions)

    December 31, 2023        December 31, 2022   

ASSETS

     

CURRENT ASSETS

     

Receivables—affiliated companies

   $ 2      $ 7  

Notes receivables from affiliated companies

     —         1,514  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current assets

     2        1,521  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

INVESTMENTS AND OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS:

     

Investment in subsidiaries

     4,563        4,049  

Accumulated deferred income tax benefits

     38        22  

Other

     5        4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     4,606        4,075  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 4,608      $ 5,596  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

     

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

     

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies

   $ 178      $ —   

Note payable to affiliated company

     —         1,168  

Accounts payable—affiliated companies

     2        9  

Accrued taxes

     1        3  

Accrued interest

     32        32  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     213        1,212  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

LONG-TERM DEBT

     1,986        1,984  

EQUITY:

     

Members’ equity

     2,250        2,312  

Retained earnings

     159        88  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total members’ equity

     2,409        2,400  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL MEMBERS’ EQUITY

     2,409        2,400  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

   $ 4,608      $ 5,596  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed financial statements.

 

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SCHEDULE I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF PARENT

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

 

     For the Years Ended
December 31,
 

(In millions)

    2023       2022       2021   

NET CASH FLOWS PROVIDED FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

   $ 114     $ 212     $ 267  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

      

Investment in subsidiary

     (275     (240     (350

Loans with affiliated companies, net

     1,514       (1,086     572  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     1,239       (1,326     222  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

      

New financing—

      

Long-term debt

     —        —        500  

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     177       —        —   

Redemptions and Repayments

      

Short-term borrowings—net

     —        —        (850

Capital contribution from Brookfield

     —        9       —   

Proceeds from FET minority interest sale, net of transaction costs

     —        2,348       —   

Equity contribution from parent

     —        61       —   

Dividend payments

     (1,527     (1,304     (130

Other

     (3     —        (9
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     (1,353     1,114       (489
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

     —        —        —   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     —        —        —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ —      $ —      $ —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

      

Cash dividends received from consolidated subsidiaries

   $ 202     $ 276     $ 336  

See accompanying notes to condensed financial statements.

 

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SCHEDULE I - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF PARENT

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1—BASIS OF PRESENTATION

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (parent company only) is a holding company that primarily conducts its business operations through its subsidiaries. FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (parent company only) has accounted for its subsidiaries using the equity method. These financial statements are presented on a condensed basis. FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (parent company only) financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements.

NOTE 2—SHORT-TERM DEBT AND LIQUIDITY

Please see Note 7, “Short-Term Borrowings and Bank Lines of Credit” of the audited consolidated annual financial statements for a description and details of short-term debt and liquidity needs of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (parent company only).

NOTE 3—LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS

LONG-TERM DEBT AND OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents outstanding long-term debt and other long-term obligations for FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (parent company only) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

 

     As of December 31, 2023      As of December 31,  
      Maturity Date        Interest Rate        2023       2022   
     (In millions)  

Unsecured notes—fixed rate

     2025—2049        2.866%—5.450%      $ 2,000     $ 2,000  

Unamortized debt premiums/discounts

           (2     (2

Unamortized debt issuance costs

           (12     (14
        

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total long-term debt and other long-term obligations

         $ 1,986     $ 1,984  
        

 

 

   

 

 

 

The following table presents scheduled debt repayments for outstanding long-term debt excluding unamortized debt discounts and premiums, for the next five years as of December 31, 2023:

 

(In millions)

    2024        2025        2026        2027        2028   

Scheduled debt repayments

   $ —       $ 600      $ —       $ —       $ 500  

NOTE 4—COMMITMENTS, GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES

Please see Note 8, “Regulatory Matters,” and Note 9, “Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies,” of the audited consolidated annual financial statements for additional information.

 

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The following abbreviations and acronyms may be used in these financial statements to identify FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and its current and former subsidiaries and affiliated companies:

 

ATSI   

American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, a transmission subsidiary of FET

CEI   

The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

Electric Companies   

OE, CEI, TE, FE PA, JCP&L, MP, and PE

FE   

FirstEnergy Corp., a public electric power holding company

FE PA   

FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, a Pennsylvania electric utility subsidiary of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Holding Company LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of FE

FESC   

FirstEnergy Service Company, which provides legal, financial and other corporate support services

FET   

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC a consolidated VIE of FE and the parent company of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, and having a joint venture in PATH

FirstEnergy   

FirstEnergy Corp., together with its consolidated subsidiaries

JCP&L   

Jersey Central Power & Light Company, a New Jersey electric power company subsidiary of FE

KATCo   

Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company, a wholly owned transmission subsidiary of FE

MAIT   

Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, a transmission subsidiary of FET

ME   

Metropolitan Edison Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

MP   

Monongahela Power Company, a West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE

OE   

Ohio Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

Ohio Companies   

CEI, OE and TE

PATH   

Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC, a joint venture between FE and a subsidiary of AEP

PE   

The Potomac Edison Company, a Maryland and West Virginia electric power company subsidiary of FE

Penn   

Pennsylvania Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of OE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

Pennsylvania Companies   

ME, PN, Penn and WP, each of which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

PN   

Pennsylvania Electric Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

TE   

The Toledo Edison Company, an Ohio electric power company subsidiary of FE

TrAIL   

Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company, a transmission subsidiary of FET

WP   

West Penn Power Company, a former Pennsylvania electric power company subsidiary of FE, which merged with and into FE PA on January 1, 2024

 

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The following abbreviations and acronyms may be used to identify frequently used terms in these financial statements:

 

2021 Credit Facilities   

Collectively, the two separate senior unsecured five-year syndicated revolving credit facilities entered into by FE, FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, on October 18, 2021, as amended through October 20, 2023

2023 Credit Facilities   

Collectively, the FET Revolving Facility and the ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL revolving facilities as amended through October 20, 2023

A&R FET LLC Agreement   

Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET

AEP   

American Electric Power Company, Inc.

AFSI   

Adjusted Financial Statement Income

AFUDC   

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction

AMT   

Alternative Minimum Tax

ARO   

Asset Retirement Obligation

ASC   

Accounting Standards Codification

ASU   

Accounting Standards Update

Brookfield   

North American Transmission Company II L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and a controlled investment vehicle entity of Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners

Brookfield Guarantors   

Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners L.P., Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners (NUS) L.P., and Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners (ER) SCSp

CFIUS   

Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States

DPA   

Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into on July 21, 2021 between FE and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio

EH   

Energy Harbor Corp

EPA   

United States Environmental Protection Agency

ERO   

Electric Reliability Organization

Exchange Act   

Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

FASB   

Financial Accounting Standards Board

FE Board   

The Board of Directors of FirstEnergy Corp.

FE Revolving Facility   

FE and the Electric Companies’ former five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, as amended, and replaced by the 2021 Credit Facilities on October 18, 2021

FERC   

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

FET Board   

The Board of Directors of FET

FET LLC Agreement   

Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET

FET Minority Equity Interest Sale   

Sale of an additional 30% membership interest of FET, such that Brookfield will own 49.9% of FET

FET P&SA I   

Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on November 6, 2021, by and between FE, FET, Brookfield, and Brookfield Guarantors

FET P&SA II   

Purchase and Sale Agreement entered into on February 2, 2023, by and between FE, FET, Brookfield, and the Brookfield Guarantors

FET Revolving Facility   

FET’s five-year syndicated revolving credit facility, dated as of October 20, 2023

Fitch   

Fitch Ratings Service

FPA   

Federal Power Act

GAAP   

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America

HB 6   

House Bill 6, as passed by Ohio’s 133rd General Assembly

IRA of 2022   

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

IRS   

Internal Revenue Service

kV   

Kilovolt

 

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LIBOR   

London Inter-Bank Offered Rate

LOC   

Letter of Credit

MDPSC   

Maryland Public Service Commission

MISO   

Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.

Moody’s   

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

N.D. Ohio   

Federal District Court, Northern District of Ohio

NERC   

North American Electric Reliability Corporation

NOL   

Net Operating Loss

OAG   

Ohio Attorney General

OCC   

Ohio Consumers’ Counsel

ODSA   

Ohio Development Service Agency

OOCIC   

Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which is composed of members of the Ohio law enforcement community and is chaired by the OAG

OPEB   

Other Postemployment Benefits

PJM   

PJM Interconnection, LLC

PJM Tariff   

PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff

PPUC   

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

PUCO   

Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

RFC   

ReliabilityFirst Corporation

ROE   

Return on Equity

RTO   

Regional Transmission Organization

S.D. Ohio   

Federal District Court, Southern District of Ohio

SEC   

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

SLC   

Special Litigation Committee of the FE Board

SOFR   

Secured Overnight Financing Rate

S&P   

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service

Tax Act   

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act adopted December 22, 2017

VIE   

Variable Interest Entity

VSCC   

Virginia State Corporation Commission

WVPSC   

Public Service Commission of West Virginia

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

 

      For the Three Months 
 Ended June 30, 
     For the Six Months 
 Ended June 30, 
 

(In millions)

    2024       2023       2024       2023   

REVENUES:

        

Revenues from non-affiliates

   $ 440     $ 405     $ 854     $ 780  

Revenues from affiliates

     5       4       9       8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     445       409       863       788  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES:

        

Other operating expenses(1)

     82       85       154       148  

Provision for depreciation

     80       73       157       145  

Amortization of regulatory assets, net

     2       2       3       3  

General taxes

     70       64       139       127  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     234       224       453       423  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     211       185       410       365  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):

        

Interest income from affiliates

     2       4       3       11  

Miscellaneous income (expense), net

     3       —        1       (1

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     —        5       —        5  

Interest expense—other

     (66     (55     (124     (107

Interest expense—affiliates

     (2     (2     (7     (6

Capitalized financing costs

     14       9       26       17  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other expense

     (49     (39     (101     (81
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     162       146       309       284  

INCOME TAXES

     39       32       96       63  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     123       114       213       221  

Income attributable to noncontrolling interest

     17       18       35       35  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

EARNINGS ATTRIBUTABLE TO FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

   $ 106     $ 96     $ 178     $ 186  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $85 million and $84 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and $178 million and $163 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, of related party costs certain of which are subject to capitalization.

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

 

(In millions)

    June 30, 2024        December 31, 2023   

ASSETS

     

CURRENT ASSETS:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 9      $ 76  

Receivables—

     

Affiliated companies

     4        10  

Other

     114        88  

Notes receivable from affiliated companies

     211        17  

Prepaid taxes and other

     20        23  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     358        214  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

     

In service

     12,287        11,861  

Less—Accumulated provision for depreciation

     2,502        2,410  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     9,785        9,451  

Construction work in progress

     855        770  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     10,640        10,221  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

INVESTMENTS AND OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS:

     

Goodwill

     224        224  

Investments

     19        19  

Regulatory assets

     7        15  

Property taxes

     133        277  

Operating lease right-of-use asset(1)

     412        413  

Other

     42        36  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     837        984  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 11,835      $ 11,419  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

     

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

     

Currently payable long-term debt

   $ 1,225      $ —   

Short-term borrowings—

     

Affiliated companies

     6        383  

Other

     215        —   

Accounts payable—affiliated companies

     13        30  

Accounts payable—other

     —         2  

Accrued taxes

     295        262  

Accrued interest

     68        62  

Other

     9        14  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     1,831        753  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:

     

Long-term debt and other long-term obligations

     4,450        5,275  

Accumulated deferred income taxes

     1,341        1,218  

Property taxes

     133        277  

Regulatory liabilities

     348        307  

Noncurrent operating lease obligation(2)

     406        406  

Other

     13        8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     6,691        7,491  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

     8,522        8,244  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

MEMBERS’ EQUITY:

     

Members’ equity

     2,250        2,250  

Retained earnings

     262        159  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total members’ equity

     2,512        2,409  

Noncontrolling interest

     801        766  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL EQUITY

     3,313        3,175  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

COMMITMENTS, GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 6)

     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

   $ 11,835      $ 11,419  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(1)

Includes $410 million as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 associated with related party leases.

(2)

Includes $404 million as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 associated with related party leases.

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMMON MEMBERS’ EQUITY

(UNAUDITED)

 

     Six Months Ended June 30, 2024  

(In millions)

   Members’
Equity
     Retained
Earnings
    Total
Members’
Equity
    Noncontrolling
Interest
     Total
Equity
 

Balance, January 1, 2024

   $ 2,250      $ 159     $ 2,409     $ 766      $ 3,175  

Net income

     —         72       72       18        90  

Dividend declared

     —         (45     (45     —         (45
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, March 31, 2024

   $ 2,250      $ 186     $ 2,436     $ 784      $ 3,220  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

     —         106       106       17        123  

Dividends declared

     —         (30     (30     —         (30
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, June 30, 2024

   $ 2,250      $ 262     $ 2,512     $ 801      $ 3,313  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Six Months Ended June 30, 2023  

(In millions)

   Members’
Equity
    Retained
Earnings
    Total
Members’
Equity
    Noncontrolling
Interest
     Total
Equity
 

Balance, January 1, 2023

   $ 2,312     $ 88     $ 2,400     $ 763      $ 3,163  

Net income

     —        90       90       17        107  

Dividend declared

     —        (90     (90     —         (90
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, March 31, 2023

   $ 2,312     $ 88     $ 2,400     $ 780      $ 3,180  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

     —        96       96       18        114  

Dividend declared

     (62     (119     (181     —         (181
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, June 30, 2023

   $ 2,250     $ 65     $ 2,315     $ 798      $ 3,113  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  

(In millions)

    2024       2023   

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

    

Net income

   $ 213     $ 221  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities-

    

Depreciation, amortization and impairments

     158       147  

Pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment

     —        (5

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits, net

     116       33  

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

     (16     (11

Transmission revenue collections, net

     51       (50

Changes in current assets and liabilities-

    

Receivables

     (20     2  

Prepaid taxes and other current assets

     3       3  

Accounts payable

     5       (18

Accrued taxes

     33       (2

Accrued interest

     6       5  

Other current liabilities

     (8     6  

Other

     —        (6
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from operating activities

     541       325  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

    

Capital investments

     (538     (438

Loans with affiliated companies, net

     (194     1,232  

Asset removal costs

     (37     (37
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) investing activities

     (769     757  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

    

New financing-

    

Long-term debt

     400       325  

Short-term borrowings—net

     215       185  

Redemptions and Repayments-

    

Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies, net

     (377     (152

Dividend payments

     (75     (1,438

Other

     (2     (2
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided from (used for) financing activities

     161       (1,082
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

     (67     —   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     76       77  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 9     $ 77  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

    

Significant non-cash transactions:

    

Accrued capital investments

   $ 82     $ 60  

The accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

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FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(UNAUDITED)

 

Note

Number

        Page
Number
1    Organization and Basis of Presentation    F-47
2    Revenue    F-50
3    Taxes    F-50
4    Fair Value Measurements    F-51
5    Regulatory Matters    F-52
6    Commitments, Guarantees and Contingencies    F-54
7    Transactions with Affiliated Companies    F-58

 

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1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Unless otherwise indicated, defined terms and abbreviations used herein have the meanings set forth in the accompanying Glossary of Terms.

FET, a consolidated VIE of FE, is the parent of ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and PATH. In March 2024, PATH completed the process of terminating all of its FERC-jurisdictional rates and facilities, with the result that PATH no longer is a “public utility” and no longer is subject to FERC jurisdiction. FET and its non-affiliated joint venture partner are completing the process of terminating the PATH corporate entities. Through its subsidiaries, FET owns high-voltage transmission facilities in PJM, which consist of approximately 12,500 circuit miles of transmission lines with nominal voltages of 500 kV, 345 kV, 230 kV, 138 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV and 46 kV in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia, and has a rate base of $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2023. FET plans, operates, and maintains its transmission system in accordance with NERC reliability standards, and other applicable regulatory requirements. In addition, FET and its subsidiaries comply with the regulations, orders, policies and practices prescribed by FERC and the PUCO, PPUC, WVPSC, MDPSC and VSCC.

Following receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, on January 31, 2017, MAIT issued membership interests to FET and FE PA predecessors, PN and ME in exchange for their respective cash and transmission asset contributions. As of December 31, 2023, ME’s and PN’s approximate ownership of MAIT was 17% and 25%, respectively. On January 1, 2024, FE PA, as successor-in-interest to PN and ME, transferred their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE, which were ultimately contributed to FET in exchange for a special purpose membership interest in FET. So long as FE holds the FET special purpose membership interests, it will receive 100% of any Class B distributions made by MAIT. As of March 25, 2024, FET owns 100% of MAIT’s equity interests (Class A and Class B). FET presents FE’s ownership of FET’s special purpose membership interest net assets and net income as NCI. NCI is included as a component of equity on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

FET and its subsidiaries consolidate all majority-owned subsidiaries over which they exercise control and, when applicable, entities for which they have a controlling financial interest. Intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation as appropriate and permitted pursuant to GAAP. FET and its subsidiaries consolidate a VIE (MAIT) when it is determined that it is the primary beneficiary. An enterprise has a controlling financial interest if it has both power and economic control, such that an entity has: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance; and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

On May 31, 2022, Brookfield acquired 19.9% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of FET. On March 25, 2024, Brookfield acquired an additional an incremental 30% equity interest in FET for a purchase price of $3.5 billion. FET continues to be consolidated in FirstEnergy’s financial statements. As a result of the consummation of the transaction, Brookfield’s interest in FET increased from 19.9% to 49.9%, while FE retained the remaining 50.1% ownership interests of FET. Pursuant to the terms of the FET P&SA II, in connection with the closing, Brookfield, FET and FE entered into the A&R FET LLC Agreement, which amended and restated in its entirety the Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of FET. The A&R FET LLC Agreement, among other things, provides for the governance, exit, capital and distribution, and other arrangements for FET from and following the closing. Under the A&R FET LLC Agreement, as of the closing, the FET Board consists of five directors, two of whom are appointed by Brookfield and three of whom are appointed by FE.

The accompanying interim financial statements as of June 30, 2024 and the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 are unaudited, but reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the financial statements. The December 31, 2023 Consolidated Balance Sheets were derived from audited financial statements. The

 

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preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make periodic estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from these estimates. The reported results of operations are not necessarily indicative of results of operations for any future period.

FET and its subsidiaries have evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date the financial statements were issued. These interim financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Certain information and disclosures normally included in financial statements and notes prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included within for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Economic Conditions

Post-pandemic economic conditions have stabilized across numerous material categories, but lead times have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Several key suppliers have seen improvements with labor shortages and raw material availability, and FET and its subsidiaries continue to monitor the situation as capacity can be constrained with increased demand. Inflationary pressures have moderated, which has positively impacted the cost of materials, but certain categories have remained elevated. FET and its subsidiaries continue to implement mitigation strategies to address supply constraints and do not expect service disruptions or any material impact on their capital investment plan. However, the situation remains fluid and a prolonged continuation or further increase in supply chain disruptions could have an adverse effect on FET’s consolidated results of operations, cash flow and financial condition.

Capitalized Financing Costs

For the three months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, capitalized financing costs on FET Consolidated Statements of Income include $9 million and $6 million, respectively, of allowance for equity funds used during construction and $5 million and $3 million, respectively, of capitalized interest. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, capitalized financing costs on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income include $17 million and $12 million, respectively, of allowance for equity funds used during construction and $9 million and $5 million, respectively, of capitalized interest.

Receivables

Under a formula rate mechanism approved by the FERC, FET’s subsidiaries make annual filings in order to recover incurred costs and an allowed return. An initial rate filing is made for each calendar year using estimated costs, which is used to determine the initial billings to customers. All prudently incurred allowable operation and maintenance costs, a return earned on rate base and income taxes are recovered or refunded through a subsequent true-up mechanism. As such, FET recognizes revenue as it incurs recoverable costs and earns the allowed return. Any differences between revenues earned based on actual costs and the amounts billed based on estimated costs are recognized as a regulatory asset or liability, and will be recovered or refunded, respectively, in subsequent periods.

Other receivables include PJM receivables resulting from transmission sales. FET’s subsidiaries uncollectible risk on PJM receivables is minimal due to the nature of PJM’s settlement process whereby members of PJM legally agree to share the cost of defaults and as a result there is no allowance for doubtful accounts.

Variable Interest Entities

At its inception, MAIT issued Class A membership interests to FET and Class B membership interests to FE PA predecessors (PN and ME). The Class A interests represent the functional equivalent of managing interests,

 

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providing FET with the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact MAIT’s performance. The Class B interests represent the functional equivalent of economic interest conveying no kick-out or participating rights over the Class A membership interests. Management concluded that MAIT is a VIE and that FET is the primary beneficiary because FET has exposure to the economics of MAIT and the power to direct the significant activities of MAIT through its ownership of the Class A membership interests. On January 1, 2024, FE PA, as successor-in-interest to PN and ME, transferred their respective Class B equity interests of MAIT to FE. FE ultimately contributed the MAIT Class B equity interests to FET in exchange for a special purpose membership interest in FET. The transfer of the Class B membership interests to FET during the first quarter of 2024 had no impact on MAIT’s classification as a VIE.

The following shows the carrying amounts and classification of the MAIT assets and liabilities included in the consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Amounts exclude intercompany balances which were eliminated in consolidation. FET has not provided any guarantees or other credit support for the benefit of MAIT or MAIT’s creditors.

 

Assets

   June 30,
2024
     December 31,
2023
 

(In millions)

 

Receivables

   $ 36      $ 22  

Prepaid taxes and other current assets

     3        4  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current assets

     39        26  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

     3,254        3,013  

Goodwill

     224        224  

Regulatory assets

     7        13  

Operating lease right-of-use asset

     1        1  

Other noncurrent assets

     13        11  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total noncurrent assets

     3,499        3,262  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 3,538      $ 3,288  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

   June 30,
2024
     December 31,
2023
 

(In millions)

 

Short-term borrowings

   $ 6      $ 125  

Accounts payable

     2        3  

Accrued interest

     11        8  

Other current liabilities

     1        8  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     20        144  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-term debt and other long-term obligations

     1,277        1,029  

Accumulated deferred income taxes

     349        325  

Other noncurrent liabilities

     9        2  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total noncurrent liabilities

     1,635        1,356  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

   $ 1,655      $ 1,500  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

New Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Pronouncements - The following new authoritative accounting guidance issued by the FASB has not yet been adopted. Unless otherwise indicated, such guidance is currently being assessed for the impact it may have on the financial statements and disclosures, as well as the potential to early adopt where applicable. New accounting standards not described below have been assessed and based upon current expectations will not significantly impact the financial statements.

 

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ASU 2023-09,Income taxes (Topic 280): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures” (Issued in December 2023): ASU 2023-09 enhances disclosures primarily related to existing rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information to help investors better assess how a company’s operations and related tax risks and tax planning and operational opportunities affect the tax rate and prospects for future cash flows. For public companies, the guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The amendments within ASU 2023-09 are to be applied on a prospective basis, with retrospective application permitted.

ASU 2023-07,Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures” (Issued in November 2023): ASU 2023-07 enhances interim disclosure requirements, clarifies circumstances in which an entity can disclose multiple segment measures of profit or loss, provides new segment disclosure requirements for entities with a single reportable segment, and contains other disclosure requirements. Disclosure requirements within ASU 2023-07 include disclosing significant segment expenses by reportable segment if they are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and included in each reported measure of segment profit or loss. Disclosures are required on both an annual and an interim basis. For public companies, the guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted.

2. REVENUE

The following table represents a disaggregation of revenue from contracts with regulated transmission customers for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

 

Revenues from Contracts with Customers by Transmission Asset Owner (in
millions)

   For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
     For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
      2024       2023        2024       2023   

ATSI

   $ 262     $ 242      $ 504     $ 464  

TrAIL

     71       65        138       128  

MAIT

     110       98        214       188  

PATH

     (2     —         (2     —   
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Revenue from Contracts with Customers

     441       405        854       780  

Other revenue unrelated to contracts with customers

     4       4        9       8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

   $ 445     $ 409      $ 863     $ 788  
  

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

3. TAXES

Effective March 25, 2024, FET and its subsidiaries are no longer members of the FirstEnergy consolidated group for federal income tax purposes and constitute a separate consolidated group with a separate income tax allocation agreement for federal income tax purposes.

FET’s interim effective tax rates reflect the estimated annual effective tax rates for 2024 and 2023. These tax rates are affected by estimated annual permanent items, such as AFUDC equity and other flow-through items, as well as certain discrete items that may occur in any given period, but are not consistent from period to period.

 

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The following table provides a reconciliation of federal income tax expense at the federal statutory rate to the total income taxes for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

 

     For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
    For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 

(In millions)

    2024       2023       2024       2023   

Book income before income taxes

   $ 162     $ 146     $ 309     $ 284  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Federal income tax expense at statutory rate (21%)

   $ 34     $ 31     $ 65     $ 60  

Increases (reductions) in taxes resulting from-

        

State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit

     7       6       14       11  

AFUDC equity and other flow—through

     (3     (2     (6     (3

Deferred taxes related to the FET Minority Interest Sale, net

     —        —        23       —   

Excess deferred amortization due to the Tax Act

     (1     (1     (1     (2

Other, net

     2       (2     1       (3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total income taxes

   $ 39     $ 32     $ 96     $ 63  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Effective income tax rate

     24.1     21.9     31.1     22.2

The IRA of 2022, among other things, imposes a new 15% corporate AMT based on AFSI applicable to corporations with a three-year average AFSI over $1 billion. The AMT is effective for the 2023 tax year and, if applicable, corporations must pay the greater of the regular corporate income tax or the AMT. Although NOL carryforwards created through the regular corporate income tax system cannot be used to reduce the AMT, financial statement NOLs can be used to reduce AFSI and the amount of AMT owed. The IRA of 2022 as enacted requires the U.S. Treasury to provide regulations and other guidance necessary to administer the AMT, including further defining allowable adjustments to determine AFSI, which directly impacts the amount of AMT to be paid. Based on interim guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury during 2022 and 2023, FirstEnergy and FET continue to believe that it is more likely than not the AMT will be applicable beginning with 2023. Although FET and its subsidiaries constitute a separate consolidated tax group, as described above, because it is a majority-owned subsidiary of FE, the AMT may be applicable to FET and its subsidiaries. The future issuance of U.S. Treasury regulations could significantly change FirstEnergy’s and/or FET’s AMT estimates or its conclusion as to whether they are AMT payers at all. Additionally, the regulatory treatment of the impacts of this legislation may also be subject to regulation by FERC. Any adverse development in this legislation, including guidance from the U.S. Treasury and/or the IRS or unfavorable regulatory treatment, could negatively impact FirstEnergy’s and/or FET’s cash flows, results of operations, and financial condition.

Due to a private letter ruling recently issued by the IRS to an unaffiliated utility company, FET is evaluating the potential requirement to transition ATSI, TrAIL, and/or MAIT to stand-alone treatment of NOL carryforwards for ratemaking purposes. Currently, neither ATSI, TrAIL, nor MAIT have transitioned to stand-alone treatment. FET expects that if transitioning is required, ATSI, TrAIL, and/or MAIT will make appropriate regulatory filings to include the NOL carryforward deferred tax asset in rate base and revenue requirement, which could have a material, favorable impact on future net income.

4. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

All borrowings with initial maturities of less than one year are defined as short-term financial instruments under GAAP and are reported as Short-term borrowings on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at cost. Since these borrowings are short-term in nature, FET believes that their costs approximate their fair market value. The following table provides the approximate fair value and related carrying value of long-term debt, which excludes net unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts:

 

     June 30, 2024      December 31, 2023  

(In millions)

   Carrying
Value
     Fair
Value
     Carrying
Value
     Fair
Value
 

Long-term debt

   $ 5,700      $ 5,255      $ 5,300      $ 4,949  

 

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The fair value of long-term debt reflects the present value of the cash outflows relating to those securities based on the current call price, the yield to maturity or the yield to call, as deemed appropriate at the end of each respective period. The yields assumed were based on securities with similar characteristics offered by corporations with credit ratings similar to those of FET. FET classified long-term debt as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

FET had the following issuances during the six months ended June 30, 2024:

 

Company

 

Type

 

Issuance Date

 

Interest
Rate

 

Maturity

 

Amount

(In millions)

 

Description

   Issuances
ATSI   Unsecured Notes   March, 2024   5.63%   2034   $150   Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.
MAIT   Unsecured Notes   May, 2024   5.94%   2034   $250   Proceeds were used to repay short-term borrowings, to finance capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

5. REGULATORY MATTERS

FERC REGULATORY MATTERS

With respect to their transmission services and rates, ATSI, MAIT, and TrAIL are subject to regulation by FERC. Under the FPA, FERC regulates rates for transmission of electric power, accounting and other matters. FERC regulations require ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL to provide open access transmission service at FERC-approved rates, terms and conditions. Transmission facilities of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL are subject to functional control by PJM, and transmission service using ATSI’s, MAIT’s and TrAIL’s transmission facilities is provided by PJM under the PJM Tariff.

The following table summarizes the key terms of rate orders in effect for transmission customer billings for each one of FET’s transmission owner entities:

 

Company

   Rates Effective   

Capital Structure

      Allowed ROE   

ATSI

   January 1, 2015    Actual (13 month average)    10.38%

MAIT

   July 1, 2017    Lower of Actual (13 month average) or 60%    10.3%

TrAIL

   July 1, 2008    Actual (year-end)    12.7%(1) / 11.7%(2)

 

(1)

TrAIL the Line and Black Oak Static Var Compensator

(2)

All other projects

Federally enforceable mandatory reliability standards apply to the bulk electric system and impose certain operating, record-keeping and reporting requirements on ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL. NERC is the ERO designated by FERC to establish and enforce these reliability standards, although NERC has delegated day-to-day implementation and enforcement of these reliability standards to six regional entities, including RFC. All of the facilities that FirstEnergy operates, including those of ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, are located within RFC. FirstEnergy actively participates in the NERC and RFC stakeholder processes, and otherwise monitors and manages its companies, including ATSI, MAIT and TrAIL, in response to the ongoing development, implementation and enforcement of the reliability standards implemented and enforced by RFC.

FET and/or its subsidiaries believes that it is in material compliance with all currently-effective and enforceable reliability standards. Nevertheless, in the course of operating its extensive electric utility systems and facilities FET and/or its subsidiaries, occasionally learns of isolated facts or circumstances that could be

 

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interpreted as excursions from the reliability standards. If and when such occurrences are found, FET and/or its subsidiaries develops information about the occurrence and develops a remedial response to the specific circumstances, including in appropriate cases “self-reporting” an occurrence to RFC. Moreover, it is clear that NERC, RFC and FERC will continue to refine existing reliability standards as well as to develop and adopt new reliability standards. Any inability on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ part to comply with the reliability standards for its bulk electric system could result in the imposition of financial penalties, or obligations to upgrade or build transmission facilities, that could have a material adverse effect on FET’s and/or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

FERC Audit

FERC’s Division of Audits and Accounting initiated a nonpublic audit of FESC in February 2019. Among other matters, the audit is evaluating FirstEnergy’s compliance with certain accounting and reporting requirements under various FERC regulations. On February 4, 2022, FERC filed the final audit report for the period of January 1, 2015 through September 30, 2021, which included several findings and recommendations that FirstEnergy has accepted. The audit report included a finding and related recommendation on FirstEnergy’s methodology for allocation of certain corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts under certain FERC regulations and reporting. Effective in the first quarter of 2022 and in response to the finding, FirstEnergy had implemented a new methodology for the allocation of these corporate support costs to regulatory capital accounts for its regulated distribution and transmission companies on a prospective basis. With the assistance of an independent outside firm, FirstEnergy completed an analysis during the third quarter of 2022 of these costs and how it impacted certain FERC-jurisdictional wholesale transmission customer rates for the audit period of 2015 through 2021. As a result of this analysis, FET recorded in the third quarter of 2022 approximately $34 million (after-tax) in expected customer refunds, plus interest, due to its wholesale transmission customers and reclassified approximately $99 million of certain transmission capital assets to operating expenses for the audit period, of which $9 million are not expected to be recoverable and impacted FirstEnergy’s earnings since they relate to costs capitalized during stated transmission rate time periods. FET is currently recovering approximately $91 million of costs reclassified to operating expenses in its transmission formula rate revenue requirements, of which $57 million of costs have been recovered as of June 30, 2024. On December 8, 2023, FERC audit staff issued a letter advising that two unresolved audit matters, primarily related to FET’s plan to recover the reclassified operating expenses in formula transmission rates, were being referred to other offices within FERC for further review. These reclassifications also resulted in a reduction to FET’s rate base by approximately $77 million, which is not expected to materially impact FET’s future earnings. The expected wholesale transmission customer refunds were recognized as a reduction to revenue, and the amount of reclassified transmission capital assets that are not expected to be recoverable were recognized within “Other operating expenses” on FET’s Consolidated Statements of Income. If FirstEnergy or FET are unable to recover these transmission costs, it could result in future charges and/or adjustments and have an adverse impact on FET’s financial condition.

ATSI ROE – Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On February 24, 2022, the OCC filed a complaint with FERC against ATSI, AEP’s Ohio affiliates and American Electric Power Service Corporation, and Duke Energy Ohio, LLC asserting that FERC should reduce the ROE utilized in the utilities’ transmission formula rates by eliminating the 50 basis point adder associated with RTO membership, effective February 24, 2022. The OCC contends that this result is required because Ohio law mandates that transmission owning utilities join an RTO and that the 50 basis point adder is applicable only where RTO membership is voluntary. On December 15, 2022, FERC denied the complaint as to ATSI and Duke, but granted it as to AEP. AEP and OCC appealed FERC’s orders to the Sixth Circuit and the case remains pending. FirstEnergy is unable to predict the outcome of this proceeding, but it is not expected to have a material impact.

 

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Transmission ROE Methodology

A proposed rulemaking proceeding concerning transmission rate incentives provisions of Section 219 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act was initiated in March of 2020 remains pending before FERC. Among other things, the rulemaking explored whether utilities should collect an “RTO membership” ROE incentive adder for more than three years. FirstEnergy is a member of PJM, and its transmission subsidiaries could be affected by the proposed rulemaking. FirstEnergy participated in comments on the supplemental rulemaking that were submitted by a group of PJM transmission owners and by various industry trade groups. If there were to be any changes to FirstEnergy’s transmission incentive ROE, such changes will be applied on a prospective basis.

Transmission Planning Supplemental Projects: Ohio Consumers Counsel v ATSI, et al.

On September 27, 2023, the OCC filed a complaint against ATSI, PJM and other transmission utilities in Ohio alleging that the PJM Tariff and operating agreement are unjust, unreasonable, and unduly discriminatory because they include no provisions to ensure PJM’s review and approval for the planning, need, prudence and cost-effectiveness of the PJM Tariff Attachment M-3 “Supplemental Projects.” Supplemental Projects are projects that are planned and constructed to address local needs on the transmission system. The OCC demands that FERC: (i) require PJM to review supplemental projects for need, prudence and cost-effectiveness; (ii) appoint an independent transmission monitor to assist PJM in such review; and (iii) require that Supplemental Projects go into rate base only through a “stated rate” procedure whereby prior FERC approval would be needed for projects with costs that exceed an established threshold. In subsequent pleadings, parties to the proceeding expanded the scope of the complaint to encompass all of the transmission owners in PJM. ATSI, MAIT, TrAIL and the other transmission utilities in Ohio and PJM filed comments and the complaint is pending before FERC.

6. COMMITMENTS, GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENCIES

GUARANTEES AND OTHER ASSURANCES

FET has various financial and performance guarantees and indemnifications which are issued in the normal course of business. These contracts include performance guarantees, stand-by LOCs, debt guarantees, surety bonds and indemnifications. FET enters into these arrangements to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties by enhancing the value of the transaction to the third party. The maximum potential amount of future payments FET could be required to make under these guarantees as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 was $21 million, relating to surety bonds, which are not tied to a credit rating. Surety bonds’ impact assumes maximum contractual obligations, which is ordinarily 100% of the face amount of the surety bond except with respect to $1 million as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 of surety bond obligations for which the collateral obligation is capped at 60% of the face amount, and typical obligations require 30 days to cure.

Collateral and Contingent-Related Features

In the normal course of business, FET may enter into physical or financially settled contracts. Certain agreements contain provisions that require FET to post collateral. This collateral may be posted in the form of cash or credit support with thresholds contingent upon FET’s credit rating from each of the major credit rating agencies. The collateral and credit support requirements vary by contract and by counterparty. FET has posted $3 million and $2 million of net cash collateral as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which is included in “Prepaid taxes and other current assets” on FET’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

Various federal, state and local authorities regulate FET with regard to air and water quality, hazardous and solid waste disposal, and other environmental matters. While FET’s environmental policies and procedures are designed to achieve compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations, such laws and regulations are subject to periodic review and potential revision by the implementing agencies. FET cannot predict the

 

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timing or ultimate outcome of any of these reviews or how any future actions taken as a result thereof may materially impact its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On July 21, 2020, a complaint and supporting affidavit containing federal criminal allegations were unsealed against the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. In March 2023, a jury found Mr. Householder and his co-defendant, Matthew Borges, guilty and in June 2023, the two were sentenced to prison for 20 and five years, respectively. Messrs. Householder and Borges have appealed their sentences. Also, on July 21, 2020, and in connection with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s investigation, FirstEnergy received subpoenas for records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. FirstEnergy was not aware of the criminal allegations, affidavit or subpoenas before July 21, 2020.

On July 21, 2021, FE entered into a three-year DPA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that, subject to court proceedings, resolves this matter. Under the DPA, FE has agreed to the filing of a criminal information charging FE with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. The DPA requires that FirstEnergy, among other obligations: (i) continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in all matters relating to the conduct described in the DPA and other conduct under investigation by the U.S. government; (ii) pay a criminal monetary penalty totaling $230 million within sixty days, which shall consist of (x) $115 million paid by FE to the United States Treasury and (y) $115 million paid by FE to the ODSA to fund certain assistance programs, as determined by the ODSA, for the benefit of low-income Ohio electric utility customers; (iii) publish a list of all payments made in 2021 to either 501(c)(4) entities or to entities known by FirstEnergy to be operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly, and update the same on a quarterly basis during the term of the DPA; (iv) issue a public statement, as dictated in the DPA, regarding FE’s use of 501(c)(4) entities; and (v) continue to implement and review its compliance and ethics program, internal controls, policies and procedures designed, implemented and enforced to prevent and detect violations of the U.S. laws throughout its operations, and to take certain related remedial measures. The $230 million payment will neither be recovered in rates or charged to FirstEnergy customers, nor will FirstEnergy seek any tax deduction related to such payment. The entire amount of the monetary penalty was recognized as expense in the second quarter of 2021 and paid in the third quarter of 2021. As of July 21, 2024, FirstEnergy has successfully completed the obligations required within the three-year term of the DPA. Under the DPA, FirstEnergy has an obligation to continue (i) publishing quarterly a list of all payments to 501(c)(4) entities and all payments to entities known by FirstEnergy operating for the benefit of a public official, either directly or indirectly; (ii) not making any statements that contradict the DPA; (iii) notifying the U.S. Attorney’s Office of any changes in FirstEnergy’s corporate form; and (iv) cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office until the conclusion of any related investigation, criminal prosecution, and civil proceeding brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Within 30 days of those matters concluding, and FirstEnergy’s successful completion of its remaining obligations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will dismiss the criminal information.

Legal Proceedings Relating to United States v. Larry Householder, et al.

On August 10, 2020, the SEC, through its Division of Enforcement, issued an order directing an investigation of possible securities laws violations by FE, and on September 1, 2020, issued subpoenas to FE and certain FE officers relating to the conduct described in the DPA. On April 28, 2021, July 11, 2022, and May 25, 2023, the SEC issued additional subpoenas to FE, with which FE has complied. FirstEnergy has cooperated fully with the SEC investigation. FE is working to finalize an agreement-in-principle with the staff of the SEC based upon facts set forth in the DPA that would fully resolve the investigation, which proposed settlement remains subject to approval of the SEC. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of the SEC investigation, and in the second quarter of 2024, a loss contingency of $100 million was

 

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recorded and included in “Other Operating expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other for segment reporting.

On June 29, 2023, the OOCIC served FE a subpoena, seeking information relating to the conduct described in the DPA. FirstEnergy was not aware of the OOCIC’s investigation prior to receiving the subpoena and understands that the OOCIC’s investigation is also focused on the conduct described in the DPA, other than with respect to the March 25, 2024, felony indictment of Mr. Householder brought in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. FirstEnergy is cooperating with the OOCIC in its investigation. On February 12, 2024, and in connection with the OOCIC’s ongoing investigation, an indictment by a grand jury of Summit County, Ohio was unsealed against the, now-deceased, former chairman of the PUCO, and two former FirstEnergy senior officers, Charles E. Jones, and Michael J. Dowling, charging each of them with several felony counts, including bribery, telecommunications fraud, money laundering and aggravated theft, related to payments described in the DPA. On August 12, 2024, FirstEnergy entered into a settlement with the OOCIC, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office to resolve both the investigation and State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp., noted below. The settlement includes, among other things, a non-prosecution agreement and a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded in the second quarter of 2024 in FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Statements of Income at Corporate/Other segment reporting.

In addition to the subpoenas referenced above under “United States v. Larry Householder, et. al.” and the SEC investigation, certain FE stockholders and FirstEnergy customers filed several lawsuits against FirstEnergy and certain current and former directors, officers and other employees, and the complaints in each of these suits is related to allegations in the complaint and supporting affidavit relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder. The plaintiffs in each of the below cases seek, among other things, to recover an unspecified amount of damages (unless otherwise noted). Unless otherwise indicated, no contingency has been reflected in FirstEnergy’s consolidated financial statements with respect to these lawsuits as a loss is neither probable, nor is a loss or range of a loss reasonably estimable.

 

   

In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation (S.D. Ohio); on July 28, 2020 and August 21, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed putative class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws. Those actions have been consolidated and a lead plaintiff, the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, has been appointed by the court. A consolidated complaint was filed on February 26, 2021. The consolidated complaint alleges, on behalf of a proposed class of persons who purchased FE securities between February 21, 2017 and July 21, 2020, that FE and certain current or former FE officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing misrepresentations or omissions concerning FE’s business and results of operations. The consolidated complaint also alleges that FE, certain current or former FE officers and directors, and a group of underwriters violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 as a result of alleged misrepresentations or omissions in connection with offerings of senior notes by FE in February and June 2020. On March 30, 2023, the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. On April 14, 2023, FE filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit seeking to appeal that order; the Sixth Circuit granted FE’s petition on November 16, 2023, and conducted oral argument on July 17, 2024. On November 30, 2023, FE filed a motion with the S.D. Ohio to stay all proceedings pending the circuit court appeal. On August 20, 2024, the S.D. Ohio lifted the stay as to fact discovery. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this lawsuit. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

MFS Series Trust I, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and Brighthouse Funds II – MFS Value Portfolio, et al. v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. (S.D. Ohio); on December 17, 2021 and February 21, 2022, purported stockholders of FE filed complaints against FE, certain current and former officers, and certain current

 

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and former officers of EH. The complaints allege that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act by issuing alleged misrepresentations or omissions regarding FE’s business and its results of operations, and seek the same relief as the In re FirstEnergy Corp. Securities Litigation described above. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur losses in connection with the resolution of these lawsuits. Given the ongoing nature and complexity of such litigation, FE cannot yet reasonably estimate a loss or range of loss.

 

   

State of Ohio ex rel. Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General v. FirstEnergy Corp., et al. and City of Cincinnati and City of Columbus v. FirstEnergy Corp. (Common Pleas Court, Franklin County, OH, all actions have been consolidated); on September 23, 2020 and October 27, 2020, the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus, respectively, filed complaints against several parties including FE, each alleging civil violations of the Ohio Corrupt Activity Act and related claims in connection with the passage of HB 6. On January 13, 2021, the OAG filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against FirstEnergy seeking to enjoin FirstEnergy from collecting the Ohio Companies’ decoupling rider. On January 31, 2021, FE reached a partial settlement with the OAG and the cities of Cincinnati and Columbus with respect to the temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction request and related issues. In connection with the partial settlement, the Ohio Companies filed an application on February 1, 2021, with the PUCO to set their respective decoupling riders (Conservation Support Rider) to zero. On February 2, 2021, the PUCO approved the application of the Ohio Companies setting the rider to zero, and no additional customer bills will include new decoupling rider charges after February 8, 2021. On August 13, 2021, new defendants were added to the complaint, including two former officers of FirstEnergy. On December 2, 2021, the cities and FE entered a stipulated dismissal with prejudice of the cities’ suit. This matter was stayed through a criminal trial in United States v. Larry Householder, et al. described above, but resumed pursuant to an order, dated March 15, 2023. On July 31, 2023, FE and other defendants filed motions to dismiss in part the OAG’s amended complaint, which the OAG opposed. On February 16, 2024, the OAG moved to stay discovery in the case in light of the February 9, 2024, indictments against defendants in this action, which the court granted on March 14, 2024. In connection with the ongoing OOCIC resolution discussions, FE is also discussing an appropriate settlement of this civil action with the OAG. FE believes that it is probable that it will incur a loss in connection with the resolution of this matter and the ongoing OOCIC investigation and, as noted above, in the second quarter of 2024, a loss contingency of $19.5 million was recorded.

On February 9, 2022, FE, acting through the SLC, agreed to a settlement term sheet to resolve the following shareholder derivative lawsuits relating to HB 6 and the now former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and other individuals and entities allegedly affiliated with Mr. Householder that were filed in the S.D. Ohio, the N.D. Ohio, and the Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Summit County:

 

   

Gendrich v. Anderson, et al. and Sloan v. Anderson, et al. (Common Pleas Court, Summit County, Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on July 26, 2020 and July 31, 2020, respectively, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative action lawsuits against certain current and former FE directors and officers, alleging, among other things, breaches of fiduciary duty. On August 30, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the state court action, which the court granted on September 2, 2022.

 

   

Miller v. Anderson, et al. (N.D. Ohio); on August 7, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On August 24, 2022, the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss the action pending in the N.D. Ohio based upon the approval of the settlement by the S.D. Ohio, which was granted on May 17, 2024.

 

   

Bloom, et al. v. Anderson, et al.; Employees Retirement System of the City of St. Louis v. Jones, et al.; Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. v. Anderson et al.; Massachusetts Laborers Pension Fund v. Anderson et al.; The City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and Retirement v.

 

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Anderson et al.; Atherton v. Dowling et al.; Behar v. Anderson, et al. (S.D. Ohio, all actions have been consolidated); on September 1, 2020, purported stockholders of FE filed shareholder derivative actions alleging the then FE Board and officers breached their fiduciary duties and committed violations of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act. On March 11, 2022, the parties executed a stipulation and agreement of settlement, and filed a motion the same day requesting preliminary settlement approval in the S.D. Ohio, which the S.D. Ohio granted on May 9, 2022. Subsequently, following a hearing on August 4, 2022, the S.D. Ohio granted final approval of the settlement on August 23, 2022, which was appealed by a purported FE stockholder on June 15, 2023. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court’s final settlement approval. All appeal options were exhausted on May 16, 2024.

The above settlement included a series of corporate governance enhancements and a payment to FE of $180 million, less approximately $36 million in court-ordered attorney’s fees awarded to plaintiffs, and a $7 million net return on deposited funds, which was received in the second quarter of 2024. The judgment and settlement are final and, therefore, the derivative lawsuits are now fully resolved.

The outcome of any of these lawsuits, governmental investigations and audit is uncertain and could have a material adverse effect on FE’s or its subsidiaries’, including FET’s, reputation, business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows.

Other Legal Matters

There are various lawsuits, claims and proceedings related to FET’s normal business operations pending against FET or its subsidiaries. The loss or range of loss in these matters is not expected to be material to FET or its subsidiaries. The other potentially material items not otherwise discussed above are described under Note 5, “Regulatory Matters.”

FET accrues legal liabilities only when it concludes that it is probable that it has an obligation for such costs and can reasonably estimate the amount of such costs. In cases where FET determines that it is not probable, but reasonably possible that it has a material obligation, it discloses such obligations and the possible loss or range of loss if such estimate can be made. If it were ultimately determined that FET or its subsidiaries have legal liability or are otherwise made subject to liability based on any of the matters referenced above, it could have a material adverse effect on FET’s or its subsidiaries’ financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

7. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATED COMPANIES

In addition to the intercompany income tax allocation and the short-term borrowing arrangement, FET and its subsidiaries have revenues, operating expense and interest expense transactions with affiliated companies, primarily FESC and the Electric Companies. The affiliated company transactions during the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, are as follows:

 

     For the Six Months Ended June 30,  
      2024        2023   
     (In millions)  

Revenues

   $ 9      $ 8  

Other operating expenses:

     

Ground lease expense

     13        13  

FESC support services(1)

     111        106  

Other affiliate support services(1)

     54        44  

Interest income

     3        11  

Interest expense

     7        6  

 

(1)

Includes amounts capitalized.

 

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FE does not bill directly or allocate any of its costs to any subsidiary company. FESC provides corporate support and other services, including executive administration, accounting and finance, risk management, human resources, corporate affairs, communications, information technology, legal services and other similar services at cost, in accordance with its cost allocation manual, to affiliated FirstEnergy companies under FESC agreements. Allocated costs are for services that are provided on behalf of more than one company, or costs that cannot be precisely identified and are allocated using formulas developed by FESC. Intercompany transactions are generally settled under commercial terms within thirty days.

As FET and its subsidiaries do not have employees, employees from the Electric Companies perform maintenance and project work in support of FET and its subsidiaries. Labor and overhead costs associated with these activities are charged by the affiliates to FET’s subsidiaries at cost.

As regulated money pool participants, FET’s subsidiaries have the ability to borrow from each other, regulated affiliates and the FE holding company to meet their short-term working capital requirements. FET had a similar but separate arrangement with FE’s unregulated money pool participants. As of June 1, 2024, FET is no longer participating in the unregulated money pool. Affiliated company notes receivables and payables related to the money pool are reported as Notes receivable from affiliated companies or Short-term borrowings—affiliated companies on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Affiliate accounts receivable and accounts payable balances relate to intercompany transactions that have not yet settled through the FirstEnergy money pool.

FET’s subsidiary, ATSI, has a ground lease with OE, Penn, CEI and TE under an operating lease agreement. Land use is rented to ATSI under the terms and conditions of a ground lease. ATSI, OE, Penn, CEI, and TE reserve the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair ATSI’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for ATSI’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating companies. ATSI purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. ATSI makes fixed quarterly lease payments.

FET’s consolidated subsidiary, MAIT, has a ground lease with FE PA under an operating lease agreement. FE PA reserves the right to use (and to permit authorized others to use) the land for any purpose that does not cause a violation of electrical safety code or applicable law, or does not impair MAIT’s ability to satisfy its service obligations. Additional uses of such land for MAIT’s facilities requires prior written approval from the applicable operating company. MAIT purchases directly any new property acquired for transmission use. MAIT makes variable quarterly lease payments through January 1, 2043, unless terminated prior to maturity, or extended by MAIT for up to two additional successive periods of 25 years each and one successive term of 24 years.

FET and its subsidiaries were party to an intercompany income tax allocation agreement with FirstEnergy that provides for the allocation of consolidated tax liabilities. Prior to tax returns for years before 2022, net tax benefits attributable to FE, excluding any tax benefits derived from certain interest expense, were generally reallocated to the subsidiaries of FE that have taxable income. Effective January 1, 2022, the intercompany income tax allocation agreement was amended and revised such that FE no longer reallocates such tax benefits to the FE subsidiaries. Effective March 25, 2024, FET and its subsidiaries are no longer members of the FirstEnergy consolidated group for federal income tax purposes and constitute a separate consolidated group with a separate income tax allocation agreement for federal income tax purposes. See Note 3, “Taxes” for additional information.

In addition to service costs, interest on obligations, expected return on plan assets, and prior service costs, FirstEnergy recognizes in net periodic benefit costs a pension and OPEB mark-to-market adjustment for the change in the fair value of plan assets and net actuarial gains and losses annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year and whenever a plan is determined to qualify for a remeasurement. FET’s subsidiaries are allocated a portion of net periodic benefit costs from affiliates. These amounts are expected to be refunded or recovered through formula transmission rates. FET’s subsidiaries allocated amount of the pension and OPEB

 

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mark-to-market adjustments from affiliates were gains or (losses) of $5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023. These amounts are expected to be refunded or recovered through formula transmission rates. Additionally, other pension and OPEB net periodic costs allocated to FET’s subsidiaries from affiliates were approximately $5 million and $3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023.

 

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LOGO

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

Offer to Exchange

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030

registered under the Securities Act

for

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030

and

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

registered under the Securities Act

for

$400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

 

The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time,

on   , 2025, unless extended.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 20.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

FET is a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware. Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “DLLCA”) empowers a limited liability company to, subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

The Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of FET (the “A&R FET LLC Agreement”) contains indemnification provisions that provide that, subject to certain limitations, FET will indemnify, defend and hold harmless any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or, completed actions, suits or proceedings by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of FET, or is or was a director or officer of FET serving at the request of FET as a director, officer or agent of another limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, settlements, penalties and fines actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such, action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of FET; and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, either he or she had reasonable cause to believe such conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful.

In addition, FirstEnergy maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies that cover the members of the FET board of directors and officers of FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries, including the managers and officers of FET.

 

Item 21.

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

  3.1

  Certificate of Formation, as amended, of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.

  3.2

  Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.*

  4.1

  Indenture, dated as of May 19, 2014, by and between FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee.

  4.2

  First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2024, to Indenture dated May 19, 2014, by and between FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee.

  4.3

  Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 5, 2024, among FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and BofA Securities, Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley  & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the initial purchasers of the Senior Notes due 2030.

  4.4

  Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 5, 2024, among FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC and BofA Securities, Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley  & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the initial purchasers of the Senior Notes due 2035.

  4.5

  Officer’s Certificate, dated as of September 5, 2024, under the Indenture, dated as of May 19, 2014, with respect to the Senior Notes due 2030.*

 

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Exhibit
No.

 

Description

  4.6

  Officer’s Certificate, dated as of September 5, 2024, under the Indenture, dated as of May 19, 2014, with respect to the Senior Notes due 2035.*

  4.7

  Form of 4.550% Senior Note due 2030.

  4.8

  Form of 5.000% Senior Note due 2035.

  5.1

  Opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel to FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.

 10.1

  Credit Agreement, dated as of October  18, 2021, by and among FirstEnergy Corp., FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, the banks and other financial institutions party thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.*

 10.2

  Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to Credit Agreement, dated as of April  27, 2023, by and among FirstEnergy Corp., FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, the banks and other financial institutions party thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.*

 10.3

  Amendment No. 2 and Consent and Limited Waiver to Credit Agreement, dated as of October  20, 2023, by and among FirstEnergy Corp., FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, the banks and other financial institutions party thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.*

 10.4

  Credit Agreement, dated as of October  20, 2023, by and among FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, the banks and other financial institutions party thereto, as lenders, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.*

 10.5

  Service Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2024, by and between FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, each of the associate companies listed on the signature pages thereto, and FirstEnergy Service Company.

 10.6

  Second Revised, Amended and Restated Mutual Assistance Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2024, by and among certain subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. listed on the signature pages thereto.

 21

  Subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.

 23.1

  Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

 23.2

  Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 24.1

  Powers of Attorney.

 25.1

  Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association to act as trustee under the Indenture.

 99.1

  Form of Letter of Transmittal.

 99.2

  Form of Letter to Clients.

 99.3

  Form of Letter to Registered Holders and The Depository Trust Company Participants.

107

  Filing Fee Table.

 

* 

Certain schedules and similar attachments have been omitted in reliance on Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Company agrees to furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule or exhibit to the SEC upon request.

 

Item 22.

Undertakings

 

(a)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (1)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement:

 

  (i)

To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

 

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  (ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table, as applicable, in the effective registration statement; and

 

  (iii)

To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement.

 

  (2)

That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (3)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (4)

That, for purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

  (5)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to the registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i)

Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  (ii)

Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

  (iii)

The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

  (iv)

Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to respond to requests for information that is incorporated by reference into the prospectus pursuant to Items 4, 10(b), 11, or 13 of this Form, within one business day of

 

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receipt of such request, and to send the incorporated documents by first class mail or other equally prompt means. This includes information contained in documents filed subsequent to the effective date of the registration statement through the date of responding to the request.

(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supply by means of a post-effective amendment all information concerning a transaction, and the company being acquired involved therein, that was not the subject of and included in the registration statement when it became effective.

(d) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Akron, State of Ohio, on October 8, 2024.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

By:

 

/s/ Jason J. Lisowski

  Name: Jason J. Lisowski
  Title: Vice President and Controller

Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

*

Mark D. Mroczynski

  

President

(Principal Executive Officer)

   October 8, 2024

*

K. Jon Taylor

  

Senior Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

   October 8, 2024

*

Jason J. Lisowski

  

Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) and Director

   October 8, 2024

*

Natalie Hadad

  

Director

   October 8, 2024

*

Wade Smith

  

Director

   October 8, 2024

*

Toby Thomas

  

Director

   October 8, 2024

 

*

The undersigned by signing his name hereto does sign and execute this registration statement on Form S-4 pursuant to the Power of Attorney executed by the above-named directors and officers of the registrant, which is being filed herewith on behalf of such directors and officers.

 

By:  

/s/ James A. Arcuri

  James A. Arcuri
  Attorney-in-Fact

 

II-5

Exhibit 3.1

STATE OF DELAWARE

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

CERTIFICATE of FORMATION

OF

ALLEGHENY ENERGY TRANSMESSION, LLC

 

FIRST:

  

The name of the limited liability company is Allegheny Energy Transmission, LLC.

SECOND:

  

The address of its registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street in the City of Wilmington.

THIRD:

  

The name and address of the Registered Agent in the State of Delaware is The Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate of Formation this 13th day of October, 2006.

 

By:

 

/s/ James A. Arcuri

 

James A. Arcuri, Authorized Person


STATE OF DELAWARE

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

OF

ALLEGHENY ENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

 

FIRST:

  

The name of the limited liability company is Allegheny Energy Transmission, LLC.

SECOND:

  

The Certificate of Amendment of the limited liability company is hereby amended as follows:

  

The name of the limited liability company shall heretofore be “FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC.”

THIRD:

  

The foregoing amendment is to become effective immediately upon the filing of this Certificate of Amendment.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, the sole member of the limited liability company, has executed this Certificate of Amendment of Allegheny Energy Transmission, LLC this 3rd day of May, 2012.

 

ALLEGHENY ENERGY, INC.
By:   /s/ Mark T. Clark
  Mark T. Clark
  President and Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 3.2

 

 

 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

              Page  
ARTICLE I GENERAL MATTERS      2  

  

 

Section 1.1

  

Formation

     2  
 

Section 1.2

  

Name

     2  
 

Section 1.3

  

Purpose

     2  
 

Section 1.4

  

Registered Office

     2  
 

Section 1.5

  

Registered Agent

     2  
 

Section 1.6

  

Classes of Membership Interests

     3  
 

Section 1.7

  

Members

     3  
 

Section 1.8

  

Powers

     4  
 

Section 1.9

  

Limited Liability Company Agreement

     4  
 

Section 1.10

  

Issuance of Additional Membership Interests

     4  
 

Section 1.11

  

Deadlocks

     4  
ARTICLE II MANAGEMENT      5  
 

Section 2.1

  

Directors

     5  
 

Section 2.2

  

Number of Directors; Director Appointment Rights

     5  
 

Section 2.3

  

Removal of Directors

     7  
 

Section 2.4

  

Vacancies

     7  
 

Section 2.5

  

Acts of the Board

     8  
 

Section 2.6

  

Compensation of Directors

     8  
 

Section 2.7

  

Meetings of Directors; Notice

     8  
 

Section 2.8

  

Quorum

     8  
 

Section 2.9

  

Place and Method of Meetings

     9  
 

Section 2.10

  

Action by the Board Without a Meeting

     9  
 

Section 2.11

  

Duties of Directors

     10  
 

Section 2.12

  

Committees

     10  
 

Section 2.13

  

Investor Member Board Observer

     10  
 

Section 2.14

  

Related Party Matters

     12  
ARTICLE III OFFICERS      15  

  

 

Section 3.1

  

Appointment and Tenure

     15  

 

i


  

 

Section 3.2

  

Removal

     15  
 

Section 3.3

  

President

     15  
 

Section 3.4

  

Vice Presidents

     15  
 

Section 3.5

  

Secretary; Assistant Secretaries

     15  
 

Section 3.6

  

Treasurer; Assistant Treasurers

     16  
ARTICLE IV DEFAULT; DISSOLUTION      16  
 

Section 4.1

  

Events of Default

     16  
 

Section 4.2

  

Default Notice

     16  
 

Section 4.3

  

Dissolution

     16  
ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; DISTRIBUTIONS      17  
 

Section 5.1

  

Capital Contributions

     17  
 

Section 5.2

  

Distributions Generally; Support Payments

     22  
 

Section 5.3

  

Distributions upon the Occurrence of an Event of Dissolution

     23  
 

Section 5.4

  

Withdrawal of Capital; Interest

     23  
ARTICLE VI TRANSFERS OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS      23  
 

Section 6.1

  

General Restrictions

     23  
 

Section 6.2

  

Transfers to Permitted Transferees; Liens by Members

     24  
 

Section 6.3

  

Right of First Offer

     25  
 

Section 6.4

  

Tag-Along Rights

     26  
 

Section 6.5

  

Drag-Along Rights

     28  
 

Section 6.6

  

Cooperation

     30  
 

Section 6.7

  

Contracts Inhibiting Transfer

     31  
ARTICLE VII PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS      32  
 

Section 7.1

  

Preemptive Rights

     32  
ARTICLE VIII PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS      32  
 

Section 8.1

  

Investor Member No Threshold Matters

     32  
 

Section 8.2

  

Investor Member Threshold Matters

     34  
 

Section 8.3

  

Threshold Consultation Matters

     35  
 

Section 8.4

  

Investor Member Enhanced Threshold Matters

     36  
 

Section 8.5

  

Enhanced Consultation Matters

     39  
 

Section 8.6

  

Actions by the Investor Director(s) on behalf of the Investor Member

     40  

 

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Section 8.7

  

Certain Other Matters

     40  
ARTICLE IX OTHER COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS      40  
 

Section 9.1

  

Books and Records

     40  
 

Section 9.2

  

Financial Reports

     41  
 

Section 9.3

  

Other Business; Corporate Opportunities

     42  
 

Section 9.4

  

Compliance with Laws

     44  
 

Section 9.5

  

Non-Solicit

     46  
 

Section 9.6

  

Confidentiality

     46  
 

Section 9.7

  

Expenses

     47  
 

Section 9.8

  

Commitment to the Company Business

     47  
 

Section 9.9

  

Budget; Business and Capital Plans

     48  
ARTICLE X TAX MATTERS      48  
 

Section 10.1

  

Tax Classification

     48  
 

Section 10.2

  

Tax Matters Shareholder

     48  
 

Section 10.3

  

Cooperation

     48  
 

Section 10.4

  

Withholding

     48  
 

Section 10.5

  

Certain Representations and Warranties

     49  
ARTICLE XI LIABILITY; EXCULPATION; INDEMNIFICATION      49  
 

Section 11.1

  

Liability; Member Duties

     49  
 

Section 11.2

  

Exculpation

     49  
 

Section 11.3

  

Indemnification

     49  
 

Section 11.4

  

Authorization

     50  
 

Section 11.5

  

Reliance on Information

     50  
 

Section 11.6

  

Advancement of Expenses

     50  
 

Section 11.7

  

Non-Exclusive Provisions

     50  
 

Section 11.8

  

Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses

     51  
 

Section 11.9

  

Limitations

     51  
ARTICLE XII REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      51  
 

Section 12.1

  

Members Representations and Warranties

     51  
ARTICLE XIII MISCELLANEOUS      51  

 

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Section 13.1

  

Notices

     51  
 

Section 13.2

  

Assignment

     53  
 

Section 13.3

  

Waiver of Partition

     53  
 

Section 13.4

  

Further Assurances

     53  
 

Section 13.5

  

Third Party Beneficiaries

     53  
 

Section 13.6

  

Parties in Interest

     53  
 

Section 13.7

  

Severability

     53  
 

Section 13.8

  

Construction

     53  
 

Section 13.9

  

Complete Agreement

     54  
  Section 13.10   

Amendment; Waiver

     54  
  Section 13.11   

Governing Law

     54  
  Section 13.12   

Specific Performance

     54  
  Section 13.13   

Arbitration

     55  
  Section 13.14   

Counterparts

     56  
  Section 13.15   

Fair Market Value Determination

     56  
  Section 13.16   

Certain Definitions

     57  
  Section 13.17   

Terms Defined Elsewhere in this Agreement

     67  
  Section 13.18   

Other Definitional Provisions

     70  

 

Schedules

 

Schedule 1 – Schedule of Members

Schedule 2 – Prohibited Competitors

Schedule 3 – Investors Guidelines and Restrictions for Disclosures to Co-Investors

Schedule 4 – Specific Deadlock Resolution Procedures

Schedule 5 – Budget, Business Plan and Capital Plan Process

Schedule 6 – Voting Calculation Methodology for Special Purpose FE Director

 

 

iv


FOURTH AMENDED & RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

This FOURTH AMENDED & RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (the “Company”) is made and entered into as of March 25, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), by and among the Company, FirstEnergy Corp., an Ohio corporation (the “FE Member”) and North American Transmission Company II L.P. (formerly known as North American Transmission Company II LLC), a Delaware limited partnership (the “Investor Member”). The Company, the FE Member and the Investor Member are each sometimes referred to herein as a “Party” and, together, as the “Parties”.

RECITALS

1. Immediately prior to the execution and delivery of the Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, dated as of May 31, 2022 (the “Third A&R LLC Agreement”), the FE Member was the owner of 100% of the Membership Interests.

2. On November 6, 2021, the Company, the FE Member, the Investor Member and, solely for the purposes of Sections 5.5, 5.6(c) and 8.1(a) and Article X thereof, the Guarantors (as defined therein) entered into the Initial PSA.

3. On May 31, 2022, the Company, the FE Member, the Investor Member and the Guarantors closed the transactions contemplated under the Initial PSA, including the issuance to the Investor Member of Membership Interests constituting, at the time of such issuance, a 19.9% Percentage Interest.

4. On February 2, 2023, the Company, the FE Member, the Investor Member, solely for the purposes of Sections 5.5, 5.6(c) and 8.1(a) and Article X thereof, the Guarantors (as defined therein) and, solely for the limited purposes described therein, North American Transmission FinCo L.P., entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement, pursuant to which the FE Member, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Fourth A&R LLC Agreement, sold to the Investor Member Membership Interests constituting, at the time of such sale, a 30.0% Percentage Interest (the “Second PSA”).

5. On the date hereof, substantially concurrently with but immediately following the consummation of the sale of the 30% Percentage Interest by the FE Member to the Investor Member described in the immediately preceding recital, the FE Member has contributed all of the MAIT Class B Interests held by the FE Member to the Company (the “MAIT Class B Contribution”) and, in respect of the MAIT Class B Contribution, the Company has, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, issued to the FE Member certain additional Membership Interests that, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be classified as Special Purpose Membership Interests.

6. The Parties desire to, and by the execution and delivery of this Agreement hereby do, amend and restate in its entirety the Third A&R LLC Agreement, in order to provide for, among other things, the rights and responsibilities of the Parties with respect to the governance,


financing and operation of the Company, and certain other matters relating to the business arrangements between the Parties with respect to the Company.

Therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other good and valid consideration the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged by each Party, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

GENERAL MATTERS

Section 1.1 Formation. The FE Member formed the Company as a limited liability company pursuant to the Act.

Section 1.2 Name. The name of the Company is “FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC”.

Section 1.3 Purpose.

(a) The purpose of the Company is to engage in all lawful business for which limited liability companies may be formed under the Act and the Laws of the State of Delaware in furtherance of the following activities (the “Company Business”):

(i) making direct or indirect investments in, or directly or indirectly developing, constructing, commercializing, operating, maintaining or owning, electric transmission assets and facilities (including ownership of the Company’s Subsidiaries);

(ii) undertaking any business activities presently conducted by the Company;

(iii) undertaking other activities that are eligible to earn recovery through cost-based transmission rates approved by FERC; and

(iv) engaging in such other activities as the Board deems necessary, convenient or incidental to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the activities described in the foregoing sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii).

(b) The Company shall not engage in any activity or conduct inconsistent with the Company Business or any reasonable extensions thereof.

Section 1.4 Registered Office. The address of the registered office of the Company in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801.

Section 1.5 Registered Agent. The name and address of the registered agent of the Company for service of process on the Company in the State of Delaware is The Corporation Trust Company, Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801.

 

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Section 1.6 Classes of Membership Interests. Upon the effectiveness of this Agreement:

(a) The authorized Membership Interests shall consist of Membership Interests classified as Common Membership Interests (the “Common Membership Interests”) and Membership Interests classified as Special Purpose Membership Interests (the “Special Purpose Membership Interests”). The Common Membership Interests and Special Purpose Membership Interests shall have the terms set forth in this Agreement. All Membership Interests outstanding hereunder shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, to the fullest extent permitted by Law.

(b) (i) Each outstanding Membership Interest (other than those issued to the FE Member concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement on account of the MAIT Class B Contribution) shall be automatically (without further action by the Members or the Company) classified as a Common Membership Interest and (ii) each outstanding Membership Interest issued to the FE Member concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement on account of the MAIT Class B Contribution shall be automatically (without further action by any Member or the Company) classified as a Special Purpose Membership Interest.

(c) By executing and delivering this Agreement, the Company, the FE Member and the Investor Member hereby acknowledge and agree that any and all restrictions and other requirements set forth in the Third A&R LLC Agreement against, that would prohibit or would otherwise be applicable to the MAIT Class B Contribution and the issuance of Membership Interests to the FE Member in respect thereto are hereby waived to the extent necessary to make such contribution and issuance effective as of the effectiveness of this Agreement.

Section 1.7 Members.

(a) Each of the FE Member and the Investor Member is hereby or was heretofore admitted to the Company as a Member, and hereby continues as such. Unless admitted to the Company as a Member as provided in this Agreement, no Person shall be, in fact or for any other purpose, a Member.

(b) No Member shall have any right to withdraw from the Company except as expressly set forth herein. No Membership Interest is redeemable or repurchasable by the Company at the option of a Member. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, no event affecting a Member (including dissolution, bankruptcy or insolvency) shall affect its obligations under this Agreement or affect the Company.

(c) The Members’ names, addresses and Common Percentage Interests (if any) and Special Percentage Interests (if any) are set forth on the Schedule of Members attached to this Agreement as Schedule 1.

(d) No Member, acting in its capacity as a Member, shall be entitled to vote on any matter relating to the Company other than as specifically required by the Act or as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

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(e) Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement, any matter requiring the action, consent, vote or other approval of the Members hereunder shall require action, consent, vote or approval of the Members owning at least a majority of the Common Membership Interests unless such matter expressly requires a vote of the Members owning the Special Purpose Membership Interests, in which event, such action, consent, vote or approval shall require the requisite vote of the Members owning the Special Purpose Membership Interests as expressly set forth herein with respect to such action, consent or other approval.

(f) A Member shall automatically cease to be a Member upon Transfer of all of such Member’s Membership Interests made pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Immediately upon any such permissible Transfer, the Company shall cause such Member to be removed from Schedule 1 to this Agreement and to be substituted by the transferee or transferees in such Transfer, and, except as otherwise expressly provided for herein, such transferee or transferees shall be deemed to be a “Party” for all purposes hereunder and all references to the FE Member or the Investor Member, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be references to such transferee or transferees (notwithstanding, in the case that more than one Person is a transferee of such Membership Interests, that such defined terms as used herein are singular in number).

Section 1.8 Powers. The Company shall have the power and authority to do any and all acts necessary or convenient to or in furtherance of the purposes described in Section 1.3, including all power and authority, statutory or otherwise, possessed by, or which may be conferred upon, limited liability companies under the Laws of the State of Delaware.

Section 1.9 Limited Liability Company Agreement. This Agreement shall constitute the “limited liability company agreement” of the Company for the purposes of the Act. The rights, powers, duties, obligations and liabilities of the Members shall be determined pursuant to the Act and this Agreement. To the extent that the rights, powers, duties, obligations and liabilities of any Member are different by reason of any provision of this Agreement than they would be under the Act in the absence of such provision, this Agreement shall control to the fullest extent permitted by the Act and other applicable Law.

Section 1.10 Issuance of Additional Membership Interests. Except for (a) the issuance of any Excluded Membership Interests or (b) the issuance of Membership Interests made pursuant to and in accordance with Section 5.1(c), Section 5.1(d) or Article VII, the Company shall not issue any new Membership Interests, or any securities convertible into Membership Interests or other equity interests of the Company, to any Third Party or to the Members other than in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.

Section 1.11 Deadlocks. In the event of a Deadlock, the provisions of this Section 1.11 shall apply.

(a) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Deadlock” means a situation in which consent has been requested with respect to any matter requiring the action, consent, vote or other approval of the Investor Member or Investor Directors but such consent, vote or other approval has been withheld by the Investor Member or one or both of the Investor Directors .

 

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(b) In any case of Deadlock, the Deadlock shall be initially referred to a working group comprised of managerial-level representatives of the Investor Member, on the one hand, and the FE Member, on the other hand (the “Member Managers”), who shall discuss the Deadlock in good faith to reach resolution. Except as otherwise provided on Schedule 4, if the Member Managers cannot reach resolution within fifteen (15) Business Days, then the Members shall form a senior executive group comprised of senior executive members of the Investor Member, on the one hand, and the FE Member, on the other hand (the “Member Executives”) to engage in additional good faith discussions for an additional twenty (20) Business Days. If the Member Executives cannot reach resolution, then Deadlocks of a type identified on Schedule 4 shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures set forth thereon and with respect to any other Deadlocks, the action sought to be taken will not be taken.

(c) The arbitration provisions in Section 13.13 do not apply to any Deadlock except to the extent that it (i) relates to the interpretation of this Agreement or the respective rights and obligations of the Parties pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) is made applicable pursuant to Schedule 4.

ARTICLE II

MANAGEMENT

Section 2.1 Directors. Subject to the provisions of the Act and any limitations in this Agreement as to action required to be authorized or approved by the Members, the business and affairs of the Company shall be managed and all its powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of a board of directors (the “Board” and each duly appointed and continuing member thereof from time to time, a “Director”), and no Member, by virtue of having the status of a Member, shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Company or any actual or apparent authority to enter into Contracts on behalf of, or to otherwise bind, the Company. Without prejudice to such general powers, but subject to the same limitations, the Board shall be empowered to conduct, manage and control the business and affairs of the Company and to make such rules and regulations therefor not inconsistent with applicable Law or this Agreement, as the Board shall deem to be in the best interest of the Company. Each Director is hereby designated as a “manager” of the Company within the meaning of Section 18- 101 of the Act.

Section 2.2 Number of Directors; Director Appointment Rights.

(a) The authorized number of Directors constituting the Board shall be five (5) Directors, subject to any decrease effected pursuant to Section 2.2(c) or Section 2.2(e).

(b) The Investor Member shall, as of the Effective Date, be entitled to appoint or reappoint annually two (2) Directors. Directors appointed by the Investor Member are referred to herein as “Investor Directors.” The appointment of any Investor Director shall be subject to the FE Member’s prior written consent of the identity of such individual prior to his or her appointment (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); provided that the FE Member shall not have any such consent right over the appointment of any proposed Investor Director that is a Qualified Designee.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that (i) the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest decreases below 19.8% but is at least 9.9%, the Investor Member shall, concurrently with such decrease, designate one Investor Director for removal from the Board such that there is one (1) remaining Investor Director, and (ii) the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest decreases below 9.9%, the remaining Investor Director shall be automatically removed from the Board concurrently with such decrease. If the Investor Member fails to so act concurrently with such decrease as set forth in clause (i), then the FE Member may designate (in the FE Member’s sole discretion) for removal from the Board one Investor Director, such removal being effective immediately upon such designation.

(d) Subject to Section 2.2(e), the FE Member shall be entitled to appoint or reappoint annually three (3) Directors. Directors appointed by the FE Member are referred to herein as “FE Directors”. The FE Member shall further be entitled to designate an FE Director to serve as the chairperson of the Board for so long as the FE Member is directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least a majority of the Common Membership Interests. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, until the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date for so long as during such time period any Special Purpose Membership Interests remain outstanding and the FE Member remains entitled to appoint at least one (1) Director, at least one (1) of the FE Directors shall be annually designated for appointment to the Board collectively by the holders of the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests and the holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests based on the results of a vote of the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests and the Members that are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests then outstanding (acting in their capacity as such), voting together as a single class, which vote shall be calculated in the manner set forth on Schedule 6.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that (i) the FE Member is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least a majority of the Common Membership Interests but is the beneficial owner of at least 19.8% of the Common Membership Interests, the FE Member shall, concurrently with such decrease, designate one FE Directors for removal from the Board such that there are two (2) remaining FE Directors, (ii) the FE Member is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least 19.8% of the Common Membership Interests but is the beneficial owner of at least 9.9% of the Common Membership Interests, the FE Member shall, concurrently with such decrease, designate one or more FE Directors for removal from the Board such that there is one (1) remaining FE Director, and (iii) the FE Member is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least 9.9% of the Common Membership Interests, the remaining FE Director shall be automatically removed from the Board concurrently with such decrease. If the FE Member fails to so act concurrently with such decrease as set forth in clauses (i) and (ii), then the Investor Member may designate (in the Investor Member’s sole discretion) for removal the number of FE Directors required to be removed from the Board had the FE Member elected the actions set forth in the immediately foregoing sentence, such removal or removals being effective immediately upon such designation.

(f) For so long the Investor Member is entitled to appoint an Investor Director, the Investor Member shall be further entitled to identify an individual (a “Designated Alternate”) who is authorized to attend meetings of the Board (or meetings of Board committees)

 

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in lieu of each Investor Director in the event that an Investor Director is unable to attend such meeting. A Designated Alternate will be entitled to exercise the powers of such Investor Director at such meetings, and will be subject to all of the responsibilities and obligations of an Investor Director hereunder at such meeting as if they were an Investor Director. The appointment of such Designated Alternate shall be subject to the FE Member’s prior written consent of the identity of such individual prior to his or her appointment (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); provided that the FE Member shall not have any such consent right over the appointment of any proposed Designated Alternate that is a Qualified Designee. If a Designated Alternate is serving in lieu of an Investor Director at any Board or committee meeting, the Investor Member shall provide notice to the FE Member of this fact prior to the commencement of such meeting (which notice may be in the form of written notice, including by way of an email to the FE Directors, or an oral announcement by such Designated Alternate of such fact at the commencement of such meeting), and such notice shall be recorded in the minutes of such meeting. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) an Investor Director and its Designated Alternate may not both function as a Director at any meeting of the Board (or committee thereof), and (ii) any references to approval or notice by an Investor Director in this Agreement will be deemed to refer to an Investor Director, and not its Designated Alternate, except in respect of the voting on matters presented at the meeting at which such Designated Alternate is attending. In the event that a Designated Alternate is also a Board Observer, at any Board or committee meeting in which he or she is serving as an Investor Director pursuant to this Section 2.2(f), he or she shall be deemed to be serving only as an Investor Director and not as a Board Observer at such meeting.

Section 2.3 Removal of Directors. Any one or more Directors may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Member that appointed such Director, and except as provided in Section 2.2(c) and Section 2.2(e) may not be removed by any other means. If a Director is convicted by a court or equivalent tribunal of any felony (or equivalent crime in the applicable jurisdiction), or of any misdemeanor (or equivalent crime in the applicable jurisdiction) that involves financial dishonesty or moral turpitude, then the Member that appointed such Director shall, unless consented to by the other Member, promptly remove such Director. Delivery of a written notice to the Company by a Member designating for removal a Director appointed by such Member shall conclusively and with immediate effect constitute the removal of such Director, without the necessity of further action by the Company, the Board, or by the applicable removed Director. Each Director duly appointed by a Member pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2 shall hold office until his or her resignation, death, permanent disability, removal pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.2 or with this Section 2.3, or until a successor Director is duly appointed by the Member that appointed (and continues to be entitled to appoint) such Director.

Section 2.4 Vacancies. A vacancy shall be deemed to exist in case of the resignation, death, permanent disability or removal (other than due to any reduction in the size of the board pursuant to Section 2.2) of any Director. The Member entitled to appoint a Director to the vacant directorship may appoint or elect a Director thereto to take office (a) immediately, (b) effective upon the departure of the vacating Director, in the case of a resignation, or (c) at such other later time as may be determined by such Member.

 

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Section 2.5 Acts of the Board. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Agreement (including Sections 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4), a vote of a majority of the Directors present at a duly called and noticed meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be required to authorize or approve any action of the Board. Every act of or decision taken or made by the Directors pursuant to the vote required by this Section 2.5 shall be conclusively regarded as an act of the Board.

Section 2.6 Compensation of Directors. The Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of Directors for their service to the Company, if any. For so long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 30.0%, any such compensation decision made by the Board shall require the approval of each Investor Director. The Board shall also have the authority (but not the obligation) to reimburse Directors for expenses incurred for attendance at meetings of the Board or otherwise in connection with their respective service on the Board. Nothing herein shall be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. If approved by the Board, each Board Observer may be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred for attendance at meetings of the Board to the same extent as if he or she were a Director.

Section 2.7 Meetings of Directors; Notice. Except as provided pursuant to Section 2.10, meetings of the Board, both regular and special, for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Board or by any Director, by providing at least seven (7) calendar days’ written notice to each Director unless the chairperson of the Board determines, acting reasonably, that there is a significant and time sensitive matter that requires shorter notice to be given, in which case a meeting of the Board may be called by giving at least 48 hours’ written notice to each Director. Each notice shall state the purpose(s) of and agenda for the meeting and include all required information, including dial-in numbers or other applicable access information, in order to participate in the meeting by telephonic means, over the internet or by means of any other customary electronic communications equipment. Unless otherwise agreed by unanimous consent of the Board, no proposal shall be put to a vote of the Board unless it has been listed on the agenda for such meeting. Notice of the time and place of meetings shall be delivered personally or by telephone to each Director, or sent by e-mail to any e-mail address of the Director in the records of the Company. Any notice given personally or by telephone shall be communicated to the applicable Director. A Director may waive the notice requirement set forth in this Section 2.7 by any means reasonable in the circumstances, including by communication to one or more other Directors, and the presence of a Director at a meeting or the approval by a Director of the minutes thereof shall conclusively constitute a waiver by such Director of such notice requirement.

Section 2.8 Quorum.

(a) Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, the presence (whether physical, telephonic, over the internet or by means of other customary electronic communications equipment) of a majority of the number of Directors then serving on the Board, including each Investor Director, at a meeting of the Board shall constitute a quorum of the Board for the transaction of all business thereat; provided, that if quorum fails at an attempted meeting that is called with proper notice due to the failure of the Investor Director(s) to attend, then at the next attempted meeting only a majority of the number of Directors then serving on the

 

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Board (without regard to the attendance of the Investor Director(s)) must be present in person, by telephone or other electronic means or by proxy in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business for purposes of considering only those matters that were included on the agenda for the attempted meeting immediately preceding such meeting.

(b) If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, the Directors present at such meeting may adjourn the meeting, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, and the Board or Director that called for the meeting shall attempt to reschedule such meeting until a quorum is present.

Section 2.9 Place and Method of Meetings.

(a) Meetings of the Board may be held at any place, whether within or outside the State of Delaware or the State of Ohio, and meetings may be held, in whole or in part, by telephonic means, over the internet or by means of any other customary electronic communications equipment. The place at which (or, if applicable, the electronic communication methods by which) a meeting will be held may be specified in the applicable notice of the meeting; provided, that in the absence of such specification, or in the event that any Director objects to the place or electronic communication methods (if any) specified in the applicable notice, then the applicable meeting shall be held solely in physical presence at the principal executive office of the Company, it being understood that a Director may participate in the applicable meeting in accordance with Section 2.9(b).

(b) The Directors may participate in meetings of the Board by telephonic means, over the internet or by means of any other customary electronic communications equipment, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, shall be deemed to be present at such meeting for all purposes, including for purposes of determining quorum and of voting.

Section 2.10 Action by the Board Without a Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if a number of Directors the vote of whom would be minimally necessary to approve such action at a meeting of the Board shall individually or collectively consent in writing to such action; provided, however, that, if (a) one or more Investor Directors are serving on the Board at the time of such written action, (b) the subject matter of such written action had not previously been addressed during a duly called and noticed meeting of the Board at which quorum was present, and (c) no Investor Director joins such written action, then, in such case, the written action shall not be effective until 48 hours after the Secretary of the Company has notified all then-serving Investor Directors of such action, it being understood that, during such 48-hour period, any Investor Director shall be entitled to call a special meeting of the Board (to be held within such period and solely telephonically, over the internet or by means of other customary electronic communications equipment) for purposes of discussing with the Board the subject matter of such written action (without regard, for purpose of such discussion, to whether a quorum is present to constitute a duly convened meeting of the Board). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) no action set forth in this Agreement (including Section 8.1, Section 8.2 or Section 8.4) that requires the consent of the Investor Member shall be effected by written action entered into pursuant to this Section 2.10 without the Investor Member’s consent and (y) no action set forth in this Agreement that requires that consent of any Investor Director shall be effected by written action entered into pursuant to

 

9


this Section 2.10 without the consent of such Investor Director(s). Any written actions of the Board may be in counterparts and transmitted by e-mail and shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board. Such written actions shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Board.

Section 2.11 Duties of Directors. Each member of the Board shall have fiduciary duties identical to those of directors of a business corporation organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that the Members acknowledge and agree that the enforcement or exercise by the Investor Member of any of its rights under Section 8.1, Section 8.2 or Section 8.4 shall in no event constitute a violation of the fiduciary duties of the Investor Director(s) or the Investor Member, which are hereby disclaimed in all respects with respect thereto. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they expand or restrict the duties and liabilities of the Board, otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Board.

Section 2.12 Committees.

(a) The Board may create one or more committees of the Board, delegate responsibilities, duties and powers to such one or more committees, and appoint Directors to serve thereon; provided, that, for so long as the Investor Member is entitled to appoint an Investor Director, such Investor Director(s) shall be entitled to be a member of any such committee(s). Each Director appointed to serve on any such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the resolution designating the applicable committee. Section 2.4, Section 2.7, Section 2.8, Section 2.9 and Section 2.10 shall each apply to any committee of the Board with the same terms applicable to the Board, mutatis mutandis.

(b) For so long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 30.0%, the Board shall cause the Company to establish and maintain an advisory committee to the Board (the “Advisory Committee”) consisting of (i) the appropriate members of Company management primarily responsible for the applicable subject areas of the Advisory Committee and (ii) one or more individuals appointed by each Member. The Advisory Committee shall meet monthly but only in months in which a meeting of the Board is not scheduled to occur, and the FE Directors, Investor Directors, and Board Observers shall be entitled to attend such meetings; provided that attendance at such meetings by all or a requisite number of Directors constituting a quorum thereof shall not, in and of itself, constitute a waiver of the notice and agenda requirements for Board meetings set forth in Section 2.9(a) or otherwise cause such Advisory Committee meetings to be deemed meetings or actions of the Board. The Advisory Committee shall initially discuss, among other things, the capital expenditures, financing, budget, and treasury matters, and rate base and regulatory matters. For the avoidance of doubt, the Advisory Committee shall have only an advisory role to the Board, and shall not be delegated any authority of the Board or otherwise be empowered to take binding action.

Section 2.13 Investor Member Board Observers.

(a) For so long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 30.0%, the Investor Member shall be entitled to appoint up to a total of four (4) individuals

 

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to serve as an observer of the Board (any such individual, a “Board Observer”), which individuals shall be Representatives of the Investor Member and the identity of whom shall be subject to the prior written consent of the FE Member (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); provided, that the FE Member shall not have any such consent right over the appointment of any proposed Board Observer that is a Qualified Designee.

(b) In the event that, and for so long as, the Investor Member’s Percentage Interest decreases such that the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is:

(i) at least 15.0% but less than 30.0%, then the Investor Member shall be entitled to appoint up to three (3) Board Observers.

(ii) at least 9.9% but less than 15.0%, then the Investor Member shall be entitled to appoint up to two (2) Board Observers.

(iii) at least 5.0% but less than 9.9%, then the Investor Member shall be entitled to appoint one (1) Board Observer.

(iv) less than 5.0%, then the Investor Member shall not be entitled to appoint any Board Observers.

Concurrently with any such decrease in the Investor Member’s Percentage Interest, the Investor Member shall remove the numbers of Board Observer(s) such that the total number of Board Observers complies with this Section 2.13(b). If the Investor Member fails to so act concurrently with such decrease, then the FE Member may designate (in the FE Member’s sole discretion) for removal the number of Board Observers required to be removed as Board Observers had the Investor Member elected the actions set forth in the immediately foregoing sentence, such removal or removals being effective immediately upon such designation.

(c) The Board Observer(s) shall have the right to receive notice of, attend and participate in all meetings of the Board (and any committee thereof) and to receive all information provided to Directors at the same time and in the same manner as provided to such Directors; provided, however, that the Company and the Board will be entitled to withhold access to any portion of the information and to exclude the Board Observer(s) from any portion of any meeting of the Board (or any committee thereof) if the Company or the Board determines in good faith in reliance upon the advice of counsel that access to such information or attendance at such meeting (i) is reasonably necessary to preserve an attorney-client privilege of the Company or the Board or (ii) otherwise implicates any conflict of interest between the Investor Member and a particular matter or transaction under consideration by the Board; provided, further, that the Investor Member shall be notified of any intent to exclude the Board Observer(s) in reliance on clause (ii) above in advance of any meeting from which any Board Observer is to be excluded; provided, further, that, any Board Observer(s) that is excluded shall only be excluded for such portion of the meeting during which such matter or transaction is being discussed. For the avoidance of doubt, the Board Observer(s) shall not have any voting rights with respect to any matter brought before the Board and shall not be counted in any manner with respect to whether a quorum is present at a meeting of the Board, and (without limiting the Company’s obligations to provide the Board Observer(s) with notice of meetings of the Board

 

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and any committee thereof as set forth in this Section 2.13) no defect in the provision of notice to the Board Observer(s) of any meeting of the Board shall be construed to constitute a defect in the provision of notice to Directors. In the event that any Board Observer is also the Designated Alternate and, in such capacity, he or she is serving at a Board or committee meeting as an Investor Director pursuant to Section 2.2(e), the Investor Member shall not be entitled to appoint an additional individual to serve as a replacement Board Observer to exercise the rights and duties of such Board Observer for that meeting. The Board Observer(s) shall be bound by the same confidentiality obligations as the Directors as set forth in Section 9.4. The Investor Member may cause the Board Observer(s) to resign or appoint a replacement Board Observer(s) from time to time by giving written notice to the Company. In the event that the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest becomes less than 5.0%, the Investor Member’s rights under this Section 2.13 shall immediately cease. For the avoidance of doubt, the sole purpose of this Section 2.13 is to provide observation rights (subject to the limitations and conditions set forth in this Section 2.13) to individual Representatives of the Investor Member, and in no event will any Board Observer be construed to be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement, an agent of the Company of any kind or for any purpose, or have any other claim against the Company or the Members in relation to any matter whatsoever.

Section 2.14 Related Party Matters.

(a) Subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 2.14(a), all transactions (including corporate allocations) between any member of the FE Outside Group, on the one hand, and the Company Group, on the other hand (such transactions, “Affiliate Transactions”), shall be (i) entered into and carried out in a manner that, except as may be required by any applicable Law, is (A) consistent with past practices and the corporate allocation and affiliate transaction policies of the FE Outside Group and the Company Group in effect at such time and (B) on terms and conditions that are commercially reasonable with respect to the subject matter thereof, and (ii) entered into and carried out in accordance with the requirements of any applicable Law (including, for the avoidance of doubt, on such terms and conditions as may be required to obtain the approval of the applicable Governmental Body in respect of such transaction). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except as required by applicable Law, the FE Member shall ensure during the term of this Agreement that any methodologies used to allocate costs to the Company Group (A) are and will be consistently applied to other members of the FE Outside Group in a manner that does not have a disproportionate adverse impact on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as compared to any member of the FE Outside Group and (B) would not result in any fines or penalties that are imposed on any member of the FE Outside Group being allocated to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. For so long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 30.0%, to the extent any (x) cost incurred outside of the ordinary course of business or inconsistent with past practices under any cost allocation methodology or (y) change to any cost allocation methodology results in any material costs being disallowed under any applicable regulatory revenue requirement of the Subsidiaries of the Company and the incurrence of such cost or such cost allocation methodology change is not otherwise required under applicable Law or necessary to avoid an Affiliate Transaction Default, the prior written consent of the Investor Member shall be required for such cost incurrence or change.

 

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(b) Subject to the Investor Member’s approval rights under Sections 2.14(a), 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4, the Members acknowledge and agree that (i) the Company Group and the FE Outside Group have, prior to the Effective Date, engaged in Affiliate Transactions, and will, pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.14(a), from and after the Effective Date, engage in Affiliate Transactions, and (ii) services provided by any member of the FE Outside Group to any member of the Company Group as of the Effective Date pursuant to (A) that certain Service Agreement among FirstEnergy Service Company, certain other members of the FE Outside Group and the Company, dated February 25, 2011, (B) that certain Service Agreement among certain members of the FE Outside Group and certain Subsidiaries of the Company, dated January 31, 2017, and (C) that certain Revised Amended and Restated Mutual Assistance Agreement among certain members of the FE Outside Group and certain Subsidiaries of the Company, dated January 31, 2017, in each case, will continue in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (provided that the agreements described in clauses (B) or (C) may be amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time, provided, further, that, in any such case, any required consent, vote or other approval of the Investor Member or Investor Directors (as applicable hereunder) has been obtained in respect thereof).

(c) To ensure corporate separateness from the FE Member and other members of the FE Outside Group, the Company, together with its Directors and officers, shall take or refrain from taking, as the case may be, and cause the Company’s Subsidiaries to take or refrain from taking, as the case may be, the following actions (in each case, in a manner and to the extent consistent with the Company Group’s and the FE Outside Group’s respective past practices and to the extent consistent with applicable Law):

(i) at all times hold itself out to the public and other Persons as a legal entity separate from the FE Member and the other members of the FE Outside Group;

(ii) correct any known material misunderstanding regarding its identity as an entity separate from any FE Outside Group member;

(iii) observe appropriate organizational procedures and formalities;

(iv) maintain accurate books, financial records and accounts, including checking and other bank accounts and custodian and other securities safekeeping accounts, that are separate and distinct from those of the FE Member and the other members of the FE Outside Group;

(v) maintain its books, financial records and accounts in a manner such that it would not be difficult or costly to segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify the Company Group’s assets and liabilities from those of the FE Outside Group;

(vi) not enter into any pledge, encumbrance or guaranty, or otherwise become intentionally liable for, or pledge or encumber its assets to secure the liability, debts or obligations of the FE Member or any other member of the FE Outside Group;

(vii) not hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the debts or obligations of the FE Member or any other member of the FE Outside Group;

 

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(viii) (A) pay its own liabilities, expenses and losses only from its own assets, and (B) compensate all Advisors and other agents from its own funds for services provided to it by such Advisors and other agents;

(ix) cause its Representatives to (A) hold themselves out to Third Parties as being the Representatives, as the case may be, of the Company or the applicable member of the Company Group (it being understood that the Company Group need not have its own dedicated employees), and (B) refrain from holding themselves out as Representatives of any member of the FE Outside Group (in connection with any duties performed for, or otherwise in relation to, any member of the Company Group);

(x) maintain separate annual financial statements for the Company Group, showing the Company Group’s (or its respective members’) assets and liabilities separate and distinct from those of any member of the FE Outside Group (it being understood that nothing herein shall prohibit the consolidation of such financial statements with the “affiliated group” (as defined in Section 1504(a) of the Code) of which the FE Member is the common parent); and

(xi) pay or bear the cost of the preparation of its financial statements, and have such financial statements audited by an independent certified public accounting firm.

