1 EXHIBIT 4.1 THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC, A MICHIGAN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT DATED: Effective _________________, 2000 2 THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC, A MICHIGAN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE AND SECTION PAGE ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS....................................................................1 ARTICLE II CONTINUATION AND GENERAL MATTERS WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPANY..................5 2.1 Continuation; Filings.................................................5 2.2 Name; Ownership of Property...........................................6 2.3 Office; Resident Agent................................................6 2.4 Purposes..............................................................6 2.5 Term..................................................................7 2.6 Special Covenants.....................................................8 ARTICLE III IDENTITY OF MEMBER; MEMBER'S CONTRIBUTIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS..................11 3.1 Member...............................................................11 3.2 Capital Contributions................................................11 3.3 Return of Capital Contributions; Interest on Capital Contributions...12 3.4 Sale of Securitization Property......................................12 3.5 Approval of Member...................................................12 3.6 Action by Member.....................................................12 3.7 Compensation and Reimbursement of Member.............................13 3.8 Limited Liability of Member..........................................13 3.9 Activities of Member.................................................13 ARTICLE IV MANAGEMENT....................................................................13 4.1 Management by Managers...............................................13 4.2 Number and Appointment of Managers...................................14 4.3 Independent Managers.................................................15 4.4 Resignation or Removal of Managers...................................16 4.5 Meetings of Managers.................................................16 4.6 Quorum; Voting by Managers...........................................17 4.7 Written Approval of Managers in Lieu of Meeting......................17 4.8 Managers' Positions Within the Member................................17 4.9 Managers' Compensation and Reimbursement.............................17 4.10 Managers' Duty to Devote Time........................................17 4.11 Managers' Standard of Care and Absence of Liability..................18 ARTICLE V ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO MEMBER; RECORD KEEPING AND TAX MATTERS................................................18 5.1 Allocations..........................................................18 5.2 Distributions........................................................18 5.3 Expenses.............................................................18 5.4 Books and Records....................................................19 5.5 Fiscal Year; Accounting Method.......................................19 5.6 Tax Information, Financial Statements and Reports....................20 (i) 3 5.7 Tax Matters Partner..................................................20 5.8 Bank Accounts........................................................20 ARTICLE VI ASSIGNMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST............................................20 6.1 Assignment of Membership Interest....................................20 6.2 Disability Event as to Member........................................21 6.3 Admission of Substitution Member.....................................21 6.4 Admission of Additional Members......................................22 6.5 Merger or Consolidation of Member....................................22 6.6 Withdrawal...........................................................22 ARTICLE VII EXCULPATION AND INDEMNIFICATION...............................................22 7.1 Exculpation..........................................................22 7.2 Indemnification......................................................23 7.3 Advancement of Expenses..............................................24 7.4 Indemnification of Employees and Agents..............................24 7.5 Nonexclusivity of Rights and Other Matters...........................24 7.6 Insurance............................................................24 7.7 Saving Clause........................................................25 7.8 Contribution.........................................................25 ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION...................................................25 8.1 Term.................................................................25 8.2 Winding Up and Liquidation of the Company............................26 8.3 Certificate of Dissolution...........................................27 ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS......................................................27 9.1 Offset...............................................................27 9.2 Nonpetition Covenant.................................................27 9.3 Notices..............................................................28 9.4 Construction.........................................................28 9.5 Severability.........................................................29 9.6 Waiver...............................................................29 9.7 No Conflict with Articles............................................29 9.8 Entire Agreement.....................................................29 9.9 Amendment............................................................30 9.10 Binding Agreement....................................................30 9.11 Counterparts.........................................................30 Schedule I - Schedule of Managers (ii) 4 THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC, A MICHIGAN LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT THIS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT is made and entered into effective as of _________________, 200_, by and among (i) THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC, a Michigan limited liability company, whose address is 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226 ("FUNDING"), (ii) THE DETROIT EDISON COMPANY, a Michigan corporation, whose address is 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226 ("DETROIT EDISON") and (iii) each of the managers of the Company identified on Schedule I attached hereto and incorporated herein. RECITALS: A. On November 20, 2000, Detroit Edison, as the sole member, caused Articles of Organization with respect to Funding (the "ORIGINAL ARTICLES") to be filed with the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services, Bureau of Commercial Services, Corporation Division (the "DEPARTMENT"), thereby causing Funding to be formed as a limited liability company (the "COMPANY") under and subject to the LLC Act (as defined below). B. The parties hereto desire to set forth their agreements as to (i) the terms and conditions of Detroit Edison's membership in the Company, including its obligation to contribute capital to the Company, (ii) the activities of the Company, including the issuance of the Bonds in accordance with the Financing Order (as such terms are defined below) and the satisfaction of the Company's obligations with respect to such Bonds, (iii) certain indemnifications being provided by the Company and (iv) the operation and management of the Company. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows: ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS The following capitalized terms shall have the following meanings: "ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT" shall mean the Administration Agreement, dated _________________, 200_, between the Company, as issuer, and Detroit Edison, as administrator, with respect to the provision of corporate management services to the Company, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time. "AFFILIATE", with respect to any specified Person, shall mean any other Person controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified Person, where "CONTROL", when used with 5 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" shall have meanings correlative to the foregoing; it being acknowledged by the parties hereto that the Company is not controlled by and is not under common control with Detroit Edison, and, accordingly, is not an Affiliate of Detroit Edison. "AGREEMENT" shall mean this Limited Liability Company Agreement, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified or restated from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof. "ARTICLES" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1 hereof. "ASSIGN," "ASSIGNEE" and "ASSIGNMENT" have the meanings set forth in Section 6.1(b) hereof. "BASIC DOCUMENTS" shall mean the Formation Documents, the Indenture, the Sale Agreement, the Bill of Sale, the Servicing Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement, the Hedge Agreements and the Interest Rate Swap Agreements. "BILL OF SALE" shall mean the bill of sale issued by Detroit Edison to the Company as of _________________, 200_ pursuant to the Sale Agreement. "BONDS" shall mean one or more Classes of securitization bonds, Series 2001-1, issued pursuant to the Indenture and the Financing Order. "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks are authorized or required by law to be closed in the City of Detroit, Michigan. "CLASS" shall mean any one of the classes of Bonds, and "CLASSES" shall mean Bonds of more than one Class. "CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (or any successor law). "COMPANY" has the meaning set forth in Recital A. "COMPETITION ACT" shall mean, jointly, the Customer Choice and Electric Reliability Act, Senate Bill No. 937, 2000 PA 141 and Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1253, 2000 PA 142, both effective June 5, 2000, both with respect to the restructuring of the electric utility business in Michigan, which acts authorize electric utilities to (i) recover qualified costs through irrevocable non-bypassable securitization charges, (ii) assign such securitization charges to special purpose entities and (iii) issue or have their assignees issue debt securities secured by such securitization charges, as amended from time to time (and any successor laws). "DAY" or "DAYS" shall mean each calendar day, including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays; provided, however, that if the day on which a period of time for consent or approval or other action ends is not a business day, such period shall end on the next business day. 2 6 "DEPARTMENT" has the meaning set forth in Recital A. "DETROIT EDISON" has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof. "DISABILITY EVENT" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(a) hereof. "FINANCING