-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, MYx5dJVWvZTB9TkzwUy/xkJRYPTIGwwKvdEFYOI+dq9ZDHkqTMtACZypwrEkuwaW lsgDCeUAOnHY9dbpmP2Hrg== 0000040779-09-000008.txt : 20090121 0000040779-09-000008.hdr.sgml : 20090121 20090121155959 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000040779-09-000008 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 5 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20090120 ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20090121 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090121 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: METROPOLITAN EDISON CO CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000065350 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911] IRS NUMBER: 230870160 STATE OF INCORPORATION: PA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-00446 FILM NUMBER: 09536765 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 76 SOUTH MAIN STREET STREET 2: C/O FIRSTENERGY CORP. CITY: AKRON STATE: OH ZIP: 44308-1890 BUSINESS PHONE: 330-761-7837 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 76 SOUTH MAIN STREET STREET 2: C/O FIRSTENERGY CORP. CITY: AKRON STATE: OH ZIP: 44308-1890 8-K 1 main8_k.htm FORM 8-K, DATED JANUARY 20, 2009 main8_k.htm
 



 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 20, 2009


Commission
 
Registrant; State of Incorporation;
 
I.R.S. Employer
File Number
 
Address; and Telephone Number
 
Identification No.
         
1-446
 
METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
23-0870160
   
(A Pennsylvania Corporation)
   
   
c/o FirstEnergy Corp.
   
   
76 South Main Street
   
   
Akron, OH  44308
   
   
Telephone (800)736-3402
   
         

















 























Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2.):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.


On January 20, 2009, Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed) issued and sold $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019 (Senior Notes) pursuant to the terms of an Underwriting Agreement (Underwriting Agreement), dated January 14, 2009, among Met-Ed and Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., acting as representatives of the several underwriters listed in Schedule I thereto.  The Senior Notes are registered under Met-Ed’s automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 333-153608-02) which was filed and became effective on September 22, 2008.

The Senior Notes were issued under the Indenture dated as of July 1, 1999, as supplemented, between Met-Ed and The Bank of New York Mellon, as successor trustee.  The terms of the Senior Notes are as set forth in the Form of 7.70% Senior Notes filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The Senior Notes will mature on January 15, 2019 and bear interest at the rate of 7.70% per annum payable on January 15 and July 15 in each year, beginning on July 15, 2009, until maturity.  The Senior Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at Met-Ed’s option, at any time prior to maturity at a “make-whole” redemption price as set forth in the Form of 7.70% Senior Notes.

Met-Ed intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Senior Notes to repay short-term debt.
 
The Underwriting Agreement is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)
Exhibits

Exhibit No.
 
Description
1.1
 
Underwriting Agreement, dated January 14, 2009, among Metropolitan Edison Company and Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., acting as representatives of the several underwriters listed in Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement.
4.1
 
Form of 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019.
5.1
 
Opinion of Wendy E. Stark, Esq.
5.2
 
Opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.
23.1
 
Consent of Wendy E. Stark, Esq. (contained in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).
23.2
 
Consent of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.2 hereto).




 
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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



January 21, 2009



   
 
METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
Registrant
   


 
/s/  Harvey L. Wagner
 
Harvey L. Wagner
 
Vice President and Controller
   





 
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EX-1.1 2 ex1_1.htm UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT, DATED JANUARY 14, 2009 ex1_1.htm
EXHIBIT1.1    

METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
(A PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION)
 
$300,000,000 7.70% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019
 
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
 
January 14, 2009

Banc of America Securities LLC
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
As Representatives of the Underwriters
  named in Schedule I to the Underwriting
  Agreement (as defined below)
 
c/o          Banc of America Securities LLC
One Bryant Park
New York, NY 10036
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
85 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004
 
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
1 Liberty Plaza, 25th Floor
165 Broadway
New York, NY 10006
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
Metropolitan Edison Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”, which term, when the context permits, shall also include any underwriters substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 11), for whom Banc of America Securities LLC (“BofA”), Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman”) and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. (“Scotia Capital”) are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”), to be issued under the Company’s Senior Note Indenture, dated as of July 1, 1999, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee (the “Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented (the “Senior Note Indenture”) and as to be further supplemented, for the issuance of the Notes, by resolutions of the board of directors of the Company to be effective as of January 16, 2009 (the “Board Resolution,” and, together with the Senior Note Indenture, hereinafter referred to as the “Indenture”) in accordance with the terms set forth in this underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”).  The Notes shall have the series designation, denominations, issue price, maturities, interest rates, redemption provisions, if any, and other terms as set forth in the General Disclosure Package (hereinafter defined).

