AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of October 26, 2015 among EVERSOURCE ENERGY AND, DOING BUSINESS AS EVERSOURCE ENERGY, NSTAR GAS COMPANY, THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY, PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY and YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY, as the Borrowers, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender, and THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, BARCLAYS BANK PLC, CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC., THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC, MIZUHO BANK, LTD., TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as Syndication Agent CITIBANK, N.A., THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, MIZUHO BANK, LTD., TD BANK, N.A. and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Co-Documentation Agents

EXHIBIT 4.1
EXECUTION VERSION

Published CUSIP Numbers: 30040TAA3 (Facility)
30040TAB1 (Revolver)

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 26, 2015

among

EVERSOURCE ENERGY
AND, DOING BUSINESS AS EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY
and
YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,

as the Borrowers,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender,

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,
BARCLAYS BANK PLC,
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,
THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD.,
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,
MIZUHO BANK, LTD.,
TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC
and
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Syndication Agent

CITIBANK, N.A.,

THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD.,

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.,

TD BANK, N.A.

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Documentation Agents

EXECUTION VERSION

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AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of October 26, 2015 among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders (defined herein) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.

The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders provide $1,450,000,000 in revolving credit facilities for the purposes set forth herein, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

This Agreement is given in amendment to, restatement of and substitution for the Existing Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined).

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01

Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“Additional Arranger Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 among Eversource, NSTAR Electric Company, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., TD Securities (USA) LLC and U.S. Bank National Association.

“Additional Commitment Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(d).

“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrowers and the Lenders.

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

“Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means the Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.  The aggregate principal amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in effect on the Effective Date is ONE BILLION FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($1,450,000,000).

“Agreement” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

“Applicable Margin” means, with respect to Revolving Loans, Swing Line Loans and the Facility Fee, determined with respect to each Borrower, for any day, the following percentages per annum in effect on such day, based upon the Reference Rating of the applicable Borrower:

 

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in any Reference Rating shall take effect at the time of such change in such Reference Rating.  For purposes of the foregoing, (w) if Eversource does not have a rating of its Borrower Unsecured Debt by either S&P or Moody’s, then Pricing Level 6 shall apply, (x) in the case of a split in the Reference Ratings of one level, the higher level shall apply, (y) in the case of a split in the Reference Ratings of more than one level, the Reference Rating that is one level lower than the higher level shall apply, and (z) if there is no Reference Rating then the rating Pricing Level 6 shall apply.

“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15; provided that if the commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Loans has been terminated in its entirety pursuant to Section 9.02 or if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.  The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

“Approving Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(e).

“Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of each Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2012, December 31, 2013 and December 31,

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2014 and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of such Person, including the notes thereto, audited by independent public accountants of recognized national standing and prepared in conformity with GAAP.

“Availability Period” means, with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the period from and including the Effective Date to the earliest of (a) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date and (b) the date of termination in full of the remaining unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06.

“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

“Bank of America Agency Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated as of October 1, 2015 among Eversource and Bank of America.

“Bank of America and Barclays Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated as of October 1, 2015 among Eversource, NSTAR Electric Company, Bank of America, Barclays Bank PLC and MLPFS.

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus one-half of one percent (0.50%), (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus one percent (1.00%), and if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in the “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

“Borrower” and “Borrowers” have the meanings specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

“Borrower Secured Debt” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Reference Ratings”.

“Borrower Sublimit” means, as to any Borrower, the amount set forth opposite such Borrower’s name below:

Borrower	Borrower Sublimit
Eversource	$1,450,000,000
NSTAR Gas	$200,000,000
CL&P	$600,000,000
PSNH	$300,000,000
WMECO	$300,000,000
Yankee Gas	$200,000,000

Each Borrower Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  For purposes of clarity, in the event that any Borrower merges into another entity and is not the surviving Person, dissolves or otherwise ceases to have a legal existence, then the Borrower Sublimit with respect to such Borrower shall no longer exist, and the Borrower Sublimits of the remaining Borrowers shall be unaffected by  the  elimination of such Borrower Sublimit; provided, however, that if a Borrower merges

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or is liquidated into another Borrower, the Borrower Sublimit of the surviving Borrower shall be increased by the amount of the Borrower Sublimit of the merged or liquidated Borrower on terms and subject to limitations reasonably satisfactory to the Lenders; provided, further, that in no event shall a Borrower Sublimit exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

“Borrower Unsecured Debt” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Reference Ratings”.

“Borrowing” means each of the following: (a) a borrowing of Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04 and (b) a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located or New York and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.

“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of Swing Line Loans, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the Swing Line Lender.  “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

“Certifying Officer” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(b).

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events,

(a)

with respect to Eversource:

(i)

     any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) either (A) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire (such right,

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an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Equity Interests of Eversource entitled to vote for trustees of Eversource or equivalent governing body of Eversource on a fully diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right) or (B) obtains the power (whether or not exercised) to elect a majority of Eversource’s trustees; or

(ii)

the board of trustees of Eversource shall not consist of a majority of Continuing Trustees. For purposes of this definition, the term “Continuing Trustees” means trustees of Eversource on the date hereof and each other trustee of Eversource, if such other trustee’s nomination for election to the board of trustees of Eversource is recommended by a majority of the then Continuing Trustees.

(b)

with respect to any Borrower (other than Eversource), Eversource shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted under Section 8.01, one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding Equity Interests of such Borrower (other than Eversource) entitled to vote (currently exercisable in the case of any preferred Equity Interests) for the election of directors; or

(c)

with respect to Eversource, Eversource shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted under Section 8.01, at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the outstanding Equity Interests of each of CL&P, NSTAR Gas, PSNH, WMECO, Yankee Gas and NSTAR Electric entitled to vote (currently exercisable in the case of any preferred Equity Interests) for the election of directors, in each case at any time any such Subsidiary of Eversource is not a Borrower; or

(d)

with respect to any Borrower, such Borrower shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens permitted under Section 8.01, eighty-five percent (85%) of the outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (currently exercisable in the case of any preferred Equity Interests) for the election of directors of any Principal Subsidiary.

“CL&P” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(b).

“Consolidated Capitalization” means, with respect to any Borrower at any date of determination, the sum of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness of such Borrower, (b) the aggregate of the par value of, or stated capital represented by, the outstanding shares of all classes of common and preferred shares of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries excluding, however, from such calculation, amounts identified as “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)” in the financial statements of the Borrowers set forth in the Borrowers’ Report on Form 10-K or 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC prior to the date of such determination and (c) the consolidated surplus of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries, paid-in, earned and other capital, if any, in each case as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

“Consolidated Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of any Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP, excluding, however, from such calculation, (a) in the case of Refinancing Indebtedness, any amounts as to which any Borrower or its Subsidiaries have, (i) in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreements, and on or prior to the date of incurring such Refinancing  Indebtedness,  sent  the  holders  of  the  Indebtedness  to  be  refinanced, or  their  trustee, as

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applicable, a notice of redemption and (ii) within fourteen (14) days after incurrence of such Refinancing Indebtedness, segregated with the trustee therefor or with such other financial institution as may be acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreements relating to such Indebtedness, sufficient funds to redeem such Indebtedness and fully discharge such Borrower’s obligations with respect thereto.

“Consolidated Indebtedness to Capitalization Ratio” means, for any Borrower, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness of such Borrower to (b) Consolidated Capitalization of such Borrower.

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote ten percent (10%) or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Margin, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) two percent (2%) per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus two percent (2%) per annum, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender, as determined by the Administrative Agent, that (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder, including in respect of its Revolving Loans or participations in respect of Swing Line Loans, within three (3) Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, unless (other than in respect of fundings of participations of Swing Line Loans) such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the applicable Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the applicable Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder (unless (other than in respect of fundings of participations of Swing Line Loans) such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied) or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit,  (c)  has failed, within three  (3)  Business

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Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Borrower) or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided, that, a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interests in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.  Such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender when the provisions of Section 2.15(b) shall have been satisfied.

“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory is the subject of any Sanction.

“Disclosure Documents” means for the Borrowers and each Principal Subsidiary, as applicable: (a) such Person’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014; (b) its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015; and (c) such Person’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed after December 31, 2014 but prior to the date hereof.

“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.

“DPU” means the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and any successor agency thereto.

“Effective Date” means the date hereof.

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06(b)(ii) and (iv) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(ii)).

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, foreign and other applicable statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any of the Borrowers or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

“Equity Interests”  means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership  or  profit  interests  in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase

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or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with any Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 of ERISA; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042(a)(1)-(a)(3) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Internal Revenue Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA in a manner that would affect a Borrower’s ability to perform its Obligations hereunder; or (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in a manner that would affect a Borrower’s ability to perform its Obligations hereunder.

“Eurodollar Base Rate” means:

(a)

for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the “LIBOR Rate”) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

(b)

for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one (1) month commencing that day;

provided that:  (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible  for  the  Administrative  Agent,  such  approved  rate  shall  be  applied  in  a  manner  as

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 otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and (ii) if the Eurodollar Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

“Eurodollar Rate” means (a) for any Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurodollar Base Rate for such Eurodollar Rate Loan for such Interest Period by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage for such Eurodollar Rate Loan as in effect from time to time during such Interest Period and (b) for any day with respect to any Base Rate Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurodollar Base Rate for such Base Rate Loan for such day by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage for such Base Rate Loan for such day.

“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate”.

“Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means, for any day during any Interest Period, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”).  The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan and for each outstanding Base Rate Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, in each case, shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.

“Eversource” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower hereunder, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by its overall income (however denominated), and franchise (and similar) Taxes imposed on it (in lieu of income Taxes), (i) by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the Laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located or (ii) as a result of a present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such Tax (other than a connection arising solely from such recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, perform its obligations under, received a payment under, received or perfected a security interest under or engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced under any Loan Document), (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States or any similar Tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which such Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by such Borrower under Section 11.13), any United States withholding Tax that is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office or changes its place of organization), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment) or change in its place of organization, to receive additional amounts from such Borrower with respect to such withholding Tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(i) or (c), (d) Taxes attributable to such recipient’s failure or inability to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (e) any U.S. federal withholding taxes imposed under FATCA.

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“Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of July 25, 2012 among Eversource, NSTAR Gas, NSTAR LLC, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas, as borrowers, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as agent.

“Facility Fee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.09(a).

“Facility Percentage” means, with respect to each Borrower at all times, the percentage equal to the quotient of (a) the Borrower Sublimit of such Borrower divided by (b) sum of all Borrower Sublimits (after giving effect to any reduction of any Borrower Sublimits as provided in Section 2.06).  As of the Effective Date, the Facility Percentage of each Borrower is as set forth below:

Borrower	Facility Percentage
Eversource	47.54097%
NSTAR Gas	6.55738%
CL&P	19.67213%
PSNH	9.83607%
WMECO	9.83607%
Yankee Gas	6.55738%
Total	100.00000%

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code and any intergovernmental agreements entered into pursuant to such provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

“Fee Letters” means the Bank of America and Barclays Fee Letter, the Additional Arranger Fee Letter and the Bank of America Agency Fee Letter.

“FERC” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or any successor agency thereto.

“Financing Agreements” has the meaning specified in Section 8.09.

