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Exhibit 10.9
SUBORDINATION AND
INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT
dated as of December 19, 2005
by and among
SOCIÉTÉ
GÉNÉRALE,
as Administrative Agent,
VIRGINIA POWER ENERGY MARKETING, INC.,
SOWOOD COMMODITY PARTNERS FUND LP,
MxENERGY HOLDINGS INC.,
MxENERGY INC.,
MxENERGY ELECTRIC INC., and
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF MxENERGY HOLDINGS
INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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SECTION 1.
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DEFINITIONS
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2
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SECTION 2.
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SUBORDINATION
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8
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2.1
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Subordination of Sowood Obligations to Senior
Obligations
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8
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2.2
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Certain Agreements.
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8
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2.3
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Sowood Obligations Payment Prohibition
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9
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2.4
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Sowood Obligations Standstill
Provisions
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10
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2.5
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Incorrect Payments
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10
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2.6
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Sale, Transfer or other Disposition of Sowood
Obligations.
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11
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2.7
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Legends
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11
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2.8
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Final Payment of Senior Obligations
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12
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SECTION 3.
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LIEN PRIORITIES
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12
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3.1
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Subordination of Liens
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12
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3.2
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Nature of Obligations
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14
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3.3
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Agreements Regarding Actions to Perfect
Liens
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14
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SECTION 4.
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ENFORCEMENT RIGHTS
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16
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4.1
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Exclusive Enforcement
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16
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4.2
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Standstill and Waivers
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16
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4.3
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Judgment Creditors
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18
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4.4
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Cooperation
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18
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4.5
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No Additional Rights For the Borrowers
Hereunder
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19
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4.6
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Actions Upon Breach
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19
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4.7
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Certain Rights of Secured Counterparties
Reserved
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19
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SECTION 5.
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APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS OF COLLATERAL;
DISPOSITIONS AND RELEASES OF COLLATERAL; INSPECTION AND
INSURANCE
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19
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5.1
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Application of Proceeds; Turnover
Provisions
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19
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5.2
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Releases of Junior Liens
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20
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5.3
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Inspection Rights and Insurance
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21
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SECTION 6.
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INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS
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21
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6.1
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Filing of Motions
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21
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6.2
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Financing Matters
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22
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6.3
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Relief From the Automatic Stay
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23
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6.4
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Adequate Protection
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23
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6.5
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Avoidance Issues
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26
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6.6
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Asset Dispositions in an Insolvency
Proceeding
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27
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6.7
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Separate Grants of Security and Separate
Classification
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28
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6.8
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No Waivers of Rights of Credit Agreement Secured
Parties
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29
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6.9
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Plans of Reorganization
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29
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6.10
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Effectiveness in Insolvency
Proceedings
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30
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SECTION 7.
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SECURED COUNTERPARTY DOCUMENTS, CREDIT AGREEMENT
DOCUMENTS, AND SOWOOD DOCUMENTS
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30
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SECTION 8.
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RELIANCE; WAIVERS; ETC
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30
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8.1
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Reliance
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30
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8.2
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No Warranties or Liability
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30
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8.3
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No Waivers
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30
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SECTION 9.
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OBLIGATIONS UNCONDITIONAL
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30
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9.1
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Credit Agreement Obligations
Unconditional
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30
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9.2
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Secured Counterparty Obligations
Unconditional
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31
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SECTION 10.
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MISCELLANEOUS
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31
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10.1
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Conflicts
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31
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10.2
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Continuing Nature of Provisions
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31
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10.3
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Amendments
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32
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10.4
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Information Concerning Financial Condition of the
Borrowers and the other Loan Parties
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32
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10.5
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Governing Law
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32
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10.6
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Submission to Jurisdiction
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32
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10.7
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Notices
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33
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10.8
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Successors and Assigns
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33
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10.9
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Headings
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33
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10.10
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Severability
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33
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10.11
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Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness
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33
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ii
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10.12
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Additional Secured Counterparties
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33
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10.13
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Existing Intercreditor Agreement
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34
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Exhibits
Exhibit
A
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VPEM Documents
Exhibit
B
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Sowood Documents
Exhibit
C
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Form of Joinder Agreement
iii
SUBORDINATION AND INTERCREDITOR
AGREEMENT
This Subordination and Intercreditor Agreement dated as of
December 19, 2005 (this " Agreement ") is among (a)
Société Générale, as Administrative
Agent (in such capacity, with its successors and assigns, the "
Credit Agreement Representative ") for the Credit Agreement
Secured Parties (as defined below), (b) Virginia Power Energy
Marketing, Inc., a Virginia corporation (" VPEM "), and each
additional counterparty which becomes a party to this Agreement in
compliance with Section 10.12 (VPEM and each such additional
counterparty, with its successors and assigns, a " Secured
Counterparty "), (c) Sowood Commodity Partners Fund LP, a
Delaware limited partnership (together with its successors and
assigns, " Sowood "), (d) MxEnergy Holdings Inc., a Delaware
corporation (" Parent "), and (e) MxEnergy Inc., a Delaware
corporation (" MxEnergy "), and MxEnergy Electric Inc., a
Delaware corporation (" MxElectric ", and together with
MxEnergy, the " Borrowers "), and each of the other Loan
Parties (as defined below) party hereto.
