Exhibit 99.01

EXECUTION COPY

$350,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

among

SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY,

as Borrower,

The Several Lenders from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

and

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Documentation Agents,

and

CITIBANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

Dated as of August 23, 2006

CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 23, 2006, among SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY, a New Mexico corporation (the “Borrower”), the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties to this Agreement (the “Lenders”), BARCLAYS BANK PLC and KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as documentation agents (in such capacity, the “Documentation Agents”), and CITIBANK, N.A., as administrative agent.

The parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS

1.1           Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the terms listed in this Section 1.1 shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.1.

“ABR”:  for any day, a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to the greater of (a) the Base Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%.  For purposes hereof, “Base Rate” shall mean the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Citibank, N.A. as its base rate in effect at its principal office in New York City (the Base Rate not being intended to be the lowest rate of interest charged by Citibank, N.A. in connection with extensions of credit to debtors).  Any change in the ABR due to a change in the Base Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the effective day of such change in the Base Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

“ABR Loans”:  Bridge Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is based upon the ABR.

“Administrative Agent”:  Citibank, N.A., together with its affiliates, as an arranger of the Commitments and as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with any of its successors.

“Affiliate”:  as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, is in Control of, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such Person.

“Agents”:  the collective reference to the Documentation Agents and the Administrative Agent.

 “Agreement”:  as defined in the preamble hereto.

“Applicable Margin”:  The rate per annum set forth under the relevant column heading below based on the applicable Debt Rating:

For purposes of this definition, “Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or ▇▇▇▇▇’▇ (collectively, the “Debt Ratings”) of the Borrower’s senior unsecured non-credit enhanced long-term indebtedness for borrowed money; provided that if there is a split in Debt Ratings, then the higher* of such Debt Ratings shall apply, unless there is a split in Debt Ratings of more than one level, in which case the level that is one level higher than the lower Debt Rating shall apply. The Debt Ratings shall be determined from the most recent public announcement of any changes in the Debt Ratings.  If the rating system of S&P or ▇▇▇▇▇’▇ shall change, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system and, pending the effectiveness of such amendment (which shall require the approval of Required Lenders), the Debt Rating shall be determined by reference to the rating most recently in effect prior to such change.

“Assignee”:  as defined in Section 10.6(b).

“Assignment and Assumption”:  an Assignment and Assumption, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

“Benefited Lender”:  as defined in Section 10.7(a).

“Board”:  the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor).

“Borrower”:  as defined in the preamble hereto.

“Borrowing Date”:  the Business Day specified by the Borrower as the date on which the Borrower requests the Lenders to make the Bridge Loans hereunder.

“Bridge Loans”:  as defined in Section 2.1(a).

“Business Day”:  a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to close, provided, that with respect to notices

*                It being understood and agreed, by way of example, that a Debt Rating of A- is one level higher than a Debt Rating of BBB+.

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and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, Eurodollar Loans, such day is also a day for trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the interbank eurodollar market.

“Capital Lease Obligations”:  as to any Person, the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP and, for the purposes of this Agreement, the amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Capital Stock”:  any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

“Change in Control”:  Xcel Energy Inc. ceasing to directly own, beneficially and of record, 100% of each class of issued and outstanding common stock of the Borrower free and clear of all Liens.

“Closing Date”:  the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.1 shall have been satisfied, which date is August 23, 2006.

“Code”:  the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

“Commitment”:  as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make a Bridge Loan in a principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading “Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as the same may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.  The original amount of the Total Commitments is $350,000,000.

“Commitment Period”:  as to any Lender, the period from and including the Closing Date to November 1, 2006.

“Commodity Swap Agreement”:  any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, commodities.

“Commonly Controlled Entity”:  an entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA or is part of a group that includes the Borrower and that is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

“Contractual Obligation”:  as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

“Control”:  the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

“Debt Rating”:  as defined in the definition of “Applicable Margin.”

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“Default”:  any of the events specified in Section 8, whether or not any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, has been satisfied.

“Designated Significant Subsidiary”:  any Significant Subsidiary designated as such by the Borrower in accordance with Section 6.11, so long as such designation shall not have been revoked pursuant to Section 6.11.

“Disposition”:  with respect to any property, any sale, lease, sale and leaseback, conveyance, transfer or other disposition thereof.  The terms “Dispose” and “Disposed of” shall have correlative meanings.

“Documentation Agents”:  as defined in the preamble hereto.

“Dollars” and “$”:  dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

“Environmental Laws”:  any and all foreign, Federal, state, local or municipal laws, rules, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decrees, requirements of any Governmental Authority or other Requirements of Law (including common law) regulating, relating to or imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning protection of human health or the environment, as now or may at any time hereafter be in effect.

“ERISA”:  the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

“Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements”:  for any day as applied to a Eurodollar Loan, the aggregate (without duplication) of the maximum rates (expressed as a decimal fraction) of reserve requirements in effect on such day (including basic, supplemental, marginal and emergency reserves) under any regulations of the Board or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction with respect thereto dealing with reserve requirements prescribed for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board) maintained by a member bank of the Federal Reserve System.

“Eurodollar Base Rate”:  with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of such Interest Period appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period.  In the event that such rate does not appear on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen (or otherwise on such screen), the “Eurodollar Base Rate” shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the absence of such availability, by reference to the rate at which the Administrative Agent is offered Dollar deposits at or about 11:00 A.M., New York City time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period in the interbank eurodollar market where its eurodollar and foreign currency and exchange operations are then being conducted for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period for the number of days comprised therein.

“Eurodollar Loans”:  Bridge Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is based upon the Eurodollar Rate.

“Eurodollar Rate”:  with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan, a rate per annum determined for such day in accordance with the following formula (rounded upward to the nearest 1/100th of 1%):

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 “Eurodollar Tranche”:  the collective reference to Eurodollar Loans the then current Interest Periods with respect to all of which begin on the same date and end on the same later date.

“Event of Default”:  any of the events specified in Section 8, provided that any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, has been satisfied.

“Federal Funds Effective Rate”:  for any day, the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding 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 of the quotations for the day of such transactions received by Citibank, N.A. from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

“FERC”:  the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and any successor thereto.

“Funded Debt”:  of any Person at any date, without duplication, (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money; (ii) the deferred and unpaid balance of the purchase price owing by such Person on account of any assets or services purchased (other than trade payables and other accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue by more than 180 days unless being contested in good faith) if such purchase price is (A) due more than nine months from the date of incurrence of the obligation in respect thereof or (B) evidenced by a note or a similar written instrument; (iii) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person; (iv) all indebtedness secured by a Lien on any property owned by such Person, whether or not such indebtedness has been assumed by such Person or is nonrecourse to such Person; (v) notes payable and drafts accepted representing extensions of credit to such Person whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money (other than such notes or drafts for the purchase price of assets or services to the extent such purchase price is excluded from clause (ii) above); (vi) indebtedness of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes or similar written instruments; (vii) any non-contingent obligation of such Person in respect of letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances issued for the account of such Person (other than such letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances and drafts for the purchase price of assets or services to the extent such purchase price is excluded from clause (ii) above); (viii) net obligations of such Person under Swap Agreements which constitute interest rate agreements or currency agreements; (ix) guaranty obligations of such Person with respect to indebtedness for borrowed money of another Person (including Affiliates); (x) all Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities of such Person; and (xi) in the case of the Borrower, any amounts due under Trust Preferred Securities; provided, however, that in no event shall any calculation of Funded Debt of the Borrower include deferred taxes.

“Funding Office”:  the office of the Administrative Agent specified in Section 10.2 or such other office as may be specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its funding office by written notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

“GAAP”:  generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time to time; provided that in the event that any “Accounting Change” (as defined below) shall occur and such change results in a change in the method of calculation of financial covenants, standards or terms in this Agreement, then (i) the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree to enter into negotiations in order to amend such provisions of this Agreement so as to reflect equitably such Accounting Changes with the desired result that the criteria for evaluating the Borrower’s financial condition shall be the same after such Accounting Changes as if such Accounting Changes had not been made and (ii) until such time as such an amendment shall have been executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent

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and the Required Lenders, all financial covenants (including those contained in Section 7.1), standards and terms in this Agreement shall continue to be calculated or construed as if such Accounting Changes had not occurred.  “Accounting Changes” refers to changes in accounting principles required or permitted by the promulgation of any rule, regulation, pronouncement or opinion by the Financial Accounting Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or, if applicable, the SEC.

“Governmental Authority”:  any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, any securities exchange and any self-regulatory organization (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners).