“First Mortgage Indentures” means,  (a)  in the case of CL&P, the Indenture  of  Mortgage  and Deed of Trust, dated as of May 1, 1921 (the “CL&P Indenture”), from CL&P to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as successor trustee, as previously and hereafter amended and supplemented from time to time, (b) in the case of Yankee Gas, the  Indenture  of Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of July 1, 1989, between Yankee Gas and The Bank of New York Mellon, as successor trustee, as in effect on the date hereof and as amended and supplemented from time to time, (c) in the case of WMECO, NSTAR Electric and NPT (should NPT then be a Principal Subsidiary), any first mortgage indenture entered into after the date hereof, provided (i) such indenture covers substantially the same type of collateral as under the Old WMECO Indenture,  (ii)  such  indenture  is  substantially similar  in form and

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substance to the CL&P Indenture and (iii) such indenture and the lien created thereby receive all necessary regulatory approval, (d) in the case of PSNH, the First Mortgage Indenture, dated as of August 15, 1978, between PSNH and U.S. Bank, National Association, as successor trustee, as previously and hereafter amended and supplemented from time to time, and (e) in the case of NSTAR Gas, the Indenture of Trust and First Mortgage by NSTAR Gas (formerly known as Commonwealth Gas Company, formerly known as Worcester Gas Light Company) dated February 1, 1949.

“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, consistently applied and as in effect from time to time.

“Governmental Approval” means any authorization, consent, approval, license, permit, certificate, exemption of, or filing or registration with, any governmental authority or other legal regulatory body (including, without limitation, the SEC, FERC, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission and the DPU) required in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or performance of any Loan Document, or (ii) the nature of any Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s business as conducted or the nature of the property owned or leased by it.

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature identified as hazardous, dangerous or toxic and regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

“Impacted Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03.

“Indebtedness” of any Person means at any date, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price of property or services other than (i) trade accounts payable and (ii) any obligation of such Person to Dominion Resources, Inc. or  its  successor with respect to disposition of spent nuclear fuel burned prior to April 3, 1983, (b) all obligations  of such

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Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments (excluding Stranded Cost Recovery Obligations that are non-recourse to such Person), (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations under leases that shall have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capital leases in respect of which such Person is liable as lessee, (e) liabilities in respect of unfunded vested benefits incurred under any Multiemployer Plan that is reasonably likely to result in a direct obligation of any Borrower to pay money, (f) reimbursement obligations of such Person (whether contingent or otherwise) in respect of letters of credit, bankers acceptances, surety or other bonds and similar instruments that are not cash collateralized, (g) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person, up to the greater of (x) the extent of the book value of any such asset so pledged and (y) the amount of any liability of such Person for any deficiency and (h) obligations of such Person under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise acquire, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to above.

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes other than Excluded Taxes imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) Other Taxes.

“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.

“Interest Payment Date” means (a) as to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Revolving Loan Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three (3) months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

“Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one (1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the applicable Borrower in its Revolving Loan Notice, or such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the applicable Borrower and consented to by all of the applicable Lenders, provided that:

(a)

any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(b)

any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c)

no Interest Period with respect to any Revolving Loan shall extend beyond the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

“Interim Financial Statements” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.01(c)(ii).

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“Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Internal Revenue Service” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

“Joint Lead Arrangers” means, collectively, MLPFS, Barclays Bank PLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., TD Securities (USA) LLC and U.S. Bank National Association, in their capacities as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, in each case together with their respective successors and assigns.

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case having the force of law.

“Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto and their successors and assigns and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line Lender.

“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent.

“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to any Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan or Swing Line Loan.

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note and any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.14 of this Agreement.

“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

“Long-Term Indebtedness Approvals” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Revolving Loan Maturity Date”.

“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to any Borrower, (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties or financial condition of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under the Loan Documents or of the ability of such Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against such Borrower of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

“MLPFS” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

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“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

“Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.13.

“Non-Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

“Note” or “Notes” means the Revolving Notes or the Swing Line Note, individually or collectively, as appropriate.

“Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.17(b).

“NPT” means Northern Pass Transmission LLC, a New Hampshire limited liability company.

“NSTAR Electric” means NSTAR Electric Company, as Massachusetts corporation.

“NSTAR Gas” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Obligations” means, without duplication, all of the several but not joint obligations of the Borrowers to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, whenever arising, under this Agreement, any Notes or any of the other Loan Documents.

“Old WMECO Indenture” means the First Mortgage Indenture and Deed of Trust dated as of August 1, 1954, from WMECO to State Street Bank and Trust Company, as successor trustee, as amended and supplemented.

“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.  For the avoidance of doubt, “Other Taxes” shall not include any Excluded Taxes.

“Outstanding Amount” means with respect to any Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of any Loans occurring on such date.

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

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“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

“Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

“Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Internal Revenue Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by any Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

“Prepayment Notice” means a notice of prepayment pursuant to Section 2.05(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.05 or such other form as may be reasonably approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.

“Principal Subsidiary” means (a) NSTAR Electric, NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, and Yankee Gas, (b) each of any Subsidiary that during any fiscal quarter, with respect to any Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, represents at least (i) ten percent (10%) of such Borrower’s consolidated assets (calculated as an average of such consolidated assets over the preceding four fiscal quarters) and (ii) ten percent (10%) of such Borrower’s consolidated net income (or loss) (calculated as a sum of such net income (or loss) over the preceding four fiscal quarters), whether such Subsidiary is owned directly or indirectly by such Borrower and (c) any Person deemed to be a “Principal Subsidiary” pursuant to Section 8.02.

“PSNH” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.

“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower hereunder.

“Reference Ratings” means, (a) with respect to Eversource, the rating(s) assigned by S&P and/or Moody’s to the long-term senior unsecured non-credit enhanced debt (the “Borrower Unsecured Debt”) of Eversource and (b) with respect to each Borrower other than Eversource, the rating(s) assigned by S&P and/or Moody’s to the Borrower Unsecured Debt of such Borrower; provided, that with respect to any Borrower other than Eversource:

(a)

if neither S&P nor Moody’s maintains a rating on the Borrower Unsecured Debt  of  such  Borrower  because  no  such  Borrower Unsecured  Debt  is  outstanding, then the

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“Reference Ratings” shall be based on the rating(s) assigned by S&P and/or Moody’s to the long-term senior secured debt (the “Borrower Secured Debt”) of such Borrower, but such rating(s) shall be deemed to correspond to a Pricing Level that is one level lower than the level that would correspond to such Borrower Secured Debt rating(s) pursuant to the definition of “Applicable Margin”;

(b)

if neither S&P nor Moody’s (A) maintains a rating on the Borrower Unsecured Debt of such Borrower because no such Borrower Unsecured Debt is outstanding and (B) maintains a rating on the Borrower Secured Debt of a Borrower because no such Borrower Secured Debt is outstanding, then the “Reference Ratings” shall be based on such Borrower’s long-term corporate/issuer rating(s) as maintained by S&P and/or Moody’s.

“Refinancing Indebtedness” means Consolidated Indebtedness incurred for the purpose of refinancing existing Consolidated Indebtedness.

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).

“Regulatory Assets” means, with respect to CL&P, NSTAR Gas, PSNH, WMECO or Yankee Gas, an intangible asset established by statute, regulation or regulatory order or similar action of a utility regulatory agency having jurisdiction over CL&P, NSTAR Gas, PSNH, WMECO or Yankee Gas, as the case may be, and included in the rate base of CL&P, NSTAR Gas, PSNH, WMECO or Yankee Gas, as the case may be, with the intention that such asset be amortized by rates over time.

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.

“Request for Borrowing” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Revolving Loans, a Revolving Loan Notice and (b) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time; provided that the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender in making such determination.

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Borrower and, solely for purposes of the delivery of certificates pursuant to Section 5.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Borrower.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Borrower.

“Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to any  Borrower  pursuan t to  Section 2.01   and  (b) purchase  participations  in Swing Line Loans, in an

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aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the sum of (i) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans at such time plus (ii) such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans at such time.

“Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

“Revolving Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (b) a conversion of Revolving Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, in each case pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02(a) or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent  (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.

“Revolving Loan Maturity Date” means (a) the later of (i) September 4, 2020 and (ii) with respect to some or all of the Lenders if the Revolving Loan Maturity Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.17, such extended Revolving Loan Maturity Date or (b) such earlier date on which the Loans are due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; provided, that if any Borrower is unable to obtain all required Governmental Approvals, such approvals to be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, for such Borrower’s incurrence of indebtedness payable more than one (1) year from the incurrence thereof (“Long-Term Indebtedness Approvals”) prior to the initial making of any Loan hereunder, then the Revolving Loan Maturity Date for such Borrower shall be the date that is the 364^th day to occur following the date of the initial Borrowing by such Borrower hereunder (the “364-Day Maturity Date”), provided that in no event shall the 364-Day Maturity Date be later than the Revolving Loan Maturity Date set forth in clause (a) above; provided further that if such Borrower shall obtain such Long-Term Indebtedness Approvals prior to the 364-Day Maturity Date, then, at the request of such Borrower and provided that (x) no Default or Event of Default exists with respect to such Borrower and (y) the representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in Article VI (other than Sections 6.05(c) and 6.06) or in any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date, such 364-Day Maturity Date shall automatically extend to the extent permitted by such Governmental Approval but in no event later than the Revolving Loan Maturity Date set forth in clause (a) above.

“Revolving Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill Financial Inc., and any successor thereto.

“Sanctions” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States government (including, without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

“Solvent” or “Solvency” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, that on such date  (a)  such Person is  able to pay its debts and other liabilities, including contingent obligations as they

17

mature , (b) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute unreasonably small capital, (c) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person and (d) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured.  In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount which, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

“Stranded Cost Recovery Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s obligations to make principal, interest or other payments to the issuer of stranded cost recovery bonds pursuant to a loan agreement or similar arrangement whereby the issuer has loaned the proceeds of such bonds to such Person.

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrowers.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement, but excluding in all instances obligations under default service and standard offer power supply agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

“Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

“Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

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“Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Borrowing of Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.04(b) or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer.

“Swing Line Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

“Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $100,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

“Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing arrangement whereby the arrangement is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease or does not otherwise appear on a balance sheet under GAAP.

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

“Threshold Amount” means $50,000,000.

“364-Day Maturity Date” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Revolving Loan Maturity Date”.

“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Revolving Commitments and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.

“Total Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans and all Swing Line Loans.

“Type” means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code.

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(III).

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

“WMECO” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Yankee Gas” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

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1.02

Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a)

The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto”, “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all real and personal property and tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

(b)

In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(c)

Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

1.03

Accounting Terms.

(a)

Generally.  Except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein, all accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements; provided, however, that calculations of attributable Indebtedness under any Synthetic Lease or the implied interest component of any Synthetic Lease shall be made by the Borrowers in accordance with accepted financial practice and consistent with the terms of such Synthetic Lease.

(b)

Changes in GAAP.  If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrowers  or  the  Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and

20

the Borrowers shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrowers shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

(c)

FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20.  Notwithstanding the above, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

1.04

Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

1.05

Times of Day.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

1.06

Rates.

The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.

ARTICLE II

THE COMMITMENTS AND BORROWINGS

2.01

Revolving Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Revolving Loan”) to each Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (a) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (b) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and (c) the Total Revolving Outstandings of any Borrower shall not exceed such Borrower’s Borrower Sublimit.  Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, each Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.  Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein, provided, however, all Borrowings made on the Effective Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans.

