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EXHIBIT 5.3
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FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
Dated as of November 18, 1998
between
MCN ENERGY GROUP INC.,
AS ISSUER
and
NBD BANK
AS TRUSTEE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1. Definition of Terms...............................2
ARTICLE II
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE DEBENTURES
SECTION 2.1. Designation and Principal Amount..................3
SECTION 2.2. Maturity..........................................4
SECTION 2.3. Form and Payment..................................4
SECTION 2.4. Global Debenture..................................4
SECTION 2.5. Interest..........................................6
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION OF THE DEBENTURES
SECTION 3.1. Special Event Redemption..........................8
SECTION 3.2. Optional Redemption by Company....................8
SECTION 3.3. No Sinking Fund...................................9
ARTICLE IV
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 4.1. Extension of Interest Payment Period..............9
SECTION 4.2. Notice of Extension..............................10
SECTION 4.3. Limitation of Transactions.......................11
ARTICLE V
EXPENSES
SECTION 5.1. Payment of Expenses..............................11
SECTION 5.2 Payment Upon Resignation or Removal..............12
ARTICLE VI
NOTICE
SECTION 6.1 Notice by the Company............................13
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Page
ARTICLE VII
COVENANT TO LIST ON EXCHANGE
SECTION 7.1. Listing on an Exchange...........................14
ARTICLE VIII
FORM OF DEBENTURE
SECTION 8.1. Form of Debenture...................................14
ARTICLE IX
ORIGINAL ISSUE OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 9.1. Original Issue of Debentures.....................25
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 10.1. Ratification of Indenture........................26
SECTION 10.2. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals.............26
SECTION 10.3. Governing Law....................................26
SECTION 10.4. Separability.....................................26
SECTION 10.5. Counterparts.....................................27
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FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of November 18, 1998 (the
"Fourth Supplemental Indenture"), between MCN Energy Group Inc., a corporation
duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan, having
its principal office at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, (the
"Company"), and NBD Bank, as trustee (the "Trustee").
WHEREAS, the Company executed and delivered the indenture dated as of
September 1, 1994 (the "Base Indenture") as supplemented by a First
Supplemental Indenture, dated April 17, 1996, a Second Supplemental Indenture,
dated as of July 24, 1996 and a Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March
19, 1997 (the Base Indenture as so supplemented, the "Indenture), to the Trustee
to provide for the future issuance of the Company's unsecured debentures, notes
or other evidence of indebtedness (the "Securities"), to be issued from time to
time in one or more series as might be determined by the Company under the
Indenture;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, the Company desires to
provide for the establishment of a new series of its Securities to be known as
its 8 5/8% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due November 15,
2038 (the "Debentures"), the form and substance of such Debentures and the
terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the
Indenture and this Fourth Supplemental Indenture;
WHEREAS, MCN Financing II, a Delaware statutory business trust (the
"Trust"), has offered to the public $100 million aggregate liquidation amount of
its 8 5/8% Trust Preferred Securities (the "Preferred Securities"), representing
preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and proposes
to invest the proceeds from such offering, together with the proceeds of the
issuance and sale by the Trust to the Company of $3,092,800 aggregate
liquidation amount of its 8 5/8% Common Securities (the "Common Securities" and
together with the Preferred Securities, the "Trust Securities"), in $103,092,800
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures; and
WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver
this Fourth Supplemental Indenture and all requirements necessary to make this
Fourth
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Supplemental Indenture a valid instrument in accordance with its terms, and to
make the Debentures, when executed by the Company and authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee, the valid obligations of the Company, have been
performed, and the execution and delivery of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture
has been duly authorized in all respects:
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the
Debentures by the Holders thereof, and for the purpose of setting forth, as
provided in the Indenture, the form and substance of the Debentures and the
terms, provisions and conditions thereof, the Company covenants and agrees with
the Trustee as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1. Definition of Terms.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term defined in the Indenture has the same meaning when used in
this Fourth Supplemental Indenture;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Fourth Supplemental Indenture has
the same meaning throughout;
(c) the singular includes the plural and vice versa;
(d) headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect
interpretation;
(e) the following terms have the meanings given to them in the
Declaration: (i) Business Day; (ii) Clearing Agency; (iii) Delaware Trustee;(iv)
Preferred Security Certificate; (v) Institutional Trustee; (vi) Regular
Trustees; (vii) Special Event; (viii) Tax Event; (ix) Investment Company Event;
and (x) Underwriting Agreement;
(f) the following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section
1.1(f):
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"Additional Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.
"Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Declaration" means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of
MCN Financing II, a Delaware statutory business trust, dated as of November 18,
1998.
"Deferred Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Dissolution Event" means that the Trust is to be dissolved in
accordance with the Declaration, and the Debentures held by the Institutional
Trustee are to be distributed to the holders of the Trust Securities issued by
the Trust pro rata in accordance with the Declaration.
"Extended Interest Payment Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1.
"Global Debenture" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"Maturity Date" means the date on which the Debentures mature and on
which the principal shall be due and payable together with all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon including Compounded Interest and Additional Interest,
if any.
"Non Book-Entry Preferred Securities" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 2.4.
"Optional Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3.2.
ARTICLE II
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE DEBENTURES
SECTION 2.1. Designation and Principal Amount.
There is hereby authorized a series of Securities designated
the "8 5/8% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due November 15,
2038", limited in aggregate principal amount to $103,092,800, which amount
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shall be as set forth in any written order of the Company for the authentication
and delivery of Debentures pursuant to Section 303 of the Indenture.
SECTION 2.2. Maturity. The Maturity Date will be
November 15, 2038.
SECTION 2.3. Form and Payment.
Except as provided in Section 2.4, the Debentures shall be issued in
fully registered certificated form without interest coupons. Principal and
interest on the Debentures issued in certificated form will be payable, the
transfer of such Debentures will be registrable and such Debentures will be
exchangeable for Debentures bearing identical terms and provisions at the office
or agency of the Institutional Trustee; provided, however, that payment of
interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the Holder
at such address as shall appear in the Security Register. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, so long as the Holder of any Debentures is the Institutional Trustee,
the payment of the principal of and interest (including Compounded Interest and
Additional Interest, if any) on such Debentures held by the Institutional
Trustee will be made at such place and to such account as may be designated by
the Institutional Trustee.
SECTION 2.4. Global Debenture.
(a) In connection with a Dissolution Event,
(i) the Debentures in certificated form may be presented to the
Trustee by the Institutional Trustee in exchange for a global Debenture in
an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all
outstanding Debentures (a "Global Debenture"), to be registered in the name
of the Depositary, or its nominee, and delivered by the Institutional
Trustee to the Depositary for crediting to the accounts of its participants
pursuant to the instructions of the Regular Trustees. The Company upon any
such presentation shall execute a Global Debenture in such aggregate
principal amount and deliver the same to the Trustee for authentication and
delivery in accordance with the Indenture and this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture. Payments on
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the Debentures issued as a Global Debenture will be made to the Depositary;
and
(ii) if any Preferred Securities are held in non book-entry
certificated form, the Debentures in certificated form may be presented to
the Trustee by the Institutional Trustee and any Preferred Security
Certificate which represents Preferred Securities other than Preferred
Securities held by the Clearing Agency or its nominee ("Non Book-Entry
Preferred Securities") will be deemed to represent beneficial interests in
Debentures presented to the Trustee by the Institutional Trustee having an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the
Non Book-Entry Preferred Securities until such Preferred Security
Certificates are presented to the Security Registrar for transfer or
reissuance at which time such Preferred Security Certificates will be
cancelled and a Debenture, registered in the name of the holder of the
Preferred Security Certificate or the transferee of the holder of such
Preferred Security Certificate, as the case may be, with an aggregate
principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred
Security Certificate cancelled, will be executed by the Company and
delivered to the Trustee for authentication and delivery in accordance with
the Indenture and this Fourth Supplemental Indenture. On issue of such
Debentures, Debentures with an equivalent aggregate principal amount that
were presented by the Institutional Trustee to the Trustee will be deemed to
have been cancelled.
(b) Unless and until it is exchanged for the Debentures in registered
form, a Global Debenture may be transferred, in whole but not in part, only to
another nominee of the Depositary, or to a successor Depositary selected or
approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.