ORDER" shall mean the order issued by MPSC on November 2, 2000 in MPSC Case No. U-12478 pursuant to the Competition Act, providing for the creation of the Securitization Property, the collection of the Securitization Charge and the periodic adjustment of the Securitization Charge; and authorizing the creation of a special purpose entity to acquire title to the Securitization Property and to issue the Bonds. "FORMATION DOCUMENTS" shall mean this Agreement and the Articles. "FUNDING" has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof. "GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY" shall mean any federal, state, local or foreign court or governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency, authority, instrumentality or regulatory body. "HEDGE AGREEMENTS" shall mean, collectively, any agreements between the Company and third party counterparties entered into to protect against interest rate movements prior to the pricing of the Bonds, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time. "INDENTURE" shall mean the Indenture, dated as of _________________, 200_, between the Company, as ____________________, and the Trustee, with respect to the issuance of the Bonds pursuant to the Financing Order, the repayment of the Bonds and related matters, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time. "INDEPENDENT MANAGER" shall mean, with respect to the Company, a Manager who is not, and within the five years prior to the date of his appointment was not (except solely by virtue of such Person's serving as, or being an Affiliate of any other Person serving as, an independent director or manager, as applicable, of the Member or any bankruptcy-remote special purpose entity that is an Affiliate of the Member or the Company), (i) a stockholder, member, partner, director, officer, employee, manager, Affiliate, customer, supplier, creditor, contractor or independent contractor of, or any Person that has received any benefit in any form whatever from (other than in such Manager's capacity as a ratepayer or customer of the Member in the ordinary course of business), or any Person that has provided any service in any form whatsoever to, or any major creditor (or any Affiliate of any major creditor) of, the Company, the Member, or any of their Affiliates, or (ii) a Person owning beneficially, directly or indirectly, any outstanding shares of common stock, any limited liability company interests or any partnership interests, as applicable, of the Company, the Member or any of their Affiliates, or of any major creditor (or any Affiliate of any major creditor) of any of the foregoing, or a stockholder, member, partner, director, officer, employee, Affiliate, customer, supplier, creditor or independent contractor of, or any Person that has received any benefit in any form whatever from (other than in such Person's capacity as a ratepayer or customer of the Member in the ordinary course of business), or any Person that has provided any service in any form whatever to, such beneficial owner or any of such beneficial owner's Affiliates, or (iii) a member of the immediate family of any person described above; provided that, the indirect or beneficial ownership of stock through a mutual fund or similar diversified investment vehicle with respect to which the owner does not have discretion or control over the investments held by such diversified investment vehicle shall not preclude such owner from being an Independent Manager. For purposes of this definition, "MAJOR CREDITOR" shall 3 7 mean a natural person or business entity to which the Company, the Member or any of their Affiliates has outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money or credit on open account in a sum sufficiently large as would reasonably be expected to influence the judgment of the proposed Independent Manager adversely to the interests of the Company when the interests of that Person are adverse to those of the Company, and "INDEPENDENT MANAGERS" shall mean all Independent Managers, collectively. [NOTE: THIS DEFINITION, WHICH WAS SUGGESTED BY BROWN AND WOOD IN ITS DELAWARE LLC AGREEMENT, IS DIFFERENT THAN (AND MUCH LONGER THAN) THE DEFINITION IN THE PROSPECTUS.] "INTEREST RATE SWAP AGREEMENTS" shall mean, collectively, any agreements with respect to any Classes of floating rate Bonds between the Company and recognized swap dealers, as swap counterparties, for interest rate swap transactions, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time. "LLC ACT" shall mean the Michigan Limited Liability Company Act, MCLA 450.4101 et seq, as amended from time to time (and any successor law). "MANAGER" and "MANAGERS" have the meanings set forth in Section 4.1 hereof. "MEMBER" shall mean Detroit Edison, in its capacity as a Member of the Company, or any successor in interest of Detroit Edison which is admitted to the Company as a substitute Member in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof, or any additional Person which is admitted as a Member of the Company in accordance with Section 6.4 hereof. "MEMBERSHIP INTEREST" shall mean all of the right, title and interest of the Member in its capacity as a member of the Company within the meaning of the LLC Act and this Agreement. "MPSC" shall mean the Michigan Public Service Commission or any successor Governmental Authority. "ORIGINAL ARTICLES" has the meaning set forth in Recital A. "PERSON" or "PERSONS" shall mean any natural person, corporation, business trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or Governmental Authority. "PROCEEDING" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(a) hereof. "REPRESENTATIVE" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(a) hereof. "SALE AGREEMENT" shall mean the Securitization Property Sale Agreement, dated as of _________________, 200_, between Detroit Edison, as seller, and the Company, as issuer, with respect to the sale and assignment of the Securitization Property to the Company, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time. "SECURITIZATION CHARGE" shall mean that certain non-bypassable charge provided for in the Financing Order for the purpose of providing funds for the full recovery of certain qualified costs of Detroit Edison, which shall be payable pursuant to, and as set forth in, the Financing Order. 4 8 "SECURITIZATION PROPERTY" shall mean the irrevocable right of Detroit Edison to impose, collect, receive and be paid the Securitization Charge; the right to obtain periodic adjustments of the Securitization Charge; and the revenues, collections, payments, money and proceeds arising under or with respect to the foregoing. "SERVICING AGREEMENT" shall mean the Securitization Property Servicing Agreement, dated as of __________________, 200_, between the Company, as _______________________ and Detroit Edison, as servicer, whereby the servicer will manage, service, administer and effect collection of the Securitization Charge, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and in effect from time to time. "SPECIAL MEMBERS" and "SPECIAL MEMBER" have the meanings set forth in Section 6.2(b) hereof. "SUCCESSOR ENTITY" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(b) hereof. "TAX MATTERS PARTNER" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.7 hereof. "TREASURY REGULATION" shall mean a regulation, including a proposed or temporary regulation, promulgated under the Code, or any other successor Treasury Regulation. References herein to a specific provision of a proposed or temporary regulation shall include the analogous provision of the final Treasury Regulation. "TRUSTEE" shall mean the party named as such in the Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture, and, thereafter, the successor. "UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT" shall mean the Underwriting Agreement, dated ________________, 200_, among the Company, Detroit Edison and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc., on behalf of itself and as representative of the several underwriters listed therein, with respect to the sale and purchase of the Bonds. ARTICLE II CONTINUATION AND GENERAL MATTERS WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPANY 2.1 CONTINUATION; FILINGS. By execution of this Agreement, the parties hereto agree to the continuation of the Company as a limited liability company pursuant to and in accordance with the LLC Act. Immediately following the execution of this Agreement, the parties agree to the filing by the Company with the Department of a restatement of the Original Articles (the restatement of the Original Articles, as amended and/or restated from time to time, is referred to herein as the "ARTICLES"), amending and restating in their entirety the Original Articles. The parties further agree to execute and deliver, or to the execution 5 9 and/or delivery on behalf of the Company of, such other certificates, instruments, notices and/or documents, and to the filing, recording and publishing of such certificates, instruments, notices and/or documents, and to the performance of such other acts, as may be necessary or appropriate from time to time to comply with all applicable requirements for the existence and continuation of the Company in the State of Michigan and the carrying out of its activities. The parties agree that the operation of the Company and the relationship of the Member and Managers to the Company shall, subject to Section 9.7 hereof, be governed by the Formation Documents. 2.2 NAME; OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY. (a) The name of the Company shall continue to be THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC. The Company may use such other names as may be selected by the Managers from time to time, and may also conduct its business under one or more assumed names selected by the Managers from time to time. (b) All business of the Company shall be conducted in the name or assumed name(s) of the Company that have been selected by the Managers in accordance with subsection (a) above, and all contracts, property and other assets of the Company shall be held in such name(s). The Member shall not hold any items of the Company in its individual name and shall not have any ownership interest in the aforesaid contracts, property and other assets, except that the Member may temporarily hold the collected portions of the Securitization Charge in its accounts pending delivery in accordance with the Servicing Agreement. 2.3 OFFICE; RESIDENT AGENT. (a) The principal office of the Company and the registered office which the Company is required to maintain under the LLC Act shall be located at 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226 or at such other places within the State of Michigan as may be selected by the Managers from time to time. (b) Susan M. Beale, whose address is 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279, or such other Person as may be selected by the Managers from time to time, shall be the resident agent of the Company. If the resident agent shall ever resign, the Managers shall promptly appoint a successor. 