Exhibit 1.01
Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
$[ ],000,000
First Mortgage Bonds,
[ ]% Series due [ ], 20[ ]
UNDERWRITING
AGREEMENT
[ ], 20[ ]
[Name(s) of Underwriters(s)]
c/o
[Name(s) of
Representatives(s)]
[Address(es) of Representative(s)]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Entergy Mississippi, Inc., a Mississippi
corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the
several underwriters set forth on Schedule I attached hereto (the
"Underwriters," which term, when the context permits, shall also
include any underwriters substituted as hereinafter in Section 11
provided), for whom [ ] and [ ] are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives"), an aggregate of $[ ],000,000 principal amount
of the Company's First Mortgage Bonds, [ ]% Series due [ ], 20[ ]
(the "Bonds"), in accordance with the terms set forth in this
Underwriting Agreement (this "Underwriting Agreement").
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- Purchase and Sale
On the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company shall issue and sell to
each of the Underwriters, and each Underwriter shall purchase from
the Company, at the time and place herein specified, severally and
not jointly, the Bonds at [ ]% of the principal amount thereof, in
the principal amount set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter on Schedule I attached hereto.
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- Description of Bonds
The Bonds shall be issued under and
pursuant to the Company's Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of
February 1, 1988, with The Bank of New York Mellon (successor to
Bank of Montreal Trust Company), as Corporate Trustee (the
"Corporate Trustee"), and Stephen J. Giurlando (successor to Z.
George Klodnicki), as Co-Trustee (the "Co-Trustee" and, together
with the Corporate Trustee, the "Trustees"), as heretofore amended
and supplemented by all indentures amendatory thereof and
supplemental thereto, and as it will be further amended and
supplemented by the [ ] Supplemental Indenture, dated as of [ ],
20[ ] (the "Supplemental Indenture"). Said Mortgage and Deed of
Trust as so amended and supplemented is hereinafter referred to as
the "Mortgage." The Bonds and the Supplemental Indenture shall have
the terms and provisions described in the Disclosure Package (as
defined herein), provided that subsequent to the date hereof and
prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein) the form of the
Supplemental Indenture may be amended by mutual agreement between
the Company and the Underwriters.
-
- Representations and Warranties of the
Company
The Company represents and warrants to
the several Underwriters, and covenants and agrees with the several
Underwriters, that:
-
-
- The Company is duly organized and validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Mississippi and has the necessary corporate power and
authority to conduct the business that it is described in the
Disclosure Package as conducting and to own and operate the
properties owned and operated by it in such business and is in good
standing and duly qualified to conduct such business as a foreign
corporation in the State of Arkansas.
- The Company has filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on
Form S-3 (File No. 333-[ ]) for the registration of $350,000,000
aggregate offering price of the Company's First Mortgage Bonds,
including the Bonds, under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
"Securities Act") ([all] of which First Mortgage Bonds remain
unsold as of the date hereof), and such registration statement[, as
amended,] has become effective. The Company qualifies for use of
Form S-3 for the registration of the Bonds, and the Bonds are
registered under the Securities Act. At the time of filing such
registration statement and at the date hereof, the Company was not
and is not an "ineligible issuer" (as defined in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act). The prospectus forming a part of such registration
statement, at the time such registration statement (or the most
recent amendment thereto filed prior to the Applicable Time (as
defined below)) initially became effective, including all documents
incorporated by reference therein at that time pursuant to
Item 12 of Form S-3, is hereinafter referred to as the "Basic
Prospectus." In the event that (i) the Basic Prospectus shall have
been amended, revised or supplemented (but excluding any
amendments, revisions or supplements to the Basic Prospectus
relating solely to First Mortgage Bonds of the Company other than
the Bonds) prior to the Applicable Time, including without
limitation by any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the
offering and sale of the Bonds that is deemed to be part of and
included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B(e)
under the Securities Act, or (ii) the Company shall have filed
documents pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") after the time such
registration statement (or the most recent amendment thereto filed
prior to the Applicable Time) became effective and prior to the
Applicable Time (but excluding documents incorporated therein by
reference relating solely to First Mortgage Bonds of the Company
other than the Bonds), which are incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Basic Prospectus pursuant to Item
12 of Form S-3, the term "Basic Prospectus" as used herein shall
also mean such prospectus as so amended, revised or supplemented
and reflecting such incorporation by reference. The various parts
of such registration statement, in the form in which such parts
became effective and as such parts may have been amended by all
amendments thereto as of the Applicable Time (including, for these
purposes, as an amendment, any document incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated by reference in the Basic Prospectus), and
including any information omitted from such registration statement
at the time such part of such registration statement, as so
amended, became effective but that is deemed to be part of such
registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities
Act, are hereinafter referred to as the "Registration Statement."