 
 

 


Representations and Warranties.
 
Representations and Warranties by the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each Underwriter that:
 
An “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-153608-02) to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of debt securities, including the Notes, and other securities of the Company under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”) and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act, has been prepared and filed by the Company not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Company will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the terms of the Notes pursuant to Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) under the Securities Act.  The Company qualifies for use of Form S-3 for the registration of the Notes and the Notes are registered under the Securities Act.  “Registration Statement” as of any time means such registration statement in the form then filed with the Commission, including any amendment thereto, any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and any information in a prospectus or prospectus supplement deemed or retroactively deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) or 430C (“Rule 430C”) under the Securities Act that has not been superseded or modified.  “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means the Registration Statement as of the Applicable Time (hereinafter defined), which time shall be considered the “Effective Date” of the Registration Statement relating to the Notes.  For purposes of this definition, information contained in a form of prospectus or prospectus supplement that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430B. At the time of filing the Registration Statement, at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or form of prospectus), at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and as of the date hereof, the Company was and is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
 

 
2

 

At the time the Registration Statement initially became effective, at the time that each amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus) became effective and on the Effective Date relating to the Notes, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (“Trust Indenture Act”), as the case may be, and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  On the date hereof, on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (hereinafter defined), the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (as defined in this paragraph (ii)) will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except that the foregoing does not apply to statements in or omissions from any of such documents made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein or to any statements in or omissions from the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof, but nothing contained herein is intended as a waiver of compliance with the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations.  For purposes of this Underwriting Agreement, “Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the preliminary prospectus supplement (which term includes the base prospectus) or prospectus relating to the Notes that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any basic prospectus or prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B or 430C that has not been superseded or modified.  For purposes of this definition, information contained in a form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus only as of the actual time that form of prospectus (including a prospectus supplement) is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.  “Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price and other final terms of the Notes and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
 
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package (as hereinafter defined) and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements, as applicable, of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and, when read together with other information in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as applicable, do not contain any 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, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
 

 
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(A) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Notes and (B) on the date hereof,  the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Securities Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with an offering of securities, all as described in Rule 405.
 
As of the Applicable Time (as defined in this paragraph (v)), neither (A) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined in this paragraph (v)) listed in Schedule II hereto, the Statutory Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (B) any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined in this paragraph (v)), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any prospectus included in the Registration Statement or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.  “Applicable Time” means 5:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the date hereof.  “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 (“Rule 433”) under the Securities Act, relating to the Notes in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
 
Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offering and sale of the Notes or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence and in Section 3(j) hereof, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
 
The historical consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package.
 
Since the most recent time as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business prospects, earnings, business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than changes and developments contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, respectively.
 

 
4

 

The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly subsisting as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has the corporate power and authority to own, lease or operate its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 
Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own, lease or operate its property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 
This Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, or by general principles of equity (whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and except that the enforcement of rights to indemnification and contribution hereunder may be limited by applicable law or public policy.
 
The Senior Note Indenture has been, and on the Closing Date, the Indenture will be, (1) duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and (2) duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or in law) and by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
 
The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company, and, when they have been duly executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee, and issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.
 

 
5

 

The Notes and the Senior Note Indenture conform, and on the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform, in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package.
 
Neither the issuance and sale of the Notes nor the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes will (A) contravene, or (B) result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (a) any provision of applicable law, (b) the amended and restated articles of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws, or other organizational documents, each as amended, of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, (c) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or (d) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any of their properties.  Furthermore, neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company is (x) in violation of any applicable law, or (y) in violation  or in default, of its respective amended and restated articles of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws, each as amended, or other organizational documents, or in the performance of any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other contract, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which any of them is bound, or to which any of its property or assets is subject, except such defaults as have been waived or which would not have, singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 
Other than as disclosed in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, to which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company are subject wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Underwriting Agreement, or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package; and there is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, or to be filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit thereto, which is not described, filed or incorporated as required.
 
No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, such as has been obtained from the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (“PPUC”), and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the General Disclosure Package.  The Company possesses such certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its business as currently operated, except where the failure to possess such certificate, authorization or permit would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 

 
6

 

The Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except in cases in which that noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 
The Company maintains (x) systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, 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) a system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure, and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.  The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.
 
The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
 
The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Schedule III hereto.
 
There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge (having made due inquiry), any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications.
 