(c) If at any time the Depositary notifies the Company that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary or if at any time the Depositary
for such series shall no longer be registered or in good standing under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other applicable statute or
regulation, and a successor Depositary for such series is not appointed by the
Com-
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pany within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware
of such condition, as the case may be, the Company will execute, and, subject to
Article III of the Indenture, the Trustee, upon written notice from the Company,
will authenticate and deliver the Debentures in definitive registered form
without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Debenture in exchange for
such Global Debenture. In addition, the Company may at any time determine that
the Debentures shall no longer be represented by a Global Debenture. In such
event the Company will execute, and subject to Section 301 of the Indenture, the
Trustee, upon receipt of an Officers Certificate evidencing such determination
by the Company, will authenticate and deliver the Debentures in definitive
registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, and in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Debenture
in exchange for such Global Debenture. Upon the exchange of the Global Debenture
for such Debentures in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized
denominations, the Global Debenture shall be cancelled by the Trustee. Such
Debentures in definitive registered form issued in exchange for the Global
Debenture shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations
as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect
participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver
such Securities to the Depositary for delivery to the Persons in whose names
such Securities are so registered.
SECTION 2.5. Interest.
(a) Each Debenture will bear interest at the rate of 8 5/8% per annum
(the "Coupon Rate") from the original date of issuance until the principal
thereof becomes due and payable, and on any overdue principal and (to the extent
that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any
overdue installment of interest at the Coupon Rate, compounded quarterly,
payable (subject to the provisions of Article IV) quarterly in arrears on
February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year (each, an "Interest
Payment Date," commencing on February 15, 1999), to the Person in whose name
such Debenture or any predecessor Debenture is registered, at the close of
business on the regular
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record date for such interest installment, which, in respect of (i) Debentures
of which the Institutional Trustee is the Holder and the Preferred Securities
are in book-entry only form or (ii) a Global Debenture, shall be the close of
business on the Business Day next preceding that Interest Payment Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if (i) the Debentures are held by the
Institutional Trustee and the Preferred Securities are no longer in book-entry
only form or (ii) the Debentures are not represented by a Global Debenture, the
Company may select a regular record date for such interest installment which
shall be any date at least one Business Day before an Interest Payment Date.
(b) The amount of interest payable for any period will be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. Except as provided in the
following sentence, the amount of interest payable for any period shorter than
a full quarterly period for which interest is computed, will be computed on the
basis of the actual number of days elapsed in such a 90-day period. In the
event that any date on which interest is payable on the Debentures is not a
Business Day, then payment of 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 such date.
(c) If, at any time while the Institutional Trustee is the Holder of
any Debentures, the Trust or the Institutional Trustee is required to pay any
taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (other
than withholding taxes) imposed by the United States, or any other taxing
authority, then, in any such case, the Company will pay as additional interest
("Additional Interest") on the Debentures held by the Institutional Trustee,
such additional amounts as shall be required so that the net amounts received
and retained by the Trust and the Institutional Trustee after paying such taxes,
duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the
amounts the Trust and the Institutional Trustee would have received had no such
taxes, duties, assessments or other government charges been imposed.
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ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION OF THE DEBENTURES
SECTION 3.1. Special Event Redemption.
If a Special Event, whether a Tax Event or an Investment Company Event,
has occurred and is continuing then the Company shall have the right upon not
less than 30 days nor more than 60 days notice to the Holders of the Debentures
to redeem the Debentures, in whole but not in part, for cash within 90 days
following the occurrence of such Tax Event (the "90 Day Period") at a redemption
price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus any accrued and
unpaid interest thereon to the date of such redemption (the "Redemption Price").
The Redemption Price shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on
the date of such redemption or such earlier time as the Company determines,
provided that the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to
pay the Redemption Price by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such
Redemption Price is to be paid.