The Basic Prospectus as it shall be supplemented to reflect the
terms of the offering and sale of the Bonds by a prospectus
supplement dated the date hereof, to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act ("Rule 424(b)"),
is hereinafter referred to as the "Prospectus."
- (i) After the Applicable Time and during the
time specified in Section 6(e) hereof, the Company will not file
any amendment to the Registration Statement or any supplement to
the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package (except any amendment or
supplement relating solely to First Mortgage Bonds of the Company
other than the Bonds), and (ii) between the Applicable Time and the
Closing Date, the Company will not file any document that is to be
incorporated by reference in, or any supplement to, the Basic
Prospectus, in either case, without prior notice to the
Underwriters and to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP ("Counsel
for the Underwriters"), or any such amendment or supplement to
which the Underwriters or said Counsel shall reasonably object on
legal grounds in writing. For purposes of this Underwriting
Agreement, any document that is filed with the Commission after the
Applicable Time and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package (except
documents incorporated by reference relating solely to First
Mortgage Bonds of the Company other than the Bonds) pursuant to
Item 12 of Form S-3 shall be deemed a supplement to the Prospectus
or the Disclosure Package, as the case may be.
- The Registration Statement, as of the latest
date as of which any part of the Registration Statement relating to
the Bonds became, or is deemed to have become, effective under the
Securities Act in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, the Mortgage, at such time, and the Basic
Prospectus, when delivered to the Underwriters for their use in
marketing the Bonds, fully complied, and the Prospectus, at the
time it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and at
the Closing Date, as it may then be amended or supplemented, will
fully comply, in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
(the "Trust Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder or pursuant to said rules and regulations did
or will be deemed to comply therewith. The documents incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Basic Prospectus
and the Prospectus pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, on the date
filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, fully
complied or will fully comply in all material respects with the
applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder or pursuant to said rules
and regulations did or will be deemed to comply therewith. No
documents were filed with the Commission since the Commission's
close of business on the business day immediately prior to the date
of this Underwriting Agreement except as set forth on Part C of
Schedule II hereto or such other documents as were delivered to you
prior to the date of this Underwriting Agreement. The Registration
Statement did not, as of the latest date as of which any part of
the Registration Statement relating to the Bonds became, or is
deemed to have become, effective under the Securities Act in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading. At the time that the
Basic Prospectus was delivered to the Underwriters for their use in
marketing the Bonds, the Basic Prospectus did not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. At the time the Prospectus is filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and at the Closing Date, the Prospectus, as
it may then be amended or supplemented, will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and,
on said dates and at such times, the documents then incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Basic Prospectus and
the Prospectus pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, when taken together
with the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus, or the Prospectus, as
it may then be amended or supplemented, will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
foregoing representations and warranties in this paragraph (d)
shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon
and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company
by the Underwriters or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically
for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus, as they may be
then amended or supplemented (it being understood and agreed that
the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any
Underwriter consists of the information described as such in
Section 9(b) hereof), or to any statements in or omissions from the
statements of eligibility of the Trustees on Form T-1 and Form T-2,
as they may then be amended, under the Trust Indenture Act filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement (the "Statements of
Eligibility").
- The Disclosure Package, and each electronic
roadshow, if any, identified in Part B of Schedule II hereto, when
taken together with the Disclosure Package, do not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading and the documents then incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package, when taken
together with the Disclosure Package, do not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The
preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from the Disclosure Package made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by the
Underwriters or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use
in connection with the preparation of the Disclosure Package (it
being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the
information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof). For purposes
hereof, (i) "Disclosure Package" shall mean (x) the Basic
Prospectus as amended or supplemented immediately prior to [ ] p.m.
