EXHIBIT 10.1







Execution Version











South Jersey Gas Company







$200,000,000 Medium Term Notes, Series E, 2017,


due January 25, 2047


_____________







Note Purchase Agreement


_____________







Dated as of January 25, 2017


 








 
















Table of Contents







	
Section

	
Heading

	
Page


	 	 	 
	
Section 1.

	
Authorization of Notes

	
1


	 	 	 
	
Section 1.1.

	
Authorization of Notes

	
1


	
Section 1.2.

	
Pledged Mortgage Bond

	
2


	 	 	 
	
Section 2.

	
Sale and Purchase of Notes

	
2


	 	 	 
	
Section 3.

	
Closing

	
2


	 	 	 
	
Section 4.

	
Conditions to the Closing

	
3


	 	 	 
	
Section 4.1.

	
Representations and Warranties of the Company

	
3


	
Section 4.2.

	
Performance; No Default

	
3


	
Section 4.3.

	
Compliance Certificates

	
3


	
Section 4.4.

	
Opinions of Counsel

	
3


	
Section 4.5.

	
Purchase Permitted by Applicable Law, Etc

	
4


	
Section 4.6.

	
Sale of Notes

	
4


	
Section 4.7.

	
Payment of Special Counsel Fees

	
4


	
Section 4.8.

	
Private Placement Number

	
4


	
Section 4.9.

	
Changes in Corporate Structure

	
4


	
Section 4.10.

	
Funding Instructions

	
4


	
Section 4.11.

	
UCC Financing Statements and the Supplement

	
4


	
Section 4.12.

	
Pledged Mortgage Bond

	
5


	
Section 4.13.

	
Proceedings and Documents

	
5


	 	 	 
	
Section 5.

	
Representations and Warranties of the Company

	
5


	 	 	 
	
Section 5.1.

	
Organization; Power and Authority

	
5


	
Section 5.2.

	
Authorization, Etc

	
5


	
Section 5.3.

	
Disclosure

	
5


	
Section 5.4

	
Subsidiaries

	
6


	
Section 5.5.

	
Financial Statements; Material Liabilities

	
6


	
Section 5.6.

	
Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc

	
6


	
Section 5.7.

	
Governmental Authorizations, Etc

	
6


	
Section 5.8.

	
Litigation; Observance of Statutes and Orders

	
7


	
Section 5.9.

	
Taxes

	
7


	
Section 5.10.

	
Title to Property; Leases

	
7


	
Section 5.11.

	
Licenses, Permits, Etc

	
8


	
Section 5.12.

	
Compliance with ERISA

	
8


	
Section 5.13.

	
Private Offering by the Company

	
9


	
Section 5.14.

	
Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations

	
9


	
Section 5.15.

	
Existing Indebtedness

	
9


	
Section 5.16.

	
Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc

	
10


	
Section 5.17.

	
Status under Certain Statutes

	
10





 



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Section 5.18.

	
Environmental Matters

	
10


	
Section 5.19.

	
Lien of Mortgage

	
11


	
Section 5.20.

	
Filings under Indenture

	
11


	
Section 5.21.

	
Status of Certain Material Agreements

	
11


	 	 	 
	
Section 6.

	
Representations of the Purchasers

	
12


	 	 	 
	
Section 6.1.

	
Purchase for Investment

	
12


	
Section 6.2.

	
Source of Funds

	
12


	
Section 6.3.

	
Purchaser Status; Experience

	
14


	
Section 6.4.

	
Access to Information

	
14


	 	 	 
	
Section 7.

	
Information as to Company

	
14


	 	 	 
	
Section 7.1.

	
Financial and Business Information

	
14


	
Section 7.2.

	
Officer’s Certificate

	
17


	
Section 7.3.

	
Visitation

	
17


	 	 	 
	
Section 8.

	
Payment and Prepayment of the Notes

	
18


	 	 	 
	
Section 8.1.

	
Required Prepayments

	
18


	
Section 8.2.