2.4 PURPOSES. The Company has been formed exclusively for the following purposes: (1) to purchase, hold, own, manage, administer, service, collect amounts due on and otherwise deal with the Securitization Property; the Company's rights in any funds held by the Trustee; any other assets to be acquired pursuant to the Basic Documents; and any proceeds and rights associated therewith; (2) to authorize, issue, sell and deliver the Bonds under the Indenture; 6 10 (3) to create security interests in and pledge the Securitization Property and the other collateral of the Company to the Trustee pursuant to the terms of the Competition Act, the Financing Order and the Indenture; (4) to enter into Hedge Agreements and Interest Rate Swap Agreements and obtain credit enhancement for the Bonds; (5) to negotiate, authorize, execute, deliver, assume the obligations under, and perform, the Basic Documents and any other agreement or instrument or document relating to the activities set forth in items (1), (2), (3) and (4) above; provided that, each party to any agreement with the Company shall covenant that it shall not, prior to the date which is one year and one day after the termination of the Indenture and the payment in full of the Bonds and any other amounts owed under the Indenture, including, without limitation, any amounts owed to third-party credit enhancers, and any amounts owed under the Hedge Agreements or Interest Rate Swap Agreements, acquiesce, petition or otherwise invoke or cause the Company to invoke the process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing or sustaining a case against the Company under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any substantial part of the property of the Company, or order the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company; and, provided further, that the Company shall be permitted to incur additional indebtedness or other liabilities payable to service providers and trade creditors in the ordinary course of business in connection with the foregoing activities; (6) to invest the proceeds from the Securitization Property and the Company's other assets, capital and income in accordance with the Basic Documents, or otherwise in a manner not inconsistent with the Basic Documents; (7) to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Securitization Property and its other assets and property, and, in connection therewith, to accept, collect, hold, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of evidences of indebtedness received pursuant thereto, subject to the Basic Documents, as applicable; and (8) to engage in and perform any activity and exercise any powers permitted to be exercised by limited liability companies under the laws of the State of Michigan that are related or incidental to the foregoing and necessary, suitable or convenient to accomplish the foregoing, and for no other purposes. 2.5 TERM. The term of the Company commenced on November 20, 2000 and shall continue until it is dissolved and liquidated in accordance with the provisions of the Formation Documents. 7 11 2.6 SPECIAL COVENANTS. (a) The Company covenants as follows: (1) the Company shall (i) act and conduct business solely in its limited liability company name or assumed name(s) and through its duly authorized Member or Managers, (ii) take all reasonable steps to continue its identity as, and at all times hold itself out to other Persons as, a legal entity separate from the Member and any other Person and make it apparent to other Persons that it is an entity with assets and liabilities distinct from the Member and other Persons, (iii) conduct its business so as not to mislead others as to its identity or its assets, (iv) make it apparent to other Persons that, except for federal and state tax purposes and certain internal accounting purposes, it is not a division of the Member or any of the Affiliates of the Member or any other Person and (v) correct any known misunderstanding regarding its separate identity; (2) the Company shall observe all formalities required by this Agreement; (3) the Company shall maintain an arm's-length relationship with its Affiliates and Detroit Edison; (4) the Company shall not form, or cause to be formed, any subsidiaries; (5) except as otherwise provided in the Basic Documents, the funds and other assets of the Company shall not be commingled with those of any other Person, and the books and records (including the business and accounting records) of the Company shall be maintained separately from those of the Member and shall reflect the Company's separate identity and its separate ownership of the Securitization Property; (6) the Company shall pay its own liabilities out of its own funds, including the fees and expenses of the administrator and servicer pursuant to the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, respectively; (7) the Company shall use its own separate stationery, invoices, checks and other business forms; (8) the Company shall allocate fairly and reasonably any overhead for office space, personnel and facilities shared with the Member or any other Person; (9) the Company shall not (i) except as set forth in the Basic Documents, own, purchase, repurchase, acquire or agree to acquire any stock, obligations, assets or securities, or any interest in the Member or any Person (other than Eligible Investments as defined in the Basic Documents), or any other interest in, or make capital contributions to, any other Person or (ii) make any expenditure for capital assets or lease any capital assets other than the Securitization Property purchased pursuant to the Sale Agreement; (10) the Company shall not (i) issue, incur or assume any indebtedness or any other obligations except for the Bonds and expenses related thereto, except as otherwise contemplated by the Basic Documents, (ii) guaranty, become obligated for or hold itself out as being liable for (whether contingently or otherwise) the debts of the Member or any other Person, otherwise hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations of the 8 12 Member or any other Person, (iii) pledge its assets for the benefit of any Person other than the Trustee or (iv) make loans or advances or extend credit to any Person; (11) the Company shall at all times ensure that its capitalization is adequate in light of its business and purpose; (12) the business and affairs of the Company shall be managed and operated in strict conformity with the Basic Documents; (13) the Company shall (i) not permit the lien of the Indenture not to constitute a continuing valid first priority security interest in the collateral identified in the Indenture, (ii) take any action necessary or advisable to maintain and preserve the lien and security interest, and priority thereof, of the Indenture, (iii) not permit the validity of the Indenture to be impaired or the lien of the Indenture to be amended, subordinated, terminated or discharged, (iv) not permit any lien, charge, claim, security interest, mortgage or other encumbrance, other than the lien and security interest created by the Indenture, to be created on or to extend to or otherwise arise upon or burden the collateral or any part thereof identified in the Indenture, any interest therein or any proceeds thereof, (v) not permit any Person to be released from any covenants or obligations with respect to the Indenture except as expressly permitted by the Indenture and (vi) not, except as expressly permitted by Basic Documents, sell, transfer, exchange or dispose of any of the collateral identified in the Indenture unless directed to do so by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture; (14) the Bonds shall be secured by a security interest in all assets of the Company and shall be paid solely from the Securitization Charges and other assets of the Company; and there shall be no recourse to the Member for payments of principal, interest or any other amount owed or due under or in connection with the Bonds by bondholders, the Trustee, the Company or any other Person; (15) the Company shall be operated in such a manner as the Managers deem reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve (i) the limited liability of Detroit Edison (or its successor) as the Member in the Company and (ii) until the expiration of the period of one year and one day after the termination of the Indenture and the payment in full of the Bonds, the bankruptcy-remote status of the Company; and (16) the Company shall not make any payments, distributions or dividends to the Member in respect of its Membership Interest other than the amount released to the Company by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture except as otherwise provided in the Indenture. (b) The Member covenants as follows: (1) except as otherwise provided in the Basic Documents, the funds and other assets of the Member shall not be commingled with those of the Company and the books and records of the Company shall be maintained separately from those of the Member and shall be clear and accurate so that another Person would have no difficulty in ascertaining the assets and liabilities of the Company and in segregating all of such assets and liabilities from those of the Member; (2) the Member shall not (i) guaranty or become liable on or hold itself out as being liable for the debts of, or pledge its assets on behalf of, the Company, (ii) seek or obtain credit or incur any obligation to any Person based on the assets of the Company, (iii) induce 9 13 any third party to rely on the creditworthiness of the Company, (iv) maintain or publish consolidated financial statements with the Company unless the financial statements include footnotes indicating that the Securitization Property has been irrevocably sold to the Company and is not available to creditors of the Member under any circumstances, (v) finance the operations of the Company, (vi) borrow any money from or lend any money to the Company or (vii) fail to correct any known misunderstanding or misrepresentation with respect to any of the foregoing; (3) the Member shall at all times (i) act in a way that insures that its creditors reasonably expect and rely upon the Member's assets being available to secure, or serve as the source of payment of the obligations of the Member only and (ii) not act in a way that would lead any creditor to reasonably expect that the assets of the Member would be available to satisfy the obligations of the Company; (4) the Member shall have no liability and shall incur no expense with respect to the credit enhancement obtained by the Company with respect to the Bonds; (5) the capital contribution described in Section 3.2(a) hereof shall be made from the Member's separate funds and not from the proceeds of the sale of the Bonds; (6) the capital contribution made by the Member to the Company shall be reflected on the books of the Member and the Company as a capital contribution and not as an obligation from the Company to the Member; there shall be no contractual obligation or legal compulsion on the part of the Company to repay the capital or any earnings thereon or any equivalent amount to the Member; and the Company shall have no