INTRODUCTION
A.
The Borrowers, the Parent, the other Loan Parties, the Credit
Agreement Representative and certain financial institutions are
parties to a Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2005 (as
amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified from time to
time, the " Initial Credit Agreement" ) pursuant to which
such financial institutions have agreed to make loans and extend
other financial accommodations to the Borrowers.
B.
MxEnergy, certain of the other Loan Parties, and VPEM are parties
to agreements described on Exhibit A (as the same may be amended,
supplemented, restated, or otherwise modified from time to time,
collectively, the " VPEM Agreement ") pursuant to which VPEM
has agreed, among other things, to sell natural gas to MxEnergy and
its subsidiaries and to extend credit to MxEnergy and its
subsidiaries in connection therewith and to provide commodity price
hedging arrangements for and commodity future sales to MxEnergy and
its subsidiaries.
C.
MxEnergy and Sowood are parties to agreements described on Exhibit
B (as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated, or otherwise
modified from time to time, collectively, the " Sowood
Agreement ") pursuant to which Sowood has made a $12 million
subordinated revolving line of credit and a $9 million subordinated
term loan available to MxEnergy.
D.
The Borrowers and the other Loan Parties propose to grant (a) to
the Credit Agreement Representative a first-priority security
interest in the Credit Agreement Primary Collateral and a second
priority security interest in the Secured Counterparty Primary
Collateral as security for the Credit Agreement Obligations, (b) to
each Secured Counterparty a first-priority security interest in
such Secured Counterparty’s Secured Counterparty Primary
Collateral and a second-priority security interest in the Credit
Agreement Primary Collateral as security for such Secured
Counterparty’s Secured Counterparty Obligations, and (c) to
Sowood a third-priority security interest in the Credit Agreement
Primary Collateral and the Secured Counterparty Primary Collateral
as security for payment and performance of Sowood Obligations.
Therefore, the parties to this Agreement agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions .
The following terms, as used herein, have the following
meanings:
" Bankruptcy Code " means the United States Bankruptcy
Code (11 U.S.C. §101 et seq.), as amended from time to
time.
" Cash Management Obligations " means, with respect to
any Loan Party, any obligations of such Loan Party owed to a Credit
Agreement Representative or any Credit Agreement Secured Party (or
any of its affiliates) in respect of treasury management
arrangements, depositary arrangements, or other cash management
services.
" Collateral " means the Credit Agreement Primary
Collateral and the Secured Counterparty Primary Collateral.
" Credit Agreement " means, collectively, (a) the Initial
Credit Agreement and (b) any other credit agreement, loan
agreement, note agreement, promissory note, indenture, or other
agreement or instrument evidencing or governing the terms of any
indebtedness or other financial accommodation that has been
incurred to extend, replace, refinance, or refund in whole or in
part the indebtedness and other obligations outstanding under the
Initial Credit Agreement or any other agreement or instrument
referred to in this clause (b) unless such agreement or instrument
expressly provides that it is not intended to be and is not a
Credit Agreement hereunder. Any reference to the Credit
Agreement in this Agreement shall be deemed a reference to any
Credit Agreement then in effect.
" Credit Agreement Documents " means the Credit Agreement
and each Credit Agreement Security Document.
" Credit Agreement Obligations " means, with respect to
any Credit Agreement, (a) all principal of and interest (including
without limitation any Post-Petition Interest) and premium (if any)
on all loans made pursuant to such Credit Agreement, (b) all
reimbursement obligations (if any) and interest thereon (including
without limitation any Post-Petition Interest) with respect to any
letter of credit or similar instruments issued pursuant to such
Credit Agreement, (c) all Hedging Obligations of any Loan Party
with a Credit Agreement Secured Party (or any of its affiliates)
secured in connection with such Credit Agreement, (d) all Cash
Management Obligations of any Loan Party owed to a Credit Agreement
Secured Party (or any of its affiliates) secured in connection with
such Credit Agreement, and (e) all fees, expenses, and other
amounts payable from time to time pursuant to such Credit Agreement
and the related Credit Agreement Documents, in each case whether
allowed or allowable in an Insolvency Proceeding. To the
extent any payment with respect to any Credit Agreement Obligation
(whether by or on behalf of any Loan Party, as proceeds of
security, enforcement of any right of setoff or otherwise) is
declared to be a fraudulent conveyance or a preference in any
respect, set aside, or required to be paid to a debtor in
possession, any Secured Counterparty, Sowood, any receiver or
similar
2
Person, then the obligation or part thereof originally intended
to be satisfied shall, for the purposes of this Agreement and the
rights and obligations of the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the
Secured Counterparties, and Sowood, be deemed to be reinstated and
outstanding as if such payment had not occurred.