	
Optional Prepayments with Make‐Whole Amount

	
19


	
Section 8.3.

	
Allocation of Partial Prepayments

	
19


	
Section 8.4.

	
Maturity; Surrender, Etc

	
19


	
Section 8.5.

	
Purchase of Notes

	
19


	
Section 8.6.

	
Make‐Whole Amount for the Notes

	
20


	
Section 8.7.

	
Change in Control

	
21


	 	 	 
	
Section 9.

	
Affirmative Covenants

	
22


	
 

	 	 
	
Section 9.1.

	
Compliance with Law

	
22


	
Section 9.2.

	
Insurance

	
23


	
Section 9.3.

	
Maintenance of Properties

	
23


	
Section 9.4.

	
Payment of Taxes

	
23


	
Section 9.5.

	
Corporate Existence, Etc

	
23


	
Section 9.6.

	
Books and Records

	
23


	
Section 9.7.

	
Compliance with Material Agreements

	
24


	 	 	 
	
Section 10.

	
Negative Covenants

	
24


	 	 	 
	
Section 10.1.

	
Transactions with Affiliates

	
24


	
Section 10.2.

	
Line of Business

	
24


	
Section 10.3.

	
Terrorism Sanctions Regulations

	
24


	
Section 10.4.

	
Release of Lien of Indenture or Mortgage

	
24


	 	 	 
	
Section 11.

	
Events of Default

	
25


	 	 	 
	
Section 12.

	
Remedies on Default, Etc.

	
26





 



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Section 12.1.

	
Acceleration

	
26


	
Section 12.2.

	
Other Remedies

	
27


	
Section 12.3.

	
Rescission

	
27


	
Section 12.4.

	
No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc

	
28


	 	 	 
	
Section 13.

	
Payments on Notes

	
28


	 	 	 
	
Section 13.1.

	
Home Office Payment

	
28


	 	 	 
	
Section 14.

	
Registration; Exchange; Expenses, Etc

	
28


	 	 	 
	
Section 14.1.

	
Registration of Notes

	
28


	
Section 14.2.

	
Transaction Expenses

	
28


	
Section 14.3.

	
Survival

	
29


	 	 	 
	
Section 15.

	
Survival of Representations and Warranties; Entire Agreement

	
29


	 	 	 
	
Section 16.

	
Amendment and Waiver

	
29


	 	 	 
	
Section 16.1.

	
Requirements

	
29


	
Section 16.2.

	
Solicitation of Holders of Notes

	
30


	
Section 16.3.

	
Binding Effect, Etc

	
31


	
Section 16.4.

	
Notes Held by Company, Etc

	
31


	 	 	 
	
Section 17.

	
Notices

	
31


	 	 	 
	
Section 18.

	
Indemnification

	
32


	 	 	 
	
Section 19.

	
Reproduction of Documents

	
32


	 	 	 
	
Section 20.

	
Confidential Information

	
32


	 	 	 
	
Section 21.

	
Miscellaneous

	
33


	 	 	 
	
Section 21.1.

	
Successors and Assigns

	
33


	
Section 21.2.

	
Accounting Terms

	
33


	
Section 21.3.

	
Severability

	
34


	
Section 21.4.

	
Construction, Etc

	
34


	
Section 21.5.

	
Counterparts

	
34


	
Section 21.6.

	
Governing Law

	
34


	
Section 21.7.

	
Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial

	
34


	
Section 21.8.