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2.02

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a)

Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the applicable Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (a) a Revolving Loan Notice or (b) telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of, Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans prior to the end of the applicable Interest Period, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans.  Each telephonic notice by a Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Revolving Loan Notice.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Except as provided in Section 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Each Revolving Loan Notice and each telephonic notice shall specify (i) whether the applicable Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If a Borrower fails to specify a Type of a Loan in a Revolving Loan Notice or if a Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If a Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any Revolving Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

(b)

Following receipt of a Revolving Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the applicable Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans as described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Revolving Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Borrowing, Section 5.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the applicable Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of such Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by such Borrower.

(c)

Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

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(d)

The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.  At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

(e)

After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than eight (8) Interest Periods in effect with respect to all Loans.

2.03

[Reserved].

2.04

Swing Line Loans.

(a)

Swing Line Facility.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, shall make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to each Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and (iii) the Total Revolving Outstandings of any Borrower shall not exceed such Borrower’s Borrower Sublimit, and provided, further, that no Borrower shall use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, each Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.  Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan.  Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

(b)

Borrowing Procedures.  Each Borrowing of Swing Line Loans shall be made upon the applicable Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (a) a Swing Line Loan Notice or (b) telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum principal amount of $500,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice.  Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing of Swing Line Loans (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms  and  conditions  hereof,  the  Swing  Line  Lender  will,  not  later  than 3:00  p.m.  on  the

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borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the applicable Borrower.

(c)

Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

(i)

The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the applicable Borrower (which hereby irrevocably requests and authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding.  Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Revolving Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than the delivery of a Revolving Loan Notice) and provided that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the applicable Borrower with a copy of the applicable Revolving Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Revolving Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Revolving Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the applicable Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

(ii)

If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Borrowing of Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

(iii)

If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.  A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv)

Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund  risk  participations  in  Swing Line Loans pursuant  to  this  Section 2.04(c) shall be

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absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, any Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02.  No such purchase or funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of any Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d)

Repayment of Participations.

(i)

At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage of such payment (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

(ii)

If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination thereof.

(e)

Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender.  The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the applicable Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans.  Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

(f)

Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender.  Each Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

2.05

Prepayments.

(a)

Voluntary Prepayments.

(i)

Revolving Loans.  Each Borrower may, upon delivery of a Prepayment Notice from such Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Revolving Loans, in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such Prepayment Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar  Rate  Loans (prior to  the  end of an applicable Interest Period) and (2) on the

25

date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any such prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $2,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); and (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding).  Each such Prepayment Notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such Prepayment Notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such Prepayment  Notice is given by a Borrower, such Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such Prepayment Notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.  Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

(ii)

Swing Line Loans.  Each Borrower may, upon delivery of a Prepayment Notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such Prepayment Notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (B) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding).  Each such Prepayment Notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment.  If such Prepayment Notice is given by a Borrower, such Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such Prepayment Notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

(b)

Mandatory Prepayments of Loans.

(i)

Revolving Commitments.  If for any reason (A) the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect or (B) the Total Revolving Outstandings of any Borrower at any time exceed such Borrower’s Borrower Sublimit, the applicable Borrower or Borrowers shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans and/or the Swing Line Loans in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

(ii)

Application of Mandatory Prepayments.  All amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(i) shall be applied ratably to Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans.  Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  All prepayments under this Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.

2.06

Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

(a)

Optional Reductions.  The Borrowers, or any Borrower individually, shall have the right, upon at least three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate in whole or, upon same day notice, from time to time to permanently reduce (i) ratably in part the

26

unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments or (ii) the Borrower Sublimit of such Borrower without ratably reducing the unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments; provided that each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or in an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Each such notice of termination or reduction shall be irrevocable; provided, further, that, if, after giving effect to any reduction, the Swing Line Sublimit or any Borrower Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. Any Aggregate Revolving Commitment reduced or terminated pursuant to this Section may not be reinstated.  Any Borrower other than Eversource that terminates its right to obtain Revolving Loans and that has repaid all its Obligations shall no longer constitute a “Borrower”.

(b)

Notice.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of the Swing Line Sublimit, any Borrower’s Borrower Sublimit or the Aggregate Revolving Commitments under this Section 2.06.  Upon any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Revolving Commitment of each Lender shall be reduced by such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such reduction amount.  All fees in respect of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

2.07

Repayment of Loans.

(a)

Revolving Loans.  Each Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding on such date.

(b)

Swing Line Loans.  Each Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date within one (1) Business Day of demand therefor by the Swing Line Lender and (ii) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

2.08

Interest.

(a)

Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Margin, (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.

(b)

(i)

If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, all outstanding Obligations shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii)

If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) is not paid when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

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(iii)

Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c)

Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

2.09

Fees.

(a)

Facility Fee.  Each Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a facility fee (the “Facility Fee”) at a rate per annum equal to the product of (i) the Facility Fee rate specified in the definition of “Applicable Margin”  times (ii) such Borrower’s Facility Percentage times (iii) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Facility Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article V is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Effective Date, and on the Revolving Loan Maturity Date; provided, that each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive fees payable under this Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to extent allocable to the outstanding principal amount of the Loans funded by it.  The Facility Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Margin during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Margin separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Margin was in effect.

(b)

Fee Letters.  Each Borrower shall pay to the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letters.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall be non-refundable for any reason whatsoever.

2.10

Computation of Interest and Fees.

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans determined by reference to clause (b) of the definition of “Base Rate” in Section 1.01  shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest (including without limitation computations of interest for Base Rate Loans determined by reference to clauses (a) and (c) of the definition of “Base Rate” in Section 1.01) shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

2.11

Evidence of Debt.

(a)

The Borrowings made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course  of  business.   The accounts  or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each

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Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Borrowings made by the Lenders to each Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of any Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the applicable Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each such promissory note shall (i) in the case of Revolving Loans, be in the form of Exhibit 2.11(a)-1 (a “Revolving Note”) and (ii) in the case of Swing Line Loans, be in the form of Exhibit 2.11(a)-2 (a “Swing Line Note”).  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b)

In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Swing Line Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

2.12.

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

(a)

General.  All payments to be made by any Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by any Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  Subject to the definition of “Interest Period”, if any payment to be made by any Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b)

(i)

  Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the applicable Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding  amount  in  immediately

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available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the applicable Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by such Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If such Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to such Borrower the amount of such interest paid by such Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.  Any payment by such Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim such Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii)

Payments by Borrowers; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the applicable Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due.  In such event, if the applicable Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the applicable Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c)

Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the applicable Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Borrowing set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall promptly return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

(d)

Obligations of Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

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(e)

Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.13

Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in Swing Line Loans held by it (excluding any amounts applied by the Swing Line Lender to outstanding Swing Line Loans) resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(i)

if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

(ii)

the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of any Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14 or  (z)  any payment obtained by a Lender  as  consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations Swing  Line  Loans  to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

Each Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.

2.14

Cash Collateral.

(a)

Certain Credit Support Events.  At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the Swing Line Lender, each Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

(b)

Grant of Security Interest.  All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at the Administrative Agent.  Each Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Lender, such Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit  of  the  Administrative  Agent  and  the  Lenders  (including the Swing Line Lender)  and

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agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c).  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, each Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.

(c)

Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14, Section 2.04, or Section 2.15 in respect of Swing Line Loans shall be held and applied in satisfaction of the specific Swing Line Loans, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided herein.

(d)

Release.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Borrower shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 2.14 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 9.03) and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the Swing Line Lender may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

2.15

Defaulting Lenders.

(a)

Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

(i)

Waivers and Amendment.  The Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 11.01.

(ii)

Reallocation of Payments.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amount received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article IX or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by the Swing Line Lender, to be held as Cash Collateral for future funding obligations  of  that  Defaulting  Lender  of  any  participation  in  any  Swing Line Loan;

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 fourth, as any Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and each Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the  Swing Line Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to any Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by such Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided, that, if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to the pay the Loans of all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of that Defaulting Lender.  Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii)

Certain Fees.  The Defaulting Lender shall not be entitled to receive any Facility Fee pursuant to Section 2.09(a) for any period during which such Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and no Borrower shall be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to such Defaulting Lender).

(iv)

Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to  Section 2.04, the  “Applicable Percentage”  of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Revolving Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided, that, each such reallocation (x) shall be given effect only if, at the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default exists; and (y) does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of  any  non-Defaulting  Lender  to exceed such non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment.

(b)

Defaulting Lender Cure.  If each Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Swing Line Lender agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Revolving Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be

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a Defaulting Lender; provided, that, no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of any Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; provided, further, that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender having been a Defaulting Lender.

2.16

Additional Revolving Commitments.

Eversource may, at any time and from time to time, upon prior written notice by Eversource to the Administrative Agent increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (but not the Swing Line Sublimit) by a maximum aggregate amount of up to TWO HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($250,000,000) with additional Revolving Commitments from any existing Lender with a Revolving Commitment or new Revolving Commitments from any other Person selected by Eversource and acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Swing Line Lender; provided that:

(a)

     any such increase shall be in a minimum principal amount of $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof;

(b)

     no Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing at the time of any such increase or would result from any Borrowing on the day of such increase;

(c)

     no existing Lender shall be under any obligation to increase its Revolving Commitment and any such decision whether to increase its Revolving Commitment shall be in such Lender’s sole and absolute discretion;

(d)

     any new Lender shall join this Agreement by executing such joinder documents required by the Administrative Agent and/or any existing Lender electing to increase its Revolving Commitment shall have executed a commitment agreement satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(e)

     any existing Lender or any new Lender providing a portion of the increase in Revolving Commitments shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Swing Line Lender; and

(f)

     as a condition precedent to such increase, Eversource shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (A) a certificate of each Borrower dated as of the date of such increase (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower (1) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Borrower approving or consenting to such increase, and (2) in the case of Eversource, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, the representations and warranties contained in Article VI and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such increase, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.16, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and  (b)  of  Section 6.05  shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 7.01, and (B) legal opinions and other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

Each Borrower shall prepay any Loans owing by it and outstanding on the date of any such increase  (and  pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to  the  extent  necessary  to

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keep the outstanding Loans ratable with any revised Revolving Commitments arising from any nonratable increase in the Revolving Commitments under this Section.

2.17

Extension of Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

(a)

Request for Extension.  The Borrowers may by written notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall promptly notify the Lenders) given not less than forty-five (45) days  prior  to  any  anniversary of the Effective Date, request that each Lender extend the Revolving Loan Maturity Date for an additional one (1) year from the then existing Revolving Loan Maturity Date; provided,  that  the Borrowers shall only  be  permitted to exercise this extension option two (2) times during the term of this Agreement; provided, further, that, in no case shall the Revolving Loan Maturity Date exceed five (5) years from any date.

(b)

Lenders Election to Extend.  Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Administrative Agent given not later than fifteen (15) days following the receipt of notice of such request from the Administrative  Agent  (the “Notice  Date”), advise the Administrative Agent in writing whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Revolving Loan Maturity Date (a “Non-Extending Lender”) shall notify the Administrative Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Notice Date) and any Lender that does not so advise  the  Administrative  Agent  on  or  before the  Notice  Date  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  Non-Extending Lender.    The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree.

(c)

Notification by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers of each Lender’s determination under this Section 2.17 promptly and in any event no later than the date  fifteen  (15)  days after the Notice Date (or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day).

(d)

Additional Commitment Lenders.  The Borrowers shall have the right on or before the applicable  anniversary  of  the  Effective  Date to replace each Non-Extending Lender with, and add as “Lenders” under  this  Agreement in  place  thereof,  one  or  more  Eligible Assignees (each, an “Additional Commitment Lender”) as provided in Section 11.13, each of which Additional Commitment Lenders shall have entered into an Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which  such  Additional  Commitment  Lender  shall,  undertake  a  Revolving Commitment (and, if any such Additional Commitment Lender is already a Lender, its Revolving Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s  Revolving  Commitment  hereunder  on  such date) and shall be a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement.