(d) In the event the Company and/or the FE Member becomes aware of any material breach or material default (it being understood that, for purposes of this clause (d), a breach or default will be deemed to be “material” if (x) the reasonably expected amount of damages that would be sustained by the Company and its Affiliates as a result of such breach or default, or series of related breaches or defaults, would exceed $20,000,000 in the aggregate or (y) the breach or default would otherwise be material to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, by any member of the Company Group or FE Outside Group under any Affiliate Transaction (an “Affiliate Transaction Default”)), the Company and/or the FE Member, as applicable, shall promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days after becoming aware of such Affiliate Transaction Default, send a written notice (a “Default Notice”) to the Company and the Investor Member setting forth in reasonable detail the nature of such Affiliate Transaction Default and the reasonable estimate of the current and future anticipated losses associated with such Affiliate Transaction Default with supporting calculations (to the extent feasible to make a reasonable estimate at such time). After delivery of such Default Notice to the Investor Member, the Company (and, if the Company did not provide the Default Notice, the FE Member) shall promptly provide the Investor Member with any additional information reasonably requested by the Investor Member relating to such Affiliate Transaction Default. The defaulting party under such Affiliate Transaction shall have until the expiration of the applicable cure period in respect of such Affiliate Transaction to fully cure any monetary or non-monetary Affiliate Transaction Default, subject to and consistent with applicable Law. In the event that any material alleged Affiliate Transaction Default is not timely cured in accordance with the preceding sentence, the Investor Member shall have the sole right to cause the Company and its Subsidiaries to take, or refrain from taking, any actions in connection with the enforcement of or compliance with the rights or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the terms of the applicable Affiliate Transaction, including the commencement of any litigation, proceeding or other action

 

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on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries against the applicable member(s) of the FE Outside Group.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS

Section 3.1 Appointment and Tenure.

(a) The Board may, from time to time, designate officers of the Company to carry out the day-to-day business of the Company; provided, that, for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, any Board determination of any officer designation or removal pursuant to this Section 3.1 shall require the approval of each Investor Director.

(b) The officers of the Company shall be comprised of one or more individuals designated from time to time by the Board. Each officer shall hold his or her office for such term and shall have such authority and exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board. Any number of offices may be held by the same individual. The salaries or other compensation, if any, of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Directors.

(c) The officers of the Company may consist of a president, a secretary and a treasurer. The Board may also designate one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers. The Board may designate such other officers and assistant officers and agents as the Board may deem necessary or appropriate.

Section 3.2 Removal. Any officer may be removed as such at any time by the Board, either with or without cause, in its discretion.

Section 3.3 President. The president, if one is designated, shall be the chief executive officer of the Company, shall have general and active management of the day-to-day business and affairs of the Company as authorized from time to time by the Board, and shall be authorized and directed to implement all actions, resolutions, initiatives and business plans adopted by the Board.

Section 3.4 Vice Presidents. The vice presidents, if any are designated, in the order of their election, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the president, perform the duties and have the authority and exercise the powers of the president. They shall perform such other duties and have such other authority and powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

Section 3.5 Secretary; Assistant Secretaries. The secretary, if one is designated, shall perform such duties and have such powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe. The assistant secretaries, if any are designated, and unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the secretary, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary. They shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

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Section 3.6 Treasurer; Assistant Treasurers. The treasurer, if one is designated, shall have custody of the Company’s funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts and records of receipts, disbursements and other transactions in books belonging to the Company, and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Company in such depositories as may be designated from time to time by the Board. The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render the president and the Board, when so directed, an account of all of his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Company. The treasurer shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If required by the Board, the treasurer shall give the Company a bond of such type, character and amount as the Board may require. The assistant treasurers, if any are designated, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the treasurer, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the treasurer. They shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

ARTICLE IV

DEFAULT; DISSOLUTION

Section 4.1 Events of Default. The following shall constitute events of default (each, an “Event of Default”) by the applicable Member under this Agreement:

(a) any material breach of this Agreement by such Member;

(b) any failure by any Member that is a holder of Common Membership Interests (acting in its capacity as such) to make any Additional Funding Requirement pursuant to and in accordance with a Capital Request Notice issued pursuant to Section 5.1 if such Member indicated it would do so in its Response To Capital Call but then failed to do so within the time period specified in Section 5.1;

(c) any purported Transfer by such Member made other than pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and

(d) the filing of a petition seeking relief, or the consent to the entry of a decree or Order for relief in an involuntary case, under the bankruptcy, rearrangement, reorganization or other debtor relief Laws of the United States or any state or any other competent jurisdiction or a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors by such Member or by any of its controlling Affiliates.

Section 4.2 Default Notice. If an Event of Default occurs, then any Member (other than the Member subject to the Event of Default (the “Defaulting Member”)) may deliver to the Company and to the Defaulting Member a notice of the occurrence of such Event of Default, setting forth the circumstances of such Event of Default. The provisions of this Agreement applicable to a “Defaulting Member” shall apply to such Defaulting Member from and after the delivery of such notice until the Event of Default and the material effects thereof have been cured (if capable of being so cured).

Section 4.3 Dissolution.

 

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(a) Subject to obtaining the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body, the Company shall dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up, upon either (i) the approval by the Board and the written consent of all of the Members or (ii) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under Section 18-802 of the Act (each, an “Event of Dissolution”).

(b) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Dissolution, the Company will continue solely for the purposes of winding up its affairs in an orderly manner, liquidating its assets and satisfying the claims of its creditors and the Members. No Member, acting in its capacity as such, will take any action that is inconsistent with, or not necessary to or appropriate for, the winding up of the Company’s business and affairs. All covenants contained and obligations provided for in this Agreement will continue to be fully binding upon the Members until such time as the property of the Company has been distributed pursuant to Section 5.3 and the certificate of formation of the Company has been canceled pursuant to the Act.

(c) After the occurrence of an Event of Dissolution, and after all of the Company’s debts, liabilities and obligations have been paid and discharged or adequate reserves have been made therefor and all of the remaining assets of the Company have been distributed to the Members, the Company shall make necessary resolutions and filings to dissolve the Company under the Act.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 5.1 Capital Contributions.

(a)

(i) For as long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is 30.0% or greater, if the Board determines that it is in the best interests of the Company to obtain additional equity capital for purposes of (x) funding payments required to be made within the succeeding ninety (90) day period for expenditures as contemplated in the Annual Approved Budget and to the extent making such payments is not otherwise covered on commercially reasonable terms by the Company’s available liquidity, (y) complying with applicable Law, or (z) funding any Emergency Expenditures, then the Board may direct the Company to submit to the Members that are holders of Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) a written capital funding request notice (a “Capital Request Notice”).

(ii) In the event that the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest falls below 30.0%, if the Board determines that it is in the best interests of the Company to obtain additional equity capital for purposes of (w) developing, acquiring or maintaining Qualifying Core Assets or funding ordinary course operations of the Company Business, (x) satisfying the Company’s obligations to Third Parties (including in respect of the Indebtedness of the Company Group), (y) complying with applicable Law or (z) funding any Emergency Expenditures, then the Board may direct the Company to submit to the Members that are holders of Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) a Capital Request Notice.

 

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(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board determines that it is in the best interests of the Company to obtain additional equity capital for any other purpose, the Board may direct the Company to submit to the Members that are holders of the Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) a Capital Request Notice; provided that, for so long as the Investor Member is entitled to designate a Director for appointment to the Board pursuant to Section 2.2(b), any such determination of the Board shall require the approval of each Investor Director(s).

(iv) Any such determination by the Board to submit a Capital Request Notice pursuant to this Section 5.1(a)(i) shall be referred to herein as an “Additional Funding Requirement.

(b) Any Capital Request Notice shall set forth (A) the anticipated amount of, and the reason for, such Additional Funding Requirement, (B) each Member’s requested share of such Additional Funding Requirement, which with respect to each Member shall equal such Member’s Common Percentage Interest multiplied by the aggregate amount of the Additional Funding Requirement (such share, the “Pro Rata Request Amount”) and (C) the funding date for such Additional Funding Requirement (the “Capital Request Funding Date”), which Capital Request Funding Date shall not be earlier than thirty (30) days following the date on which such Capital Request Notice is delivered to the Members that are holders of Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such). Subject to the express provisions of this Article V, each Member may, but shall not be obligated to, contribute its Pro Rata Request Amount as called for in the applicable Capital Request Notice (which contribution will be on account of, and credited in the books and records of the Company as a capital contribution made by, such Member as the holder of its Common Membership Interests). Upon the receipt of a Capital Request Notice, each Member shall, within fifteen (15) days of such receipt, provide written notice to the Company and the other Members as to the extent to which such Member intends to fund its Pro Rata Request Amount, whether in whole, in part or not at all (a “Response To Capital Call”). If one Member indicates in its Response To Capital Call that it does not intend to fund its Pro Rata Request Amount in full, and any other Member had, prior thereto, submitted a Response To Capital Call indicating that it intends to fund a greater percentage of its Pro Rata Request Amount, then such other Member will be entitled to amend its Response To Capital Call to reduce its percentage funding to an amount representing a percentage of its Pro Rata Request Amount not less than the lower percentage indicated in the other Member’s Response To Capital Call. For the avoidance of doubt, (X) no Member shall have any obligation to fund any Additional Funding Requirement pursuant to this Section 5.1 unless such Member indicates that it will do so in its Response To Capital Call and (Y) a Member shall only have an obligation to, and may only, fund any Additional Funding Requirement pursuant to this Section 5.1 in such Member’s capacity as a holder of Common Membership Interests.

(c) If any Member refuses or fails to make all or any portion of its Pro Rata Request Amount pursuant to this Section 5.1 on or prior to the applicable Capital Request Funding Date (such Member, the “Non-Contributing Member”, and the unfunded amount, the “Unfunded Amount”), then the Company shall provide written notice thereof to the Members that are holders of the Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) (the “Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice”), and:

 

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(i) Excess Contribution. To the extent that the Non-Contributing Member contributes a portion (but less than all) of its Pro Rata Request Amount, and another Member (the “Over-Contributing Member”) has contributed a greater percentage of its Pro Rata Request Amount than the Non-Contributing Member, the Over- Contributing Member shall have the right to elect (which election shall be made by written notice to the Company and the other Members no later than ten (10) Business Days following the date of the Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice) to (A) receive a special distribution of the amount of such excess (the “Excess Contribution”), such that the Excess Contribution is returned to the Over-Contributing Member (and the Company shall cause such special distribution to be made as promptly as practicable), (B) have the portion of such Excess Contribution that would have been the Non-Contributing Member’s share thereof treated as a loan to the Company (consistent with the methodology in clause (ii)(A), below), or (C) have the portion of such Excess Contribution that would have been the Non-Contributing Member’s share thereof treated as a contribution to capital (consistent with the methodology in clause (ii)(B) below).

(ii) Top-Up Right. A Member that has paid its full Pro Rata Request Amount (the “Contributing Member”) shall have the right (but not the obligation) to elect (which election shall be made by written notice to the Company and the other Members no later than ten (10) Business Days following the receipt of the Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice) to contribute any portion of the Unfunded Amount in accordance with this Section 5.1(c) either (A) as a loan to the Company, or (B) as a capital contribution to the Company (or as any combination thereof as the Contributing Member elects) in accordance with the following procedures:

(A) Loan. The Contributing Member may elect to advance all or a portion of the Unfunded Amount to the Company on behalf of the Non-Contributing Member, which advance shall be treated as a loan by the Contributing Member to the Company (an “Unfunded Amount Loan”) at an interest rate equal to the highest interest rate payable on any subordinated third- party debt of any member of the Company Group then outstanding. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, each Unfunded Amount Loan shall be repaid out of any subsequent distributions made pursuant to Section 5.2 to which the Non- Contributing Member would otherwise be entitled under this Agreement, and such payments shall be applied first to the payment of accrued but unpaid interest on each such Unfunded Amount Loan and then to the payment of the outstanding principal, until such Unfunded Amount Loan is paid in full.

(B) Capital Contribution. The Contributing Member may elect to contribute an amount equal to all or a portion of the Unfunded Amount to the Company. If the Contributing Member elects to contribute to the Company all or a portion of the Unfunded Amount, then, on or after the earlier of the date that the Non-Contributing Member indicates it will not cure the failure to fund its full Pro Rata Request Amount and the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice, the Company shall issue to the Contributing Member the amount of additional Common Membership Interests that can be purchased for such funded amount at a price per Common

 

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Membership Interest equal to 90.0% of the Fair Market Value of the Company (measured as of the date that such contribution is to be made) per Common Membership Interest, and the Contributing Member’s and the Non-Contributing Member’s respective Common Percentage Interests will be adjusted accordingly.

(C) Cure Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5.1, on or before the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice, a Non-Contributing Member may make a contribution to the Company equal to the sum of the Unfunded Amount plus, if the Contributing Member already made an Unfunded Amount Loan in respect of such Unfunded Amount, any interest accrued on the Unfunded Amount Loan, following which (1) the Unfunded Amount advanced by the Contributing Member to the Company together with any such interest shall be paid to the Contributing Member, and (2) the former Non-Contributing Member shall be deemed to have cured its failure to pay the Pro Rata Request Amount prior to the Capital Request Funding Date with respect to the applicable Capital Request Notice.

(d) If the Non-Contributing Member refuses or fails to make its full Pro Rata Request Amount pursuant to this Section 5.1 on or prior to the applicable Capital Request Funding Date and the Contributing Member has not fully funded the Unfunded Amount in accordance with Section 5.1(c) then on or after the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the applicable Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice, the Board may authorize (which, for so long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 30.0%, such authorization by the Board shall require the approval of each Investor Director if the Non-Contributing Member is the FE Member) the Company to seek additional equity funds on commercially reasonable terms from a Third Party in an amount up to the difference between the total Additional Funding Requirement requested and the total funds received by the Company from the Non-Contributing Member and the Contributing Member (including any additional funds that the Contributing Member may have contributed pursuant to Section 5.1(c)), and to issue Membership Interests to Third Parties in connection therewith pursuant to this Section 5.1(d). If the Board determines to seek additional equity funds from and issue Common Membership Interests to a Third Party pursuant to this Section 5.1(d), then the Company must consummate such issuance within 180 days following the Capital Request Funding Date. If such issuance is not consummated within such 180-day period, then the Company’s right to so issue Common Membership Interests to a Third Party in connection with the applicable Additional Funding Requirement shall be lapsed, and the Company shall not thereafter issue any Common Membership Interests to a Third Party in connection with such Additional Funding Requirement; provided that, if a definitive agreement providing for such issuance is executed prior to the expiration of such 180-day period but the issuance has not been consummated at the expiration of such period solely as a result of a failure to receive the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body in respect of such issuance, then such period shall be extended solely to the extent necessary to permit the receipt of all such authorizations, approvals or consents which are in process but have not been received from the relevant Governmental Body as of such original expiration date and the consummation of the issuance provided for in such definitive agreement; provided, further, that the Company shall have used its reasonable best efforts in seeking such authorizations, approvals and consents. Upon the completion of such issuance of Common Membership

 

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Interests pursuant to this Section 5.1(d), the Company shall give written notice to the Members of such issuance, which notice shall specify (i) the total number of new Common Membership Interests issued, (ii) the price per Common Membership Interest at which the Company issued the Membership Interests, and (iii) any other material terms of the issuance. Upon the issuance of new Common Membership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.1(d), the Contributing Member’s and Non-Contributing Member’s respective Common Percentage Interests will be adjusted accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, any issuance of Membership Interests to Third Parties pursuant to this Section 5.1(d) shall only be of Common Membership Interests, and no such issuance of Membership Interests to Third Parties in connection therewith may be made of Special Purpose Membership Interests.

(e) In the event that the Investor Member refuses or fails to fund all or any portion of its share of an Additional Funding Requirement pursuant to this Section 5.1 on or prior to the applicable Capital Request Funding Date in respect of two Additional Funding Requirements, subject to Section 5.1(c)(ii)(C), from and after the occurrence of the second such failure or refusal by the Investor Member, the FE Member may (but is not required to), at its option at any time, acquire all (but not less than all) of the Membership Interests held by the Investor Member (the “Call Right”) by giving written notice (the “Call Notice”) to the Investor Member of its election to exercise the Call Right; provided, that, the Investor Member shall have 60 days following the Call Notice to cure the most recent such failure to fund. The purchase price payable by the FE Member in connection with the exercise of the Call Right shall be equal to the product of (i) 90.0% of the Fair Market Value of the Company (measured as of the date of the delivery of the Call Notice to the Investor Member) multiplied (ii) by a fraction, (A) the numerator of which is the number of Membership Interests that the Investor Member owns at such time and (B) the denominator of which is the total number of Membership Interests then outstanding (the amount equal to such product, the “Call Exercise Price”). If the Call Right is exercised by the FE Member, each of the Parties shall take all actions as may be reasonably necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Section 5.1(c) as promptly as practicable, but in any event not later than 30 days after, or, if the Investor Member indicates its intent to cure its funding failure prior to such 30th day, 60 days after, the delivery of the Call Notice (such period, the “Call Consummation Period”), including entering into agreements and delivering certificates and instruments and consents as may be deemed necessary. If the Investor Member fails to take all actions necessary to consummate the Transfer of the Membership Interests held by it in accordance with this Section 5.1(c) prior to the expiration of the Call Consummation Period, then the Investor Member shall be deemed to be in material breach of this Agreement for purposes of Article IV and for all other purposes hereunder, and shall be deemed to have granted (and hereby grants, contingent only on the occurrence of such failure) an irrevocable appointment of any Person nominated for the purpose by the FE Member to be the Investor Member’s agent and attorney to execute all necessary documentation and instruments on its behalf to Transfer the Investor Member’s Membership Interest to the Company as the holder thereof, in each case consistent with the provisions of this Section 5.1(e). At the consummation of any purchase and sale pursuant to this Section 5.1(e), the Investor Member shall sell to the FE Member all of the Membership Interests owned by the Investor Member in exchange for the Call Exercise Price. Contemporaneously with its receipt from the FE Member of the Call Exercise Price, the Investor Member shall Transfer to the FE Member all of the Membership Interests owned by the Investor Member, free and clear of all Liens. The Members and the Company acknowledge and agree that they shall cooperate reasonably to obtain any

 

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necessary authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Section 5.1(e).

(f) It is hereby acknowledged by the Parties that the FE Member has made the MAIT Class B Contribution effective as of the date hereof for the issuance from the Company of Special Purpose Membership Interests constituting a 100% Special Percentage Interest. Except for the MAIT Class B Contribution, no Member that is a holder of Special Purpose Membership Interests (acting in such capacity) has made or shall make, or shall be required or permitted to make, whether pursuant to a written capital funding request notice from the Company or otherwise, any additional capital contributions to the Company on account of its ownership of Special Purpose Membership Interests.

Section 5.2 Distributions Generally; Support Payments.

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein and subject to Section 5.2(c), Section 5.2(d) and the Act, no later than sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) for as long as the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is 30.0% or greater, the Company shall make distributions in cash to the Members that are holders of the Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) of all of the Company’s Available Limited Discretion Cash in respect of such fiscal quarter, and (ii) in the event that the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest falls below 30.0%, the Company shall make distributions in cash to the Members that are holders of the Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) of all the Company’s Available Cash in respect of such fiscal quarter. The Company may make such other more frequent distributions (including interim distributions) to the Members that are holders of the Common Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) at such times and in such amounts as the Board may determine; provided, that, for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, any such determination of the Board shall require the approval of each Investor Director; provided, further, that the Company shall only make distributions of any MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts (or any amounts that should be properly classified as MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts) in accordance with Section 5.2(b); provided, further, that except as set forth in Section 5.2(b) or in accordance with Section 5.3, no Member in its capacity as a holder of Special Purpose Membership Interests shall be entitled to, and no Member in its capacity as a holder of Special Purpose Membership Interests shall receive, any distributions from the Company on account of such holder’s Special Purpose Membership Interests.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein and subject to Section 5.2(c), Section 5.2(d) and the Act, for so long as any Special Purpose Membership Interests remain outstanding, as promptly as practicable (and in any event no later than two (2) Business Days) after each time that MAIT has made a validly authorized distribution to its equity holders in accordance with MAIT’s Organizational Documents and applicable Law, the Company shall make distributions in cash to the Members that are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests (in their capacity as such) of all of the Company’s MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, all distributions shall be paid to the Members only in cash and in the same proportion as their respective Common Percentage

 

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Interest or Special Percentage Interest, as applicable; provided that, in the case of distributions to be paid in respect of any period during which the applicable Common Percentage Interest or Special Percentage Interest, as applicable, of the Members changed, such distributions shall be prorated to reflect the Percentage Interest of the Members on each day of such measurement period, and the Company and the Members shall take such action as necessary to effectuate such proration.

(d) Notwithstanding the terms of this Section 5.2 and any other provision of this Agreement, (i) the Company shall not make any distribution to any Member on account of its Membership Interests to the extent such distribution would violate the Act, other applicable Law, and (ii) a Member may direct the payment of part or all of any distribution to another Person by providing written notice of such direction to the Company.

Section 5.3 Distributions upon the Occurrence of an Event of Dissolution. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Dissolution, the Board will proceed, subject to the provisions herein, to wind up the affairs of the Company, liquidate and distribute the remaining assets of the Company (provided, however, that all distributions shall be paid to the Members only in cash) and apply the proceeds of such liquidation in the order of priority in accordance with Section 18- 804 of the Act or as may otherwise be agreed to by the Members, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Investor Member; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing (including the order of priority set forth in Section 18-804 of the Act to the extent it is contrary to the terms set forth in this proviso), to the extent permitted by applicable Law, the Members and the Company shall take all actions necessary to cause the Company to, before making any liquidating distributions to the Members as holders of the Common Membership Interests on account thereof, first make a liquidating distribution equal to the Fair Market Value of the MAIT Class B Interests then- owned by or for the benefit of the Company as of the date of the occurrence of an Event of Dissolution to the Members who are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interest (on account thereof) in the same proportion as their respective Special Percentage Interests.

Section 5.4 Withdrawal of Capital; Interest. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, (a) no Member may withdraw capital or receive any distributions from the Company and (b) no interest shall be paid by the Company on any capital contribution or distribution.

ARTICLE VI

TRANSFERS OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 6.1 General Restrictions.

(a) No Member shall Transfer any of its Membership Interests except pursuant to and in accordance with this Article VI. Any purported Transfer by any Member of its Membership Interests in violation of this Section 6.1(a), or without compliance in all respects with the provisions of this Article VI pertaining to such purported Transfer, shall be invalid and void ab initio, and such purported Transfer by such Member shall constitute a material breach of this Agreement for purposes of Article IV.

(b) Subject to Section 6.2, neither the Investor Member nor the FE Member may Transfer any of its Membership Interests to any Person prior to the expiration of the Lock-

 

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Up Period, other than with the prior written consent of the FE Member or the Investor Member, as applicable. After the expiration of the Lock-up Period, each of the Investor Member and the FE Member, as applicable, may Transfer its Membership Interests in accordance with this Article VI. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each of the Members may at any time Transfer Membership Interests in compliance with Section 6.5.

Section 6.2 Transfers to Permitted Transferees; Liens by Members.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 6.1(a) and Section 6.1(b), each of the Members may Transfer at any time all or any portion of the Membership Interests held by it to any one of its Permitted Transferees; provided that, in connection with any such Transfer, (a) such Permitted Transferee shall, (i) in writing, assume all of the rights and obligations of the transferring Member as a Member under this Agreement and as a Party hereto with respect to the Transferred Membership Interests and (ii) obtain all requisite authorizations, approvals and consents of any Governmental Body in respect of such Transfer (and no such requisite authorization, approval or consent shall have been rescinded), and (b) effective provision shall be made whereby such Permitted Transferee shall be required, prior to the time when it shall cease to be a Permitted Transferee of the transferring Member, to Transfer such Membership Interests to the transferring Member or to another Person that would be a Permitted Transferee of the transferring Member as of such applicable time. In the event that a Member (including, as the case may be, a Permitted Transferee) intends to Transfer its Membership Interests to a Permitted Transferee, such transferring Member or the Permitted Transferee, as applicable, shall notify the other Member and the Company of the intended Transfer at least 20 Business Days prior to the intended Transfer.

(b) Each Member shall be permitted to directly or indirectly Encumber its Membership Interests or any equity interests in such Member in connection with any debt financing, the proceeds of which have been or will be used by such Member to finance its purchase of such Membership Interests (whether in respect of an issuance of new Membership Interests by the Company or the purchase of existing Membership Interests from a Member or the refinancing of any such debt financing in the future), and neither such Lien nor any commencement or consummation of foreclosure proceedings or exercise of foreclosure remedies by a secured party on, or the subsequent direct or indirect sale of, a Member’s Membership Interests Encumbered in connection with any such debt financing shall, in either case, be considered a “Transfer” for any purpose under this Agreement; provided, that (i) such Member shall be obligated to promptly notify the other Member and the Company in writing following the commencement of any such foreclosure remedies or proceedings, (ii) in the event of the consummation of such a foreclosure, such Member will automatically cease to be deemed the owner of the Membership Interests so foreclosed and will cease to have any rights in respect thereof (with the financing source foreclosing on such Membership Interests succeeding to the rights and responsibilities of the Member hereunder), and (iii) the consummation of any such foreclosure will be subject to the receipt of any required authorization, approval or consent of all applicable Governmental Bodies.

 

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Section 6.3 Right of First Offer.

(a) Prior to any Transfer by a Member (each, a “Transferring Member”) of any Membership Interests, other than to a Permitted Transferee of such Transferring Member, the Transferring Member must first offer to sell to the other Member (such other Member, the “Non-Transferring Member”) all of its Membership Interests that it desires to sell (such Membership Interests to be offered for sale to the Non-Transferring Member pursuant to this Section 6.3, the “Subject Membership Interests”), in each case, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the provisions of this Section 6.3.

(i) The Transferring Member shall first deliver to the Non- Transferring Member a written notice (a “Sale Notice”) setting forth the cash price and all of the other material terms and conditions at which the Transferring Member is willing to sell the Subject Membership Interests to the Non-Transferring Member, which notice shall constitute an offer to the Non-Transferring Member to effect such purchase and sale on the terms set forth therein. Any such Sale Notice shall be firm, not subject to withdrawal and prepared and delivered in good faith. Within thirty (30) days following its receipt of a Sale Notice, the Non-Transferring Member may accept the Transferring Member’s offer and purchase the Subject Membership Interests at the cash price and upon the other material terms and conditions set forth in the Sale Notice, in which event the closing of the purchase and sale of the Subject Membership Interests will take place as promptly as practicable. The Sale Notice shall contain representations and warranties by the Transferring Member to the Non-Transferring Member that (A) the Transferring Member has full right, title and interest in and to the Subject Membership Interests, (B) the Transferring Member has all the necessary power and authority and has taken all necessary action to Transfer the Subject Membership Interests to the Non-Transferring Member as contemplated by this Section 6.3, and (C) the Subject Membership Interests are free and clear of any and all Liens other than those arising as a result of or under the terms of this Agreement and those arising under securities Laws of general applicability pertaining to limitations on the transfer of unregistered securities.

(ii) If the Non-Transferring Member does not accept the Transferring Member’s offer within such 30-day period, then the Transferring Member will, for a period of 120 days commencing on the earlier of (A) the expiration of such 30-day period and (B) the delivery of a written notice by the Non-Transferring Member to the Transferring Member rejecting the offer set forth in the Sale Notice (if any) (such 120- day period, the “Sale Period”), be entitled to sell the Subject Membership Interests to any one Third Party at the same or higher price and upon other terms and conditions (excluding price) that are not more favorable to the acquiror than those specified in the Sale Notice, subject to the other terms of this Section 6.3. If such sale to any Third Party is not completed prior to the expiration of the Sale Period, then the process initiated by the delivery of the Sale Notice shall be lapsed, and the Transferring Member will be required to repeat the process set forth in this Section 6.3 before entering into any agreement with respect to, or consummating, any sale of Membership Interests to any Third Party; provided that if a definitive agreement providing for the consummation of such sale is executed within the Sale Period but such sale has not been consummated at the expiration of the Sale Period solely as a result of a failure to receive the requisite

 

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authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body in respect of such sale, then the Sale Period shall be extended solely to the extent necessary to permit the receipt of all such authorizations, approvals or consents which are in process but have not been received from the relevant Governmental Body as of the original expiration date of the Sale Period and the consummation of the sale provided for in such definitive agreement; provided, further, that the Transferring Member shall have used its reasonable best efforts in seeking such authorizations, approvals and consents.

(b) The Investor Member and its Permitted Transferees (if any) shall not be permitted to Transfer any of their Membership Interests to a Prohibited Competitor without the prior written consent of the FE Member. Within 10 Business Days after January 1, 2023 (and each year thereafter during the 10-Business Day period beginning on January 1 of the applicable year), the FE Member shall have the right to update the list of Prohibited Competitors set forth on Schedule 2 (i) to replace no more than three of the Prohibited Competitors with other Competitors designated by the FE Member, and (ii) in addition to any replacements pursuant to clause (i), to add up to two additional Prohibited Competitors designated by the FE Member to such list. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, this Section 6.3(b) and Schedule 2 (together with the definition of “Prohibited Competitor”) shall automatically terminate and have no further force and effect in the event that the FE Member and its Permitted Transferees, individually or collectively, no longer control the Company. For purposes of this Section 6.3 and Section 6.4, “control” means (x) the ownership of a majority of the issued and outstanding Common Membership Interests of the Company, or (y) the ability to elect, directly or indirectly, a majority of the Directors of the Company in accordance with this Agreement.

(c) Prior to the consummation of any Transfer pursuant to Section 6.3(a)(ii), the Transferring Member shall have delivered to the Board and to the Non-Transferring Member evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Board (with the Directors appointed by the Transferring Member abstaining from any such determination) and to the Non-Transferring Member that (i) the transferee is financially capable of carrying out the obligations and promptly paying all liabilities of the Transferring Member pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Subject Membership Interests, and (ii) the Transfer complies with the provisions of Section 6.3(b) (if applicable).

Section 6.4 Tag-Along Rights.

(a) Other than with respect to a Transfer proposed and made in accordance with Section 6.5, in the event that the FE Member proposes to effect a Transfer to a Third Party transferee (the “Tag-Along Buyer”) of a number of its Membership Interests (i) constituting more than 5.0% of the total Common Membership Interests then outstanding (but which would not result in the Tag-Along Buyer acquiring control of the Company) or (ii) that would result in the Tag-Along Buyer acquiring control of the Company (in either case, a “Tag-Along Sale”), then the FE Member shall give the Investor Member written notice (a “Tag-Along Notice”) of such proposed Transfer at least thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of such Tag-Along Sale, setting forth (w) the number of Membership Interests (“Tag-Along Offered Membership Interests”) proposed to be Transferred to the Tag-Along Buyer and the purchase price, (x) the identity of the Tag-Along Buyer, (y) any other material terms and conditions of the proposed

 

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Transfer, and (z) the intended dates on which the FE Member will enter into a definitive agreement in respect of such proposed Transfer and consummate such proposed Transfer.

(b) Upon delivery of a Tag-Along Notice, the Investor Member shall have the right, (i) in the case of a Tag-Along Sale described under Section 6.4(a)(i), to sell up to its Tag Portion, and (ii) in the case of a Tag-Along Sale described under Section 6.4(a)(ii), to sell all of the Common Membership Interests of the Company held by the Investor Member, in either case at the same price per Common Membership Interest, for the same form of consideration and pursuant to the same terms and conditions (including time of payment) as set forth in the Tag- Along Notice (or, if different, as such are applicable at the time of the entry into a definitive agreement in respect of, or at the time of the consummation of, the Tag-Along Sale). If the Investor Member wishes to participate in the Tag-Along Sale, then the Investor Member shall provide written notice to the FE Member no less than thirty (30) days after the date of the Tag- Along Notice, indicating such election. Such notice shall set forth the number of its Common Membership Interests that the Investor Member elects to include in the Tag-Along Sale (which number shall not exceed its Tag Portion solely in the case of a Tag-Along Sale described under Section 6.4(a)(i)), and such notice shall constitute the Investor Member’s binding agreement to sell such Common Membership Interests on the terms and subject to the conditions applicable to the Tag-Along Sale.

(c) Any Transfer of the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests in a Tag-Along Sale shall be on the same terms and conditions as the Transfer of the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests in such Tag-Along Sale, except as otherwise provided in this Section 6.4(c). The Investor Member shall be required to make customary representations and warranties in connection with the Transfer of the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests, including as to its ownership and authority to Transfer, free and clear of all Liens, the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests and shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Tag-Along Buyer against all losses of whatever nature arising out of, in connection with or related to any material breach of any material representation or warranty made by, or agreements, understandings or covenants of the Investor Member, as the case may be, under the terms of the agreements relating to such Transfer of Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests, in each case not to exceed the equivalent obligations to indemnify and hold harmless the Tag-Along Buyer provided by the FE Member; provided, that (i) liability for misrepresentation or indemnity shall (as between the FE Member and the Investor Member) be expressly stated to be several but not joint and the FE Member and the Investor Member shall not be liable for any breach of covenants or representations or warranties as to the Common Membership Interests of any other Member and shall not, in any event, be liable for more than its pro rata share (based on the proceeds to be received) of any liability for misrepresentation or indemnity, (ii) the Investor Member shall benefit from any releases of sellers or other provisions in the transaction documentation of general applicability to sellers to the same extent as the FE Member, (iii) the Investor Member shall not be obligated to agree to any non-customary administrative covenants (such as any non-compete covenants that would restrict its or its Affiliates’ business activities), and (iv) the Investor Member shall not be obligated to provide indemnification obligations that exceed its proceeds from the Tag-Along Sale.

 

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(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, the Investor Member shall not be entitled to Transfer its Common Membership Interests pursuant to this Section 6.4 in the event that, notwithstanding delivery of a written notice of election to participate in such Tag-Along Sale pursuant to this Section 6.4, the Investor Member fails to consummate the Transfer of its Common Membership Interests (on the terms and conditions required by this Section 6.4) in the applicable Tag-Along Sale.

(e) For the avoidance of doubt, (i) the terms of this Section 6.4 apply to any Transfers of any Common Membership Interests by a Permitted Transferee of the FE Member that would otherwise constitute a Tag-Along Sale, and (ii) the rights conferred to the Investor Member under this Section 6.4 do not apply in the event of (A) a Change in Control of the FE Member or (B) a sale of all or any portion of the FE Member’s Special Purpose Membership Interests.

Section 6.5 Drag-Along Rights.

(a) In the event that the FE Member intends to effect a sale of all of the Common Membership Interests owned by the FE Member and such Common Membership Interests constitute a majority of the issued and outstanding Common Membership Interests of the Company (a “Drag-Along Sale”), then the FE Member shall have the option (but not the obligation) to require the Investor Member to Transfer all of its Common Membership Interests to the Third Party buyer (the “Drag-Along Buyer”) (or to such other Party as the Drag-Along Buyer directs) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.5 (such right of the FE Member, the “Drag-Along Right”).

(b) If the FE Member elects to exercise the Drag-Along Right pursuant to Section 6.5(a), then the FE Member shall send a written notice to the Investor Member (a “Drag- Along Notice”) specifying (i) that the Investor Member is required to Transfer all of its Common Membership Interests pursuant to this Section 6.5, (ii) the amount and form of consideration payable for the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests, (iii) the name of the Third Party to which the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests are to be Transferred (or which is otherwise entitled to direct the disposition thereof at the consummation of the Drag- Along Sale), (iv) any other material terms and conditions of the proposed Transfer, and (v) the intended dates on which the FE Member will enter into a definitive agreement in respect of such proposed Transfer and consummate such proposed Transfer.

(c) In the event that the FE Member elects to exercise the Drag-Along Right, then the Investor Member hereby agrees with respect to all Common Membership Interests it holds:

(i) in the event such transaction requires the approval of Members, to vote (in person, by proxy or by action by written consent, as applicable) all of its voting Membership Interests in favor of such Drag-Along Sale;

(ii) to execute and deliver all related documentation and take such other action reasonably necessary to enter into definitive agreements in respect of and to

 

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consummate the proposed Drag-Along Sale in accordance with, and subject to the terms of, this Section 6.5; and

(iii) not to deposit its Common Membership Interests in a voting trust or subject any Common Membership Interests to any arrangement or agreement with respect to the voting of such Common Membership Interests, unless specifically requested to do so by the Drag-Along Buyer in connection with a Drag-Along Sale.

(d) Subject to Section 6.5(e), any Transfer of the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests in a Drag-Along Sale shall be on the same terms and conditions as the proposed Transfer of the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests in the Drag-Along Sale. Upon the request of the FE Member, the Investor Member shall be required to make customary representations and warranties in connection with the Transfer of the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests, including as to its ownership and authority to Transfer, free and clear of all Liens, its Membership Interests, and shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Drag-Along Buyer against all losses of whatever nature arising out of, in connection with or related to any material breach of any representation or warranty made by, or agreements, understandings or covenants of the Investor Member as the case may be, under the terms of the agreements relating to such Transfer of the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interests, in each case not to exceed the equivalent obligations to indemnify and hold harmless the Tag-Along Buyer provided by the FE Member; provided, that (i) liability for misrepresentation or indemnity shall (as between the FE Member and the Investor Member) be expressly stated to be several but not joint and the FE Member and the Investor Member shall not be liable for any breach of covenants or representations or warranties as to the Membership Interests of any other Member and shall not, in any event, be liable for more than its pro rata share (based on the proceeds to be received) of any liability for misrepresentation or indemnity, (ii) the Investor Member shall benefit from any releases of sellers or other provisions in the transaction documentation of general applicability to sellers to the same extent as the FE Member and (iii) the Investor Member shall not be obligated to provide indemnification obligations that exceed its proceeds from the Drag-Along Sale.

(e) Any Transfer required to be made by the Investor Member pursuant to this Section 6.5 shall be for consideration consisting solely of cash. Without the consent of the Investor Member, the Investor Member shall not be required in connection with such Drag- Along Sale to agree to any material non-customary administrative covenants (such as any non- compete covenants that would restrict its or its Affiliates’ business activities).

(f) At the consummation of the Drag-Along Sale, the Investor Member shall Transfer all of its Common Membership Interests to the Drag-Along Buyer (or its designee), and the Drag-Along Buyer shall pay the consideration due for the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interest. If the Investor Member has, due to its own fault, failed, as of immediately prior to the time that the consummation of the Drag-Along Sale would otherwise have occurred, to have taken all actions necessary in accordance with this Agreement to consummate the Transfer of the Common Membership Interests held by it, then the Investor Member shall be deemed to be in material breach of this Agreement for purposes of Article IV, and shall be deemed to have granted (and hereby grants, contingent only on the occurrence of such failure) an irrevocable appointment of any Person nominated for the purpose by the FE Member to be the

 

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Investor Member’s agent and attorney to execute all necessary documentation and instruments on its behalf to Transfer the Investor Member’s Common Membership Interest to the Drag- Along Buyer (or as it may direct) as the holder thereof, in each case consistent with the terms set forth in this Section 6.5.

(g) The FE Member shall have a period of 180 days commencing on the delivery of the Drag-Along Notice (such 180-day period, the “Drag Sale Period”) to consummate the Drag-Along Sale. If the Drag-Along Sale is not completed prior to the expiration of the Drag Sale Period, then the process initiated by the delivery of the Drag-Along Notice shall be lapsed, and the FE Member will be required to repeat the process set forth in this Section 6.5 to pursue any Drag-Along Sale; provided that if a definitive agreement providing for the consummation of such Drag-Along Sale is executed within the Drag Sale Period but such Drag-Along Sale has not been consummated at the expiration of the Drag Sale Period solely as a result of a failure to receive the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body in respect of such Drag-Along Sale, then the Drag Sale Period shall be extended solely to the extent necessary to permit the receipt of all such authorizations, approvals or consents which are in process but have not been received from the relevant Governmental Body as of the original expiration date of the Drag Sale Period and the consummation of the Drag-Along Sale provided for in such definitive agreement; provided, further, that the FE Member shall have used efforts in seeking such authorizations, approvals and consents consistent with its obligations under such definitive agreement(s) in respect thereof.

(h) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the FE Member may not exercise the Drag-Along Right or consummate any Drag-Along Sale without the prior written consent of the Investor Member unless the applicable Drag-Along Sale would result in the Investor Member receiving net cash proceeds that result in the achievement of at least (x) an IRR of 10.0% and (y) an amount equal to 250.0% of the Investor Member’s total Capital Contributions as of the exercise date of the Drag-Along Right plus the Purchase Price (as defined in the Initial PSA) plus the Purchase Price (as defined in the Second PSA) (the “Investor Member Minimum Return”) and all outstanding loans (pursuant to Section 5.1 or otherwise) from the Investor Member to the FE Member, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including all accrued and unpaid interest thereon, are repaid in full at the closing of such contemplated Drag-Along Sale; provided, that any shortfall in the Investor Member receiving net cash proceeds that result in the achievement of the Investor Member Minimum Return may be paid by the FE Member to the Investor Member in immediately available funds at the closing of the Drag-Along Sale, in which case the prior written consent of the Investor Member shall not be required to exercise the Drag-Along Right or consummate such Drag-Along Sale.

(i) For the avoidance of doubt, the rights conferred to the FE Member under this Section 6.5 do not apply in the event of (A) a Change in Control of the FE Member or (B) a sale of all or any portion of the FE Member’s Special Purpose Membership Interests.

Section 6.6 Cooperation. The Members and the Company acknowledge and agree that each of them shall cooperate reasonably to obtain the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body necessary to consummate (i) any Transfers contemplated or permitted by this Article VI or (ii) any indirect transfer of ownership interests of any direct or indirect member of the Investor Group (“Investor Group Transfer”) to the extent that such

 

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transfer necessitates the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or the FE Member’s participation in order to obtain such authorization, approval or consent of an applicable Governmental Body. The Members shall have the right in connection with any Transfer of Membership Interests permitted by this Agreement or any Investor Group Transfer (or in connection with the investigation or consideration of any such potential Transfer or Investor Group Transfer) to require the Company to reasonably cooperate with potential purchasers in such prospective Transfer or Investor Group Transfer (at the sole cost and expense of the applicable Member or such potential purchasers) by taking such actions reasonably requested by the applicable Member or such potential purchasers, including (a) preparing or assisting in the preparation of due diligence materials, (b) providing access to the Company’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ books, records, properties and other materials (subject, in each case, to the execution of customary confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements) to potential purchasers, and (c) making the directors, officers, employees (if any) and other Representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries available to potential purchasers for presentations and due diligence interviews; provided that no such cooperation by the Company shall be required (i) until the relevant potential purchaser executes and delivers to the Company a customary confidentiality agreement, (ii) to the extent such cooperation would unreasonably interfere with the normal business operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (iii) to the extent the provision of any information would (A) conflict with, or constitute a violation of, any applicable Law or cause a loss of attorney-client privilege of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) other than as may be necessary for the purpose of any regulatory filings necessary to consummate any such Transfer or Investor Group Transfer, in the FE Member’s reasonable and good faith determination, require the disclosure of any information that is proprietary, confidential or sensitive to the FE Member or to any other member of the FE Outside Group, (C) other than as may be necessary for the purpose of any regulatory filings necessary to consummate any such Transfer or Investor Group Transfer, in the Investor Member’s reasonable and good faith determination, require the disclosure of any information that is proprietary, confidential or sensitive to the Investor Member, or (D) require the disclosure of any confidential information relating to any joint, combined, consolidated or unitary Tax Return that includes the FE Member or any other member of the FE Outside Group or any supporting work papers or other documentation related thereto. Notwithstanding, anything herein to the contrary, the Company will not be required in connection with any Transfers contemplated or permitted by this Article VI or any Investor Group Transfer to offer or grant any non-de minimis accommodation or concession (financial or otherwise) to any Third Party or to otherwise suffer any non-de minimis detriment in connection with obtaining any authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body in connection with such transfer (it being understood that costs and expenses incurred by the Company that are promptly reimbursed by the Member seeking to effect such transfer will not be considered a “detriment” for purposes of this sentence).

Section 6.7 Contracts Inhibiting Transfer. The Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, enter into any Contract (or modify the terms of any existing Contract of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries so as to provide) that includes a provision that, by its terms, is triggered by a Transfer of the Investor Member’s Membership Interests or an Investor Group Transfer and that the consequence of such triggering event under such Contract would have an effect that is materially adverse to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

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ARTICLE VII

PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

Section 7.1 Preemptive Rights. The Company hereby grants to each Member the right to purchase such Member’s Preemptive Right Share of all (or any part) of any New Securities that the Company may from time to time issue after the date of this Agreement (the “Preemptive Right”). In the event the Company proposes to undertake an issuance of New Securities (in a single transaction or a series of related transactions), the Company shall give to each Member written notice of its intention to issue New Securities (the “Preemptive Right Participation Notice”), describing the amount and type of New Securities, the cash purchase price and the general terms upon which it proposes to issue such New Securities. Each Member shall have ten (10) Business Days from the date of receipt of any such Preemptive Right Participation Notice (the “Preemptive Right Notice Period”) to agree in writing to purchase for cash up to such Member’s Preemptive Right Share of such New Securities for the price and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Preemptive Right Participation Notice by giving written notice to the Company and stating therein the quantity of New Securities to be purchased (not to exceed such Member’s Preemptive Right Share). If any Member fails to so respond in writing within the Preemptive Right Notice Period, then such Member shall forfeit the right hereunder to purchase its Preemptive Right Share of such New Securities. Subject to obtaining the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body, the closing of any purchase by any Member pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be consummated concurrently with the consummation of the issuance or sale described in the Preemptive Right Participation Notice. The Company shall be free to complete the proposed issuance or sale of New Securities described in the Preemptive Right Participation Notice with respect to any New Securities not elected to be purchased pursuant to this Section 7.1 in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Preemptive Right Participation Notice (except that the amount of New Securities to be issued or sold by the Company may be reduced upon approval by the Board, which shall require the approval of each Investor Director so long as the Investor Member holds a Common Percentage Interest of at least 30.0%).

ARTICLE VIII

PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS

Section 8.1 Investor Member No Threshold Matters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall not cause or permit, in each case, without the prior written consent of the Investor Member (except that no such written consent shall be required to the extent that such matter is necessary to comply with applicable Law); provided, that the Investor Member may not unreasonably withhold its consent to the matters under clause (i) below (it being acknowledged and agreed that it shall be deemed unreasonable for the Investor Member to withhold its consent to any matter under clause (i) below solely on the basis of the pricing or other terms thereof if such pricing or other terms are provided for by, and are otherwise in accordance with, applicable Law):

(a) the issuance of (i) any membership interests by the Company or (ii) any equity interests by any of the Company’s Subsidiaries to any Person that is not the Company or one of its Subsidiaries;

 

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(b) the taking of any action that would reasonably be expected to result in the Company not being classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income Tax purposes (or for the purposes of any applicable state and local Taxes, to the extent material);

(c) causing the conversion of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from its current legal business entity form to any other business entity form (e.g., the conversion of the Company from a Delaware limited liability company to a Delaware corporation);

(d) any non-pro rata repurchase or redemption of any equity interests issued by the Company;

(e) the transfer, sale or other disposition, whether by way of asset sale, stock sale, merger or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Company’s Subsidiaries, taken as a whole on a consolidated basis (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that this Section 8.1(e) shall not be deemed to restrict a transfer, sale or other disposition of the equity of the Company);

(f) any amendment or modification to any Organizational Document of any Subsidiary of the Company, other than (i) ministerial amendments thereto or (ii) amendments thereto that would not reasonably be expected to have a material and adverse impact on the Investor Member;

(g) any election that would cause the Company to be treated as a “real estate investment trust” (within the meaning of Section 856 of the Code);

(h) (i) any amendment or modification to the Company Group Intercompany Income Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of the Effective Date, among the Company and its Subsidiaries listed therein (or any replacement agreement thereof entered into among the Company and its Subsidiaries for the purpose of allocating consolidated tax liabilities, the “Company Group Tax Allocation Agreement”), or (ii) the entry by the Company into any Tax sharing or allocation agreement other than the Company Group Tax Allocation Agreement;

(i) the entry into, amendment or termination of, or waiver of any material right under, any Affiliate Transaction (which shall not be deemed to include any corporate allocations involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are made in compliance with Section 2.14, other than those corporate allocations that relate to operating electric transmission assets and facilities (non-corporate support services) that are specific to the Company or its Subsidiaries) other than Affiliate Transactions that satisfy each of the following requirements: (i) any and all such Affiliate Transactions are entered into on terms that are no less favorable in the aggregate to the Company (or the relevant Subsidiary thereof party thereto) than reasonably would be obtainable by another similarly-situated utility company from an unaffiliated third party (it being agreed that any pricing or other terms required by applicable Law shall be deemed to constitute an arm’s length term for purposes of this clause (i)); and (ii) any and all such Affiliate Transactions involve revenues or expenditures of less than $10,000,000 per Contract, transaction or series of related transactions individually and less than $30,000,000 in the aggregate for any fiscal year for all such Affiliate Transactions (it being acknowledged and agreed that no prior written consent of the Investor Member will be required with respect to any

 

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amendments to any Affiliate Transaction made in the ordinary course of business unless and only to the extent such amendment would adversely affect the Company or its relevant Subsidiary party thereto in any material respect); provided, that with respect to any Affiliate Transaction contemplated by Section 8.2(b) or Section 8.1(h), Section 8.2(b) or Section 8.1(h) shall control over this Section 8.1(i);

(j) the filing of a petition seeking relief, or the consent to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case, under the bankruptcy, rearrangement, reorganization or other debtor relief Laws of the United States or any state or any other competent jurisdiction or a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or

(k) the entry into any binding agreement or arrangement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to effect any of the foregoing actions.

Section 8.2 Investor Member Threshold Matters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, but subject to Section 8.4, the Company shall not cause or permit, in each case, without the prior written consent of the Investor Member, for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 9.9% Common Percentage Interest (unless such matter is necessary (i) to comply with applicable Law, or (ii) with respect to clauses (b), (c), (d) or (f) or, to the extent related to the foregoing, (j), in response to an Emergency Situation):

(a) any material change to any line or scope of the existing business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(b) without limiting the requirements of Section 2.14, the direct or indirect acquisition by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries (whether by merger or consolidation, acquisition of assets or stock or by formation of a joint venture or otherwise), or any request for capital in connection therewith, (i) of any equity interests of any member of the FE Outside Group, or (ii) of any business, assets or operations of any member of the FE Outside Group, in either case having a Fair Market Value in excess of 2.5% of the Rate Base Amount in the aggregate in any calendar year, other than Qualifying Core Assets;

(c) the transfer, sale or other disposition, whether by way of asset sale, stock sale, merger or otherwise, of any business, assets or operations of one or more of the Company’s Subsidiaries having a Fair Market Value in excess of 2.5% of the Rate Base Amount in the aggregate in any single transaction or series of related transactions, other than Qualifying Core Assets;

(d) other than in connection with capital expenditures (which are addressed in subparagraph (e) below), any acquisition of assets, including equity securities, or any request for capital in connection therewith, by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from a Third Party the aggregate purchase price of which exceeds 2.5% of the Rate Base Amount in any calendar year, other than Qualifying Core Assets;

(e) any capital expenditure by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any request for capital in connection therewith, that exceeds in the aggregate 1.0% of the Rate Base Amount in any calendar year and that is not (i) made in connection with obtaining, constructing or

 

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otherwise acquiring a Qualifying Core Asset, or (ii) reasonably necessary to fund any Emergency Expenditures;

(f) the incurrence of Indebtedness (other than the refinancing of existing Indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms reflecting then-current credit market conditions) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to result in the Company’s Debt-to-Capital Ratio equaling or exceeding (i) prior to the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Effective Date, sixty five percent (65%), and (ii) thereafter, seventy percent (70%); provided, that the Company shall notify the Investor Member at least thirty (30) days prior to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries incurring any Indebtedness in excess of the annual budget;

(g) the listing of any equity interests of the Company (or a successor to the Company, including by merger, conversion or other reorganization) on any stock exchange;

(h) the entrance into any joint venture, partnership or similar agreement, unless the aggregate amount of cash, property or other assets anticipated to be contributed by the Company or its applicable Subsidiary to such joint venture or partnership is less than 2.5% of the Rate Base Amount, or such joint venture, partnership or similar interests (or the cash, property or other assets so contributed to such joint venture or partnership) would continue to qualify as Qualifying Core Assets;

(i) material decisions relating to the conduct (including the settlement) of any litigation, administrative, or criminal proceeding to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party where (i) it is reasonably expected that the liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries would exceed $30,000,000 in the aggregate and (ii) such proceeding would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on the Investor Member or any of its Affiliates (other than in its or (if applicable, their) capacity as an investor in the Company); provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not be applicable to any ordinary course regulatory proceedings (including rate cases) that do not involve claims of criminal conduct or intentional violations of applicable Law; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the prior written consent of the Investor Member shall not be required in any litigation, administrative or criminal proceeding between one or more members of the Company Group, on the one hand, and one or more of the Investor Member and any of its Affiliates, on the other hand; or

(j) the entry into any binding agreement or arrangement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to effect any of the foregoing actions.

Section 8.3 Threshold Consultation Matters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, but subject to Section 8.4, for so long as (x) the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 9.9% and (y) the Investor Member is not a Defaulting Member, the Company (and, as applicable, the Board) shall use its reasonable best efforts to consult in good faith with the Investor Member (which consultation shall be deemed to include the participation of Investor Directors in the meetings of the Board with respect to such matters, and, to the extent requested by the Investor Member, reasonable discussions between Representatives of the Company, of the Investor Member and of the FE Member) prior to the Company undertaking, or causing or permitting any of its Subsidiaries to undertake, any of the following matters (except as would be impracticable in respect of a particular action that the Board reasonably believes to be

 

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necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable Law or in response to an Emergency Situation):

(a) establishing or materially amending the annual budget and business plan of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

(b) without limiting the Investor Member’s rights under Section 8.2(f), incurring long-term Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries if such incurrence would be subject to the authorization or approval of any of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or FERC, except for (i) any refinancing of Indebtedness using similar instruments on substantially similar or more favorable terms relative to the existing Indebtedness being so refinanced and (ii) any such incurrence of Indebtedness made in the ordinary course of business consistent with the Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s established target regulatory capital structure consistent with the Company’s or the applicable Subsidiary’s historical practices;

(c) without limiting the Investor Member’s rights under Section 8.2(i), initiating, settling or compromising any arbitration, lawsuit, proceeding or regulatory process (i) with a settlement or compromise amount in excess of 2.5% of the Rate Base Amount, or (ii) that has material non-monetary penalties or obligations on the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries;

(d) the appointment or replacement of any member of the Transmission Leadership Team; and

(e) any material Tax election by or with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary that would reasonably be expected to have a material impact on the Investor Member.

Section 8.4 Investor Member Enhanced Threshold Matters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, for so long as (x) the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest and (y) the Investor Member is not a Defaulting Member (it being understood that if at any time the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest and is not a Defaulting Member, then Section 8.2 and Section 8.3(b) and (d) shall not apply), the Company shall not cause or permit, in each case, without the prior written consent of the Investor Member (unless such matter is necessary (i) to comply with applicable Law, or (ii) with respect to clauses (e), (f), or, to the extent related to the foregoing, (t), in response to an Emergency Situation):

(a) any material change to any line or scope of the existing business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(b) without limiting the requirements of Section 2.14, the direct or indirect acquisition by the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries (whether by merger or consolidation, acquisition of assets or stock or by formation of a joint venture or otherwise), or any request for capital in connection therewith, (i) of any equity interests of any member of the FE Outside Group, or (ii) of any business, assets or operations of any member of the FE Outside Group, in either case having a Fair Market Value in excess of 1.5% of the Rate Base Amount in the aggregate in any calendar year;

 

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(c) the transfer, sale or other disposition, whether by way of asset sale, stock sale, merger or otherwise, of any business, assets or operations of one or more of the Company’s Subsidiaries having a Fair Market Value in excess of 1.5% of the Rate Base Amount in the aggregate in any single transaction or series of related transactions;

(d) other than in connection with capital expenditures that are included in the Annual Approved Budget, any (i) acquisition of assets, including equity securities, or any request for capital in connection therewith, by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from a Third Party the aggregate purchase price of which exceeds 1.5% of the Rate Base Amount in any calendar year or (ii) any loans to or investments in a Third Party;

(e) (i) any capital expenditure (A) made in connection with a Material Project by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any request for capital in connection therewith, that varies from the amount for such Material Project as set forth for such project in the project listing provided by the FE Member to the Investor Member in connection with approval of the Annual Approved Budget by more than 10.0% or (B) made in connection with obtaining, constructing or otherwise acquiring any asset that is not a Qualifying Core Asset by any Subsidiary by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any request for capital in connection therewith, that exceeds the amount set forth for such project in the project listing provided by the FE Member to the Investor Member in connection with the approval of the Annual Approved Budget for such capital expense item by more than 5.0%, or (ii) any increase in the capital expenditures of the Subsidiaries of the Company, such that the aggregate amount of capital expenditures for the current fiscal year would reasonably be expected to exceed by 10.0% or more the aggregate capital expenditures set forth in the Annual Approved Budget; provided that the Investor Member may not unreasonably withhold its consent to capital expenditures reasonably necessary to fund any Emergency Expenditures;

(f) (i) the incurrence or refinancing of Indebtedness of the Company or (ii) the incurrence or refinancing of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary of the Company if such incurrence or refinancing would reasonably be expected to cause such Subsidiary to deviate from its Targeted Capital Structure;

(g) the entry into, modification, amendment or termination of, or waiver of any material right under, any Affiliate Transaction (which shall not be deemed to include any corporate allocations involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are made in compliance with Section 2.14), other than Affiliate Transactions that satisfy each of the following requirements: (i) any and all such Affiliate Transactions are entered into on terms that are no less favorable in the aggregate to the Company (or the relevant Subsidiary thereof party thereto) than reasonably would be obtainable by another similarly-situated utility company from an unaffiliated third party (it being agreed that any pricing or other terms required by applicable Law shall be deemed to constitute an arm’s length term for purposes of this clause (i)); and (ii) any and all such Affiliate Transactions involve revenues or expenditures of less than $10,000,000 per Contract, transaction or series of related transactions individually and less than $20,000,000 in the aggregate for any fiscal year for all such Affiliate Transactions (it being acknowledged and agreed that no prior written consent of the Investor Member will be required with respect to (1) intercompany interconnection service agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business as required by Law or any Governmental Body in connection with services

 

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provided to or within the PJM Region or (2) any amendments to any Affiliate Transaction made in the ordinary course of business unless and only to the extent such amendment would adversely affect the Investor Member, the Company, or any Subsidiary of the Company in any non-de minimis respect);

(h) the filing of a petition seeking relief, or the consent to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case, under the bankruptcy, rearrangement, reorganization or other debtor relief Laws of the United States or any state or any other competent jurisdiction or a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(i) the listing of any equity interests of the Company (or a successor to the Company, including by merger, conversion or other reorganization) on any stock exchange;

(j) the entrance into any joint venture, partnership or similar agreement;

(k) material decisions relating to the initiation or conduct (including the settlement) of any litigation, administrative or criminal proceeding (other than regulatory matters, which are addressed below in clause (n)) to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party where (i) it is reasonably expected that the liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries would exceed $20,000,000 in the aggregate or (ii) such proceeding would reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on the Investor Member or any of its Affiliates or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the prior written consent of the Investor Member shall not be required in any litigation, administrative or criminal proceeding between one or more members of the Company Group, on the one hand, and one or more of the Investor Member and any of its Affiliates, on the other hand;

(l) establishing or amending the Annual Approved Budget;

(m) (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries employing any individual or entering into or amending the terms of such employment, (ii) compensation decisions with respect to any employees or officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, independent contractors) and (iii) the appointment or replacement of any member of the Transmission Leadership Team;

(n) if the FE Member is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of at least a majority of the Common Membership Interests of the Company, any adoption, amendment or modification of accounting policies of the Company or any Subsidiary;

(o) any (i) filings made pursuant to FPA Section 205 by any of the Company’s Subsidiaries that have a material effect on the rates or terms and conditions of service, (ii) responses to FPA Section 206 proceedings, in which the Company’s Subsidiaries are named parties, that are material, (iii) responses on behalf of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries to FERC enforcement proceedings involving matters material to the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, (iv) filings made with any state Governmental Body on behalf of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries involving matters material to the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, and (v) in each of the above cases, any settlement filings with respect thereto; provided, however, that all of the above rights will not apply to the extent that any member of the FE Outside Group other than the FE Member is a party to the relevant proceeding unless the filing, response, or

 

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proceeding as a whole (x) is likely to have a material adverse impact on the Company and its Subsidiaries or the Investor Member that is disproportionate to the relative impact on the FE Outside Group (it being understood that any such filing whose impact is proportionate to the relative impact on the FE Outside Group will not be subject to this approval right, but that the FE Member will reasonably consult with the Investor Member in respect of such filing) or (y) presents a conflict of interest between the Company and/or its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and one or more members of the FE Outside Group, on the other hand (in each case as reasonably determined by either Member in good faith based on the facts and circumstances, and it being understood that the FE Member will provide information as reasonably requested by the Investor Member for the purpose of determining whether such a conflict exists), it being understood that in the event of a Deadlock in respect of these filings, the applicable provisions of Schedule 4 will apply (it being acknowledged that, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall the Investor Member have a consent right over a filing, response or proceeding of a member to the extent relating to the FE Outside Group);

(p) any execution of, termination of, material amendment to, material modification of, or waiver of any material rights under, any material contract of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that relates to a subject matter that is different from the other subject matters addressed by the other clauses of this Section 8.4;

(q) any action reasonably expected to cause a default or breach of a material contract of the Company or any Subsidiary;

(r) creation of any material Lien, other than a Permitted Lien;

(s) causing (i) any reorganization of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or

(ii) the conversion of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from its current legal business entity form to any other business entity form (e.g., the conversion of the Company from a Delaware limited liability company to a Delaware corporation); or

(t) the entry into any binding agreement or arrangement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to effect any of the foregoing actions.

Section 8.5 Enhanced Consultation Matters. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, for so long as (x) the Investor Member’s Common Percentage Interest is at least 25.0% but is less than 30.0% and (y) the Investor Member is not a Defaulting Member, the Company (and, as applicable, the Board) shall use its reasonable best efforts to consult in good faith with the Investor Member (which consultation shall be deemed to include the participation of Investor Directors in the meetings of the Board with respect to such matters, and, to the extent requested by the Investor Member, reasonable discussions between Representatives of the Company, of the Investor Member and of the FE Member) prior to the Company undertaking, or causing or permitting any of its Subsidiaries to undertake, any of the matters listed in Section 8.4 (except as would be impracticable in respect of a particular action that the Board reasonably believes to be necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable Law or in response to an Emergency Situation). For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 8.5 shall affect the Investor Member’s rights under Sections 8.1 and 8.2.

 

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Section 8.6 Actions by the Investor Director(s) on behalf of the Investor Member. Where any action requires the consent of the Investor Member pursuant to Section 8.1, Section 8.2 or Section 8.4, the Investor Director(s) shall, unless the Investor Member indicates in writing to the FE Member otherwise, have the authority to provide such consent on behalf of the Investor Member at any meeting of the Board called to discuss such matters, and the Company, the other Members and the other Directors shall be entitled to rely on such action of the Investor Director(s) as an action of the Investor Member with such action being binding upon the Investor Member.

Section 8.7 Certain Other Matters.

(a) For the avoidance of doubt, and notwithstanding Section 8.1, Section 8.2 and Section 8.3, in no event will the Investor Member have any consent or consultation rights in respect of the dissolution, liquidation or winding up (or similar actions taken having the same effect) of AET PATH or any of its Subsidiaries or the business and affairs of any of such Persons; provided, however, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.7 shall not have any effect for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, the Investor Member may make recommendations concerning the removal of any member of the Transmission Leadership Team, which recommendation the FE Directors must consider and discuss in good faith with the Investor Directors.

ARTICLE IX

OTHER COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS

Section 9.1 Books and Records.

(a) The Company shall keep and maintain, or cause to be kept and maintained, books and records of accounts, taxes, financial information and all matters pertaining to the Company and its Subsidiaries at the principal offices and place of business of the Company in a commercially reasonable manner consistent with the manner in which similar books and records are kept and maintained by other members of the FE Outside Group. Each Member (other than any Defaulting Member) and its duly authorized Representatives shall have the right to, at reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable notice, under supervision of the Company’s personnel and in such a manner as to not unreasonably interfere with the normal operations of any member of the Company Group: (i) visit and inspect the books and records of the Company Group, and, at its expense, make copies of and take extracts from any books and records of the Company Group, (ii) meet and consult with officers, other managers of the Company Group and Representatives of the Company Group regarding their businesses and activities, and (iii) in the case of the Investor Member, for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, inspect and, at its expense, make copies of and take extracts from any written reports made available to the FE Member concerning the Company Group (provided that the Company may redact or omit any portions thereof not solely related to the Company Group) or any other written information regarding the Company Group as may reasonably be requested by the Investor Member (it being

 

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acknowledged that, for the avoidance of doubt, the obligations in this clause (iii) shall not require the disclosure of emails and other non-recurring informal correspondence, and shall not unreasonably require the creation of data or information that is not already in existence); provided that, in the case of the Investor Member, any Person gaining access to such information regarding the Company Group pursuant to this Section 9.1 and Section 9.2 shall agree to hold in strict confidence, not make any disclosure of, and not use for purposes other than good faith administration of the Investor Member’s continuing investment, all information regarding any member of the Company Group that is not otherwise publicly available.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in Section 9.2(f), the Company shall not be obligated to provide to the Investor Member any record or information (i) relating to the negotiation and consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Initial PSA and the Second PSA, including confidential communications with Representatives or Advisors, including legal counsel, representing the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) that is subject to an attorney-client or other legal privilege, (iii) that, in the FE Member’s reasonable and good faith determination are proprietary, confidential or competitively sensitive to the FE Member or to any other member of the FE Outside Group, (iv) relating to any joint, combined, consolidated or unitary Tax Return that includes the FE Member or any other member of the FE Outside Group or any supporting work papers or other documentation related thereto, or (v) the provision of which would violate any applicable Law.

(c) Each Member shall reimburse the Company for all documented out-of- pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such Member’s exercise of its inspection and information rights pursuant to this Section 9.1 and Section 9.2(f).

Section 9.2 Financial Reports. The Company shall provide, or otherwise make available, to any Member (unless such Member is a Defaulting Member):

(a) for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, on a monthly basis, operating and financial reports and any periodic updates made to financial forecasts (provided that the obligation to do so may be satisfied by delivering such information to the Board or Advisory Committee at the next scheduled monthly meeting thereof);

(b) on an annual basis, within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year, an audited consolidated balance sheet, statement of operations and statement of cash flow of each member of the Company Group;

(c) on a quarterly basis, within 60 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, an unaudited quarterly and year-to-date consolidated balance sheet and related statement of operation and statement of cash flow of each member of the Company Group;

(d) on an annual basis, as soon as reasonably practicable after the approval thereof by the Board, the annual budget and business plan (if applicable) for each member of the Company Group;

(e) on an annual basis, as soon as reasonably practicable after the approval thereof by the Board, financial forecasts for each member of the Company Group for the fiscal

 

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year, which shall be in such manner and form as approved by the Board, and which shall include a projection of income and a projected cash flow statement for each fiscal quarter in such fiscal year and a projected balance sheet as of the end of each fiscal quarter in such fiscal year; and

(f) to the Investor Member, any other financial information regarding the Company Group reasonably requested by the Investor Member; provided, however, that the Company shall not be unreasonably required pursuant to this clause (f) to create data or information that is not already in existence.

Section 9.3 Other Business; Corporate Opportunities.

(a) To the extent permitted by applicable Law and, in the case of the FE Member, subject to its compliance with its obligations under Section 9.3(b), any Member and any Affiliate of any Member may engage in, possess an interest in or otherwise be involved in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the businesses of the Company Group, and neither the Company nor any other Member shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the businesses of the Company Group, shall be deemed not to be wrongful or improper so long as it is consistent with all Laws applicable to the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(b)

(i) In the event that the FE Member identifies an acquisition, “greenfield” development, expansion or upgrade opportunity primarily involving, related to or in furtherance of the activities described in clauses (i) and (iii) of the definition of the Company Business within the PJM Transmission Zones within the PJM Region in which the Company and its Subsidiaries then currently operate or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, in any other area not then-covered by an existing member of the FE Outside Group (excluding the JCP&L PJM Transmission Zone) (a “Company Business Opportunity”), if and to the extent it would be permissible by the relevant Governmental Body for the Company or one of its Subsidiaries to pursue such Company Business Opportunity, then such Company Business Opportunity shall be presented by the FE Member to the Board for pursuit by the Company (subject to Article VIII) prior to any members of the FE Outside Group undertaking such opportunity; provided, however, that a “Company Business Opportunity” shall, subject to Sections 9.3(b)(ii) and 9.3(b)(iii), exclude any business activities conducted by the FE Outside Group as of the Effective Date, including direct or indirect investments in, or directly or indirectly developing, constructing, commercializing, operating, maintaining or owning, electric transmission assets and facilities in the Allegheny Power Systems Transmission Zone (but only to the extent such activities are otherwise not permitted to be undertaken by the Company) and JCP&L PJM Transmission Zone. If the Company declines the Company Business Opportunity, then the FE Outside Group will have the right to pursue the Company Business Opportunity without further involvement of the Company.

(ii) For so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest, if the FE Member receives a bona fide third party offer to

 

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acquire any or all of the KATCo Interests, which such offer the FE Member wishes to accept, then the FE Member shall promptly notify the Company and the Investor Member in writing of such offer (such notice, the “KATCo ROFR Notice”), setting forth the name and address of the prospective purchaser, the price or method of determining such price (the “KATCo ROFR Price”), and the material terms and conditions of such proposed sale.

(1) The Investor Member shall have a period of up to forty-five (45) days (the “KATCo ROFR Option Period”) after receipt of the KATCo ROFR Notice within which to notify the FE Member in writing that it wishes for the Company to acquire all (but not less than all) of the KATCo Interests at a price equal to the KATCo ROFR Price and upon the same terms and conditions set forth in the KATCo ROFR Notice. Subject to such terms and conditions, the FE Member and Investor Member shall cooperate in good faith to obtain any necessary consents or approvals and enter into any definitive agreements to consummate the sale of the KATCo Interests to the Company. If such consents or approvals are obtained, then the FE Member shall be obligated to sell to the Company, and the Company shall be obligated to acquire from the FE Member, the KATCo Interests at the price and on the terms and conditions set forth in the KATCo ROFR Notice.

(2) If the Investor Member does not give such notice to the FE Member within such KATCo ROFR Option Period or if, having given such notice, the Investor Member and FE Member do not obtain the necessary consents or regulatory approvals despite the parties’ good faith cooperation to do so, then the FE Member shall be free to sell the KATCo Interests to the Third Party named in its notice, provided that such sale is consummated at a price equal to or greater than the KATCo ROFR Price and upon substantially the same terms and conditions (other than the price, which may be higher than the KATCo ROFR Price) as are set forth in the KATCo ROFR Notice. If such sale to any Third Party is not completed prior a period of 120 days commencing on the earlier of (A) the expiration of the KATCo ROFR Option Period and (B) the delivery of a written notice by the Investor Member to the FE Member rejecting the offer set forth in the KATCo ROFR Notice (such 120-day period, the “KATCo ROFR Sale Period”), then the process initiated by the delivery of the KATCo ROFR Notice shall be lapsed, and the FE Member will be required to repeat the process set forth in this Section 9.3(b)(ii) before entering into any agreement with respect to, or consummating, any sale of KATCo Interests to such Third Party; provided, that if a definitive agreement providing for the consummation of such sale is executed within the KATCo ROFR Sale Period but such sale has not been consummated at the expiration of the KATCo ROFR Sale Period solely as a result of a failure to receive the requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body in respect of such sale, then the KATCo ROFR Sale Period shall be extended solely to the extent necessary to permit the receipt of all such authorizations, approvals or consents which are in process but have not been received from the relevant Governmental Body as of the original expiration date of the KATCo ROFR Sale Period and the consummation of the sale provided for

 

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in such definitive agreement; provided, further, that the FE Member shall have used its reasonable best efforts in seeking such authorizations, approvals and consents.

(iii) In connection with the sale of any KATCO Interests, the FE Member shall promptly provide any due diligence materials that were provided to the Third Party making the relevant bona fide third party offer or any other due diligence materials that are in the FE Member’s possession or control or are otherwise reasonably available to the FE Member that are reasonably requested by the Investor Member in furtherance of the Investor Member’s exercise of its rights under Section 9.3(b)(ii).

(c) The Company and each Member expressly acknowledge and agree, that, except as set forth in Section 9.3(b), (i) neither the Members nor any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives shall have any duty to communicate or present an investment or business opportunity to the Company in which the Company may, but for the provisions of this Section 9.3, have an interest or expectancy (a “Corporate Opportunity”), and (ii) neither of the Members nor any of their respective Affiliates or Representatives (even if such Person is also an officer or Director of the Company) shall be deemed to have breached any duty or obligation to the Company by reason of the fact that such Person pursues or acquires a Corporate Opportunity for itself or directs, sells, assigns or transfers such Corporate Opportunity to another Person or does not communicate information regarding such Corporate Opportunity to the Company. The Company and each Member expressly renounce any interest in Corporate Opportunities and any expectancy that a Corporate Opportunity will be offered to the Company.

(d) For so long as the Investor Member is a Member, the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, seek approval from the applicable Governmental Body to permit the members of the FE Outside Group that directly own equity interests in MAIT to make any capital contributions to MAIT; provided that, for so long as the Investor Member is a Member and the Company directly owns the MAIT Class B Interests, the Company shall not make any capital contributions to MAIT on account of the Company’s ownership of its MAIT Class B Interests.

Section 9.4 Compliance with Laws.

(a) The Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to procure that the Company Group’s respective Representatives shall not in the course of their actions for, or on behalf of, any Member of the Company Group:

(i) offer promise, provide or authorize the provision of any money, property, contribution, gift, entertainment or other thing of value, directly or knowingly indirectly, to any government official, to unlawfully influence official action or secure an improper advantage, or to unlawfully encourage the recipient to improperly influence or affect any act or decision of any Governmental Body, in each case, in order to assist any member of the Company Group in obtaining or retaining business, or otherwise act in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws;

 

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(ii) violate any applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws;

(iii) engage in any unlawful dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of any Sanctioned Person or otherwise violate Sanctions; or

(iv) violate any applicable FDI Law.

(b) The Company shall promptly notify the Members of (i) any allegations of misconduct by any member of the Company Group or any actions, suits or proceedings by or before any Governmental Body to which any member of the Company Group becomes a party, or to which the Company becomes aware that any Representative of the Company Group (in relation to such Representative’s actions for, or on behalf of, any member of the Company Group) is a party, in each case, relating to any material breach or suspected material breach of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Sanctions or FDI Laws or (ii) any fact or circumstances of which it becomes aware that would reasonably be expected to result in a breach of this Section 9.4.

(c) The Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintain, and will continue to implement and maintain, policies and procedures and a system of internal controls to ensure compliance by the Company, its Subsidiaries, their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (in their capacity as such) and Affiliates with Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Sanctions and FDI Laws.

(d) The Company and its Affiliates shall comply in all respects with all relevant terms of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Southern District of Ohio entered into on July 22, 2021.

(e) Each Director and Board Observer may confer with the Member that appointed such Director and/or Board Observer regarding any allegations of misconduct by any member of the Company Group relating to any breach or suspected breach of any applicable anti-terrorism Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws, Sanctions or FDI Laws.

(f) Each Member shall, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to procure that its Representatives in the course of their actions for, or on behalf of, such Member or its Affiliates, comply in all respects with all Anti-Corruption Laws, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and FDI Laws applicable to such Persons.

(g) All Persons serving as Directors, Board Observers, Designated Alternates or members of the Advisory Committee (or any other committee of the Board) shall at all times comply with and be bound by the obligations of the members of the Company Group under the Standards of Conduct. Each Member shall cause each of its Directors, Board Observers, Designated Alternates and members of the Advisory Committee (or any other committee of the Board) to complete training on the Standards of Conduct within the first thirty (30) days of their appointment to their position as a Director, Board Observer, Designated Alternate or Member of the Advisory Committee (or any other committee of the Board if necessary) and then, thereafter, ensures on an annual basis that each such Person maintains full compliance with the Standards of Conduct compliance obligations for so long as such Person remains a Director, Board Observer,

 

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Designated Alternate or member of the Advisory Committee (or any other committee of the Board) (as applicable). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Member and the Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the Company and/or the Board may withhold access to (including by excluding him or her from the relevant portion of any Board or committee meeting regarding) material non-public transmission function information subject to FERC’s Standards of Conduct until the applicable Person has satisfied the Standards of Conduct compliance obligations set forth in this Section 9.4(g); and (ii) no member of the Company Group shall be required to disclose or otherwise provide any information or materials to any Person to the extent such information is required to be kept confidential by the Standards of Conduct in accordance with applicable Law.

Section 9.5 Non-Solicit. Without the prior written consent of the Company, the members of the Investor Group shall not solicit for employment, hire or engage as a consultant any individual who is serving in any position within the Transmission Leadership Team or an FE Director; provided that this Section 9.5 shall not prohibit any Person from issuing general public solicitations not specifically targeted at the Transmission Leadership Team or from hiring any Person responding to such general solicitations.

Section 9.6 Confidentiality.

(a) Each Member shall, and shall cause its Representatives to, keep confidential and not divulge any information (including all budgets, business plans and analyses) concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries, including their respective assets, business, operations, financial condition and prospects (“Confidential Information”), and to use such Confidential Information only in connection with the operation of the Company and its Subsidiaries or such Member’s administration of its investment in the Company; provided that nothing herein shall prevent any Member from disclosing such Confidential Information (i) upon the Order of any court or administrative agency, (ii) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Body having jurisdiction over such party, (iii) to the extent compelled by legal process or required or requested pursuant to subpoena, interrogatories or other discovery requests, (iv) to the other Parties, (v) to such party’s Representatives that in the reasonable judgment of such party need to know such Confidential Information, (vi) to any potential Permitted Transferee in connection with a proposed Transfer of Membership Interests from a Member so long as such transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Section 9.6 as if a Member or (vi) in the case of the Investor Member, the limited partners of and other direct or indirect co-investors in the Investor Member and their respective Affiliates (provided that such disclosures are subject to and in accordance with the guidelines and restrictions set forth on Schedule 3); provided, further, that in the case of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii), such Member shall, to the extent legally permissible, notify the other Parties of the proposed disclosure as far in advance of such disclosure as practicable and use reasonable efforts to ensure that any Confidential Information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment, when and if available.

(b) The restrictions in Section 9.6(a) shall not apply to information that (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by a Member or any of its Representatives in violation of this Agreement, (ii) is or becomes available to a Member or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to the receiving Member and any of its Representatives, (iii) is or has been independently developed or

 

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conceived by such Member or its Affiliates without use of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Confidential Information or (iv) becomes available to the receiving Member or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any other Party or any of their respective Representatives; provided that such source is not known by the recipient of the information to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with the disclosing party or any of its Representatives.

(c) Each Party shall inform any Representatives to whom it provides Confidential Information that such information is confidential and instruct them (i) to keep such Confidential Information confidential and (ii) not to disclose Confidential Information to any Third Party (other than those Persons to whom such Confidential Information has already been disclosed in accordance with the terms of this Agreement). The disclosing Party shall be responsible for any breach of this Section 9.6 by the Person to whom the Confidential Information is disclosed.

(d) The restrictions in Section 9.6(a) shall not restrict any Member and its Affiliates from disclosing any Confidential Information required to be disclosed under applicable securities Laws or the rules of any stock exchange on which any of their securities are traded.

(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the provisions of this Section 9.6 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for a period of three years and, with respect to each Member, shall survive for a period of three years following the date on which such Member is no longer a Member. The provisions of this Section 9.6 shall supersede the provisions of any non-disclosure agreements entered into by the Company (or its Affiliates, including the FE Member) and any of the Members (or their respective Affiliates) with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Initial PSA or by the Second PSA prior to the Effective Date.

Section 9.7 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of Representatives and other Advisors, incurred in connection with this Agreement and with the continuing relationship between the Company and its Members, and among any of them, shall be paid by the Party incurring such costs and expenses.

Section 9.8 Commitment to the Company Business. In furtherance of the Company’s commitment to engaging only in activities and conduct consistent with the Company Business or any reasonable extension thereof, other than any transaction or series of transactions approved unanimously by the Board or as otherwise agreed in writing by the Members, the Company shall not, during any 10 year period, transfer, sell or otherwise dispose, or permit the Company’s Subsidiaries to or otherwise cause the transfer, sale or other disposition, whether by way of asset sale, stock sale, merger or otherwise, of Qualifying Core Assets of the Company or one or more of its Subsidiaries having a Fair Market Value in excess of 20.0% of the Fair Market Value of the Company and its Subsidiaries’ aggregate Qualifying Core Assets (such percentage to be measured immediately prior to such transfer, sale or disposition, and in the case of multiple transactions, the percentages will be added to determine if such 20.0% threshold has been exceeded) in any single transaction or series of transactions unless the proceeds from such transactions are reinvested (or committed to be reinvested) in other Qualifying Core Assets or

 

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other capital expenditure projects set forth in the Annual Approved Budget; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to any transfer, sale or other disposition of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ Qualifying Core Assets that is required by any Governmental Body or otherwise required under applicable Law.

Section 9.9 Budget; Business and Capital Plans.

(a) The (i) Annual Approved Budget shall be approved and (ii) each of the Business Plan and the Capital Plan shall be established, in each case in accordance with Schedule 5 hereto.

ARTICLE X

TAX MATTERS

Section 10.1 Tax Classification. The Parties intend that the Company be classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income (and applicable state and local) Tax purposes, and Internal Revenue Service Form 8832 was filed on May 10, 2022.

Section 10.2 Tax Matters Shareholder. The FE Member is hereby designated the “Tax Matters Shareholder” of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Tax Matters Shareholder may, in its reasonable discretion, make or refrain from making any Tax elections allowed under applicable Law for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Tax Matters Shareholder shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed any Tax Return required to be filed by or with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Tax Matters Shareholder shall be entitled to control in all respects, and neither the Investor Member nor its Affiliates shall have the right to participate in, any Tax audits, examinations or other proceedings by any taxing authority of any Governmental Body with respect to any Tax Return of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 10.3 Cooperation. The Investor Member shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, provide to the FE Member and its Subsidiaries (including the Company and its Subsidiaries), and the FE Member and the Company shall, and shall cause their Affiliates to, provide to the Investor Member, in each case, such cooperation, documentation and information as any of them reasonably may request in connection with (a) filing any Tax Return, amended Tax Return or claim for refund, (b) determining a liability for Taxes or (c) preparing for or conducting any Tax audits, examinations or other proceedings by any taxing authority of any Governmental Body.

Section 10.4 Withholding. The Company may withhold and pay over to the United States Internal Revenue Service (or any other relevant Tax authority) such amounts as it is required to withhold or pay over, pursuant to the Code or any other applicable Law, on account of a Member, including in respect of distributions made pursuant to Section 5.2 or Section 5.3, and, for the avoidance of doubt, the amount of any such distribution or other payment to a Member shall be net of any such withholding. To the extent that any amounts are so withheld and paid over, such amounts shall be treated as paid to the Person(s) in respect of which such withholding was made. To the extent that a Member claims to be entitled to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, a withholding Tax pursuant to an applicable income Tax treaty, or otherwise,

 

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such Member shall furnish the Company with such information and forms as such Member may be required to complete where necessary to comply with any and all Laws and regulations governing the obligations of withholding Tax agents, and the Company shall apply such reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding Tax as reflected on such information and forms that have been provided by such Member. Each Member agrees that if any information or form provided pursuant to this Section 10.4 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, such Member shall update such form or information.

Section 10.5 Certain Representations and Warranties. Each Member represents and warrants that any such information and forms furnished by such Member shall be true and accurate and agrees to indemnify the Company from any and all damages, costs and expenses resulting from the filing of inaccurate or incomplete information or forms relating to such withholding Taxes.

ARTICLE XI

LIABILITY; EXCULPATION; INDEMNIFICATION

Section 11.1 Liability; Member Duties. The debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, and no Covered Person shall be obligated personally for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company solely by reason of being a Covered Person. Each Member acknowledges and agrees that each Member, in its capacity as a Member, may decide or determine any matter subject to the approval of such Member pursuant to any provision of this Agreement in the sole and absolute discretion of such Member, and in making such decision or determination such Member shall have no duty, fiduciary or otherwise, to any other Member or to the Company Group, it being the intent of all Members that such Member, in its capacity as a Member, has the right to make such determination solely on the basis of its own interests.

Section 11.2 Exculpation. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Covered Person shall be liable to the Company or any other Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Covered Person by this Agreement, except that a Covered Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Covered Person’s fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Section 11.3 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless any Person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings by reason of the fact that such Person is or was a Director or officer of the Company, or is or was a Director or officer of the Company serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or agent of another limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, settlements, penalties and fines actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such, action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,

 

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either he or she had reasonable cause to believe such conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful.

Section 11.4 Authorization. To the extent that such present or former Director or officer of the Company has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Section 11.3, or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify him or her against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. Any other indemnification under Section 11.3 shall be made by the Company only as authorized in the specific case, upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former Director or officer is permissible in the circumstances because such present or former Director or officer has met the applicable standard of conduct. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a Person who is a Director or officer at the time of such determination, (a) by a majority vote of the Directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even with less than a quorum, or (b) if there are no such Directors, or if such Directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (c) by the Members. Such determination shall be made, with respect to former Directors and officers, by any Person or Persons having the authority to act on the matter on behalf of the Company.

Section 11.5 Reliance on Information. For purposes of any determination under Section 11.3, a present or former Director or officer of the Company shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and have otherwise met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 11.3 if his or her action is based on the records or books of account of the Company or on information supplied to him or her by the officers of the Company in the course of his or her duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Company or on information or records given or reports made to the Company by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company. The provisions of this Section 11.5 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a present or former Director or officer of the Company may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 11.3.

Section 11.6 Advancement of Expenses. Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the present or former Director or officer of the Company in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Company as authorized in the specific case in the same manner described in Section 11.4, upon receipt of a written affirmation of the present or former Director or officer that he or she has met the standard of conduct described in Section 11.3 and upon receipt of a written undertaking by or on behalf of him or her to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she did not meet the standard of conduct, and a determination is made that the facts then known to those making the determination shall not preclude indemnification under this Article XI.

Section 11.7 Non-Exclusive Provisions. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article XI shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled.

 

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Section 11.8 Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article XI shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a Person who has ceased to be a Director or officer of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators.

Section 11.9 Limitations. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article XI to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify any Director or officer (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) or advance expenses in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board.

ARTICLE XII

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Section 12.1 Members Representations and Warranties. Each Member hereby represents and warrants, severally and not jointly, to the Company and to the other Member as follows:

(a) Such Member is a company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, as applicable, with full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform all of its obligations hereunder.

(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by such Member, and the performance by such Member of its obligations hereunder, have been duly and validly authorized by all requisite action by such Member, and no other proceedings on the part of such Member are necessary to authorize the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by such Member.

(c) This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by such Member, and, assuming that this Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of the other Parties, this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of such Member, enforceable against such Member in accordance with its terms, except as limited by the application of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other Laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or general principles of equity.

(d) The execution and delivery by such Member of this Agreement, and the performance by such Member of its obligations hereunder, does not (i) violate or breach its Organizational Documents, (ii) violate any applicable Law to which such Member is subject or by which any of its assets are bound, or (iii) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under any Contract to which such Member is a party or by which any of its assets are bound.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 13.1 Notices. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices, demands and other communications to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions

 

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of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when personally delivered, (b) when transmitted by electronic mail (unless if transmitted after 5:00 p.m. Eastern time or other than on a Business Day, then on the next Business Day) to the address specified below in which case such notice shall be deemed to have been given when the recipient transmits manual written acknowledgment of successful receipt, which the recipient shall have an affirmative duty to furnish promptly after successful receipt, (c) when sent by internationally- recognized courier in which case it shall be deemed to have been given at the time of actual recorded delivery, or (d) the third Business Day following the day on which the same is sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, in each case, to the respective Party at the number, electronic mail address or street address, as applicable, set forth below, or at such other number, electronic mail address or street address as such Party may specify by written notice to the other Parties.

Notices to the Investor Member:

North American Transmission Company II L.P.

c/o Brookfield Infrastructure Group

1200 Smith Street, Suite 640

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Fred Day

Email: fred.day@brookfield.com

with copies to (which shall not constitute notice):

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

1000 Louisiana Street

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Eric Otness

Email: eric.otness@skadden.com

and

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

1440 New York Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20005

Attention: Aryan Moniri

Email: aryan.moniri@skadden.com

Notices to the FE Member and to the Company:

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

c/o FirstEnergy Corp.

76 South Main Street

Akron, Ohio 44308

Attention: Steven R. Staub

Email: sstaub@firstenergycorp.com

 

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with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

Jones Day

901 Lakeside Ave.

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Attention: Peter Izanec; George Hunter

Email: peizanec@jonesday.com; ghunter@jonesday.com

Section 13.2 Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided that no Member, nor the Company, shall purport to assign or Transfer all or any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement nor grant, declare, create or dispose of any right or interest in this Agreement in whole or in part except with respect to a Transfer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and any attempted or purported assignment hereof not in accordance with the terms hereof shall be void ab initio.

Section 13.3 Waiver of Partition. Each Member hereby waives any right to partition of the Company property.

Section 13.4 Further Assurances. From and after the Effective Date, from time to time, as and when requested by any Party and at such Party’s expense, any other Party shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, all such documents and instruments and shall take, or cause to be taken, all such further or other actions as such requesting Party may reasonably deem necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.

Section 13.5 Third Party Beneficiaries. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, nothing expressed or referred to in this Agreement shall be construed to give any Person other than the Parties any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement; provided, that Covered Persons are express third party beneficiaries of Article XI.

Section 13.6 Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Parties and their respective successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 13.7 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void, unenforceable or against its regulatory policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and, to the extent permitted and possible, any invalid, void or unenforceable term shall be deemed replaced by a term that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of such invalid, void or unenforceable term.

Section 13.8 Construction. The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the Parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any Person. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall in no way restrict or otherwise modify any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

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Section 13.9 Complete Agreement. This Agreement (including any schedules thereto), constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the Parties hereto or Affiliates thereof, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof.

Section 13.10 Amendment; Waiver. Subject to Article VIII, neither this Agreement nor any other Organizational Document of the Company may be amended (whether by merger or otherwise) except in a written instrument signed by the FE Member and the Investor Member; provided, however, that any modification, alteration, supplement or amendment to this Agreement that would have a disproportionately adverse impact on the Members that are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests (in such holders’ capacity as such) as compared to holders of any other Membership Interests shall require the approval of the Members who are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests, voting in their capacity as such holders as a separate class. In the event that (i) the Company issues Membership Interests to one or more Third Parties pursuant to Section 5.1(d) or Section 7.1, (ii) if the FE Member is no longer directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of a majority of the Company, or (iii) if the Investor Member Transfers Membership Interests to another Person, the Members and the Company shall negotiate in good faith to amend this Agreement to the extent reasonably necessary to reflect such additional Members or changes appropriate to reflect the new respective Percentage Interests of the Members. For the avoidance of doubt, any transferee of the Investor Member shall be entitled to the same protective provisions set forth in this Agreement (including Article VIII) for so long as such transferee’s Percentage Interest is at least equal to the Percentage Interest at which such right is afforded to the Investor Member, and any such amendment to this Agreement made in accordance with this Section 13.10 shall reflect as much. Any amendment or revision to Schedule 1 that is made by an officer solely to reflect information regarding Members or the Transfer or issuance of Membership Interests made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall not be considered an amendment to this Agreement and shall not require any Board or Member approval. Any failure or delay on the part of any Party in exercising any power or right hereunder shall not operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power hereunder or otherwise available at law or in equity.

Section 13.11 Governing Law. This Agreement, and any claim, action, suit, investigation or proceeding of any kind whatsoever, including a counterclaim, cross-claim or defense, regardless of the legal theory under which such liability or obligation may be sought to be imposed, whether sounding in contract or tort, or whether at law or in equity, or otherwise under any legal or equitable theory, that may be based upon, arising out of or related to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal Laws of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements executed and performed entirely within such State without regards to conflicts of law principles of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction that would cause the Laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware to apply.

Section 13.12 Specific Performance. The Parties agree that irreparable damage, for which monetary relief, even if available, shall not be an adequate remedy, would occur in the

 

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event that any provision of this Agreement is not performed in accordance with its specific terms or is otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that (a) the Parties shall be entitled to seek an injunction or injunctions, specific performance or other equitable relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof without proof of damages or otherwise, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled under this Agreement, and (b) the right of specific performance and other equitable relief is an integral part of this Agreement and the business and legal understandings between the Members with respect to the Company, and without that right, none of the Members would have entered into this Agreement. The Parties acknowledge and agree that any Party pursuing an injunction or injunctions or other Order to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement in accordance with this Section 13.12 shall not be required to provide any bond or other security in connection with any such Order. The remedies available to the Parties pursuant to this Section 13.12 shall be in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or in equity, and the election to pursue an injunction or specific performance shall not restrict, impair or otherwise limit any Party from seeking to collect or collecting damages. Each of the Parties agrees that it shall not oppose the granting of an injunction, specific performance and other equitable relief on the basis that any other Party has an adequate remedy at law or that any award of specific performance is not an appropriate remedy for any reason at law or in equity.

Section 13.13 Arbitration.

(a) With the exception only of any proceeding seeking interim or provisional relief in order to protect the rights or property of a Party which a Party may elect to pursue in court, all claims or disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, not amicably resolved between the Parties shall be determined by binding arbitration upon demand by a Party. Such arbitration shall be administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) utilizing its Commercial Arbitration Rules in effect as of the date the arbitration is commenced. The arbitration shall be conducted before a single arbitrator, if the Parties can agree on the one arbitrator. If the Parties cannot agree on a single arbitrator, there shall be a panel of three arbitrators with one chosen by each Member and the third arbitrator selected by the two Members-appointed arbitrators. If a Party fails to appoint an arbitrator within 30 days following a written request by another Party to do so or if the two party-appointed arbitrators fail to agree upon the selection of a third arbitrator, as applicable, within 30 days following their appointment, the additional arbitrator shall be selected by the AAA pursuant to its applicable procedures. Each arbitrator shall be disinterested and have at least 20 years of experience with commercial matters. The arbitrator(s) shall have the power to award any appropriate remedy consistent with the objectives of the arbitration and subject to, and consistent with, all Laws applicable to the Company and its Subsidiaries (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the necessity of obtaining any requisite authorization, approval or consent of any Governmental Body necessary to implement the appropriate remedy). The decision of the one arbitrator or, if applicable, the majority of the three arbitrators shall be final and binding upon the Parties (subject only to limited review as required by applicable Law). Judgment upon the award of the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise enforced in any jurisdiction in any manner provided by applicable Law. The losing Party shall pay the prevailing Party’s attorney’s fees and costs and the costs associated with the arbitration, including expert fees and costs and the arbitrators’ fees and costs; provided, however, that each Party shall bear its own

 

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fees and costs until the arbitrator(s) determine which, if any, Party is the prevailing Party and the amount that is due to such prevailing Party. The arbitration proceedings shall take place in Akron, Ohio and, for the avoidance of doubt, the arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in the English language.

(b) All discussions, negotiations and proceedings under this Section 13.13, and all evidence given or discovered pursuant hereto, will be maintained in strict confidence by all Parties, except where disclosure is required by applicable Law, necessary to comply with any legal requirements of such Party or necessary or advisable in order for a Party to assert any legal rights or remedies, including the filing of a complaint with a court or, based on the advice of counsel, such disclosure is determined to be necessary or advisable under applicable securities Laws or the rules of any stock exchange on which any of such Party’s securities are traded. Disclosure of the existence of any arbitration or of any award rendered therein may be made as part of any action in court for interim or provisional relief or to confirm or enforce such award.

(c) Any settlement discussions occurring and negotiating positions taken by any Party in connection with the procedures under this Section 13.13 will be subject to Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and shall not be admissible as evidence in any proceeding relating to the subject matter of this Agreement.

(d) The fact that the dispute resolution procedure specified in this Section 13.13 has been or may be invoked will not excuse any Party from performing its obligations under this Agreement, and during the pendency of any such procedure, all Parties must continue to perform their respective obligations in good faith.

Section 13.14 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and any Party may execute any such counterpart, each of which when executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become effective when each Party shall have received a counterpart hereof signed by the other Parties. The Parties agree that the delivery of this Agreement may be effected by means of an exchange of facsimile or electronically transmitted signatures.