" Credit Agreement Obligations Payment Date " means, with
respect to any Credit Agreement and the Hedging Obligations and
Cash Management Obligations secured in connection with such Credit
Agreement, the first date on which (a) the Credit Agreement
Obligations (other than those that constitute Unasserted Contingent
Obligations) have been indefeasibly paid in cash in full (or cash
collateralized or defeased in accordance with the terms of the such
Credit Agreement and the related Credit Agreement Documents), (b)
all commitments to extend credit under such Credit Agreement have
been terminated, (c) there are no outstanding letters of credit or
similar instruments issued under such Credit Agreement (other than
such as have been cash collateralized or defeased in accordance
with the terms of the related Credit Agreement Security Documents),
and (d) the Credit Agreement Representative under such Credit
Agreement has delivered a written notice to each other Credit
Agreement Representative, the Secured Counterparty, and Sowood
stating that the events described in clauses (a), (b), and (c) have
occurred to the satisfaction of the Credit Agreement
Representative.
" Credit Agreement Primary Collateral " means all assets,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired, of the Borrowers or any
other Loan Party in which a Lien is granted or purported to be
granted to any Credit Agreement Secured Party as security for any
Credit Agreement Obligation, other than the Secured Counterparty
Primary Collateral.
" Credit Agreement Representative " has the meaning set
forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement. If at
anytime there is more than one Credit Agreement, the Credit
Agreement Representative for each Credit Agreement shall be the
Person designated as such under each Credit Agreement.
" Credit Agreement Secured Parties " means the Credit
Agreement Representatives and the holders of the Credit Agreement
Obligations.
" Credit Agreement Security Documents " means the
"Security Documents" as defined in the Credit Agreement and any
other documents that are designated under any Credit Agreement as
"Credit Agreement Security Documents" for purposes of this
Agreement.
" Distribution " means, with respect to any Loan Party,
any payment or distribution by such Loan Party of Property of any
kind or character (whether in cash, securities, assets, by set-off
or otherwise and including by purchase, redemption or other
acquisition) on account of indebtedness or obligations of such Loan
Party or another Loan Party.
" Enforcement Action " means, with respect to any Credit
Agreement Obligations, the Secured Counterparty Obligations, or
Sowood Obligations, any demand for payment or acceleration thereof,
the exercise of any rights and remedies with respect to any
Collateral securing such obligations or the commencement or
prosecution of enforcement of any of the
3
rights and remedies under, as applicable, the Credit Agreement
Documents, the Secured Counterparty Documents, or Sowood Documents
or applicable law, including the exercise of any rights of set-off
or recoupment and the exercise of any rights or remedies of a
secured creditor under the UCC of any applicable jurisdiction or
under the Bankruptcy Code.
" Hedging Obligations " means, with respect to any Loan
Party, any obligations of such Loan Party owed to the Credit
Agreement Representative or any Credit Agreement Secured Party (or
any of its affiliates) or any Secured Counterparty in respect of
any Swap Contract.
" Initial Credit Agreement " has the meaning set forth in
the introduction to this Agreement.
" Insolvency Proceeding " means any proceeding in respect
of bankruptcy, insolvency, winding up, receivership, dissolution,
or assignment for the benefit of creditors, in each of the
foregoing events whether under the Bankruptcy Code or any similar
federal, state, or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
receivership, or similar law.
" Lenders " means the "Lenders" as defined in the Initial
Credit Agreement or any Persons that are designated under a Credit
Agreement as the "Lenders" for purposes of this Agreement.
" Lien " means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage,
deed of trust, deed to secure debt, lien, pledge, hypothecation,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, or security interest in, on, or of
such asset.
" Loan Party " means the Borrowers and each direct or
indirect affiliate or shareholder (or equivalent) of the Borrowers
or any of their affiliates that are now or hereafter become a party
to any Credit Agreement Document, Secured Counterparty Document, or
Sowood Document.
" Person " means and includes natural persons,
corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, limited
liability companies, limited liability partnerships, joint stock
companies, joint ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks,
trust companies, land trusts, business trusts or other
organizations, whether or not legal entities, and governments and
agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
" Post-Petition Interest " means any interest or
entitlement to fees or expenses that accrues after the commencement
of any Insolvency Proceeding, whether allowed or allowable in any
such Insolvency Proceeding.
" Primary Secured Counterparty " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.1(c).
" Proceeding " means, with respect to any Loan Party, any
voluntary or involuntary insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership,
custodianship, liquidation, dissolution, or reorganization
proceeding, assignment for the benefit of creditors, appointment of
a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers
or any other proceeding for the liquidation, dissolution or other
winding up of such Loan Party.
4
" Property with respect to any Person means any interest
in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed,
tangible or intangible, of such Person.
" Reorganization Subordinated Securities " means equity
securities or debt securities of any Loan Party or any other
Person, the payment of which is subordinated in right of payment,
at least to the extent provided in this Agreement with respect to
the Sowood Obligations, to the payment of all Senior Obligations at
the time outstanding and to the payment of all debt securities
issued in exchange therefor to the holders of Senior Obligations at
the time outstanding, in each case provided for by a plan of
reorganization, composition, arrangement, adjustment or
readjustment of such Loan Party or of its securities, which plan
has been adopted pursuant to a proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code
or other federal or state judicial proceeding and confirmed or
approved by the court having jurisdiction of such proceeding;
provided that each Credit Agreement Representative, each Secured
Counterparty, Sowood, and the Loan Parties shall have entered into
such supplements to or modifications to this Agreement as any
Credit Agreement Representative or Secured Counterparty may
reasonably request to reflect the continued subordination of the
Reorganization Subordinated Securities to the Senior Obligations
(or notes or other securities issued in substitution of all or a
portion of the Senior Obligations) to the same extent as provided
herein).