SECTION 3.2. Optional Redemption by Company.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.2(b) and to the provisions
of Article XI of the Indenture, except as otherwise may be specified in this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the Company shall have the right to redeem the
Debentures, in whole, at any time, or in part from time to time, on or after
November 15, 2003, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount
to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, including
Additional Interest, if any, to the date of such redemption (the "Optional
Redemption Price"). Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph will be made upon
not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days notice to the Holder of the
Debentures, at the Optional Redemption Price. If the Debentures are only
partially redeemed pursuant to this Section 3.2, the Debentures will be redeemed
pro rata or by lot or by any other method utilized by the Trustee; provided,
that if at the time of redemption the Debentures are registered as a Global
Debenture, the Depositary shall determine, in accordance with its procedures,
the principal amount of such Debentures held by each Holder of Debenture to be
redeemed. The Optional Redemption Price shall be paid
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prior to 12:00 noon, New York time, on the date of such redemption or at such
earlier time as the Company deter mines provided that the Company shall deposit
with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the Optional Redemption Price by
10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such Optional Redemption Price is to be
paid.
(b) If a partial redemption of the Debentures would result in the
delisting of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust from any national
securities exchange or other organization on which the Preferred Securities are
then listed, the Company shall not be permitted to effect such partial
redemption and may only redeem the Debentures in whole.
SECTION 3.3. No Sinking Fund.
The Debentures are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
ARTICLE IV
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 4.1. Extension of Interest Payment Period.
The Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time
during the term of the Debentures, to defer payments of interest by extending
the interest payment period of such Debentures for a period not exceeding 20
consecutive quarters (the "Extended Interest Payment Period"), during which
Extended Interest Payment Period no interest shall be due and payable; provided
that no Extended Interest Payment Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date. To
the extent permitted by applicable law, interest, the payment of which has been
deferred because of the extension of the interest payment period pursuant to
this Section 4.1, will bear interest thereon at the Coupon Rate compounded
quarterly for each quarter of the Extended Interest Payment Period ("Compounded
Interest"). At the end of the Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company
shall pay all interest accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Addi-
tional Interest and Compounded Interest (together, "Deferred Interest") that
shall be payable to the Holders of the Debentures in whose names the Debentures
are registered in the Security Register on the first record date
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after the end of the Extended Interest Payment Period. Before the termination of
any Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company may further extend such
period, provided that such period together with all such further extensions
thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, or extend beyond the maturity
date of the Debentures. Upon the termination of any Extended Interest Payment
Period and upon the payment of all Deferred Interest then due, the Company may
commence a new Extended Interest Payment Period, subject to the foregoing
requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extended Interest
Payment Period, except at the end thereof, but the Company may prepay at any
time all or any portion of the interest accrued during an Extended Interest
Payment Period.
SECTION 4.2. Notice of Extension.
(a) If the Institutional Trustee is the only registered Holder of the
Debentures at the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period,
the Company shall give written notice to the Regular Trustees, the
Institutional Trustee and the Trustee of its selection of such Extended Interest
Payment Period one Business Day before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding
date on which Distributions on the Trust Securities issued by the Trust are
payable, or (ii) the date the Trust is required to give notice of the record
date, or the date such Distributions are payable, to the New York Stock Exchange
or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of the Preferred
Securities issued by the Trust, but in any event at least one Business Day
before such record date.
(b) If the Institutional Trustee is not the only Holder of the
Debentures at the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period,
the Company shall give the Holders of the Debentures and the Trustee written
notice of its selection of such Extended Interest Payment Period at least 10
Business Days before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding Interest Payment
Date, or (ii) the date the Company is required to give notice of the record or
payment date of such interest payment to the New York Stock Exchange or other
applicable self-regulatory organization or to Holders of the Debentures.
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(c) The quarter in which any notice is given pursuant to paragraphs (a)
or (b) of this Section 4.2 shall be counted as one of the 20 quarters permitted
in the maximum Extended Interest Payment Period permitted under Section 4.1.
SECTION 4.3. Limitation of Transactions.