Officer’s Certificates.  Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with this offering shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
 

 
7

 

Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
 
Purchase and Sale.  Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $298,050,000, the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto plus any additional principal amount of Notes which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 11, subject to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional Notes.
 
Payment and Delivery.  Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Notes shall be made at the office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, One Bryant Park, New York, New York  10036, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, at 10:00 a.m., (Eastern Time), on the third business day after the date hereof, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing Date”).
 
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Underwriters for the account of the Underwriters of the Notes to be purchased by them.
 
The delivery of the Notes shall be made in fully registered form, registered in the name of CEDE & CO., to the offices of The Depository Trust Company in New York, New York, or its designee, and the Underwriters shall accept such delivery.
 
The certificate(s) representing the Notes shall be made available for examination by the Representatives not later than 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the last business day prior to the Closing Date at such place as may be agreed upon between the Representatives and the Company.
 
Covenants of the Company.  The Company covenants with the Underwriters as follows:
 
To promptly file each Statutory Prospectus (including the Prospectus) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act.
 
The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof or any order suspending or preventing the use of the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or other such order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.
 
To furnish without charge to the Representatives a signed copy of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits filed with the Registration Statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein (other than exhibits which are incorporated by reference therein) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement without exhibits and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (e) below, as many copies of the Prospectus and any documents incorporated by reference therein at or after the date thereof and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request.  The terms “supplement” and “amendment” as used in this Underwriting Agreement shall include all documents filed by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus pursuant to the Exchange Act which are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus.
 

 
8

 

Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus or filing with the Commission any document pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, during the period referred to in paragraph (e) below, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment, supplement or document for the Representatives’ review prior to filing and not to file any such proposed amendment, supplement or document to which the Representatives reasonably object.
 
The Company will promptly notify the Underwriters, and confirm such notice in writing (which notice and confirmation may be satisfied by providing the Underwriters with any related periodic report filed under the Exchange Act), of (x) any filing made by the Company of information relating to the offering of the Notes with any securities exchange or any other regulatory body in the United States or any other jurisdiction, and (y) any material changes in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, which (i) make any statement in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented materially false or misleading or (ii) are not disclosed in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented.  If, at any time when a prospectus covering the Notes is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 under the Securities Act would be) required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or counsel for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or to amend or supplement the Prospectus or modify the information incorporated by reference therein in order that the Prospectus will not include 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 existing at the time the Prospectus is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 under the Securities Act would be) delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus or modify such information to comply with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, forthwith to prepare and file with the Commission and to furnish (subject to the conditions in paragraph (c) above), at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Notes may have been sold by the Underwriters, and to any other dealers upon request, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or modifications to the documents incorporated by reference therein, so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended, supplemented or modified will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time such Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.  If, prior to the Closing Date, there occurs an event or development as a result of which the General 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 when the General Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, the Company promptly will notify the Representatives so that any use of the General Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented, and will promptly prepare an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission.
 

 
9

 

The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect as long as required for the sale of the Notes; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.  The Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Notes have been qualified as above provided.  The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for sale in any such state or jurisdiction or the initiating or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose.  The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Notes for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
 
The Company shall take all reasonable action necessary to enable Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”), and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) to provide their respective credit ratings of the Notes.
 
The Company will use the proceeds received by it from the sale of the Notes in the manner specified in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
 
During a period beginning on the date of this Underwriting Agreement and continuing to and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or agree to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, any other debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries substantially similar to the Notes or securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are convertible into, or exchangeable for, the Notes.
 
If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement, 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 prevailing at that time, not misleading, (A) the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and (B) the Company will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
 

 
10

 

Free Writing Prospectuses.
 
Free Writing Prospectuses.  The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission.  The Company represents that it has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.  The parties hereto agree that the only Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses issued on or prior to the Applicable Time and consented to by the Company and the Representatives are specified on Schedule II hereto (including the final term sheet prepared in accordance with Section 4(b) below).
 
Final Term Sheet.  The Company will prepare a final term sheet relating to the Notes, containing only information that describes the final terms of the Notes and otherwise in a form consented to by the Representatives, and will file such final term sheet within the period required by Rule 433(d)(5)(ii).  Any such final term sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Underwriting Agreement and is specified in Schedule II hereto.
 
Payment of Expenses.
 
