AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

EXECUTION COPY

Exhibit 2.1

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

among

AQUILA, INC.,

GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED,

GREGORY ACQUISITION CORP.

and

BLACK HILLS CORPORATION

Dated as of February 6, 2007

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

ARTICLE II

THE MERGER; CLOSING; EFFECTIVE TIME

ARTICLE III

ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS

OF THE SURVIVING COMPANY

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

ARTICLE V

EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON CAPITAL STOCK;

EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES

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ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

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ARTICLE VII

COVENANTS

ARTICLE VIII

CONDITIONS

ARTICLE IX

TERMINATION

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL

Exhibit

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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of February 6, 2007 (this " Agreement "), among Aquila, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the " Company "), Great Plains Energy Incorporated, a Missouri corporation (" Parent "), Gregory Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (" Merger Sub "), and Black Hills Corporation, a South Dakota corporation (the " Asset Purchaser ").

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub have adopted resolutions approving, and the Boards of Directors of the Company and Merger Sub have adopted resolutions declaring the advisability of, this Agreement providing for the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company (the " Merger ");

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Parent has resolved to submit to the stockholders of Parent for their approval the issuance of shares of Parent Common Stock (as defined below) in the Merger and in respect of the Company Options (as defined below) and the Company Awards (as defined below), the Board of Directors of the Company has resolved to submit this Agreement to the stockholders of the Company for their adoption, and immediately after the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent will adopt this Agreement in its capacity as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Asset Sale Agreement and the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement (both as defined below), immediately prior to the closing of the Merger, the Asset Purchaser has agreed to purchase certain assets and partnership interests owned by the Company; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:

•

DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

1.1            Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

" Acquisition Proposal " means any proposal or offer to acquire in any manner, including by merger, consolidation, tender offer or otherwise, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of the Company Shares or Parent Common Stock, as applicable, or 20% or more of the consolidated assets (including equity interests of Subsidiaries) of the Company or Parent, as

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applicable, taken as a whole; provided that in no event will a proposal or offer made by or on behalf of Parent or the Company or any of their respective affiliates to the other or any of its affiliates be deemed to constitute an "Acquisition Proposal."

" Active Affected Employees " means any Affected Employee other than a former employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

" Affected Employees " means those individuals who as of the Effective Time are employees or former employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

" Agreement " is defined in the Preamble.

" Asset Purchaser " is defined in the Preamble.

" Asset Purchaser Confidentiality Agreement " means the confidentiality agreement, dated July 11, 2006, between the Asset Purchaser and the Company.

" Asset Purchaser Disclosure Letter " means the disclosure letter delivered to the Company by the Asset Purchaser at the time of entering into this Agreement.

" Asset Purchaser Financing " means the financing of the Asset Purchaser to be used to pay the aggregate amount of consideration payable in the Asset Sale Transactions.

" Asset Purchaser Material Adverse Effect " means any event, effect, change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, prevents or materially delays or impairs the ability of the Asset Purchaser (directly or indirectly) to consummate the Asset Sale Transactions.

" Asset Sale Agreement " means the Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of the date of this Agreement, between Merger Sub, Parent, the Asset Purchaser, and the Company, as such agreement may be amended in accordance with the terms of such agreement.

" Asset Sale Transactions " means the sale transactions contemplated by the Asset Sale Agreement and the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement.

" Bankruptcy and Equity Exception " means bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and general equity principles.

" By-Laws " means any by-laws or similar instrument.

" Certificate " is defined in Section 5.1(a).

" Certificate of Merger " is defined in Section 2.3.

" Charter " means any certificate of incorporation, articles of incorporation or similar organizational instrument.

" Closing " means the closing of the Merger.

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" Closing Date " means the date on which the Closing occurs.

" Code " means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

" Company " is defined in the Preamble.

" Company Adverse Recommendation Event " is defined in Section 9.4(a).

" Company Award " means any compensatory award of any kind consisting of, or denominated or payable in, Company Shares that is outstanding under the Company’s stock-based plans (excluding Company Options).

" Company Compensation and Benefit Plans " means any benefit and compensation plan, contract, policy or arrangement maintained, sponsored or contributed to by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries covering Affected Employees and current or former directors of the Company, including "employee benefit plans" within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (whether or not subject to ERISA), and any severance, retention, "change in control," incentive, bonus, deferred compensation, stock purchase, restricted stock, stock option, stock appreciation rights or stock-based compensation plans and each severance, employment, retention, "change in control" or similar agreement to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party.

" Company Covered Proposal " means an Acquisition Proposal for the Company Shares or assets of the Company (substituting 50% for each reference to 20% in the definition of Acquisition Proposal).

" Company Disclosure Letter " means the disclosure letter delivered to Parent by the Company at the time of entering into this Agreement.

" Company ERISA Affiliate " is defined in Section 6.1(h)(iii).

" Company Material Adverse Effect " means any event, effect, change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, (i) other than for purposes of Section 8.2(a) (but including for purposes of references to 8.2(a) under Section 9.4(c)), prevents or materially delays or impairs the ability of the Company to consummate the Transactions (including the consummation of the Asset Sale Transactions by the Surviving Company) or (ii) is materially adverse to the financial condition, properties, assets, liabilities (contingent or otherwise), business or results of operations of the Post-Sale Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case, excluding any effect on, change in, or development caused by, or event, effect or development resulting from, or arising out of, (A) factors generally affecting the economy, the financial markets, the capital markets, or the commodities markets, except to the extent the Post-Sale Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are adversely affected in a substantially disproportionate manner as compared to similarly situated companies; (B) factors, including changes in Law, generally affecting any industry or any segment of any industry in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operate, except to the extent the Post-Sale Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are adversely affected in a substantially disproportionate manner as compared to similarly situated participants in such industry or such segment of such industry; (C) the execution, announcement or performance of this Agreement, the Asset Sale Agreement

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or the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement, including, in each case, the impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with Governmental Entities, customers, suppliers, licensors, distributors, partners or employees; (D) the commencement, occurrence, continuation or intensification of any war, sabotage, armed hostility or terrorism, other than any matter or event occurring in the geographic region served by the Post-Sale Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (E) any event, circumstance or condition disclosed in Section 1.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter; or (F) any action taken by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with Parent's written consent referring to this subsection (F).

" Company Material Contracts " means Contracts that affect the Post-Sale Company and (A) would be required to be filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to Item 601(b) (1), (2), (4) or (10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC, or Item 1.01 of Form 8-K under the Exchange Act; (B) provide for the rights of the partners under, material partnerships or joint ventures, or which provide for material acquisitions or dispositions; (C) contain covenants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries purporting to limit in any material respect any material line of business, industry or geographical area in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate (other than limitations on franchises or other rights granted under the same agreement) or granting material exclusive rights to the counterparty thereto; (D) individually or in the aggregate with other Contracts, would or would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impede the Company’s ability to timely consummate the Transactions; or (E) are indentures, mortgages, loans, guarantees or credit agreements of any kind under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has outstanding indebtedness or an outstanding note, bond, indenture or other evidence of indebtedness for borrowed money or otherwise or any guaranteed indebtedness for money borrowed by others, in each case, for or guaranteeing an amount in excess of $25 million, other than any such indebtedness between the Company (whether as creditor or debtor) and any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, or between any of the Company's wholly-owned Subsidiaries.

" Company Option " means any outstanding compensatory option to purchase Company Shares from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

" Company Recommendation " is defined in Section 6.1(c).

" Company Reports " means forms, statements, reports, schedules and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company with or to the SEC pursuant to applicable Laws and policies since January 1, 2005.

