EX-5.2 4 x5-2.htm x5-2.htm
Exhibit 5.2

 
TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
Attorneys at Law
Bank of America Plaza
600 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 5200
Atlanta, Georgia 30308-2216
404.885.3000 telephone
404.885.3900 facsimile
troutmansanders.com
 

 
April 13, 2010



Gulf Power Company
One Energy Place
Pensacola, Florida 32520-0786

Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Gulf Power Company (the “Company”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-149664) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Series 2010A 4.75% Senior Notes due April 15, 2020 (the “Notes”).  The Notes will be issued pursuant to the Senior Note Indenture dated as of January 1, 1998 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank)), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented and amended and as further supplemented and amended by the Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 13, 2010 (collectively, the “Indenture”).

We have examined the Registration Statement and the Indenture, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.  We have also examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, instruments and other documents and have made such other and further investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions expressed herein.  As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company.

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.  We have also assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.
 
 
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TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 
Gulf Power Company
April 13, 2010
Page 2



Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes are valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).  In rendering the foregoing opinion, with respect to matters of New York law, we have relied on the opinion of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP attached hereto as Annex I.

The attorneys in this firm that are rendering this opinion are members of the State Bar of Georgia, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of Georgia and the federal law of the United States and, to the extent set forth herein, the law of the State of New York.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the statements with respect to our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement.  In giving the foregoing consent, we do not hereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.  This opinion may not be furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any other person for any purpose, without our prior written consent.

Very truly yours,

/s/Troutman Sanders LLP



 
 

 

 
Annex I
   
 
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-6092
 
 
tel +1 212 259 8000
fax +1 212 259 6333
 
 
April 13, 2010
 


Troutman Sanders LLP
600 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Suite 5200
Atlanta, Georgia  30308


RE:           Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to the underwriters in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-149664) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Gulf Power Company’s (the “Company”) 4.75% Series 2010A Senior Notes due April 15, 2020 (the “Notes”).  The Notes will be issued pursuant to the Senior Note Indenture dated as of January 1, 1998 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank)), as trustee (the “Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented and amended and as further supplemented and amended by a Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 13, 2010 (collectively, the “Indenture”).

We have examined the Registration Statement and the Indenture, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.  We have also examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, instruments and other documents and have made such other and further investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions expressed herein.  As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company.

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as
 
 
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April 13, 2010
Page 2
duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.  We have also assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes are valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

We are members of the State Bar of New York and we do not express any opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York.

This opinion is furnished solely for your benefit in connection with your rendering an opinion to the Company to be filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and we hereby consent to your attaching this opinion as an annex to such opinion.  This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose, or quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or entity for any purpose, without our prior written consent.  In giving our consent to your attaching this opinion to the opinion being rendered by you, we do not thereby admit that we came within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP

DEWEY & LEBOEUF LLP