EXHIBIT 10.2
INVESTOR REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "AGREEMENT"), dated as of
December 13, 2001, by and between SOUTHERN STATES POWER CO., a Delaware
corporation, with its principal office located at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "COMPANY"), and CORNELL CAPITAL
PARTNERS, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the "INVESTOR").
WHEREAS:
A. In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement by and between
the parties hereto of even date herewith (the "SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT"),
the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
Securities Purchase Agreement, to issue and sell to the Investor convertible
debentures (the "CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURES") which shall be convertible into that
number of shares of the Company's common stock, par value $ 0.001 (the "COMMON
STOCK"), pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement for an
aggregate minimum purchase price of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000).
Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in
the Securities Purchase Agreement.
B. To induce the Investor to execute and deliver the Securities
Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration
rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations there under, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"1933 ACT"), and applicable state securities laws.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the
Investor hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(a) "INVESTOR" means an Investor and any transferee or assignee
thereof to whom an Investor assigns its rights under this Agreement and who
agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 9.
(b) "PERSON" means a corporation, a limited liability company, an
association, a partnership, an organization, a business, an individual, a
governmental or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency.
(c) "REGISTER," "REGISTERED," and "REGISTRATION" refer to a
registration effected by preparing and filing one or more Registration
Statements (as defined below) in compliance with the 1933 Act and pursuant to
Rule 415 under the 1933 Act or any successor rule providing for offering
securities on a continuous or delayed basis ("RULE 415"), and the declaration or
ordering of effectiveness of such Registration Statement(s) by the United States
Securities and Exchange SEC (the "SEC").
(d) "REGISTRABLE SECURITIES" means the shares of Common Stock
issuable to Investor upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures pursuant to
the Securities Purchase Agreement.
(e) "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" means a registration statement under
the 1933 Act which covers the Registrable Securities.
2. REGISTRATION.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the
Company shall prepare and file, no later than thirty (30) days from the date
hereof (the "SCHEDULED FILING DEADLINE"), with the SEC a registration statement
on Form S-1 or SB-2 (or, if the Company is then eligible, on Form S-3) under the
1933 Act (the "INITIAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT") for the registration for the
resale by the Investor at least Twenty Six Million Seven Hundred and Eighty-Five
Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifteen (26,785,715) shares of Common Stock to be
issued upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures issued pursuant to the
Securities Purchase Agreement and shall register an additional 200,000 shares of
the Company's Common Stock underlying the Warrant issued to the Investor
pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Company shall cause the
Registration Statement to remain effective until all of the Registrable
Securities have been sold. Prior to the filing of the Registration Statement
with the SEC, the Company shall furnish a copy of the Initial Registration
Statement to the Investor, and ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C. for their review and
comment. The Investor and ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C. shall furnish comments on the
Initial Registration Statement to the Company within twenty-four (24) hours of
the receipt thereof from the Company.
(b) EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INITIAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The
Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts (i) to have the Initial
Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC no later than ninety (90)
days after the date hereof (the "SCHEDULED EFFECTIVE DEADLINE") and (ii) to
insure that the Initial Registration Statement and any subsequent Registration
Statement remains in effect until all of the Registrable Securities have been
sold, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
(c) FAILURE TO FILE OR OBTAIN EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT. In the event the Registration Statement is not declared effective by
the SEC on or before the Scheduled Effective Date, or if after the Registration
Statement has been declared effective by the SEC, sales cannot be made pursuant
to the Registration Statement (whether because of a failure to keep the
Registration Statement effective, failure to disclose such information as is
necessary for sales to be made pursuant to the Registration Statement, failure
to register sufficient shares of Common Stock or otherwise then as partial
relief for the damages to any holder of Registrable Securities by reason of any
such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the underlying shares of
Common Stock (which remedy shall not be exclusive of any other remedies at law
or in equity), the Company will pay as liquidated damages (the "LIQUIDATED
DAMAGES") to the holder a cash amount within three (3) business days, after
demand therefore, equal to two percent (2%) of the liquidated value of the
Convertible Debentures outstanding as Liquidated Damages for each thirty (30)
day period after the Scheduled Effective Date.
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(d) LIQUIDATED DAMAGES. The Company and the Investor acknowledge
and agree that the sums payable under subsection 2(c) above shall constitute
liquidated damages and not penalties. The parties further acknowledge that (i)
the amount of loss or damages likely to be incurred is incapable or is difficult
to precisely estimate, (ii) the amounts specified in such subsections bear a
reasonable relationship to, and are not plainly or grossly disproportionate to
the probable loss likely to be incurred in connection with any failure by the
Company to obtain or maintain the effectiveness of a Registration Statement,
(iii) one of the reasons for the Company and the Investor reaching an agreement
as to such amounts was the uncertainty and cost of litigation regarding the
question of actual damages, and (iv) the Company and the Investor are
sophisticated business parties and have been represented by sophisticated and
able legal counsel and negotiated this Agreement at arm's length.