" Company Requisite Vote " means the approval of this Agreement by holders of a majority of the outstanding Company Shares.

" Company Share " means shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.

" Company Stock Unit " means Company Awards consisting of rights (other than Company Options) to receive, with the passage of time or under certain circumstances, Company Shares.

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" Company Stockholders Meeting " means a meeting of holders of Company Shares to consider and vote on this Agreement and any adjournment or postponement of that meeting.

" Company Termination Fee " means $45 million.

" Computer Software " means all computer software and databases (including source code, object code and all related documentation).

" Contracts " means written, oral or other agreements, leases, subleases, contracts, subcontracts, settlement agreements, binding understandings, instruments, notes, options, bonds, mortgages, indentures, trust documents, loan or credit agreements, warranties, purchase orders, licenses, sublicenses, insurance policies, benefit plans and legally binding commitments or undertakings of any nature.

" Convertible Debentures " means the 6.625% Convertible Subordinated Debentures due 2011 of the Company.

" Current Premium " is defined in Section 7.12(c).

" D&O Insurance " means a policy or policies of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance for acts and omissions occurring prior to the Effective Time.

" DGCL " means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

" Dissenting Shares " is defined in Section 5.3(a).

" Effective Time " is defined in Section 2.3.

" Environmental Circumstance " means any circumstances forming the basis of any actual or alleged violation of, or liability under, any Environmental Law or Environmental Permit.

" Environmental Claim " means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, orders, demands, demand letters, directives, claims, liens, investigations, proceedings or notices of noncompliance, liability or violation by any person or entity (including any Governmental Entity) alleging potential liability (including potential responsibility or liability for enforcement, investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental response costs, removal costs, remedial costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries or penalties) arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence or Release into the environment of any Hazardous Substance at any location; or any and all claims by any third party seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from the presence or Release of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substance.

" Environmental Law " means any Law relating to (i) the protection, investigation or restoration of the environment, health, safety, or natural resources, (ii) the handling, use, presence, disposal, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Substance, or (iii) pollution,

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contamination or any injury or threat of injury to Persons or property in connection with any Hazardous Substance.

" Environmental Permits " means Permits required under Environmental Law.

" ERISA " means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

" ERISA Case " means the litigation captioned In re Aquila ERISA Litigation, Case No. 04-cv-00865 (DW), filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

" ERISA Insurers " means the underwriters of the insurance policies set forth in Section 1.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter.

" ERISA Plan " means each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan or Parent Compensation and Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, subject to ERISA.

" Exchange Act " means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

" Exchange Agent " means any exchange agent selected by Parent with the approval of the Company (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld).

" Exchange Fund " is defined in Section 5.2(a).

" Exchange Ratio " means 0.0856.

" Excluded Company Shares " means Company Shares that are owned immediately prior to the Effective Time by Parent or by the Company or any Subsidiary of Parent or the Company and, in each case, not held on behalf of third parties.

" FCC " means the United States Federal Communications Commission.

" FERC " means the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

" Final Order " means an action by the relevant Governmental Entity that has not been reversed, stayed, set aside, annulled or suspended and with respect to which, any waiting period prescribed by applicable Law before the Merger may be consummated has expired (but without the requirement for expiration of any applicable rehearing or appeal period).

" GAAP " means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

" Governmental Entity " means any governmental or regulatory authority, court, agency, commission, body or other legislative, executive or judicial governmental entity.

" Hazardous Substance " means any substance that is listed, classified or regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law, including any petroleum product or by-product, asbestos-containing material, lead-containing paint, polychlorinated biphenyls and radioactive materials.

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" HSR Act " means the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

" Indemnified Parties " means present and former directors and officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and present and former directors or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who are or were (or who are or were alleged to be) fiduciaries under Company Compensation and Benefit Plans (or trusts thereunder).

" Information Technology " means the computers, Computer Software, firmware, middleware, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines and all other information technology equipment and elements, and associated documentation.

" Intellectual Property " means, collectively, all (i) trademarks, service marks, brand names, certification marks, collective marks, d/b/a’s, Internet domain names, logos, symbols, trade dress, assumed names, fictitious names, trade names, and other indicia of origin, all applications and registrations for the foregoing, and all goodwill associated therewith and symbolized thereby, including all renewals of same; (ii) inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, and all patents, registrations, invention disclosures and applications therefor, including divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part and renewal applications, and including renewals, extensions and reissues; (iii) trade secrets and confidential information and know-how, including processes, schematics, business methods, formulae, drawings, prototypes, models, designs, customer lists and supplier lists; (iv) published and unpublished works of authorship, whether copyrightable or not (including databases and other compilations of information), copyrights therein and thereto, and registrations and applications therefor, and all renewals, extensions, restorations and reversions thereof; (v) moral rights, rights of publicity and rights of privacy; and (vi) all other intellectual property or proprietary rights.

" IRS " means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

" KCP&L " means Kansas City Power & Light Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent.

" Knowledge of Parent " means the actual knowledge of the Persons identified in Section 1.1(a) of the Parent Disclosure Letter.

" Knowledge of the Company " means the actual knowledge of the Persons identified in Section 1.1(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter.

" Laws " means any law, rule, statute, ordinance, regulation, judgment, determination, order, decree, injunction, arbitration award, license, authorization, opinion, agency requirement or permit of any Governmental Entity.

" Letter of Intent " means the letter of intent, dated November 21, 2006, between Parent and the Asset Purchaser.

" Liens " means any liens, pledges, mortgages, security interests, claims, options, rights of first offer or refusal, charges, conditional or installment sale contracts, claims of third parties of any kind or other encumbrances.

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" Material Asset Purchaser Regulatory Consents " is defined in Section 6.3(c).

" Material Company Regulatory Consents " is defined in Section 6.1(d)(i).

" Material Parent Regulatory Consents " is defined in Section 6.2(d)(i).

" Merger " is defined in the Recitals.

" Merger Consideration " means the fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio (and any cash in lieu of fractional shares) and the cash into which a Company Share is converted in the Merger.

" Merger Regulatory Closing Consents " means all Material Company Regulatory Consents, Material Parent Regulatory Consents, and the consents referred to in Section 6.3(c)(i)(A)(1).

" Merger Sub " is defined in the Preamble.

" Multiemployer Plan " is defined in Section 6.1(h)(ii).

" NYSE " means the New York Stock Exchange.

" Option Exchange Ratio " means (x) the Exchange Ratio plus (y) the ratio derived by dividing the Per Share Cash Amount divided by the Parent Common Stock Value.

" Order " is defined in Section 8.1(c).

" Parent " is defined in the Preamble.

" Parent Adverse Recommendation Event " is defined in Section 9.3(a).

" Parent Common Stock " means the common stock, no par value, of Parent.

" Parent Common Stock Value " means the average of the closing sale prices (calculated to the nearest tenth of a cent) for a share of Parent Common Stock on the NYSE Composite Transactions Tape (as reported by The Wall Street Journal (Northeast edition), or, if not reported thereby, as reported by any other authoritative source) over the 5 consecutive trading days ending with the second complete trading day prior to the Closing Date (not counting the Closing Date).

" Parent Compensation and Benefit Plan " means any benefit and compensation plan, contract, policy or arrangement maintained, sponsored or contributed to by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries covering current or former employees of Parent and its Subsidiaries and current or former directors of Parent, including "employee benefit plans" within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, and incentive and bonus, deferred compensation, stock purchase, restricted stock, stock option, stock appreciation rights or stock-based compensation plans.

