RELIANT ENERGY CHANNELVIEW
LP
RELIANT ENERGY SERVICES CHANNELVIEW
LLC
GIM CHANNELVIEW COGENERATION,
LLC
Dated as of April 3,
2008
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ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND
CONSTRUCTION
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1
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1
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13
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ARTICLE 2 PURCHASE AND SALE OF THE ACQUIRED
ASSETS
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2.1 Transfer of Acquired Assets
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2.3 Assumption of Liabilities
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2.5 Non-Assignment of Assigned
Contracts
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3.3 Post-Closing Adjustment
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3.4 Allocation of Purchase Price
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ARTICLE 4 CLOSING AND DELIVERIES
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4.2 Closing Deliveries by Sellers to
Buyer
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4.3 Closing Deliveries by Buyer
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4.4 RES Fuel Purchase Transactions
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ARTICLE 5 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
REGARDING THE ACQUIRED ASSETS
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5.1 Organization and Qualification;
Authority
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5.2 No Conflicts; Consents and
Approvals
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5.5 Absence of Undisclosed Liabilities; Certain
Developments
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5.11 Employee Benefit Plans; ERISA
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30
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5.12 Labor and Employment
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5.13 Environmental Matters
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5.14 Intellectual Property
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5.19 Conduct of Business and
Operations
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5.20 Sufficiency of Assets
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ARTICLE 6 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
BUYER
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6.1 Organization and Qualification
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6.3 No Conflicts; Consents and
Approvals
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6.5 Compliance with Laws and Orders
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6.8 No Knowledge of a Sellers’
Breach
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6.9 Opportunity for Independent
Investigation
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7.2 Conduct of Business Pending the
Closing
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7.5 Termination of Certain Services,
Contracts
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7.9 Employee and Benefit Matters
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7.10 Public Announcements
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7.12 Regulatory and Other Approvals
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7.17 Boiler Feedwater Pump
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7.18 Fulfillment of Conditions
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7.20 2007 Financial Statements
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ARTICLE 8 BANKRUPTCY PROCEDURES
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ARTICLE 9 CONDITIONS TO THE CLOSING
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50
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9.1 Conditions to the Obligations of Each
Party
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50
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9.2 Conditions to the Obligations of
Buyer
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9.3 Conditions to the Obligations of
Sellers
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ii
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10.2 Effect of Termination
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ARTICLE 11 INDEMNIFICATION
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11.3 Waiver of Other Representations
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11.4 Waiver of Remedies; Certain
Limitations
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11.5 Procedures for Indemnification
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12.7 Amendments; Extensions
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iii
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Form of Bill of
Sale
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Form of
Assignment and Assumption Agreement (Contracts)
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Form of
Assignment and Assumption Agreement (Lease)
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Form of RES
Assignment and Assumption Agreement
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Form of Sale
Order
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Interim Period
Capital Expenditures
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Administrative
Services Transition Services Agreement
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Fuel and Power
Transition Services Agreement
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Form of Escrow
Agreement
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Knowledge of
Sellers
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Knowledge of
Buyer
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Buyer’s
Energy Manager
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Real Estate
Leases
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Entitled Real
Property
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Equipment
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Supplier
Contracts
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Other
Contracts
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Inventory
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Intellectual
Property
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Permits
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Business
Records
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Reliant
Marks
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Excluded
Assets
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Excluded
Liabilities
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RES
Agreements
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Company
Consents
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Sellers’
Governmental Approvals
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Financial
Statements
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Undisclosed
Liabilities
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Litigation
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Compliance with
Laws
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Permits
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Permits in
Violation
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Contracts
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Excluded
Contracts
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Taxes
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iv
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Seller
Affiliate Plans
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Favorable
Determination Letters
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Seller
Affiliate Plan Increases or Acceleration
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Environmental
Matters
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Intellectual
Property
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Real
Estate
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Buyer’s
Governmental Approvals
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Conduct of
Business Pending the Closing
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Support
Obligations
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Non-Collective
Bargaining Contract Employees
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Publications
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Certain
Consents
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v
THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “
Agreement ”), dated as of April 3, 2008
(the “Execution Date ”), is made by and
between Reliant Energy Channelview LP, a Delaware limited
partnership (“ Channelview LP ”) and
Reliant Energy Services Channelview LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company ( “RESC” and together
with Channelview LP, the “Sellers” ) and
GIM Channelview Cogeneration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the “ Buyer ”).
WHEREAS,
Channelview LP owns the Channelview Facility and certain other
Acquired Assets;
WHEREAS, on August 20, 2007, Channelview LP
filed a voluntary petition for relief under the Bankruptcy Code in
the Bankruptcy Court;
WHEREAS, RESC
owns certain Acquired Assets;
WHEREAS, on August 20, 2007, RESC filed a
voluntary petition for relief under the Bankruptcy Code in the
Bankruptcy Court;
WHEREAS, on the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement, Buyer desires to purchase
from Sellers, and Sellers desire to sell to Buyer, the Acquired
Assets, in a sale authorized by the Bankruptcy Court pursuant to,
inter alia , sections 105, 363, and 365 of the Bankruptcy
Code;
WHEREAS, Buyer also desires to assume, and
Sellers desire to assign and transfer to Buyer, the Assumed
Liabilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
foregoing and their respective representations, warranties,
covenants and undertakings herein contained and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are
hereby acknowledged, Sellers and Buyer hereby agree as
follows:
DEFINITIONS AND
CONSTRUCTION
1.1 Definitions . As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
“2007 Financial
Statements” has
the meaning set forth in Section 7.20 .
“Accounts Payable”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4 .
“Accounts Receivable”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(c) .
“Acquired Assets”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1 .
“ Administrative Services Transition
Services Agreement ” (means that certain Transition
Services Agreement, to be dated as of the Closing Date, by and
among Operator and Buyer, in substantially the form of
Exhibit G-1 hereto.
“ Adverse Ruling ”
means relief granted by the Bankruptcy Court to a third party that
the Buyer in good faith believes, based on the advice of counsel,
would adversely impact the relief provided in the Sale Order under
Section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code.
“ Affiliate ” means
any Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the Person specified; provided , that neither
General Electric Company nor Credit Suisse Group, or any of their
respective wholly- or partially-owned direct or indirect
subsidiaries, shall be deemed to be “Affiliates” of
Buyer for any purpose of this Agreement. For purposes of this
definition, control of a Person means the power, direct or
indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of such Person whether through ownership of voting
securities or ownership interests, by contract or otherwise, and
specifically with respect to a corporation, partnership, trust or
limited liability company, shall include direct or indirect
ownership of more than 50% of the voting securities in such
corporation or of the voting interest in a partnership or limited
liability company or of the beneficial interest in a
trust.
“
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
“
Assigned Contracts ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.1(e) .
“
Assumed Liabilities ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.3 .
“
Assumption Agreements ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.2(b) .
“
Bankruptcy Code ” means Title 11 of the United
States Code.
“ Bankruptcy Court ”
means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of
Delaware or such other court having jurisdiction over the
Chapter 11 Cases originally administered in the United States
Bankruptcy Court of the District of Delaware.
“
Base Purchase Price ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 3.1(a) .
“ Benefit Plan ”
means: (a) each “employee benefit plan,” as such
term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, (b) each plan or
program that would be an employee benefit plan if it were subject
to ERISA, such as foreign plans and plans for directors,
(c) each stock bonus, stock ownership, stock option, stock
purchase, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights, phantom
stock, or other equity plan (whether qualified or nonqualified),
(d) each bonus, deferred compensation or incentive
compensation plan, and (e) any other material employee benefit
plan, program, contract, commitment, policy, agreement or
arrangement of any kind (including, any employment, consulting,
retention, disability, accident, savings and thrift, unemployment
compensation, post-retirement, fringe benefits, cafeteria plans,
change in control or severance plan, policy, arrangement or
agreement providing compensation or benefits to any employee
(whether active or on leave of absence) and/or former employee of
the Operator, Sellers, their Affiliates or any Commonly Controlled
Entity); provided, that such term shall not include (1) routine
employment policies and procedures, including wage, vacation,
holiday, and sick or other leave policies, (2) workers
compensation insurance, and (3) directors and officers
liability insurance.