“Guarantee Obligation”:  as to any Person (the “guaranteeing person”), any obligation, including a reimbursement, counterindemnity or similar obligation, of the guaranteeing Person that guarantees or in effect guarantees, or which is given to induce the creation of a separate obligation by another Person (including any bank under any letter of credit) that guarantees or in effect guarantees, any Indebtedness, leases, dividends or other obligations (the “primary obligations”) of any other third Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including any obligation of the guaranteeing person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds (1) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (2) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term Guarantee Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business.  The amount of any Guarantee Obligation of any guaranteeing person shall be deemed to be the lower of (a) an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guarantee Obligation is made and (b) the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guarantee Obligation, unless such primary obligation and the maximum amount for which such guaranteeing person may be liable are not stated or determinable, in which case the amount of such Guarantee Obligation shall be such guaranteeing person’s maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the Borrower in good faith.

“Indebtedness”:  of any Person at any date, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than current trade payables or liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (d) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (e) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (f) all non-contingent obligations of such Person in respect of acceptances, letters of credit, surety bonds or similar arrangements, (g) the liquidation value of all mandatorily redeemable preferred Capital Stock of such Person, (h) all Guarantee Obligations of such Person in respect of obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above, (i) all obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such obligation has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, whether or not such Person has assumed or become liable for the payment of such obligation, and (j) all net obligations of such Person in respect of Swap Agreements.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other

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entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness expressly provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

“Insolvency”:  with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

“Insolvent”:  pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.

“Interest Payment Date”:  (a) as to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December to occur while such Bridge Loan is outstanding and the Maturity Date, (b) as to any Eurodollar Loan having an Interest Period of three months or less, the last day of such Interest Period and (c) as to any Bridge Loan, the date of any repayment or prepayment made in respect thereof.

 “Interest Period”:  as to any Eurodollar Loan, (a) initially, the period commencing on the borrowing or conversion date, as the case may be, with respect to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two or three months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its notice of borrowing or notice of conversion, as the case may be, given with respect thereto; and (b) thereafter, each period commencing on the last day of the next preceding Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two or three months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower by irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date that is three Business Days prior to the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto; provided that, all of the foregoing provisions relating to Interest Periods are subject to the following:

(i)            if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another calendar month in which event such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

(ii)           the Borrower may not select an Interest Period that would extend beyond the Maturity Date; and

(iii)          any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of a calendar month.

“Lenders”:  as defined in the preamble hereto.

“Lien”:  any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or other security interest or any preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any capital lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Loan Documents”:  this Agreement, the Notes and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing.

“Material Adverse Effect”:  any event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, property or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the validity

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or enforceability of any of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder and thereunder.

“Material Indebtedness”:  Indebtedness (other than the Bridge Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements or Commodity Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Significant Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $50,000,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement or any Commodity Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement or Commodity Swap Agreement, as applicable, were terminated at such time.

“Maturity Date”:  December 29, 2006.

“▇▇▇▇▇’▇”:  ▇▇▇▇▇’▇ Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

“Multiemployer Plan”:  a Plan that is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

“Net Cash Proceeds”: in connection with any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or any incurrence of Indebtedness, the cash proceeds received from such issuance or incurrence, net of attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, accountants’ fees, underwriting discounts and commissions and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith.

“Non-Excluded Taxes”:  as defined in Section 2.14(a).

“Non-U.S. Lender”:  as defined in Section 2.14(d).

“Notes”:  the collective reference to any promissory note evidencing Bridge Loans.

“Obligations”:  the unpaid principal of and interest on (including interest accruing after the maturity of the Bridge Loans and interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) the Bridge Loans and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document made, delivered or given in connection herewith or therewith, whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses (including all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender that are required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant hereto) or otherwise.

“Off-Balance Sheet Liability”:  of a Person, (i) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (ii) any liability under any Sale and Leaseback Transaction of such Person which is not a Capital Lease Obligation and (iii) all Synthetic Lease Obligations of such Person.  The amount of liability under a Sale and Leaseback Transaction of any Person shall be the amount that would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP if such lease or agreement were accounted for as a Capital Lease Obligation.

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“Other Taxes”:  any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

“Participant”:  as defined in Section 10.6(c).

“PBGC”:  the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA (or any successor).

“Percentage”:  as to any Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender’s Commitment then constitutes of the Total Commitments or, at any time after the Commitments shall have expired or terminated, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s Bridge Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Bridge Loans then outstanding.

“Permitted Lien”:  (i) any Lien securing a tax, assessment or other governmental charge or levy or the claim of a materialman, mechanic, carrier, warehouseman or landlord for labor, materials, supplies or rentals incurred in the ordinary course of business, but only if payment thereof shall not at the time be required to be made in accordance with Section 6.3; (ii) any Lien on the properties and assets of a Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower securing an obligation owing to the Borrower or another Significant Subsidiary; (iii) any Lien consisting of a deposit or pledge made in the ordinary course of business in connection with, or to secure payment of, obligations under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, social security or retirement benefits or similar legislation; (iv) any Lien arising pursuant to an order of attachment, distraint or similar legal process arising in connection with legal proceedings, but only if no Event of Default exists in respect of such order; (v) any Lien existing on (A) any property or asset of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or (B) any property or asset at the time such property or asset is acquired by the Borrower or a Subsidiary, but only, in the case of either (A) or (B), if and so long as (1) such Lien was not created in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such property or asset being acquired, (2) such Lien is and will remain confined to the property or asset subject to it at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or such property or asset is acquired and to improvements thereafter erected on or attached to such property or asset or any property or asset acquired in substitution or replacement thereof, (3) such Lien secures only the obligation secured thereby at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or such property or asset is acquired and (4) the obligation secured by such Lien is not in default; (vi) any Lien in existence on the Closing Date to the extent set forth on Schedule 7.2, but only, in the case of each such Lien, to the extent it secures an obligation outstanding on the Closing Date to the extent set forth on such Schedule; (vii) any Lien securing Purchase Money Indebtedness but only if, in the case of each such Lien, (A) such Lien shall at all times be confined solely to the property or asset the purchase price of which was financed through the incurrence of the Purchase Money Indebtedness secured by such Lien and to improvements thereafter erected on or attached to such property or asset or any property or asset acquired in substitution or replacement thereof and (B) such Lien attached to such property or asset within 90 days of the acquisition of such property or asset; (viii) deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than Indebtedness), operating leases, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (ix) deposits securing liability to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements; (x) easements, reservations, rights-of-way, restrictions, survey exceptions and other similar encumbrances as to real property which customarily exist on properties of corporations engaged in similar activities and similarly situated and which do not materially interfere with the conduct of the business of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary conducted at the property subject thereto; (xi) leases and subleases of property owned or leased by the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary not interfering with the ordinary

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conduct of the business of the Borrower and the Significant Subsidiaries; (xii) Liens securing obligations, neither assumed by the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary nor on account of which the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary customarily pays interest, upon real estate or under which any Significant Subsidiary has a right-of-way, easement, franchise or other servitude or of which any Significant Subsidiary is the lessee of the whole thereof or any interest therein for the purpose of locating transmission and distribution lines and related support structures, pipe lines, substations, measuring stations, tanks, pumping or delivery equipment or similar equipment; (xiii) Liens arising by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of setoff or similar rights as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depository institution; (xiv) any Lien constituting a renewal, extension or replacement of a Lien constituting a Permitted Lien by virtue of clause (v), (vi) or (vii) of this definition, but only if (A) at the time such Lien is granted and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist, (B) such Lien is limited to all or a part of the property or asset that was subject to the Lien so renewed, extended or replaced and to improvements thereafter erected on or attached to such property or asset or any property or asset acquired in substitution or replacement thereof, (C) the principal amount of the obligations secured by such Lien does not exceed the principal amount of the obligations secured by the Lien so renewed, extended or replaced and (D) the obligations secured by such Lien bear interest at a rate per annum not exceeding the rate borne by the obligations secured by the Lien so renewed, extended or replaced except for any increase that is commercially reasonable at the time of such increase; (xv) Liens on any property of any Significant Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of such Significant Subsidiary; and (xvi) Liens not described in clauses (i) through (xv), inclusive, securing Indebtedness or other liabilities or obligations of the Borrower and/or its Significant Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount outstanding not to exceed 10% of the consolidated net worth of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at the time of such incurrence.

“Person”:  an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.