Expenses.  The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Underwriting Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and any filing of each Statutory Prospectus (including the Prospectus) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of each amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the preparation, reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of this Underwriting Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Notes, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Notes to the Underwriters, including any charges of DTC in connection therewith, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors (but not the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters), (v) the qualification of the Notes under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey, any supplement thereto and any legal investment survey (such fees and disbursements not to exceed $7,500), (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Notes and (vii) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Notes in accordance with Section 3(g) hereof.
 
Termination of Underwriting Agreement.  If this Underwriting Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in accordance with the provisions of Section 6, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters which were reasonably incurred.
 

 
11

 

Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations.  The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1(a) as of the Applicable Time, the time this Underwriting Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements made in certificates of the Company executed by any officer of the Company or any officer of any of the Company’s subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
 
No Stop Orders.  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall be in effect, no order of the Commission directed to the adequacy or accuracy of any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus shall be in effect, and no proceedings for either purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or relating to the offering of the Notes shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; and
 
No Material Adverse Change.  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the Applicable Time), any material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not  arising in the ordinary course of business.
 
Officer’s Certificate.  The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a) and (b) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 1(a) were true and correct in all material respects when made and are true and correct in all material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date, and that the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date.  The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
 
Opinions of Counsel for the Company.  At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinions, each dated as of the Closing Date, of Wendy E. Stark, Esq., Associate General Counsel for the Company, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, special counsel to the Company, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 hereto and to such further effects as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.  In giving her opinion, Wendy E. Stark may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of New York, upon the opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.  Each counsel may state that, insofar as her or its opinion involves factual matters, such counsel has relied, to the extent she or it deems proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
 

 
12

 

Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters.  At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.  In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, upon the opinion of Wendy E. Stark, and may state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
 
Comfort Letter.
 
On or prior to the date of this Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriters shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a comfort letter, dated the date hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters (of the type ordinarily issued in transactions covered by registration statements filed under the Securities Act) with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and any Statutory Prospectus (including the Prospectus) or incorporated therein by reference, with a specified date not more than three business days prior to the date hereof.
 
At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter dated as of the Closing Date, confirming, as of a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date, the statements contained in the letter delivered pursuant to Section 6(f)(i) hereof.
 
Maintenance of Rating.  At the Closing Date, the Notes shall be rated at least Baa2 by Moody’s and BBB by S&P, and the Company shall have delivered to the Underwriters a letter, dated as of the Closing Date, from each such rating agency, or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, confirming that the Notes have been assigned such ratings; and since the date of this Underwriting Agreement, there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company’s securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.
 
Clearance and Settlement.  At the Closing Date, the Notes shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.
 
Additional Documents.  At the Closing Date, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters.
 

 
13

 

Termination of Underwriting Agreement.  If any condition contemplated by this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Underwriting Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Underwriting Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriters by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 5 and except that Sections 7, 8, 9 and 15(a) shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
 
Indemnification.
 
Indemnification of Underwriters.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities that arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus at any time, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of or are based upon any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission are based upon information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
 
Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers.  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth in the last paragraph of the cover page of the Prospectus regarding the delivery of the Notes and, under the caption “Underwriting,” (i) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph, (ii) the second sentence of the fourth paragraph related to market-making activities, and (iii) the sixth paragraph relating to stabilization, syndicate and covering transactions and penalty bids, in the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Underwriters may otherwise have.
 

 
14

 

Actions Against Parties; Notification.  In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either of the two preceding paragraphs, such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  The omission so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from any liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent such failure results in the loss by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded upon advice of counsel that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or (iii) the indemnifying party fails to assume the defense of such proceeding or to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.  It is understood that, except as provided in the following sentence, the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel for all such indemnified parties.  Such counsel shall be designated in writing by the Representatives in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to the second preceding paragraph, and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to the first preceding paragraph.
 
Settlement.  The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there has been a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include any statement as to, or any admission of, fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
 

 
15

 

Contribution.  In the event that the indemnity provided for in Section 7 is held by a court to be unavailable, in whole or in part, to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and any of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Notes.  If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is held by a court to be unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters.  Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other hand, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Notes underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amounts of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
 
For purposes of this Section 8, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer that signs the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.  The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I hereto and not joint.
 
Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  All representations, warranties and indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Underwriting Agreement or in certificates of the Company submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Underwriting Agreement, any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the Notes to the Underwriters.
 

 
16

 

Termination of Underwriting Agreement.  The Underwriters may terminate this Underwriting Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if  after the effectiveness of this Underwriting Agreement and prior to delivery of and payment for the Notes (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over the counter market, (iii) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or any material disruption in commercial banking, securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, any declaration of war by Congress, or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (iv), makes it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Notes on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  Sections 7, 8, 9 and 16(a) shall survive any termination under this Section 10 and remain in full force and effect.
 