2
“ Business ” means the
business of generating and selling steam, electric power, capacity
and ancillary services from the Channelview Facility, as managed by
Channelview LP, or its Affiliates, on the date hereof; or, as
applicable, RESC’s business of purchasing power from
third-parties and selling power to Equistar pursuant to the Energy
Supply Agreement, and any business activities of Channelview LP or
RESC incidental to the foregoing.
“ Business Day ” means
a day other than Saturday, Sunday or any day on which banks located
in the State of New York and the State of Texas are authorized or
obligated to close.
“ Business Records ”
means all books, files and records (whether in paper or electronic
format) to the extent they apply to the Acquired Assets or the
Business, including customer lists, historical customer files,
reports, plans, data, accounting and tax records, test results,
product specifications, drawings, diagrams, training manuals,
procedures manuals, logs, engineering data, safety and
environmental reports and documents, maintenance schedules,
operating and production records, inventory records, business
plans, and marketing and all other studies, documents and records
but excluding any Retained Books and Records.
“
Buyer ” has the meaning set forth in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
“
Buyer Governmental Approvals ” has the meaning
set forth in Section 6.3(c) .
“ Buyer Indemnified Group
” means Buyer and Buyer’s Affiliates and their
respective officers, directors, managers, members, employees and
agents.
“
Buyer Savings Plan ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.9(g) .
“ Capital Expenditures
” means expenditures for capital additions to, or
replacements of, property, plant and equipment included in the
Channelview Facility and other expenditures for repairs on
property, plant and equipment included in the Channelview Facility
that would be capitalized by Sellers in accordance with their
normal capitalization policies, which are in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Change of Law ”
means the adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal,
modification or reinterpretation of any Law of or by any
Governmental Authority which occurs subsequent to the Execution
Date.
“ Channelview Facility
” means the 830 MW combined cycle, cogeneration facility
located in Channelview, Texas, and facilities and equipment owned
or leased by Channelview LP in connection with the
Business.
“
Channelview Facility Employees ” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.12(a) .
“ Channelview LP ” has
the meaning set forth in the Recitals to this Agreement.
3
“
Channelview September 30 Balance Sheet ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.5 .
“ Chapter 11 Cases
” means collectively, the cases commenced under
Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court by
Channelview LP and RESC, and which are jointly administered under
case no. 07-11160 (MFW).
“ Charter Documents ”
means, with respect to any Person, the articles of incorporation or
organization and by-laws, the limited partnership agreement, the
partnership agreement or the limited liability company agreement,
and/or such other organizational documents of such Person,
including those that are required to be registered or kept in the
place of incorporation, organization or formation of such Person
and which establish the legal personality of such
Person.
“
Claims ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(j) .
“
Closing ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1 .
“
Closing Date ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1 .
“
Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended.
“ Collective Bargaining
Contract ” means that certain Agreement, effective as
of January 1, 2004, between Reliant Energy Corporate Services,
LLC, as successor by merger to Reliant Energy Power Operations I,
Inc., and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local
Union No. 66 Houston, Texas.
“ Commonly Controlled Entity
” means any trade or business, whether or not incorporated,
that, together with either Seller, would be a “single
employer” within the meaning of Section 4001(b) of
ERISA.
“
Company Consents ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.2(b) .
“
Confidentiality Agreement ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.8(a) .
“ Consent ” means any
consent, approval, authorization, qualification, waiver or
notification of a Governmental Authority or other
Person.
“ Continuing Employee
” means each individual who accepts an offer of employment
from Buyer or its designee as provided in
Section 7.9(b) , reports to work with Buyer or its
designee, and is hired by Buyer or its designee.
“ Contract ” means any
written contract, agreement, instrument, bond, commitment, lease,
license, evidence of indebtedness, mortgage, indenture, purchase
order, binding bid, letter of credit, security agreement or other
written legally binding arrangement.
“ Credit Agreement ”
means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of December 15,
1999, as amended, among Channelview LP, the Lenders parties
thereto, The Bank of New York, as successor Administrative Agent
and Collateral Agent, and Teachers Insurance and Annuity
Association of America, as Institutional Agent.
4
“ Credit Rating ”
means, with respect to any Person, each rating given by Standard
& Poor’s or Moody’s, as applicable, to such
Person’s long-term, unsecured, unsubordinated debt
obligations not supported by third party credit
enhancement.
“
Cure Cost Reserve Amount ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.19 .
“ Cure Costs ” means
all (i) cure costs required to be paid and all defaults
required to be cured as a condition to assumption and assignment of
the Assigned Contracts pursuant to Section 365 of the
Bankruptcy Code and (ii) all contingent, unliquidated or
unmatured liabilities under such Assigned Contracts or under any
subcontracts related thereto (whether or not such subcontracts are
Assigned Contracts) arising prior to the Closing Date.
“
Deposit ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2 .
“
Disclosure Schedules ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.1(a) .
“ Emission Allowances
” means authorizations to emit specified units of substances,
whether those authorizations are described as allowances, offsets,
credits or by another term, from the Channelview Facility that are
allocated to the Channelview Facility and owned by Channelview LP
as of the time of Closing or to which the Channelview Facility
becomes entitled to after Closing, which units are established by
any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Channelview
Facility.
“ Energy Manager ”
means (i) any one of the entities set forth on
Schedule 1.1(z) or (ii) another energy manager,
which may be an Affiliate of Buyer, reasonably satisfactory to
Sellers or RES as applicable, or (iii) another energy manager
selected by Buyer, provided that such alternate energy manager has
and maintains an investment grade rating with Standard &
Poor’s and Moody’s.
“ Energy Supply Agreement
” means that certain Second Amended and Restated Energy
Supply Agreement, dated as of December 15, 1999, by and
between Equistar and RESC.
“
Entitled Real Property ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 7.19 .
“ Environmental Law ”
means any federal, state, or local law, statute, ordinance, rule,
regulation, code, directive, judicial or administrative order,
judgment, decree, injunction, or requirement of any Governmental
Authority, relating to (a) pollution or the protection,
preservation or restoration of the environment (including air,
water vapor, surface water, groundwater, surface land, subsurface
land and natural resources), as the same may be amended or adopted
as of the Closing Date or any date prior to the Closing Date,
(b) Releases or threatened Releases (including, without
limitation, Releases into the ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land, surface and subsurface strata) or otherwise
relating to Hazardous Substances; or (c) the use, storage,
recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing,
handling, labeling, testing, discharge, control, cleanup,
production, or disposal of Hazardous Substances.
5
“
Equipment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(c) .
“
Equistar ” means Equistar Chemicals LP, a
Delaware limited partnership.
“
ERCOT ” means the Electric Reliability Counsel
of Texas.
“
ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“
Escrow Agent ” means Wilmington Trust Company the
escrow agent under the Escrow Agreement.
“ Escrow Agreement ”
means the escrow agreement by and between Sellers, Buyer and the
Escrow Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit H
.
“
Estimated Purchase Price ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 4.3(a) .
“
Excluded Assets ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2 .
“
Excluded Liabilities ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.4 .
“
Execution Date ” has the meaning set forth in
the Recitals to this Agreement.
“
FERC ” means the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
“
Final Purchase Price ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.3(c) .
“ Fuel and Power Transition Services
Agreement ” means that certain Transition Services
Agreement, to be dated as of the Closing Date, by and among RES and
Buyer, in substantially the form of Exhibit G-2
hereto.
“ Fuel Purchase and Sale
Agreement ” means that certain Fuel Purchase and Sale
Agreement, dated as of December 15, 1999, by and among RES,
Channelview LP and Equistar.
“
Fuel Supply Agreement ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.5 .
“
FutureCare Program ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 7.9(b) .
“
GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States of America.
“
Generator Operator ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 5.7 .
“ Governmental Authority
” means (i) any federal, state, local, or foreign
government, (ii) any court, tribunal, arbitrator, authority,
agency, administrative body, taxing authority, commission, official
or other instrumentality of the United States or any state, county,
city, municipality, local authority or other political subdivision
or similar governing entity, and (iii) any governmental,
quasi-governmental or non-governmental body administering,
regulating or having general oversight over gas, electricity, power
or other markets, including ERCOT, the Texas Regional Entity and
NERC.