“Plan”:  at a particular time, any employee benefit plan that is covered by ERISA and in respect of which the Borrower or a Commonly Controlled Entity is (or, if such plan were terminated at such time, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

“Purchase Money Indebtedness”:  Indebtedness of the Borrower that is incurred to finance part or all of (but not more than) the purchase price of a tangible asset; provided that (i) neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary had at any time prior to such purchase any interest in such asset other than a security interest or an interest as lessee under an operating lease and (ii) such Indebtedness is incurred within 90 days after such purchase.

“Refinancing”:  the repayment in full of the $500 million outstanding senior notes of the Borrower due on November 1, 2006.

“Register”:  as defined in Section 10.6(b).

“Regulation U”:  Regulation U of the Board as in effect from time to time.

“Reorganization”:  with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.

“Reportable Event”:  any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty day notice period is waived under PBGC Reg. § 4043.

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“Required Lenders”:  at any time, the holders of more than 50% of the Total Commitments then in effect or, if the Commitments have been terminated, the aggregate Bridge Loans then outstanding.

“Requirement of Law”:  as to any Person, the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

“Responsible Officer”:  the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer or treasurer of the Borrower.

“Revolving Credit Facility”:  the revolving credit facility of the Borrower pursuant to a $250,000,000 credit agreement dated as of April 21, 2005.

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction”:  any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby a seller or transferor shall sell or otherwise transfer any real or personal property and concurrently therewith lease, or repurchase under an extended purchase contract, conditional sales or other title retention agreement, the same or substantially similar property.

“S&P”:  Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of the McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. or any successor thereto.

“SEC”:  the Securities and Exchange Commission and any successor thereto.

“Significant Subsidiary”:  (a) any current or subsequently acquired Subsidiary the total assets of which equal or exceed 15% of the consolidated total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (b) any Designated Significant Subsidiary.

“Single Employer Plan”:  any Plan that is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but that is not a Multiemployer Plan.

“Solvent”:  when used with respect to any Person, means that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the “present fair saleable value” of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all “liabilities of such Person, contingent or otherwise”, as of such date, as such quoted terms are determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such debts become absolute and matured, (c) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business, and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature.  For purposes of this definition, (i) “debt” means liability on a “claim”, and (ii) “claim” means any (x) right to payment, whether or not such a right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or unsecured or (y) right to an equitable remedy for breach of performance if such breach gives rise to a right to payment, whether or not such right to an equitable remedy is reduced to judgment, fixed, contingent, matured or unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured or unsecured.

“Subsidiary”:  as to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which shares of stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power (other than stock or such other ownership interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) to elect a majority of the board of directors or other managers of such corporation,

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partnership or other entity are at the time owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise qualified, all references to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” in this Agreement shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

“Swap Agreement”:  any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more interest rates, currencies, equity or debt instruments or securities, including indices relating thereto, or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be a “Swap Agreement”.

“Synthetic Lease Obligation”:  the monetary obligation of a Person under (i) a so-called synthetic or off-balance sheet or tax retention lease or (ii) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).  The amount of Synthetic Lease Obligations of any Person under any such lease or agreement shall be the amount which would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP if such lease or agreement were accounted for as a Capital Lease Obligation.

 “Termination Date”:  November 1, 2006.

“Total Capital”:  the sum of (A) stockholder’s equity, which is the sum of common stock, premium on common stock, retained earnings and preferred stock, but which excludes Trust Preferred Securities to the extent included in Funded Debt and (B) Funded Debt, all determined with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

“Total Commitments”:  at any time, the aggregate amount of the Commitments then in effect.

“Transferee”:  any Assignee or Participant.

“Trust Preferred Securities”:  any preferred securities issued by a Trust Preferred Securities Subsidiary, where such preferred securities have the following characteristics:

(i)            such Trust Preferred Securities Subsidiary lends substantially all of the proceeds from the issuance of such preferred securities to the Borrower or a wholly-owned direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower in exchange for subordinated debt issued by the Borrower or such wholly-owned direct or indirect Subsidiary, respectively;

(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 subordinated debt; and

(iii)          the Borrower or a wholly-owned direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower (as the case may be) makes periodic interest payments on the subordinated debt, which interest payments are in turn used by the Trust Preferred Securities Subsidiary to make corresponding payments to the holders of such preferred securities.

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“Trust Preferred Securities Subsidiary”:  any Delaware business trust (or similar entity) (i) all of the common equity interest of which is owned (either directly or indirectly through one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower) at all times by the Borrower, (ii) that has been formed for the purpose of issuing Trust Preferred Securities and (iii) substantially all of the assets of which consist at all times solely of subordinated debt issued by the Borrower or a wholly-owned direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower (as the case may be) and payments made from time to time on such subordinated debt.

“Type”:  as to any Bridge Loan, its nature as an ABR Loan or a Eurodollar Loan.

“United States”:  the United States of America.

“Wholly Owned Subsidiary”:  as to any Person, any other Person all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares required by law) is owned by such Person directly and/or through other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.

1.2           Other Definitional Provisions.  (a)  Unless otherwise specified therein, all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in the other Loan Documents or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto.

(b)  As used herein and in the other Loan Documents, and any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, (i) accounting terms relating to the Borrower not defined in Section 1.1 and accounting terms partly defined in Section 1.1, to the extent not defined, shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP, (ii) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (iii) the word “incur” shall be construed to mean incur, create, issue, assume, become liable in respect of or suffer to exist (and the words “incurred” and “incurrence” shall have correlative meanings), (iv) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, Capital Stock, securities, revenues, accounts, leasehold interests and contract rights, and (v) references to agreements or other Contractual Obligations shall, unless otherwise specified, be deemed to refer to such agreements or Contractual Obligations as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

(c)  The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section, Schedule and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

(d)  The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.

SECTION 2.  AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS

2.1           Commitments.  (a)  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Lender severally agrees to make a bridge loan (the “Bridge Loans”) to the Borrower on any Business Day during the Commitment Period in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment.  During the Commitment Period the Borrower may use the Commitments by borrowing the Bridge Loans in a single drawing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof.  The Bridge Loans may from time to time be Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans, as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Sections 2.2 and 2.7.

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(b)  The Borrower shall repay the outstanding Bridge Loans of each Lender on the Maturity Date.

2.2           Procedure for Bridge Loan Borrowing.  The Borrower may borrow under the Commitments during the Commitment Period on any Business Day, provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice (which notice must be received by the Administrative Agent prior to 11:00 A.M., New York City time, (a) three Business Days prior to the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of Eurodollar Loans or (b) on the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of ABR Loans), specifying (i) the amount and Type of Bridge Loans to be borrowed, (ii) the requested Borrowing Date and (iii) in the case of Eurodollar Loans, the respective lengths of the initial Interest Period therefor.  Upon receipt of any such notice from the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.  Each Lender will make the amount of its pro rata share of the Bridge Loan borrowing available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Borrower at the Funding Office prior to 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on the Borrowing Date requested by the Borrower in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent.  Such borrowing will then be made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of such office with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Lenders and in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent.

2.3           Fees.  On the earlier of the Borrowing Date or the Termination Date, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee for the period from the Closing Date to the Borrowing Date or the Termination Date, as applicable, on the undrawn Commitment of such Lender determined in accordance with the pricing grid set forth in the definition of Applicable Margin.

2.4           Termination or Reduction of Commitments.  The Borrower shall have the right, upon not less than three Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate the Commitments or, from time to time, to reduce the amount of the Commitments.  Any such reduction shall be in an amount equal to $1,000,000, or a whole multiple thereof, and shall reduce permanently the Commitments then in effect.  Unless terminated earlier by the Borrower, the Commitments shall automatically terminate on the earlier to occur of the Borrowing Date or the Termination Date.

2.5           Optional Prepayments.  The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay the Bridge Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty, upon irrevocable notice delivered to the Administrative Agent no later than 11:00 A.M., New York City time, three Business Days prior thereto, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, and no later than 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the prepayment date, in the case of ABR Loans, which notice shall specify the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans; provided, that if a Eurodollar Loan is prepaid on any day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay any amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.15.  Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.  If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein, together with accrued interest to such date on the amount prepaid.  Partial prepayments of Bridge Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple thereof.  Once prepaid, Bridge Loans may not be reborrowed; provided, that any conversions pursuant to Section 2.7 shall not be considered a reborrowing.

