Exhbit 4(a)8
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Between
The Southern Company
(as Guarantor)
and
Bankers Trust Company
(as Trustee)
dated as of
June 1, 1997
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE1
Section of Section of
Trust Indenture Act Guarantee
of 1939, as amended Agreement
310(a)...............................4.01(a)
310(b).........................4.01(c), 2.08
310(c)..........................Inapplicable
311(a)...............................2.02(b)
311(b)...............................2.02(b)
311(c)..........................Inapplicable
312(a)...............................2.02(a)
312(b)...............................2.02(b)
313.....................................2.03
314(a)..................................2.04
314(b)..........................Inapplicable
314(c)..................................2.05
314(d)..........................Inapplicable
314(e)......................1.01, 2.05, 3.02
314(f)............................2.01, 3.02
315(a)...............................3.01(d)
315(b)..................................2.07
315(c)..................................3.01
315(d)...............................3.01(d)
315(e)..........................Inapplicable
316(a).........................5.04(i), 2.06
316(b)..................................5.03
316(c)..................................2.02
317(a)..........................Inapplicable
317(b)..........................Inapplicable
318(a)...............................2.01(b)
318(b)..................................2.01
318(c)...............................2.01(a)
1This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Guarantee
Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or
provisions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I.....................................................1
SECTION 1.01. Definitions.....................................1
ARTICLE II....................................................3
SECTION 2.01. Trust Indenture Act; Application................3
SECTION 2.02. Lists of Holders of Securities..................4
SECTION 2.03. Reports by the Trustee..........................4
SECTION 2.04. Periodic Reports to Trustee.....................4
SECTION 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions
Precedent............................................4
SECTION 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver.......................4
SECTION 2.07. Event of Default; Notice........................5
SECTION 2.08. Conflicting Interests...........................5
ARTICLE III...................................................5
SECTION 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Trustee................5
SECTION 3.02. Certain Rights of Trustee.......................6
SECTION 3.03. Compensation; Fees; Indemnity...................8
ARTICLE IV....................................................8
SECTION 4.01. Trustee; Eligibility............................8
SECTION 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of
Trustee..............................................9
ARTICLE V....................................................10
SECTION 5.01. Guarantee......................................10
SECTION 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand....................10
SECTION 5.03. Obligations Not Affected.......................10
SECTION 5.04. Rights of Holders..............................11
SECTION 5.05. Guarantee of Payment...........................11
SECTION 5.06. Subrogation....................................11
SECTION 5.07. Independent Obligations........................12
ARTICLE VI...................................................12
SECTION 6.01. Subordination..................................12
ARTICLE VII..................................................12
SECTION 7.01. Termination....................................12
ARTICLE VIII.................................................12
SECTION 8.01. Successors and Assigns.........................12
SECTION 8.02. Amendments.....................................13
SECTION 8.03. Notices........................................13
SECTION 8.04. Benefit........................................14
SECTION 8.05. Interpretation.................................14
SECTION 8.06. Governing Law..................................14
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT ("Guarantee Agreement"),
dated as of June 1, 1997, between THE SOUTHERN COMPANY, a Delaware corporation
(the "Guarantor"), and BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, a New York banking corporation, as
trustee (the "Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from
time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of SOUTHERN COMPANY
CAPITAL TRUST III, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement"), dated as of June 1, 1997, among the Trustee, the other
Trustees named therein, Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), as Depositor, and the holders of undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, the Trust is issuing as of June
6, 1997 $200,000,000 aggregate liquidation amount of its 7.75% Preferred
Securities (the "Preferred Securities") representing preferred undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and having the terms set forth
in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Trust and the
proceeds thereof will be used to purchase the Junior Subordinated Notes (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of the Company, which will be held by the Trust
as trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires to irrevocably and unconditionally agree, to
the extent set forth herein, to pay to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (as
defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions
set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the payment for Preferred
Securities by each Holder (as defined herein) thereof, which payment the
Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and
delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders from time to
time of the Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01. Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the
terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the
following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used but not
otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the
Trust Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
"Event of Default" means a failure by the Guarantor to perform any of
its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.