6
“ Hazardous Substance
” means any chemical, material or substance in any form,
whether solid, liquid, gaseous, semisolid, or any combination
thereof, whether waste material, raw material, chemical, finished
product, byproduct, or any other material or article, listed,
defined, designated, regulated or classified as a pollutant,
contaminant, hazardous substance, toxic substance, hazardous waste,
solid waste, or special waste, or that is otherwise listed or
regulated, or as to which liability could be imposed under any
Environmental Law; including without limitation, petroleum
products, and toxic mold.
“
HSR Act ” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976.
“
Indemnified Party ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 11.5 .
“
Indemnifying Party ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 11.5 .
“
Indemnity Security ” has the meaning set forth
in Section 11.2(c) .
“ Intellectual
Property” means any and all (a) patents and
patent applications, (b) marks (including trademarks, service
marks, certification marks, collective marks, registered or
unregistered), trade names, designs, expressions and works of
authorship, logos, slogans, trade dress and applications for
registration of the foregoing, (c) copyrights, mask works and
applications for registration of the foregoing, and (d) trade
secrets and confidential information, including confidential
know-how and any other similar property, whether or not embodied in
tangible form (including but not limited to technical drawings and
specifications, shop drawings, manuals, forms, working notes and
memos, technical and laboratory data, notebooks, samples,
engineering prototypes and computer software.
“ Interest Rate ”
means the prime per annum rate of interest as published by The
Wall Street Journal.
“ Interim Period ”
means the period of time from the Execution Date until the earlier
of the Closing Date or termination of this Agreement.
“
Inventory ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(f) .
“ Investment Grade ”
means an entity having long term, unsecured, unsubordinated debt
not supported by third party credit enhancement that is rated
“BBB-” or higher by Standard & Poor’s and
“Baa3” or higher by Moody’s and that in either
case is not on negative credit watch.
“
IRS ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue
Service.
“ Knowledge ” means,
in the case of Sellers, the actual knowledge (as opposed to any
constructive or imputed knowledge) of the individuals listed on
Schedule l.1(x) , and in the case of Buyer, the actual
knowledge (as opposed to any constructive or imputed knowledge) of
the individuals listed on Schedule 1.1(y) , in each
case without inquiry.
“ Laws ” means all
laws, codes, statutes, rules, regulations, ordinances, orders and
other legally-binding pronouncements having the effect of law of
any Governmental Authority.
7
“
Leased Real Property ” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.1(a) .
“
Lenders ” means the lenders party to the Credit
Agreement.
“ Lien ” means any
mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assessment, levy, imposition,
charge, claim, assignment, security interest, easement, deed,
restriction, transfer restriction, lien or other similar
restriction or encumbrance of any kind.
“ Losses ” means any
and all judgments, losses, liabilities, amounts paid in settlement,
damages, fines, penalties, supplemental environmental project
costs, deficiencies, losses and expenses (including interest, court
costs, reasonable fees of attorneys, accountants and other experts
and other reasonable expenses of litigation, settlement, judgment
or other proceedings or of any claim, default or
assessment).
“LTMA Adjustment”
shall mean any adjustment to the
purchase price for prorated availability bonuses or credits made in
accordance with Item 6 on Schedule 2.4
.
“LTMA Support
Obligations” shall mean any Support Obligations arising under
that certain Guaranty Agreement, dated as of September 30,
2002, by and between Reliant Energy Power Generation, Inc. and
Siemens Power Generation, Inc,
“Material Adverse
Effect” means
any change, event or effect that is materially adverse to the
Acquired Assets, taken as a whole, in each case, except for any
such change, event or effect resulting from or arising out of
(a) changes in economic conditions generally or in the
industry in which the Channelview Facility operates,
(b) changes in international, national, regional, state or
local wholesale or retail markets for electric power or fuel or
related products, including those due to actions by competitors
(excluding any such change to the extent it only or
disproportionately affects the Acquired Assets relative to other
combined-cycle cogeneration facilities in ERCOT), (c) changes
in general regulatory or political conditions, including any acts
of war or terrorist activities, (d) changes in national,
regional, state or local electric transmission or distribution
systems, (e) strikes, work stoppages or other labor
disturbances, (f) increases in costs of commodities or supplies,
including fuel, (g) effects of weather or meteorological
events, (h) any Change of Laws, (i) any actions to be
taken pursuant to or in accordance with this Agreement,
(j) any changes, events, or effects to which Sellers have
cured prior to or as of Closing, and (k) the Chapter 11
Cases.
“Material Contracts”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.9 .
“Moody’s”
means Moody’s Investors
Services, Inc., and its successors.
“Multiemployer Plan”
has the meaning set forth in ERISA
§ 3(37).
“NERC” means North American Electric Reliability
Corporation.
“Operator”
means Reliant Energy Corporate
Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Other Contracts”
has the meant set forth in
Section 2.1(e) .
8
“Parties ” means each of Buyer and
Sellers.
“Permits”
means all licenses, permits,
authorizations, approvals, registrations, variances, exemptions,
concessions, franchises and similar consents granted or issued by
any Governmental Authority.
“Permitted
Exceptions” means (i) all Liens and any defects,
exceptions, restrictions, easements, rights of way and encumbrances
(x) disclosed in the title commitment referenced in
Schedule 5.15, (y) which are shown on that certain TSPS
Category 5 Survey made by Carter Burgess, dated September 26,
2002, or (z) which a search of the public records would
reveal; (ii) statutory liens for Taxes, assessments or other
governmental charges not yet due and payable; (iii)
mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’
and similar Liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of
business that are not yet delinquent or, if delinquent, that are
being contested in good faith; (iv) zoning, entitlement and
other land use and environmental regulations by any Governmental
Authority; (v) such other Liens, imperfections in title and
easements, restrictions and encumbrances which do not materially
detract from the value of, or materially interfere with the present
use of, the Channelview Facility in the aggregate; (vi) Liens
arising under fuel procurement arrangements; (vii) any
encumbrances or liens arising under the Credit Agreement in favor
of the Lenders which will be satisfied by Sellers as of, and
released upon, Closing; (viii) liens for pre-petition ad valorem
Taxes which will be satisfied by Sellers upon Closing; and (ix) any
rights of Equistar to purchase the partnership interests of
Channelview LP, pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement Steam Supply Agreement, dated as of December 15,
1999, between Channelview LP and Equistar.
“Person”
means any natural person,
corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited
liability company, proprietorship, other business organization,
trust, union, association, entity or Governmental
Authority.
“Pre-Closing Portion”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.7(b) .
“Prudent Industry
Practice” means
those practices, methods, equipment, specifications and standards
of safety and performance as the same may change from time to time,
as are commonly used in the North American electric utility
industry by independent operators of electric generation stations
of a type and size similar to those constituting the Channelview
Facility during a particular time period as good, safe and prudent
engineering practices in connection with the operation,
maintenance, repair and use of gas turbines, electrical generators
and other equipment and facilities with commensurate standards of
safety, performance, dependability, efficiency and economy, and
consistent with applicable Laws and Regulations. Prudent Industry
Practices are not intended to be limited to the optimum practice or
method to the exclusion of others, but rather to be a spectrum of
possible but reasonable practices and methods generally accepted in
the North American electric utility industry during the relevant
time period in light of the circumstances.
“PUCT” means the Public Utility Commission of
Texas.
“Pump Payments”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.17 .
“Purchase Price
Allocation” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.4 .
9
“QF” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.17 .
“QSE” means a qualified scheduling entity qualified by
ERCOT in accordance with ERCOT Protocol Section 16,
Registration and Qualification of Market Participants, to submit
Balanced Schedules and Ancillary Services bids and settle payments
with ERCOT.
“
Real Estate Leases” has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.1(a) .
“Real Property”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(b) .
“Related Person”
means, with respect to any Person,
all past, present and future directors, officers, members,
managers, stockholders, employees, controlling persons, agents,
professionals, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers,
Affiliates or representatives of any such Person.