2.6           Mandatory Prepayments and Commitment Reductions.  (a)  If prior to the Borrowing Date, any Capital Stock in an amount in excess of $10,000,000 or long-term Indebtedness from unaffiliated third parties (other than Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility in an amount

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not to exceed $150,000,000) shall be issued or incurred by the Borrower, the Commitments shall be reduced by an amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof;

(b)  If prior to the Borrowing Date, any Capital Stock in excess of $10,000,000 or long-term Indebtedness from unaffiliated third parties (other than Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility in an amount not to exceed $150,000,000) shall be issued or incurred by the Borrower, the proceeds of which are used, in whole or in part, to complete the Refinancing, the Commitments shall terminate on the date of such issuance or incurrence;

(c)  If after the Borrowing Date, any Capital Stock in an amount in excess of $10,000,000 or long-term Indebtedness from unaffiliated third parties (other than Indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Facility in an amount not to exceed $150,000,000) shall be issued or incurred by the Borrower, an amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied on the date of such issuance or incurrence toward the repayment of the Bridge Loans.

2.7           Conversion and Continuation Options.  (a)  The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert Eurodollar Loans to ABR Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date, provided that any such conversion of Eurodollar Loans may only be made on the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto.  The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert ABR Loans to Eurodollar Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date (which notice shall specify the length of the initial Interest Period therefor), provided that no ABR Loan may be converted into a Eurodollar Loan when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such conversions.  Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.

(b)  Any Eurodollar Loan may be continued as such upon the expiration of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto by the Borrower giving irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the term “Interest Period” set forth in Section 1.1, of the length of the next Interest Period to be applicable to such Bridge Loans, provided that no Eurodollar Loan may be continued as such when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent has or the Required Lenders have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuations, and provided, further, that if the Borrower shall fail to give any required notice as described above in this paragraph or if such continuation is not permitted pursuant to the preceding proviso such Bridge Loans shall be automatically converted to ABR Loans on the last day of such then expiring Interest Period.  Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.

2.8           Limitations on Eurodollar Tranches.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all borrowings, conversions and continuations of Eurodollar Loans and all selections of Interest Periods shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to such elections so that, (a) after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of the Eurodollar Loans comprising each Eurodollar Tranche shall be equal to $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (b) no more than ten Eurodollar Tranches shall be outstanding at any one time.

2.9           Interest Rates and Payment Dates.  (a)  Each Eurodollar Loan shall bear interest for each day during each Interest Period with respect thereto at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate determined for such day plus the Applicable Margin.

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(b)  Each ABR Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the ABR plus the Applicable Margin.

(c)  (i) If all or a portion of the principal amount of any Bridge Loan shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), all outstanding Bridge Loans (whether or not overdue) shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section plus 2% and (ii) if all or a portion of any interest payable on any Bridge Loan or any commitment fee or other amount payable hereunder shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate then applicable to ABR Loans plus 2%, in each case, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, from the date of such non-payment until such amount is paid in full (as well after as before judgment).

(d)  Interest shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, provided that interest accruing pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable from time to time on demand.

2.10         Computation of Interest and Fees.  (a)  Interest and fees payable pursuant hereto shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed, except that, with respect to ABR Loans the rate of interest on which is calculated on the basis of the Base Rate, the interest thereon shall be calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed.  The Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the Lenders of each determination of a Eurodollar Rate.  Any change in the interest rate on a Bridge Loan resulting from a change in the ABR or the Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements shall become effective as of the opening of business on the day on which such change becomes effective.  The Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the effective date and the amount of each such change in interest rate.

(b)  Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error.  The Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, deliver to the Borrower a statement showing the quotations used by the Administrative Agent in determining any interest rate pursuant to Section 2.9(a).

2.11         Inability to Determine Interest Rate.  If prior to the first day of any Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders that:

(a)           the Administrative Agent shall have determined (which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Borrower) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period, or

(b)           the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Required Lenders that the Eurodollar Rate determined or to be determined for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (as conclusively certified by such Lenders) of making or maintaining their affected Bridge Loans during such Interest Period,

then (x) any Eurodollar Loans requested to be made on the first day of such Interest Period shall be made as ABR Loans, (y) any Bridge Loans that were to have been converted on the first day of such Interest Period to Eurodollar Loans shall be continued as ABR Loans and (z) any outstanding Eurodollar Loans shall be converted, on the last day of the then-current Interest Period, to ABR Loans.  Until such notice

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has been withdrawn by the Administrative Agent, no further Eurodollar Loans shall be made or continued as such, nor shall the Borrower have the right to convert Bridge Loans to Eurodollar Loans.

2.12         Pro Rata Treatment and Payments.  (a)  Each borrowing by the Borrower from the Lenders hereunder, each payment by the Borrower on account of any commitment fee and any reduction of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be made pro rata according to the respective Percentages of the Lenders.

(b)  Each payment (including each prepayment) by the Borrower on account of principal of and interest on the Bridge Loans shall be made pro rata according to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Bridge Loans then held by the Lenders.

(c)  All payments (including prepayments) to be made by the Borrower hereunder, whether on account of principal, interest, fees or otherwise, shall be made without setoff or counterclaim and shall be made prior to 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on the due date thereof to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, at the Funding Office, in Dollars and in immediately available funds.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute such payments to the Lenders promptly upon receipt in like funds as received.  If any payment hereunder (other than payments on the Eurodollar Loans) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day.  If any payment on a Eurodollar Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day.  In the case of any extension of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.

(d)  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by any Lender prior to a borrowing that such Lender will not make the amount that would constitute its share of such borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender is making such amount available to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  If such amount is not made available to the Administrative Agent by the required time on the Borrowing Date, such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on demand, such amount with interest thereon, at a rate equal to the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (ii) a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, for the period until such Lender makes such amount immediately available to the Administrative Agent.  A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this paragraph shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  If such Lender’s share of such borrowing is not made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender within three Business Days after the Borrowing Date, the Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum applicable to ABR Loans, on demand, from the Borrower.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Borrower against such Lender.

(e)  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by the Borrower prior to the date of any payment due to be made by the Borrower hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower is making such payment, and the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Lenders their respective shares of a corresponding amount.  If such payment is not made to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower within three Business Days after such due date, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover, on demand, from each Lender to which any amount which was made available pursuant to the preceding sentence, such amount with

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interest thereon at the rate per annum equal to the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower.

2.13         Requirements of Law.  (a)  If the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any central bank or other Governmental Authority made subsequent to the date hereof:

(i)  shall subject any Lender to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement or any Eurodollar Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender in respect thereof (except, in each case, for Non-Excluded Taxes covered by Section 2.14 and changes in the rate of tax on the overall net income of such Lender);

(ii)  shall impose, modify or hold applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against assets held by, deposits or other liabilities in or for the account of, advances, loans or other extensions of credit by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of such Lender that is not otherwise included in the determination of the Eurodollar Rate; or

(iii)    shall impose on such Lender any other condition;

and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender, by an amount that such Lender deems to be material, of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining Eurodollar Loans or to reduce any amount receivable hereunder in respect thereof, then, in any such case, the Borrower shall pay such Lender, reasonably promptly after its demand, any additional amounts necessary to compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduced amount receivable.  If any Lender becomes entitled to claim any additional amounts pursuant to this paragraph, it shall promptly notify the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of the event by reason of which it has become so entitled, setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations upon which such Lender determined such amounts.

(b)  If any Lender shall have determined that the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law regarding capital adequacy or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority made subsequent to the date hereof shall have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such corporation’s capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender or such corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such corporation’s policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender to be material, then from time to time, after submission by such Lender to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of a written request therefor setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations upon which such Lender determined such amounts, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender reasonably promptly after such submission such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such corporation for such reduction.

(c)  A certificate as to any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section submitted by any Lender to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any amounts incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if within such six-month period circumstances occur that give rise

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to such claim having a retroactive effect, then such six-month period shall be extended to include the period of such retroactive effect.  The obligations of the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Bridge Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

2.14         Taxes.  (a)  All payments made by the Borrower under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income, stamp or other taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings, now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding net income taxes and franchise taxes (imposed in lieu of net income taxes) imposed on the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of a present or former connection between the Administrative Agent or such Lender and the jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such tax or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein (other than any such connection arising solely from the Administrative Agent or such Lender having executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under, or enforced, this Agreement or any other Loan Document).  If any such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings (“Non-Excluded Taxes”) or Other Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts payable to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder, the amounts so payable to the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the Administrative Agent or such Lender (after payment of all Non-Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement, provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to any Lender with respect to any Non-Excluded Taxes (i) that are attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the requirements of paragraph (d) or (e) of this Section or (ii) that are United States withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to such Lender at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, except to the extent that such Lender’s assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of assignment, to receive such additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such Non-Excluded Taxes pursuant to this paragraph, so long as such additional amounts payable by the Borrower are not increased thereby.