If (i) the Company shall exercise its right to defer payment of
interest as provided in Section 4.1, or (ii) there shall have occurred any Event
of Default, as defined in the Indenture, then (a) the Company shall not declare
or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with respect to, or redeem,
purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its
capital stock (other than (i) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of
shares of its common stock in connection with any employment contract, benefit
plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees,
officers, directors or consultants, (ii) as a result of an exchange or
conversion of any class or series of its capital stock for any other class or
series of its capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in
shares of its capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of
such capital stock or security being converted or exchanged or (iv)
distributions of rights under any shareholder rights plan adopted by the
Company), (b) the Company shall not make any payment of interest, principal of
(or premium, if any, on) or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities
issued by the Company or its subsidiaries which rank pari passu with or junior
to the Debentures and (c) the Company shall not make any guarantee payments with
respect to the foregoing (other than pursuant to the Preferred Securities
Guarantee). The foregoing, however, will not apply to any stock dividends paid
by the Company where the dividend stock is the same as that on which the
dividend is being paid.
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ARTICLE V
EXPENSES
SECTION 5.1. Payment of Expenses.
In connection with the offering, sale and issuance of the Debentures to
the Institutional Trustee and in connection with the sale of the Trust
Securities by the Trust, the Company, in its capacity as borrower with respect
to the Debentures, shall:
(a) pay all costs and expenses relating to the offering, sale and
issuance of the Debentures, including commissions to the underwriters payable
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and compensation of the Trustee under the
Indenture in accordance with the provisions of Section 607 of the Indenture;
(b) pay all costs and expenses of the Trust (including, but not limited
to, costs and expenses relating to the organization of the Trust, the offering,
sale and issuance of the Trust Securities (including commissions to the
underwriters in connection therewith), the fees and expenses of the
Institutional Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, the costs and expenses relating
to the operation of the Trust, including without limitation, costs and expenses
of accountants, attorneys, statistical or bookkeeping services, expenses for
printing and engraving and computing or accounting equipment, paying agent(s),
registrar(s), transfer agent(s), duplicating, travel and telephone and other
telecommunications expenses and costs and expenses incurred in connection with
the acquisition, financing, and disposition of Trust assets);
(c) be primarily liable for any indemnification obligations arising
with respect to the Declaration; and
(d) pay any and all taxes (other than United States withholding taxes
attributable to the Trust or its assets) and all liabilities, costs and expenses
with respect to such taxes of the Trust.
SECTION 5.2 Payment Upon Resignation or Removal
Upon termination of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture or the Indenture
or the removal or resignation
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of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 5.2, the Company shall pay to the
Trustee all amounts accrued to the date of such termination, removal or
resignation. Upon termination of the Declaration or the removal or resignation
of the Delaware Trustee or the Institutional Trustee, as the case may be,
pursuant to Section 5.6 of the Declaration, the Company shall pay to the
Delaware Trustee or the Institutional Trustee, as the case may be, all amounts
accrued to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE VI
NOTICE
SECTION 6.1 Notice by the Company.
The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer
of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making
of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Debentures
pursuant to the provisions of this Article VI. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Article Fourteen of the Indenture or any other provision of the Indenture and
this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with
knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any
payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Debentures pursuant to
the provisions of Article Fourteen of the Indenture, unless and until a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof
from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or from any
trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the
Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 601 of the Indenture, shall be
entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however,
that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this
Article 6 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms
hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without
limitation, the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on
any Debenture), then, anything herein contained to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such
money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and
shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be
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received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 601 of the Indenture,
shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice
by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company, as the case may be (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to
establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior
Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event
that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with
respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to
participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article VI, the
Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held
by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in
such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such
Person under this Article VI, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the
Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as
to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
ARTICLE VII
COVENANT TO LIST ON EXCHANGE
SECTION 7.1. Listing on an Exchange.
If the Debentures are to be issued as a Global Debenture in connection
with the distribution of the Debentures to the holders of the Preferred
Securities issued by the Trust upon a Dissolution Event, the Company will use
its best efforts to list such Debentures on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or
on such other exchange as the Preferred Securities are then listed.
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ARTICLE VIII
FORM OF DEBENTURE
SECTION 8.1. Form of Debenture.
The Debentures and the Trustee's Certificate of Authentication to be
endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the following forms:
(FORM OF FACE OF DEBENTURE)
[IF THE DEBENTURE IS TO BE A GLOBAL DEBENTURE, INSERT - This Debenture
is a Global Debenture 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 Debenture is exchangeable for Debentures registered in the name of a person
other than the Depositary or its nominee only in the limited circumstances
described in the Indenture, and no transfer of this Debenture (other than a
transfer of this Debenture 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) may be registered except in limited circumstances.