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" Parent Confidentiality Agreement " means the confidentiality agreement, dated June 28, 2006, between Parent and the Company, as amended by the letter agreement dated September 5, 2006, between Parent and the Company.

" Parent Covered Proposal " means an Acquisition Proposal for the shares of Parent Common Stock or assets of Parent (substituting 50% for each reference to 20% in the definition of Acquisition Proposal).

" Parent Disclosure Letter " means the disclosure letter delivered to the Company by Parent at the time of entering into this Agreement.

" Parent ERISA Affiliate " is defined in Section 6.2(h)(ii).

" Parent Material Adverse Effect " means any event, effect, change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, (i) other than for purposes of Section 8.3(a) (but including for purposes of references to Section 8.3(a) in Section 9.3(c)), prevents or materially delays or impairs the ability of Parent to consummate the Transactions or (ii) is materially adverse to the financial condition, properties, assets, liabilities (contingent or otherwise), business or results of operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case, excluding any effect on, change in, or development caused by, or event, effect or development resulting from or arising out of, (A) factors generally affecting the economy, the financial markets, the capital markets, or the commodities markets, except to the extent Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are adversely affected in a substantially disproportionate manner as compared to similarly situated companies; (B) factors, including changes in Law, generally affecting any industry or any such segment of any industry in which Parent or its Subsidiaries operates, except to the extent Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are adversely affected in a substantially disproportionate manner as compared to similarly situated participants in such industry or segment of such industry; (C) the execution, announcement or performance of this Agreement, the Asset Sale Agreement or the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement, including, in each case, the impact thereof on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with Governmental Entities, customers, suppliers, licensors, distributors, partners or employees; (D) the commencement, occurrence, continuation or intensification of any war, sabotage, armed hostility or terrorism, other than any matter or event occurring in the geographic region served by KCP&L; or (E) any action taken by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries with Company's written consent referring to this subsection (E).

" Parent Material Contracts " means Contracts of Parent which (A) would be required to be filed by Parent with the SEC pursuant to Item 601(b) (1), (2), (4) or (10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC, or Item 1.01 of Form 8-K under the Exchange Act; (B) provide for the rights of the partners under, material partnerships or joint ventures, or which provide for material acquisitions or dispositions; (C) contain covenants of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries purporting to limit in any material respect any material line of business, industry or geographical area in which Parent or its Subsidiaries may operate (other than limitations on franchises or other rights granted under the same agreement) or granting material exclusive rights to the counterparty thereto; (D) individually or in the aggregate with other agreements or contracts, would or would reasonably be expected to prevent, materially delay or materially impede Parent’s ability to timely consummate the Transactions; or (E) are indentures, mortgages, loans, guarantees or credit agreements of any kind under which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has

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outstanding indebtedness or an outstanding note, bond, indenture or other evidence of indebtedness for borrowed money or otherwise or any guaranteed indebtedness for money borrowed by others, in each case, for or guaranteeing an amount in excess of $25 million, other than any such indebtedness between Parent (whether as creditor or debtor) and any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, or between any of Parent's wholly-owned Subsidiaries.

" Parent Option " means any outstanding option to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock from Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

" Parent Recommendation " is defined in Section 6.2(c).

" Parent Reports " means forms, statements, reports, schedules and other documents required to be filed or furnished by Parent with or to the SEC pursuant to applicable Laws and policies since January 1, 2005.

" Parent Requisite Vote " means approval of the Share Issuance by the stockholders of Parent by a majority of votes cast, provided that the total vote cast represents over 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock.

" Parent Stockholders Meeting " means a meeting of the stockholders of Parent to consider and vote on the Share Issuance and any adjournment or postponement of that meeting.

" Parent Termination Fee " means $45 million.

" Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement " means the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Company, Parent, Merger Sub, Aquila Colorado, LLC and the Asset Purchaser, as such agreement may be amended in accordance with the terms of such agreement.

" Pension Plan " is defined in Section 6.1(h)(ii).

" Per Share Cash Amount " means $1.80 in cash.

" Permits " means permits, licenses, certifications, approvals, registrations, consents, authorizations, franchises, variances, exemptions and orders issued or granted by a Governmental Entity.

" Person " means any individual, corporation (including not-for-profit), general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization, Governmental Entity or other entity of any kind or nature.

" Post-Sale Company " means the Company and, after the Effective Date, the Surviving Company, in each case after giving effect to (a) the Asset Sale Transactions and (b) the payment of the cash portion of the Merger Consideration by the Surviving Company following the Merger, as though such transactions had been completed, but disregarding (1) the Subsequent Merger, (2) any variations in the manner in which such transactions are carried out from the manner described herein in the Asset Sale Agreement or in the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement and (3) any other transaction which may occur following the Effective

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Time. For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the terms of the Asset Sale Agreement and the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement, the Post-Sale Company includes the assets and liabilities of the Company principally related to the Company’s electric utility operations in the State of Missouri and all of the Company’s Subsidiaries, all assets and liabilities associated primarily with the Company’s corporate shared services, and all rights and obligations of the Company under completed asset disposition agreements, but does not include any assets principally related to any of the Company’s gas utility operations in Iowa, Kansas or Nebraska that are to be acquired by the Asset Purchaser pursuant to the Asset Sale Agreement or its electric or gas utility operations in the State of Colorado that are to be acquired by the Asset Purchaser pursuant to the Partnership Interests Purchase Agreement, or the liabilities associated with any such operations.

" Power Act " means the Federal Power Act.

" Premium Income Equity Securities " means the premium income equity securities of the Company, each of which represents $25 in principal amount of the Company’s 6.75% mandatorily convertible senior notes.

" Prior Plan " is defined in Section 7.10(b).

" Prospectus/Proxy Statement " is defined in Section 7.3(a).

" PUC " means any state public utility or service commission.

" PUHCA " means the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 as in effect prior to its repeal.

" Registered Company Share " is defined in Section 5.1(a).

" Registration Statement " is defined in Section 7.3(a).

" Regulatory Material Adverse Effect " is defined in Section 7.5(a)(ii).

" Release " means any releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, disposing, or dumping into the environment, whether intentional or unintentional, negligent or non-negligent, sudden or non-sudden, accidental or non-accidental.

" Representatives " of a Person means that Person’s directors, officers, employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and other advisors or other representatives.

" Sarbanes-Oxley " means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

" SEC " means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

" Securities Act " means the Securities Act of 1933.

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" Share Issuance " means the issuance of the shares of Parent Common Stock required to be issued in the Merger.

" Subsequent Merger " means the merger of the Surviving Company with and into KCP&L, which may occur following the consummation of the Asset Sale Transactions.

" Subsidiary " means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which at least a majority of the securities or ownership interests having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by that Person and/or one or more of its respective Subsidiaries.

" Successor Plan " is defined in Section 7.10(b).

" Superior Proposal " means a bona fide Acquisition Proposal (for this purpose substituting 50% for each reference to 20% in the definition of " Acquisition Proposal ") that the Board of Directors of the Company or Parent, as applicable, determines in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel) is reasonably expected to be consummated in accordance with its terms, taking into account all legal, financial and regulatory aspects of the proposal and the Person making the proposal and, if consummated, would result in a transaction more favorable to the stockholders of the Company or Parent, as applicable, from a financial point of view than the transaction contemplated by this Agreement (after taking into account any revisions to the terms of the transaction contemplated by this Agreement agreed to by Parent and Asset Purchaser pursuant to Section 7.2(b)(ii)).