Default by One or More of the Underwriters.  If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Date to purchase the Notes which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Underwriting Agreement (the “Defaulted Notes”), the Underwriters shall have the right, but not the obligation, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other Underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Notes in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Underwriters shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then:
 
if the number of Defaulted Notes does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective obligations to purchase hereunder bear to the obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
 
if the number of Defaulted Notes exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, this Underwriting Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
 
No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default under this Underwriting Agreement.
 
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Underwriting Agreement, either the Underwriters or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
 

 
17

 

  Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Banc of America Securities LLC, One Bryant Park, New York, NY  10036, Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal, Facsimile (646) 855-5958; to Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10004, Attention: Registration Department, Facsimile (212) 902-3000; and to Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., 1 Liberty Plaza, 25th Floor, 165 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, Attention: Debt Capital Markets, Facsimile (212) 225-6550; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 76 South Main Street, Akron, Ohio  44308, Attention: Treasurer, Facsimile: (330) 384-3772.
 

  Parties.  This Underwriting Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Underwriting Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 7 and 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Underwriting Agreement or any provision herein contained.  This Underwriting Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.  No purchaser of Notes from the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
 
  Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
 
  the Representatives have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of Notes and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Representatives have been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement, irrespective of whether the Representatives have advised or are advising the Company on other matters;
 
  the price of the Notes set forth in the final term sheet attached as Annex A to Schedule II hereto was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Underwriting Agreement;
 
  the Company has been advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
 

 
18

 

  the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
 
  Patriot Act.  In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow  the underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
 
  Miscellaneous.
 
(a)           GOVERNING LAW AND TIME.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
 
The Company and the Underwriters hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

(b)           Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Company and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
 
(c)           Counterparts.  This Underwriting Agreement may be executed in any number of separate counterparts, each of which, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together, shall constitute but one and the same agreement.
 
(d)           Successors.  This Underwriting Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon, each of the Company, the several Underwriters, and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Sections 7 and 8 hereof.  The term “successor” as used in this Section shall not include any purchaser, as such, of any Notes from the Underwriters.
 
Integration.  This Underwriting Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company  and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
 
Effect of Headings.  The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
 

 
19

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign counterparts hereof.
 
 
   Very truly yours,
   METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
   as Issuer
 
 
 
By:
/s/                    James F. Pearson  
    Name:    James F. Pearson  
    Title:         Vice President & Treasurer             
       
 

 
 
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
 
 
as of the date first above written:
 
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
 
 
By: _/s/___Peter J. Carbone________________
 
       Name:
Peter J. Carbone
 
       Title:
Vice President
 
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
 
 
By: _/s/___Goldman, Sachs & Co.___________
 
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
 
SCOTIA CAPITAL (USA) INC.
 
 
By: _/s/___Keith Rodrogues_________________
 
       Name:
Keith Rodrigues
 
       Title:
Managing Director, President & COO
 
Acting as representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I.



 
 

 

Schedule I
 
Underwriters
 
Principal Amount
of Notes
 
Banc of America Securities LLC                                                                                     
  $ 90,000,000  
Goldman, Sachs & Co.                                                                                      
    90,000,000  
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.                                                                                     
    90,000,000  
PNC Capital Markets LLC                                                                                     
    30,000,000  
Total                                                                 
  $ 300,000,000  


 
Sch I
 

 

Schedule II

Schedule of Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses
 
·  
Final Term Sheet attached to this Schedule II as Annex A (Issuer Free Writing Prospectus)
 
 

Sch. II
 
 

 

ANNEX A
TO SCHEDULE II
 

 
Final Term Sheet
 


Attached hereto.



Sch. II, Annex A-1
 
 

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration No. 333-153608-02
January 14, 2009
METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
PRICING TERM SHEET
 

Issuer
Metropolitan Edison Company
Ratings*
Baa2/BBB (Moody’s/S&P)
Principal Amount
$300,000,000
Security Type
7.70% Senior Notes Due 2019
Trade Date
January 14, 2009
Settlement Date
January 20, 2009; T+3
Maturity Date
January 15, 2019
Coupon Payment Dates
Semi-annual payments in arrears on January 15 and July 15
of each year, beginning on July 15, 2009
Call Structure
Make-whole call at T+50 bps
Benchmark
3.75% due November 15, 2018
Benchmark Price
113-21
Benchmark Yield
2.198%
Reoffer Spread
550.2 bps
Reoffer Yield
7.70%
Coupon
7.70%
Price
100% of principal amount
Net Proceeds (%)
99.35%
Net Proceeds ($)
$298,050,000
Joint-Bookrunners
Banc of America Securities LLC (30%)
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co. (30%)
 
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. (30%)
Co-Manager
PNC Capital Markets LLC (10%)
CUSIP
591894 BX7
ISIN
US591894BX72
 
* Note:  A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.
 
