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NEVADA POWER COMPANY
to
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Trustee
JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE
Dated as of ________ __, 1997
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 101. Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SECTION 102. Compliance Certificate and Opinions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 103. Forms of Documents Delivered to Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . .10
SECTION 104. Acts of Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
SECTION 105. Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
SECTION 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
SECTION 107. Conflict With Trust Indenture Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.. . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 109. Successors and Assigns.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 110. Separability Clause. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 111. Benefits of Indenture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 112. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 113. Non-Business Days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS
SECTION 201. Forms Generally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SECTION 202. Form of Face of Security.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
SECTION 203. Form of Reverse of Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
SECTION 204. Additional Provisions Required in Global Security. . . . . . . .20
SECTION 205. Form of Trustee's Certificate of Authentication. . . . . . . . .20
ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES
SECTION 301. Title and Terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
SECTION 302. Denominations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.. . . . . . . . .23
SECTION 304. Temporary Securities.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
SECTION 305. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.. . . . . . . .26
SECTION 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.. . . . . . . . .27
SECTION 308. Persons Deemed Owners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
SECTION 309. Cancellation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
SECTION 310. Computation of Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
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SECTION 311. Deferrals of Interest Payment Dates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
SECTION 312. Right of Set-Off.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
SECTION 313. Agreed Tax Treatment.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
SECTION 314. Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity
Upon an Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
SECTION 315. CUSIP Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. . . . . . . . . . . . .30
SECTION 402. Application of Trust Money.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
SECTION 403. Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance of Securities of Any
Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
SECTION 501. Events of Default. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
SECTION 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.. . . . . . .34
SECTION 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.36
SECTION 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
SECTION 505. Trustee May Enforce Claim Without Possession of Securities.. . .37
SECTION 506. Application of Money Collected.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
SECTION 507. Limitation on Suits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
SECTION 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and
Interest.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
SECTION 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
SECTION 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
SECTION 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
SECTION 512. Control by Holders.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
SECTION 513. Waiver of Past Defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
SECTION 514. Undertaking for Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
SECTION 515. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. . . . . . . . . . . . .40
ARTICLE VI
THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 601. Certain Duties and Responsibilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
SECTION 602. Notice of Defaults.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
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SECTION 603. Certain Rights of Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
SECTION 604. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.. . . . .43
SECTION 605. May Hold Securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
SECTION 606. Money Held in Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
SECTION 607. Compensation and Reimbursement.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
SECTION 608. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. . . . . . . . . . . . .44
SECTION 609. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. . . . . . . . . . . . .44
SECTION 610. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. . . . . . . .45
SECTION 611. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.. . . . . . . . . . . . .46
SECTION 612. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. . .47
SECTION 613. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. . . . . . . .47
SECTION 614. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
ARTICLE VII
HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
SECTION 701. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. . . .49
SECTION 702. Preservation of Information, Communications to Holders . . . . .49
SECTION 703. Reports by Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
SECTION 704. Reports by Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
ARTICLE VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
SECTION 801 Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms . . . . . .51
SECTION 802. Successor Person Substituted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. . . . . . .52
SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders . . . . . . . .53
SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
SECTION 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
SECTION 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
SECTION 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. . . . . . .55
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ARTICLE X
COVENANTS
SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest . . . . . . . . . .55
SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
SECTION 1003. Money for Security Payments to be Held in Trust. . . . . . . .56
SECTION 1004. Statement as to Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
SECTION 1005. Waiver of Certain Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
SECTION 1006. Additional Sums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
SECTION 1007. Additional Covenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
ARTICLE XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1101. Applicability of This Article. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . .59
SECTION 1103. Selection of Securities to be Redeemed . . . . . . . . . . . .60
SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
SECTION 1106. Payment of Securities Called for Redemption. . . . . . . . . .61
SECTION 1107. Company's Right of Redemption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
ARTICLE XII
SINKING FUNDS
SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
SECTION 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. . . . .63
SECTION 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. . . . . . . . . . .63
ARTICLE XIII
Subordination of Securities
SECTION 1301. Securities Subordinate to Senior Debt. . . . . . . . . . . . .64
SECTION 1302. Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc . . . . . . . .65
SECTION 1303. Prior Payment to Senior Debt Upon Acceleration of Securities .66
SECTION 1304. No Payment When Senior Debt in Default . . . . . . . . . . . .66
SECTION 1305. Payment Permitted If No Default. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
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SECTION 1306. Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Debt. . . . . . . .67
SECTION 1307. Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights. . . . . . . . . .68
SECTION 1308. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
SECTION 1309. No Waiver of Subordination Provisions. . . . . . . . . . . . .68
SECTION 1310. Notice to Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
SECTION 1311. Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of
Liquidating Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
SECTION 1312. Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt . . . . . . .69
SECTION 1313. Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Debt; Preservation of
Trustee's Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
SECTION 1314. Article Applicable to Paying Agents. . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
SECTION 1315. Certain Conversions or Exchanges Deemed Payment. . . . . . . .70
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NEVADA POWER COMPANY
Reconciliation and the between the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
(including cross-references to provisions of Sections 310 to and including 317
which, pursuant to Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
by the Trust Reform Act of 1990, are a part of and govern the Indenture whether
or not physically contained therein) and the Junior Subordinated Indenture,
dated as of ________ __, 1997.
JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE, dated as of ________ __, 1997 between
____________________, a Nevada corporation (hereinafter called the "Company")
having its principal office at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, and
_________________ a ____________ duly organized and existing under the laws of
the ________________, as Trustee (hereinafter called the "Trustee").
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this
Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured junior
subordinated debt securities in series (hereinafter called the "Securities") of
substantially the tenor hereinafter provided, including, without limitation,
Securities issued to evidence loans made to the Company of the proceeds from the
issuance from time to time by one or more business trusts (each an "NVP Trust",
and collectively, the "NVP Trusts") of preferred trust interests in such Trusts
(the "Preferred Securities") and common interests in such Trusts (the "Common
Securities" and, collectively with the Preferred Securities, the "Trust
Securities"), and to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Securities
are to be authenticated, issued and delivered.
All things necessary to make the Securities, when executed by the
Company and authenticated and delivered hereunder and duly issued by the
Company, the valid obligations of the Company, and to make this Indenture a
valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with their and its terms, have
been done.
NOW THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the
Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the
equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any
series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 101. DEFINITIONS. For all purposes of this Indenture, except
as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
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(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;
(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust
Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings
assigned to them therein;
(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, and the term "generally accepted accounting principles" with
respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such
accounting principles which are generally accepted at the date or time of
such computation; and
(4) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
Certain terms, used principally in Article Six, are defined in that
Article.
"Act", when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified
in Section 104.
"ADDITIONAL INTEREST" means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on
any interest on the Securities of any series the payment of which has not been
made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate
per annum specified or determined as specified in such Security.
"ADDITIONAL SUMS" has the meaning specified in Section 1006.
"ADDITIONAL TAXES" means the sum of any additional taxes, duties and
other governmental charges to which an NVP Trust has become subject from time to
time as a result of a Tax Event.
"AFFILIATE" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the
Company shall not be deemed to include any NVP Trust to which Securities have
been issued. For the purposes of this definition, "control" when used with
respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and
policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership
of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and
"controlled" have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"AUTHENTICATING AGENT" means any Person authorized by the Trustee
pursuant to Section 614 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate
Securities of one or more series.
"BOARD OF DIRECTORS" means either the board of directors of the
Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder.
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"BOARD RESOLUTION" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by
the Board of Directors, or such committee of the Board of Directors or officers
of the Company to which authority to act on behalf of the Board of Directors has
been delegated, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
"BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than (I) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii)
a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or
required by law or executive order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or, with respect to the Securities of a
series issued to an NVP Trust, the principal office of the Property Trustee
under the related Trust Agreement, is closed for business.
"COMMISSION" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from
time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not
existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture
Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.
"COMMON SECURITIES" has the meaning specified in the first recital of
this Indenture.
"COMMON STOCK" means the common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of
the Company.
"COMPANY" means the Person named as the "Company" in the first
paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter
"Company" shall mean such successor Person.
"COMPANY REQUEST" and "COMPANY ORDER" mean, respectively, the written
request or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman of the Board,
its Vice Chairman, its President or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an
Assistant Treasurer, its Controller, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary,
and delivered to the Trustee.
"CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE" means the principal office of the Trustee at
which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered.
"CORPORATION" means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock
company or business trust.
"DEBT" means, with respect to any Person, whether recourse is to all
or a portion of the assets of such person and whether or not contingent, (i)
every obligation of such person for money borrowed; (ii) every obligation of
such person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (iii) every reimbursement obligation of such person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such person; (iv) every obligation of such person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business);
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(v) every capital lease obligation of such person; and (vi) every obligation of
the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of another person and all
dividends of another person the payment of which, in either case, such person
has guaranteed or is responsible or liable for, directly or indirectly, as
obligor or otherwise.
"DEFAULTED INTEREST" has the meaning specified in Section 307.
"DEPOSITARY" means, with respect to the Securities of any series
issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global
Securities, the person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to
Section 301 with respect to such series (or any successor thereto).
"DISCOUNT SECURITY" means any security which provides for an amount
less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration
of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502.
"DOLLAR" means the currency of the United States of America that, as
at the time of payment, is legal tender for the payment of public and private
debts.
"EVENT OF DEFAULT" unless otherwise specified in the supplemental
indenture creating a series of Securities, has the meaning specified in Article
V.
"EXTENSION PERIOD" has the meaning specified in Section 311.
"FOREIGN CURRENCY" means any currency issued by the government of one
or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized
confederation or association of such governments.
"GLOBAL SECURITY" means a Security in the form prescribed in Section
204 evidencing all or part of a series of Securities, issued to the Depositary
or its nominee for such series, and registered in the name of such Depositary or
its nominee.
"GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS" means, with respect to the Securities of any
series, securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of
America or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting
as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of
which is unconditionally guaranteed by the United States of America and which,
in either case, are full faith and credit obligations of the United States of
America and are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof
and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank (as defined in
Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) as custodian with
respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on
or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the
account of the holder of such depository receipt; provided that (except as
required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the
amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received
by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment
of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such
depository receipt.
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"HOLDER" means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the
Securities Register.
"JUNIOR SUBORDINATED PAYMENT" has the meaning specified in Section
1302.
"INDENTURE" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may
from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof
and shall include the terms of each particular series of Securities established
as contemplated by Section 301.
"INTEREST PAYMENT DATE" means as to each series of Securities the
Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Securities.
"INTEREST RATE" means the rate of interest specified or determined as
specified in each Security as being the rate of interest payable on such
Security.
"INVESTMENT COMPANY EVENT" means, in respect of an NVP Trust, the
receipt by an NVP Trust of an Opinion of Independent Counsel, rendered by a law
firm having a recognized national tax and securities practice, to the effect
that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a change
in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body,
court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a "Change in 1940 Act Law"),
such NVP Trust is or will be considered an "investment company" that is required
to be registered under the 1940 Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes
effective on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities
of such NVP Trust.
"LIEN" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other
encumbrance.
"MATURITY", when used with respect to any Security, means the date on
which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or
herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of
acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
"NVP TRUST" has the meaning specified in the first recital of this
Indenture.
"1940 ACT" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
"NEVADA POWER GUARANTEE" means the guarantee by the Company of
distributions on the Preferred Securities of an NVP Trust to the extent provided
in the Guarantee Agreement, substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex
C, or substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section
301 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from
time to time.
"NOTICE OF DEFAULT" has the meaning specified in Section 501(3).
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"OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE" means a certificate signed by the Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an
Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of
the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
"OPINION OF COUNSEL" means a written opinion of counsel, who may be
counsel for the Company or General Counsel of the Company.
"OPINION OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL" means a written opinion of counsel,
who may be counsel for the Company.
"ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE" means the date of issuance specified as such in
each Security.
"OUTSTANDING" means, when used in reference to any Securities, as of
the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and
delivered under this Indenture, except:
(i) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to
the Trustee for cancellation;
(ii) Securities for whose payment money in the necessary amount has
been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust
for the Holders of such Securities; and
(iii) Securities in substitution for or in lieu of which other
Securities have been authenticated and delivered or which have been paid
pursuant to Section 306, unless proof satisfactory to the Trustee is
presented that any such Securities are held by Holders in whose hands such
Securities are valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Securities owned
by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the
Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be
Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected
in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned shall
be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith
may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of
the Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Securities and
that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or
any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor. Upon the written request of
the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers'
Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Company
to be owned or held by or for the account of the Company, or any other obligor
on the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such obligor, and, subject
to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such
Officers' Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and
of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are Outstanding for the
purpose of any such determination.
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"PAYING AGENT" means the Trustee or any Person authorized by the
Company to pay the principal of or interest on any Securities on behalf of the
Company.