(e)

Minimum Extension Requirement.  If all of the Lenders agree to any such request for extension of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date then the Revolving Loan Maturity Date for all Lenders shall be extended for the additional one (1) year, as applicable.  If there exists any Non-Extending Lenders that are not being replaced by Additional Commitment Lenders, then the Borrowers shall (i) withdraw their extension request and the Revolving Loan Maturity Date will remain unchanged or (ii) provided that the Required Lenders (but for the avoidance of doubt, not including any Additional Commitment Lenders) have agreed to the extension request (such Lenders agreeing to such extension, the “Approving Lenders”) no  later  than  fifteen  (15)  days prior to such anniversary of the Effective Date, then the Borrowers  may  extend  the  Revolving Loan Maturity Date solely as to the Approving Lenders and the Additional Commitment Lenders with a reduced amount of Aggregate Revolving Commitments during such extension period equal to   the   aggregate   Revolving  Commitments  of   the  Approving  Lenders  and   the   Additional

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Commitment Lenders; it being understood that (A) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date relating to any Non-Extending Lenders not replaced by an Additional Commitment Lender shall not be extended and the repayment of all obligations owed  to  them and the termination of their Revolving  Commitments  shall  occur  on  the  already existing Revolving Loan Maturity Date and (B) the Revolving Loan Maturity Date relating to the Approving Lenders and the Additional Commitment Lenders shall be extended for an additional year, as applicable.

(f)

Conditions to Effectiveness of Extensions.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any extension of the Revolving Loan Maturity Date pursuant to this Section 2.17 shall not be effective with respect to any Lender unless:

(i)

on the date of such extension, the conditions for a Borrowing provided in Section 5.02(a) and (b) shall be satisfied;

(ii)

the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each of the Borrowers certifying that as of the date of such extension, (A) there are no actions, suits, proceedings, or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of any of the Borrowers after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any of the Borrowers or any of their respective Principal Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (1) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (2) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents and (B) since December 31, 2014, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had a Material Adverse Effect, except as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents; and

(iii)

on the date of such extension, the Borrowers shall prepay any Loans outstanding on such date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05) to the extent necessary to keep outstanding Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages of the respective Lenders effective as of such date.

ARTICLE III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01

Taxes.

(a)

Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

(i)

Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws.  If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Borrower, then the Administrative Agent or such Borrower shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.

(ii)

If any Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue  Code  to  withhold  or  deduct  any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup

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withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(iii)

If any Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(b)

Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrowers.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrowers shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(c)

Tax Indemnifications.  

(i)

Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, but without duplication, each of the Borrowers shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each of the Borrowers shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below.

(ii)

Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, (A) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so),  (B)  the Administrative Agent and the

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 Borrowers, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (C) the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Borrower in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).  

(d)

Evidence of Payments.  Upon request by any Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by any Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, such Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the applicable Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the applicable Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

(e)

Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

(i)

Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to each Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by any Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable such Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender; provided, that this sentence shall not apply to documentation described in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(C) if such documentation is in substance essentially equivalent to, and not materially more onerous to provide, than the documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B), or (ii)(D).

(ii)

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A)

any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such   Borrower  or   the Administrative  Agent),  executed   copies  of  Internal  Revenue

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Service Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding Tax;

(B)

any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable (together with any required schedules and attachments):

(1)

in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2)

executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI;

(3)

in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01(e)-1 to the effect that  such  Foreign  Lender  is  not  a  “bank”  within  the  meaning of  Section  881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of such Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E; or

(4)

to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY, accompanied by Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI, Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01(e)-2 or Exhibit 3.01(e)-3, Internal Revenue Service Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01(e)-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C)

any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of such Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction   in    U.S.   federal   withholding   Tax,  duly   completed,  together  with  such

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supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit such Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D)

if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to such Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by such Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for such Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(iii)

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify each applicable Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f)

Treatment of Certain Refunds.  Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender.  If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Borrower or with respect to which any Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to such Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that such Borrower, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to any Borrower pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid.  This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Borrower or any other Person.

(g)

Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

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3.02

Illegality.

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to each applicable Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and each applicable Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, (x) each such Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, each applicable Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

3.03

Inability to Determine Rates.

If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof,  (a) the Administrative Agent determines that (i) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan  or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (a) above, “Impacted Loans”), or (b) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason  the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrowers and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent upon the instruction of the Required Lenders revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (a) of the first sentence of this section, the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrowers and the affected Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans,  in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered under the first sentence of this section with respect to the Impacted Loans, (2) the Administrative Agent or any of the affected Lenders notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender reasonably determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers written notice thereof.

3.04

Increased Costs.

(a)

Increased Costs Generally.  If any Change in Law shall:

(i)

impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Eurodollar Rate);

(ii)

subject any Lender to any Tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender in respect thereof (in each case, except for Indemnified Taxes and Excluded Taxes); or

(iii)

impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, each Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b)

Capital Requirements.  If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Revolving Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity),  then  from  time  to  time  each  applicable  Borrower  will  pay  to such  Lender  such

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additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c)

Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to each applicable Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Such Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d)

Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that no Borrower shall be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine (9) months prior to the date that such Lender notifies such Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

(e)

Payment Obligations.  Payment obligations of the Borrowers under this Section 3.04 shall be subject to Section 11.19.

3.05

Compensation for Losses.

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the  Borrowers shall promptly compensate such Lender for, and hold such Lender harmless from, any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a)

any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b)

any failure by any Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by such Borrower; or

(c)

any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by any Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;

including any loss (other than any loss of anticipated profits) or expense arising from the liquidation or redeployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.  Each Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by any Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Base Rate used in determining the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.  Payment obligations of the Borrowers under this Section 3.05 shall be subject to Section 11.19.

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3.06

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a)

If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  Each Borrower hereby agrees to pay its all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b)

If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrowers may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

3.07

Survival.

All of each Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

3.08

Withholding Taxes.

For purposes of determining withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA, from and after the Effective Date, the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent shall treat (and the Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to treat) the Loans under this Agreement as not qualifying as “grandfathered obligations” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.1471-2(b)(2)(i).

ARTICLE IV

[RESERVED]

ARTICLE V

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO BORROWINGS

5.01

Conditions of Initial Borrowings.

This Agreement shall become effective upon, and the obligation of each Lender to make Loans to any Borrower hereunder is subject to, satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a)

Loan Documents.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of executed counterparts of this Agreement and a Note for each Lender that has requested a Note, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of each Borrower and, in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.

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(b)

Opinions of Counsel. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Borrowers, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Effective Date, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(c)

Financial Statements.  The Administrative Agent shall have received:

(i)

the Audited Financial Statements; and

(ii)

unaudited consolidated financial statements of each Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2015, including balance sheets and statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows (the “Interim Financial Statements”).

(d)

No Material Adverse Change.  Since December 31, 2014, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had a Material Adverse Effect with respect to any Borrower, other than as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

(e)

Litigation.  There shall not exist any action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of any Borrower, threatened in any court or before an arbitrator or Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, other than as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

(f)

Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:

(i)

copies of the Organization Documents of each Borrower certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Borrower to be true and correct as of the Effective Date;

(ii)

such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Borrower as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Borrower is a party; and

(iii)

such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may require to evidence that each Borrower is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.

(g)

Closing Certificate.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of each Borrower certifying that (i) the conditions specified in Sections 5.01(d) and (e) and Sections 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied and (ii) each Borrower and its Subsidiaries (after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the incurrence of Indebtedness related thereto) are Solvent on a consolidated basis.

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(h)

OFAC, Patriot Act, Etc.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of all documentation and other information that any Lender has reasonably requested in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer”, OFAC and anti-corruption laws, including the Patriot Act.

(i)

Repayment of Existing Credit Agreement.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of evidence of the repayment in full of all outstanding amounts under the Existing Credit Agreement.

(j)

Fees.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Effective Date.

(k)

Attorney Costs.  The Borrowers shall have paid all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Effective Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent).

(l)

Other.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of such other documents, instruments, agreements and information as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including, but not limited to, information regarding litigation, tax, accounting, labor, insurance, pension liabilities (actual or contingent), real estate leases, material contracts, debt agreements, property ownership, environmental matters, contingent liabilities and management of each Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document made available to it for review prior to the Effective Date or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Effective Date specifying its objection thereto.

5.02

Conditions to all Borrowings.

The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Borrowing from any Borrower is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a)

The representations and warranties of such Borrower contained in Article VI (other than Sections 6.05(c) and 6.06) or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing (other than any representation and warranty that is expressly qualified by materiality, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects), except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation and warranty that is expressly qualified by materiality, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 5.02, the representations and warranties contained in clauses (a) and (b) of Section 6.05 shall be deemed to

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refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 7.01.

(b)

No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds thereof, with respect to such Borrower.

(c)

The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Borrowing from such Borrower in accordance with the requirements hereof.

Each Request for Borrowing submitted by any Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Borrowing.

ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

6.01

Existence, Qualification and Power.

Each Borrower and each Principal Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license, and (d) is in compliance with all Laws; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), (c) or (d), to the extent that failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.02

Authorization; No Contravention.

The execution, delivery and performance by each Borrower of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Principal Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.  Each Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Contractual Obligations referred to in clause (b)(i), except to the extent that failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.03

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority (including FERC and DPU) is necessary or required in connection with the execution,  delivery  or  performance by, or enforcement against, any Borrower of this Agreement or any

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other Loan Document, other than those approvals, consents or filings already obtained or made and in full force and effect.

6.04

Binding Effect.

This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Borrower.  This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Borrower, enforceable against each Borrower that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to creditors’ rights and general principles of equity.

6.05

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

(a)

The Audited Financial Statements of each Borrower and its Subsidiaries (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show to the extent required by GAAP all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.

(b)

The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of each Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated June 30, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.

(c)

Since December 31, 2014, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had a Material Adverse Effect, except as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

6.06

Litigation.

There are no actions, suits, proceedings, or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of any Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any of the Borrowers or any of their respective Principal Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as specifically disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

6.07

No Default.

None of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries is in default under or with respect to any indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of the Threshold  Amount.    No  Default  has

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occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

6.08

Ownership of Property; Liens.

Each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries have good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as would not, individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.  As of the date of this Agreement, each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and undisturbed possession under all leases of real property on which facilities operated by it are situated, and all such leases are valid and subsisting and in full force and effect.  The property of each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 8.01.

6.09

Environmental Compliance.

Each of the Borrowers and their Principal Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof each Borrower has reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims would not, individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.10

Insurance.

The properties of each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of any Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Borrower or the applicable Principal Subsidiary operates.  All of such policies (a) are in full force and effect, (b) are sufficient for compliance by each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries with all written agreements or instruments to which such Borrower or any such Principal Subsidiary is a party and all applicable requirements of law, (c) provide that they will remain in full force and effect through the respective dates set forth in such policies and (d) will not in any way be affected by, or terminate or lapse by reason of, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  None of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries are in default with respect to its obligations under any of such insurance policies and have not received any notification of cancellation of any such insurance policies.

6.11

Taxes.

The Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP and those where the failure to file or pay would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  There is no unpaid tax claimed by any governmental Authority to be due against any of the Borrowers or any of their respective Principal Subsidiaries that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.  As of the Effective Date, none of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries is party to any tax sharing agreements other than as set forth on Schedule 6.11.