Unless this Debenture is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depository Trust Company (55 ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇) to the issuer
or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any
Debenture 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 since the registered owner
hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.]
No.
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$
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CUSIP No.
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MCN ENERGY GROUP INC.
8 5/8% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURE
DUE NOVEMBER 15, 2038
MCN ENERGY GROUP INC., a Michigan corporation (the "Company", which
term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to, the Institutional
Trustee or registered assigns, the principal sum of One Hundred Three Million
Ninety-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($103,092,800) on November 15, 2038,
and to pay interest on said principal sum from November 18, 1998, or from the
most recent interest payment date (each such date, an "Interest Payment Date")
to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly (subject to
deferral as set forth herein) in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and
November 15 of each year commencing February 15, 1999, at the rate of 8 5/8% per
annum until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and on any
overdue principal and premium, if any, 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 same rate per annum compounded quarterly.
The amount of interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed
on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any
date on which interest is payable on this Debenture is not a Business Day, then
payment of interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day
that 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 such date. 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 Debenture (or one or more Predecessor Securities, as
defined in said Indenture) is registered at the close of business on the regular
record date for such interest installment, which shall be the close of business
on the business day next preceding such Interest Payment Date. [IF PURSUANT TO
THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDENTURE THE DEBENTURES ARE NO LONGER REPRESENTED BY A
GLOBAL DEBENTURE -- which shall be the close of business
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on the ____ business day next preceding such Interest Payment Date.] Any such
interest installment not punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith
cease to be payable to the registered Holders on such regular record date and
may be paid to the Person in whose name this Debenture (or one or more
Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special
record date to be fixed by the Trustee for the payment of such defaulted
interest, notice whereof shall be given to the registered Holders of this series
of Debentures not less than 10 days prior to such special record date, or may be
paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Debentures may be listed,
and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully
provided in the Indenture. The principal of (and premium, if any) and the
interest on this Debenture shall be payable at the office or agency of the
Trustee maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States
of America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the
option of the Company by check mailed to the registered Holder at such address
as shall appear in the Security Register. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long
as the Holder of this Debenture is the Institutional Trustee, the payment of the
principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Debenture will be made
at such place and to such account as may be designated by the Institutional
Trustee.
The indebtedness evidenced by this Debenture is, to the extent provided
in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior
payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Debenture is issued subject
to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this
Debenture, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such
provisions, (b) 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 so provided and (c) appoints the Trustee his or her
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each Holder hereof, by his or
her acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of the acceptance of the
subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each holder of
Senior Indebtedness, whether now out-
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standing or hereafter incurred, and waives reliance by each such holder upon
said provisions.
This Debenture shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the
Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on behalf of
the Trustee.
The provisions of this Debenture are continued on the reverse side
hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect
as though fully set forth at this place.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be
executed.
Dated: November 18, 1998
MCN ENERGY GROUP INC.
By:
------------------------
Name:
Title
Attest:
By:
----------------------------
Name:
Title:
(FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION)
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Debentures of the series of Debentures described in
the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: November 18, 1998
NBD BANK
as Trustee
By
-----------------------------
Authorized Signatory
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(FORM OF REVERSE OF DEBENTURE)
This Debenture is one of a duly authorized series of Securities of the
Company (herein sometimes referred to as the "Securities"), specified in the
Indenture, all issued or to be issued in one or more series under and pursuant
to an Indenture dated as of September 1, 1994, duly executed and delivered
between the Company and NBD Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee") (as supplemented by
a First Supplemental Indenture, dated April 17, 1996, a Second Supplemental
Indenture, dated as of July 24, 1996 and a Third Supplemental Indenture, dated
as of March 19, 1997, as so supplemented, the "Base Indenture"), as
supplemented by a Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 18, 1998,
between the Company and the Trustee (the Base Indenture as so supplemented, the
"Indenture"), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto
reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights,
obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and
the Holders of the Securities. By the terms of the Indenture, the Securities are
issuable in series that may vary as to amount, date of maturity, rate of
interest and in other respects as provided in the Indenture. This series of
Securities is limited in aggregate principal amount as specified in said Fourth
Supplemental Indenture.