"PERSON" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof.
"PLACE OF PAYMENT" means, with respect to the Securities of any
series, the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on the Securities of such series are payable pursuant to Section 301 or
311.
"PREDECESSOR SECURITY" of any particular Security means every previous
Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any security
authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or
stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed
or stolen Security.
"PREFERRED SECURITIES" has the meaning specified in the first recital
of this Indenture.
"PROCEEDING" has the meaning specified in Section 1302.
"PROPERTY TRUSTEE" means, in respect of any NVP Trust, the commercial
bank or trust company identified as the "Property Trustee" in the related Trust
Agreement, solely in its capacity as Property Trustee of such NVP Trust under
such Trust Agreement and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in
interest in such capacity, or any successor property trustee appointed as
therein provided.
"REDEMPTION DATE", when used with respect to any Security to be
redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this
Indenture.
"REGULAR RECORD DATE" for the interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date with respect to the Securities of a series means, unless otherwise provided
pursuant to Section 301 with respect to Securities of a series, the date which
is fifteen days next preceding such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a
Business Day).
"RESPONSIBLE OFFICER" when used with respect to the Trustee means any
officer of the Trustee assigned by the Trustee from time to time to administer
its corporate trust matters.
"SECURITIES" or "SECURITY" means any debt securities or debt security,
as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
"SECURITIES REGISTER" and "SECURITIES REGISTRAR" have the respective
meanings specified in Section 305.
"SENIOR DEBT" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization
- 7 -
relating to the Company whether or not such claim for post-petition interest is
allowed in such proceeding), on Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date
of this Indenture or thereafter incurred, unless, in the instrument creating or
evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided
that such obligations are not superior in right of payment to the Securities or
to other Debt which is pari passu with, or subordinated to, the Securities,
provided, however, that Senior Debt shall not be deemed to include (a) any Debt
of the Company which when incurred and without respect to any election under
Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, was without recourse to
the Company, (b) any Debt of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries, (c) Debt to
any employee of the Company, (d) any liability for taxes, (e) Debt or other
monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in connection with the
obtaining of goods, materials or services and (f) the Securities.
"SPECIAL EVENT" means a Tax Event or an Investment Company Event.
"SPECIAL RECORD DATE" for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means
a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.
"STATED MATURITY", when used with respect to any Security or any
installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified
pursuant to the terms of such Security as the date on which the principal of
such Security or such installment of interest is due and payable.
"SUBSIDIARY" means a corporation more than 50% of the outstanding
voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one
or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other
Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, "voting stock" means stock
which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all
times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by
reason of any contingency.
"TAX EVENT" means the receipt by an NVP Trust of an Opinion of
Independent Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized national tax and
securities practice, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or
change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any
regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or
taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official
administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such
laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which
pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the
Preferred Securities of such NVP Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk
that (i) the NVP Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date of such Opinion
of Independent Counsel, subject to United States federal income tax with respect
to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of Securities, (ii)
interest payable by the Company on the corresponding series of Securities is
not, or within 90 days of the date of such Opinion of Independent Counsel, will
not be, deductible, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax
purposes or (iii) the NVP Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date of
such Opinion of Independent Counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of
other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.
"TRUST AGREEMENT" means the Trust Agreement substantially in the form
attached hereto as Annex A, as amended by the form of Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement substantially
- 8 -
in the form attached hereto as Annex B, or substantially in such form as may be
specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any
series, in each case as amended from time to time.
"TRUSTEE" means the Person named as the "Trustee" in the first
paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such
pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter
"Trustee" shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder and,
if at any time there is more than one such Person, "Trustee" as used with
respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to
Securities of that series.
"TRUST INDENTURE ACT" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C.
Sections 77aaa-77bbb), as amended and as in effect on the date as of this
Indenture, except as provided in Section 905.
"TRUST SECURITIES" has the meaning specified in the first recital of
this Indenture.
"VICE PRESIDENT" when used with respect to the Company, means any duly
appointed vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or
words added before or after the title "vice president."
SECTION 102. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE AND OPINIONS. Upon any
application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under
any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an
Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions precedent (including
covenants, compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent), if any,
provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been
complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such
counsel all such conditions precedent (including covenants compliance with which
constitute a condition precedent), if any, have been complied with, except that
in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of
such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture
relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or
opinion need be furnished.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than the
certificates provided pursuant to Section 1005) shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or
opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein
relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination
or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has
made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to
express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition
has been complied with; and
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(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 103. FORMS OF DOCUMENTS DELIVERED TO TRUSTEE. In any case
where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion
of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified
by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so
certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or
give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons
as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to
such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of
reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations
with respect to matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are
erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as
it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or
representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should
know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such
matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.
SECTION 104. ACTS OF HOLDERS. (a) Any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by
this Indenture to be given to or taken by Holders may be embodied in and
evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by
such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as
herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when
such instrument or instruments is or are delivered to the Trustee, and, where it
is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments
(and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes
referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments.
Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such
agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to
Section 601) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the
manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized
by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing
such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where
such execution is by a Person acting in other than his individual capacity, such
certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his
authority.
(c) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may
also be proved in any other manner
- 10 -
which the Trustee deems sufficient and in accordance with such reasonable rules
as the Trustee may determine.
(d) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Securities
Register.
(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future
Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the
transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of
anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance
thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
(f) The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date
for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to take any action under
this Indenture by vote or consent. Except as otherwise provided herein, such
record date shall be the later of 30 days prior to the first solicitation of
such consent or vote or the date of the most recent list of Securityholders
furnished to the Trustee pursuant to Section 701 prior to such solicitation. If
a record date is fixed, those persons who were Securityholders at such record
date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be
entitled to take such action by vote or consent or to revoke any vote or consent
previously given, whether or not such persons continue to be Holders after such
record date, provided, however, that unless such vote or consent is obtained
from the Holders (or their duly designated proxies) of the requisite principal
amount of Outstanding Securities prior to the date which is the 120th day after
such record date, any such vote or consent previously given shall automatically
and without further action by any Holder be canceled and of no further effect.
SECTION 105. NOTICES, ETC. TO TRUSTEE AND COMPANY. Any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or
other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or
furnished to, or filed with,
(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient
for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or
with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust office, or
(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient
for every purpose (except as otherwise provided in Section 501 hereof) hereunder
if in writing and mailed, first class, postage prepaid, to the Company addressed
to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of
this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the
Trustee by the Company.
SECTION 106. NOTICE TO HOLDERS; WAIVER. Where this Indenture
provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently
given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed,
first class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the
address of such Holder as it appears in the Securities Register, not later than
the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the
giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail,
neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed,
to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with
respect to other
- 11 -
Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice
may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either
before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such
notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such
filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in
reliance upon such waiver.
SECTION 107. CONFLICT WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT. If any provision of
this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by any of
Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act through operation of
Section 318(c) thereof, such imposed duties shall control.
SECTION 108. EFFECT OF HEADINGS AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. The Article
and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only
and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 109. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. All covenants and agreements in
this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so
expressed or not.
SECTION 110. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. In case any provision in this
Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in
any way be affected or impaired thereby.
SECTION 111. BENEFITS OF INDENTURE. Nothing in this Indenture or in
the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the
parties hereto, any Paying Agent and their successors and assigns, the holders
of Senior Debt and the Holders of the Securities, any benefit or any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
SECTION 112. GOVERNING LAW. This Indenture and the Securities shall
be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York.
SECTION 113. NON-BUSINESS DAYS. In any case where any Interest
Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a
Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or the
Securities) payment of interest or principal need not be made on such date, but
may be made on the next succeeding Business Day (and no interest shall accrue
for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or
Stated Maturity, as the case may be, until such next succeeding Business Day),
except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such
payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day (in each case
with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or
Redemption Date or at the Stated Maturity).
ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS
SECTION 201. FORMS GENERALLY. The Securities of each series and the
Trustee's certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the forms set
forth in this Article, or in such other
- 12 -
form or forms as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in
one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or
permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of
identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be
required to comply with applicable tax laws or the rules of any securities
exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers
executing such securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities.
If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant
to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be
certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order
contemplated by Section 303 with respect to the authentication and delivery of
such Securities.
The Trustee's certificates of authentication shall be substantially in
the form set forth in this Article.
The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved
or produced by any combination of these methods, if required by any securities
exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other applicable interdealer quotation
system or self-regulatory organization on which the Securities may be listed or
traded, on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced
in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange, the
Nasdaq National Market or other applicable interdealer quotation system or self-
regulatory organization on which the Securities may be listed or traded, all as
determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their
execution of such securities.
SECTION 202. FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY. [If the Security is a Global
Security, insert - This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The
Depository Trust Company (the "Depository") or a nominee of the Depository. This
Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other
than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described
in the Indenture and no transfer of this Security (other than a transfer of this
Security as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a
nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the
Depository) may be registered except in limited circumstances.
Unless this Security is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depository Trust Company (55 ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇) to Nevada Power Company
or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any Security
issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested
by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment
hereon is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE
OR OTHERWISE BY A PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof,
Cede & Co., has an interest herein.]
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NEVADA POWER COMPANY
(Title of Security)
No. __________ $_____________
CUSIP ________
Nevada Power Company, a corporation organized and existing under the
laws of Nevada (hereinafter called the "Company", which term includes any
successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to _______________, or registered assigns, the
principal sum of _____________ Dollars on ______ __, ____[; provided, that the
Company may (i) change the maturity date upon the occurrence of an exchange of
the Securities for the Trust Securities subject to certain conditions set forth
in Section 314 of the Indenture, which changed maturity date shall in no case be
earlier than ______ __, ____ or later than _______ __, ____ and (ii) extend the
maturity date subject to certain conditions specified in Section 314 of the
Indenture, which extended maturity date shall in no case be later than _______
__, ____]. The Company further promises to pay interest on said principal sum
from ______, ___ or from the most recent interest payment date (each such date,
an "Interest Payment Date") on which interest has been paid or duly provided
for, [monthly] [quarterly] [semi-annually] [if applicable, insert-(subject to
deferral as set forth herein)] in arrears on [insert applicable Interest Payment
Dates] of each year, commencing ______, ___, at the rate of ___% per annum,
until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, [if applicable,
insert- plus Additional Interest, if any,] until the principal hereof is paid or
duly provided for or made available for payment [if applicable, insert- and on
any overdue principal and (without duplication and to the extent that payment of
such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any overdue installment of
interest at the rate of ___% per annum, compounded [monthly] [quarterly]
[annually]. The amount of interest payable for any period shall be computed on
the basis of [twelve 30-day months] and a [360- day] year. The amount of
interest payable for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of the
number of days elapsed in a [360-day] year of [twelve 30-day months]. In the
event that any date on which interest is payable on this Security is not a
Business Day, then a payment of the interest payable on such date will be made
on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (and without any interest or
other payment in respect of any such delay), except that, if such Business Day
is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the
immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect
as if made on the date the payment was originally payable. A "Business Day"
shall mean any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) a day on which
banking institutions in the City of New York are authorized or required by law
or executive order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the Corporate Trust
Office of the Trustee [if applicable, insert-, or the principal office of the
Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement hereinafter referred to for NVP
Capital __,] is closed for business. The interest installment so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as
provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or
one or more Predecessor Securities, as defined in the Indenture) is registered
at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest
installment, which shall be the [insert definition of Regular Record Dates]. Any
such interest installment not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall
forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may
either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more
Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special
Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted
- 14 -
Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of
Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record
Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with
the requirements of any securities exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other
applicable interdealer quotation system or self-regulatory organization on which
the Securities of this series may be listed or traded, and upon such notice as
may be required by such exchange or other self-regulatory organization, all as
more fully provided in said Indenture.