6.12

ERISA Compliance.

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(a)

Except as would not reasonably be likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Pension Plan sponsored or maintained by a Borrower is in substantial compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Laws.  Each Pension Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of each Borrower, nothing has occurred which has not been or cannot be corrected that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification.  Each Borrower, and to the best knowledge of each Borrower, each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Pension Plan or, any delinquent contributions, have been corrected pursuant to a government sponsored correction program, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Pension Plan.

(b)

There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of each Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Pension Plan that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Pension Plan that has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)

(i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) each Borrower, and to the best knowledge of each Borrower, each ERISA Affiliate has met all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained; (iii) neither any Borrower, nor to the knowledge of each Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (iv) no Borrower, or to the best knowledge of each Borrower, any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.

6.13

Subsidiaries.

As of the Effective Date, none of the Borrowers has any Principal Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 6.13, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote for the election of directors or other governing Persons in such Principal Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by such Borrower in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 6.13 free and clear of all Liens.  All of the outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote in each Borrower have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and the Equity Interests of each Borrower (other than Eversource) are owned by Eversource to the extent specified, as of the Effective Date, on Part (b) of Schedule 6.13 free and clear of all Liens.

6.14

Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

(a)

The proceeds of the Loans will be used for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes (including the repayment of Indebtedness).  The proceeds of the Loans will not be used in any way which would violate the provisions of Regulation U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.  No Borrower is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

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(b)

None of the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries is a “registered investment company” or an “affiliated company” or a “principal underwriter” of a “registered investment company”, as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

6.15

Disclosure.

Each Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Principal Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

6.16

Compliance with Laws.

Each of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.17

Solvency.

Each Borrower, together with its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, are and, upon the incurrence of any Borrowing on any date on which this representation and warranty is made, will be, Solvent.

6.18

Taxpayer Numbers and Other Information.

Each Borrower’s (a) true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number, (b) full legal name, (c) state of incorporation, formation or organization and (d) the address of its principal place of business are set forth on Schedule 6.18.

6.19

Sanctions Concerns; Anti-Corruption Laws.

(a)

Sanctions Concerns. No Borrower, nor any Subsidiary of any Borrower, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity  that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction so as to result in a violation of Sanctions.

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(b)

Anti-Corruption Laws.  Each of the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Borrowers and their respective Subsidiaries, all directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and representatives thereof, have conducted their business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions, and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

ARTICLE VII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any commitment hereunder, any Loan or other obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of the Borrowers hereby agrees that it shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 7.01, 7.02, and 7.03) cause each of its Principal Subsidiaries to:

7.01

Financial Statements.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a)

with respect to each Borrower, as soon as available, but in any event within one hundred five (105) days after the end of each fiscal year of such Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit and to the effect that such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with prior years (except as to changes with which such accountants concur and which shall be disclosed in the notes thereto or in a letter) and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries at the dates thereof and the results of its consolidated operations for the periods covered thereby; and

(b)

with respect to each Borrower, as soon as available, but in any event within fifty (50) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of such Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of such Borrower’s fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, certified by a Responsible Officer of such Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of such Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

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As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.02(d), no Borrower shall be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of each Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.  For purposes of clarity, in the event that any Borrower merges into another entity and is not the surviving Person, dissolves or otherwise ceases to have a legal existence, then the financial delivery requirements in this Section 7.01 shall no longer apply to such Borrower.

7.02

Certificates; Other Information.

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

(a)

concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 7.01(a) and (b), a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.02(a) signed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Borrowers (the “Compliance Certificate”) (i) stating that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such certificate, and if a Default or an Event of Default has then occurred and is continuing, specifying the details thereof and the action that such Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth in reasonable detail computations evidencing compliance with Section 8.06 hereof as determined on the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the fiscal quarter during which such certifications are to be delivered pursuant to this clause (a) and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 7.01 and, if any change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

(b)

concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in clauses (a) and (b) of Section 7.01, a copy of the certification (if any) signed by the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of each Borrower (each a “Certifying Officer”) as required by Rule 13A-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a copy of the internal controls disclosure statement by such Certifying Officer as required by Rule 13A-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as included in such Borrower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for the applicable fiscal period;

(c)

contemporaneously with the filing or mailing thereof, copies of all financial statements sent by each Borrower to shareholders and all reports, notices, proxy statements or other communications sent by such Borrower to its shareholders, and all reports under Sections 12, 13 and 14 and under any rules promulgated with respect to such sections (including all reports on Forms 8-K, 10-K and 10-Q, along with all amendments and supplements thereto) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, all Schedules 13D and 13G and all amendments thereto, and registration statements filed by such Borrower with any securities exchange or with the SEC or any successor;

(d)

promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each formal notice received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S.  jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of such Borrower or such Subsidiary thereof that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

53

(e)

promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of any Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) or Section 7.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which Eversource or the applicable Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on Eversource’s or such Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on Eversource’s or such Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) each Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests such Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) each Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.  Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by any Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

Each Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Joint Lead Arrangers will make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of such Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on SyndTrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to such Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”).  Each Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” such Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers, and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as either publicly available information or not material information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to such Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws; (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.”

7.03

Notices.

Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of:

(a)

the occurrence of any Default;

(b)

any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including as a result of: (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under,  a  Contractual  Obligation  of  any Borrower  or any Principal Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute,

54

litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between any Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting any Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;

(c)

the occurrence of any ERISA Event; and

(d)

any announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change in a Reference Rating.

Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the applicable Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action such Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.  Each notice pursuant to Section 7.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

7.04

Payment of Taxes.

Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Borrower or such Subsidiary and all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by Law become a Lien upon its property, except in each case where the failure to pay such amounts would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.05

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 8.02; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.06

Maintenance of Properties.

(a)  Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities; provided, however, that in each of the foregoing cases described in clauses (a), (b), and (c), none of the Borrowers and Principal Subsidiaries will be prevented from discontinuing the operation and maintenance of any such properties if such discontinuance is, in the reasonable judgment of such Borrower or Principal Subsidiary, as applicable, desirable in the operation or maintenance of its business and would not result, or be reasonably likely to result, in a Material Adverse Effect.

7.07

Maintenance of Insurance.

Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of any Borrower,  insurance  with  respect  to  its  properties  and business against loss or damage  of  the  kinds

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customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.

7.08

Compliance with Laws.

Comply (a) with the Patriot Act, OFAC rules and regulations and all Sanctions and laws related thereto, (b) in all material respects, with the requirements of all other Laws (including Environmental Laws and anti-money laundering laws) applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, (c) all material provisions of its charter documents, by-laws, operating agreement, certificate and other constituent documents, as applicable, and (d) all material applicable decrees, orders, and judgments, except where the failure to comply with clauses (b) through (c) above would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.09

Books and Records.

Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Borrower or such Principal Subsidiary, as the case may be, in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

7.10

Inspection Rights.

Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the applicable Borrower.

7.11

Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Borrowings for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes (including the repayment of Indebtedness) not in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.  The proceeds of the Loans will not be used in any way which would violate the provisions of Regulation U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

7.12

Further Assurances.

(a)

Promptly execute and deliver, or cause to be promptly executed and delivered, all further instruments and documents, and take and cause to be taken all further actions, that may be necessary or that the Required Lenders through the Administrative Agent may reasonably request to enable the Lenders and the Administrative Agent to carry out to their reasonable satisfaction the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and enforce the terms and provisions of this Agreement and to exercise their rights and remedies hereunder or under the Notes, and

(b)

Use all commercially reasonable efforts to duly obtain governmental approvals required in connection with this Agreement from time to time on or prior to such date as the same may become legally required, and thereafter to maintain all such governmental approvals in full force and effect.

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7.13

Conduct of Business.

Except as permitted by Section 8.02, conduct its primary business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields as such business is conducted on the date hereof.

7.14

Governmental Approvals.

Duly obtain on or prior to such date as the same may become legally required, and thereafter maintain in effect at all times, all Governmental Approvals on its part to be obtained, except in the case of those Governmental Approvals referred to in clause (ii) of the definition of “Governmental Approval”, (i) those the absence of which could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) those that such Borrower or such Principal Subsidiary is diligently attempting in good faith to obtain, renew or extend, or the requirement for which such Borrower or such Principal Subsidiary is contesting in good faith by appropriate proceedings or by other appropriate means; provided, however, that the exception afforded by clause (ii), above, shall be available only if and for so long as such attempt or contest, and any delay resulting therefrom, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

7.15

Anti-Corruption Laws.

Conduct its business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

ARTICLE VIII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Revolving Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, each of the Borrowers hereby agrees that it shall not, nor shall it  permit any of its Principal Subsidiaries to (except in the case of the covenant set forth in Section 8.06, which shall apply only to Borrowers), directly or indirectly:

8.01

Liens.

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

(a)

Liens granted, incurred or existing in the ordinary course of business not in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of credit and not otherwise described below,

(b)

Liens arising in connection with the sale of accounts receivable,

(c)

Liens existing on acquired property at the time of acquisition thereof by such Borrower or Subsidiary which liens do not extend to any property other than such acquired properties,

(d)

any purchase money Lien or construction mortgage on assets hereafter acquired or constructed by a Borrower or any Subsidiary, and any Lien on any assets existing at the time of acquisition  thereof  by  a  Borrower or  a  Subsidiary or created within one hundred eighty (180)

57

days from the date of completion of such acquisition or construction; provided that such Lien or construction mortgage shall at all times be confined solely to the assets so acquired or constructed and any additions thereto;

(e)

Liens existing on the date hereof and disclosed on Schedule 8.01;

(f)

Liens created by the First Mortgage Indentures, so long as by the terms thereof no “event of default” (howsoever designated) in respect of any bonds issued thereunder will arise upon the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default hereunder;

(g)

with respect to any Subsidiary, “Permitted Liens” or “Permitted Encumbrances” under the First Mortgage Indenture to which such Subsidiary is a party, in each case to the extent such Liens do not secure Indebtedness of such Subsidiary;

(h)

Liens resulting from legal proceedings being contested in good faith by appropriate legal or administrative proceedings by any Borrower or any Subsidiary, and as to which such Borrower or such Subsidiary, to the extent required by GAAP, shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves;

(i)

Liens created in favor of the other contracting party in connection with advance or progress payments;

(j)

any Liens in favor of any Governmental Authority, or trustee acting on behalf of holders of obligations issued by any Governmental Authority or any financial institutions lending to or purchasing obligations of any Governmental Authority, which Lien is created or assumed for the purpose of financing all or part of the cost of acquiring or constructing the property subject thereto;

(k)

Liens resulting from conditional sale agreements, capital leases or other title retention agreements;

(l)

with respect to sewage facility and pollution control bond financings, Liens on funds, accounts and other similar intangibles of the Borrower or any Subsidiary created or arising under the relevant indenture, pledges of the related loan agreement with the relevant issuing authority and pledges of any Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s interest, if any, in any bonds issued pursuant to such financings to a letter of credit bank or bond issuer or similar credit enhancer;

(m)

Liens granted on accounts receivable and Regulatory Assets in connection with financing transactions, whether denominated as sales or borrowings;

(n)

Liens on the assets of, the stock issued by or other equity of, any Subsidiary of any Borrower created to hold generating or transmission assets if such Liens are created to secure Indebtedness that is nonrecourse to such Borrower and is incurred to acquire, construct or otherwise develop such generating or transmission assets;

(o)

Liens created to secure Indebtedness of a transmission company Subsidiary of any Borrower with respect to assets transferred to such transmission company by another Subsidiary of such Borrower;

(p)

any extension, renewal or replacement of Liens permitted by clauses (c),  (d),  (e),  (f),  (g),  and  (k) through (n);  provided, however, that the principal amount of Indebtedness

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secured thereby shall not, at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement, exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness so secured and that such extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or a part of the property that secured the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced or to other property of no greater value than the property that secured the Lien so extended, renewed or replaced;

(q)

Liens on the assets of any Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries granted by such Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries to secure long term Indebtedness of such Borrower (exclusive of those granted under clauses (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (k) through (o) above) provided that at the time of granting such Liens (and after giving effect thereto), the aggregate amount of all such long term Indebtedness of all of the Borrowers and their respective Principal Subsidiaries taken together shall not exceed $700,000,000; and

(r)

Stranded Cost Recovery Obligations securitization transactions.  