Except as provided in the next paragraph, the Debentures may not be
redeemed by the Company prior to November 15, 2003. The Company shall have the
right to redeem this Debenture at the option of the Company, without premium or
penalty, in whole, at any time, or in part, from time to time, on or after
November 15, 2003 (an "Optional Redemption"), at a redemption price equal to
100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid
interest, including Additional Interest, if any, to the date of such redemption
(the "Optional Redemption Price"). Any redemption pursuant to this paragraph
will be made upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice, at the
Optional Redemption Price.
If, at any time, a Special Event (as defined below) shall occur and be
continuing, the Company shall have the right upon not less than 30 nor more than
60 days' notice, to redeem the Debentures, in whole but not
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in part, for cash at the Optional Redemption Price within 90 days following the
occurrence of such Special Event.
"Tax Event" means that the Regular Trustees shall have received an
opinion of a nationally recognized independent tax counsel experienced in such
matters to the effect that, as a result of (a) 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 (b) any interpretation or application of, or
pronouncement with respect to, such laws or regulations by any legislative body,
court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (including the enactment of
any legislation and the publication of any judicial decision or regulatory
determination), which amendment or change is effective or which interpretation,
application or pronouncement is announced on or after November 15, 1998, there
is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) the Trust would be subject to United
States federal income tax with respect to income accrued or received on the
Debentures, (ii) interest payable to the Trust on the Debentures would not be
deductible, in whole or in part, by the Company for United States federal income
tax purposes or (iii) the Trust would be subject to more than a de minimis
amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.
"Investment Company Event" means that the Regular Trustees shall have
received an opinion of a nationally recognized independent counsel experienced
in practicing under the 1940 Act, as amended (the "1940 Act") to the effect
that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a
written 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"), there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Trust is or
will be considered an "investment company" which is required to be registered
under the 1940 Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after
November 15, 1998.
Any redemption pursuant to the occurrence of a Tax Event or an
Investment Company Event (each as defined above a "Special Event") will be made
upon not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days notice, at the Optional
Redemption Price. If the Debentures are only partially re-
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deemed by the Company pursuant to an Optional Redemption, the Debentures will be
redeemed pro rata or by lot or by any other method utilized by the Trustee;
provided that if, at the time of redemption, the Debentures are registered as a
Global Debenture, the Depositary shall determine the principal amount of such
Debentures held by each Debentureholder to be redeemed in accordance with its
procedures.
In the event of redemption of this Debenture in part only, a new
Debenture or Debentures of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be
issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Debentures may be
declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the
manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures of each series affected at the
time outstanding, as defined in the Indenture, to execute supplemental
indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner
or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental
indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the
Debentures; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall (i)
reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of
payment of interest thereon, or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption
thereof, without the consent of the Holder of each Debenture so affected, or
(ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Debentures, the Holders of which are
required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of
the Holders of each Debenture then outstanding and affected thereby. The
Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series at the time
outstanding affected thereby, on behalf of all of the Holders of the Debentures
of such series, to waive Default or Event of Default with respect to such
series, and its consequences, except a Default or Event of Default in the
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payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the
Securities of such series. Any such consent or waiver by the registered Holder
of this Debenture (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be
conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners
of this Debenture and of any Debenture issued in exchange herefore or in place
hereof (whether by registration of transfer or otherwise), irrespective of
whether or not any notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this
Debenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Debenture
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 Debenture at the time and place and at the rate and in the
money herein prescribed.