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for this offering.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus for this offering in that registration statement, and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by searching the SEC online database (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, you may obtain a copy of the prospectus from Banc of America Securities LLC by calling toll-free at 1-800-294-1322, Goldman, Sachs & Co. by calling toll-free 1-866-471-2526 or emailing prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com, or Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. by calling toll-free at 1-800-372-3930.
 
 

Sch. II, Annex A-2
 
 

 

Schedule III
Subsidiaries

Name of Subsidiary
Business
State of Organization
% Ownership
Met-Ed Funding LLC
Special-Purpose Finance
Delaware
100%
       
       
       

 

Sch. II, Annex A-3
 
 

 

EX-4.1 3 ex4_1.htm FORM OF 7.70% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019 ex4_1.htm
EXHIBIT 4.1
 

 
UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
 
 
METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
 
7.70% Senior Note due 2019
 
 

 
Original Issue Date:
 
January 20, 2009
 
Stated Maturity:
 
 
January 15, 2019
 
Interest Rate:
 
 
7.70%
 
Interest Payment Dates:
 
 
January 15 and July 15, commencing July 15, 2009
 
Regular Record Dates:
 
 
The Business Day immediately preceding each Interest Payment Date so long as this Note is issued in book-entry only form, otherwise the fifteenth calendar day next preceding each Interest Payment Date.
 
Redeemable:   Yes       No
   
 
NO. 1
   

     
$300,000,000
 
CUSIP No. 591894 BX7
 

 

 
 

 

 
        METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor under the Indenture referred to below), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of THREE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($300,000,000) or such principal amount as shall be set forth in the Schedule attached hereto on the Stated Maturity specified above, and to pay interest thereon from the Original Issue Date specified above or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on the Interest Payment Dates specified above in each year, commencing with the Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Original Issue Date specified above, and at the Stated Maturity, at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. No interest shall accrue on the Stated Maturity, so long as the principal amount of this Note is paid on the Stated Maturity. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date specified above (whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if the Original Issue Date of this Note is after a Regular Record Date and before the corresponding Interest Payment Date, interest so payable for the period from and including the Original Issue Date to but excluding such Interest Payment Date shall be paid on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date to the Holder hereof on the related Regular Record Date, and (b) interest payable at the Stated Maturity shall be payable to the Person to whom principal shall be payable. Except as otherwise provided in said Indenture, any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and shall be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice of which shall be given to Holders of Notes of this series not more than 15 days or less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Interest on this Note shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
 
 
        Principal, applicable premium and interest due at the maturity of this Note shall be payable in immediately available funds when due upon presentation and surrender of this Note at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at the authorized office of any paying agent in the Borough of Manhattan, the City and State of New York. Interest on this Note (other than interest payable at the Stated Maturity) shall be paid by check, payable in clearinghouse funds, mailed to the Holder thereof at such Holder’s address as it appears on the register; provided that if the Trustee receives a written request from any Holder of Notes, the aggregate principal amount of all of which having the same Interest Payment Date as this Note equals or exceeds $10,000,000, on or prior to the applicable Regular Record Date, interest on the Note shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank within the continental United States designated by such Holder in its request or by direct deposit into the account of such Holder designated by such Holder in its request if such account is maintained with the Trustee or any paying agent.
 

 
 

 

 
        This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company (herein called the “Notes”), issued and issuable in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of July 1, 1999 (such Indenture as originally executed and delivered and as supplemented or amended from time to time thereafter, together with any constituent instruments establishing the terms of particular Notes, being herein called the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as successor trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes thereunder and of the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The acceptance of this Note shall be deemed to constitute the consent and agreement by the Holder hereof to all of the terms and provisions of the Indenture. This Note is one of the series designated on the first page hereof.
 
 
        Each Note of this series shall be dated and issued as of the date of its authentication by the Trustee and shall bear an Original Issue Date. Each Note issued upon transfer, exchange or substitution of such Note of this series shall bear the Original Issue Date of such transferred, exchanged or substituted Note.
 