(b)  In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c)  Whenever any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes are payable by the Borrower, as promptly as possible thereafter the Borrower shall send to the Administrative Agent for its own account or for the account of the relevant Lender, as the case may be, a certified copy of an original official receipt received by the Borrower showing payment thereof or such other evidence of payment as is reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  If the Borrower fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit to the Administrative Agent the required receipts or other documentary evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for any incremental Non-Excluded Taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of any such failure.

(d)   Each Lender (or Transferee) that is not a “U.S. Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code (a “Non-U.S. Lender”) shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Lender from which the related participation shall have been purchased) two copies of either U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or Form W-8ECI, or, in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming exemption from U.S. federal withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code with respect to payments of “portfolio interest”, a statement substantially in the form of Exhibit C and a Form W-8BEN, or any subsequent versions thereof or successors thereto, properly completed and duly executed by such Non-U.S. Lender claiming complete exemption from, or a reduced rate of, U.S. federal withholding tax on all payments by the Borrower under this Agreement and

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the other Loan Documents.  Such forms shall be delivered by each Non-U.S. Lender on or before the date it becomes a party to this Agreement (or, in the case of any Participant, on or before the date such Participant purchases the related participation).  In addition, each Non-U.S. Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such Non-U.S. Lender.  Each Non-U.S. Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower at any time it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to the Borrower (or any other form of certification adopted by the U.S. taxing authorities for such purpose).  Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be required to deliver any form pursuant to this paragraph that such Non-U.S. Lender is not legally able to deliver.

(e)  A Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of non-U.S. withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate, provided that such Lender is legally entitled to complete, execute and deliver such documentation and in such Lender’s judgment such completion, execution or submission would not materially prejudice the legal position of such Lender.

(f)  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.14, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.14 with respect to the Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all associated out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, shall repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

(g)  The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Bridge Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

2.15         Indemnity.  The Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender for, and to hold each Lender harmless from, any loss or expense that such Lender may sustain or incur as a consequence of (a) default by the Borrower in making a borrowing of, conversion into or continuation of Eurodollar Loans after the Borrower has given a notice requesting the same in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (b) default by the Borrower in making any prepayment of or conversion from Eurodollar Loans after the Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or (c) the making of a prepayment of Eurodollar Loans on a day that is not the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto.  Such indemnification may include an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the amount so prepaid, or not so borrowed, converted or continued, for the period from the date of such prepayment or of such failure to borrow, convert or continue to the last day of such Interest Period (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, the Interest Period that would have commenced on the date of such failure) in each case at the applicable rate of interest for such Bridge Loans provided for herein (excluding, however, the Applicable

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Margin included therein, if any) over (ii) the amount of interest (as reasonably determined by such Lender) that would have accrued to such Lender on such amount by placing such amount on deposit for a comparable period with leading banks in the interbank eurodollar market.  A certificate as to any amounts payable pursuant to this Section submitted to the Borrower by any Lender shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.  This covenant shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Bridge Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

2.16                         Change of Lending Office.   Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section 2.13 or 2.14(a) with respect to such Lender, it will use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office for any Bridge Loans affected by such event with the object of avoiding the consequences of such event; provided, that such designation is made on terms that, in the sole judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its lending office(s) to suffer no economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, and provided, further, that nothing in this Section shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.14(a).

2.17                         Replacement of Lenders.  The Borrower shall be permitted to replace any Lender that (a) requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.14(a) or (b) defaults in its obligation to make its Bridge Loan hereunder or with a replacement financial institution or other entity; provided that (i) such replacement does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (ii) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (iii) in the case of clause (a) above, prior to any such replacement, such Lender shall have taken no action under Section 2.16 so as to eliminate the continued need for payment of amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.14(a), (iv) the replacement financial institution shall purchase, at par, all Bridge Loans and other amounts owing to such replaced Lender on or prior to the date of replacement, (v) the Borrower shall be liable to such replaced Lender under Section 2.15 if any Eurodollar Loan owing to such replaced Lender shall be purchased other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto, (vi) the replacement financial institution, if not already a Lender, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (vii) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.6 (provided that the Borrower shall be obligated to pay the registration and processing fee referred to therein), (viii) until such time as such replacement shall be consummated, the Borrower shall pay all additional amounts (if any) required pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.14(a), as the case may be, and (ix) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender.

SECTION 3.  RESERVED

SECTION 4.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make the Bridge Loans, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender that:

4.1                               Financial Condition.  The audited balance sheet of the Borrower as of December 31, 2005, and the related consolidated statement of income and cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, reported on by and accompanied by an unqualified report from Deloitte & Touche LLP, present fairly the financial condition of the Borrower as of such date, and the consolidated results of its operations and its consolidated cash flows for the fiscal year then ended. The unaudited balance sheet of the Borrower as of June 30, 2006, and the related unaudited statements of income and cash flows for the six-month period ended on such date, present fairly the financial condition of the Borrower as at such date, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the six-month period then ended.  All such financial statements,

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including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods involved (except as approved by the aforementioned firm of accountants and disclosed therein and except that the unaudited financial statements do not contain footnotes and are subject to year-end adjustments).  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.1, neither the Borrower nor any Significant Subsidiary has any material Guarantee Obligations, contingent liabilities and liabilities for taxes, or any long-term leases or unusual forward or long-term commitments, including any interest rate or foreign currency swap or exchange transaction or other obligation in respect of derivatives, that are not reflected in the most recent financial statements referred to in this paragraph. 

4.2                               No Change.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.2, since December 31, 2005 there has been no development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.3                               Existence; Compliance with Law.  The Borrower and each Significant Subsidiary (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has the power and authority, and the legal right, to own and operate its material properties, to lease the material properties it operates as lessee and to conduct the business in which it is currently engaged, (c) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other organization and in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (d) is in compliance with all Requirements of Law except to the extent that the failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.4                               Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations.  The Borrower has the corporate power and authority to make, deliver and perform the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to obtain extensions of credit hereunder.  The Borrower has taken all necessary organizational action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to authorize the extensions of credit on the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required in connection with (a) any extension of credit hereunder when made (except for consents, authorizations, filings, notices or other acts required with respect to such extension of credit that have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect at the time of such extension of credit) or (b) the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents.  Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Borrower.  This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document upon execution will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).

4.5                               No Legal Bar.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowings hereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof will not (a) violate any (i) Requirement of Law or (ii) Contractual Obligation of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary (except in the case of this clause (a) to the extent any such violations could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect) and (b) result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any of their respective properties or revenues pursuant to any Requirement of Law or any such Contractual Obligation. 

4.6                               Litigation.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.6, no litigation, investigation or proceeding of or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority is pending or, to the knowledge of the

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Borrower, threatened by or against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or against any of their respective properties or revenues (a) with respect to any of the Loan Documents or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or (b) that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

4.7                               Ownership of Property; Liens.  Except (i) for assets disposed of in the ordinary course of business since December 31, 2005 and (ii) as set forth on Schedule 4.7, on the date hereof the Borrower and its Significant Subsidiaries have good title, free of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, to all of the material assets reflected in the Borrower’s balance sheet as of December 31, 2005 as owned by the Borrower and/or its Significant Subsidiaries.

4.8                               Taxes.  Each of the Borrower and each Significant Subsidiary has filed or caused to be filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns that are required to be filed and has paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or on any assessments made against it or any of its property and all other taxes, fees or other charges imposed on it or any of its property by any Governmental Authority (other than (i) those that are not in the aggregate material and (ii) any taxes, fees or other charges the amount or validity of which are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of the Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary).

4.9                               Federal Regulations.  No part of the proceeds of any Bridge Loans, and no other extensions of credit hereunder, will be used (a) for “buying” or “carrying” any “margin stock” within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect for any purpose that violates the provisions of the Regulations of the Board or (b) for any purpose that violates the provisions of the Regulations of the Board.  If requested by any Lender or the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form G-3 or FR Form U-1, as applicable, referred to in Regulation U.

4.10                         ERISA.  Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) neither a Reportable Event nor an “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), as applicable, has occurred during the five-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and each Plan has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code; (b) no termination of a Single Employer Plan has occurred, and no Lien on the assets of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such five-year period; (c) the present value of all accrued benefits under each Single Employer Plan (based on those assumptions used to fund such Plans) did not, as of the last annual valuation date for which a valuation report is available prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made, exceed the value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such accrued benefits by a material amount; and (d) neither the Borrower nor any Commonly Controlled Entity has had a complete or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability under ERISA, and, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity, neither the Borrower nor any Commonly Controlled Entity would become subject to any material liability under ERISA if the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity were to withdraw completely from all Multiemployer Plans as of the valuation date most closely preceding the date on which this representation is made or deemed made.  Neither the Borrower nor any Commonly Controlled Entity has knowledge that any such Multiemployer Plan is in Reorganization or Insolvent.