	
Payments Due on Non‐Business Days

	
35





 



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Schedule A

	
—

	
Information Relating to Purchasers


	
Schedule B

	
—

	
Defined Terms


	
Schedule 4.11

	
—

	
Collateral Filings


	
Schedule 5.5

	
—

	
Financial Statements


	
Schedule 5.15(a)

	
—

	
Existing Indebtedness


	
Schedule 5.15(b)

	
—

	
Liens not permitted by Mortgage


	
Schedule 5.15(c)

	
—

	
Debt Instruments


	
Exhibit 4.4(a)(i)

	
—

	
Form of Opinion of Special Counsel for the Company


	
Exhibit 4.4(a)(ii)

	
—

	
Form of Opinion of General Counsel for the Company





 



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South Jersey Gas Company


One South Jersey Plaza, Route 54


Folsom, New Jersey 08037







$200,000,000 Medium Term Notes, Series E, 2017,


due January 25, 2047







January 25, 2017







To Each of the Purchasers Listed in


Schedule A Hereto:







Ladies and Gentlemen:







South Jersey Gas Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey (the “Company”), agrees with each of the purchasers whose names appear at the end hereof (each, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”) as follows:







Section 1.             Authorization of Notes.







Section 1.1.          Authorization of Notes The Company has authorized and will create an issue of $200,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Medium Term Notes, Series E, 2017, due January 25, 2047 (the “Notes”). The Notes will be issued under an Indenture of Trust dated as of October 1, 1998 (the “Original Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), as heretofore supplemented by five Supplemental Indentures. The Original Indenture as so amended and supplemented is herein called the “Indenture.” Copies of the Original Indenture and all the supplemental indentures requested by you have been delivered to you. The Notes shall be issuable in fully registered form only. The Notes shall mature on January 25, 2047, shall bear interest at the rate of 3.00% per annum payable semiannually, on January 25 and July 25 of each year and at maturity, commencing on July 25, 2017, shall be subject to redemption as provided in the Indenture, and shall be in the form established pursuant to the Indenture. As permitted by the Indenture, the Notes originally issued to you thereunder shall be dated, and bear interest from, the date of their original issue on the Closing Date.







Certain capitalized and other terms used in this Agreement are defined in Schedule B; and references to a “Schedule” or an “Exhibit” are, unless otherwise specified, to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement. Terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Indenture.


 











	
South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement











Section 1.2.          Pledged Mortgage Bond. The Notes will be secured by that certain South Jersey Gas Company First Mortgage Bond, Series E dated January 25, 2017 (the “Pledged Mortgage Bond”) issued to the Trustee to secure up to an aggregate of $200,000,000 principal amount of medium term notes issued under the Indenture. The Pledged Mortgage Bond was issued under that First Supplement dated as of January 23, 2017 between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “First Supplement”), which supplements that Supplemental Indenture Amending and Restating First Mortgage Indenture (the “Original Mortgage”) dated as of January 23 2017, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Mortgage Trustee”) (the Original Mortgage, as supplemented to date and from time to time hereafter (the “Mortgage”). Excluding the Notes, the Pledged Mortgage Bond does not secure any medium term notes of the Company.







Section 2.             Sale and Purchase of Notes.







Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser will purchase from the Company, at the Closing, Notes in the principal amount specified opposite such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A at the purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The Purchasers’ obligations hereunder are several and not joint obligations, and no Purchaser shall have any liability to any Person for the performance or non‐performance of any obligation by any other Purchaser hereunder.







Section 3.             Closing.







The sale and purchase of the Notes to be purchased by each Purchaser thereof shall occur at a closing on January 25, 2017 or on such other Business Day thereafter on or prior to January 31, 2017 as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers of the Notes (the “Closing”), at the offices of Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 at 9:00 a.m. Central time. On the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to each Purchaser the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of a single Note (or such greater number of Notes in denominations of at least $100,000 as such Purchaser may request) dated the Closing Date and registered in such Purchaser’s name (or in the name of such Purchaser’s nominee), against delivery by such Purchaser to the Company or its order of immediately available funds in the amount of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds for the account of the Company to an account specified pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof. If, on the Closing Date, the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to any Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3, or any of the conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to such Purchaser’s reasonable satisfaction, such Purchaser shall, at such Purchaser’s election, be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such nonfulfillment.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 4.             Conditions to the Closing.