Section 13.15 Fair Market Value Determination. Upon request by any Member, so long as such Member holds a Common Percentage Interest greater than 5.0%, or, to the extent necessary for purposes of determining Fair Market Value of the outstanding Special Purpose Membership Interests pursuant to Section 5.3, any Member that is the owner of a majority of the issued and outstanding Special Purpose Membership Interests, within five (5) Business Days after receiving written notice of the Board’s determination in connection with any determination of Fair Market Value of Membership Interests or other assets under this Agreement (which determination shall be provided by the Company to each Member promptly following the making thereof), the Company shall select a nationally recognized independent valuation firm with no existing or prior business or personal relationship with any Member or any of its Affiliates in the five-year period immediately preceding the date of engagement pursuant to this Section 13.15 (the “Independent Evaluator”) to determine such Fair Market Value. Each of the Company and the requesting Member shall submit their view of the Fair Market Value of the Membership Interests or the relevant asset(s) to the Independent Evaluator, and each party will

 

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receive copies of all information provided to the Independent Evaluator by the other party. The final Independent Evaluator’s determination of the Fair Market Value of such Membership Interests or asset(s) shall be set forth in a detailed written report addressed to the Company and the requesting Member within 30 days following the Company’s selection of such Independent Evaluator and such determination shall be final, conclusive and binding. In rendering its decision, the Independent Evaluator shall determine which of the positions of the Company and the requesting Member submitted to the Independent Evaluator is, in the aggregate, more accurate (which report shall include a worksheet setting forth the material calculations used in arriving at such determination), and, based on such determination, adopt either the Fair Market Value determined by the Company or the requesting Member. Any fees and expenses of the Independent Evaluator incurred in resolving the disputed matter(s) will be borne by the party whose positions were not adopted by the Independent Evaluator.

Section 13.16 Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:

Act” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, as amended from time to time.

Advisors” means, with respect to any Person, the accountants, attorneys, consultants, advisors, investment bankers, or other representatives of such Person.

AET PATH” means AET PATH Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Affiliate” of any particular Person means any other Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such particular Person, where “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management and policies of a Person whether through the ownership of voting securities, Contract or otherwise.

Annual Approved Budget” means an annual approved budget, which will be in the form attached to Schedule 5 hereto.

Anti-Corruption Laws” means (a) the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; (b) the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, as amended; and (c) any other Law concerning or relating to bribery or corruption imposed, administered or enforced by any Governmental Body.

Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means any Law concerning or relating to money laundering, any predicate crime to money laundering or any record keeping, disclosure or reporting requirements related to money laundering imposed, administered or enforced by any Governmental Body.

Available Cash” means, for any applicable fiscal quarter, the cash flow generated from the business operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries in such fiscal quarter (but excluding any MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts), less any amounts that the Board reasonably determines are necessary and appropriate to be retained in order to (a) permit the Company and its Subsidiaries to pay their obligations as they become due in the ordinary course of business, (b) maintain the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ target regulatory capital structure and investment-grade credit metrics, (c) fund planned capital expenditures, (d) maintain an adequate

 

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level of working capital, (e) maintain prudent reserves for future obligations (including contingent obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries), (f) comply with the terms of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries Indebtedness (including making any required payments of principal or interest in satisfaction of Indebtedness) or (g) comply with applicable Law or respond to an Emergency Situation. For the avoidance of doubt, the proceeds of the issuance of the Investor Member’s Membership Interests shall be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash (and may be held in a segregated sub-account in the money pool of the FE Member).

Available Limited Discretion Cash” means, for any applicable fiscal quarter, the cash flow generated from the business operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries in such fiscal quarter (but excluding any MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts), less any amounts that the Board, based on the recommendation of the Transmission Leadership Team as substantiated by written financial reports and forecasts included therewith, reasonably determines (which such determination shall include the approval of the Investor Director(s) for so long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest) in good faith are necessary to be retained in order to (a) permit the Company and its Subsidiaries to pay their obligations due as of such date or that are expected to become due in the next ninety (90) days in the ordinary course of business (including making any required payments of principal or interest in satisfaction of Indebtedness) that cannot be satisfied on commercially reasonable terms by the Company’s available liquidity, or (b) comply with applicable Law or respond to an Emergency Situation.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions located in New York, New York are authorized by applicable Law to be closed.

Business Plan” has the meaning set forth on Schedule 5 hereto.

Capital Plan” has the meaning set forth on Schedule 5 hereto.

Change in Control” means with respect to the applicable Party, any person or group (within the meaning of Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) at any time becoming the beneficial owner of 50.0% or more of the combined voting power of the voting securities of such Party.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Common Percentage Interest” means, in respect of any Member, their relative ownership in the outstanding Common Membership Interests at the relevant time, expressed as a percentage, which shall be deemed to be equal to the number of outstanding Common Membership Interests that such Member owns at the relevant time divided by the total number of Common Membership Interests then outstanding.

Company Group” means the Company and each of its Subsidiaries, collectively.

Competitor” means any Person that is, or through its Subsidiaries is, directly involved in the transmission of electricity in the United States; provided that no Financial Investor shall be considered a “Competitor” as defined herein.

 

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Contract” means any written agreement, arrangement, commitment, indenture, instrument, purchase order, license or other binding agreement.

Covered Person” means any (a) Member, any Affiliate of a Member or any officers, directors, shareholders, partners, members, employees, representatives or agents of a Member or their respective Affiliates, (b) Director, or (c) employee, officer or agent of the Company or its Affiliates.

Debt-to-Capital Ratio” means, with respect to any Person, the ratio of (a) the Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries to (b) the sum of (i) the Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries plus (ii) Member equity (including, if applicable, noncontrolling interest of MAIT Class B membership equity), capital stock (but excluding treasury stock and capital stock subscribed and unissued) and other equity accounts (including retained earnings and paid in capital but excluding accumulated other comprehensive income and loss) of such Person and its Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP.

Emergency Expenditure” means amounts required to be incurred in order to respond to an Emergency Situation or to avoid an Emergency Situation in a manner that is consistent with general practices applicable to facilities used in the Company Business, but only to the extent such expenditures are reasonably designed to ameliorate the consequences, or an immediate threat of any of the consequences, of the issues set forth in the definition of “Emergency Situation.”

Emergency Situation” means, with respect to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (a) any abnormal system condition or abnormal situation requiring immediate action to maintain system frequency, loading within acceptable limits or voltage or to prevent loss of firm load, material equipment damage or tripping of system elements that is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect reliability of an electric system, (b) any other occurrence or condition that otherwise requires immediate action to prevent an immediate and material threat to the safety of Persons or the operational integrity of, or material damage to, any material assets of, or the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (c) any other condition or occurrence requiring immediate implementation of emergency procedures as defined by the applicable transmission grid operator or transmitting utility.

Encumber” means to place a Lien against.

Excluded Membership Interests” means any Membership Interests or other equity interests in the Company issued in connection with:

(a) any arrangement approved unanimously by the Board for the return of income or capital to the Members;

(b) any equity split, equity dividend or any similar recapitalization; or

(c) the commencement of any offering of Membership Interests or other equity interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, pursuant to a registration statement filed in accordance with the United States Securities Act of 1933.

 

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Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset (including equity interest), the price at which the asset would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller that are not affiliated parties, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell, and both having knowledge of the relevant facts and taking into account the full useful life of the asset. In valuing Membership Interests, no consideration of any control, liquidity or minority discount or premium shall be taken into account. Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Board in accordance with the foregoing, subject to Section 13.15.

FDI Law” means any Law concerning or relating to foreign investment or national security imposed, administered or enforced by any Governmental Body.

FE Outside Group” means the FE Member and its Subsidiaries, other than the Company and its Subsidiaries.

FERC” means the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or any successor agency thereto.

Financial Investor” means any non-strategic financial investor such as a retirement fund, pension fund, exchange traded fund, sovereign wealth fund, private equity fund, asset management fund, hedge fund or similar institutional investor, including any Subsidiary of such Person, whose principal business activity is acquiring, holding and selling investments (including controlling interests) in other Persons.

FPA” means the Federal Power Act.

GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved.

Governmental Body” means any national, foreign, federal, regional, state, local, municipal or other governmental authority of any nature (including any division, department, agency, commission or other regulatory body thereof) and any court or arbitral tribunal, including any governmental, quasi-governmental or non-governmental body administering, regulating or having general oversight over electricity, power or the transmission or transportation thereof (including, for the avoidance of doubt, FERC, PJM, NERC, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Virginia State Corporation Commission), including any regional transmission operator or independent system operator.

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, (a) all indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, for borrowed money or in respect of any loans or advances, (b) all other indebtedness of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments or debt securities (excluding trade accounts payables constituting short term liabilities under GAAP), (c) the maximum amount of all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all guarantees of the obligations of any other Person, (e) net obligations of such Person under any hedging arrangement, and (f) any accrued interest, premiums and penalties.

 

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Initial PSA” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated November 6, 2021, by and among the Company, the FE Member, the Investor Member, and, solely for the purposes of Sections 5.5, 5.6(c) and 8.1(a) and Article X thereof, the Guarantors (as defined therein).

Investor Group” means Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners L.P., together with its controlled investment vehicles.

IRR” means, with respect to the Investor Member, as of the consummation of a Drag- Along Sale, the actual pre-Tax annual rate of return of the Investor Member (specified as a percentage) taking into account only the following, on a cash-in, cash-out basis: (a) all Capital Contributions actually made to the Company by or on behalf of the Investor Member or any of its Permitted Transferees with respect to their Membership Interests on or before such date plus the Purchase Price (as defined in the Initial PSA) plus the Purchase Price (as defined in the Second PSA), and (b) all cash distributions to the Investor Member or any of its Permitted Transferees on or before such date. The IRR will be calculated using the XIRR function in the most recent version of Microsoft Excel (or if such program is no longer available, such other software program for calculating the IRR as is reasonably determined by the Board), and will be based on the actual dates of funding of such capital contributions and the actual dates of receipt of such cash distributions and proceeds.

JCP&L” means Jersey Central Power & Light.

KATCo Interests” means the equity interests in Keystone Appalachian Transmission Company.

Law” means any (a) law (statutory, common, or otherwise), rule, regulation, code or ordinance enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by any Governmental Body, including the Federal Power Act, as amended, and FERC’s implementing regulations thereunder and all other regulatory requirements or Orders emanating from state and federal regulators of the Company Group’s businesses and operations or the ownership of the Membership Interests and (b) any other Order.

Liens” means all liens, mortgages, deeds of trust, pledges, security interests, charges, claims, proxy, voting trust or transfer restriction under any stockholder or similar agreement.

Lock-Up Period” means the date that is the third (3rd) anniversary of the Effective Date.

MAIT” means Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC.

MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts” means any amount of distributions received by the Company on account of the Company’s MAIT Class B Interests from MAIT in accordance with its Organizational Documents.

MAIT Class B Interests” means an interest in MAIT designated as a “Class B Interest” in the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of MAIT.

 

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Material Project” means any acquisition, construction, expansion, improvement, alteration, replacement or significant repair activity or series of related activities of/to any Qualifying Core Assets that exceeds in the aggregate the lower of: (i) 0.75% of the Rate Base Amount, or (ii) $75 million adjusted by annually by the Consumer Price Index, in any calendar year.

Member” means each of FE Member and Investor Member, and any Person admitted as an additional member of the Company or a substitute member of the Company pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, each in its capacity as a member of the Company that owns Membership Interests.

Membership Interests” means membership interests of the Company.

NERC” means the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (including any of the eight (8) designated regional entities) or any successor electric reliability organization certified by FERC.

New Securities” means any Membership Interests or other equity interests in the Company, other than any Excluded Membership Interests; provided that no New Securities that are issued shall be issued as Special Purpose Membership Interests.

OFAC” means the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Order” means any judgment, order, injunction, decree, ruling, writ or arbitration award of any Governmental Body or any arbitrator.

Organizational Documents” means, with respect to any corporation, its articles or certificate of incorporation, memorandum or articles of association and by-laws or documents of similar substance; with respect to any limited liability company, its articles of association, articles of organization or certificate of organization, formation or association and its operating agreement or limited liability company agreement or documents of similar substance; with respect to any limited partnership, its certificate of limited partnership and partnership agreement or documents of similar substance; and with respect to any other entity, documents of similar substance to any of the foregoing.

Percentage Interest” means, in respect of any Member, their relative ownership in the outstanding Membership Interests at the relevant time, expressed as a percentage, which shall be deemed to be equal to the number of outstanding Membership Interests that such Member owns at the relevant time divided by the total number of Membership Interests then outstanding.

Permitted Lien” means (a) Liens for Taxes not yet delinquent or for Taxes that the taxpayer is contesting in good faith through appropriate proceedings so long as adequate reserves are maintained in accordance with GAAP, (b) Liens of lessors, lessees, sublessors, sublessees, licensors or licensees to the extent arising under and in accordance with the terms of the disclosed Leases arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business, (c) Liens arising under the Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 10.17(b) to the Second PSA, (d) mechanics Liens and similar Liens for labor, materials, or supplies relating to obligations as to which there is no breach or default on the part of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, or the

 

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validity or amount of which is being contested in good faith through appropriate proceedings so long as adequate reserves are maintained on the financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (e) zoning, building codes, and other land use Laws regulating the use or occupancy of real property or the activities conducted thereon that are imposed by any Governmental Body having jurisdiction over such real property, in each case that do not adversely impact in any material respect the current use, occupancy or operation of the owned or leased real property of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and are not violated by the then-current use, occupancy or activity conducted thereon by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, which does not in any material respect affect the value or current use thereof, (f) easements, servitudes, covenants, conditions, restrictions, and other similar matters of record affecting title to any assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and other title defects that do not or would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the use or occupancy of such assets in the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (g) all matters set forth on title policies or surveys made available by or on behalf of the FE Outside Group to the Investor Member prior to the date of the Second PSA other than those Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, impair in any material respect the current use or occupancy of the subject real property to which they relate, and (h) Liens arising under Laws of general applicability, other than to the extent such Liens arise from or relate to any applicable Person’s failure to comply with any such Law.

Permitted Transferee” means, with respect to the FE Member or the Investor Member, (i) a directly or indirectly wholly owned Subsidiary of such Member, (ii) an Affiliate of such Member of which such Member is, directly or indirectly, a wholly owned Subsidiary (an “Affiliate Parent”), or (iii) an Affiliate of such Member that is a wholly owned Subsidiary of an Affiliate Parent.

Persons” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization or a Governmental Body.

PJM” means PJM Interconnection L.L.C., a regional transmission organization, or any designated successor thereto.

PJM Market Rules” refers collectively to the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff and the Amended and Restated PJM Operating Agreement, and all schedules, appendices, or exhibits attached thereto to each, on file with FERC as may be amended from time to time (or any successor tariff, agreement, or rules governing the operations of PJM).

PJM Region” has the meaning set forth under the PJM Market Rules.

PJM Transmission Zone” means Zone as such terms are defined under the PJM Market Rules.

Preemptive Right Share” means a ratio of (a) the number of Membership Interests (excluding Special Purpose Membership Interests) held by such Member with Preemptive Rights, to (b) the total number of Membership Interests (excluding Special Purpose Membership

 

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Interests) then outstanding immediately prior to the issuance of New Securities giving rise to the Preemptive Rights.

Prohibited Competitor” means any Competitor listed on Schedule 2, as may be updated from time to time in accordance with Section 6.3(b).

Qualified Designee” means either (a) an employee of any Affiliate of the Investor Member (an “Investor Employee”) or (b) an individual with at least 10 years of management- level experience in the private sector electricity transmission, distribution and generation business; provided, that a “Qualified Designee” shall not include (i) any director, officer, employee or other Person affiliated with a Competitor; provided, further, that this clause (i) shall not be deemed to apply to an Investor Employee solely because such Person serves on an investment committee or is otherwise employed at any Affiliate of the Investor Group that is an investment fund and (A) such investment fund holds investments in a Competitor, or (B) such Person serves on the board of directors of a Competitor that does not conduct any non-de minimis operations in the PJM region or in any regional transmission organization or independent system transmission operator interconnected with PJM (provided, further, in the case of this clause (B), that such Person’s service on such board of directors and on the Board would not constitute a prohibited director interlock, or otherwise be prohibited, under any applicable Law), (ii) any Person that is, or within 10 years prior to the Effective Date was, an employee or consultant of FERC or any other Governmental Body, a public official or a candidate for public office (it being agreed that any individual affiliated with the Investor Member shall not be considered a public official as a result of such affiliation), (iii) any Person convicted by a court or equivalent tribunal of any felony (or equivalent crime in the applicable jurisdiction) or of any misdemeanor (or equivalent crime in the applicable jurisdiction) that involves financial dishonesty or moral turpitude, or (iv) solely in the case of an individual that is not an Investor Employee, any Person that would create a material regulatory or reputational risk to the Company based on a good-faith determination by the Board.

Qualifying Core Assets” means assets utilized in connection with the conduct of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ business on which the Company reasonably expects (a) that it or its Subsidiaries will be eligible to include in the applicable rate base, and (b) to earn a return through rates approved by FERC (or such other Governmental Body that may then be applicable) that are commercially reasonable (to be determined by the Board in good faith) and are not otherwise inconsistent with applicable FERC (or such other Governmental Body, as the case may be) rate precedent. For the avoidance of doubt, “Qualifying Core Assets” shall also include necessary or ancillary expenses to support such assets (including working capital).

Rate Base Amount” means an amount equal to the net utility plant of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as determined based on the most recently filed FERC Form 1s for the Company and each of its Subsidiaries.

Representatives” means the directors, officers, employees, agents, and Advisors of a Party.

Sanctioned Person” means a Person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals or Blocked Persons maintained by OFAC available at

 

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http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/index.html, or as otherwise published from time to time or any other Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by an applicable Governmental Body described in the definition of “Sanctions.”

Sanctions” means any sanctions imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, Her Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations, the European Union or any agency or subdivision of any of the foregoing, including any regulations, rules and executive orders issued in connection therewith.

Special Percentage Interest” means, in respect of any Member, their relative ownership in the outstanding Special Purpose Membership Interests at the relevant time, expressed as a percentage, which shall be deemed to be equal to the number of outstanding Special Purpose Membership Interests that such Member owns at the relevant time divided by the total number of Special Purpose Membership Interests then outstanding.

Standards of Conduct” means (a) (i) FERC’s standards of conduct for transmission providers codified at 18 C.F.R. Part 358 and the rules, regulations, and Orders issued by FERC pertaining thereto, and (ii) any applicable or relevant requirements under NERC standards, including but not limited to, protection of Critical Energy/Electric Infrastructure Information (as such terms are defined under FERC rules and regulations), CIP requirements, and receipt and storage of other non-public information containing sensitive information regarding the Company Group’s transmission system and the safety and reliability of the bulk-electric system (as that term is defined under the Federal Power Act, as amended, and FERC); and (b) the policies, procedures and internal compliance practices of any member of the Company Group, or its Subsidiaries governing internal compliance regarding part (a) of this definition or as may be designated by the chief compliance officer(s) (as such term is defined by under 18 CFR 358.8(c)(2)) for the Company Group.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof or any partnership, association or other entity of which a majority of the partnership or other similar ownership interest is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof. For purposes of this definition, a Person is deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity if such Person is allocated a majority of the gains or losses of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other entity or is or controls the managing director or general partner of such partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity.

Tag Portion” means an amount of Membership Interests equal to the specified quantity of Tag-Along Offered Membership Interests multiplied by Investor Member’s Percentage Interest.

 

65


Targeted Capital Structure” means the targeted regulatory capital structure of an applicable Subsidiary of the Company as it appears in the applicable attachment H of the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff, which amount shall comply with all applicable Laws and shall otherwise be determined by the Board (which determination shall include the approval of the Investor Directors as long as the Investor Member holds at least a 30.0% Common Percentage Interest).

Tax” or “Taxes” means any federal, state, local, foreign or other income, gross receipts, capital stock, capital gains, franchise, profits, withholding, payroll, social security, unemployment, disability, real property, ad valorem/personal property, stamp, excise, occupation, sales, use, excise, escheat, unclaimed property, transfer, value added, import, export, alternative minimum, estimated or other tax, duty, assessment or governmental charge of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty or addition thereto.

Tax Return” means any return, claim for refund, report, election, form, statement or information return relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendments thereof.

Third Party” means, with respect to a Member, another Person that is not another Member or an Affiliate of a Member.

Transfer” shall mean, with respect to the legal or beneficial ownership of any of a Member’s Membership Interests, any sale, assignment, transfer, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other similar arrangement or disposal, directly or indirectly, whether voluntarily, involuntarily or by operation of applicable Law including by the entry into any contract, option or other arrangement, or the granting or imposition of any Lien, that gives any Person other than the Member, whether or not upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event, the right to acquire any Membership Interests or any interest therein, to vote any Membership Interest, or to require that any Membership Interests be transferred, directly or indirectly, whether voluntarily, involuntarily or by operation of applicable Law, except in any such case as expressly set forth in Section 6.2(b). For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) any sale, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of equity interests in any Member or any direct or indirect parent of such Member in which the Membership Interests held by such Member represent more than 50.0% of the Fair Market Value of all of the assets directly or indirectly held by such Member or direct or indirect parent the equity interests of which are being disposed shall constitute a “Transfer” for all purposes of this Agreement, except in any such case as expressly set forth in Section 6.2(b) or the following clause (b), (b) any direct or indirect transfer of equity interests in any Member that does not result in a Change in Control of such Member shall not constitute a “Transfer” for any purpose under this Agreement so long as any required authorization, approval or consent of all applicable Governmental Bodies in respect of such transfer has been received, and (c) a Change in Control of the FE Member shall not constitute a “Transfer” for any purpose under this Agreement.

Transmission Leadership Team” means the individuals serving in the following positions (or any successor positions thereof, however titled or restyled) at FE Member: (a) President of the Company, (b) Vice President of Transmission, (c) Vice President of

 

66


Construction and Design Services, (d) Vice President of Compliance and Regulated Services, and (e) Director of Transmission Rates and Regulatory Affairs.

Section 13.17 Terms Defined Elsewhere in this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the sections indicated:

 

Term

  

Section

AAA    13.13(a)
Act    13.16
Additional Funding Requirement    5.1(a)(iv)
Advisors    1.11(c)
Advisory Committee    2.12(b)
AET PATH    13.16
Affiliate    13.16
Affiliate Parent    13.16
Affiliate Transaction Default    2.14(d)
Affiliate Transactions    2.14(a)
Agreement    Preamble
Annual Approved Budget    13.16
Anti-Corruption Laws    13.16
Anti-Money Laundering Laws    13.16
Available Cash    13.16
Available Limited Discretion Cash    13.16
Board    2.1
Board Observer    2.13(a)
Business Day    13.16
Business Plan    13.16
Call Consummation Period    5.1(e)
Call Exercise Price    5.1(e)
Call Notice    5.1(e)
Call Right    5.1(e)
Capital Plan    13.16
Capital Request Funding Date    5.1(b)
Capital Request Notice    5.1(a)(i), 5.1(a)(ii)
Change in Control    13.16
Code    13.16
Common Membership Interests    13.16
Common Percentage Interests    13.16
Company    Preamble
Company Business    1.3(a)
Company Business Opportunity    9.3(b)(i)
Company Group    13.16
Company Group Tax Allocation Agreement    8.1(h)
Competitor    13.16
Confidential Information    9.6(a)
Contract    13.16
Contributing Member    5.1(c)(ii)

 

67


Contribution Unfunded Amount Notice    5.1(c)
Corporate Opportunity    9.3(c)
Covered Person    13.16
Deadlock    1.11(a)
Debt-to-Capital Ratio    13.16
Default Notice    2.14(d)
Defaulting Member    4.2
Designated Alternate    2.2(f)
Director    2.1
Drag Sale Period    6.5(g)
Drag-Along Buyer    6.5(a)
Drag-Along Notice    6.5(b)
Drag-Along Right    6.5(a)
Drag-Along Sale    6.5(a)
Effective Date    Preamble
Emergency Expenditure    13.16
Emergency Situation    13.16
Encumber    13.16
Event of Default    4.1
Event of Dissolution    4.3(a)
Excess Contribution    5.1(c)(i)
Excluded Membership Interests    13.16
Fair Market Value    13.16
FDI Law    13.16
FE Directors    2.2(d)
FE Member    Preamble
FE Outside Group    13.16
FERC    13.16
Financial Investor    13.16
FPA    13.16
GAAP    13.16
Governmental Body    13.16
Indebtedness    13.16
Independent Evaluator    13.15
Initial PSA    13.16
Investor Directors    2.2(b)
Investor Employee    13.16
Investor Group    13.16
Investor Group Transfer    6.6
Investor Member    Preamble
Investor Member Minimum Return    6.5(h)
IRR    13.16
JCP&L    13.16
KATCo Interests    13.16
KATCo ROFR Notice    9.3(b)(ii)
KATCo ROFR Option Period    9.3(b)(ii)(1)

 

68


KATCo ROFR Price    9.3(b)(ii)
KATCo ROFR Sale Period    9.3(b)(ii)(2)
Law    13.16
Liens    13.16
Lock-Up Period    13.16
MAIT    13.16
MAIT Class B Contribution    Recitals
MAIT Class B Distributable Amounts    13.16
MAIT Class B Interests    13.16
Material Project    13.16
Member    13.16
Member Executives    1.11(b)
Member Managers    1.11(b)
Membership Interests    13.16
NERC    13.16
New Securities    13.16
Non-Contributing Member    5.1(c)
Non-Transferring Member    6.3(a)
OFAC    13.16
Order    13.16
Organizational Documents    13.16
Over-Contributing Member    5.1(c)(i)
Parties    Preamble
Party    Preamble; 1.7(f)
Percentage Interest    13.16
Permitted Lien    13.16
Permitted Transferee    13.16
Persons    13.16
PJM    13.16
PJM Market Rules    13.16
PJM Region    13.16
PJM Transmission Zone    13.16
Preemptive Right    7.1
Preemptive Right Notice Period    7.1
Preemptive Right Participation Notice    7.1
Preemptive Right Share    13.16
Pro Rata Request Amount    5.1(b)
Prohibited Competitor    13.16
Qualified Designee    13.16
Qualifying Core Assets    13.16
Rate Base Amount    13.16
Representatives    13.16
Response To Capital Call    5.1(b)
Sale Notice    6.3(a)(i)
Sale Period    6.3(a)(ii)
Sanctioned Person    13.16

 

69


Sanctions    13.16
Second PSA    Recitals
Special Purpose Membership Interests    1.6(a)
Special Percentage Interests    13.16
Standards of Conduct    13.16
Subject Membership Interests    6.3(a)
Subsidiary    13.16
Tag Portion    13.16
Tag-Along Buyer    6.4(a)
Tag-Along Notice    6.4(a)
Tag-Along Offered Membership Interests    6.4(a)
Tag-Along Sale    6.4(a)
Targeted Capital Structure    13.16
Tax    13.16
Tax Matters Shareholder    10.2
Tax Return    13.16
Taxes    13.16
Third A&R LLC Agreement    Recitals
Third Party    13.16
Transfer    6.2(b), 13.16
Transferring Member    6.3(a)
Transmission Leadership Team    13.16
Unfunded Amount    5.1(c)
Unfunded Amount Loan    5.1(c)(ii)(A)

Section 13.18 Other Definitional Provisions. The following shall apply to this Agreement:

(a) Accounting terms which are not otherwise defined in this Agreement have the meanings given to them under GAAP. To the extent that the definition of an accounting term defined in this Agreement is inconsistent with the meaning of such term under GAAP, the definition set forth in this Agreement shall control.

(b) The terms “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and terms of similar import are references to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Section, clause, schedule and exhibit references contained in this Agreement are references to sections, clauses, schedules and exhibits in or to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified.

(c) Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” Where the context permits, the use of the term “or” shall be equivalent to the use of the term “and/or.”

(d) When calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded. If the last day of such period is a

 

70


day other than a Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next succeeding Business Day. In addition, notwithstanding any deadline for payment, performance, notice or election under this Agreement, if such deadline falls on a date that is not a Business Day, then the deadline for such payment, performance, notice or election will be extended to the next succeeding Business Day.

(e) Words denoting any gender shall include all genders, including the neutral gender. Where a word is defined herein, references to the singular shall include references to the plural and vice versa.

(f) The word “will” will be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. The words “shall,” “will,” or “agree(s)” are mandatory, and “may” is permissive.

(g) All references to “$” and dollars shall be deemed to refer to United States currency unless otherwise specifically provided.

(h) All references to a day or days shall be deemed to refer to a calendar day or calendar days, as applicable, unless otherwise specifically provided.

(i) Any reference to any Contract shall be a reference to such agreement or Contract, as amended, amended and restated, modified, supplemented or waived.

(j) Any reference to any particular Code section or any Law shall be interpreted to include any amendment to, revision of or successor to that section or Law regardless of how it is numbered or classified; provided, that, for the purposes of the representations and warranties contained herein, with respect to any violation of or non- compliance with, or alleged violation of or non-compliance, with any Code section or Law, the reference to such Code section or Law means such Code section or Law as in effect at the time of such violation or non-compliance or alleged violation or non-compliance.

(k) For all purposes of this Agreement (including the determination of a Member’s Percentage Interest and its entitlement, if applicable, to designate one or more Directors), such Member and its Permitted Transferees shall be deemed to be, and shall be treated as, one and the same Member.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

71


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

The Company:

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC,

a Delaware limited liability company

By:   /s/ Mark D. Mroczynski
Name:   Mark D. Mroczynski
Title:   President

 

[Signature Page to FET A&R Operating Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

FE Member:
FirstEnergy Corp., an Ohio corporation
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to FET A&R Operating Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

Investor Member:
North American Transmission Company II L.P., a Delaware limited liability company
By: Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners GP LLC, its general partner
By: Brookfield Super-Core Infrastructure Partners GP of GP LLC, its manager
By:   /s/ Fred Day
Name:   Fred Day
Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET A&R Operating Agreement]


Schedule 1

Schedule of Members

 

Name

  

Address

   Common Percentage
Interest
     Special
Percentage
Interest
 

FirstEnergy Corp.

   76 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44308      50.1      100

North American Transmission Company II L.P.

  

1200 Smith Street, Suite 640

Houston, Texas 77002

     49.9      —   


Schedule 2

Prohibited Competitors

 

1.

American Electric Power

 

2.

American Municipal Power

 

3.

AES

 

4.

Dominion Energy

 

5.

Duke Energy

 

6.

Duquesne Light Company

 

7.

Exelon

 

8.

ITC

 

9.

LS Power

 

10.

PSE&G

 

11.

PPL

 

12.

NextEra Energy


Schedule 3

Investors Guidelines and Restrictions for Disclosures to Co-Investors

[Intentionally omitted.]


Schedule 4

Specific Deadlock Resolution Procedures

[Intentionally omitted.]


Schedule 5

Annual Approved Budget, Business Plan, and Capital Plan Procedures

[Intentionally omitted.]


Schedule 6

Voting Calculation Methodology for Special Purpose FE Director

See attached.


CONFIDENTIAL

Schedule 6

Voting Calculation Methodology for Special Purpose FE Director

For purposes of the vote required to determine the FE Director jointly designated for appointment by FE Member’s Common Membership Interests and the Members that are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests, the following shall apply:

 

   

As of the Effective Date, the FE Member on account of its Common Membership Interests (in such capacity a “Common Voter”) shall have 86 votes (the “Common Votes”) and the Member(s) that are holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests (in such capacity a “Special Purpose Voter”) shall have 14 votes (the “Special Purpose Votes”) in respect of voting to designate such FE Director as required by Section 2.2(d) of the Agreement.

 

   

At all times when such vote is required pursuant to Section 2.2(d) of the Agreement, such FE Director designee shall be the individual who receives a plurality of the Common Votes and Special Purpose Votes cast, voting together as a single class.

 

   

Both Common Voters and Special Purpose Voters may vote all of its or their votes for the same individual or multiple individuals for such FE Director position (for example, the Common Voter could elect to vote 45 of its Common Votes for “Individual A” and 43 of its Common Votes for “Individual B”, while the Special Purpose Voter may elect to likewise split its Special Purpose Votes amongst multiple individuals or vote all of its Special Purpose Votes for a single individual).

 

   

During the five year period that such vote is required, the total number of Special Purpose Votes shall be adjusted periodically to proportionally decrease as the Special Purpose Value declines. For this purpose, the “Special Purpose Value” shall mean the respective value of (i) the Special Purpose Membership Interests as compared to (ii) the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests and the Special Purpose Membership Interests collectively, which value is presumed to decrease proportionately as (i) the capital account balance maintained by MAIT pursuant to its Organizational Documents for its members on account of such member(s)’ MAIT Class B Interests decreases relative to (ii) the collective capital account balance of the holders of the FE Member’s Common Membership Interests and the holders of the Special Purpose Membership Interests in the Company; provided that such total number of Special Purpose Votes will in all circumstances (subject to the next bullet point) be rounded down to the next nearest whole number such that there are no fractional Special Purpose Votes. By way of examples, (i) if on the Effective Date, the relevant capital account balance (measured as a percentage) was 20% and subsequently decreases to 10%, then the total number of Special Purpose Votes would be automatically reduced to 7; (ii) assuming again an initial capital account balance of 20% but in this instance that decreases to 9%, the total number of Special Purpose Votes in such circumstance would automatically be reduced to 6.

 

   

During the five year period that such vote is required, for so long as any Special Purpose Membership Interests are outstanding and the MAIT Class B Interests are owned by the Company, in no event will there be less than 1 Special Purpose Vote in existence. Therefore, to the extent that a decrease required by the immediately preceding bullet would result in 0


 

Special Purpose Votes, such determination will be adjusted so that 1 Special Purpose Vote remains in existence.

 

   

In the event that multiple Members are the holders of Special Purpose Membership Interests, the total number of Special Purpose Votes that each Member holds in respect of their Special Purpose Membership Interest will be based on such Member’s Special Percentage Interest (rounding as appropriate to the nearest whole number(s) so that no Member holds any fractional Special Purpose Votes).

Exhibit 4.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

TO

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

Indenture

(For Unsecured Debt Securities)

Dated as of May 19, 2014

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS1

 

PARTIES      1  
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY      1  
ARTICLE ONE Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application      1  

Section 101.

 

Definitions

     1  

Section 102.

 

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

     9  

Section 103.

 

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     10  

Section 104.

 

Acts of Holders

     10  

Section 105.

 

Notices, etc. to Trustee and Company

     12  

Section 106.

 

Notice to Holders of Securities: Waiver

     13  

Section 107.

 

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     13  

Section 108.

 

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     13  

Section 109.

 

Successors and Assigns

     13  

Section 110.

 

Severability Clause

     13  

Section 111.

 

Benefits of Indenture

     13  

Section 112.

 

Governing Law

     13  

Section 113.

 

Legal Holidays

     14  

Section 114.

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

     14  

Section 115.

 

Force Majeure

     14  
ARTICLE TWO Security Forms      14  

Section 201.

 

Forms Generally

     14  

Section 202.

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     15  

Section 203.

 

Securities in Global Form

     15  
ARTICLE THREE The Securities      16  

Section 301.

 

Amount Unlimited: Issuable in Series

     16  

Section 302.

 

Denominations

     19  

Section 303.

 

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

     19  

Section 304.

 

Temporary Securities

     22  

Section 305.

 

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

     22  

Section 306.

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     25  

Section 307.

 

Payment of Interest, Interest Rights Preserved

     25  

Section 308.

 

Persons Deemed Owners

     26  

Section 309.

 

Cancellation by Security Registrar

     27  

Section 310.

 

Computation of Interest

     27  

Section 311.

 

Payment to Be in Proper Currency

     27  

Section 312.

 

Extension of Interest Payment

     27  

 

1 

Note: This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

i


ARTICLE FOUR Redemption of Securities      28  

Section 401.

 

Applicability of Article

     28  

Section 402.

 

Election to Redeem: Notice to Trustee

     28  

Section 403.

 

Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed

     28  

Section 404.

 

Notice of Redemption

     29  

Section 405.

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     30  

Section 406.

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

     30  
ARTICLE FIVE Sinking Funds      30  

Section 501.

 

Applicability of Article

     30  

Section 502.

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     31  

Section 503.

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     31  
ARTICLE SIX Covenants      32  

Section 601.

 

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

     32  

Section 602.

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     32  

Section 603.

 

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

     32  

Section 604.

 

Limited Liability Company Existence

     34  

Section 605.

 

Maintenance of Properties

     34  

Section 606.

 

Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance

     34  

Section 607.

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

     34  

Section 608.

 

Limitation on Liens

     34  

Section 609.

 

Financial Statements

     36  
ARTICLE SEVEN Satisfaction and Discharge      37  

Section 701.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Securities

     37  

Section 702.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     39  

Section 703.

 

Application of Trust Money

     40  
ARTICLE EIGHT Events of Default; Remedies      40  

Section 801.

 

Events of Default

     40  

Section 802.

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     41  

Section 803.

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     42  

Section 804.

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     43  

Section 805.

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     44  

Section 806.

 

Application of Money Collected

     44  

Section 807.

 

Limitation on Suits

     44  

Section 808.

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

     45  

Section 809.

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     45  

Section 810.

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     45  

Section 811.

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     45  

Section 812.

 

Control by Majority Holders of Securities

     46  

Section 813.

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     46  

Section 814.

 

Undertaking for Costs

     46  

Section 815.

 

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

     47  

 

ii


ARTICLE NINE The Trustee      47  

Section 901.

 

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

     47  

Section 902.

 

Notice of Defaults

     48  

Section 903.

 

Certain Rights of Trustee

     48  

Section 904.

 

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     49  

Section 905.

 

May Hold Securities

     50  

Section 906.

 

Money Held in Trust

     50  

Section 907.

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

     50  

Section 908.

 

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

     51  

Section 909.

 

Corporate Trustee Required: Eligibility

     51  

Section 910.

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     51  

Section 911.

 

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     53  

Section 912.

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     54  

Section 913.

 

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     54  

Section 914.

 

Co-trustees and Separate Trustees

     55  

Section 915.

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     56  
ARTICLE TEN Holders’ Lists and Reports by Trustee and Company      58  

Section 1001.

 

Lists of Holders

     58  

Section 1002.

 

Reports by Trustee and Company

     58  
ARTICLE ELEVEN Consolidation, Merger Conveyance or Other Transfer      58  

Section 1101.

 

Company May Consolidate, etc. Only on Certain Terms

     58  

Section 1102.

 

Successor Person Substituted

     59  
ARTICLE TWELVE Supplemental Indentures      59  

Section 1201.

 

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

     59  

Section 1202.

 

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

     60  

Section 1203.

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     62  

Section 1204.

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     62  

Section 1205.

 

Reserved

     62  

Section 1206.

 

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     62  

Section 1207.

 

Modification Without Supplemental Indenture

     62  
ARTICLE THIRTEEN Meetings of Holders; Action Without Meeting      63  

Section 1301.

 

Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

     63  

Section 1302.

 

Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

     63  

Section 1303.

 

Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

     63  

 

iii


Section 1304.

 

Quorum; Action

     64  

Section 1305.

 

Attendance at Meetings, Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

     64  

Section 1306.

 

Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

     65  

Section 1307.

 

Action Without Meeting

     66  
ARTICLE FOURTEEN Immunity of Certain Parties      66  

Section 1401.

 

Liability Solely Company’s

     66  

ANNEX A

 

Form of Annual Compliance Certificate

     A-1  

 

iv


INDENTURE, dated as of May 19, 2014 between FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 76 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44308-1890, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), in an unlimited aggregate principal amount to be issued in one or more series as contemplated herein; and all acts necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company have been performed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in Article One of this Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 101. Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all terms used herein without definition which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation or, at the election of the Company from time to time, at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture; provided, however, that in determining generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the Company, the Company shall, to the extent required, conform to any order, rule or regulation of any administrative agency, regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company;


(d) any reference herein to an “Article” or “Section” refers to an “Article” or “Section”, as the case may be, of this Indenture; and

(e) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

Certain terms, used principally in Article Nine, are defined in that Article.

Act”, when used with respect to any Holder of a Security, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or through one or more intermediaries, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Agent” means any party authorized to make calculations of amounts due under a note for interest or principal or any other financial institution that is authorized to record amounts with respect to any series of Securities.

Authenticating Agent” means any Person (other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 915 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate one or more series of Securities or Tranche thereof.

Authorized Executive Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Vice Chairman of the Board, the President, any Vice President (whether or not his or her title includes a modifier such as “Executive”, “Senior” or the like), the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Corporate Secretary, any Assistant Corporate Secretary or any other officer or agent of the Company designated in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee to be an Authorized Executive Officer.

Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act in respect of matters relating to this Indenture.

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Business Day”, when used with respect to a Place of Payment or any other particular location specified in the Securities or this Indenture, means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, which is not a day on which the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or banking institutions or trust companies in such Place of Payment or other location are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed, except as may be otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body, if any, performing such duties at such time.

Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Executive Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the amount shown as total assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, less (i) intangible assets including, without limitation, such items as goodwill, trademarks, trade names and patents; (ii) current liabilities; and (iii) appropriate adjustments, if any, related to minority interests. Such amounts shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices applicable to the type of business in which the Company is engaged and may be determined as of a date not more than sixty (60) days prior to the happening of the event for which such determination is being made.

Corporate Trust Office” means an office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of execution and delivery of this instrument is located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, CN-OH-RN11, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, Attention: Holly Pattison.

Corporation” means a corporation, association, company, limited liability company, partnership, joint stock company or business or statutory trust.

Debt” means any outstanding debt for money borrowed evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other securities.

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of a Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, or such other Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 301, until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of that series.

 

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Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802.

Dollar” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States as at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

EDGAR” means the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor thereto.

Eligible Obligations” means:

(a) with respect to Securities denominated in Dollars, Government Obligations; or

(b) with respect to Securities denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, such other obligations or instruments as shall be specified with respect to such Securities, as contemplated by Section 301.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 801.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is amended after such date, “Exchange Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as so amended.

Global Securities” means Securities in global form.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia or of any county, municipality or other political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or any department, agency, authority or other instrumentality of any of the foregoing.

Government Obligations” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States and entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof; and

(b) certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in obligations described in clause (a) above or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof; provided, however, that the custodian of such obligations or specific interest or principal payments shall be a bank or trust company (which may include the Trustee or any Paying Agent) subject to Federal or state supervision or examination with a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000; and provided, further, that except as may be otherwise required by law, such custodian shall be obligated to pay to the holders of such certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments the full amount received by such custodian in respect of such obligations or specific payments and shall not be permitted to make any deduction therefrom.

 

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Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

Hybrid Preferred Securities” means any preferred securities issued by a Hybrid Preferred Securities Subsidiary, where such preferred securities have the following characteristics:

(i) such Hybrid Preferred Securities Subsidiary lends substantially all of the proceeds from the issuance of such preferred securities to the Company, or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company, in exchange for Subordinated Indebtedness issued by the Company;

(ii) such preferred securities contain terms providing for the deferral of interest payments corresponding to provisions providing for the deferral of interest payments on the related Subordinated Indebtedness; and

(iii) the Company makes periodic interest payments on the related Subordinated Indebtedness, which interest payments are in turn used by the Hybrid Preferred Securities Subsidiary to make corresponding payments to the holders of the preferred securities.

Hybrid Preferred Securities Subsidiary” means any limited partnership or business trust (or similar entity) (i) all of the general partnership or common equity interest of which is owned (either directly or indirectly through any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company or any consolidated Subsidiary of the Company) at all times by the Company, (ii) that has been formed for the purpose of issuing Hybrid Preferred Securities and (iii) substantially all of the assets of which consist at all times solely of Subordinated Indebtedness issued by the Company and payments made from time to time on such Subordinated Indebtedness.

Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of a particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.

Interest” with respect to a Discount Security only, means interest, if any, borne by such Security at a Stated Interest Rate.

Interest Payment Date” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in such Security or in this Indenture, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, upon redemption, tender for purchase, or otherwise.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Authorized Executive Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee.

Outstanding” when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) Securities theretofore canceled or delivered to the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) Securities deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 701; and

(c) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it and the Company that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser or purchasers in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether or not the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or the Outstanding Securities of any series or Tranche, have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or whether or not a quorum is present at a meeting of Holders of Securities,

(x) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor (unless the Company, such Affiliate or such obligor owns all Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or (except for the purposes of actions to be taken by Holders of (i) more than one series voting as a class under Section 812 or (ii) more than one series or more than one Tranche, as the case may be, voting as a class under Section 1202) all Outstanding Securities of each such series and each such Tranche, as the case may be, determined without regard to this clause (x)) shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded; provided, however, that Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor; and

(y) the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802;

provided, further, that, in the case of any Security the principal of which is payable from time to time without presentment or surrender, the principal amount of such Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding at any time for all purposes of this Indenture shall be the original principal amount thereof less the aggregate amount of principal thereof theretofore paid.

 

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Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, as amended, and signed into law October 26, 2001.

Paying Agent” means any Person, including the Company, authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time any or all of the specific terms of which Securities, including without limitation the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the Stated Maturity or Maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint- stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.

Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, means U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107 or such other place or places, specified as contemplated by Section 301, at which, subject to Section 602, principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series or Tranche are payable.

Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed (to the extent lawful) to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

Registered Security” means any Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is registered in the Security Register.

Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.

Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 311.

 

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Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, means any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, any Assistant Treasurer or other officer of the Trustee within the Corporate Trust Division of the Trustee (or any successor such division or unit) in each case located at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee who has direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and for the purposes of Sections 901(c)(2) and 902 shall also include any other officer of the Trustee to whom a matter arising under this Indenture has been referred by such Corporate Trust Office because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

Stated Interest Rate” means a rate (whether fixed or variable) at which an obligation by its terms is stated to bear simple interest. Any calculation or other determination to be made under this Indenture by reference to the Stated Interest Rate on a Security shall be made without regard to the effective interest cost to the Company of such Security and without regard to the Stated Interest Rate on, or the effective cost to the Company of, any other indebtedness in respect of which the Company’s obligations are evidenced or secured in whole or in part by such Security.

Stated Maturity”, when used with respect to any obligation or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date on which the principal of such obligation or such installment of principal or interest is stated to be due and payable (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension).

Subordinated Indebtedness” means any unsecured Debt of the Company (i) issued in exchange for the proceeds of Hybrid Preferred Securities and (ii) subordinated to the rights of the Holders hereunder.

Subsidiary” means a corporation more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock or other voting interest of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, “voting stock” means stock that ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

Total Capitalization” means the total of all of the following items appearing on, or included in, the Company’s consolidated balance sheet: (i) liabilities for indebtedness maturing more than twelve (12) months from the date of determination; (ii) accumulated other comprehensive income; (iii) noncontrolling interest; and (iv) common stock, preferred stock, Hybrid Preferred Securities, member’s equity, premium on capital stock, capital surplus, capital in excess of par value, and retained earnings (however the foregoing may be designated), less, to

 

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the extent not otherwise deducted, the cost of shares of the capital stock of the Company held in the Company’s treasury. Such amounts shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices applicable to the type of business in which the Company is engaged and may be determined as of a date not more than sixty (60) days prior to the happening of the event for which such determination is being made.

Tranche” means a group of Securities which (a) are of the same series and (b) have identical terms except as to principal amount and/or date of issuance.

Trust Indenture Act” means, as of any time, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, or any successor statute, as in effect at such time.

Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

United States” means the United States of America, its Territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its political jurisdiction.

Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall, if requested by the Trustee, furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that, or stating in the opinion of the signer thereof that, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action (including any covenants compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that each Person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such Person, such Person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such Person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which such officer’s certificate or opinion are based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Whenever, subsequent to the receipt by the Trustee of any Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel or other document or instrument, a clerical, typographical or other inadvertent or unintentional error or omission shall be discovered therein, a new document or instrument may be substituted therefor in corrected form with the same force and effect as if originally filed in the corrected form and, irrespective of the date or dates of the actual execution and/or delivery thereof, such substitute document or instrument shall be deemed to have been executed and/or delivered as of the date or dates required with respect to the document or instrument for which it is substituted. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if any such corrective document or instrument indicates that action has been taken by or at the request of the Company which could not have been taken had the original document or instrument not contained such error or omission, the action so taken shall not be invalidated or otherwise rendered ineffective but shall be and remain in full force and effect, except to the extent that such action was a result of willful misconduct or bad faith. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Securities issued under the authority of such defective document or instrument shall nevertheless be the valid obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of this Indenture equally and ratably with all other Outstanding Securities, except as aforesaid.

 

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Section 104. Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing or, alternatively, may be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Thirteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 901) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1306.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof or may be proved in any other manner which the Trustee and the Company deem sufficient. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority.

(c) The principal amount (except as otherwise contemplated in clause (y) of the first proviso to the definition of Outstanding) and serial numbers of Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other Act of a Holder shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

(e) Until such time as written instruments shall have been delivered to the Trustee with respect to the requisite percentage of principal amount of Securities for the action contemplated by such instruments, any such instrument executed and delivered by or on behalf of a Holder may be revoked with respect to any or all of such Securities by written notice by such Holder or any subsequent Holder, proven in the manner in which such instrument was proven.

(f) Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after any Act of Holders may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any action taken by such Act of Holders. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to such action may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche.

 

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(g) If the Company shall solicit from Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of the Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of the record date.

Section 105. Notices, etc. to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company, or the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and delivered personally to an officer or other responsible employee of the addressee at the applicable location set forth below or at such other location as such party may from time to time designate by written notice, or transmitted by facsimile transmission or other direct written electronic means to such telephone number or other electronic communications address as the parties hereto shall from time to time designate by written notice, or transmitted by certified or registered mail, charges prepaid, to the applicable address set forth below or to such other address as either party hereto may from time to time designate by written notice:

If to the Trustee, to:

U.S. Bank National Association

1350 Euclid Avenue, CN-OH-RN11

Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Attention: Holly Pattison

Telephone: (216) 623-5976

Telecopy: (216) 623-9202

Email: holly.pattison@usbank.com

If to the Company, to:

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

76 South Main Street

Akron, Ohio 44308-1890

Attention: Vice President and Treasurer

Telephone: (330) 384-7989

Telecopy: (330) 384-3722

Email: sstaub@firstenergycorp.com

 

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Any communication contemplated herein shall be deemed to have been made, given, furnished and filed if personally delivered, on the date of delivery, if transmitted by facsimile transmission or other direct written electronic means, including, but not limited to, Portable Document Format (.pdf) on the date of receipt, and if transmitted by certified or registered mail, on the date of receipt.

Section 106. Notice to Holders of Securities: Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given, and shall be deemed given, to Holders if in writing and mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Security Register, or submitted to the Depositary in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures, not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders.

Any notice required by this Indenture may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event otherwise to be specified therein, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. The Trust Indenture Act is not incorporated by reference in this Indenture (except as explicitly provided herein with respect to particular provisions of the Trust Indenture Act).

Section 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings in this Indenture and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 109. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company and Trustee shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 110. Severability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 111. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 112. Governing Law. This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (including without limitation Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law or any successor to such statute) except to the extent that the law of any other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.

 

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Section 113. Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities other than a provision in Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or in the Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate which establishes the terms of the Securities of such series or Tranche, which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment, with the same force and effect, and in the same amount, as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, as the case may be, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day, no interest (or Interest, as applicable) shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day.

Section 114. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 115. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

Section 201. Forms Generally. The definitive Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form or forms thereof established in the indenture supplemental hereto establishing such series or in a Board Resolution establishing such series, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. If the form or forms of Securities of any series are established in a Board Resolution or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution, such Board Resolution and Officer’s Certificate, if any, shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

 

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Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons. The definitive Securities shall be produced in such manner as shall be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

Section 202. Form of Trustees Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the form set forth below:

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

Dated:

 

 
as Trustee
By:    
  Authorized Signatory

Section 203. Securities in Global Form. If any Security of a series is issuable in global form, such Security may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee and in such manner as shall be specified in such Security. Any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form, after its initial issuance, shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 102.

Any Security issued in global form shall bear the following legend:

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

 

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TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR 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.

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

Section 301. Amount Unlimited: Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series, and one or more Tranches of any series. Subject to the last paragraph of this Section, prior to the authentication and delivery of Securities of any series there shall be established by specification in a supplemental indenture or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or a Board Resolution:

(a) the title of the Securities of such series (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from Securities of all other series);

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 406 or 1206 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(c) the Person or Persons (without specific identification) to whom interest on Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable on any Interest Payment Date, if other than the Persons in whose names such Securities (or one or more Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, is payable or any formulary or other method or other means by which such date or dates shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension);

(e) the rate or rates at which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall bear interest, if any (including the rate or rates at which overdue principal shall bear interest, if different from the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest prior to Maturity, and, if applicable, the rate or rates at which overdue premium or interest shall bear interest, if any), or any formulary or other method or other means by which such rate or rates shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this

 

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Indenture or otherwise; the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue; the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on such Securities on any Interest Payment Date; the right of the Company, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of any such extension as contemplated by Section 312; and the basis of computation of interest, if other than as provided in Section 310;

(f) the place or places at which or methods by which (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) registration of transfer of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected, (3) exchanges of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; the Security Registrar and any Paying Agent or Paying Agents for such series or Tranche; and if such is the case, that the principal of such Securities shall be payable without presentment or surrender thereof;

(g) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and any restrictions on such redemptions, including but not limited to a restriction on a partial redemption by the Company of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, resulting in delisting of such Securities from any securities exchange;

(h) the obligation or obligations, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and applicable exceptions to the requirements of Section 404 in the case of mandatory redemption or redemption at the option of the Holder;

(i) the denominations in which Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be issuable if other than minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

(j) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable (if other than in Dollars);

(k) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

 

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(l) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, or are to be payable at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in securities or other property, the type and amount of such securities or other property, or the formulary or other method or other means by which such amount shall be determined, and the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, any such election may be made;

(m) if the amount payable in respect of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be determined with reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined to the extent not established pursuant to clause (e) of this paragraph;

(n) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802;

(o) any Events of Default, in addition to those specified in Section 801, with respect to the Securities of such series, and any covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, in addition to those set forth in Article Six;

(p) the terms, if any, pursuant to which the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be converted into or exchanged for shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person;

(q) the obligations or instruments, if any, which shall be considered to be Eligible Obligations in respect of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, and any additional or alternative provisions for the reinstatement of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of such Securities after the satisfaction and discharge thereof as provided in Sections 701 and 702;

(r) if the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be issued in global form, (i) any limitations on the rights of the Holder or Holders of such Securities to transfer or exchange the same or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof, (ii) any limitations on the rights of the Holder or Holders thereof to obtain certificates therefor in definitive form in lieu of temporary form, (iii) the Depositary for such Global Security and (iv) any and all other matters incidental to such Securities;

(s) to the extent not established pursuant to section (r) of this paragraph, any limitations on the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such Series, or any Tranche thereof, to transfer or exchange such Securities or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof; and if a service charge will be made for the registration of transfer or exchange of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, the amount or terms thereof;

(t) any exceptions to Section 113, or variation in the definition of Business Day, with respect to the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof;

(u) any collateral security, assurance or guarantee for the Securities of such series;

 

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(v) any non-applicability of Section 608 to the Securities of such series or any exceptions or modifications of Section 608 with respect to the Securities of such series;

(w) any rights or duties of another Person to assume the obligations of the Company with respect to the Securities of such series (whether as joint obligor, primary obligor, secondary obligor or substitute obligor) and any rights or duties to discharge and release any obligor with respect to the Securities of such series or the Indenture to the extent related to such series; and

(x) any other terms of the Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, including, without limitation, any terms required for or appropriate to (i) establishing one or more series of medium-term notes to be issued in a Periodic Offering or (ii) providing for the remarketing of the Securities of such series.

With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the indenture supplemental hereto or the Board Resolution which establishes such series, or the Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, as the case may be, may provide general terms or parameters for Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be specified in a Company Order or that such terms shall be determined by the Company or its agents in accordance with procedures specified in a Company Order as contemplated by the clause (b) of Section 303.

Unless otherwise provided with respect to a series of Securities as contemplated in Section 301(b), the aggregate principal amount of a series of securities may be increased and additional Securities of such series may be issued, without consent of the Holders of such series, up to the maximum aggregate principal amount authorized with respect to such series as increased.

Section 302. Denominations. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Securities of each series shall be issuable in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Executive Officer. The signature of any or all of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at the time of execution Authorized Executive Officers or the Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Corporate Secretary of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

 

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The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Securities of a series, for original issue, at one time or from time to time in accordance with the Company Order referred to below, upon receipt by the Trustee of

(a) the instrument or instruments establishing the form or forms and terms of such series, as provided in Sections 201 and 301;

(b) a Company Order requesting the authentication and delivery of such Securities and, to the extent that the terms of such Securities shall not have been established in an indenture supplemental hereto or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, all as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301, either (i) establishing such terms or (ii) in the case of Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, specifying procedures, acceptable to the Trustee, by which such terms are to be established (which procedures may provide, to the extent acceptable to the Trustee, for authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or any agent or agents thereof, which oral instructions are to be promptly confirmed electronically or in writing), in either case in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above;

(c) the Securities of such series, executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Executive Officer;

(d) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that:

(i) the form or forms of such Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii) the terms of such Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(iii) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits provided by this Indenture, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant of good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness;

provided, however, that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be provided with such Opinion of Counsel only once at or prior to the time of the first authentication of such Securities (provided that such Opinion of Counsel addresses the authentication and delivery of all Securities of such series) and that in lieu of the opinions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) above Counsel may opine that:

 

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(x) when the terms of such Securities shall have been established pursuant to a Company Order or Orders or pursuant to such procedures (acceptable to the Trustee) as may be specified from time to time by a Company Order or Orders, all as contemplated by and in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above, such terms will have been duly authorized by the Company and will have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(y) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and the Company Order or Orders or specified procedures referred to in paragraph (x) above and issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits provided by this Indenture, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant of good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness.

With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Securities, the form, terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, and compliance of the authentication and delivery thereof with the terms and conditions of this Indenture, upon the Opinion of Counsel and other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 and this Section, as applicable, at or prior to the time of the first authentication of Securities of such series unless and until such opinion or other documents have been superseded or revoked or expire by their terms. In connection with the authentication and delivery of Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to assume that the Company’s instructions to authenticate and deliver such Securities do not violate any applicable law or any applicable rule, regulation or order of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Company.

If the form or terms of the Securities of any series have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate as permitted by Sections 201 or 301, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issuance of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will materially or adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 301 for a Global Security must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and any other applicable statute or regulation.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

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Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, no Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder to the Company, or any Person acting on its behalf, but shall never have been issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Security Registrar for cancellation as provided in Section 309 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits hereof.

Section 304. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities; provided, however, that temporary Securities need not recite specific redemption, sinking fund, conversion or exchange provisions.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, after the preparation of definitive Securities of such series or Tranche, the temporary Securities of such series or Tranche shall be exchangeable, without charge to the Holder thereof, for definitive Securities of such series or Tranche upon surrender of such temporary Securities at the Place of Payment, or any office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 602 for such Securities. Upon such surrender of temporary Securities for such exchange, the Company shall, except as aforesaid, execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Securities of the same series and Tranche of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, temporary Securities shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and Tranche and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept in the Place of Payment or each office designated pursuant to Section 602, with respect to the Securities of each series, as applicable, a register (all registers kept in accordance with this Section being collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, and the registration of transfer thereof. The Company shall designate one Person to maintain the Security Register for the Securities of each

 

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series on a consolidated basis, and such Person is referred to herein, with respect to such series, as the “Security Registrar.” Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may designate one or more of its offices as an office in which a register with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall be maintained, and the Company may designate itself the Security Registrar with respect to one or more of such series. The Security Register shall be open for inspection by the Trustee and the Company at all reasonable times.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of such series or Tranche at the Place of Payment or any office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 602 for such series or Tranche, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, any Security of such series or Tranche may be exchanged at the option of the Holder, for one or more new Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Securities delivered upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Registered Securities in definitive form, a Global Security representing all or a portion of the Registered Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary of such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

If at any time the Depositary for Securities of a series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 303, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities for such series. If (i) a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, or (ii) an Event of Default under Section 801 hereof has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities of such series and the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series so requests, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 301 shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities for such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

 

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If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Securities, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Global Security for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series of like tenor and terms and in definitive form or such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon the Company shall execute, and, upon receipt of the Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (i) to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Security or Securities of the same series, of like tenor and terms and of any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Global Security; and (ii) to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and terms in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Securities delivered to Holders hereof.

Upon the exchange of a Global Security for Securities in definitive form representing the aggregate principal amount of such Global Security, such Global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee. Registered Securities issued in exchange for Global Security pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee in writing. The Trustee shall deliver such Registered Securities to the persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall bear a restricted securities legend, if applicable, and shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or the Security Registrar) be duly endorsed or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee or the Security Registrar, as the case may be, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, no service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 406 or 1206 not involving any transfer. The Trustee shall not be responsible for payment of any such tax or governmental charge.

The Company shall not be required to execute or to provide for the registration of transfer of or the exchange of (a) Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, during a period of 15 days immediately preceding the date notice is to be given identifying the serial numbers of the Securities of such series or Tranche called for redemption or (b) any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

 

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Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the ownership of and the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or indemnity as may be reasonably required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security is held by a Person purporting to be the owner of such Security, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone other than the Holder of such new Security, and any such new Security shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

Section 307. Payment of Interest, Interest Rights Preserved. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Subject to Section 312, any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the related Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

 

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(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a date (herein called a “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company, of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall promptly cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities of such series at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date.

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the absolute owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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Section 309. Cancellation by Security Registrar. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Security Registrar, be delivered to the Security Registrar and, if not theretofore canceled, shall be promptly canceled by the Security Registrar. The Company may at any time deliver to the Security Registrar for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever or which the Company shall not have issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Security Registrar. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Securities held by the Security Registrar shall be disposed of in accordance with the customary practices of the Security Registrar at the time in effect, and the Security Registrar shall not be required to destroy any such certificates. The Security Registrar shall upon request promptly deliver a certificate of disposition to the Trustee and the Company unless, by a Company Order, similarly delivered, the Company shall direct that canceled Securities be returned to it. The Security Registrar shall promptly deliver evidence of any cancellation of a Security in accordance with this Section 309 to the Trustee and the Company.

Section 310. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and for any period shorter than a full month, on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in such period.

Section 311. Payment to Be in Proper Currency. In the case of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in any currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency (the “Required Currency”), except as otherwise specified with respect to such Securities as contemplated by Section 301, the obligation of the Company to make any payment of the principal thereof, or the premium or interest thereon, shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender by the Company, or recovery by the Trustee, in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the Trustee timely holding the full amount of the Required Currency then due and payable. If any such tender or recovery is in a currency other than the Required Currency, the Trustee may take such actions as it considers appropriate to exchange such currency for the Required Currency. The costs and risks of any such exchange, including without limitation the risks of delay and exchange rate fluctuation, shall be borne by the Company, the Company shall remain fully liable for any shortfall or delinquency in the full amount of Required Currency then due and payable, and in no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable therefor except in the case of its negligence or willful misconduct.

Section 312. Extension of Interest Payment. The Company shall have the right at any time, so long as the Company is not in default in the payment of interest on the Securities of any series hereunder, to extend interest payment periods on all Securities of one or more series, if so specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities and upon such terms as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities.

 

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ARTICLE FOUR

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 401. Applicability of Article. Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series or Tranche) in accordance with this Article.

Section 402. Election to Redeem: Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

Section 403. Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche not previously called for redemption, by such method as shall be provided for any particular series, or, in the absence of any such provision, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series or Tranche or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series or Tranche of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series or Tranche; provided, however, that if, as indicated in an Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall have offered to purchase all or any principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding of any series, or any Tranche thereof, and less than all of such Securities as to which such offer was made shall have been tendered to the Company for such purchase, the Trustee, if so directed by Company Order, shall select for redemption all or any principal amount of such Securities which have not been so tendered.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected to be redeemed in part, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

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Section 404. Notice of Redemption. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 to the Holders of the Securities to be redeemed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, all notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price (if known),

(c) if less than all the Securities of any series or Tranche are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Securities to be redeemed and the portion of the principal amount of any Security to be redeemed in part,

(d) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date, will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,

(e) the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, unless it shall have been specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities that such surrender shall not be required,

(f) whether the redemption is at the election of the Company, or is for a sinking or other fund, if such is the case,

(g) the CUSIP, ISIN, or other similar number or numbers, if any, assigned to such Securities; provided, however, that such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of any or all of such numbers, in which case none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any liability in respect of the use of any such number on such notices, and the redemption of such Securities shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers, and

(h) such other matters as the Company shall deem desirable or appropriate.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities in accordance with Section 301, with respect to any notice of redemption of Securities at the election of the Company, unless, upon giving of such notice, such Securities shall be deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 701, such notice may, if so provided in the Officer’s Certificate or Board Resolution delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 402, state that such redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents for such Securities, on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption, of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price on such Securities and that if such money shall not have been so received such notice shall be of no force or effect and the Company shall not be required to redeem such Securities. In the event that such notice of redemption contains such a condition and such money is not so received, the redemption shall not be made and within a reasonable time thereafter notice shall be given, in the manner in which

 

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the notice of redemption was given, that such money was not so received and such redemption was not required to be made. A failure by the Company to provide such moneys or make provision for the payment thereof shall not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture. The Paying Agent or Agents for the Securities otherwise to have been redeemed shall thereupon promptly return to the Holders thereof any of such Securities which had been surrendered for payment upon such redemption.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company, and any notice of non-satisfaction of a condition for redemption as aforesaid, shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company. Notice of mandatory redemption of Securities shall be given by the Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 405. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, and the conditions, if any, set forth in such notice having been satisfied, the Securities or portions thereof so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless, in the case of an unconditional notice of redemption, the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any) such Securities or portions thereof, if interest- bearing, shall cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Security or portion thereof shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that no such surrender shall be a condition to such payment if so specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Security; and provided, further, that except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Security, any installment of interest on any Security the Stated Maturity of which installment is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holder of such Security, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the related Regular Record Date according to the terms of such Security and subject to the provisions of Section 307.

Section 406. Securities Redeemed in Part. Upon the surrender of any Security which is to be redeemed only in part at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or 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), the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and Tranche, of any authorized denomination requested by such Holder and of like tenor and in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

ARTICLE FIVE

SINKING FUNDS

Section 501. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series or Tranche.

 

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The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 502. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of the series or Tranche in respect of which it was made as provided for by the terms of such Securities.

Section 502. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company (a) may deliver to the Trustee Outstanding Securities (other than any previously called for redemption) of a series or Tranche in respect of which a mandatory sinking fund payment is to be made and (b) may apply as a credit Securities of such series or Tranche which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities, at the election of the Holder thereof if applicable, or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of such mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series; provided, however, that no Securities shall be applied in satisfaction of a mandatory sinking fund payment if such Securities shall have been previously so applied. Securities so applied shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 503. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days prior to each mandatory sinking fund payment date for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying:

(a) the amount of the next succeeding mandatory sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche;

(b) the amount, if any, of the optional sinking fund payment to be made together with such mandatory sinking fund payment;

(c) the aggregate sinking fund payment;

(d) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which is to be satisfied by the payment of cash; and

(e) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of such series or Tranche pursuant to Section 502 and stating the basis for such credit and that such Securities have not previously been so credited, and the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered.

 

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If the Company shall have not delivered such Officer’s Certificate and, to the extent applicable, all such Securities, the next succeeding sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche shall be made entirely in cash in the amount of the mandatory sinking fund payment. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 403 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 404. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 405 and 406.

ARTICLE SIX

COVENANTS

Section 601. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. The Company shall pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of each series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

Section 602. Maintenance of Office or Agency. Payment of the Securities of each series or any Tranche thereof, shall be made, and registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities may be effected, at the Place of Payment; notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent for all such purposes.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, for any or all of the foregoing purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee, and prompt notice to the Holders in the manner specified in Section 106, of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, any office or agency designated pursuant to this Section may be maintained at an office of the Company, in which event the Company shall perform all functions to be performed at such office or agency.

Section 603. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any of such Securities, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor on such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities.

 

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Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities, deposit with such Paying Agents sums sufficient (without duplication) to pay the principal and premium or interest so becoming due, such sums to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure by it so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, other than the Company or the Trustee, to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor upon such Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such failure, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent and furnish to the Trustee such information as it possesses regarding the names and addresses of the Persons entitled to such sums.

The Company may at any time pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent and, if so stated in a Company Order delivered to the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of Article Seven; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

Subject to any applicable abandoned property laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust; and, upon such payment or discharge, the Holder of such Security shall, as an unsecured general creditor and not as a Holder of an Outstanding Security, look only to the Company for payment of the amount so due and payable and remaining unpaid, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such payment to the Company, may at the expense of the Company cause to be mailed, on one occasion only, notice to such Holder that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the Company.

 

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Section 604. Limited Liability Company Existence. Subject to the rights of the Company under Article Eleven, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence as a limited liability company.

Section 605. Maintenance of Properties. The Company shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) all its properties used or useful in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and shall cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as, in the judgment of the Company, may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted; provided however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the Company from discontinuing, or causing the discontinuance of, the operation and maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of its business.

Section 606. Annual Officers Certificate as to Compliance. Not later than May 1 in each year, commencing May 1, 2015 the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate which need not comply with Section 102, executed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, as to such officer’s knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture, such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture, and making any other statements as may be required by the provisions of Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act. Such Officer’s Certificate shall be in substantially the form attached hereto as Annex A, to the extent applicable.

Section 607. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in (a) Section 602 or any additional covenant or restriction specified with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, as contemplated by Section 301, if before the time for such compliance the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches with respect to which compliance with Section 602 or such additional covenant or restriction is to be omitted, considered as one class, shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition and (b) Section 604, 605 or Article Eleven if before the time for such compliance the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities Outstanding under this Indenture shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition; but, in the case of (a) or (b), no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 608. Limitation on Liens. (a) Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, so long as any Securities of any series are Outstanding, the Company will not pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in, or permit any mortgage, pledge, security interest or other lien upon, any capital stock of any Subsidiary now or hereafter directly owned by the Company, to secure any Indebtedness (hereinafter defined)

 

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without concurrently making effective provision whereby the Outstanding Securities shall (so long as such other Indebtedness shall be so secured) be equally and ratably secured with any and all such other Indebtedness and any other indebtedness similarly entitled to be equally and ratably secured; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to nor prevent the creation or existence of:

(1) any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any such capital stock created at the time of the acquisition of such capital stock by the Company or within one year after such time to secure all or a portion of the purchase price for such capital stock;

(2) any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any such capital stock existing thereon at the time of the acquisition thereof by the Company (whether or not the obligations secured thereby are assumed by the Company);

(3) any extension, renewal or refunding of any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance permitted by Subsection (1) or (2) above on capital stock of any Subsidiary theretofore subject thereto (or substantially the same capital stock) or any portion thereof;

(4) any judgment, levy, execution, attachment or other similar lien arising in connection with court proceedings, provided that either (i) the execution or enforcement of each such lien is effectively stayed within 30 days after entry of the corresponding judgment (or the corresponding judgment has been discharged within such 30-day period) and the claims secured thereby are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings timely commenced and diligently prosecuted; (ii) the payment of each such lien is covered in full by insurance and the insurance company has not denied or contested coverage thereof; or (iii) so long as each such lien is adequately bonded, any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been duly initiated for the review of the corresponding judgment, decree or order shall not have been fully terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired; or

(5) any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance upon any capital stock of any Subsidiary that the Company directly owns to secure interim construction financing for new projects undertaken by such Subsidiary to improve the transmission system, provided that (i) the amount of outstanding Indebtedness secured by such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance under this Subsection (a)(5), together with outstanding Indebtedness secured pursuant to Subsection 608(b) below, does not exceed the greater of (x) 40% of the Company’s Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or (y) 40% of the Company’s Total Capitalization; and (ii) such mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien or encumbrance under this Subsection (a)(5) are discharged not later than 90 days following the date that such new projects are placed into service.

For purposes of this Section 608, “Indebtedness” means all indebtedness, whether or not represented by bonds, debentures, notes or other securities, created or assumed by the Company for the repayment of money borrowed. All indebtedness for money borrowed secured by a lien upon capital stock owned by the Company and upon which indebtedness for money borrowed the Company customarily pays interest, although the Company has not assumed or become liable

 

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for the payment of such indebtedness for money borrowed, shall for purposes of this Section 608 be deemed to be Indebtedness of the Company. All indebtedness of others for money borrowed which is guaranteed as to payment of principal by the Company or in effect guaranteed by the Company through a contingent agreement to purchase such indebtedness for money borrowed shall for purposes of this Section 608 be deemed to be Indebtedness of the Company, but no other contingent obligation of the Company in respect of indebtedness for money borrowed or other obligations incurred by others shall for purposes of this Section 608 be deemed to be Indebtedness of the Company.

In case the Company shall propose to pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in any capital stock of any Subsidiary owned by the Company to secure any Indebtedness, other than as permitted by Subsections (a)(1) to (a)(5), inclusive, of this Section, the Company will prior thereto give written notice thereof to the Trustee, and the Company will prior to or simultaneously with such pledge, mortgage, hypothecation or grant of security interest, by supplemental indenture executed to the Trustee (or to the extent legally necessary to another trustee or an additional or separate trustee), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, effectively secure (for so long as such other Indebtedness shall be so secured) all the Securities equally and ratably with such Indebtedness and with any other indebtedness for money borrowed similarly entitled to be equally and ratably secured.

(b) Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Section 608 shall not apply in the event that the Company shall pledge, mortgage, hypothecate or grant a security interest in or other lien upon any capital stock of any Subsidiary now or hereafter owned by the Company to secure any Indebtedness which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restriction up to an aggregate amount which, together with all other Indebtedness (other than mortgages, pledges, security interests, liens or encumbrances permitted by Subsection (a) of this Section 608) which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restriction, does not at the time exceed the greater of (i) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or (ii) 15% of Total Capitalization.

Section 609. Financial Statements. So long as any Securities of any series are Outstanding, the Company shall make available to the Holders audited annual and unaudited quarterly financial statements of the Company within 105 days after the end of the period covered by such financial statements either by posting such financial statements on a website (which may be a private website or any website maintained by the Commission, including EDGAR) or by delivering such financial statements through any other method as may be permitted by the procedures of the Depositary. For the avoidance of doubt, “financial statements” as used in this Section 609, shall include only a balance sheet, a statement of operations and a statement of cash flows, each prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (United States or as may become applicable in the future, international), and such financial statements need not satisfy the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and, in the case of such statements that are unaudited, may be subject to year-end adjustments and may exclude detailed footnotes.

 

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ARTICLE SEVEN

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 701. Satisfaction and Discharge of Securities. Any Security or Securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, shall be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof shall be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if there shall have been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company), in trust:

(a) money in an amount which shall be sufficient, or

(b) in the case of a deposit made prior to the Maturity of such Securities or portions thereof, Eligible Obligations, which shall not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment thereof at the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the interest on which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide moneys which, together with the money, if any, deposited with or held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent, shall be sufficient, or

(c) a combination of (a) or (b) which shall be sufficient,

to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Securities or portions thereof on or prior to Maturity; provided, however, that in the case of the provision for payment or redemption of less than all the Securities of any series or Tranche, such Securities or portions thereof shall have been selected by the Trustee as provided herein and, in the case of a redemption, the notice requisite to the validity of such redemption shall have been given or irrevocable authority shall have been given by the Company to the Trustee to give such notice, under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee; and provided, further, that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and such Paying Agent:

(x) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Securities, a Company Order stating that the money and Eligible Obligations deposited in accordance with this Section shall be held in trust, as provided in Section 703; and

(y) if Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited, an Opinion of Counsel that the obligations so deposited constitute Eligible Obligations and do not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment at the option of the issuer thereof, and an opinion of an independent public accountant of nationally recognized standing, selected by the Company, to the effect that the requirements set forth in clause (b) above have been satisfied; and

(z) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Securities, (i) an Officer’s Certificate stating the Company’s intention that, upon delivery of such Officer’s Certificate, its indebtedness in respect of such Securities or portions thereof will have been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section, and (ii) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, as a result of a change in law occurring or a ruling of the United States Internal Revenue Service issued after the date of issuance of

 

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such Securities, the Holders of such Securities, or portions of the principal amount thereof, will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if such satisfaction and discharge had not been effected.

Upon the deposit of money or Eligible Obligations, or both, in accordance with this Section, together with the documents required by clauses (x), (y) and (z) above, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Request, acknowledge in writing that the Security or Securities or portions thereof with respect to which such deposit was made are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture and that the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof has been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section. In the event that all of the conditions set forth in the preceding paragraph shall have been satisfied in respect of any Securities or portions thereof except that, for any reason, the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel specified in clause (z) shall not have been delivered, such Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the Holders of such Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be no longer entitled to the benefits of any of the covenants of the Company under Article Six (except the covenants contained in Sections 602 and 603) or any other covenants made in respect of such Securities or portions thereof as contemplated by Section 301, but the indebtedness of the Company in respect of such Securities or portions thereof shall not be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged prior to Maturity for any other purpose, and the Holders of such Securities or portions thereof shall continue to be entitled to look to the Company for payment of the indebtedness represented thereby; and, upon Company Request, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing that the Company has delivered the items required by this Section 701 to the Trustee and therefore, by operation of this Indenture, such Securities or portions thereof are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture.

If payment at Stated Maturity of less than all of the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is to be provided for in the manner and with the effect provided in this Section, the Security Registrar shall select such Securities, or portions of principal amount thereof, in the manner specified by Section 403 for selection for redemption of less than all the Securities of a series or Tranche.

In the event that Securities which shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, in respect of which the Company’s indebtedness shall have been satisfied and discharged, all as provided in this Section do not mature and are not to be redeemed within the 60 day period commencing with the date of the deposit of moneys or Eligible Obligations, as aforesaid, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, give a notice, in the same manner as a notice of redemption with respect to such Securities, to the Holders of such Securities to the effect that such deposit has been made and the effect thereof.

Notwithstanding that any Securities shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee in respect of such Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 404, 503 (as to notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 909 and 915 and this Article Seven shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

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The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify the Trustee or any Paying Agent with which Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited as provided in this Section against, any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against such Eligible Obligations or the principal or interest received in respect of such Eligible Obligations, including, but not limited to, any such tax payable by any entity deemed, for tax purposes, to have been created as a result of such deposit.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) if, at any time after a Security would be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof would be deemed to have been satisfied or discharged, pursuant to this Section (without regard to the provisions of this paragraph), the Trustee or any Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall be required to return the money or Eligible Obligations, or combination thereof, deposited with it as aforesaid to the Company or its representative under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, such Security shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been paid and any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof shall retroactively be deemed not to have been effected, and such Security shall be deemed to remain Outstanding and (b) any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of any Security shall be subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 603.

Section 702. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall upon Company Request, accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel in compliance with Section 102 of this Indenture, cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter expressly provided), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a) no Securities remain Outstanding hereunder; and

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company;

provided, however, that if, in accordance with the last paragraph of Section 701, any Security, previously deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, shall be deemed retroactively not to have been so paid, this Indenture shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been satisfied and discharged, as aforesaid, and to remain in full force and effect, and the Company shall execute and deliver such instruments as the Trustee shall reasonably request to evidence and acknowledge the same.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee under Sections 304, 305, 306, 404, 503 (as to notice of redemption), 602, 603, 907, 909 and 915 and this Article Seven shall survive.

Upon satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as provided in this Section, the Trustee shall assign, transfer and turn over to the Company, subject to the lien provided by Section 907, any and all money, securities and other property then held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities other than money and Eligible Obligations held by the Trustee pursuant to Section 703.

 

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Section 703. Application of Trust Money. Neither the Eligible Obligations nor the money deposited pursuant to Section 701, nor the principal or interest payments on any such Eligible Obligations, shall be withdrawn or used for any purpose other than, and shall be held in trust for, the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities or portions of principal amount thereof in respect of which such deposit was made, all subject, however, to the provisions of Section 603; provided, however, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, any cash received from such principal or interest payments on such Eligible Obligations, if not then needed for such purpose, shall, to the extent practicable and upon Company Request, be invested in Eligible Obligations of the type described in clause (b) in the first paragraph of Section 701 maturing at such times and in such amounts as shall be sufficient, together with any other moneys and the principal of and interest on any other Eligible Obligations then held by the Trustee, to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Securities or portions thereof on and prior to the Maturity thereof, and interest earned from such reinvestment shall be paid over to the Company as received, free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 907; provided, further, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, any moneys held in accordance with this Section on the Maturity of all such Securities in excess of the amount required to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, then due on such Securities shall be paid over to the Company free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 907; and provided, further, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, moneys to be paid over to the Company pursuant to this Section shall be held until such Event of Default shall have been waived or cured. The Company acknowledges that regulations of the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States grant the Company the right to receive brokerage confirmations of securities transactions as they occur. The Company specifically waives such notification to the extent permitted by law and will receive periodic cash transaction statements that will detail all investment transactions.

ARTICLE EIGHT

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 801. Events of Default. “Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events:

(a) failure to pay interest, if any, on any Security of such series within 30 days after the same becomes due and payable on an Interest Payment Date or at its Maturity; provided, however, that a valid extension of the interest payment period by the Company as permitted under Section 312 of this Indenture shall not constitute a failure to pay interest for this purpose; or

(b) failure to pay the principal of or premium, if any, on any Security of such series at its Maturity; or

 

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(c) failure to perform or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance of which or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Securities other than such series) for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder, unless the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of a principal amount of Securities of such series not less than the principal amount of Securities the Holders of which gave such notice, as the case may be, shall agree in writing to an extension of such period prior to its expiration; provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of such principal amount of Securities of such series, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have agreed to an extension of such period if corrective action is initiated by the Company within such period and is being diligently pursued; or

(d) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (1) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (2) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition by one or more Persons other than the Company seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official for the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order shall have remained unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(e) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in a case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the authorization of such action by the Board of Directors; or

(f) any other Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series as shall have been specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section 301(o).

Section 802. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default due to the default in payment of principal of, or interest on, any series of Securities or due to the default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of the Company applicable to the Securities of such series but not applicable to all Outstanding Securities shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less

 

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than 33% in principal amount of the Securities of such series may then declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Securities of such series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section 301) of all Securities of such series and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default due to default in the performance of any other of the covenants or agreements herein applicable to all Outstanding Securities or an Event of Default specified in Section 801 (d) or (e) shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of all Securities then Outstanding (considered as one class), and not the Holders of the Securities of any one of such series, may declare the principal of all Securities and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately. As a consequence of each such declaration (herein referred to as a declaration of acceleration) with respect to Securities of any series, the principal amount (or portion thereof in the case of Discount Securities) of such Securities and interest accrued thereon shall become due and payable immediately.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series shall have been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due shall have been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Event or Events of Default giving rise to such declaration of acceleration shall, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences shall, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if

(a) the Company shall have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(1) all overdue interest on all Securities of such series;

(2) the principal of and premium, if any, on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;

(3) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest, if any, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities;

(4) all amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907; and

(b) any other Event or Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 813.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 803. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. If an Event of Default described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 801 shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of the series with respect to which such Event of Default shall have occurred, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, and, to the extent permitted by law, interest on any overdue principal and interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907.

 

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If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under the Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 804. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for amounts due to the Trustee under Section 907) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amounts due it under Section 907.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

 

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Section 805. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 806. Application of Money Collected. Any money or other property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article and any money or other property distributable in respect of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture after an Event of Default shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money shall have been collected and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

(a) First, to the payment of all amounts due the Trustee (including any predecessor Trustee) under Section 907;

(b) Second, to the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities for principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, respectively; and

(c) Third, to the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 807. Limitation on Suits. No Holder shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

(a) such Holder shall have previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class, shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders shall have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

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(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

Section 808. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 307 and 312) interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 809. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, and Trustee and such Holder shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 810. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 811. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

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Section 812. Control by Majority Holders of Securities. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing in respect of a series of Securities, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series; provided, however, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all such series, considered as one class, shall have the right to make such direction, and not the Holders of the Securities of any one of such series; and provided, further, that (a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, and could not involve the Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where indemnity would not, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, be adequate, and (b) the Trustee may take any other action, deemed proper by the Trustee, which is not inconsistent with any such direction.

Section 813. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Section 1202 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any and all Events of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 814. Undertaking for Costs. The Company and the Trustee agree, and each Holder by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series in respect of which such suit may be brought, considered as one class, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

 

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Section 815. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE NINE

THE TRUSTEE

Section 901. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the duties of the Trustee shall be determined by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and any responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee in the Trust Indenture Act and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. For purposes of Sections 315(a) and 315(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, the term “default” is hereby defined as an Event of Default which has occurred and is continuing.

(b) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Indenture to the contrary, the duties and responsibilities of the Trustee under this Indenture shall be subject to the protections, exculpations and limitations on liability afforded to an indenture trustee under the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act. The same protections, exculpations and limitations on liability afforded to the Trustee will apply equally to any Agent, acting in its capacity as such, with respect to any series of Securities. For the purposes of Sections 315(b) and 315(d)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act, the term “responsible officer” is hereby defined as a Responsible Officer and the chairman or vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman or vice chairman of the executive committee of the board of directors, the president, any vice president, the secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer any assistant treasurer, the cashier, any assistant cashier, any trust officer or assistant trust officer, the controller and any assistant controller of the Trustee, or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by a Responsible Officer or any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

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Section 902. Notice of Defaults. The Trustee shall give notice of any default hereunder known to the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to the Holders of Securities of such series in the manner and to the extent provided by the Trust Indenture Act, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 801(c), no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 45 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section and clause (h) of Section 903, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default.

Section 903. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 901 and to the applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, Officer’s Certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, or as otherwise expressly provided herein, and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holder pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall (subject to applicable legal requirements) be entitled to examine, during normal business hours, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the expense of the Company and shall incur no liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;

 

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(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default (as defined in Section 902) or Event of Default, as the case may be, with respect to the Securities of any series for which it is acting as Trustee unless either (1) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge that such default or Event of Default, as the case may be, exists and constitutes a default or Event of Default under this Indenture or (2) written notice of such default or Event of Default, as the case may be, shall have been given in the manner provided in Section 105 hereof to the Trustee by the Company, any other obligor on such Securities or by any Holder of such Securities and such notice refers to such Securities and this Indenture;

(i) the parties hereto acknowledge in accordance with Section 326 of the Patriot Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify and record information that indentifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with all such information as it may reasonably request in order to satisfy the requirements or its obligations under such act;

(j) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(k) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it reasonably believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute negligence or willful misconduct. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

Section 904. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities (except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

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Section 905. May Hold Securities. Each of the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 908 and 913, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

Section 906. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds, except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as expressly provided herein or otherwise agreed with, and for the sole benefit of, the Company.

Section 907. Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company shall:

(a) pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) as the Company and the Trustee shall agree in writing;

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, reimburse the Trustee upon its request for reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except to the extent that any such expense, disbursement or advance may be attributable to the Trustee’s own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and

(c) indemnify the Trustee for, and hold it harmless from and against, any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder or the performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, other than property and funds held in trust under Section 703 (except as otherwise provided in Section 703).

In addition to and without prejudice to the rights provided to the Trustee under any of the provisions of this Indenture, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 801(d) or Section 801(e), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.

Trustee” for purposes of this Section shall include any predecessor Trustee; provided, however, that the negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Trustee hereunder shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee hereunder.

 

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The provisions of this Section 907 shall survive the discharge of the Company’s obligation in respect of any Securities, including under Article Seven, the termination of this Indenture for any reason and the resignation or removal of any Trustee.

Section 908. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee shall have or acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign to the extent, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. For purposes of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and to the fullest extent permitted thereby, the Trustee, in its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any series, shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest arising from its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any other series. Nothing herein shall prevent the Trustee from filing with the Commission the application referred to in the second to last paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 909. Corporate Trustee Required: Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be

(a) a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any State or Territory thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, or

(b) if and to the extent permitted by the Commission by rule, regulation or order upon application, a Corporation or other Person organized and doing business under the laws of a foreign government, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or the Dollar equivalent of the applicable foreign currency and subject to supervision or examination by authority of such foreign government or a political subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination applicable to United States institutional trustees, and, in either case, eligible under this Article and the Trust Indenture Act. If such Corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of such supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, 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. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 910. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 911.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 911 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may at the expense of the Company petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 911 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may at the expense of the Company petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(d) If at any time:

(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 908 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months, or

(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 909 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (x) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or (y) subject to Section 814, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause (other than as contemplated in clause (y) in Subsection (d) of this Section), with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 911. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 911, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 911, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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(f) So long as no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and except with respect to a Trustee appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities pursuant to Subsection (e) of this Section, if the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (i) a Board Resolution appointing a successor Trustee, effective as of a date specified therein, and (ii) an instrument of acceptance of such appointment, effective as of such date, by such successor Trustee in accordance with Section 911, the Trustee shall be deemed to have resigned as contemplated in Subsection (b) of this Section, the successor Trustee shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Company pursuant to Subsection (e) of this Section and such appointment shall be deemed to have been accepted as contemplated in Section 911, all as of such date, and all other provisions of this Section and Section 911 shall be applicable to such resignation, appointment and acceptance except to the extent inconsistent with this Subsection (f).

(g) The Company (or, should the Company fail so to act promptly, the successor trustee at the expense of the Company) shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its corporate trust office.

Section 911. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of all series, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of all sums owed to it, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 907.

(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such

 

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successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of all sums owed to it, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 907.

(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any instruments which fully vest in and confirm to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in Subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 912. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Person into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 913. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities (other than by reason of a relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee shall be subject to any and all applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or such other obligor. For purposes of Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the term “cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand;

 

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(b) the term “self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

Section 914. Co-trustees and Separate Trustees. At any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of any applicable jurisdiction, the Company and the Trustee shall have power to appoint, and, upon the written request of the Trustee or of the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding, the Company shall for such purpose join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Trustee either to act as co- trustee, jointly with the Trustee, or to act as separate trustee, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Company does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment.

Should any written instrument or instruments from the Company be required by any co- trustee or separate trustee so appointed to more fully confirm to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right or power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Company.

Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following conditions:

(a) the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered, and all rights, powers, duties and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustee hereunder, shall be exercised solely, by the Trustee;

(b) the rights, powers, duties and obligations hereby conferred or imposed upon the Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed either by the Trustee or by the Trustee and such co- trustee or separate trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co- trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee;

 

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(c) the Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by it, with the concurrence of the Company, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such co- trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Company. Upon the written request of the Trustee, the Company shall join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section;

(d) no co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Trustee, or any other such trustee hereunder; and the Trustee shall not be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of any other such trustee hereunder; and

(e) any Act of Holders delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.

Section 915. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to the Securities of one or more series, or Tranche thereof, which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series or Tranche issued upon original issuance and upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any State or territory thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof 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 such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may 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 and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Sections 308, 904 and 905 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an appointment with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall be made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:

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

Dated:

 

   
  As Trustee
By     
  As Authenticating Agent
By    
  Authorized Signatory

 

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If all of the Securities of a series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested by the Company in writing (which writing need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), shall appoint, in accordance with this Section and in accordance with such procedures as shall be acceptable to the Trustee, an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE TEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 1001. Lists of Holders. Semiannually, not later than January 1 and July 1 in each year, commencing July 1, 2015 and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee information as to the names and addresses of the Holders, and the Trustee shall preserve such information and similar information received by it in any other capacity and afford to the Holders access to information so preserved by it, all to such extent, if any, and in such manner as shall be provided by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar.

Section 1002. Reports by Trustee and Company. Not later than June 15 in each year, commencing with the year 2015, the Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, the Commission and each securities exchange upon which any Securities are listed, a report, dated as of the next preceding May 15, with respect to any events and other matters described in Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, in such manner and to the extent provided by the Trust Indenture Act. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the listing or delisting of any Securities on any securities exchange.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER

Section 1101. Company May Consolidate, etc. Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person, or convey or otherwise transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless

(a) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a Person organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all Outstanding Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

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(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, or other transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transactions have been complied with.

Section 1102. Successor Person Substituted. Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger by the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, or other transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 1101, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of and released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities Outstanding hereunder.

ARTICLE TWELVE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 1201. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities, all as provided in Article Eleven; or

(b) to add one or more covenants of the Company or other provisions for the benefit of all Holders or for the benefit of the Holders of, or to remain in effect only so long as there shall be Outstanding, Securities of one or more specified series, or one or more specified Tranches thereof, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

(c) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities Outstanding hereunder; or

 

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(d) to change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture or to add any new provision to this Indenture; provided, however, that if such change, elimination or addition shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche Outstanding on the date of such indenture supplemental hereto in any material respect, such change, elimination or addition shall become effective with respect to such series or Tranche only pursuant to the provisions of Section 1202 hereof or when no Security of such series or Tranche remains Outstanding; or

(e) to provide collateral security for all but not part of the Securities; or

(f) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series or Tranche as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301; or

(g) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a separate or successor Trustee or co-trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 911(b); or

(h) to provide for the procedures required to permit the Company to utilize, at its option, a noncertificated system of registration for all, or any series or Tranche of, the Securities; or

(i) to change any place or places where (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for registration of transfer, (3) all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for exchange and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of all or any series of Securities, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served;

(j) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other changes to the provisions hereof or to add other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such other changes or additions shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche in any material respect; or

(k) at the Company’s election, to comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act if such qualification is required.

Section 1202. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of a series then Outstanding under this Indenture by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under the Indenture; provided, however, that if there shall be Securities of more than one series Outstanding hereunder and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of any such series, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount

 

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of the Outstanding Securities of each such series so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that if the Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one Tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such Tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all Tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that no such supplemental indenture shall:

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon (or the amount of any installment of interest thereon) or change the method of calculating such rate or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of a Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 802, or change the coin or currency (or other property), in which any Security or any premium or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity of any Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), without, in any such case, the consent of the Holder of such Security, or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of the Holders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with any provision of this Indenture or of any default hereunder and its consequences, or reduce the requirements of Section 1304 for quorum or voting, without, in any such case, the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding Security of such series or Tranche, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 607 or Section 813 with respect to the Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, except to increase the percentages in principal amount referred to in this Section or such other Sections or to provide that other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 911(b), 914 and 1201(h).

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or one or more Tranches thereof, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series or Tranche.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A waiver by a Holder of such Holder’s right to consent under this Section shall be deemed to be a consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 1203. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 901) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel (to be obtained at the Company’s expense) stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, immunities or liabilities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 1204. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby. Any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article may restate this Indenture in its entirety, and, upon the execution and delivery thereof, any such restatement shall supersede this Indenture as theretofore in effect for all purposes.

Section 1205. Reserved.

Section 1206. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranche.

Section 1207. Modification Without Supplemental Indenture. If the terms of any particular series of Securities shall have been established in a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate as contemplated by Section 301, and not in an indenture supplemental hereto, additions to, changes in or the elimination of any of such terms may be effected by means of a supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate, as the case may be, delivered to, and accepted by, the Trustee; provided, however, that such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall not be accepted by the Trustee or otherwise be effective unless all conditions set forth in this Indenture which would be required to be satisfied if such additions, changes or elimination were contained in a supplemental indenture shall have been appropriately satisfied. Upon the acceptance thereof by the Trustee, any such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall be deemed to be a “supplemental indenture” for purposes of Sections 1204 and 1206.

 

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ARTICLE THIRTEEN

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING

Section 1301. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series or Tranches.

Section 1302. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting or a telephone conference of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, to be held at such time and at such place in the City of Cleveland, Ohio, as the Trustee shall determine, or, with the approval of the Company, at any other place. Notice of every such meeting, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) If the Trustee shall have been requested to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, by the Company or by the Holders of 33% in aggregate principal amount of all of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, for any purpose specified in Section 1301, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have given the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in such other place as shall be determined or approved by the Company, for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in Subsection (a) of this Section.

(c) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be valid without notice if the Holders of all Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches are present in person or by proxy and if representatives of the Company and the Trustee are present, or if notice is waived in writing before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Outstanding Securities of such series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, or by such of them as are not present at the meeting in person or by proxy, and by the Company and the Trustee.

Section 1303. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series or Tranches by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to attend any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series or Tranche shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 1304. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which a meeting shall have been called as hereinbefore provided, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting which this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within one hour of the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series and Tranches, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Except as provided by Section 1305(e), notice of the reconvening of any meeting adjourned for more than 30 days shall be given as provided in Section 1302(a) not less than 10 days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by Section 1202, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been called, considered as one class; provided, however, that, except as so limited, any resolution with respect to any action which this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been held, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

Section 1305. Attendance at Meetings, Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Attendance at meetings of Holders of Securities may be in person or by proxy; and, to the extent permitted by law, any such proxy shall remain in effect and be binding upon any future Holder of the Securities with respect to which it was given unless and until specifically revoked by the Holder or future Holder of such Securities before being voted.