"Guarantee Payments" shall mean the following payments or
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to
the extent not paid or made by or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accrued and
unpaid distributions that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities
but if and only if and to the extent the Trust has funds legally and immediately
available therefor to make such payment; (ii) the redemption price, including
all accrued and unpaid distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption
Price"), with respect to the Preferred Securities called for redemption by the
Trust but if and only if and to the extent that the Trust has funds legally and
immediately available therefor sufficient to make such payment; and (iii) upon a
voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust
(other than in connection with the distribution of Junior Subordinated Notes to
the holders of Trust Securities or the redemption of all of the Preferred
Securities), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all
accrued and unpaid distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent the Trust has funds legally and immediately available
therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of the Trust remaining available for
distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Trust (in either case, the
"Liquidation Distribution").
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor, the Company or any Affiliate of the Guarantor
or the Company.
"Indenture" means the Subordinated Note Indenture dated as of June 1,
1997, among the Company, as Subordinated Note Issuer, the Guarantor, as
guarantor, and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee, as supplemented by the First
Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 6, 1997, by and among the Company, the
Guarantor and Bankers Trust Company, as trustee.
"Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities" means a vote
by Holder(s) of Preferred Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than
50% of the liquidation amount of all Preferred Securities outstanding at the
time of determination.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant
Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Guarantor, and
delivered to the Trustee. Any Officers' Certificate delivered with respect to
compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee Agreement
shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions
relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering
the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to
whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Trustee, any managing
director, any vice president, any assistant vice president, any assistant
secretary, any assistant treasurer, or any other officer of the Corporate Trust
and Agency Group of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to
those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with
respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such
matter is referred because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with
the particular subject.
"Successor Trustee" means a successor Trustee possessing the
qualifications to act as Trustee under Section 4.01.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
"Trustee" means Bankers Trust Company until a Successor Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this
Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Trustee.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.01. Trust Indenture Act; Application.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and
shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions; and
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement
limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
SECTION 2.02. Lists of Holders of Securities.
(a) The Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee
(a) semiannually, not later than June 1 and December 1 in each year, a list, in
such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of
the Holders ("List of Holders") as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the
time such list is furnished, and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may
request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of any
such request, a List of Holders as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the
time such list is furnished; provided that, the Guarantor shall not be obligated
to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ
from the most recent List of Holders given to the Trustee by the Guarantor or at
any time the Trustee is the Securities Registrar under the Trust Agreement. The
Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a
new List of Holders.
(b) The Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Sections
311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.03. Reports by the Trustee. Within 60 days after May 15 of
each year commencing May 15, 1998, the Trustee shall provide to the Holders of
the Preferred Securities such reports as are required by Section 313(a) of the
Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section
313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall also comply with the other
requirements of Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.04. Periodic Reports to Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide
to the Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section
314 of the Trust Indenture Act (if any) in the form, in the manner and at the
times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, and shall provide,
within 120 days after the end of each of its fiscal years, the compliance
certificate required by Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act in the form
and in the manner required by such Section.
SECTION 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Trustee such evidence of compliance with any
conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that
relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture
Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to
Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver. The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of all of the
Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver,
any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising
therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this
Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.
(a) The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event
of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders,
notices of all Events of Default known to the Trustee, unless such defaults have
been cured before the giving of such notice, provided that the Trustee shall be
protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors,
the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible
Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such
notice is in the interests of the Holders.
(b) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of
Default unless the Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible
Officer charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have
obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.
SECTION 2.08. Conflicting Interests. The Trust Agreement shall be
deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes
of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Trustee.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Trustee for the
benefit of the Holders, and the Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee
Agreement to any Person except the Trustee shall assign rights hereunder to a
Holder to the extent such assignment is necessary to exercise such Holder's
rights pursuant to Section 5.04 or to a Successor Trustee upon acceptance by
such Successor Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Trustee. The
right, title and interest of the Trustee shall automatically vest in any
Successor Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective
whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant
to the appointment of such Successor Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee
shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.