Each Purchaser’s obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be sold to such Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Purchaser’s reasonable satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of the following conditions:







Section 4.1.          Representations and Warranties of the Company. The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be correct when made and at the time of the Closing.







Section 4.2.         Performance; No Default. The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in each Financing Agreement required to be performed or complied with by the Company prior to or at the Closing, and after giving effect to the issue and sale of the Notes (and the application of the proceeds thereof as contemplated by Section 5.14), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.







Section 4.3.         Compliance Certificates. The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in the Indenture and the Mortgage which are required to be performed or complied with by the Company for the issuance of the Notes and the Pledged Mortgage Bond. In addition, on the date of the Closing the Company shall have delivered the following certificates:







(a)           Officer’s Certificates. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser (i) an Officer’s Certificate, dated the date of the Closing, certifying that the conditions specified in Section 4 of this Agreement with respect to the Closing have been fulfilled, (ii) copies of all certificates and opinions required to be delivered to the Trustee under the Indenture in connection with the issuance of the Notes under the Indenture, in each case, dated the date of the Closing, and (iii) copies of all certificates and opinions delivered to the Mortgage Trustee under the Mortgage in connection with the issuance of the Pledged Mortgage Bond; and







(b)           Secretary’s Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of the Closing, certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Notes and the Pledged Mortgage Bond.







Section 4.4.          Opinions of Counsel. Such Purchaser shall have received opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Purchaser, dated the date of the Closing (a) from (i) Cozen O'Connor, counsel for the Company, and (ii) Gina Merritt‐Epps, General Counsel to the Company, covering the matters set forth in Exhibits 4.4(a)(i) and 4.4(a)(ii) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request and (b) from Chapman and Cutler LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel in connection with such transactions, covering such matters incident to such transactions as such Purchaser may reasonably request. The Company hereby directs its counsel to deliver such opinions and understands and agrees that each Purchaser will and hereby is authorized to rely on such opinions to the extent set forth therein.


 






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Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 4.5.          Purchase Permitted by Applicable Law, Etc. On the Closing Date, such Purchaser’s purchase of the Notes shall (a) be permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which such Purchaser is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as Section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and (c) not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in effect on the date hereof. If requested by such Purchaser, such Purchaser shall have received an Officer’s Certificate certifying as to such matters of fact as such Purchaser may reasonably specify to enable such Purchaser to determine whether such purchase is so permitted.







Section 4.6.          Sale of Notes. Contemporaneously with the Closing, the Company shall sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser shall purchase the Notes to be purchased by it at the Closing as specified in Schedule A.







Section 4.7.          Payment of Special Counsel Fees. Without limiting the provisions of Section 14.2, the Company shall have paid on or before the Closing the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of the Purchasers’ special counsel referred to in Section 4.4(b) to the extent reflected in a statement of such counsel rendered to the Company at least one Business Day prior to the Closing.







Section 4.8.          Private Placement Number. A Private Placement Number issued by Standard & Poor’s CUSIP Service Bureau (in cooperation with the SVO) shall have been obtained for the Notes.







Section 4.9.          Changes in Corporate Structure. The Company shall not have changed its jurisdiction of incorporation, or been a party to any merger or consolidation or succeeded to all or any substantial part of the liabilities of any other entity, at any time following the date of the most recent financial statements referred to in Schedule 5.5.







Section 4.10.        Funding Instructions. At least three Business Days prior to the date of the Closing, each Purchaser shall have received written instructions signed by a Responsible Officer on letterhead of the Company setting forth wire instructions for payment of the purchase price of the Notes, including (a) the name and address of the transferee bank, (b) such transferee bank’s ABA number and (c) the account name and number into which the purchase price for the Notes is to be deposited.