 

64


(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities in regard to proof of the holding of such Securities and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

(c) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 1302(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series and Tranches calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class.

(d) At any meeting each Holder or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1 principal amount of Securities held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security or proxy.

(e) Any meeting duly called pursuant to Section 1302 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 1306. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities, of the series and Tranches with respect to which the meeting shall have been called, held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy

 

65


of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1302 and, if applicable, Section 1304. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

Section 1307. Action Without Meeting. In lieu of a vote of Holders at a meeting as hereinbefore contemplated in this Article, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be made, given or taken by Holders by written instruments as provided in Section 104.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

IMMUNITY OF CERTAIN PARTIES

Section 1401. Liability Solely Companys. No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities, or any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement under this Indenture, against any incorporator, organizer, shareholder, member, manager, officer or director, as such, past, present or future of the Company or of any predecessor or successor Corporation (either directly or through the Company or a predecessor or successor Corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that this Indenture and all the Securities are solely obligations of a limited liability company, and that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, organizer, shareholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor Corporation, either directly or indirectly through the Company or any predecessor or successor Corporation, because of the indebtedness hereby authorized or under or by reason of any of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities or to be implied herefrom or therefrom, and that any such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of the Securities.

 

 

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

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee
By:   /s/ Holly H. Pattison
  Name: Holly H. Pattison
  Title: Vice President

 

Signature Page to FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC Indenture (For Unsecured Debt Securities)


ANNEX A

Form of Annual Compliance Certificate

Certificate of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

Indenture for Unsecured Debt Securities, dated as of May 19, 2014

Pursuant to Article VI, Section 606

Holly Pattison

U.S. Bank National Association

1350 Euclid Avenue, CN-OH-RN11

Cleveland, Ohio 44115

With respect to Article VI, Section 606 of the Indenture for Unsecured Debt Securities dated as of May 19, 2014, of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (the “Company”), a Delaware limited liability company, to U.S. Bank National Association, Trustee (the “Indenture”), the undersigned,         ,                of the Company, certifies as follows:

 

  1.

I, or persons under my supervision or control, have read provisions of the Indenture containing conditions and covenants of the Company and the definitions contained in the Indenture; the nature and scope of the examination and investigation upon which the statements contained in this certificate are based are as follows: I, or persons under my supervision or control, have personally examined the records and books or consulted with officers or competent employees of the Company, FirstEnergy Corp. or their affiliates who have knowledge of the records and books of the Company for all matters appearing therein relevant to the statements contained in this certificate, have consulted with counsel as to any legal questions involved in connection with the statements contained in this certificate and, as to all other matters relevant to the statements contained in this certificate (except where the matters are within my own knowledge acquired through performance of my duties as an officer of the Company), have consulted with other officers or competent employees of the Company, FirstEnergy Corp. or their affiliates whose positions as officers or employees enabled them to obtain knowledge as to such matters; in my opinion, I have made such examination and investigation as is necessary to enable me to express an informal opinion as to whether the conditions and covenants contained in the Indenture have been complied with; and

 

  2.

To the best of my knowledge, the Company has complied during the preceding calendar year and is in compliance with all conditions and covenants under the Indenture without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under the Indenture.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand as of this day of       , 20.

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

A-1

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

DATED AS OF OCTOBER 4, 2024

TO

INDENTURE DATED MAY 19, 2014

BY AND BETWEEN

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC,

as Company,

AND

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

 

 


CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS INDENTURE

RELATING TO SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318(a), INCLUSIVE,

OF THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:

 

TRUST INDENTURE ACT

SECTION

   INDENTURE SECTION
310(a)(1)    909(a)
(a)(2)    909(b)
(a)(3)    914
(a)(4)    Not applicable
(a)(5)    908
(b)    908
311(a)    913
(b)    913
312(a)    1001
(b)    1003
(c)    1003
313(a)    1002
(b)    1004
(c)    1004
(d)    1004
314(a)    1005
(a)(4)    606
(b)    Not applicable
(c)(1)    102
(c)(2)    102
(c)(3)    Not applicable
(d)    Not applicable
(e)    102
315(a)    901
(b)    902
(c)    901
(d)    903(k)
(e)    814
316(a)    812
(a)(1)(A)    812
(a)(1)(B)    813
(a)(2)    Not applicable
(b)    808
(c)    104(g)
317(a)(1)    803
(a)(2)    804
(b)    603
318(a)    107

NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.


THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”) is dated as of October 4, 2024 by and between FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (the “Trustee”). All terms used in this Supplemental Indenture that are defined in the Indenture dated as of May 19, 2014 by and between the Company and the Trustee (the “Original Indenture” and, the Original Indenture as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”) and that are not otherwise defined in this Supplemental Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Original Indenture.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee are parties to the Original Indenture; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 1201(k) of the Original Indenture, without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental thereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, to, at the Company’s election, comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act if such qualification is required, and the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this Supplemental Indenture for this purpose;

NOW, THEREFORE:

In consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree with each other, and for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective Holders of the applicable Securities from time to time, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

Amendments to Indenture

Section 1.01. Effectiveness of Supplemental Indenture. This Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof (the “Amendment Effective Time”).

Section 1.02. Amendments to Indenture. Effective as of the Amendment Effective Time, the Indenture is hereby amended as follows:

a. Section 107 of the Original Indenture shall be amended and restated in its entirety with the following:

Section 107. Conflict with the Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act which is required thereunder to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the applicable provision of the Trust Indenture Act shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, such modified or excluded provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

 

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b. Article Ten of the Original Indenture shall be amended to add the following additional Sections immediately after Section 1002:

Section 1003. Communication to Holders.

The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

The disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, shall not be deemed to be a violation of any law, nor shall the Trustee be held accountable by reason of mailing or distributing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 1002.

Section 1004. Reports by Trustee.

The Trustee shall transmit to Holders any reports as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to the Holders, be filed with each stock exchange upon which the Securities are listed, and also with the Commission.

Section 1005. Reports by Company.

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports electronically filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act shall be deemed filed with, and delivered to, the Trustee and transmitted to the Holders at the same time as filed with the Commission. The Trustee’s receipt of such information, documents or reports shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

 

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c. The Table of Contents on page iii of the Original Indenture shall be amended to add Sections 1003, 1004 and 1005 and the corresponding headings to ARTICLE TEN thereof.

ARTICLE 2

Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 2.01. Other Terms of Indenture. Except insofar as otherwise expressly provided in this Supplemental Indenture, all provisions, terms and conditions of the Original Indenture are in all respects ratified and confirmed and shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 2.02. Governing Law. This Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 2.03. Counterparts. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 2.04. The Trustee. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture.

[Signature Page to Follow]

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

By:   /s/ Earl T. Hunt
Name:   Earl T. Hunt
Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

Exhibit 4.3

EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of September 5, 2024 (this “Agreement”), is entered into by and among FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and BofA Securities, Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the initial purchasers set forth on Schedule 1 to the Purchase Agreement (as defined herein) (the “Initial Purchasers”).

The Company and the Representatives are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated September 3, 2024 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $400,000,000 in principal amount of the Company’s 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued under the Company’s Indenture (for Unsecured Debt Securities), dated as of May 19, 2014 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Securities will be established pursuant to an officer’s certificate of the Company in accordance with Section 301 of the Indenture and a related company order as contemplated by Section 303 of the Indenture.

As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide for the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees to receive the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 5(j) of the Purchase Agreement.

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in the City of St. Paul and State of Minnesota, or in the city where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located, are obligated or authorized by law or executive order to close. For purposes of this Agreement, if the day on which any deadline specified in this Agreement expires is not a Business Day, such deadline shall be deemed to expire on the next succeeding Business Day.

Closing Time” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Exchange Dates” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.


Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Exchange Securities” shall mean senior unsecured notes issued by the Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Registrable Securities (except that such notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement applicable to the Registrable Securities will not apply to such notes) and to be offered to Holders of Registrable Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.

Holder Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Holders” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 6 hereof, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

Indenture” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xiv) hereof.

Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.

 

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Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided, further, that if the Company shall issue any additional Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

Participating Broker-Dealers” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including (i) any preliminary prospectus and (ii) any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that any Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and the Securities have been exchanged, disposed of or distributed pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities cease to be outstanding or (iii) when the Exchange Offer is consummated, except in the case of Securities that otherwise remain Registrable Securities that are held by a Holder that was ineligible to participate in the Exchange Offer or participated in the Exchange Offer and did not receive freely transferable Exchange Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, which firm shall be selected by the Underwriters or

 

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the Majority Holders), (iii) the costs incident to the preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements, and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee, (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees (not to exceed $125,000) and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding any or all fees and expenses of advisors or counsel to any Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders, any underwriting discounts and commissions, and any brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Shelf Additional Interest Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by a majority of the Holders whose Registrable Securities are to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments

 

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and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

Target Registration Date” shall mean the date which is 366 days from the Closing Time.

Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

Trustee” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.

Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

2. Registration under the Securities Act.

(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (x) file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all outstanding Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (y) cause such Registration Statement to remain effective until 180 days after the date the Exchange Offer Registration Statement became effective for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer no later than the Target Registration Date.

The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing or making available the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange, except to the extent not permitted by law, applicable interpretations of the Staff or as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement;

 

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(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days (in accordance with the Exchange Act) from the date such notice is mailed or made available) (the “Exchange Dates”);

(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

(v) that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the institution as shall be set forth in the letter(s) of transmittal and in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company that (I) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (II) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the Securities Act, (III) it is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or, if it is such an “affiliate,” such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities and (IV) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market making or other trading activities, then such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable, in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities. Each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer shall be deemed to acknowledge and agree that any broker-dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under SEC policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the SEC enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the SEC’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as

 

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applicable, of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Registrable Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company shall:

(i) cause the Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer to be accepted for exchange;

(ii) cause all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(iii) issue Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities validly tendered by such Holder; and

(iv) cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder such Exchange Securities.

The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff and customary conditions relating to the delivery of Securities or other actions customarily taken by Holders participating in the Exchange Offer or the execution and delivery of customary documentation relating to the Exchange Offer.

(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) hereof is not available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) a Holder participating in the Exchange Offer does not receive Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange that may be sold without restriction under state and federal securities laws (other than due solely to the status of such Holder as an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act) and notifies (a “Holder Notice”) the Company within 30 days after such Holder first becomes aware of such restrictions, (iii) the Exchange Offer, for any other reason, is not completed by the Target Registration Date or (iv) the Company receives a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file, as soon as practicable after the date of such determination, Holder Notice or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement become effective.

In the event that the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (iii) or (iv) of the preceding sentence, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file and cause to become effective both an Exchange Offer

 

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Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers, if any, after completion of the Exchange Offer.

The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for a period of one year from the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement or such shorter period that will terminate when all of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

(c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement.

(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC. A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

In the event that either the Exchange Offer is not completed by the Target Registration Date or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required pursuant to Sections 2(b)(i) or 2(b)(iii) hereof, is not effective by the Target Registration Date, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period immediately following such date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until the Exchange Offer is completed or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, becomes effective, up to a maximum total increase of 0.50% per annum. In the event that the Company receives a Holder Notice or Shelf Request pursuant to Sections 2(b)(ii) or 2(b)(iv) hereof, and the Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (x) the Target Registration Date or (y) 90 days after

 

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delivery of such Holder Notice or Shelf Request (such later date, the “Shelf Additional Interest Date”), then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period payable commencing from one day after the Shelf Additional Interest Date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective, up to a maximum total increase of 0.50% per annum.

If the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, is effective and thereafter either ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 60 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period (the 60th such date, the “Trigger Date”), then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period immediately following the Trigger Date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, up to a maximum increase of 0.50% per annum, and ending on such date that the Shelf Registration Statement is again effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable.

Any additional interest payable by the Company due to the increases in annual interest rate described in this Agreement will be paid in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Indenture. The additional interest referenced in this Section 2(d) shall be the sole remedy of any Holder (other than a Participating Broker-Dealer) with respect to any Exchange Offer Registration and Shelf Registration and related matters provided for in this Agreement.

3. Registration Procedures.

(a) In connection with its obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall as soon as reasonably practicable:

(i) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and cause each Prospectus to be kept current during the period described in Section 4(a)(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that

 

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is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

(iii) to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed to the extent required by SEC rules;

(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its reasonable best efforts upon written request, to furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as such Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in writing in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

(v) in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to register and qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, if and to the extent legally required in order to effect the Exchange Offer, and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement and if necessary to permit sales under the Shelf Registration Statement, cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under the applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and use its reasonable best efforts to do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided that the Company shall not be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to subject itself to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;

(vi) notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf

 

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Registration Statement and counsel for such Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) and (6) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be required;

(vii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement on the proper form, as promptly as reasonably practicable and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

(viii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, upon written request, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested in writing), if such documents are not available via EDGAR;

(ix) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable

 

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Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and, in the case of certificated securities, registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

(x) upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities and the Initial Purchasers, as applicable, to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Holders and Initial Purchasers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

(xi) within a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, in each case, excluding any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement, Prospectus, Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto after the initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement and their counsel) and make representatives of the Company, as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement or their counsel), available for discussion of such document; and the Company shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities or their counsel) shall have previously reasonably objected

 

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in writing within five Business Days after receipt thereof, unless the Company in good faith reasonably believes such Prospectus, amendment or supplement to a Prospectus is required by applicable law;

(xii) use reasonable best efforts to obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection, solely for due diligence purposes to the extent appropriate, by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, one firm of counsel and one firm of accountants designated by a majority of the Holders of Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Registration and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, such financial and other records, pertinent documents and access to properties of the Company and its subsidiaries as such persons may reasonably request, and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all such information and access reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information (including, without limitation, entering into a confidentiality agreement in customary form if requested by the Company which confidentiality obligations, for the avoidance of doubt, shall permit such disclosures as are necessary to comply with the Securities Act);

(xv) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, promptly include in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably concludes is required to be included therein and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing; and

(xvi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including

 

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those reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, in an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when required by the applicable underwriting agreement or requested by the Holder, as applicable, (2) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.

(b) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing; provided that if such Holder fails to provide the requested information within 15 Business Days, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from such Shelf Registration Statement until such time as the information is provided.

(c) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities covered in such Shelf Registration Statement agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in

 

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Sections 3(a)(vi)(3) or 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

(d) If the Company shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period, any such suspensions shall not exceed 60 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period.

(e) The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each, an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Company (provided that the lead Underwriter shall also be reasonably acceptable to Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering). However, in the event of an Underwritten Offering, each Holder agrees that, neither such Holder nor any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to any Registration Statement on such Holder’s behalf, will make any offer relating to the Registrable Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act, unless it has obtained the prior written consent of the Company.

4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

(a) The Company has been advised that the Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

 

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The Company has been advised that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

(b) In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees, if so requested by one or more Holders who is a Participating Broker-Dealer, to use its reasonable best efforts to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days after the date the Exchange Offer Registration Statement becomes effective (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof) and (ii) the date on which each Participating Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market making or other trading activities, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is available for resale of the Registrable Securities acquired by the Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company further consents to the delivery of (or, to the extent permitted by law, agree to make available) such Prospectus by Participating Broker-Dealers during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company or any Holder with respect to any request that a Holder may make pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

5. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or

 

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liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such parties expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3 hereof, the Company agrees to also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above (or as may otherwise be set forth in the underwriting agreement for such Underwritten Offering) with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its affiliates, directors and officers, and the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b). If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a

 

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reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser or its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by such Initial Purchasers, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Holders, as applicable, and the parties’

 

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relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) The Company and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5 are several and not joint.

(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

6. General.

(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company under any other agreement and (ii) the Company has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement, will not enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the

 

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Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 6 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

(c) Notices. Except as otherwise specified herein, all notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, email or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) if to such other Persons, at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if emailed; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

(e) Third-Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third-party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements

 

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directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by e-mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, for example, www.docusign.com) shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery proof.

(g) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

(h) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

(i) Entire Agreement; Severability. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of such invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

(j) Delegation by the Company. All references to obligations of the Company to take or not take any actions shall be satisfied so long as the Company causes such actions to be taken or not taken, as applicable.

[Signatures on following pages]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]


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

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
By:   /s/ Robert Colucci
  Name: Robert Colucci
  Title: Managing Director

 

MIZUHO SECURITIES USA LLC
By:   /s/ Victor Forte
  Name: Victor Forte
  Title: Managing Director

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
By:   /s/ Natalie Smithson
  Name: Natalie Smithson
  Title: Vice President

 

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
By:   /s/ Scott G. Primrose
  Name: Scott G. Primrose
  Title: Authorized Signatory
Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Initial Purchasers.

 

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

Exhibit 4.4

EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of September 5, 2024 (this “Agreement”), is entered into by and among FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and BofA Securities, Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the initial purchasers set forth on Schedule 1 to the Purchase Agreement (as defined herein) (the “Initial Purchasers”).

The Company and the Representatives are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated September 3, 2024 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $400,000,000 in principal amount of the Company’s 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued under the Company’s Indenture (for Unsecured Debt Securities), dated as of May 19, 2014 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Securities will be established pursuant to an officer’s certificate of the Company in accordance with Section 301 of the Indenture and a related company order as contemplated by Section 303 of the Indenture.

As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide for the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees to receive the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 5(j) of the Purchase Agreement.

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in the City of St. Paul and State of Minnesota, or in the city where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located, are obligated or authorized by law or executive order to close. For purposes of this Agreement, if the day on which any deadline specified in this Agreement expires is not a Business Day, such deadline shall be deemed to expire on the next succeeding Business Day.

Closing Time” shall have the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.


Exchange Dates” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.

Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Exchange Securities” shall mean senior unsecured notes issued by the Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Registrable Securities (except that such notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement applicable to the Registrable Securities will not apply to such notes) and to be offered to Holders of Registrable Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.

Holder Notice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Holders” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 6 hereof, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

Indenture” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xiv) hereof.

Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.


Majority Holders” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided, further, that if the Company shall issue any additional Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

Participating Broker-Dealers” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including (i) any preliminary prospectus and (ii) any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that any Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and the Securities have been exchanged, disposed of or distributed pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities cease to be outstanding or (iii) when the Exchange Offer is consummated, except in the case of Securities that otherwise remain Registrable Securities that are held by a Holder that was ineligible to participate in the Exchange Offer or participated in the Exchange Offer and did not receive freely transferable Exchange Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, which firm shall be selected by the Underwriters or


the Majority Holders), (iii) the costs incident to the preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements, and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee, (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees (not to exceed $125,000) and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company, including the expenses of any “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding any or all fees and expenses of advisors or counsel to any Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders, any underwriting discounts and commissions, and any brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Shelf Additional Interest Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by a majority of the Holders whose Registrable Securities are to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments


and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

Target Registration Date” shall mean the date which is 366 days from the Closing Time.

Trigger Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

Trustee” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.

Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

2. Registration under the Securities Act.

(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to (x) file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all outstanding Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (y) cause such Registration Statement to remain effective until 180 days after the date the Exchange Offer Registration Statement became effective for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer no later than the Target Registration Date.

The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing or making available the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange, except to the extent not permitted by law, applicable interpretations of the Staff or as otherwise contemplated in this Agreement;


(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days (in accordance with the Exchange Act) from the date such notice is mailed or made available) (the “Exchange Dates”);

(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

(v) that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the institution as shall be set forth in the letter(s) of transmittal and in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company that (I) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (II) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the Securities Act, (III) it is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or, if it is such an “affiliate,” such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities and (IV) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market making or other trading activities, then such Holder will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable, in connection with any resale of the Exchange Securities. Each Holder participating in the Exchange Offer shall be deemed to acknowledge and agree that any broker-dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under SEC policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the SEC enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the SEC’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as


applicable, of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Registrable Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company shall:

(i) cause the Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer to be accepted for exchange;

(ii) cause all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(iii) issue Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities validly tendered by such Holder; and

(iv) cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder such Exchange Securities.

The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff and customary conditions relating to the delivery of Securities or other actions customarily taken by Holders participating in the Exchange Offer or the execution and delivery of customary documentation relating to the Exchange Offer.

(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) hereof is not available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) a Holder participating in the Exchange Offer does not receive Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange that may be sold without restriction under state and federal securities laws (other than due solely to the status of such Holder as an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act) and notifies (a “Holder Notice”) the Company within 30 days after such Holder first becomes aware of such restrictions, (iii) the Exchange Offer, for any other reason, is not completed by the Target Registration Date or (iv) the Company receives a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file, as soon as practicable after the date of such determination, Holder Notice or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement become effective.

In the event that the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (iii) or (iv) of the preceding sentence, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to file and cause to become effective both an Exchange Offer


Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers, if any, after completion of the Exchange Offer.

The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective for a period of one year from the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement or such shorter period that will terminate when all of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities registered on such Shelf Registration Statement copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

(c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement.

(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC. A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

In the event that either the Exchange Offer is not completed by the Target Registration Date or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required pursuant to Sections 2(b)(i) or 2(b)(iii) hereof, is not effective by the Target Registration Date, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period immediately following such date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until the Exchange Offer is completed or the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, becomes effective, up to a maximum total increase of 0.50% per annum. In the event that the Company receives a Holder Notice or Shelf Request pursuant to Sections 2(b)(ii) or 2(b)(iv) hereof, and the Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (x) the Target Registration Date or (y) 90 days after


delivery of such Holder Notice or Shelf Request (such later date, the “Shelf Additional Interest Date”), then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period payable commencing from one day after the Shelf Additional Interest Date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective, up to a maximum total increase of 0.50% per annum.

If the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, is effective and thereafter either ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 60 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period (the 60th such date, the “Trigger Date”), then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period immediately following the Trigger Date and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, up to a maximum increase of 0.50% per annum, and ending on such date that the Shelf Registration Statement is again effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable.

Any additional interest payable by the Company due to the increases in annual interest rate described in this Agreement will be paid in accordance with and pursuant to the terms of the Indenture. The additional interest referenced in this Section 2(d) shall be the sole remedy of any Holder (other than a Participating Broker-Dealer) with respect to any Exchange Offer Registration and Shelf Registration and related matters provided for in this Agreement.

3. Registration Procedures.

(a) In connection with its obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall as soon as reasonably practicable:

(i) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and cause each Prospectus to be kept current during the period described in Section 4(a)(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that


is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

(iii) to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed to the extent required by SEC rules;

(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its reasonable best efforts upon written request, to furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as such Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in writing in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

(v) in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement, use its reasonable best efforts to register and qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws, if and to the extent legally required in order to effect the Exchange Offer, and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement and if necessary to permit sales under the Shelf Registration Statement, cooperate with the selling Holders and their counsel to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under the applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and use its reasonable best efforts to do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided that the Company shall not be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to subject itself to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;

(vi) notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf


Registration Statement and counsel for such Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) and (6) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be required;

(vii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement on the proper form, as promptly as reasonably practicable and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

(viii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, upon written request, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested in writing), if such documents are not available via EDGAR;

(ix) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable


Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and, in the case of certificated securities, registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

(x) upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities and the Initial Purchasers, as applicable, to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Holders and Initial Purchasers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

(xi) within a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, in each case, excluding any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement, Prospectus, Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto after the initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement and their counsel) and make representatives of the Company, as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities included on such Shelf Registration Statement or their counsel), available for discussion of such document; and the Company shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities or their counsel) shall have previously reasonably objected


in writing within five Business Days after receipt thereof, unless the Company in good faith reasonably believes such Prospectus, amendment or supplement to a Prospectus is required by applicable law;

(xii) use reasonable best efforts to obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection, solely for due diligence purposes to the extent appropriate, by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, one firm of counsel and one firm of accountants designated by a majority of the Holders of Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Registration and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, such financial and other records, pertinent documents and access to properties of the Company and its subsidiaries as such persons may reasonably request, and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all such information and access reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information (including, without limitation, entering into a confidentiality agreement in customary form if requested by the Company which confidentiality obligations, for the avoidance of doubt, shall permit such disclosures as are necessary to comply with the Securities Act);

(xv) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, promptly include in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably concludes is required to be included therein and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing; and

(xvi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including


those reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, in an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when required by the applicable underwriting agreement or requested by the Holder, as applicable, (2) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) solely with respect to an Underwritten Offering, obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of such Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.

(b) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing; provided that if such Holder fails to provide the requested information within 15 Business Days, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from such Shelf Registration Statement until such time as the information is provided.

(c) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities covered in such Shelf Registration Statement agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in


Sections 3(a)(vi)(3) or 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company, such Holder will deliver to the Company (at its expense) all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

(d) If the Company shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period, any such suspensions shall not exceed 60 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period.

(e) The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each, an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Company (provided that the lead Underwriter shall also be reasonably acceptable to Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering). However, in the event of an Underwritten Offering, each Holder agrees that, neither such Holder nor any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to any Registration Statement on such Holder’s behalf, will make any offer relating to the Registrable Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act, unless it has obtained the prior written consent of the Company.

4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

(a) The Company has been advised that the Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.


The Company has been advised that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

(b) In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company agrees, if so requested by one or more Holders who is a Participating Broker-Dealer, to use its reasonable best efforts to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days after the date the Exchange Offer Registration Statement becomes effective (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof) and (ii) the date on which each Participating Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market making or other trading activities, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is available for resale of the Registrable Securities acquired by the Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company further consents to the delivery of (or, to the extent permitted by law, agree to make available) such Prospectus by Participating Broker-Dealers during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company or any Holder with respect to any request that a Holder may make pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

5. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or


liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such parties expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3 hereof, the Company agrees to also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above (or as may otherwise be set forth in the underwriting agreement for such Underwritten Offering) with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its affiliates, directors and officers, and the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b). If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a


reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser or its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by such Initial Purchasers, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Holders, as applicable, and the parties’


relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) The Company and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5 are several and not joint.

(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

6. General.

(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company under any other agreement and (ii) the Company has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement, will not enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the


Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 6 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

(c) Notices. Except as otherwise specified herein, all notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, email or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) if to such other Persons, at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if emailed; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

(e) Third-Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third-party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements


directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by e-mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, for example, www.docusign.com) shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery proof.

(g) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

(h) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

(i) Entire Agreement; Severability. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of such invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

(j) Delegation by the Company. All references to obligations of the Company to take or not take any actions shall be satisfied so long as the Company causes such actions to be taken or not taken, as applicable.

[Signatures on following pages]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]


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

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
By:   /s/ Robert Colucci
  Name: Robert Colucci
  Title: Managing Director

 

MIZUHO SECURITIES USA LLC
By:   /s/ Victor Forte
  Name: Victor Forte
  Title: Managing Director

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC
By:   /s/ Natalie Smithson
  Name: Natalie Smithson
  Title: Vice President

 

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
By:   /s/ Scott G. Primrose
  Name: Scott G. Primrose
  Title: Authorized Signatory
Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Initial Purchasers.

 

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]

Exhibit 4.5

Execution Version

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE

September 5, 2024

I, Steven R. Staub, the Vice President and Treasurer of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), pursuant to the authority granted in the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on August 1, 2024 and Sections 102, 201 and 301 of the Indenture defined herein, do hereby certify to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association) (the “Trustee”), as Trustee under the Indenture (For Unsecured Debt Securities) of the Company, dated as of May 19, 2014 (the “Indenture”), that I am an Authorized Executive Officer within the meaning of the Indenture, and further that:

 

  1.

Capitalized Terms. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Indenture. The following capitalized terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Agent Members” has the meaning specified in Section 4(c) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(b) “Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Note or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Global Note, Euroclear or Clearstream, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.

(c) “Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme, or any successor securities clearing agency.

(d) “Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary with respect to the Senior Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

(e) “Definitive Note” means a certificated Initial Note, Additional Note or Exchange Note issued pursuant to the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate (bearing the Restricted Notes Legend if the transfer of such Senior Note is restricted by applicable law) that does not include the Global Notes Legend.

(f) “Definitive Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(g) “Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, or any successor thereto.

(h) “Distribution Compliance Period” means (i) with respect to the Initial Notes, the period of 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (a) the day on which such Senior Note is first offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S, notice of which day shall be promptly given by the Company to the Trustee, and (b) the date of issuance with respect to such Senior Note or any predecessor of such


Initial Note and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes that are Transfer Restricted Notes, the comparable period of 40 consecutive days.

(i) “Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear System or any successor securities clearing agency.

(j) “Exchange Notes” means Securities issued pursuant to the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate in exchange for, and up to an aggregate principal amount equal to, the Initial Notes or Additional Notes in compliance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and containing terms identical to the Initial Notes or Additional Notes (except that such Exchange Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional annual interest rate for failure to comply with the Registration Rights Agreement will not apply to such Exchange Notes).

(k) “Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

(l) “Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(m) “Global Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(n) “Permanent Regulation S Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(o) “QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

(p) “Registration Rights Agreement” means (i) the registration rights agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC and RBC Capital Markets and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements entered into in connection with the issuance of such Additional Notes in a private offering by the Company after the date hereof, as such agreements may be amended from time to time.

(q) “Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

(r) “Regulation S Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 4(a) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(s) “Restricted Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(t) “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

(u) “Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

(v) “Rule 144A Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

 

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(w) “Rule 144A Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 4(a) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(x) “Temporary Regulation S Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(y) “Temporary Regulation S Note Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(z) “Transfer Restricted Notes” means Definitive Notes and any Senior Notes in global form that bear or are required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(aa) “Unrestricted Global Note” means any Senior Note in global form that does not bear or is not required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(bb) “U.S. person” means a “U.S. person” as defined in Regulation S.

 

  2.

Establishment; Designation of Titles and Principal Amounts. The Company hereby establishes and designates its “4.550% Senior Notes due 2030” (the “Senior Notes”). The initial form of Senior Note is attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Form of Note”). The Senior Notes issued on the date hereof pursuant to the terms of the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $400,000,000 (such aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes issued on the date hereof, the “Initial Notes”), which amount shall be set forth in the written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of the Senior Notes pursuant to Section 303 of the Indenture.

 

  3.

Additional Notes. Without the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, the Company may, from time to time, create and issue in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, additional notes (the “Additional Notes”) of a series hereunder having terms and conditions substantially identical to those as the Senior Notes of such series (except for the issue date, public offering price and amount and date of the first payment of interest thereon); provided that if such Additional Notes are not fungible with such Senior Notes issued on the date hereof for United States federal income tax purposes, the Additional Notes will be issued under a separate CUSIP number. Any Additional Notes of a series, together with the Senior Notes of such series issued on the date hereof, shall be consolidated and constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture. For the avoidance of doubt, references herein to the term “Senior Notes” of a series shall include references to the Additional Notes of such series, if any.

 

  4.

Form and Dating.

(a) The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof shall be (i) offered and sold by the Company to the initial purchasers thereof and (ii) resold, initially only to (1) QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Notes”) and (2) Persons other than U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S (“Regulation S Notes”). Additional Notes may also be considered to be Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as applicable.

 

3


(b) Global Notes. Rule 144A Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more global Senior Notes, numbered A-1 upward (collectively, the “Rule 144A Global Note”) and Regulation S Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more temporary global Senior Notes, numbered TS-1 upward (collectively, the “Temporary Regulation S Global Note”), in each case in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupons and bearing the legends set forth in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Senior Notes represented thereby with the Custodian, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the Indenture. Beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note (x) will not be exchangeable for interests in the Rule 144A Global Note, a permanent global note (the “Permanent Regulation S Global Note” and, together with the Temporary Regulation S Global Notes, the “Regulation S Global Note”), or any other Senior Note prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period and (y) may be exchanged for interests in a Rule 144A Global Note or the Permanent Regulation S Global Note after the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period in accordance with instructions from the Company. The Rule 144A Global Note, the Regulation S Global Note and any Unrestricted Global Note are each referred to herein as a “Global Note” and are collectively referred to herein as “Global Notes.” Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Senior Notes as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Senior Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Senior Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate.

(c) Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 4(c) shall apply only to a Global Note deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary.

The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 4(c) and Section 303 of the Indenture and pursuant to a Company Order signed by one authorized officer of the Company, authenticate and deliver initially one or more Global Notes that (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or Global Notes or the nominee of such Depositary and (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions or held by the Trustee as Custodian.

Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under the Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Trustee as Custodian or under such Global Note, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

 

4


(d) Definitive Notes. Except as provided in Section 5 or Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Notes.

 

  5.

Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. When Definitive Notes are presented to the Security Registrar with a written request:

(i) to register the transfer of such Definitive Notes, or

(ii) to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations,

the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Definitive Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange:

(1) shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing; and

(2) in the case of Transfer Restricted Notes, shall be transferred or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Officer’s Certificate or otherwise in accordance with the Restricted Notes Legend, and shall be accompanied by a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto.

(b) Restrictions on Transfer of a Definitive Note for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Note. A Definitive Note may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note or a Permanent Regulation S Global Note except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by the Trustee of a Definitive Note, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, together with:

(i) a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto, and

(ii) written instructions directing the Trustee to make, or to direct the Custodian to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to such Global Note to reflect an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes represented by the Global Note, such instructions to contain information regarding the Depositary account to be credited with such increase,

 

5


the Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Note and cause, or direct the Custodian to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between the Depositary and the Custodian, the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes represented by the Global Note to be increased by the aggregate principal amount of the Definitive Note to be exchanged and shall credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Global Note equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Note so canceled. If the applicable Global Note is not then outstanding, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, a new applicable Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

(c) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.

(i) The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the Indenture (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 5(d) of this Officer’s Certificate, if any) and the procedures of the Depositary therefor. A transferor of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall deliver to the Security Registrar a written order given in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures containing information regarding the participant account of the Depositary to be credited with a beneficial interest in such Global Note, or another Global Note, and such account shall be credited in accordance with such order with a beneficial interest in the applicable Global Note and the account of the Person making the transfer shall be debited by an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Global Note being transferred.

(ii) If the proposed transfer is a transfer of a beneficial interest in one Global Note to a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note to which such interest is being transferred in an amount equal to the principal amount of the interest to be so transferred, and the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and a corresponding decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note from which such interest is being transferred.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Officer’s Certificate (other than the provisions set forth in Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate), a Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole and not in part if the transfer is by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

(iv) A beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period and the receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers.

 

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(d) Restrictions on Transfer of Global Notes; Voluntary Exchange of Interests in Transfer Restricted Notes That Are Global Notes for Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.

(i) Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through another Transfer Restricted Note that is a Global Note shall be made in accordance with the Applicable Procedures and the Restricted Notes Legend and only upon receipt by the Trustee of a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto.

(ii) During the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may only be sold, pledged or transferred through Euroclear or Clearstream in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Restricted Notes Legend and the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend on such Temporary Regulation S Global Note and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States of America. Prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be made only in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Restricted Notes Legend and the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers. Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be transferable in accordance with applicable law and the other terms of the Indenture.

(iii) Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in a Rule 144A Global Note or a Permanent Regulation S Global Note upon certification in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers.

(iv) Beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Rule 144A Global Note or Permanent Regulation S Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act and/or upon delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(v) If no Unrestricted Global Note is outstanding at the time of a transfer contemplated by the preceding clauses (iii) and (iv), the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, a new Unrestricted Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

 

7


(e) Legends.

(i) Except as permitted by Section 5(d), this Section 5(e) and Section 5(i) of this Officer’s Certificate, each Senior Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Senior Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only) (“Restricted Notes Legend”):

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF U.S. PERSONS (I) AS PART OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION AT ANY TIME OR (II) OTHERWISE UNTIL 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES AND THE DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUANCE OF THE SECURITIES, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S OR RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. TERMS USED ABOVE HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN HAS BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. EACH HOLDER HEREOF, AND EACH OWNER OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN BY PURCHASING THIS SECURITY, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC (THE “COMPANY”) THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED OTHER THAN (A)(1) TO THE COMPANY, (2) IN A TRANSACTION ENTITLED TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY), (3) SO LONG AS THIS SECURITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE RESALE, PLEDGE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AS INDICATED BY THE BOX CHECKED BY THE TRANSFEROR ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER ON THE REVERSE OF THIS SECURITY), (4) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AS INDICATED BY THE BOX CHECKED BY THE TRANSFEROR ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER ON THE REVERSE OF THIS SECURITY), (5) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY), OR (6) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER

 

8


THE SECURITIES ACT AND (B) IN EACH CASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS SECURITY, REPRESENTS AND AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT IT IS (1) A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (2) A NON U.S. PERSON OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF, OR AN ACCOUNT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF, PARAGRAPH (k)(2) OF RULE 902 UNDER REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

Each Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Temporary Regulation S Note Legend”):

THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD TO A U.S. PERSON OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF A U.S. PERSON WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 902(K) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (OTHER THAN A DISTRIBUTOR, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED UNDER RULE 902(D) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT).

Each Definitive Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Definitive Notes Legend”):

IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRUSTEE SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRUSTEE MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

Each Global Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Global Notes Legend”):

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

 

9


(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Security Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and the Definitive Notes Legend and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 and provides such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(iii) After a transfer of any Initial Notes or Additional Notes during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) with respect to such Initial Notes or Additional Notes, as the case may be, all requirements pertaining to the Restricted Notes Legend on such Initial Notes or Additional Notes shall cease to apply and the requirements that any such Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

(iv) Upon the consummation of an Exchange Offer with respect to the Initial Notes or Additional Notes pursuant to which Holders of such Initial Notes or Additional Notes are offered Exchange Notes in exchange for their Initial Notes or Additional Notes, all requirements pertaining to Initial Notes or Additional Notes that Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply, and Exchange Notes in global form without the Restricted Notes Legend shall be available to Holders that exchange such Initial Notes or Additional Notes in such Exchange Offer.

(v) Any Additional Notes sold in a registered offering shall not be required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(f) Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note. At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be returned by the Depositary to the Trustee for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Senior Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Custodian, to reflect such reduction.

(g) Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Senior Notes.

(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate, Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Security Registrar’s request.

(ii) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax, assessments, or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other

 

10


than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 406 and 1206 of the Indenture).

(iii) Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Senior Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Senior Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Senior Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Senior Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Senior Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(iv) All Senior Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of the Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as the Senior Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

(v) In order to effect any transfer or exchange of an interest in any Transfer Restricted Note for an interest in a Senior Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and has not been registered under the Securities Act, if the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel, in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that no registration under the Securities Act is required in respect of such exchange or transfer or the re-sale of such interest by the beneficial holder thereof, shall be required to be delivered to the Security Registrar and the Trustee.

(h) No Obligation of the Trustee.

(i) The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depositary or any other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depositary or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Senior Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than the Depositary) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Senior Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Senior Notes shall be given or made only to the registered Holders (which shall be the Depositary or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through the Depositary subject to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in conclusively relying upon information furnished by the Depositary with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

(ii) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Senior Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such

 

11


certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of the Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

(iii) None of the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Authenticating Agent or the Company shall have any responsibility or liability for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

(i) Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 303 of the Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Global Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amounts of the beneficial interests in the Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certifications as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certification as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer. Concurrently with the issuance of such Senior Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Notes with the Restricted Notes Legend to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Persons designated by the Holders of the Definitive Notes so accepted Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in the applicable principal amount. Any Senior Notes that remain outstanding after the consummation of the Exchange Offer, and Exchange Notes issued in connection with the Exchange Offer, shall be treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture.

(j) Automatic Exchange from Transfer Restricted Note to Unrestricted Global Note. Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, cause beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note to be automatically exchanged into beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note without any action required by or on behalf of the Holder (the “Automatic Exchange”) at any time on or after the date that is the 366th calendar day after the date on which the Senior Notes are issued, or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (the “Automatic Exchange Date”). Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, (i) provide written notice to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and the Trustee at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, instructing DTC to exchange all of the outstanding beneficial interests in a particular Transfer Restricted Note to the Unrestricted Global Note, which the Company shall have previously otherwise made eligible for exchange with the DTC, (ii) provide prior written notice (the “Automatic Exchange Notice”) to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date (the “Automatic Exchange Notice Date”), which notice must include (w) the Automatic Exchange Date, (x) the section of this Senior Note pursuant to which the Automatic Exchange shall occur, (y) the “CUSIP” number of the Transfer Restricted Note from which such Holder’s beneficial interests will be transferred and (z) the “CUSIP” number of the Unrestricted Global Note into

 

12


which such Holder’s beneficial interests will be transferred, and (iii) on or prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, deliver to the Trustee for authentication one or more Unrestricted Global Notes, duly executed by the Company and an Company Order requesting the Trustee to authenticate, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Transfer Restricted Notes to be exchanged into such Unrestricted Global Notes. At the Company’s written request on no less than five (5) calendar days’ notice prior to the Automatic Exchange Notice Date, the Trustee shall deliver, in the Company’s name and at its expense, the Automatic Exchange Notice, which shall be prepared by the Company, to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5(j), during the fifteen (15) calendar day period prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, no transfers or exchanges other than pursuant to this Section 5(j) shall be permitted without the prior written consent of the Company. As a condition to any Automatic Exchange, the Company shall provide, and the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon, an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to the Company to the effect that the Automatic Exchange shall be effected in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and that the aggregate principal amount of the particular Transfer Restricted Note is to be transferred to the particular Unrestricted Global Note by adjustment made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary to reflect the Automatic Exchange. Upon such exchange of beneficial interests pursuant to this Section 5(j), the aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes shall be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary, to reflect the relevant increase or decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note resulting from the applicable exchange. The Restricted Global Note from which beneficial interests are transferred pursuant to an Automatic Exchange shall be cancelled following the Automatic Exchange and disposed of in accordance with the Trustee’s procedures for the disposition of cancelled securities.

 

  6.

Definitive Note.

(a) A Global Note deposited with the Depositary or with the Trustee as Custodian pursuant to Section 4 of this Officer’s Certificate or issued in connection with an Exchange Offer may be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Note, in exchange for such Global Note, only if such transfer complies with Section 5 of this Officer’s Certificate and (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for such Global Note or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act and, in each case, a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or after the Company becomes aware of such cessation, (ii) the Company, at its option, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to exchange in whole, but not in part, the Global Note for Definitive Notes or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Depositary so requests (or a beneficial owner thereof requests such exchange in writing delivered through the Depositary). In addition, any Affiliate of the Company that is a beneficial owner of all or part of a Global Note may have such Affiliate’s beneficial interest transferred to such Affiliate in the form of a Definitive Note by providing a written request to the Company and the Trustee and such Opinions of Counsel, certificates or other information as may be required by the Indenture or the Company or Trustee.

(b) Any Global Note that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof pursuant to this Section 6 shall be surrendered by the Depositary to the Trustee, to be so transferred, in whole

 

13


or from time to time in part, without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Any portion of a Global Note transferred pursuant to this Section 6(a) shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct. Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note that is a Transfer Restricted Note shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate, bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(c) The registered Holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Senior Notes.

(d) In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes in fully registered form without interest coupons.

 

  7.

In addition to modifications that can be made without consent of Holders set forth in Section 1201 of the Indenture, the Company may also, solely with respect to the Senior Notes, make such provisions as may be necessary to issue any Exchange Notes issued in exchange for the Senior Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or similar agreement.

 

  8.

Solely with respect to the Senior Notes, in addition to the conditions set forth in Section 1101 and Section 1102 of the Indenture, a successor Person formed by consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which a conveyance, transfer or lease is made in accordance with Section 1101 shall assume the obligations of the Company under the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

  9.

The Senior Notes shall mature and the principal thereof shall be due and payable together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon on January 15, 2030.

 

  10.

The Senior Notes shall bear interest as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  11.

Each installment of interest on the Senior Notes shall be payable as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  12.

The principal of and interest, if any, on the Senior Notes shall be payable at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust, located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, E., St. Paul, MN 55107, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time; provided, however, that payment of interest, if any (other than interest at the Stated Maturity), shall be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the persons entitled thereto as such address appears in the Security Register, or by wire transfer to an account designated by the person entitled thereto; and provided, further, that so long as the Senior Notes are registered in the name of DTC, or its nominee as discussed below, all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Senior Notes will be made in immediately available funds. Notices and demands to

 

14


 

or upon the Company in respect of the Senior Notes and the Indenture may be served at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Trust Company National Association, located at 6000 Lombardo Center, 1st Floor, Cleveland, Ohio 44131, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time. Initially, the Trustee will act as Security Registrar and the Paying Agent for the Senior Notes and the office of the Trustee will be the agency of the Company for such payment, registration and registration of transfers and exchanges and service of notices and demands. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent for all such purposes; provided, however, that the Company reserves the right to change, by one or more Officer’s Certificates any such office or agency and such agent.

 

  13.

The Senior Notes shall be redeemable as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  14.

The Senior Notes shall have such other terms and provisions as are provided in the Form of Note and shall be issued in substantially such form.

 

  15.

The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture has been authorized and approved by all necessary limited liability company action on the part of the Company. Attached hereto as (i) Exhibit B-1 is a true, correct and complete copy of the certified resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted at a meeting on August 1, 2024 in accordance with the Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, dated March 25, 2024 (the “LLC Agreement”), authorizing such limited liability company action and (ii) Exhibit B-2 is a true, correct and complete copy of the written consent of North American Transmission Company II L.P., as “Investor Member” under the LLC Agreement, each which resolutions or written consent, as applicable, have not been amended, modified, revoked or rescinded and is in full force and effect on the date hereof.

 

  16.

The Company is not, and upon the authentication and delivery by the Trustee of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes, will not be in default under any of the terms or covenants contained in the Indenture.

 

  17.

All conditions that must be met by the Company to issue the Senior Notes under the Indenture have been met.

 

  18.

(a) I have read all of the covenants and conditions contained in the Indenture relating to the issuance of the Senior Notes and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto and in respect of compliance with which this certificate is made.

(b) The statements contained in this certificate are based upon my familiarity with the Indenture and the documents accompanying this certificate, and upon my discussions with officers and employees of the Company familiar with the matters set forth herein.

(c) In my opinion, I have made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable me to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenants and conditions have been complied with.

 

15


(d) In my opinion, such conditions and covenants and conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture (including any covenants compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent) relating to the actions requested in the Company Order dated September 5, 2024 have been complied with.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

16


IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have executed this Officer’s Certificate as of the date first written above.

 

/s/ Steven R. Staub

Steven R. Staub

Vice President and Treasurer

Signature Page to Officer’s Certificate under the

Indenture of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC


Exhibit A

[FORM OF NOTE]

[Intentionally omitted]


Exhibit B-1

Extract from the Meeting of the Board of Directors of

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC dated August 1, 2024

 

 

[Intentionally omitted]


Exhibit B-2

Consent

[Intentionally omitted]

Exhibit 4.6

Execution Version

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE

September 5, 2024

I, Steven R. Staub, the Vice President and Treasurer of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), pursuant to the authority granted in the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on August 1, 2024 and Sections 102, 201 and 301 of the Indenture defined herein, do hereby certify to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association) (the “Trustee”), as Trustee under the Indenture (For Unsecured Debt Securities) of the Company, dated as of May 19, 2014 (the “Indenture”), that I am an Authorized Executive Officer within the meaning of the Indenture, and further that:

 

  1.

Capitalized Terms. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Indenture. The following capitalized terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Agent Members” has the meaning specified in Section 4(c) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(b) “Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Note or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Global Note, Euroclear or Clearstream, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.

(c) “Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme, or any successor securities clearing agency.

(d) “Custodian” means the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary with respect to the Senior Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

(e) “Definitive Note” means a certificated Initial Note, Additional Note or Exchange Note issued pursuant to the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate (bearing the Restricted Notes Legend if the transfer of such Senior Note is restricted by applicable law) that does not include the Global Notes Legend.

(f) “Definitive Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(g) “Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, or any successor thereto.

(h) “Distribution Compliance Period” means (i) with respect to the Initial Notes, the period of 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (a) the day on which such Senior Note is first offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S, notice of which day shall be promptly given by the Company to the Trustee, and (b) the date of issuance with respect to such Senior Note or any predecessor of such


Initial Note and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes that are Transfer Restricted Notes, the comparable period of 40 consecutive days.

(i) “Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of Euroclear System or any successor securities clearing agency.

(j) “Exchange Notes” means Securities issued pursuant to the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate in exchange for, and up to an aggregate principal amount equal to, the Initial Notes or Additional Notes in compliance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and containing terms identical to the Initial Notes or Additional Notes (except that such Exchange Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and the transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional annual interest rate for failure to comply with the Registration Rights Agreement will not apply to such Exchange Notes).

(k) “Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

(l) “Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(m) “Global Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(n) “Permanent Regulation S Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(o) “QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

(p) “Registration Rights Agreement” means (i) the registration rights agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC and RBC Capital Markets and (ii) with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements entered into in connection with the issuance of such Additional Notes in a private offering by the Company after the date hereof, as such agreements may be amended from time to time.

(q) “Regulation S” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

(r) “Regulation S Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 4(a) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(s) “Restricted Notes Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(t) “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

(u) “Rule 144A” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

(v) “Rule 144A Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

 

2


(w) “Rule 144A Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 4(a) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(x) “Temporary Regulation S Global Note” has the meaning specified in Section 4(b) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(y) “Temporary Regulation S Note Legend” has the meaning specified in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate.

(z) “Transfer Restricted Notes” means Definitive Notes and any Senior Notes in global form that bear or are required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(aa) “Unrestricted Global Note” means any Senior Note in global form that does not bear or is not required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(bb) “U.S. person” means a “U.S. person” as defined in Regulation S.

 

  2.

Establishment; Designation of Titles and Principal Amounts. The Company hereby establishes and designates its “5.000% Senior Notes due 2035” (the “Senior Notes”). The initial form of Senior Note is attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Form of Note”). The Senior Notes issued on the date hereof pursuant to the terms of the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $400,000,000 (such aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes issued on the date hereof, the “Initial Notes”), which amount shall be set forth in the written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of the Senior Notes pursuant to Section 303 of the Indenture.

 

  3.

Additional Notes. Without the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, the Company may, from time to time, create and issue in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, additional notes (the “Additional Notes”) of a series hereunder having terms and conditions substantially identical to those as the Senior Notes of such series (except for the issue date, public offering price and amount and date of the first payment of interest thereon); provided that if such Additional Notes are not fungible with such Senior Notes issued on the date hereof for United States federal income tax purposes, the Additional Notes will be issued under a separate CUSIP number. Any Additional Notes of a series, together with the Senior Notes of such series issued on the date hereof, shall be consolidated and constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture. For the avoidance of doubt, references herein to the term “Senior Notes” of a series shall include references to the Additional Notes of such series, if any.

 

  4.

Form and Dating.

(a) The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof shall be (i) offered and sold by the Company to the initial purchasers thereof and (ii) resold, initially only to (1) QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A (“Rule 144A Notes”) and (2) Persons other than U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S (“Regulation S Notes”). Additional Notes may also be considered to be Rule 144A Notes or Regulation S Notes, as applicable.

 

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(b) Global Notes. Rule 144A Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more global Senior Notes, numbered A-1 upward (collectively, the “Rule 144A Global Note”) and Regulation S Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more temporary global Senior Notes, numbered TS-1 upward (collectively, the “Temporary Regulation S Global Note”), in each case in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupons and bearing the legends set forth in Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Senior Notes represented thereby with the Custodian, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the Indenture. Beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note (x) will not be exchangeable for interests in the Rule 144A Global Note, a permanent global note (the “Permanent Regulation S Global Note” and, together with the Temporary Regulation S Global Notes, the “Regulation S Global Note”), or any other Senior Note prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period and (y) may be exchanged for interests in a Rule 144A Global Note or the Permanent Regulation S Global Note after the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period in accordance with instructions from the Company. The Rule 144A Global Note, the Regulation S Global Note and any Unrestricted Global Note are each referred to herein as a “Global Note” and are collectively referred to herein as “Global Notes.” Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Senior Notes as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Senior Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as applicable, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Senior Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by the Indenture and this Officer’s Certificate.

(c) Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 4(c) shall apply only to a Global Note deposited with or on behalf of the Depositary.

The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 4(c) and Section 303 of the Indenture and pursuant to a Company Order signed by one authorized officer of the Company, authenticate and deliver initially one or more Global Notes that (i) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Note or Global Notes or the nominee of such Depositary and (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions or held by the Trustee as Custodian.

Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under the Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Trustee as Custodian or under such Global Note, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

 

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(d) Definitive Notes. Except as provided in Section 5 or Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Notes.

 

  5.

Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. When Definitive Notes are presented to the Security Registrar with a written request:

(i) to register the transfer of such Definitive Notes, or

(ii) to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations,

the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Definitive Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange:

(1) shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing; and

(2) in the case of Transfer Restricted Notes, shall be transferred or exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to Section 5(b) of this Officer’s Certificate or otherwise in accordance with the Restricted Notes Legend, and shall be accompanied by a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto.

(b) Restrictions on Transfer of a Definitive Note for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Note. A Definitive Note may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note or a Permanent Regulation S Global Note except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by the Trustee of a Definitive Note, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, together with:

(i) a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto, and

(ii) written instructions directing the Trustee to make, or to direct the Custodian to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to such Global Note to reflect an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes represented by the Global Note, such instructions to contain information regarding the Depositary account to be credited with such increase,

 

5


the Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Note and cause, or direct the Custodian to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between the Depositary and the Custodian, the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes represented by the Global Note to be increased by the aggregate principal amount of the Definitive Note to be exchanged and shall credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Global Note equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Note so canceled. If the applicable Global Note is not then outstanding, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, a new applicable Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

(c) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.

(i) The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the Indenture (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 5(d) of this Officer’s Certificate, if any) and the procedures of the Depositary therefor. A transferor of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall deliver to the Security Registrar a written order given in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures containing information regarding the participant account of the Depositary to be credited with a beneficial interest in such Global Note, or another Global Note, and such account shall be credited in accordance with such order with a beneficial interest in the applicable Global Note and the account of the Person making the transfer shall be debited by an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Global Note being transferred.

(ii) If the proposed transfer is a transfer of a beneficial interest in one Global Note to a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note to which such interest is being transferred in an amount equal to the principal amount of the interest to be so transferred, and the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and a corresponding decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note from which such interest is being transferred.

(iii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Officer’s Certificate (other than the provisions set forth in Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate), a Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole and not in part if the transfer is by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

(iv) A beneficial interest in the Regulation S Temporary Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period and the receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers.

 

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(d) Restrictions on Transfer of Global Notes; Voluntary Exchange of Interests in Transfer Restricted Notes That Are Global Notes for Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes.

(i) Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through another Transfer Restricted Note that is a Global Note shall be made in accordance with the Applicable Procedures and the Restricted Notes Legend and only upon receipt by the Trustee of a certification from the transferor in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers and, as applicable, delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as may be requested pursuant thereto.

(ii) During the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may only be sold, pledged or transferred through Euroclear or Clearstream in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Restricted Notes Legend and the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend on such Temporary Regulation S Global Note and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States of America. Prior to the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be made only in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, the Restricted Notes Legend and the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers. Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial ownership interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall be transferable in accordance with applicable law and the other terms of the Indenture.

(iii) Upon the expiration of the Distribution Compliance Period, beneficial interests in the Temporary Regulation S Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in a Rule 144A Global Note or a Permanent Regulation S Global Note upon certification in the form provided on the reverse side of the Form of Note in Exhibit A hereto for exchange or registration of transfers.

(iv) Beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Rule 144A Global Note or Permanent Regulation S Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act and/or upon delivery of such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(v) If no Unrestricted Global Note is outstanding at the time of a transfer contemplated by the preceding clauses (iii) and (iv), the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of the Company in the form of an Officer’s Certificate, a new Unrestricted Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

 

7


(e) Legends.

(i) Except as permitted by Section 5(d), this Section 5(e) and Section 5(i) of this Officer’s Certificate, each Senior Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Senior Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only) (“Restricted Notes Legend”):

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF U.S. PERSONS (I) AS PART OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION AT ANY TIME OR (II) OTHERWISE UNTIL 40 DAYS AFTER THE LATER OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE OFFERING OF THE SECURITIES AND THE DATE OF ORIGINAL ISSUANCE OF THE SECURITIES, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S OR RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. TERMS USED ABOVE HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN HAS BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. EACH HOLDER HEREOF, AND EACH OWNER OF A BENEFICIAL INTEREST HEREIN BY PURCHASING THIS SECURITY, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC (THE “COMPANY”) THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE REOFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED OTHER THAN (A)(1) TO THE COMPANY, (2) IN A TRANSACTION ENTITLED TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY), (3) SO LONG AS THIS SECURITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON WHOM THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE RESALE, PLEDGE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AS INDICATED BY THE BOX CHECKED BY THE TRANSFEROR ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER ON THE REVERSE OF THIS SECURITY), (4) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (AS INDICATED BY THE BOX CHECKED BY THE TRANSFEROR ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER ON THE REVERSE OF THIS SECURITY), (5) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY), OR (6) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER

 

8


THE SECURITIES ACT AND (B) IN EACH CASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS SECURITY, REPRESENTS AND AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT IT IS (1) A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR (2) A NON U.S. PERSON OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF, OR AN ACCOUNT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF, PARAGRAPH (k)(2) OF RULE 902 UNDER REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.

Each Temporary Regulation S Global Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Temporary Regulation S Note Legend”):

THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD TO A U.S. PERSON OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF A U.S. PERSON WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 902(K) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (OTHER THAN A DISTRIBUTOR, AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED UNDER RULE 902(D) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT).

Each Definitive Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Definitive Notes Legend”):

IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRUSTEE SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH SECURITY REGISTRAR AND TRUSTEE MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

Each Global Note shall bear the following additional legend (“Global Notes Legend”):

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

 

9


(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Security Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and the Definitive Notes Legend and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange is in respect of a transfer made in reliance on Rule 144 and provides such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee may reasonably request.

(iii) After a transfer of any Initial Notes or Additional Notes during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) with respect to such Initial Notes or Additional Notes, as the case may be, all requirements pertaining to the Restricted Notes Legend on such Initial Notes or Additional Notes shall cease to apply and the requirements that any such Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

(iv) Upon the consummation of an Exchange Offer with respect to the Initial Notes or Additional Notes pursuant to which Holders of such Initial Notes or Additional Notes are offered Exchange Notes in exchange for their Initial Notes or Additional Notes, all requirements pertaining to Initial Notes or Additional Notes that Initial Notes or Additional Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply, and Exchange Notes in global form without the Restricted Notes Legend shall be available to Holders that exchange such Initial Notes or Additional Notes in such Exchange Offer.

(v) Any Additional Notes sold in a registered offering shall not be required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(f) Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note. At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be returned by the Depositary to the Trustee for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Senior Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Custodian, to reflect such reduction.

(g) Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Senior Notes.

(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate, Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Security Registrar’s request.

(ii) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax, assessments, or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other

 

10


than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 406 and 1206 of the Indenture).

(iii) Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Senior Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Senior Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Senior Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Senior Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Senior Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(iv) All Senior Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of the Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as the Senior Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

(v) In order to effect any transfer or exchange of an interest in any Transfer Restricted Note for an interest in a Senior Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend and has not been registered under the Securities Act, if the Security Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel, in form reasonably acceptable to the Security Registrar to the effect that no registration under the Securities Act is required in respect of such exchange or transfer or the re-sale of such interest by the beneficial holder thereof, shall be required to be delivered to the Security Registrar and the Trustee.

(h) No Obligation of the Trustee.

(i) The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depositary or any other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depositary or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Senior Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than the Depositary) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Senior Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Senior Notes shall be given or made only to the registered Holders (which shall be the Depositary or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through the Depositary subject to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in conclusively relying upon information furnished by the Depositary with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

(ii) The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Senior Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such

 

11


certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of the Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

(iii) None of the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Authenticating Agent or the Company shall have any responsibility or liability for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

(i) Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order in accordance with Section 303 of the Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Global Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amounts of the beneficial interests in the Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certifications as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that provide in the applicable letters of transmittal such certification as are required by the Registration Rights Agreement and applicable law, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer. Concurrently with the issuance of such Senior Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Notes with the Restricted Notes Legend to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Persons designated by the Holders of the Definitive Notes so accepted Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in the applicable principal amount. Any Senior Notes that remain outstanding after the consummation of the Exchange Offer, and Exchange Notes issued in connection with the Exchange Offer, shall be treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture.

(j) Automatic Exchange from Transfer Restricted Note to Unrestricted Global Note. Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, cause beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note to be automatically exchanged into beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note without any action required by or on behalf of the Holder (the “Automatic Exchange”) at any time on or after the date that is the 366th calendar day after the date on which the Senior Notes are issued, or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (the “Automatic Exchange Date”). Upon the Company’s satisfaction that the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act, the Company may, at its option, (i) provide written notice to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and the Trustee at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, instructing DTC to exchange all of the outstanding beneficial interests in a particular Transfer Restricted Note to the Unrestricted Global Note, which the Company shall have previously otherwise made eligible for exchange with the DTC, (ii) provide prior written notice (the “Automatic Exchange Notice”) to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the Automatic Exchange Date (the “Automatic Exchange Notice Date”), which notice must include (w) the Automatic Exchange Date, (x) the section of this Senior Note pursuant to which the Automatic Exchange shall occur, (y) the “CUSIP” number of the Transfer Restricted Note from which such Holder’s beneficial interests will be transferred and (z) the “CUSIP” number of the Unrestricted Global Note into

 

12


which such Holder’s beneficial interests will be transferred, and (iii) on or prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, deliver to the Trustee for authentication one or more Unrestricted Global Notes, duly executed by the Company and an Company Order requesting the Trustee to authenticate, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Transfer Restricted Notes to be exchanged into such Unrestricted Global Notes. At the Company’s written request on no less than five (5) calendar days’ notice prior to the Automatic Exchange Notice Date, the Trustee shall deliver, in the Company’s name and at its expense, the Automatic Exchange Notice, which shall be prepared by the Company, to each Holder at such Holder’s address appearing in the register of Holders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 5(j), during the fifteen (15) calendar day period prior to the Automatic Exchange Date, no transfers or exchanges other than pursuant to this Section 5(j) shall be permitted without the prior written consent of the Company. As a condition to any Automatic Exchange, the Company shall provide, and the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon, an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to the Company to the effect that the Automatic Exchange shall be effected in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend shall no longer be required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and that the aggregate principal amount of the particular Transfer Restricted Note is to be transferred to the particular Unrestricted Global Note by adjustment made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary to reflect the Automatic Exchange. Upon such exchange of beneficial interests pursuant to this Section 5(j), the aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes shall be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary, to reflect the relevant increase or decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note resulting from the applicable exchange. The Restricted Global Note from which beneficial interests are transferred pursuant to an Automatic Exchange shall be cancelled following the Automatic Exchange and disposed of in accordance with the Trustee’s procedures for the disposition of cancelled securities.

 

  6.

Definitive Note.

(a) A Global Note deposited with the Depositary or with the Trustee as Custodian pursuant to Section 4 of this Officer’s Certificate or issued in connection with an Exchange Offer may be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Note, in exchange for such Global Note, only if such transfer complies with Section 5 of this Officer’s Certificate and (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for such Global Note or if at any time the Depositary ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act and, in each case, a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or after the Company becomes aware of such cessation, (ii) the Company, at its option, notifies the Trustee in writing that it elects to exchange in whole, but not in part, the Global Note for Definitive Notes or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Depositary so requests (or a beneficial owner thereof requests such exchange in writing delivered through the Depositary). In addition, any Affiliate of the Company that is a beneficial owner of all or part of a Global Note may have such Affiliate’s beneficial interest transferred to such Affiliate in the form of a Definitive Note by providing a written request to the Company and the Trustee and such Opinions of Counsel, certificates or other information as may be required by the Indenture or the Company or Trustee.

(b) Any Global Note that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof pursuant to this Section 6 shall be surrendered by the Depositary to the Trustee, to be so transferred, in whole

 

13


or from time to time in part, without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Any portion of a Global Note transferred pursuant to this Section 6(a) shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct. Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note that is a Transfer Restricted Note shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 5(e) of this Officer’s Certificate, bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(c) The registered Holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Senior Notes.

(d) In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 of this Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes in fully registered form without interest coupons.

 

  7.

In addition to modifications that can be made without consent of Holders set forth in Section 1201 of the Indenture, the Company may also, solely with respect to the Senior Notes, make such provisions as may be necessary to issue any Exchange Notes issued in exchange for the Senior Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or similar agreement.

 

  8.

Solely with respect to the Senior Notes, in addition to the conditions set forth in Section 1101 and Section 1102 of the Indenture, a successor Person formed by consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which a conveyance, transfer or lease is made in accordance with Section 1101 shall assume the obligations of the Company under the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

  9.

The Senior Notes shall mature and the principal thereof shall be due and payable together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon on January 15, 2035.

 

  10.

The Senior Notes shall bear interest as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  11.

Each installment of interest on the Senior Notes shall be payable as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  12.

The principal of and interest, if any, on the Senior Notes shall be payable at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Global Corporate Trust, located at 111 Fillmore Avenue, E., St. Paul, MN 55107, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time; provided, however, that payment of interest, if any (other than interest at the Stated Maturity), shall be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the persons entitled thereto as such address appears in the Security Register, or by wire transfer to an account designated by the person entitled thereto; and provided, further, that so long as the Senior Notes are registered in the name of DTC, or its nominee as discussed below, all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Senior Notes will be made in immediately available funds. Notices and demands to

 

14


 

or upon the Company in respect of the Senior Notes and the Indenture may be served at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Trust Company National Association, located at 6000 Lombardo Center, 1st Floor, Cleveland, Ohio 44131, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time. Initially, the Trustee will act as Security Registrar and the Paying Agent for the Senior Notes and the office of the Trustee will be the agency of the Company for such payment, registration and registration of transfers and exchanges and service of notices and demands. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent for all such purposes; provided, however, that the Company reserves the right to change, by one or more Officer’s Certificates any such office or agency and such agent.

 

  13.

The Senior Notes shall be redeemable as provided in the Form of Note.

 

  14.

The Senior Notes shall have such other terms and provisions as are provided in the Form of Note and shall be issued in substantially such form.

 

  15.

The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture has been authorized and approved by all necessary limited liability company action on the part of the Company. Attached hereto as (i) Exhibit B-1 is a true, correct and complete copy of the certified resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted at a meeting on August 1, 2024 in accordance with the Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, dated March 25, 2024 (the “LLC Agreement”), authorizing such limited liability company action and (ii) Exhibit B-2 is a true, correct and complete copy of the written consent of North American Transmission Company II L.P., as “Investor Member” under the LLC Agreement, each which resolutions or written consent, as applicable, have not been amended, modified, revoked or rescinded and is in full force and effect on the date hereof.

 

  16.

The Company is not, and upon the authentication and delivery by the Trustee of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes, will not be in default under any of the terms or covenants contained in the Indenture.

 

  17.

All conditions that must be met by the Company to issue the Senior Notes under the Indenture have been met.

 

  18.

(a) I have read all of the covenants and conditions contained in the Indenture relating to the issuance of the Senior Notes and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto and in respect of compliance with which this certificate is made.

(b) The statements contained in this certificate are based upon my familiarity with the Indenture and the documents accompanying this certificate, and upon my discussions with officers and employees of the Company familiar with the matters set forth herein.

(c) In my opinion, I have made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable me to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenants and conditions have been complied with.

 

15


(d) In my opinion, such conditions and covenants and conditions precedent provided for in the Indenture (including any covenants compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent) relating to the actions requested in the Company Order dated September 5, 2024 have been complied with.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

16


IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have executed this Officer’s Certificate as of the date first written above.

 

/s/ Steven R. Staub

Steven R. Staub

Vice President and Treasurer

Signature Page to Officer’s Certificate under the

Indenture of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC


Exhibit A

[FORM OF NOTE]

[Intentionally omitted]


Exhibit B-1

Extract from the Meeting of the Board of Directors of

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC dated August 1, 2024

 

 

[Intentionally omitted]


Exhibit B-2

Consent

[Intentionally omitted]

Exhibit 4.7

FORM OF SENIOR NOTE DUE 2030

(Face of Senior Note)

[Insert the Restricted Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Global Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Definitive Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

CUSIP NUMBER:

ISIN NUMBER:

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

4.550% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030

No. [A-1]1[TS-1]2[S-1]3

$__________________

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, for value received, hereby promises to pay to [if Definitive Note: ________________] / [if Global Note: CEDE & CO.] or registered assigns, the principal sum of _______________ Dollars [if Global Note: or such greater or lesser amount as may from time to time be endorsed on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto (but in no event may such amount exceed the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes (as defined herein) authenticated pursuant to Section 303 of the Indenture referred to below and then outstanding)] on the Stated Maturity specified below.

Original Issue Date:

Stated Maturity: January 15, 2030

Interest Rate: 4.550%

Interest Payment Dates: January 15 and July 15, commencing on January 15, 2025

 

1 

144 Note only

2 

Temp Reg S Note only

3 

Perm Reg S Note only


Regular Record Dates: The Business Day immediately preceding each Interest Payment Date so long as this Senior Note is issued as a Global Security in book-entry only form, otherwise the fifteenth calendar day next preceding each Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day).

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC has caused this instrument to be executed in its name by the manual or facsimile signature of an Authorized Executive Officer and attested by the manual or facsimile signature of another Authorized Executive Officer.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:  

 

  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer
ATTEST:
By:  

 

  Name: Mary M. Swann
  Title: Corporate Secretary

Signature Page to Global Note No. [A-1][TS-1][S-1]


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Senior Notes of the series herein designated, therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:  

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

Certificate of Authentication

Global Note No. [A-1][TS-1][S-1]


(Back of Senior Note)

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

4.550% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2030

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below and the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to Section 301 of the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. These Securities are general obligations of the Company as described in the Indenture.

1. Interest. FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), promises to pay interest from the Original Issue Date specified above or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on the Interest Payment Dates specified above in each year, commencing on January 15, 2025, at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. No interest shall accrue at Maturity, so long as the principal amount of this Senior Note is paid at Maturity. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any such Interest Payment Date (except for interest payable on the Stated Maturity, or, if applicable, upon redemption or acceleration) will, as provided in the Indenture (as defined below), be paid to the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date specified above next preceding such Interest Payment Date; and provided, that interest payable on the Stated Maturity specified above or, if applicable, upon redemption or acceleration, shall be payable to the Person to whom principal shall be payable. Except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date. Payment of principal of, interest and premium, if any, on this Senior Note shall be payable pursuant to Section 601 of the Indenture.

Upon the occurrence, if any, of the events set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture), the Company shall pay additional interest on this Senior Note, which shall accrue at a rate of 0.25% for the first 90-day period after the date of such event and increased by an additional 0.25% for each subsequent 90-day period thereafter, up to a maximum additional interest rate of 0.50% per annum over the interest rate otherwise then applicable for this Senior Note, as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement (“Additional Interest”). The Company shall pay all Additional Interest, if any, on the applicable interest payment date described herein in the same manner as interest is paid on this Senior Note. Unless context otherwise requires, for the avoidance of doubt any references to “interest” with respect to this Senior Note herein, in the Indenture or in the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture shall include any Additional Interest that may be payable pursuant to this paragraph.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Senior Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note at the times, place, and rate, in the coin or currency, and in the manner, herein prescribed.

 

5


As used herein, “Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in the City of St. Paul and State of Minnesota, or in the city where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located, are obligated or authorized by law or executive order to close.

2. Method of Payment. Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, on this Senior Note and interest hereon at the Stated Maturity shall be made upon presentation of this Senior Note to our designated agent at the Place of Payment, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, located at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time. Payment of interest, if any, on this Senior Note (other than interest at the Stated Maturity) shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register, except that (a) if such Person shall be a securities depositary, such payment may be made in immediately available funds by wire transfer to such account as may have been designated in writing by such securities depositary and (b) if such Person is a Holder of $10,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes of this series such payment may be in immediately available funds by wire transfer to such account as may have been designated in writing by the Person entitled thereto as set forth herein in time for the Paying Agent to make such payments in accordance with its normal procedures. Any such designation for wire transfer purposes shall be made by filing the appropriate information with our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, not less than fifteen calendar days prior to the applicable payment date and, unless revoked by written notice to the Trustee received on or prior to the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date, shall remain in effect with respect to any further interest payments (other than interest payments at Maturity) with respect to this Senior Note payable to such Holder. Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note, as aforesaid, shall be made in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

If any Interest Payment Date, any Redemption Date, or the Stated Maturity shall not be a Business Day (as hereinafter defined), payment of the amounts due on this Senior Note on such date may be made on the next succeeding Business Day; and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such next succeeding Business Day, no interest shall accrue on such amounts for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day.

3. Paying Agent and Security Registrar. Initially, U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Security Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Security Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its subsidiaries may act in any such capacity; provided that if the Company or such subsidiary is acting as Paying Agent, the Company or such subsidiary shall segregate all funds held by it as Paying Agent and hold them in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders.

 

6


4. Registration of Transfer and Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Senior Note is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Senior Note for registration of transfer at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, located at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Senior Notes of this series of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Senior Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Senior Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

5. Indenture. This Senior Note is a Global Security in respect of a duly authorized issue of Securities of a series designated as the 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Senior Notes,” which term includes any Global Security representing such Senior Notes) of the Company, and issued under the Indenture (For Unsecured Debt Securities), dated as of May 19, 2014 (such Indenture as originally executed and delivered and as supplemented or amended from time to time thereafter, together with any constituent instruments establishing the terms of particular securities, being herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), under which U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association is trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures or officer’s certificates supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties, and immunities of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Senior Notes and all other Securities thereunder and of the terms and conditions upon which the Senior Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The acceptance of this Senior Note shall be deemed to constitute the consent and agreement by the Holder hereof to all of the terms and provisions of the Indenture. This Global Security has been issued in respect of the Senior Notes of the series designated as set forth above.

6. Optional Redemption. The Senior Notes will be redeemable in whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time prior to the Par Call Date (as defined below) on at least 10 days’, but not more than 60 days’, prior notice mailed to the registered address of each Holder of the Senior Notes. The Redemption Price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) will be equal to the greater of:

 

7


(a) (i) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Senior Notes matured on the Par Call 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 less (ii) interest accrued to the Redemption Date; and

(b) 100% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes to be redeemed;

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)—H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities – Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or

 

8


more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

Par Call Date” means December 15, 2029 (the date that is one month prior to the scheduled maturity date of the Senior Notes).

The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine the Redemption Price.

On and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on Senior Notes or any portion of the Senior Notes called for redemption (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest). On or before the Redemption Date, the Company will deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and accrued interest on the Senior Notes to be redeemed on such date. If less than all the Senior Notes are to be redeemed, the Senior Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.

7. Mandatory Redemption.

The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Senior Notes.

8. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by mail to Holders of Senior Notes, not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, all as provided in the Indenture. As provided in the Indenture, notice of redemption at the election of the Company as aforesaid may state that such redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Senior Notes to be redeemed on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption; a notice of redemption so conditioned shall be of no force or effect if such money is not so received and, in such event, the Company shall not be required to redeem such Senior Notes.

In the event of redemption of this Senior Note in part only, a new Senior Note or Senior Notes of this series, of like tenor, representing the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

9. Restrictions on Transfer. Each Holder shall be deemed to understand that, on any proposed resale of any Senior Notes pursuant to the exemption from registration under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, any Holder making any such proposed resale will be required to furnish to the Trustee and Company such certifications, legal opinions, and other information as the Trustee and Company may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions.

 

9


10. Denominations, Transfer, Exchange. The Senior Notes of this series are issuable only as registered Senior Notes, without coupons, and in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Senior Notes of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes of this same series and tranche, of any authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same, and of like tenor upon surrender of the Senior Note or Senior Notes to be exchanged at the Corporate Trust Administration Office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time.

11. Amendment, Supplement and Waiver. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, the Indenture with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series then outstanding under the Indenture; provided, however, that if there shall be Securities of more than one series outstanding under the Indenture and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of any such series, then the consent of the Holders of only a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that if the Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that the Indenture permits the Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures for limited purposes without the consent of any Holders of Securities. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Senior Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Senior Note and of any Senior Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Senior Note.

12. Defaults and Remedies. If an Event of Default with respect to the Senior Notes of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of this Senior Note may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

13. No Recourse Against Others. As provided in the Indenture, no recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Senior Notes, or any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant, or agreement under the Indenture, against, and no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, organizer, shareholder, member, manager, officer or director, as such, past, present, or future of the Company or of any predecessor or successor Corporation (either directly or through the Company, or a predecessor or successor Corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that the Indenture and this Senior Note are solely obligations of a limited liability company and that any such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issuance of this Senior Note.

 

10


14. Authentication. Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature, this Senior Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

15. CUSIP Numbers. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Senior Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Senior Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

76 South Main Street

Akron, Ohio 44308-1890

Attention: Treasurer

Telephone: (330) 384-2509

16. Discharge and Defeasance. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, this Senior Note or any portion of the principal amount hereof will be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of the Indenture and to be no longer outstanding thereunder, and, at the election of the Company and upon the satisfaction of certain additional requirements set forth in the Indenture, the Company’s entire indebtedness in respect thereof will be satisfied and discharged, if there has been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust, money in an amount which will be sufficient and/or Eligible Obligations, the principal of and interest on which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide moneys which, together with moneys so deposited, will be sufficient to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note when due.

17. Merger, Consolidation. The Indenture contains terms, provisions, and conditions relating to the consolidation or merger of the Company with or into, and the conveyance or other transfer, or lease, of assets to, another Person, to the assumption by such other Person, in certain circumstances, of all of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture and on the Senior Notes and all other Securities and to the release and discharge of the Company in certain circumstances, from such obligations.

18. Governing Law. The Indenture and the Securities, including the Senior Notes, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the law of any other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.

 

11


CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED UPON EXCHANGE OR

REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF TRANSFER RESTRICTED NOTES

4.550% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2030

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned sells, assigns, and transfers unto ___________.

PLEASE INSERT EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE:

Name and address of assignee must be printed or typewritten:

 

 

 

 

$ ____________________________________________________________ principal amount of or beneficial interests§ in the within Senior Note of the Company and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________________________ to transfer the said principal amount of or beneficial interests in said Senior Note on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

The undersigned certifies that said principal amount of or beneficial interests in said Senior Note are being resold, pledged, or otherwise transferred as follows: (check one)

☐ to the Company;

☐ pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (if available);

☐ to a Person whom the undersigned reasonably believes is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) purchasing for its own account or for the account of a qualified institutional buyer to whom notice is given that the resale, pledge or other transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A;

☐ in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act;

☐ as otherwise permitted by the non-registration legend appearing on this Senior Note; or

☐ as otherwise agreed by the Company, confirmed in writing to the Trustee, as follows: [describe] ____________________

 

§ 

Transfers of beneficial interests in this security may be made only to another global security of the same series or as otherwise permitted by applicable securities laws.

 

12


Dated: ________________________    Signature: _________________________
   Print name: ________________________

Unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee will refuse to register any of the Senior Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any Person other than the registered Holder thereof; provided, however, that if the second or fifth box is checked, the Company or the Trustee may require, prior to registering any such transfer of the Senior Notes, such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee has reasonably requested to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

NOTICE. The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Senior Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE. Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, 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 Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

13


TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF THIRD BOX ABOVE IS CHECKED.

The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Senior Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as the undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the undersigned’s foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.

 

Date:______________________          NOTICE: To be executed by an executive officer
   Name:
   Title:

Signature Guarantee*:

 

*

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

14


[Include if Global Note]

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $    . The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of

Exchange

  

Amount

of decrease in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

  

Amount of

increase in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

  

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

following such

decrease or

increase

  

Signature of

authorized

signatory of

Trustee,

Depositary or

Custodian

 

15

Exhibit 4.8

FORM OF SENIOR NOTE DUE 2035

(Face of Senior Note)

[Insert the Restricted Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Global Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Temporary Regulation S Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

[Insert the Definitive Notes Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate]

CUSIP NUMBER:

ISIN NUMBER:

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

5.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2035

No. [A-1]1[TS-1]2[S-1]3

$__________________

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, for value received, hereby promises to pay to [if Definitive Note: ________________] / [if Global Note: CEDE & CO.] or registered assigns, the principal sum of _______________ Dollars [if Global Note: or such greater or lesser amount as may from time to time be endorsed on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto (but in no event may such amount exceed the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes (as defined herein) authenticated pursuant to Section 303 of the Indenture referred to below and then outstanding)] on the Stated Maturity specified below.

Original Issue Date:

Stated Maturity: January 15, 2035

Interest Rate: 5.000%

Interest Payment Dates: January 15 and July 15, commencing on January 15, 2025

 

 

 

1 

144 Note only

2 

Temp Reg S Note only

3 

Perm Reg S Note only


Regular Record Dates: The Business Day immediately preceding each Interest Payment Date so long as this Senior Note is issued as a Global Security in book-entry only form, otherwise the fifteenth calendar day next preceding each Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day).

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC has caused this instrument to be executed in its name by the manual or facsimile signature of an Authorized Executive Officer and attested by the manual or facsimile signature of another Authorized Executive Officer.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:  

 

  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer
ATTEST:
By:  

 

  Name: Mary M. Swann
  Title: Corporate Secretary

Signature Page to Global Note No. [A-1][TS-1][S-1]


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Senior Notes of the series herein designated, therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:         
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

Certificate of Authentication

Global Note No. [A-1][TS-1][S-1]


(Back of Senior Note)

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

5.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2035

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below and the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to Section 301 of the Indenture unless otherwise indicated. These Securities are general obligations of the Company as described in the Indenture.

1. Interest. FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), promises to pay interest from the Original Issue Date specified above or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on the Interest Payment Dates specified above in each year, commencing on January 15, 2025, at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. No interest shall accrue at Maturity, so long as the principal amount of this Senior Note is paid at Maturity. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any such Interest Payment Date (except for interest payable on the Stated Maturity, or, if applicable, upon redemption or acceleration) will, as provided in the Indenture (as defined below), be paid to the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date specified above next preceding such Interest Payment Date; and provided, that interest payable on the Stated Maturity specified above or, if applicable, upon redemption or acceleration, shall be payable to the Person to whom principal shall be payable. Except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date. Payment of principal of, interest and premium, if any, on this Senior Note shall be payable pursuant to Section 601 of the Indenture.

Upon the occurrence, if any, of the events set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture), the Company shall pay additional interest on this Senior Note, which shall accrue at a rate of 0.25% for the first 90-day period after the date of such event and increased by an additional 0.25% for each subsequent 90-day period thereafter, up to a maximum additional interest rate of 0.50% per annum over the interest rate otherwise then applicable for this Senior Note, as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement (“Additional Interest”). The Company shall pay all Additional Interest, if any, on the applicable interest payment date described herein in the same manner as interest is paid on this Senior Note. Unless context otherwise requires, for the avoidance of doubt any references to “interest” with respect to this Senior Note herein, in the Indenture or in the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture shall include any Additional Interest that may be payable pursuant to this paragraph.

 

5


No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Senior Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note at the times, place, and rate, in the coin or currency, and in the manner, herein prescribed.

As used herein, “Business Day” shall mean each day that is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in the City of St. Paul and State of Minnesota, or in the city where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located, are obligated or authorized by law or executive order to close.

2. Method of Payment. Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, on this Senior Note and interest hereon at the Stated Maturity shall be made upon presentation of this Senior Note to our designated agent at the Place of Payment, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, located at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or at such other office or agency as may be designated for such purpose by the Company from time to time. Payment of interest, if any, on this Senior Note (other than interest at the Stated Maturity) shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register, except that (a) if such Person shall be a securities depositary, such payment may be made in immediately available funds by wire transfer to such account as may have been designated in writing by such securities depositary and (b) if such Person is a Holder of $10,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes of this series such payment may be in immediately available funds by wire transfer to such account as may have been designated in writing by the Person entitled thereto as set forth herein in time for the Paying Agent to make such payments in accordance with its normal procedures. Any such designation for wire transfer purposes shall be made by filing the appropriate information with our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, not less than fifteen calendar days prior to the applicable payment date and, unless revoked by written notice to the Trustee received on or prior to the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date, shall remain in effect with respect to any further interest payments (other than interest payments at Maturity) with respect to this Senior Note payable to such Holder. Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note, as aforesaid, shall be made in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

If any Interest Payment Date, any Redemption Date, or the Stated Maturity shall not be a Business Day (as hereinafter defined), payment of the amounts due on this Senior Note on such date may be made on the next succeeding Business Day; and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such next succeeding Business Day, no interest shall accrue on such amounts for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day.

3. Paying Agent and Security Registrar. Initially, U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Security Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Security Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its subsidiaries may act in any such capacity; provided that if the Company or such subsidiary is acting as Paying Agent, the Company or such subsidiary shall segregate all funds held by it as Paying Agent and hold them in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders.

 

6


4. Registration of Transfer and Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and the Officer’s Certificate establishing the Senior Notes pursuant to the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Senior Note is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Senior Note for registration of transfer at the office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, located at 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Senior Notes of this series of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Senior Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Senior Note is registered as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Senior Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

5. Indenture. This Senior Note is a Global Security in respect of a duly authorized issue of Securities of a series designated as the 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Senior Notes,” which term includes any Global Security representing such Senior Notes) of the Company, and issued under the Indenture (For Unsecured Debt Securities), dated as of May 19, 2014 (such Indenture as originally executed and delivered and as supplemented or amended from time to time thereafter, together with any constituent instruments establishing the terms of particular securities, being herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association), under which U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association is trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures or officer’s certificates supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties, and immunities of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Senior Notes and all other Securities thereunder and of the terms and conditions upon which the Senior Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The acceptance of this Senior Note shall be deemed to constitute the consent and agreement by the Holder hereof to all of the terms and provisions of the Indenture. This Global Security has been issued in respect of the Senior Notes of the series designated as set forth above.

6. Optional Redemption. The Senior Notes will be redeemable in whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time prior to the Par Call Date (as defined below) on at least 10 days’, but not more than 60 days’, prior notice mailed to the registered address of each Holder of the Senior Notes. The Redemption Price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) will be equal to the greater of:

 

7


(a) (i) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Senior Notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points less (ii) interest accrued to the Redemption Date; and

(b) 100% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes to be redeemed;

plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Senior Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)—H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities – Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or

 

8


more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

Par Call Date” means October 15, 2034 (the date that is three months prior to the scheduled maturity date of the Senior Notes).

The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine the Redemption Price.

On and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on Senior Notes or any portion of the Senior Notes called for redemption (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest). On or before the Redemption Date, the Company will deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and accrued interest on the Senior Notes to be redeemed on such date. If less than all the Senior Notes are to be redeemed, the Senior Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.

7. Mandatory Redemption.

The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Senior Notes.

8. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by mail to Holders of Senior Notes, not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, all as provided in the Indenture. As provided in the Indenture, notice of redemption at the election of the Company as aforesaid may state that such redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Senior Notes to be redeemed on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption; a notice of redemption so conditioned shall be of no force or effect if such money is not so received and, in such event, the Company shall not be required to redeem such Senior Notes.

In the event of redemption of this Senior Note in part only, a new Senior Note or Senior Notes of this series, of like tenor, representing the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

9. Restrictions on Transfer. Each Holder shall be deemed to understand that, on any proposed resale of any Senior Notes pursuant to the exemption from registration under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, any Holder making any such proposed resale will be required to furnish to the Trustee and Company such certifications, legal opinions, and other information as the Trustee and Company may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions.

 

9


10. Denominations, Transfer, Exchange. The Senior Notes of this series are issuable only as registered Senior Notes, without coupons, and in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Senior Notes of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes of this same series and tranche, of any authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same, and of like tenor upon surrender of the Senior Note or Senior Notes to be exchanged at the Corporate Trust Administration Office of our designated agent, U.S. Bank Corporate Trust Services, 111 Fillmore Ave. E, St. Paul, MN 55107, or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time.

11. Amendment, Supplement and Waiver. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, the Indenture with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series then outstanding under the Indenture; provided, however, that if there shall be Securities of more than one series outstanding under the Indenture and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of any such series, then the consent of the Holders of only a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that if the Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that the Indenture permits the Trustee to enter into one or more supplemental indentures for limited purposes without the consent of any Holders of Securities. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Senior Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Senior Note and of any Senior Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Senior Note.

12. Defaults and Remedies. If an Event of Default with respect to the Senior Notes of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of this Senior Note may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

13. No Recourse Against Others. As provided in the Indenture, no recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Senior Notes, or any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant, or agreement under the Indenture, against, and no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, organizer, shareholder, member, manager, officer or director, as such, past, present, or future of the Company or of any predecessor or successor Corporation (either directly or through the Company, or a predecessor or successor Corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise;

 

10


it being expressly agreed and understood that the Indenture and this Senior Note are solely obligations of a limited liability company and that any such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issuance of this Senior Note.

14. Authentication. Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature, this Senior Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

15. CUSIP Numbers. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Senior Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Senior Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

76 South Main Street

Akron, Ohio 44308-1890

Attention: Treasurer

Telephone: (330) 384-2509

16. Discharge and Defeasance. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein and herein set forth, this Senior Note or any portion of the principal amount hereof will be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of the Indenture and to be no longer outstanding thereunder, and, at the election of the Company and upon the satisfaction of certain additional requirements set forth in the Indenture, the Company’s entire indebtedness in respect thereof will be satisfied and discharged, if there has been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust, money in an amount which will be sufficient and/or Eligible Obligations, the principal of and interest on which when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide moneys which, together with moneys so deposited, will be sufficient to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Senior Note when due.

17. Merger, Consolidation. The Indenture contains terms, provisions, and conditions relating to the consolidation or merger of the Company with or into, and the conveyance or other transfer, or lease, of assets to, another Person, to the assumption by such other Person, in certain circumstances, of all of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture and on the Senior Notes and all other Securities and to the release and discharge of the Company in certain circumstances, from such obligations.

18. Governing Law. The Indenture and the Securities, including the Senior Notes, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the law of any other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.

 

11


CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED UPON EXCHANGE OR

REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS OF TRANSFER RESTRICTED NOTES

5.000% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2035

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned sells, assigns, and transfers unto ___________.

PLEASE INSERT EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE:

Name and address of assignee must be printed or typewritten:

 

 

 

 

 

 

$ ____________________________________________________________ principal amount of or beneficial interests§ in the within Senior Note of the Company and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint _________________________________________ to transfer the said principal amount of or beneficial interests in said Senior Note on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

The undersigned certifies that said principal amount of or beneficial interests in said Senior Note are being resold, pledged, or otherwise transferred as follows: (check one)

☐ to the Company;

☐ pursuant to an exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (if available);

☐ to a Person whom the undersigned reasonably believes is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A”) purchasing for its own account or for the account of a qualified institutional buyer to whom notice is given that the resale, pledge or other transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A;

☐ in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act;

☐ as otherwise permitted by the non-registration legend appearing on this Senior Note; or

☐ as otherwise agreed by the Company, confirmed in writing to the Trustee, as follows: [describe] ____________________

 

§ 

Transfers of beneficial interests in this security may be made only to another global security of the same series or as otherwise permitted by applicable securities laws.

 

12


Dated:  

 

         Signature:   

 

       Print name:   

 

Unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee will refuse to register any of the Senior Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any Person other than the registered Holder thereof; provided, however, that if the second or fifth box is checked, the Company or the Trustee may require, prior to registering any such transfer of the Senior Notes, such legal opinions, certifications and other information as the Company or the Trustee has reasonably requested to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

NOTICE. The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Senior Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE. Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, 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 Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

13


TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF THIRD BOX ABOVE IS CHECKED.

The undersigned represents and warrants that it is purchasing this Senior Note for its own account or an account with respect to which it exercises sole investment discretion and that it and any such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A, and is aware that the sale to it is being made in reliance on Rule 144A and acknowledges that it has received such information regarding the Company as the undersigned has requested pursuant to Rule 144A or has determined not to request such information and that it is aware that the transferor is relying upon the undersigned’s foregoing representations in order to claim the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A.

 

Date: ______________________    NOTICE: To be executed by an executive officer
  

Name:

  

Title:

Signature Guarantee*:

 

*

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

14


[Include if Global Note]

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE

The initial outstanding principal amount of this Global Note is $    . The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of

Exchange

  

Amount of

decrease in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

  

Amount of

increase in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

  

Principal

Amount of this

Global Note

following such

decrease or

increase

  

Signature of

authorized

signatory of

Trustee,

Depositary or

Custodian

 

15

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

October 8, 2024

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

5501 NASA Boulevard

Fairmont, West Virginia 26554

Re: FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC’s Registration Statement on Form S-4

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), in connection with the filing of the referenced Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Registration Statement relates to the proposed offer by the Company to exchange (the “Exchange Offer”) up to $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “New Notes”) which will be registered under the Securities Act for a like principal amount of the Company’s 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and the Company’s 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “Outstanding Notes”).

The Outstanding Notes have been, and the New Notes will be, issued pursuant to a base indenture, dated as of May 19, 2014 as amended and supplemented by the first supplemental indenture, dated as of October 4, 2024, between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association) as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by Officer’s Certificates for the Outstanding Notes and New Notes (collectively, the “Indenture”).

In connection with this opinion letter, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Certificate of Formation, as amended, of the Company and the Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, (ii) certain resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Registration Statement, (iii) the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein (the “Prospectus”), (iv) the Indenture and (v) such other documents and records as we have deemed necessary.

We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of the documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (whether in PDF, another electronic format, or otherwise) and the authenticity of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. With respect to matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company, representations made by the Company in documents examined by us and representations of officers of the Company. We have also obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of the opinions expressed below.

We have also assumed for purposes of the opinions expressed below that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee; that the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; that the Trustee has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under the Indenture; and that the Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trustee.

 

 

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

 

One Oxford Centre

Thirty-Second Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15219-6401

United States

 

LOGO

 

 

+1.412.560.3300

+1.412.560.7001


Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, when the New Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against receipt of the Outstanding Notes in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the Exchange Offer as described in the Prospectus, the New Notes will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

The opinions expressed above are subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights or remedies generally and (ii) general principles of equity (whether such principles are considered in a proceeding at law or equity), including the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought, concepts of good faith, reasonableness and fair dealing and standards of materiality.

We render the foregoing opinions as members of the bar of the State of New York and express no opinion as to laws other than the laws of the State of New York, the Limited Liability Company Act of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States of America.

We hereby consent to the use of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are acting within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules or regulations of the SEC thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Exhibit 10.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

U.S. $1,000,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of October 18, 2021,

by and among

FIRSTENERGY CORP.,

and

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC,

as Borrowers,

THE BANKS NAMED HEREIN,

as Banks,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE FRONTING BANKS

PARTY HERETO FROM TIME TO TIME

as Fronting Banks

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

MUFG BANK, LTD.

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

BofA SECURITIES, INC.

 

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.

CITIBANK, N.A.

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS1

as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

1

RBC Capital Markets is a brand name for the capital markets business of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

          Page  

Section 1.01.

   Certain Defined Terms      1  

Section 1.02.

   Computation of Time Periods      26  

Section 1.03.

   Accounting Terms      27  

Section 1.04.

   Terms Generally      27  

Section 1.05.

   Divisions      27  

Section 1.06.

   Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification      27  
ARTICLE II

 

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

 

Section 2.01.

   The Advances      28  

Section 2.02.

   Making the Advances      29  

Section 2.03.

   [Reserved]      30  

Section 2.04.

   Letters of Credit      30  

Section 2.05.

   Fees      38  

Section 2.06.

   Adjustment of the Commitments      39  

Section 2.07.

   Repayment of Advances      40  

Section 2.08.

   Interest on Advances      40  

Section 2.09.

   Additional Interest on Advances      41  

Section 2.10.

   Interest Rate Determination      41  

Section 2.11.

   Conversion of Advances      42  

Section 2.12.

   Prepayments      43  

Section 2.13.

   Increased Costs      43  

Section 2.14.

   Illegality      45  

Section 2.15.

   Payments and Computations      45  

Section 2.16.

   Taxes      47  

Section 2.17.

   Sharing of Payments, Etc.      51  

Section 2.18.

   Noteless Agreement; Evidence of Indebtedness      52  

Section 2.19.

   Extension of Termination Date      53  

Section 2.20.

   Several Obligations      54  

Section 2.21.

   Defaulting Lenders      54  

Section 2.22.

   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      57  

Section 2.23.

   Benchmark Replacement Setting      58  
ARTICLE III

 

CONDITIONS OF LENDING AND ISSUING LETTERS OF CREDIT

 

Section 3.01.

   Conditions Precedent to Initial Extension of Credit      60  

Section 3.02.

   Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit      61  
ARTICLE IV

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 4.01.

   Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers      62  

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  
ARTICLE V  
COVENANTS OF THE BORROWERS  

Section 5.01.

   Affirmative Covenants of the Borrowers      66  

Section 5.02.

   Financial Covenants      70  

Section 5.03.

   Negative Covenants of the Borrowers      70  
ARTICLE VI  
EVENTS OF DEFAULT  

Section 6.01.

   Events of Default      74  
ARTICLE VII       
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT       

Section 7.01.

   Authorization and Action      77  

Section 7.02.

   Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Limitation of Liability, Etc.      79  

Section 7.03.

   Posting of Communications      81  

Section 7.04.

   The Administrative Agent Individually      82  

Section 7.05.

   Successor Administrative Agent      82  

Section 7.06.

   Acknowledgements of Lenders and Fronting Banks      83  

Section 7.07.

   Certain ERISA Matters      85  
ARTICLE VIII  
MISCELLANEOUS  

Section 8.01.

   Amendments, Etc.      87  

Section 8.02.

   Notices, Etc.      88  

Section 8.03.

   Electronic Communications      88  

Section 8.04.

   No Waiver; Remedies      89  

Section 8.05.

   Costs and Expenses; Indemnification      89  

Section 8.06.

   Right of Set-off      91  

Section 8.07.

   Binding Effect      91  

Section 8.08.

   Assignments and Participations      91  

Section 8.09.

   Governing Law      96  

Section 8.10.

   Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial      96  

Section 8.11.

   Severability      97  

Section 8.12.

   Entire Agreement      97  

Section 8.13.

   Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution      97  

Section 8.14.

   USA PATRIOT Act Notice      98  

Section 8.15.

   No Fiduciary Duty      98  

Section 8.16.

   Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions      98  

Section 8.17.

   Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality      99  

 

-ii-


SCHEDULES AND EXHIBITS

Schedule I    -    List of Commitments and Lending Offices
Schedule II    -    List of L/C Fronting Bank Commitments
Schedule III    -    Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule IV    -    Disclosure Documents
Exhibit A    -    Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B    -    Form of Note
Exhibit C    -    Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit D    -    Form of Letter of Credit Request
Exhibit E-1    -    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit E-2    -    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit E-3    -    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Exhibit E-4    -    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)


CREDIT AGREEMENT

CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 18, 2021, by and among FIRSTENERGY CORP. (“FE”), FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC (“FET”, and together with FE, the “Borrowers”), the banks and other financial institutions (the “Banks”) party hereto from time to time, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (“JPMorgan”), as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) for the Lenders hereunder and the fronting banks party hereto from time to time.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

(1) The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders establish a five-year unsecured revolving credit facility in the amount of $1,000,000,000 in favor of the Borrowers, all of which may be used for general corporate purposes (including, without limitation, the refinancing of the Existing Credit Agreements (as defined herein)) and $100,000,000 of which may be used for the issuance of Letters of Credit.

(2) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders severally, to the extent of their respective Commitments (as defined herein), are willing to establish the requested revolving credit facility in favor of the Borrowers.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Account Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(a).

Additional Commitment Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(d).

Additional Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Administrative Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Advance” means an advance by a Lender to any Borrower made as part of a Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.02.

AESC” means Allegheny Energy Supply Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any successor thereto.


Affected Financial Institution” means (i) any EEA Financial Institution or (ii) any UK Financial Institution.

Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified and supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the highest of (i) the prime rate as most recently published by The Wall Street Journal from time to time, (ii) the sum of 1/2 of 1% per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate in effect from time to time and (iii) the rate of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on the Service equal to the one-month London interbank offered rate for deposits in Dollars as determined at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day), plus 1%.

Alternate Base Rate Advance” means an Advance that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(a).

Anniversary Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Covered Entities or their respective activities from time to time concerning or relating to terrorism, money-laundering, bribery or corruption, including, without limitation, (i) the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended from time to time, and the applicable regulations thereunder, and (ii) the United Kingdom’s Anti-Bribery Act 2010, as amended from time to time.

Applicable Law” means all applicable laws, statutes, treaties, rules, codes, ordinances, regulations, permits, certificates, orders, interpretations, licenses and permits of any Governmental Authority and judgments, decrees, injunctions, writs, orders or like action of any court, arbitrator or other judicial or quasi-judicial tribunal of competent jurisdiction (including those pertaining to health, safety or the environment or otherwise).

Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of an Alternate Base Rate Advance, and such Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

Applicable Margin” means, for any Alternate Base Rate Advance or any Eurodollar Rate Advance made to any Borrower, the interest rate per annum set forth in the relevant row of the table immediately below, determined by reference to the Reference Ratings for such Borrower from time to time in effect (and, solely in the case that there are no Reference Ratings, Applicable Margin shall be at Level 5):

 

2


    

LEVEL 1

    LEVEL 2     LEVEL 3    

LEVEL 4

   

LEVEL 5

 

BASIS FOR PRICING

   Reference
Ratings at
least BBB by
S&P or Baa2
by Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 1
but at least
BBB- by
S&P or Baa3
by Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 2
but at least
BB+ by S&P
or Ba1 by
Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 3
but at least
BB by S&P
or Ba2 by
Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 4
 

Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances

     1.50     1.75     2.00     2.75     3.50

Applicable Margin for Alternate Base Rate Advances

     0.50     0.75     1.00     1.75     2.50

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if there is a difference of one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s and the higher of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4, then the higher Reference Rating will be used to determine the pricing level and (ii) if there is a difference of more than one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s, the Reference Rating that is one level above the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the pricing level, unless the lower of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 5, in which case the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the pricing level. If there exists only one Reference Rating, such Reference Rating will be used to determine the pricing level.

Approved Electronic Platform” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 7.03(a).

Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender or (iii) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 8.08(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (so long as such other form is not disadvantageous to any Borrower in any respect).

ATSI” means American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, an Ohio corporation.

Attributable Securitization Obligations” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Permitted Securitization”.

Authorized Officer” means, with respect to any notice, certificate or other communication to be delivered by any Borrower hereunder, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Borrower, which officer shall have all

 

3


necessary corporate or limited liability company authorization to deliver such notice, certificate or other communication.

Available Commitment” means, for each Lender, the excess of such Lender’s Commitment over such Lender’s Percentage of the Outstanding Credits. “Available Commitments” shall refer to the aggregate of the Lenders’ Available Commitments hereunder.

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark, as applicable, pursuant to this Agreement as of such date.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

Bankruptcy Code” means the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, as amended from time to time, and any Federal law with respect to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that the acquisition of an ownership interest in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof shall not, itself, alone constitute a Bankruptcy Event, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Banks” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Benchmark” means, initially, USD LIBOR; provided that if a replacement of the Benchmark has occurred pursuant to Section 2.23, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior

 

4


benchmark rate. Any reference to “Benchmark” shall include, as applicable, the published component used in the calculation thereof.

Benchmark Replacement” means, for any Available Tenor:

(1) For purposes of Section 2.23(a), the first alternative set forth below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent:

(a) the sum of: (i) Term SOFR and (ii) 0.11448% (11.448 basis points) for an Available Tenor of one-month’s duration, 0.26161% (26.161 basis points) for an Available Tenor of three-months’ duration, and 0.42826% (42.826 basis points) for an Available Tenor of six-months’ duration, or

(b) the sum of: (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) the spread adjustment selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the replacement of the tenor of USD LIBOR with a SOFR-based rate having approximately the same length as the interest payment period specified in Section 2.23(a); and

(2) For purposes of Section 2.23(b), the sum of (a) the alternate benchmark rate and (b) an adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero), in each case, that has been reasonably selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for such Available Tenor of such Benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then-prevailing market convention, including any applicable recommendations made by the Relevant Governmental Body, for U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time;

provided that, if the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Alternate Base Rate”, the definition of “Business Day”, the definition of “Interest Period”, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, the formula for calculating any successor rates identified pursuant to the definition of “Benchmark Replacement”, the formula, methodology or convention for applying the successor Floor to the successor Benchmark Replacement and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

 

5


Benchmark Transition Event” means, with respect to any then-current Benchmark other than USD LIBOR, the occurrence of a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the then-current Benchmark, the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark, announcing or stating that (a) such administrator has ceased or will cease on a specified date to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark, permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark or (b) all Available Tenors of such Benchmark are or will no longer be representative of the underlying market and economic reality that such Benchmark is intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230, as amended, or any successor thereto.

Beneficiary” means any Person designated by an Account Party to whom a Fronting Bank is to make payment, or on whose order payment is to be made, under a Letter of Credit.

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Borrower Communications” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.

Borrower Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.02 or Converted pursuant to Section 2.10 or 2.11.

Business Day” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized to close in New York City or Akron, Ohio and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, a day on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market.

CEI” means The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, an Ohio corporation.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (i) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (ii) any change (other than any change by way of imposition or increase of reserve requirements included in the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage) in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (iii) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided, however, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and all requests, rules, guidelines and directives promulgated thereunder, and all requests, rules,

 

6


guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to have been introduced or adopted after the date of this Agreement, regardless of the date enacted or adopted.

Change of Control” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(j).

Closing Date” means October 18, 2021.

Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the applicable regulations thereunder.

Commitment” means, as to any Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I hereto or, if such Lender has entered into any Assignment and Assumption, set forth for such Lender in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.08(c), as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 2.06(a) or increased pursuant to Section 2.06(b).

Commitment Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Commodity Trading Obligations” means the obligations of any Person under any commodity swap agreement, commodity future agreement, commodity option agreement, commodity cap agreement, commodity floor agreement, commodity collar agreement, commodity hedge agreement, commodity forward contract or derivative transaction and any put, call or other agreement, arrangement or transaction, including natural gas, power, emissions forward contracts, renewable energy credits, or any combination of any such arrangements, agreements and/or transactions, employed in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, including such Person’s energy marketing, trading and asset optimization business. The term “commodity” shall include electric energy and/or capacity, transmission rights, coal, petroleum, natural gas, fuel transportation rights, emissions allowances, weather derivatives and related products and by-products and ancillary services.

Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Borrower pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 7.03, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

Consolidated Debt” means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination the aggregate Indebtedness of such Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but shall not include (i) Nonrecourse Indebtedness of such Person and any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as operating leases in respect of which such Person or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries is liable as a lessee, (iii) the aggregate principal and/or face amount of Attributable Securitization Obligations of such Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations not exceeding 15% of the Total Capitalization of such Person

 

7


and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (determined, for purposes of such calculation, without regard to the amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations outstanding of such Person); provided that the amount of any mandatory principal amortization or defeasance of Trust Preferred Securities or Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations prior to the latest Termination Date shall be included in this definition of Consolidated Debt.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus, to the extent deducted in computing such Consolidated Net Income, (a) the sum of (i) all Federal, state, local and foreign Taxes (whether paid or deferred) of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such period, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense during such period, and (iii) depreciation, depletion, amortization of intangibles and other non-cash charges or non-cash losses of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such period (including, without limitation, any non-cash loss attributable to the mark-to-market movement in the valuation of pension obligations (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such loss has not been realized)), and minus, to the extent added in computing such Consolidated Net Income, (b) the sum of (i) any interest income of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such period and (ii) any non-cash income or non-cash gains of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries during such period (including, without limitation, any non-cash gain attributable to the mark-to-market movement in the valuation of pension obligations (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such gain has not been realized)), all as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for each period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of FE, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period.

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the gross interest expense of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including, without limitation, (a) the amortization of debt discounts, (b) the amortization of all fees (including fees with respect to Hedging Obligations) payable in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness or other obligations to the extent included in interest expense in accordance with GAAP and (c) the portion of any payments or accruals with respect to capital lease obligations of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries that are allocable to interest expense in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of the foregoing, gross interest expense shall be determined after giving effect to any net payments made or received by FE or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries with respect to Hedging Obligations.

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income or loss of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that the following shall be excluded: (a) the income of any Person in which any other Person (other than FE or any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries or any director holding qualifying shares in accordance with Applicable Law) has a joint interest, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to FE or any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries by such Person during such period, (b) the income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of FE or is merged into or consolidated with FE or any of its Subsidiaries or the date such Person’s assets are acquired by FE or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) the income of any Subsidiary of FE to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends

 

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or similar distributions by such Subsidiary of such income is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its Organizational Documents or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such Subsidiary and (d) any after-tax gains or losses attributable to sales of assets out of the ordinary course of business, and any other gains or losses, which are infrequent or unusual in nature, reflected in the net income (or loss) of FE and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period.

Consolidated Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person the accounts of which are or are required to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

Controlled Group” means all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control that, together with any Borrower, are treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code.

Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of another Type or the selection of a new, or the renewal of the same, Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Advances pursuant to Section 2.10 or 2.11.

Corresponding Tenor” with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.

Covered Entity” means, with respect to any Borrower (i) such Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and (ii) each Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of a Person described in clause (i) above. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the direct or indirect (x) ownership of, or power to vote, 25% or more of the issued and outstanding equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or other Persons performing similar functions for such Person, or (y) power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by ownership of equity interests, contract or otherwise.

Credit Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

Criminal Information” means the Criminal Information in United States v. FirstEnergy Corporation, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on July 22, 2021.

Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which may include a lookback) being established by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for syndicated business loans; provided, that if the Administrative Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, then the Administrative Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.

Date of Issuance” means the date of issuance by a Fronting Bank of a Letter of Credit under this Agreement.

 

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Debt to Capitalization Ratio” means, for FET, the ratio of Consolidated Debt of FET to Total Capitalization of FET.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (i) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (A) fund any portion of its Advances, (B) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (C) pay over to the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (A) or (B) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (ii) has notified any Borrower or the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (iii) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Advances and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (iii) upon the Administrative Agent’s or such Fronting Bank’s (as applicable) receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, (iv) has become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event or (v) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, become the subject of a Bail-In Action.

Disclosure Documents” means (i) FE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021, and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed in 2021 and prior to the Closing Date, (ii) with respect to FET, its (A) consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, with, in each case, any accompanying notes, and (B) unaudited consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for the six-month period then ended, in each case with respect to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), prepared in accordance with GAAP (but, in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes) and copies of which have been furnished to each Lender and each Fronting Bank, and (iii) with respect to FET, the matters, if any, described in the portion of Schedule IV hereto applicable to FET as indicated thereon.

Dollars” and “$” each means lawful currency of the United States of America.

Domestic Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Administrative Agent.

 

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DPA” means the Deferred Prosecution Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2021, between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and FE.

Drawing” means a drawing by a Beneficiary under any Letter of Credit.

Early Opt-in Effective Date” means, with respect to any Early Opt-in Election, the sixth (6th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Early Opt-in Election is provided to the Lenders, written notice of objection to such Early Opt-in Election from Lenders comprising the Majority Lenders; provided however, that the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrowers may select a later date as specified in such notice.

Early Opt-in Election” means, if the then-current Benchmark is USD LIBOR, the occurrence of: (1) a notification by the Administrative Agent to (or the request by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent to notify) each of the other parties hereto that at least five currently outstanding U.S. dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time contain (as a result of amendment or as originally executed) a SOFR-based rate (including SOFR, a term SOFR or any other rate based upon SOFR) as a benchmark rate (and such syndicated credit facilities are identified in such notice and are publicly available for review), and (2) the joint election by the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers to trigger a fallback from USD LIBOR and the provision by the Administrative Agent of written notice of such election to the Lenders.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clause (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority, any Governmental Authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 8.08(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 8.08(b)(iii)).

 

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Environmental Laws” means any federal, state or local laws, ordinances or codes, rules, orders, or regulations relating to pollution or protection of the environment, including, without limitation, laws relating to hazardous substances, laws relating to reclamation of land and waterways and laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of pollutants, contaminants, chemicals, or industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes into the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata) or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of pollution, contaminants, chemicals, or industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder, each as amended, modified and in effect from time to time.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor thereto), as in effect from time to time.

Eurocurrency Liabilities” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Eurodollar Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Administrative Agent.

Eurodollar Rate” means, for the Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advance made in connection with any Borrowing, the greater of (a) 0.00% and (b) the rate of interest per annum (rounded upward to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) as calculated by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or any other Person which takes over the administration of that rate) and obtained through a nationally recognized service such as the Dow Jones Market Service (Telerate), Reuters or other such service then being used by the Administrative Agent to ascertain such rates of interest (in each case, the “Service”) as the London interbank offered rate for deposits in Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period for a period equal to such Interest Period; provided, however, that if an event set forth in Section 2.23(a) or Section 2.23(b) and its related effective date have occurred with respect to USD LIBOR or the then-current Benchmark, then the rate described in clause (b) above shall mean the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has become effective pursuant to Section 2.23.

Eurodollar Rate Advance” means an Advance that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(b).

Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage” of any Lender for the Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advance means the reserve percentage applicable during such Interest Period (or if more than one such percentage shall be so applicable, the daily average of such percentages for those days in such Interest Period during which any such percentage shall be so applicable) under

 

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regulations issued from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) for such Lender with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities having a term equal to such Interest Period.

Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, in each case as amended and in effect from time to time.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower hereunder, (i) income, franchise or branch profits Taxes (A) imposed on (or measured by) the Recipient’s net income by the United States, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its Applicable Lending Office is located or (B) that are Other Connection Taxes, (ii) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes that are imposed on amounts payable to a Lender at the time such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (other than pursuant to an assignment request by any Borrower under Section 2.22(b)) or designates a new lending office, except in each case to the extent that amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either (A) to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a Lender under this Agreement, or (B) to such Lender immediately before it designated a new lending office, (iii) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(g), and (iv) withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Credit Agreements” means (i) the Existing FE Credit Agreement and (ii) the Existing FET Credit Agreement.

Existing FE Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 6, 2016, by and among FE, CEI, Met-Ed, OE, Penn, TE, JCP&L, MP, Penelec, PE and West-Penn, as borrowers, the lenders party thereto, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., as administrative agent, the fronting banks party thereto and the swing line lenders party thereto, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time and in effect on the Closing Date

Existing FET Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 6, 2016, by and among FET, ATSI, MAIT and TrAILCo, as borrowers, the lenders party thereto, PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the fronting banks party thereto, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time and in effect on the Closing Date.

Existing Letters of Credit” means those Letters of Credit outstanding on the Closing Date and identified on Schedule III hereto.

Existing Termination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Expiration Date” means, with respect to a Letter of Credit, its stated expiration date.

Extension of Credit means the making of any Advance or the issuance, extension or renewal, or any amendment that increases the Stated Amount, of a Letter of Credit.

 

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FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or official practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.

FE” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any period, the greater of (a) 0.00% and (b) a fluctuating interest rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest whole multiple of 1/100 of 1% per annum) equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average rate (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of 1/100 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) charged to JPMorgan on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

Fee Letters” means (i) the fee letter, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Borrowers, certain of the Borrowers’ Subsidiaries, JPMorgan, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., PNC Capital Markets LLC, PNC Bank, National Association, Barclays Bank PLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., MUFG Bank, Ltd. and The Bank of Nova Scotia, (ii) the fee letter, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Borrowers, certain of the Borrowers’ Subsidiaries, JPMorgan and Mizuho Bank, Ltd., and (iii) the fee letter, dated September 23, 2021, by and among the Borrowers, certain of the Borrowers’ Subsidiaries and JPMorgan, in each case, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

FERC” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or successor organization.

FET” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

First Mortgage Indenture” means a first mortgage indenture pursuant to which any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower may issue bonds, notes or similar instruments secured by a lien on all or substantially all of such Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s fixed assets, as the case may be.

Floor” means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to USD LIBOR or, if no floor is specified, zero.

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrowers are resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

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Fronting Bank” means each Lender identified as a “Fronting Bank” on Schedule II and any other Lender (in each case, acting directly or through an Affiliate) that delivers an instrument in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent whereby such other Lender (or its Affiliate) agrees to act as “Fronting Bank” hereunder and that specifies the maximum aggregate Stated Amount of Letters of Credit that such other Lender (or its Affiliates) will agree to issue hereunder.

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to any Fronting Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States in effect from time to time.

Governmental Action” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, waivers, exceptions, variances, orders, licenses, exemptions, publications, filings, notices to and declarations of or with any Governmental Authority (other than requirements the failure to comply with which will not affect the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or have a material adverse effect on the transactions contemplated by any Loan Document or any material rights, power or remedy of any Person thereunder or any other action in respect of any Governmental Authority).

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including, without limitation, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).

Granting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(g).

Hedging Obligations” mean, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under any interest rate or currency swap agreement, interest rate or currency future agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate or currency hedge agreement, and any put, call or other agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates.

Hostile Acquisition” means any Target Acquisition (as defined below) involving a tender offer or proxy contest that has not been recommended or approved by the board of directors (or

 

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similar governing body) of the Person that is the subject of such Target Acquisition. As used in this definition, the term “Target Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, by which any Person directly or indirectly (i) acquires all or substantially all of the assets or ongoing business of any other Person, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise, (ii) acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) control of at least a majority in ordinary voting power of the securities of any such Person that have ordinary voting power for the election of directors or (iii) otherwise acquires control of more than a 50% ownership interest in any such Person.

Increasing Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, at any date, without duplication, (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, or for the deferred purchase price of property or services other than trade accounts payable, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (iii) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (iv) all obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Person is liable as lessee, (v) withdrawal liability incurred under ERISA by such Person or any of its affiliates to any Multiemployer Plan, (vi) reimbursement obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, bankers acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments, (vii) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person and (viii) obligations of such Person under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise acquire, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to above.

Indemnified Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05(c).

Indemnified Taxes” means (i) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower under any Loan Document and (ii) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (i), Other Taxes.

Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.17.

Interest Period” means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance made to any Borrower as part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by such Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter in the case of Advances, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by such Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be, in the case of any Eurodollar Rate Advance, one, three or six months, in each case, as the applicable Borrower may select by notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.02(a) or Section 2.11(a); provided, however, that:

 

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(i) no Borrower may select any Interest Period that ends after the latest Termination Date;

(ii) Interest Periods commencing on the same date for Advances made as part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration;

(iii) no more than five different Interest Periods shall apply to outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advances with respect to any Borrower on any date of determination, and no more than ten different Interest Periods shall apply to outstanding Eurodollar Rate Advances with respect to all Borrowers on any date of determination; and

(iv) whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided, that if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

JCP&L” means Jersey Central Power & Light Company, a New Jersey corporation.

JPMorgan” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations” means subordinated deferrable interest debt obligations of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) for which the maturity date is subsequent to the latest Termination Date and (ii) that are fully subordinated in right of payment to the Indebtedness hereunder.

L/C Commitment Amount” means $100,000,000 as the same may be reduced permanently from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06.

L/C Fronting Bank Commitment” means, with respect to any Fronting Bank, the aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit that such Fronting Bank agrees to issue, as modified from time to time pursuant to an agreement signed by such Fronting Bank. With respect to each Lender that is a Fronting Bank on the date hereof, such Fronting Bank’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment shall equal such Fronting Bank’s “L/C Fronting Bank Commitment” listed on Schedule II, and (ii) with respect to any Lender that becomes a Fronting Bank after the date hereof, such Lender’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment shall equal the amount agreed upon between the Borrowers and such Lender at the time that such Lender becomes a Fronting Bank, in each case as such L/C Fronting Bank Commitment may be modified in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

L/C Obligations” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the Lenders’ participation interests in the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued Letters of Credit outstanding on such date plus (ii) the aggregate amount of Reimbursement Obligations outstanding on such date.

Lender Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).

 

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Lenders” means the Banks listed on the signature pages hereof and each assignee of a Bank or another Lender that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.08.

Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and includes the Existing Letters of Credit.

Letter of Credit Cash Cover” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Letter of Credit Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(c).

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset. For the purposes of this Agreement, a Person or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to own, subject to a Lien, any asset that it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such asset.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any Note and the Fee Letters.

MAIT” means Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Majority Lenders” means, at any time prior to the latest Termination Date, Lenders having in the aggregate more than 50% of the Commitments (without giving effect to any termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 6.01) and at any time on or after the latest Termination Date, Lenders having more than 50% of the then aggregate Outstanding Credits of the Lenders; provided, that for purposes hereof, no Borrower, nor any of its Affiliates, if a Lender, shall be included in (i) the Lenders having such amount of the Commitments or the Advances or (ii) determining the total amount of the Commitments or the Outstanding Credits.

Margin Stock” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and as amended and in effect from time to time.

Material Adverse Effect” means, (i) any material adverse effect on, or a material adverse change in, the business, property, assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), liabilities (actual or contingent) or prospects of (A) FE, individually, or (B) any Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) any material adverse effect on the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party or (iii) a material impairment of the ability of any Borrower to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party.

Maximum Accordion Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Met-Ed” means Metropolitan Edison Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

MP” means Monongahela Power Company, an Ohio corporation.

 

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Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group has, or may reasonably be expected to have, an obligation to make contributions, or with respect to which any Borrower has, or may reasonably be expected to incur, liability.

Non-Approving Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 8.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Majority Lenders.

Noncompliance Event” means the Criminal Information and the DPA, and the entry by FE into the DPA, together with those events, actions, or omissions to act that are described in the Criminal Information and the Statement of Facts attached thereto.

Nonconsenting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).

Nonrecourse Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (i) any Indebtedness that finances the acquisition, development, construction or improvement of an asset in respect of which the Person to which such Indebtedness is owed has no recourse whatsoever to such Borrower or any of its Affiliates and (ii) any Indebtedness existing on the date of this Agreement that finances the ownership or operation of an asset in respect of which the Person to which such Indebtedness is owed has no recourse whatsoever to such Borrower or any of its Affiliates, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii), other than:

 

  (A)

recourse to the named obligor with respect to such Indebtedness (the “Debtor”) for amounts limited to the cash flow or net cash flow (other than historic cash flow) from the asset; and

 

  (B)

recourse to the Debtor for the purpose only of enabling amounts to be claimed in respect of such Indebtedness in an enforcement of any security interest or lien given by the Debtor over the asset or the income, cash flow or other proceeds deriving from the asset (or given by any shareholder or the like in the Debtor over its shares or like interest in the capital of the Debtor) to secure the Indebtedness, but only if the extent of the recourse to the Debtor is limited solely to the amount of any recoveries made on any such enforcement; and

 

  (C)

recourse to the Debtor generally or indirectly to any Affiliate of the Debtor, under any form of assurance, undertaking or support, which recourse is limited to a claim for damages (other than liquidated damages and damages required to be calculated in a specified way) for a breach of an obligation (other than a payment obligation or an obligation to comply or to procure compliance by another with any financial ratios or other tests of financial condition) by the Person against which such recourse is available.

Note” means any promissory note issued at the request of a Lender pursuant to Section 2.18 in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

Notice of Borrowing” means a notice of a Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

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OE” means Ohio Edison Company, an Ohio corporation.

OFAC” means The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Organizational Documents” means, as applicable to any Person, the charter, code of regulations, articles of incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, operating agreement, certificate of partnership, limited liability company agreement, operating agreement, partnership agreement, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement or other constitutive documents of such Person.

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Advance or Loan Document).

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.22(b)).

Outstanding Credits means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances outstanding on such date plus (ii) the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued Letters of Credit outstanding on such date plus (iii) the aggregate amount of Reimbursement Obligations outstanding on such date (excluding Reimbursement Obligations that, on such date of determination, are repaid with the proceeds of Advances made in accordance with Sections 2.04(f) and (g), to the extent the principal amount of such Advances is included in the determination of the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Advances as provided in clause (i) of this definition). The Outstanding Credits of a Lender on any date of determination shall be an amount equal to the outstanding Advances made by such Lender plus the amount of such Lender’s participation interest in outstanding Letters of Credit and Reimbursement Obligations included in the definition of “Outstanding Credits”.

Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(d).

Patriot Act” means the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as in effect from time to time.

Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(c).

 

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Payment Date” means the date on which payment of a Drawing is made by a Fronting Bank.

Payment Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(c).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

PE” means The Potomac Edison Company, a Maryland and Virginia corporation.

Penelec” means Pennsylvania Electric Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.

Penn” means Pennsylvania Power Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.

Percentage” means, in respect of any Lender on any date of determination, the quotient (expressed as a percentage) obtained by (i) dividing such Lender’s Commitment on such day by the total of the Commitments on such day or (ii) if the Commitments have terminated or expired, dividing the Outstanding Credits of such Lender on such day by the aggregate Outstanding Credits on such day.

Permitted Obligations” mean (i) nonspeculative Hedging Obligations of any Person and its Subsidiaries arising in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with such Person’s established risk management policies that are designed to protect such Person against, among other things, fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates and which in the case of agreements relating to interest rates shall have a notional amount no greater than the payments due with respect to the applicable obligations being hedged and (ii) Commodity Trading Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, such transactions shall be considered nonspeculative if undertaken in conformance with FE’s Corporate Risk Management Policy then in effect, as approved by FE’s Audit Committee, together with the Approved Business Unit Risk Management Policies referenced thereunder.

Permitted Securitization” means, for any Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any sale, assignment, conveyance, grant and/or contribution, or series of related sales, assignments, conveyances, grants and/or contributions, by such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of Receivables (or purported sale, assignment, conveyance, grant and/or contribution) to a trust, corporation or other entity, where the purchase of such Receivables may be funded or exchanged in whole or in part by the incurrence or issuance by the applicable Securitization SPV, if any, of Indebtedness or securities (such Indebtedness and securities being “Attributable Securitization Obligations”) that are to be secured by or otherwise satisfied by payments from, or that represent interests in, the cash flow derived primarily from such Receivables (provided, however, that “Indebtedness” as used in this definition shall not include Indebtedness incurred by a Securitization SPV owed to any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, which Indebtedness represents all or a portion of the purchase price or other consideration paid by such Securitization SPV for such receivables or interests therein), where (i) any representation, warranty, covenant, recourse, repurchase, hold harmless, indemnity or similar obligations of such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, in respect of Receivables sold, assigned, conveyed, granted or contributed, or payments made in respect thereof, are customary for transactions of this type, and do not prevent the characterization of the transaction as a true sale under Applicable Laws

 

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(including debtor relief laws) and (ii) any representation, warranty, covenant, recourse, repurchase, hold harmless, indemnity or similar obligations of any Securitization SPV in respect of Receivables sold, assigned, conveyed, granted or contributed or payments made in respect thereof, are customary for transactions of this type.

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof.

Plan” means, at any time, an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 or 430 of the Code and (i) is (A) maintained by or contributed to by (or to which there is or may be an obligation to contribute to by) any Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group, or (B) maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or any other arrangement under which more than one employer makes contributions, or (ii) as to which any Borrower or a member of the Controlled Group has within the preceding five plan years maintained, contributed to or had an obligation to contribute to.

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Receivables” means any accounts receivable, payment intangibles, notes receivable, rights to receive future payments and related rights (whether now existing or arising or acquired in the future, whether constituting accounts, chattel paper, instruments, general intangibles or otherwise, and including the right to payment of any interest or finance charges), including (i) financial transmission rights (“FTRs”) or any other rights to payment from PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. or another regional transmission authority of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) the right to impose, charge, collect and receive special, irrevocable, nonbypassable charges based upon the consumption of electricity imposed pursuant to Applicable Law on any Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ratepayers, and any supporting obligations and other financial assets related thereto (including all collateral securing such accounts receivables, FTRs or other assets, contracts and contract rights, all guarantees with respect thereto, and all proceeds thereof) that are transferred, or in respect of which security interests are granted in one or more transactions that are customary for asset securitizations of such Receivables.

Recipient” means, as applicable, (i) the Administrative Agent, (ii) any Lender and (iii) any Fronting Bank.

Reference Ratings” means, with respect to any Borrower, the ratings assigned by S&P and Moody’s to the senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt of such Borrower; provided that, if there is no such rating, “Reference Ratings” shall mean the ratings that are one level below the respective ratings assigned by S&P and Moody’s to the senior secured debt of such Borrower.

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(c).

 

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Reimbursement Obligation” means the obligation of each Borrower to reimburse a Fronting Bank for any Drawing paid by such Fronting Bank pursuant to Section 2.04(g).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Relevant Governmental Body” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.

Reportable Compliance Event” means that any Covered Entity becomes a Sanctioned Person, or is charged by indictment, criminal complaint or similar charging instrument, arraigned, or custodially detained in connection with any Anti-Corruption Law or any predicate crime to any Anti-Corruption Law, or has knowledge of facts or circumstances to the effect that it is reasonably likely that any aspect of its operations is in actual or probable violation of any Anti-Corruption Law.

Required Reimbursement Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(f)(i).

Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a business unit of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a region, country or territory which is, or whose government is, the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the date of this Agreement, the Crimea region of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

Sanctioned Person” means (a) any Person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals maintained by OFAC, or any other Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of the Treasury or any other U.S. Governmental Authority, or maintained by the United Nations Security Council, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, the European Union or any member state thereof, as may be amended, supplemented or substituted from time to time, (b) any Person that is (i) operating, located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, to the extent such presence in the Sanctioned Country means that such Person is the target of Sanctions, or (ii) the subject or target of any Sanctions, or (c) any Person controlled by any such Person described in the foregoing clause (a) or clause (b). For purposes of the foregoing clause (c), “control” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the definition of “Covered Entity”.

Sanctions” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of Treasury, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or

 

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any member state thereof, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or any other Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over any of the parties to this Agreement.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securitization SPV” means any trust, partnership or other Person established by any Borrower or a Subsidiary of such Borrower to implement a Permitted Securitization.

Service” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”.

Significant Subsidiaries” means (i) each of CEI, Met-Ed, OE, Penn, TE, JCP&L, MP, Penelec, PE, West-Penn, FET, American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company and Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, and any successor to any of them and (ii) any other significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Regulation S-X of the SEC (17 C.F.R. §210.1-02(w)), or any successor provision) of each Borrower (excluding Securitization SPVs); provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no Unregulated Subsidiary shall constitute a Significant Subsidiary.

SOFR” means, with respect to any Business Day, a rate per annum equal to the secured overnight financing rate for such Business Day published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate) on the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org (or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the administrator of the secured overnight financing rate from time to time) on the immediately succeeding Business Day.

SPC” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(g).

Specified Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(c).

Specified Disposition” means the sale by FE, directly or indirectly, of up to 20% of the issued and outstanding voting equity in any Significant Subsidiary at the time of such disposition, and for which FE shall have received all necessary and applicable Governmental Action.

Specified Event” means the occurrence of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(k).

Stated Amount” means the maximum amount available to be drawn by a Beneficiary under a Letter of Credit.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such a Person, or one or more Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries.

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

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TE” means The Toledo Edison Company, an Ohio corporation.

Term SOFR” means, for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

Termination Date” means October 18, 2026, subject, for certain Lenders, to the extension described in Section 2.19 hereof, or, in any case, the earlier date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 6.01 hereof.

Termination Event” means (i) a Reportable Event described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder (other than a Reportable Event not subject to the provision for 30-day notice to the PBGC with respect to a Plan under such regulations), or (ii) the withdrawal of any Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group from a Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, or (iii) a cessation of operations with respect to which any Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group has incurred liability under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, or (iv) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4042 of ERISA, or (v) the institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, or (vi) any other event or condition that might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment by a court of competent jurisdiction of a trustee to administer, any Plan.

Total Capitalization” means, with respect to FET at any date of determination, the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Debt of FET, (ii) the capital stock (but excluding treasury stock and capital stock subscribed and unissued) and other equity accounts (including retained earnings and paid in capital but excluding accumulated other comprehensive income and loss) of FET and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (iii) consolidated equity of the preference stockholders of FET and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations of FET and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.

TrAILCo” means Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company, a Maryland and Virginia corporation.

Trust Preferred Securities” means any securities, however denominated, (i) issued by any Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary of any Borrower, (ii) that are not subject to mandatory redemption or the underlying securities, if any, of which are not subject to mandatory redemption, (iii) that are perpetual or mature no less than 30 years from the date of issuance, (iv) the indebtedness issued in connection with which, including any guaranty, is subordinate in right of payment to the unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the issuer of such indebtedness or guaranty, and (v) the terms of which permit the deferral of the payment of interest or distributions thereon to a date occurring after the latest Termination Date.

Type” means the designation of a Borrowing or an Advance as a Eurodollar Rate Borrowing or Advance or as an Alternate Base Rate Borrowing or Advance.

UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential

 

25


Regulation Authority) or any Person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

United States” and “U.S.” each means the United States of America.

Unmatured Default” means any event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

Unregulated Money Pool Agreement” means the FirstEnergy Substitute Non-Utility Money Pool Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2018, among FE, FirstEnergy Service Company and certain non-utility Subsidiaries of FE, as amended, modified, restated or replaced from time to time.

Unregulated Subsidiaries” means AESC and its Subsidiaries.

USD LIBOR” means the London interbank offered rate for U.S. dollars.

U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(g)(ii)(B)(iii).

West-Penn” means West Penn Power Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.

Withholding Agent” means any Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods.

In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each means “to but excluding”.

 

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SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms.

All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP consistent with those applied in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(g). Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein, and the determination of Indebtedness hereunder, shall be made without giving effect to Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Standard ASC 842 (Leases) (or any other applicable financial accounting standard having a similar result or effect) and related interpretations, in each case, to the extent any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) would be required to be treated as a capital lease thereunder where such lease (or similar arrangement) would have been treated as an operating lease under GAAP as in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of the ASC 842.

SECTION 1.04. Terms Generally.

Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provisions hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, and (v) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.

SECTION 1.05. Divisions.

For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its equity interests at such time.

SECTION 1.06. Interest Rates; LIBOR Notification.

The interest rate on a Eurodollar Rate Advance is determined by reference to the London interbank offered rate (“LIBOR”). LIBOR is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. On March 5, 2021, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) publicly announced that: (a)

 

27


immediately after December 31, 2021, publication of the 1-week and 2-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will permanently cease; immediately after June 30, 2023, publication of the overnight and 12-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will permanently cease; and immediately after June 30, 2023, the 1-month, 3-month and 6-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings will cease to be provided or, subject to the FCA’s consideration of the case, be provided on a synthetic basis and no longer be representative of the underlying market and economic reality they are intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored. There is no assurance that dates announced by the FCA will not change or that the administrator of LIBOR and/or regulators will not take further action that could impact the availability, composition, or characteristics of LIBOR or the currencies and/or tenors for which LIBOR is published. Each party to this Agreement should consult its own advisors to stay informed of any such developments. Public and private sector industry initiatives are currently underway to identify new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of LIBOR. On the earlier of (i) the date that all Available Tenors of USD LIBOR have either permanently or indefinitely ceased to be provided by IBA or have been announced by the FCA pursuant to public statement or publication of information to be no longer representative and (ii) the Early Opt-in Effective Date, Section 2.23 provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrowers, pursuant to Error! Reference source not found.Section 2.23(d), of any change to the reference rate upon which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is based. However, the Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission, performance or any other matter related to LIBOR or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof (including, without limitation, (i) any such alternative, successor or replacement rate implemented pursuant to Section 2.23(a) or (b), whether upon the occurrence of an event described in Section 2.23(a), a Benchmark Transition Event, or an Early Opt-in Election, and (ii) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes pursuant to Section 2.23(c)), including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, LIBOR or have the same volume or liquidity as did the London interbank offered rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates and/or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) and/or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrowers. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain LIBOR or such alternative, successor or replacement rate, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

ARTICLE II

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

SECTION 2.01. The Advances.

 

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Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make Advances to each Borrower in Dollars only from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the date hereof until the Termination Date applicable to such Lender in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the Available Commitment of such Lender. Each Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and shall consist of Advances of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances, having the same Interest Period made or Converted on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments. Within the limits of each Lender’s Available Commitment, and subject to the conditions set forth in Article III and the other terms and conditions hereof, each Borrower may from time to time borrow, prepay pursuant to Section 2.12 and reborrow under this Section 2.01; provided, that in no case shall any Lender be required to make an Advance to any Borrower hereunder if (i) the amount of such Advance would exceed such Lender’s Available Commitment or (ii) the making of such Advance, together with the making of the other Advances constituting part of the same Borrowing, would cause the total amount of all Outstanding Credits to exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments.

SECTION 2.02. Making the Advances.

(a) Each Borrowing shall be made on notice, given (i) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Eurodollar Rate Advances, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing, and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Alternate Base Rate Advances, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the date of the proposed Borrowing, by any Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof. Each such Notice of Borrowing by any Borrower shall be by email or any other electronic manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto, specifying therein the requested (A) date of such Borrowing, (B) Type of Advances to be made in connection with such Borrowing, (C) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, (D) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Eurodollar Rate Advances, the initial Interest Period for each such Advance, which Borrowing shall be subject to the limitations stated in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, and (E) the identity of the Borrower requesting such Borrowing. Each Borrower may request that more than one Borrowing be made on any date. Each Lender shall, before 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 8.02, in same day funds, such Lender’s Percentage of such Borrowing. After the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Administrative Agent will make such funds available to such Borrower at the Administrative Agent’s aforesaid address.

(b) Each Notice of Borrowing delivered by any Borrower shall be irrevocable and binding on such Borrower. In the case of any Notice of Borrowing delivered by any Borrower requesting Eurodollar Rate Advances, such Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure by such Borrower to fulfill on or before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing when such Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such date.

 

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(c) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice via facsimile transmission from a Lender prior to (A) 5:00 p.m. (New York time) one Business Day prior to the date of a Borrowing comprising Eurodollar Rate Advances or (B) 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of a Borrowing comprising Alternate Base Rate Advances that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Percentage of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such Percentage of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and such Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to such Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to Advances made in connection with such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.

(d) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Advances are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Advance on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

SECTION 2.03. [Reserved].

SECTION 2.04. Letters of Credit.

(a) Agreement of Fronting Banks. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each Fronting Bank agrees to issue and amend (including, without limitation, to extend or renew) for the account of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (each such Person, an “Account Party”) one or more Letters of Credit from and including the date hereof to the third Business Day preceding the Termination Date applicable to such Fronting Bank, in an aggregate Stated Amount at any time outstanding not to exceed such Fronting Bank’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment, up to a maximum aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit at any one time outstanding equal to the L/C Commitment Amount minus Reimbursement Obligations outstanding at such time. Each Letter of Credit may be renewable (if so requested by the applicable Borrower), shall have a Stated Amount not less than $100,000 and shall have an Expiration Date of no later than the earlier of (x) the third Business Day preceding the then-scheduled Termination Date applicable to the Fronting Bank issuing such Letter of Credit and (y) the date occurring one year after the Date of Issuance of such Letter of Credit; provided, however, that no Fronting Bank will issue or amend a Letter of Credit if, immediately following such issuance or amendment, (i) the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit would (A) exceed the Available Commitments or (B) when aggregated with (1) the Stated Amounts of all other outstanding Letters of Credit and (2) the outstanding Reimbursement Obligations, exceed the L/C Commitment Amount or (ii) the total amount of all Outstanding Credits would exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments.

 

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Letters of Credit shall be denominated in Dollars only. Notwithstanding that any Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder may be in support of any obligations of, or for the account of, a Subsidiary of any Borrower, any Borrower that requests the issuance of any such Letter of Credit in support of any obligations of, or for the account of, any of its Subsidiaries shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable Fronting Bank for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. Each Borrower that requests the issuance of any such Letter of Credit hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of its Subsidiaries inures to such Borrower’s benefit and that such Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiary. No Fronting Bank shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Fronting Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, (B) any law applicable to such Fronting Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Fronting Bank shall prohibit, or request that such Fronting Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Fronting Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Fronting Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the date hereof, or shall impose upon such Fronting Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the date hereof and that such Fronting Bank in good faith deems material to it, (C) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Fronting Bank or (D) such Fronting Bank is not required to make any Extension of Credit in connection with a Letter of Credit under Section 2.21(e).

(b) Forms. Each Letter of Credit shall be in a form customarily used by the Fronting Bank that is to issue such Letter of Credit or in such other form as has been approved by such Fronting Bank. At the time of issuance or amendment, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the amount and the terms and conditions of each Letter of Credit shall be subject to approval by the applicable Fronting Bank and the applicable Borrower.

(c) Notice of Issuance; Application. The applicable Borrower shall give the applicable Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent written notice, or telephonic notice confirmed in writing, in any case, at least two (2) Business Days (or such shorter period as such Fronting Bank may agree in its sole discretion) prior to the requested Date of Issuance of a Letter of Credit, such notice to be in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (a “Letter of Credit Request”). Such Borrower shall also execute and deliver such customary letter of credit application forms as requested from time to time by such Fronting Bank. Such application forms shall indicate the identity of the Account Party and that such Borrower is the “Applicant” or shall otherwise indicate that such Borrower is the obligor in respect of any Letter of Credit to be issued thereunder. If the terms or conditions of the application forms conflict with any provision of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

(d) Issuance. Provided that the applicable Borrower has given the notice prescribed by Section 2.04(c) and subject to the other terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Article III, the applicable Fronting Bank shall issue the requested Letter of Credit on the requested Date of Issuance as set forth in the applicable Letter of Credit Request for the benefit of the stipulated Beneficiary and shall deliver the original of such Letter of Credit to the Beneficiary at the address

 

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specified in the notice. At the request of the applicable Borrower, such Fronting Bank shall deliver a copy of each Letter of Credit to such Borrower within a reasonable time after the Date of Issuance thereof. Upon the request of such Borrower, such Fronting Bank shall deliver to such Borrower a copy of any Letter of Credit proposed to be issued hereunder prior to the issuance thereof.

(e) Notice of Drawing. Each Fronting Bank shall promptly notify the applicable Borrower by telephone, facsimile or other telecommunication of any Drawing under a Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower by such Fronting Bank.

(f) Payments. Each Borrower hereby agrees to pay to each Fronting Bank, in the manner provided in subsection (g) below:

(i) on the date of receipt by such Borrower of notice of any Drawing pursuant to a subsection (e) above, if such notice is received not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time), or on the first Business Day following receipt of such notice by such Borrower, if such notice is received later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time), an amount equal to the amount paid by such Fronting Bank in connection with such Drawing (such date being the “Required Reimbursement Date”); and

(ii) if any Drawing shall be reimbursed to any Fronting Bank after 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the applicable Payment Date, interest on any and all amounts required to be paid pursuant to clause (i) of this subsection (f) from and after such Payment Date until payment in full, payable on demand, at the annual rate of interest applicable to Alternate Base Rate Advances as in effect from time to time, provided, however, that from and after the Required Reimbursement Date with respect to such Drawing until payment in full, such interest rate shall be increased by 2.00% per annum.

(g) Method of Reimbursement. Each Borrower shall reimburse each Fronting Bank for each Drawing under any Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower by such Fronting Bank pursuant to subsection (f) above in the following manner:

(i) such Borrower shall reimburse such Fronting Bank in the manner described in subsection (f) above and Section 2.15; or

(ii) if (A) such Borrower has not reimbursed such Fronting Bank pursuant to paragraph (i) above, (B) the applicable conditions to Borrowing set forth in Articles II and III have been fulfilled, and (C) the Available Commitments in effect at such time exceed the amount of the Drawing to be reimbursed, such Borrower may reimburse such Fronting Bank for such Drawing with the proceeds of an Alternate Base Rate Advance or, if the conditions specified in the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C) have been satisfied and a Notice of Borrowing requesting a Eurodollar Rate Advance has been given, in accordance with Section 2.02, three (3) Business Days prior to the relevant Payment Date, with the proceeds of a Eurodollar Rate Advance.

(h) Nature of Fronting Banks’ Duties. In determining whether to honor any Drawing under any Letter of Credit issued by any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank shall be responsible only to determine that the documents and certificates required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered and that they comply on their face with the requirements

 

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of such Letter of Credit. Each Borrower otherwise assumes all risks of the acts and omissions of, or misuse of any Letter of Credit issued by any Fronting Bank for the account of such Borrower by, the Beneficiary of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, but consistent with Applicable Law, no Fronting Bank shall be responsible, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), (i) for the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy, genuineness or legal effects of any document submitted by any party in connection with the application for and issuance of any drawing honored under a Letter of Credit, even if it should in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent or forged; (ii) for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any such Letter of Credit, or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason; (iii) for errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, telegraph, telex, facsimile or otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (iv) for errors in interpretation of technical terms; (v) for any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under any such Letter of Credit, or the proceeds thereof; (vi) for the misapplication by the Beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit or of the proceeds of any drawing honored under such Letter of Credit; and (vii) for any consequences arising from causes beyond the control of such Fronting Bank. None of the above shall affect, impair or prevent the vesting of any of such Fronting Bank’s rights or powers hereunder. Not in limitation of the foregoing, any action taken or omitted to be taken by any Fronting Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit shall not create against such Fronting Bank any liability to the Borrowers or any Lender, except for actions or omissions resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) of such Fronting Bank or any of its agents or representatives, and such Fronting Bank shall not be required to take any action that exposes such Fronting Bank to personal liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or Applicable Law.

(i) Obligations of Borrowers Absolute. The obligation of each Borrower to reimburse each Fronting Bank for Drawings honored under the Letters of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower by such Fronting Bank shall be unconditional and irrevocable and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances including, without limitation, the following circumstances:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit;

(ii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that any Borrower, any Account Party or any Affiliate of any Borrower or any Account Party may have at any time against a Beneficiary or any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Persons or entities for whom any such Beneficiary or transferee may be acting), such Fronting Bank or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transaction;

(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or any other documents presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;

 

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(iv) the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms of any of the Loan Documents;

(v) any non-application or misapplication by the Beneficiary of the proceeds of any Drawing under a Letter of Credit; or

(vi) the fact that an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

No payment made under this Section 2.04 shall be deemed to be a waiver of any claim any Borrower may have against any Fronting Bank or any other Person.

(j) Participations by Lenders. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit and without any further action on the part of any Fronting Bank or any Lender in respect thereof, each Fronting Bank shall hereby be deemed to have granted to each Lender, and each Lender shall hereby be deemed to have acquired from such Fronting Bank, an undivided interest and participation in such Letter of Credit (including any letter of credit issued by such Fronting Bank in substitution or exchange for such Letter of Credit pursuant to the terms thereof) equal to such Lender’s Percentage of the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit, effective upon the issuance of such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank, in accordance with this subsection (j), such Lender’s Percentage of each payment made by such Fronting Bank in respect of an unreimbursed Drawing under a Letter of Credit. Such Fronting Bank shall notify the Administrative Agent of the amount of such unreimbursed Drawing honored by it not later than (x) 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of payment of a draft under a Letter of Credit, if such payment is made at or prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and (y) the close of business (New York time) on the date of payment of a draft under a Letter of Credit, if such payment is made after 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the date and amount of such unreimbursed Drawing under such Letter of Credit honored by such Fronting Bank and the amount of such Lender’s Percentage therein no later than (1) 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, if such payment is made at or prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and (2) 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the next following Business Day, if such payment is made after 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day. Not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of receipt of a notice of an unreimbursed Drawing by a Lender, such Lender agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank an amount equal to the product of (A) such Lender’s Percentage and (B) the amount of the payment made by such Fronting Bank in respect of such unreimbursed Drawing.

If payment of the amount due pursuant to the preceding sentence from a Lender is received by such Fronting Bank after the close of business on the date it is due, such Lender agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank, in addition to (and along with) its payment of the amount due pursuant to the preceding sentence, interest on such amount at a rate per annum equal to (i) for the period from and including the date such payment is due to but excluding the second succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate, and (ii) for the period from and including the second Business Day succeeding the date such payment is due to but excluding the date on which such amount is paid in full, the Federal Funds Rate plus 2.00% per annum.

 

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(k) Obligations of Lenders Absolute. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that (i) its obligation to acquire a participation in any Fronting Bank’s liability in respect of the Letters of Credit and (ii) its obligation to make the payments specified herein, and the right of each Fronting Bank to receive the same, in the manner specified herein, are absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances whatsoever, including, without limitation, (A) the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default or Unmatured Default; (B) any other breach or default by any Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder; (C) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document; (D) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that the Lender may have at any time against any Borrower, any other Account Party, any Beneficiary, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender; (E) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that any Borrower may have at any time against any Beneficiary, any Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby or any unrelated transactions; (F) any amendment or waiver of, or consent to any departure from, all or any of the Letters of Credit or this Agreement; (G) any statement or any document presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; (H) payment by any Fronting Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, so long as such payment is not the consequence of such Fronting Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) in determining whether documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof; (I) the occurrence of the Termination Date; or (J) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing. Nothing herein shall prevent the assertion by any Lender of a claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim, nor shall any payment made by a Lender under Section 2.04 be deemed to be a waiver of any claim that a Lender may have against any Fronting Bank or any other Person.

(l) Proceeds of Reimbursements. Upon receipt of a payment from any Borrower pursuant to subsection (f) hereof, the applicable Fronting Bank shall promptly transfer to each Lender that has funded its participation in the applicable Drawing pursuant to subsection (j) above, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage) of such payment. All payments due to the Lenders from any Fronting Bank pursuant to this subsection (l) shall be made to the Lenders if, as, and, to the extent possible, when such Fronting Bank receives payments in respect of Drawings under the Letters of Credit pursuant to subsection (f) hereof, and in the same funds in which such amounts are received; provided that if any Lender to which such Fronting Bank is required to transfer any such payment (or any portion thereof) pursuant to this subsection (l) does not receive such payment (or portion thereof) prior to (i) the close of business on the Business Day on which such Fronting Bank received such payment from such Borrower, if such Fronting Bank received such payment prior to 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, or (ii) 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day next succeeding the Business Day on which such Fronting Bank received such payment from the Borrower, if such Fronting Bank received such payment after 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, such Fronting Bank agrees to pay to such Lender, along with its payment of the portion of such payment due to such Lender, interest on such amount at a rate per annum equal to (A) for the period from and including the Business Day when such payment was required to be made to the Lenders to but excluding the second succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate and (B) for the period from and including

 

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the second Business Day succeeding the Business Day when such payment was required to be made to the Lenders to but excluding the date on which such amount is paid in full, the Federal Funds Rate plus 2.00% per annum.

(m) Concerning the Fronting Banks. Each Fronting Bank will exercise and give the same care and attention to the Letters of Credit issued by it as it gives to its other letters of credit and similar obligations, and each Lender agrees that each Fronting Bank’s sole liability to such Lender shall be (i) to distribute promptly, as and when received by such Fronting Bank, and in accordance with the provisions of subsection (l) above, such Lender’s Percentage of any payments to such Fronting Bank by the Borrowers pursuant to subsection (f) above in respect of Drawings under the Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank, (ii) to exercise or refrain from exercising any right or to take or to refrain from taking any action under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank as may be directed in writing by the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or the Administrative Agent acting at the direction and on behalf of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders), except to the extent required by the terms hereof or thereof or by Applicable Law, and (iii) as otherwise expressly set forth in this Section 2.04. No Fronting Bank shall be liable for any action taken or omitted at the request or with approval of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or of the Administrative Agent acting on behalf of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or for the nonperformance of the obligations of any other party under this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby. Without in any way limiting any of the foregoing, each Fronting Bank may rely upon the advice of counsel concerning legal matters and upon any written communication or any telephone conversation that it believes to be genuine or to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person and shall not be required to make any inquiry concerning the performance by any Borrower, any Beneficiary or any other Person of any of their respective obligations and liabilities under or in respect of this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other documents contemplated hereby or thereby. No Fronting Bank shall have any obligation to make any claim, or assert any Lien, upon any property held by such Fronting Bank or assert any offset thereagainst in satisfaction of all or any part of the obligations of the Borrowers hereunder; provided that each Fronting Bank shall, if so directed by the Majority Lenders or the Administrative Agent acting on behalf of and with the consent of the Majority Lenders, have an obligation to make a claim, or assert a Lien, upon property held by such Fronting Bank in connection with this Agreement, or assert an offset thereagainst.

Each Fronting Bank may accept deposits from, make loans or otherwise extend credit to, and generally engage in any kind of banking or trust business with the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates, or any other Person, and receive payment on such loans or extensions of credit and otherwise act with respect thereto freely and without accountability in the same manner as if it were not a Fronting Bank hereunder.

Each Fronting Bank makes no representation or warranty and shall have no responsibility with respect to: (i) the genuineness, legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby; (ii) the truthfulness, accuracy or performance of any of the representations, warranties or agreements contained in this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby; (iii) the collectibility of any amounts due under this

 

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Agreement; (iv) the financial condition of the Borrowers or any other Person; or (v) any act or omission of any Beneficiary with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit or the proceeds of any Drawing under any Letter of Credit.

(n) Indemnification of Fronting Banks by Lenders. To the extent that any Fronting Bank is not reimbursed and indemnified by the Borrowers under Section 8.05 hereof, each Lender agrees to reimburse and indemnify such Fronting Bank on demand, pro rata in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage, for and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Fronting Bank, in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby, or any action taken or omitted by such Fronting Bank under or in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby; provided, however, that such Lender shall not be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from such Fronting Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; and provided further, however, that such Lender shall not be liable to such Fronting Bank or any other Lender for the failure of any Borrower to reimburse such Fronting Bank for any drawing made under a Letter of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower with respect to which such Lender has paid such Fronting Bank such Lender’s pro rata share (determined in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage), or for such Borrower’s failure to pay interest thereon. Each Lender’s obligations under this subsection (n) shall survive the payment in full of all amounts payable by such Lender under subsection (j) above, and the termination of this Agreement and the Letters of Credit. Nothing in this subsection (n) is intended to limit any Lender’s reimbursement obligation contained in subsection (j) above.

(o) Representations of Lenders. As between any Fronting Bank and the Lenders, by its execution and delivery of this Agreement each Lender hereby represents and warrants solely to such Fronting Bank that (i) it is duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, and has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations to such Fronting Bank under this Agreement; and (ii) this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with the terms hereof, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bank organization, moratorium, conservatorship or other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors rights in general and the rights of creditors of banks, and except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

(p) Existing Letters of Credit. All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

(q) Successor Fronting Bank. Any Fronting Bank may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders, the other Fronting Banks and the Borrowers, as long as such Fronting Bank has no Letters of Credit outstanding under this Agreement. Upon such resignation, the Borrowers may designate one or more Lenders as Fronting Banks to replace the

 

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retiring Fronting Bank. If a Fronting Bank has any Letters of Credit outstanding under this Agreement and delivers a written notice of its intent to resign to the Lenders, the other Fronting Banks and the Borrowers, such Fronting Bank shall continue to honor its obligations under this Agreement, but shall have no obligation to issue any new Letter of Credit. Upon receipt of such notice of intent to resign, the Borrowers and such Fronting Bank may agree to replace or terminate the outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank and to designate one or more Lenders as Fronting Banks to replace such Fronting Bank.

SECTION 2.05. Fees.

(a) FE agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee on the amount of such Lender’s Available Commitment at such time from the date hereof in the case of each Bank and from the effective date specified in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of each other Lender until the Termination Date applicable to such Lender, payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December during such period, and on such Termination Date, at the rate per annum set forth below determined by reference to the Reference Ratings of FE from time to time in effect (and, solely in the case that there are no Reference Ratings, the rate shall be at Level 5):

 

     LEVEL 1     LEVEL 2     LEVEL 3     LEVEL 4     LEVEL 5  

BASIS FOR PRICING

   Reference Ratings
at least BBB by
S&P or Baa2 by
Moody’s
    Reference Ratings
lower than
Level 1 but at
least BBB- by
S&P or Baa3 by
Moody’s
    Reference Ratings
lower than
Level 2 but at
least BB+ by S&P
or Ba1 by
Moody’s
    Reference Ratings
lower than
Level 3 but at
least BB by S&P
or Ba2 by
Moody’s
    Reference Ratings
lower than
Level 4
 

Commitment Fee

     0.225     0.275     0.35     0.50     0.60

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if there is a difference of one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s and the higher of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4, then the higher Reference Rating will be used to determine the commitment fee, and (ii) if there is a difference of more than one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s, the Reference Rating that is one level above the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the commitment fee, unless the lower of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 5, in which case the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the commitment fee. If there exists only one Reference Rating, such Reference Rating will be used to determine the commitment fee.

(b) FE agrees to pay the fees payable by the Borrowers in such amounts and payable on such terms as set forth in the Fee Letters.

(c) FE agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, a fee in an amount equal to the then Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Advances for each Borrower multiplied by the Stated Amount of each Letter of Credit issued for the account of

 

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such Borrower, in each case for the number of days that such Letter of Credit is issued and outstanding, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December and on the date such Letter of Credit expires.

(d) FE agrees to pay to each Fronting Bank, for its own account, certain fees payable by each applicable Borrower in such amounts and payable on such terms as set forth in the Fee Letter to which such Fronting Bank is a party.

SECTION 2.06. Adjustment of the Commitments.

(a) Commitment Reduction. The Borrowers shall have the right, upon at least two Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate in whole or, upon same day notice, from time to time to permanently reduce ratably in part the unused portion of the Commitments; provided that each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or in an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; provided, further, that the Commitments may not be reduced to an amount that is less than the aggregate Stated Amount of outstanding Letters of Credit. Subject to the foregoing, any reduction of the Commitments to an amount below $100,000,000 shall also result in a reduction of the L/C Commitment Amount to the extent of such deficit (with automatic reductions in the amount of each L/C Fronting Bank Commitment ratably in proportion to the amount of such reduction of the L/C Commitment Amount). Each such notice of termination or reduction shall be irrevocable. Without limiting subsection (b) below, any Commitment reduced or terminated pursuant to this subsection (a) may not be reinstated.

(b) Commitment Increase. (i) On any date prior to the latest Termination Date, the Borrowers may increase the aggregate amount of the Commitments by an amount not less than $50,000,000 for any such increase but not more than $500,000,000 (the “Maximum Accordion Amount”) for all such increases (any such increase, a “Commitment Increase”) by designating one or more of the existing Lenders or one or more Affiliates thereof (each of which, in its sole discretion, may determine whether and to what degree to participate in such Commitment Increase) or one or more other Persons that at the time agree, in the case of any existing Lender, to increase its Commitment (an “Increasing Lender”) and, in the case of any other Person or an Affiliate of a Lender (an “Additional Lender”), to become a party to this Agreement; provided that (i) each Additional Lender shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and each Increasing Lender and each Additional Lender shall be acceptable to the Fronting Banks, (ii) the allocations of the Commitment Increase among the Increasing Lenders shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in consultation with FE, and (iii) the amount of the Commitment of each Additional Lender shall not be less than $5,000,000. The sum of the increases in the Commitments of the Increasing Lenders pursuant to this subsection (b) plus the Commitments of the Additional Lenders upon giving effect to the Commitment Increase shall not exceed the amount of the Commitment Increase. The Borrowers shall provide prompt notice of any proposed Commitment Increase pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) to the Administrative Agent, which shall promptly provide a copy of such notice to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks.

(ii) Any Commitment Increase shall become effective upon (A) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent signed by each Borrower, each Increasing Lender and each Additional Lender, setting forth the new Commitment of each such Lender and setting forth

 

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the agreement of each Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement and to be bound by all the terms and provisions hereof binding upon each Lender, (B) the funding by each Lender of the Advance(s) to be made by each such Lender described in paragraph (iii) below, (C) receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate (the statements contained in which shall be true) of an Authorized Officer of each Borrower stating that both before and after giving effect to such Commitment Increase (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) all representations and warranties made by such Borrower in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (or in the case of any representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) and (D) receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Borrower, in each case certifying, with respect to itself, that attached thereto are true and correct copies of (1) the resolutions of the Board of Directors (or appropriate committee thereof) of such Borrower approving such Commitment Increase and and (2) all governmental and regulatory authorizations and approvals required to be obtained by such Borrower for such Commitment Increase.

(iii) Upon the effective date of any Commitment Increase, the Borrowers shall prepay the outstanding Advances (if any) in full, and shall simultaneously make new Advances hereunder in an amount equal to such prepayment, so that, after giving effect thereto, the Advances are held ratably by the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments (after giving effect to such Commitment Increase). Prepayments made under this paragraph (iii) shall not be subject to the notice requirements of Section 2.12.

(iv) Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, from and after the date of any Commitment Increase and the making of any Advances on such date pursuant to paragraph (iii) above, all calculations and payments of the commitment fee, Letter of Credit fees and interest on the Advances shall take into account the actual Commitment of each Lender and the principal amount outstanding of each Advance made by such Lender during the relevant period of time.

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Advances.

Each Borrower agrees to repay the principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender to such Borrower no later than the earlier of (i) 364 days after the date such Advance is made and (ii) the latest Termination Date applicable to such Lender; provided, however, that if any Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (including, without limitation, certified copies of governmental approvals and legal opinions) that such Borrower is authorized under Applicable Law to incur Indebtedness hereunder maturing more than 364 days after the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness, such Borrower shall repay each Advance made to it by a Lender no later than the latest Termination Date applicable to such Lender.

SECTION 2.08. Interest on Advances.

Each Borrower agrees to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender to such Borrower from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum, subject to Section 2.15(f):

 

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(a) Alternate Base Rate Advances. If such Advance is an Alternate Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the Alternate Base Rate in effect from time to time plus the Applicable Margin for such Alternate Base Rate Advance in effect from time to time, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December, on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender and on the date such Alternate Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or be paid in full and as provided in Section 2.12; and

(b) Eurodollar Rate Advances. If such Advance is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during the Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Margin for such Eurodollar Rate Advance in effect from time to time, payable on the last day of each Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advance (and, in the case of any Interest Period of six months, on the last day of the third month of such Interest Period), on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender and on the date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or be paid in full and as provided in Section 2.12.

SECTION 2.09. Additional Interest on Advances.

Each Borrower agrees to pay to each Lender, so long as such Lender shall be required under regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities, additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Advance made by such Lender to such Borrower, from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is paid in full, at an interest rate per annum equal at all times to the remainder obtained by subtracting (i) the Eurodollar Rate for the Interest Period for such Advance from (ii) the rate obtained by dividing such Eurodollar Rate by a percentage equal to 100% minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage of such Lender for such Interest Period, payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Advance; provided, that no Lender shall be entitled to demand additional interest under this Section 2.09 more than 90 days following the last day of the Interest Period in respect of which such demand is made; provided further, however, that the foregoing proviso shall in no way limit the right of any Lender to demand or receive such additional interest to the extent that such additional interest relates to the retroactive application by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of any regulation described above if such demand is made within 90 days after the implementation of such retroactive regulation. Such additional interest shall be determined by such Lender and notified to the applicable Borrower through the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.10. Interest Rate Determination.

(a) The Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the applicable Borrower and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Administrative Agent for purposes of Section 2.08(a) or (b).

(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the Majority Lenders notify the Administrative Agent that (i) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Advances, (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the

 

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Eurodollar Rate or (iii) the Eurodollar Rate for any Interest Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Majority Lenders of making or funding their respective Eurodollar Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrowers and the Lenders, whereupon

(i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into an Alternate Base Rate Advance, and

(ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and the obligation of the Lenders to make or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended.

SECTION 2.11. Conversion of Advances.

(a) Voluntary. Any Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third Business Day prior to the date of any proposed Conversion into Eurodollar Rate Advances, and on the date of any proposed Conversion into Alternate Base Rate Advances, and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.10 and 2.14, Convert all Advances of one Type made to such Borrower in connection with the same Borrowing into Advances of another Type or Types or Advances of the same Type having the same or a new Interest Period; provided, however, that any Conversion of, or with respect to, any Eurodollar Rate Advances into Advances of another Type or Advances of the same Type having the same or new Interest Periods, shall be made on, and only on, the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances, unless the applicable Borrower shall also reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b) on the date of such Conversion. Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Advances to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into, or with respect to, Eurodollar Rate Advances, the duration of the Interest Period for each such resulting Advance.

(b) Mandatory. If any Borrower shall fail to select the Type of any Advance or the duration of any Interest Period for any Borrowing comprising Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01 and Section 2.11(a), or if any proposed Conversion of a Borrowing that is to comprise Eurodollar Rate Advances upon Conversion shall not occur as a result of the circumstances described in subsection (c) below, the Administrative Agent will forthwith so notify such Borrower and the Lenders, and such Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Alternate Base Rate Advances.

 

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(c) Failure to Convert. Each notice of Conversion given by any Borrower pursuant to subsection (a) above shall be irrevocable and binding on such Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that is to comprise Eurodollar Rate Advances upon Conversion, the applicable Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure of such Conversion to occur pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.10(c), including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund such Eurodollar Rate Advances upon such Conversion, when such Conversion does not occur. Each Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (c) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing by such Borrower to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

SECTION 2.12. Prepayments.

(a) Optional. Any Borrower may at any time prepay the outstanding principal amounts of the Advances made to such Borrower as part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid, upon notice thereof given to the Administrative Agent by such Borrower not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) (i) on the date of any such prepayment in the case of Alternate Base Rate Advances and (ii) on the second Business Day prior to any such prepayment in the case of Eurodollar Rate Advances; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $5,000,000 and (y) in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Advance, such Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b) on the date of such prepayment.

(b) Mandatory. If and to the extent that the Outstanding Credits on any date hereunder shall exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments hereunder on such date, each Borrower agrees to (A) prepay on such date a principal amount of Advances and/or (B) pay to the Administrative Agent an amount in immediately available funds (which funds shall be held as collateral pursuant to arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) equal to all or a portion of the amount available for drawing under the Letters of Credit outstanding at such time, which prepayment under clause (A) and payment under clause (B) shall, when taken together result in the amount of Outstanding Credits minus the amount paid to the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (B) being less than or equal to the aggregate amount of the Commitments hereunder on such date. Any prepayment of Advances shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount prepaid to the date of such prepayment and, in the case of any such prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Advances, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b).

SECTION 2.13. Increased Costs.

(a) If, due to any Change in Law, there shall be any increase in the cost (other than in respect of Taxes, which are addressed exclusively in Section 2.16) to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances or any increase in the cost to any Fronting Bank or any Lender of issuing, maintaining or participating in Letters of Credit, then each Borrower shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the

 

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Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) for such increased cost. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost and the basis therefor, submitted to each Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), shall constitute such demand and shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(b) If any Lender or any Fronting Bank determines that any Change in Law affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) or any corporation controlling such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) and that the amount of such capital or liquidity is increased by or based upon the existence of (i) such Lender’s commitment to lend or participate in Letters of Credit hereunder and other commitments of this type or (ii) the Advances made by such Lender or (iii) the participations in Letters of Credit acquired by such Lender or (iv) in the case of any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank’s commitment to issue, maintain and honor drawings under Letters of Credit hereunder, or (v) the honoring of Letters of Credit by any Fronting Bank hereunder, then, upon demand by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), each Borrower shall immediately pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), from time to time as specified by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender, such Fronting Bank or such corporation in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to (i) in the case of such Lender, the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder or the Advances made by such Lender or (ii) the participations in Letters of Credit acquired by such Lender or (iii) in the case of any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank’s Commitment to issue, maintain and honor drawings under Letters of Credit hereunder, or (iv) the honoring of Letters of Credit by any Fronting Bank hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to each Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall constitute such demand and shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(c) Each Borrower shall be liable for each payment to be made by the Borrowers under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 2.13; provided, however, that if and to the extent that any such liabilities are reasonably determined by the Borrowers (subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) to be directly attributable to Advances made to a specific Borrower, then only such Borrower shall be liable for such payments.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Fronting Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or Fronting Bank’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Fronting Bank pursuant to this Section 2.13 for any increased costs or additional amounts incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Fronting Bank notifies the Borrowers of such Lender’s or Fronting Bank’s intention to claim such compensation (except that, if such Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs is retroactive,

 

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then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

(e) The Borrowers’ obligations under this Section 2.13 shall survive (x) the repayment of all amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note, (y) the termination of the Commitments, the commitments of the Fronting Banks hereunder and any Letters of Credit and (z) the termination of this Agreement, in each case to the extent such obligations were incurred prior to such repayment and termination.

SECTION 2.14. Illegality.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurodollar Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Advances or to fund or maintain Eurodollar Rate Advances hereunder, (i) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist and (ii) the Borrowers shall forthwith prepay in full all Eurodollar Rate Advances of all Lenders then outstanding, together with interest accrued thereon, unless (A) the Borrowers, within five Business Days of notice from the Administrative Agent, Converts all Eurodollar Rate Advances of all Lenders then outstanding into Advances of another Type in accordance with Section 2.11 or (B) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrowers that the circumstances causing such prepayment no longer exist. Any Lender that becomes aware of circumstances that would permit such Lender to notify the Administrative Agent of any illegality under this Section 2.14 shall use its best efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office if the making of such change would avoid or eliminate such illegality and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

SECTION 2.15. Payments and Computations.

(a) Each Borrower shall make each payment hereunder and under any Note not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Administrative Agent or, with respect to payments made in respect of Reimbursement Obligations, to the applicable Fronting Bank, at its address referred to in Section 8.02 in same day funds, without set-off, counterclaim or defense and any such payment to the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall constitute payment by such Borrower hereunder or under any Note, as the case may be, for all purposes, and upon such payment the Lenders shall look solely to the Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) for their respective interests in such payment. The Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) will promptly after any such payment cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or commitment fees or Reimbursement Obligations ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.02(c), 2.05, 2.09, 2.11(c), 2.13, 2.16, 2.21 or 8.05(b)) (according to the Lenders’ respective Percentages) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount

 

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payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Assumption and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 8.08(d), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Assumption, the Administrative Agent and each Fronting Bank shall make all payments hereunder and under any Note in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Assumption shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.

(b) Each Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender and each Fronting Bank, if and to the extent payment owed to such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) is not made by such Borrower to the Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) when due hereunder or under any Note held by such Lender, to charge from time to time against any or all of such Borrower’s accounts (other than any payroll account maintained by such Borrower with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) if and to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have expressly waived its set-off rights in writing in respect of such payroll account) with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) any amount so due.

(c) All computations of interest based on the Alternate Base Rate (based upon The Wall Street Journal’s published “prime rate”) shall be made by the Administrative Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of commitment fees and of interest based on the Alternate Base Rate (based upon the Federal Funds Rate or upon clause (iii) of the definition of Alternate Base Rate), the Eurodollar Rate or the Federal Funds Rate shall be made by the Administrative Agent, and all computations of interest pursuant to Section 2.09 shall be made by a Lender, on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such commitment fees or interest are payable. Each determination by the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of Section 2.09, by a Lender) of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder or under any Note shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or commitment fees, as the case may be; provided, however, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Eurodollar Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from any Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may assume that each Borrower has made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent that any Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed

 

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to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Administrative Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.

(f) The principal amount of any Advance (or any portion thereof) payable by any Borrower hereunder or under any Note that is not paid when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) shall (to the fullest extent permitted by law) bear interest from the date when due until paid in full at a rate per annum equal at all times to the rate otherwise applicable to such Advance plus 2% per annum, payable upon demand. Any other amount payable by any Borrower hereunder or under any Note that is not paid when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) shall (to the fullest extent permitted by law) bear interest from the date when due until paid in full at a rate per annum equal at all times to the rate of interest applicable to Alternate Base Rate Advances plus 2% per annum, payable upon demand.

(g) To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or otherwise, then (i) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (ii) each Lender and each Fronting Bank severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of any amounts hereunder and the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.16. Taxes.

(a) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.16, (i) the term “Applicable Law” includes FATCA and (ii) the term “Lender” includes any Fronting Bank.

(b) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by Applicable Law. If any Applicable Law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by each Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.16) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

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(c) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrowers. Each Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(d) Indemnification by the Borrowers. Each Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 30 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 2.16) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 30 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of any Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 8.08(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this subsection (e).

(f) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, such Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(g) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to each Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by any Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable such Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting

 

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requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Sections 2.16(g)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(i) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(ii) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of such Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax

 

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Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or

(iv) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2 or Exhibit E-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit such Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by Applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for such Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify each Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

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(h) On or before the date on which the Administrative Agent (including any successor or replacement Administrative Agent) becomes the Administrative Agent hereunder, it shall deliver to such Borrower two executed copies of either (a) IRS Form W-9 or (b) with respect to amounts received on its own account, IRS Form W-8ECI and with respect to amounts received on account of any Lender, IRS Form W-8IMY certifying that it is a U.S. branch that has agreed to be treated as a U.S. Person for U.S. federal tax purposes or a qualified intermediary that has agreed to assume primary withholding obligations for Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of the Code with respect to payments received by it from such Borrower in its capacity as Administrative Agent, as applicable.

(i) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.16 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.16 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this subsection (i) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection (i), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this subsection (i) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(j) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.16 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of this Agreement and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

SECTION 2.17. Sharing of Payments, Etc.

(a) If any Lender shall obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances made by it or participations in Letters of Credit acquired by it (other than pursuant to Section 2.02(c), 2.09, 2.11(c), 2.13, 2.16, 2.21 or 8.05(b)) in excess of its ratable share of payments on account of the Advances or Letters of Credit (as the case may be) obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Advances made by them or participations in Letters of Credit acquired by them (as the case may be) as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such

 

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purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (a) the amount of such Lender’s required repayment to (b) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered. Each Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.17 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.

(b) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.02(c) or 2.04(j), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations to it under such Section until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

SECTION 2.18. Noteless Agreement; Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of each Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Advance made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Advance made hereunder, the Borrower thereof, the Type thereof and the Interest Period (if any) with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from such Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from each Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.

(c) Subject to Section 8.08(c), the entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of each Borrower to repay such obligations in accordance with their terms.

(d) Any Lender may request that its Advances be evidenced by a Note. In such event, each Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to such Lender or its registered assigns. Thereafter, the Advances evidenced by such Note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after any assignment pursuant to Section 8.08) be represented by one or more Notes payable to the payee named therein, or to its registered assigns pursuant to Section 8.08, except to the extent that any such Lender or assignee subsequently returns any such

 

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Note for cancellation and requests that such Borrowings once again be evidenced as described in subsections (a) and (b) above.

SECTION 2.19. Extension of Termination Date.

(a) The Borrowers may, by notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders) not earlier than 60 days prior to any anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Anniversary Date”) but no later than 30 days prior to such Anniversary Date (the date of delivery of any such notice being the “Borrower Extension Notice Date”), request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Termination Date for an additional one year after the Termination Date then in effect for such Lender hereunder (the “Existing Termination Date”). The Borrowers may request no more than two extensions pursuant to this Section 2.19.

(b) Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not earlier than 30 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date and not later than the date (the “Lender Extension Notice Date”) that is 20 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date, advise the Administrative Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Existing Termination Date (a “Nonconsenting Lender”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Lender Extension Notice Date), and any Lender that does not so advise the Administrative Agent on or before the Lender Extension Notice Date shall be deemed to be a Nonconsenting Lender. The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers of each Lender’s determination under this Section 2.19 no later than the date 15 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date, or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day (the “Specified Date”).

(d) The Borrowers shall have the right on or before the fifth Business Day after the Specified Date to replace each Nonconsenting Lender (i) with an existing Lender, and/or (ii) by adding as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more Persons (each Lender in clauses (i) and (ii), an “Additional Commitment Lender”), in each case, with the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), each of which Additional Commitment Lenders shall have entered into an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent pursuant to which such Additional Commitment Lender shall, effective as of the Specified Date, undertake a Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Commitment hereunder on such date); provided that the aggregate amount of the Commitments for all Additional Commitment Lenders shall be no more than the aggregate amount of the Commitments of all Nonconsenting Lenders.

(e) If (and only if) the aggregate amount of the Commitments of the Lenders that have agreed to extend their Existing Termination Dates plus the aggregate additional Commitments of the Additional Commitment Lenders shall be more than 50% of the aggregate amount of the Commitments in effect immediately prior to the Specified Date, then, effective as of the Specified Date, the Existing Termination Date of each Lender agreeing to an extension and

 

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of each Additional Commitment Lender shall be extended to the date that is one year after the Existing Termination Date, and each Additional Commitment Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the extension of a Lender’s Existing Termination Date pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall be effective with respect to such Lender on the Specified Date but only if (i) the following statements shall be true: (A) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from the extension of the Existing Termination Date, that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default and (B) the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are correct in all material respects (or in the case of any such representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Specified Date, before and after giving effect to such extension, as though made on and as of such date, except for those made specifically as of another date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true as of such other date, provided that, for purposes of the representations and warranties in Sections 4.01(f) and the last sentence of 4.01(g), the Disclosure Documents shall include all the SEC filings made by FE and the Borrowers prior to the applicable Borrower Extension Notice Date and (ii) on or prior to the Specified Date the Administrative Agent shall have received the following, each dated the Specified Date and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent: (x) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of each Borrower to the effect that as of the Specified Date the statements set forth in clauses (A) and (B) above are true, (y) certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Borrower authorizing such extension and the performance of this Agreement on and after the Specified Date, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and Governmental Action with respect to this Agreement and such extension of the Existing Termination Date and (z) an opinion of counsel to the Borrowers, as to such matters related to the foregoing as the Administrative Agent or the Lenders through the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(g) Subject to subsection (d) above, the Commitment of any Nonconsenting Lender shall automatically terminate on its Existing Termination Date (without regard to any extension by any other Lender).

(h) Each Fronting Bank may, in its sole discretion, elect not to serve in such capacity following any extension of the Termination Date; provided that, (i) the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent may appoint a replacement for any such resigning Fronting Bank and (ii) the extension of the Termination Date may become effective without regard to whether such replacement is found.

SECTION 2.20. Several Obligations.

Each Borrower’s obligations hereunder are several and not joint. Any action taken by or on behalf of the Borrowers shall not result in one Borrower being held responsible for the actions, debts or liabilities of the other Borrowers. Nothing contained herein shall be interpreted as requiring the Borrowers to effect Borrowings jointly.

SECTION 2.21. Defaulting Lenders.

 

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Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the Percentage of such Defaulting Lender in the unused portion of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05(a);

(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 8.06 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Fronting Bank hereunder; third, to cash collateralize the Fronting Banks’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section 2.21; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Unmatured Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Advance in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Advances under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section 2.21; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, or the Fronting Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, or Fronting Banks against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Unmatured Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to any Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by such Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Advances or Reimbursement Obligations in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Advances were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 3.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Advances of, and Reimbursement Obligations owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Advances of, or Reimbursement Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Advances and funded and unfunded participations in the applicable Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their respective Percentages without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this subsection (e) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto;

 

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(c) the Commitment and Outstanding Credits of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 8.02); provided that this clause (c) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;

(d) if any Letter of Credit or Reimbursement Obligation is outstanding at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i) all or any part of the L/C Obligations of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Percentages but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Outstanding Credits to exceed its Commitment;

(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, each Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize for the benefit of the Fronting Banks only such Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in a manner consistent with Section 6.01 as set forth therein with respect to the Letter of Credit Cash Cover for so long as such L/C Obligations are outstanding;

(iii) if any Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations pursuant to clause (ii) above, such Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(c) or Section 2.05(d) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations during the period such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations is cash collateralized;

(iv) if the L/C Obligations of the non-Defaulting Lenders are reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.05(a), Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations are neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Fronting Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all fees payable under Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations shall be payable to the Fronting Banks until and to the extent that such L/C Obligations are reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Fronting Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding L/C Obligations will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.21(d), and L/C Obligations related to any newly issued or

 

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increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.21(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

If a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue, no Fronting Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Fronting Banks shall have entered into arrangements with the applicable Borrower or such Lender, reasonably satisfactory to such Fronting Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the applicable Borrower and each Fronting Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the L/C Obligations of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Advances of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Advances in accordance with its Percentage.

SECTION 2.22. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office.

(i) If any Lender requests compensation from any Borrower under Section 2.13, or requires any Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, then such Lender shall (at the request of such Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different Applicable Lending Office for funding or booking its Advances hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.16, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.

(ii) Any Lender that becomes aware of circumstances that would permit such Lender to notify the Administrative Agent of any illegality under Section 2.14 shall use its commercially reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office if the making of such change would avoid or eliminate such illegality and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

(iii) Each Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13 or delivers any notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.14 resulting in the suspension of obligations of the Lenders with respect to Eurodollar Rate Advances, or if any Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different Applicable Lending Office in

 

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accordance with Section 2.22(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Approving Lender, then such Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 8.08(b)), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.13, 2.14 or 2.16) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

(i) such Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 8.08(b);

(ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount of its Advances, accrued interest thereon and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 8.05(b)) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest) or such Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.13 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(iv) such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and

(v) in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Approving Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling such Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 2.23. Benchmark Replacement Setting.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document:

(a) Replacing USD LIBOR. On March 5, 2021 the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), the regulatory supervisor of USD LIBOR’s administrator (“IBA”), announced in a public statement the future cessation or loss of representativeness of overnight/Spot Next, 1-week, 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12- month USD LIBOR tenor settings. On the earlier of (i) the date that all Available Tenors of USD LIBOR have either permanently or indefinitely ceased to be provided by IBA or have been announced by the FCA pursuant to public statement or publication of information to be no longer representative and (ii) the Early Opt-in Effective Date, if the then-current Benchmark is USD LIBOR, the Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any setting of such Benchmark on such day and all subsequent settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

 

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provided that, in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion and without obligation to do so, if the Administrative Agent determines that Term SOFR has become available and has been recommended for use by the Relevant Governmental Body, is administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent and would have been identified as the Benchmark Replacement in accordance with the foregoing if it had been so available at the time that the Benchmark Replacement then in effect was so identified, and the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrowers of such availability, then, from and after the beginning of the Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, in each case, commencing no less than thirty (30) days after the date of such notice, the Benchmark Replacement shall be the sum of: (i) Term SOFR and (ii) 0.11448% (11.448 basis points) for an Available Tenor of one-month’s duration, 0.26161% (26.161 basis points) for an Available Tenor of three-months’ duration, and 0.42826% (42.826 basis points) for an Available Tenor of six-months’ duration (provided that, if the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to the foregoing would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents). If the Benchmark Replacement is Daily Simple SOFR, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.

(b) Replacing Future Benchmarks. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Majority Lenders. At any time that the administrator of the then-current Benchmark has permanently or indefinitely ceased to provide such Benchmark or such Benchmark has been announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark pursuant to public statement or publication of information to be no longer representative of the underlying market and economic reality that such Benchmark is intended to measure and that representativeness will not be restored, the Borrowers may revoke any request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Advances to be made, converted or continued that would bear interest by reference to such Benchmark until the Borrowers’ receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such Benchmark, and, failing that, the Borrowers will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Alternate Base Rate Advances. During the period referenced in the foregoing sentence, the component of Alternate Base Rate based upon the Benchmark will not be used in any determination of Alternate Base Rate.

(c) Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the implementation and administration of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(d) Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of (i) the implementation of any

 

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Benchmark Replacement and (ii) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.23, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party hereto or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.23, and shall not be a basis of any claim of liability of any kind or nature by any party hereto, all such claims being hereby waived individually by each party hereto.

(e) Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. At any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including Term SOFR or USD LIBOR), then the Administrative Agent may remove any tenor of such Benchmark that is unavailable or non-representative for Benchmark (including Benchmark Replacement) settings and (ii) the Administrative Agent may reinstate any such previously removed tenor for Benchmark (including Benchmark Replacement) settings.

ARTICLE III

CONDITIONS OF LENDING AND ISSUING LETTERS OF CREDIT

SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Initial Extension of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Advance to any Borrower, and the obligation of each Fronting Bank to issue its initial Letter of Credit, are subject to the conditions precedent that on or before the date of any such Extension of Credit:

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received the following, each dated the same date (except for the financial statements referred to in paragraph (iv)), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (except for any Note) with one copy for each Fronting Bank and each Lender:

(i) This Agreement, duly executed by each of the parties hereto, and Notes requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.18(d), duly completed and executed by each Borrower and payable to such Lender;

(ii) Certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Borrower approving this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is, or is to be, a party and of all documents evidencing any other necessary corporate action with respect to this Agreement and such Loan Documents;

(iii) A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Borrower certifying (A) the names and true signatures of the officers of such Borrower authorized to sign each Loan Document to which such Borrower is, or is to become, a party and the other documents to be delivered hereunder and (B) that attached thereto are true and correct copies of the Organizational Documents of such Borrower, in each case as in effect on such date;

 

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(iv) Copies of all the Disclosure Documents (it being agreed that those Disclosure Documents publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR Database or on FE’s website no later than the Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Extension of Credit will be deemed to have been delivered under this clause (iv));

(v) An opinion of Jones Day, special counsel for each Borrower;

(vi) A certificate of an Authorized Officer of each Borrower certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 3.02(i) with respect to such Borrower; and

(vii) Such other certifications, opinions, financial or other information, approvals and documents as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender may reasonably request, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such other Lender (as the case may be).

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Fee Letters, duly executed by each of the parties thereto.

(c) FE shall have paid all of the fees payable in accordance with the Fee Letters.

(d) Prior to or concurrently with the making of such initial Extension of Credit, all amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreements, in each case, whether for principal, interest, fees or otherwise, shall have been paid in full, all commitments to lend thereunder shall have been terminated, and the Existing Credit Agreements shall have been terminated.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the Patriot Act (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Beneficial Ownership Certifications), to the extent such documentation or information is requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders prior to the date hereof.

SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender to make an Advance to any Borrower as part of any Borrowing (including the initial Borrowing) that would increase the aggregate principal amount of Advances outstanding hereunder, and the obligation of each Fronting Bank to issue, amend, extend or renew a Letter of Credit (including the initial Letter of Credit for the account of such Borrower), in each case, as part of an Extension of Credit, shall be subject to the further conditions precedent that on the date of such Extension of Credit:

(i) The following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable Notice of Borrowing or Letter of Credit Request and the acceptance by such Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing or the acceptance of a Letter of Credit by the Beneficiary thereof, as the case may be, shall constitute a representation and warranty by such Borrower that on the date of such Extension of Credit such statements are true):

 

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(A) The representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in Section 4.01 with respect to any Extension of Credit following the initial Extension of Credit are true and correct on and as of the date of such Extension of Credit, before and after giving effect to such Extension of Credit and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date (other than, as to any such representation or warranty that by its terms refers to a specific date other than the date of such Extension of Credit, in which case, such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specific date);

(B) No event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default with respect to such Borrower;

(C) Immediately following such Extension of Credit, (1) the aggregate amount of Outstanding Credits shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments then in effect, (2) the Outstanding Credits of any Lender shall not exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment, and (3) if such Extension of Credit relates to a Letter of Credit, the Stated Amount thereof, when aggregated with (x) the Stated Amount of each other Letter of Credit that is outstanding or with respect to which a Letter of Credit Request has been received and (y) the outstanding Reimbursement Obligations, shall not exceed the L/C Commitment Amount; and

(D) In the case of an Extension of Credit to FET, no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Specified Event.

(ii) Such Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a duly executed Notice of Borrowing.

(iii) Such Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent copies of such other approvals and documents as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers.

Each Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a) Existence and Power. It is a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company in and is in good standing under the laws of each state in which the ownership

 

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of its properties or the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower, and has all corporate or limited liability company powers and all governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted except where the failure to do so, in each case, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Due Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by it of each Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part and do not, and will not, require the consent or approval of its shareholders or members, as the case may be, other than such consents and approvals as have been duly obtained, given or accomplished.

(c) No Violation, Etc. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by it of this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party, nor the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by it with the provisions hereof or thereof, contravenes or will contravene, or results or will result in a breach of, any of the provisions of its Organizational Documents, any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, license or any other agreement or instrument to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is party or by which its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is bound, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries except as provided herein, except to the extent such contravention or breach, or the creation or imposition of any such Lien, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower. Each Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws (including, without limitation, ERISA and Environmental Laws), regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower.

(d) Governmental Actions. No Governmental Action is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by it, or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party.

(e) Execution and Delivery. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is, or is to become, a party have been or will be (as the case may be) duly executed and delivered by it, and this Agreement is, and upon execution and delivery thereof each other Loan Document will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject, however, to the application by a court of general principles of equity and to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(f) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there is no pending or, to such Borrower’s knowledge, threatened action or proceeding (including, without limitation, any proceeding relating to or arising out of Environmental Laws) affecting such

 

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Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower.

(g) Financial Statements; Material Adverse Change. The consolidated balance sheet of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as at December 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as at June 30, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, for the six months then ended, copies of which have been furnished to each Lender and each Fronting Bank, in all cases as amended and restated to the date hereof, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the indicated dates and the consolidated results of the operations of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on the indicated dates, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes). Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there has been no change, event or occurrence since December 31, 2020 that has had a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower.

(h) ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(i) No Plan is in at-risk status within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA and no Multiemployer Plan is endangered or in critical status within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA.

(ii) No failure to (A) meet the minimum funding standard of Section 303 of ERISA with respect to any Plan, (B) timely make a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Plan, or (C) make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan has occurred.

(iii) No Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Plan.

(iv) Schedule SB (Actuarial Information) to the most recent annual report (Form 5500 Series) with respect to each Plan, copies of which have been filed with the Department of Labor and furnished (or made available) to the Lenders, (A) is complete and accurate, (B) fairly presents the funding status of such Plan, and (C) since the date of such Schedule SB there has been no change in such funding status.

(v) Neither it nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any withdrawal liability under ERISA with respect to any Multiemployer Plan.

(vi) No Multiemployer Plan is insolvent and no action has been taken to terminate any Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA.

 

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(i) Margin Stock. After applying the proceeds of each Extension of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries subject to the restrictions of Section 5.03(a) or (b) will consist of or be represented by Margin Stock. Such Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no proceeds of any Extension of Credit will be used to purchase or carry any Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock.

(j) Investment Company. Such Borrower is not an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(k) No Event of Default. No event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default in each case with respect to such Borrower.

(l) No Material Misstatements. The reports, financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf of such Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, when taken together with the Disclosure Documents, do not contain and will not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit and will not omit, when taken as a whole, to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were or will be made, not misleading in any material respect.

(m) Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Such Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions in all respects by the Covered Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents under the control and acting on behalf of the Covered Entities. The Covered Entities are in compliance in all material respects with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the regulations promulgated by OFAC (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive orders relating thereto, and (ii) the Patriot Act. The Covered Entities and their respective officers and employees and, to the knowledge of such Borrower, the Covered Entities’ directors, officers, employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects, except for the Noncompliance Event. None of the Covered Entities or any of their respective directors, officers or employees or, to the knowledge of such Borrower, any agent of the Covered Entities (i) is a Sanctioned Person, (ii) has assets located in Sanctioned Countries in violation of applicable Sanctions, (iii) does business in or with, or derives its operating income from investments in, or transactions with, Sanctioned Persons or (iv) does business in or with, or derives its operating income from investments in, or transactions with, Sanctioned Countries. No Borrowing, no Letter of Credit or use of proceeds thereof will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

(n) Affected Financial Institutions. No Borrower is an Affected Financial Institution.

 

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(o) Beneficial Ownership Certification. The information included in the most recent Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is true and correct in all respects.

(p) Taxes. Such Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

ARTICLE V

COVENANTS OF THE BORROWERS

SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants of the Borrowers.

Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by any Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, such Borrower will:

(a) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. (i) Without limiting the right of such Borrower to merge with or into or consolidate with or into any other corporation or entity in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.03(c), preserve and maintain its corporate or limited liability company (as the case may be) existence under the laws of a State of the United States or the District of Columbia, (ii) qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company (as the case may be) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is reasonably necessary in view of its business and operations or the ownership of its properties and (iii) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower; provided, however, that any Borrower may change its form of organization from a corporation to a limited liability company or from a limited liability company to a corporation if the Administrative Agent is reasonably satisfied that such change shall not affect any obligations of such Borrower under the Loan Documents.

(b) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and orders of any Governmental Authority, the noncompliance with which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower, such compliance to include, without limitation, compliance with the Patriot Act, regulations promulgated by OFAC, Environmental Laws, FERC and each “state commission” (as that term is defined under 18 C.F.R. 1.101(k)) having jurisdiction over such Borrower, and ERISA and paying before the same become delinquent all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges imposed upon it or upon its property, except to the extent compliance with any of the foregoing is then being contested in good faith by appropriate legal proceedings.

 

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(c) Maintenance of Insurance, Etc. Maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations or through its own program of self-insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which such Borrower operates.

(d) Inspection Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender may reasonably request (upon five Business Days’ prior notice delivered to the applicable Borrower and no more than once a year, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), permit the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender or any agents or representatives thereof to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, such Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of such Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their respective officers or directors; provided, however, that (x) such Borrower reserves the right to restrict access to any of its Subsidiaries’ facilities in accordance with reasonably adopted procedures relating to safety and security and (y) neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to disclose to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender or any agents or representatives thereof any information that is the subject of attorney-client privilege or attorney work-product privilege properly asserted by the applicable Person to prevent the loss of such privilege in connection with such information or that is prevented from disclosure pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with third parties (provided that such Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any required third-party consent to such disclosure, subject to customary nondisclosure restrictions applicable to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or the Lenders, as applicable). The Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender agree to use reasonable efforts to ensure that any information concerning such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries obtained by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender pursuant to this subsection (d) or subsection (g) below that is not contained in a report or other document filed with the SEC, distributed by such Borrower or FE to its security holders or otherwise generally available to the public, will, to the extent permitted by law and except as may be required by valid subpoena or in the normal course of the Administrative Agent’s, such Fronting Bank’s or such Lender’s business operations be treated confidentially by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender, as the case may be, and will not be distributed or otherwise made available by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender, as the case may be, to any Person, other than the Administrative Agent’s, such Fronting Bank’s or such Lender’s employees, authorized agents or representatives (including, without limitation, attorneys and accountants).

(e) Keeping of Books. Keep, and cause each Subsidiary to keep, proper books of record and account in which entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of such Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

(f) Maintenance of Properties. Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties (except such properties the failure of which to maintain or preserve would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower) that are used or that are useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and in accordance with prudent industry practices applicable to the industry of such Borrower, in all material respects, and

 

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(subject to subsection (b) above) Applicable Law it being understood that this covenant relates only to the good working order and condition of such properties and shall not be construed as a covenant of such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries not to dispose of such properties by sale, lease, transfer or otherwise.

(g) Reporting Requirements. Furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies for each Lender and each Fronting Bank, the following:

(i) promptly after becoming aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to such Borrower continuing on the date of such statement, the statement of an Authorized Officer of such Borrower setting forth details of such Event of Default and the action that such Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto;

(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 60 days after the close of each of the first three quarters in each fiscal year of such Borrower, consolidated balance sheets of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and consolidated statements of income of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at such date and the results of operations of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period and setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and duly certified (subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes) by the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Borrower as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes);

(iii) as soon as available and in any event within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year of such Borrower, a copy of the annual report for such year for such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, containing consolidated and consolidating financial statements of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such year certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the three-year period (or, if such Borrower is not then required to file reports with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the two-year period) ending as at the end of such year in conformity with GAAP;

(iv) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements specified in clauses (ii) and (iii) above a certificate of the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Borrower (A) stating whether such Borrower has any knowledge of the occurrence and continuance at the date of such certificate of any Event of Default not theretofore reported pursuant to the provisions of clause (i) of this subsection (g), and, if so, stating the facts with respect thereto, and (B) setting forth in a true and correct manner, the calculation of the applicable ratio or, in the case of FE, ratios

 

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contemplated by Section 5.02, as of the date of the most recent financial statements accompanying such certificate, to show such Borrower’s compliance with or the status of the applicable financial covenant or, in the case of FE, covenants contained in Section 5.02;

(v) promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of any reports that such Borrower sends to any of its securityholders, and copies of all reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, if any, that such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC;

(vi) as soon as possible and in any event within 20 days after such Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group knows or has reason to know that any Termination Event with respect to any Plan has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur, that would reasonably be expected to result in liability exceeding $100,000,000 to such Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group, a statement of the chief financial officer of such Borrower describing such Termination Event and the action, if any, that such Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group, as the case may be, proposes to take with respect thereto;

(vii) promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, after the filing thereof with the Department of Labor, copies of each Schedule SB (Actuarial Information) to the annual report (Form 5500 Series) with respect to each Plan;

(viii) promptly upon request and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by such Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor, a copy of each notice received by such Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group concerning the imposition of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA;

(ix) promptly and in any event within five Business Days (or one Business Day, if such change would require a prepayment under Section 2.12(b)(iv)) after Moody’s or S&P has changed any relevant Reference Rating, notice of such change;

(x) (A) promptly upon the occurrence of a Reportable Compliance Event, notice of such occurrence, and (B) promptly after any Borrower becomes aware of any change in the information provided in a Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification, a written notice specifying any such change; and

(xi) (A) such other information respecting the condition or operations, financial or otherwise, of such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, copies of all reports and registration statements that such Borrower or any Subsidiary files with the SEC or any national securities exchange, as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request and (B) within ten (10) Business Days of any request therefor, any information (other than such information that the Borrowers reasonably deem to be confidential or to be subject to attorney-client privilege; provided that the Borrowers

 

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agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any required third-party consent to the disclosure of such information, subject to customary nondisclosure restrictions applicable to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or the Lenders, as applicable) regarding the Borrowers’ compliance with the DPA or concerning any of the matters described therein, as the Administrative Agent and/or the Majority Lenders may from time to time reasonably request.

The financial statements and reports described in paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (v) above will be deemed to have been delivered hereunder if publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR Database or on FE’s website no later than the date specified for delivery of same under paragraph (ii), (iii) or (v), as applicable, above. If any financial statements or report described in paragraph (ii) or (iii) above is due on a date that is not a Business Day, then such financial statements or report shall be delivered on the next succeeding Business Day.

(h) Maintenance of Ratings. Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain a senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt rating from each of S&P and Moody’s.

(i) Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. (i) Maintain in effect and enforce, and cause the other Covered Entities to maintain in effect and enforce, policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all respects by the Covered Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees and, to the extent commercially reasonable, agents under the control and acting on behalf of the Covered Entities, and (ii) comply, and cause the other Covered Entities to comply, in all material respects with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions applicable to it or its property.

SECTION 5.02. Financial Covenants.

(a) Debt to Capitalization Ratio. Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by any Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit for the account of any Borrower shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment to any Borrower hereunder, FET will maintain a Debt to Capitalization Ratio, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of FET, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2021, of no more than 0.75 to 1.00 (determined as of the last day of each fiscal quarter).

(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by any Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit for the account of any Borrower shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment to any Borrower hereunder, FE will not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio, for the four-fiscal-quarter period ended on the last day of each fiscal quarter of FE, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2021, to be less than 2.50:1.00.

SECTION 5.03. Negative Covenants of the Borrowers.

Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by any Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit for the account of

 

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any Borrower shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment to any Borrower hereunder, such Borrower will not:

(a) Sales, Etc. (i) Sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock of any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by such Borrower, or permit any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower to do so; provided, however, the limitation in this clause (i) shall not in any way restrict, and shall not apply to, any Specified Disposition, or (ii) sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or a series of transactions) or permit any of its Subsidiaries to sell, lease, transfer or dispose of (whether in one transaction or a series of transactions) assets located in the United States (other than any assets that are purported to be conveyed in connection with a Permitted Securitization but including assets purported to be conveyed pursuant to any sale leaseback transaction) having an aggregate book value (determined as of the date of such transaction for all such transactions since the date hereof) that is greater than 20% of the book value of all of the consolidated fixed assets of such Borrower, as reported on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of such Borrower prior to the date of such sale, lease, transfer or disposition to any entity other than such Borrower or any of its wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the limitation in this clause (ii) shall not in any way restrict, and shall not apply to, (A) the sale, transfer or other disposition of any equity interests in or assets of any Unregulated Subsidiary, (B) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of the Bath County hydroelectric generation facility located in Warm Springs, Virginia, or (C) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any Borrower’s assets to another Borrower, a Subsidiary of another Borrower or a newly-formed Person to which all or substantially all of the assets and liabilities of such Borrowers or their Subsidiaries are being transferred, in each case under this clause (C), pursuant to a transaction permitted under subsection (c) below.

(b) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower to create or suffer to exist, any Lien upon or with respect to any of its properties (including, without limitation, any shares of any class of equity security of any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower), in each case to secure or provide for the payment of Indebtedness, other than (i) liens consisting of (A) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations under worker’s compensation laws or similar legislation, (B) deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure, or in lieu of, surety, appeal, or customs bonds to which such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary is a party, (C) deposits, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $250,000,000 at any one time outstanding, made by FE to secure, or in lieu of, surety, appeal, or customs bonds to which any Unregulated Subsidiary is a party, (D) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure performance in connection with bids, tenders or contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), or (E) materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairmen’s or other like Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, or deposits to obtain in the release of such Liens; (ii) purchase money liens or purchase money security interests upon or in any property acquired or held by such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, which secure the purchase price of such property or secure indebtedness incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property; (iii) Liens existing on property acquired by such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary or on the property of any Person at the time that such Person becomes a direct or indirect Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with such

 

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Borrower or Significant Subsidiary; provided, in each case, that such Liens were not created to secure the acquisition of such Person; (iv) Liens in existence on the date of this Agreement; (v) Liens created by any First Mortgage Indenture, so long as under the terms thereof no “event of default” (howsoever designated) in respect of any bonds issued thereunder will be triggered by reference to an Event of Default or Unmatured Default; (vi) Liens securing Attributable Securitization Obligations on the assets purported to be sold in connection with the applicable Permitted Securitization; (vii) Liens securing Nonrecourse Indebtedness; (viii) Liens on cash or cash equivalents deposited on behalf of or pledged to counterparties with respect to Permitted Obligations of such Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries; (ix) Liens on cash or cash equivalents to defease Indebtedness of such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (x) Liens on cash or cash equivalents constituting proceeds from a disposition of assets otherwise not prohibited under subsection (a) above, which proceeds are deposited in escrow accounts for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations to the purchaser of such assets; (xi) Liens securing obligations in respect of pollution control or industrial revenue bonds or nuclear fuel leases, provided that such Liens extend to only the equipment, project, nuclear fuel or other assets financed with the proceeds of such financing; (xii) Liens arising in connection with leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary is liable as lessee; provided, that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any assets of such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary other than the assets of such Borrower or Significant Subsidiary subject to such lease and proceeds thereof; and (xiii) Liens created for the sole purpose of refinancing, extending, renewing or replacing in whole or in part Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (xii); provided, however, that the principal amount of Indebtedness (or, if greater, the aggregate lending commitment) secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness (or, if greater, the aggregate lending commitment) so secured at the time of such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement, and that such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement, as the case may be, shall be limited to all or a part of the property or Indebtedness that secured the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced (and any improvements on such property).

(c) Mergers, Etc. Merge with or into or consolidate with or into any other Person, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do so unless (i) immediately after giving effect thereto, no event shall have occurred and be continuing that constitutes an Event of Default, (ii) the consolidation or merger shall not materially and adversely affect the ability of such Borrower (or its successor by merger or consolidation as contemplated by clause (A) of this subsection (c)) to perform its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, and (iii) in the case of any merger or consolidation to which such Borrower is a party, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which such Borrower shall be merged shall (1) assume such Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party in a writing reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent and (2) be organized under the laws of a State of the United States or the District of Columbia. Without limiting the foregoing, (A) any Borrower may merge with or into or consolidate with or into (x) another Borrower or into a newly-formed Person into which one or more Borrowers are being merged or consolidated (which Person will become a Borrower hereunder and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of FE) or (y) a wholly-owned Subsidiary of another Borrower (in which case only such other Borrower will continue as a Borrower hereunder), and (B) any Borrower may transfer all or substantially all of its assets and liabilities to another Borrower, to a wholly-owned Subsidiary of another Borrower (in which case only such other Borrower will continue as a Borrower hereunder)

 

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or to a newly-formed Person to which all or substantially all of the assets and liabilities of one or more Borrowers are being transferred (which Person will become a Borrower hereunder and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of FE), in each case of clauses (A) and (B), if (1) the surviving Person, transferee or Person otherwise specified above to become a Borrower hereunder, as applicable, assumes such Borrower’s or Borrowers’, as applicable, obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents pursuant to an instrument in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (2) the Reference Ratings of the surviving or resulting Borrower are not, after giving effect to such transactions, any lower than the Reference Ratings of each Borrower that was a party to such transactions immediately prior to the consummation of such transactions, unless the Reference Ratings of such surviving or resulting Borrower are at least BBB- and Baa3, and (3) the parties to such transaction deliver to the Administrative Agent certified copies of all corporate or limited liability, equity holder and Governmental Authority approvals required in connection with such transactions and legal opinions of counsel to such parties relating to such transactions and the assumption agreement described in clause (1) above; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall (x) any Borrower or Significant Subsidiary merge with or into or consolidate with or into any Unregulated Subsidiary or (y) any Borrower or Significant Subsidiary transfer all or substantially all of its assets to an Unregulated Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 5.03(c) shall restrict any merger or consolidation of any Unregulated Subsidiary in connection with any sale, transfer or other disposition of any equity interests in or assets of such Unregulated Subsidiary to any Person that is not an Affiliate of any Borrower in a transaction permitted under Section 5.03(a).

(d) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Enter into any nonexempt “prohibited transaction” (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA) involving any Plan that may result in any liability of such Borrower to any Person that (in the opinion of the Majority Lenders and the Fronting Banks) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to any Borrower or (ii) allow or suffer to exist any event or condition that results in any liability of such Borrower to the PBGC, any Plan, or any Multiemployer Plan that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to any Borrower.

(e) Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit for any purpose other than (i) refinancing the Existing Credit Agreements and (ii) working capital and other general corporate purposes of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include intercompany loans and advances by any Borrower to any of its Subsidiaries, including any Unregulated Subsidiary); provided, however, that (A) such Borrower may not use such proceeds in connection with any Hostile Acquisition and (B) no Borrower may, directly or indirectly, use such proceeds to repay any Indebtedness other than (1) to repay any Advances or (2) to make scheduled repayments or other repayments of other Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business.

(f) Limitation on Cross-Default Provisions. Incur or permit any Significant Subsidiary to incur after the date hereof any Indebtedness, Commodity Trading Obligations or Hedging Obligations that shall or may become subject to acceleration, redemption or mandatory purchase prior to the stated maturity date of such Indebtedness or the stated or otherwise applicable date for performance of such Commodity Trading Obligations or Hedging Obligations, as the case may be, upon the occurrence of one or more events of default or credit events or similar events

 

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(howsoever designated) under any document or instrument evidencing any Indebtedness, Commodity Trading Obligations or Hedging Obligations of AESC or any of its Subsidiaries.

(g) Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Request any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit, or use, or permit any of the other Covered Entities and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents to use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, (iii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Country, or (iv) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to, or the imposition of any Sanctions on, any Covered Entity or, to the knowledge of such Borrower, any other party hereto.

(h) Equity Contributions. Make, or permit any Significant Subsidiary to make, any equity contributions to any Unregulated Subsidiary; provided, however, that this Section 5.03(h) shall not restrict or otherwise apply to (i) any such equity contributions that are required by Applicable Law or court order or (ii) any intercompany advances made to any Unregulated Subsidiary (including, without limitation, pursuant to the Unregulated Money Pool Agreement) that are recharacterized by a court or other Governmental Authority as equity contributions.

ARTICLE VI

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 6.01. Events of Default.

If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing with respect to any Borrower (as to such Borrower, an “Event of Default”):

(a) (i) Any principal of any Advance or any Reimbursement Obligation shall not be paid by such Borrower when the same becomes due and payable, or (ii) any interest on any Advance or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder shall not be paid by such Borrower within three Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or

(b) Any representation or warranty made by such Borrower (or any of its officers) in any Loan Document or in connection with any Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made; or

(c) (i) Such Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any covenant set forth in Section 5.01(a)(i), Section 5.01(g)(i), Section 5.01(g)(xi)(B), Section 5.01(i), Section 5.02 or Section 5.03 on its part to be performed or observed, or (ii) such Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement (other than those covenants otherwise covered in clause (a) or (c)(i) of this Section 6.01) contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof shall have been given to such Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

 

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(d) Any material provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall at any time and for any reason cease to be valid and binding upon such Borrower, except pursuant to the terms thereof, or shall be declared to be null and void, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested in any manner by such Borrower or any Governmental Authority, or such Borrower shall deny in any manner that it has any or further liability or obligation under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(e) Such Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness of such Borrower under this Agreement, but including, with respect to FE, Indebtedness of its Significant Subsidiaries under this Agreement) that is outstanding in a principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Indebtedness; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Indebtedness and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Indebtedness; or any such Indebtedness shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment), prior to the stated maturity thereof; or

(f) Such Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition or arrangement with creditors, a readjustment of its debts, in each case under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted or acquiesced in by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 consecutive days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower shall take any corporate action to authorize or to consent to any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (f); or

(g) Any judgment or order for the payment of money exceeding any applicable insurance coverage by more than $100,000,000 shall be rendered by a court of final adjudication against such Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower and either (i) valid enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or

(h) Any Termination Event with respect to a Plan shall have occurred or any Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group as employer under a Multiemployer Plan shall

 

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have made a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, and, 30 days after notice thereof shall have been given to such Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, such Termination Event (if correctable) shall not have been corrected, and, as applicable, (1) the actual liability in respect of such Termination Event to such Borrower would reasonably be expected to exceed $100,000,000, or (2) as a result of such complete or partial withdrawal from a Multiemployer Plan, such Borrower would reasonably be expected to incur withdrawal liability in an amount exceeding $100,000,000; or

(i) (i) FE shall fail to own directly or indirectly 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of each Significant Subsidiary (with any such failure constituting an Event of Default with respect to FE and any such Significant Subsidiary that is also a Borrower), (ii) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of FE (or other securities convertible into such securities) representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of all securities of FE entitled to vote in the election of directors; or (iii) commencing after the date of this Agreement, individuals who as of the date of this Agreement were directors shall have ceased for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of FE unless the Persons replacing such individuals were nominated by the stockholders or the Board of Directors of FE in accordance with FE’s Organizational Documents (each a “Change of Control”); provided, however, that any Specified Disposition shall not constitute a Change of Control; or

(j) (i) Any indictment shall be issued against FE or any of its Affiliates arising from a purported violation of any Anti-Corruption Law, or (ii) FE or any of its Affiliates shall have entered into any deferred prosecution agreement (or similar agreement) with respect to a purported violation of any Anti-Corruption Law (other than the DPA); or

(k) Any Borrower shall breach any of its obligations under the DPA, which breach results in an enforcement action, including, but not limited to, the filing of any charging document, by any Governmental Authority, the imposition of penalties on such Borrower or the withdrawal from, or termination of, the DPA with respect to such Borrower;

then, and in any such event, the Administrative Agent shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Majority Lenders, (i) by notice to the defaulting Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to such Borrower and the obligation of the Fronting Banks to issue Letters of Credit for the account of such Borrower, to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) by notice to such Borrower, declare the Advances made to such Borrower, an amount equal to the aggregate Stated Amount of all issued but undrawn Letters of Credit issued for the account of such Borrower, (such amount being the “Letter of Credit Cash Cover”) and all other amounts payable under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by such Borrower to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon such Advances and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by such Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of such Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to such Borrower and the obligation of the Fronting Banks to issue Letters of Credit for the account of such Borrower shall automatically be terminated and (B) all

 

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Advances made to such Borrower, the Letter of Credit Cash Cover with respect to such Borrower and all other amounts payable under this Agreement by such Borrower shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by such Borrower. In the event that any Borrower is required to pay the Letter of Credit Cash Cover pursuant to this Section 6.01, such payment shall be made in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent, which shall hold such funds as collateral pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks to secure Reimbursement Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit then outstanding, for the benefit of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks.

ARTICLE VII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 7.01. Authorization and Action.

(a) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and each Fronting Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and each Fronting Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.

(b) As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and each Fronting Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an indemnification and is exculpated in a manner satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Fronting Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Majority Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as

 

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Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(c) In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(i) the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Fronting Bank or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether an Unmatured Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account.

(d) The Administrative Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.

(e) None of the “Joint Lead Arrangers” shall have obligations or duties whatsoever in such capacity under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and shall incur no liability hereunder or thereunder in such capacity, but all such persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.

 

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(f) In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to any Borrower under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Advance or any Reimbursement Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Advances, Reimbursement Obligations and all other obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 2.05, 2.08, 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(ii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Fronting Bank to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders or the Fronting Banks, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 8.05). Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or Fronting Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the obligations of any Borrower hereunder or the rights of any Lender or Fronting Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Fronting Bank in any such proceeding.

(g) The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks, and, except solely to the extent of any Borrower’s rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article, none of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions.

SECTION 7.02. Administrative Agents Reliance, Limitation of Liability, Etc.

(a) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by such party, the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of or at the request of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or

 

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warranties made by any Borrower or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for any failure of any Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any (i) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.01 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a “notice under Section 5.01” in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrowers, or (ii) notice of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a “notice of an Unmatured Default” or a “notice of an Event of Default”) is given to the Administrative Agent by any Borrower, a Lender or a Fronting Bank. Further, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (A) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (B) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (C) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default, (D) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (E) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for, or be responsible for any liabilities, costs or expenses suffered by any Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Fronting Bank as a result of, any determination of the Outstanding Credit Available, any of the component amounts thereof or any portion thereof attributable to each Lender or Fronting Bank.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 8.08, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 8.08(c), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to any Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Fronting Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Fronting Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of any Borrower in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of an Advance, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Fronting Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Fronting Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender

 

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or Fronting Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Advance or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).

SECTION 7.03. Posting of Communications.

(a) The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks by posting the Communications on IntraLinks, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Electronic Platform”).

(b) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Closing Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and each of the Borrowers acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and each of the Borrowers hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

(c) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY JOINT LEAD ARRANGER OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY BORROWER, ANY LENDER, ANY FRONTING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL,

 

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INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY BORROWER’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

(d) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Fronting Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Fronting Bank’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

(e) Each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and each of the Borrowers agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

(f) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

SECTION 7.04. The Administrative Agent Individually.

With respect to its Commitment, Advances, L/C Fronting Bank Commitments and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Fronting Bank, as the case may be. The terms “Fronting Banks”, “Lenders”, “Majority Lenders” and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Fronting Bank or as one of the Majority Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, any Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Fronting Banks.

SECTION 7.05. Successor Administrative Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving 30 days’ prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Borrowers, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent’s giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the

 

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Fronting Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrowers (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section 7.05, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Borrowers, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii) the Majority Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and each Fronting Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article and Section 8.05, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

SECTION 7.06. Acknowledgements of Lenders and Fronting Banks.

(a) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or Fronting Bank, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and is making the Advances hereunder as commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument (and each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing), (iii) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any other Lender or Fronting Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or

 

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hold Advances hereunder and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such Fronting Bank, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Each Lender and each Fronting Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any other Lender or Fronting Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrowers and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

(b) Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Closing Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Closing Date or the Effective Date of such Assignment and Assumption, as applicable.

(c) (i) Each Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender under this Section 7.06(c) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(ii) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in

 

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each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(iii) Each Borrower hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any obligations owed by such Borrower.

(iv) Each party’s obligations under this Section 7.06(c) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.

(v) Each Borrower shall be liable to the Administrative Agent for any erroneous Payment not returned or paid to it by any Lender that receives such Payment pursuant to, and in accordance with, this Section 7.06, and agrees to indemnify and hold the Administrative Agent harmless from and against any and all liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Advances) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing.

SECTION 7.07. Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrowers, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Plans in connection with the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

 

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(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrowers, that none of the Administrative Agent, or any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

(c) The Administrative Agent, and each “Joint Lead Arranger” hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with

 

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the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc.

Subject to Section 2.21(b) and except as otherwise expressly provided in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate” set forth in Section 1.01, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Note, nor consent to any departure by any Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Majority Lenders (and notified to the Administrative Agent) and, in the case of any such amendment, the Borrower or Borrowers to which such amendment is applicable, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders affected thereby (other than, in the case of clause (a), (f) or (g)(ii) below, any Defaulting Lender), do any of the following: (a) waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01 or 3.02, (b) increase or extend the Commitments of the Lenders or subject the Lenders to any additional obligations, (c) change any provision hereof in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments or the pro rata reduction of Commitments among the Lenders, (d) reduce the principal of, or interest (or rate of interest) on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder (provided, however, that any amendment to the rate of interest to replace the Reference Ratings used as the basis for pricing as set forth in the definition of “Applicable Margin” with sustainability-linked metrics shall only require the consent of the Majority Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers), (e) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (f) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, the aggregate undrawn amount of outstanding Letters of Credit or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder, (g) waive or amend (i) this Section 8.01, (ii) the definition of “Majority Lenders”, (iii) clause (x) of Section 2.04(a) or (iv) the proviso contained in Section 8.07, (h) extend the obligation of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(j) to participate in any Letter of Credit to any date later than the Termination Date applicable to such Lender or (i) subordinate the obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to any other Indebtedness or Liens (including, without limitations, Indebtedness issued under this Agreement); and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or Section 2.21; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent that would adversely affect the rights of, or increase the obligations of, any Fronting Bank, or that would alter any provision hereof relating to or affecting Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank or modify or waive Section 2.21, shall be effective unless agreed to in writing by such Fronting Bank or modify or waive Section 2.21; (iii) [reserved]; (iv) Section 8.08(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise

 

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modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Advances are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender, any Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated) or have any Commitment or other obligation hereunder (including, without limitation, any obligation to make payment on account of a Drawing) and shall have been paid in full all amounts payable hereunder to such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent may amend this Agreement and the other Loan Documents without the consent of any Lender or any Fronting Bank to the extent necessary (a) to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, error, defect or inconsistency (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) or (b) to make administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature, provided, that, in each case, (x) such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or any Fronting Bank and (y) the Lenders and the Fronting Banks shall have received at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks, a written notice from the Majority Lenders or any Fronting Bank stating that the Majority Lenders or such Fronting Bank, as the case may be, object to such amendment.

SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc.

Unless specifically provided otherwise in this Agreement, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile) and delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed or sent by facsimile, if to any Borrower, to it in care of FE at its address at 76 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44308, Attention: Treasurer, Facsimile: (330) 384-3772; if to any Bank, at its Domestic Lending Office specified opposite its name on Schedule I hereto; if to any other Lender, at its Domestic Lending Office specified in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender; if to the Administrative Agent, at its address at, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 500 Stanton Christiana Road, NCC5, Floor 1, Newark, DE 19713-2107, Attention: Dante Manerchia, Phone: (302) 634-9621, Facsimile: (302) 634-3301, Email: dante.manerchia@chase.com; if to any Fronting Bank identified on Schedule II hereto, at the address specified opposite its name on Schedule II hereto; if to any other Fronting Bank, at such address as shall be designated by such Fronting Bank in a written notice to the other parties; or, as to each party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other parties. Subject to the other notice requirements of this Agreement, all notices and communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt if delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed or sent by facsimile to such party and received during the normal business hours of such party as provided in this Section 8.02 or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section 8.02. If such notices and communications are received after the normal business hours of such party, receipt shall be deemed to have been given upon the opening of the recipient’s next Business Day.

SECTION 8.03. Electronic Communications.

 

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Each Borrower hereby agrees that it will provide to the Administrative Agent all information, documents and other materials that it is obligated to furnish to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, all notices, requests, financial statements, financial and other reports, certificates and other information materials, but excluding any such communication that (i) relates to a request for a new, or a conversion of an existing, Borrowing or other Extension of Credit (including any election of an interest rate or Interest Period relating thereto), (ii) relates to the payment of any principal or other amount due under this Agreement prior to the scheduled date therefor, (iii) provides notice of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or (iv) is required to be delivered to satisfy any condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement and/or any Borrowing or other Extension of Credit hereunder (all such non-excluded communications being referred to herein collectively as “Borrower Communications”), by transmitting the Borrower Communications in an electronic/soft medium in a format acceptable to the Administrative Agent to dante.manerchia@chase.com. In addition, each Borrower agrees to continue to provide the Borrower Communications to the Administrative Agent in the manner otherwise specified in this Agreement, but only to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 8.04. No Waiver; Remedies.

No failure on the part of any Lender, any Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

SECTION 8.05. Costs and Expenses; Indemnification.

(a) Each Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Fronting Bank in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, syndication administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, any Note, any Letter of Credit and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks as to their rights and responsibilities under this Agreement. Each Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses, if any (including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees and expenses of counsel), incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement, any Note and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of rights under this Section 8.05(a). Each Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (a) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided to the contrary herein, if any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Eurodollar Rate Advance is made other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant

 

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to Section 2.11 or 2.14 or a prepayment pursuant to Section 2.12 or acceleration of the maturity of any amounts owing hereunder pursuant to Section 6.01 or upon an assignment made upon demand of any Borrower pursuant to Section 2.22(b) or for any other reason, the applicable Borrower shall, upon demand by any Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance. Each Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (b) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

(c) Each Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify and hold each Lender, each Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent and their respective Related Parties (each, an “Indemnified Person”) harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, obligations, losses, penalties, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses, whether or not such Indemnified Person is named as a party to any proceeding or is otherwise subjected to judicial or legal process arising from any such proceeding) that any of them may incur or that may be claimed against any of them by any Person (including any Borrower) by reason of or in connection with or arising out of any investigation, litigation or proceeding related to the Commitments or the commitment of any Fronting Bank hereunder and any use or proposed use by any Borrower of the proceeds of any Extension of Credit or the existence or use of any Letter of Credit or the amounts drawn thereunder, except to the extent such claim, damage, liability, obligation, loss, penalty, cost or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Each Borrower’s obligations under this Section 8.05(c) shall survive (x) the repayment of all amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note, (y) the termination of the Commitments, the commitments of the Fronting Banks hereunder and any Letters of Credit and (z) the termination of this Agreement. If and to the extent that the obligations of the Borrowers under this Section 8.05(c) are unenforceable for any reason, each Borrower agrees to make the maximum payment in satisfaction of such obligations that are not unenforceable that is permissible under Applicable Law or, if less, such amount that may be ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) To the extent permitted by law, each Borrower also agrees not to assert any claim against any Indemnified Person on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to actual or direct damages) in connection with, arising out of, or otherwise relating to this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Advances.

(e) Each Borrower shall be liable for any payment to be made by the Borrowers under this Section 8.05; provided, however, that if and to the extent that any such liabilities are reasonably determined by the Borrowers (subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) to be directly attributable to a specific Borrower, only such Borrower shall be liable for such payments.

 

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(f) This Section 8.05 shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

SECTION 8.06. Right of Set-off.

Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default each Lender and each Fronting Bank is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, excluding, however, any payroll accounts maintained by the Borrowers with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) if and to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have expressly waived its set-off rights in writing in respect of such payroll account) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) to or for the credit or the account of the Borrowers against any and all of the obligations of the Borrowers now or hereafter existing under this Agreement and any Note held by such Lender, whether or not such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such Note and although such obligations may be unmatured. Each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees promptly to notify the Borrowers after any such set-off and application made by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Lender and each Fronting Bank under this Section 8.06 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) may have.

SECTION 8.07. Binding Effect.

This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Bank and each Fronting Bank that such Bank or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, that the Borrowers shall not have the right to assign their rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein except (x) with the prior written consent of each Lender and each Fronting Bank (and any such assignment (other than any assignment pursuant to the following clause (y)) without such consent shall be null and void ab initio) or (y) pursuant to Section 5.03(c).

SECTION 8.08. Assignments and Participations.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. No Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section 8.08, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section 8.08, (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section 8.08, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section 8.08 (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto,

 

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their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section 8.08 and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Advances at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section 8.08 in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section 8.08, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Advances outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Advances of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if the “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrowers otherwise consent (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that the Borrowers shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless they shall object thereto by giving written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof.

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Advance or the Commitment assigned.

(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section 8.08 and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of

 

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Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrowers shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless they shall object thereto by giving written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof, and provided, further, that the Borrowers’ consent shall not be required during the primary syndication hereof;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

(C) the consent of each Fronting Bank shall be required for all assignments, other than pursuant to subsection (e) below; provided that the consent of any Fronting Bank shall not be required if the L/C Fronting Bank Commitments of such Fronting Bank have been terminated and no Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank are outstanding.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire and the tax forms required by Section 2.16(g).

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrowers or any of the Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).

(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person (or to a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person).

(vii) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Advances previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate)

 

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its full pro rata share of all Advances and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under Applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 8.08, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties and subject to Section 8.16, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section 8.08.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, shall maintain at its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Advances owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers, the Fronting Banks or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a Person described in Section 8.08(b)(v) or (vi)) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Advances owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.

 

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Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clauses (a) through (g) of Section 8.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05(b) (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.16(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 8.08; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.22 as if it were an assignee under subsection (b) of this Section 8.08 and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.13 or 2.16, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent (x) such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation or (y) the sale to such Participant is made with the Borrowers’ prior written consent. Each Lender that sells a participation to any Participant agrees, at the Borrowers’ request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.22(b) with respect to such Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 8.06 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Advances or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Advances, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Advance, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(f) Disclosure of Certain Information. Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 8.08, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information

 

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relating to the Borrowers furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrowers; provided, that prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any confidential information relating to the Borrowers received by it from such Lender.

(g) Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Advance that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Advance, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Advance, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Advance pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is required under Section 2.15(e). Each party hereto hereby agrees that (A) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of any Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 2.13), (B) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (C) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of an Advance by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Advance were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (1) with notice to, but without prior consent of, the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee in the amount of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Advance to the Granting Lender and (2) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Advances to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

SECTION 8.09. Governing Law.

THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 8.10. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Borrower hereby irrevocably (i) submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or Federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City and any appellate court from any thereof in any action or

 

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proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Letter of Credit, and (ii) agrees that all claims in respect of such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or in such Federal court. Each Borrower hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding. Each Borrower also irrevocably consents, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to the service of any and all process in any such action or proceeding by the mailing by certified mail of copies of such process to such Borrower at its address specified in Section 8.02. Each Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

(b) EACH BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH FRONTING BANK AND THE LENDERS HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY LETTER OF CREDIT, OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT DELIVERED HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER.

SECTION 8.11. Severability.

Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited, unenforceable or not authorized in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition, unenforceability or non-authorization without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity, enforceability or legality of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 8.12. Entire Agreement.

This Agreement and the Notes issued hereunder constitute the entire contract among the parties relative to the subject matter hereof. Any previous agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof is superseded by this Agreement, except (i) as expressly agreed in any such previous agreement and (ii) for the Fee Letters. Except as is expressly provided for herein, nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.13. Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution.

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document shall in each case be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, signatures exchanged by electronic transmission, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform

 

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Electronic Transactions Act; provided that upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart.

SECTION 8.14. USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the Patriot Act, each Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrowers pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act that it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information includes the name and address of each Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrowers in accordance with the Patriot Act.

SECTION 8.15. No Fiduciary Duty.

The Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank, each Lender and their respective Affiliates (collectively, the “Credit Parties”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrowers, their stockholders and/or their affiliates. Each Borrower agrees that nothing in the Loan Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Credit Party, on the one hand, and such Borrower, its stockholders or its affiliates, on the other. The Borrowers acknowledge and agree that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Credit Parties, on the one hand, and the Borrowers, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Credit Party has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Borrower, its stockholders or its affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Credit Party has advised, is currently advising or will advise any Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to any Borrower except the obligations expressly set forth in the Loan Documents and (y) each Credit Party is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of any Borrower, its management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. Each Borrower agrees that it will not claim that any Credit Party has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to such Borrower, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

SECTION 8.16. Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any of the parties hereto, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender or Fronting Bank that is an Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

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(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or Fronting Bank that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

SECTION 8.17. Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, its auditors and its Related Parties, including, without limitation, their respective accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by Applicable Laws or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 8.17, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to any Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating any Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of any Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 8.17 or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Fronting Bank or any of their respective Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than any Borrower; in the event of any required disclosure by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank under clause (c) above, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Fronting

 

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Bank, as applicable, agrees to use reasonable efforts to inform the Borrowers as promptly as practicable to the extent legally permitted to do so. In addition, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors and similar service providers to the lending industry, such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in Gold Sheets and similar industry publications.

For purposes of this Section 8.17, “Information” means all information received from any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by such Borrower or such Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from any Borrower or any Subsidiary of any Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 8.17 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING PARAGRAPH) FURNISHED TO IT BY ANY BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS) MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING ANY BORROWER AND ITS AFFILIATES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

[Signatures to Follow]

 

100


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY CORP.

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

By  

/s/ Steven R. Staub

 

Name: Steven R. Staub

 

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Nancy R. Barwig
  Name: Nancy R. Barwig
  Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MIZUHO BANK, LTD., as a Bank
By   /s/ Edward Sacks
  Name: Edward Sacks
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Bank
By   /s/ Ryan Rockwood
  Name: Ryan Rockwood
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Bank
By   /s/ Sydney G. Dennis
  Name: Sydney G. Dennis
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Holli Balzer
  Name: Holli Balzer
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


CITIBANK, N.A., as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Richard Rivera
  Name: Richard Rivera
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as a Bank
By   /s/ Michael King
  Name: Michael King
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MUFG BANK, LTD., as a Bank
By   /s/ Jeffrey Fesenmaier
  Name: Jeffrey Fesenmaier
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Frank Sandler
  Name: Frank Sandler
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Royal Bank of Canada, as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Frank Lambrinos
  Name: Frank Lambrinos
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, New York Branch, as a Bank
By   /s/ Anju Abraham
  Name: Anju Abraham
  Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK, as a Bank
By   /s/ Dixon Schultz
  Name: Dixon Schultz
  Title: Managing Director
By   /s/ Nimisha Srivastav
  Name: Nimisha Srivastav
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Bank
By   /s/ Renee M. Bonnell
  Name: Renee M. Bonnell
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION, as a Bank
By   /s/ Rosa Pritsch
  Name: Rosa Pritsch
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


TD Bank, N.A., as a Bank
By   /s/ Steve Levi
  Name: Steve Levi
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Truist Bank, as a Bank
By   /s/ Andrew Johnson
  Name: Andrew Johnson
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


U.S. Bank National Association, as a Bank
By   /s/ Joe Horrigan
  Name: Joe Horrigan
  Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Bank
By   /s/ Stephen A. Maenhout
  Name: Stephen A. Maenhout
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Fifth Third Bank, National Association, as a Bank
By   /s/ Larry Hayes
  Name: Larry Hayes
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as a Bank
By   /s/ Tak Cheng
  Name: Tak Cheng
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, as a Bank
By   /s/ Brian H. Gallagher
  Name: Brian H. Gallagher
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


First National Bank of Pennsylvania, as a Bank
By   /s/ Robert E. Heuler
  Name: Robert E. Heuler
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


SCHEDULE I

List of Commitments and Lending Offices

[Intentionally omitted]

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

List of L/C Fronting Bank Commitments

[Intentionally omitted]

II-1


SCHEDULE III

Existing Letters of Credit

[Intentionally omitted]


SCHEDULE IV

Disclosure Documents

[Intentionally omitted]

IV-1


EXHIBIT A

Form of Assignment and Assumption

[Intentionally omitted]

A-1


EXHIBIT B

Form of Note

[Intentionally omitted]

B-1


EXHIBIT C

Form of Notice of Borrowing

[Intentionally omitted]

C-1


EXHIBIT D

Form of Letter of Credit Request

[Intentionally omitted]

D-3


EXHIBIT E-1

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

E-1-1


EXHIBIT E-2

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

E-2-1


EXHIBIT E-3

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

E-3-1


EXHIBIT E-4

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

E-4-1

Exhibit 10.2

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND CONSENT AND LIMITED WAIVER

TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of April 27, 2023

among

FIRSTENERGY CORP.,

and

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC,

as Borrowers,

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,

as Lenders,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE FRONTING BANKS NAMED HEREIN,

as Fronting Banks

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

MUFG BANK, LTD.

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

BofA SECURITIES, INC.

 

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.

CITIBANK, N.A.

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS1

as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

1 

RBC Capital Markets is a brand name for the capital markets business of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates.


AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO

CREDIT AGREEMENT AND CONSENT AND LIMITED WAIVER

This AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND CONSENT AND LIMITED WAIVER, dated as of April 27, 2023 (this “Amendment”), to the Existing Credit Agreement referred to below, is entered into by and among FirstEnergy Corp. (“FE”), FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (“FET” and, together with FE, the “Borrowers”), each of the Lenders party hereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders, and each of the Fronting Banks party hereto.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

1. The Borrowers, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks are parties to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2021 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”; the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

2. The Borrowers and certain Subsidiaries thereof intend to consummate the Specified Transactions (as defined in Schedule 1 hereto).

3. The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders permit the consummation of the Specified Transactions, and the Lenders have agreed to permit the consummation of the Specified Transactions on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

4. The Borrowers desire to amend the Existing Credit Agreement as set forth herein, and the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks have agreed to such amendments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1. Consent and Limited Waiver.

(a) Subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4 hereof, each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto hereby, in reliance on the representations and warranties set forth herein, the covenant set forth in Section 1(b) hereof, and the facts and circumstances disclosed to the Credit Parties on or before the Amendment Effective Date, (i) agrees that, upon the occurrence of the Amendment Effective Date, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, the Specified Transactions are consented to and approved in all respects and (ii) waives compliance with any applicable provisions of any Loan Document that would prohibit the consummation of the Specified Transactions, solely as any such provisions apply to the consummation of the Specified Transactions; provided that (x) with respect to the Specified Investment (as defined in Schedule 1), such Specified Investment shall occur no later than the closing date set forth in the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of February 2, 2023, by and among FE, FET and North American Transmission Company II LLC (the “Purchase Agreement”),


including any extensions thereto as set forth in the Purchase Agreement as of the date hereof, and (y) the Borrowers hereby agree to take all steps reasonably necessary to protect, preserve and maintain the Lenders’ rights and remedies under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(b) The Borrowers agree that prior to, or simultaneously with, the consummation of the Specified Transactions, FET LLC (as defined in Schedule 1) shall assume all of FET’s obligations under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which documentation shall include deliverables and matters of the type delivered by the Borrowers and provided for in connection with the effectiveness of the Existing Credit Agreement. Each of the parties hereto agrees that the failure to comply with the covenant set forth in this Section 1(b) shall constitute an immediate Event of Default under the Credit Agreement.

SECTION 2. Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement. The Existing Credit Agreement is, effective as of the date hereof and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4 hereof, hereby amended to delete the stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following examples: stricken text and stricken text) and to add the double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following examples: double-underlined text and double-underlined text) as set forth on the pages attached hereto as Annex A.

SECTION 3. Existing LIBOR Advances. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Amendment or the Credit Agreement, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) outstanding immediately prior to the Amendment Effective Date (each, an “Existing LIBOR Advance”) shall continue to accrue interest based on the Eurodollar Rate (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) applicable to such Existing LIBOR Advance until the last day of the Interest Period (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) applicable to such Existing LIBOR Advance in effect immediately prior to the Amendment Effective Date (such last day, with respect to any Existing LIBOR Advance, a “LIBOR Termination Date”), and thereafter shall be a Term Benchmark Advance or an Alternate Base Rate Advance as determined in accordance with the Credit Agreement and (ii) the terms of the Existing Credit Agreement in respect of the calculation, payment and administration of each Existing LIBOR Advance shall remain in effect from and after the date hereof until the LIBOR Termination Date applicable to such Existing LIBOR Advance solely for purposes of making, and the administration of, fee and interest payments on such Existing LIBOR Advance.

SECTION 4. Conditions to Effectiveness. This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first above written (the “Amendment Effective Date”) when, and only when, the following conditions have been satisfied (or waived by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto in their sole discretion):

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received, in immediately available funds, to the extent invoiced prior to the Amendment Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent (including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel (including, but not limited to, one local

 

- 2 -


counsel and any specialist counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) to the Administrative Agent) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrowers hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the following documents, each document being dated the date of receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent (which date shall be the same for all such documents, except as otherwise specified below), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(i) either (A) counterparts of this Amendment duly executed by each of the Borrowers, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, and the Fronting Banks or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such parties have signed counterparts of this Amendment;

(ii) certified copies of (A) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Borrower approving this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the Specified Transactions, and (B) all documents evidencing any other necessary corporate action with respect to this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the Specified Transactions;

(iii) a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Borrower certifying (A) the names and true signatures of the officers of such Borrower authorized to sign this Amendment and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, (B) that attached thereto are true and correct copies of the Organizational Documents of such Borrower, in each case as in effect on such date, and (C) that true and correct copies of all governmental and regulatory authorizations and approvals required for the due execution, delivery and performance by such Borrower of this Amendment and the Credit Agreement have previously been delivered to the Administrative Agent and remain in full force and effect on such date; and

(iv) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of each Borrower (the statements in which shall be true) certifying that, both before and after giving effect to this Amendment, (A) no event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default with respect to such Borrower and (B) all representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document to which such Borrower is a party are true and correct in all material respects (or in the case of any representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Amendment Effective Date, as though made on and as of such date (other than any such representation or warranty that by its terms refers to a specific date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specific date).

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, to the extent such documentation or information is requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender prior to the Amendment Effective Date.

 

- 3 -


SECTION 5. Representations and Warranties. Each Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a) Due Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by it of this Amendment and each other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which such Borrower is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part and do not, and will not, require the consent or approval of its shareholders or members, as the case may be, other than such consents and approvals as have been duly obtained, given or accomplished.

(b) No Violation, Etc. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by it of this Amendment, any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is a party, nor the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by it with the provisions hereof or thereof, nor the performance by it of the Credit Agreement, contravenes or will contravene, or results or will result in a breach of, any of the provisions of its Organizational Documents, any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, license or any other agreement or instrument to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is party or by which its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is bound, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent such contravention or breach, or the creation or imposition of any such Lien, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Borrower.

(c) Governmental Actions. No Governmental Action is or will be required in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or performance by it of, or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated by, this Amendment or any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party, or (ii) the performance by it of the Credit Agreement.

(d) Execution and Delivery. This Amendment and the other Loan Documents being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party have been or will be (as the case may be) duly executed and delivered by it, and each of this Amendment and the Credit Agreement is, and upon execution and delivery thereof each such other Loan Document will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject, however, solely with respect to this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and such other Loan Document, to the application by a court of general principles of equity and to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(e) No Material Misstatements. The reports, financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf of such Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, when taken together with the Disclosure Documents, do not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, when taken as a whole, to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in any material respect.

 

- 4 -


(f) Litigation. There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of such Borrower, threatened against such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that involve this Amendment, the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(g) No Default. No Unmatured Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result of (i) the execution, delivery or performance by such Borrower of this Amendment or any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party or (ii) the performance by such Borrower of the Credit Agreement.

(h) Anti-Corruption Laws. No proceeds of any Borrowing have been used in violation of any Anti-Corruption Law.

SECTION 6. Reference to and Effect on the Credit Agreement and the Other Loan Documents.

(a) Except as expressly amended, consented or waived hereby, all of the representations, warranties, terms, covenants and conditions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms and are hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed. The consent, waiver and amendments set forth herein shall be limited precisely as provided for herein and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of, amendment of, consent to departure from or modification of any term or provision of the Loan Documents or any other document or instrument referred to therein or of any transaction or further or future action on the part of any Borrower requiring the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks or the Lenders except to the extent specifically provided for herein. Except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have not and shall not be deemed to have waived any of their respective rights and remedies against the Borrowers for any existing or future Unmatured Default or Event of Default. The Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders reserve the right to insist on strict compliance with the terms of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and the Borrowers expressly acknowledge such reservation of rights. Any future or additional waiver or amendment of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be effective only if set forth in a writing separate and distinct from this Amendment and executed by the appropriate parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

(b) Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment: (i) each reference in the Existing Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Existing Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement; and (ii) each reference in any other Loan Document to “the Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Existing Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement. This Amendment shall constitute a “Loan Document” for all purposes under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(c) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Fronting Banks under the Existing Credit Agreement or any other

 

- 5 -


Loan Document, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 7. Costs and Expenses. Each Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, syndication and administration of this Amendment and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel (including, but not limited to, one local counsel and any specialist counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) for the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and each Lender as to their rights and responsibilities under this Amendment. Each Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses, if any (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of rights under this Section. The Borrowers acknowledge and agree that, pursuant to Section 8.05(a) of the Credit Agreement, they are required to pay, among other costs and expenses set forth therein, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent (including, but not limited to, any local counsel and any specialist counsel for the Administrative Agent), in accordance with the terms thereof.

SECTION 8. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts (and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts), each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Amendment by facsimile or other electronic transmission (including, without limitation, by Adobe portable document format file (also known as a “PDF” file)) shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Amendment. The words “execution,” “executed,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Amendment or any document to be signed in connection with this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided, that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent; provided, further, that, without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

SECTION 9. Governing Law. This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

- 6 -


SECTION 10. Miscellaneous. This Amendment shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 8.05, 8.10, 8.11 and 8.12 of the Credit Agreement, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 11. Release. In consideration of, among other things, the Administrative Agent’s, the Fronting Banks’ and the Lenders’ execution and delivery of this Amendment, each Borrower, on behalf of itself and its agents, representatives, officers, directors, advisors, employees, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns (collectively, “Releasors”), hereby forever agrees and covenants not to sue or prosecute against any Releasee (as hereinafter defined) and hereby forever waives, releases and discharges, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each Releasee from any and all claims (including, without limitation, crossclaims, counterclaims, rights of set-off and recoupment), actions, causes of action, suits, debts, liens, warranties, damages and consequential damages, judgments, costs or expenses whatsoever, that such Releasor now has or hereafter may have, of whatsoever nature and kind, whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether arising at law or in equity (collectively, the “Claims”), against any or all of the Credit Parties in any capacity and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, shareholders and “controlling persons” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws), and their respective successors and assigns and each and all of the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys, advisors and other representatives of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Releasees”), based in whole or in part on facts existing on or before the Amendment Effective Date, that relate to, arise out of or otherwise are in connection with: (i) any or all of the Loan Documents or transactions contemplated thereby or any actions or omissions in connection therewith; or (ii) any aspect of the dealings or relationships between or among the Borrowers, on the one hand, and any or all of the Credit Parties, on the other hand, relating to any or all of the documents, transactions, actions or omissions referenced in clause (i) hereof. The receipt by any Borrower of any Advances or other financial accommodations made by any Credit Party after the date hereof shall constitute a ratification, adoption, and confirmation by such party of the foregoing general release of all Claims against the Releasees that are based in whole or in part on facts existing on or prior to the date of receipt of any such Advances or other financial accommodations. In entering into this Amendment, each Borrower consulted with, and has been represented by, legal counsel and expressly disclaims any reliance on any representations, acts or omissions by any of the Releasees and hereby agrees and acknowledges that the validity and effectiveness of the releases set forth above do not depend in any way on any such representations, acts and/or omissions or the accuracy, completeness or validity thereof. The provisions of this Section 11 shall survive the termination of this Amendment, the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and payment in full of the Advances.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

- 7 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY CORP.

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

By

 

/s/ Steven R. Staub

 

Name: Steven R. Staub

 

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Khawaja Tariq

 

Name: Khawaja Tariq

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MIZUHO BANK, LTD., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Edward Sacks

 

Name: Edward Sacks

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MUFG Bank, Ltd. as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Matt Bly

 

Name: Matthew Bly

 

Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Dixon Schultz

 

Name: Dixon Schultz

 

Title: Managing Director

By

 

/s/ Michael Willis

 

Name: Michael Willis

 

Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Citizens Bank, National Association as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Kelly Hamrick

 

Name: Kelly Hamrick

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Meg Donnelly

 

Name: Meg Donnelly

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Alkesh V Nanavaty

 

Name: Alkesh V Nanavaty

 

Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Thomas Kleiderer

 

Name: Thomas Kleiderer

 

Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Renee M. Bonnell

 

Name: Renee M. Bonnell

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Sydney G. Dennis

 

Name: Sydney G. Dennis

 

Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Jacqueline G. Margetis

 

Name: Jacqueline G. Margetis

 

Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Michael E Temnick

 

Name: Michael E Temnick

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, New York Branch, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Anju Abraham

 

Name: Anju Abraham

 

Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


TD BANK, N.A., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Steve Levi

 

Name: Steve Levi

 

Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Rikin Pandya

 

Name: Rikin Pandya

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


TRUIST BANK, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Catherine Strickland

 

Name: Catherine Strickland

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as a Lender
By  

/s/ Molly H. Ross

  Name: Molly H. Ross
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


The Bank of Nova Scotia, as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank
By  

/s/ David Dewar

  Name: David Dewar
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


First National Bank of Pennsylvania, as a Lender
By  

/s/ Paul Wargo

  Name: Paul Wargo
  Title: Corporate Relationship Manager

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


CITIBANK, N.A., as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank
By  

/s/ Richard Rivera

  Name: Richard Rivera
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
By  

/s/ Ryan Rockwood

  Name: Ryan Rockwood
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, as a Lender
By  

/s/ Christopher Olsen

  Name: Christopher Olsen
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 and Consent and Limited Waiver to FirstEnergy Parent Credit Agreement]


Schedule 1

Specified Transactions

[Intentionally omitted]


Annex A

Credit Agreement

[Intentionally omitted]

Exhibit 10.3

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

AND CONSENT, LIMITED WAIVER AND LIMITED RELEASE

dated as of October 20, 2023 among

FIRSTENERGY CORP.,

as Borrower,

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC,

as Exiting Borrower,

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,

as Lenders,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE FRONTING BANKS NAMED HEREIN,

as Fronting Banks

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.    MIZUHO BANK, LTD.
PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC    CITIBANK, N.A.
MUFG BANK, LTD.    MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
BARCLAYS BANK PLC    THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
BofA SECURITIES, INC.    RBC CAPITAL MARKETS1
   WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

1

RBC Capital Markets is a brand name for the capital markets business of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates.


AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO

CREDIT AGREEMENT AND CONSENT, LIMITED WAIVER AND LIMITED RELEASE

This AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT AND CONSENT, LIMITED WAIVER AND LIMITED RELEASE, dated as of October 20, 2023 (this “Amendment”), to the Existing Credit Agreement referred to below, is entered into by and among FirstEnergy Corp. (“FE” or the “Borrower”), FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (“FET” or the “Exiting Borrower” and together with the Borrower, the “Closing Date Borrowers”), each of the Lenders party hereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders, and each of the Fronting Banks party hereto.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

1. The Closing Date Borrowers, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks are parties to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2021 (as amended prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”; the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended by this Amendment, the “Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

2. The Closing Date Borrowers have requested that the Exiting Borrower be released from the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is a party, and the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks have agreed to such release on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

3. The Borrower has requested that each Lender extend the Termination Date applicable to such Lender for an additional one year period, from October 18, 2026 to October 18, 2027 (the “Extension”) and each Lender has agreed to the Extension as to itself.

4. The Borrower and certain Subsidiaries thereof intend to consummate the Specified Transactions (as defined in Schedule 1 hereto).

5. The Borrower has requested that the Lenders permit the consummation of the Specified Transactions, and the Lenders have agreed to permit the consummation of the Specified Transactions on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

6. The Closing Date Borrowers desire to amend the Existing Credit Agreement as set forth herein, and the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks have agreed to such amendments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1. Consent and Limited Waiver. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4 hereof, each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto hereby, in reliance on the representations and warranties set forth


herein, and the facts and circumstances disclosed by the Credit Parties on or before the Amendment Effective Date (as defined below), (i) agrees that, upon the occurrence of the Amendment Effective Date, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, the Specified Transactions are consented to and approved in all respects and (ii) waives compliance with any applicable provisions of any Loan Document that would prohibit the consummation of the Specified Transactions, solely as any such provisions apply to the consummation of the Specified Transactions; provided that (x) the sale of equity interests of FET to North American Transmission Company II L.P. (the “Sponsor”) up to an amount that would not result in the Sponsor owning, at any time, more than 49.9% of the total outstanding equity interests of FET shall occur no later than January 31, 2024, unless such date is otherwise extended in writing by FE and the Sponsor and (y) the Borrower hereby agrees to take all steps reasonably necessary to protect, preserve and maintain the Lenders’ rights and remedies under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 2. Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement.

(a) The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting each reference to “FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC” and “FET” in its capacity as a Borrower (as such term is defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) thereunder.

(b) The Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting each reference to “the Borrowers”, “such Borrower”, “the applicable Borrower”, “any Borrower” and “each Borrower” therein and substituting therefor “the Borrower.”

(c) Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following terms in the proper alphabetical order therein:

(i) “Second Amendment” means the Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release, dated as of October 20, 2023, by and among the Borrower, FET, as exiting borrower, each of the Lenders party thereto, the Administrative Agent, and each of the Fronting Banks party thereto.

(d) The definition of the term “Applicable Margin” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following at the end thereof:

“Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Reference Rating shall become effective on the third (3rd) Business Day following such change in the Reference Rating.”

(e) The definition of the term “Fee Letters” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

(i) by deleting the word “and” at the end of clause (ii) thereof; and

(ii) by adding the following at the end of clause (iii) thereof:

 

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“and (iv) the amended and restated fee letter, dated October 20, 2023, by and among the Borrower, certain of FE’s other Subsidiaries, JPMorgan, Mizuho, PNC Capital Markets LLC and PNC Bank, National Association.”

(f) The definition of the term “Termination Date” set forth in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

““Termination Date” means October 18, 2027, subject, for certain Lenders, to the extension described in Section 2.19 hereof, or, in any case, the earlier date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 6.01 hereof.”

(g) Section 2.04 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

 

  (i)

by deleting the word “two (2)” and substituting therefor “three (3)” in clause (c) thereof;

 

  (ii)

by adding the following to the beginning of clause (f)(i) thereof: “no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York City time)”

 

  (iii)

by deleting each instance of the words “11:00 a.m.” and substituting therefor “10:00 a.m.” in clause (f)(i) thereof.

(h) Section 2.05 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

 

  (i)

by deleting the phrase “on the last Business Day” in the first sentence of clause (a) thereof and substituting therefor “fifteen (15) Business Days after the last day”;

 

  (ii)

by adding the following sentence at the end of clause (a) thereof:

“Any increase or decrease in the Commitment Fee resulting from a change in the Reference Rating shall become effective on the third (3rd) Business Day following such change in the Reference Rating.”

 

  (iii)

by deleting the phrase “payable quarterly in arrears on the last day” in clause (c) thereof and substituting therefor “on the fifteenth (15th) Business Day following the end”.

(i) Section 2.09 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting the phrase “Term Benchmark Rate” in clauses (i) and (ii) thereof and substituting therefor “Adjusted Term SOFR Rate” thereof.

(j) Article VII of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following at the end thereof:

SECTION 7.08. Certain Investment Matters.

 

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(a) Each Lender represents and warrants that in participating as a Lender, it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of investing in the general performance or operations of the Borrower, or for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument such as a security (and each Lender agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing, such as a claim under the federal or state securities laws).

(b) The Administrative Agent represents and warrants that the motivations of the Administrative Agent are commercial in nature and not to invest in the general performance or operation of the Borrower.”

SECTION 3.Limited Release of Exiting Borrower.

(a) The parties hereto each consent and agree to the release of the Exiting Borrower from its obligations under and pursuant to the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document to which it is party, in each case, solely to the extent of such Exiting Borrower’s capacity set forth in the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document. Immediately upon such release, the Exiting Borrower shall automatically have no further obligations to the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks or the Lenders in respect of the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document to which such Exiting Borrower was a party other than any obligations that are expressly intended to survive the termination of such Loan Documents.

(b) The Exiting Borrower acknowledges and agrees that its obligations and liabilities under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is party shall be reinstated with full force and effect, if at any time on or after the Amendment Effective Date, all or any portion of any payment made to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders with respect to the Exiting Borrower’s obligations and liabilities under the Credit Agreement or any Loan Documents to which it is party is voided or rescinded or must otherwise be returned by the Administrative Agent or the Lenders to the Borrower upon the Borrower’s insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

SECTION 4. Conditions to Effectiveness. This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first above written (the “Amendment Effective Date”) when, and only when, the following conditions have been satisfied (or waived by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto in their sole discretion):

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received, in immediately available funds, to the extent invoiced prior to the Amendment Effective Date, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent (including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel (including, but not limited to, one local counsel and any specialist counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) to the Administrative Agent) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

 

- 4 -


(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the following documents, each document being dated the date of receipt thereof by the Administrative Agent (which date shall be the same for all such documents, except as otherwise specified below), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(i) either (A) counterparts of this Amendment duly executed by the Borrower, the Exiting Borrower, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, and the Fronting Banks or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such parties have signed counterparts of this Amendment;

(ii) certified copies of (A) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the Specified Transactions, and (B) all documents evidencing any other necessary corporate action with respect to this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the Specified Transactions;

(iii) a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying (A) the names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower authorized to sign this Amendment and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, (B) that attached thereto are true and correct copies of the Organizational Documents of the Borrower, in each case as in effect on such date, and (C) that true and correct copies of all governmental and regulatory authorizations and approvals required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Amendment and the Credit Agreement have previously been delivered to the Administrative Agent and remain in full force and effect on such date;

(iv) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower (the statements in which shall be true) certifying that, both before and after giving effect to this Amendment, (A) no event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default with respect to the Borrower and (B) all representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in the Credit Agreement and each other Loan Document to which the Borrower is a party are true and correct in all material respects (or in the case of any representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Amendment Effective Date, as though made on and as of such date (other than any such representation or warranty that by its terms refers to a specific date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specific date); and

(v) an opinion of Jones Day, special counsel for the Borrower.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Patriot Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, to the extent such documentation or information is requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender prior to the Amendment Effective Date.

 

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SECTION 5. Representations and Warranties. Each Closing Date Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a) Due Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by it of this Amendment and each other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which such Closing Date Borrower is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part and do not, and will not, require the consent or approval of its shareholders or members, as the case may be, other than such consents and approvals as have been duly obtained, given or accomplished.

(b) No Violation, Etc. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by it of this Amendment, any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is a party, nor the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by it with the provisions hereof or thereof, nor, with respect to the Borrower, the performance by it of the Credit Agreement, contravenes or will contravene, or results or will result in a breach of, any of the provisions of its Organizational Documents, any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, license or any other agreement or instrument to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is party or by which its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is bound, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent such contravention or breach, or the creation or imposition of any such Lien, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to such Closing Date Borrower.

(c) Governmental Actions. No Governmental Action is or will be required in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or performance by it of, or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated by, this Amendment or any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party, or (ii) with respect to the Borrower, the performance by it of the Credit Agreement.

(d) Execution and Delivery. This Amendment and the other Loan Documents being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party have been or will be (as the case may be) duly executed and delivered by it, and each of this Amendment and, with respect to the Borrower, the Credit Agreement is, and upon execution and delivery thereof each such other Loan Document will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject, however, solely with respect to this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and such other Loan Document, to the application by a court of general principles of equity and to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(e) No Material Misstatements. The reports, financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf of such Closing Date Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, when taken together with the Disclosure Documents, do not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, when taken as a whole, to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading in any material respect.

 

- 6 -


(f) Litigation. There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that involve this Amendment, the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(g) No Default. No Unmatured Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a result of (i) the execution, delivery or performance by such Closing Date Borrower of this Amendment or any other Loan Document being executed and delivered in connection with this Amendment to which it is, or is to become, a party or (ii) the performance by the Borrower of the Credit Agreement.

(h) Anti-Corruption Laws. No proceeds of any Borrowing have been used in violation of any Anti-Corruption Law.

SECTION 6. Reference to and Effect on the Credit Agreement and the Other Loan Documents.

(a) Except as expressly amended, consented, released or waived hereby, all of the representations, warranties, terms, covenants and conditions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms and are hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed. The consent, waiver, release and amendments set forth herein shall be limited precisely as provided for herein and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of, release of, amendment of, consent to, departure from or modification of any term or provision of the Loan Documents or any other document or instrument referred to therein or of any transaction or further or future action on the part of the Borrower requiring the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks or the Lenders except to the extent specifically provided for herein. Except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have not and shall not be deemed to have waived any of their respective rights and remedies against the Borrower for any existing or future Unmatured Default or Event of Default. The Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders reserve the right to insist on strict compliance with the terms of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and the Borrower expressly acknowledges such reservation of rights. Any future or additional waiver, release or amendment of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be effective only if set forth in a writing separate and distinct from this Amendment and executed by the appropriate parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

(b) Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment: (i) each reference in the Existing Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Existing Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement; and (ii) each reference in any other Loan Document to “the Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Existing Credit Agreement shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement. This Amendment shall constitute a “Loan Document” for all purposes under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

(c) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a release or waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Fronting Banks under the Existing Credit Agreement or

 

- 7 -


any other Loan Document, nor constitute a release or a waiver of any provision of the Existing Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 7. Costs and Expenses. The Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, syndication and administration of this Amendment and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel (including, but not limited to, one local counsel and any specialist counsel in each relevant jurisdiction) for the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and each Lender as to their rights and responsibilities under this Amendment. The Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses, if any (including, without limitation, reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Amendment, the Credit Agreement and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of rights under this Section. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that, pursuant to Section 8.05(a) of the Credit Agreement, it is required to pay, among other costs and expenses set forth therein, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent (including, but not limited to, any local counsel and any specialist counsel for the Administrative Agent), in accordance with the terms thereof.

SECTION 8. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts (and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts), each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Amendment by facsimile or other electronic transmission (including, without limitation, by Adobe portable document format file (also known as a “PDF” file)) shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Amendment. The words “execution,” “executed,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Amendment or any document to be signed in connection with this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided, that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent; provided, further, that, without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

SECTION 9. Governing Law. This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

- 8 -


SECTION 10. Miscellaneous. This Amendment shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 8.05, 8.10, 8.11 and 8.12 of the Credit Agreement, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis.

SECTION 11. Release. In consideration of, among other things, the Administrative Agent’s, the Fronting Banks’ and the Lenders’ execution and delivery of this Amendment, each Closing Date Borrower, on behalf of itself and its agents, representatives, officers, directors, advisors, employees, subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns (collectively, “Releasors”), hereby forever agrees and covenants not to sue or prosecute against any Releasee (as hereinafter defined) and hereby forever waives, releases and discharges, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each Releasee from any and all claims (including, without limitation, crossclaims, counterclaims, rights of set-off and recoupment), actions, causes of action, suits, debts, liens, warranties, damages and consequential damages, judgments, costs or expenses whatsoever, that such Releasor now has or hereafter may have, of whatsoever nature and kind, whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether arising at law or in equity (collectively, the “Claims”), against any or all of the Credit Parties in any capacity and their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, shareholders and “controlling persons” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws), and their respective successors and assigns and each and all of the officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys, advisors and other representatives of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Releasees”), based in whole or in part on facts existing on or before the Amendment Effective Date, that relate to, arise out of or otherwise are in connection with: (i) any or all of the Loan Documents or transactions contemplated thereby or any actions or omissions in connection therewith; or (ii) any aspect of the dealings or relationships between or among the Closing Date Borrowers, on the one hand, and any or all of the Credit Parties, on the other hand, relating to any or all of the documents, transactions, actions or omissions referenced in clause (i) hereof. The receipt by the Borrower of any Advances or other financial accommodations made by any Credit Party after the date hereof shall constitute a ratification, adoption, and confirmation by such party of the foregoing general release of all Claims against the Releasees that are based in whole or in part on facts existing on or prior to the date of receipt of any such Advances or other financial accommodations. In entering into this Amendment, each Closing Date Borrower consulted with, and has been represented by, legal counsel and expressly disclaims any reliance on any representations, acts or omissions by any of the Releasees and hereby agrees and acknowledges that the validity and effectiveness of the releases set forth above do not depend in any way on any such representations, acts and/or omissions or the accuracy, completeness or validity thereof. The provisions of this Section 11 shall survive the termination of this Amendment, the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents and payment in full of the Advances.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

- 9 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY CORP., as Borrower

By:

 

/s/ Steven R. Staub

Name: Steven R. Staub

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION,

LLC, as Exiting Borrower

By:

 

/s/ Steven R. Staub

Name: Steven R. Staub

Title: Vice President and Treasurer

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as

Administrative Agent, as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Khawaja Tariq

 

Name: Khawaja Tariq

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


Mizuho Bank, Ltd., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Edward Sacks

 

Name: Edward Sacks

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Rachel Kozemchak

Name: Rachel Kozemchak

Title: Assistant Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Lender
By   /s/ Sydney G. Dennis
Name:   Sydney G. Dennis
Title:   Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent. Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender and as a
Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Jacqueline G. Margetis
  Name: Jacqueline G. Margetis
  Title: Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


CITIBANK, N.A., as a Lender and as a Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Richard Rivera

 

Name: Richard Rivera

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Michael King

 

Name: Michael King

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


MUFG BANK, LTD., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Matthew Bly

Name

 

Matthew Bly

Title: Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


The Bank of Nova Scotia, as a Lender and as a
Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ David Dewar

 

Name: David Dewar

 

Title: Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Lender and as a
Fronting Bank

By

 

/s/ Meg Doneelly

 

Name: Meg Doneelly

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, New York Branch, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Amit Vasani

 

Name: Amit Vasani

 

Title: Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESMENT BANK, as a Lender

By:

 

/s/ Dixon Schultz

 

Name: Dixon Schultz

 

Title: Managing Director

 

By:   /s/ Nathalie Huet Rousset
  Name: Nathalie Huet Rousset
 

Title: Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Renee M. Bonnell

 

Name: Renee M. Bonnell

 

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Suela VonBaen

 

Name: Suela VonBaen

 

Title: Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


TD BANK, N.A., as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Bernadette Collins

 

Name: Bernadette Collins

 

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


TRUIST BANK, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Catherine Strickland

 

Name: Catherine Strickland

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Michael E Temnick

 

Name: Michael E Temnick

 

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Molly H. Ross

 

Name: Molly H. Ross

 

Title: Senior Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Christopher Olsen

 

Name: Christopher Olsen

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


First National Bank of Pennsylvania, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Paul Wargo

 

Name: Paul Wargo

 

Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By

 

/s/ Patrick Engel

 

Name: Patrick Engel

 

Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release (Parent)]


Schedule 1

Specified Transactions

[Intentionally omitted]


Exhibit A

[Pro forma organizational chart attached]

[Intentionally omitted]

Exhibit 10.4

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

U.S. $1,000,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of October 20, 2023,

by and among

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC,

as Borrower,

THE BANKS NAMED HEREIN,

as Banks,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent,

and

THE FRONTING BANKS

PARTY HERETO FROM TIME TO TIME

as Fronting Banks

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

PNC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

BofA SECURITIES, INC.

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS1

 

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.

CITIBANK, N.A.

MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

as Joint Lead Arrangers

 

 

1 

RBC Capital Markets is a brand name for the capital markets business of Royal Bank of Canada and its affiliates.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

             Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1  
 

SECTION 1.01.

  Certain Defined Terms      1  
 

SECTION 1.02.

  Computation of Time Periods      28  
 

SECTION 1.03.

  Accounting Terms      28  
 

SECTION 1.04.

  Terms Generally      28  

  

 

SECTION 1.05.

  Divisions      28  
 

SECTION 1.06.

  Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification      29  

ARTICLE II AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

     29  
 

SECTION 2.01.

  The Advances      29  
 

SECTION 2.02.

  Making the Advances      30  
 

SECTION 2.03.

  [Reserved]      31  
 

SECTION 2.04.

  Letters of Credit      31  
 

SECTION 2.05.

  Fees      39  
 

SECTION 2.06.

  Adjustment of the Commitments      40  
 

SECTION 2.07.

  Repayment of Advances      41  
 

SECTION 2.08.

  Interest on Advances      42  
 

SECTION 2.09.

  Additional Interest on Advances      42  
 

SECTION 2.10.

  Interest Rate Determination      43  
 

SECTION 2.11.

  Conversion of Advances      43  
 

SECTION 2.12.

  Prepayments      44  
 

SECTION 2.13.

  Increased Costs      45  
 

SECTION 2.14.

  Illegality      46  
 

SECTION 2.15.

  Payments and Computations      46  
 

SECTION 2.16.

  Taxes      48  
 

SECTION 2.17.

  Sharing of Payments, Etc.      53  
 

SECTION 2.18.

  Noteless Agreement; Evidence of Indebtedness      53  
 

SECTION 2.19.

  Extension of Termination Date      54  
 

SECTION 2.20.

  [Reserved]      56  
 

SECTION 2.21.

  Defaulting Lenders      56  

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

             Page  

  

 

SECTION 2.22.

  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      58  
 

SECTION 2.23.

  Alternate Rate of Interest      59  

ARTICLE III CONDITIONS OF LENDING AND ISSUING LETTERS OF CREDIT

     62  
 

SECTION 3.01.

  Conditions Precedent to Initial Extension of Credit      62  
 

SECTION 3.02.

  Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit      64  

ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     65  
 

SECTION 4.01.

  Representations and Warranties of the Borrower      65  

ARTICLE V COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

     68  
 

SECTION 5.01.

  Affirmative Covenants of the Borrower      68  
 

SECTION 5.02.

  Financial Covenant      72  
 

SECTION 5.03.

  Negative Covenants of the Borrower      72  

ARTICLE VI EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     75  
 

SECTION 6.01.

  Events of Default      75  

ARTICLE VII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     78  
 

SECTION 7.01.

  Authorization and Action      78  
 

SECTION 7.02.

  Administrative Agent’s Reliance, Limitation of Liability, Etc.      81  
 

SECTION 7.03.

  Posting of Communications      82  
 

SECTION 7.04.

  The Administrative Agent Individually      83  
 

SECTION 7.05.

  Successor Administrative Agent      84  
 

SECTION 7.06.

  Acknowledgements of Lenders and Fronting Banks      85  
 

SECTION 7.07.

  Certain ERISA Matters      87  
 

SECTION 7.08.

  Certain Investment Matters      88  

ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS

     88  
 

SECTION 8.01.

  Amendments, Etc.      88  
 

SECTION 8.02.

  Notices, Etc.      90  
 

SECTION 8.03.

  Electronic Communications      90  
 

SECTION 8.04.

  No Waiver; Remedies      91  
 

SECTION 8.05.

  Costs and Expenses; Indemnification      91  
 

SECTION 8.06.

  Right of Set-off      92  
 

SECTION 8.07.

  Binding Effect      93  

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

             Page  
 

SECTION 8.08.

  Assignments and Participations      93  
 

SECTION 8.09.

  Governing Law      98  
 

SECTION 8.10.

  Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial      98  
 

SECTION 8.11.

  Severability      99  
 

SECTION 8.12.

  Entire Agreement      99  

  

 

SECTION 8.13.

  Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution      99  
 

SECTION 8.14.

  USA PATRIOT Act Notice      99  
 

SECTION 8.15.

  No Fiduciary Duty      99  
 

SECTION 8.16.

  Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions      100  
 

SECTION 8.17.

  Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality      101  

 

-iii-


SCHEDULES AND EXHIBITS

 

Schedule I

   -      List of Commitments and Lending Offices

Schedule II

   -      List of L/C Fronting Bank Commitments

Schedule III

   -      [Reserved]

Schedule IV

   -      Disclosure Documents

Exhibit A

   -      Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B

   -      Form of Note

Exhibit C

   -      Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit D

   -      Form of Letter of Credit Request

Exhibit E-1

   -      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-2

   -      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-3

   -      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-4

   -      Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate (For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)


CREDIT AGREEMENT

CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 20, 2023, by and among FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“FET” or the “Borrower”), the banks and other financial institutions (the “Banks”) party hereto from time to time, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (“JPMorgan”), as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”) for the Lenders hereunder and the fronting banks party hereto from time to time.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

(1) The Borrower has requested that the Lenders establish a five-year unsecured revolving credit facility in the amount of $1,000,000,000 in favor of the Borrower, all of which may be used for general corporate purposes and $100,000,000 of which may be used for the issuance of Letters of Credit.

(2) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders severally, to the extent of their respective Commitments (as defined herein), are willing to establish the requested revolving credit facility in favor of the Borrower.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

Account Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(a).

Additional Commitment Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(d). “Additional Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR” means an interest rate per annum equal to (a) Daily Simple SOFR, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

Adjusted Term SOFR Rate” means, for any Interest Period and subject to the provisions of Section 2.23(b), an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period, plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate as so determined would be less than the Floor, such rate shall be deemed to be equal to the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.


Administrative Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

Advance” means an advance by a Lender to the Borrower made as part of a Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.02.

Affected Financial Institution” means (i) any EEA Financial Institution or (ii) any UK Financial Institution.

Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such Person or is a director or officer of such Person.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, amended and restated, modified and supplemented from time to time in accordance with its terms.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum as shall be in effect from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the highest of (i) the prime rate as most recently published by The Wall Street Journal from time to time, (ii) the sum of 1/2 of 1% per annum plus the Federal Funds Rate in effect from time to time and (iii) the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for a one month Interest Period as published two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day (or if such day is not a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the immediately preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day) plus 1%; provided that for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for any day shall be based on the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m. Chicago time on such day (or any amended publication time for the Term SOFR Reference Rate, as specified by the CME Term SOFR Administrator in the Term SOFR Reference Rate methodology). Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the prime rate, the Federal Funds Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the prime rate, the Federal Funds Rate or the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.23 (for the avoidance of doubt, only until the Benchmark Replacement has been determined pursuant to Section 2.23(b)) or Section 2.14 (only if necessary to avoid illegality), then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (i) and (ii) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (iii) above.

Alternate Base Rate Advance” means an Advance that bears interest as provided in Section 2.08(a).

Anniversary Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to the Covered Entities or their respective activities from time to time concerning or relating to terrorism, money-laundering, bribery or corruption, including, without limitation, (i) the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended from time to time, and the

 

2


applicable regulations thereunder, and (ii) the United Kingdom’s Anti-Bribery Act 2010, as amended from time to time.

Applicable Law” means all applicable laws, statutes, treaties, rules, codes, ordinances, regulations, permits, certificates, orders, interpretations, licenses and permits of any Governmental Authority and judgments, decrees, injunctions, writs, orders or like action of any court, arbitrator or other judicial or quasi-judicial tribunal of competent jurisdiction (including those pertaining to health, safety or the environment or otherwise).

Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Lending Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Administrative Agent.

Applicable Margin” means, for any Alternate Base Rate Advance or any Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable, RFR Advance) made to the Borrower, the interest rate per annum set forth in the relevant row of the table immediately below, determined by reference to the Reference Ratings, from time to time in effect (and, solely in the case that there are no Reference Ratings or the Reference Ratings are lower than Level 5, Applicable Margin shall be at Level 5):

 

     LEVEL 1     LEVEL 2     LEVEL 3     LEVEL 4     LEVEL 5  

BASIS FOR PRICING

   Reference
Ratings at
least
BBB+ by
S&P or
Baa1 by
Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 1 but
at least BBB by
S&P or Baa2 by
Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 2
but at least
BBB- by
S&P or Baa3
by Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 3
but at least
BB+ by S&P
or Ba1 by
Moody’s
    Reference
Ratings lower
than Level 4
but at least
BB by
S&P or Ba2
by Moody’s
 

Applicable Margin for Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable RFR Advances)

     1.25     1.50     1.75     2.00     2.75

Applicable Margin for Alternate Base Rate Advances

     0.25     0.50     0.75     1.00     1.75

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if there is a difference of one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s and the higher of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 then the higher Reference Rating will be used to determine the pricing level and (ii) if there is a difference of more than one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s, the Reference Rating that is one level above the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the pricing level, unless the lower of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 5, in which case the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the pricing level. If there exists only one Reference Rating, such Reference Rating will be used to determine the pricing level. Any increase or decrease in

 

3


the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Reference Rating shall become effective on the third (3rd) Business Day following such change in the Reference Rating.

Approved Electronic Platform” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 7.03(a). “Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender or (iii) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 8.08(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (so long as such other form is not disadvantageous to the Borrower in any respect).

Attributable Securitization Obligations” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Permitted Securitization”.

Authorized Officer” means, with respect to any notice, certificate or other communication to be delivered by the Borrower hereunder, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower, which officer shall have all necessary corporate or limited liability company authorization to deliver such notice, certificate or other communication.

Available Commitment” means, for each Lender, the excess of such Lender’s Commitment over such Lender’s Percentage of the Outstanding Credits. “Available Commitments” shall refer to the aggregate of the Lenders’ Available Commitments hereunder.

Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then- current Benchmark, as applicable, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) or payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof), as applicable, that is or may be used for determining the length of an Interest Period for any term rate or otherwise, for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated pursuant to this Agreement as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to clause (e) of Section 2.23.

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution

 

4


of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

Bankruptcy Code” means the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, as amended from time to time, and any Federal law with respect to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that the acquisition of an ownership interest in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof shall not, itself, alone constitute a Bankruptcy Event, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Banks” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Benchmark” means, initially, with respect to any (i) RFR Advance, Daily Simple SOFR or (ii) Term Benchmark Advance, the Term SOFR Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event and the related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Daily Simple SOFR or Term SOFR Rate, as applicable, or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.23.

Benchmark Replacement” means, for any Available Tenor, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:

(1) the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR; and

(2) the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then- prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current Benchmark for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time in the United States and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

provided that (x) if the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and (y) any Benchmark

 

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Replacement shall be administratively feasible as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for any applicable Interest Period and Available Tenor for any setting of such Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body on the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and/or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.

Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement and/or any Term Benchmark Advance, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Alternate Base Rate”, the definition of “Business Day”, the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day”, the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

Benchmark Replacement Date” means, with respect to any Benchmark, the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to such then-current Benchmark:

(1) in the case of clause (1) or (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(2) in the case of clause (3) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event”, the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the

 

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calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be no longer representative; provided, that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

For the avoidance of doubt, (i) if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination and (ii) the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (1) or (2) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

Benchmark Transition Event” means, with respect to any Benchmark, the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to such then-current Benchmark:

(1) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

(2) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the NYFRB, the CME Term SOFR Administrator, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), in each case, which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

(3) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are no longer, or as of a specified future date will no longer be, representative.

 

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For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, with respect to any then-current Benchmark, the period (if any) (x) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date pursuant to clauses (1) or (2) of that definition has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.23 and (y) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced such then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.23.

Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230, as amended, or any successor thereto.

Beneficiary” means any Person designated by an Account Party to whom a Fronting Bank is to make payment, or on whose order payment is to be made, under a Letter of Credit.

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto. “Borrower Communications” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.

Borrower Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.02 or Converted pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.23(a).

Business Day” means any day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks are open for business in New York City and Akron, Ohio; provided that, in addition to the foregoing, a Business Day shall be (a) in relation to RFR Advances and any interest rate settings, fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments of any such RFR Advance, or any other dealings of such RFR Advance and (b) in relation to Advances referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate and any interest rate settings, fundings, disbursements, settlements or payments of any such Advances referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or any other dealings of such Advances referencing the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate, any such day that is only a U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (i) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (ii) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (iii) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided, however, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and all requests, rules, guidelines

 

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and directives promulgated thereunder, and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to have been introduced or adopted after the date of this Agreement, regardless of the date enacted or adopted.

Change of Control” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(i).

Closing Date” means the first date on which all of the conditions precedent in Section 3.01 are satisfied, which date shall be October 20, 2023.

CME Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) as administrator of the forward-looking term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) (or a successor administrator).

Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the applicable regulations thereunder.

Commitment” means, as to any Lender, the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I hereto or, if such Lender has entered into any Assignment and Assumption, set forth for such Lender in the Register maintained by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.08(c), as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 2.06(a) or increased pursuant to Section 2.06(b).

Commitment Increase” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Commodity Trading Obligations” means the obligations of any Person under any commodity swap agreement, commodity future agreement, commodity option agreement, commodity cap agreement, commodity floor agreement, commodity collar agreement, commodity hedge agreement, commodity forward contract or derivative transaction and any put, call or other agreement, arrangement or transaction, including natural gas, power, emissions forward contracts, renewable energy credits, or any combination of any such arrangements, agreements and/or transactions, employed in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, including such Person’s energy marketing, trading and asset optimization business. The term “commodity” shall include electric energy and/or capacity, transmission rights, coal, petroleum, natural gas, fuel transportation rights, emissions allowances, weather derivatives and related products and by- products and ancillary services.

Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to Section 7.03, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.

Consolidated Debt” means, with respect to the Borrower, at any date of determination, the aggregate Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but shall not include (i) Nonrecourse Indebtedness

 

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of the Borrower and any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (ii) obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as operating leases in respect of which the Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries is liable as a lessee, (iii) the aggregate principal and/or face amount of Attributable Securitization Obligations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations not exceeding 15% of the Total Capitalization of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (determined, for purposes of such calculation, without regard to the amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations outstanding of the Borrower); provided that the amount of any mandatory principal amortization or defeasance of Trust Preferred Securities or Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations prior to the latest Termination Date shall be included in this definition of Consolidated Debt.

Consolidated Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person the accounts of which are or are required to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

Controlled Group” means all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control that, together with the Borrower, are treated as a single employer under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code.

Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of another Type or the selection of a new, or the renewal of the same, Interest Period for Term Benchmark Advances pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.23(a).

Corresponding Tenor” with respect to any Available Tenor means, as applicable, either a tenor (including overnight) or an interest payment period having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as such Available Tenor.

Covered Entity” means, (i) the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and (ii) each Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of a Person described in clause (i) above. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the direct or indirect (x) ownership of, or power to vote, 25% or more of the issued and outstanding equity interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person or other Persons performing similar functions for such Person, or (y) power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by ownership of equity interests, contract or otherwise.

Credit Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

Criminal Information” means the Criminal Information in United States v. FirstEnergy Corporation, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on July 22, 2021.

Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day (a “SOFR Rate Day”), a rate per annum equal to SOFR for the day (such day “SOFR Determination Date”) that is five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to (i) if such SOFR Rate Day is a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, such SOFR Rate Day or (ii) if such SOFR Rate Day is not a U.S. Government

 

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Securities Business Day, the U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately preceding such SOFR Rate Day, in each case, as such SOFR is published by the SOFR Administrator on the SOFR Administrator’s Website. Any change in Daily Simple SOFR due to a change in SOFR shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in SOFR without notice to the Borrower.

Date of Issuance” means the date of issuance by a Fronting Bank of a Letter of Credit under this Agreement.

Debt to Capitalization Ratio” means, for the Borrower, the ratio of Consolidated Debt of the Borrower to Total Capitalization of the Borrower.

Debt Fund Affiliate” means any Affiliate of the Sponsor (other than a natural person) that is a bona fide debt fund that is primarily engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans or bonds and/or similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (i) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (A) fund any portion of its Advances, (B) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or (C) pay over to the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (A) or (B) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (ii) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (iii) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations as of the date of certification) to fund prospective Advances and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit under this Agreement; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (iii) upon the Administrative Agent’s or such Fronting Bank’s (as applicable) receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, (iv) has become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event or (v) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, become the subject of a Bail-In Action.

Disclosure Documents” means, the Borrower’s (A) consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, with, in each case, any accompanying notes, (B) unaudited consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2023, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for the six-month period then ended, in each case with respect to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), prepared in

 

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accordance with GAAP (but, in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes) and copies of which have been furnished to each Lender and each Fronting Bank and (C) the matters, if any, described in the portion of Schedule IV hereto as indicated thereon.

Dollars” and “$” each means lawful currency of the United States of America.

DPA” means the Deferred Prosecution Agreement, dated as of July 21, 2021, between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and FE.

Drawing” means a drawing by a Beneficiary under any Letter of Credit.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clause (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority, any Governmental Authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 8.08(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 8.08(b)(iii)).

Environmental Laws” means any federal, state or local laws, ordinances or codes, rules, orders, or regulations relating to pollution or protection of the environment, including, without limitation, laws relating to hazardous substances, laws relating to reclamation of land and waterways and laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of pollutants, contaminants, chemicals, or industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes into the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface or subsurface strata) or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of pollution, contaminants, chemicals, or industrial, toxic or hazardous substances or wastes.

 

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ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder, each as amended, modified and in effect from time to time.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor thereto), as in effect from time to time.

Eurocurrency Liabilities” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage” of any Lender for the Interest Period for any Term Benchmark Advance means the reserve percentage applicable during such Interest Period (or if more than one such percentage shall be so applicable, the daily average of such percentages for those days in such Interest Period during which any such percentage shall be so applicable) under regulations issued from time to time by the Federal Reserve Board (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) for such Lender with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities having a term equal to such Interest Period.

Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, in each case as amended and in effect from time to time.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (i) income, franchise or branch profits Taxes (A) imposed on (or measured by) the Recipient’s net income by the United States, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its Applicable Lending Office is located or (B) that are Other Connection Taxes, (ii) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes that are imposed on amounts payable to a Lender at the time such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.22(b)) or designates a new lending office, except in each case to the extent that amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either (A) to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a Lender under this Agreement, or (B) to such Lender immediately before it designated a new lending office, (iii) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.16(g), and (iv) withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Existing Termination Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a). “Expiration Date” means, with respect to a Letter of Credit, its stated expiration date.

Extension of Credit” means the making of any Advance or the issuance, extension or renewal, or any amendment that increases the Stated Amount, of a Letter of Credit.

 

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FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or official practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code.

FE” means FirstEnergy Corp., a public utility holding company and a direct parent company of the Borrower.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any period, the greater of (a) 0.00% and (b) a fluctuating interest rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest whole multiple of 1/100 of 1% per annum) equal for each day during such period to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the NYFRB, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average rate (rounded upward to the nearest whole multiple of 1/100 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) charged to JPMorgan on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Fee Letters” means (i) the fee letter, dated September 21, 2023, by and among the Borrower, FE, certain of FE’s other Subsidiaries, JPMorgan, Mizuho, PNC Capital Markets LLC and PNC Bank, National Association, (ii) the fee letter, dated September 21, 2023, by and among the Borrower, FE, certain of FE’s other Subsidiaries, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, Barclays Bank PLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., and The Bank of Nova Scotia, and (iii) the fee letter, dated September 21, 2023, by and among the Borrower, FE and JPMorgan, in each case, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

FERC” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or successor organization. “FET” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

First Mortgage Indenture” means a first mortgage indenture pursuant to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower may issue bonds, notes or similar instruments secured by a lien on all or substantially all of the Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s fixed assets, as the case may be.

Floor” means the benchmark rate floor, if any, provided in this Agreement initially (as of the execution of this Agreement, the modification, amendment or renewal of this Agreement or otherwise) with respect to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR, as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt the initial Floor for each of Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR shall be zero.

 

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Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

Fronting Bank” means each Lender identified as a “Fronting Bank” on Schedule II and any other Lender (in each case, acting directly or through an Affiliate) that delivers an instrument in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent whereby such other Lender (or its Affiliate) agrees to act as “Fronting Bank” hereunder and that specifies the maximum aggregate Stated Amount of Letters of Credit that such other Lender (or its Affiliates) will agree to issue hereunder.

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to any Fronting Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States in effect from time to time.

Governmental Action” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, waivers, exceptions, variances, orders, licenses, exemptions, publications, filings, notices to and declarations of or with any Governmental Authority (other than requirements the failure to comply with which will not affect the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or have a material adverse effect on the transactions contemplated by any Loan Document or any material rights, power or remedy of any Person thereunder or any other action in respect of any Governmental Authority).

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including, without limitation, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).

Granting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(g).

Hedging Obligations” mean, with respect to any Person, the obligations of such Person under any interest rate or currency swap agreement, interest rate or currency future agreement,

 

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interest rate collar agreement, interest rate or currency hedge agreement, and any put, call or other agreement or arrangement designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates.

Hostile Acquisition” means any Target Acquisition (as defined below) involving a tender offer or proxy contest that has not been recommended or approved by the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the Person that is the subject of such Target Acquisition. As used in this definition, the term “Target Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, by which any Person directly or indirectly (i) acquires all or substantially all of the assets or ongoing business of any other Person, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise, (ii) acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) control of at least a majority in ordinary voting power of the securities of any such Person that have ordinary voting power for the election of directors or (iii) otherwise acquires control of more than a 50% ownership interest in any such Person.

Increasing Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b).

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, at any date, without duplication, (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, or for the deferred purchase price of property or services other than trade accounts payable, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (iii) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (iv) all obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Person is liable as lessee, (v) withdrawal liability incurred under ERISA by such Person or any of its affiliates to any Multiemployer Plan, (vi) reimbursement obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, bankers acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments, (vii) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person and (viii) obligations of such Person under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise acquire, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to above.

Indemnified Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.05(c).

Indemnified Taxes” means (i) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (ii) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (i), Other Taxes.

Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.17.

Interest Period” means, for each Term Benchmark Advance made to the Borrower as part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Term Benchmark Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Advance into such Term Benchmark Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter in the case of Advances, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower

 

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pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be, in the case of any Term Benchmark Advance, one, three or six months (in each case, subject to the availability for the Benchmark applicable to the relevant Advance or Commitment), in each case, as the Borrower may select by notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.02(a) or Section 2.11(a); provided, however, that:

(i) the Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends after the latest Termination Date;

(ii) Interest Periods commencing on the same date for Advances made as part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration;

(iii) no more than five different Interest Periods shall apply to outstanding Term Benchmark Advances with respect to the Borrower on any date of determination;

(iv) whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided, that if such extension would cause the last day of such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day;

(v) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period; and

(vi) no tenor that has been removed from this definition pursuant to Section 2.23(e) shall be available for specification in such Notice of Borrowing or notice of Conversion.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service. “JPMorgan” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations” means subordinated deferrable interest debt obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) for which the maturity date is subsequent to the latest Termination Date and (ii) that are fully subordinated in right of payment to the Indebtedness hereunder.

L/C Commitment Amount” means $100,000,000 as the same may be reduced permanently from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06.

L/C Fronting Bank Commitment” means, with respect to any Fronting Bank, the aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit that such Fronting Bank agrees to issue, as modified from time to time pursuant to an agreement signed by such Fronting Bank. With respect to each Lender that is a Fronting Bank on the date hereof, such Fronting Bank’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment shall equal such Fronting Bank’s “L/C Fronting Bank Commitment” listed on

 

17


Schedule II, and (ii) with respect to any Lender that becomes a Fronting Bank after the date hereof, such Lender’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment shall equal the amount agreed upon between the Borrower and such Lender at the time that such Lender becomes a Fronting Bank, in each case as such L/C Fronting Bank Commitment may be modified in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

L/C Obligations” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the Lenders’ participation interests in the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued Letters of Credit outstanding on such date plus (ii) the aggregate amount of Reimbursement Obligations outstanding on such date.

Lender Extension Notice Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).

Lenders” means the Banks listed on the signature pages hereof and each assignee of a Bank or another Lender that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.08.

Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder. “Letter of Credit Cash Cover” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01. “Letter of Credit Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(c).

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset. For the purposes of this Agreement, a Person or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to own, subject to a Lien, any asset that it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such asset.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any Note and the Fee Letters.

Majority Lenders” means, at any time prior to the latest Termination Date, Lenders having in the aggregate more than 50% of the Commitments (without giving effect to any termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 6.01) and at any time on or after the latest Termination Date, Lenders having more than 50% of the then aggregate Outstanding Credits of the Lenders; provided, that for purposes hereof, the Borrower, and any of its Affiliates (other than any Debt Fund Affiliates), if a Lender, shall not be included in (i) the Lenders having such amount of the Commitments or the Advances or (ii) determining the total amount of the Commitments or the Outstanding Credits.

Margin Stock” has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and as amended and in effect from time to time.

Material Adverse Effect” means, (i) any material adverse effect on, or a material adverse change in, the business, property, assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), liabilities (actual or contingent) or prospects of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) any material adverse effect on the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party or (iii)

 

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a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is a party.

Maximum Accordion Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(b). “Mizuho” means Mizuho Bank, Ltd..

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group has, or may reasonably be expected to have, an obligation to make contributions, or with respect to which the Borrower has, or may reasonably be expected to incur, liability.

Non-Approving Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 8.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Majority Lenders.

Noncompliance Event” means the Criminal Information and the DPA, and the entry by FE into the DPA, together with those events, actions, or omissions to act that are described in the Criminal Information and the Statement of Facts attached thereto.

Nonconsenting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(b).

Nonrecourse Indebtedness” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (i) any Indebtedness that finances the acquisition, development, construction or improvement of an asset in respect of which the Person to which such Indebtedness is owed has no recourse whatsoever to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates and (ii) any Indebtedness existing on the date of this Agreement that finances the ownership or operation of an asset in respect of which the Person to which such Indebtedness is owed has no recourse whatsoever to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii), other than:

 

  (A)

recourse to the named obligor with respect to such Indebtedness (the “Debtor”) for amounts limited to the cash flow or net cash flow (other than historic cash flow) from the asset; and

 

  (B)

recourse to the Debtor for the purpose only of enabling amounts to be claimed in respect of such Indebtedness in an enforcement of any security interest or lien given by the Debtor over the asset or the income, cash flow or other proceeds deriving from the asset (or given by any shareholder or the like in the Debtor over its shares or like interest in the capital of the Debtor) to secure the Indebtedness, but only if the extent of the recourse to the Debtor is limited solely to the amount of any recoveries made on any such enforcement; and

 

  (C)

recourse to the Debtor generally or indirectly to any Affiliate of the Debtor, under any form of assurance, undertaking or support, which recourse is limited to a claim for damages (other than liquidated damages and damages required to be calculated

 

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in a specified way) for a breach of an obligation (other than a payment obligation or an obligation to comply or to procure compliance by another with any financial ratios or other tests of financial condition) by the Person against which such recourse is available.

Note” means any promissory note issued at the request of a Lender pursuant to Section 2.18 in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

Notice of Borrowing” means a notice of a Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

OFAC” means The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Organizational Documents” means, as applicable to any Person, the charter, code of regulations, articles of incorporation, by-laws, certificate of formation, operating agreement, certificate of partnership, limited liability company agreement, operating agreement, partnership agreement, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement or other constitutive documents of such Person.

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Advance or Loan Document).

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.22(b)).

Outstanding Credits” means, on any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances outstanding on such date plus (ii) the aggregate undrawn amount of all issued Letters of Credit outstanding on such date plus (iii) the aggregate amount of Reimbursement Obligations outstanding on such date (excluding Reimbursement Obligations that, on such date of determination, are repaid with the proceeds of Advances made in accordance with Sections 2.04(f) and (g), to the extent the principal amount of such Advances is included in the determination of the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Advances as provided in clause (i) of this definition). The Outstanding Credits of a Lender on any date of determination shall be an amount equal to the outstanding Advances made by such Lender plus the amount of such Lender’s participation interest in outstanding Letters of Credit and Reimbursement Obligations included in the definition of “Outstanding Credits”.

 

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Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Parent Credit Agreement” means that Credit Agreement, dated as of October 18, 2021, by and among FE and FET as borrowers, the banks and other financial institutions party thereto from time to time, and JPMorgan as administrative agent, as amended, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, including for the release of FET, as borrower thereunder, pursuant to Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Consent, Limited Waiver and Limited Release, dated as of the Closing Date.

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(d). “Participant Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(d).

Patriot Act” means the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as in effect from time to time.

Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(c).

Payment Date” means the date on which payment of a Drawing is made by a Fronting Bank.

Payment Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06(c).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

Percentage” means, in respect of any Lender on any date of determination, the quotient (expressed as a percentage) obtained by (i) dividing such Lender’s Commitment on such day by the total of the Commitments on such day or (ii) if the Commitments have terminated or expired, dividing the Outstanding Credits of such Lender on such day by the aggregate Outstanding Credits on such day.

Permitted Obligations” mean (i) nonspeculative Hedging Obligations of any Person and its Subsidiaries arising in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with such Person’s established risk management policies that are designed to protect such Person against, among other things, fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates and which in the case of agreements relating to interest rates shall have a notional amount no greater than the payments due with respect to the applicable obligations being hedged and (ii) Commodity Trading Obligations. For the avoidance of doubt, such transactions shall be considered nonspeculative with respect to the Borrower, if undertaken in conformance with the FE Corporate Risk Management Policy then in effect, as approved by FE’s Audit Committee, together with the Approved Business Unit Risk Management Policies referenced thereunder.

Permitted Securitization” means, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any sale, assignment, conveyance, grant and/or contribution, or series of related sales, assignments, conveyances, grants and/or contributions, by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of Receivables

 

21


(or purported sale, assignment, conveyance, grant and/or contribution) to a trust, corporation or other entity, where the purchase of such Receivables may be funded or exchanged in whole or in part by the incurrence or issuance by the applicable Securitization SPV, if any, of Indebtedness or securities (such Indebtedness and securities being “Attributable Securitization Obligations”) that are to be secured by or otherwise satisfied by payments from, or that represent interests in, the cash flow derived primarily from such Receivables (provided, however, that “Indebtedness” as used in this definition shall not include Indebtedness incurred by a Securitization SPV owed to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, which Indebtedness represents all or a portion of the purchase price or other consideration paid by such Securitization SPV for such receivables or interests therein), where (i) any representation, warranty, covenant, recourse, repurchase, hold harmless, indemnity or similar obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, in respect of Receivables sold, assigned, conveyed, granted or contributed, or payments made in respect thereof, are customary for transactions of this type, and do not prevent the characterization of the transaction as a true sale under Applicable Laws (including debtor relief laws) and (ii) any representation, warranty, covenant, recourse, repurchase, hold harmless, indemnity or similar obligations of any Securitization SPV in respect of Receivables sold, assigned, conveyed, granted or contributed or payments made in respect thereof, are customary for transactions of this type.

Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business trust), limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or any political subdivision or agency thereof.

Plan” means, at any time, an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 or 430 of the Code and (i) is (A) maintained by or contributed to by (or to which there is or may be an obligation to contribute to by) the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group, or (B) maintained pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or any other arrangement under which more than one employer makes contributions, or (ii) as to which the Borrower or a member of the Controlled Group has within the preceding five plan years maintained, contributed to or had an obligation to contribute to.

Plan Asset Regulations” means 29 CFR § 2510.3-101 et seq., as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, as amended from time to time.

PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

Receivables” means any accounts receivable, payment intangibles, notes receivable, rights to receive future payments and related rights (whether now existing or arising or acquired in the future, whether constituting accounts, chattel paper, instruments, general intangibles or otherwise, and including the right to payment of any interest or finance charges), including (i) financial transmission rights (“FTRs”) or any other rights to payment from PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. or another regional transmission authority of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) the right to impose, charge, collect and receive special, irrevocable, nonbypassable charges based upon the consumption of electricity imposed pursuant to Applicable Law on the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ ratepayers, and any supporting obligations and other financial assets related

 

22


thereto (including all collateral securing such accounts receivables, FTRs or other assets, contracts and contract rights, all guarantees with respect thereto, and all proceeds thereof) that are transferred, or in respect of which security interests are granted in one or more transactions that are customary for asset securitizations of such Receivables.

Recipient” means, as applicable, (i) the Administrative Agent, (ii) any Lender and (iii) any Fronting Bank.

Reference Ratings” means, the ratings assigned by S&P and Moody’s to the senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt of the Borrower; provided that, if there is no such rating, “Reference Ratings” shall mean the ratings assigned by S&P and Moody’s to the senior secured debt of the Borrower set at levels that are one level below the levels set forth in the table in the definition of the term “Applicable Margin”.

Reference Time” with respect to any setting of the then-current Benchmark means (1) if such Benchmark is the Term SOFR Rate, 5:00 a.m. (Chicago time) on the day that is two U.S. Government Securities Business Days preceding the date of such setting , (2) if the RFR for such Benchmark is Daily Simple SOFR, then four U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such setting or (3) if such Benchmark is none of the Term SOFR Rate or Daily Simple SOFR, the time determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(c).

Reimbursement Obligation” means the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse a Fronting Bank for any Drawing paid by such Fronting Bank pursuant to Section 2.04(g).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board and/or the NYFRB or, in each case, any successor thereto.

Relevant Rate” means (i) with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate or (ii) with respect to any RFR Borrowing, the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR, as applicable.

Reportable Compliance Event” means that any Covered Entity becomes a Sanctioned Person, or is charged by indictment, criminal complaint or similar charging instrument, arraigned, or custodially detained in connection with any Anti-Corruption Law or any predicate crime to any Anti-Corruption Law, or has knowledge of facts or circumstances to the effect that it is reasonably likely that any aspect of its operations is in actual or probable violation of any Anti-Corruption Law.

Required Reimbursement Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04(f)(i).

 

23


Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

RFR Advance” means an Advance that bears interest at a rate based on the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR.

RFR Borrowing” means, as to any Borrowing, the RFR Advances comprising such Borrowing.

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a business unit of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a region, country or territory which is, or whose government is, the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the date of this Agreement, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and the Crimea, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Regions of Ukraine).

Sanctioned Person” means (a) any Person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals maintained by OFAC, or any other Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of the Treasury or any other U.S. Governmental Authority, or maintained by the United Nations Security Council, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, the European Union or any member state thereof, as may be amended, supplemented or substituted from time to time, (b) any Person that is (i) operating, located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country, to the extent such presence in the Sanctioned Country means that such Person is the target of Sanctions, or (ii) the subject or target of any Sanctions, or (c) any Person controlled by any such Person described in the foregoing clause (a) or clause (b). For purposes of the foregoing clause (c), “control” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the definition of “Covered Entity”.

Sanctions” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by OFAC, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of Treasury, or (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any member state thereof, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or any other Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over any of the parties to this Agreement.

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securitization SPV” means any trust, partnership or other Person established by the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower to implement a Permitted Securitization.

Significant Subsidiaries” means, (i) each of American Transmission Systems, Incorporated, Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company and Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC, and any successor to any of them and (ii) any other significant subsidiary (as such term is defined in Regulation S-X of the SEC (17 C.F.R. §210.1-02(w)), or any successor provision) of the Borrower (excluding Securitization SPVs).

 

24


SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.

SOFR Administrator” means the NYFRB (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

SOFR Administrator’s Website” means the NYFRB’s website, currently at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source for the secured overnight financing rate identified as such by the SOFR Administrator from time to time.

SOFR Determination Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”.

SOFR Rate Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Daily Simple SOFR”. “SPC” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.08(g).

Specified Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(c).

Specified Event” means the occurrence of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(k) of the Parent Credit Agreement.

Sponsor” means North American Transmission Company II L.P.

Stated Amount” means the maximum amount available to be drawn by a Beneficiary under a Letter of Credit.

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such a Person, or one or more Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries.

Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Term Benchmark” when used in reference to any Advance or Borrowing, refers to whether such Advance, or the Advances comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate (other than pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition of “Alternate Base Rate”).

Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning assigned to it under the definition of Term SOFR Reference Rate.

Term SOFR Rate” means, with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the Term SOFR Reference Rate at approximately 5:00 a.m., Chicago time, two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to

 

25


the commencement of such tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, as such rate is published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator.

Term SOFR Reference Rate” means, for any day and time (such day, the “Term SOFR Determination Day”), with respect to any Term Benchmark Borrowing denominated in Dollars and for any tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period, the rate per annum published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator and identified by the Administrative Agent as the forward- looking term rate based on SOFR. If by 5:00 pm (New York City time) on such Term SOFR Determination Day, the “Term SOFR Reference Rate” for the applicable tenor has not been published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Rate has not occurred, then, so long as such day is otherwise a U.S. Government Securities Business Day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such Term SOFR Determination Day will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate as published in respect of the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate was published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator, so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Term SOFR Determination Day.

Termination Date” means October 20, 2028, subject, for certain Lenders, to the extension described in Section 2.19 hereof, or, in any case, the earlier date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 6.01 hereof.

Termination Event” means (i) a Reportable Event described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations issued thereunder (other than a Reportable Event not subject to the provision for 30-day notice to the PBGC with respect to a Plan under such regulations), or (ii) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group from a Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, or (iii) a cessation of operations with respect to which the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group has incurred liability under Section 4062(e) of ERISA, or (iv) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Plan or the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4042 of ERISA, or (v) the institution of proceedings to terminate a Plan by the PBGC, or (vi) any other event or condition that might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment by a court of competent jurisdiction of a trustee to administer, any Plan.

Total Capitalization” means, at any date of determination, the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Debt of the Borrower, (ii) the capital stock (but excluding treasury stock and capital stock subscribed and unissued) and other equity accounts (including retained earnings and paid in capital but excluding accumulated other comprehensive income and loss) of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, (iii) consolidated equity of the preference stockholders of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Trust Preferred Securities and Junior Subordinated Deferred Interest Debt Obligations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.

Trust Preferred Securities” means any securities, however denominated, (i) issued by the Borrower or any Consolidated Subsidiary of the Borrower, (ii) that are not subject to mandatory redemption or the underlying securities, if any, of which are not subject to mandatory redemption,

 

26


(iii) that are perpetual or mature no less than 30 years from the date of issuance, (iv) the indebtedness issued in connection with which, including any guaranty, is subordinate in right of payment to the unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the issuer of such indebtedness or guaranty, and (v) the terms of which permit the deferral of the payment of interest or distributions thereon to a date occurring after the latest Termination Date.

Type” when used in reference to any Advance or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Advance, or on the Advances comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate (other than pursuant to clause (iii) of the definition of “Alternate Base Rate”) or the Alternate Base Rate or, if applicable, Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR.

UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any Person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

United States” and “U.S.” each means the United States of America.

Unmatured Default” means any event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (i) a Saturday, (ii) a Sunday or (iii) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.16(g)(ii)(B)(iii). “Withholding Agent” means the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial

 

27


Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods.

In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each means “to but excluding”.

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms.

All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP consistent with those applied in the preparation of the financial statements referred to in Section 4.01(g). Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein, and the determination of Indebtedness hereunder, shall be made without giving effect to Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Standard ASC 842 (Leases) (or any other applicable financial accounting standard having a similar result or effect) and related interpretations, in each case, to the extent any lease (or similar arrangement conveying the right to use) would be required to be treated as a capital lease thereunder where such lease (or similar arrangement) would have been treated as an operating lease under GAAP as in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of the ASC 842.

SECTION 1.04. Terms Generally.

Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provisions hereof, (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, and (v) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.

SECTION 1.05. Divisions.

For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a)

 

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if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized on the first date of its existence by the holders of its equity interests at such time.

SECTION 1.06. Interest Rates; Benchmark Notification.

The interest rate on an Advance denominated in dollars may be derived from an interest rate benchmark that may be discontinued or is, or may in the future become, the subject of regulatory reform. Upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, Section 2.23(b) provides a mechanism for determining an alternative rate of interest. The Administrative Agent does not warrant or accept any responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to, the administration, submission, performance or any other matter related to any interest rate used in this Agreement, or with respect to any alternative or successor rate thereto, or replacement rate thereof, including without limitation, whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement reference rate will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, the existing interest rate being replaced or have the same volume or liquidity as did any existing interest rate prior to its discontinuance or unavailability. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates and/or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of any interest rate used in this Agreement or any alternative, successor or alternative rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) and/or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any interest rate used in this Agreement, any component thereof, or rates referenced in the definition thereof, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

ARTICLE II

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

SECTION 2.01. The Advances.

Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make Advances to the Borrower in Dollars only from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the date hereof until the Termination Date applicable to such Lender in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the Available Commitment of such Lender. Each Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount not less than $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and shall consist of Advances of the same Type and, in the case of Term Benchmark Advances, having the same Interest Period made or Converted on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments. Within the limits of each Lender’s Available Commitment, and subject to the conditions set forth in Article III and the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may from time to time borrow, prepay pursuant to Section 2.12

 

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and reborrow under this Section 2.01; provided, that in no case shall any Lender be required to make an Advance to the Borrower hereunder if (i) the amount of such Advance would exceed such Lender’s Available Commitment or (ii) the making of such Advance, together with the making of the other Advances constituting part of the same Borrowing, would cause the total amount of all Outstanding Credits to exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments. For the avoidance of doubt, the making of, or Conversion into, RFR Advances, shall only be applicable as set forth in Section 2.14 or Section 2.23.

SECTION 2.02. Making the Advances.

(a) Each Borrowing shall be made on notice, given (i) (x) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Term Benchmark Advances, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing, or (y) in the case of an RFR Borrowing, if applicable, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the fifth U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing, and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Alternate Base Rate Advances, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the date of the proposed Borrowing, by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof. Each such Notice of Borrowing by the Borrower shall be by email or any other electronic manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto, specifying therein the requested (A) date of such Borrowing, (B) Type of Advances to be made in connection with such Borrowing, (C) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, (D) in the case of a Borrowing comprising Term Benchmark Advances, the initial Interest Period for each such Advance, which Borrowing shall be subject to the limitations stated in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, and (E) the identity of the Borrower requesting such Borrowing. The Borrower may request that more than one Borrowing be made on any date. Each Lender shall, before 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of such Borrowing, make available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Administrative Agent at its address referred to in Section 8.02, in same day funds, such Lender’s Percentage of such Borrowing. After the Administrative Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Administrative Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower at the Administrative Agent’s aforesaid address.

(b) Each Notice of Borrowing delivered by the Borrower shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. In the case of any Notice of Borrowing delivered by the Borrower requesting Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances), the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure by the Borrower to fulfill on or before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing when such Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such date.

(c) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received written notice via facsimile transmission from a Lender prior to (A) 5:00 p.m. (New York time) one U.S.

 

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Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of a Borrowing comprising Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) or (B) 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of a Borrowing comprising Alternate Base Rate Advances that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Percentage of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02 and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such Percentage of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable at the time to Advances made in connection with such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.

(d) The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Advances are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Advance on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

SECTION 2.03. [Reserved].

SECTION 2.04. Letters of Credit.

(a) Agreement of Fronting Banks. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each Fronting Bank agrees to issue and amend (including, without limitation, to extend or renew) for the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (each such Person, an “Account Party”) one or more Letters of Credit from and including the date hereof to the third Business Day preceding the Termination Date applicable to such Fronting Bank, in an aggregate Stated Amount at any time outstanding not to exceed such Fronting Bank’s L/C Fronting Bank Commitment, up to a maximum aggregate Stated Amount of all Letters of Credit at any one time outstanding equal to the L/C Commitment Amount minus Reimbursement Obligations outstanding at such time. Each Letter of Credit may be renewable (if so requested by the Borrower), shall have a Stated Amount not less than $100,000 and shall have an Expiration Date of no later than the earlier of (x) the third Business Day preceding the then-scheduled Termination Date applicable to the Fronting Bank issuing such Letter of Credit and (y) the date occurring one year after the Date of Issuance of such Letter of Credit; provided, however, that no Fronting Bank will issue or amend a Letter of Credit if, immediately following such issuance or amendment, (i) the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit would (A) exceed the Available Commitments or (B) when aggregated with (1) the Stated Amounts of all other outstanding Letters of Credit and (2) the outstanding Reimbursement Obligations, exceed the L/C Commitment Amount or (ii) the total amount of all Outstanding Credits would exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments. Letters of Credit

 

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shall be denominated in Dollars only. Notwithstanding that any Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder may be in support of any obligations of, or for the account of, a Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable Fronting Bank for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of its Subsidiaries inures to the Borrower’s benefit and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiary. No Fronting Bank shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Fronting Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, (B) any law applicable to such Fronting Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Fronting Bank shall prohibit, or request that such Fronting Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Fronting Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Fronting Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the date hereof, or shall impose upon such Fronting Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense that was not applicable on the date hereof and that such Fronting Bank in good faith deems material to it, (C) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Fronting Bank or (D) such Fronting Bank is not required to make any Extension of Credit in connection with a Letter of Credit under Section 2.21(e).

(b) Forms. Each Letter of Credit shall be in a form customarily used by the Fronting Bank that is to issue such Letter of Credit or in such other form as has been approved by such Fronting Bank. At the time of issuance or amendment, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the amount and the terms and conditions of each Letter of Credit shall be subject to approval by the applicable Fronting Bank and the Borrower.

(c) Notice of Issuance; Application. The Borrower shall give the applicable Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent written notice, or telephonic notice confirmed in writing, in any case, at least three (3) Business Days (or such shorter period as such Fronting Bank may agree in its sole discretion) prior to the requested Date of Issuance of a Letter of Credit, such notice to be in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (a “Letter of Credit Request”). The Borrower shall also execute and deliver such customary letter of credit application forms as requested from time to time by such Fronting Bank. Such application forms shall indicate the identity of the Account Party and that the Borrower is the “Applicant” or shall otherwise indicate that the Borrower is the obligor in respect of any Letter of Credit to be issued thereunder. If the terms or conditions of the application forms conflict with any provision of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.

(d) Issuance. Provided that the Borrower has given the notice prescribed by Section 2.04(c) and subject to the other terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Article III, the applicable Fronting Bank shall issue the requested Letter of Credit on the requested Date of Issuance as set forth in the applicable Letter of Credit Request for the benefit of the stipulated Beneficiary and shall deliver the original of such Letter of Credit to the Beneficiary at the address specified in the notice. At the request of the Borrower, such Fronting Bank shall deliver a copy of each Letter of Credit to the Borrower within a reasonable time after the Date of Issuance thereof. Upon the request of the Borrower, such Fronting Bank shall deliver to the

 

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Borrower a copy of any Letter of Credit proposed to be issued hereunder prior to the issuance thereof.

(e) Notice of Drawing. Each Fronting Bank shall promptly notify the Borrower by telephone, facsimile or other telecommunication of any Drawing under a Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower by such Fronting Bank.

(f) Payments. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay to each Fronting Bank, in the manner provided in subsection (g) below:

(i) no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of receipt by the Borrower of notice of any Drawing pursuant to subsection (e) above, if such notice is received not later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time), or on the first Business Day following receipt of such notice by the Borrower, if such notice is received later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time), an amount equal to the amount paid by such Fronting Bank in connection with such Drawing (such date being the “Required Reimbursement Date”); and

(ii) if any Drawing shall be reimbursed to any Fronting Bank after 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the applicable Payment Date, interest on any and all amounts required to be paid pursuant to clause (i) of this subsection (f) from and after such Payment Date until payment in full, payable on demand, at the annual rate of interest applicable to Alternate Base Rate Advances as in effect from time to time, provided, however, that from and after the Required Reimbursement Date with respect to such Drawing until payment in full, such interest rate shall be increased by 2.00% per annum.

(g) Method of Reimbursement. The Borrower shall reimburse each Fronting Bank for each Drawing under any Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower by such Fronting Bank pursuant to subsection (f) above in the following manner:

(i) the Borrower shall reimburse such Fronting Bank in the manner described in subsection (f) above and Section 2.15; or

(ii) if (A) the Borrower has not reimbursed such Fronting Bank pursuant to paragraph (i) above, (B) the applicable conditions to Borrowing set forth in Articles II and III have been fulfilled, and (C) the Available Commitments in effect at such time exceed the amount of the Drawing to be reimbursed, the Borrower may reimburse such Fronting Bank for such Drawing with the proceeds of an Alternate Base Rate Advance or, if the conditions specified in the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C) have been satisfied and a Notice of Borrowing requesting a Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable, RFR Advance) has been given, in accordance with Section 2.02, three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days (or, with respect to a request for an RFR Advance, if applicable, five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days) prior to the relevant Payment Date, with the proceeds of a Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable, RFR Advance).

(h) Nature of Fronting Banks’ Duties. In determining whether to honor any Drawing under any Letter of Credit issued by any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank shall be

 

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responsible only to determine that the documents and certificates required to be delivered under such Letter of Credit have been delivered and that they comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower otherwise assumes all risks of the acts and omissions of, or misuse of any Letter of Credit issued by any Fronting Bank for the account of the Borrower by, the Beneficiary of such Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, but consistent with Applicable Law, no Fronting Bank shall be responsible, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), (i) for the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy, genuineness or legal effects of any document submitted by any party in connection with the application for and issuance of any drawing honored under a Letter of Credit, even if it should in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent or forged; (ii) for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any such Letter of Credit, or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason; (iii) for errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, telegraph, telex, facsimile or otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (iv) for errors in interpretation of technical terms; (v) for any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under any such Letter of Credit, or the proceeds thereof; (vi) for the misapplication by the Beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit or of the proceeds of any drawing honored under such Letter of Credit; and (vii) for any consequences arising from causes beyond the control of such Fronting Bank. None of the above shall affect, impair or prevent the vesting of any of such Fronting Bank’s rights or powers hereunder. Not in limitation of the foregoing, any action taken or omitted to be taken by any Fronting Bank under or in connection with any Letter of Credit shall not create against such Fronting Bank any liability to the Borrower or any Lender, except for actions or omissions resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) of such Fronting Bank or any of its agents or representatives, and such Fronting Bank shall not be required to take any action that exposes such Fronting Bank to personal liability or that is contrary to this Agreement or Applicable Law.

(i) Obligations of Borrower Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse each Fronting Bank for Drawings honored under the Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower by such Fronting Bank shall be unconditional and irrevocable and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances including, without limitation, the following circumstances:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit;

(ii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower, any Account Party or any Affiliate of the Borrower or any Account Party may have at any time against a Beneficiary or any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Persons or entities for whom any such Beneficiary or transferee may be acting), such Fronting Bank or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated herein or any unrelated transaction;

 

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(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or any other documents presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;

(iv) the surrender or impairment of any security for the performance or observance of any of the terms of any of the Loan Documents;

(v) any non-application or misapplication by the Beneficiary of the proceeds of any Drawing under a Letter of Credit; or

(vi) the fact that an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

No payment made under this Section 2.04 shall be deemed to be a waiver of any claim the Borrower may have against any Fronting Bank or any other Person.

(j) Participations by Lenders. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit and without any further action on the part of any Fronting Bank or any Lender in respect thereof, each Fronting Bank shall hereby be deemed to have granted to each Lender, and each Lender shall hereby be deemed to have acquired from such Fronting Bank, an undivided interest and participation in such Letter of Credit (including any letter of credit issued by such Fronting Bank in substitution or exchange for such Letter of Credit pursuant to the terms thereof) equal to such Lender’s Percentage of the Stated Amount of such Letter of Credit, effective upon the issuance of such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank, in accordance with this subsection (j), such Lender’s Percentage of each payment made by such Fronting Bank in respect of an unreimbursed Drawing under a Letter of Credit. Such Fronting Bank shall notify the Administrative Agent of the amount of such unreimbursed Drawing honored by it not later than (x) 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of payment of a draft under a Letter of Credit, if such payment is made at or prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and (y) the close of business (New York time) on the date of payment of a draft under a Letter of Credit, if such payment is made after 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the date and amount of such unreimbursed Drawing under such Letter of Credit honored by such Fronting Bank and the amount of such Lender’s Percentage therein no later than (1) 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, if such payment is made at or prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day, and (2) 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the next following Business Day, if such payment is made after 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on such day. Not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date of receipt of a notice of an unreimbursed Drawing by a Lender, such Lender agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank an amount equal to the product of (A) such Lender’s Percentage and (B) the amount of the payment made by such Fronting Bank in respect of such unreimbursed Drawing.

If payment of the amount due pursuant to the preceding sentence from a Lender is received by such Fronting Bank after the close of business on the date it is due, such Lender agrees to pay to such Fronting Bank, in addition to (and along with) its payment of the amount due pursuant to the preceding sentence, interest on such amount at a rate per annum equal to (i) for the period from and including the date such payment is due to but excluding the second succeeding Business Day,

 

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the Federal Funds Rate, and (ii) for the period from and including the second Business Day succeeding the date such payment is due to but excluding the date on which such amount is paid in full, the Federal Funds Rate plus 2.00% per annum.

(k) Obligations of Lenders Absolute. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that (i) its obligation to acquire a participation in any Fronting Bank’s liability in respect of the Letters of Credit and (ii) its obligation to make the payments specified herein, and the right of each Fronting Bank to receive the same, in the manner specified herein, are absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances whatsoever, including, without limitation, (A) the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default or Unmatured Default; (B) any other breach or default by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder; (C) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document; (D) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that the Lender may have at any time against the Borrower, any other Account Party, any Beneficiary, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender; (E) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against any Beneficiary, any Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby or any unrelated transactions; (F) any amendment or waiver of, or consent to any departure from, all or any of the Letters of Credit or this Agreement; (G) any statement or any document presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; (H) payment by any Fronting Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, so long as such payment is not the consequence of such Fronting Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct (as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction) in determining whether documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof; (I) the occurrence of the Termination Date; or (J) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing. Nothing herein shall prevent the assertion by any Lender of a claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim, nor shall any payment made by a Lender under Section 2.04 be deemed to be a waiver of any claim that a Lender may have against any Fronting Bank or any other Person.

(l) Proceeds of Reimbursements. Upon receipt of a payment from the Borrower pursuant to subsection (f) hereof, the applicable Fronting Bank shall promptly transfer to each Lender that has funded its participation in the applicable Drawing pursuant to subsection (j) above, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage) of such payment. All payments due to the Lenders from any Fronting Bank pursuant to this subsection (l) shall be made to the Lenders if, as, and, to the extent possible, when such Fronting Bank receives payments in respect of Drawings under the Letters of Credit pursuant to subsection (f) hereof, and in the same funds in which such amounts are received; provided that if any Lender to which such Fronting Bank is required to transfer any such payment (or any portion thereof) pursuant to this subsection (l) does not receive such payment (or portion thereof) prior to (i) the close of business on the Business Day on which such Fronting Bank received such payment from the Borrower, if such Fronting Bank received such payment prior to 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, or (ii) 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Business Day next succeeding the Business Day on which such Fronting Bank received such payment from the Borrower, if such Fronting Bank received such payment after 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on such day, such Fronting Bank

 

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agrees to pay to such Lender, along with its payment of the portion of such payment due to such Lender, interest on such amount at a rate per annum equal to (A) for the period from and including the Business Day when such payment was required to be made to the Lenders to but excluding the second succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate and (B) for the period from and including the second Business Day succeeding the Business Day when such payment was required to be made to the Lenders to but excluding the date on which such amount is paid in full, the Federal Funds Rate plus 2.00% per annum.

(m) Concerning the Fronting Banks. Each Fronting Bank will exercise and give the same care and attention to the Letters of Credit issued by it as it gives to its other letters of credit and similar obligations, and each Lender agrees that each Fronting Bank’s sole liability to such Lender shall be (i) to distribute promptly, as and when received by such Fronting Bank, and in accordance with the provisions of subsection (l) above, such Lender’s Percentage of any payments to such Fronting Bank by the Borrower pursuant to subsection (f) above in respect of Drawings under the Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank, (ii) to exercise or refrain from exercising any right or to take or to refrain from taking any action under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank as may be directed in writing by the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or the Administrative Agent acting at the direction and on behalf of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders), except to the extent required by the terms hereof or thereof or by Applicable Law, and (iii) as otherwise expressly set forth in this Section 2.04. No Fronting Bank shall be liable for any action taken or omitted at the request or with approval of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or of the Administrative Agent acting on behalf of the Majority Lenders (or, when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, all of the Lenders) or for the nonperformance of the obligations of any other party under this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby. Without in any way limiting any of the foregoing, each Fronting Bank may rely upon the advice of counsel concerning legal matters and upon any written communication or any telephone conversation that it believes to be genuine or to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person and shall not be required to make any inquiry concerning the performance by the Borrower, any Beneficiary or any other Person of any of their respective obligations and liabilities under or in respect of this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other documents contemplated hereby or thereby. No Fronting Bank shall have any obligation to make any claim, or assert any Lien, upon any property held by such Fronting Bank or assert any offset thereagainst in satisfaction of all or any part of the obligations of the Borrower hereunder; provided that each Fronting Bank shall, if so directed by the Majority Lenders or the Administrative Agent acting on behalf of and with the consent of the Majority Lenders, have an obligation to make a claim, or assert a Lien, upon property held by such Fronting Bank in connection with this Agreement, or assert an offset thereagainst.

Each Fronting Bank may accept deposits from, make loans or otherwise extend credit to, and generally engage in any kind of banking or trust business with the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person, and receive payment on such loans or extensions of credit and otherwise act with respect thereto freely and without accountability in the same manner as if it were not a Fronting Bank hereunder.

 

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Each Fronting Bank makes no representation or warranty and shall have no responsibility with respect to: (i) the genuineness, legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby; (ii) the truthfulness, accuracy or performance of any of the representations, warranties or agreements contained in this Agreement or any other documents contemplated hereby; (iii) the collectibility of any amounts due under this Agreement; (iv) the financial condition of the Borrower or any other Person; or (v) any act or omission of any Beneficiary with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit or the proceeds of any Drawing under any Letter of Credit.

(n) Indemnification of Fronting Banks by Lenders. To the extent that any Fronting Bank is not reimbursed and indemnified by the Borrower under Section 8.05 hereof, each Lender agrees to reimburse and indemnify such Fronting Bank on demand, pro rata in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage, for and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever that may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Fronting Bank, in any way relating to or arising out of this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby, or any action taken or omitted by such Fronting Bank under or in connection with this Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other document contemplated hereby or thereby; provided, however, that such Lender shall not be liable for any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements resulting from such Fronting Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by the final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; and provided further, however, that such Lender shall not be liable to such Fronting Bank or any other Lender for the failure of the Borrower to reimburse such Fronting Bank for any drawing made under a Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower with respect to which such Lender has paid such Fronting Bank such Lender’s pro rata share (determined in accordance with such Lender’s Percentage), or for the Borrower’s failure to pay interest thereon. Each Lender’s obligations under this subsection (n) shall survive the payment in full of all amounts payable by such Lender under subsection (j) above, and the termination of this Agreement and the Letters of Credit. Nothing in this subsection (n) is intended to limit any Lender’s reimbursement obligation contained in subsection (j) above.

(o) Representations of Lenders. As between any Fronting Bank and the Lenders, by its execution and delivery of this Agreement each Lender hereby represents and warrants solely to such Fronting Bank that (i) it is duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, and has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations to such Fronting Bank under this Agreement; and (ii) this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it in accordance with the terms hereof, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bank organization, moratorium, conservatorship or other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors rights in general and the rights of creditors of banks, and except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

(p) [Reserved].

 

38


(q) Successor Fronting Bank. Any Fronting Bank may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Lenders, the other Fronting Banks and the Borrower, as long as such Fronting Bank has no Letters of Credit outstanding under this Agreement. Upon such resignation, the Borrower may designate one or more Lenders as Fronting Banks to replace the retiring Fronting Bank. If a Fronting Bank has any Letters of Credit outstanding under this Agreement and delivers a written notice of its intent to resign to the Lenders, the other Fronting Banks and the Borrower, such Fronting Bank shall continue to honor its obligations under this Agreement, but shall have no obligation to issue any new Letter of Credit. Upon receipt of such notice of intent to resign, the Borrower and such Fronting Bank may agree to replace or terminate the outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank and to designate one or more Lenders as Fronting Banks to replace such Fronting Bank.

SECTION 2.05. Fees.

(a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee on the amount of such Lender’s Available Commitment at such time from the date hereof in the case of each Bank and from the effective date specified in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of each other Lender until the Termination Date applicable to such Lender, payable quarterly in arrears fifteen (15) Business Days after the last day of each March, June, September and December during such period, and on such Termination Date, at the rate per annum set forth below determined by reference to the Reference Ratings of the Borrower from time to time in effect (and, solely in the case that there are no Reference Ratings or the Reference Ratings are lower than Level 5, the rate shall be at Level 5):

 

     LEVEL 1    LEVEL 2    LEVEL 3    LEVEL 4    LEVEL 5

BASIS FOR

PRICING

  

Reference

Ratings at

least BBB+ by

S&P or Baa1

by Moody’s

  

Reference

Ratings

lower than

Level 1 but

at least BBB

by S&P or

Baa2 by

Moody’s

  

Reference

Ratings

lower than

Level 2 but

at least BBB-

by S&P or

Baa3 by

Moody’s

  

Reference

Ratings

lower than

Level 3 but

at least BB+

by S&P or

Ba1 by

Moody’s

  

Reference

Ratings

lower than

Level 4 but

at least BB

by S&P or

Ba2 by

Moody’s

Commitment Fee

   0.175%    0.225%    0.275%    0.350%    0.500%

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if there is a difference of one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s and the higher of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4, then the higher Reference Rating will be used to determine the commitment fee, and (ii) if there is a difference of more than one level in Reference Ratings of S&P and Moody’s, the Reference Rating that is one level above the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the commitment fee, unless the lower of such Reference Ratings falls in Level 5, in which case the lower of such Reference Ratings will be used to determine the commitment fee. If there exists only one Reference Rating, such Reference Rating will be used to determine the commitment fee. Any increase or decrease in the commitment fee resulting from a change in the Reference Rating

 

39


shall become effective on the third (3rd) Business Day following such change in the Reference Rating.

(b) The Borrower agrees to pay the fees payable by the Borrower in such amounts and payable on such terms as set forth in the Fee Letters.

(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, a fee in an amount equal to the then Applicable Margin for Term Benchmark Advances and RFR Advances for the Borrower multiplied by the Stated Amount of each Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower, in each case for the number of days that such Letter of Credit is issued and outstanding, on the fifteenth (15th) Business Day following the end of each March, June, September and December and on the date any Letter of Credit expires.

(d) The Borrower agrees to pay to each Fronting Bank, for its own account, certain fees payable by the Borrower in such amounts and payable on such terms as set forth in the Fee Letter to which such Fronting Bank is a party.

SECTION 2.06. Adjustment of the Commitments.

(a) Commitment Reduction. The Borrower shall have the right, upon at least two Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate in whole or, upon same day notice, from time to time to permanently reduce ratably in part the unused portion of the Commitments; provided that each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or in an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; provided, further, that the Commitments may not be reduced to an amount that is less than the aggregate Stated Amount of outstanding Letters of Credit. Subject to the foregoing, any reduction of the Commitments to an amount below $100,000,000 shall also result in a reduction of the L/C Commitment Amount to the extent of such deficit (with automatic reductions in the amount of each L/C Fronting Bank Commitment ratably in proportion to the amount of such reduction of the L/C Commitment Amount). Each such notice of termination or reduction shall be irrevocable. Without limiting subsection (b) below, any Commitment reduced or terminated pursuant to this subsection (a) may not be reinstated.

(b) Commitment Increase. (i) On any date prior to the latest Termination Date, the Borrower may increase the aggregate amount of the Commitments by an amount not less than $50,000,000 for any such increase but not more than $500,000,000 (the “Maximum Accordion Amount”) for all such increases (any such increase, a “Commitment Increase”) by designating one or more of the existing Lenders or one or more Affiliates thereof (each of which, in its sole discretion, may determine whether and to what degree to participate in such Commitment Increase) or one or more other Persons that at the time agree, in the case of any existing Lender, to increase its Commitment (an “Increasing Lender”) and, in the case of any other Person or an Affiliate of a Lender (an “Additional Lender”), to become a party to this Agreement; provided that (i) each Additional Lender shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and each Increasing Lender and each Additional Lender shall be acceptable to the Fronting Banks, (ii) the allocations of the Commitment Increase among the Increasing Lenders shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower, and (iii) the amount of the Commitment of each Additional Lender shall not be less than $5,000,000. The sum of the increases in the Commitments of the Increasing Lenders pursuant to this subsection (b) plus the Commitments of

 

40


the Additional Lenders upon giving effect to the Commitment Increase shall not exceed the amount of the Commitment Increase. The Borrower shall provide prompt notice of any proposed Commitment Increase pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) to the Administrative Agent, which shall promptly provide a copy of such notice to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks.

(ii) Any Commitment Increase shall become effective upon (A) the receipt by the Administrative Agent of an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent signed by the Borrower, each Increasing Lender and each Additional Lender, setting forth the new Commitment of each such Lender and setting forth the agreement of each Additional Lender to become a party to this Agreement and to be bound by all the terms and provisions hereof binding upon each Lender, (B) the funding by each Lender of the Advance(s) to be made by each such Lender described in paragraph (iii) below, (C) receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate (the statements contained in which shall be true) of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower stating that both before and after giving effect to such Commitment Increase (1) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) all representations and warranties made by the Borrower in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (or in the case of any representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) and (D) receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower, in each case, certifying, with respect to itself, that attached thereto are true and correct copies of (1) the resolutions of the Board of Directors (or appropriate committee thereof) of the Borrower approving such Commitment Increase and (2) all governmental and regulatory authorizations and approvals required to be obtained by the Borrower for such Commitment Increase.

(iii) Upon the effective date of any Commitment Increase, the Borrower shall prepay the outstanding Advances (if any) in full, and shall simultaneously make new Advances hereunder in an amount equal to such prepayment, so that, after giving effect thereto, the Advances are held ratably by the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments (after giving effect to such Commitment Increase). Prepayments made under this paragraph (iii) shall not be subject to the notice requirements of Section 2.12.

(iv) Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, from and after the date of any Commitment Increase and the making of any Advances on such date pursuant to paragraph (iii) above, all calculations and payments of the commitment fee, Letter of Credit fees and interest on the Advances shall take into account the actual Commitment of each Lender and the principal amount outstanding of each Advance made by such Lender during the relevant period of time.

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Advances.

The Borrower agrees to repay the principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender to the Borrower no later than the latest Termination Date applicable to such Lender; provided, however, that if the Borrower is not authorized under Applicable Law to incur Indebtedness hereunder maturing more than 364 days after the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness, the

 

41


Borrower shall repay each Advance made to it by a Lender no later than the earlier of (i) 364 days after the date such Advance is made and (ii) the latest Termination Date applicable to such Lender.

SECTION 2.08. Interest on Advances.

The Borrower agrees to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made by each Lender to the Borrower from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum, subject to Section 2.15(f):

(a) Alternate Base Rate Advances. If such Advance is an Alternate Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the Alternate Base Rate in effect from time to time plus the Applicable Margin for such Alternate Base Rate Advance in effect from time to time, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each March, June, September and December, on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender and on the date such Alternate Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or be paid in full and as provided in Section 2.12; and

(b) Term Benchmark Advances. If such Advance is a Term Benchmark Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during the Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Margin for such Term Benchmark Advance in effect from time to time, payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Advance is a part (and, in the case of a Term Benchmark Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period), on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender and on the date such Term Benchmark Advance shall be Converted or be paid in full and as provided in Section 2.12.

(c) RFR Advances. If such Advance is an RFR Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR plus the Applicable Margin for such RFR Advance in effect from time to time, payable on each date that is on the numerically corresponding day in each calendar month that is one month after the Borrowing of such Advance (or, if there is no such numerically corresponding day in such month, then the last day of such month), on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender and on the date such RFR Advance shall be Converted or be paid in full and as provided in Section 2.12.

SECTION 2.09. Additional Interest on Advances.

The Borrower agrees to pay to each Lender, so long as such Lender shall be required under regulations of the Federal Reserve Board to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities, additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Term Benchmark Advance made by such Lender to the Borrower, from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is paid in full, at an interest rate per annum equal at all times to the remainder obtained by subtracting (i) the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for the Interest Period for such Advance from (ii) the rate obtained by dividing such Adjusted Term SOFR Rate by a percentage equal to 100% minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage of such Lender for such Interest Period, payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Advance; provided, that no Lender shall be entitled to demand additional interest under this Section 2.09 more than

 

42


90 days following the last day of the Interest Period in respect of which such demand is made; provided further, however, that the foregoing proviso shall in no way limit the right of any Lender to demand or receive such additional interest to the extent that such additional interest relates to the retroactive application by the Federal Reserve Board of any regulation described above if such demand is made within 90 days after the implementation of such retroactive regulation. Such additional interest shall be determined by such Lender and notified to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.10. Interest Rate Determination.

(a) The Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Administrative Agent for purposes of Section 2.08(a) or (b).

(b) [Reserved].

(c) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (i) each Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable, RFR Advance) will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into an Alternate Base Rate Advance, and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make or to Convert Advances into, Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) shall be suspended.

SECTION 2.11. Conversion of Advances.

(a) Voluntary. The Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the third U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of any proposed Conversion into Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) on the fifth U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of any proposed Conversion into RFR Advances), and on the date of any proposed Conversion into Alternate Base Rate Advances, and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.10, 2.14 and 2.23, Convert all Advances of one Type made to the Borrower in connection with the same Borrowing into Advances of another Type or Types or Advances of the same Type having the same or a new Interest Period; provided, however, that any Conversion of, or with respect to, any Term Benchmark Advances into Advances of another Type or Advances of the same Type having the same or new Interest Periods, shall be made on, and only on, the last day of an Interest Period for such Term Benchmark Advances, unless the Borrower shall also reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b) on the date of such Conversion. Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Advances to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into, or with respect to, Term Benchmark Advances, the duration of the Interest Period for each such resulting Advance.

(b) Mandatory. If the Borrower shall fail to select the Type of any Advance for any Borrowing comprising Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) or the duration of any Interest Period for any Borrowing comprising Term Benchmark Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01 and

 

43


Section 2.11(a), or if any proposed Conversion of a Borrowing that is to comprise Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) upon Conversion shall not occur as a result of the circumstances described in subsection (c) below, the Administrative Agent will forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, and such Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor (or, with respect to RFR Advances, on the interest payment date applicable thereto pursuant to Section 2.08(c)), Convert into Alternate Base Rate Advances.

(c) Failure to Convert. Each notice of Conversion given by the Borrower pursuant to subsection (a) above shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that is to comprise Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) upon Conversion, the Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure of such Conversion to occur pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.10(c), including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund such Advances upon such Conversion, when such Conversion does not occur. The Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (c) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing by the Borrower to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

SECTION 2.12. Prepayments.

(a) Optional. The Borrower may at any time prepay the outstanding principal amounts of the Advances made to the Borrower as part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid, upon notice thereof given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower not later than 11:00 a.m. (New York time) (i) on the date of any such prepayment in the case of Alternate Base Rate Advances and (ii) (x) on the third (3rd) U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to any such prepayment in the case of Term Benchmark Advances, or (y) if applicable, on the fifth U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to any such prepayment in the case of Term Benchmark Advances; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount not less than $5,000,000 and (y) in the case of any such prepayment of a Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable, an RFR Advance), the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b) on the date of such prepayment.

(b) Mandatory. If and to the extent that the Outstanding Credits on any date hereunder shall exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments hereunder on such date, the Borrower agrees to (A) prepay on such date a principal amount of Advances and/or (B) pay to the Administrative Agent an amount in immediately available funds (which funds shall be held as collateral pursuant to arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) equal to all or a portion of the amount available for drawing under the Letters of Credit outstanding at such time, which prepayment under clause (A) and payment under clause (B) shall, when taken together result in the amount of Outstanding Credits minus the amount paid to the Administrative Agent pursuant to clause (B) being less than or equal to the aggregate amount of the Commitments hereunder on such date. Any prepayment of Advances shall be accompanied by accrued interest on the amount

 

44


prepaid to the date of such prepayment and, in the case of any such prepayment of Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances), the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.05(b).

SECTION 2.13. Increased Costs.

(a) If, due to any Change in Law, there shall be any increase in the cost (other than in respect of Taxes, which are addressed exclusively in Section 2.16) to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) or any increase in the cost to any Fronting Bank or any Lender of issuing, maintaining or participating in Letters of Credit, then the Borrower shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) for such increased cost. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost and the basis therefor, submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), shall constitute such demand and shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(b) If any Lender or any Fronting Bank determines that any Change in Law affects or would affect the amount of capital or liquidity required or expected to be maintained by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) or any corporation controlling such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) and that the amount of such capital or liquidity is increased by or based upon the existence of (i) such Lender’s commitment to lend or participate in Letters of Credit hereunder and other commitments of this type or (ii) the Advances made by such Lender or (iii) the participations in Letters of Credit acquired by such Lender or (iv) in the case of any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank’s commitment to issue, maintain and honor drawings under Letters of Credit hereunder, or (v) the honoring of Letters of Credit by any Fronting Bank hereunder, then, upon demand by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall immediately pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), from time to time as specified by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender, such Fronting Bank or such corporation in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) determines such increase in capital or liquidity to be allocable to (i) in the case of such Lender, the existence of such Lender’s commitment to lend hereunder or the Advances made by such Lender or (ii) the participations in Letters of Credit acquired by such Lender or (iii) in the case of any Fronting Bank, such Fronting Bank’s Commitment to issue, maintain and honor drawings under Letters of Credit hereunder, or (iv) the honoring of Letters of Credit by any Fronting Bank hereunder. A certificate as to such amounts submitted to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall constitute such demand and shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Fronting Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section 2.13 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or

 

45


Fronting Bank’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or Fronting Bank pursuant to this Section 2.13 for any increased costs or additional amounts incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Fronting Bank notifies the Borrower of such Lender’s or Fronting Bank’s intention to claim such compensation (except that, if such Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

(d) The Borrower’s obligations under this Section 2.13 shall survive (x) the repayment of all amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note, (y) the termination of the Commitments, the commitments of the Fronting Banks hereunder and any Letters of Credit and (z) the termination of this Agreement, in each case to the extent such obligations were incurred prior to such repayment and termination.

SECTION 2.14. Illegality.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Applicable Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) or to fund or maintain Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) hereunder, (i) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist and (ii) the Borrower shall forthwith prepay in full all Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) of all Lenders then outstanding, together with interest accrued thereon, unless (A) the Borrower, within five U.S. Government Securities Business Days of notice from the Administrative Agent, Convert all Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances) of all Lenders then outstanding into Advances of another Type in accordance with Section 2.11 or (B) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the circumstances causing such prepayment no longer exist. Any Lender that becomes aware of circumstances that would permit such Lender to notify the Administrative Agent of any illegality under this Section 2.14 shall use its best efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office if the making of such change would avoid or eliminate such illegality and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

SECTION 2.15. Payments and Computations.

(a) The Borrower shall make each payment hereunder and under any Note not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Administrative Agent or, with respect to payments made in respect of Reimbursement Obligations, to the applicable Fronting Bank, at its address referred to in Section 8.02 in same day funds, without set-off, counterclaim or defense and any such payment to the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall constitute payment by the Borrower hereunder or under any Note, as the case may be, for all purposes, and upon such payment the Lenders shall look solely to the

 

46


Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) for their respective interests in such payment. The Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) will promptly after any such payment cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest or commitment fees or Reimbursement Obligations ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.02(c), 2.05, 2.09, 2.11(c), 2.13, 2.16, 2.21 or 8.05(b)) (according to the Lenders’ respective Percentages) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Assumption and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 8.08(d), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Assumption, the Administrative Agent and each Fronting Bank shall make all payments hereunder and under any Note in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Assumption shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.

(b) The Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender and each Fronting Bank, if and to the extent payment owed to such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) is not made by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) when due hereunder or under any Note held by such Lender, to charge from time to time against any or all of the Borrower’s accounts (other than any payroll account maintained by the Borrower with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) if and to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have expressly waived its set-off rights in writing in respect of such payroll account) with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) any amount so due.

(c) All computations of interest based on the Alternate Base Rate (based upon The Wall Street Journal’s published “prime rate”) shall be made by the Administrative Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of commitment fees and of interest based on the Alternate Base Rate (based upon the Federal Funds Rate or upon clause (iii) of the definition of Alternate Base Rate), the Term SOFR Rate, Daily Simple SOFR (if applicable) or the Federal Funds Rate shall be made by the Administrative Agent, and all computations of interest pursuant to Section 2.09 shall be made by a Lender, on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such commitment fees or interest are payable. Each determination by the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of Section 2.09, by a Lender) of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) Whenever any payment hereunder or under any Note shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest or commitment fees, as the case may be; provided, however, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of Term Benchmark Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

 

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(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent that the Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Administrative Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Administrative Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.

(f) The principal amount of any Advance (or any portion thereof) payable by the Borrower hereunder or under any Note that is not paid when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) shall (to the fullest extent permitted by law) bear interest from the date when due until paid in full at a rate per annum equal at all times to the rate otherwise applicable to such Advance plus 2% per annum, payable upon demand. Any other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder or under any Note that is not paid when due (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) shall (to the fullest extent permitted by law) bear interest from the date when due until paid in full at a rate per annum equal at all times to the rate of interest applicable to Alternate Base Rate Advances plus 2% per annum, payable upon demand.

(g) To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or otherwise, then (i) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (ii) each Lender and each Fronting Bank severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of any amounts hereunder and the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.16. Taxes.

(a) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.16, (i) the term “Applicable Law” includes FATCA and (ii) the term “Lender” includes any Fronting Bank.

(b) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by Applicable Law. If any Applicable Law (as

 

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determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.16) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(c) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(d) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 30 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 2.16) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 30 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 8.08(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this subsection (e).

(f) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.16, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(g) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Sections 2.16(g)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(i) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

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(ii) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W- 8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or

(iv) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E -2 or Exhibit E -3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E -4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by Applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative

 

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Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(h) On or before the date on which the Administrative Agent (including any successor or replacement Administrative Agent) becomes the Administrative Agent hereunder, it shall deliver to the Borrower two executed copies of either (a) IRS Form W-9 or (b) with respect to amounts received on its own account, IRS Form W-8ECI and with respect to amounts received on account of any Lender, IRS Form W-8IMY certifying that it is a U.S. branch that has agreed to be treated as a U.S. Person for U.S. federal tax purposes or a qualified intermediary that has agreed to assume primary withholding obligations for Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of the Code with respect to payments received by it from the Borrower in its capacity as Administrative Agent, as applicable.

(i) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.16 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.16), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.16 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this subsection (i) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection (i), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this subsection (i) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(j) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.16 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of this Agreement and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

 

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SECTION 2.17. Sharing of Payments, Etc.

(a) If any Lender shall obtain any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of set-off, or otherwise) on account of the Advances made by it or participations in Letters of Credit acquired by it (other than pursuant to Section 2.02(c), 2.09, 2.11(c), 2.13, 2.16, 2.21 or 8.05(b)) in excess of its ratable share of payments on account of the Advances or Letters of Credit (as the case may be) obtained by all the Lenders, such Lender shall forthwith purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Advances made by them or participations in Letters of Credit acquired by them (as the case may be) as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment ratably with each of them; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from such purchasing Lender, such purchase from each Lender shall be rescinded and such Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price to the extent of such recovery together with an amount equal to such Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (a) the amount of such Lender’s required repayment to (b) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender pursuant to this Section 2.17 may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of set-off) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

(b) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.02(c) or 2.04(j), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or any Fronting Bank to satisfy such Lender’s obligations to it under such Section until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

SECTION 2.18. Noteless Agreement; Evidence of Indebtedness.

(a) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Advance made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Advance made hereunder, the Borrower thereof, the Type thereof and the Interest Period (if any) with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.

(c) Subject to Section 8.08(c), the entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) above shall be prima facie evidence of the existence

 

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and amounts of the obligations therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such obligations in accordance with their terms.

(d) Any Lender may request that its Advances be evidenced by a Note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to such Lender or its registered assigns. Thereafter, the Advances evidenced by such Note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after any assignment pursuant to Section 8.08) be represented by one or more Notes payable to the payee named therein, or to its registered assigns pursuant to Section 8.08, except to the extent that any such Lender or assignee subsequently returns any such Note for cancellation and requests that such Borrowings once again be evidenced as described in subsections (a) and (b) above.

SECTION 2.19. Extension of Termination Date.

(a) The Borrower may, by notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders) not earlier than 60 days prior to any anniversary of the Closing Date (the “Anniversary Date”) but no later than 30 days prior to such Anniversary Date (the date of delivery of any such notice being the “Borrower Extension Notice Date”), request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Termination Date for an additional one year after the Termination Date then in effect for such Lender hereunder (the “Existing Termination Date”). The Borrower may request no more than two extensions pursuant to this Section 2.19.

(b) Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not earlier than 30 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date and not later than the date (the “Lender Extension Notice Date”) that is 20 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date, advise the Administrative Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Existing Termination Date (a “Nonconsenting Lender”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Lender Extension Notice Date), and any Lender that does not so advise the Administrative Agent on or before the Lender Extension Notice Date shall be deemed to be a Nonconsenting Lender. The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of each Lender’s determination under this Section 2.19 no later than the date 15 days prior to the applicable Anniversary Date, or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day (the “Specified Date”).

(d) The Borrower shall have the right on or before the fifth Business Day after the Specified Date to replace each Nonconsenting Lender (i) with an existing Lender, and/or (ii) by adding as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more Persons (each Lender in clauses (i) and (ii), an “Additional Commitment Lender”), in each case, with the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), each of which Additional Commitment Lenders shall have entered into an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent pursuant to which

 

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such Additional Commitment Lender shall, effective as of the Specified Date, undertake a Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Commitment hereunder on such date); provided that the aggregate amount of the Commitments for all Additional Commitment Lenders shall be no more than the aggregate amount of the Commitments of all Nonconsenting Lenders.

(e) If (and only if) the aggregate amount of the Commitments of the Lenders that have agreed to extend their Existing Termination Dates plus the aggregate additional Commitments of the Additional Commitment Lenders shall be more than 50% of the aggregate amount of the Commitments in effect immediately prior to the Specified Date, then, effective as of the Specified Date, the Existing Termination Date of each Lender agreeing to an extension and of each Additional Commitment Lender shall be extended to the date that is one year after the Existing Termination Date, and each Additional Commitment Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the extension of a Lender’s Existing Termination Date pursuant to this Section 2.19 shall be effective with respect to such Lender on the Specified Date but only if (i) the following statements shall be true: (A) no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from the extension of the Existing Termination Date, that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default and (B) the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are correct in all material respects (or in the case of any such representation or warranty already qualified by materiality, true and correct in all respects) on and as of the Specified Date, before and after giving effect to such extension, as though made on and as of such date, except for those made specifically as of another date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true as of such other date, provided that, for purposes of the representations and warranties in Sections 4.01(f) and the last sentence of 4.01(g), the Disclosure Documents shall include all the SEC filings made by FE and the Borrower prior to the Borrower Extension Notice Date and (ii) on or prior to the Specified Date the Administrative Agent shall have received the following, each dated the Specified Date and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent: (x) a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower to the effect that as of the Specified Date the statements set forth in clauses (A) and (B) above are true, (y) certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower authorizing such extension and the performance of this Agreement on and after the Specified Date, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and Governmental Action with respect to this Agreement and such extension of the Existing Termination Date and (z) an opinion of counsel to the Borrower, as to such matters related to the foregoing as the Administrative Agent or the Lenders through the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.

(g) Subject to subsection (d) above, the Commitment of any Nonconsenting Lender shall automatically terminate on its Existing Termination Date (without regard to any extension by any other Lender).

(h) Each Fronting Bank may, in its sole discretion, elect not to serve in such capacity following any extension of the Termination Date; provided that, (i) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may appoint a replacement for any such resigning Fronting Bank and (ii)

 

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the extension of the Termination Date may become effective without regard to whether such replacement is found.

SECTION 2.20. [Reserved].

SECTION 2.21. Defaulting Lenders.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the Percentage of such Defaulting Lender in the unused portion of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05(a);

(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 8.06 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Fronting Bank hereunder; third, to cash collateralize the Fronting Banks’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section 2.21; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Unmatured Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Advance in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Advances under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section 2.21; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, or the Fronting Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, or Fronting Banks against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Unmatured Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Advances or Reimbursement Obligations in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Advances were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 3.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Advances of, and Reimbursement Obligations owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Advances of, or Reimbursement Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Advances and funded and unfunded participations in the

 

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Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with their respective Percentages without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this subsection (e) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto;

(c) the Commitment and Outstanding Credits of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Majority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 8.02); provided that this clause (c) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;

(d) if any Letter of Credit or Reimbursement Obligation is outstanding at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i) all or any part of the L/C Obligations of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Percentages but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender’s Outstanding Credits to exceed its Commitment;

(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize for the benefit of the Fronting Banks only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in a manner consistent with Section 6.01 as set forth therein with respect to the Letter of Credit Cash Cover for so long as such L/C Obligations are outstanding;

(iii) if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(c) or Section 2.05(d) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations during the period such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations is cash collateralized;

(iv) if the L/C Obligations of the non-Defaulting Lenders are reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.05(a), Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s L/C Obligations are neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Fronting Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all fees payable under Section 2.05(c) and Section 2.05(d) with respect to such Defaulting

 

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Lender’s L/C Obligations shall be payable to the Fronting Banks until and to the extent that such L/C Obligations are reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Fronting Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding L/C Obligations will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.21(d), and L/C Obligations related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.21(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

If a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue, no Fronting Bank shall be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Fronting Banks shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, reasonably satisfactory to such Fronting Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Fronting Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the L/C Obligations of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Advances of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Advances in accordance with its Percentage.

SECTION 2.22. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office.

(i) If any Lender requests compensation from the Borrower under Section 2.13, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different Applicable Lending Office for funding or booking its Advances hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.16, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.

(ii) Any Lender that becomes aware of circumstances that would permit such Lender to notify the Administrative Agent of any illegality under Section 2.14 shall use its commercially reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office if the making of such change would avoid or eliminate such illegality and would not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.

 

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(iii) The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13 or delivers any notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.14 resulting in the suspension of obligations of the Lenders with respect to Term Benchmark Advances (or, if applicable, RFR Advances), or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16, and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different Applicable Lending Office in accordance with Section 2.22(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Approving Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 8.08(b)), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.13, 2.14 or 2.16) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

(i) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 8.08(b);

(ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount of its Advances, accrued interest thereon and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 8.05(b)) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

(iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.13 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(iv) such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law; and

(v) in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Approving Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

SECTION 2.23. Alternate Rate of Interest.

(a) Subject to clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this Section 2.23, if:

 

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(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate (including because the Term SOFR Reference Rate is not available or published on a current basis), for such Interest Period or (B) at any time, that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the applicable Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR; or

(ii) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Majority Lenders that (A) prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Term Benchmark Borrowing, the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Advances (or its Advance) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period or (B) at any time, Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Advances (or its Advance) included in such Borrowing;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone, telecopy or electronic mail as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Borrower delivers a new notice of Conversion in accordance with the terms of Section 2.11 or a new Notice of Borrowing in accordance with the terms of Section 2.02(a), (1) a notice of Conversion in accordance with Section 2.11 that requests the Conversion of any Borrowing to a Term Benchmark Borrowing and any Notice of Borrowing that requests a Term Benchmark Borrowing shall instead be deemed to be a request for (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not also the subject of Section 2.23(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an Alternate Base Rate Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR also is the subject of Section 2.23(a)(i) or (ii) above and (2) any Notice of Borrowing that requests an RFR Borrowing shall instead be deemed to be a Notice of Borrowing, as applicable, for an Alternate Base Rate Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then all other Types of Borrowings shall be permitted. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Advance or RFR Advance is outstanding on the date of the Borrower’s receipt of the notice from the Administrative Agent referred to in this Section 2.23(a) with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Advance or RFR Advance, then until (x) the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist with respect to the relevant Benchmark and (y) the Borrower delivers a new notice of Conversion in accordance with the terms of Section 2.11 or a new Notice of Borrowing in accordance with the terms of Section 2.02(a), (1) any Term Benchmark Advance shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Advance, be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not also the subject of Section 2.23(a)(i) or (ii) above or (y) an Alternate Base Rate Advance if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR also is the subject of Section 2.23(a)(i) or (ii) above, on such day, and (2) any RFR Advance shall on and from such day be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute an Alternate Base Rate Advance.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior to the Reference Time in respect of any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (1) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (2) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Majority Lenders.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(d) The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (1) any occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, (2) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, (3) the effectiveness of any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes, (4) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to clause (f) below and (5) the commencement or conclusion of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.23, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.23.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (1) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Rate) and either (a) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (b) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is or will be no longer representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the

 

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definition of “Interest Period” for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (2) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (a) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (b) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is or will no longer be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

(f) Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Term Benchmark Borrowing or RFR Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term Benchmark Advances to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any request for a Term Benchmark Borrowing into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to (A) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (B) an Alternate Base Rate Borrowing if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event. During any Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of the Alternate Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Alternate Base Rate. Furthermore, if any Term Benchmark Advance or RFR Advance is outstanding on the date of the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period with respect to a Relevant Rate applicable to such Term Benchmark Advance or RFR Advance, then until such time as a Benchmark Replacement is implemented pursuant to this Section 2.23, (1) any Term Benchmark Advance shall on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Advance, be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute, (x) an RFR Borrowing so long as the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is not the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event or (y) an Alternate Base Rate Advance if the Adjusted Daily Simple SOFR is the subject of a Benchmark Transition Event, on such day and (2) if applicable, any RFR Advance shall on and from such day be converted by the Administrative Agent to, and shall constitute an Alternate Base Rate Advance.

ARTICLE III

CONDITIONS OF LENDING AND ISSUING LETTERS OF CREDIT

SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Initial Extension of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Advance to the Borrower, and the obligation of each Fronting Bank to issue its initial Letter of Credit, are subject to the conditions precedent that on or before the date of any such Extension of Credit:

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received the following, each dated the same date (except for the financial statements referred to in paragraph (iv)), in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (except for any Note) with one copy for each Fronting Bank and each Lender:

 

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(i) This Agreement, duly executed by each of the parties hereto, and Notes requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.18(d), duly completed and executed by the Borrower and payable to such Lender;

(ii) Certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is, or is to be, a party and of all documents evidencing any other necessary corporate action with respect to this Agreement and such Loan Documents;

(iii) A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying (A) the names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower authorized to sign each Loan Document to which the Borrower is, or is to become, a party and the other documents to be delivered hereunder and (B) that attached thereto are true and correct copies of the Organizational Documents of the Borrower, in each case as in effect on such date;

(iv) Copies of all the Disclosure Documents (it being agreed that those Disclosure Documents publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR Database or on FE’s website no later than the Business Day immediately preceding the date of such Extension of Credit will be deemed to have been delivered under this clause (iv));

(v) An opinion of Jones Day, special counsel for the Borrower;

(vi) A certificate of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower certifying the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 3.02(i) with respect to the Borrower; and

(vii) Such other certifications, opinions, financial or other information, approvals and documents as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender may reasonably request, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such other Lender (as the case may be).

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received the Fee Letters, duly executed by each of the parties thereto.

(c) The Borrower shall have paid all of the fees payable in accordance with the Fee Letters.

(d) Prior to or concurrently with the making of such initial Extension of Credit, all rights and obligations of the Borrower under the Parent Credit Agreement shall have been terminated.

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the Patriot Act (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Beneficial Ownership Certifications), to the extent such documentation or information is requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders prior to the date hereof.

 

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SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of Credit.

The obligation of each Lender to make an Advance to the Borrower as part of any Borrowing (including the initial Borrowing) that would increase the aggregate principal amount of Advances outstanding hereunder, and the obligation of each Fronting Bank to issue, amend, extend or renew a Letter of Credit (including the initial Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower), in each case, as part of an Extension of Credit, shall be subject to the further conditions precedent that on the date of such Extension of Credit:

(i) The following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable Notice of Borrowing or Letter of Credit Request and the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing or the acceptance of a Letter of Credit by the Beneficiary thereof, as the case may be, shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that on the date of such Extension of Credit such statements are true):

(A) The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Section 4.01 with respect to any Extension of Credit following the initial Extension of Credit are true and correct on and as of the date of such Extension of Credit, before and after giving effect to such Extension of Credit and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date (other than, as to any such representation or warranty that by its terms refers to a specific date other than the date of such Extension of Credit, in which case, such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specific date);

(B) No event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default with respect to the Borrower;

(C) Immediately following such Extension of Credit, (1) the aggregate amount of Outstanding Credits shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the Commitments then in effect, (2) the Outstanding Credits of any Lender shall not exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment and (3) if such Extension of Credit relates to a Letter of Credit, the Stated Amount thereof, when aggregated with (x) the Stated Amount of each other Letter of Credit that is outstanding or with respect to which a Letter of Credit Request has been received and (y) the outstanding Reimbursement Obligations, shall not exceed the L/C Commitment Amount; and

(D) No event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Extension of Credit or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Specified Event.

(ii) The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a duly executed Notice of Borrowing.

 

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(iii) The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent copies of such other approvals and documents as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any other Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request.

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower.

The Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

(a) Existence and Power. It is a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company in and is in good standing under the laws of each state in which the ownership of its properties or the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower, and has all corporate or limited liability company powers and all governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted except where the failure to do so, in each case, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Due Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by it of each Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part and do not, and will not, require the consent or approval of its shareholders or members, as the case may be, other than such consents and approvals as have been duly obtained, given or accomplished.

(c) No Violation, Etc. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by it of this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party, nor the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by it with the provisions hereof or thereof, contravenes or will contravene, or results or will result in a breach of, any of the provisions of its Organizational Documents, any Applicable Law, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, license or any other agreement or instrument to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is party or by which its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is bound, or results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries except as provided herein, except to the extent such contravention or breach, or the creation or imposition of any such Lien, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws (including, without limitation, ERISA and Environmental Laws), regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower.

 

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(d) Governmental Actions. No Governmental Action is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by it, or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which it is, or is to become, a party.

(e) Execution and Delivery. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is, or is to become, a party have been or will be (as the case may be) duly executed and delivered by it, and this Agreement is, and upon execution and delivery thereof each other Loan Document will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject, however, to the application by a court of general principles of equity and to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.

(f) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there is no pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened action or proceeding (including, without limitation, any proceeding relating to or arising out of Environmental Laws) affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower.

(g) Financial Statements; Material Adverse Change. The consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of December 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as of June 30, 2023, and the related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, for the six months then ended, copies of which have been furnished to each Lender and each Fronting Bank, in all cases as amended and restated to the date hereof, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the indicated dates and the consolidated results of the operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on the indicated dates, all in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes). Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, there has been no change, event or occurrence since December 31, 2022 that has had a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower.

(h) ERISA. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

(i) No Plan is in at-risk status within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA and no Multiemployer Plan is endangered or in critical status within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA.

(ii) No failure to (A) meet the minimum funding standard of Section 303 of ERISA with respect to any Plan, (B) timely make a required installment under Section 430(j) of the Code with respect to any Plan, or (C) make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan has occurred.

 

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(iii) No Termination Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Plan.

(iv) Schedule SB (Actuarial Information) to the most recent annual report (Form 5500 Series) with respect to each Plan, copies of which have been filed with the Department of Labor and furnished (or made available) to the Lenders, (A) is complete and accurate, (B) fairly presents the funding status of such Plan, and (C) since the date of such Schedule SB there has been no change in such funding status.

(v) Neither it nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any withdrawal liability under ERISA with respect to any Multiemployer Plan.

(vi) No Multiemployer Plan is insolvent and no action has been taken to terminate any Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA.

(i) Margin Stock. After applying the proceeds of each Extension of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries subject to the restrictions of Section 5.03(a) or (b) will consist of or be represented by Margin Stock. The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no proceeds of any Extension of Credit will be used to purchase or carry any Margin Stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock.

(j) Investment Company. The Borrower is not an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(k) No Event of Default. No event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes an Event of Default or an Unmatured Default in each case with respect to the Borrower.

(l) No Material Misstatements. The reports, financial statements and other written information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, when taken together with the Disclosure Documents, do not contain and will not contain, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit and will not omit, when taken as a whole, to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were or will be made, not misleading in any material respect.

(m) Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions in all respects by the Covered Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents under the control and acting on behalf of the Covered Entities. The Covered Entities are in compliance in all material respects with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the regulations promulgated by OFAC (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive orders relating thereto, and (ii) the Patriot

 

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Act. The Covered Entities and their respective officers and employees and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, the Covered Entities’ directors, officers, employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects, except for the Noncompliance Event. None of the Covered Entities or any of their respective directors, officers or employees or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any agent of the Covered Entities (i) is a Sanctioned Person, (ii) has assets located in Sanctioned Countries in violation of applicable Sanctions, (iii) does business in or with, or derives its operating income from investments in, or transactions with, Sanctioned Persons or (iv) does business in or with, or derives its operating income from investments in, or transactions with, Sanctioned Countries. No Borrowing, no Letter of Credit or use of proceeds thereof will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

(n) Affected Financial Institutions. The Borrower is not an Affected Financial Institution.

(o) Beneficial Ownership Certification. The information included in the most recent Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders is true and correct in all respects.

(p) Taxes. The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other Tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

ARTICLE V

COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants of the Borrower.

Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by the Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will:

(a) Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. (i) Without limiting the right of the Borrower to merge with or into or consolidate with or into any other corporation or entity in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.03(c), preserve and maintain its corporate or limited liability company (as the case may be) existence under the laws of a State of the United States or the District of Columbia, (ii) qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company (as the case may be) in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is reasonably necessary in view of its business and operations or the ownership of its properties and (iii) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower; provided, however, that the Borrower may change its form of organization from a corporation to a limited liability company or from a limited liability company

 

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to a corporation if the Administrative Agent is reasonably satisfied that such change shall not affect any obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents.

(b) Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, in all material respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and orders of any Governmental Authority, the noncompliance with which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower, such compliance to include, without limitation, compliance with the Patriot Act, regulations promulgated by OFAC, Environmental Laws, FERC and each “state commission” (as that term is defined under 18 C.F.R. 1.101(k)) having jurisdiction over the Borrower, and ERISA and paying before the same become delinquent all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges imposed upon it or upon its property, except to the extent compliance with any of the foregoing is then being contested in good faith by appropriate legal proceedings.

(c) Maintenance of Insurance, Etc. Maintain insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations or through its own program of self-insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in the same general areas in which the Borrower operates.

(d) Inspection Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender may reasonably request (upon five Business Days’ prior notice delivered to the Borrower and no more than once a year, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), permit the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender or any agents or representatives thereof to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their respective officers or directors; provided, however, that (x) the Borrower reserves the right to restrict access to any of its Subsidiaries’ facilities in accordance with reasonably adopted procedures relating to safety and security and (y) neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to disclose to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender or any agents or representatives thereof any information that is the subject of attorney-client privilege or attorney work-product privilege properly asserted by the applicable Person to prevent the loss of such privilege in connection with such information or that is prevented from disclosure pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with third parties (provided that the Borrower agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any required third-party consent to such disclosure, subject to customary nondisclosure restrictions applicable to the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or the Lenders, as applicable). The Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender agree to use reasonable efforts to ensure that any information concerning the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries obtained by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender pursuant to this subsection (d) or subsection (g) below that is not contained in a report or other document filed with the SEC, distributed by the Borrower or FE to its security holders or otherwise generally available to the public, will, to the extent permitted by law and except as may be required by valid subpoena or in the normal course of the Administrative Agent’s, such Fronting Bank’s or such Lender’s business operations be treated confidentially by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such Lender, as the case may be, and will not be distributed or otherwise made available by the Administrative Agent, such Fronting Bank or such

 

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Lender, as the case may be, to any Person, other than the Administrative Agent’s, such Fronting Bank’s or such Lender’s employees, authorized agents or representatives (including, without limitation, attorneys and accountants).

(e) Keeping of Books. Keep, and cause each Subsidiary to keep, proper books of record and account in which entries shall be made of all financial transactions and the assets and business of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

(f) Maintenance of Properties. Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties (except such properties the failure of which to maintain or preserve would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower) that are used or that are useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and in accordance with prudent industry practices applicable to the industry of the Borrower, in all material respects, and (subject to subsection (b) above) Applicable Law it being understood that this covenant relates only to the good working order and condition of such properties and shall not be construed as a covenant of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries not to dispose of such properties by sale, lease, transfer or otherwise.

(g) Reporting Requirements. Furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies for each Lender and each Fronting Bank, the following:

(i) promptly after becoming aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower continuing on the date of such statement, the statement of an Authorized Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of such Event of Default and the action that the Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto;

(ii) as soon as available and in any event within 60 days after the close of each of the first three quarters in each fiscal year of the Borrower, consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and consolidated statements of income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at such date and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period and setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and duly certified (subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes) by the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower as having been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (in the case of such statements that are unaudited, subject to year-end adjustments and the exclusion of detailed footnotes);

(iii) as soon as available and in any event within 105 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the annual report for such year for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, containing consolidated and consolidating financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such year certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized

 

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national standing as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the three-year period (or, if the Borrower is not then required to file reports with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the two- year period) ending as at the end of such year in conformity with GAAP;

(iv) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements specified in clauses (ii) and (iii) above a certificate of the chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of the Borrower (A) stating whether the Borrower has any knowledge of the occurrence and continuance at the date of such certificate of any Event of Default not theretofore reported pursuant to the provisions of clause (i) of this subsection (g), and, if so, stating the facts with respect thereto, and (B) setting forth in a true and correct manner, the calculation of the ratio contemplated by Section 5.02, as of the date of the most recent financial statements accompanying such certificate, to show the Borrower’s compliance with or the status of the financial covenant contained in Section 5.02;

(v) promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of any reports that the Borrower sends to any of its securityholders, and copies of all reports on Form 10- K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, if any, that the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC;

(vi) as soon as possible and in any event within 20 days after the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group knows or has reason to know that any Termination Event with respect to any Plan has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur, that would reasonably be expected to result in liability exceeding $100,000,000 to the Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group, a statement of the chief financial officer of the Borrower describing such Termination Event and the action, if any, that the Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group, as the case may be, proposes to take with respect thereto;

(vii) promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, after the filing thereof with the Department of Labor, copies of each Schedule SB (Actuarial Information) to the annual report (Form 5500 Series) with respect to each Plan;

(viii) promptly upon request and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group from a Multiemployer Plan sponsor, a copy of each notice received by the Borrower or such member of the Controlled Group concerning the imposition of withdrawal liability pursuant to Section 4202 of ERISA;

(ix) promptly and in any event within five Business Days (or one Business Day, if such change would require a prepayment under Section 2.12(b)) after Moody’s or S&P has changed any relevant Reference Rating, notice of such change;

 

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(x) (A) promptly upon the occurrence of a Reportable Compliance Event, notice of such occurrence, and (B) promptly after the Borrower becomes aware of any change in the information provided in a Beneficial Ownership Certification that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in parts (c) or (d) of such certification, a written notice specifying any such change; and

(xi) such other information respecting the condition or operations, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, copies of all reports and registration statements that the Borrower or any Subsidiary files with the SEC or any national securities exchange, as the Administrative Agent, any Fronting Bank or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may from time to time reasonably request.

The financial statements and reports described in paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (v) above will be deemed to have been delivered hereunder if publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR Database or on FE’s website no later than the date specified for delivery of same under paragraph (ii), (iii) or (v), as applicable, above. If any financial statements or report described in paragraph (ii) or (iii) above is due on a date that is not a Business Day, then such financial statements or report shall be delivered on the next succeeding Business Day.

(h) Maintenance of Ratings. Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain a senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt rating from each of S&P and Moody’s.

(i) Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. (i) Maintain in effect and enforce, and cause the other Covered Entities to maintain in effect and enforce, policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all respects by the Covered Entities and their respective directors, officers, employees and, to the extent commercially reasonable, agents under the control and acting on behalf of the Covered Entities, and (ii) comply, and cause the other Covered Entities to comply, in all material respects with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions applicable to it or its property.

SECTION 5.02. Financial Covenant.

Debt to Capitalization Ratio. Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by the Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment to the Borrower hereunder, the Borrower will maintain a Debt to Capitalization Ratio, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending on December 31, 2023, of no more than 0.75 to 1.00 (determined as of the last day of each fiscal quarter).

SECTION 5.03. Negative Covenants of the Borrower.

Unless the Majority Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, so long as any amount payable by the Borrower hereunder shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower shall remain outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment to the Borrower hereunder, the Borrower will not:

 

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(a) Sales, Etc. (i) Sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any shares of common stock of any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower, or permit any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower to do so; or (ii) sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or a series of transactions) or permit any of its Subsidiaries to sell, lease, transfer or dispose of (whether in one transaction or a series of transactions) assets located in the United States (other than any assets that are purported to be conveyed in connection with a Permitted Securitization but including assets purported to be conveyed pursuant to any sale leaseback transaction) having an aggregate book value (determined as of the date of such transaction for all such transactions since the date hereof) that is greater than 20% of the book value of all of the consolidated fixed assets of the Borrower, as reported on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower prior to the date of such sale, lease, transfer or disposition to any entity other than the Borrower or any of its wholly owned direct or indirect Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the limitation in this clause (ii) shall not in any way restrict, and shall not apply to, (A) [reserved], (B) [reserved], or (C) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of the Borrower’s assets to a newly-formed Person to which all or substantially all of the assets and liabilities of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries are being transferred, in the case under this clause (C), pursuant to a transaction permitted under subsection (c) below.

(b) Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower to create or suffer to exist, any Lien upon or with respect to any of its properties (including, without limitation, any shares of any class of equity security of any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower), in each case to secure or provide for the payment of Indebtedness, other than (i) liens consisting of (A) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations under worker’s compensation laws or similar legislation, (B) deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure, or in lieu of, surety, appeal, or customs bonds to which the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary is a party, (C) [reserved], (D) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure performance in connection with bids, tenders or contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), or (E) materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairmen’s or other like Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, or deposits to obtain in the release of such Liens; (ii) purchase money liens or purchase money security interests upon or in any property acquired or held by the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, which secure the purchase price of such property or secure indebtedness incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property; (iii) Liens existing on property acquired by the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary or on the property of any Person at the time that such Person becomes a direct or indirect Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary; provided, in each case, that such Liens were not created to secure the acquisition of such Person; (iv) Liens in existence on the date of this Agreement; (v) Liens created by any First Mortgage Indenture, so long as under the terms thereof no “event of default” (howsoever designated) in respect of any bonds issued thereunder will be triggered by reference to an Event of Default or Unmatured Default; (vi) Liens securing Attributable Securitization Obligations on the assets purported to be sold in connection with the applicable Permitted Securitization; (vii) Liens securing Nonrecourse Indebtedness; (viii) Liens on cash or cash equivalents deposited on behalf of or pledged to counterparties with respect to Permitted Obligations of the Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries; (ix) Liens on cash or cash

 

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equivalents to defease Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (x) Liens on cash or cash equivalents constituting proceeds from a disposition of assets otherwise not prohibited under subsection (a) above, which proceeds are deposited in escrow accounts for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations to the purchaser of such assets; (xi) Liens securing obligations in respect of pollution control or industrial revenue bonds or nuclear fuel leases, provided that such Liens extend to only the equipment, project, nuclear fuel or other assets financed with the proceeds of such financing; (xii) Liens arising in connection with leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary is liable as lessee; provided, that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any assets of the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary other than the assets of the Borrower or Significant Subsidiary subject to such lease and proceeds thereof; and (xiii) Liens created for the sole purpose of refinancing, extending, renewing or replacing in whole or in part Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) through (xii); provided, however, that the principal amount of Indebtedness (or, if greater, the aggregate lending commitment) secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness (or, if greater, the aggregate lending commitment) so secured at the time of such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement, and that such refinancing, extension, renewal or replacement, as the case may be, shall be limited to all or a part of the property or Indebtedness that secured the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced (and any improvements on such property).

(c) Mergers, Etc. Merge with or into or consolidate with or into any other Person, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do so unless (i) immediately after giving effect thereto, no event shall have occurred and be continuing that constitutes an Event of Default, (ii) the consolidation or merger shall not materially and adversely affect the ability of the Borrower (or its successor by merger or consolidation as contemplated by clause (A) of this subsection (c)) to perform its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, and (iii) in the case of any merger or consolidation to which the Borrower is a party, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Borrower shall be merged shall (1) assume the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party in a writing reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent and (2) be organized under the laws of a State of the United States or the District of Columbia. Without limiting the foregoing, (A) the Borrower may merge with or into or consolidate with or into a newly-formed Person into which the Borrower is being merged or consolidated (which Person will become the Borrower hereunder and a Subsidiary of FE) and (B) the Borrower may transfer all or substantially all of its assets and liabilities to a newly-formed Person to which all or substantially all of the assets and liabilities of the Borrower is being transferred (which Person will become the Borrower hereunder and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the existing Borrower), in each case of clauses (A) and (B), if (1) the surviving Person, transferee or Person otherwise specified above to become the Borrower hereunder assumes the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents pursuant to an instrument in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (2) the Reference Ratings of the surviving or resulting Borrower are not, after giving effect to such transactions, any lower than the Reference Ratings of the Borrower immediately prior to the consummation of such transactions, unless the Reference Ratings of such surviving or resulting Borrower are at least BBB- and Baa3, and (3) the parties to such transaction deliver to the Administrative Agent certified copies of all corporate or limited liability, equity holder and Governmental Authority approvals required in connection with such transactions and

 

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legal opinions of counsel to such parties relating to such transactions and the assumption agreement described in clause (1) above.

(d) Compliance with ERISA. (i) Enter into any nonexempt “prohibited transaction” (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code or Section 406 of ERISA) involving any Plan that may result in any liability of the Borrower to any Person that (in the opinion of the Majority Lenders and the Fronting Banks) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower or (ii) allow or suffer to exist any event or condition that results in any liability of the Borrower to the PBGC, any Plan, or any Multiemployer Plan that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Borrower.

(e) Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit for any purpose other than to finance working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include intercompany loans and advances by the Borrower to any of its Subsidiaries); provided, however, that (A) the Borrower may not use such proceeds in connection with any Hostile Acquisition and (B) the Borrower may not, directly or indirectly, use such proceeds to repay any Indebtedness other than (1) to repay any Advances or (2) to make scheduled repayments or other repayments of other Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business.

(f) [Reserved].

(g) Compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Request any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit, or use, or permit any of the other Covered Entities and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents to use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or any Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti- Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, (iii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Country, or (iv) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to, or the imposition of any Sanctions on, any Covered Entity or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any other party hereto.

ARTICLE VI

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

SECTION 6.01. Events of Default.

If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing with respect to the Borrower (an “Event of Default”):

(a) (i) Any principal of any Advance or any Reimbursement Obligation shall not be paid by the Borrower when the same becomes due and payable, or (ii) any interest on any Advance or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder shall not be paid by the Borrower within three Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or

 

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(b) Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower (or any of its officers) in any Loan Document or in connection with any Loan Document shall prove to have been incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made; or

(c) (i) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any covenant set forth in Section 5.01(a)(i), Section 5.01(g)(i), Section 5.01(i), Section 5.02 or Section 5.03 on its part to be performed or observed, or (ii) the Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement (other than those covenants otherwise covered in clause (a) or (c)(i) of this Section 6.01) contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or

(d) Any material provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall at any time and for any reason cease to be valid and binding upon the Borrower, except pursuant to the terms thereof, or shall be declared to be null and void, or the validity or enforceability thereof shall be contested in any manner by the Borrower or any Governmental Authority, or the Borrower shall deny in any manner that it has any or further liability or obligation under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(e) The Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness of the Borrower under this Agreement) that is outstanding in a principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Indebtedness; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Indebtedness and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Indebtedness; or any such Indebtedness shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment), prior to the stated maturity thereof; or

(f) The Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition or arrangement with creditors, a readjustment of its debts, in each case under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted or acquiesced in by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 consecutive days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or the Borrower or any

 

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Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower shall take any corporate action to authorize or to consent to any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (f); or

(g) Any judgment or order for the payment of money exceeding any applicable insurance coverage by more than $100,000,000 shall be rendered by a court of final adjudication against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower and either (i) valid enforcement proceedings shall have been commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order or (ii) there shall be any period of 30 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect; or

(h) Any Termination Event with respect to a Plan shall have occurred or the Borrower or any member of the Controlled Group as employer under a Multiemployer Plan shall have made a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, and, 30 days after notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, such Termination Event (if correctable) shall not have been corrected, and, as applicable, (1) the actual liability in respect of such Termination Event to the Borrower would reasonably be expected to exceed $100,000,000, or (2) as a result of such complete or partial withdrawal from a Multiemployer Plan, the Borrower would reasonably be expected to incur withdrawal liability in an amount exceeding $100,000,000; or

(i) (i) FE shall fail to own directly or indirectly 50.1% of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Borrower, (ii) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Borrower (or other securities convertible into such securities) representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of all securities of the Borrower, entitled to vote in the election of directors; or (iii) commencing after the date of this Agreement, individuals who as of the date of this Agreement were directors shall have ceased for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Borrower, unless the Persons replacing such individuals were nominated by the stockholders or the Board of Directors of the Borrower in accordance with the Borrower’s Organizational Documents (each a “Change of Control”); or

(j) (i) Any indictment shall be issued against the Borrower or any of its Affiliates arising from a purported violation of any Anti-Corruption Law, or (ii) the Borrower or any of its Affiliates shall have entered into any deferred prosecution agreement (or similar agreement) with respect to a purported violation of any Anti-Corruption Law (other than the DPA); or

(k) The Borrower shall breach any of its obligations under the DPA, which breach results in an enforcement action including, without limitation, the filing of any charging document, by any Governmental Authority, the imposition of penalties on the Borrower or the withdrawal from, or termination of, the DPA with respect to the Borrower;

then, and in any such event, the Administrative Agent shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Majority Lenders, (i) by notice to the defaulting Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to the Borrower and the obligation of the Fronting Banks to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith

 

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terminate, and (ii) by notice to the Borrower, declare the Advances made to the Borrower, an amount equal to the aggregate Stated Amount of all issued but undrawn Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower, (such amount being the “Letter of Credit Cash Cover”) and all other amounts payable under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by the Borrower to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon such Advances and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances to the Borrower and the obligation of the Fronting Banks to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower shall automatically be terminated and (B) all Advances made to the Borrower, the Letter of Credit Cash Cover with respect to the Borrower and all other amounts payable under this Agreement by the Borrower shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower. In the event that the Borrower is required to pay the Letter of Credit Cash Cover pursuant to this Section 6.01, such payment shall be made in immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent, which shall hold such funds as collateral pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks to secure Reimbursement Obligations in respect of Letters of Credit then outstanding, for the benefit of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks.

ARTICLE VII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

SECTION 7.01. Authorization and Action.

(a) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and each Fronting Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and each Fronting Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.

(b) As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and each Fronting Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an

 

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indemnification and is exculpated in a manner satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Fronting Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Majority Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(c) In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

(i) the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Fronting Bank or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether an Unmatured Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby; and

(ii) nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account.

(d) The Administrative Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub- agent may perform any of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers

 

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through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.

(e) None of the “Joint Lead Arrangers” shall have obligations or duties whatsoever in such capacity under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and shall incur no liability hereunder or thereunder in such capacity, but all such persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.

(f) In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to the Borrower under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Advance or any Reimbursement Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Advances, Reimbursement Obligations and all other obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 2.05, 2.08, 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(ii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each Fronting Bank to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders or the Fronting Banks, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 8.05). Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or Fronting Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the obligations of the Borrower hereunder or the rights of any Lender or Fronting Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Fronting Bank in any such proceeding.

(g) The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrower’s rights to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article, none of the

 

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Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions.

SECTION 7.02. Administrative Agents Reliance, Limitation of Liability, Etc.

(a) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by such party, the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of or at the request of the Majority Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by the Borrower or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for any failure of the Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any (i) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.01 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a “notice under Section 5.01” in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, or (ii) notice of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a “notice of an Unmatured Default” or a “notice of an Event of Default”) is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or a Fronting Bank. Further, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (A) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (B) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (C) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default, (D) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (E) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for, or be responsible for any liabilities, costs or expenses suffered by the Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Fronting Bank as a result of, any determination of the Outstanding Credit

 

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Available, any of the component amounts thereof or any portion thereof attributable to each Lender or Fronting Bank.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 8.08, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 8.08(c), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Fronting Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Fronting Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of the Borrower in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of an Advance, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Fronting Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Fronting Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Fronting Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Advance or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).

SECTION 7.03. Posting of Communications.

(a) The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks by posting the Communications on IntraLinks, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic platform chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the “Approved Electronic Platform”).

(b) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Closing Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and the Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.

 

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(c) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY JOINT LEAD ARRANGER OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, “APPLICABLE PARTIES”) HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO THE BORROWER, ANY LENDER, ANY FRONTING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF THE BORROWER’S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.

(d) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Fronting Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s or Fronting Bank’s (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.

(e) Each of the Lenders, each of the Fronting Banks and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.

(f) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

SECTION 7.04. The Administrative Agent Individually.

With respect to its Commitment, Advances, L/C Fronting Bank Commitments and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Fronting Bank, as the case may be. The terms “Fronting Banks”, “Lenders”, “Majority Lenders” and any similar terms shall, unless the context

 

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clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Fronting Bank or as one of the Majority Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Fronting Banks.

SECTION 7.05. Successor Administrative Agent.

(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving 30 days’ prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Borrower, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon any such resignation, the Majority Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Majority Lenders, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent’s giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Fronting Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrower (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section 7.05, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Borrower, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (ii) the Majority Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and each Fronting Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article and Section 8.05, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification

 

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provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

SECTION 7.06. Acknowledgements of Lenders and Fronting Banks.

(a) Each Lender and each Fronting Bank represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or Fronting Bank, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and is making the Advances hereunder as commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument (and each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing), (iii) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any other Lender or Fronting Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Advances hereunder and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such Fronting Bank, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Each Lender and each Fronting Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any other Lender or Fronting Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrower and its Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

(b) Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Closing Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Closing Date or the effective date of such Assignment and Assumption, as applicable.

(c) (i) Each Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall

 

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promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender under this Section 7.06(c) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(ii) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.

(iii) The Borrower hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any obligations owed by the Borrower.

(iv) Each party’s obligations under this Section 7.06(b) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

(v) The Borrower shall be liable to the Administrative Agent for any erroneous Payment not returned or paid to it by any Lender that receives such Payment pursuant to, and in accordance with, this Section 7.06, and agrees to indemnify and hold the Administrative Agent harmless from and against any and all liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may

 

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at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Advances) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing.

SECTION 7.07. Certain ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Plans in connection with the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96- 23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and

 

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covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that none of the Administrative Agent, or any “Joint Lead Arranger” or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

(c) The Administrative Agent, and each “Joint Lead Arranger” hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Advances, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

SECTION 7.08. Certain Investment Matters.

(a) Each Lender represents and warrants that in participating as a Lender, it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of investing in the general performance or operations of the Borrower, or for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument such as a security (and each Lender agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing, such as a claim under the federal or state securities laws).

(b) The Administrative Agent represents and warrants that the motivations of the Administrative Agent are commercial in nature and not to invest in the general performance or operation of the Borrower.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc.

Subject to Section 2.21(b) and except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 2.23, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Note, nor consent to any departure

 

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by the Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Majority Lenders (and notified to the Administrative Agent) and, in the case of any such amendment, the Borrower, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders affected thereby (other than, in the case of clause (a), (f) or (g)(ii) below, any Defaulting Lender), do any of the following: (a) waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01 or 3.02, (b) increase or extend the Commitments of the Lenders or subject the Lenders to any additional obligations, (c) change any provision hereof in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments or the pro rata reduction of Commitments among the Lenders, (d) reduce the principal of, or interest (or rate of interest) on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (e) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder, (f) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, the aggregate undrawn amount of outstanding Letters of Credit or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder, (g) waive or amend (i) this Section 8.01, (ii) the definition of “Majority Lenders”, (iii) clause (x) of Section 2.04(a) or (iv) the proviso contained in Section 8.07, (h) extend the obligation of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(j) to participate in any Letter of Credit to any date later than the Termination Date applicable to such Lender or (i) subordinate the obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, to any other Indebtedness or Liens (including, without limitations, Indebtedness issued under this Agreement); and provided, further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or Section 2.21; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent that would adversely affect the rights of, or increase the obligations of, any Fronting Bank, or that would alter any provision hereof relating to or affecting Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank or modify or waive Section 2.21, shall be effective unless agreed to in writing by such Fronting Bank or modify or waive Section 2.21; (iii) [reserved]; (iv) Section 8.08(g) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Advances are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender, any Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated) or have any Commitment or other obligation hereunder (including, without limitation, any obligation to make payment on account of a Drawing) and shall have been paid in full all amounts payable hereunder to such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may amend this Agreement and the other Loan Documents without the consent of any Lender or any Fronting Bank to the extent necessary (a) to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, error, defect or inconsistency (as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) or (b) to make administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature, provided, that, in each case, (x) such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or any Fronting Bank and (y) the Lenders and the Fronting Banks shall have received at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders and the Fronting Banks, a written notice from the Majority

 

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Lenders or any Fronting Bank stating that the Majority Lenders or such Fronting Bank, as the case may be, object to such amendment.

SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc.

Unless specifically provided otherwise in this Agreement, all notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile) and delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed or sent by facsimile, if to the Borrower, to it in care of FE at its address at 76 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44308, Attention: Treasurer, Facsimile: (330) 384-3772; if to any Bank, at its Applicable Lending Office specified opposite its name on Schedule I hereto; if to any other Lender, at its Applicable Lending Office specified in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender; if to the Administrative Agent, at its address at, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 500 Stanton Christiana Road, NCC5, Floor 1, Newark, DE 19713-2105, Attention: Michelle Young, Phone: +1(302)-634-2214, Email: michelle.won@chase.com and William Gioffre, Phone: +1(302)-634-3446, Email: William.gioffreiii@jpmorgan.com; if to any Fronting Bank identified on Schedule II hereto, at the address specified opposite its name on Schedule II hereto; if to any other Fronting Bank, at such address as shall be designated by such Fronting Bank in a written notice to the other parties; or, as to each party, at such other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to the other parties. Subject to the other notice requirements of this Agreement, all notices and communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt if delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed or sent by facsimile to such party and received during the normal business hours of such party as provided in this Section 8.02 or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such party given in accordance with this Section 8.02. If such notices and communications are received after the normal business hours of such party, receipt shall be deemed to have been given upon the opening of the recipient’s next Business Day.

SECTION 8.03. Electronic Communications.

The Borrower hereby agrees that it will provide to the Administrative Agent all information, documents and other materials that it is obligated to furnish to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, all notices, requests, financial statements, financial and other reports, certificates and other information materials, but excluding any such communication that (i) relates to a request for a new, or a conversion of an existing, Borrowing or other Extension of Credit (including any election of an interest rate or Interest Period relating thereto), (ii) relates to the payment of any principal or other amount due under this Agreement prior to the scheduled date therefor, (iii) provides notice of any Unmatured Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or (iv) is required to be delivered to satisfy any condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement and/or any Borrowing or other Extension of Credit hereunder (all such non-excluded communications being referred to herein collectively as “Borrower Communications”), by transmitting the Borrower Communications in an electronic/soft medium in a format acceptable to the Administrative Agent to michelle.won@chase.com and William.gioffreiii@jpmorgan.com. In addition, the Borrower agrees to continue to provide the Borrower Communications to the Administrative Agent in the

 

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manner otherwise specified in this Agreement, but only to the extent requested by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 8.04. No Waiver; Remedies.

No failure on the part of any Lender, any Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

SECTION 8.05. Costs and Expenses; Indemnification.

(a) The Borrower agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and each Fronting Bank in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, syndication administration, modification and amendment of this Agreement, any Note, any Letter of Credit and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks with respect thereto and with respect to advising the Administrative Agent and the Fronting Banks as to their rights and responsibilities under this Agreement. The Borrower further agrees to pay on demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses, if any (including, without limitation, reasonable counsel fees and expenses of counsel), incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and the Lenders in connection with the enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of this Agreement, any Note and the other documents to be delivered hereunder, including, without limitation, counsel fees and expenses in connection with the enforcement of rights under this Section 8.05(a). The Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (a) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided to the contrary herein, if any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any Term Benchmark Advance (or, if applicable RFR Advance) is made other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance (or, with respect to an RFR Advance, other than on the interest payment date applicable thereto pursuant to Section 2.08(c)), as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.14 or a prepayment pursuant to Section 2.12 or acceleration of the maturity of any amounts owing hereunder pursuant to Section 6.01 or upon an assignment made upon demand of the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.22(b) or for any other reason, the Borrower shall, upon demand by any Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss, cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or redeployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance. The Borrower’s obligations under this subsection (b) shall survive the repayment of all other amounts owing to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note and the termination of the Commitments.

 

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(c) The Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify and hold each Lender, each Fronting Bank, the Administrative Agent and their respective Related Parties (each, an “Indemnified Person”) harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, obligations, losses, penalties, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses, whether or not such Indemnified Person is named as a party to any proceeding or is otherwise subjected to judicial or legal process arising from any such proceeding) that any of them may incur or that may be claimed against any of them by any Person (including the Borrower) by reason of or in connection with or arising out of any investigation, litigation or proceeding related to the Commitments or the commitment of any Fronting Bank hereunder and any use or proposed use by the Borrower of the proceeds of any Extension of Credit or the existence or use of any Letter of Credit or the amounts drawn thereunder, except to the extent such claim, damage, liability, obligation, loss, penalty, cost or expense is found in a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Borrower’s obligations under this Section 8.05(c) shall survive (x) the repayment of all amounts owing to the Lenders, the Fronting Banks and the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and any Note, (y) the termination of the Commitments, the commitments of the Fronting Banks hereunder and any Letters of Credit and (z) the termination of this Agreement. If and to the extent that the obligations of the Borrower under this Section 8.05(c) are unenforceable for any reason, the Borrower agrees to make the maximum payment in satisfaction of such obligations that are not unenforceable that is permissible under Applicable Law or, if less, such amount that may be ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) To the extent permitted by law, the Borrower also agrees not to assert any claim against any Indemnified Person on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to actual or direct damages) in connection with, arising out of, or otherwise relating to this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated herein or the actual or proposed use of the proceeds of the Advances.

(e) This Section 8.05 shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

SECTION 8.06. Right of Set-off.

Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default each Lender and each Fronting Bank is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, excluding, however, any payroll accounts maintained by the Borrower with such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) if and to the extent that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have expressly waived its set-off rights in writing in respect of such payroll account) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement and any Note held by such Lender, whether or not such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) shall have made any demand under this Agreement or such Note and although such obligations may be unmatured. Each Lender and each Fronting Bank agrees promptly to notify the Borrower after any such set-off and application made by such Lender or

 

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such Fronting Bank (as the case may be), provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Lender and each Fronting Bank under this Section 8.06 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) that such Lender or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) may have.

SECTION 8.07. Binding Effect.

This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Bank and each Fronting Bank that such Bank or such Fronting Bank (as the case may be) has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each Lender and their respective successors and permitted assigns; provided, that the Borrower shall not have the right to assign their rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein except (x) with the prior written consent of each Lender and each Fronting Bank (and any such assignment (other than any assignment pursuant to the following clause (y)) without such consent shall be null and void ab initio) or (y) pursuant to Section 5.03(c).

SECTION 8.08. Assignments and Participations.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. No Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section 8.08, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section 8.08, (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section 8.08, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of this Section 8.08 (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section 8.08 and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(x) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Advances at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section 8.08 in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate

 

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of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section 8.08, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Advances outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Advances of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if the “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consent (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by giving written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof.

(y) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Advance or the Commitment assigned.

(z) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section 8.08 and, in addition:

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (aa) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless they shall object thereto by giving written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof, and provided, further, that the Borrower’s consent shall not be required during the primary syndication hereof;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

(C) the consent of each Fronting Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for all assignments, other than pursuant to subsection (e) below; provided that the consent of any Fronting Bank shall not be required if the L/C Fronting Bank

 

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Commitments of such Fronting Bank have been terminated and no Letters of Credit issued by such Fronting Bank are outstanding.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire and the tax forms required by Section 2.16(g).

(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).

(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person (or to a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person).

(vii) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Advances previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Advances and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under Applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 8.08, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto)

 

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but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties and subject to Section 8.16, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section 8.08.

(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Advances owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Fronting Banks or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a Person described in Section 8.08(b)(v) or (vi)) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Advances owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Fronting Banks and Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clauses (a) through (g) of Section 8.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.16 and 8.05(b) (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.16(g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.16(g) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section 8.08; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.22 as if it were an assignee under subsection (b) of this Section 8.08 and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.13 or 2.16, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent (x) such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs

 

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after the Participant acquired the applicable participation or (y) the sale to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. Each Lender that sells a participation to any Participant agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.22(b) with respect to such Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 8.06 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Advances or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Advances, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Advance, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(f) Disclosure of Certain Information. Any Lender may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 8.08, disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant, any information relating to the Borrower furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower; provided, that prior to any such disclosure, the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall agree to preserve the confidentiality of any confidential information relating to the Borrower received by it from such Lender.

(g) Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Advance that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Advance, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Advance, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Advance pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Administrative Agent as is

 

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required under Section 2.15(e). Each party hereto hereby agrees that (A) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 2.13), (B) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (C) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of an Advance by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Advance were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (1) with notice to, but without prior consent of, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee in the amount of $3,500 (which processing fee may be waived by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Advance to the Granting Lender and (2) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Advances to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

SECTION 8.09. Governing Law.

THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 8.10. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby irrevocably (i) submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or Federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City and any appellate court from any thereof in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any Letter of Credit, and (ii) agrees that all claims in respect of such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or in such Federal court. The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding. The Borrower also irrevocably consents, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to the service of any and all process in any such action or proceeding by the mailing by certified mail of copies of such process to the Borrower at its address specified in Section 8.02. The Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

(b) THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, EACH FRONTING BANK AND THE LENDERS HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY

 

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JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR ANY LETTER OF CREDIT, OR ANY OTHER INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT DELIVERED HEREUNDER OR THEREUNDER.

SECTION 8.11. Severability.

Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited, unenforceable or not authorized in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition, unenforceability or non-authorization without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity, enforceability or legality of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 8.12. Entire Agreement.

This Agreement and the Notes issued hereunder constitute the entire contract among the parties relative to the subject matter hereof. Any previous agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof is superseded by this Agreement, except (i) as expressly agreed in any such previous agreement and (ii) for the Fee Letters. Except as is expressly provided for herein, nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.13. Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution.

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document shall in each case be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, signatures exchanged by electronic transmission, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart.

SECTION 8.14. USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the Patriot Act, each Fronting Bank and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act that it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender, such Fronting Bank or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act.

SECTION 8.15. No Fiduciary Duty.

 

 

99


The Administrative Agent, each Fronting Bank, each Lender and their respective Affiliates (collectively, the “Credit Parties”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower, its stockholders and/or its affiliates. The Borrower agrees that nothing in the Loan Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Credit Party, on the one hand, and the Borrower, its stockholders or its affiliates, on the other. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Credit Parties, on the one hand, and the Borrower, on the other, and (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Credit Party has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower, its stockholders or its affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Credit Party has advised, is currently advising or will advise the Borrower, its stockholders or its Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Borrower except the obligations expressly set forth in the Loan Documents and (y) each Credit Party is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Borrower, its management, stockholders, creditors or any other Person. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate and that it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to such transactions and the process leading thereto. The Borrower agrees that it will not claim that any Credit Party has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Borrower, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

SECTION 8.16. Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any of the parties hereto, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender or Fronting Bank that is an Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write- Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or Fronting Bank that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

(b) the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

100


(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

SECTION 8.17. Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, its auditors and its Related Parties, including, without limitation, their respective accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by Applicable Laws or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 8.17, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 8.17 or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Fronting Bank or any of their respective Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower; in the event of any required disclosure by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank under clause (c) above, the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Fronting Bank, as applicable, agrees to use reasonable efforts to inform the Borrower as promptly as practicable to the extent legally permitted to do so. In addition, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Fronting Banks may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors and similar service providers to the lending industry, such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in Gold Sheets and similar industry publications.

For purposes of this Section 8.17, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Fronting Bank on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or such Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the

 

101


confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 8.17 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING PARAGRAPH) FURNISHED TO IT BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS) MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON- PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS AFFILIATES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

[Signatures to Follow]

 

102


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC
By   /s/ Steven R. Staub
  Name: Steven R. Staub
  Title: Vice President and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as
Administrative Agent, as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Khawaja Tariq
  Name: Khawaja Tariq
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


MIZUHO BANK, LTD., as a Bank
By   /s/ Edward Sacks
  Name: Edward Sacks
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a

Bank

By   /s/ Ryan Rockwood
  Name: Ryan Rockwood
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as a Bank
By   /s/ Sydney G. Dennis
  Name: Sydney G. Dennis
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Bank and as a

Fronting Bank

By   /s/ Jacqueline G. Margetis
  Name: Jacqueline G. Margetis
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


CITIBANK, N.A., as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Richard Rivera
  Name: Richard Rivera
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, as a Bank and as a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ David Dewar
  Name: David Dewar
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, as a Bank and a

Fronting Bank

By   /s/ Meg Donnelly
  Name: Meg Donnelly
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


MORGAN STANLEY BANK, N.A., as a Bank
By   /s/ Michael King
  Name: Michael King
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.,as a Bank and a Fronting Bank
By   /s/ Michael King
  Name: Michael King
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, New York Branch, as a Bank
By   /s/ Amit Vasani
  Name: Amit Vasani
  Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK,

as a Bank

By:   /s/ Dixon Schultz
  Name: Dixon Schultz
  Title: Managing Director
By:   /s/ Nathalie Huet Rousset
  Name: Nathalie Huet Rousset
  Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Bank
By   /s/ Renee M. Bonnell
  Name: Renee M. Bonnell
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as a Bank
By   /s/ Suela Von Bargen
Name:   Suela Von Bargen
Title:   Director

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


TD BANK, N.A., as a Bank
By   /s/ Bernadette Collins
  Name: Bernadette Collins
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


TRUIST BANK, as a Bank
By   /s/ Catherine Strickland
  Name: Catherine Strickland
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Bank
By   /s / Michael E Temnick
  Name: Michael E Temnick
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


CoBank, ACB, as a Bank
By:   /s/ David B. Willis
  Name: David B. Willis
  Title: Lead Relationship Manager

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


First National Bank of Pennsylvania, as a Bank

By:  

/s/ Paul Wargo

 

Name: Paul Wargo

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as a
Bank  
By   /s/ Molly H. Ross
  Name: Molly H. Ross
  Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, as a Bank
By   /s/ Christopher Olsen
  Name: Christopher Olsen
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to FET Credit Agreement]


SCHEDULE I

List of Commitments and Lending Offices

[Intentionally omitted]

 

I-1


SCHEDULE II

List of L/C Fronting Bank Commitments

[Intentionally omitted]

 

II-1


SCHEDULE III

[RESERVED]

[Intentionally omitted]


SCHEDULE IV

Disclosure Documents

[Intentionally omitted]

 

IV-1


EXHIBIT A

Form of Assignment and Assumption

[Intentionally omitted]

 

A-1


EXHIBIT B

Form of Note

[Intentionally omitted]

 

B-1


EXHIBIT C

Form of Notice of Borrowing

[Intentionally omitted]

 

C-1


EXHIBIT D

Form of Letter of Credit Request

[Intentionally omitted]

 

D-3


EXHIBIT E-1

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For

U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

 

E-1-1


EXHIBIT E-2

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

 

E-2-1


EXHIBIT E-3

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

 

E-3-1


EXHIBIT E-4

Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

[Intentionally omitted]

 

E-4-1

Exhibit 10.5

SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Service Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into as of the 1st day of January, 2024, by and between each of the associate companies listed on the signature page hereto (each a “Client Company” and collectively the “Client Companies”), and FirstEnergy Service Company (“Service Company”), an Ohio corporation.

WHEREAS, Service Company is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (“FirstEnergy”);

WHEREAS, Service Company provides corporate, administrative, management and other services to FirstEnergy and the Client Companies; and

WHEREAS, Client Company desires to purchase such corporate, administrative, management and other services from Service Company as Client Company may request or require in accordance with this Agreement and as required by the laws, rules, regulations, judgement, and orders of any federal or state regulatory body whose approval and regulation is, pursuant to the laws of said jurisdiction, necessary and a legal prerequisite to Client Company’s operations to accomplish Client Company’s business purpose (collectively, “Law”);

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.

DESCRIPTION AND PROVISION OF SERVICES.

(a) Service Company shall perform such corporate, administrative, management and other services for Client Company (the “Basic Operating Services”), including but not limited to, executive services, accounting and finance, internal auditing, risk management, human resources, corporate affairs, corporate communications, information technology, policy and compliance, records management, and legal services. Service Company shall provide such Basic Operating Services to Client Company until this Agreement terminates.

(b) In addition to Basic Operating Services, Service Company shall provide to Client Company such services as Client Company deems necessary to achieve Client Company’s business purpose or as required by Law (the “Additional Services”, and together with Basic Operating Services, the “Services”). Additional Services include but are not limited to, operations management, construction, maintenance, asset oversight, customer service, rates and regulatory affairs, environmental, corporate real estate, strategic planning and operations, flight operations, performance management, business development, and investment management. Service Company


shall provide such Additional Services until such time as Client Company indicates otherwise by written notice.

(c) Exhibit A hereto lists and describes all Services that are available from Service Company, as will be reviewed annually and updated as required by Law or when otherwise deemed appropriate by the parties hereto.

 

2.

PERSONNEL.

Service Company will employ such executive officers, accountants, financial advisers, technical advisers, attorneys and other persons with the qualifications to provide the Services, as appropriate and necessary. Service Company may, at its discretion, also arrange for the services of nonaffiliated experts, consultants, and attorneys in connection with the performance of any of the Services provided under this Agreement.

 

3.

COMPENSATION AND ALLOCATION.

 

  (A)

COMPENSATION.

As and to the extent permitted by Law,

(i) any Services provided by Service Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be at cost;

(ii) the costs for Services rendered by Service Company shall cover direct and indirect costs, plus any expenses and fees incurred by Service Company to provide such Services to Client Company (collectively, “Costs”); and

(iii) Client Company shall pay such Costs as appropriate.

 

  (B)

COST ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY.

The Costs of Services provided by Service Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be directly assigned, distributed, or allocated by activity, project, program, work order or other appropriate means, as follows:

(i) a direct charge, whereby Costs are assigned to the Client Company directly benefiting from the Service provided; and/or

(ii) an indirect charge, whereby the appropriate share of the Costs of Services provided by Service Company that are not directly charged to a Client Company will be allocated among Client Companies by utilizing the method that most accurately distributes such Costs. Applicable cost allocation factors, which are included in FirstEnergy’s cost allocation manual, will be reviewed annually and updated as required by Law or when otherwise deemed appropriate by the parties hereto.

 

2


4.

BILLING AND PAYMENT.

Billing and payment for Services provided by Service Company shall be by making appropriate accounting entries on the books of Client Company and Service Company. Monthly reports provided to Client Company will include details of Costs associated with Services provided by Service Company. Financial settlement for Services provided by Service Company will be made on a monthly basis, with billing to occur as soon as practicable after the close of the month, and financial settlement or accounting entries completed within thirty (30) days of billing. Any amount remaining unpaid by Client Company after thirty (30) days following billing shall bear interest thereon from the due date of billing until financial settlement at a rate equal to the prime rate on the due date.

 

5.

APPLICATION OF LAW.

This Agreement shall be subject to the approval of any state electric utility regulatory commission whose approval is, by the laws of the federal government or said state, a legal prerequisite to the execution and delivery or the performance of this Agreement.

 

6.

TERM AND TERMINATION.

 

  (A)

INITIAL TERM.

This Agreement shall commence as of the date first indicated above and shall continue thereafter for a period of five (5) years (the “Initial Term”), unless sooner terminated pursuant to this Section 6.

 

  (B)

RENEWAL TERM.

Upon expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive five (5)-year terms unless either party provides written notice of nonrenewal no later than three hundred and sixty-five (365) days prior to the end of the then-current term (each a “Renewal Term” and together with the Initial Term, the “Term”). If the Term is renewed for one or more Renewal Term, the terms and conditions of this Agreement during each Renewal Term shall be the same as the terms and conditions in effect immediately prior to such renewal. If either party provides timely notice of nonrenewal, this Agreement shall terminate on the expiration of the then-current Term, unless sooner terminated in this Section 6.

 

  (C)

VOLUNTARY TERMINATION.

Any party to this Agreement may terminate this Agreement by providing one hundred eighty (180) days written notice of such termination to the other party.

 

  (D)

TERMINATION IN COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.

This Agreement is subject to termination or modification at any time to the extent its performance may conflict with any rule, regulation, requirement, or order of the state or federal electric utility regulatory commission with jurisdiction over the Client Company.

 

3


  (E)

AUTOMATIC TERMINATION.

This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon Client Company (i) ceasing to be an affiliate of Service Company; (ii) becoming insolvent or admitting its inability to pay its debt obligations as they come due; (iii) becoming subject, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law, which is not stayed within ten (10) business days or is not dismissed or vacated within thirty (30) business days after filing; (iv) being dissolved or liquidated or taking any corporate action for such purpose; (v) making a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) having a receiver, trustee, custodian, or similar agent appointed by order of any court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of or sell any material portion of its property or business. In the event of a termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6(E), there shall be a transition period not to exceed ninety (90) days for which the Service Company will continue to provide Services at cost to Client Company.

 

7.

GENERAL.

 

  (A)

ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement, together with its exhibits, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to its subject matter, and effective upon the execution of this Agreement by the respective parties hereof, any and all prior agreements, understandings or representations with respect to this subject matter are hereby terminated and canceled in their entirety and are of no further force and effect, except to the extent transactions thereunder have taken place prior to such effective date, in which case such agreements will govern the terms of such transactions.

 

  (B)

ASSIGNMENT AND BINDING EFFECT.

No assignment of this Agreement or a party’s rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be made without the other party’s written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

 

  (C)

NOTICE.

Where written notice is required by this Agreement, all notices, consents, certificates, or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given to the persons and at the addresses identified below (or to such other person and address as a party may give in a notice given in accordance with the provisions hereof) only as follows: (i) if given by personal delivery, upon such personal delivery, (ii) if sent for next day delivery by United States registered, certified or express mail, or overnight delivery service, on the date of delivery as confirmed by written confirmation of delivery, or (iii) if sent by electronic mail, upon electronic confirmation of receipt, except that if such confirmation occurs on a day that is not a business day, then such notice or other communication will not be deemed effective or given until the next succeeding business day. Notices sent in any other manner will not be effective.

 

4


To Client Company:   c/o President

76 South Main St.

Akron, OH 44308

To Service Company:   c/o Vice President and Controller

76 South Main St.

Akron, OH 44308

jlisowski@firstenergycorp.com

 

  (D)

EXTENSION OF TIME; WAIVER.

A party may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations of the other party under this Agreement, and/or (ii) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions for the other party’s benefit contained herein. Any such extension or waiver will be valid only if set forth in a writing signed by the acting party. No waiver by a party of any default, misrepresentation, or breach hereunder, whether intentional or not, may be deemed to extend to any prior or subsequent default, misrepresentation, or breach hereunder or affect in any way any rights arising because of any prior or subsequent occurrence. No failure or delay of a party to exercise any right or remedy under this Agreement will operate as a waiver thereof, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy will preclude any other or further exercise of the same, or of any other, right or remedy.

 

  (E)

GOVERNING LAW.

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

 

  (F)

HEADINGS.

The headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and will not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

  (G)

SEVERABILITY.

The provisions of this Agreement will be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision will not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof.

 

  (H)

MODIFICATION.

This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by a writing signed by each of Service Company and Client Company.

 

  (I)

COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement will become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each party

 

5


and delivered to the other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of executed signature pages by electronic mail in “portable document format” (“.pdf”) or by a combination of such means, will constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of an original Agreement for all purposes. Signatures of the parties transmitted by electronic mail or by .pdf shall be deemed to be original signatures for all purposes.

 

  (J)

THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in any creditor or other person or entity not a party hereto. This Agreement shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for the benefit of any third party.

 

6


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

FirstEnergy Service Company
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Service Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

American Transmission Systems, Incorporated
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

PATH-Allegheny Land Acquisition
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

PATH-Allegheny Maryland Transmission Company, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

PATH Allegheny Transmission Company, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

PATH Allegheny Virginia Transmission Corporation
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of date first above written.

 

AYE Series, Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, LLC
By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
Name:   Steven R. Staub
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer

 

Client Company Signature to Service Company Agreement


EXHIBIT A

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

 

Service

  

Description

Executive Management    Provide strategic, financial, and operational leadership for all aspects of the business.
Accounting and Tax Support    Various accounting and tax services, including but not limited to: financial reporting; utility reporting and billing; property, general, regulatory, and tax accounting; accounts payable; accounting research; utility and transmission business services; finance transformation; tax planning; federal, state, and local tax and rates; and return on Service Company assets.
Investor Relations, Corporate Responsibility and Communications Support    Various services, including but not limited to: investor relations; corporate responsibility and rating agencies; internal, external, and customer communications; and graphic and document production.
Treasury Support    Various treasury services, including but not limited to: pension and investment management; business development; and capital markets, cash, and e-commerce.
Risk Support    Various risk-related services, including but not limited to: insurance and credit risk; enterprise risk management and risk control; and operational risk management.
Rates and Regulatory Affairs Support    Various regulatory services, including but not limited to: load forecasting and rate initiatives; distribution and transmission rates; and state and federal regulatory affairs.
Strategy, Planning & Business Performance Support    Various services, including but not limited to: business planning and performance; and long- term planning.
Supply Chain Support    Various supply chain services, including but not limited to: supply chain solutions/standards; material operations; and strategic category management.
Human Support Resources & Corporate Services    Various services, including but not limited to: talent management; total rewards; pension and other post-employment benefits; labor/employee relations and corporate safety; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and HR technology.


Service

  

Description

Corporate Services    Various services, including but not limited to: administrative services; real estate; and flight operations.
Legal Support    Various services, including but not limited to: legal services; records and information compliance; claims; and corporate secretary.
Ethics & Compliance Support    Perform investigations and risk assessments on compliance matters; provide policy management and compliance training and communication.
Internal Auditing Support    Provide risk-based independent assurance and consulting internal audit services; evaluate risk management, control, and governance processes, and administer the program for management’s testing of internal controls.
Corporate Affairs and Community Involvement Support    Coordinate community partnerships and employee volunteer opportunities; administer contributions for charitable, social and community welfare programs.
Compliance & Regulated Services Support    Various regulatory compliance services, including but not limited to: regulated commodity sourcing; FERC and RTO technical support; NERC compliance; FERC and state compliance reporting; regulated settlements.
External Affairs Support    Various external affairs services; including but not limited to: regional external affairs; state and federal government affairs; and legislative and regulatory policy and administration.
Information Technology & Corporate Security    Various IT and security services, including but not limited to: IT innovation and enablement; cyber security and transmission security operations center; compliance field support and physical security; and physical security compliance and technology.
Transmission Support    Various transmission-related services, including but not limited to: operations; planning and protection; substation services; and assets and records control.
Utility Operations    Various utility-related services, including but not limited to: state executive management; engineering services; distribution engineering and customer accounts support; work management operations; and operational strategy and alignment.

 

ii


Service

  

Description

Safety & Human Performance    Various services, including but not limited to: human performance and governance; safety data analytics, training and work practices, and operations.
Operations Support    Various services, including but not limited to: regional workforce development; metering and support systems; central electric lab and BETA lab support; work management and process improvement; distribution system operations; vegetation management; emergency preparedness; and ADMS/GIS Project.
Utility Services    Various services, including but not limited to: environmental support; generation services; and fuels and generation commercial operations.
Construction & Design Services    Various services, including but not limited to: transmission and substation design; transmission project management; portfolio management; and transmission program support.
Transformation Support    Various services, including but not limited to: emerging technology programs and strategy; and transformation office and program.
Competitive Products & Services    Various services, including but not limited to: FirstEnergy sales; and consumer products and marketing.
Customer Engagement    Various customer-related services, including but not limited to: national accounts and customer support; economic development; energy efficiency implementation, compliance and reporting; and customer analytics and reporting.
Customer Care    Various customer services, including but not limited to: customer contact centers, management, and care support; and revenue operations.
Customer Policy & Solutions    Various customer-related services, including but not limited to: FEP operations; and customer policy, advocacy, and solutions.

 

iii

Exhibit 10.6

SECOND REVISED, AMENDED AND RESTATED

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT

This Second Revised, Amended and Restated Mutual Assistance Agreement (“Mutual Assistance Agreement” or “Agreement”) is entered by and among the companies listed on the signature page hereto (each a “Company” and collectively the “Companies”).

WHEREAS, each Company is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (“FirstEnergy”);

WHEREAS, FirstEnergy Service Company (“Service Company”) provides corporate, administrative, management and other services within the FirstEnergy holding company system under Service Company agreements;

WHEREAS, from time to time, the Companies may request and/or may require non-power goods and services from one or more of their affiliated companies (individually, “Affiliate” and collectively, “Affiliates”) within the FirstEnergy holding company system; and

WHEREAS, from time to time various opportunities arise for the Companies to effect economies of scale and better utilization of available resources through transfers of a broader range of goods and services by, between and among the Companies, such that the Companies desire to enter into this Mutual Assistance Agreement, which supersedes any other agreements that may have existed between the parties hereto related to the matters covered by this Mutual Assistance Agreement, as applicable, for providing goods and services between them;

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.

DESCRIPTION AND PROVISION OF SERVICES.

 

  (A)

SERVICES.

As used herein, “Services” refers to the list of services set forth in Attachment I hereto, as will be reviewed annually and updated as required by law or when otherwise deemed appropriate by the parties hereto.

 

  (B)

GOODS.

As used herein, “Goods” refers to goods incidental to the Services, electric transmission, distribution, office, administrative and general plant materials, supplies and equipment not “in place” or “installed”. As contemplated hereunder, transactions in Goods may be, but need not be, incidental to the provision of Services.


  (C)

REQUESTS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES.

From time to time each Company, in its sole discretion, may determine, request or, upon the request of another Company, furnish to such other Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, one or more of the Goods and Services (including, in the case of Goods, those which at the time are inadequate, obsolete, unfit, or unnecessary or unadapted for use in the operations of the Company to which such request is made).

 

2.

PRICING.

(a) All transactions carried out pursuant hereto shall be affected as follows:

(i) if a regulated Company furnishes Goods or Services to a regulated Affiliate, then such furnishing Company shall be paid for such Goods or Services at cost in the case of the performance of Services (including all applicable direct and indirect costs of the furnishing Company), or cost less accumulated depreciation in the case of the sale of Goods (including all applicable direct and indirect costs of the furnishing Company);

(ii) if a regulated Company furnishes Goods or Services to Service Company, the Company shall be paid for such Goods or Services at the higher of (A) cost in the case of the performance of Services (including all applicable direct and indirect costs of the furnishing Company), or cost less depreciation in the case of the sale of Goods (including all applicable direct and indirect costs of the furnishing Company) or (B) market price; and

(iii) (A) if a regulated Company furnishes Goods or Services to a non-regulated Affiliate, then the furnishing Company shall be paid for such Goods or Services at a price that is the higher of cost or market price; or (B) if a non-regulated Company furnishes Goods or Services to a regulated Company, then the furnishing Company shall be paid for such Goods or Services at a price that is, in the case of Goods, the lesser of cost less accumulated depreciation or market price, and, in the case of Services not made generally available to the public by the non-regulated Company, the lesser of fully allocated cost and market price.

(b) Costs include, as applicable, wages and salaries of employees and related fringe benefit expenses (such as health care, life insurance, payroll taxes, pensions, and other employee welfare expenses), equipment, tooling, materials, subcontract costs, overheads, cost of capital, and taxes.

 

3.

BILLING, PAYMENT, AND ACCOUNTING.

(a) Costs are accumulated within the Companies’ integrated accounting system related to the Services and Goods provided hereunder in order to support the inter-company billing, which shall be performed monthly by Service Company. Details supporting each transaction are contained within the integrated accounting system, in accordance with applicable FirstEnergy procedures and processes, as amended from time to time.

 

2


(b) Direct charges to a Company shall be made so far as charges can be identified and related to the particular transactions involved without excessive effort or expense. Whenever possible, charges for Services rendered hereunder between the Companies, including personnel and non-personnel costs and expenses and related costs and expenses that relate to a particular requesting Company, shall be billed by the providing Company directly to such requesting Company. For those charges that cannot be direct billed either because the Services giving rise to those charges are provided to, or on behalf of, more than one recipient Company or the charges themselves are not easily susceptible to precise identification with a particular or specific transaction, the providing Company shall allocate such costs in accordance with an allocation method recommended and provided by Service Company from among its approved allocation methods, as such methods may be amended from time to time as required by law or when otherwise deemed appropriate by the parties to the Service Company agreements.

(c) To the extent a Company is required to pay cost for Goods or Services, as provided in Section 2 of this Agreement, such costs:

(i) shall not exceed a fair and equitable allocation of expenses (including the price paid for goods) plus reasonable compensation for necessary capital procured through the issuance of capital stock (or similar securities);

(ii) for Services rendered by a providing Company, shall be determined and calculated based upon the time records of employees, and records of related expenses, including out-of-pocket expenses that are billed at cost;

(iii) may include taxes, interest, other overhead, and compensation for the use of capital procured by the issuance of capital stock (or similar securities), which shall be fairly and equitably allocated. Interest on borrowed capital and compensation for the use of capital shall represent a reasonable return on only the amount of capital reasonably necessary for the performance of services or construction for, or the selling of goods to, customers for whom transactions are performed at cost. Such amount shall not include the cost of assignment of, or any capitalization of, any service, sales, or construction contract; and

(iv) shall not include any expense (including the price paid for goods) incurred in a transaction with an affiliated Company of the providing Company, to the extent that it exceeds the cost of such transaction to such affiliated Company.

(d) Billing and payment for Goods and Services provided shall be by making appropriate accounting entries on the books of the affected Companies. Financial settlement for Goods and Services provided will be made on a monthly basis, with billing to occur as soon as practicable after the close of the month, and financial settlement or accounting entries completed within thirty (30) days of billing. Any amount remaining unpaid by a Company after thirty (30) days following billing shall bear interest thereon from the due date of billing until financial settlement at a rate equal to the prime rate on the due date.

 

3


(e) FirstEnergy’s Internal Auditing Department shall periodically audit inter-Company transactions and billings hereunder. The audits shall also include an evaluation of the work order process in order to assure that transactions and charges have been properly authorized, calculated, allocated (if applicable), invoiced, recorded, paid and tracked.

(f) The supporting records and details related to all inter-company billings, including direct charges and allocated charges, and applicable allocation methods (in order to enable testing with respect to cost allocations to and from affiliates), will be retained for auditing purposes in accordance with applicable law and regulation.

 

4.

WAIVER.

To the extent that the Goods and Services are furnished at cost, or cost less depreciation, if any pursuant to Section 2, and to facilitate the undertaking of this Mutual Assistance Agreement, each Company expressly waives any right it may have to recover from the other Companies for any losses, damages, penalties, liabilities, claims or expenses (including damage to its own property or liabilities to third parties) for any cause whatsoever including without limitation the negligence of the other Companies, its employees and agents in connection with the provision of Goods and Services that are furnished at cost.

 

5.

TERM AND TERMINATION.

 

  (A)

INITIAL TERM.

This Agreement shall commence as of the date first indicated above and shall continue thereafter for a period of five (5) years (the “Initial Term”), unless sooner terminated pursuant to this Section 5.

 

  (B)

RENEWAL TERM.

Upon expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive five (5)-year terms unless either party provides written notice of nonrenewal no later than three hundred and sixty-five (365) days prior to the end of the then-current term (each a “Renewal Term” and together with the Initial Term, the “Term”). If the Term is renewed for one or more Renewal Term, the terms and conditions of this Agreement during each Renewal Term shall be the same as the terms and conditions in effect immediately prior to such renewal. If either party provides timely notice of nonrenewal, this Agreement shall terminate on the expiration of the then-current Term, unless sooner terminated pursuant to this Section 5.

 

  (C)

VOLUNTARY TERMINATION.

Any party to this Agreement may terminate this Agreement by providing one hundred eighty (180) days written notice of such termination to the other parties.

 

  (D)

AUTOMATIC TERMINATION OF A PARTY.

 

4


A Company’s rights and obligations as a party to this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon such Company (i) ceasing to be an Affiliate; (ii) becoming insolvent or admitting its inability to pay its debt obligations as they come due; (iii) becoming subject, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any proceeding under any bankruptcy or insolvency law, which is not stayed within ten (10) business days or is not dismissed or vacated within thirty (30) business days after filing; (iv) being dissolved or liquidated or taking any corporate action for such purpose; (v) making a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) having a receiver, trustee, custodian, or similar agent appointed by order of any court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of or sell any material portion of its property or business. In the event of a termination of a party to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 5(E), there shall be a transition period not to exceed ninety (90) days for which the providing Company will continue to provide Goods and Services at cost to its Affiliates.

 

6.

NOTICE.

Where written notice is required by this Mutual Assistance Agreement, all notices, consents, certificates, or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given to the persons and at the addresses identified on the signature pages (or to such other person and address as a party may give in a notice given in accordance with the provisions hereof) only as follows: (i) if given by personal delivery, upon such personal delivery, (ii) if sent for next day delivery by United States registered, certified or express mail, or overnight delivery service, on the date of delivery as confirmed by written confirmation of delivery, or (iii) if sent by electronic mail, upon electronic confirmation of receipt, except that if such confirmation occurs on a day that is not a business day, then such notice or other communication will not be deemed effective or given until the next succeeding business day. Notices sent in any other manner will not be effective.

 

7.

MODIFICATION OR AMENDMENT.

No amendment, change or modification to this Mutual Assistance Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties hereto, and upon the receipt of any required regulatory approvals as described in Section 8 below. This Agreement is subject to modification at any time to the extent its performance may conflict with any rule, regulation, requirement, or order of the state or federal electric utility regulatory commission with jurisdiction over a Company.

 

8.

REGULATORY APPROVALS, STATE LAW.

This Agreement, and any amendments thereto, shall be subject to the approval of any state electric utility regulatory commission whose approval is, by the laws of the federal government or said state, a legal prerequisite to the execution and delivery or the performance of this Agreement; and any transactions hereunder shall be in compliance with applicable state laws and regulations.

 

5


9.

GOVERNING LAW.

For purposes of providing Goods or Services hereunder, in the case of each transaction hereunder, this Mutual Assistance Agreement shall be governed by, and construed under, the laws of the state in which the principal offices of the Company providing the Goods or Services hereunder are located, without regard to its conflict of laws provisions.

 

10.

ASSIGNMENT.

This Mutual Assistance Agreement shall inure to the benefit and shall be binding upon the undersigned parties and their respective successors and assigns. No assignment of this Agreement or of any party’s rights, interests or obligations hereunder, may be made without the other Parties’ consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.

 

11.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement, together with its exhibits, constitutes the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to its subject matter, and effective upon the execution of this Agreement by the respective parties hereof, any and all prior agreements, understandings or representations with respect to this subject matter are hereby terminated and canceled in their entirety and are of no further force and effect, except to the extent transactions thereunder have taken place prior to such effective date, in which case such agreements will govern the terms of such transactions.

 

12.

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Nothing herein contained shall render any party liable for the obligations of any other party hereunder and the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties are several in accordance with their respective obligations, and not joint.

 

13.

HEADINGS.

The headings contained in this Mutual Assistance Agreement are inserted for convenience only and will not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Mutual Assistance Agreement.

 

14.

SEVERABILITY.

The provisions of this Mutual Assistance Agreement will be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision will not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof.

 

6


15.

COUNTERPARTS.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement will become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of executed signature pages by electronic mail in “portable document format” (“.pdf”) or by a combination of such means, will constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of an original Agreement for all purposes. Signatures of the parties transmitted by electronic mail or by .pdf shall be deemed to be original signatures for all purposes.

 

16.

THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

Nothing in this Mutual Assistance Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in any creditor or other person or entity not a party hereto. This Mutual Assistance Agreement shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for the benefit of any third party.

 

7


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of January 1, 2024.

 

AMERICAN TRANSMISSION     By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

ALLEGHENY ENERGY SUPPLY     By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

COMPANY, LLC

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

FIRSTENERGY PENNSYLVANIA     By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

ELECTRIC COMPANY

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
   

c/o President

    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


FIRSTENERGY PROPERTIES, INC.     By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

FIRSTENERGY SERVICE COMPANY

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
   

c/o President

    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


GPU NUCLEAR, INC.

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

KEYSTONE APPALACHIAN

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

TRANSMISSION COMPANY

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

MID-ATLANTIC INTERSTATE

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

TRANSMISSION, LLC

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
   

c/o President

    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


OHIO EDISON COMPANY

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

SUVON, LLC

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

ILLUMINATING COMPANY

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
   

c/o President

    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


THE TOLEDO EDISON COMPANY

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

TRANS-ALLEGHENY INTERSTATE

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub

LINE COMPANY

   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of July 29, 2024.

 

MONONGAHELA POWER COMPANY

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

THE POTOMAC EDISON COMPANY

    By:   /s/ Steven R. Staub
   

Name:

 

Steven R. Staub

    Title:  

Vice President and Treasurer

 

   

Notice:

 
    c/o President
    76 South Main Street
    Akron, OH 44308

 

Signature Pages to Mutual Assistance Agreement


ATTACHMENT I

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

 

Service

  

Description

Engineering, Operating Maintenance and Management Services    Design, engineering, commission, construction, operation, restoration, corrective and preventative maintenance, repair, testing and nonpower services incidental to transmission and distribution facilities (including substation and line maintenance), generation facilities operations and maintenance (including personnel to perform such services), and asset management services.
Engineering Support Services    Lab testing, research and development, engineering and support services for transmission and support services for transmission and distribution, construction and maintenance facilities, functions, and activities.
Use of Space    Use or lease of office, warehouse, storage and other space or facilities, and associated warehousing and storage services.
Regional Support Services    Utilize utility operations level experience to provide regional support related to utility operations functions including in connection with providing Engineering Services, Human Resources Services, Facilities Services, Regional Claims Services, Labor Contract Negotiations Services, Area Managers, and related utility operations functions.
Storm Support Services    Utilize utility operations level experience to provide storm support services including storm-related construction and reconstruction, operations, and line restoration services to address storm-related conditions.
Environmental Services    Provide services and assistance related to identifying, managing, and remediating environmental threats or risks.
Safety & Human Performance    Advising and implementation of safety related training, practices, and policies.
Communications/Software Services    Services include pagers, cell phones, computers, radios, IPads, laptops, software, and hardware.

 

(i)


Service

  

Description

Meter Services    Provide services related to maintenance, operation, engineering, testing, and repair of meters and related equipment.
Transportation and Garage Services    Provide services related to transportation maintenance practices and support.
Forestry and Vegetation Management Services    Provide services related to forestry and vegetation management such as routine pruning, controlling, or removing of vegetation as required to maintain line reliability, maintain access, make repairs, or restore service.
Microfilming Services    Provide services related to microfilm storage and retrieval.
Records Retention and Storage    Provide services related to records storage, retrieval, and planning.
Reprographic Services    Provide services related to production printing, document imaging, and graphic services.
Remittance Processing    Provide services related to processing customer payments and depositing funds.
Transmission and Distribution Skills Training    Develop and facilitate technical and safety training for workers associated with distribution activities, including line, substation, meter, fleet, warehouse, field engineering, and dispatch. Provide support through equipment evaluation, training analyses, job assessments, and project coordination.

 

(ii)

Exhibit 21

Significant Subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

 

Name of Subsidiary

  

State of Incorporation or
Organization

  

Percent of Equity
Securities Owned

  

D/B/A

American Transmission Systems, Incorporated   

Ohio

  

100% owned by FET

  

N/A

Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC   

Delaware

  

100% owned by FET

  

N/A

Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company   

Maryland

  

100% owned by FET

  

N/A

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC of our report dated October 8, 2024, relating to the financial statements and financial statement schedule of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, which appears in this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Cleveland, Ohio

October 8, 2024

Exhibit 24.1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned directors and officers of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), hereby constitutes and appoints James A. Arcuri, Associate General Counsel, as the true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for each of the undersigned and in the name, place and stead of each of the undersigned, to sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) one or more Registration Statements on Form S-4 relating to the registration of senior notes of the Company, with any and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto, including pre-effective and post-effective amendments or supplements and Registration Statements filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act, with full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things whatsoever required, necessary or desirable to be done in the premises, hereby ratifying and approving the act of said attorney and any such substitute.

This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original with respect to the person executing it.

Executed as of this 8th day of October, 2024.

 

/s/ Mark D. Mroczynski  

 

  /s/ K. Jon Taylor

Mark D. Mroczynski

President

(Principal Executive Officer)

   

K. Jon Taylor

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

/s/ Natalie Hadad  

 

  /s/ Jason J. Lisowski

Natalie Hadad

Director

   

Jason J. Lisowski

Vice President and Controller

(Principal Accounting Officer) and Director

/s/ Wade Smith  

 

  /s/ Toby Thomas

Wade Smith

Director

   

Toby Thomas

Director

Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY UNDER

THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 

 

 

Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2)

 

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

91-1821036

I.R.S. Employer Identification No.

 

 

 

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota

  55402
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Earl Hunt

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association

6000 Lombardo Center

Cleveland, OH 44131

(216) 623-5976

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

 

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

(Issuer with respect to the Securities)

 

 

 

Delaware   20-5763884

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

5001 NASA Blvd

Fairmont, West Virginia

  26554
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

Debt Securities

(Title of the Indenture Securities)

 

 

 


FORM T-1

 

Item 1.

GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.

 

  a)

Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

Comptroller of the Currency

Washington, D.C.

 

  b)

Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes

 

Item 2.

AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None

 

Items 3-15

Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.

 

Item 16.

LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.

 

  1.

A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 1.

 

  2.

A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.

 

  3.

A copy of the authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, included as Exhibit 2.

 

  4.

A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 4.

 

  5.

A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.

 

  6.

The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.

 

  7.

Report of Condition of the Trustee as of June 30, 2024, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio on the 24th of September, 2024.

 

By:  

/s/ Earl T. Hunt

  Earl T. Hunt
  Vice President


Exhibit 1

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

OF

U. S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

For the purpose of organizing an association (the “Association”) to perform any lawful activities of national banks, the undersigned enter into the following Articles of Association:

FIRST. The title of this Association shall be U. S. Bank Trust Company, National Association.

SECOND. The main office of the Association shall be in the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, state of Oregon. The business of the Association will be limited to fiduciary powers and the support of activities incidental to the exercise of those powers. The Association may not expand or alter its business beyond that stated in this article without the prior approval of the Comptroller of the Currency.

THIRD. The board of directors of the Association shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five persons, the exact number to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any annual or special meeting thereof. Each director shall own common or preferred stock of the Association or of a holding company owning the Association, with an aggregate par, fair market, or equity value of not less than $1,000, as of either (i) the date of purchase, (ii) the date the person became a director, or (iii) the date of that person’s most recent election to the board of directors, whichever is more recent. Any combination of common or preferred stock of the Association or holding company may be used.

Any vacancy in the board of directors may be filled by action of a majority of the remaining directors between meetings of shareholders. The board of directors may increase the number of directors up to the maximum permitted by law. Terms of directors, including directors selected to fill vacancies, shall expire at the next regular meeting of shareholders at which directors are elected, unless the directors resign or are removed from office. Despite the expiration of a director’s term, the director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until there is a decrease in the number of directors and his or her position is eliminated.

Honorary or advisory members of the board of directors, without voting power or power of final decision in matters concerning the business of the Association, may be appointed by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors, or by resolution of shareholders at any annual or special meeting. Honorary or advisory directors shall not be counted to determined the number of directors of the Association or the presence of a quorum in connection with any board action, and shall not be required to own qualifying shares.

FOURTH. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders to elect directors and transact whatever other business may be brought before the meeting. It shall be held at the main office or any other convenient place the board of directors may designate, on the day of each year specified therefor in the Bylaws, or if that day falls on a legal holiday in the state in which the

 

- 1 -


Association is located, on the next following banking day. If no election is held on the day fixed or in the event of a legal holiday on the following banking day, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the day fixed, to be designated by the board of directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the day, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares issued and outstanding. In all cases, at least 10 days’ advance notice of the meeting shall be given to the shareholders by first-class mail.

In all elections of directors, the number of votes each common shareholder may cast will be determined by multiplying the number of shares he or she owns by the number of directors to be elected. Those votes may be cumulated and cast for a single candidate or may be distributed among two or more candidates in the manner selected by the shareholder. On all other questions, each common shareholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her.

A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chairperson, or to the Association, which resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.

A director may be removed by the shareholders at a meeting called to remove him or her, when notice of the meeting stating that the purpose or one of the purposes is to remove him or her is provided, if there is a failure to fulfill one of the affirmative requirements for qualification, or for cause; provided, however, that a director may not be removed if the number of votes sufficient to elect him or her under cumulative voting is voted against his or her removal.

FIFTH. The authorized amount of capital stock of the Association shall be 1,000,000 shares of common stock of the par value of ten dollars ($10) each; but said capital stock may be increased or decreased from time to time, according to the provisions of the laws of the United States. The Association shall have only one class of capital stock.

No holder of shares of the capital stock of any class of the Association shall have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any shares of any class of stock of the Association, whether now or hereafter authorized, or to any obligations convertible into stock of the Association, issued, or sold, nor any right of subscription to any thereof other than such, if any, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may from time to time determine and at such price as the board of directors may from time to time fix.

Transfers of the Association’s stock are subject to the prior written approval of a federal depository institution regulatory agency. If no other agency approval is required, the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency must be obtained prior to any such transfers.

Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, (1) all matters requiring shareholder action, including amendments to the Articles of Association must be approved by shareholders owning a majority voting interest in the outstanding voting stock, and (2) each shareholder shall be entitled to one vote per share.

 

- 2 -


Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, all shares of voting stock shall be voted together as a class, on any matters requiring shareholder approval.

Unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting is the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 70 days before the meeting.

The Association, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether subordinated, without the approval of the shareholders. Obligations classified as debt, whether subordinated, which may be issued by the Association without the approval of shareholders, do not carry voting rights on any issue, including an increase or decrease in the aggregate number of the securities, or the exchange or reclassification of all or part of securities into securities of another class or series.

SIXTH. The board of directors shall appoint one of its members president of this Association and one of its members chairperson of the board and shall have the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, a secretary who shall keep minutes of the directors’ and shareholders’ meetings and be responsible for authenticating the records of the Association, and such other officers and employees as may be required to transact the business of this Association. A duly appointed officer may appoint one or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the Bylaws.

The board of directors shall have the power to:

 

(1)

Define the duties of the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.

 

(2)

Delegate the performance of its duties, but not the responsibility for its duties, to the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.

 

(3)

Fix the compensation and enter employment contracts with its officers and employees upon reasonable terms and conditions consistent with applicable law.

 

(4)

Dismiss officers and employees.

 

(5)

Require bonds from officers and employees and to fix the penalty thereof.

 

(6)

Ratify written policies authorized by the Association’s management or committees of the board.

 

(7)

Regulate the manner any increase or decrease of the capital of the Association shall be made; provided that nothing herein shall restrict the power of shareholders to increase or decrease the capital of the Association in accordance with law, and nothing shall raise or lower from two-thirds the percentage required for shareholder approval to increase or reduce the capital.

 

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(8)

Manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association.

 

(9)

Adopt initial Bylaws, not inconsistent with law or the Articles of Association, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the Association.

 

(10)

Amend or repeal Bylaws, except to the extent that the Articles of Association reserve this power in whole or in part to the shareholders.

 

(11)

Make contracts.

 

(12)

Generally perform all acts that are legal for a board of directors to perform.

SEVENTH. The board of directors shall have the power to change the location of the main office to any authorized branch within the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, without the approval of the shareholders, or with a vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of the stock of the Association for a location outside such limits and upon receipt of a certificate of approval from the Comptroller of the Currency, to any other location within or outside the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, but not more than thirty miles beyond such limits. The board of directors shall have the power to establish or change the location of any office or offices of the Association to any other location permitted under applicable law, without approval of shareholders, subject to approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.

EIGHTH. The corporate existence of this Association shall continue until termination according to the laws of the United States.

NINTH. The board of directors of the Association, or any shareholder owning, in the aggregate, not less than 25 percent of the stock of the Association, may call a special meeting of shareholders at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws or the laws of the United States, or waived by shareholders, a notice of the time, place, and purpose of every annual and special meeting of the shareholders shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed at least 10, and no more than 60, days prior to the date of the meeting to each shareholder of record at his/her address as shown upon the books of the Association. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws, any action requiring approval of shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting.

TENTH. These Articles of Association may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Association, unless the vote of the holders of a greater amount of stock is required by law, and in that case by the vote of the holders of such greater amount; provided, that the scope of the Association’s activities and services may not be expanded without the prior written approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Association’s board of directors may propose one or more amendments to the Articles of Association for submission to the shareholders.

 

- 4 -


In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th of June, 1997.

 

/s/ Jeffrey T. Grubb
Jeffrey T. Grubb
/s/ Robert D. Sznewajs
Robert D. Sznewajs
/s/ Dwight V. Board
Dwight V. Board
/s/ P. K. Chatterjee
P. K. Chatterjee
/s/ Robert Lane
Robert Lane


Exhibit 2

 

LOGO


Exhibit 4

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

Meetings of Shareholders

Section 1.1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders, for the election of directors and the transaction of any other proper business, shall be held at a time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. Notice of such meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days prior to the date thereof, to each shareholder of the Association, unless the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) determines that an emergency circumstance exists. In accordance with applicable law, the sole shareholder of the Association is permitted to waive notice of the meeting. If, for any reason, an election of directors is not made on the designated day, the election shall be held on some subsequent day, as soon thereafter as practicable, with prior notice thereof. Failure to hold an annual meeting as required by these Bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action or work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Association.

Section 1.2. Special Meetings. Except as otherwise specially provided by law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose, at any time by a majority of the board of directors (the “Board”), or by any shareholder or group of shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding stock.

Every such special meeting, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be called upon not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior notice stating the purpose of the meeting.

Section 1.3. Nominations for Directors. Nominations for election to the Board may be made by the Board or by any shareholder.

Section 1.4. Proxies. Shareholders may vote at any meeting of the shareholders by proxies duly authorized in writing. Proxies shall be valid only for one meeting and any adjournments of such meeting and shall be filed with the records of the meeting.

Section 1.5. Record Date. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at any meeting will be thirty days before the date of such meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Board.

Section 1.6. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the outstanding capital stock, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any


meeting of shareholders, unless otherwise provided by law, but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. A majority of the votes cast shall decide every question or matter submitted to the shareholders at any meeting, unless otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Association.

Section 1.7. Inspectors. The Board may, and in the event of its failure so to do, the Chairman of the Board may appoint Inspectors of Election who shall determine the presence of quorum, the validity of proxies, and the results of all elections and all other matters voted upon by shareholders at all annual and special meetings of shareholders.

Section 1.8. Waiver and Consent. The shareholders may act without notice or a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all shareholders.

Section 1.9. Remote Meetings. The Board shall have the right to determine that a shareholder meeting not be held at a place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner and to the extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

ARTICLE II

Directors

Section 2.1. Board of Directors. The Board shall have the power to manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the Association shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board.

Section 2.2. Term of Office. The directors of this Association shall hold office for one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal.

Section 2.3. Powers. In addition to the foregoing, the Board shall have and may exercise all of the powers granted to or conferred upon it by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws and by law.

Section 2.4. Number. As provided in the Articles of Association, the Board of this Association shall consist of no less than five nor more than twenty-five members, unless the OCC has exempted the Association from the twenty-five- member limit. The Board shall consist of a number of members to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of the Board or the shareholders at any meeting thereof, in accordance with the Articles of Association. Between meetings of the shareholders held for the purpose of electing directors, the Board


by a majority vote of the full Board may increase the size of the Board but not to more than a total of twenty-five directors, and fill any vacancy so created in the Board; provided that the Board may increase the number of directors only by up to two directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was fifteen or fewer, and by up to four directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was sixteen or more. Each director shall own a qualifying equity interest in the Association or a company that has control of the Association in each case as required by applicable law. Each director shall own such qualifying equity interest in his or her own right and meet any minimum threshold ownership required by applicable law.

Section 2.5. Organization Meeting. The newly elected Board shall meet for the purpose of organizing the new Board and electing and appointing such officers of the Association as may be appropriate. Such meeting shall be held on the day of the election or as soon thereafter as practicable, and, in any event, within thirty days thereafter, at such time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. If, at the time fixed for such meeting, there shall not be a quorum present, the directors present may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is obtained.

Section 2.6. Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held, without notice, as the Chairman or President may designate and deem suitable.

Section 2.7. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time, at any place and for any purpose by the Chairman of the Board or the President of the Association, or upon the request of a majority of the entire Board. Notice of every special meeting of the Board shall be given to the directors at their usual places of business, or at such other addresses as shall have been furnished by them for the purpose. Such notice shall be given at least twelve hours (three hours if meeting is to be conducted by conference telephone) before the meeting by telephone or by being personally delivered, mailed, or electronically delivered. Such notice need not include a statement of the business to be transacted at, or the purpose of, any such meeting.

Section 2.8. Quorum and Necessary Vote. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board, except when otherwise provided by law; but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Articles or Bylaws of this Association, once a quorum is established, any act by a majority of those directors present and voting shall be the act of the Board.


Section 2.9. Written Consent. Except as otherwise required by applicable laws and regulations, the Board may act without a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all directors, to be filed with the Secretary of the Association as part of the corporate records.

Section 2.10. Remote Meetings. Members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 2.11. Vacancies. When any vacancy occurs among the directors, the remaining members of the Board may appoint a director to fill such vacancy at any regular meeting of the Board, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.

ARTICLE III

Committees

Section 3.1. Advisory Board of Directors. The Board may appoint persons, who need not be directors, to serve as advisory directors on an advisory board of directors established with respect to the business affairs of either this Association alone or the business affairs of a group of affiliated organizations of which this Association is one. Advisory directors shall have such powers and duties as may be determined by the Board, provided, that the Board’s responsibility for the business and affairs of this Association shall in no respect be delegated or diminished.

Section 3.2. Trust Audit Committee. At least once during each calendar year, the Association shall arrange for a suitable audit (by internal or external auditors) of all significant fiduciary activities under the direction of its trust audit committee, a function that will be fulfilled by the Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association. The Association shall note the results of the audit (including significant actions taken as a result of the audit) in the minutes of the Board. In lieu of annual audits, the Association may adopt a continuous audit system in accordance with 12 C.F.R. § 9.9(b).

The Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association, fulfilling the function of the trust audit committee:


(1) Must not include any officers of the Association or an affiliate who participate significantly in the administration of the Association’s fiduciary activities; and

(2) Must consist of a majority of members who are not also members of any committee to which the Board has delegated power to manage and control the fiduciary activities of the Association.

Section 3.3. Executive Committee. The Board may appoint an Executive Committee which shall consist of at least three directors and which shall have, and may exercise, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all the powers of the Board between meetings of the Board or otherwise when the Board is not meeting.

Section 3.4. Trust Management Committee. The Board of this Association shall appoint a Trust Management Committee to provide oversight of the fiduciary activities of the Association. The Trust Management Committee shall determine policies governing fiduciary activities. The Trust Management Committee or such sub-committees, officers or others as may be duly designated by the Trust Management Committee shall oversee the processes related to fiduciary activities to assure conformity with fiduciary policies it establishes, including ratifying the acceptance and the closing out or relinquishment of all trusts. The Trust Management Committee will provide regular reports of its activities to the Board.

Section 3.5. Other Committees. The Board may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more persons who need not be directors, for such purposes and with such powers as the Board may determine; however, the Board will not delegate to any committee any powers or responsibilities that it is prohibited from delegating under any law or regulation. In addition, either the Chairman or the President may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more officers, employees, agents or other persons, for such purposes and with such powers as either the Chairman or the President deems appropriate and proper. Whether appointed by the Board, the Chairman, or the President, any such committee shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the Board.

Section 3.6. Meetings, Minutes and Rules. An advisory board of directors and/or committee shall meet as necessary in consideration of the purpose of the advisory board of directors or committee, and shall maintain minutes in sufficient detail to indicate actions taken or recommendations made; unless required by the members, discussions, votes or other specific details need not be reported. An advisory board of directors or a committee may, in consideration of


its purpose, adopt its own rules for the exercise of any of its functions or authority.

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Section 4.1. Chairman of the Board. The Board may appoint one of its members to be Chairman of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Chairman shall supervise the carrying out of the policies adopted or approved by the Board; shall have general executive powers, as well as the specific powers conferred by these Bylaws; and shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned by the Board.

Section 4.2. President. The Board may appoint one of its members to be President of the Association. In the absence of the Chairman, the President shall preside at any meeting of the Board. The President shall have general executive powers, and shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the office of President, or imposed by these Bylaws. The President shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred or assigned by the Board.

Section 4.3. Vice President. The Board may appoint one or more Vice Presidents who shall have such powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board and to perform the duties of the President on those occasions when the President is absent, including presiding at any meeting of the Board in the absence of both the Chairman and President.

Section 4.4. Secretary. The Board shall appoint a Secretary, or other designated officer who shall be Secretary of the Board and of the Association, and shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices required by these Bylaws to be given; shall be custodian of the corporate seal, records, documents and papers of the Association; shall provide for the keeping of proper records of all transactions of the Association; shall, upon request, authenticate any records of the Association; shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the Secretary, or imposed by these Bylaws; and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Board. The Board may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries with such powers and duties as the Board, the President or the Secretary shall from time to time determine.

Section 4.5. Other Officers. The Board may appoint, and may authorize the Chairman, the President or any other officer to appoint, any officer as from time to time may appear to the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other


officer to be required or desirable to transact the business of the Association. Such officers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as pertain to their several offices, or as may be conferred upon or assigned to them by these Bylaws, the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other authorized officer. Any person may hold two offices.

Section 4.6. Tenure of Office. The Chairman or the President and all other officers shall hold office until their respective successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, subject to the right of the Board or authorized officer to discharge any officer at any time.

ARTICLE V

Stock

Section 5.1. The Board may authorize the issuance of stock either in certificated or in uncertificated form. Certificates for shares of stock shall be in such form as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If the Board issues certificated stock, the certificate shall be signed by the President, Secretary or any other such officer as the Board so determines. Shares of stock shall be transferable on the books of the Association, and a transfer book shall be kept in which all transfers of stock shall be recorded. Every person becoming a shareholder by such transfer shall, in proportion to such person’s shares, succeed to all rights of the prior holder of such shares. Each certificate of stock shall recite on its face that the stock represented thereby is transferable only upon the books of the Association properly endorsed. The Board may impose conditions upon the transfer of the stock reasonably calculated to simplify the work of the Association for stock transfers, voting at shareholder meetings, and related matters, and to protect it against fraudulent transfers.

ARTICLE VI

Corporate Seal

Section 6.1. The Association shall have no corporate seal; provided, however, that if the use of a seal is required by, or is otherwise convenient or advisable pursuant to, the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction, the following seal may be used, and the Chairman, the President, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix such seal:


ARTICLE VII

Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 7.1. Execution of Instruments. All agreements, checks, drafts, orders, indentures, notes, mortgages, deeds, conveyances, transfers, endorsements, assignments, certificates, declarations, receipts, discharges, releases, satisfactions, settlements, petitions, schedules, accounts, affidavits, bonds, undertakings, guarantees, proxies and other instruments or documents may be signed, countersigned, executed, acknowledged, endorsed, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the Association, whether in a fiduciary capacity or otherwise, by any officer of the Association, or such employee or agent as may be designated from time to time by the Board by resolution, or by the Chairman or the President by written instrument, which resolution or instrument shall be certified as in effect by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Association. The provisions of this section are supplementary to any other provision of the Articles of Association or Bylaws.

Section 7.2. Records. The Articles of Association, the Bylaws as revised or amended from time to time and the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board, and standing committees of the Board, shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for the purpose. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Secretary, or other officer appointed to act as Secretary of the meeting.

Section 7.3. Trust Files. There shall be maintained in the Association files all fiduciary records necessary to assure that its fiduciary responsibilities have been properly undertaken and discharged.

Section 7.4. Trust Investments. Funds held in a fiduciary capacity shall be invested according to the instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship and according to law. Where such instrument does not specify the character and class of investments to be made and does not vest in the Association a discretion in the matter, funds held pursuant to such instrument shall be invested in investments in which corporate fiduciaries may invest under law.

Section 7.5. Notice. Whenever notice is required by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws or law, such notice shall be by mail, postage prepaid, e- mail, in person, or by any other means by which such notice can reasonably be expected to be received, using the address of the person to receive such notice, or such other personal data, as may appear on the records of the Association.

Except where specified otherwise in these Bylaws, prior notice shall be proper if given not more than 30 days nor less than 10 days prior to the event for which notice is given.


ARTICLE VIII

Indemnification

Section 8.1. The Association shall indemnify such persons for such liabilities in such manner under such circumstances and to such extent as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The Board may authorize the purchase and maintenance of insurance and/or the execution of individual agreements for the purpose of such indemnification, and the Association shall advance all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding to all persons entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.1. Such insurance shall be consistent with the requirements of 12 C.F.R. § 7.2014 and shall exclude coverage of liability for a formal order assessing civil money penalties against an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u).

Section 8.2. Notwithstanding Section 8.1, however, (a) any indemnification payments to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), for an administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be reasonable and consistent with the requirements of 12 U.S.C. § 1828(k) and the implementing regulations thereunder; and (b) any indemnification payments and advancement of costs and expenses to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), in cases involving an administrative proceeding or civil action not initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be in accordance with Delaware General Corporation Law and consistent with safe and sound banking practices.

ARTICLE IX

Bylaws: Interpretation and Amendment

Section 9.1. These Bylaws shall be interpreted in accordance with and subject to appropriate provisions of law, and may be added to, altered, amended, or repealed, at any regular or special meeting of the Board.

Section 9.2. A copy of the Bylaws and all amendments shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the principal office of the Association, and shall be open for inspection to all shareholders during Association hours.


ARTICLE X

Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 10.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January in each year and shall end on the thirty-first day of December following.

Section 10.2. Governing Law. This Association designates the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time, as the governing law for its corporate governance procedures, to the extent not inconsistent with Federal banking statutes and regulations or bank safety and soundness.

***

(February 8, 2021)


Exhibit 6

CONSENT

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

Dated: September 24, 2024

 

By:  

/s/ Earl T. Hunt

  Earl T. Hunt
  Vice President


Exhibit 7

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association

Statement of Financial Condition

as of 6/30/2024

($000’s)

 

     6/30/2024  

Assets

  

Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions

   $ 1,420,557  

Securities

     4,393  

Federal Funds

     0  

Loans & Lease Financing Receivables

     0  

Fixed Assets

     1,164  

Intangible Assets

     577,338  

Other Assets

     153,812  
  

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 2,157,264  

Liabilities

  

Deposits

   $ 0  

Fed Funds

     0  

Treasury Demand Notes

     0  

Trading Liabilities

     0  

Other Borrowed Money

     0  

Acceptances

     0  

Subordinated Notes and Debentures

     0  

Other Liabilities

     215,138  
  

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

   $ 215,138  

Equity

  

Common and Preferred Stock

     200  

Surplus

     1,171,635  

Undivided Profits

     770,291  

Minority Interest in Subsidiaries

     0  
  

 

 

 

Total Equity Capital

   $ 1,942,126  

Total Liabilities and Equity Capital

   $ 2,157,264  

Exhibit 99.1

THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt as to the action to be taken, you should immediately consult your broker, bank manager, lawyer, accountant, investment advisor or other professional adviser.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

Relating to

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

Offer to Exchange

up to (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for any and all of our outstanding unregistered ((i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

Pursuant to the Prospectus, dated    , 2024

The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on    , 2025, unless extended (such date and time, as they may be extended, the “expiration date”). We do not currently intend to extend the expiration date. Tenders of Outstanding Notes may be withdrawn at any time prior to the expiration date.

The exchange agent for the exchange offer is:

U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association

By Mail or in Person:

U.S. Bank National Association

Attn: Corporate Actions

111 Fillmore Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55107-1402

By Email or Facsimile Transmission

(for eligible institutions only):

cts.specfinance@usbank.com

(651) 466-7367

For Information and to Confirm by Telephone:

(800) 934-6802

Delivery of this Letter of Transmittal to an Address Other Than as Set Forth Above Will Not Constitute a Valid Delivery.

This document relates to the exchange offer made by FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC whereby we are offering (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “New Notes”) in exchange for an equal amount, respectively, of outstanding (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “Outstanding Notes”).

The exchange offer is described in the Prospectus, dated   , 2024 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”) and in this Letter of Transmittal. All terms and conditions contained, or otherwise referred to, in the Prospectus are deemed to be incorporated in, and form a part of, this Letter of Transmittal. Therefore, you are urged to read carefully the Prospectus and the items referred to in the Prospectus. The terms and conditions contained in the Prospectus, together with the terms and conditions governing this Letter of Transmittal and the instructions herein, are collectively referred to as the “terms and conditions of the exchange offer.”


Upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to the acceptance of Outstanding Notes set forth in the Prospectus under “The Exchange Offer—Conditions to the Exchange Offer,” we will accept for settlement Outstanding Notes that have been validly tendered (and not subsequently validly withdrawn). We will deliver the New Notes on a date (the “settlement date”) promptly after the expiration date.

This Letter of Transmittal is to be used by a holder of Outstanding Notes either if certificates representing Outstanding Notes are to be physically delivered herewith, or delivery of Outstanding Notes is to be made by book-entry transfer to the account maintained by U.S. Bank National Association (the “Exchange Agent”) at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes through Brokers and Banks” and an “agent’s message” is not delivered or being transmitted through ATOP (defined below) as described in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account.”

Tenders by book-entry transfer may also be made by delivering an agent’s message in lieu of this Letter of Transmittal pursuant to DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”). See procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account.” You should allow sufficient time for completion of the ATOP procedure with DTC if used for tendering your Outstanding Notes prior to the expiration date. By using the ATOP procedures to exchange Outstanding Notes, you will not be required to deliver an executed copy of this Letter of Transmittal to the Exchange Agent. However, you will be bound by its terms just as if you had signed it.

Delivery of documents to DTC does not constitute delivery to the Exchange Agent.

The term “holder” with respect to the exchange offer for Outstanding Notes means any person in whose name such Outstanding Notes are registered on the books of the registrar for the Outstanding Notes, any person who holds such Outstanding Notes and has obtained a properly completed bond power from the registered holder or any participant in the DTC system whose name appears on a security position listing as the holder of such Outstanding Notes and who desires to deliver such Outstanding Notes by book-entry transfer at DTC.

Please read the entire Letter of Transmittal and the Prospectus carefully before checking any box below. The instructions included with this Letter of Transmittal must be followed. Questions and requests for assistance or for additional copies of the Prospectus and this Letter of Transmittal may be directed to the Exchange Agent.

List below the Outstanding Notes tendered under this Letter of Transmittal. If the space below is inadequate, list the registered numbers and principal amounts on a separate signed schedule and affix the list to this Letter of Transmittal.

Please note: You do not need to complete the below if your Outstanding Notes are to be tendered by book-entry transfer and an agent’s message is delivered in lieu hereof pursuant to DTC’s ATOP. Please see the section captioned “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account” in the Prospectus.

 

2


DESCRIPTION OF OUTSTANDING NOTES TENDERED

Name(s) and Address(es) of
the DTC Participant(s) or
Registered Holder(s) Exactly
as Name(s) Appear(s) on
Certificates Representing
Outstanding Notes (Please
Fill In, If Blank)

  

Outstanding Note(s) Tendered

  

Registered Certificate
Number(s)*

  

Series

  

Aggregate Principal
Amount Represented by
Note(s)

  

Principal Amount
Tendered**

   TOTAL         

 

*

Need not be completed by book-entry holders

**

Unless otherwise indicated, any tendering holder of Outstanding Notes will be deemed to have tendered the entire aggregate principal amount represented by such Outstanding Notes. All tenders must be in minimum principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof

 

CHECK HERE IF TENDERED OUTSTANDING NOTES ARE ENCLOSED HEREWITH.

 

CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.

 

Name:

   

Address:

   
   

 

Telephone/Facsimile No. for Notices:    

Boxes below to be Checked by Eligible Institutions (as defined in Instruction 4 below) Only

 

CHECK HERE AND COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING IF TENDERED OUTSTANDING NOTES ARE BEING DELIVERED BY BOOK-ENTRY TRANSFER MADE TO THE ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE EXCHANGE AGENT WITH DTC.

 

Name of Tendering Institution:    
DTC Account Number(s):    
Transaction Code Number(s)    

 

3


PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Subject to the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, the undersigned hereby tenders to FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC (the “Company”) for exchange the principal amount of Outstanding Notes indicated above. Subject to, and effective upon, the acceptance for exchange of the principal amount of Outstanding Notes tendered in accordance with this Letter of Transmittal, the undersigned hereby exchanges, assigns and transfers to, or upon the order of, the Company all right, title and interest in and to such Outstanding Notes tendered for exchange hereby.

The undersigned hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Exchange Agent the true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact for the undersigned (with full knowledge that said Exchange Agent also acts as the agent for the Company in connection with the exchange offer) with respect to the tendered Outstanding Notes with full power of substitution to:

 

   

deliver such Outstanding Notes, or transfer ownership of such Outstanding Notes on the account books maintained by DTC, to the Company, as applicable, and deliver all accompanying evidences of transfer and authenticity; and

 

   

present such Outstanding Notes for transfer on the books of the Company and receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights of beneficial ownership of such Outstanding Notes, all in accordance with the terms of the exchange offer.

The power of attorney granted in this paragraph shall be deemed to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to tender, exchange, assign and transfer the Outstanding Notes tendered hereby and to acquire the New Notes issuable upon the exchange of such tendered Outstanding Notes, and that the Company will acquire good and marketable title to the Outstanding Notes, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claim or right, when the same are accepted for exchange by the Company.

The undersigned acknowledges that the exchange offer is being made in reliance upon interpretations set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (available June 5, 1991), Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. (available June 5, 1991), Shearman & Sterling (available July 2, 1993) and similar no-action letters (the “Prior No-Action Letters”), that the New Notes issued in exchange for the Outstanding Notes pursuant to the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by holders thereof (other than any holder that is a broker-dealer who purchased Outstanding Notes directly from the Company for resale and any holder that is an “affiliate” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act), without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act (except for prospectus delivery obligations applicable to certain broker-dealers), provided that such New Notes are acquired in the ordinary course of such holders’ business and such holders have no arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of such New Notes in violation of the Securities Act. The SEC has not, however, considered this exchange offer in the context of a no-action letter, and there can be no assurance that the staff of the SEC would make a similar determination with respect to the exchange offer as it has in other circumstances.

The undersigned hereby further represents to the Company that (i) any New Notes received will be acquired in the ordinary course of business of the undersigned; (ii) the undersigned does not have an arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes in violation of the Securities Act; (iii) the undersigned is not an “affiliate” of the Company, within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act; (iv)(a) if the undersigned is not a broker-dealer,

 

4


the undersigned is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the New Notes; or (b) if the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes for its own account in exchange for Outstanding Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the New Notes; provided, however, that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act; and (v) the undersigned is not acting on behalf of any person or entity who could not truthfully make the statements set forth in (i) through (iv) above.

The undersigned acknowledges that if the undersigned is an “affiliate” of the Company (within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act) or is tendering Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer with the intention of participating in any manner in a distribution of the New Notes:

 

   

the undersigned cannot rely on the position of the staff of the SEC set forth in the Prior No-Action Letters and, in the absence of an exemption therefrom, must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction of the New Notes, in which case the registration statement must contain the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or Item 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act; and

 

   

failure to comply with such requirements in such instance could result in the undersigned incurring liability for which the undersigned will not be indemnified by the Company.

The undersigned will, upon request, execute and deliver any additional documents deemed by the Exchange Agent or the Company to be necessary or desirable to complete the exchange, assignment and transfer of the Outstanding Notes tendered hereby, including the transfer of such Outstanding Notes on the account books maintained by DTC.

For purposes of the exchange offer, the Company shall be deemed to have accepted for exchange validly tendered Outstanding Notes that have not been validly withdrawn when, and if, the Company gives oral or written notice of acceptance to the Exchange Agent. Any tendered Outstanding Notes that are not accepted for exchange pursuant to the exchange offer for any reason will be returned, without expense, to the undersigned promptly after the expiration date.

All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred by this Letter of Transmittal shall survive the death, incapacity or dissolution of the undersigned, and every obligation of the undersigned under this Letter of Transmittal shall be binding upon the undersigned’s successors, assigns, heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, trustees in bankruptcy and legal representatives. This tender may be withdrawn only in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Withdrawal Rights.”

The undersigned acknowledges that the acceptance by the Company of properly tendered Outstanding Notes pursuant to the procedures described under the captions “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes through Brokers and Banks” and “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account” in the Prospectus and in the instructions hereto will constitute a binding agreement between the undersigned, on one hand, and the Company, on the other, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the exchange offer. The representations, warranties and agreements of the undersigned contained in this Letter of Transmittal will be deemed to be repeated and reconfirmed on and as of the expiration date and the settlement date of the exchange offer, which will be promptly following the expiration date.

The exchange offer is subject to certain conditions set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Conditions to the Exchange Offer.” The undersigned recognizes that as a result of these conditions (which may be waived, in whole or in part, by the Company), the Company may not be required to exchange any of the Outstanding Notes tendered hereby.

 

5


Unless otherwise indicated under “Special Issuance Instructions,” the undersigned hereby directs that the New Notes be issued in the name(s) of the undersigned or, in the case of a book-entry tender of Outstanding Notes, that the New Notes be credited to the account indicated above maintained at DTC. Similarly, unless otherwise indicated under “Special Delivery Instructions,” the undersigned hereby directs that the New Notes (and any accompanying documents) be delivered to the address shown below the undersigned’s signature.

If the undersigned has (1) tendered any Outstanding Notes that are not exchanged in the exchange offer for any reason or (2) submitted certificates for more Outstanding Notes than the undersigned wishes to tender, unless otherwise indicated under “Special Issuance Instructions” or “Special Delivery Instructions,” the undersigned hereby directs that certificates for any Outstanding Notes that are not tendered or not exchanged should be issued in the name of the undersigned, if applicable, and delivered to the address shown below the undersigned’s signature(s) or, in the case of a book-entry transfer of Outstanding Notes, that Outstanding Notes that are not tendered or not exchanged be credited to the account indicated above maintained at DTC, in each case, at the Company’s expense, promptly following the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

The undersigned recognizes that the Company has no obligation pursuant to the “Special Issuance Instructions” or “Special Delivery Instructions” to transfer any Outstanding Notes from the name of the registered holder(s) thereof if the Company does not accept for exchange any of the Outstanding Notes so tendered for exchange.

 

6


SPECIAL ISSUANCE INSTRUCTIONS

(SEE INSTRUCTIONS 4 AND 5)

 

To be completed ONLY if (i) Outstanding Notes in a principal amount not tendered, or New Notes issued in exchange for Outstanding Notes accepted for exchange, are to be issued in the name of someone other than the undersigned, or (ii) Outstanding Notes tendered by book-entry transfer that are not exchanged are to be returned by credit to an account maintained at DTC other than the DTC Account Number set forth above.

 

☐ Issue New Notes to:

☐ Issue Outstanding Notes to:

Name:                                            

Address:                                           

(include ZIP Code)

 

(Taxpayer Identification or Social Security Number)

(See Instruction 7 below.)
(Please Type or Print

SPECIAL DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS

(SEE INSTRUCTIONS 4 AND 5)

To be completed ONLY if Outstanding Notes in a principal amount not tendered, or New Notes issued in exchange for Outstanding Notes accepted for exchange, are to be mailed or delivered to someone other than the undersigned, or to the undersigned at an address other than that shown below the undersigned’s signature.

☐ Mail or deliver New Notes to:

☐ Mail or deliver Outstanding Notes to:

Name:                                            

Address:                                           

(include ZIP Code)

 

(Taxpayer Identification or Social Security Number)

(See Instruction 7 below.)
(Please Type or Print

☐ Credit unexchanged Outstanding Notes delivered by book-entry transfer to the DTC account number set forth below:

DTC Account number:                                     

 

7


SIGNATURES MUST BE PROVIDED BELOW

PLEASE READ ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS

(complete accompanying IRS Form W-9 below)

 

 
 
(Signature(s) of Registered Holder(s) of Outstanding Notes)

Dated:

              

 

(The above lines must be signed by the registered holder(s) of Outstanding Notes as your/their name(s) appear(s) on the Outstanding Notes or on a security position listing, or by person(s) authorized to become registered holder(s) by a properly completed bond power from the registered holder(s), a copy of which must be transmitted with this Letter of Transmittal. If Outstanding Notes to which this Letter of Transmittal relate are held of record by two or more joint holders, then all such holders must sign this Letter of Transmittal. If signature is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact, officer of a corporation or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, then such person must (i) set forth his or her full title below and (ii) unless waived by the Company, submit evidence satisfactory to the Company of such person’s authority to so act. See Instruction 4 regarding signatures on this Letter of Transmittal, printed below.)

 

Name(s):

    
  

(Please Type or Print)

 

Capacity (Full Title):

              

Address:

    
  

(Include ZIP Code)

 

Area Code and Telephone Number:

    

Taxpayer Identification:

    

MEDALLION SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

(if required by Instruction 4)

Certain signatures must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution (as defined in the instructions below). Please read Instruction 4 of this Letter of Transmittal to determine whether a signature guarantee is required for the tender of your Outstanding Notes.

Signature(s) Guaranteed by an Eligible Institution:

 
     
    (Authorized Signature)
     
    (Title)
     
    (Name of Firm)
     
    (Area Code and Telephone Number)

Dated:           

 

8


INSTRUCTIONS TO LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

FORMING PART OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER

1. Delivery of this Letter of Transmittal and Outstanding Notes or Agent’s Message and Book-Entry Confirmations. This Letter of Transmittal is to be completed by tendering holders of Outstanding Notes if (i) certificates for physically tendered Outstanding Notes are to be delivered or (ii) tenders are to be made pursuant to the procedures for delivery by book-entry transfer under DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program (“ATOP”) set forth in the Prospectus under “The Exchange Offer—Procedures for Brokers and Custodian Banks; DTC ATOP Account” and an agent’s message, which is described further below, is not delivered.

Tenders by book-entry transfer may also be made by delivering an agent’s message in lieu of this Letter of Transmittal. The term “agent’s message” means a message, transmitted by DTC to and received by the Exchange Agent, which states that DTC has received an express acknowledgment from the tendering DTC participant, which acknowledgment states that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the Letter of Transmittal and that the Company may enforce the Letter of Transmittal against such participant. Certificates for Outstanding Notes or a confirmation of a book-entry transfer to the Exchange Agent’s account at DTC of Outstanding Notes transferred by book-entry transfer (a “Book-Entry Confirmation”), as well as a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof or, in the case of a book-entry transfer using ATOP, an agent’s message in lieu hereof) and any other documents required by this Letter of Transmittal, must be received by the Exchange Agent at the address set forth herein prior to the expiration date.

Holders who tender their Outstanding Notes through DTC’s ATOP procedures shall be bound by, but need not complete, this Letter of Transmittal; thus, a Letter of Transmittal need not accompany tenders effected through ATOP.

Any financial institution that is a participant in DTC may electronically transmit its acceptance of the exchange offer by causing DTC to transfer Outstanding Notes in accordance with DTC’s ATOP procedures for such transfer prior to the expiration date.

The method of delivery of the tendered Outstanding Notes, this Letter of Transmittal, and all other required documents to the Exchange Agent is at the election and risk of the holder and, except as otherwise provided below, the delivery will be deemed made only when actually received or confirmed by the Exchange Agent. Delivery of any such documents to DTC will not constitute valid delivery to the Exchange Agent. Instead of delivery by mail, it is recommended that the holder use an overnight or courier service, properly insured, with return receipt requested. In all cases, sufficient time should be allowed to assure delivery to the Exchange Agent before the expiration date. NO OUTSTANDING NOTES, LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL, OR ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE SENT TO THE COMPANY.

2. Tender by Holder. Only a registered holder of Outstanding Notes may tender such Outstanding Notes in the exchange offer. Any beneficial holder of Outstanding Notes who is not the registered holder and who wishes to tender should arrange with the registered holder to execute and deliver this Letter of Transmittal on such beneficial holder’s behalf or must, prior to completing and executing this Letter of Transmittal and delivering such beneficial holder’s Outstanding Notes, either make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the Outstanding Notes in such holder’s name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder.

3. Partial Tenders. Tenders of Outstanding Notes will be accepted only in minimum principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. If less than the entire principal amount of any Outstanding Notes is tendered, the tendering holder should fill in the principal amount tendered in the fourth column of the box entitled “Description of Outstanding Notes Tendered” above. The entire principal amount of Outstanding Notes delivered to the Exchange Agent will be deemed to have been tendered unless otherwise indicated. If the entire principal amount of all Outstanding Notes is not tendered, then Outstanding Notes for the

 

9


principal amount of Outstanding Notes not tendered and New Notes issued in exchange for any Outstanding Notes accepted will be returned to the holder promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

4. Signatures on this Letter of Transmittal; Bond Powers and Endorsements; Medallion Guarantee of Signatures. If this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) is signed by the record holder(s) of the Outstanding Notes tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond exactly with the name(s) as written on the face of the Outstanding Notes without alteration, enlargement or any change whatsoever. If this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) is signed by a participant in DTC, the signature must correspond with the name as it appears on the security position listing as the holder of the Outstanding Notes. If any tendered Outstanding Notes are owned of record by two or more joint owners, all of such owners must sign this Letter of Transmittal.

If this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) is signed by the registered holder(s) of Outstanding Notes listed and tendered hereby and the New Notes issued in exchange therefor are to be issued (or any untendered principal amount of Outstanding Notes is to be reissued) to the registered holder(s), then said holder(s) need not and should not endorse any tendered Outstanding Notes, nor provide a separate bond power. In any other case, such holder(s) must either properly endorse the Outstanding Notes tendered or transmit a properly completed separate bond power with this Letter of Transmittal, with the signatures on the endorsement or bond power guaranteed by a firm that is a member of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or an “eligible guarantor institution” within the meaning of Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in each case that is a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents’ Medallion Program, the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program or the Stock Exchanges’ Medallion Program approved by the Securities Transfer Association Inc. (each, an “Eligible Institution”).

If this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) or any Outstanding Notes or bond powers are signed by one or more trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, such persons should so indicate when signing, and, unless waived by the Company, evidence satisfactory to the Company of their authority to so act must be submitted with this Letter of Transmittal.

No signature guarantee is required if:

 

   

this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) is signed by the registered holder(s) of the Outstanding Notes tendered herein (or by a participant in DTC whose name appears on a security position listing as the owner of the tendered Outstanding Notes) and the New Notes are to be issued directly to such registered holder(s) (or, if signed by a participant in DTC, deposited to such participant’s account at DTC) and neither the box entitled “Special Issuance Instructions” nor the box entitled “Special Delivery Instructions” has been completed; or

 

   

such Outstanding Notes are tendered for the account of an Eligible Institution.

In all other cases, all signatures on this Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile hereof) must be guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.

5. Special Issuance and Delivery Instructions. Tendering holders should indicate, in the applicable box or boxes, the name and address to which New Notes or substitute Outstanding Notes for principal amounts not tendered or not accepted for exchange are to be issued or sent, if different from the name and address of the person signing this Letter of Transmittal. In the case of issuance in a different name, the taxpayer identification number (see Instruction 7 below) of the person named must also be indicated. Holders tendering Outstanding Notes by book-entry transfer may request that Outstanding Notes not exchanged be credited to such account maintained at DTC as such holder may designate hereon. If no such instructions are given, such Outstanding Notes not exchanged will be returned to the name and address (or account number) of the person signing this Letter of Transmittal.

 

10


6. Transfer Taxes. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of Outstanding Notes pursuant to the exchange offer. If, however, a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of Outstanding Notes pursuant to the exchange offer, including in the event that a tendering holder instructs the Company to register New Notes in the name of, or requests that Outstanding Notes not tendered or not accepted in the exchange offer be returned to, a person other than the registered tendering holder, then the amount of any such transfer taxes (whether imposed on the registered holder or any other persons) will be payable by the tendering holder. If satisfactory evidence of payment of such taxes or exemption therefrom is not submitted with this Letter of Transmittal, the amount of such transfer taxes will be billed directly to such tendering holder and the Exchange Agent will retain possession of an amount of New Notes with a face amount at least equal to the amount of such transfer taxes due by such tendering holder pending receipt by the Exchange Agent of the amount of such taxes.

7. Taxpayer Identification Number. Federal income tax law requires that a holder of any Outstanding Notes or New Notes must provide the Company (as payer) with its correct taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), which, in the case of a holder who is an individual, is his or her social security number. If the Company is not provided with the correct TIN, the holder or payee may be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the Internal Revenue Service and backup withholding, currently at a rate of 24%, on interest payments on the New Notes.

To prevent backup withholding, each tendering holder must provide such holder’s correct TIN by completing the IRS Form W-9 set forth herein, certifying that the TIN provided is correct (or that such holder is awaiting a TIN), that the holder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien), and that (i) the holder has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that such holder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report all interest or dividends or (ii) the Internal Revenue Service has notified the holder that such holder is no longer subject to backup withholding. If the New Notes will be registered in more than one name or will not be in the name of the actual owner, consult the instructions to IRS Form W-9 for information on which TIN to report. If such holder does not have, but has applied or intends to apply for, a TIN, such holder should consult the instructions to IRS Form W-9. Backup withholding, currently at a rate of 24%, may apply to interest payments on the New Notes until a TIN is provided. Certain holders are not subject to the backup withholding and reporting requirements. These holders, which we refer to as exempt holders, include certain foreign persons (other than U.S. resident aliens) and persons listed in the instructions to IRS Form W-9 as payees exempt from backup withholding. Exempt holders (other than certain foreign persons) should indicate their exempt status on the IRS Form W-9. A foreign person (other than a U.S. resident alien) may qualify as an exempt holder by submitting to the Exchange Agent a properly completed Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E or other applicable Form W-8, signed under penalties of perjury, attesting to that holder’s exempt status. The applicable IRS Form W-8 may be obtained from the Exchange Agent.

The Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to take whatever steps are necessary to comply with the Company’s obligations regarding backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional federal income tax. Rather, the federal income tax liability of a person subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If backup withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund may be obtained provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

8. Validity of Tenders. All questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of receipt, acceptance and withdrawal of tendered Outstanding Notes will be reasonably determined by the Company in its sole discretion, which determination will be final and binding. The Company reserves the absolute right to reject any and all Outstanding Notes not properly tendered or any Outstanding Notes the Company’s acceptance of which would, in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, be unlawful. The Company also reserves the absolute right to waive any conditions of the exchange offer or defects or irregularities of tender as to particular Outstanding Notes. The Company’s interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer shall be final and binding on all parties. Unless waived, all defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of Outstanding Notes must be cured within such time as the Company shall determine. None of the Company, the Exchange Agent or any other person shall be under any duty to give notification of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of Outstanding Notes nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

11


9. Waiver of Conditions. The Company in its sole discretion reserves the absolute right to waive, in whole or part, any of the conditions to the exchange offer set forth in the Prospectus.

10. No Conditional Tender. No alternative, conditional, irregular or contingent tender of Outstanding Notes will be accepted.

11. Mutilated, Lost Wrongfully Taken or Destroyed Outstanding Notes. Any holder whose Outstanding Notes have been mutilated, lost, wrongfully taken or destroyed should contact the Exchange Agent at the address indicated above for further instructions. This Letter of Transmittal and related documents cannot be processed until the procedures for replacing mutilated, lost, wrongfully taken or destroyed Outstanding Notes have been followed.

12. Requests for Assistance or Additional Copies. Requests for assistance or for additional copies of the Prospectus or this Letter of Transmittal may be directed to the Exchange Agent at the address or telephone number set forth on the cover page of this Letter of Transmittal. Holders may also contact their broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the exchange offer.

13. Withdrawal. Tenders may be withdrawn only in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “The Exchange Offer—Withdrawal Rights.”

IMPORTANT: This Letter of Transmittal or a manually signed facsimile hereof or, in the case of a book-entry transfer using ATOP, an agent’s message in lieu hereof (together with the Outstanding Notes delivered by book-entry transfer or in original hard copy form and all other required documents) must be received by the Exchange Agent prior to the expiration date.

ALL TENDERING HOLDERS MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING IRS FORM W-9

 

12

Exhibit 99.2

LETTER TO CLIENTS

Relating to

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

Offer to Exchange

up to (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for any and all of our outstanding unregistered (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

Pursuant to the Prospectus, dated  , 2024

To Our Clients:

Enclosed for your consideration is a Prospectus, dated  , 2024 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”), and the Letter of Transmittal relating to the exchange offer of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), whereby the Company is offering, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Prospectus, (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 in exchange for an equal amount, respectively, of outstanding (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “Outstanding Notes”).

The exchange offer is intended to satisfy certain obligations of the Company contained in the Registration Rights Agreements, dated as of September 5, 2024, by and among the Company and the initial purchasers of the Outstanding Notes.

This material is being forwarded to you as the beneficial owner of the Outstanding Notes carried by us for your account but not registered in your name. A tender of such Outstanding Notes may only be made by us as the holder of record and pursuant to your instructions, unless you obtain a properly completed bond power from us or arrange to have the Outstanding Notes registered in your name.

Accordingly, we request instructions as to whether you wish us to tender on your behalf the Outstanding Notes held by us for your account, pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the enclosed Prospectus and Letter of Transmittal.

Please forward your instructions to us as promptly as possible in order to permit us to tender the Outstanding Notes on your behalf in accordance with the provisions of the exchange offer. The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on   , 2025, unless extended (such date and time, as they may be extended, the “expiration date”). The Company does not currently intend to extend the expiration date. Any Outstanding Notes tendered pursuant to the exchange offer may be withdrawn any time prior to the expiration date.

Your attention is directed to the following:

1. The exchange offer is described in and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the Letter of Transmittal.

2. The exchange offer is for any and all Outstanding Notes.

3. The Company will be deemed to accept validly tendered Outstanding Notes when, and if, the Company gives oral or written notice of acceptance to the exchange agent. Subject to the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, delivery of the New Notes will be made by the exchange agent on the settlement date, which will be promptly after the expiration date of the exchange offer, following receipt of the Company’s notice of acceptance.


4. Any transfer taxes incident to the transfer of Outstanding Notes from the holder to the Company will be paid by the Company, except as otherwise provided in Instruction 6 of the Letter of Transmittal.

5. The exchange offer expires at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on  , 2025, unless extended by the Company. The Company does not currently intend to extend the exchange offer.

If you wish to have us tender your Outstanding Notes, please instruct us to do so by completing, executing and returning to us the instruction form on the back of this letter.

The Letter of Transmittal is furnished to you for information only and may not be used directly by you to tender Outstanding Notes, unless you obtain a properly completed bond power from us or arrange to have the Outstanding Notes registered in your name.

 

2


INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER

The undersigned acknowledge(s) receipt of this letter and the enclosed materials referred to herein relating to the exchange offer made by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Notes.

This will instruct you to tender the Outstanding Notes held by you for the account of the undersigned, upon and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the related Letter of Transmittal.

 

Please tender the Outstanding Notes held by you for the account of the undersigned as indicated below:

 

  Aggregate Principal Amount of Outstanding Notes
4.550% Senior Notes due 2030    
5.000% Senior Notes due 2035    
  (must be in an amount equal to $2,000 principal amount or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof)

 

Please do not tender any Outstanding Notes held by you for the account of the undersigned.

   
  Signature(s)
   
  Please print name(s) here
 

Dated:                    

  Address(es)
   
  Area Code(s) and Telephone Number(s)
   
  Tax Identification or Social Security No(s).

None of the Outstanding Notes held by us for your account will be tendered unless we receive written instructions from you to do so. Unless a specific contrary instruction is given in the space provided, your signature(s) hereon shall constitute an instruction to us to tender all the Outstanding Notes held by us for your account.

 

3

Exhibit 99.3

LETTER TO REGISTERED HOLDERS AND THE DEPOSITORY

TRUST COMPANY PARTICIPANTS

Relating to

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

Offer to Exchange

up to (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for any and all of our outstanding unregistered (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035

Pursuant to the Prospectus, dated  , 2024

To Registered Holders and The Depository Trust Company Participants:

This document relates to the exchange offer made by FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC whereby we are offering (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 in exchange for an equal amount, respectively, of outstanding (i) $400,000,000 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 and (ii) $400,000,000 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 (collectively, the “Outstanding Notes”).

We are requesting that you contact your clients for whom you hold Outstanding Notes regarding the exchange offer. For your information and for forwarding to your clients for whom you hold Outstanding Notes registered in your name or in the name of your nominee, or who hold Outstanding Notes registered in their own names, we are enclosing the following documents:

1. Prospectus, dated  , 2024;

2. Letter of Transmittal, together with accompanying IRS Form W-9 and instructions thereto;

3. A form of letter that may be sent to your clients for whose account you hold Outstanding Notes registered in your name or the name of your nominee, with space provided for obtaining such clients’ instructions with regard to the exchange offer.

Your prompt action is requested. The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on   , 2025, unless extended (such date and time, as they may be extended, the “expiration date”). We do not currently intend to extend the expiration date. Tenders of Outstanding Notes may be withdrawn at any time prior to the expiration date.

To participate in the exchange offer, a properly completed and duly executed Letter of Transmittal (or a facsimile thereof or, in the case of a book-entry transfer, an agent’s message in lieu thereof), with any required signature guarantees and any other required documents, must be sent to the exchange agent and certificates representing the Outstanding Notes must be delivered to the exchange agent (or book-entry transfer of the Outstanding Notes must be made into the exchange agent’s account at DTC), all in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Letter of Transmittal and the Prospectus.

Any inquiries you may have with respect to the exchange offer or requests for additional copies of the enclosed materials should be directed to the exchange agent at its address and telephone number set forth on the front of the Letter of Transmittal.

 

Very truly yours,

FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC

NOTHING HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON AS AN AGENT OF FIRSTENERGY TRANSMISSION, LLC OR THE EXCHANGE AGENT, OR AUTHORIZE YOU OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO USE ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF EITHER OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS EXPRESSLY MADE IN THE PROSPECTUS OR THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

Form S-4

(Form Type)

FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

 

                         
     Security
Type
 

Security
Class

Title

 

Fee
Calculation

or Carry
Forward
Rule

 

Amount

Registered

 

Proposed

Maximum
Offering

Price per
Unit

 

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering

Price

 

Fee

Rate

 

Amount of

Registration
Fee

  Carry
Forward
Form
Type
  Carry
Forward
File
Number
  Carry
Forward
Initial
Effective
Date
  Filing Fee
Previously
Paid in
Connection
with
Unsold
Securities
to
be
Carried
Forward
 
Newly Registered Securities
                         

Fees to Be

Paid

  Debt   4.550% Senior Notes due 2030   Rule 457(f)   $400,000,000   100%   $400,000,000(1)   0.00015310    $61,240(3)          
                         
    Debt   5.000% Senior Notes due 2035   Rule 457(f)   $400,000,000   100%   $400,000,000(2)   0.00015310   $61,240(3)          
                         

Fees

Previously

Paid

  —    —    —    —    —    —      —           
 
Carry Forward Securities
                         

Carry

Forward

Securities

  —    —    —    —            —    —    —    — 
                   
    Total Offering Amounts      $800,000,000     $122,480          
                   
    Total Fees Previously Paid          —           
                   
    Total Fee Offsets          —           
                   
    Net Fee Due                $122,480                

 

(1)

Represents the aggregate principal amount of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC’s 4.550% Senior Notes due 2030 to be offered in the exchange offer to which the registration statement relates.

(2)

Represents the aggregate principal amount of FirstEnergy Transmission, LLC’s 5.000% Senior Notes due 2035 to be offered in the exchange offer to which the registration statement relates.

(3)

Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(f) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.