" Superior Proposal Action " is defined in Section 7.2(b)(ii).

" Surviving Company " is defined in Section 2.1.

" Takeover Statute " is defined in Section 6.1(l).

" Tax " means any federal, state, local and foreign income, profits, franchise, gross receipts, environmental, customs duty, capital stock, severance, stamp, payroll, sales, employment, unemployment, disability, use, property, withholding, excise, production, value added, occupancy and other tax, duty or assessments of any nature whatsoever, together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed with respect to those amounts and any interest in respect of those penalties and additions.

" Tax Return " means all returns and reports (including elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules, estimates and information returns) required to be supplied to a Tax authority relating to Taxes.

" Termination Date " is defined in Section 9.2.

" Transactions " means the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, the Asset Sale Transactions, the transfer of the capital stock of the Surviving Company by Parent to KCP&L and the Subsequent Merger, except that references to "Transactions" in Section 7.5(a)

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shall include the Subsequent Merger only if Parent shall have provided notice to the Company of Parent’s election that the Subsequent Merger be so included.

" Transition Services Agreement " means the Transition Services Agreement, dated the date hereof, between Parent, Merger Sub and the Asset Purchaser.

1.2             Interpretation. The table of contents and headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, do not constitute part of this Agreement and will not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any of the provisions of this Agreement.

(a)         The parties have participated jointly in negotiating and drafting this Agreement. In the event that an ambiguity or a question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties, and no presumption or burden of proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

(b)         For purposes of this Agreement, except where otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise necessarily requires: (i) references to this Agreement will include a reference to all disclosure letters, schedules and exhibits hereto; (ii) the words "hereof," "herein" and "hereto," and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; (iii) references to Company Disclosure Letter, Parent Disclosure Letter, Asset Purchaser Disclosure Letter, Articles, Sections or Exhibits are to disclosure letters, articles, sections or exhibits to this Agreement; (iv) whenever the words "include," "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they will be deemed to be followed by the words "without limitation" and will not be construed to mean that the examples given are an exclusive list of the topics covered; (v) meanings specified in this Agreement are applicable to both the singular and plural forms of these terms and to the masculine, feminine and neuter genders, as the context requires; (vi) references to a Person includes its successors and assigns; (vii) references to any agreement, instrument or other document means that agreement, instrument or other document as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, including by waiver or consent, and all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein; (viii) references to any Law is a reference to that Law and the rules and regulations adopted or promulgated thereunder, in each case, as amended, modified or supplemented as of the date on which the reference is made, and all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein; (ix) references to times of day or dates are to local times or dates in New York, New York; and (x) references to currency are references to the lawful money of the United States.

•

THE MERGER; CLOSING; EFFECTIVE TIME

2.1            The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Effective Time, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company and the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub will thereupon cease. The Company will survive in the Merger (being sometimes hereinafter referred to in such capacity as the " Surviving Company "),

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and the Company will continue its separate corporate existence under the laws of the state of Delaware, and all of the Company’s rights, privileges, immunities, powers and franchises will continue in the Company. The Merger will have the effects specified in the DGCL.

2.2            Closing. The Closing will take place at the offices of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004 at 10:00 a.m. on the first business day after the conditions set forth in Article VIII have been satisfied or waived in accordance with this Agreement (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions), unless another date or time is agreed by the parties hereto.

2.3            Effective Time. At the Closing, the Company will cause a Certificate of Merger (the " Certificate of Merger ") to be executed, acknowledged and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as provided in the DGCL, and the Company and Merger Sub will make all other filings and recordings required under the DGCL to effect the Merger. The Merger will become effective at the time when the Certificate of Merger has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or such other time as set forth in the Certificate of Merger in accordance with the DGCL (the " Effective Time ").

•

ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS

OF THE SURVIVING COMPANY

3.1            Organizational Documents. The Charter and the By-Laws of the Company in effect at the Effective Time will be the certificate of incorporation and by-laws, respectively of the Surviving Company, until thereafter amended in accordance with their terms and applicable Law.

•

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

4.1          Directors of Surviving Company. The directors of Merger Sub at the Effective Time will, from and after the Effective Time, be the directors of the Surviving Company, each to hold office in accordance with the Surviving Company’s certificate of incorporation, by-laws and applicable Law.

4.2            Officers of Surviving Company. The officers of Merger Sub at the Effective Time will, from and after the Effective Time, be the officers of the Surviving Company, each to hold office in accordance with the Surviving Company’s certificate of incorporation, by-laws and applicable Law.

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•

EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON CAPITAL STOCK;

EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES

5.1            Effect on Capital Stock. At the Effective Time, as a result of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder of any capital stock of the Company:

(a)         Conversion of Securities and Merger Consideration. Each Company Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than Excluded Company Shares and Dissenting Shares) will be converted into the right to receive

• • (i)      the Per Share Cash Amount, without interest; and

    (ii)     a fraction of a share of Parent Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio.

At the Effective Time, all Company Shares will be cancelled and retired, and will cease to exist, and (x) each certificate (a " Certificate ") formerly representing any of these Company Shares (other than Excluded Company Shares) and (y) each uncertificated Company Share (a " Registered Company Share ") registered to a holder on the stock transfer books of the Company (other than Excluded Company Shares), will thereafter represent only the right to the Merger Consideration into which the Company Shares have been converted pursuant to this Section 5.1(a) and any distribution or dividend pursuant to Section 5.2(c), in each case without interest.

(b)         Cancellation of Shares. Each Excluded Company Share will, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder, be cancelled and retired without payment of any consideration and will cease to exist.

(c)         Merger Sub. At the Effective Time, each of the outstanding shares of common stock of Merger Sub shall be converted into one share of common stock of the Surviving Company.

(a)         Exchange Agent . As of the Closing, Parent will deposit or cause to be deposited with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of the holders of Company Shares (other than Excluded Company Shares and Dissenting Shares), certificates representing the shares of Parent Common Stock to be exchanged for Company Shares in the Merger and the aggregate amount of cash to be paid in the Merger pursuant to Sections 5.1 in exchange for Company Shares (the cash and certificates for shares of Parent Common Stock, together with dividends or other distributions payable with respect to those shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to Section 5.2(c), being hereinafter referred to as the " Exchange Fund ").

(b)         Exchange Procedures . Parent will cause transmittal materials reasonably agreed upon by Parent and the Company prior to the Closing to be mailed as soon as practicable after the Effective Time by the Exchange Agent to each holder of record of Company

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Shares (other than Excluded Company Shares and Dissenting Shares) as of the Effective Time represented by Certificates. The transmittal materials will advise the holders of Company Shares of the effectiveness of the Merger and the procedure for surrendering Certificates representing the Company Shares to the Exchange Agent. Upon the surrender by a holder of Company Shares of a Certificate representing such Company Shares (or affidavit of loss in lieu thereof in accordance with Section 5.2(g)) to the Exchange Agent in accordance with the terms of the transmittal materials, each holder of Company Shares will be entitled to receive, pursuant to Section 5.1 in exchange therefor (i) a certificate representing that number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock that the holder is entitled to receive pursuant to this Article V, and/or (ii) a check in the amount (after giving effect to any required tax withholdings) of (A) any cash payable pursuant to Section 5.2(e) in lieu of fractional shares, plus (B) cash payable pursuant to Section 5.1, plus (C) any unpaid dividends or other distributions with respect to the Parent Common Stock that the holder has the right to receive pursuant to Section 5.2(c), and, in each case, the Certificate so surrendered will forthwith be cancelled. No interest will be paid or accrued on any amount payable upon due surrender of the Certificates. If a transfer of ownership of Company Shares formerly represented by a Certificate is not registered in the transfer records of the Company, a certificate representing the proper number of shares of Parent Common Stock, together with a check for any cash to be paid upon due surrender of the Certificate and any other dividends or distributions in respect of the Certificate, shall be issued and/or paid to such a transferee if the Certificate is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by all documents required to evidence and effect the transfer and to evidence that any applicable stock transfer Taxes have been paid. If any certificate for shares of Parent Common Stock is to be issued in a name other than that in which the Certificate surrendered in exchange therefor is registered, it will be a condition of the exchange that the Person requesting the exchange will pay any transfer or other Taxes required by reason of the issuance of certificates representing shares of Parent Common Stock in a name other than that of the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered, or will establish to the satisfaction of Parent or the Exchange Agent that the Tax has been paid or is not applicable.

• • (i)      Whenever a dividend or other distribution is declared by Parent in respect of the shares of Parent Common Stock, the record date for which is at or after the Effective Time, that declaration must include dividends or other distributions in respect of all shares of Parent Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the dividends or other distributions payable in respect of any such shares of Parent Common Stock not then issued in exchange for surrendered Certificates. No dividends or other distributions in respect of Parent Common Stock will be paid to any holder of any unsurrendered Certificate until the Certificate is surrendered for exchange in accordance with this Article V. Subject to applicable Laws, following surrender of the Certificate, there will be issued and/or paid to the holder of the certificates representing whole shares of Parent Common Stock issued in exchange therefor, without interest, (A) at the time of such surrender, the dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time theretofore payable with respect to those whole shares of Parent Common Stock and not previously paid to the holder and (B) at the appropriate payment date, the dividends or other distributions payable with

     

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• • respect to those whole shares of Parent Common Stock with a record date after the Effective Time but with a payment date subsequent to surrender.

    (ii)    Registered holders of unsurrendered Certificates will be entitled to vote after the Effective Time, at any meeting of Parent’s stockholders with a record date at or after the Effective Time, the number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock represented by those Certificates, as the case may be, regardless of whether those holders have surrendered their Certificates or delivered duly executed transmittal materials.

(d)         Transfers . After the Effective Time, there will be no transfers on the stock transfer books of the Company of the Company Shares that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(e)         Fractional Shares . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no fractional shares of Parent Common Stock will be issued and any holder of Company Shares entitled to receive a fractional share of Parent Common Stock but for this Section 5.2(e) will be entitled to receive an amount in cash (without interest) determined by multiplying this fraction (rounded to the nearest one-hundredth of a share) by the average of the closing price of a share of Parent Common Stock, as reported in The Wall Street Journal (Northeast edition), for the five trading days ending on the trading day immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(f)         Termination of Exchange Period; Unclaimed Stock . Any portion of the Exchange Fund (including the proceeds of any investments and any shares of Parent Common Stock) that remains unclaimed by the stockholders of the Company one year after the Effective Time will be delivered to Parent. Any stockholders of the Company who have not theretofore complied with this Article V will thereafter look only to Parent for delivery of any shares of Parent Common Stock and payment of any cash, dividends and other distributions in respect thereof payable or deliverable pursuant to Section 5.1, Section 5.2(c) and Section 5.2(e) upon due surrender of their Certificates (or affidavits of loss in lieu thereof), in each case, without any interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent, the Surviving Company, the Exchange Agent or any other Person will be liable to any former holder of Company Shares for any amount properly delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Laws.

(g)         Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . If any Certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming the Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and the posting by that Person of a bond in the form customarily required by the Company as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Certificate, Parent will issue the shares of Parent Common Stock, and the Exchange Agent will issue any cash, dividends and other distributions in respect thereof issuable and/or payable in exchange for the lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate pursuant to this Agreement.

(h)         Registered Company Shares . Parent, without any action on the part of any holder, will cause the Exchange Agent to (i) issue, as of the Effective Time, to each

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holder of Registered Company Shares that number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock that the holder is entitled to receive pursuant to this Article V and (ii) mail to each holder of Registered Company Shares (other than Excluded Company Shares and Dissenting Shares) a check in the amount (after giving effect to any required tax withholdings) of any cash payable in respect of the stockholder’s Company Shares pursuant to Sections 5.1 and 5.2(e). Parent will also cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each such holder materials (in a form to be reasonably agreed by Parent and the Company prior to the Effective Time) advising the holder of the effectiveness of the Merger and the conversion of the holder’s Company Shares into Merger Consideration pursuant to the Merger.

(i)          Source of Funds . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Parent agrees that at least $5 million of the cash transferred by Parent to the Exchange Fund shall come from funds owned by Parent prior to the Closing Date.

(a)          Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Company Shares that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and which are held by stockholders properly exercising appraisal rights available under Section 262 of the DGCL (the " Dissenting Shares ") will not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the Merger Consideration, unless and until such holders have failed to perfect or have effectively withdrawn or lost their rights to appraisal under the DGCL. Dissenting Shares will be treated in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL. If any such holder fails to perfect or effectively withdraws or loses such right to appraisal, such holder’s Company Shares will thereupon be converted into and become exchangeable only for the right to receive, as of the later of the Effective Time and the time that such right to appraisal has been irrevocably lost, withdrawn or expired, the Merger Consideration without any interest thereon. The Company will give Parent (a) prompt notice of any written demands for appraisal of any Company Shares, attempted withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company relating to rights to be paid the "fair value" of Dissenting Shares, as provided in Section 262 of the DGCL and (b) the opportunity to participate in and direct all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL. The Company will not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, voluntarily make or agree to make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisals of capital stock of the Company, offer to settle or settle any such demands or approve any withdrawal of any such demands.

(b)         If prior to the Effective Time there is a change in the number of Company Shares or shares of Parent Common Stock or securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for Company Shares or shares of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding as a result of a distribution, reclassification, stock split (including a reverse split), stock dividend or distribution, recapitalization, merger, subdivision, issuer tender or exchange offer, or other similar transaction, the Exchange Ratio will be equitably adjusted to eliminate the effects of this event on the Merger Consideration.

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(a)         As of the Effective Time, each then-outstanding Company Option, whether vested or unvested, will be converted into an option to acquire a number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the product (rounded to the nearest whole number) of (i) the number of Company Shares subject to the Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) the Option Exchange Ratio, at an exercise price per share (rounded to the nearest whole cent) equal to (A) the exercise price per Company Share of that Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, divided by (B) the Option Exchange Ratio; provided that the exercise price and the number of shares of Parent Common Stock purchasable pursuant to the Company Options will be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; and provided , further , that in the case of any Company Option to which Section 422 of the Code applies, the exercise price and the number of shares of Parent Common Stock purchasable pursuant to the option will be determined in accordance with the foregoing, subject to those adjustments as are necessary in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code. Except as specifically provided above following the Effective Time, each converted Company Option will continue to be governed by the same terms and conditions as were applicable under the Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time.

(b)         At the Effective Time, each Company Award will be converted into the right to acquire, or receive benefits measured by the value of the number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of Company Shares subject to such Company Award (or the number of Company Shares with respect to which the Company Award is denominated) immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) the Option Exchange Ratio, and each right will otherwise be subject to the terms and conditions applicable to that right under the relevant Company Stock Plan or other Company Compensation and Benefit Plan.

(c)         At or prior to the Effective Time, the Company’s Board of Directors (or a committee thereof) will adopt amendments to, or make determinations with respect to, the Company’s stock-based plans, individual agreements evidencing the grant of Company Awards or Company Options, and Company Compensation and Benefit Plans, if necessary, to implement the provisions of this Section 5.4.

(d)         Parent will take all actions as are necessary for the assumption of the Company’s stock-based plans and the individual agreements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries evidencing the grant of Company Options or Company Awards pursuant to this Section 5.4, including the reservation, issuance (subject to this Section 5.4(d)) and listing of Parent Common Stock as necessary to effect the transactions contemplated by this Section 5.4. If registration of any interests in the Company’s stock-based plans or individual agreements evidencing the grant of Company Options or Company Awards or the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable thereunder is required under the Securities Act, Parent will file with the SEC, prior to the Effective Time, a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form) with respect to those interests or Parent Common Stock, will cause the registration statement to be effective as of the Effective Time and will use reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement (and to maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained in that registration statement and comply with any applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws) for so long as the relevant converted Company Options or Company Awards, as applicable, remain outstanding and the registration of interests or the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable thereunder (and compliance with any state laws)

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continues to be required. Promptly after the Closing, Parent will deliver to the holders of Company Options and Company Awards appropriate notices setting forth the holders’ rights pursuant to the respective Company stock-based plans and agreements evidencing the grant of the Company Options and Company Awards, and stating that the Company Options and Company Awards and agreements have been assumed by Parent and will continue in effect on the same terms and conditions subject to the adjustments provided for in this Section 5.4 and after giving effect to the Merger and the terms of the Company’s stock-based plans and the applicable agreements.

5.5            Withholding Rights. Each of Parent and Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Merger Consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any holder of Company Shares such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by Parent or Exchange Agent, as the case may be, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by Parent or Exchange Agent, as the case may be.

•

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

6.1            Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Company Disclosure Letter or, to the extent the relevance of such disclosure is readily apparent therefrom, the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that:

(a)            Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is a legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization as indicated in Section 6.1(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter and has all requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted and is qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign legal entity in each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of its assets or properties or conduct of its business requires this qualification, except where the failure to be so organized, qualified or in good standing, or to have such power or authority, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company does not directly or indirectly own any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in, any person other than its Subsidiaries. Prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has made available to Parent a complete and correct copy of the Company’s Charter and By-Laws (which have not been amended since the date on which they were provided to Parent).

(b)            Capital Structure. (i)    The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 400,000,000 Company Shares, of which 374,107,972 Company Shares were issued and outstanding as of January 15, 2007, 20,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $1.00

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per share, none of which were outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and 10,000,000 shares of preference stock, no par value, 600,000 shares of which have been designated "Preference Stock, $2.4375 Series," 400,000 of which have been designated "Preference Stock, $2.6125 Series," and 320,000 of which have been designated "Preference Stock, $4.125 Series." No shares of preference stock were issued or outstanding as of the date of this Agreement. All of the outstanding Company Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. The Company has no Company Shares reserved for issuance, except that (A) as of January 15, 2007, there was an aggregate of 1,019,164 Company Shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of the 103,955 Premium Income Equity Securities outstanding as of January 15, 2007, (B) as of January 15, 2007, there were an aggregate of 135,898 Company Shares reserved for interest reinvestment and issuance upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures, with an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $1,992,000 as of January 15, 2007 and (C) as of January 15, 2007, there were an aggregate of 10,198,703 Company Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company’s stock-based plans and individual agreements related to deferred director compensation or evidencing the grant of Company Options and Company Stock Units. Section 6.1(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a correct and complete list as of January 15, 2007 of (1) the number of outstanding Company Options, the exercise price of each such Company Option and number of Company Shares issuable at such exercise price, (2) the number of outstanding Company Stock Units and the number of Company Shares subject thereto and (3) the number of Company Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures. From January 15, 2007 to the date of this Agreement, the Company has not issued any Company Shares except pursuant to the exercise, settlement or conversion of Company Options, Company Stock Units, Premium Income Equity Securities or Convertible Debentures, and since January 15, 2007 to the date of this Agreement, the Company has not issued any Company Options, Company Stock Units, Premium Income Equity Securities or Convertible Debentures. Except as set forth in this Section 6.1(b), as of the date of this Agreement, there are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, puts, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, purchase or sell any shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, or giving any Person a right to sell to, subscribe for or acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any equity securities of the Company, and no securities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries evidencing those rights are authorized, issued or outstanding. Except as set forth in this Section 6.1(b), as of the date of this Agreement, the Company does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations the holders of which have the right to vote with the stockholders of the Company on any matter.

• • (ii)    Each of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity securities of each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable and owned by the Company or by a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company, free and clear of any Lien, except for those Liens as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. There are no preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, conversion rights, stock appreciation rights, redemption rights, repurchase rights, agreements, arrangements, calls, puts, commitments or rights of any kind that obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue,

     

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• • purchase or sell any shares of capital stock or other equity securities of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, or giving any Person a right to sell to, subscribe for or acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any equity securities of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, and no securities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries evidencing those rights are authorized, issued or outstanding. There are no voting trusts, proxies or other commitments, understandings, restrictions or arrangements in favor of any person other than the Company or a Subsidiary wholly-owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company with respect to the voting of or the right to participate in dividends or other earnings on any capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c)            Corporate Authority; Approval and Fairness. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to, and has taken all corporate action necessary to, execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and consummate the Merger, subject, in the case of the consummation of the Merger, to the Company Requisite Vote. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. The Board of Directors of the Company has (i) unanimously adopted resolutions approving this Agreement and the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, declaring the advisability of this Agreement and recommending the adoption of this Agreement by the holders of Company Shares by the Company Requisite Vote (the " Company Recommendation "), (ii) received the separate opinions of Evercore Group, Inc., Lehman Brothers, Inc. and The Blackstone Group L.P., the Company’s financial advisors, each dated as of the date of this Agreement, to the effect that the Merger Consideration to be received by the holders of the Company Shares in the Merger is fair to those holders from a financial point of view and (iii) directed that this Agreement be submitted to the holders of Company Shares for the purpose of acting on the Agreement. The Company Requisite Vote is the only vote of the stockholders of the Company required in connection with the Merger.

(d)            Governmental Filings; No Violations. (i) No consent, approval, order, license, permit or authorization of, or registration, declaration, notice or filing with, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required to be obtained or made by or with respect to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the Merger, except for those (A) required by (1) Section 2.3, (2) the HSR Act, (3) the Exchange Act and the Securities Act, (4) Environmental Laws, (5) NYSE rules and regulations, (6) the FERC under Section 203 of the Power Act, (7) the PUCs identified in Section 6.1(d)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter pursuant to applicable Laws regulating utilities, and (8) pre-approvals of license transfers by the FCC (the items set forth in clauses (2), (6), and (7) above being the " Material Company Regulatory Consents "); or (B) that the failure to make or obtain would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of this Agreement, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no facts or circumstances relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, would be reasonably likely to prevent or materially delay the receipt of the Material Company Regulatory Consents.