“Release”
means any release, spill, leak,
discharge, abandonment, disposal, pumping, pouring, emitting,
emptying, injecting, leaching, dumping, depositing, dispersing,
allowing to escape or migrate into or through the environment
(including ambient air, surface water, ground water, land surface
and subsurface strata or within any building, structure, facility
or fixture) of any Hazardous Substance, including the abandonment
or discarding of Hazardous Substances in barrels, drums, or other
containers.
“Reliant Energy”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(d) .
“Reliant Marks”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(m) .
“Representatives”
means officers, directors,
employees, counsel, accountants, financial advisers or consultants
of either Sellers or Buyer, as applicable.
“RES ” means Reliant Energy Services,
Inc.
“RES Agreements”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.2(i) .
“RES Assignment and Assumption
Agreement” has
the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(i) .
“RES Fuel Purchase
Transactions” shall mean those fuel purchase transactions
listed on Schedule 2 of the Fuel and Power Transition Services
Agreement or entered into after the date hereof in accordance with
such Schedule 2.
“RES” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals to
this Agreement.
10
“Retained Books and
Records” means: (i) all corporate seals, minute
books, charter documents, corporate stock record books, original
tax and financial records and such other files, books and records
to the extent that any of the foregoing relates primarily to any of
the Excluded Assets or Excluded Liabilities or the organization,
existence, capitalization or debt financing of a Seller or of any
Affiliate of a Seller; (ii) all books, files and records that
would otherwise constitute a Business Record but for the fact that
disclosure of books, files or records could (v) disclose
information related to a Seller or any of its Affiliates concerning
public utility regulatory matters, including matters before ERCOT,
the FERC, or other similar bodies, (w) violate any legal
constraints or obligations regarding the confidentiality thereof,
provided that such Seller shall use its commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain a waiver of any such confidentiality restrictions
in order to permit such disclosure, (x) waive any attorney
client, work product or like privilege, (y) disclose
information about such Seller or any of its Affiliates that is
unrelated to the Channelview Facility or the Business or
(z) disclose information about such Seller or any of its
Affiliates pertaining to energy or project evaluation, energy or
natural gas price curves or projections or other economic
predictive models; or (iii) all books and records prepared in
connection with or relating in any way to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including bids received from other
parties and analyses relating in any way to the Acquired Assets or
the Assumed Liabilities.
“Rule” or “Rules” means the
Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.
“Sale Order”
means an order: (i) (x) in
substantially the form of Exhibit E hereto, or (y) in
such other form which is in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to Sellers and Buyer approving this Agreement and all of
the terms and conditions hereof, and approving and authorizing
Sellers to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, such order shall find and
provide, among other things, that (a) other than Permitted
Exceptions, the Acquired Assets sold to Buyer pursuant to this
Agreement shall be transferred to Buyer free and clear of all Liens
and liabilities of any Person, such Liens and liabilities to attach
to the Purchase Price, (b) Buyer has acted in good faith
within the meaning of Section 363(m) of the Bankruptcy Code, and,
as such, is entitled to the protections afforded thereby,
(c) this Agreement was negotiated, proposed and entered into
by the parties without collusion, in good faith and from
arm’s length bargaining positions, (d) Buyer is not
acquiring or assuming any of Sellers’ or any other
Person’s liabilities except as expressly provided in this
Agreement, (e) all Assigned Contracts shall be assumed by
Sellers and assigned to Buyer pursuant to Section 365 of the
Bankruptcy Code, (f) the Bankruptcy Court shall retain
jurisdiction to resolve any controversy or claim arising out of or
relating to this Agreement, or the breach hereof as provided in
Section 8.1 hereof during the pendency of the
Chapter 11 Cases, (g) this Agreement and the transactions
and instruments contemplated hereby shall be specifically
enforceable against and binding upon, and not subject to rejection
or avoidance by, each Seller or any trustee of a Seller and its
applicable estate, (h) is it not a principal purpose of any
Person entering into this Agreement or any transactions
contemplated by this Agreement to evade liability to which such
Person would be subject under Subtitle D of Title IV of ERISA, and
(i) the provisions thereof are non-severable and mutually
dependent; and (ii) that does not require the assignment and
assumption of the Cash Flow Participation Agreement, dated as of
December 15, 1999, by and between Channelview LP and
Equistar.
“Schedule Update”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.14 .
“Seller Affiliate
Plan” means
each Benefit Plan that is sponsored, administered, maintained or
contributed to as of the date of this Agreement by any Affiliate of
either Seller and which Benefit Plan provides benefits with respect
to employees of the Operator who are employed at the Channelview
Facility.
11
“Seller Affiliate Savings
Plans” means
the Reliant Energy, Inc. Savings Plan and the Reliant Energy, Inc.
Union Savings Plan.
“Seller Indemnified
Group” means
each Seller and such Seller’s Affiliates and their respective
officers, directors, employees and agents.
“Sellers”
has the meaning set forth in the
Recitals to this Agreement.
“Sellers’ Governmental
Approvals” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.2(c) .
“Sellers’ Post-Closing
Estimate” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a) .
“Settlement
Agreement” means that certain Settlement Agreement, dated
as of July 10th, 2007, by and between Channelview LP, RESC,
and Equistar.
“Severance Plan”
means the Reliant Energy, Inc. 2003
Involuntary Severance Benefits Plan for Employees With Annual Base
Pay Less Than $150,000 As Amended and Restated Effective
June 1, 2004.
“Standard &
Poor’s” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group
(a division of McGraw Hill, Inc.), and its successors.
“Straddle Period”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.7(b) .
“Supplier Contracts”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(d) .
“Support Obligations”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.4(a) .
“Tax” or “Taxes” means any
federal, state, local, or foreign income, profits, franchise,
withholding, ad valorem, personal property (tangible and
intangible), employment, payroll, sales and use, social security
(or similar), disability, occupation, real property, severance,
excise, gross receipts, utility, severance, license, transfer,
stamp, premium, windfall profits, environmental (including taxes
under Code § 59A), customs duties, capital stock unemployment,
registration, utility, production, value added, alternative or
add-on minimum, estimated, and other taxes imposed by a Taxing
Authority of any kind whatsoever whether computed on a separate or
consolidated, unitary or combined basis or in any other manner,
including any interest, penalty or addition thereto, whether
disputed or not.
“Tax Proceeding”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.7(e) .
“Tax Returns”
means any and all returns, reports,
statements, information returns or other similar filings filed or
required to be filed with respect to any Taxes, including any
supporting information, schedules, attachments or amendments
thereof.
“Taxing Authority”
means, with respect to any Tax, the
Governmental Authority or political subdivision thereof that
administers such Tax, and the agency (if any) charged with the
collection of such Tax for such entity or subdivision.
12
“Termination Date”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.1 .
“Texas Regional
Entity” means
the Texas Regional Entity, a Division of ERCOT.
“Third-Party Claim”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 11.5 .
“Transfer Taxes”
means all transfer, Real Property
transfer, goods and services, value added, recordation,
documentary, stamp, duty, excise and conveyance Taxes and other
similar Taxes, duties, fees or charges, as levied by any Taxing
Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt, the
term Transfer Taxes shall not include any income Taxes based on or
measured by net income, including the Texas franchise or margins
tax.
“Transition Services
Agreements” means the Administrative Services Transition
Services Agreement and the Fuel and Power Transition Services
Agreement.
“Union” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.9(c) .
“WARN Act”
means the Worker Adjustment and
Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended and any similar
foreign, state or local law, regulation or ordinance.
“Welfare Benefits”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.9(h) .
(a) All Article, Section, Subsection,
Schedule and Exhibit references used in this Agreement are to
Articles, Sections, Subsections, Schedules and Exhibits to this
Agreement unless otherwise specified. The Exhibits and Schedules
attached to this Agreement constitute a part of this Agreement and
are incorporated herein for all purposes.
(b) If a term is defined as one part of
speech (such as a noun), it shall have a corresponding meaning when
used as another part of speech (such as a verb). Unless the context
of this Agreement clearly requires otherwise, words importing the
masculine gender shall include the feminine and neutral genders and
vice versa. The words “includes” or
“including” shall mean “includes without
limitation” or “including without limitation,”
the words “hereof,” “hereby,”
“herein,” “hereunder” and similar terms in
this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not any
particular Section or Article in which such words appear and any
reference to a Law shall include any amendment thereof or any
successor thereto and any rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder. Currency amounts referenced herein are in U.S.