legal or contractual obligation to pay any funds which were theretofore in the Capital Subaccount, the Overcollateralization Account and the Reserve Account (as those terms are defined in the Indenture) and earnings thereon not used to pay debt service on the Bonds and released to the Company, to the Member; (7) the amounts payable to the Member for acting as a servicer under the Servicing Agreement and as the administrator under the Administration Agreement are fair and reasonable compensation for the services to be provided by it under those agreements; and prior to the remittance of the Securitization Charge by the Member to the Company, the Securitization Charge shall be accounted for in the books and records of the Member as being the property of the Company; (8) the Member shall retain certain tax charges identified in the Financing Order and the rights and interests arising under the Financing Order related thereto; the Member does not intend its retention of such tax charges to affect the treatment of the sale of the Securitization Property as a true sale and the absolute transfer to the Company of all the Member's rights to such property; (9) the Member believes that the purchase price paid or payable by the Company for the Securitization Property, consisting of the net proceeds of the sale of the Bonds, is fair consideration for the absolute sale of such property by the Member and constitutes reasonably equivalent value therefor; the Member was not insolvent prior to the sale of the Securitization Property, was not rendered insolvent as a result of such sale, was not engaged in business or a transaction, nor was it about to engage in business or a transaction, for which any property remaining after such sale was an unreasonably small capital, and did not intend to incur debts that would be beyond the Member's ability to pay as such debts matured after such sale; 10 14 (10) the Member shall not amend, modify or otherwise change the Formation Documents in a manner which shall adversely affect the existence of the Company as a single purpose entity; (11) the Member has not and the Company shall not encumber the Securitization Property except for the security interest granted to the Trustee for the holders of the Bonds; (12) the Member expects the securitization transaction described in the Basic Documents to be classified on its financial statements as a financing, with the Bonds represented as either debt or deferred revenue. This accounting treatment is necessary to satisfy requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; however, in its financial statements, the Member shall include footnotes and/or textual discussion indicating that the Securitization Property has been irrevocably sold to a bankruptcy-remote entity and that it shall not be available to the Member or its creditors under any circumstances; and (13) the Member has not formed the Company or entered into the securitization transaction described in the Basic Documents with any intention of hindering, delaying or defrauding either present or future creditors. (c) The Company and the Member shall use reasonable efforts to cause the covenants set forth in subsections (a) and (b) hereof to be fulfilled. Failure of the Company, the Member or any Manager on behalf of the Company to comply with any of the foregoing covenants or any of the other covenants contained in this Agreement shall not affect the status of the Company as a separate legal entity or the limited liability of the Member or any Manager. ARTICLE III IDENTITY OF MEMBER; MEMBER'S CONTRIBUTIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 3.1 MEMBER. Detroit Edison is, as of the date hereof, the sole member of the Company. 3.2 CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) Contemporaneously with the issuance of the Series 2001-1 Bonds, the Member shall contribute cash to the Company in the amount of $[.50% OF THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE BONDS]. (b) The Member shall not have the obligation to make additional contributions to the Company; however, at the option of the Member and with the consent of the Managers, the Member may make additional capital contributions to the Company from time to time. 11 15 3.3 RETURN OF CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; INTEREST ON CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) The Member shall not have the right to withdraw its capital contributions or to demand or receive the return of its capital contributions or any part thereof except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement. (b) To the extent that the Member shall ever have the right to withdraw its capital contributions or to demand or receive the return of its capital contributions, or any part thereof, neither the Company nor any other member shall be personally liable or responsible for the return of such capital contributions, and such return shall be made solely from the assets of the Company. (c) No interest shall be paid by the Company on any of the Member's capital contributions to the Company. 3.4 SALE OF SECURITIZATION PROPERTY. Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, the Member and the Company shall execute and deliver the Sale Agreement providing for the sale and conveyance of the Securitization Property to the Company. 3.5 APPROVAL OF MEMBER. The approval of the Member shall be required as to each of the following matters: (1) a change in the business of the Company; (2) the sale, exchange, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (3) the consolidation or merger of the Company with another business entity; and (4) the amendment of the Articles. 3.6 ACTION BY MEMBER. All actions of the Member shall be taken by means of the execution of a written resolution of the Member, which resolution shall be signed on behalf of the Member by an authorized officer of the Member and filed with the minutes and permanent records of the Company. 12 16 3.7 COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT OF MEMBER. (a) The Member shall not be entitled to any compensation from the Company for its services to the Company, except that while the Member is the servicer under the Servicing Agreement or the administrator under the Administration Agreement, it shall be entitled to the fees payable under those agreements, which fees shall, (i) except as otherwise provided for therein, be determined without regard to the income of the Company, (ii) not be deemed to constitute distributions to the recipient of any profit, loss or capital of the Company, and (iii) be considered as operating expenses of the Company. (b) The Member shall be entitled to reimbursement for the reasonable out of pocket costs and expenses incurred by it for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business, including, without limitation, the fees paid to legal counsel, accountants, consultants, contractors and other providers of services to the Company. 3.8 LIMITED LIABILITY OF MEMBER. Except as otherwise provided by the LLC Act or expressly assumed, the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, and the Member shall not be obligated personally for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company solely by reason of being a Member of the Company. 3.9 ACTIVITIES OF MEMBER. The Member and its Affiliates may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of every kind and description, independently or with others, unconnected with the Company. The Company shall not have any rights in or to such independent ventures or the income or profit therefrom. ARTICLE IV MANAGEMENT 4.1 MANAGEMENT BY MANAGERS. (a) The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by and under the direction of managers (collectively, the "MANAGERS" and individually, a "MANAGER"), who shall be the "managers" of the Company for purposes of the LLC Act, and who shall have the full, exclusive and absolute right, power and authority to manage and control the Company and the property, assets and business thereof, to make all decisions affecting the Company, and to do all acts necessary, convenient or incidental to or for the furtherance of the purposes described herein, except for those decisions which pursuant to the LLC Act, the Articles or this Agreement are required to be approved by the Member. The Member acknowledges that all actions, decisions, determinations, designations, directions, appointments, consents, approvals, selections and the like made by the Managers in accordance with 13 17 the authority granted herein are intended to and shall be controlling and binding upon the Company and the Member in its capacity as a member of the Company. (b) The Managers are the agents of the Company for the purpose of the Company's business, and the acts of the Managers shall bind the Company as set forth in, and in accordance with the provisions of, the LLC Act and the Articles. (c) All documents, contracts, agreements including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, deeds, leases, easements, rights of way, assignments, bonds, debentures, notes, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, checks, drafts, mortgages, and assignments, contracts, agreements and/or documents necessary or appropriate to be executed on behalf of and in the name of the Company, including those providing for the acquisition or disposition of the property of the Company, shall be executed by any one (1) of the Managers without the joinder of any other Managers, and, if so executed, shall be valid and binding on the Company. (d) It is hereby specifically agreed that the Managers, on behalf of the Company, may enter into and perform the Basic Documents and, except as provided in item (2) of Section 3.5 hereof, make all decisions of the Company concerning the Securitization Property, and shall execute and deliver all documents, agreements, certificates and financing statements contemplated thereby and related thereto, all without further act, vote or approval of the Member. (e) By accepting their appointment as Managers of the Company, each of the Managers covenants that in directing the business and affairs of the Company, he will act independently in the interests of the Company, free of any undue or excessive control exercised by the Member. 4.2 NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT OF MANAGERS. (a) The number of Managers of the Company shall not be less than three (3) nor more than five (5), as may be determined by the Member from time to time; provided, however, that no decrease in the number of Managers shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent Manager. Except with respect to Independent Managers, Managers may be employees or officers of the Member; however, no Manager may be a member of the Board of Directors of the Member. The Managers of the Company shall be appointed by the Member and shall be deemed to have become Managers upon the execution of this Agreement, in the case of the initial Managers appointed by the Member, or a counterpart of this Agreement, in the case of Managers subsequently appointed by the Member. A list of the initial Managers of the Company and their addresses is attached to this Agreement as Schedule I. It is hereby acknowledged that Schedule I shall be updated from time to time, as appropriate, to identify additional or replacement Managers, so that it shall at all times set forth the identity of all the then current Managers of the Company. (b) A Manager appointed in accordance with this Agreement shall serve in such capacity unless and until his successor has been selected by the Member, as aforesaid, and qualified, or until he resigns, dies, becomes incapacitated, is removed or such position otherwise become vacant. The Member shall appoint a replacement in the event a Manager resigns, dies, becomes incapacitated, is removed or his position otherwise becomes vacant. 