[If applicable, insert- The Company shall have the right at any time
during the term of this Security, from time to time, to defer the payment of
interest on such Security for up to __ consecutive [monthly] [quarterly]
[semi-annual] interest payment periods with respect to each deferral period
(each an "Extension Period"), during which Extension Periods the Company shall
have the right to make partial payments of interest on any Interest Payment
Date, and at the end of which the Company shall pay all interest then accrued
and unpaid (together with Additional Interest thereon to the extent permitted by
applicable law); provided that during any such Extension Period, the Company
will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary of the Company to (i) declare or
pay any dividends or distributions or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Company's outstanding capital
stock or (ii) make any payment of principal, interest or premium, if any, on or
repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security that ranks pari passu with or
junior in interest to this Security or make any guarantee payments with respect
to the foregoing (other than (a) dividends or distributions in Common Stock of
the Company, (b) redemptions or purchases of any rights pursuant to the
Company's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights Plan, or any successor to such
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights Plan, and the declaration of a dividend of such
rights or the issuance of Preferred Stock under such plans in the future, (c)
payments under any Nevada Power Guarantee, (d) purchases of Common Stock related
to the issuance of Common Stock under any of the Company's benefit plans for its
directors, officers or employees and (e) purchases of Common Stock required to
prevent the loss or secure the renewal or reinstatement of any government
license or franchise held by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries). Prior to
the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may further extend the
interest payment period, provided that no Extension Period shall exceed __
consecutive [months] [quarters] [semi-annual periods] or extend beyond the
Maturity of this Security. Upon the termination of any such Extension Period
and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest and any Additional
Interest then due, the Company may elect to begin a new Extension Period,
subject to the above requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during
an Extension Period except at the end thereof. The Company shall give the
Holder of this Security and the Trustee notice of its election to begin any
Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date
[if applicable, insert- or, with respect to the Securities issued to an NVP
Trust, prior to the earlier of (i) the date the Distributions on the Preferred
Securities are payable or (ii) the date the Administrative Trustees are required
to give notice to any securities exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other
applicable interdealer quotation system or self- regulatory organization or to
holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such
Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior
to such record date].
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this
Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that
purpose in the United States, in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment
- 15 -
of public and private debts [if applicable, insert-; provided, however, that at
the option of the Company payment of interest may be made (i) by check mailed to
the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Securities Register or (ii) by wire transfer in immediately available funds at
such place and to such account as may be designated by the Person entitled
thereto as specified in the Securities Register].
The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent provided
in the Indenture, subordinate and subject in right of payments to the prior
payment in full of all Senior Debt, and this Security is issued subject to the
provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this Security,
by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions, (b)
authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such actions as may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and (c)
appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each
Holder hereof, by his acceptance hereof, waives all notice of the acceptance of
the subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each
holder of Senior Debt, whether now outstanding or hereafter incurred, and waives
reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security
set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.
Dated:
NEVADA POWER COMPANY
By: _________________________________________
[President or Vice President]
Attest:
[Secretary or Assistant Secretary]
- 16 -
SECTION 203. FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY. This Security is one of a
duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the
"Securities"), issued and to be issued in one or more series under a Junior
Subordinated Indenture, dated as of ________ __, 1997 (herein called the
"Indenture"), between the Company and _________________, as Trustee (herein
called the "Trustee", which term includes any successor trustee under the
Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference
is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights,
duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of
the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be,
authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on
the face hereof[, limited in aggregate principal amount to $___________].
All terms used in this Security that are defined in the Indenture [if
applicable, insert- or in the Trust Agreement, dated _________ __, ____, as
amended (the "Trust Agreement"), for NVP Capital __ among Nevada Power Company,
as Depositor, and the Trustees named therein] shall have the meanings assigned
to them in the Indenture [if applicable, insert- or the Trust Agreement, as the
case may be].
[If applicable, insert- On or after _________ __, ____, the Company
may at any time, at its option, subject to the terms and conditions of Article
Eleven of the Indenture, redeem this Security in whole at any time or in part
from time to time, without premium or penalty, at a redemption price equal to
100% of the principal amount thereof plus the accrued and unpaid interest [if
applicable, insert-, including Additional Interest, if any,] to the date fixed
for redemption.
[If applicable, insert- If a Special Event in respect of an NVP Trust
shall occur and be continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem this
Security within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in whole but
not in part, subject to the provisions of Section 1107 and the other provisions
of Article XI of the Indenture, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, including Additional
Interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption.]
In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new
Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be
issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
[If the Security is not a Discount Security, - If an Event of Default
with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the
principal of this Security may be declared due and payable in the manner, with
the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.]
[If the Security is a Discount Security, - If an Event of Default with
respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, an amount of
principal of this Security may be declared due and payable in the manner, with
the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture. Such amount
shall be equal to [- insert formula for determining the amount]. Upon payment
(i) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (ii) of interest
on any overdue principal and overdue interest (in each case to the extent that
the payment of such interest shall be
- 17 -
legally enforceable), all of the Company's obligations in respect of the payment
of the principal of and interest, if any, on this Security shall terminate.]
The Indenture contains provisions for satisfaction, discharge and
defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security upon
compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided,
the Company and the Trustee at any time to enter into a supplemental indenture
or indentures for the purpose of modifying in any manner the rights and
obligations of the Company and of the Holders of the Securities, with the
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of each series to be affected by such supplemental
indenture. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting Holders of
specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at
the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series,
to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and
certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such
consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding
upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any
Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor
or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made
upon this Security.
[If the Security is not a Discount Security, - As provided in and
subject to the provisions of the Indenture, if an Event of Default with respect
the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing,
then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of this series may declare the
principal amount of all the Securities of this series to be due and payable
immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given
by Holders), provided that, in the case of the Securities of this series issued
to an NVPTrust, if upon an Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not
less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of this series
fails to declare the principal of all the Securities of this series to be
immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in aggregate
liquidation amount of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities then
outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company and the
Trustee; and upon any such declaration such principal amount of and the accrued
interest (including any Additional Interest) on all the Securities of this
series shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of
principal and interest (including any Additional Interest) on such Securities
shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article Thirteen of the
Indenture.
[If the Security is a Discount Security, - As provided in and subject
to the provisions of the Indenture, if an Event of Default with respect the
Securities of this series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then
and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than such portion
of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of this series of all
the Securities of this series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in
writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), provided that,
in the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust, if upon an
Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of this series fails to declare the
principal of all the Securities of that series to be immediately due and
payable, the holders of at least 25% in aggregate
- 18 -
liquidation amount of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities then
outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company and the
Trustee; and upon any such declaration such specified amount of and the accrued
interest (including any Additional Interest) on all the Securities of this
series shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of
principal and interest (including any Additional Interest) on such Securities
shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article Thirteen of the
Indenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or
currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations
therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the
Securities Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of
transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained under Section 1002 of
the Indenture duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Securities Registrar duly
executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and
thereupon one or more new Securities of this series, of authorized denominations
and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated
transferee or transferees. No service charge shall be made for any such
registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in
connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of
transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither
the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the
contrary.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $____ and any integral multiple thereof. As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,
Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount
of Securities of such series of a different authorized denomination, as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
The Company and, by its acceptance of this Security or a beneficial
interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a beneficial
interest in, this Security agree that for United States federal, state and local
tax purposes it is intended that this Security constitute indebtedness.
THE INDENTURE AND THIS SECURITY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF
LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
- 19 -
SECTION 204. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS REQUIRED IN GLOBAL SECURITY. Any
Global Security issued hereunder shall, in addition to the provisions contained
in Sections 202 and 203 bear a legend in substantially the following form:
"This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the
Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a
Depositary or a nominee of a Depositary. This Security is
exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other
than the Depositary or its nominee only in the limited circumstances
described in the Indenture and may not be transferred except as a
whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee
of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the
Depositary."
SECTION 205. FORM OF TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION. This
is one of the Securities referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.
_________________________________
as Trustee
By: _____________________________
Authorized Officer
ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES
SECTION 301. TITLE AND TERMS. The aggregate principal amount of
Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is
unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be
established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officers'
Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior
to the issuance of Securities of a series:
(a) the title of the securities of such series, which shall
distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities;
(b) the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount of the
Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under
this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other
Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1106);
provided, however, that the authorized aggregate principal amount of such
series may be increased above such amount by a Board Resolution to such
effect;
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(c) the Stated Maturity or Maturities on which the principal of the
Securities of such series is payable or the method of determination
thereof;
(d) the rate or rates, if any, at which the Securities of such series
shall bear interest, if any, the rate or rates and extent to which
Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable in respect of any Securities
of such series, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be
payable, the right, pursuant to Section 311 or as otherwise set forth
therein, of the Company to defer or extend an Interest Payment Date, and
the Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment
Date or the method by which any of the foregoing shall be determined;
(e) the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any)
and interest on the Securities of such series shall be payable, the place
or places where the Securities of such series may be presented for
registration of transfer or exchange, and the place or places where notices
and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such
series may be made;
(f) the period or periods within or the date or dates on which, if
any, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which
the Securities of such series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the
option of the Company;
(g) the obligation or the right, if any, of the Company to redeem,
repay or purchase the Securities of such series pursuant to any sinking
fund, amortization or analogous provisions, or at the option of a Holder
thereof, and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at
which, the currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) in
which and the other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the
series shall be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part,
pursuant to such obligation;
(h) the denominations in which any Securities of such series shall be
issuable, if other than denominations of $25 and any integral multiple
thereof;
(i) if other than Dollars, the currency or currencies (including
currency unit or units) in which the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be payable, or in
which the Securities of the series shall be denominated;
(j) the additions, modifications or deletions, if any, in the Events
of Default or covenants of the Company set forth herein with respect to the
Securities of such series;
(k) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the
principal amount of Securities of such series that shall be payable upon
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof;
(l) the additions or changes, if any, to this Indenture with respect
to the Securities of such series as shall be necessary to permit or
facilitate the issuance of the Securities of such
- 21 -
series in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and
with or without interest coupons;
(m) any index or indices used to determine the amount of payments of
principal of and premium, if any, on the Securities of such series or the
manner in which such amounts will be determined;
(n) the issuance of a temporary Global Security representing all of
the Securities of such series and exchange of such temporary Global
Security for definitive Securities of such series;
(o) whether the Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or
in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the
Depositary for such Global Securities, which Depositary shall be a clearing
agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(p) the appointment of any Paying Agent or Agents for the Securities
of such series;
(q) the terms of any right to convert or exchange Securities of such
series into any other securities or property of the Company, and the
additions or changes, if any, to this Indenture with respect to the
Securities of such series to permit or facilitate such conversion or
exchange;
(r) the form or forms of the Trust Agreement, Amended and Restated
Trust Agreement and Guarantee Agreement, if different from the forms
attached hereto as Annexes A, B and C, respectively;
(s) the relative degree, if any, to which the Securities of the
series shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities
in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities are
Outstanding or not; and
(t) any other terms of the Securities of such series (which terms
shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).
All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical
except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided herein or in
or pursuant to such Board Resolution and set forth in such Officers' Certificate
or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.
If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken
pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action
shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and
delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers'
Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.
- 22 -
SECTION 302. DENOMINATIONS. The Securities of each series shall be
in registered form without coupons and shall be issuable in denominations of $25
and any integral multiple thereof, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by
Section 301.
SECTION 303. EXECUTION, AUTHENTICATION, DELIVERY AND DATING. The
Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its President or one of
its Vice Presidents under its corporate seal reproduced or impressed thereon and
attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of
any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.
Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals
who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices at the date of such Securities. At any time and from time to time after
the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities
executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication. Securities may be
authenticated on original issuance from time to time and delivered pursuant to
such procedures acceptable to the Trustee ("Procedures") as may be specified
from time to time by Company Order. Procedures may authorize authentication and
delivery pursuant to oral instructions of the Company or a duly authorized
agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing.
Prior to the delivery of a Security in any such form to the Trustee
for authentication, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee the following:
(a) A Company Order requesting the Trustee's authentication and
delivery of all or a portion of the Securities of such series, and if less
than all, setting forth procedures for such authentication;
(b) The Board Resolution by or pursuant to which such form of
Security has been approved, and the Board Resolution, if any, by or
pursuant to which the terms of the Securities of such series have been
approved, and, if pursuant to a Board Resolution, an Officers' Certificate
describing the action taken;
(c) An Officers' Certificate dated the date such certificate is
delivered to the Trustee, stating that all conditions precedent provided
for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of
Securities in such form and with such terms have been complied with; and
(d) An Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the form of such
Securities has been duly authorized and approved in conformity with the
provisions of this Indenture; (ii) the terms of such Securities have been
duly authorized and determined in conformity with the provisions of this
Indenture, or, if such terms are to be determined pursuant to Procedures,
as defined above, when so determined such terms shall have been duly
authorized and determined in conformity with the provisions of this
Indenture; and (iii) Securities in such form when completed by appropriate
insertions and executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for
authentication in accordance with this Indenture, authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture within the
authorization as to
- 23 -
aggregate principal amount established from time to time by the Board of
Directors and sold in the manner specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will
be the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the
benefits of this Indenture, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
reorganization, insolvency and similar laws generally affecting creditors'
rights, to general equitable principles and except as enforcement thereof
may be limited by (A) requirements that a claim with respect to any
Securities denominated other than in Dollars (or a Foreign Currency or
currency unit judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into Dollars
at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to
applicable law or (B) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit
the making of payments in Foreign Currencies or currency units or payments
outside the United States, and subject to such other qualifications as such
counsel shall conclude do not materially affect the rights of Holders of
such Securities;
provided, however, that the Trustee shall be entitled to receive the documents
referred to in Clauses (b), (c) and (d) above only at or prior to the first
request of the Company to the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series.
Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or
be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a
certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein
executed by the Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized
officers, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence,
and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and
delivered hereunder.
SECTION 304. TEMPORARY SECURITIES. Pending the preparation of
definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company
Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are
printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any
denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities of such
series in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions,
omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such
Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will
cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable
delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities, the temporary Securities
shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities upon surrender of the temporary
Securities at the office or agency of the Company designated for that purpose
without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or
more temporary Securities, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of
definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations having the
same Original Issue Date and Stated Maturity and having the same terms as such
temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities shall in all
respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive
Securities.
- 24 -
SECTION 305. REGISTRATION, TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE. The Company shall
cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register in
which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company
shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities.
Such register is herein sometimes referred to as the "Securities Register." The
Trustee is hereby appointed "Securities Registrar" for the purpose of
registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security at the
office or agency of the Company designated for that purpose the Company shall
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the
designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same
series of any authorized denominations, of a like aggregate principal amount, of
the same Original Issue Date and Stated Maturity and having the same terms.
At the option of the Holder, Securities may be exchanged for other
Securities of the same series of any authorized denominations, of a like
aggregate principal amount, of the same Original Issue Date and Stated Maturity
and having the same terms, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at
such office or agency. Whenever any securities are so surrendered for exchange,
the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the
Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
All Securities issued upon any transfer or exchange of Securities
shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and
entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities
surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.
Every Security presented or surrendered for transfer or exchange shall
(if so required by the Company or the Securities Registrar) be duly endorsed, or
be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company and the Securities Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his
attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made to a Holder for any transfer or
exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
with any transfer or exchange of Securities.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, any Global Security of a series
shall be exchangeable pursuant to this Section 305 for Securities registered in
the names of Persons other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee
only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable
to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such
Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the
Trustee a Company Order that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or
(iii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with
respect to the Securities of such series. Any Global Security that is
exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for
Securities registered in such names as such Depositary shall direct.
- 25 -
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, a Global
Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect
to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such
Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary.
Neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be required, pursuant to the
provisions of this Section, (a) to issue, transfer or exchange any Security of
any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before
the day of selection for redemption of Securities pursuant to Article XI and
ending at the close of business on the day of mailing of notice of redemption or
(b) to transfer or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or
in part, except, in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, any portion
thereof not to be redeemed.
SECTION 306. MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST AND STOLEN SECURITIES. If
any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee together with such security
or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of
them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same issue and series of like
tenor and principal amount, having the same Original Issue Date and Stated
Maturity and bearing the same Interest Rate as such mutilated Security, and
bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i)
evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Security, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save
each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the
Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the
Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and
deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security
of the same issue and series of like tenor and principal amount, having the same
Original Issue Date and Stated Maturity and bearing the same Interest Rate as
such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, and bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has
become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may,
instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company
may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any
destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional
contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or
stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be
entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with
any and all other Securities duly issued hereunder.
- 26 -
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to
the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement
or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
SECTION 307. PAYMENT OF INTEREST; INTEREST RIGHTS PRESERVED.
Interest on any Security of any series which is payable, and is punctually paid
or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, shall be paid to the Person
in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest
in respect of Securities of such series, except that, unless otherwise provided
in the Securities of such series, interest payable on the Stated Maturity of a
Security shall be paid to the Person to whom principal is paid. The initial
payment of interest on any Security of any series which is issued between a
Regular Record Date and the related Interest Payment Date shall be payable as
provided in such Security or in the Board Resolution pursuant to Section 301
with respect to the related series of Securities.
Any interest on any Security which is payable, but is not timely paid
or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for Securities of such series
(herein called "Defaulted Interest"), shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
registered Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been
such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its
election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:
(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest
to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series in respect of
which interest is in default (or their respective Predecessor Securities)
are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the
payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following
manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of
Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security and the date of the
proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the
Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be
paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements
satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the
proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this
Clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for
the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days
and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not
less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the
proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such
Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company,
shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and
the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first class, postage
prepaid, to each Holder of a Security of such series at the address of such
Holder as it appears in the Securities Register not less than 10 days prior
to such Special Record Date. The Trustee may, in its discretion, in the
name and at the expense of the Company, cause a similar notice to be
published at least once in a newspaper, customarily published in the
English language on each Business Day and of general circulation in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not
be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date.
Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special
- 27 -
Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted
Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such
series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered on such
Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the
following Clause (2).
(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any
other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any
securities exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other applicable
interdealer quotation system or self-regulatory organization on which the
Securities of the series in respect of which interest is in default may be
listed or traded and, upon such notice as may be required by such exchange
or other self-regulatory organization (or by the Trustee if the Securities
are not listed or traded), if, after notice given by the Company to the
Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall
be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Security
delivered under this Indenture upon transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of
any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to
accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
SECTION 308. PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS. The Company, the Trustee and any
agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any
Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of
receiving payment of principal of and (subject to Section 307) interest on such
Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be
overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or
the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
SECTION 309. CANCELLATION. All Securities surrendered for payment,
redemption, transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than
the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Securities
surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose shall be promptly
canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for
cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder
which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities
so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be
authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided
in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled
Securities shall be destroyed by the Trustee and the Trustee shall deliver to
the Company a certificate of such destruction.
SECTION 310. COMPUTATION OF INTEREST. Except as otherwise specified
as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, interest on the
Securities of each series for any period shall be computed on the basis of a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months and interest on the Securities of each
series for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of the number of
days elapsed in a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
SECTION 311. DEFERRALS OF INTEREST PAYMENT DATES. If specified as
contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of a particular
series, the Company shall have the right, at any time during the term of such
series, from time to time to defer the payment of interest on such
- 28 -
Securities for such period or periods as may be specified as contemplated by
Section 301 (each, an "Extension Period"), during which Extension Periods the
Company shall have the right to make partial payments of interest on any
Interest Payment Date. No Extension Period shall end on a date other than an
Interest Payment Date. At the end of any such Extension Period the Company
shall pay all interest then accrued and unpaid on the Securities (together with
Additional Interest thereon, if any, at the rate specified for the Securities of
such series to the extent permitted by applicable law), provided, however, that
during any such Extension Period, the Company shall not, and shall cause any
Subsidiary not to, (i) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or
redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of
the Company's capital stock, or (ii) make any payment of principal, interest or
premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities that rank
pari passu with or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or make
any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing (other than (a) dividends
or distributions in Common Stock of the Company, (b) redemptions or purchases of
any rights pursuant to the Company's Preferred Stock Purchase Rights Plan, or
any successor to such Preferred Stock Purchase Rights Plan, and the declaration
of a dividend of such rights or the issuance of Preferred Stock under such plans
in the future, (c) payments under any Nevada Power Guarantee, (d) purchases of
Common Stock related to the issuance of Common Stock under any of the Company's
benefit plans for its directors, officers or employees and (e) purchases of
Common Stock required to prevent the loss or secure the renewal or reinstatement
of any government license or franchise held by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries). Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the
Company may further extend the interest payment period, provided that no
Extension Period shall exceed the period or periods specified in such Securities
or extend beyond the Maturity of such Securities. Upon termination of any
Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest and any
Additional Interest then due on any Interest Payment Date, the Company may elect
to begin a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements. No interest
shall be due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof.
The Company shall give the Holders of the Securities of such series and the
Trustee notice of its election to begin any such Extension Period at least one
Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date or, with respect to the
Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust, prior to the earlier of (I) the
date the Distributions on the Preferred Securities of such NVP Trust are payable
or (ii) the date the Administrative Trustees of such NVP Trust are required to
give notice to any securities exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or other
applicable interdealer quotation system or self-regulatory organization or to
holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such
Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior
to such record date.
The Trustee shall promptly give notice of the Company's election to
begin any such Extension Period to the Holders of the outstanding Securities of
such series.
SECTION 312. RIGHT OF SET-OFF. With respect to the Securities of a
series issued to an NVP Trust, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the
Indenture, the Company shall have the right to set-off any payment it is
otherwise required to make thereunder in respect of any such Security to the
extent the Company has theretofore made, or is concurrently on the date of such
payment making, a payment under the Nevada Power Guarantee relating to such
Security.
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SECTION 313. AGREED TAX TREATMENT. Each Security issued hereunder
shall provide that the Company and, by its acceptance of a Security or a
beneficial interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a
beneficial interest in, such Security agree that for United States federal,
state and local tax purposes it is intended that such Security constitute
indebtedness.
SECTION 314. EXTENSION OF STATED MATURITY; ADJUSTMENT OF STATED
MATURITY UPON AN EXCHANGE. If specified as contemplated by Section 301 with
respect to the Securities of a particular series, the Company shall have the
right to (a) change the Maturity Date of the Securities of such series upon the
liquidation of an NVP Trust and the exchange of such Securities for the
Preferred Securities of such NVP Trust and (b) extend the Stated Maturity for
the Securities of such series; provided, that at time any election to extend the
Maturity Date is made and at the time of such extension (i) the Company is not
in bankruptcy, otherwise insolvent or in liquidation, (ii) the Company is not in
default in the payment of any interest or principal on the Securities of such
series and no deferred interest payments thereon have accrued, (iii) the
applicable NVP Trust is not in arrears on payments of Distributions on its
Preferred Securities and no deferred Distributions thereon are accumulated, (iv)
the Securities are rated not less than BBB- by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services or Baa3 by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investors Service, Inc. or the equivalent by any
other nationally recognized statistical rating organization and (v) the extended
Stated Maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of
the Preferred Securities of the applicable NVP Trust; and provided, further,
that, if the Company exercises its right to liquidate an NVP Trust and exchange
the Securities of such series for the Preferred Securities of such NVP Trust as
specified in clause (a) above, any changed Stated Maturity of the Securities of
such series shall be (A) no earlier than the date five years after the initial
issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable NVP Trust and (B) no
later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19
years if the above-referenced conditions are satisfied) after the date of the
initial issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable NVP Trust.
SECTION 315. CUSIP NUMBERS. The Company in issuing the Securities
may use "CUSIP" numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee
shall use "CUSIP" numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders;
provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the
correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained
in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other
identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall
not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.
ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 401. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE. This Indenture
shall cease to be of further effect (except as to (i) any surviving rights of
transfer, substitution and exchange of Securities, (ii) rights hereunder of
Holders to receive payments of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest
on the Securities and other rights, duties and obligations of the Holders as
beneficiaries hereof with respect to the amounts, if any, deposited with the
Trustee pursuant to this Article IV and (iii) the rights and obligations of the
Trustee hereunder), and the Trustee, on demand of and at the
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expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(1) either
(A) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered
(other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen
and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306 and
(ii) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited
in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter
repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in
Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(B) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee
for cancellation
(i) have become due and payable, or
(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity
within one year of the date of deposit,
and the Company, in the case of clause (i) or (ii) above, has
deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust
funds in trust for such purpose an amount in the currency or
currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable
sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such
Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation, for principal (and premium, if any) and interest
(including any Additional Interest) to the date of such deposit
(in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or
to the Stated Maturity;
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
hereunder by the Company; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate
and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent herein
provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture
have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the
obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607 and, if money shall
have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of
this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last
paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.
SECTION 402. APPLICATION OF TRUST MONEY. Subject to the provisions
of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee
pursuant to Section 401 or money or Government Obligations deposited with the
Trustee pursuant to Section 403, or received by the Trustee in respect of
Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇,
- ▇▇ -
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the
provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly
or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying
Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the
principal (and premium, if any) and interest for the payment of which such money
or obligations have been deposited with or received by the Trustee; provided,
however, such moneys need not be segregated from other funds except to the
extent required by law.
SECTION 403. SATISFACTION, DISCHARGE AND DEFEASANCE OF SECURITIES OF
ANY SERIES. Unless otherwise provided in the Board Resolution adopted pursuant
to Section 301 establishing the terms of the Securities of any series, the
Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on
all the Outstanding Securities of any such series and the Trustee, at the
expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging
satisfaction and discharge of such indebtedness, when
(1) with respect to all Outstanding Securities of such series,
(A) the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be
irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for
such purpose an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire
indebtedness on all Outstanding Securities of such series for
principal (and premium, if any) and interest (including any Additional
Interest) to the Stated Maturity or any Redemption Date as
contemplated by the penultimate paragraph of this Section 403, as the
case may be; or
(B) the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be
irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as obligations in trust for
such purpose an amount of Government Obligations as will, in the
written opinion of independent public accountants delivered to the
Trustee, together with predetermined and certain income to accrue
thereon, without consideration of any reinvestment thereof, be
sufficient to pay and discharge when due the entire indebtedness on
all Outstanding Securities of such series for principal (and premium,
if any) and interest (including any Additional Interest) to the Stated
Maturity or any Redemption Date as contemplated by the penultimate
paragraph of this Section 403, as the case may be; and
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate
and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent
herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the
entire indebtedness on all Outstanding Securities of any such series have
been complied with.