3. RELATED OBLIGATIONS.
(a) The Company shall keep the Registration Statement effective
pursuant to Rule 415 at all times until the date on which the Investor shall
have sold all the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement
(the "REGISTRATION PERIOD"), which Registration Statement (including any
amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained therein) shall not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
(b) The Company shall prepare and file with the SEC such
amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to a
Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection with such
Registration Statement, which prospectus is to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
promulgated under the 1933 Act, as may be necessary to keep such Registration
Statement effective at all times during the Registration Period, and, during
such period, comply with the provisions of the 1933 Act with respect to the
disposition of all Registrable Securities of the Company covered by such
Registration Statement until such time as all of such Registrable Securities
shall have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of
disposition by the seller or sellers thereof as set forth in such Registration
Statement. In the case of amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement
which are required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement (including pursuant to
this Section 3(b)) by reason of the Company's filing a report on Form 10-KSB,
Form 10-QSB or Form 8-K or any analogous report under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 ACT"), the Company shall incorporate such
report by reference into the Registration Statement, if applicable, or shall
file such amendments or supplements with the SEC on the same day on which the
1934 Act report is filed which created the requirement for the Company to amend
or supplement the Registration Statement.
(c) The Company shall furnish to the Investor without charge, (i)
at least one (1) copy of such Registration Statement as declared effective by
the SEC and any amendment(s) thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, all documents incorporated therein by reference, all exhibits and
each preliminary prospectus, (ii) ten (10) copies of the final prospectus
included in such Registration Statement and all amendments and supplements
thereto (or such other number of copies as such Investor may reasonably request)
and (iii) such other documents as the Investor may reasonably request from time
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to time in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities
owned by such Investor.
(d) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register and
qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under
such other securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions in the United
States as the Investor reasonably requests, (ii) prepare and file in those
jurisdictions, such amendments (including post-effective amendments) and
supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be necessary to
maintain the effectiveness thereof during the Registration Period, (iii) take
such other actions as may be necessary to maintain such registrations and
qualifications in effect at all times during the Registration Period, and (iv)
take all other actions reasonably necessary or advisable to qualify the
Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition
thereto to (w) make any change to its certificate of incorporation or by-laws,
(x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be
required to qualify but for this Section 3(d), (y) subject itself to general
taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of
process in any such jurisdiction. The Company shall promptly notify the Investor
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension
of the registration or qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for
sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in the United
States or its receipt of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any
proceeding for such purpose.
(e) As promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event
or development, the Company shall notify the Investor in writing of the
happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in a
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading (provided that in no event shall such
notice contain any material, nonpublic information), and promptly prepare a
supplement or amendment to such Registration Statement to correct such untrue
statement or omission, and deliver ten (10) copies of such supplement or
amendment to the Investor. The Company shall also promptly notify the Investor
in writing (i) when a prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment has been filed, and when a Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment has become effective (notification of such
effectiveness shall be delivered to the Investor by facsimile on the same day of
such effectiveness), (ii) of any request by the SEC for amendments or
supplements to a Registration Statement or related prospectus or related
information, and (iii) of the Company's reasonable determination that a
post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate.
(f) The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of a
Registration Statement, or the suspension of the qualification of any of the
Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction within the United States of
America and, if such an order or suspension is issued, to obtain the withdrawal
of such order or suspension at the earliest possible moment and to notify the
Investor of the issuance of such order and the resolution thereof or its receipt
of actual notice of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose.
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(g) At the reasonable request of the Investor, the Company shall
furnish to the Investor, on the date of the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement and thereafter from time to time on such dates as an Investor may
reasonably request (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's independent
certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily given by
independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an underwritten
public offering, and (ii) an opinion, dated as of such date, of counsel
representing the Company for purposes of such Registration Statement, in form,
scope and substance as is customarily given in an underwritten public offering,
addressed to the Investor.