(c) The Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and
after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Guarantee Agreement against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has
occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06), the
Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this
Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise
thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in
the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to
relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own
negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall
be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Guarantee Agreement, and the Trustee shall not be liable
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of
the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or
opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically
required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be
under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless it
shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the
pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with the direction of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount
of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this
Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require
the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the
exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Trustee shall have
reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or
liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.02. Certain Rights of Trustee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:
(i) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully
protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or
parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate;
(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved
or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action
hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and
rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such request,
shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its choice, and
the advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters
shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of
any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and
in accordance with such advice or opinion; such counsel may be counsel
to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its
employees; the Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement
from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(v) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the
request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have
provided to the Trustee reasonable security and indemnity satisfactory
to the Trustee against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees
and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying
with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as
may be requested by the Trustee; provided that nothing contained in
this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Trustee, upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the
rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement;
(vi) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation
into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness
or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may
make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters
as it may see fit;
(vii) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents or attorneys, and the Trustee shall not be responsible
for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
appointed with due care by it hereunder; and
(viii) whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement the Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions
with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other
action hereunder, the Trustee (i) may request instructions from the
Holders, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking
such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall
be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose
any duty or obligation on the Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any
right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction
in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Trustee shall be unqualified or
incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts
or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or
authority available to the Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.03. Compensation; Fees; Indemnity.
The Guarantor agrees:
(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for
all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder (which compensation shall not be
limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an
express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the
Trustee upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances
incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this
Guarantee Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and
(c) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold the Trustee harmless
against, any and all loss, damage, claims, liability or expense incurred without
negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs
and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection
with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.
The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this
Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.01. Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be a Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Company; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by
the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional
trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus
of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to
supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District
of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of
the supervising or examining authority referred to above, then, for the
purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus
of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so
published.
(b) If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act
under Section 4.01(a), the Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and
with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).
(c) If the Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest"
within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and
Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act, subject to the rights of the Trustee under the
penultimate paragraph thereof.
SECTION 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Trustee.
(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Trustee may be appointed or removed
without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Trustee shall not be removed until a Successor Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor
Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The
Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting)
by an instrument in writing executed by the Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing
executed by such Successor Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the
resigning Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted
appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 60 days after delivery to
the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Trustee may
petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor
Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it
may deem proper, appoint a Successor Trustee.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.01. Guarantee. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication
of amounts theretofore paid by or on behalf of the Trust), as and when due,
regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim which the Guarantor
may have or assert against any Person. The Guarantor's obligation to make a
Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by
the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Trust to pay such amounts to the
Holders.
SECTION 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which
it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a
proceeding first against the Trust or any other Person before proceeding against
the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of
redemption and all other notices and demands.
SECTION 5.03. Obligations Not Affected. The obligation of the Guarantor
to make the Guarantee Payments under this Guarantee Agreement shall in no way be
affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the
following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Trust;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any
other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension
of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other
sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the Junior Subordinated Notes permitted by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or
any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or extension of any
kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Trust or any of the assets of the
Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.04. Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges
that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Trustee to be held
for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Trustee has the right to enforce this
Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities have the right to direct the
time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to
the Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust or
power conferred upon the Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement, provided that
such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this
Guarantee Agreement, and could not involve the Trustee in personal liability in
circumstances where reasonable indemnity would not be adequate; and (iv) any
Holder may institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to
enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a
legal proceeding against or requesting or directing that action be taken by the
Trustee or any other Person; it being understood and intended that no one or
more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by virtue of,
or by availing of, any provision of this Guarantee Agreement to affect, disturb
or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders or to obtain or to seek to
obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any
right under this Guarantee Agreement, except in the manner herein provided and
for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.