Any deposits with the Trustee referred to in Section 403(1) above
shall be irrevocable and shall be made under the terms of an escrow trust
agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. If any
Outstanding Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated
Maturity, whether pursuant to any optional redemption provisions or in
accordance with
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any mandatory sinking fund requirement, the applicable escrow trust agreement
shall provide therefor and the Company shall make such arrangements as are
satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the
Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company. If the Securities of
such series are not to become due and payable at their Stated Maturity or upon
call for redemption within one year of the date of deposit, then the Company
shall give, not later than the date of such deposit, notice of such deposit to
the Holders of Securities of such series.
Upon the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in this Section 403
with respect to all the Outstanding Securities of any series, the terms and
conditions of such series, including the terms and conditions with respect
thereto set forth in this Indenture, shall no longer be binding upon, or
applicable to, the Company; provided, that the Company shall not be discharged
from any payment obligations in respect of Securities of such series which are
deemed not to be Outstanding under clause (iii) of the definition thereof if
such obligations continue to be valid obligations of the Company under
applicable law.
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
SECTION 501. EVENTS OF DEFAULT. "Event of Default", wherever used
herein with respect to the Securities of any series, means any one of the
following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it
shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant
to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation
of any administrative or governmental body):
(1) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that
series, including any Additional Interest in respect thereof, when it
becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30
days (subject to the deferral of any due date in the case of an Extension
Period); or
(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any,
on) any Security of that series at its Maturity; or
(3) default in the performance, or breach, in any material respect,
of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a
covenant or warranty a default in the performance of which or the breach of
which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and
continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there
has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the
Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written
notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied;
or
(4) the entry of a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in
the premises adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as
properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment
or composition of or in respect of the
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Company under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company
or of any substantial part of its property or ordering the winding up or
liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order
unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or
(5) the institution by the Company of proceedings to be adjudicated a
bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the institution of
bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a
petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any
applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other
similar law, or the consent by it to the filing of any such petition or to
the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator
(or other similar official) of the Company or of any substantial part of
its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of
creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its
debts generally as they become due and its willingness to be adjudicated a
bankrupt, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance
of any such action; or
(6) any other Event of Default with respect to Securities of that
series.
SECTION 502. ACCELERATION OF MATURITY; RESCISSION AND ANNULMENT. If
an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time
Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or
the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if the
Securities of that series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal
amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities of
that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the
Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), provided that, in the case of
the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust, if, upon an Event of Default,
the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series fail to declare the principal of all the
Securities of that series to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at
least 25% in aggregate liquidation amount of the corresponding series of
Preferred Securities then outstanding shall have such right by a notice in
writing to the Company and the Trustee; and upon any such declaration such
principal amount (or specified amount) of and the accrued interest (including
any Additional Interest) on all the Securities of such series shall become
immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and interest
(including any Additional Interest) on such Securities shall remain subordinated
to the extent provided in Article Thirteen.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to
Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for
payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this
Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the
Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:
(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum
sufficient to pay
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(A) all overdue installments of interest (including any
Additional Interest) on all Securities of that series,
(B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of
that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration
of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate borne by the
Securities, and
(C) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Trustee, its agents and counsel; and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series,
other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series
which has become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived
as provided in Section 513.
The holders of a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of
the Securities of a series affected thereby may, on behalf of the holders of all
the Securities of such series, waive any past default, except a default in the
payment of principal or interest (unless such default has been cured and a sum
sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal due
otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited with the Trustee) or a default
in respect of a covenant or provision which under this Indenture cannot be
modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding
Security of such series and, in the case of Securities of a series issued to an
NVP Trust, should the holders of such Securities fail to annul such declaration
and waive such default, the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation
preference of the related series of Preferred Securities shall have such right.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
Upon receipt by the Trustee of written notice declaring such an
acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, with respect to Securities of
a series all or part of which is represented by a Global Security, a record date
shall be established for determining Holders of Outstanding Securities of such
series entitled to join in such notice, which record date shall be at the close
of business on the day the Trustee receives such notice. The Holders on such
record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be
entitled to join in such notice, whether or not such Holders remain Holders
after such record date; provided, that, unless such declaration of acceleration,
or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall have become effective by
virtue of the requisite percentage having joined in such notice prior to the day
which is 90 days after such record date, such notice of declaration of
acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall
automatically and without further action by any Holder be canceled and of no
further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a Holder, or a proxy of
a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day period, a new written
notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, as
the case may be, that is identical to a written notice which has been canceled
pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new record
date shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Section 502.
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SECTION 503. COLLECTION OF INDEBTEDNESS AND SUITS FOR ENFORCEMENT BY
TRUSTEE. The Company covenants that if:
(1) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest
(including any Additional Interest) on any Security when such interest
becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days,
or
(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (and premium,
if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof, the Company will, upon
demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders
of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such
Securities for principal, including any sinking fund payment or analogous
obligations (and premium, if any) and interest (including any Additional
Interest); and, in addition thereto, all amounts owing the Trustee under
Section 607.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand,
the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a
judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may
prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same
against the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities and collect the
moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of
the property of the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities, wherever
situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs
and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and
enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by
such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual
to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of
any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any
power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
SECTION 504. TRUSTEE MAY FILE PROOFS OF CLAIM. In case of the
pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or
the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors,
(a) the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the
Securities of any series shall then be due and payable as therein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether
the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment
of overdue principal (and premium, if any) or interest (including any
Additional Interest)) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention
in such proceeding or otherwise,
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of
principal (and premium, if any) and interest (including any
Additional Interest) owing and unpaid in respect to the
Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be
necessary or advisable and to take any and all actions as are
authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have the
claims of the
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Holders and any predecessor to the Trustee under Section 607 and
of the Holders allowed in any such judicial proceedings; and
(ii) and in particular, the Trustee shall be authorized
to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same in
accordance with Section 506; and
(b) any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator,
sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is
hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee for
distribution in accordance with Section 506, and in the event that the
Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the
Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it and any predecessor
Trustee under Section 607.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities
or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in
respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided, however,
that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a
trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors' or
other similar committee.
SECTION 505. TRUSTEE MAY ENFORCE CLAIM WITHOUT POSSESSION OF
SECURITIES. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the
Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession
of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating
thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in
its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall,
after provision for the payment of all the amounts owing the Trustee and any
predecessor Trustee under Section 607, its agents and counsel, be for the
ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such
judgment has been recovered.
SECTION 506. APPLICATION OF MONEY COLLECTED. Any money or property
collected or to be applied by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities
pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or
dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or
property on account of principal (or premium, if any) or interest (including any
Additional Interest), upon presentation of the Securities and the notation
thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if
fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any
predecessor Trustee under Section 607;
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon such
series of Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest (including
any Additional Interest), in respect of which or for the benefit of which such
money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind,
according to the amounts due and payable on such series of Securities for
principal (and premium, if any) and interest (including any Additional
Interest), respectively; and
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THIRD: The balance, if any, to the Person or Persons entitled
thereto.
SECTION 507. LIMITATION ON SUITS. No Holder of any Securities of any
series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise,
with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver, assignee,
trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) or for any other
remedy hereunder, unless:
(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of
a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that
series;
(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to
the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in
its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable
indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in
compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request
and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been
given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority
in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have
any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing itself of, any
provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any
other Holders of Securities, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or
preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this
Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable
benefit of all such Holders.
SECTION 508. UNCONDITIONAL RIGHT OF HOLDERS TO RECEIVE PRINCIPAL,
PREMIUM AND INTEREST. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture,
the Holder of any Security shall have the right which is absolute and
unconditional to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and
(subject to Section 307) interest (including any Additional Interest) on such
Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security and to
institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not
be impaired without the consent of such Holder. In the case of Securities of a
series issued to an NVP Trust, any holder of the corresponding series of
Preferred Securities shall have the right set forth in the preceding sentence to
directly institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment of the principal of
(and premium, if any) and (subject to Section 307) interest (including any
Additional Interest) on any Security to such holder of the principal amount of
or interest on the Securities having a principal amount equal to the aggregate
liquidation preference of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities of
such Holder.
SECTION 509. RESTORATION OF RIGHTS AND REMEDIES. If the Trustee or
any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under
this Indenture and such
- 38 -
proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been
determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such
case the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall, subject to any
determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to
their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the
Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been
instituted.
SECTION 510. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CUMULATIVE. Except as otherwise
provided in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein
conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be
exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the
extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and
remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or
otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or
otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other
appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 511. DELAY OR OMISSION NOT WAIVER. Except as otherwise
provided in the last paragraph of Section 306, no delay or omission of the
Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy
accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or
constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein.
Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee
or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be
deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
SECTION 512. CONTROL BY HOLDERS. The Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the
right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any
remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on
the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that:
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or
with this Indenture,
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the
Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(3) subject to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee shall have
the right to decline to follow such direction if the Trustee in good faith
shall, by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, determine that
the proceeding so directed would be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not
joining in any such direction or would involve the Trustee in personal
liability.
Upon receipt by the Trustee of any written notice directing the time,
method or place of conducting any such proceeding or exercising any such trust
or power, with respect to Securities of a series all or part of which is
represented by a Global Security, a record date shall be established for
determining Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series entitled to join in
such notice, which record date shall be at the close of business on the day the
Trustee receives such notice. The Holders
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on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons,
shall be entitled to join in such notice, whether or not such Holders remain
Holders after such record date; provided, that, unless the Holders of a majority
in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have
joined in such notice prior to the day which is 90 days after such record date,
such notice shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be
canceled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a
Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day
period, a new notice identical to a notice which has been canceled pursuant to
the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new record date shall be
established pursuant to the provisions of this Section 512.
SECTION 513. WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS. The Holders of not less than a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on
behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past
default hereunder and its consequences with respect to such series, except a
default:
(1) in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or
interest (including any Additional Interest) on any Security of such
series, or
(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article
Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of
each Outstanding Security of such series affected.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event
of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every
purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 514. UNDERTAKING FOR COSTS. All parties to this Indenture
agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed
to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for
the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit
against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing
by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such
suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs,
including reasonable attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in such suit,
having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by
such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any
suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group
of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder
for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or
interest (including any Additional Interest) on any Security on or after the
respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security.
SECTION 515. WAIVER OF USURY, STAY OR EXTENSION LAWS. The Company
covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any
time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the
benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now
or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the
performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may
lawfully do so) hereby
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expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it
will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to
the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as
though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE VI
THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 601. CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. (a) Except during
the continuance of an Event of Default,
(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such
duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the
Trustee; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or
opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements
of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or
opinions which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to
be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Indenture.
(b) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this
Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as
a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the
conduct of his own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent
failure to act, or its own willful misconduct except that
(1) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect
of Subsection (a) of this Section;
(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved
that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
and
(3) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action
taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
the direction of Holders pursuant to Section 512 relating to the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of
such series.
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(d) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the
exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there shall be reasonable
grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
it.
(e) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every
provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the
liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject
to the provisions of this Section.
SECTION 602. NOTICE OF DEFAULTS. Within 90 days after actual
knowledge by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of the occurrence of any
default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee
shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series, as their
names and addresses appear in the Securities Register, notice of such default
hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or
waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment
of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest (including any Additional
Interest) on any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in
withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive
committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the
Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interests of the Holders of Securities of such series; and provided, further,
that, in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 501(3),
no such notice to Holders of Securities of such series shall be given until at
least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the
term "default" means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or
both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such
series.
SECTION 603. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE. Subject to the provisions of
Section 601:
(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
bond, debenture, Security or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or
parties;
(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any
resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a
Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee
shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless
other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of
bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers' Certificate;
(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such
counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
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(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the
rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction
of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall
have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the
costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance
with such request or direction;
(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the
facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order,
bond, indenture, Security or other paper or document, but the Trustee in
its discretion may make such inquiry or investigation into such facts or
matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such
inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books,
records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;
and
(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or
attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by
it hereunder.
SECTION 604. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES.
The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee's
certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company,
and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee
makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or
of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or
application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.
SECTION 605. MAY HOLD SECURITIES. The Trustee, any Paying Agent,
Securities Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any
other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to
Sections 608 and 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights
it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Securities Registrar or such
other agent.