Dollars.
(c) Time is of the essence in this
Agreement. Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such
number shall refer to calendar days unless Business Days are
specified. Whenever any action must be taken hereunder on or by a
day that is not a Business Day, then such action may be validly
taken on or by the next day that is a Business Day.
13
(d) Sellers may, at their option, include
in the Schedules items that are not material, and any such
inclusion, or any references to dollar amounts, shall not be deemed
to be an acknowledgment or representation that such items are
material or would be reasonably expected to cause a Material
Adverse Effect, to establish any standard of materiality or to
define further the meaning of such terms for purposes of this
Agreement. Information disclosed in each Schedule of the
Sellers’ Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed to be disclosed
in each other Schedule therein, if it is disclosed in such a way as
to make reasonably apparent its relevance or applicability to
another Section of this Agreement or any other Schedule (or
subparts thereof) in order to avoid a misrepresentation
hereunder.
(e) Each Party acknowledges that it and its
attorneys have been given an equal opportunity to negotiate the
terms and conditions of this Agreement and that any rule of
construction to the effect that ambiguities are to be resolved
against the drafting Party or any similar rule operating against
the drafter of an agreement shall not be applicable to the
construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF THE ACQUIRED
ASSETS
2.1 Transfer of Acquired Assets . At the
Closing, and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, each
Seller (as applicable) shall sell to Buyer (or Buyer’s
designee, in the case of the Energy Supply Agreement), and Buyer
(or Buyer’s designee, in the case of the Energy Supply
Agreement) shall acquire from Sellers, all of each Seller’s
right, title and interest in, to and under the Acquired Assets free
and clear of Liens, claims and other interests (except for
Permitted Exceptions) pursuant to sections 105, 363 and 365 of the
Bankruptcy Code. “ Acquired Assets ”
shall mean all of each Seller’s right, title and interest in,
to and under all property (tangible or intangible), rights,
goodwill, claims and assets to the extent relating to or used in or
held for use in connection with the Business (except for the
Excluded Assets) as the same exist on the Closing Date
including:
(a) subject to the receipt of any necessary
consents or approvals, all of Sellers’ rights under the
leases of real property (the “Real Estate
Leases” ), listed on Schedule 2.1(a) of
the disclosure schedules accompanying this Agreement (the
“Disclosure Schedules” ) and the real
property leased by Channelview LP pursuant to the Real Estate
Leases, together with any improvements and fixtures owned by
Channelview LP erected on the real property subject to the Real
Estate Leases (the “Leased Real Property”
);
(b) subject to the receipt of any necessary
consents or approvals, all of Sellers’ rights under the
easements, rights of way, real property licenses, and other real
property entitlements used in the Business or listed on
Schedule 2.1(b) (the “Entitled Real
Property” and, together with the Leased Real
Property, the “Real Property”
);
(c) all of (i) Sellers’ owned
and leased equipment, spare parts, machinery, furniture, materials,
supplies, fixtures, and other personal property used in the
Business, and in connection with Channelview LP, located on the
Real Property or listed on Schedule 2.1(c) (the “
Equipment ”); and (ii) any rights of
Sellers to the warranties and licenses received from third parties
with respect to the Equipment;
14
(d) subject to the receipt of any necessary
consents or approvals, all of Sellers’ rights under
outstanding purchase orders or other similar Contracts used
exclusively in the Business entered into by Channelview LP with any
supplier that are listed on Schedule 2.1(d) of the
Disclosure Schedules (“ Supplier Contracts
”);
(e) subject to the receipt of any necessary
consents or approvals, all of Sellers’ rights under the
Contracts that are listed on Schedule 2.1(e) of the
Disclosure Schedules (the “ Other Contracts
” and, together with the Real Estate Leases, the Entitled
Real Property constituting Contracts, and the Supplier Contracts,
the “Assigned Contracts” );
(f) all (i) inventories of fuel,
chemicals and gas wherever located (including in transit to the
Channelview Facility) and owned by Channelview LP on the Closing
Date, or listed on Schedule 2.1(f) (the “
Inventory ”), and (ii) any rights of
Channelview LP to the warranties received from third parties with
respect to such Inventory;
(g) any Intellectual Property, including
any computer software or systems (i) located at the Real
Property, the offices of RESC or listed on
Schedule 2.1(g) and (ii) owned exclusively by
either Seller and licenses held exclusively by either Seller, to
the extent transferable, in each case that pertain solely to the
Business;
(h) to the extent transferable under
applicable Law, all rights of either Seller under the Permits
relating exclusively to the Business including those listed on
Schedule 2.1(h) ;
(i) copies of all Business Records
(including those listed on Schedule 2.1(i) to the
extent they apply to the Acquired Assets) and the right to receive
mail and other communications addressed to the Sellers that pertain
to the Channelview Facility or the Business;
(j) all accounts, rights or allowances
involving Emissions Allowances, and all rights to any future
Emission Allowances, if any, that will be granted or allocated with
respect to the Channelview Facility (other than those Emission
Allowances expended in the ordinary course of operation of the
Channelview Facility prior to the Closing);
(k) subject to Section 2.2(o) ,
all claims, causes of action, choses in action, rights of set-off
of any kind, rights of recovery, whether known or unknown, in favor
of any of the Sellers, and pertaining to, arising out of or
relating to, the Acquired Assets or offsetting any Assumed
Liabilities, but excluding any of the same relating to any
Affiliate of the Sellers, or relating to any matter covered by the
Settlement Agreement; and
(l) all of
Channelview LP’s right, title and interest in the Channelview
Facility.
15
2.2 Excluded Assets . Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Acquired Assets do
not include the following (collectively, the “Excluded
Assets” ):
(a) any right, title or interest of any
Person other than a Seller in any property or asset;
(b) all of Sellers’ cash and cash
equivalents, marketable securities, prepaid expenses, advance
payments, surety accounts, deposits and other similar prepaid items
(including for the purchase of natural gas), checks in transit and
undeposited checks to the extent attributable to the period prior
to the Closing Date;
(c) all of Sellers’ accounts and
notes receivable to the extent attributable to the period prior to
11:59 pm on the day prior to the Closing Date (the
“Accounts Receivable” );
(d) other than assets, property, and other
rights specifically identified in any Schedule referenced in
Section 2.1 above, any assets, property and other
rights held or owned by Reliant Energy, Inc. ( “Reliant
Energy” ) or its Affiliates to the extent not used in
the operation of the Business;
(e) financial information or financial
statements and proprietary manuals (except rights to use manuals
specific to and necessary for the operation of the Business)
prepared by or used by either Seller or their Affiliates to the
extent not relating exclusively to the Business;
(f) all of
Sellers’ rights under Contracts that are not Assigned
Contracts;
(g) all rights to Claims, refunds or
adjustments with respect to Excluded Assets, relating to any
proceeding before any Governmental Authority relating to the period
prior to the Closing, and all rights to insurance proceeds or other
insurance recoveries: (i) that are reimbursement for, either
Seller’s or such Seller’s Affiliate’s
expenditures made prior to the Closing Date for which insurance
proceeds are available or due to a Seller or such Affiliates or
(ii) to the extent relating to Excluded Assets or Excluded
Liabilities;
(h) any asset of a Seller that would
constitute an Acquired Asset (if owned by such Seller on the
Closing Date) that is conveyed or otherwise disposed of during the
period from the date hereof until the Closing Date either:
(i) in the ordinary course of business of the Sellers,
(ii) at the direction of the Bankruptcy Court or (iii) as
otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement;
(i) all losses, loss carry forwards and
rights to receive refunds, credits and loss carry forwards with
respect to any and all Taxes of Sellers incurred or accrued on or
prior to the Closing Date, including interest receivable with
respect thereto;
(j) any and all rights, demands, claims,
credits, allowances, rebates, causes of action, known or unknown,
pending or threatened (including all causes of action arising under
sections 510, 544 through 551 and 553 of the Bankruptcy Code or
under similar state Laws, including fraudulent conveyance claims,
and all other causes of action of a trustee and debtor-in-
possession under the Bankruptcy Code) or rights of set-off
(collectively, “Claims” ), of a Seller or
any Affiliate of a Seller: (i) in respect of the Excluded
Assets or the Excluded Liabilities, or (ii) arising out of or
relating in any way to the Chapter 11 Cases or any of the
transactions contemplated thereby or entered into as a consequence
thereof; including any claims (as defined in Section 101(5) of
the Bankruptcy Code) filed, scheduled or otherwise arising in the
Chapter 11 Cases;
16
(k) all shares of capital stock or other
equity interests of either Seller and all Affiliates of
Sellers;
(l) all rights of either Seller arising
under this Agreement and under any other agreement between either
Seller and Buyer entered into in connection with this
Agreement;
(m) all rights to or goodwill represented
by or pertaining to all names, marks, trade names, trademarks and
service marks incorporating the name Reliant Energy or any other
name set forth on Schedule 2.2(m) (the
“Reliant Marks” ) and any brand names or
derivatives thereof no matter how used, whether as a corporate
name, domain name or otherwise and including the corporate design
logo associated with any Reliant Mark or variant of any Reliant
Mark;
(n) all Retained Books and Records;
provided , however, that Seller will grant Buyer reasonable
access to all such Retained Books and Records under clause
(i) of the definition thereof, but excluding Retained Books
and Records which fall under clauses (ii) or (iii) of
such definition, necessary to operate the Channelview Facility in
the ordinary course and consistent with past practices, and subject
to execution of a customary confidentiality undertaking;
(o) all rights and Claims of a Seller
against any Affiliate of such Seller relating to the Assigned
Contracts that arose prior to the Closing Date; and
(p) any
assets set forth on Schedule 2.2(p) of the Disclosure
Schedules.