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• • (ii)    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company do not, and the consummation of the Transactions will not, constitute or result in (A) a breach or violation of the Charter or By-Laws of the Company, (B) a breach or violation of the certificate of incorporation, by-laws or similar organizational documents of any Subsidiaries of the Company, (C) a breach or violation of, or a default or termination (or right of termination) under, the acceleration of any obligations under, or the creation of any Lien on the Company’s assets or the assets of any of its Subsidiaries (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) pursuant to, any Contract binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, assuming the filings, notices, reports, consents, registrations, approvals, permits and authorizations referred to in Section 6.1(d)(i) are made or obtained, any Law or governmental or non-governmental permit or license to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject or (D) any change in the rights or obligations of any party under any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Contracts, except, in the case of clauses (B), (C) and (D), for any breach, violation, termination, default, acceleration, creation or change that has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(e)            Reports and Financial Statements. The Company has filed or furnished with the SEC all Company Reports. Each Company Report, when and as filed or furnished with the SEC, complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and Sarbanes-Oxley. As of their respective dates (and, if amended or supplemented, as of the date of any such amendment or supplement) and as filed, the Company Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.

• • (i)      The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act. These disclosure controls and procedures were designed by the management of the Company, or caused to be designed under their supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the management of the Company by others within those entities, and to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including policies and procedures that (A) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (B) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company, and (C) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. The Company’s management has disclosed to the Company’s outside auditors and the audit committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (A) all significant

     

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• • deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, in the case of clause (A) or (B), to the extent such deficiencies, weaknesses or fraud was discovered by the Company’s management as part of its most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act). Any material change in internal control over financial reporting required to be disclosed in any Company Report has been so disclosed.

    (ii)    The audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited interim consolidated financial statements (including, in each case, the notes, if any, thereto) included in or incorporated by reference into the Company Reports as filed with the SEC complied as to form in all material respects with the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto, were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated therein or in the notes thereto and except with respect to unaudited statements as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as of their dates, and the results of operations and cash flow for the periods set forth therein (subject to the notes and, in the case of unaudited statements, normal year-end audit adjustments that were not or are not expected to be, individually or in the aggregate, materially adverse to the Company), in each case in conformity with GAAP consistently applied during the periods involved, except as may be noted in the Company Reports as filed with the SEC.

    (iii)   Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and each former principal financial officer of the Company, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act or Sections 302 and 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley with respect to the Company Reports. For purposes of the preceding sentence, " principal executive officer " and " principal financial officer " have the meanings ascribed to those terms under Sarbanes-Oxley. Since the effectiveness of Sarbanes-Oxley, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has arranged any outstanding "extensions of credit" to directors or executive officers within the meaning of Section 402 of Sarbanes-Oxley.

    (iv)   All filings required to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries since January 1, 2005, under the PUHCA, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Power Act and applicable Laws governing public utilities have been filed with the SEC, the FERC or the applicable PUCs, as the case may be, including all forms, statements, reports, agreements (oral or written) and all documents, exhibits, amendments and supplements pertaining thereto, including all rates, tariffs, franchises, service agreements and related documents, and as of

     

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• • their respective dates, all of these filings complied with all requirements of applicable Law, except for filings the failure of which to make, or the failure of which to make in compliance with all requirements of applicable Law, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(f)             Absence of Certain Changes; Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities. To the extent affecting the Post-Sale Company:

• • (i)      Since the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet included in the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement, no event, change or development has occurred which, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

    (ii)    There are no obligations or liabilities (whether absolute, contingent, accrued or otherwise) that would be required to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Post-Sale Company prepared in accordance with GAAP, except obligations, liabilities or contingencies (A) reflected on the consolidated balance sheets of the Company included in the Company Reports as filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement, (B) incurred (1) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice prior to the date hereof, or (2) in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise expressly permitted under this Agreement, on or after the date hereof, in each case since the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet included in the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof, or (C) that would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Company Reports filed or furnished with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has no off balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Item 303(a)(4) of Regulation S-K of the SEC).

    (iii)   Since the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet included in the Company Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement through the date of this Agreement, (A) the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in the ordinary course of businesses; (B) the Company has not declared, set aside or paid any dividend or distribution payable in cash, stock or property in respect of any of its capital stock or other equity interests, or split, combined or reclassified any of its capital stock or other equity interests; and (C) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not taken any action which, if taken (without consent) between the date hereof and the Effective Date, would constitute a breach of Section 7.1(a), other than actions in connection with entering into this Agreement.

(g)            Litigation. There are no civil, criminal or administrative actions, suits, arbitrations, claims, hearings, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for those that have not had and would not reasonably be likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. As of the date of

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this Agreement, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award that would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any order of any Governmental Entity that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company provided timely and proper notice to the ERISA Insurers of the claims asserted in the ERISA Case.

• • (i)      Section 6.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a list, as of the date of this Agreement, of each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan. Each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan that has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS has been separately identified in Section 6.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter. True and complete copies of each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan listed in Section 6.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter have been provided or made available to Parent.

    (ii)    Each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan, other than "multiemployer plans" within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA (each, a " Multiemployer Plan "), has been operated in all material respects in accordance with its terms and is in substantial compliance with, to the extent applicable, ERISA, the Code, and other applicable Laws. Each ERISA Plan that is an "employee pension benefit plan" within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (a " Pension Plan ") and that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or has applied to the IRS for a favorable determination letter and no event has occurred and no condition exists which could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the qualified status of such plan. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened claims relating to the Company Compensation and Benefit Plans, other than the Multiemployer Plans, except for routine claims for benefits and immaterial claims. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a transaction with respect to any ERISA Plan that would subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any material tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material tax or penalty imposed by Section 4980F of the Code or Section 502 of ERISA.

    (iii)   No material liability under Subtitle C or D of Title IV of ERISA has been or is reasonably expected to be incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Company Compensation or Benefit Plan currently or formerly maintained by any of them, or the single-employer plan of any entity which is considered one employer with the Company under Section 4001 of ERISA or Section 414 of the Code (a " Company ERISA Affiliate "). The Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred and do not expect to incur any withdrawal liability with respect to a Multiemployer Plan under Subtitle E of Title

     

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• • IV of ERISA (including in connection with the consummation of the Transactions), except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

    (iv)   As of the date of this Agreement, all contributions required to be made under each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan have been timely made and all obligations in respect of each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan have been properly accrued and reflected to the extent required by GAAP on the most recent consolidated balance sheet filed or incorporated by reference in the Company Reports as filed with the SEC prior to the date of this Agreement, except, in the case of each of the foregoing, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Company Pension Plan nor any single-employer plan of any Company ERISA Affiliate has an "accumulated funding deficiency" (whether or not waived) within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA and no Company ERISA Affiliate has an outstanding funding waiver. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has provided, or is required to provide, security to any Pension Plans or to any single-employer plan of any Company ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code.

    (v)     Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any obligations for retiree health or life benefits under any ERISA Plan or collective bargaining agreement, except as required by Section 4980B of the Code or Section 601 of ERISA. No condition exists that would prevent the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from amending or terminating, without liability in excess of previously accrued benefits, any Company Compensation and Benefit Plan providing health or medical benefits in respect of any active or former employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

    (vi)   There has been no amendment to or announcement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any Company Compensation and Benefit Plan that would increase materially the expense of maintaining any plan above the level of the expense incurred therefor for the most recent fiscal year, except as required by Law. Except as provided in this Agreement or as may be required by Law or by any of the Company Compensation and Benefit Plans listed on Section 6.1(h)(i) of the Company Disclosure Letter, none of the negotiation or execution of this Agreement, stockholder approval of this Agreement, receipt of approval or clearance from one or more Governmental Entities of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will (A) entitle any employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries to severance pay or any increase in severance pay upon any termination of employment after the date of this Agreement; (B) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under, or increase the amount payable or result in any other material obligation pursuant to, any Company Compensation and Benefit Plan; or (C) limit or restrict the right of the Company, or, after the

     

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• • consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, Parent, to merge, amend or terminate any of the Company Compensation and Benefit Plan.