Section 4.11.       UCC Financing Statements and the Supplement. All UCC Financing Statements, the Mortgage, the First Supplement or other instruments with respect thereto as may be necessary shall have been duly filed or recorded in such manner and in such places as is reasonably satisfactory to the Purchasers (and their special counsel) and the Company and as described in Schedule 4.11 (collectively, the “Collateral Filings”) (and no other instruments shall be required to be filed) to establish and perfect the security interests and liens of the Trustee in the Mortgaged Property created by the Mortgage and which can be perfected by filing the Mortgage or a UCC Financing Statement under the UCC.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 4.12.        Possession of Pledged Mortgage Bond. Each Purchaser with respect to the Closing shall have received written confirmation from the Trustee that it has possession of the Pledged Mortgage Bond in the outstanding principal amount of $200,000,000 and that prior to the issuance of any of the Notes, there are no outstanding medium term notes of the Company issued under the Indenture that are secured by the Pledged Mortgage Bond.







Section 4.13.        Proceedings and Documents. All corporate and other proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be reasonably satisfactory to each Purchaser and its special counsel, and each Purchaser and its special counsel shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as such Purchaser or such special counsel may reasonably request. Each Purchaser that so requests shall have received a copy of the Indenture and the Mortgage (together with all amendments and supplements thereto), certified by the Company as of the date of the Closing, exclusive of property exhibits, recording information and the like.







Section 5.             Representations and Warranties of the Company.







The Company represents and warrants to each Purchaser that:







Section 5.1.          Organization; Power and Authority. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the State of New Jersey and is in good standing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has the corporate power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease, to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, to execute and deliver each Financing Agreement and to perform the provisions hereof and thereof.







Section 5.2.          Authorization, Etc. Each Financing Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and each Financing Agreement constitutes, and upon execution and delivery thereof each Note will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).







Section 5.3.         Disclosure. The Company, through its agents, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc., has delivered to you and each other Purchaser a copy of a Confidential Information Memorandum, dated September 30, 2016 (such memorandum and the documents incorporated by reference therein, including without limitation the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‐K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the “Memorandum”), relating to the Company. The Memorandum fairly describes, in all material respects, the general nature of the business and principal properties of the Company. This Agreement, the Memorandum, the documents, certificates or other writings delivered to the Purchasers by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the financial statements listed in Schedule 5.5, in each case, delivered to the Purchasers prior to the date of this Agreement (this Agreement, the Memorandum and such documents, certificates or other writings and such financial statements being referred to, collectively, as the “Disclosure Documents”), taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Documents, since December 31, 2015, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business or properties of the Company except changes that individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein or in the Disclosure Documents.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
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Section 5.4            Subsidiaries. The Company has no Subsidiaries.







Section 5.5.          Financial Statements; Material Liabilities. The Company has delivered to each Purchaser copies of the financial statements of the Company listed in Schedule 5.5. All of said financial statements (including in each case the related schedules and notes) fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the respective dates specified in such Schedule and the results of its operations and cash flows for the respective periods so specified and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except as set forth in the notes thereto (subject, in the case of any interim financial statements, to normal year‐end adjustments). The Company does not have any Material liabilities that are not disclosed on such financial statements or otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Documents or in Schedule 5.15.







Section 5.6.          Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each Financing Agreement will not (a) contravene, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation of any Lien, other than the Lien created under the Mortgage, in respect of any property of the Company, under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease, corporate charter or bylaws, or any other Material agreement or instrument to which the Company is bound or by which the Company or any of its properties may be bound or affected, (b) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any order, judgment, decree, or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority applicable to the Company, including, without limitation, the Public Order, or (c) violate any provision of any statute or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Company.