8.02

Fundamental Changes.  

Merge, amalgamate, dissolve, liquidate, wind-up or consolidate (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution) with or into another Person, or dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (including Equity Interests in Subsidiaries) (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person unless:

(a)

a Subsidiary of Eversource merges, amalgamates or consolidates with Eversource or any Subsidiary of Eversource; provided (i) if Eversource is party to such transaction, Eversource shall be the surviving entity, (ii) with respect to any such transaction to which a Borrower other than Eversource is party, such Borrower shall be the surviving entity in such transaction or, if a Subsidiary is the surviving entity in such transaction, such Subsidiary shall be a Domestic Subsidiary and shall expressly assume, by an amendment to this Agreement in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the obligations under, and due and punctual performance of, this Agreement and (iii) that in the event that a Subsidiary is the surviving entity in such transaction, such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be, and shall be, a “Principal Subsidiary” hereunder,

(b)

a Subsidiary of Eversource liquidates or dissolves into, or makes an asset disposition to, Eversource or any Subsidiary of Eversource; provided (i) if Eversource is party to such transaction, Eversource shall be the entity into which assets are transferred, (ii) with respect to any such transaction to which a Borrower other than Eversource is party, such Borrower shall be the entity into which assets are transferred in such transaction or, if a Subsidiary is the surviving entity into which assets are transferred in such transaction, such Subsidiary shall be a Domestic Subsidiary and shall expressly assume, by an amendment to this Agreement in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the obligations under, and due and punctual performance of, this Agreement) is the entity to which assets are transferred in such transaction and (iii) that in the event that a Subsidiary is the entity to which assets are transferred, in such transaction, such Subsidiary shall be deemed to be, and shall be, a “Principal Subsidiary” hereunder,

(c)

all corporate and regulatory approvals therefor have been received,

(d)

no Default or Event of Default would exist hereunder after giving effect to such transaction, and

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(e)

the senior unsecured debt ratings of S&P and Moody’s applicable to (i) Eversource and (ii) to the extent applicable, such Principal Subsidiary that is the surviving entity in a transaction permitted under clause (a) above, (iii) to the extent applicable, the entity to which assets are transferred, in such a transaction permitted under clause (b) and (iv) to the extent applicable, the Principal Subsidiary disposing of assets to a Person other than Eversource or any of its Subsidiaries in a transaction permitted under clause (b) above, in each case after giving effect to such transaction, shall be at least BBB- and Baa3.  

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any disposition of assets permitted by the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.02 to a Person other than Eversource and its Subsidiaries may be consummated by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation.

8.03

Change in Nature of Business.

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by such Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

8.04

Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders.

Enter into any transaction of any kind with any officer, director or Affiliate of any Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (a) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, transactions which are on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an officer, director or Affiliate, (b) any transaction for which such Borrower or Subsidiary has obtained the approval of the DPU, (c) immaterial incidental transactions among Borrower and its Affiliates which are substantially on arm’s length basis, such as cash management, facility sharing, tax sharing, management services or other overhead sharing matters, (d) intercompany transactions, including loans and advances and the provision of services, not prohibited under this Agreement or required under the Federal Power Act and the rules of the FERC or state utility commissions, in each case to the extent applicable thereto, (e) normal and reasonable compensation and reimbursement expenses of officers and directors in the ordinary course of business and (f) Stranded Cost Recovery Obligations securitization transactions.

8.05

Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of any Borrowing, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

8.06

Consolidated Indebtedness to Capitalization Ratio.

With respect to each Borrower, permit the Consolidated Indebtedness to Capitalization Ratio of such Borrower as of the end of any fiscal quarter of such Borrower to be greater than 0.65:1.00.

8.07

Compliance with ERISA.

Terminate, or permit any of its ERISA Affiliates to terminate, any Pension Plan so as to result in any direct liability of such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary to the PBGC in an amount greater than the Threshold Amount, or (b) permit to exist any occurrence of any Reportable Event which, alone or together  with  any  other Reportable  Event  with  respect  to  the  same  or  another  Pension  Plan, has  a

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reasonable possibility of resulting in direct liability of such Borrower or any Subsidiary to the PBGC in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount, or any other event or condition that presents a material risk of such a termination by the PBGC of any Pension Plan or has a reasonable possibility of resulting in a liability of such Borrower or any Subsidiary to the PBGC or a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount.

8.08

Interests in Nuclear Plants.

Acquire any nuclear plant or any interest therein not held on the date hereof, other than so called “power entitlements” acquired for use in the ordinary course of business.

8.09

Financing Agreements.

With respect to each Borrower only, permit any Principal Subsidiary to enter into any agreement, contract, indenture or similar obligation, or issue any security (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Financing Agreements”), that is not in effect on the date hereof, or amend or modify any existing Financing Agreement, if the effect of such Financing Agreement (or amendment or modification thereof) is to impose any additional restriction not in effect on the date hereof on the ability of such Principal Subsidiary to pay dividends to the applicable Borrower; provided, that the foregoing shall not restrict the right of any Principal Subsidiary of any Borrower created to hold generating or transmission assets, to enter into any such Financing Agreement in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness that is nonrecourse to such Borrower and is incurred to acquire, construct or otherwise develop generating or transmission assets.

8.10

Sanctions.

Directly or indirectly, use any Borrowing or the proceeds of any Borrowing, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Borrowing or the proceeds of any Borrowing to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

8.11

Anti-Corruption Laws.

Directly or indirectly, use any Borrowing or the proceeds of any Borrowing for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

ARTICLE IX

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

9.01

Events of Default.

Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default with respect to any particular Borrower:

(a)

Non-Payment.  Such Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within five (5) days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five (5) days after the same  becomes  due,  any other  amount  payable  hereunder  or under any other Loan Document,

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whether at the stated maturity or any accelerated date of maturity or at any other date fixed for payment; or

(b)

Specific Covenants.  Such Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.01, 7.02(a), 7.03(a), 7.05, 7.10, or 7.11 or Article VIII; or

(c)

Other Defaults.  Such Borrower fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after written notice from the Administrative Agent; or

(d)

Representations and Warranties.  Any representation or warranty, made or deemed made by or on behalf of such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect (or, with respect to any representation and warranty that is expressly qualified by materiality, in any respect) when made or deemed made; or

(e)

Cross-Default.  (i) Such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise and after giving effect to applicable grace periods) in respect of any Indebtedness (other than (x) Indebtedness of such Borrower under this Agreement, but including, with respect to Eversource, Indebtedness of its Principal Subsidiaries hereunder and (y) Indebtedness under Swap Contracts)  having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded (or commitments to lend with respect to such Indebtedness to be terminated) or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) the Swap Termination Value owed by such Borrower or such Principal Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

(f)

Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  Such Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for ninety (90) calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all  or  any material  part  of  its property  is  instituted without  the consent  of  such  Person and

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continues undismissed or unstayed for ninety (90) calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

(g)

Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.  (i) Such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of such Borrower and its Principal Subsidiaries and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within ninety (90) days after its issue or levy; or

(h)

Judgments.  There is entered against such Borrower or any Principal Subsidiary (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order and not stayed within thirty (30) days, or (B) there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

(i)

ERISA.  (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in direct liability of such Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) such Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

(j)

Invalidity of Loan Documents.  Any material provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the obligations under this Agreement, ceases to be in full force and effect; or such Borrower or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or such Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any provision of any Loan Document; or

(k)

Change of Control.  There occurs any Change of Control with respect to such Borrower.

9.02

Remedies Upon Event of Default.

If any Event of Default with respect to any Borrower occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions with respect to such Borrower:

(a)

declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans to such Borrower to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b)

declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable by such Borrower hereunder or  under  any  other  Loan  Document  to  be immediately due and payable, without presentment,

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demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by such Borrower;

(c)

exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies against such Borrower and its property available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to such Borrower or any of its Principal Subsidiaries under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans to such Borrower shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans of such Borrower and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid of such Borrower shall automatically become due and payable without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

9.03

Application of Funds.

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations of any Borrower shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to the then outstanding Obligations of such Borrower in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders) arising under the Loan Documents and amounts payable under Article III, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to such Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

ARTICLE X

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

10.01

Appointment and Authority.

Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent  to  take   such  actions  on   its   behalf  and  to  exercise  such  powers  as   are   delegated  to  the

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Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and no Borrower shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

10.02

Rights as a Lender.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with any Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

10.03

Exculpatory Provisions.

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

(a)

shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

(b)

shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and

(c)

shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by a Borrower or a Lender.

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder  or  in connection  herewith  or  therewith,  (iii)  the  performance  or observance of any of the

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covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

10.04

Reliance by Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrowers), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

10.05

Delegation of Duties.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

10.06

Resignation of Administrative Agent.

(a)

The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrowers.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, with the consent of the Borrowers so long as no Event of Default has occurred and continues, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

(b)

If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of  the  definition  thereof,  the  Required  Lenders  may,  to  the  extent permitted by

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applicable Law by notice in writing to the Borrowers and such Person remove such Person as the Administrative Agent and, with the consent of the Borrowers so long as no Event of Default has occurred and continues, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, appoint a successor.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

(c)

With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrowers and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

Any resignation by or removal of Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation or removal as Swing Line Lender.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Swing Line Lender, and (b) the retiring Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents.

10.07

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

10.08

No Other Duties; Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder.

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10.09

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on any Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a)

to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b)

to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01

Amendments, Etc.

No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Borrower or therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrowers and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, further, that

(a)

no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(i)

extend (except as provided for in Section 2.17) or increase the Revolving Commitment of a Lender (or reinstate any Revolving Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02) without the written consent of such Lender whose Revolving Commitment is being extended or increased (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of  any  condition precedent set forth  in  Section 5.02 or  of  any  Default or a mandatory

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reduction in Revolving Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Revolving Commitments of any Lender);

(ii)

postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) or any scheduled or mandatory reduction of the Revolving Commitments hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment or whose Revolving Commitments are to be reduced;

(iii)

reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or (subject to clause (i) of the final proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrowers to pay interest at the Default Rate;

(iv)

change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender;

(v)

change Section 2.13 or Section 9.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

(b)

unless also signed by the Swing Line Lender, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; and

(c)

unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the Fee Letters may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto, (ii) no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Revolving Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender, (iii) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein, (iv) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Borrower to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders, (v) subject to Section 2.17, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and the relevant Lenders providing such additional credit facilities (x) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement, to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding hereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and to include appropriately the Lenders holding such

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credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and (y) to change, modify or alter Section 2.13 or Section 9.03 or any other provision hereof relating to the pro rata sharing of payments among the Lenders solely to the extent necessary to effectuate any of the amendments (or amendments and restatements) enumerated in this clause (v) and for no other purpose, and (vi) if following the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers shall have jointly identified an inconsistency, obvious error or omission of a technical or immaterial nature, in each case, in any provision of the Loan Documents, then the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers shall be permitted to amend such provision and such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Documents if the same is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five (5) Business Days following receipt of notice thereof.