New York time ([ ] p.m. Central time) on the date of this
Underwriting Agreement (the time at which the Underwriters and the
Company agreed upon the pricing terms set forth in the final term
sheet attached as Annex A to Schedule II hereto) (the "Applicable
Time"), (y) the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in
Part A of Schedule II hereto and (z) any additional information, if
any, identified in Part D of Schedule II hereto, (ii) "Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus" shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus,
as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, and (iii) "Free
Writing Prospectus" shall mean a free writing prospectus, as
defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
- Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the
final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof
does not include any information that conflicts with the
information contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic
Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein that has not been
superseded or modified. If there occurs an event or development as
a result of which the Disclosure Package would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or would omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will
notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the
Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented.
The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Underwriters on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use in
connection with the preparation of the Disclosure Package (it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by
or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information
described as such in Section 9(b) hereof).
- The issuance and sale of the Bonds and the
fulfillment of the terms of this Underwriting Agreement will not
result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Mortgage or any indenture or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company is now a party.
- Except as set forth in or contemplated by the
Disclosure Package, the Company possesses adequate franchises,
licenses, permits, and other rights to conduct its business and
operations as now conducted, without any known conflicts with the
rights of others which could have a material adverse effect on the
Company.
- The Company maintains (x) systems of internal
controls and processes sufficient to provide reasonable assurance
that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with
management's general or specific authorizations;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset
accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and
(iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any differences; and (y) disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the
Exchange Act).
- Offering
The Company is advised by the
Underwriters that they propose to make a public offering of their
respective portions of the Bonds as soon after the effectiveness of
this Underwriting Agreement as in their judgment is advisable. The
Company is further advised by the Underwriters that the Bonds will
be offered to the public at the initial public offering price
specified in the Prospectus plus accrued interest thereon, if any,
from the Closing Date.
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- Time and Place of Closing; Delivery of the
Bonds
Delivery of the Bonds and payment to
the Company of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of
immediately available funds shall be made at the offices of Morgan,
Lewis & Bockius LLP, 101 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10178,
at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on [ ], 20[ ], or at such other time
on the same or such other day as shall be agreed upon by the
Company and the Representatives, or as may be established in
accordance with Section 11 hereof. The hour and date of such
delivery and payment are herein called the "Closing Date."
The Bonds shall be delivered to the
Underwriters in book-entry only form through the facilities of The
Depository Trust Company in New York, New York. The certificate for
the Bonds shall be in the form of one typewritten global bond in
fully registered form, in the aggregate principal amount of the
Bonds, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of
The Depository Trust Company. The Company agrees to make the Bonds
available to the Underwriters for checking not later than
2:30 P.M., New York time, on the last business day preceding
the Closing Date at such place as may be agreed upon between the
Underwriters and the Company, or at such other time and/or date as
may be agreed upon between the Underwriters and the Company.
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- Covenants of the Company . The Company
covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
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- Not later than the Closing Date, the Company
will deliver to the Underwriters a conformed copy of the
Registration Statement in the form that it or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereto became effective, certified by an
officer of the Company to be in such form.
- The Company will prepare a final term sheet,
containing solely a description of the final terms of the Bonds and
the offering thereof, in a form approved by the Representatives and
will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the
Securities Act within the time required by such Rule.
- The Company will deliver to the Underwriters
as many copies of the Prospectus (and any amendments or supplements
thereto) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the
Underwriters may reasonably request.
- The Company will cause the Prospectus to be
filed with the Commission pursuant to and in compliance with Rule
424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) under the Securities
Act) and will advise the Representatives promptly of the issuance
of any stop order under the Securities Act with respect to the
Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the
Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus or the institution of any
proceedings therefor or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities
Act of which the Company shall have received notice. The Company
will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop
order and to secure the prompt removal thereof if issued.