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4.11                         Investment Company Act; Other Regulations.  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.  The Borrower is not subject to regulation under any Requirement of Law (other than Regulation X of the Board, the FERC and the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission) that limits its ability to incur Indebtedness.

4.12                         Use of Proceeds.  The proceeds of the Bridge Loans shall be used to effect the Refinancing and to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith. 

4.13                         Accuracy of Information, etc.  The information, taken as a whole, contained in this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the other documents, certificates or statements furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, or any of them, for use in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, did not contain as of the date such information was so furnished, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the information contained herein or therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which such information was furnished.

4.14                         Solvency.  The Borrower is, and after giving effect to the incurrence of all Indebtedness and obligations being incurred in connection herewith will be, Solvent.

SECTION 5.  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

5.1                               Conditions to Commitment.  The agreement of each Lender to make the Commitment requested to be made by it is subject to the satisfaction, prior to or concurrently with the making of such Commitment on the Closing Date, of the following conditions precedent:

(a)  Credit Agreement.  The Administrative Agent shall have received this Agreement executed and delivered by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and each Person listed on Schedule 1.1.

(b)  Financial Statements.  The Lenders shall have received audited financial statements of the Borrower for the 2003, 2004 and 2005 fiscal years, and unaudited financial statements of the Borrower for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

(c)  Approvals.  All governmental and third party approvals, if any, required as of the Closing Date in connection with the Refinancing and the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained on satisfactory terms and shall be in full force and effect. 

(d)  Closing Certificate; Certified Articles of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates.  The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of the Borrower, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, with appropriate insertions and attachments, including the articles of incorporation of the Borrower certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of the Borrower, and (ii) a long form good standing certificate for the Borrower from its jurisdiction of organization.

(e)  Legal Opinions.  The Administrative Agent shall have received the following executed legal opinions:

(i)  the legal opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ Day, special New York counsel to the Borrower; and

(ii) the legal opinion of Hinkle, Hensley, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇.

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(f)  Each such legal opinion shall cover such matters incident to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.

5.2                               Conditions to Bridge Loans.  The agreement of each Lender to make the Bridge Loan requested to be made by it is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a)  Fees.  The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), prior to the Borrowing Date.

(b)  Representations and Warranties.  Each of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower in or pursuant to the Loan Documents (other than the representations and warranties contained in Sections 4.2 and 4.6, which representations and warranties need only be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date) shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of such date as if made on and as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty is stated to relate solely to an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.

(c)  No Default.  No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date or after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date.

SECTION 6.  AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower hereby agrees that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect or any Bridge Loan or other amount is owing to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder:

6.1                               Financial Statements.  The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall in turn furnish to the Lenders):

(a)  as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of such year and the related audited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous year, reported on without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception, or qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, by Deloitte & Touche LLP or other independent certified public accountants of nationally recognized standing; and

(b)  as soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after the end of each of the first three quarterly periods of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for such quarter and the portion of the fiscal year through the end of such quarter, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous year, certified by a Responsible Officer as being fairly stated in all material respects (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments).

All such financial statements shall present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and shall be prepared in reasonable detail and in accordance with GAAP applied (except as approved by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed in reasonable detail therein) consistently throughout the periods reflected therein and with prior periods.

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6.2                               Certificates; Other Information.  The Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall in turn furnish to the Lenders, or, in the case of clause (c), to the relevant Lender):

(a)  concurrently with the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section 6.1, (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer stating that, to the best of such Responsible Officer’s knowledge, during such period the Borrower has observed or performed all of its covenants and other agreements, and satisfied every condition contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party to be observed, performed or satisfied by it, and that such Responsible Officer has obtained no knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except as specified in such certificate and (ii) a compliance certificate containing all information and calculations necessary for determining compliance by the Borrower with the provisions of Section 7.1 of this Agreement as of the last day of the fiscal quarter or fiscal year of the Borrower, as the case may be;

(b)  within five days after the same are sent, copies of all financial statements and reports that the Borrower sends to the holders of any class of its debt securities or public equity securities and, within five days after the same are filed, copies of all reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K that the Borrower files with the SEC; and

(c)  promptly, such additional financial and other information as any Lender may from time to time reasonably request through the Administrative Agent.

6.3                               Payment of Obligations and Taxes.  The Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become delinquent, as the case may be, all its obligations (including, without limitation, obligations with respect to taxes) of whatever nature which, if unpaid, undischarged or otherwise unsatisfied are or might become a Lien or other charge upon any properties of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary, except that neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall be required to pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any such obligation (a) whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary has provided adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (ii) where failure to pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy such obligation could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 

6.4                               Maintenance of Existence; Compliance.  The Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries:

(a)  to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence, except as otherwise permitted by Section 7.3;

(b)  to take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except (i) as otherwise permitted by Section 7.3 and (ii) to the extent that failure to do so could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(c)  to comply with all Contractual Obligations and Requirements of Law, except to the extent that failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.5                               Maintenance of Property; Insurance.  The Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to (a) keep all property useful and necessary in its business in good working

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order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and except where the failure to do so could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance on its property in at least such amounts (subject to deductibles and self-retention limits) and against at least such risks as are usually insured against in the same general area by companies engaged in the same or a similar business.

6.6                               Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions.  The Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to (a) keep proper books of records and account in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP and all Requirements of Law shall be made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities and (b) from time to time during normal business hours and on reasonable prior notice, permit representatives of any Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties (subject to such physical security requirements as the Borrower or the applicable Significant Subsidiary may require) and examine and make abstracts from any of its books and records (except to the extent that such access is restricted by law or by a bona fide non-disclosure agreement not entered into for the purpose of evading the requirements of this Section 6.6), at any reasonable time and as often as may reasonably be desired and to discuss the business, operations, properties and financial and other condition of the Borrower and the Significant Subsidiaries with officers and employees of the Borrower and the Significant Subsidiaries and with their independent certified public accountants.

6.7                               Notices.  Promptly after any officer of the Borrower with responsibility for the matter in question becomes aware thereof, the Borrower shall give notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall in turn furnish such notice to the Lenders) of:

(a)  the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

(b)  any (i) default or event of default under any Contractual Obligation of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or (ii) litigation, investigation or proceeding that may exist at any time between the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary, on the one hand, and any Governmental Authority, on the other hand, that in either case, if not cured could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(c)  (i) the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect to any Plan, a failure to make any required contribution to a Plan, the creation of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan or any withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Multiemployer Plan or (ii) the institution of proceedings or the taking of any other action by the PBGC or the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity or any Multiemployer Plan with respect to the withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Plan, which in any case could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(d)  any development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.7 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary proposes to take with respect thereto. 

6.8                               Environmental Laws.  The Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to:

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(a)  except to the extent that failure to do so could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, comply with, and ensure compliance by all tenants and subtenants, if any, with, all applicable Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply with and maintain, and ensure that all tenants and subtenants, if any, obtain and comply with and maintain, any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable Environmental Laws; and

(b)  except to the extent that failure to do so could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws and promptly comply in all material respects with all lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental Laws.

6.9                               Ownership of Significant Subsidiaries.  Except as permitted by Section 6.11 or 7.3, the Borrower shall at all times, directly or indirectly own, beneficially and of record, 100% of each class of issued and outstanding common stock of each Significant Subsidiary. 

6.10                         Scope of Business.  The Borrower shall, and shall cause each Significant Subsidiary to, engage only in energy-related businesses. 

6.11                         Significant Subsidiaries.  So long as no Default or Event of Default then exists or arises as a result thereof, the Borrower may from time to time by written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent:

(a)  designate any Subsidiary as a Significant Subsidiary; and

(b)  with respect to any Designated Significant Subsidiary, revoke its designation as a Significant Subsidiary; provided that the assets of such Designated Significant Subsidiary could have been disposed of pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.4 if such transaction were treated as a Disposition of the assets of such Designated Significant Subsidiary. 

SECTION 7.  NEGATIVE COVENANTS

The Borrower hereby agrees that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect or any Bridge Loan or other amount is owing to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder:

7.1                               Ratio of Funded Debt to Total Capital.  The Borrower shall not permit the ratio of Funded Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to Total Capital as at the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to exceed 0.65 to 1.00. 