(h) The Company shall make available for inspection by (i) the
Investor and (ii) one (1) firm of accountants or other agents retained by the
Investor (collectively, the "INSPECTORS") all pertinent financial and other
records, and pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company
(collectively, the "RECORDS"), as shall be reasonably deemed necessary by each
Inspector, and cause the Company's officers, directors and employees to supply
all information which any Inspector may reasonably request; provided, however,
that each Inspector shall agree, and the Investor hereby agrees, to hold in
strict confidence and shall not make any disclosure (except to the Investor) or
use any Record or other information which the Company determines in good faith
to be confidential, and of which determination the Inspectors are so notified,
unless (a) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a
misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement or is otherwise required
under the 1933 Act, (b) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a
final, non-appealable subpoena or order from a court or government body of
competent jurisdiction, or (c) the information in such Records has been made
generally available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this
or any other agreement of which the Inspector and the Investor has knowledge.
The Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such Records
is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent jurisdiction or
through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow the Company, at
its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to
obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed confidential.
(i) The Company shall hold in confidence and not make any
disclosure of information concerning the Investor provided to the Company unless
(i) disclosure of such information is necessary to comply with federal or state
securities laws, (ii) the disclosure of such information is necessary to avoid
or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration Statement, (iii) the
release of such information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other final,
non-appealable order from a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction, or (iv) such information has been made generally available to the
public other than by disclosure in violation of this Agreement or any other
agreement. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of
such information concerning the Investor is sought in or by a court or
governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt
written notice to such Investor and allow such Investor, at the Investor's
expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain
a protective order for, such information.
(j) The Company shall use its best efforts either to cause all
the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement (i) to be listed
on each securities exchange on which securities of the same class or series
issued by the Company are then listed, if any, if the listing of such
Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules of such exchange or
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(ii) the inclusion for quotation on the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. OTC Bulletin Board for such Registrable Securities. The Company
shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligation
under this Section 3(j).
(k) The Company shall cooperate with the Investor and, to the
extent applicable, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates (not bearing any restrictive legend) representing the Registrable
Securities to be offered pursuant to a Registration Statement and enable such
certificates to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case may be, as the
Investor may reasonably request and registered in such names as the Investor may
request.
(l) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the
Registrable Securities covered by the applicable Registration Statement to be
registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities
as may be necessary to consummate the disposition of such Registrable
Securities.
(m) The Company shall make generally available to its security
holders as soon as practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the
close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying
with the provisions of Rule 158 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) covering a twelve (12) month
period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter
next following the effective date of the Registration Statement.
(n) The Company shall otherwise use its best efforts to comply
with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC in connection with any
registration hereunder.
(o) Within two (2) business days after a Registration Statement
which covers Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC, the
Company shall deliver, and shall cause legal counsel for the Company to deliver,
to the transfer agent for such Registrable Securities (with copies to the
Investor) confirmation that such Registration Statement has been declared
effective by the SEC in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT A.
(p) The Company shall take all other reasonable actions necessary
to expedite and facilitate disposition by the Investor of Registrable Securities
pursuant to a Registration Statement.
4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTOR.
Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company
of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or the first
sentence of 3(e), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of
Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement(s) covering such
Registrable Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies of the
supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(e) or receipt of
notice that no supplement or amendment is required. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary, the Company shall cause its transfer agent to deliver unlegended
certificates for shares of Common Stock to a transferee of the Investor in
accordance with the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement in connection
with any sale of Registrable Securities with respect to which an Investor has
entered into a contract for sale prior to the Investor's receipt of a notice
from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section
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3(f) or the first sentence of 3(e) and for which the Investor has not yet
settled.
5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION.
All expenses incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to Sections 2 and 3, including, without limitation, all
registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers, legal and accounting
fees shall be paid by the Company.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
With respect to Registrable Securities which are included in a
Registration Statement under this Agreement:
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company will, and
hereby does, indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Investor, the directors,
officers, partners, employees, attorneys, agents, representatives of, and each
Person, if any, who controls any Investor within the meaning of the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act (each, an "INDEMNIFIED PERSON"), against any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, charges, costs, reasonable
attorneys' fees, amounts paid in settlement or expenses, joint or several
(collectively, "Claims") incurred in investigating, preparing or defending any
action, claim, suit, inquiry, proceeding, investigation or appeal taken from the
foregoing by or before any court or governmental, administrative or other
regulatory agency, body or the SEC, whether pending or threatened, whether or
not an indemnified party is or may be a party thereto ("INDEMNIFIED DAMAGES"),
to which any of them may become subject insofar as such Claims (or actions or
proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of
or are based upon: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact in a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto or in any filing made in connection with the qualification of the
offering under the securities or other "blue sky" laws of any jurisdiction in
which Registrable Securities are offered ("BLUE SKY FILING"), or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any final
prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were
made, not misleading; or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company
of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other law, including, without limitation, any
state securities law, or any rule or regulation there under relating to the
offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement
(the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively,
"VIOLATIONS"). The Company shall reimburse the Investor and each such
controlling person promptly as such expenses are incurred and are due and
payable, for any legal fees or disbursements or other reasonable expenses
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Claim.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification
agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (x) shall not apply to a Claim by an
Indemnified Person arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by such Indemnified Person expressly for use in connection with the
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preparation of the Registration Statement or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto; (y) shall not be available to the extent such Claim is based
on a failure of the Investor to deliver or to cause to be delivered the
prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made
available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c); and (z) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without
the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person
and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the Investor
pursuant to Section 9.