- During such period of time as the
Underwriters are required by law to deliver a prospectus (including
in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant
to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) after this Underwriting
Agreement has become effective, if any event relating to or
affecting the Company, or of which the Company shall be advised by
the Underwriters in writing, shall occur which in the Company's
opinion should be set forth in a supplement or amendment to the
Prospectus or the Disclosure Package in order to make the
Prospectus or the Disclosure Package not misleading in the light of
the circumstances when it is delivered (including in circumstances
where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under
the Securities Act) to a purchaser of the Bonds, the Company will
amend or supplement the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package by
either (i) preparing and filing with the Commission and furnishing
to the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of a supplement
or supplements or an amendment or amendments to the Prospectus or
the Disclosure Package, or (ii) making an appropriate filing
pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act which will
supplement or amend the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, so
that, as supplemented or amended, it will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances when the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package is
delivered (including in circumstances where such requirement may be
satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) to a
purchaser, not misleading. Unless such event relates solely to the
activities of the Underwriters (in which case the Underwriters
shall assume the expense of preparing any such amendment or
supplement), the expenses of complying with this Section 6(e) shall
be borne by the Company until the expiration of nine months from
the time of effectiveness of this Underwriting Agreement, and such
expenses shall be borne by the Underwriters thereafter.
- The Company will make generally available to
its security holders, as soon as practicable, an earning statement
(which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve
months beginning after the "effective date of the registration
statement" within the meaning of Rule 158 under the Securities Act,
which earning statement shall be in such form, and be made
generally available to security holders in such a manner, as to
meet the requirements of the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
- At any time within six months of the date
hereof, the Company will furnish such proper information as may be
lawfully required by, and will otherwise cooperate in qualifying
the Bonds for offer and sale under, the blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably designate,
provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or dealer in securities, to file any consents
to service of process under the laws of any jurisdiction, or to
meet any other requirements deemed by the Company to be unduly
burdensome.
- The Company will, except as herein provided,
pay all fees, expenses and taxes (except transfer taxes) in
connection with the offering of the Bonds, including with respect
to (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendments thereto, (ii) the printing, issuance
and delivery of the Bonds and the preparation, execution, printing
and recordation of the Supplemental Indenture or any other
documents required to perfect the lien thereunder, (iii) legal
counsel relating to the qualification of the Bonds under the blue
sky laws of various jurisdictions in an amount not to exceed
$3,500, (iv) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of
reasonable quantities of copies of the Registration Statement, any
preliminary (and any supplemental) blue sky survey, the Basic
Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto, except as otherwise
provided in paragraph (e) of this Section 6, (v) the rating of
the Bonds by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating
agencies, and (vi) filings or other notices (if any) with or to, as
the case may be, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
("FINRA") in connection with its review of the terms of the
offering. Except as provided above, the Company shall not be
required to pay any expenses of the Underwriters, except that, if
this Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated in accordance with
the provisions of Section 7, 8 or 12 hereof, the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters for the (A) reasonable fees and expenses
of Counsel for the Underwriters, whose fees and expenses the
Underwriters agree to pay in any other event, and (B) reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses in an aggregate amount not exceeding
$15,000, incurred in contemplation of the performance of this
Underwriting Agreement. The Company shall not in any event be
liable to the Underwriters for damages on account of loss of
anticipated profits.
- The Company will not sell any additional
first mortgage bonds without the consent of the Representatives
until after the earlier to occur of (i) the Closing Date and (ii)
the date of the termination of the fixed price offering
restrictions applicable to the Underwriters. The Underwriters agree
to notify the Company of such termination if it occurs prior to the
Closing Date.
- As soon as practicable after the Closing
Date, the Company will make all recordings, registrations and
filings necessary to perfect and preserve the lien of the Mortgage
and the rights under the Supplemental Indenture, and the Company
will use its best efforts to cause to be furnished to the
Underwriters a supplemental opinion of counsel for the Company,
addressed to the Underwriters, stating that all such recordings,
registrations and filings have been made.
- The Company agrees that, unless it has
obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior written
consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and
not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has obtained
or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior written consent of
the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating
to the Bonds that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a Free Writing
Prospectus required to be filed by the Company with the Commission
or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the Securities Act,
other than the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to
Section 6(b) hereof; provided that the prior written consent of the
parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the
Free Writing Prospectuses identified in Parts A and B of Schedule
II hereto and any electronic road show identified in Part B of
Schedule II hereto. Any such Free Writing Prospectus consented to
by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as
a "Permitted Free Writing Prospectus." The Company agrees that (x)
it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted
Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and
(y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the
requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act
applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including, if
applicable, in respect of timely filing with the Commission,
legending and record keeping.