14 18 4.3 INDEPENDENT MANAGERS. (a) Prior to the issuance of the Bonds, the Member shall cause to be appointed at least two (2) Independent Managers. While the Bonds are outstanding, at least two (2) Managers shall continue to be Independent Managers. Schedule I shall, in addition to identifying the then current Managers, also set forth which of them constitute Independent Managers. Independent Managers may not delegate their duties, authorities or responsibilities hereunder. If an Independent Manager resigns, dies, is removed or becomes incapacitated, or his position otherwise becomes vacant, no action hereunder requiring the unanimous affirmative vote of the Managers shall be taken until a successor Independent Manager has been appointed by the Member and qualified, and such successor Independent Manager has approved such action. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any provision of law that otherwise so empowers the Company, the Member, any Manager or any other Person, the Company shall not, and neither the Member nor any Manager nor any other Person on behalf of the Company shall do any of the following without the unanimous consent of all Managers voting on such matter (such consent to include the consent of both Independent Managers): (1) consummate any of the items set forth in Section 3.5 which have been approved by the Member; (2) engage in any business or activity other than that set forth in Article II; (3) except as provided in the Basic Documents, incur any indebtedness other than (A) the Bonds, (B) any obligations under agreements with third party credit enhancers and swap or hedge agreement counterparties relating to the Bonds, and (C) any ordinary course expenses set forth in Section 5.3 hereof; (4) assume or guarantee the indebtedness of any other Person; (5) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or admit in writing the Company's inability to pay its debts generally as they come due, or take action in furtherance of any such action; (6) file a voluntary petition for relief under the federal bankruptcy code; (7) file a petition or answer seeking consolidation, reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any statute, law or regulation; (8) seek the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator of the Company or of all or a substantial part of its assets; (9) file an answer or other pleading consenting to, admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the Company in any proceeding petitioning for, or otherwise consent to or acquiesce in, an involuntary bankruptcy or any action seeking consolidation, reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any statute, law or regulation, or the entry of any order appointing a trustee, liquidator or receiver of the Company or of its assets or any substantial portion thereof; 15 19 (10) amend this Agreement or take action in furtherance of any such amendment; or (11) dissolve, liquidate or wind up the Company. 4.4 RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF MANAGERS. (a) A Manager shall be entitled to resign as a Manager by means of the delivery of a written notice of resignation to the Company. The resignation of a Manager shall be effective as of the date of the delivery of his written notice of resignation, unless the notice sets forth a later date, in which event the resignation shall be effective as of that later date. (b) A Manager may be removed with or without cause by the Member. Removal of a Manager by a Member shall be effective on the date of delivery of a written notice of removal from the Member to the Manager being removed; provided that, an Independent Manager removed without cause shall continue to serve in that capacity until a replacement Independent Manager has been selected, qualified and entered into a conformed copy of this Agreement. 4.5 MEETINGS OF MANAGERS. (a) Any matters subject to the approval of the Managers shall be decided at a meeting of the Managers. (b) Meetings of Managers may be held at the principal office of the Company or at such other location, and at such time, as may be agreed upon by the Managers. (c) Meetings of Managers shall be called by means of a written notice of meeting issued by the Member or a Manager, stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the purpose for which it is being called. The notice of meeting shall be given to each Manager at the address set forth on Schedule I not less than two (2) business days prior to the date of such meeting. When a notice is required to be given to the Managers hereunder, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the Managers entitled to such notice, whether before, at or after the time stated herein, shall be equivalent to the giving of such notice. (d) Managers may be present at a meeting in person or by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment through which all Persons participating in the meeting may communicate with the other participants and all participants are advised of the communications equipment and the names of the participants in the conference. (e) If fewer than all Managers are present at a meeting, the business transacted at any such meeting shall be confined to the business or purposes stated in the aforesaid notice. If all Managers are present at a meeting, then, in addition to the matters set forth in the notice, the Managers may discuss and vote on any matters relating to the business of the Company subject to the vote of Managers, whether or not such matters were set forth in the notice. 16 20 4.6 QUORUM; VOTING BY MANAGERS. (a) At all meetings of the Managers, a majority in number of the Managers shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Managers, the Managers present at such meeting shall adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting until a quorum is present. (b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 4.2 hereof or in any other specific provision of this Agreement, the act of a majority in number of the Managers shall be the act of the Managers. 4.7 WRITTEN APPROVAL OF MANAGERS IN LIEU OF MEETING. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Managers may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote if approvals in writing, setting forth the action so taken, are executed by a majority in number of the Managers (or such other number as may be required pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof). Every written approval shall bear the date and signature of the Manager signing it and shall be filed with the records of the Company. Prompt notice of the taking of an action shall be given to all Managers who did not execute a written approval of such action. 4.8 MANAGERS' POSITIONS WITHIN THE MEMBER. The employment of Managers by the Member or its Affiliates shall not be deemed a conflict of interest as to any Manager. 4.9 MANAGERS' COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. The Company may provide reasonable compensation to Independent Managers (but not to Managers who are not Independent Managers) for their services on behalf of the Company, from the revenues of the Company, in such amounts and at such times as may be authorized by the Member. In addition, the Independent Managers shall be entitled to reimbursement by the Company for the reasonable out of pocket costs and expenses paid or incurred by them for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business, including, without limitation, expenses and disbursements of such agents, representatives, experts and counsel (including legal counsel and accountants) as they may employ in connection with the exercise and performance of their rights and duties under the Formation Documents, the Indenture, the Sale Agreement and the Servicing Agreement. Such amounts shall be treated as expenses of the Company and shall not be deemed to constitute distributions of any profit, loss or capital of the Company. 4.10 MANAGERS' DUTY TO DEVOTE TIME. A Manager shall devote such time, attention and effort to the Company as he deems reasonably necessary for the proper management of the business of the Company. 17 21 4.11 MANAGERS' STANDARD OF CARE AND ABSENCE OF LIABILITY. (a) A Manager shall discharge his duties with respect to the Company's business and affairs in good faith, with the care an ordinary prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances, and in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Company. (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided by the LLC Act, no Manager shall be liable for the debts, obligations, or liabilities of the Company (whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise), including, without limitation, under a judgment, decree or order of a court, by reason of being a manager of the Company. ARTICLE V ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO MEMBER; RECORD KEEPING AND TAX MATTERS 5.1 ALLOCATIONS. Except as may be required by section 704(c) of the Code and Treasury Regulation ss.1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(4) issued thereunder, all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit of the Company for each fiscal year shall be allocated to the Member. 5.2 DISTRIBUTIONS. Subject to Section 8.2(a) below, distributions to the Member shall be made as, when and to the extent that the Managers determine that the Company's cash on hand exceeds the current and anticipated needs of the Company to fulfill its business purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no distribution shall be declared or made (i) if a default has occurred or is otherwise continuing under the Indenture or any Bonds then outstanding, (ii) such distribution shall result in a reduction or withdrawal of the then current rating of any outstanding Class of Bonds by any Rating Agency (as defined in the Indenture), (iii) such distribution shall otherwise violate any of the Basic Documents or (iv) after giving it effect, the Company shall not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of business or the Company's total assets shall be less than the sum of its total liabilities. 5.3 EXPENSES. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, and subject to the provisions of the Basic Documents, the Company shall be responsible for all expenses and the allocation thereof, including, without limitation: (1) all expenses related to the issuance of the Bonds; 18 22 (2) all expenses related to the payment of the principal of and interest on the Bonds; (3) all amounts payable to Detroit Edison as the administrator and servicer under the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, respectively, or any successor(s) to Detroit Edison under such agreements; (4) all expenses related to the business of the Company and all routine administrative expenses of the Company, including the maintenance of books and records of the Company, and the preparation and dispatch to the Member of checks, financial reports, tax returns and notices required pursuant to this Agreement; (5) all expenses incurred in connection with any litigation or arbitration involving the Company (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) and the amount of any judgment or settlement paid in connection therewith; (6) all expenses for indemnity or contribution payable by the Company to any Person; (7) all expenses incurred in connection with the collection of amounts due to the Company from any Person; (8) all expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of amendments to this Agreement; (9) all expenses incurred in connection with the liquidation, dissolution and winding up of the Company; and (10) all expenses otherwise allocated in good faith to the Company by the Managers. 5.4 BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Company shall maintain complete, accurate and separate books and records of its business and affairs, which shall reflect all Company transactions and which shall be appropriate and adequate for the Company's business, including minutes of the meetings and other proceedings of the Managers and the Member. Such books and records shall be kept at the Company's principal office. The Member and its duly authorized representatives shall have complete access to all books and records of the Company at the Company's principal office, and the right to inspect and copy them, during normal business hours. 5.5 FISCAL YEAR; ACCOUNTING METHOD. The fiscal year of the Company for financial reporting and federal income tax purposes shall, unless the Managers determine otherwise pursuant to the requirements of the Code, be the calendar year. The Company shall utilize the accrual method of accounting. 19 23 5.6 TAX INFORMATION, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REPORTS. As soon as practicable following the end of each fiscal year, the Managers shall cause to be prepared and shall furnish to the Member (i) all information relating to the Company that is necessary for the preparation of the Member's Federal income tax return for such fiscal year and (ii) a balance sheet, an income statement and a statement of changes in the Member's capital account. The aforesaid financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with the accounting method selected by the Managers, consistently applied (except as therein noted), and shall be accompanied by an audit report from a nationally recognized accounting firm. The Managers also may cause to be prepared or delivered such other reports as they may deem appropriate. The Company shall bear the cost of all financial statements and reports. 5.7 TAX MATTERS PARTNER. The Member is hereby designated as "TAX MATTERS PARTNER" for the Company, with full power and authority to act as such for the Company, and with all the rights and responsibilities of that position described in Sections 6222 through 6232 of the Code. 5.8 BANK ACCOUNTS. The Managers or an authorized signatory designated by the Managers may open and maintain one or more bank and/or investment accounts in the name of the Company with such financial institutions and/or firms as the Managers shall determine; may rent and obtain access to safety deposit boxes or vaults; may purchase certificates of deposit; and may sign checks, written directions or other instruments to withdraw all or any part of the funds belonging to the Company and on deposit in any such bank or investment accounts. ARTICLE VI ASSIGNMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST 6.1 ASSIGNMENT OF MEMBERSHIP INTEREST. (a) The Member may assign all or any portion of its Membership Interest to another Person so long as, and only so long as, (i) such assignment is not prohibited by and does not cause a breach under the Basic Documents or under any other agreement by which the Member or the Company or any properties of the Company is/are bound or affected and (ii) each Rating Agency (as defined in the Indenture) then rating the Bonds of any Class shall have confirmed in writing to the Trustee and the Company that such transfer shall not result in a reduction or withdrawal of the then current rating by such Rating Agency of any outstanding Class of Bonds. An assignment accomplished in accordance with this provision shall be deemed to have occurred upon the execution by the Member of a written assignment assigning its Membership Interest to the assignee, and the assignee's written acceptance of such assignment. An assignment accomplished in accordance with 20 24 the first two (2) sentences of this subsection (a) shall entitle the assignee to the distributions to which the Member had been entitled prior to the assignment, but shall not vest any other rights in the assignee, including any right to consent to or otherwise control any matters subject to the consent of the Member, unless the assignee is admitted as a member of the Company in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof, and the Member shall continue to remain liable for all of its obligations and liabilities with respect to its Membership Interest. An attempted assignment by the Member which is not in compliance with this subsection (a) shall be null and void ab initio and the Company shall not be required to recognize any such assignment. (b) For purposes of this Article VI, "ASSIGNMENT" means any assignment, sale, conveyance, transfer, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or other disposition of any type or kind, (ii) "ASSIGN" means the making of an assignment and (iii) "ASSIGNEE" means a person to whom or for whose benefit an assignment is made. 6.2 DISABILITY EVENT AS TO MEMBER. (a) The occurrence of a dissolution, bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding by, as to or against the Member (a "DISABILITY EVENT") shall not constitute a withdrawal of the Member from the Company and shall not cause the Member to cease to be a member of the Company, and, upon the occurrence of such a Disability Event, the liquidator, trustee or other representative of the Disabled Member (the "REPRESENTATIVE") shall be its agent and attorney-in-fact to exercise the Disabled Member's rights and powers with respect to the Company, including its right and power to assign its Membership Interest to an assignee subject to and in accordance with Section 6.1 hereof and to cause such assignee to be admitted to the Company as a substitute Member in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof. (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, under any of the Basic Documents or otherwise, a Disability Event as to the Member shall be deemed to have caused or to constitute a withdrawal or resignation of the Member from the Company, so that there is then no member of the Company, then it is hereby agreed that contemporaneously with the occurrence of such Disability Event, the Independent Managers of the Company shall, without any further action of any Person, be automatically admitted to the Company as special members (collectively, the "SPECIAL MEMBERS" and individually, a "SPECIAL MEMBER"). The Special Members shall be Members of the Company until the Representative has assigned all of the Disabled Member's Membership Interest to an assignee and the assignee has been admitted to the Company as a substitute Member in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.3 hereof. By executing this Agreement or a counterpart thereof in accordance with Section 4.2 hereof, each current and future Independent Manger hereby acknowledges and agrees to his admission as a Special Member of the Company subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.2. A Special Member shall have no interest in the profits, losses and capital of the Company, shall have no right to receive any distributions of Company assets, shall not be required to make any capital contributions to the Company and shall not receive a limited liability company interest in the Company. Each Special Member shall, however, have the right as the Member to vote on, approve or otherwise consent to any action by, or matter relating to, the Company in accordance with the LLC Act. Immediately upon the admission of the assignee of the Disabled Member as a substitute Member in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof, the Special Members shall be deemed to have withdrawn from, and shall no longer be deemed to be, members of the Company. 6.3 ADMISSION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBER. The assignee of the Member's Membership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1 hereof may be admitted to the Company as a substitute Member in the place of the assigning Member. Such admission shall be accomplished by means of the assignee's execution and delivery to the Company of 21 25 a counterpart of this Agreement. Upon such admission, the assignee, as a substitute Member, shall be deemed to have all of the rights and powers, and shall be subject to all of the restrictions, obligations and liabilities, of the assigning Member. 6.4 ADMISSION OF ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. One or more additional members of the Company may be admitted to the Company with the written consent of the Member; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Basic Documents are in effect, no additional Member may be admitted to the Company unless Detroit Edison or its successors or assigns which have been admitted to or are otherwise Members of the Company, retain a majority interest in the Company and any Rating Agency Condition (as defined in the Indenture) has been satisfied. 6.5 MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION OF MEMBER. Any successor to the Member upon the merger or consolidation of the Member into or with another Person, which is not in violation of the Basic Documents, shall, without further act, be deemed to be the Member hereunder, and such merger or consolidation shall not constitute an assignment for purposes of this Agreement. 