" Secondary Secured Counterparty " has the meaning set
forth in Section 3.1(c).
" Secured Counterparty " has the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
" Secured Counterparty Agreement " means the VPEM
Agreement or any other agreement to which a Loan Party is a party
and pursuant to which a Secured Counterparty sells electricity or
gas or related products to a Loan Party or provides commodity price
hedging or futures sales of commodities to a Loan Party, including
any Swap Contracts for commodities.
" Secured Counterparty Documents " means, for any Secured
Counterparty, each Secured Counterparty Agreement and each Secured
Counterparty Security Document to which such Secured Counterparty
is a party.
" Secured Counterparty Letter of Credit " means each
standby letter of credit issued and outstanding from time to time
under the Credit Agreement for the benefit of, and approved by, a
Secured Counterparty to secure in whole or in part the Secured
Counterparty Obligations.
" Secured Counterparty Obligations " means, with respect
to any Secured Counterparty, (a) all amounts owed under any Secured
Counterparty Document in respect of the sale of gas, electricity or
related products by such Secured Counterparty, (b) all Hedging
Obligations of any Loan Party with such Secured Counterparty (or
any of its affiliates) secured in connection with such Secured
Counterparty Document, and (c) all other amounts payable under any
Secured Counterparty Document with such Secured Counterparty and
interest on such amounts (including without limitation any
Post-Petition Interest), whether allowed or allowable in an
Insolvency Proceeding. To the extent any payment with respect
to any Secured Counterparty
5
Obligation (whether by or on behalf of any Loan Party, as
proceeds of security, enforcement of any right of setoff, or
otherwise) is declared to be a fraudulent conveyance or a
preference in any respect, set aside or required to be paid to a
debtor in possession, any Credit Agreement Secured Party, Sowood,
or any receiver or similar Person, then the obligation or part
thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall, for the purposes
of this Agreement and the rights and obligations of the Credit
Agreement Secured Parties, the Secured Counterparties, and Sowood,
be deemed to be reinstated and outstanding as if such payment had
not occurred.
" Secured Counterparty Obligations Payment Date " means,
with respect to any Secured Counterparty Document and the Hedging
Obligations secured in connection with such Secured Counterparty
Document, the first date on which (a) the Secured Counterparty
Obligations (other than those that constitute Unasserted Contingent
Obligations) with respect to such Secured Counterparty Document
have been indefeasibly paid in cash in full or cash collateral in
at least the outstanding amount of such Secured Counterparty
Obligations has been posted to secure such Secured Counterparty
Obligations, (b) all commitments, if any, to provide electricity or
gas or related products or commodity price hedging or future sales
of commodities under such Secured Counterparty Document have been
terminated, and (c) the Secured Counterparty under such Secured
Counterparty Document has delivered a written notice to each Credit
Agreement Representative, each other Secured Counterparty, and
Sowood stating that the events described in clauses (a) and (b)
have occurred to the satisfaction of such Secured Counterparty.
" Secured Counterparty Primary Collateral " means, with
respect to each Secured Counterparty, all rights, whether now owned
or hereafter acquired, and proceeds therefrom under all contracts
of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for the sale of
electricity or gas or related products to one of such Loan
Party’s customers (a) for which such Secured Counterparty
provides (i) any of the electricity or gas or related products or
(ii) commodity price hedging or futures sales of commodities, and
(b) in which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted to such
Secured Counterparty as security for any Secured Counterparty
Obligation owing to such Secured Counterparty, excluding, however,
accounts (as defined in the UCC) with respect to such contracts,
whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and all proceeds from such
accounts.
" Secured Counterparty Security Documents " means any
document executed by a Loan party that purports to secure such Loan
Party’s Secured Counterparty Obligations and any other
documents that are designated under a Secured Counterparty
Agreement as "Secured Counterparty Security Documents" for purposes
of this Agreement.
" Secured Parties " means the Credit Agreement Secured
Parties, the Secured Counterparties, and Sowood.
" Security Documents " means the Credit Agreement
Security Documents, the Secured Counterparty Security Documents,
and the Sowood Security Documents.
" Senior Default" means any Default or Event of Default,
as such terms are defined in any Credit Agreement Documents or any
default, event of default, termination event or similar event under
any Secured Counterparty Document.
6
" Senior Obligations " means the Credit Agreement
Obligations and the Secured Counterparty Obligations.
" Senior Obligations Acceleration " means the
acceleration of any Credit Agreement Obligations or Secured
Counterparty Obligations (including automatic acceleration of
either of the foregoing upon any Proceeding).
" Sowood Agreement " has the meaning set forth in the
introduction to this Agreement.
" Sowood Collateral " means all assets, whether now owned
or hereafter acquired by a Borrower or any other Loan Party, in
which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted to Sowood as
security for the Sowood Obligations.
" Sowood Documents " means the Sowood Agreement and
Sowood Security Document.