- Conditions of the Underwriters'
Obligations
The obligations of the Underwriters to
purchase and pay for the Bonds shall be subject to the accuracy on
the date hereof and on the Closing Date of the representations and
warranties made herein on the part of the Company and of any
certificates furnished by the Company on the Closing Date and to
the following conditions:
-
-
- The Prospectus shall have been filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to 5:30 P.M., New York
time, on the second business day following the date of this
Underwriting Agreement, or such other time and date as may be
agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters; and the final term
sheet contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof and any other material
required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under
the Securities Act shall have been filed with the Commission within
the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433
under the Securities Act.
- No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement, or preventing or suspending the use of
the Basic Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus, shall be in effect at or prior to the Closing Date; no
proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the
Securities Act against the Company or relating to the offering of
the Bonds shall be pending before, or, to the knowledge of the
Company or the Underwriters, threatened by, the Commission on the
Closing Date; and the Underwriters shall have received a
certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by the President, a
Vice President, the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the
Company, to the effect that, as of the Closing Date, no such stop
order has been or is in effect and that no proceedings for such
purposes are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened by the Commission.
- At the Closing Date, there shall have been
issued and there shall be in full force and effect, to the extent
legally required for the issuance and sale of the Bonds, one or more orders of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the "FERC") under the Federal Power Act authorizing the issuance and sale of the Bonds on the terms set
forth in, or contemplated by, this Underwriting Agreement.
- At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall
have received from Mark G. Otts, Esq.
, Senior Counsel-Corporate and Securities
of Entergy Services, Inc., Wise Carter Child & Caraway,
Professional Association, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP, and
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, opinions, dated the Closing Date,
substantially in the forms set forth in Exhibits A, B, C and D
hereto, respectively, (i) with such changes therein as may be
agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters with the approval
of Counsel for the Underwriters, and (ii) if the Disclosure Package
or the Prospectus shall be supplemented after being furnished to
the Underwriters for use in offering the Bonds, prior to the
Closing Date, with changes therein to reflect such
supplementation.
- At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall
have received from Counsel for the Underwriters an opinion, dated
the Closing Date, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit E
hereto, with such changes therein as may be necessary to reflect
any supplementation of the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus
prior to the Closing Date.
- On or prior to the date this Underwriting
Agreement became effective, the Underwriters shall have received
from Deloitte & Touche LLP, the Company's independent
registered public accountants (the "Accountants"), a letter dated
the date hereof and addressed to the Underwriters to the effect
that (i) they are independent registered public accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and
the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) in
their opinion, the financial statements and financial statement
schedules audited by them and included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations
thereunder; (iii) on the basis of performing the procedures
specified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
for a review of interim financial information as described in SAS
No. 100, Interim Financial Information , on the latest
unaudited financial statements, if any, included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, a reading of the latest available interim unaudited
financial statements of the Company, the minutes of the meetings of
the Board of Directors of the Company, the Executive Committee
thereof, if any, other committees thereof specified therein and the
stockholder of the Company, since December 31, 2008 to a specified
date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, and
inquiries of officers of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters (it being understood that the
foregoing procedures do not constitute an audit made in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards and they would not
necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the
comments made in such letter and, accordingly, that the Accountants
make no representations as to the sufficiency of such procedures
for the purposes of the Underwriters), nothing has come to their
attention which caused them to believe that, to the extent
applicable, (A) the unaudited financial statements of the Company
(if any) included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus do not comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the
related published rules and regulations thereunder; (B) any
material modifications should be made to said unaudited financial
statements for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles; (C) at the date of the latest available
balance sheet read by the Accountants and at a subsequent specified
date not more than five days prior to the date of the letter, there
was any increase in long-term debt of the Company, or decrease in
its net current assets or stockholders' equity, in each case as
compared with amounts shown in the most recent balance sheet
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except in all instances for
increases or decreases which the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may
occur, for declarations of dividends, for the amortization of
premium or discount on long-term debt, for any increases in
long-term debt in respect of previously issued pollution control,
solid waste disposal or industrial development revenue bonds, or
for increases or decreases as set forth in such letter, identifying
the same and specifying the amount thereof; and (D) for the period
from the closing date of the most recent income statement
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus to the closing date of the
latest available income statement read by the Accountants, there
were any decreases, as compared to the corresponding period in the
preceding year, in the Company's operating revenues, operating
income or net income, except in all instances for decreases that
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the
Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or decreases as set
forth in such letter, identifying the same and specifying the
amount thereof; and (iv) stating that they have compared specific
dollar amounts, percentages of revenues and earnings and other
financial information pertaining to the Company (x) set forth in
the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, and (y) set forth in documents filed by the Company
pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as
specified in Exhibit F hereto, in each case, to the extent that
such amounts, numbers, percentages and information may be derived
from the general accounting records of the Company, and excluding
any questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel, with
the results obtained from the application of specified readings,
inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not
constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards) set forth in such letter, and found them to be
in agreement.