6.6 WITHDRAWAL. Except as otherwise set forth herein, the Member does not have the right to withdraw from the Company. Any attempted withdrawal in violation of this provision shall be null and void ab initio and the Company shall not be obligated to recognize any such attempted withdrawal. ARTICLE VII EXCULPATION AND INDEMNIFICATION 7.1 EXCULPATION. (a) Neither the Member nor any director, officer, stockholder, controlling person or employee of the Member other than a Manager (all of which, collectively, are included within the definition of "MEMBER" for purposes of this Article VII) shall be liable to the Company, any other member of the Company or any other Person (and the interest of the Member in the Company, and in the property and assets of the Company, shall be free of any claims by the Company, any other member of the Company or any other Person) for any act performed by it for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business or for any omission to act that does not constitute (i) willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Member, (ii) the its receipt of distributions from the Company in violation of the distribution provisions of the LLC Act, (iii) its knowing violation of law or (iv) its violation of state or federal securities law. 22 26 (b) No Manager shall be liable to the Company, the Member or any other Person for any act performed by him for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business or for any omission to act that does not constitute (i) willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Manager, (ii) his approval of distributions from the Company in violation of the distribution provisions of the LLC Act, (iii) his knowing violation of law or (iv) his receipt of a financial benefit to which he is not entitled. 7.2 INDEMNIFICATION. (a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide greater or broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), the Member shall be fully protected and indemnified by the Company against all liabilities, losses, expenses, claims and demands (including amounts paid in respect of judgments, fines, penalties, expenses or settlement of litigation and legal fees and expenses reasonably incurred) in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative (individually, a "PROCEEDING"), or any appeal in such a Proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation that could lead to such a Proceeding, for any act performed by it for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business, or for any omission to act, except for liabilities, losses, expenses, claims and demands resulting from (i) willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Member, (ii) its receipt of distributions from the Company in violation of the distribution provisions of the LLC Act, (iii) its knowing violation of law or (iv) its violation of state or federal securities law. Detroit Edison acknowledges that the aforesaid indemnification is not intended to apply to those matters for which Detroit Edison has indemnified the Company under any of the Basic Documents. (b) To the fullest extent permitted by agency law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide greater or broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), each Manager shall be fully protected and indemnified by the Company against all liabilities, losses, expenses, claims and demands (including amounts paid in respect of judgments, fines penalties, expenses or settlement of litigation and legal fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any Proceeding, or any appeal in such a Proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation that could lead to such a Proceeding, for any act performed by him for or on behalf of the Company or in furtherance of the Company's business, or any omission to act, except for liabilities, losses, expenses, claims and demands resulting from (i) willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Manager, (ii) his approval of distributions from the Company in violation of the distribution provisions of the LLC Act, (iii) his knowing violation of law and (iv) his receipt of a financial benefit to which he is not entitled. (c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for so long as any Bonds are outstanding, no payment from funds of the Company (as distinct from funds from other sources, such as insurance) with respect to any indemnity under this Section 7.2 shall be payable except out of funds available for payment of Company expenses as provided in the Indenture. Thereafter, an indemnity under this Section 7.2 shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only, and the Member shall not have any personal liability on account thereof. The indemnity provided under this Section 7.2 shall survive the liquidation, dissolution and termination of the Company and the termination of this Agreement. 23 27 7.3 ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. Expenses incurred by a Person which are of the type entitled to be indemnified under Section 7.2 in defending any Proceeding shall be paid or reimbursed by the Company in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding, without any determination as to such Person's ultimate entitlement to indemnification under Section 7.2 hereof, upon receipt of a written affirmation by such Person of such Person's good faith belief that such Person has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification under applicable law and a written undertaking by or on behalf of such Person to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such Person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized in Section 7.2 or otherwise. The written undertaking shall be an unlimited general obligation of the Person but need not be secured and shall be accepted without reference to financial ability to make repayment. 7.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS. The Company shall indemnify and pay and advance expenses to an employee or agent of the Company to the same extent and subject to the same conditions under which it may indemnify and pay and advance expenses to a Manager under this Article VII; and the Company shall indemnify and pay and advance expenses to any Person who is or was an employee or agent of the Company and who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a member, manager, director, officer, partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent or similar functionary of another foreign or domestic limited liability company, partnership, corporation, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such Person and incurred by such Person in such a capacity or arising out of such Person's status as such, to the same extent and subject to the same conditions that the Company may indemnify and pay and advance expenses to the Manager under this Article VII. 7.5 NONEXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS AND OTHER MATTERS. The indemnification and advancement and payment of expenses provided by this Article VII (i) shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the Member, Manager or other Person seeking indemnification and advancement of payment of expenses may be entitled under any statute, agreement, or otherwise, both as to actions in such Person's official capacity and as to actions in another capacity while holding such position, (ii) shall continue as to any such Person who has ceased to serve in the capacity which initially entitled such Person to indemnity and advancement and payment of expenses and (iii) shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns of such Member, Manager or other Person. 7.6 INSURANCE. The Company may purchase and maintain insurance or another arrangement, or both, at its expense, on behalf of itself or any Person who is or was serving as the Member, Manager, employee or agent of the Company, or who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a member, manager, director, officer, partner, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent or similar functionary of another foreign or domestic limited liability company, partnership, corporation, partnership, joint venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against any liability, expense or loss, whether or not the Company would have had the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VII. 24 28 7.7 SAVING CLAUSE. If this Article VII or any portion of this Agreement shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless the Member, each Manager or any other Person indemnified pursuant to this Article VII as to costs, charges and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Article VII which was not invalidated, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. 7.8 CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification in favor of a Manager set forth in Section 7.2(b) hereof is for any reason deemed to be illegal or unenforceable, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such Manager shall be entitled to contribution from the Company for any matter for which such indemnification is deemed to be illegal or unenforceable. ARTICLE VIII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION 8.1 TERM. (a) The term of the Company shall end, and the Company shall dissolve, upon the occurrence of any of the following events (subject, however, to the receipt of the consent of the Managers to the extent required by Article IV hereof): (1) the decision of the Member to dissolve the Company; (2) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or (3) the occurrence of any event which, under the LLC Act, results in dissolution of the Company. It is hereby affirmed that the commencement of a bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding by or against the Company or the Member shall not result in the dissolution of the Company. (b) Notwithstanding anything in subsection (a) hereof or elsewhere in this Agreement to the contrary, the Member and Managers shall only be entitled to vote on and approve the Company's consolidation with or merger into another entity or the sale of substantially all of the Company's assets to another entity, and dissolution, if and only if: 25 29 (1) the entity formed or surviving the consolidation or merger or to whom substantially all of the Company's assets are sold (the "SUCCESSOR ENTITY") is organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof and expressly assumes by a supplemental indenture the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on the Bonds and the performance of the Company's obligations under the Indenture; (2) the Successor Entity expressly assumes all obligations and succeeds to all rights of the Company under the Sale Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Servicing Agreement, the Hedge Agreements and the Interest Rate Swap Agreements pursuant to an assignment and assumption agreement executed and delivered to the Trustee; (3) no default or event of default under the Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing immediately after giving effect to the merger, consolidation or sale; (4) the Rating Agency Condition (as defined in the Basic Documents) is satisfied; (5) the Company receives an opinion of counsel to the effect that the consolidation, merger or sale shall have no material adverse tax consequences to the Company or any holder of Bonds, the consolidation, merger or sale complies with the Indenture and all conditions precedent provided in the Indenture relating to the consolidation, merger or sale shall have been satisfied and the consolidation, merger or sale will result in the Trustee maintaining a continuing valid first priority security interest in the collateral identified in the Indenture; (6) none of the Securitization Property, the Financing Order, or the seller's, the Company's or the issuer's rights under the Competition Act or the Financing Order are impaired thereby; (7) any action that is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by the Indenture has been taken; and (8) the Successor Entity is bankruptcy remote and not subject to consolidation for bankruptcy or insolvency purposes with the Member, its Affiliates or any other Person. 