7.2                               Liens.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except for Permitted Liens. 

7.3                               Fundamental Changes.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, merge or consolidate with any Person, except that, if after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default would exist, this Section 7.3 shall not apply to (a) any merger or consolidation of the Borrower with any one or more Persons so long as (i) the successor entity (if other than the Borrower) assumes, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, all of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement, (ii) the successor (whether or not the Borrower) has a debt rating issued (and confirmed after giving effect to such merger or consolidation) by

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S&P and ▇▇▇▇▇’▇ of at least BBB- and Baa3, in each case with a stable outlook and (iii) the successor (whether or not the Borrower) is a “public utility” (as defined in the Federal Power Act), (b) any merger or consolidation of a Significant Subsidiary with another Subsidiary, provided that the continuing Person shall be a Significant Subsidiary, and (c) any merger or consolidation of a Significant Subsidiary with another Person if after giving effect thereto the survivor is no longer a Significant Subsidiary and the assets of such Significant Subsidiary could have been Disposed of pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.4 if such transaction were treated as a Disposition of the assets of such Significant Subsidiary.  In the event of any merger or consolidation of or by the Borrower in which the Borrower is not the surviving entity, the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation shall deliver to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders all information reasonably necessary to comply with the identification requirements of the Act (as defined in Section 10.16).

7.4                               Disposition of Property.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, Dispose of any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except:

(a)  any Disposition of any asset or any interest therein in the ordinary course of business;

(b)   any Disposition of any obsolete or retired property not used or useful in its business;

(c)  any Disposition of any asset or any interest therein to the Borrower or a Significant  Subsidiary;

(d)  Dispositions of assets to the extent that the net proceeds thereof are invested or re-invested, or held as cash or cash equivalents for reinvestment, in each case in other energy-related assets of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary;

(e)  the transfer of operational control of transmission assets by the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary to a regional transmission organization, independent system operator or independent transmission company approved by or required by the FERC pursuant to a FERC order; and

(f)  any Disposition of any asset or any interest therein the book value of which, together with the book value of any other assets and interests therein Disposed of by the Borrower and the Significant Subsidiaries during the twelve-month period ending with the month during which such Disposition occurs, other than Dispositions to which this Section 7.4 does not otherwise apply by virtue of clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) hereof, represents less than 10% of the consolidated total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as reflected on the financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or (b) prior to such Disposition, provided that the book value of all assets and interests Disposed of before the Maturity Date pursuant to this clause (f) shall not exceed 30% of the consolidated total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, as reflected on the                     financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or (b) prior to such Disposition.

7.5                               Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into any transaction with any Affiliate (other than the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary) unless such transaction is upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate; provided, however, that this Section 7.5 shall not prohibit (a) any transaction subject to the jurisdiction of the FERC or any applicable state

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regulatory commission or (b) any allocation of taxes, tax benefits and tax credits required or approved by the FERC or any applicable state regulatory commission.

7.6                               Swap Agreements.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary has actual exposure or in respect of an anticipated transaction and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary.

7.7                               Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions.  The Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or suffer to exist or become effective (including by way of amendment, supplement or other modification of an agreement existing on the Closing Date) any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Significant Subsidiary of the Borrower to make payments, directly or indirectly, to its shareholders by way of dividends, repayment of loans or intercompany charges, or other returns on investments that is more restrictive than any such encumbrance or restriction applicable to such Significant Subsidiary on the Closing Date; provided that this Section 7.7 shall not apply to (a) limitations or restrictions imposed by law or in regulatory proceedings or (b) financial covenants contained in any agreement or indenture requiring compliance with financial tests or ratios, so long as such financial covenants could not reasonably be expected to impair the Borrower’s ability to repay the Obligations as and when due.

SECTION 8.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT

If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing:

(a)  the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Bridge Loan when due in accordance with the terms hereof; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Bridge Loan, or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, within five days after any such interest or other amount becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof; or

(b)  any representation or warranty made or deemed made by the Borrower herein or in any other Loan Document or that is contained in any certificate, document or financial or other statement furnished by it at any time under or in connection with this Agreement or any such other Loan Document shall prove to have been inaccurate in any material respect on or as of the date made or deemed made; or

(c)  the Borrower shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement contained in Section 6.4(a) (with respect to the Borrower only), Section 6.7(a) or Section 7 of this Agreement; or

(d)  the Borrower shall default in the observance or performance of any other agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Section), and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice to the Borrower from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders; or

(e)  any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to

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its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (e) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness; or

(f)  (i) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any existing or future law of any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, winding-up, liquidation, dissolution, composition or other relief with respect to it or its debts, or (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for it or for all or any substantial part of its assets, or the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or (ii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary any case, proceeding or other action of a nature referred to in clause (i) above that (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains undismissed or undischarged for a period of 60 days; or (iii) there shall be commenced against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary any case, proceeding or other action seeking issuance of a warrant of attachment, execution, distraint or similar process against all or any substantial part of its assets that results in the entry of an order for any such relief that shall not have been vacated, discharged, or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof; or (iv) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall take any corporate action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any of the acts set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above; or (v) the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall generally not, or shall be unable to, or shall admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due; or

(g)  (i) any Person shall engage in any non-exempt “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) involving any Plan, (ii) any “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, shall exist with respect to any Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA or any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan shall arise on the assets of any Commonly Controlled Entity, (iii) a Reportable Event shall occur with respect to, or proceedings shall commence to have a trustee appointed, or a trustee shall be appointed, to administer or to terminate, any Single Employer Plan, which Reportable Event or commencement of proceedings or appointment of a trustee is, in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders, likely to result in the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, (iv) any Single Employer Plan shall terminate for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, (v) in connection with a withdrawal from, or the Insolvency or Reorganization of, a Multiemployer Plan, any Commonly Controlled Entity shall, or is reasonably likely to, incur any unpaid liability or (vi) any other similar event or condition shall occur or exist with respect to a Plan; and in each case in clauses (i) through (vi) above, such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, if any, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

(h)  one or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against the Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary involving in the aggregate a liability (not paid or fully covered by insurance as to which the relevant insurance company has acknowledged coverage) of $50,000,000 or more, and such judgments or decrees shall not have been vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days from the entry thereof; or

(i)  a Change in Control shall occur;

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then, and in any such event, (A) if such event is an Event of Default specified in paragraph (f) above, automatically the Commitments shall immediately terminate and the Bridge Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall immediately become due and payable, and (B) if such event is any other Event of Default, either or both of the following actions may be taken:  (i) with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower declare the Commitments to be terminated forthwith, whereupon the Commitments shall immediately terminate; and (ii) with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Bridge Loans (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be due and payable forthwith, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable.  Except as expressly provided above in this Section, presentment, demand, protest and all other notices of any kind are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower. 

SECTION 9.  THE AGENTS

9.1                               Appointment.  Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as the agent of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.   Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent.

9.2                               Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.

9.3                               Exculpatory Provisions.  Neither any Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) 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 Agents 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 or for any failure of the Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.  The Agents shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Borrower.  Neither any Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any

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of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as an Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. 

9.4                               Reliance by Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless such Note has been assigned in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.6 hereof.  The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action.  The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Bridge Loans.

9.5                               Notice of Default.  The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”.  In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders); provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders.

9.6                               Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders.  Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Borrower or any affiliate of the Borrower, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent to any Lender.  Each Lender represents to the Agents that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its affiliates and made its own decision to make its Bridge Loan hereunder and enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its affiliates.  Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of the Borrower or any affiliate of the Borrower that may come

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into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.

9.7                               Indemnification.  The Lenders agree to indemnify each Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Percentages in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Bridge Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Percentages immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Bridge Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such 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 such Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of the Bridge Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

9.8                               Agent in Its Individual Capacity.  Each Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower as though such Agent were not an Agent.  With respect to the Bridge Loan made by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include each Agent in its individual capacity.

9.9                               Successor Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon 10 days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrower.  If the Administrative Agent shall resign as Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default under Section 8(a) or Section 8(f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Administrative Agent, and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Administrative Agent’s rights, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Bridge Loans.  If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the date that is 10 days following a retiring Administrative Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above.  After any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 9 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

9.10                         Documentation Agents.  No Documentation Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities hereunder in its capacity as such.