2.3 Assumption of Liabilities . At the
Closing, Buyer shall assume, and Buyer shall thereafter pay,
perform and discharge when due, the following liabilities and
obligations (collectively, the “Assumed
Liabilities” ):
(a) all liabilities and obligations of
Sellers under the Assigned Contracts, other than Excluded
Liabilities;
(b) all
liabilities and obligations of Sellers under the
Permits;
(c) to the
extent provided in Section 7.7(a) , Transfer
Taxes;
(d) all liabilities and obligations of
Sellers, any of their Affiliates or any of their respective Related
Persons arising under or relating to any environmental matter
(including any liability or obligation arising under any
Environmental Law) relating to the Acquired Assets;
(e) any liability for any Taxes
attributable to the Acquired Assets to the extent arising or
accruing (on a pro rata daily basis in the case of Taxes other than
income Taxes) with respect to a period (or any portion thereof)
beginning, or events occurring, after the Closing Date;
and
(f) all other liabilities and obligations
relating to or arising from the operation of the Business or the
ownership of the Acquired Assets (other than the Excluded
Liabilities), but for purposes of clarity, excluding liabilities or
obligations under the Credit Agreement, and any other Contract
(written or oral) which is not an Assigned Contract, including
those obligations of Sellers associated with that certain Channel
Area Industrial District Agreement between Lyondell Petrochemical
Company and the City of Houston, dated as of June 17,
1997.
17
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Assumed Liabilities does not include any liabilities
or obligations for which Buyer is entitled to indemnity pursuant to
this Agreement.
2.4 Excluded Liabilities . Buyer is
assuming only the Assumed Liabilities, and all liabilities of
Sellers not expressly assumed by Buyer pursuant to
Section 2.3 , whether or not incurred or accrued,
whether asserted before, on or after the Closing Date, shall be
assumed or retained, as the case may be, by Sellers, who shall be
responsible for paying, performing and discharging such liabilities
and Buyer shall not have any responsibility for such liabilities
(such liabilities are hereinafter referred to as the
“Excluded Liabilities” ), including:
(i) all Cure Costs; (ii) all liabilities and obligations
with respect to accounts payable accrued under Assigned Contracts
as of 11:59 pm on the day prior to the Closing Date (the
“Accounts Payable” ); (iii) liabilities
to the extent arising in connection with Excluded Assets;
(iv) any liability for any Taxes attributable to the Acquired
Assets to the extent arising or accruing (on a pro rata daily basis
in the case of Taxes other than income Taxes) with respect to a
period (or any portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing
Date, and any other liability for any Taxes attributable to Sellers
(except such Taxes described in Section 2.3(e));
(v) liabilities with respect to Benefit Plans (including
Seller Affiliate Plans); (vi) all liabilities and obligations
of Sellers or any Affiliate thereof representing indebtedness for
money borrowed (or any refinancing thereof); (vii) liabilities with
respect to loans made by and, other than with respect to
transactions under the Transition Services Agreements, accounts
payable arising from transactions with Affiliates; (viii) any
liability of any of the Sellers for (a) transaction fees and
expenses and fees and expenses payable to lenders, brokers,
financial advisors, legal counsel, accountants and other
professionals, and (b) except as provided otherwise in
Section 7.7(a) , Transfer Taxes; (ix) those listed on
Schedule 2.4 of the Disclosure Schedules; (x) all
liabilities arising out of any exchange act or securities
liability; (xi) all costs and expenses associated with the
Chapter 11 Cases; (xii) all liability for any claims
discharged pursuant to the Chapter 11 Cases or for claims
against either of the Sellers which are filed after the bar date or
disallowed by the Bankruptcy Court; (xiii) all liability for
any rejection damages claim filed in the Chapter 11 Cases; and
(xiv) all interests and liabilities that have not been
otherwise assumed pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent that
applicable law permits this sale under Section 363 of the
Bankruptcy Code to be free and clear of such interests and
liabilities.
2.5 Non-Assignment of Assigned Contracts
. Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding,
(i) this Agreement shall not constitute an agreement to assign
any Assigned Contracts if, after giving effect to the provisions of
Sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code, an attempted
assignment thereof, without obtaining a Consent, would constitute a
breach thereof or in any way negatively affect the rights of
Sellers or Buyer, as the assignee of such Assigned Contracts and
(ii) unless Sellers have otherwise violated the provisions of
this Section 2.5 , no breach of this Agreement or failure of
a closing condition shall have occurred by virtue of such
nonassignment. Sellers shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain the consent of the counterparties to each Assigned Contract,
to the extent that after giving effect to the provisions of
Sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code, such Consent is
required; provided, that nothing in this Section 2.5
shall (x) require Sellers to make any significant expenditure
or incur any significant obligation on its own or on Buyer’s
behalf or (y) prohibit Sellers from ceasing operations or
winding up its affairs following the Closing.
18
Any assignment
to Buyer of any Assigned Contracts that shall, after giving effect
to the provisions of Sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy
Code, require the Consent of any third party for such assignment as
aforesaid shall be made subject to such Consent being obtained.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties agree that, if any
required consent to the assignment or release of RES’
obligations under the Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement is not
timely obtained prior to the Closing Date or the date of
termination of Gas Services under the Fuel and Power Transition
Services agreement, as applicable, Buyer and Buyer’s Energy
Manager will enter into an agreement (the “Fuel Supply
Agreement” ) in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to the Parties, in relation to the Fuel Purchase and
Sale Agreement, pursuant to which (i) RES shall consult with
Buyer (or Buyer’s Energy Manager) with respect to
transactions occurring under the Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement
and keep Buyer and Buyer’s Energy Manager advised of all
transactions thereunder, and not take any material discretionary
action thereunder without Buyer or Buyer’s Energy
Manager’s consent, not to be unreasonably withheld;
(ii) RES shall not modify, amend or terminate the Fuel
Purchase and Sale Agreement without Buyer’s consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed;
(iii) RES shall continue to perform and act such that the gas
sold to RES under such agreement shall be resold to the Buyer
through the Buyer’s Energy Manager; (iv) RES shall agree
that Buyer’s Energy Manager may be replaced from time to time
in Buyer’s sole discretion with a new Energy Manager, and
(v) RES shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain
the execution and delivery by Equistar of the RES Assignment and
Assumption Agreement. The Parties agree further that if RES
continues to be directly obligated to purchase gas from Equistar
under the Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement after the Closing Date
or the date of termination of Gas Services under the Fuel and Power
Transition Services Agreement, as applicable, Buyer’s Energy
Manager shall, pursuant to the Fuel Supply Agreement, accept and
purchase from RES all such gas accepted and purchased by RES from
Equistar. The price for such gas shall be equal to the price paid
for such gas by RES, and the terms and conditions of Buyer’s
Energy Manager’s purchase of such gas shall be substantially
identical to the terms and conditions on which RES purchased such
gas from Equistar, and, in turn, such gas shall be resold to the
Buyer on such terms and conditions. The Fuel Supply Agreement shall
require RES to indemnify, defend and hold Buyer (and Buyer’s
Energy Manager) harmless from and against any and all claims,
losses, damages, liabilities, suits, payments, costs and expenses,
including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of
investigation arising out of (i) the performance or breach of
the Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement by RES except to the extent
that a liability arises out of the breach by Buyer or Buyer’s
Energy Manager of the Fuel Supply Agreement, and (ii) any
breach or alleged breach of the Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement as
a result of the Fuel Supply Agreement (except to the extent that a
liability arises out of the breach by Buyer or Buyer’s Energy
Manager of the Fuel Supply Agreement). Buyer shall indemnify defend
and hold RES harmless from and against any and all claims, losses,
damages, liabilities, suits, payments, costs and expenses,
including attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation arising
out of Buyer’s (or Buyer’s Energy Manager’s)
breach of the Fuel Supply Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in
this Section 2.5 to the contrary in using commercially
reasonable efforts to obtain any consent described above, RES shall
not be obligated to commence litigation or expend any sums of money
to obtain such consent.
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3.1 Purchase Price . The purchase price
to be paid by Buyer to Sellers for the Acquired Assets is equal
to:
(a) Five
Hundred Million Dollars ($500,000,000) (the “Base
Purchase Price” ), plus
(b) the amount of Capital Expenditures paid
by the Sellers for work done during the period beginning on
February 25, 2008 and ending on the Closing Date, subject to
and in accordance with the budget for which is provided on
Exhibit F hereto, plus or minus (as
applicable)
(c) the amount of the LTMA Adjustment
calculated in accordance with Item 6 on Schedule 2.4
.
3.2 Deposit . Buyer has deposited with
the Escrow Agent cash in the amount of Forty Million Dollars
($40,000,000). Buyer shall have the option to substitute for such
cash deposit a letter of credit in the amount of Forty Million Five
Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($40,550,000) in a form reasonably
acceptable to Sellers, naming the Sellers as beneficiary (and held
by Sellers with draws being deposited with the Escrow Agent) (such
cash deposit or letter of credit, the
“Deposit” ). The Deposit shall be held
and disbursed pursuant to the terms of the Escrow Agreement and
this Agreement. The Parties shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to cause the execution and delivery of the Escrow Agreement
as soon as possible after the date hereof.
3.3
Post-Closing Adjustment .
(a) As soon as practicable after the
Closing, but no later than 90 days after the Closing Date,
Sellers shall determine the actual adjustment to the Base Purchase
Price pursuant to Section 3.1 as of the Closing Date.
Sellers and Buyer shall cooperate and provide each other access to
their respective books and records and those of Channelview LP as
are reasonably requested in connection with the matters addressed
in this Section 3.3 . Sellers shall provide Buyer with
written notice of such determinations within such 90 days,
along with reasonable supporting information (the
“Sellers’ Post-Closing Estimate”
).
(b) If Buyer objects to any determinations
set forth in Sellers’ Post-Closing Estimate, then it shall
provide Sellers written notice thereof within 20 Business Days
after receiving Sellers’ Post-Closing Estimate. Such notice
shall specify in reasonable detail Buyer’s objections to
specific determinations, along with reasonable supporting
documentation. Any objections not so specified shall be deemed
waived, and Sellers’ determinations to which specific
objections were not so made shall prevail. If the Parties are
unable to agree on the disputed amounts as of the Closing Date
within 120 days after the Closing Date or such longer time as
may be agreed by the Parties, the Parties shall refer such dispute
to an internationally recognized accounting firm that is not the
principal accounting firm of Buyer or either Seller, mutually
acceptable to Buyer and Sellers, which firm shall make a final and
binding determination as to all such matters in dispute (and only
such matters) on a timely basis (and such accounting firm shall be
instructed to make such determination within 45 days of such
engagement or as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable) and
promptly shall notify the Parties in writing of its resolution.
Such firm shall not have the power to modify or amend any term or
provision of this Agreement. The fees and disbursements of the
accounting firm shall be allocated between Buyer and Sellers in
inverse proportion as they shall prevail on the amounts of such
disputed items so submitted (as finally determined by such
accounting firm).
20
(c) If the Base Purchase Price adjusted
using such actual values (as agreed or determined by the
above-referenced accounting firm) (the “Final Purchase
Price” ) is greater than the Estimated Purchase
Price, then Buyer shall pay Sellers within 10 Business Days after
such actual values are agreed or determined, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds, the difference between the Final
Purchase Price and the Estimated Purchase Price plus interest
thereon at the Interest Rate from the Closing Date through and
including the date of such payment. If the Final Purchase Price is
less than the Estimated Purchase Price, then Sellers shall pay
Buyer within 10 Business Days after such actual values are agreed
or determined, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the
difference between the Estimated Purchase Price and the Final
Purchase Price plus interest thereon at the Interest Rate from the
Closing Date through and including the date of such payment. In
each case, the recipient Party shall designate the account to which
such payment is to be made at least two Business Days prior to the
date such payment is due.
3.4 Allocation of Purchase Price . Within
thirty (30) days after the determination of the Final Purchase
Price, Sellers and Buyer shall agree upon an allocation of the
purchase price (as determined in accordance with US federal income
tax principles) among the Acquired Assets in accordance with
Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Purchase Price
Allocation” ); provided that the purchase price shall
not be increased by or otherwise reflect the obligations under any
of the Assigned Contracts. Buyer and Sellers shall work in good
faith to resolve any disagreements regarding the Purchase Price
Allocation. If the Parties fail to agree within such 30-day period
upon Purchase Price Allocation, such dispute shall be resolved by
an independent accounting firm mutually acceptable to Buyer and
Sellers, and the decision of such independent accounting firm shall
be final and binding on the Parties. Sellers together shall bear
and pay one-half of such fees and other costs charged by such
accounting firm and Buyer shall bear and pay one-half of such fees
and other costs. Sellers and Buyer shall each prepare and timely
file IRS Form 8594 “Asset Acquisition Statement Under
Section 1060” and any other similar statements or forms
as are prescribed under federal, state, local or foreign Tax Law
(including any exhibits thereto) to report the Purchase Price
Allocation. The Parties agree that they shall not, and shall not
permit their Affiliates to take a position on any Tax Return or for
any Tax purpose that is inconsistent with the Purchase Price
Allocation unless otherwise required by applicable laws; provided,
however, that neither Sellers nor Buyer shall be obligated to
litigate any challenge to the Purchase Price Allocation by any
Governmental Authority. The Parties agree to provide, and shall
cause their Affiliates to provide, each other promptly with any
information required to complete such Tax forms or statements as
are required under applicable law to report the Purchase Price
Allocation.
3.5 Equistar Payment . In accordance with
the Settlement Agreement and provided the Settlement Agreement is
then still in effect, Channelview LP agrees to apply $10,000,000 of
its portion of the Purchase Price payable at Closing either to (in
Channelview LP’s discretion): (i) Equistar pursuant to
paragraphs 2 and 6 of the Settlement Agreement, or (ii) into
the escrow account contemplated by paragraph 6 of the Settlement
Agreement.
21
4.1 Closing . Subject to satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions to the Closing set forth herein, unless
the Parties mutually agree otherwise in writing, the closing of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “
Closing ”) shall take place at the offices of
Reliant Energy, Inc., 1000 Main Street, 21st Floor, Houston, Texas
77002 at 10:00 A.M. local time, on the second Business Day
after the conditions to the Closing set forth in ARTICLE 9
(other than actions to be taken or items to be delivered at the
Closing) have been satisfied or waived by the applicable Party or
Parties or such other date and at such other time and place as may
be mutually agreed to in writing (the “ Closing
Date ”); provided, that notwithstanding any provision
herein to the contrary, the Closing Date shall not occur prior to
the later of (a) thirty (30) days following the date of
entry of the Sale Order and (b) forty (40) days following
the Execution Date. All actions listed in Section 4.2
and Section 4.3 that occur on the Closing Date shall be
deemed to occur simultaneously at the Closing.
4.2 Closing Deliveries by Sellers to
Buyer . At the Closing, the appropriate Seller shall deliver,
or shall cause to be delivered, as applicable, to Buyer the
following:
(a) subject to the receipt of the
applicable Company Consents and Sellers’ Governmental
Approvals, a bill of sale with respect to the Acquired Assets, duly
executed by the appropriate Seller and substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto;
(b) subject to the receipt of the
applicable Company Consents and Sellers’ Governmental
Approvals, one or more assignment and assumption agreements (the
“Assumption Agreements” ), in the form
attached as Exhibit B hereto, duly executed by the
appropriate Seller or Related Person with respect to the Assigned
Contracts and Assumed Liabilities;
(c) subject to the receipt of the
applicable Company Consents and Sellers’ Governmental
Approvals, assignments of the Real Estate Leases and all Entitled
Real Property interests held by Channelview LP, in the form
attached as Exhibit C hereto, including, without
limitation, all such interests set forth on Schedules 2.1(a)
and 2.1(b) , each duly executed by Channelview LP and in
recordable form;
(d) the
Business Records (either at Closing or as soon as practicable
thereafter);
(e) (i) an executed copy of the
Administrative Services Transition Services Agreement (to the
extent Buyer notifies Sellers at least ten (10) days prior to
the Closing Date that it intends to enter into the Administrative
Services Transition Services Agreement), and (ii) subject to
Section 4.4 , an executed copy of the Fuel and Power
Transition Services Agreement.
22
(f) a duly executed affidavit of
non-foreign status that complies with Section 1445 of the
Code;
(g) duly
executed certificates referenced in Section 9.2(c)
;
(h) a copy of the Sale Order that has been
entered on the docket by the clerk of the Bankruptcy
Court;
(i) unless Buyer has elected Gas Services
under the Fuel and Power Transition Services Agreement (which
services would include the sale of gas purchased by RES under the
Fuel Purchase and Sale Agreement), either (i) an assignment
and assumption agreement executed by RES (the “RES
Assignment and Assumption Agreement” ), in
substantially the form attached as Exhibit D hereto,
assigning to Buyer’s designee the agreements which RES is a
party as set forth in Schedule 4.2(i) hereto (the
“RES Agreements” ), or (ii) if
required by Section 2.5 , the Fuel Supply Agreement
executed by RES; if Buyer has elected such Gas Services, then
Sellers shall deliver the RES Assignment and Assumption Agreement
or the Fuel Supply Agreement, as applicable, at the time such Gas
Services terminate; and
(j) a joint direction letter executed by
Sellers instructing the Escrow Agent to (i) transfer
$40,000,000 of the funds held in the Deposit Escrow Account (as
defined in the Escrow Agreement) into the Indemnity Escrow Account
(as defined in the Escrow Agreement) and (ii) to transfer all
interest earned in the Deposit Escrow Account as directed by
Sellers.
4.3 Closing Deliveries by Buyer . At the
Closing, Buyer shall deliver to Sellers the following:
(a) a wire transfer of immediately
available funds (to such accounts as Sellers shall have notified
Buyer of at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date) in
an amount equal to the Base Purchase Price, reduced by the amount
of the Deposit together with any interest earned thereon, as
adjusted pursuant to Sections 3.1(b) and 3.1(c)
, as estimated in good faith by Sellers (the “Estimated
Purchase Price” ). Sellers shall deliver the
Estimated Purchase Price in writing to Buyer at least two Business
Days prior to the Closing Date and shall attach to the calculation
of the Estimated Purchase Price a schedule showing the estimated
adjustments to the Base Purchase Price pursuant to
Sections 3.1(b) and 3.1(c) ;
(b) an executed counterpart to the
Assumption Agreements relating to the Assigned Contracts and
Assumed Liabilities;
(c) (i) an executed copy of the
Administrative Services Transition Services Agreement (to the
extent Buyer notifies Sellers at least ten (10) days prior to
the Closing Date that it intends to enter into the Administrative
Services Transition Services Agreement), and (ii) subject to
Section 4.4 , an executed copy of the Fuel and Power
Transition Services Agreement;
(d) Except to the extent that Buyer has
delivered a letter of credit or guarantee pursuant to
Section 7.4(b)(iv), a release of the LTMA Support
Obligations (other than with respect to amounts owing prior to
Closing) and unless Buyer has elected Gas Services under the Fuel
and Power Transition Services Agreement either (i) RES
Assignment and Assumption Agreement executed by Buyer in
substantially the form attached as Exhibit D hereto,
assigning to Buyer’s designee the RES Agreements, or
(ii) if required by Section 2.5 , the Fuel Supply
Agreement executed by Buyer and Buyer’s Energy Manager; if
Buyer has elected such Gas Services, then Buyer shall deliver the
RES Assignment and Assumption Agreement or the Fuel Supply
Agreement, as applicable, at the time such Gas Services
terminate;
23
(e) a joint direction letter executed by
Buyer instructing the Escrow Agent to (i) transfer $40,000,000
of the funds held in the Deposit Escrow Account into the Indemnity
Escrow Account and (ii) to transfer all interest earned in the
Deposit Escrow Account as directed by Sellers; and
(f) a duly
executed certificate as described in Section 9.3(c)
.
4.4 RES Fuel Purchase Transactions . If
Buyer does not intend to utilize RES’ services under the Fuel
and Power Transition Services Agreement, the Parties shall
nonetheless enter into the Fuel and Power Transition Services
Agreement with respect to the sale to Buyer of the fuel purchased
by RES under the RES Fuel Purchase Transactions from and after the
Closing Date in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Fuel and Power Transition Services Agreement (including without
limitation under ARTICLE 6 thereto concerning the supplying of
credit support) but without payment of the monthly fee set forth in
Section 2.1 of the Fuel and Power Transition Services
Agreement. The Parties agree that no fees will be paid to Sellers
except to the extent required under and pursuant to the terms of
the Transition Services Agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if as of Closing or at anytime thereafter, the Parties are able to
cause one or more of the RES Fuel Purchase Transactions to be
novated directly to Buyer’s Energy Manager, then such
transactions shall be excluded from the Fuel and Power Transition
Services Agreement. Each of the Parties shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause such novations to occur. Each such
novation shall include the acknowledgment of the counterparty under
such RES Fuel Purchase Transaction that it will look solely to RES
for the payments of amounts arising or accruing under such RES Fuel
Purchase Transaction prior to the effective time of such
novation.
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
REGARDING THE ACQUIRED ASSETS
Each Seller hereby represents and warrants to
Buyer, for itself, and with respect to the Acquired Assets owned by
such Seller that:
5.1 Organization and Qualification;
Authority . Each Seller is duly formed and existing under the
laws of the State of Delaware. Each Seller has the requisite power
and authority to enter into this Agreement, to perform its
obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and to own, lease and operate its assets and
properties and to carry on its business as it is now being
conducted or as contemplated herein and in accordance with
Sections 363, 1107 and 1108 of the Bankruptcy Code. Each
Seller is qualified to transact business and, where applicable, is
in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the
business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except
in the jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or
licensed would not, in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on such Seller’s ability to
perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery by
Sellers of this Agreement and the performance by each Seller of its
respective obligations hereunder have been duly and validly
authorized by all necessary limited partnership or limited
liability company (as applicable) action on behalf of such Seller.
This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by
each Seller and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation
of such Seller enforceable against such Seller in accordance with
its terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium or other
similar Laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors
generally or by general equitable principles.
24
5.2 No Conflicts; Consents and Approvals
. The execution and delivery by each Seller of this Agreement and
each of the documents contemplated hereby does not, and the
performance by such Seller of its obligations under this Agreement
and each of the documents contemplated hereby and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will
not:
(a) conflict with or result in a violation
or breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of the
Charter Documents of such Seller;
(b) assuming the consents set forth on
Schedule 5.2(b) (the “Company
Consents” ) have been obtained, require the consent
of, notice to or approval
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