Section 5.7.          Governmental Authorizations, Etc. No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of any Financing Agreement, except for any filing that has already been made or any approval that has already been obtained, including without limitation the Public Order, or for certain post‐Closing filing requirements with the Board of Public Utilities, State of New Jersey, as required by the Public Order. The period of time for filing an appeal as of right to the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division with respect to the Public Order has expired.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
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Section 5.8.           Litigation; Observance of Statutes and Orders. (a) There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any property of the Company in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







(b)          The Company is not (i) in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, (ii) in violation of any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or (iii) in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority (including without limitation Environmental Laws, the USA PATRIOT Act or any of the other laws and regulations that are referred to in Section 5.16), which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 5.9.          Taxes. The Company has filed all tax returns that are required to have been filed in any jurisdiction, and has paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied upon it or its properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, except for any taxes and assessments (a) the amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate Material or (b) the amount, applicability or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which the Company has established adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP. The Company knows of no basis for any other tax or assessment that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of federal, state or other taxes for all fiscal periods are adequate. The federal income tax liabilities of the Company have been finally determined (whether by reason of completed audits or the statute of limitations having run) for all fiscal years up to and including the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.







Section 5.10.        Title to Property; Leases. The Company has good and sufficient title to its properties that individually or in the aggregate are Material, including all such properties reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been acquired by the Company after said date (except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens (other than the Lien created under the Mortgage) prohibited by this Agreement, the Indenture or the Mortgage. To the Company’s knowledge, all Material leases are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect in all material respects.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
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Section 5.11.        Licenses, Permits, Etc. The Company owns or possesses all licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, proprietary software, service marks, trademarks and trade names, or rights thereto, that, individually or in the aggregate, are Material to its business as now being conducted, without known conflict with the rights of others, except for those conflicts that would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 5.12.        Compliance with ERISA. (a) Each Plan, other than any Multiemployer Plan, operated and administered by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and each Plan with which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has a relationship has been operated and administered in compliance with all applicable laws except for such instances of noncompliance as have not resulted in and would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to “employee benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA), which liability has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and no event, transaction or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any such liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to Section 430(k) of the Code or to any such penalty or excise tax provisions under the Code or federal law or Section 4068 of ERISA or by the granting of a security interest in connection with the amendment of a Plan, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually or in the aggregate Material.







(b)          The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each of the Plans (other than Multiemployer Plans), determined as of the end of such Plan’s most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Plan’s most recent actuarial valuation report, did not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities by more than $67,000,000 in the aggregate for all Plans. The term “benefit liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 4001 of ERISA and the terms “current value” and “present value” have the meanings specified in Section 3 of ERISA.







(c)          The Company and its ERISA Affiliates have not incurred withdrawal liabilities (and are not subject to contingent withdrawal liabilities) under Section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material.







(d)          The expected postretirement benefit obligation (determined as of the last day of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal year in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715‐60, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by Section 4980B of the Code) of the Company is not Material.







(e)          The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes hereunder will not involve any transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of Section 406 of ERISA or in connection with which a tax could be imposed pursuant to Section 4975(c)(1)(A)‐(D) of the Code. The representation by the Company to each Purchaser in the first sentence of this Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of such Purchaser’s representation in Section 6.2 as to the sources of the funds to be used to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 5.13.        Private Offering by the Company. Neither the Company nor anyone acting on the Company’s behalf has offered the Notes or any similar securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any Person other than the Purchasers and not more than twenty-five (25) other Institutional Investors, each of which has been offered the Notes in connection with a private sale for investment. Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act or to the registration requirements of any securities or blue sky laws of any applicable jurisdiction.







Section 5.14.        Use of Proceeds; Margin Regulations. The Company will use the proceeds of the sale of the Notes to repay debt, including amounts outstanding under its term loan credit agreement, and for general corporate purposes, and in compliance with all laws referenced in Section 5.16. No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of buying or carrying any margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR 221), or for the purpose of buying or carrying or trading in any securities under such circumstances as to involve the Company in a violation of Regulation X of said Board (12 CFR 224) or to involve any broker or dealer in a violation of Regulation T of said Board (12 CFR 220). Margin stock does not constitute more than 1% of the value of the assets of the Company, and the Company does not have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 1% of the value of such assets. As used in this Section, the terms “margin stock” and “purpose of buying or carrying” shall have the meanings assigned to them in said Regulation U.