 
        If any Interest Payment Date, or date on which the principal of this Note is required to be paid is not a Business Day, payment of the amounts due on this Note on such date may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such next succeeding Business Day, no interest shall accrue on such amounts for the period from and after such date, to such Business Day.
 
 
        If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
 
 
        As set forth in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Notes will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to such Notes, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes affected by such Event of Default shall have made written request and offered reasonable indemnity to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as Trustee and the Trustee shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of and any premium or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed here.
 
 
        The Notes will be redeemable, as a whole or in part, at the Company’s option, at any time or from time to time, on at least 30 days, but not more than 60 days, prior notice mailed to the registered address of each Holder of the Notes. The redemption prices will be equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments (as defined below) discounted, on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months), at a rate equal to the sum of the Treasury Rate (as defined below) and 50 basis points. In each case accrued interest will be payable to the redemption date.
 

 
 

 

 
        “Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date,
 
·  
the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)”, or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Federal Reserve and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month) or
 
·  
if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
 
 
The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the redemption date.
 
 
        “Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.
 
 
        “Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.
 
 
        “Comparable Treasury Price” means with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
 
 
        “Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.
 

 
 

 

 
        “Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) each of Banc of America Securities LLC and Goldman, Sachs & Co. and their respective successors, provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in The City of New York (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (2) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Independent Investment Banker after consultation with the Company.
 
 
        “Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to the Notes to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of principal of and interest on the Notes that would be due after the related redemption date but for such redemption.  If such redemption date is not an interest payment date with respect to such Notes, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment on those Notes will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued on such Notes to such redemption date.
 
 
        The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modifications of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of Notes under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor in lieu thereof whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon such Note.
 
 
        No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this Note at the times, place and rate, in the coin or currency, and in the manner, prescribed herein or in the Indenture.
 
 
        The Company, at its option, and subject to the terms and conditions provided in the Indenture, will be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the Notes (except for certain obligations including obligations to register the transfer or exchange of Notes, replace stolen, lost or mutilated Notes, maintain paying agencies and hold monies for payment in trust, all as set forth in the Indenture) if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee cash, U.S. Government Obligations maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as will insure the availability of cash, or a combination of cash and U.S. Government Obligations, in any case sufficient, without reinvestment, to pay at maturity or the applicable redemption date all Outstanding Notes, including the principal of and any premium and interest on the Notes on the dates such payments are due in accordance with the terms of the Notes.
 
 
        As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Note register. Upon surrender of this Note for registration or transfer at the corporate trust office of the Trustee or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York, endorsed by or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Note registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or the attorney in fact of such Holder duly authorized in writing, one or more new Notes of this series of like tenor and of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
 

 
 

 

 
        The Notes of this series are issuable only as registered Notes, without coupons, and in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Notes of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of the same series and tranche, of any authorized denominations, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same, and of like tenor upon surrender of the Note or Notes to be exchanged at the office of The Bank of New York Mellon in New York, New York or such other office or agency as may be designated by the Company from time to time.
 
 
        The Trustee shall not be required to exchange or register the transfer of any Notes selected, called or being called for redemption (including Notes, if any, redeemable at the option of the Holder provided such Notes are then redeemable at such Holder’s option) except, in the case of any Note to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be so redeemed.
 
 
        No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.
 
 
        Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
 
 
        The Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
 
 
        As provided in the Indenture, no recourse for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Note, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof; and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company, contained in the Indenture or in any supplemental indenture, or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issuance of the Notes.
 
 
        Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent by manual or facsimile signature of an authorized officer, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
 
 
        All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Indenture.
 
 
[Signature Page Follows]
 
       
 

 
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Metropolitan Edison Company has caused this Note to be signed in its name by its President or a Vice President and its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and attested by its Corporate Secretary or an Assistant Corporate Secretary.
 

January 20, 2009
 
   
METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY
 
   
By:
 
   
Name:
James F. Pearson
   
Title:
Vice President and Treasurer
ATTEST:      
 
 
   
 By:
By:        
   
 Name:
Rhonda S. Ferguson
   
 Title:
Corporate Secretary
   
       

 

 


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION


This Note is one of the Notes of the series designated and described in the within-mentioned Indenture and Supplemental Indenture.