SECTION 606. MONEY HELD IN TRUST. Money held by the Trustee in trust
hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required
by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money
received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
SECTION 607. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. The Company agrees
(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by it hereunder in such amounts as the Company
and the Trustee shall agree from time to time (which compensation shall not
be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust);
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(2) to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable
expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in
accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable
compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel),
except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to
its negligence or bad faith; and
(3) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense (including the reasonable compensation and
the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel) incurred without
negligence or bad faith, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of this trust or the performance of its duties
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any
claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of
its powers or duties hereunder. This indemnification shall survive the
termination of this Agreement.
To secure the Company's payment obligations in this Section, the
Company and the Holders agree that the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the
Securities on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee. Such lien
shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of
Default specified in Section 501(4) or (5) occurs, the expenses and the
compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 or a successor statute.
SECTION 608. DISQUALIFICATION; CONFLICTING INTERESTS. The Trustee
for the Securities of any series issued hereunder shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. Nothing herein shall
prevent the Trustee from filing with the Commission the application referred to
in the second to last paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 609. CORPORATE TRUSTEE REQUIRED; ELIGIBILITY. There shall at
all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be
(a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States of America or of any State, Territory or the District of
Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and
subject to supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial or
District of Columbia authority, or
(b) a corporation or other Person organized and doing business under
the laws of a foreign government that is permitted to act as Trustee
pursuant to a rule, regulation or order of the Commission, authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, and subject to supervision or
examination by authority of such foreign government or a political
subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination
applicable to United States institutional trustees,
in either case having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000,
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. If such
corporation publishes reports of condition at least
- 44 -
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or
examining authority, then, for the purpose of this Section, the combined capital
and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at
any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with
the effect hereinafter specified in this Article. Neither the Company nor any
Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control
with the Company shall serve as Trustee for the Securities of any series issued
hereunder.
SECTION 610. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a
successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 611.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities
of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If
an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been
delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of
resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the
Securities of such series.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the
Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the
Trustee and to the Company.
(d) If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 after
written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been
a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 and
shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or
by any such Holder, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be
adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of
its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take
charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the
purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company, acting under authority of a
Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee, or (ii) subject to Section
514, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at
least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal
of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
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(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause
with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a
Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee with respect
to the Securities of that or those series. If, within one year after such
resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a
successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be
appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the
retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon
its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with
respect to the Securities of such series and supersede the successor
Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to
the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or
the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided,
any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six
months may, subject to Section 514, on behalf of himself and all others
similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such
series.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each
removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and
each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of
any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail,
postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of such series as their names
and addresses appear in the Securities Register. Each notice shall include
the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such
series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
SECTION 611. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT BY SUCCESSOR. (a) In case of
the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities,
every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver
to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such
appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee
shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed
or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and
duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the
successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges,
execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the
rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by
such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with
respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company,
the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the
Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture
supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such
appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be
necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each
successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the
appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee
is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such
provisions as shall be deemed necessary or
- 46 -
desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the
retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as
to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested
in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the
provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or
facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one
Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental
indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and
that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder
separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any
other such Trustee and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental
indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become
effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee,
without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all
the rights, powers, trusts, and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect
to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such
successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor
Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to
such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee
hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which
the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such successor Trustee all rights, powers and trusts referred
to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.
SECTION 612. MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION OR SUCCESSION TO
BUSINESS. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust
business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder,
provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this
Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been
authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor
by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt
such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated, and in case any
Securities shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may
authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor Trustee or in
the name of such successor Trustee, and in all cases the certificate of
authentication shall have the full force which it is provided anywhere in the
Securities or in this Indenture that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.
SECTION 613. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST COMPANY. If
and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other
obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of
the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company
(or any such other obligor).
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SECTION 614. APPOINTMENT OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT. The Trustee may
appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of
Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to
authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue and upon
exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Securities
so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall
be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee
hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication
and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee's certificate of
authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and
delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each
Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times
be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States of America, or of any State, Territory or the District of Columbia,
authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined
capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or
examination by federal or state authority. If such Authenticating Agent
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this Section the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent
shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most
recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent
shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section,
such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the
effect specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of
the corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent shall be the successor
Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise
eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any
further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written
notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time
terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof
to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of
resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating
Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such
appointment in the manner provided in Section 106 to all Holders of Securities
of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve. Any
successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder
shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor
hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent.
No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the
provision of this Section.
The Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to
time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the
Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, subject to the
provisions of Section 607.
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If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant
to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in
addition to the Trustee's certificate of authentication, an alternative
certificate of authentication in the following form:
This is one of the Securities referred to in the within mentioned
Indenture.
_________________________
_________________________
As Trustee
By: ____________________
As Authenticating Agent
By: ____________________
Authorized Officer
ARTICLE VII
HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
SECTION 701. COMPANY TO FURNISH TRUSTEE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF
HOLDERS. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:
(a) semi-annually, not more than 15 days after January 15 and July
15, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the
names and addresses of the Holders as of such January 1 and July 1, and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within
30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of
similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the
time such list is furnished, excluding from any such list names and
addresses received by the Trustee in its capacity as Securities Registrar.
SECTION 702. PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS TO
HOLDERS.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained
in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in
Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the
Trustee in its capacity as Securities Registrar. The Trustee may
destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon
receipt of a new list so furnished.
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(b) The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with
respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities,
and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be
as provided in the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the
same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company
nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held
accountable by reason of the disclosure of information as to the names
and addresses of the Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 703. REPORTS BY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports
concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be
required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act, at the times and in the
manner provided pursuant thereto.
(b) Reports so required to be transmitted at stated intervals of
not more than 12 months shall be transmitted no later than July 15 in
each calendar year, commencing with the first July 15 after the first
issuance of Securities under this Indenture.
(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such
transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock
exchange or self-regulatory organization upon which the Securities are
listed or traded and also with the Commission. The Company will notify
the Trustee whenever the Securities are listed or traded on any stock
exchange or self-regulatory organization.
SECTION 704. REPORTS BY COMPANY.
The Company shall file with the Trustee and with the Commission, and
transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such
summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the
times and in the manner provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that any
such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is required to be
filed with the Commission. Notwithstanding that the Company may not be required
to remain subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company shall continue to file with the
Commission and provide the Trustee with the annual reports and the information,
documents and other reports which are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company also shall comply with the other
provisions of Trust Indenture Act Section 314(a).
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ARTICLE VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
SECTION 801. COMPANY MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC., ONLY ON CERTAIN
TERMS.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person
or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an
entirety to any Person, and no Person shall consolidate with or merge into the
Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as
an entirety to the Company, unless:
(1) in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into
another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such
consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which
acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties
and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a
corporation, partnership or trust, shall be organized and existing
under the laws of the United States of America or any State or the
District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture
supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form
satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the
principal of (and premium, if any) and interest (including any
Additional Interest) on all the Securities and the performance of
every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be
performed or observed;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no
Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time,
or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be
continuing;
(3) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP
Trust, such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease is
permitted under the related Trust Agreement and Nevada Power Guarantee
and does not give rise to any breach or violation of the related Trust
Agreement or Nevada Power Guarantee; and
(4) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate and an Opinion of Independent Counsel each stating that
such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and any such
supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all
conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction
have been complied with; and the Trustee, subject to Section 601, may
rely upon such Officers' Certificate and Opinion of Independent
Counsel as conclusive evidence that such transaction complies with
this Section 801.
SECTION 802. SUCCESSOR PERSON SUBSTITUTED.
Upon any consolidation or merger by the Company with or into any other
Person, or any conveyance, transfer or lease by the Company of its properties
and assets substantially as an
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entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 801, the successor Person
formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which
such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted
for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture
with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company
herein; and in the event of any such conveyance, transfer or lease the Company
shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and
the Securities and may be dissolved and liquidated.
Such successor Person may cause to be signed, and may issue either in
its own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the Securities
issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company
and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor Person
instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations
in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver
any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the
officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication pursuant to such
provisions and any Securities which such successor Person thereafter shall cause
to be signed and delivered to the Trustee on its behalf for the purpose pursuant
to such provisions. All the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the
same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore
or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though
all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease,
such changes in phraseology and form may be made in the Securities thereafter to
be issued as may be appropriate.
ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 901. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITHOUT CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
Without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a
Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter
into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the
Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company,
and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company
herein and in the Securities contained; or
(2) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property
to or with the Trustee or to surrender any right or power herein
conferred upon the Company; or
(3) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series
as permitted by Sections 201 or 301; or
(4) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of
the Holders
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of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the
benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants
are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to
surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or
(5) to add any additional Events of Default; or
(6) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this
Indenture, provided that any such change or elimination shall become
effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series
created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is
entitled to the benefit of such provision; or
(7) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision
herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or
questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such action
pursuant to this clause (7) shall not materially adversely affect the
interest of the Holders of Securities of any series or, in the case of
the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust and for so long as
any of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities shall remain
outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities; or
(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one
or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this
Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the
administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee,
pursuant to the requirements of Section 611(b); or
(9) to comply with the requirements of the Commission in order
to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the
Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 902. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITH CONSENT OF HOLDERS.
With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such
supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the
Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may
enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of
adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the
provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the
Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however,
that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of
each Outstanding Security affected thereby,
(1) except to the extent permitted by Section 311 or as
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the
extension of the interest payment period of the Securities of any
series, change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any
instalment of interest (including any Additional Interest) on, any
Security, or
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reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or
reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the
amount of principal of a Discount Security that would be due and payable
upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to
Section 502, or change the place of payment where, or the coin or currency
in which, any Security or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right
to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the
Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the
date fixed for redemption thereof), or
(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for
any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is
required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this
Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences)
provided for in this Indenture, or
(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or
Section 1005, except to increase any such percentage or to provide
that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or
waived without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected
thereby; or
(4) modify the provisions in Article Thirteen of this Indenture
with respect to the subordination of Outstanding Securities of any
series in a manner adverse to the Holders thereof;
PROVIDED that, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust,
so long as any of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities remains
outstanding, no such amendment shall be made that adversely affects the holders
of such Preferred Securities, and no termination of this Indenture shall occur,
and no waiver of any Event of Default or compliance with any covenant under this
Indenture shall be effective, without the prior consent of the holders of at
least a majority of the aggregate liquidation preference of such Preferred
Securities then outstanding unless and until the principal (and premium, if any)
of the Securities of such series and all accrued and unpaid interest (including
any Additional Interest) thereon have been paid in full; and PROVIDED, FURTHER
that in the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust, so long
as any of the corresponding series of Preferred Securities remains outstanding,
no amendment shall be made to Section 508 under this Indenture without the prior
consent of the holders of each Preferred Security then outstanding unless and
until the principal (and premium, if any) of the Securities of such series and
all accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Interest) thereon have
been paid in full.
A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or
other provision of this Indenture that has expressly been included solely for
the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies
the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such
covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this
Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
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It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall
be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
SECTION 903. EXECUTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
In executing or accepting the additional trusts created by any
supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of
the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive,
and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an
Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Independent Counsel stating that the
execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this
Indenture, and that all conditions precedent have been complied with. The
Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental
indenture which affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under
this Indenture or otherwise.
SECTION 904. EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article,
this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental
indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder
of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder
shall be bound thereby.
SECTION 905. CONFORMITY WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall
conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
SECTION 906. REFERENCE IN SECURITIES TO SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Securities authenticated and delivered after the execution of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by
the Company, bear a notation in form approved by the Company as to any matter
provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine,
new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the
Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the
Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for
Outstanding Securities of such series.
ARTICLE X
COVENANTS
SECTION 1001. PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL, PREMIUM AND INTEREST.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of
securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium,
if any) and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the
terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
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SECTION 1002. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE OR AGENCY.
The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series, an
office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered
for payment and an office or agency where Securities may be surrendered for
transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in
respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company
initially appoints the Trustee, acting through its Corporate Trust Office, as
its agent for said purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the
Trustee of any change in the location of any such office or agency. If at any
time the Company shall fail to maintain such office or agency or shall fail to
furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders,
notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all
such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other
offices or agencies where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for any
or all of such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations;
provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner
relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each
Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company
will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation and any
change in the location of any such office or agency.
SECTION 1003. MONEY FOR SECURITY PAYMENTS TO BE HELD IN TRUST.