8.2 WINDING UP AND LIQUIDATION OF THE COMPANY. (a) Upon the dissolution of the Company, the Managers shall proceed to wind up the affairs and liquidate the property and assets of the Company, and shall apply and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following priority: (1) to the expenses of liquidation; (2) to the payment of all debts and liabilities of the Company; (3) to the establishment of such reserves as the Managers deem necessary or advisable to provide for any contingent or unforeseen liabilities or obligations of the Company, provided, however, that after the expiration of such period of time as the Managers deem 26 30 appropriate, the balance of such reserves remaining after payment of such contingencies shall be distributed in the manner hereinafter set forth; and (4) any remaining proceeds shall be distributed to the Member. (b) A reasonable time shall be allowed for the orderly liquidation of the property and assets of the Company and the payment of the debts and liabilities of the Company in order to minimize the normal losses attendant upon a liquidation. (c) Anything contained in this Section 8.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, if the Managers shall determine that a complete liquidation of all the property and assets of the Company would involve substantial losses or be impractical or ill-advised under the circumstances, the Managers shall liquidate that portion of the assets of the Company sufficient to pay the expenses of liquidation and the debts and liabilities of the Company (excluding the debts and liabilities of the Company to the extent that they are adequately secured by mortgages on or security interests in the assets of the Company), and the remaining property and assets shall be distributed to the Member. 8.3 CERTIFICATE OF DISSOLUTION. After the affairs of the Company have been wound up and the Company terminated, a certificate of dissolution shall be executed and filed with the Department. ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 9.1 OFFSET. Whenever the Company is to pay any sum to the Member, any amounts the Member owes the Company may be deducted from such sum before payment. 9.2 NONPETITION COVENANT. (a) The Member and each Manager hereby covenants and agrees that, prior to the date which is one year and one day after the termination of the Indenture and the payment in full of the Bonds, any other amounts owed under the Indenture, including, without limitation, any amounts owed to third-party credit enhancers, and any amounts owed under the Hedge Agreements or Interest Rate Swap Agreements, it (he) shall not (i) acquiesce, petition or otherwise invoke or cause the Company to invoke the process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing or sustaining a case against the Company under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Issuer or any substantial part of the property of the Company, (ii) consent to or approve, or make application for, or constitute or maintain any action for the dissolution of the Company under MCLA 450.4801 or 450.4802 of the LLC Act or otherwise or (iii) order the winding up or liquidation of the 27 31 affairs of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this subsection (a) shall constitute a waiver of any right to indemnification, reimbursement or other payment from the Company pursuant to this Agreement. (b) In the event that the Member or any Manager takes any action in violation of subsection (a) hereof, the Company agrees that it shall file an answer with the court or otherwise properly contest the taking of such action and raise the defense that the Member or the Manager, as the case may be, has agreed in writing not to take such action and should be estopped and precluded therefrom, and such other defenses, if any, as its counsel advises that it may assert. (c) The provisions of this Section 9.2 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the resignation, withdrawal or removal of the Member or any Manager. Nothing herein contained shall preclude participation by the Member or a Manager in the assertion or defense of its claims in any such proceeding involving the Company. 9.3 NOTICES. Any notice, offer, demand, consent or other communication required or permitted to be given under any provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given for all purposes if it is in writing, addressed to the party to whom the same is directed at the address set forth below and (i) delivered in person, (ii) sent by registered or certified United States mail return receipt requested, postage and charges prepaid, (iii) sent by receipted overnight courier, or (iv) sent by facsimile transmission. Any such notice or other communication shall be deemed to be delivered (i) upon personal delivery to the Person to whom it is sent; (ii) on the second business day after the date on which the same was deposited in a regularly maintained receptacle for the deposit of the United States' mail; (iii) one business day following delivery to the overnight courier; (iv) upon notification of receipt by the facsimile machine to which it is directed. All notices, requests, and consents to be sent to the Member shall be sent to or made to: The Detroit Edison Company, 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279, Attention: Treasurer. All notices, requests and consents to be sent to the Company shall be sent to or made to: The Detroit Edison Securitization Funding LLC, 2000 Second Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279, Attention: Susan M. Beale. All notices, requests and consents to a Manager should be sent to the address set forth on Schedule I. Any party may change his address for purposes of this Agreement by giving the other parties notice of such change in the manner hereinabove provided for the giving of notices. 9.4 CONSTRUCTION. (a) The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience and identification only, and are in no way intended to describe, interpret, define or limit the scope, extent or intent of this Agreement or any of the provisions hereof. (b) Any agreement, instrument, statute, law, regulation or rule defined or referred to herein shall be deemed to mean such agreement, instrument, statute, law, regulation or rule as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, and includes in the case of agreements and instruments, references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein. (c) Whenever the singular number is used herein, the same shall include the plural, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders. 28 32 (d) If any language is stricken or deleted from this Agreement, such language shall be deemed never to have appeared herein and no other implication shall be drawn therefrom. (e) References to a Person are also to its permitted successors and assigns. (f) The parties hereto having participated fully and equally in the negotiation and preparation hereof, this Agreement shall not be more strictly construed nor any ambiguities within this Agreement resolved against any party hereto. (g) This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and governed by, the laws and decisions of the State of Michigan, excluding any conflict of laws rule or principle that might refer the governance or other construction of this Agreement to the law of another jurisdiction. 9.5 SEVERABILITY. If any provision hereof shall be judicially determined to be illegal, or if the application thereof to any person or in any circumstance shall, to any extent, be judicially determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to persons or in circumstances other than those to which it has been judicially determined to be invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. 9.6 WAIVER. A waiver or consent, express or implied, to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by such Person of its obligations with respect to the Company shall not be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by such Person of the same or any other obligations of such Person with respect to the Company. 9.7 NO CONFLICT WITH ARTICLES. The provisions of this Agreement shall govern and control unless there is a specific conflict with either the LLC Act or the Articles, in which event the LLC Act or the Articles, as the case may be, shall govern and control. 9.8 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. All prior agreements among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether written or oral, are merged herein and shall be of no force or effect. This Agreement cannot be modified or changed orally, but only by an agreement in writing. 29 33 9.9 AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be amended, except (i) by means of a writing signed by the Member, the Company and the Managers and filed with the records of the Company and (ii) while the Bonds are in effect, upon prior approval of the Trustee and receipt of notification in writing by each Rating Agency (as defined in the Indenture) then rating the Bonds of any Class, to the Trustee and the Company that such amendment will not result in a reduction or withdrawal of the then current rating by any such Rating Agency of any outstanding Class of Bonds. 9.10 BINDING AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon, the parties hereto, and their heirs, successors and assigns. 9.11 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall, for all purposes, constitute an original and all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed or caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives effective the date first above stated. "Company" THE DETROIT EDISON SECURITIZATION FUNDING LLC By: ------------------------------------------ ---------------------------- Its: Manager and By: ------------------------------------------ ---------------------------- Its: Manager "Member" THE DETROIT EDISON COMPANY, a Michigan corporation By: ------------------------------------------ ---------------------------- Its: ---------------------------- 30 34 "Managers" --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- 31 35 SCHEDULE I MANAGERS [NAME OF MANAGER] Independent Manager - ------------------------------------ [ADDRESS OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------ [NAME OF MANAGER] Independent Manager - ------------------------------------ [ADDRESS OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------ [NAME OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ [ADDRESS OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------ [NAME OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ [ADDRESS OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------ [NAME OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ [ADDRESS OF MANAGER] - ------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------