" Sowood Obligations " means (a) all principal of and
interest (including without limitation any Post-Petition Interest)
and premium (if any) on all indebtedness under the Sowood Documents
and (b) all fees, expenses, and other amounts payable from time to
time pursuant to the Sowood Documents, in each case whether allowed
or allowable in an Insolvency Proceeding. To the extent any
payment with respect to the Sowood Obligations (whether by or on
behalf of any Loan Party, as proceeds of security, enforcement of
any right of setoff or otherwise) is declared to be a fraudulent
conveyance or a preference in any respect, set aside or required to
be paid to a debtor in possession, any Credit Agreement Secured
Party, any Secured Counterparty, or any receiver or similar Person,
then the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be
satisfied shall, for the purposes of this Agreement and the rights
and obligations of the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the
Secured Counterparties, and Sowood, be deemed to be reinstated and
outstanding as if such payment had not occurred.
" Sowood Obligations Payment Date " means the first date
on which (a) the Sowood Obligations (other than those that
constitute Unasserted Contingent Obligations) have been
indefeasibly paid in cash in full, (b) all commitments to extend
credit under the Sowood Agreement have been terminated, and (c)
Sowood has delivered a written notice to each Credit Agreement
Representative and each Secured Counterparty stating that the
events described in clauses (a) and (b) have occurred to the
satisfaction of Sowood.
" Sowood Security Documents " means the Security
Agreement (as defined in Sowood Agreement) and any documents that
are designated under a Sowood Agreement as "Sowood Security
Documents" for purposes of this Agreement.
" Subsidiary " of a Person means any corporation,
association, partnership or other business entity of which more
than 50% of the outstanding equity interests having by the terms
thereof ordinary voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect
a majority of the board of directors or Persons performing similar
functions (or, if there are no such directors or Persons, having
general voting power) of such entity (irrespective of whether at
the time equity interests of any other class or classes of such
entity shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence
7
of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned
or controlled by such Person, by such Person and one or more
Subsidiaries of such Person or by one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person.
" Swap Contract " means (a) any and all rate swap
transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward
rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward
commodity contracts, commodity futures contracts, equity or equity
index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or
options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index
transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange
transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar
transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap
transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other
similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing
(including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether
any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master
agreement and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the
related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and
conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement
published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association,
Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any
other master agreement with respect to the foregoing (any such
master agreement, together with any related schedules, a "
Master Financial Agreement "), including any such
obligations or liabilities under any Master Financial
Agreement.
" Unasserted Contingent Obligations " shall mean, at any
time, obligations for taxes, costs, indemnifications,
reimbursements, damages, and other liabilities (excluding (a) the
principal of, and interest and premium (if any) on, and fees and
expenses relating to, any Credit Agreement Obligation, Secured
Counterparty Obligation, or Sowood Obligation and (b) contingent
reimbursement obligations in respect of amounts that may be drawn
under outstanding letters of credit) in respect of which no
assertion of liability (whether oral or written) and no claim or
demand for payment (whether oral or written) has been made (and no
notice for indemnification has been issued by the indemnitee) at
such time.
" UCC " shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code as in
effect from time to time in the State of New York.
" VPEM Agreement " has the meaning set forth in the
introduction to this Agreement.
Section 2.
Subordination .
2.1
Subordination of Sowood Obligations to Senior Obligations
. Each Loan Party covenants and agrees, and Sowood (whether
upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment) likewise
covenants and agrees, notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in any of the Sowood Documents, that the payment of any
and all of the Sowood Obligations shall be subordinate and subject
in right and time of payment, to the extent and in the manner
hereinafter set forth, to the payment of all Senior
Obligations. Each holder of Senior Obligations, whether such
Senior Obligations are now outstanding or hereafter created,
incurred, assumed or guaranteed, shall be deemed to have acquired
Senior Obligations in reliance upon the provisions contained in
this Agreement. Sowood waives any and all notice of the
creation, renewal,
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increase, extension or accrual of any of the Senior Obligations
and notice of or proof of reliance by any holder of Senior
Obligations upon this Agreement. All Senior Obligations shall
be deemed conclusively to have been created, contracted or incurred
in reliance upon this Agreement, and all dealings between the Loan
Parties and any holder of Senior Obligations, including the
transactions in respect of the Senior Obligations, shall be deemed
to have been consummated in reliance upon this Agreement.
2.2
Certain Agreements .
(a)
Sowood agrees not to initiate, prosecute or participate in any
claim, action or other proceeding challenging the enforceability,
validity, perfection or priority of this Agreement. The Loan
Parties shall give prompt notice to Sowood and each Credit
Agreement Representative and each Secured Counterparty of any
Proceeding with respect to any Loan Party or of its securities or
the commencement of any action by any creditor to realize upon any
assets of any Loan Party.
(b)
The Senior Obligations shall continue to be treated as Senior
Obligations and the provisions of this Agreement shall continue to
govern the relative rights and priorities of Credit Agreement
Representative, the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Secured
Counterparties, and Sowood even if all or part of the Senior
Obligations or the security interests securing the Senior
Obligations are subordinated, set aside, avoided, invalidated or
disallowed in connection with any such Proceeding, and this
Agreement, and any such portion of the Senior Obligations
originally intended to be satisfied and any such security
interests, shall be reinstated if at any time any payment of any of
the Senior Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be returned
by any holder of Senior Obligations or any representative of such
holder.