- At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall
have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by
the President, a Vice President, the Treasurer or an Assistant
Treasurer of the Company, to the effect that (i) as of the Closing
Date, the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein are true and correct, (ii) the Company has performed and
complied with all agreements and conditions in this Underwriting
Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company at or
prior to the Closing Date and (iii) since the most recent date as
of which information is given in the Prospectus, as it may then be
amended or supplemented, there has not been any material adverse
change in the business, property or financial condition of the
Company and there has not been any material transaction entered
into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course
of business, in each case other than as referred to in, or
contemplated by, the Prospectus, as it may then be amended or
supplemented.
- At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall
have received duly executed counterparts of the Supplemental
Indenture.
- At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall
have received from the Accountants a letter, dated the Closing
Date, confirming, as of a date not more than five days prior to the
Closing Date, the statements contained in the letter delivered
pursuant to Section 7(f) hereof.
- Between the date hereof and the Closing Date,
no default (or an event which, with the giving of notice or the
passage of time or both, would constitute a default) under the
Mortgage shall have occurred.
- On or prior to the Closing Date, the
Underwriters shall have received from the Company evidence
reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters that the Bonds have
received ratings of at least [ ] from Moody's Investors Service,
Inc. and at least [ ] from Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services.
- Between the date hereof and the Closing Date,
neither Moody's Investors Service, Inc. nor Standard & Poor's
Ratings Services shall have lowered its rating of any of the
Company's outstanding first mortgage bonds in any respect.
- Between the date hereof and the Closing Date,
no event shall have occurred with respect to or otherwise affecting
the Company, which, in the reasonable opinion of the
Representatives, materially impairs the investment quality of the
Bonds.
- All legal matters in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Bonds shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to Counsel for the Underwriters.
- The Company shall furnish the Underwriters
with additional conformed copies of such opinions, certificates,
letters and documents as may be reasonably requested.
If any of the conditions specified in
this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled, this Underwriting
Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives at any time on
or prior to the Closing Date upon notice thereof to the Company.
Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party, except as otherwise provided in paragraph (h) of
Section 6 and in Section 10 hereof.
-
- Conditions of the Company's
Obligations
The obligations of the Company
hereunder shall be subject to the following conditions:
-
-
- No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of
the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus shall be in effect at or prior to the Closing Date, and
no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the
Securities Act against the Company or relating to the offering of
the Bonds shall be pending before, or threatened by, the Commission
on the Closing Date.
- At the Closing Date, there shall have been
issued and there shall be in full force and effect, to the extent
legally required for the issuance and sale of the Bonds, one or
more orders of the FERC under the Federal Power Act authorizing the
issuance and sale of the Bonds on the terms set forth in, or
contemplated by, this Underwriting Agreement.
In case any of the conditions
specified in this Section 8 shall not have been fulfilled, this
Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time
on or prior to the Closing Date upon notice thereof to the
Representatives. Any such termination shall be without liability of
any party to any other party, except as otherwise provided in
paragraph (h) of Section 6 and in Section 10 hereof.
-
- Indemnification .