Section 5.15.        Existing Indebtedness. (a) Except as described therein, Schedule 5.15(a) sets forth a complete and correct list of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company as of September 30, 2016 (including a description of the obligors and obligees, principal amount outstanding and collateral therefor, if any, and guaranty thereof, if any), since which date there has been no Material change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking funds, installment payments or maturities of the Indebtedness of the Company. The Company is not in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any Indebtedness of the Company, and no event or condition exists with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company, that would permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such Indebtedness to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment.







(b)          Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.15(b), the Company has not agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien not permitted by the Mortgage.







(c)          The Company is not a party to, or otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Indebtedness of the Company, any agreement relating thereto or any other agreement (including, but not limited to, its charter or other organizational document) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on the incurring of, Indebtedness of the Company, except as specifically indicated in Schedule 5.15(c).


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 5.16.         Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc. (a) Neither the Company nor any Controlled Entity (i) is a Blocked Person, (ii) has been notified that its name appears or may in the future appear on a State Sanctions List or (iii) has been notified that it is a target of sanctions that have been imposed by the United Nations or the European Union.







(b)          Neither the Company nor any Controlled Entity (i) has, to the Company’s knowledge, violated, been found in violation of, or been charged or convicted under, any applicable U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws, Anti‐Money Laundering Laws or Anti‐Corruption Laws or (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, is under investigation by any Governmental Authority for possible violation of any U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws, Anti‐Money Laundering Laws or Anti‐Corruption Laws.







(c)          No part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder:







(i)            constitutes or will constitute funds obtained on behalf of any Blocked Person or will otherwise be used by the Company or any Controlled Entity, directly or indirectly, (A) in connection with any investment in, or any transactions or dealings with, any Blocked Person, (B) for any purpose that would cause any Purchaser to be in violation of any U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws or (C) otherwise in violation of any U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws;







(ii)            will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of, or cause any Purchaser to be in violation of, any applicable Anti‐Money Laundering Laws; or







(iii)          will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of making any improper payments, including bribes, to any official of a Governmental Authority or commercial counterparty in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in each case which would be in violation of, or cause any Purchaser to be in violation of, any applicable Anti‐Corruption Laws.







(d)          The Company has established procedures and controls which it reasonably believes are adequate (and otherwise comply with applicable law) to ensure that the Company and each Controlled Entity is and will continue to be in compliance with all applicable U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws, Anti‐Money Laundering Laws and Anti‐Corruption Laws.







Section 5.17.       Status under Certain Statutes. The Company is not subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, nor is the Company subject to rate regulation under the Federal Power Act, as amended.







Section 5.18.        Environmental Matters. (a) The Company has no knowledge of any liability, has not received any notice of any liability, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any liability against the Company or any of its real properties or other assets now or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















(b)          The Company has no knowledge of any facts which would give rise to any liability, public or private, for violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment emanating from, occurring on or in any way related to real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or to other assets or their use, except, in each case, such as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.







(c)          The Company has not stored any Hazardous Materials on real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by it nor has it disposed of any Hazardous Materials in each case in a manner contrary to any Environmental Laws that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.







(d)          All buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Company are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 5.19.        Lien of Mortgage. The Mortgage constitutes a direct and valid Lien upon all of the properties and assets of the Company specifically or generally described or referred to in the Mortgage as being subject to the Lien thereof, subject only to Permitted Encumbrances, and will create a similar Lien upon all properties and assets acquired by the Company after the date hereof which are required to be subjected to the Lien of the Mortgage, when acquired by the Company, subject only to the exceptions referred to in the Mortgage and Permitted Encumbrances, and subject, further to the recordation of a supplement to the Mortgage describing such after‐acquired property; the descriptions of all such properties and assets contained in the granting clauses of the Mortgage are correct and adequate for the purposes of the Mortgage; and the Mortgage (including the First Supplement) has been duly recorded as a mortgage and deed of trust of real estate, and any required filings with respect to personal property and fixtures subject to the Lien of the Mortgage have been duly made in each place in which such recording or filing is required to protect, preserve and perfect the Lien of the Mortgage; and all taxes and recording and filing fees required to be paid with respect to the execution, recording or filing of the Mortgage (including the First Supplement), the filing of financing statements related thereto and similar documents and the issuance of the Notes have been paid.