2.3
Sowood Obligations Payment Prohibition .
Notwithstanding any of the terms of the Sowood Documents, any Loan
Party hereby agrees that it may not make, and Sowood hereby agrees
that it will not accept, any Distribution (other than a
distribution of Reorganization Subordinated Securities) with
respect to the Sowood Obligations until the Credit Obligations
Payment Date for all Credit Agreement Obligations and the Secured
Counterparty Obligations Payment Date for all Secured Counterparty
Obligations has occurred; provided that the foregoing shall not
prohibit:
(a)
payments of principal of the Sowood Obligations with respect to
revolving loans when (i) no Senior Default exists immediately
before and after giving effect to such payment; (ii) Borrowing Base
Availability (as defined in the Initial Credit Agreement) is at
least $15,000,000.00 after giving effect to such payment; and (iii)
the Parent’s ratio of Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal
quarters ending immediately before any such payment to Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period is less than 3.0 to 1.0;
(b)
payments of interest on the Sowood Obligations when no Senior
Default exists immediately before and after giving effect to such
payment; and
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(c)
non-cash payment of regularly scheduled interest and default
interest on the Sowood Obligations payable in kind or by
compounding pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the
Sowood Documents.
The Loan Parties shall resume Distributions in respect of the
Sowood Obligations prohibited under the foregoing provisions of
Section 2.3 (provided that such Distributions are not then
prohibited under another provision of this Agreement), including
any amounts in arrears by reason of the operation of the preceding
provisions of Section 2.3, immediately upon the earlier to occur of
(i) if applicable, the cure or waiver of such Senior Default in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the applicable Credit
Agreement Documents and Secured Counterparty Documents and the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 2.3(a)(ii) and
(iii) and (ii) the date upon which the Credit Agreement Obligations
Payment Date for all Credit Agreement Obligations and the Secured
Counterparty Obligations Payment Date for all Secured Counterparty
Obligations shall have occurred.
2.4
Sowood Obligations Standstill Provisions . Until the
earliest to occur of (a) 365 days after the occurrence of the
Senior Default, (b) a Senior Obligations Acceleration, (c)
commencement of any Proceeding against the Borrower, (d) the date
upon which the Credit Agreement Obligations Payment Date for all
Credit Agreement Obligations and the Secured Counterparty
Obligations Payment Date for all Secured Counterparty Obligations
has occurred, and (e) the institution or commencement by any Credit
Agreement Secured Party or Secured Counterparty of any remedies
against any Loan Party or in respect of any of the Senior
Obligations to enforce payment of, or foreclose upon or exercise
other remedies with respect to any collateral securing payment of,
any Senior Obligations, Sowood shall not, without the prior written
consent of each Credit Agreement Representative and each Secured
Counterparty, take any Enforcement Action with respect to the
Sowood Obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to
the terms of Section 2.2(d) hereof, Sowood may file proofs of claim
against any Loan Party in any Proceeding involving any Loan Party
(and the principal amount of the Sowood Obligations may be
accelerated upon the occurrence of a Proceeding with respect to a
Loan Party).
2.5
Incorrect Payments . (a) If any Distribution on
account of the Sowood Obligations is made and received by Sowood in
contravention of the provisions of Section 2.3 or 2.4, such
Distribution shall not be commingled with any of the assets of
Sowood, shall be held in trust by Sowood for the benefit of the
Credit Agreement Secured Parties and the Secured
Counterparties.
(b)
Except for Distributions permitted under Section 2.3, (i) any
Distribution which would otherwise, but for the terms hereof, be
payable or deliverable in respect of the Sowood Obligations (other
than a distribution of Reorganization Subordinated Securities)
shall be paid or delivered (in the same form as received, with any
necessary endorsements) (A) first, directly to any Credit Agreement
Representative to be held and/or applied by such Credit Agreement
Representative in accordance with the terms of the applicable
Credit Agreement Documents until the Credit Obligations Payment
Date has occurred for all Credit Agreement Obligations and (B)
second, directly to any Secured Counterparty to be held and/or
applied by
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such Secured Counterparty in accordance with the terms of the
applicable Secured Counterparty Documents until the Secured
Counterparty Obligations Payment Date has occurred for all Secured
Counterparty Obligations.
(ii)
(A) If more than one Credit Agreement Representative exists, then
the Credit Agreement Representative receiving the Distribution
shall transfer to the other Credit Agreement Representative its
ratable share of such Distributions based on the outstanding Credit
Agreement Obligations at such time and (B) if more than one Secured
Counterparty exists, then the Secured Counterparty receiving the
Distribution shall transfer to the other Secured Counterparties its
ratable share of such Distributions based on the outstanding
Secured Counterparty Obligations at such time.