SECTION 5.05. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee Agreement creates a
guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be
discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without
duplication) or upon the distribution of Junior Subordinated Notes to the
Holders in exchange for all of the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 5.06. Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if
any) rights of the Holders against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid to
the Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however,
that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory
provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may
acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other
agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement,
if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts of Guarantee Payments are due
and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the
Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold
such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.
SECTION 5.07. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that
its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Trust with
respect to the Preferred Securities and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the
terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event
referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.01. Subordination. This Guarantee Agreement will constitute
an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and
junior in right of payment to all other liabilities of the Guarantor, including
the Junior Subordinated Notes, except those obligations or liabilities made pari
passu or subordinate by their terms, (ii) pari passu with the most senior
preferred or preference stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor and with
any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any
preferred or preference securities of any Affiliate of the Guarantor, and (iii)
senior to all common stock of the Guarantor.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.01. Termination. This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate and
be of no further force and effect upon: (i) full payment of the Redemption Price
of all Preferred Securities, (ii) the distribution of Junior Subordinated Notes
to the Holders in exchange for all of the Preferred Securities, or (iii) full
payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon
liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee
Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may
be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect
to Preferred Securities or under this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 8.01. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements
contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns,
receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in
connection with a consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, or lease
involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article Eight of the Indenture,
the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 8.02. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes which do
not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case no
consent of Holders will be required), this Guarantee Agreement may only be
amended with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than 66-2/3% in
liquidation amount of all the outstanding Preferred Securities. The provisions
of Article Six of the Trust Agreement concerning meetings of Holders shall apply
to the giving of such approval.
SECTION 8.03. Notices. Any notice, request or other communication
required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by
the party giving such notice, and delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class
mail as follows:
(a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address set forth below or such
other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Trustee and the
Holders:
The Southern Company
270 Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Facsimile No.: (404) 506-0808
Attn: Secretary
with copy to:
Southern Company Services, Inc.
270 Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 2000
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Facsimile No.: (404) 506-0674
Attention: Corporate Finance Department
(b) if given to the Trust, in care of the Trustee, or to the Trustee at
the Trust's (and the Trustee's) address set forth below or such other address as
the Trustee on behalf of the Trust may give notice to the Holders:
Southern Company Capital Trust III
c/o Bankers Trust Company
Four Albany Street
New York, New York 10006
Attn: Corporate Trust and Agency Group
Manager Public Utilities Group
with a copy, in the case of a notice to the Trust (other than a notice
from the Guarantor), to the Guarantor;
(c) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Trust.
All notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given when received
in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 8.04. Benefit. This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the
benefit of the Holders and, subject to Section 3.01(a), is not separately
transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 8.05. Interpretation. In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the
context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not defined
in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section
1.01;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended
from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections
are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise
specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when
used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee
Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and
(g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein shall include
the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
SECTION 8.06. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK. THE GUARANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION
OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK AND
ANY COURT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK IN
ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT AGAINST IT AND RELATED TO OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
THEREBY, AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE GUARANTOR HEREBY
WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO ASSERT BY WAY OF MOTION, AS A DEFENSE OR OTHERWISE IN
ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, ANY CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT PERSONALLY SUBJECT
TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS, THAT THE SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS
BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM, THAT THE VENUE OF THE SUIT, ACTION OR
PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER, OR THAT THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT OR ANY DOCUMENT OR ANY
INSTRUMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF MAY NOT BE LITIGATED
IN OR BY SUCH COURTS. THE GUARANTOR AGREES THAT SERVICE OF PROCESS MAY BE MADE
UPON IT BY CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL TO THE ADDRESS FOR NOTICES SET FORTH IN
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT OR ANY METHOD AUTHORIZED BY THE LAWS OF NEW YORK.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above
written.
THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
By:
Name: W.L. Westbrook
Title: Financial Vice President
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
By:
Name:
Title: