Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture

Exhibit 4.1

 

(Real Estate Mortgage)

 

PUGET SOUND ENERGY, INC.

 

TO

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

Trustee

 

 

Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture

 

Dated as of March 1, 2005

 

 

Relating to First Mortgage Bonds,

 

Pledged Bonds due Nine Months or More From Date of Issue

 

 

Supplemental to Indenture dated as of

 

June 2, 1924, as supplemented and modified

 

 

(NOT PART OF INDENTURE)

 

THIS EIGHTY-FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, made as of the 1st day of March, 2005, by and between Puget Sound Energy, Inc., formerly Puget Sound Power & Light Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Washington (hereinafter sometimes called the “Company”), party of the first part, and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association with a principal corporate trust office at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, in the city of New York and State of New York 10005 (successor to Old Colony Trust Company) (hereinafter sometimes called the “Trustee”), as Trustee under the First Mortgage (originally, and before modification thereof by certain supplemental indentures, called “First and Refunding Mortgage”) from Puget Sound Power & Light Company, a Massachusetts corporation (hereinafter sometimes called the “Predecessor Company”), dated as of June 2, 1924 (said Mortgage being hereinafter sometimes called the “Original Mortgage”), as supplemented and modified by all indentures supplemental thereto heretofore executed and delivered, party of the second part;

 

WITNESSETH: that

 

WHEREAS, the Predecessor Company did by the Original Mortgage, filed for record in the offices of the Auditors of the Counties of Chelan, Clallam, Cowlitz, Douglas, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom, all in the State of Washington, and left on file as a chattel mortgage in each of said counties, convey and pledge certain property therein described to Old Colony Trust Company, as Trustee, to be held upon the trusts expressed in the Original Mortgage to equally secure an unlimited authorized amount of mortgage bonds (therein and herein called the “Bonds”) issued or to be issued in one or more series, all as more fully provided in the Original Mortgage; and

 

WHEREAS, the Predecessor Company, prior to September 1, 1954, had executed and delivered to the Trustee thirty-nine supplemental indentures, supplementing and in certain respects modifying the Original Mortgage and providing for the execution, certification and delivery of Bonds of various series from time to time pursuant thereto (which Original Mortgage, as so supplemented and modified, is therein and herein sometimes called the “First Mortgage”); and

 

 

WHEREAS, the Predecessor Company executed and delivered to the Trustee a Fortieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 1, 1954, which Supplemental Indenture is divided into two parts, designated as Part I and Part II, and Part I thereof provided for the establishment and the execution, certification and delivery initially of Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000) principal amount of a series of Bonds, designated as First Mortgage Bonds, 3  ¹ / 2 % Series due 1984, and contained certain covenants, restrictions, conditions and provisions affecting, and provided for certain modifications of, the First Mortgage (the First Mortgage, as so supplemented and modified by said Part I, being sometimes in said Fortieth Supplemental Indenture and herein called the “Revised First Mortgage”) and Part II thereof provided for modifications of the Revised First Mortgage as therein set forth, which modifications became effective on October 20, 1955 (the Revised First Mortgage as so modified by Part II of the Fortieth Supplemental Indenture as heretofore, hereby, and hereafter supplemented and modified being sometimes in said Part II and herein called the “Indenture” and references herein to Sections, Articles or other provisions of the Indenture being to the revised or modified provisions thereof as set forth in Part II of the Fortieth Supplemental Indenture); and

 

WHEREAS, the Predecessor Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee a Forty-First Supplemental Indenture dated as of December 1, 1954, a Forty-Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of July 1, 1957, a Forty-Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 1, 1958, a Forty-Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of November l, 1959, and a Forty-Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 1, 1960, all of which mortgaged, pledged, assigned, conveyed and transferred to the Trustee and subjected to the lien of the Indenture additional property acquired or constructed, and betterments, improvements and additions made to the mortgaged property, since the execution and delivery of the Fortieth Supplemental Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has executed and delivered to the Trustee a Forty-Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 10, 1960, whereby the Company has succeeded to the Predecessor Company with the same effect as if the Company had been named in the Indenture as the mortgagor company and in the Bonds and coupons as the obligor thereon or maker thereof, and the Predecessor Company merged into the Company on November 16, 1960, whereupon the Company acquired all the property, real, personal or mixed, including all rights, privileges, easements,

 

 

licenses and franchises, described in the Indenture and thereby conveyed and mortgaged or intended so to be, including also all such property acquired by the Predecessor Company since the execution and delivery of the Original Mortgage, which by the terms of the Indenture is subjected or intended to be subjected to the lien thereof; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has executed and delivered to the Trustee the supplemental indentures set forth herein:

 

 

 

 

all of which mortgaged, pledged, assigned, conveyed and transferred to the Trustee and subjected to the lien of the Indenture additional property acquired or constructed, and betterments, improvements and additions made to the mortgaged property since the execution and delivery of the Fortieth Supplemental Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, all Bonds of any series heretofore executed, authenticated and delivered pursuant to the Original Mortgage, as from time to time supplemented and modified, have been retired and canceled or payment duly and irrevocably provided for, except for the series set forth herein:

 

 

 

 

 

 

which Bonds are now outstanding and constitute the only Bonds of the Company outstanding under the Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, effective as of the opening of business on January 4, 1971, The First National Bank of Boston succeeded Old Colony Trust Company as Trustee under the Indenture by reason of the merger of Old Colony Trust Company into The First National Bank of Boston; and

 

WHEREAS, effective as of October 2, 1995, State Street Bank and Trust Company succeeded The First National Bank of Boston as Trustee under the Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, effective as of February 15, 2003, U.S. Bank National Association succeeded State Street Bank and Trust Company as Trustee under the Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Indenture (the “Debenture Indenture”) dated as of December 1, 1997 with U.S. Bank National Association (as successor to State Street Bank and Trust Company) as trustee (in such capacity, the “Debenture Indenture Trustee”) pursuant to which the Company proposes to issue from time to time its Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”) and the Company has agreed to make certain payments to the Debenture Indenture Trustee in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Senior Notes; and

 

WHEREAS, in order to secure the payment and performance of its obligations under such Debenture Indenture, the Company has agreed to create new Bonds from time to time with substantially the same terms as the Senior Notes; to issue and deliver such Bonds to the Debenture Indenture Trustee in trust for the benefit of the owners from time to time of the Senior Notes; and

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has established a new series of Bonds to be designated as “Pledged First Mortgage Bonds” due Nine

 

 

Months or More From Date of Issue (hereinafter sometimes called “Bonds of the New Series”), and has authorized the issuance of an unlimited aggregate principal amount thereof, and the Company has complied or will comply with all provisions required to issue additional Bonds provided for in the Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to execute and deliver this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, for the purpose of providing for the creation of the Bonds of the New Series, designating such series to be created and specifying the form and provisions of the Bonds of the New Series; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary have been done to authorize the execution, delivery and recording of these presents validly to secure the payment of the principal of and interest on the aggregate principal amount of such Bonds of the New Series as may be issued pursuant to this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, and to make such Bonds, when executed by the Company, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and duly issued, the valid and binding legal obligations of the Company, and to constitute the Indenture a valid and binding mortgage for the security of all the Bonds in accordance with its and their terms;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture

 

WITNESSETH, that, pursuant to and in execution of the powers, authorities and obligations conferred, imposed and reserved in the Indenture, and pursuant to and in execution of every other power, authority and obligation thereto appertaining and/or enabling, in order to secure the payment of the principal of, and the premium, if any, and interest on, the Bonds of the New Series issued and to be issued under this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, and secured thereby and hereby at any time outstanding according to their tenor and effect, and the performance of all the covenants and conditions therein and herein and in said Bonds of the New Series contained, and for the purpose of confirming the lien of the Indenture, said Puget Sound Energy, Inc., organized and existing under the laws of the State of Washington, in consideration of the premises and of One Dollar ($1.00) and other good and valuable consideration to it duly paid by the Trustee, at or before the execution and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, has granted, bargained, sold, conveyed, transferred, assigned, remised, released, mortgaged, set over and confirmed and by these presents does grant, bargain, sell, convey, transfer, assign, remise, release,

 

 

mortgage, set over and confirm unto U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, and to its successor or successors in the trust created by the Indenture, and to said Trustee and its assigns, for the uses and purposes created by the Indenture, all property, real, personal or mixed, including all rights, privileges, easements, licenses and franchises, described in the Indenture and thereby conveyed and mortgaged or intended so to be, including also all such property acquired by the Company since the execution and delivery of the Original Mortgage, which by the terms of the Indenture is subjected or intended to be subjected to the lien thereof, and including also all such property as the Company may hereafter acquire which by the terms of the Indenture is subjected or intended to be subjected to the lien thereof, excepting from the foregoing, however, all property included within the foregoing general description, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, which by the provisions of the Indenture is excepted or to be excepted from the conveyance and lien of the Indenture, or which has heretofore been released from the lien of the Indenture or otherwise disposed of by the Company free from the lien of the Indenture in accordance with the provisions thereof;

 

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD all and singular the said property, and also all other property and interest of any kind and of every nature that, by virtue of any provision hereof or of the Indenture or otherwise, has or shall hereafter become subject to the Indenture, to the Trustee, its successor or successors and assigns;

 

BUT IN TRUST NEVERTHELESS, for the equal and proportionate benefit and security (except as otherwise expressly provided) of all present and future holders of the Bonds of the New Series issued and to be issued under and secured by this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, and to secure the payment of such Bonds of the New Series and the interest thereon, prior to the Substitution Date (as defined herein), in accordance with the provisions of said Bonds of the New Series and of this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, without priority or distinction as to lien or otherwise of any Bonds of the New Series over any other Bonds of the New Series so that, except as otherwise expressly provided, the principal of, and the premium, if any, and interest on, every such Bond shall be equally and proportionately secured by this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, and to secure the performance of and compliance with the covenants and conditions of this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture, pursuant to and under and subject to the provisions and conditions and for the uses hereinafter and in this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture set forth; provided, however, that on the Substitution Date, the Bonds of the New Series will cease to secure the Senior Notes,

 

 

and, at the option of the Company, the Senior Notes either (i) will become unsecured general obligations of the Company or (ii) will be secured by first mortgage bonds issued under another mortgage indenture; it being hereby agreed as follows, to wit:

 

ARTICLE ONE

 

BONDS OF THE NEW SERIES AND CERTAIN

PROVISIONS RELATING THERETO

 

SECTION 1.01

 

A. Terms of Bonds of the New Series

 

There shall be hereby established a series of bonds, known as and entitled “Pledged First Mortgage Bonds” (herein referred to as the “Bonds of the New Series”). The aggregate principal amount of the Bonds of the New Series shall not be limited (provided that for purposes of Montana law the maximum aggregate principal amount of the Bonds of the New Series shall be $500,000,000 and they shall be due no later than 2055) and shall be initially authenticated and delivered from time to time upon delivery to the Trustee of the documents required by the Indenture, including a resolution of the Board of Directors, or the Securities Pricing Committee of such Board of Directors, of the Company specifying the following with respect to each issue of the Bonds of the New Series: (i) any limitations on the aggregate principal amount of such issue of Bonds of the New Series, (ii) the Original Issue Date (as defined below) or Dates for such issue of Bonds of the New Series, (iii) the stated maturity of such issue of Bonds of the New Series (provided that no Bond of the New Series shall mature on a date less than nine months from its Original Issue Date), (iv) the interest rate or rates, or method of calculation of such rate or rates, for such issue of Bonds of the New Series, (v) the terms, if any, regarding the optional or mandatory redemption of such issue of Bonds of the New Series, including the redemption date or dates, if any, and the price or prices applicable to such redemption (including any premium), (vi) whether or not such issue of Bonds of the New Series shall be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund, and the terms, if any, of such sinking fund, (vii) the designation of such issue of Bonds of the New Series, (viii) if the form of such Bonds of the New Series is not as described herein, the form of such Bonds of the New Series, (ix) the maximum annual interest rate, if any, of the Bonds of the New Series permitted for such issue, (x) any other information necessary to complete the Bonds of the New Series of such issue and (xi) any other terms of such issue not inconsistent with the Indenture or this Eighty-First Supplemental Indenture.

 

 

The definitive Bonds of the New Series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof or such other amount or amounts as may be authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors or the Securities Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors.

 

Both principal of and interest on the Bonds of the New Series (and premium, if any) are to be paid in any coin or currency of the United States of America which at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts at a corporate trust office, in the City of New York, New York, or the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, of the Trustee.

 

The definitive Bonds of the New Series may, at the option of the Company, be fully engraved or printed or lithographed on steel engraved borders.

 

Notwithstanding any provision in the Indenture to the contrary, each Bond of the New Series shall be dated and issued as of the date of its authentication by the Trustee (the “Original Issue Date”). Each Bond of the New Series shall bear interest from the later of its Original Issue Date or the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for with respect to such Bond of the New Series until the principal of such Bond of the New Series is paid or made available for payment, and interest on each Bond of the New Series shall be payable on each interest payment date after the Original Issue Date.

 

Notwithstanding any provision in the Indenture to the contrary, the person in whose name any Bond of the New Series is registered at the close of business on any record date (as determined by the Board of Directors or the Securities Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors) with respect to any interest payment date for such Bond of the New Series shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding the cancellation of such Bond of the New Series upon any registration of transfer, exchange or substitution thereof subsequent to such record date and prior to such interest payment date, except that, if and to the extent that the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date, then the registered holders of Bonds of the New Series on such record date shall have no further right to or claim in respect of such defaulted interest

 

 

as such registered holders on such record date, and the persons entitled to receive payment of any defaulted interest thereafter payable or paid on any Bonds of the New Series shall be the registered holders of such Bonds of the New Series on the record date for payment of such defaulted interest. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors or the Securities Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors, the term “record date” as used in this Section 1.01, and in the form of the Bonds of the New Series, with respect to any interest payment date applicable to any Bond of the New Series, shall mean the last day of the calendar month next preceding such interest payment date unless such interest payment date is the date of maturity of such Bond of the New Series, in which event the record date shall be the date of maturity of such Bond of the New Series.

 

In case of failure by the Company to pay any interest when due, the claim for such interest shall be deemed to have been transferred by transfer of any Bond of the New Series registered on the books of the Company, and the Company, by not less than 10 days’ written notice to the bondholders, may fix a subsequent record date, not more than 15 days or less than 10 days prior to the date fixed for the payment of such interest, for determination of the holders entitled to payment of such interest. Such provision for establishment of a subsequent record date, however, shall in no way affect the rights of the bondholders or of the Trustee consequent on any default.

 

The Trustee hereunder shall, by virtue of its office as such Trustee,