If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with
respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the
principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any of the Securities of such
series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or interest
so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise
disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its
failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents, it will,
prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on each due date of the principal of or
interest on any Securities, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay
the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due, such sum to be
held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal and
premium (if any) or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the
Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to
execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent
shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that
such Paying Agent will:
(1) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of
(and premium, if any) or interest on Securities in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid
to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;
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(2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or
any other obligor upon the Securities) in the making of any payment of
principal (and premium, if any) or interest;
(3) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon
the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all
sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent; and
(4) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
applicable to it as a Paying Agent.
The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or
by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in
trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee
upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or
such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by the Company or any Paying Agent to
the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with
respect to such money.
Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held
by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if
any) or interest on any Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after
such principal (and premium, if any) or interest has become due and payable
shall (unless otherwise required by mandatory provision of applicable escheat or
abandoned or unclaimed property law) be paid on Company Request to the Company,
or (if then held by the Company) shall (unless otherwise required by mandatory
provision of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law) be
discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as
an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and
all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust
money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon
cease; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being
required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to
be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily
published on each Business Day and of general circulation in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and
that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from
the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining
will be repaid to the Company.
SECTION 1004. STATEMENT AS TO COMPLIANCE.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the
end of each calendar year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an
Officers' Certificate covering the preceding calendar year, stating whether or
not to the best knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in
the performance, observance or fulfillment of or compliance with any of the
terms, provisions, covenants and conditions of this Indenture, and if the
Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and
status thereof of which they may have knowledge. For the purpose of this Section
1004, compliance shall be determined without regard to any grace period or
requirement of notice provided pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
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SECTION 1005. WAIVER OF CERTAIN COVENANTS.
The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any
covenant or condition as specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect
to the Securities of any series, if before or after the time for such compliance
the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding
Securities of such series shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such
compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or
condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or
condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall
become effective, the obligations of the Company in respect of any such covenant
or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 1006. ADDITIONAL SUMS.
In the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP Trust,
except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, in the event that
(i) an NVP Trust is the Holder of all of the Outstanding Securities of such
series, (ii) a Tax Event in respect of such NVP Trust shall have occurred and be
continuing and (iii) the Company shall not have (x) redeemed the Securities of
such series pursuant to Section 1107(b) or (y) terminated such NVP Trust
pursuant to Section 902(b) of the related Trust Agreement, the Company shall pay
to such NVP Trust (and its permitted successors or assigns under the related
Trust Agreement) for so long as such NVP Trust (or its permitted successor or
assignee) is the registered holder of any Securities of such series, such
additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the amount of distributions
(including any Additional Amounts (as defined in the Trust Agreement)) then due
and payable by such NVP Trust on the related Preferred Securities and Common
Securities that at any time remain outstanding in accordance with the terms
thereof shall not be reduced as a result of any Additional Taxes (the
"Additional Sums"). Whenever in this Indenture or the Securities there is a
reference in any context to the payment of principal of or interest on the
Securities, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payments of
the Additional Sums provided for in this paragraph to the extent that, in such
context, Additional Sums are, were or would be payable in respect thereof
pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph and express mention of the payment
of Additional Sums (if applicable) in any provisions hereof shall not be
construed as excluding Additional Sums in those provisions hereof where such
express mention is not made, provided, however, that the extension of an
interest payment period pursuant to Section 311 or the Securities shall not
extend the payment of any Additional Sums that may be due and payable during
such interest payment period.
SECTION 1007. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS.
The Company covenants and agrees with each Holder of Securities of a
series issued to an NVP Trust that it will not, and it will not permit any
Subsidiary of the Company to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions
on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to,
any shares of the Company's capital stock, or (b) make any payment of principal,
interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt
securities that rank pari passu with or junior to the Securities of such series
or make any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing (other than (a)
dividends or distributions in Common Stock of the Company, (b) redemptions or
purchases of any rights pursuant to the Company's Preferred Stock Rights Plan,
or
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any successor to such Preferred Stock Rights Plan, and the declaration of a
dividend of such rights or the issuance of Preferred Stock under such plans in
the future, (c) payments under any Nevada Power Guarantee, (d) purchases of
Common Stock related to the issuance of Common Stock under any of the Company's
benefit plans for its directors, officers or employees and (e) purchases of
Common Stock required to prevent the loss or secure the renewal or reinstatement
of any government license or franchise held by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries) if at such time (I) there shall have occurred any event of which
the Company has actual knowledge that (a) with the giving of notice or the lapse
of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (b) in
respect of which the Company shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (ii)
the Company shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations
under the related Nevada Power Guarantee or (iii) the Company shall have given
notice of its election to begin an Extension Period as provided herein and shall
not have rescinded such notice, or such period, or any extension thereof, shall
be continuing.
The Company also covenants with each Holder of Securities of a series
issued to an NVP Trust (I) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of
the Common Securities of such NVP Trust; provided, however, that any permitted
successor of the Company hereunder may succeed to the Company's ownership of
such Common Securities, (ii) not to voluntarily terminate, wind-up or liquidate
such NVP Trust, except (a) in connection with a distribution of the Securities
of such series to the holders of Preferred Securities in liquidation of such NVP
Trust or (b) in connection with certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations
permitted by the related Trust Agreement and (iii) to use its reasonable
efforts, consistent with the terms and provisions of such Trust Agreement, to
cause such NVP Trust to remain classified as a grantor trust and not as an
association taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax
purposes.
ARTICLE XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1101. APPLICABILITY OF THIS ARTICLE.
Redemption of Securities (whether by operation of a sinking fund or
otherwise) as permitted or required by any form of Security issued pursuant to
this Indenture shall be made in accordance with such form of Security and this
Article; provided, however, that if any provision of any such form of Security
shall conflict with any provision of this Article, the provision of such form of
Security shall govern. Except as otherwise set forth in the form of Security for
such series, each Security shall be subject to partial redemption only in the
amount of $25 or, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP
Trust, $25, or integral multiples thereof.
SECTION 1102. ELECTION TO REDEEM; NOTICE TO TRUSTEE.
The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be
evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the
election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any particular
series and having the same terms, the Company shall, not less than 30 nor more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption (unless a shorter notice
shall be
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satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such date and of the
principal amount of Securities of that series to be redeemed. In the case of any
redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such
redemption provided in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall furnish
the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Independent Counsel
evidencing compliance with such restriction.
SECTION 1103. SELECTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REDEEMED.
If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed
(unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be
redeemed or unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the
particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days
prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of
such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee
shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for
redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series,
provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security
shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum
authorized denomination) for such Security. If less than all the Securities of
such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such redemption
affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall
be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee,
from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not
previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the
Securities selected for partial redemption and the principal amount thereof to
be redeemed. For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise
requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate,
in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the
portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be
redeemed. If the Company shall so direct, Securities registered in the name of
the Company, any Affiliate or any Subsidiary thereof shall not be included in
the Securities selected for redemption.
SECTION 1104. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage
prepaid, mailed not later than the thirtieth day, and not earlier than the
sixtieth day, prior to the date fixed for redemption, to each Holder of
Securities to be redeemed, at the address of such Holder as it appears in the
Securities Register.
With respect to Securities of each series to be redeemed, each notice
of redemption shall state:
(a) the date fixed for redemption for Securities of such series;
(b) the redemption price at which Securities of such series are
to be redeemed;
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(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of such particular
series and having the same terms are to be redeemed, the
identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective
principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed;
(d) that on the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price
at which such Securities are to be redeemed will become due and
payable upon each such Security or portion thereof, and that interest
thereon, if any, shall cease to accrue on and after said date;
(e) the place or places where such Securities are to be
surrendered for payment of the redemption price at which such
Securities are to be redeemed; and
(f) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the
case.
Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of
the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's request, by the
Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company and shall not be
irrevocable. The notice if mailed in the manner herein provided shall be
conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder
receives such notice. In any case, a failure to give such notice by mail or any
defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as
a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the
redemption of any other Security.
SECTION 1105. DEPOSIT OF REDEMPTION PRICE.
Prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption date
specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in Section 1104, the
Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more paying agents an
amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the Securities
so called for redemption at the applicable redemption price.
SECTION 1106. PAYMENT OF SECURITIES CALLED FOR REDEMPTION.
If any notice of redemption has been given as provided in Section
1104, the Securities or portion of Securities with respect to which such notice
has been given shall become due and payable on the date and at the place or
places stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price. On presentation
and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment in said notice specified,
the said securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed
by the Company at the applicable redemption price.
Upon presentation of any Security redeemed in part only, the Company
shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder
thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same
series, of authorized denominations, in aggregate principal amount equal to the
unredeemed portion of the Security so presented and having the same Original
Issue Date, Stated Maturity and terms. If a Global Security is so surrendered,
such new Security will also be a new Global Security.
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If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon
surrender thereof for redemption, the principal of and premium, if any, on such
Security shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate
prescribed therefor in the Security.
SECTION 1107. COMPANY'S RIGHT OF REDEMPTION.
(a) Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301
with respect to the Securities of a particular series and
notwithstanding any additional redemption rights that may be so
specified, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of
any series after their date of issuance in whole at any time or in
part from time to time, subject to the provisions of this clause (a)
and the other provisions of this Article Eleven. Unless otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the
Securities of a particular series, the redemption price for any
Security so redeemed pursuant to this clause (a) shall be equal to
100% of the principal amount of such Securities plus any accrued and
unpaid interest, including any Additional Interest, to the date fixed
for redemption. The Company shall not redeem the Securities in part
unless all accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional
Interest) has been paid in full on all Securities Outstanding for all
interest periods terminating on or prior to the date fixed for
redemption.
(b) In the case of the Securities of a series issued to an NVP
Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301,
if a Special Event in respect of such NVP Trust shall occur and be
continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of
such series within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in
whole but not in part, subject to the provisions of this clause (b)
and the other provisions of this Article Eleven. The redemption price
for any Security so redeemed pursuant to this clause (b) shall be
equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Securities then
Outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest, including any Additional
Interest, to the date fixed for redemption.
ARTICLE XII
SINKING FUNDS
SECTION 1201. APPLICABILITY OF ARTICLE.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund
for the retirement of Securities of any series except as otherwise specified as
contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the
terms of any Securities of any series is herein referred to as a "mandatory
sinking fund payment", and any sinking fund payment in excess of such minimum
amount which is permitted to be made by the terms of such Securities of any
series is herein referred to as an "optional sinking fund payment". If provided
for by the terms of any Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking
fund payment may be
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subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment
shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for
by the terms of such Securities.
SECTION 1202. SATISFACTION OF SINKING FUND PAYMENTS WITH
SECURITIES.
In lieu of making all or any part of a mandatory sinking fund payment
with respect to any Securities of a series in cash, the Company may at its
option, at any time no more than 16 months and no less than 30 days prior to the
date on which such sinking fund payment is due, deliver to the Trustee
Securities of such series (together with the unmatured Coupons, if any,
appertaining thereto) theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Company, except Securities of such series that have been redeemed through the
application of mandatory or optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms
of the Securities of such series, accompanied by a Company Order instructing the
Trustee to credit such obligations and stating that the Securities of such
series were originally issued by the Company by way of bona fide sale or other
negotiation for value; provided that the Securities to be so credited have not
been previously so credited. The Securities to be so credited shall be received
and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the redemption price for such
Securities, as specified in the Securities so to be redeemed, for redemption
through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund
payment shall be reduced accordingly.
SECTION 1203. REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES FOR SINKING FUND.
Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any
series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers'
Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for
such Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, the portion thereof,
if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash in the currency in which the
Securities of such series are payable (except as provided pursuant to Section
301) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and
crediting Securities pursuant to Section 1202 and will also deliver to the
Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Such Certificate shall be irrevocable
and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the cash payment or
payments therein referred to, if any, on or before the succeeding sinking fund
payment date. In the case of the failure of the Company to deliver such
Certificate (or, as required by this Indenture, the Securities and coupons, if
any, specified in such Certificate), the sinking fund payment due on the
succeeding sinking fund payment date for such series shall be paid entirely in
cash and shall be sufficient to redeem the principal amount of the Securities of
such series subject to a mandatory sinking fund payment without the right to
deliver or credit securities as provided in Section 1202 and without the right
to make the optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series at such
time.