11.02

Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies.

(a)

Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i)

if to any Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and

(ii)

if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to a Borrower).

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

(b)

Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail, FPML messaging and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent or any Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of

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an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

(c)

The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service or through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to any Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(d)

Change of Address, Etc.  Each Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Swing Line Lender.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.  Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to any Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

(e)

Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Revolving Loan Notices, Swing Line Loan  Notices  and Prepayment Notices) purportedly given by or on

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behalf of any Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.  The Borrowers shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Borrower.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

11.03

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Borrowers or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 9.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Swing Line Lender) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Borrower under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

11.04

Expenses; Indemnity; and Damage Waiver.

(a)

Costs and Expenses.  Each of the Borrowers shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and their respective Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel and, to the extent reasonably necessary, special and one local counsel in each jurisdiction for the Administrative Agent and for all of the Lenders as a group (and in the event of any actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel  for  the  Administrative Agent and/or each

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Lender subject to such conflict)) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.

(b)

Indemnification by the Borrowers.  Each of the Borrowers shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Joint Lead Arranger, each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel and, to the extent reasonably necessary, special and one local counsel in each jurisdiction for the Indemnitees (and in the event of any actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel for the Administrative Agent and/or each Lender subject to such conflict)) incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by any Borrower arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the comparative, contributory or sole negligence of the Indemnitee; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.

(c)

Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that any of the Borrowers for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by them to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d)

Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Borrower shall assert, and each Borrower hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the

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transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

(e)

Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor.  Payment obligations of the Borrowers under this Section 11.04 shall be subject to Section 11.19.

(f)

Survival.  The agreements in this Section shall survive (i) the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Revolving Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations and (ii) the repayment of Obligations and the termination of rights and of any Borrower pursuant to Section 2.06.

11.05

Payments Set Aside.

To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

11.06

Successors and Assigns.

(a)

Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

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(b)

Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Revolving Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i)

Minimum Amounts.

(A)

in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Revolving Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

(B)

in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Revolving Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 in the case of an assignment of Revolving Loans unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, each Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single assignee (or to an assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met;

(ii)

Required Consents.  No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

(A)

the consent of each Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

(B)

the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Revolving Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Revolving Commitment in respect of the Revolving Commitment subject to such assignment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

(C)

the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of the Revolving Commitment.

(iii)

Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together

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with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(iv)

No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made (A) to any Borrower or any of the Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries, or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B) or (C) to a natural person.

(v)

Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of each Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment.  Upon request, the applicable Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.  

(c)

Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Revolving Commitments of, and principal amounts  (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender

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pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by any Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d)

Participations.  Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, a Defaulting Lender or any Borrower or any of the Borrowers’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Revolving Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 11.01(a) that affects such Participant.  Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.  No sale of a participation shall be effective unless and until it has been recorded in the Participant Register as provided in this paragraph (d).

(e)

Limitation on Participant Rights.  A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with each Borrower’s prior written consent.

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Furthermore, a Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrowers are notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrowers, to comply with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender.

(f)

Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(g)

Resignation as Swing Line Lender after Assignment.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrowers, resign as Swing Line Lender.  In the event of any such resignation as Swing Line Lender, the Borrowers shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrowers to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as Swing Line Lender, as the case may be.  If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment of a successor Swing Line Lender, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Swing Line Lender, as the case may be.

Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Borrowers of any assignment made under this Section 11.06 shall be provided as may be agreed in writing from time to time between the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent.

11.07

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it or its Affiliates (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to a Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of each Borrower, (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a  source  other  than  any  Borrower, (i) to  rating  agencies  if  requested  or  required  by such agency in

78

connection with a rating relating to the Loans hereunder and (j) on a confidential basis to the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to this Agreement.

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from a Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from a Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning any Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws.

11.08

Set-off.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Borrower against any and all of the obligations of such Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that, in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender and its respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

11.09

Interest Rate Limitation.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded  to  the applicable Borrower.    In

79

determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

11.10

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 5.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

11.11

Survival of Representations and Warranties.

All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.  Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Borrowing, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.

11.12

Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

11.13

Replacement of Lenders.

If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, (ii) any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) a Lender (a “Non-Consenting Lender”) does not consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document that has been approved by

80

the Required Lenders as provided in Section 11.01 but requires unanimous consent of all Lenders or all Lenders directly affected thereby (as applicable), (iv) any Lender is a Non-Extending Lender pursuant to Section 2.17(b) or (v) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the rights and restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a)

the applicable Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 11.06(b);

(b)

such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts);

(c)

in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d)

such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

(e)

in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Non-Consenting Lender’s or a Non-Extending Lender’s failure to consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document, the applicable replacement bank, financial institution or Fund consents to the proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination; provided that the failure by such Non-Consenting Lender or such Non-Extending Lender, as applicable, to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption shall not impair the validity of the removal of such Non-Consenting Lender or such Non-Extending Lender and the mandatory assignment of such Non-Consenting Lender’s or such Non-Extending Lender’s, as applicable, Revolving Commitments and outstanding Loans and participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 11.13 shall nevertheless be effective without the execution by such Non-Consenting Lender or such Non-Extending Lender, as applicable, of an Assignment and Assumption.

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

11.14

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a)

GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

81

(b)

SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  EACH BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c)

WAIVER OF VENUE.  EACH BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d)

SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

11.15

Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

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11.16

Electronic Execution.

The words “delivery,” “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document or any other document executed in connection herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable Law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided further without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

11.17

USA PATRIOT Act.

Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Borrower, which information includes the name and address of each Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Borrower in accordance with the Act. Each Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.

11.18

No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship.

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a)(i) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrowers and their Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (ii) each Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) each Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b)(i) the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary, for any Borrower or any of Affiliates or any other Person and (ii) none of the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders has any obligation to any Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrowers and their Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent, the Joint Lead Arrangers and the Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to any Borrower or its Affiliates.  To the fullest extent

83

permitted by law, each Borrower hereby waives and releases, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, any Joint Lead Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

11.19

Pro Rata Shares of Obligations of Borrowers.

Each Borrower shall be liable for its pro rata share of any payment to be made by the Borrowers under Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 11.04, such pro rata share to be determined on the basis of such Borrower’s Facility Percentage; provided, however, that if and to the extent that any such liabilities are reasonably determined by the Borrowers (subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) to be directly attributable to a specific Borrower, only such Borrower shall be liable for such payments.

11.20

Limitation of Liability.

No shareholder or trustee of Eversource shall be held to any liability whatever for the payment of any sum of money or for damages or otherwise under any Loan Document, and such Loan Documents shall not be enforceable against any such shareholder or trustee in its or his or her individual capacity and such Loan Documents shall be enforceable against the trustees of Eversource only in such trustee capacity, and every person, firm, association, trust or corporation having any claim or demand arising under such Loan Documents and relating to Eversource, its shareholders or trustees shall look solely to the trust estate of Eversource for the payment or satisfaction thereof.

11.21

New Lenders.  

From and after the Effective Date, by execution of this Agreement, each Person identified as a “Lender” on each signature page that is not already a Lender under the Existing Credit Agreement hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, such Person will be deemed to be a party to this Agreement and a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all of the obligations of a Lender hereunder as if it had executed the Existing Credit Agreement.  Such Person hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions applicable to the Lenders contained in this Agreement.

11.22

Amendment and Restatement.  

The parties hereto agree that, on the Effective Date, the following transactions shall be deemed to occur automatically, without further action by any party hereto: (a) the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed to be amended and restated in its entirety pursuant to this Agreement; (b) all Obligations under the Existing Credit Agreement outstanding on the Effective Date shall in all respects be continuing and shall be deemed to Obligations outstanding hereunder, except as modified hereby; and (c) all references in the other Loan Documents to the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed to refer without further amendment to this Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

84

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

  

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

EVERSOURCE ENERGY

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

 

Schedule 6.11

TAX SHARING AGREEMENTS

Third Amended and Restated Tax Allocation Agreement dated as of April 10, 2012, among Eversource Energy and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.

Schedule 6.13

SUBSIDIARIES

(a) Principal Subsidiaries

1)

NSTAR Gas Company

2)

NSTAR Electric Company

3)

The Connecticut Light and Power Company

4)

Public Service Company of New Hampshire

5)

Western Massachusetts Electric Company  

6)

Yankee Gas Services Company

Name	Class of Stock	Number of Shares	Owner
NSTAR Gas Company	Common Stock	2,857,000	Eversource Energy
NSTAR Electric Company1	Common Stock	100	Eversource Energy
The Connecticut Light and Power Company2	Common Stock	6,035,205	Eversource Energy
Public Service Company of New Hampshire	Common Stock	301	Eversource Energy
Western Massachusetts Electric Company	Common Stock	434,653	Eversource Energy
Yankee Gas Services Company	Common Stock	1,000	Eversource Energy (by and through its wholly-owned subsidiary Yankee Energy System, Inc.)

(b) Equity Interests of Borrowers (other than Eversource)

Name	Class of Stock	Number of Shares	Owner
NSTAR Gas Company	Common Stock	2,857,000	Eversource Energy
The Connecticut Light and Power Company	Common Stock Preferred Stock	6,035,205 2,324,000	Eversource Energy Third Party Investors
Public Service Company of New Hampshire	Common Stock	301	Eversource Energy
Western Massachusetts Electric Company	Common Stock	434,653	Eversource Energy

 

_______________

 

¹ There are 430,000 issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock held by third party investors. The preferred stockholders are not presently entitled to vote, but would become entitled to vote for the election of directors upon certain events of default.

² There are 2,324,000 issued and outstanding shares of preferred stock held by third party investors. The preferred stockholders are not presently entitled to vote, but would become entitled to vote for the election of directors upon certain events of default.

Name	Class of Stock	Number of Shares	Owner
Yankee Gas Services Company	Common Stock	1,000	Eversource Energy (by and through its wholly-owned subsidiary Yankee Energy System, Inc.)

Schedule 6.18

TAXPAYER AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS; LEGAL NAME; STATE OF FORMATION; PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS

 

Schedule 8.01

LIENS EXISTING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE

None.

Schedule 11.02

CERTAIN ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES

1.

Borrowers

Eversource Energy

One NSTAR Way

Westwood, MA 02090

Attn:  Philip Lembo, Vice President and Treasurer

2.

Administrative Agent

For payments and Requests for Credit Extensions:

Bank of America, N.A.

One Independence Center

101 North Tryon St.

NC1-001-05-46

Charlotte, NC ###-###-####

Attention:  James Hood III

Telephone:  980 ###-###-####

Telecopier:  704 ###-###-####

Electronic Mail:  ***@***

Account Information (for U.S. Dollars):

Bank of America, N.A.

New York, New York

ABA #:  026 009 593

Acct.#:   ###-###-####

Account Name:  Credit Services

Ref:  Eversource Energy

For all other Notices (Financial Statements, Compliance Certificates):

Bank of America, N.A.

Agency Management - East

900 W Trade Street

NC1-026-06-03

Charlotte, NC 28255

Attention:  Melissa Mullis

Telephone:  980 ###-###-####

Telecopier:  704 ###-###-####

Electronic Mail:  ***@***

3.