 
The Bank of New York Mellon,
as Trustee
 
 
By:
 
 
Name:
Cheryl L. Clarke
 
Title:
Vice President

 

 
 

 

EX-5.1 4 ex5_1.htm OPINION OF WENDY E. STARK, ESQ. ex5_1.htm

EXHIBIT 5.1

[LETTERHEAD OF METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY]

            January 20, 2009
 

 
Metropolitan Edison Company
c/o FirstEnergy Corp.
76 South Main Street
Akron, Ohio  44308
 
Re: Metropolitan Edison Company, Registration Statement on Form S-3
(Registration No. 333-153608-02)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Associate General Counsel of FirstEnergy Corp., an Ohio corporation (“FirstEnergy”).  This opinion is furnished in connection with the registration, pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of the offering and sale by Metropolitan Edison Company, a Pennsylvania corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy (the “Company”), of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”) issued under an Indenture, dated July 1, 1999, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”), (as amended, the “Indenture”) and sold pursuant to the terms of an Underwriting Agreement, dated January 14, 2009, among Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., as Representatives of the Underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”) and the Company (the “Underwriting Agreement”).  This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.
 
In connection with this opinion, I or persons under my supervision and control have reviewed originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of the Indenture, the form of the Notes, the Underwriting Agreement, the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, the Company’s Amended and Restated By-Laws and the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the issuance and sale of the Notes.  In addition, I or persons under my supervision and control have reviewed originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such other instruments, certificates, records, receipts and documents and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company, and have reviewed such questions of law, as I have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion.  In such review, I have also relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Trustee as to the Trustee’s due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture and the authentication of the Notes and have assumed that, the Notes have been paid for by the Underwriters and that, except for documents signed by officers of the Company, the signatures on all documents examined by me or persons under my supervision and control are genuine, which assumptions I have not independently verified.
 

 
 

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations stated herein, I am of the opinion that the Notes have been validly issued and constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
 
My opinion is subject to and qualified and limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and (ii) general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
 
I am a member of the bar of the State of Pennsylvania, and this opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Pennsylvania.
 
I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company on or about January 20, 2009, which will be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to the use of my name in the prospectus and prospectus supplement forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters”.  In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
 

     Very truly yours,  
       
 
 
/s/     Wendy E. Stark
 
    Wendy E. Stark  
    Counsel for Metropolitan Edison Company  
       
 
 
 

 
 

 

EX-5.2 5 ex5_2.htm OPINION OF AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP ex5_2.htm
EXHIBIT 5.2  

 
[LETTERHEAD OF AKIN GUMP]

    January 20, 2009

Metropolitan Edison Company
c/o FirstEnergy Corp.
76 South Main Street
Akron, Ohio 44308

         Re:
$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Metropolitan Edison Company’s 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”)
   
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
We have acted as special counsel to Metropolitan Edison Company, a Pennsylvania corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration, pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of the offering and sale by the Company of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.70% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”) issued under an Indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of July 1, 1999, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as successor trustee (the “Trustee”), and sold pursuant to the terms of an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated January 14, 2009, among the Company and Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., as Representatives of the Underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”).
 
In our capacity as such counsel, we have either participated in the preparation of or have reviewed and are familiar with the Registration Statement, together with the exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference therein, the base prospectus, dated September 22, 2008, forming a part of the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement, dated January 14, 2009, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Act relating to the offering of the Notes (as so supplemented, the “Prospectus”), the Indenture, the forms of the Notes and the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, we have examined originals or certified copies of such corporate records of the Company and other certificates and documents of officials of the Company, public officials and others as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of this letter. We have also assumed (i) that the Notes have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by or on behalf of the Company, duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and paid for by the Underwriters, (ii) that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed and certified or reproduced copies.


 
 

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth hereinafter, we are of the opinion that the Notes constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
 
The opinions and other matters in this letter are qualified in their entirety and subject to the following:
 
A.  
We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York and the Federal Laws of the United States of America.
 
B.  
The matters expressed in this letter are subject to and qualified and limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer and conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally; (ii) general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and (iii) securities laws and public policy underlying such laws with respect to rights to indemnification and contribution.
  
C.  
This opinion letter is limited to the matters expressly stated herein and no opinion is to be inferred or implied beyond the opinion expressly set forth herein.  We undertake no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to make any inquiry after the date hereof or to advise you of any changes in any matter set forth herein, whether based on a change in the law, a change in any fact relating to the Company or any other person or any other circumstance.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the Commission on or about the date hereof, to the incorporation by reference of this opinion into the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters”. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
 
     Very truly yours,  
       
 
 
/s/   Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P  
   
AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P.
 
       
       
 
 
 
 
 

 

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