(iii)
Sowood irrevocably authorizes, empowers and directs any debtor,
debtor in possession, receiver, trustee, liquidator, custodian,
conservator or other Person having authority, to pay or otherwise
deliver all such Distributions to a Credit Agreement Representative
until the Credit Obligations Payment Date has occurred for all
Credit Agreement Obligations and to a Secured Counterparty until
the Secured Counterparty Obligations Payment Date has occurred for
all Secured Counterparty Obligations. Sowood also irrevocably
authorizes and empowers each Credit Agreement Representative and
each Secured Counterparty, in the name of Sowood, to demand, sue
for, collect and receive any and all such Distributions
(c)
The Loan Parties shall promptly notify Sowood of any change in the
identity of the Credit Agreement Representatives and Secured
Counterparties from time to time. In the event that Sowood
determines in good faith that further evidence is required with
respect to the right of any holder of Senior Obligations to
participate in any Distribution pursuant to this Agreement, Sowood
may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable
satisfaction of Sowood as to the amount of Senior Obligations held
by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to
participate in such Distribution and any other facts pertinent to
the rights of such Person under this Agreement, and if such
evidence is not furnished Sowood may defer any payment to such
Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such
Person to receive such Distribution; provided that, upon the
written request of such Person to Sowood, such Distribution shall
be made to the court having jurisdiction over such judicial
determination or to another Person mutually satisfactory to such
Person and Sowood, as escrowee, to be held and invested pending
such judicial determination in accordance with such instructions as
shall be mutually satisfactory to such Person and Sowood and upon
such judicial determination becoming final and nonappealable to be
distributed in accordance therewith to the Person entitled
thereto.
2.6
Sale, Transfer or other Disposition of Sowood Obligations
.
(a)
Sowood shall not sell, assign, pledge, dispose of or otherwise
transfer all or any portion of the Sowood Obligations or any Sowood
Document: (i) without giving prior written notice of such action to
the Credit Agreement Representatives and the Secured Counterparties
and (ii) unless, prior to the consummation of any such action, the
transferee thereof shall execute and deliver to the Credit
Agreement Representatives and the Secured Counterparties an
agreement substantially identical to this Agreement, providing for
the
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continued subordination of the Sowood Obligations to the Senior
Obligations as provided herein and for the continued effectiveness
of all of the rights of Credit Agreement Representatives and the
Credit Agreement Secured Parties arising under this Agreement.
(b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination effected hereby
shall survive any sale, assignment, pledge, disposition or other
transfer of all or any portion of the Sowood Obligations in
violation of the foregoing prohibition, and the terms of this
Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of
Sowood, as provided in Section 10.8 hereof.
2.7
Legends . Until the termination of this Agreement in
accordance with Section 10.2 hereof, Sowood will cause to be
clearly, conspicuously and prominently inserted on the face of each
Sowood Document, as well as any renewals or replacements thereof,
the following legend (or a legend substantially identical
thereto):
"This instrument and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby
are and shall at all times be and remain subordinated in right of
payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in that certain
Subordination and Intercreditor Agreement dated as of December 19,
2005 among (a) Société Générale, as
Credit Agreement Representative, (b) Virginia Power Energy
Marketing, Inc., a Virginia corporation, and each additional
counterparty which becomes a party to such Subordination and
Intercreditor Agreement in compliance with Section 10.12 thereof,
(c) Sowood Commodity Partners Fund LP, a Delaware limited
partnership, (d) MxEnergy Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation,
and (e) MxEnergy Inc., a Delaware corporation, and MxEnergy
Electric Inc., a Delaware corporation, and each of the other Loan
Parties (as defined therein) party thereto to the prior payment in
full of all Senior Obligations (as defined therein), as amended,
supplemented, or otherwise modified from time to time; and each
holder of this instrument, by its acceptance hereof, irrevocably
agrees to be bound by the provisions of such Subordination and
Intercreditor Agreement."
2.8
Final Payment of Senior Obligations . Unless
applicable law requires otherwise, any Distribution or other
proceeds of Enforcement Action remaining in the possession of a
Credit Agreement Representative or a Secured Counterparty after the
Credit Agreement Obligations Payment Date for all Credit Agreement
Obligations and the Secured Counterparty Obligations Payment Date
for all Secured Counterparty Obligations have occurred shall be
held in trust by it for the benefit of the Sowood and promptly paid
or delivered to Sowood in the form received for application to the
Sowood Obligations.
Section 3. Lien Priorities.
3.1
Subordination of Liens . (a) Any and all Liens
now existing or hereafter created or arising in favor of any
Secured Counterparty in the Credit Agreement Primary Collateral,
regardless of how acquired, whether by grant, statute, operation of
law, subrogation, or otherwise are expressly junior in priority,
operation, and effect to any and all Liens now existing or
hereafter created or arising in favor of the Credit Agreement
Secured Parties in the Credit Agreement Primary Collateral,
notwithstanding (i) anything to the contrary contained in any
agreement or filing to which any Secured Counterparty may now or
hereafter be a party, and
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regardless of the time, order, or method of grant, attachment,
recording, or perfection of any financing statements or other Liens
or any defect or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any
of the foregoing, (ii) any provision of the UCC or any applicable
law or any Credit Agreement Document or Secured Counterparty
Document or any other circumstance whatsoever, and (iii) the fact
that any such Liens in favor of any Credit Agreement Secured Party
are (A) subordinated to any Lien securing any obligation of any
Loan Party other than the Secured Counterparty Obligations or (B)
otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated, or
lapsed.