    (vii)    Each Company Compensation and Benefit Plan to which the provisions of Section 409A of the Code apply has been operated in good faith compliance with such section and the guidance issued thereunder.

(i)             Compliance with Laws; Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not violated any Law, except for violations that have not had and would not reasonably be likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. No investigation or review by any Governmental Entity with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has obtained and is in compliance with all Permits necessary for the lawful conduct of its business as presently conducted, except for those the absence of which, or the failure to be in compliance with, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is, and has been, in compliance in all material respects with Sarbanes-Oxley and the applicable listing standards and corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE. This Section 6.1(i) does not relate to matters with respect to employee benefits, which are the subject of Section 6.1(h), environmental matters, which are the subject of Section 6.1(m), tax matters, which are the subject of Section 6.1(n), or labor matters, which are the subject of Section 6.1(o).

(j)             Company Material Contracts. The Company has filed or furnished to the SEC in the Company Reports, or provided to Parent prior to the date hereof, true and complete copies of all Company Material Contracts entered into since January 1, 2005. All Company Material Contracts are valid and in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception, except to the extent that (i) they have previously expired or otherwise terminated in accordance with their terms or (ii) the failure to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any counterparty to any Company Material Contract, has violated any provision of, or committed or failed to perform any act which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under the provisions of any Company Material Contract, except in each case for those violations or defaults which, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. No Company Material Contract has been amended or modified prior to the date of this Agreement (other than immaterial amendments or modifications), except for amendments or modifications which have been filed or furnished as an exhibit to a subsequently filed or furnished Company Report, or provided to Parent prior to the date hereof.

(k)            Property. All properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, real and personal, material to the conduct of their businesses as of the date of this Agreement are, except for changes in the ordinary course of business since the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet included in the Company Reports as filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof, reflected, in all material respects in accordance with GAAP, and to the extent required thereby, on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company included in the Company Reports as filed with the SEC. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has legal title to, or a leasehold

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interest, license or easement in, its real and personal property reflected on such balance sheet or acquired by it since the date of such balance sheet, free and clear of all Liens other than those Liens which are recorded as of the date hereof or which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(l)             Takeover Statutes. Assuming the truth of the representations set forth in Section 6.2(u), the Board of Directors of the Company has taken all appropriate and necessary actions so that Section 203 of the DGCL will not apply to the Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby. Assuming the truth of the representations set forth in Section 6.2(u), no other "fair price," "moratorium," "control share acquisition" or other similar anti-takeover statute or regulation (each, a " Takeover Statute ") of the Laws of Delaware is applicable or purports to be applicable to the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No anti-takeover provision contained in the Company’s Charter or By-Laws is applicable to the Merger or the other Transactions.

(m)           Environmental Matters. Except for those matters that would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has obtained or timely applied for all Environmental Permits necessary for their operations as currently conducted and are in compliance with any Environmental Permits; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, there have been no Releases or threatened Releases of any Hazardous Substance at, on, under or from any real property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for any such Release or threatened Release that is not reasonably likely to require any investigation and/or remediation under any Environmental Law; (iv) there is no Environmental Claim pending, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there is no Environmental Claim threatened, or Environmental Circumstance pending or threatened, against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, against (x) any real property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or its Subsidiaries or (y) any person or entity whose liability for such Environmental Claim or Environmental Circumstance has been retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (v) to the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice, demand, letter, claim or request for information alleging that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may be in violation of or liable under any Environmental Law; and (vi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any orders, decrees or injunctions issued by any Governmental Entity or is subject to any indemnity or other agreement with any third party imposing liability under any Environmental Law.

(n)            Tax Matters. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) have duly and timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them on or prior to the date of this Agreement and all filed Tax Returns are complete and accurate in all material respects; and (ii) have paid or remitted all Taxes that are required to be paid or that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are obligated to withhold from amounts owing to any employee, creditor or third party, except with respect to matters contested in good faith or for which reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, as of the date of this

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Agreement there are no audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in respect of Taxes or Tax matters, in each case, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing (other than, in each case, claims or assessments for which reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has constituted either a "distributing corporation" or a "controlled corporation" within the meaning of section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code in any distribution intended to qualify for tax-free treatment under section 355 of the Code occurring during the last 30 months. Since December 31, 2001, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, at any earlier time, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a member of any affiliated group within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the Code, or any similar affiliated or consolidated group for Tax purposes under state, local or foreign law (other than a group, the common parent of which is the Company). Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is liable for any Tax imposed on any other person or entity under Treasury regulation section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign tax law) as a transferee or successor, or is bound by or has any obligation under any Tax sharing, Tax indemnification, or similar agreement, contract or arrangement, whether written or unwritten. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, no jurisdiction where the Company or any of its Subsidiaries does not file a Tax Return has made a claim in writing to the Company that the Company or any Subsidiary is required to file a Tax Return for such jurisdiction.

(o)            Labor Matters. Except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is the subject of any proceeding asserting that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has committed an unfair labor practice or seeking to compel the Company to bargain with any labor union or labor organization, and (ii) there is no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, nor has there been for the past five years, any labor strike, dispute, walkout, work stoppage, slow-down or lockout involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Section 6.1(o) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a list of all collective bargaining agreements to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is bound or is in the process of negotiating as of the date of this Agreement. Since January 1, 2003, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in any "plant closing" or "mass layoff," as defined in the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act or any comparable state or local law, without complying with the notice requirements of such laws.

(p)            Intellectual Property. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns or has a valid right to use all Intellectual Property and Information Technology necessary to carry on its business as operated by it on the date of this Agreement, except where the absence of these rights has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is infringing or otherwise in conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property of third parties which would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, and to the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of any such infringement or conflict, except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of the Company, no third party is infringing or otherwise in conflict with the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries,

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except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(q)            Affiliate Transactions. As of the date hereof, there are no transactions, arrangements or Contracts between the Company and its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and its affiliates (other than its wholly-owned Subsidiaries) or other Persons, on the other hand, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K of the SEC.

(r)             Foreign Corrupt Practices and International Trade Sanctions. To the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or any other Persons acting on their behalf, has, in connection with the operation of their respective businesses, (i) used any corporate or other funds for unlawful contributions, payments, gifts or entertainment, or made any unlawful expenditures relating to political activity to government officials, candidates or members of political parties or organizations, or established or maintained any unlawful or unrecorded funds in violation of Section 104 of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other similar applicable foreign, Federal or state law, (ii) paid, accepted or received any unlawful contributions, payments, expenditures or gifts, or (iii) violated or operated in noncompliance with any export restrictions, anti-boycott regulations, embargo regulations or other applicable domestic or foreign laws and regulations.

(s)             Insurance. Except for failures to maintain insurance coverage that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, since January 1, 2005, the Company and its Subsidiaries have maintained continuous insurance coverage with reputable insurers or self-insured, in each case in those amounts and covering those risks as are in accordance with normal industry practice for companies of the size and financial condition of the Company engaged in businesses similar to that of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any insurance policy of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except with respect to any cancellation or termination in accordance with the terms of the applicable insurance policy that has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(t)             Rights Agreement. The Company has no "rights plan," "rights agreement" or "poison pill" in effect.

(u)            Brokers and Finders. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finders fees in connection with the Merger or the other transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except that the Company has retained Evercore Group, Inc., Lehman Brothers, Inc. and The Blackstone Group L.P. as the Company’s financial advi