(b) In connection with a Registration Statement, the Investor
agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend, to the same extent and in the
same manner as is set forth in Section 6(a), the Company, each of its directors,
each of its officers, employees, representatives, or agents and each Person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act
(each an "INDEMNIFIED PARTY"), against any Claim or Indemnified Damages to which
any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise,
insofar as such Claim or Indemnified Damages arise out of or is based upon any
Violation, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such
Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use in connection with
such Registration Statement; and, subject to Section 6(d), such Investor will
reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection
with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) and the agreement with
respect to contribution contained in Section 7 shall not apply to amounts paid
in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without the prior
written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld; provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be liable under
this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim or Indemnified Damages as does
not exceed the net proceeds to such Investor as a result of the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. Such indemnity
shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or
on behalf of such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the
Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement
contained in this Section 6(b) with respect to any prospectus shall not inure to
the benefit of any Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of
material fact contained in the prospectus was corrected and such new prospectus
was delivered to each Investor prior to such Investor's use of the prospectus to
which the Claim relates.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any
action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving
a Claim, such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a Claim in
respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this Section
6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement
thereof, and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and,
to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the defense thereof
with counsel mutually satisfactory to the indemnifying party and the Indemnified
Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may be; provided, however, that an
Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own
counsel with the fees and expenses of not more than one (1) counsel for such
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Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party to be paid by the indemnifying party,
if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the
representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any
other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. The Indemnified
Party or Indemnified Person shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party in
connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or claim by the
indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information
reasonably available to the Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person which
relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person fully apprised at all times as to the
status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. No
indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or
proceeding effected without its prior written consent; provided, however, that
the indemnifying party shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its
consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person, consent to entry of any judgment or
enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an
unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person of a release from all liability in
respect to such claim or litigation. Following indemnification as provided for
hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be subrogated to all rights of the
Indemnified Party or Indemnified Person with respect to all third parties, firms
or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made.
The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying party within a
reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve such
indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or Indemnified
Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is
prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(d) The indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made
by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the
investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or Indemnified Damages
are incurred.
(e) The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in
addition to (i) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnified Party or
Indemnified Person against the indemnifying party or others, and (ii) any
liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
7. CONTRIBUTION.
To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying party is
prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the maximum
contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be liable
under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided, however, that:
(i) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be entitled to
contribution from any seller of Registrable Securities who was not guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation; and (ii) contribution by any seller of Registrable
Securities shall be limited in amount to the net amount of proceeds received by
such seller from the sale of such Registrable Securities.
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8. REPORTS UNDER THE 1934 ACT.
With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of Rule
144 promulgated under the 1933 Act or any similar rule or regulation of the SEC
that may at any time permit the Investor to sell securities of the Company to
the public without registration ("RULE 144") the Company agrees to:
(a) make and keep public information available, as those terms
are understood and defined in Rule 144;
(b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required of the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act so long as
the Company remains subject to such requirements (it being understood that
nothing herein shall limit the Company's obligations under Section 4(c) of the
Securities Purchase Agreement) and the filing of such reports and other
documents as are required by the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and
(c) furnish to the Investor so long as the Investor owns
Registrable Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the
Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, the
1933 Act and the 1934 Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly
report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the
Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested to
permit the Investor to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without
registration.
9. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The rights under this Agreement shall be automatically assignable by
the Investor to any transferee of all or any portion of Registrable Securities
if: (i) the Investor agrees in writing with the transferee or assignee to assign
such rights, and a copy of such agreement is furnished to the Company within a
reasonable time after such assignment; (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable
time after such transfer or assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the
name and address of such transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with
respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned;
(iii) at or before the time the Company receives the written notice contemplated
by clause (ii) of this sentence the transferee or assignee agrees in writing
with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein; and (iv)
such transfer shall have been made in accordance with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Agreement.