So long as the Company is not in default in the payment of interest on
the Debentures, the Company shall have the right at any time during the term of
the Debentures from time to time to extend the interest payment period of such
Debentures for up to 20 consecutive quarters (an "Extended Interest Payment
Period"), at the end of which period the Company shall pay all interest then
accrued and unpaid (together with the interest thereon at the rate specified for
the Debentures to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under
applicable law). In the event that the Company exercises this right, then (a)
the Company shall not declare or pay dividends on, make any distributions with
respect to, or redeem, purchase or acquire, or make a liquidation payment with
respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i) repurchases, redemptions or
other acquisitions of shares of its Common Stock in connection with any
employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the
benefit of employees, officers, directors or consultants (ii) as a result of an
exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Company's capital stock,
(iii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company's capital
stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or
the security being converted or exchanged or (iv) distributions of rights under
any shareholder rights plan adopted by the Company) (b) the Company shall not
make any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, on
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or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the Company or its
subsidiaries that rank pari passu with or junior to such Debentures and (c) the
Company shall not make any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing
(other than pursuant to the Preferred Securities Guarantee). The foregoing,
however, will not apply to any stock dividend paid by the Company where the
dividend stock is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid.
Prior to the termination of any such Extended Interest Payment Period, the
Company may further extend the interest payment period; provided, that such
Extended Interest Payment Period, together with all such previous and further
extensions thereof, may not exceed 20 consecutive quarters or extend beyond the
maturity date of the Debenture. At the termination of any such Extended Interest
Payment Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest and any
additional amount then due, the Company may commence a new Extended Interest
Payment Period, subject to the above requirements.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, this Debenture is transferable by the registered Holder hereof on the
Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Debenture for
registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Trustee in the City of
Detroit and State of Michigan accompanied by a written instrument or instruments
of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly executed by
the registered Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and
thereupon one or more new Debentures of authorized denominations and for the
same aggregate principal amount and series will be issued to the designated
transferee or transferees. No service charge will be made for any such
transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in relation thereto.
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this
Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent and the Security Registrar
may deem and treat the registered holder hereof as the absolute owner hereof
(whether or not this Debenture shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notice
of ownership or writing hereon made by anyone other than the Security Registrar)
for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of
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the principal hereof and premium, if any, and interest due hereon and for all
other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any paying agent nor
any Security Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the
interest on this Debenture, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in
respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.
The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the ability of the Company
to, among other things, merge or consolidate with any other Person or sell,
assign, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties or assets.
All such covenants and limitations are subject to a number of important
qualifications and exceptions. The Company must report periodically to the
Trustee on compliance with the covenants in the Indenture.
The Debentures of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $25 and any integral multiple thereof. This
Global Debenture is exchangeable for Debentures in definitive form only under
certain limited circumstances set forth in the Indenture. Debentures of this
series so issued are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $25 and any integral multiple thereof. As provided in the
Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Debentures of
this series so issued are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of
Debentures of this series of a different authorized denomination, as requested
by the Holder surrendering the same.
All terms used in this Debenture that are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
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ARTICLE IX
ORIGINAL ISSUE OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 9.1. Original Issue of Debentures.
Debentures in the aggregate principal amount of $103,092,800 may, upon
execution of this Fourth Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Company and
delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon
authenticate and deliver said Debentures to or upon the written order of the
Company, signed by its Chairman, its Vice Chairman, its President, or any Vice
President and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, without any further
action by the Company.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 10.1. Ratification of Indenture.
The Indenture, as supplemented by this Fourth Supplemental Indenture,
is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture shall be deemed part of the Indenture in the manner and to the extent
herein and therein provided.
SECTION 10.2. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals.
The recitals herein contained are made by the Company and not by the
Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof.
The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this
Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
SECTION 10.3. Governing Law.
This Fourth Supplemental Indenture and each Debenture shall be deemed
to be a contract made under the internal laws of the State of New York, and for
all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State.
SECTION 10.4. Separability.
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In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture or in the Debentures shall for any reason be held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture or of the Debentures, but this Fourth Supplemental
Indenture and the Debentures shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or
unenforceable provision had never been contained herein or therein.
SECTION 10.5. Counterparts.
This Fourth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of
counterparts each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall
together constitute but one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Fourth
Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate
seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, on the date or dates indicated in
the acknowledgments and as of the day and year first above written.
MCN ENERGY GROUP INC.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇ III
----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇ III
Title: Senior Vice President
and Treasurer
Attest:
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and
Secretary
NBD BANK,
as Trustee
By J. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------
Name: J. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Title:
Attest:
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
First Vice President and Legal Counsel
[NBD BANK CORPORATE SEAL]