(b)
Any and all Liens now existing or hereafter created or arising in
favor of any Credit Agreement Secured Party in the Secured
Counterparty Primary Collateral, regardless of how acquired,
whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation, or
otherwise are expressly junior in priority, operation, and effect
to any and all Liens now existing or hereafter created or arising
in favor of the Secured Counterparties in the Secured Counterparty
Primary Collateral, notwithstanding (i) anything to the contrary
contained in any agreement or filing to which any Credit Agreement
Secured Party may now or hereafter be a party, and regardless of
the time, order, or method of grant, attachment, recording, or
perfection of any financing statements or other Liens or any defect
or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any of the
foregoing, (ii) any provision of the UCC or any applicable law or
any Credit Agreement Document or Secured Counterparty Document or
any other circumstance whatsoever, and (iii) the fact that any such
Liens in favor of any Secured Counterparty are (A) subordinated to
any Lien securing any obligation of any Loan Party other than the
Credit Agreement Obligations or (B) otherwise subordinated, voided,
avoided, invalidated, or lapsed.
(c)
Any and all Liens now existing or hereafter created or arising in
favor of any Secured Counterparty (the " Secondary Secured
Counterparty ") in the Secured Counterparty Primary Collateral
of another Secured Counterparty (the " Primary Secured
Counterparty "), regardless of how acquired, whether by grant,
statute, operation of law, subrogation, or otherwise are expressly
junior in priority, operation, and effect to any and all Liens now
existing or hereafter created or arising in favor of such Primary
Secured Counterparty in the Secured Counterparty Primary Collateral
of such Primary Secured Counterparty, notwithstanding (i) anything
to the contrary contained in any agreement or filing to which such
Secondary Secured Counterparty may now or hereafter be a party, and
regardless of the time, order, or method of grant, attachment,
recording, or perfection of any financing statements or other Liens
or any defect or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any
of the foregoing, (ii) any provision of the UCC or any applicable
law or any Secured Counterparty Document or any other circumstance
whatsoever, and (iii) the fact that any such Liens in favor of such
Primary Secured Counterparty are (A) subordinated to any Lien
securing any obligation of any Loan Party other than such Primary
Secured Counterparty’s Secured Counterparty Obligations or
(B) otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided, invalidated, or
lapsed.
(d)
Any and all Liens now existing or hereafter created or arising in
favor of Sowood in the Collateral, regardless of how acquired,
whether by grant, statute, operation of law, subrogation, or
otherwise are expressly junior in priority, operation, and effect
to any and all Liens now existing or hereafter created or arising
in favor of the Credit Agreement Secured
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Parties or the Secured Counterparties in the Collateral,
notwithstanding (i) anything to the contrary contained in any
agreement or filing to which any Credit Agreement Secured Party or
Secured Counterparty may now or hereafter be a party, and
regardless of the time, order, or method of grant, attachment,
recording, or perfection of any financing statements or other Liens
or any defect or deficiency or alleged defect or deficiency in any
of the foregoing, (ii) any provision of the UCC or any applicable
law or any Credit Agreement Document, Secured Counterparty
Document, or Sowood Document or any other circumstance whatsoever,
and (iii) the fact that any such Liens in favor of any Credit
Agreement Secured or Secured Counterparty are (A) subordinated to
any Lien securing any obligation of any Loan Party other than
Sowood Obligations or (B) otherwise subordinated, voided, avoided,
invalidated, or lapsed.
(e)
None of any Credit Agreement Secured Party, any Secured
Counterparty, or Sowood shall object to or contest, or support any
other Person in contesting or objecting to, in any proceeding
(including without limitation, any Insolvency Proceeding), the
validity, extent, perfection, priority (consistent with this
Agreement), or enforceability of any security interest in the
Collateral granted to the other. Notwithstanding any failure
by any Credit Agreement Secured Party, any Secured Counterparty, or
Sowood to perfect its security interests in the Collateral or any
avoidance, invalidation or subordination by any third party or
court of competent jurisdiction of the security interests in the
Collateral granted to the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the
Secured Counterparties, or Sowood, the priority and rights as among
the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Secured Counterparties,
and Sowood with respect to the Collateral shall be as set forth in
this Agreement.
(f)
The provisions of this Agreement are intended solely to govern the
respective Lien priorities as among the Credit Agreement Secured
Parties, the Secured Counterparties, and Sowood and shall not
impose on the Credit Agreement Secured Parties, the Secured
Counterparties, or Sowood any obligations in respect of any
Collateral (or any proceeds thereof) that would conflict with prior
perfected Liens or any claims thereon in favor of any other Person
that is not a Secured Party.
3.2
Nature of Obligations . (a) Each of the Credit
Agreement Representatives, the Secured Counterparties, and Sowood
acknowledges (i) that a portion of the Credit Agreement Obligations
or the Sowood Obligations may be revolving in nature and that the
amount of Secured Counterparty Obligations change from time to time
and (ii) that the amount of the Credit Agreement Obligations,
Secured Counterparty Obligations, and Sowood Obligations that may
be outstanding at any time may be increased or reduced and
subsequently reborrowed or reincurred, and that the terms of the
Credit Agreement Obligations, the Secured Counterparty Obligations,
and Sowood Obligations may be modified, extended, or amended from
time to time, and that the aggregate amount of the Credit Agreement
Obligations, Secured Counterparty Obligations, and Sowood
Obligations may b
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