10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
Provisions of this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof
may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either
retroactively or prospectively), only with the written consent of the Company
and the Investor. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this
Section 10 shall be binding upon the Investor and the Company. No such amendment
shall be effective to the extent that it applies to fewer than all of the
holders of the Registrable Securities. No consideration shall be offered or paid
to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision
of any of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of
the parties to this Agreement.
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11. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) A Person is deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities
whenever such Person owns or is deemed to own of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two (2) or more Persons with respect to the same Registrable
Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions, notice or
election received from the registered owner of such Registrable Securities.
(b) Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications
required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in
writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when
delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided
confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and
kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) business day after deposit
with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly
addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers
for such communications shall be:
If to the Company, to: Southern States Power Co.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, President
Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
With a copy to: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ - ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
If to the Investor: Cornell Capital Partners, LP
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
With a copy to: Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, P.C.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
11
or to such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such
other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to
each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change.
Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice,
consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically
generated by the sender's facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient
facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C)
provided by a courier or overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence
of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or
(iii) above, respectively.
(c) Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under
this Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or
remedy, shall not operate as a waiver thereof.
(d) The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues
concerning the relative rights of the Company and the Investor as a stockholder
of the Company. All other questions concerning the construction, validity,
enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the
internal laws of the State of New Jersey, without giving effect to any choice of
law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or
any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any
jurisdiction other than the State of New Jersey. Each party hereby irrevocably
submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Superior Courts of the State of
New Jersey, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ County, and federal courts sitting in the District of New
Jersey, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith
or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby
irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding,
any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such
court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum
or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party
hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process
being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to
such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees
that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and
notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any
right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. If any provision of this
Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity
or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the
remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or
enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO
REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN
CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION
CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
(e) This Agreement, the Securities Purchase Agreement, the
Convertible Debenture, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, and the
Escrow Agreement dated the date hereof by and among the Company, the Investor
and ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Bank (the "ESCROW AGREEMENT") constitute the entire
agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and
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thereof. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other
than those set forth or referred to herein and therein. This Agreement, the
Securities Purchase Agreement and the Escrow Agreement supersede all prior
agreements and understandings among the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof.
(f) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the permitted successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
(g) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(h) This Agreement may be executed in identical counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one
and the same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be
delivered to the other party hereto by facsimile transmission of a copy of this
Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.
(i) Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and
performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all
such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other
party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the
purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(j) The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the
language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rules of
strict construction will be applied against any party.
(k) This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties
hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the
benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Investor Registration
Rights Agreement to be duly executed as of day and year first above written.
COMPANY:
SOUTHERN STATES POWER CO.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President
INVESTOR:
CORNELL CAPITAL PARTNERS, LP
BY: YORKVILLE ADVISORS, LLC
ITS: GENERAL PARTNER
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Portfolio Manager
14
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF NOTICE OF EFFECTIVENESS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT
INSERT
Re: SOUTHERN STATES POWER CO.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are counsel to Southern States Power Co., a Delaware corporation
(the "COMPANY"), and have represented the Company in connection with that
certain Securities Purchase Agreement (the "PURCHASE AGREEMENT") entered into by
and among the Company and the Investor named therein (the "INVESTOR") pursuant
to which the Company issued to the Investor shares of its Common Stock, par
value $0.001 per share (the "COMMON STOCK"). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement,
the Company also has entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the
Investor (the "REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT") pursuant to which the Company
agreed, among other things, to register the Registrable Securities (as defined
in the Registration Rights Agreement) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 ACT"). In connection with the Company's obligations under the
Registration Rights Agreement, on ____________ ____, the Company filed a
Registration Statement on Form ________ (File No. 333-_____________) (the
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT") with the Securities and Exchange SEC (the "SEC")
relating to the Registrable Securities which names the Investor as a selling
stockholder there under.
In connection with the foregoing, we advise you that a member of the
SEC's staff has advised us by telephone that the SEC has entered an order
declaring the Registration Statement effective under the 1933 Act at [ENTER TIME
OF EFFECTIVENESS] on [ENTER DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS] and we have no knowledge,
after telephonic inquiry of a member of the SEC's staff, that any stop order
suspending its effectiveness has been issued or that any proceedings for that
purpose are pending before, or threatened by, the SEC and the Registrable
Securities are available for resale under the 1933 Act pursuant to the
Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
[ISSUER'S COUNSEL]
By:
--------------------------------------------
cc: Cornell Capital Partners, LP
15