-
- The Company shall indemnify, defend and hold
harmless each Underwriter and each person who controls each
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
each Underwriter or any or all of them may become subject under the
Securities Act or any other statute or common law and shall
reimburse each Underwriter and any such controlling person for any
legal or other expenses (including to the extent hereinafter
provided, reasonable counsel fees) incurred by them in connection
with investigating any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
or in connection with defending any actions, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, as amended or supplemented, or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
or upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus, or
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in
the final term sheet required to be prepared and filed pursuant to
Section 6(b) hereof, as each may be amended or supplemented, or in
the Disclosure Package, or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall not apply to
any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions
arising out of, or based upon, any such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement, or any such omission or alleged omission, if such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished herein or in writing to the Company by
such Underwriter specifically for use in connection with the
preparation of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus,
the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to any thereof, or the Disclosure Package
(it being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the
information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof), or arising
out of, or based upon, statements in or omissions from the
Statements of Eligibility; and provided further, that the indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 9(a) shall not inure to the
benefit of any Underwriter, or to the benefit of any person
controlling such Underwriter, on account of any such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arising from the
sale of the Bonds to any person in respect of the Basic Prospectus
or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each as may be then
supplemented or amended, furnished by such Underwriter to a person
to whom any of the Bonds were sold (excluding in all cases,
however, any document then incorporated by reference therein),
insofar as such indemnity relates to any untrue or misleading
statement or omission made in such Basic Prospectus or Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, if a copy of a supplement or amendment to such
Basic Prospectus, or Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (excluding in
all cases, however, any document then incorporated by reference
therein) (i) is furnished on a timely basis by the Company to the
Underwriter, (ii) is required to have been conveyed to such person
by or on behalf of such Underwriter, at or prior to the entry into
the contract of sale of the Bonds with such person, but was not so
conveyed (which conveyance may be oral (if permitted by law) or
written) by or on behalf of such Underwriter and (iii) would have
cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action.
- Each Underwriter shall severally, but not
jointly, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its
directors and officers and each person who controls the foregoing
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or
any of them may become subject under the Securities Act or any
other statute or common law and shall reimburse each of them for
any legal or other expenses (including, to the extent hereinafter
provided, reasonable counsel fees) incurred by them in connection
with investigating any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
or in connection with defending any action, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arise out of or
are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, as amended
or supplemented, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, or upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in the
Disclosure Package or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, in each case, if, but only if, such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished herein or in writing to the Company by such
Underwriter specifically for use in connection with the preparation
of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus
or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto or in the Disclosure Package. The Company
acknowledges that the statements set forth in (i) the last
paragraph of the cover page of the Prospectus regarding delivery of
the Bonds and (ii) the [ ] paragraph, [ ] paragraph and [ ]
paragraph under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus
constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on
behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Disclosure Package.
- In case any action shall be brought, based
upon the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Disclosure
Package, against any party in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to either of the two preceding paragraphs, such
party (hereinafter called the indemnified party) shall promptly
notify the party or parties against whom indemnity shall be sought
hereunder (hereinafter called the indemnifying party) in writing,
and the indemnifying party shall have the right to participate at
its own expense in the defense of any such action or, if it so
elects, to assume (in conjunction with any other indemnifying
party) the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party and the payment of
all fees and expenses. If the indemnifying party shall elect not to
assume the defense of any such action, the indemnifying party shall
reimburse the indemnified party for the reasonable fees and
expenses of any counsel retained by such indemnified party. Such
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel
in any such action in which the defense has been assumed by the
indemnifying party and participate in the defense thereof, but the
fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such
indemnified party unless (i) the employment of counsel has been
specifically authorized by the indemnifying party or (ii) the named
parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties)
include each of such indemnified party and the indemnifying party
and such indemnified party shall have been advised by such counsel
that a conflict of interest between the indemnifying party and such
indemnified party may arise and for this reason it is not desirable
for the same counsel to represent both the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such
action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in
the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations
or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of
more than one separate firm of attorneys for such indemnified party
(plus any local counsel retained by such indemnified party in its
reasonable judgment)). The indemnified party shall be reimbursed
for all such fees and expenses as they are incurred. The
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any
such action effected without its consent, but if any such action is
settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a
final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason
of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect
any settlement of any pending or threatened action, suit or
proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have been a party and indemnity has or could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action,
suit or proceeding.
- If the indemnification provided for under
subsections (a) or (b) in this Section 9 is unavailable to an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party, in
lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to
the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion
as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company and the Underwriters from the offering of the Bonds or (ii)
if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also
the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the
Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on
the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the
offering (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions
but before deducting expenses) to the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined
by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied
by the Company or by any of the Underwriters and such parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to
this Section 9(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding
paragraph. The amount paid or payable to an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to
in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or
claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9(d), no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of
the amount b
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