Any sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional) made in
cash plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments made with
respect to the Securities of any particular series shall be applied by the
Trustee (or by the Company if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent) on
the sinking fund payment date on which such payment is made (or, if such payment
is made before a sinking fund payment date, on the sinking fund payment date
immediately following the date of such payment) to the redemption of Securities
of such series at the redemption price specified in such Securities with respect
to the sinking fund. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied or allocated by the
Trustee (or by the Company if the Company is acting as its own Paying
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Agent, segregated and held in trust as provided in Section 1003) for such series
and together with such payment (or such amount so segregated) shall be applied
in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1203. Any and all sinking fund
moneys with respect to the Securities of any particular series held by the
Trustee (or if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregated and
held in trust as provided in Section 1003) on the last sinking fund payment date
with respect to Securities of such series and not held for the payment or
redemption of particular Securities of such series shall be applied by the
Trustee (or by the Company if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent),
together with other moneys, if necessary, to be deposited (or segregated)
sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of the Securities of
such series at Maturity. The Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed
upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and
cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the
expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice
having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the
terms and in the manner stated in Section 1106. On or before each sinking fund
payment date, the Company shall pay to the Trustee (or, if the Company is acting
as its own Paying Agent, the Company shall segregate and hold in trust as
provided in Section 1003) in cash a sum in the currency in which Securities of
such series are payable (except as provided pursuant to Section 301) equal to
the principal and any interest accrued to the redemption date for Securities or
portions thereof to be redeemed on such sinking fund payment date pursuant to
this Section 1203.
Neither the Trustee nor the Company shall redeem any Securities of a
series with sinking fund moneys or mail any notice of redemption of Securities
of such series by operation of the sinking fund for such series during the
continuance of a default in payment of interest, if any, on any Securities of
such series or of any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default occurring
as a consequence of this paragraph) with respect to the Securities of such
series, except that if the notice of redemption shall have been provided in
accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee (or the Company if the
Company is then acting as its own Paying Agent) shall redeem such Securities if
cash sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee (or
segregated by the Company) for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this
Article Twelve. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund for such
series at the time when any such default or Event of Default shall occur and any
moneys thereafter paid into such sinking fund shall, during the continuance of
such default or Event of Default, be held as security for the payment of the
Securities and coupons, if any, of such series; provided, however, that in case
such default or Event of Default shall have been cured or waived herein, such
moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date for the
Securities of such series on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 1203.
ARTICLE XIII
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 1301. SECURITIES SUBORDINATE TO SENIOR DEBT.
The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security, by
its acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that, to the extent and
in the manner hereinafter set forth in
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this Article, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest
(including any Additional Interest) on each and all of the Securities are hereby
expressly made subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment
in full of all amounts then due and payable in respect of all Senior Debt.
SECTION 1302. PAYMENT OVER OF PROCEEDS UPON DISSOLUTION, ETC.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation,
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other
judicial proceeding relative to the Company (each such event, if any, herein
sometimes referred to as a "Proceeding"), then the holders of Senior Debt shall
be entitled to receive payment in full of principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any, on such Senior Debt, or provision shall be made for such
payment in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the
holders of Senior Debt, before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to
receive or retain any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether
in cash, property or securities (including any payment or distribution which may
be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other Debt of the
Company (including any series of the Securities) subordinated to the payment of
the Securities, such payment or distribution being hereinafter referred to as a
"Junior Subordinated Payment"), on account of principal of (or premium, if any)
or interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities or on account
of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities by the Company or any
Subsidiary and to that end the holders of Senior Debt shall be entitled to
receive, for application to the payment thereof, any payment or distribution of
any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, including any
Junior Subordinated Payment, which may be payable or deliverable in respect of
the Securities in any such Proceeding.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Section, the Trustee or the Holder of any Security shall have received any
payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character,
whether in cash, property or securities, including any Junior Subordinated
Payment, before all Senior Debt is paid in full or payment thereof is provided
for in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner satisfactory to the
holders of Senior Debt, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such
payment or distribution, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may
be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment or distribution shall be
paid over or delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver,
liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment
or distribution of assets of the Company for application to the payment of all
Senior Debt remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Debt in
full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for
the holders of Senior Debt.
For purposes of this Article only, the words "any payment or
distribution of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities"
shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or
readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for
by a plan of reorganization or readjustment which securities are subordinated in
right of payment to all then outstanding Senior Debt to substantially the same
extent as the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article. The
consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another
Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the
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sale of all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety to
another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the
sale of all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety to
another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article Eight shall
not be deemed a Proceeding for the purposes of this Section if the Person formed
by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which
acquires by sale such properties and assets as an entirety, as the case may be,
shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, or sale comply with the
conditions set forth in Article Eight.
SECTION 1303. PRIOR PAYMENT TO SENIOR DEBT UPON ACCELERATION OF
SECURITIES.
In the event that any Securities are declared due and payable before
their Maturity, then and in such event the holders of the Senior Debt
outstanding at the time such Securities so become due and payable shall be
entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on or in respect of such
Senior Debt (including any amounts due upon acceleration), or provision shall be
made for such payment in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner
satisfactory to the holders of Senior Debt, before the Holders of the Securities
are entitled to receive any payment or distribution of any kind or character,
whether in cash, properties or securities (including any Junior Subordinated
Payment) by the Company on account of the principal of (or premium, if any) or
interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities or on account of
the purchase or other acquisition of Securities by the Company or any
Subsidiary; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the
satisfaction of any sinking fund payment in accordance with this Indenture or as
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities of any
series by delivering and crediting pursuant to Section 1202 or as otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities of any series
Securities which have been acquired (upon redemption or otherwise) prior to such
declaration of acceleration.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall
make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Security prohibited by the
foregoing provisions of this Section, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the
time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may
be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and
delivered forthwith to the Company.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with
respect to which Section 1302 would be applicable.
SECTION 1304. NO PAYMENT WHEN SENIOR DEBT IN DEFAULT.
(a) In the event and during the continuation of any default in the
payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Debt, or
in the event that any event of default with respect to any Senior Debt shall
have occurred and be continuing and shall have resulted in such Senior Debt
becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would
otherwise have become due and payable, unless and until such event of default
shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist and such
acceleration shall have been rescinded or annulled, or (b) in the event any
judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default in payment
or such event or default, then no payment or distribution of any kind or
character, whether
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in cash, properties or securities (including any Junior Subordinated Payment)
shall be made by the Company on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or
interest (including any Additional Interest), if any, on the Securities or on
account of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities by the Company or any
Subsidiary; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the
satisfaction of any sinking fund payment in accordance with this Indenture or as
otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities of any
series by delivering and crediting pursuant to Section 1202 or as otherwise
specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities of any series
Securities which have been acquired (upon redemption or otherwise) prior to such
default in payment or event of default.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall
make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Security prohibited by the
foregoing provisions of this Section, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the
time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may
be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and
delivered forthwith to the Company.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with
respect to which Section 1302 would be applicable.
SECTION 1305. PAYMENT PERMITTED IF NO DEFAULT.
Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in
any of the Securities shall prevent (a) the Company, at any time except during
the pendency of any Proceeding referred to in Section 1302 or under the
conditions described in Sections 1303 and 1304, from making payments at any time
of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities, or (b) the
application by the Trustee of any money or Government Obligations deposited with
it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the principal of (and premium,
if any) or interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities or the
retention of such payment by the Holders, if, at the time of such application by
the Trustee, it did not have knowledge that such payment would have been
prohibited by the provisions of this Article.
SECTION 1306. SUBROGATION TO RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF SENIOR DEBT.
Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Debt, or the provision
for such payment in cash or cash equivalents or otherwise in a manner
satisfactory to the holders of Senior Debt, the Holders of the Securities shall
be subrogated to the extent of the payments or distributions made to the holders
of such Senior Debt pursuant to the provisions of this Article (equally and
ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which by its express
terms is subordinated to Senior Debt of the Company to substantially the same
extent as the Securities are subordinated to the Senior Debt and is entitled to
like rights of subrogation by reason of any payments or distributions made to
holders of such Senior Debt) to the rights of the holders of such Senior Debt to
receive payments and distributions of cash, property and securities applicable
to the Senior Debt until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on
the Securities shall be paid in full. For purposes of such subrogation or
assignment, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Debt of
any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the
Trustee would be entitled except for the
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provisions of this Article, and no payments over pursuant to the provisions of
this Article to the holders of Senior Debt by Holders of the Securities or the
Trustee, shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior
Debt, and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment or
distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Debt.
SECTION 1307. PROVISIONS SOLELY TO DEFINE RELATIVE RIGHTS.
The provisions of this Article are and are intended solely for the
purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities on the
one hand and the holders of Senior Debt on the other hand. Nothing contained in
this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to
or shall (a) impair, as between the Company and the Holders of the Securities,
the obligations of the Company, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay to
the Holders of the Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest (including any Additional Interest) on the Securities as and when the
same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms; or (b) affect
the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Securities and
creditors of the Company other than their rights in relation to the holders of
Senior Debt; or (c) prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from
exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under
this Indenture including, without limitation, filing and voting claims in any
Proceeding, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of
Senior Debt to receive cash, property and securities otherwise payable or
deliverable to the Trustee or such Holder.
SECTION 1308. TRUSTEE TO EFFECTUATE SUBORDINATION.
Each Holder of a Security by his or her acceptance thereof authorizes
and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take such action as may be
necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the subordination provided
in this Article and appoints the Trustee his or her attorney-in-fact for any and
all such purposes.
SECTION 1309. NO WAIVER OF SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS.
No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Debt to enforce
subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or
impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act
or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by
the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture,
regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or be
otherwise charged with.
SECTION 1310. NOTICE TO TRUSTEE.
The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any
fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to or
by the Trustee in respect of the Securities. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this Article or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be
charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the
making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless
and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the
Company or a holder of Senior Debt or from any trustee, agent or representative
therefor (whether or not the facts contained in such notice are true);
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provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice
provided for in this Section at least two Business Days prior to the date upon
which by the terms hereof any monies may become payable for any purpose
(including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if
any) or interest (including any Additional Interest) on any Security), then,
anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall
have full power and authority to receive such monies and to apply the same to
the purpose for which they were received and shall not be affected by any notice
to the contrary which may be received by it within two Business Days prior to
such date.
SECTION 1311. RELIANCE ON JUDICIAL ORDER OR CERTIFICATE OF
LIQUIDATING AGENT.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred
to in this Article, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article Six,
and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or
decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such
Proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy,
receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of
creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution,
delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of
ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or
distribution, the holders of the Senior Debt and other indebtedness of the
Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or
distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.
SECTION 1312. TRUSTEE NOT FIDUCIARY FOR HOLDERS OF SENIOR DEBT.
The Trustee, in its capacity as trustee under this Indenture, shall
not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt and shall
not be liable to any such holders if it shall in good faith mistakenly pay over
or distribute to Holders of Securities or to the Company or to any other Person
cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Debt shall be
entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise.
SECTION 1313. RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE AS HOLDER OF SENIOR DEBT;
PRESERVATION OF TRUSTEE'S RIGHTS.
The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the
rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Debt which may at
any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Debt,
and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as
such holder.
SECTION 1314. ARTICLE APPLICABLE TO PAYING AGENTS.
In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have
been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term "Trustee"
as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context otherwise
requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within
its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were
named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee.
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SECTION 1315. CERTAIN CONVERSIONS OR EXCHANGES DEEMED PAYMENT.
For the purposes of this Article only, (a) the issuance and delivery
of junior securities upon conversion or exchange of Securities shall not be
deemed to constitute a payment or distribution on account of the principal of
(or premium, if any) or interest (including any Additional Interest) on
Securities or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities, and
(b) the payment, issuance or delivery of cash, property or securities (other
than junior securities) upon conversion or exchange of a Security shall be
deemed to constitute payment on account of the principal of such security. For
the purposes of this Section, the term "junior securities" means (i) shares of
any stock of any class of the Company and (ii) securities of the Company which
are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Debt which may be outstanding
at the time of issuance or delivery of such securities to substantially the same
extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Securities are so subordinated as
provided in this Article.
* * * *
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to
be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed
and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
NEVADA POWER COMPANY
By:___________________________
Attest:
___________________________
_______________________________, as
Trustee
By:___________________________
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State of :
: ss.
County of :
On the _____ day of _________, ___ before me personally came
__________, to me known, who being duly sworn, did depose and say that he/she is
______ of Nevada Power Company, one of the corporations described in and which
executed the foregoing instrument; that the seal of said corporation; that the
seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate seal; that it was so affixed
by authority of the Board of Directors of said corporation, and that he signed
his name thereto by like authority.
______________________________
Notary Public
My Commission Expires:
State of :
: ss.
County of :
On the _____ day of _______, ____ before me personally came
__________, to me known, who being duly sworn, did depose and say that he/she is
_________ of ____________________, a _____________________, described in and
which executed the foregoing instrument; that he knows the seal of said
association; that the seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate seal;
that it was so affixed by authority of the Board of Directors of said
association, and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.
______________________________
Notary Public
My Commission Expires:
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