Swing Line Lender:

Bank of America, N.A.

One Independence Center

101 North Tryon St.

NC1-001-05-46

Charlotte, NC ###-###-####

Attention:  James Hood III

Telephone:  980 ###-###-####

Telecopier:  704 ###-###-####

Electronic Mail:  ***@***

Account Information (for U.S. Dollars):

Bank of America, N.A.

New York, New York

ABA #:  026 009 593

Acct.#:   ###-###-####

Account Name:  Credit Services

Ref:  Eversource Energy

Exhibit 2.02(a)

[FORM OF] LOAN NOTICE

Date:  _________ __, _____

To:

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned hereby requests (select one):

☐  A Borrowing of a Revolving Loan

☐  A conversion or continuation of a Revolving Loan

1.

On                                                           

 (a Business Day).

2.

In the amount of $                                              

. ¹

3.

Comprised of                                                  

. ²

[Type of Loan requested]

4.

For Eurodollar Rate Loans:  with an Interest Period of

      months. ³

5.

For the following Borrower:                                                  .

The Borrowing, if any, requested herein (i) complies with the provisos to the first sentence of Section 2.01 of the Credit Agreement and (ii) the applicable Borrower hereby represents and warrants that each of the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied on and as of the date of such Borrowing.

______________

 

¹ In the case of a Eurodollar Rate Borrowing, not less than $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000;  in the case of a Base Rate Borrowing, not less than $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000.

² Eurodollar Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans.

³ Which must comply with the definition of “Interest Period” and end not later than the Revolving Loan Maturity Date.

[Signature Page(s) Follow]

[LOAN NOTICE TO BE SIGNED BY APPLICABLE BORROWER ONLY]

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

Exhibit 2.04(b)

 

[FORM OF] SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE

 

Date:  _________ __, _____

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ (the “Borrower”) 

To:

Bank of America, N.A., as Swing Line Lender
Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:

1.

On                                                   

 (a Business Day).

2.

In the amount of $                                    

. ¹

3.

For the following Borrower:                                                        .

The Swing Line Borrowing requested herein (i) complies with the requirements of the provisos to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) of the Credit Agreement and (ii) the applicable Borrower hereby represents and warrants that each of the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied on and as of the date of such Swing Line Borrowing.

[Signature Page(s) Follow]

______________

¹ Not less than $500,000 or a larger multiple of $100,000.

 

[SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE TO BE SIGNED BY APPLICABLE  BORROWER ONLY]

 

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

Exhibit  2.05

[FORM OF] PREPAYMENT NOTICE

 

Date:  _________ __, _____

 

To:  Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement , dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement. 

 

This Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement.  The undersigned hereby gives notice of a prepayment of Loans as follows:

1.

☐  Revolving Loans   ☐  Swing Line Loans

2.

On                                             

 (a Business Day).

3.

In the amount of $                                

. ¹

4.

For Revolving Loans:  comprised of

                                          . ²

[Type of Loan]

5.

For Eurodollar Rate Loans:  with an Interest Period ending ______, 20__.

6.

For the following Borrower:  ______________________.

 

 

This Prepayment Notice and prepayment contemplated hereby comply with the Credit Agreement, including Section 2.05 of the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page(s) Follow]

______________

 

¹ In the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, not less than $2,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000;  in the case of a Base Rate Loan, not less than $1,000,000 or a larger multiple of $500,000; in the case of  a Swing Line Loan, not less than $500,000 or a larger multiple of $100,000.

² Eurodollar Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans.

 

[PREPAYMENT NOTICE TO BE SIGNED BY APPLICABLE  BORROWER ONLY]

 

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

Exhibit 2.11(a)-1

[FORM OF] [AMENDED AND RESTATED] REVOVING NOTE

 

                             

 

 FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ (the “Borrower”)  ¹, hereby promises to pay to _____________________ or its registered assigns (the “Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Revolving Loan from time to time made by the Lender to the Borrower under that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the other Borrowers party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as  Administrative Agent.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan from the date of such Revolving Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement.  All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office.  If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the Default Rate.

This Revolving Note is one of the Revolving Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein.  Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Revolving Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement.  Revolving Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Revolving Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Revolving Loans and payments with respect thereto.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Revolving Note.

THIS REVOLVING NOTE AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS REVOLVING NOTE AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

[This Revolving Note amends and restates, and is given in replacement of, and not in payment of, that certain Revolving Note, dated as of July 25, 2012 (the “Existing Note”), given by the Borrower in favor of the Lender and is in no way intended, and shall not be deemed or construed, to constitute a novation of the Existing Note.]

______________

 

¹ Each Borrower will execute an individual Revolving Note for each Lender.

[REVOLVING NOTE TO BE SIGNED BY APPLICABLE BORROWER ONLY]

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Revolving Note to be duly executed by its duly authorized officer as of the day and year first above written.

 

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.11(a)-2

 

[FORM OF] AMENDED AND RESTATED SWING LINE NOTE

                                        

 FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ (the “Borrower ¹, hereby promises to pay to Bank of America, N.A. or its registered assigns (the “Swing Line Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Swing Line Loan from time to time made by the Swing Line Lender to the Borrower under that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the other Borrowers party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Swing Line Loan from the date of such Swing Line Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Credit Agreement.  All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Swing Line Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the location designated by the Swing Line Lender.  If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the Default Rate.

This Swing Line Note is one of the Swing Line Notes referred to in the Credit Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein.  Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Credit Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Swing Line Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Credit Agreement.  Swing Line Loans made by the Swing Line Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Swing Line Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Swing Line Lender may also attach schedules to this Swing Line Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Swing Line Loans and payments with respect thereto.

The Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Swing Line Note.

THIS SWING LINE NOTE AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SWING LINE NOTE AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

This Swing Line Note amends and restates, and is given in replacement of, and not in payment of, that certain Swing Line Note, dated as of July 25, 2012 (the “Existing Note”), given by the Borrower in favor of the Lender and is in no way intended, and shall not be deemed or construed, to constitute a novation of the Existing Note.

______________

 

¹ Each Borrower will execute an individual Swing Line Note.

[SWING LINE NOTE TO BE SIGNED BY APPLICABLE BORROWER ONLY]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Swing Line Note to be duly executed by its duly authorized officer as of the day and year first above written.

 

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.01(e)-1

 

[FORM OF] U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.    

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(e) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  _______________________
	Name:  ________________________
	Title:  ________________________
Date: ________ __, 20__

Exhibit 3.01(e)-2

[FORM OF] U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(e) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  _______________________
	Name:  ________________________
	Title:  ________________________
Date: ________ __, 20__

Exhibit 3.01(e)-3

[FORM OF] U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(e) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
By:  _______________________
	Name:  ________________________
	Title:  ________________________
Date: ________ __, 20__

Exhibit 3.01(e)-4

[FORM OF] U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.  

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01(e) of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to this Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption.  By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  _______________________

 

	Name:  ________________________
	Title:  ________________________
Date: ________ __, 20__

Exhibit 7.02(a)

[FORM OF] COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

­Financial Statement Date:  ___________, _____ 

To:

Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Eversource”), NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“NSTAR Gas”), The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation (“CL&P”), Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation (“PSNH”), Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation (“WMECO”), and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation (“Yankee Gas”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.  Each of NSTAR Gas, CL&P, PSNH, WMECO and Yankee Gas is doing business as Eversource Energy and, together with Eversource, are referred to collectively herein as the “Borrowers” and each individually a “Borrower”.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the

             of [BORROWER], and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Compliance Certificate (this “Certificate”) to the Administrative Agent on the behalf of [BORROWER], and that:

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

1.

[BORROWER] has delivered the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 7.01(a) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal year of [BORROWER] ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.  

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]

1.

[BORROWER] has delivered the unaudited financial statements required by Section 7.01(b) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal quarter of [BORROWER] ended as of the above date.  Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of [BORROWER] and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.  

2.

The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Credit Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of [BORROWER] during the accounting period covered by such financial statements.

3.

A review of the activities of [BORROWER] during such fiscal period has been made under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period [BORROWER] performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and

[select one:]

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned, during such fiscal period [BORROWER] performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it, and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.]

--or--

[to the best knowledge of the undersigned, during such fiscal period the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default or Event of Default and its nature and status:]

4.

The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.

5.

There has been [no] change in GAAP or the application thereof since the date of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) of the Credit Agreement. [If any change in GAAP has occurred, please specify the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying this certificate].

[Signature Page(s) Follow]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Borrower has executed this Certificate as of    _________________, ______.

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,
an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

[NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

[WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

[YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                    
Name:

Title:]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 11.06(b)

 

[FORM OF] ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each] Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each] Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”).  [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees] hereunder are several and not joint.]¹  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented, increased or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto in the amount[s] and equal to the percentage interest[s]identified below of all the outstanding rights and obligations under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, the Swing Line Loans included in such facilities²) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as [the][an] “Assigned Interest”).  Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.

1.

Assignor[s]:

______________________________

 

______________________________

[Assignor [is] [is not] a Defaulting Lender]

 

 

2.

Assignee[s]:

______________________________

______________________________

[for each Assignee, indicate [Affiliate][Approved Fund] of [identify Lender]]

 

______________

 

¹ Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

² Include all applicable subfacilities.

3.

Borrowers:

Eversource Energy, an unincorporated voluntary business association organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and, doing business as Eversource Energy, NSTAR Gas Company, a Massachusetts corporation, The Connecticut Light and Power Company, a Connecticut corporation, Public Service Company of New Hampshire, a New Hampshire corporation, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation, and Yankee Gas Services Company, a Connecticut corporation

 

4.

Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

5.

Credit Agreement:

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2015, among the Borrowers, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

6.

Assigned Interest[s]:

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ (the “Borrower”)  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, _______________________ (the “Borrower”) 

[7.

Trade Date:

__________________]⁵

Effective Date: __________________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

ASSIGNOR[S]

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:

ASSIGNEE[S]

 

 

______________

 

³ Amounts in this column and in the column immediately to the right to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

⁴ Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Revolving Commitments of all Lenders thereunder.

⁵ To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:

 

 

[Consented to and]⁶ Accepted:

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as  Administrative Agent

By:                                          

       

Name:

Title:

Consented to:]⁷

[BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Swing Line Lender]

By:                                          

  

Name:

Title:

[EVERSOURCE ENERGY,

an unincorporated voluntary business association organized

under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By:                                        

Name:

Title:

NSTAR GAS COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                         :

Name:
Title:

THE CONNECTICUT LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                        

 

 

______________

 

⁶ To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

⁷ To be added only if the consent of the Borrowers and/or other parties (e.g. Swing Line Lender) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

 

Name:
Title:

PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
a New Hampshire corporation

By:                                         

Name:
Title:

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY,
a Massachusetts corporation

By:                                        

Name:
Title:

YANKEE GAS SERVICES COMPANY,
a Connecticut corporation

By:                                         

Name:
Title:]  

ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1.

Representations and Warranties.

1.1.

Assignor.  [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][[the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and (iv) it is [not] a Defaulting Lender; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of any Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by any Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

1.2.

Assignee.  [The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06(b)(ii) and (iv) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, [the][any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

2.

Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments of

interest, fees or other amounts paid or payable in kind from and after the Effective Date to [the][the relevant] Assignee.

3.

General Provisions.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption.  This Assignment and Assumption and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Assignment and Assumption and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.