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SECTION 10.  MISCELLANEOUS

10.1                         Amendments and Waivers.  Neither this Agreement, any other Loan Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof may be amended, supplemented or modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.1.  The Required Lenders and the Borrower may, or, with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may, from time to time, (a) enter into written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Loan Documents for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Borrower hereunder or thereunder or (b) waive, on such terms and conditions as the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, may specify in such instrument, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that no such waiver and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (i) forgive the principal amount or extend the final scheduled date of maturity of any Bridge Loan, reduce the stated rate of any interest or fee payable hereunder (except in connection with the waiver of applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates (which waiver shall be effective with the consent of the Required Lenders)) or extend the scheduled date of any payment thereof, or increase the amount or extend the expiration date of any Lender’s Commitment, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; (ii) eliminate or reduce the voting rights of any Lender under this Section 10.1 without the written consent of such Lender; (iii) reduce any percentage specified in the definition of Required Lenders or consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, in each case without the written consent of all Lenders; (iv) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 2.12(a) or Section 2.12(b) without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; or (v) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 9 without the written consent of the Administrative Agent.  Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the Lenders and shall be binding upon the Borrower, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the Bridge Loans.  In the case of any waiver, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former position and rights hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing; but no such waiver, except to the extent expressly provided therein, shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default, or impair any right consequent thereon.

10.2                         Notices.  All notices, requests and demands to or upon the respective parties hereto to be effective shall be in writing (including by electronic transmission or telecopy), and, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when delivered, or three Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, or, in the case of telecopy notice, when received, addressed as follows in the case of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and as set forth in an administrative questionnaire delivered to the Administrative Agent in the case of the Lenders, or to such other address as may be hereafter notified by the respective parties hereto:

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; provided that any notice, request or demand to or upon the Administrative Agent or the Lenders shall not be effective until received.

Unless and until the Administrative Agent is notified in writing by the Borrower to the contrary, the Borrower hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to rely on any notices in respect of the making, extension, conversion or continuation of Bridge Loans and the Types of Bridge Loans and the Interest Periods applicable to Eurodollar Loans given by any Responsible Officer or any designee of a Responsible Officer of which the Administrative Agent is notified in writing.  Notices by the Borrower in respect of the making, extension, conversion or continuation of Bridge Loans and the Types of Bridge Loans and the Interest Periods applicable to Eurodollar Loans may be given telephonically, and the Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may rely on any such notices made by any person or persons which the Administrative Agent in good faith believes to be acting on behalf of the Borrower.  The Borrower agrees to deliver promptly to the Administrative Agent a written confirmation of any telephonic notice, if such confirmation is requested by the Administrative Agent.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Section 2 unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Information required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 6.1 and 6.2(b) shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which the Borrower provides notice to the Administrative Agent (which notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly provide to the Lenders)  that such information has been posted on the SEC website on the Internet at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, on the Borrower’s IntraLinks site at ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇ or at another website identified in such notice and accessible by the Lenders without charge.

10.3                         No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.  No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

10.4                         Survival of Representations and Warranties.  All representations and warranties made hereunder, in the other Loan Documents and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Bridge Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder.

10.5                         Payment of Expenses and Taxes.  The Borrower agrees (a) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all its out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the development, preparation and execution of, and any amendment, supplement or modification to, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith, and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and filing and

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recording fees and expenses, with statements with respect to the foregoing to be submitted to the Borrower prior to the Borrowing Date (in the case of amounts to be paid on the Borrowing Date) and from time to time thereafter on a quarterly basis or such other periodic basis as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate, (b) to pay or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for all its costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel (including the allocated fees and expenses of in-house counsel) to each Lender and of counsel to the Administrative Agent, (c) to pay, indemnify, and hold each Lender and the Administrative Agent harmless from, any and all recording and filing fees and any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, stamp, excise and other taxes, if any, that may be payable or determined to be payable in connection with the execution and delivery of, or consummation or administration of any of the transactions contemplated by, or any amendment, supplement or modification of, or any waiver or consent under or in respect of, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, and (d) to pay, indemnify, and hold each Lender and the Administrative Agent and their respective officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents and controlling persons (each, an “Indemnitee”) harmless from and against any and all other liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, including any of the foregoing relating to the use of proceeds of the Bridge Loans or the violation of, noncompliance with or liability under, any Environmental Law applicable to the operations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties and the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel in connection with claims, actions or proceedings by any Indemnitee against the Borrower under any Loan Document (all the foregoing in this clause (d), collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”), provided, that the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to any Indemnitee with respect to Indemnified Liabilities to the extent such Indemnified Liabilities resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.  Without limiting the foregoing, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower agrees not to assert and to cause its Subsidiaries not to assert, and hereby waives and agrees to cause its Subsidiaries to waive, all rights for contribution or any other rights of recovery with respect to all claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages, costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature, under or related to Environmental Laws, that any of them might have by statute or otherwise against any Indemnitee, except to the extent that such claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages, costs and expenses have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.  All amounts due under this Section 10.5 shall be payable not later than 10 days after written demand therefor.  Statements payable by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 10.5 shall be submitted to the Borrower at the address of the Borrower set forth in Section 10.2, or to such other Person or address as may be hereafter designated by the Borrower in a written notice to the Administrative Agent.  The agreements in this Section 10.5 shall survive repayment of the Bridge Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

10.6                         Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.  (a)  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section.

(b)  (i)  Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more financial institutions or other entities (each, an “Assignee”) all or a portion of its

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rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Bridge Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent of:

(A) the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other Person; and

(B) the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitments or Bridge Loans, the amount of the Commitments or Bridge Loans 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) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that (1) no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its affiliates, if any;

(B) 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; and

(C) the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire.

(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) below, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto 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, 2.14, 2.15 and 10.5 in respect of the period that it was a Lender).  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.6 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 paragraph (c) of this Section.

(iv)  The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of 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 amount of the Bridge Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may 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, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. 

(v)  Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee’s completed administrative questionnaire (unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this

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Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register.  No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

(c)(i)  Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Bridge Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other 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 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 may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires the consent of such Lender pursuant to the proviso to the second sentence of Section 10.1 and (2) directly affects such Participant.  Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.7(b) as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant shall be subject to Section 10.7(a) as though it were a Lender.

(ii)  A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.13 or 2.14 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent.  In addition, any Participant that is a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.14 unless such Participant complies with Section 2.14(d) and (e). 

(d)  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 to a Federal Reserve Bank. 

(e)  The Borrower, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agrees to issue Notes to any Lender requiring Notes to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (d) above.

10.7                           Adjustments; Set-off.  (a)  Except to the extent that this Agreement expressly provides for payments to be allocated to a particular Lender, if any Lender (a “Benefited Lender”) shall, at any time after the Bridge Loans and other amounts payable hereunder shall immediately become due and payable pursuant to Section 8, receive any payment of all or part of the Obligations owing to it, or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 8(f), or otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of the Obligations owing to such other Lender, such Benefited Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of the Obligations owing to each such other Lender, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefited Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral ratably with each of the Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefited Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

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(b)  In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, each Lender shall have the right, without prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any amount becoming due and payable by the Borrower hereunder (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), to set off and appropriate and apply against such amount any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch or agency or Affiliate thereof to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower, as the case may be.  Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such setoff and application made by such Lender, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

10.8                         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.  A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

10.9                         Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

10.10                   Integration.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the entire agreement of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative Agent or any Lender relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.

10.11                   GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

10.12                   Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:

(a)  submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;

(b)  consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same;

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(c)  agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to the Borrower, as the case may be at its address set forth in Section 10.2 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto;

(d)  agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right to ▇▇▇ in any other jurisdiction; and

(e)  waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

10.13                   Acknowledgements.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that:

(a)  it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

(b)  neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to the Borrower arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between Administrative Agent and Lenders, on one hand, and the Borrower, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

(c)   no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among the Borrower and the Lenders.

10.14                   Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender agrees to keep confidential all information provided to it by or on behalf of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement and to use such information solely in connection with evaluating, administering, structuring and/or approving the credit facility contemplated hereby; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the Administrative Agent or any Lender from disclosing any such information (a) to the Administrative Agent, any other Lender or any affiliate thereof, solely for the purpose of evaluating, administering, structuring and/or approving the credit facility contemplated hereby, (b) subject to an agreement to comply with the provisions of this Section, to any actual or prospective Transferee or any direct or indirect counterparty to any Swap Agreement (or any professional advisor to such counterparty), (c) to its employees, directors, agents, attorneys, accountants and other professional advisors or those of any of its affiliates, solely for the purpose of evaluating, administering, structuring and/or approving the credit facility contemplated hereby, (d) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority, (e) in response to any order of any court or other Governmental Authority or as may otherwise be required pursuant to any Requirement of Law, (f) if requested or required to do so in connection with any litigation or similar proceeding, (g) that has been publicly disclosed, (h) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender, or (i) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

10.15                   WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL.  THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING

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RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.

10.16                   USA Patriot Act Notice.  Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), 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 to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

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