Section 5.20.        Filings under Indenture. No action, including any filing, registration, notice or approval, is necessary or advisable in New Jersey, New York or any other jurisdiction to establish or protect for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of Notes that the Notes are secured by the Pledged Mortgage Bond.







Section 5.21.        Status of Certain Material Agreements. No amendment, modification, supplement or other change has been made to the Mortgage since the First Supplement.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 6.             Representations of the Purchasers.







Section 6.1.          Purchase for Investment. Each Purchaser severally represents that it is purchasing the Notes for its own account or for one or more separate accounts maintained by such Purchaser or for the account of one or more pension or trust funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof, provided that the disposition of the property of such Purchaser or such pension or trust fund shall at all times be within the control of such Purchaser or such pension or trust fund. Each Purchaser understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to register the Notes. Each Purchaser understands that the Notes are being offered and sold in reliance upon specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgements and understandings set forth herein in order to determine the applicability of such exemptions and the suitability of such Purchaser to acquire the Notes.







Section 6.2.          Source of Funds. Each Purchaser severally represents that at least one of the following statements is an accurate representation as to each source of funds (a “Source”) to be used by such Purchaser to pay the purchase price of the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser hereunder:







(a)           the Source is an “insurance company general account” (as the term is defined in the United States Department of Labor’s Prohibited Transaction Exemption (“PTE”) 95‐60) in respect of which the reserves and liabilities (as defined by the annual statement for life insurance companies approved by the NAIC (the “NAIC Annual Statement”)) for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any employee benefit plan together with the amount of the reserves and liabilities for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any other employee benefit plans maintained by the same employer (or affiliate thereof as defined in PTE 95‐60) or by the same employee organization in the general account do not exceed 10% of the total reserves and liabilities of the general account (exclusive of separate account liabilities) plus surplus as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement filed with such Purchaser’s state of domicile; or







(b)           the Source is a separate account that is maintained solely in connection with such Purchaser’s fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that has any interest in such separate account (or to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or







(c)           the Source is either (i) an “insurance company pooled separate account,” (within the meaning of PTE 90‐1) or (ii) a “bank collective investment fund” (within the meaning of PTE 91‐38) and, except as disclosed by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (c), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















(d)           the Source constitutes assets of an “investment fund” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84‐14 (the “QPAM Exemption”)) managed by a “qualified professional asset manager” or “QPAM” (within the meaning of Part VI of the QPAM Exemption); no employee benefit plan’s assets that are managed by the QPAM in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Part VI(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, represent more than 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM; the conditions of Part I(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied; neither the QPAM nor a Person controlling or controlled by the QPAM maintains an ownership interest in the Company that would cause the QPAM and the Company to be “related” within the meaning of Part (VI)(h) of the QPAM Exemption and (i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of any employee benefit plans whose assets in the investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Part VI(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization, represent 10% or more of the assets of such investment fund, have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (d); or







(e)           the Source constitutes assets of a “plan(s)” (within the meaning of Part IV(h) of PTE 96‐23 (the “INHAM Exemption”)) managed by an “in‐house asset manager” or “INHAM” (within the meaning of Part IV(a) of the INHAM Exemption); the conditions of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of the INHAM Exemption are satisfied; neither the INHAM nor a Person controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of “control” in Part IV(d)(3) of the INHAM Exemption) owns a 10% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such INHAM and (ii) the name(s) of the employee benefit plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (e); or







(f)            the Source is a governmental plan; or







(g)           the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (g); or







(h)           the Source does not include “plan assets” of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of Title I of ERISA.







As used in this Section 6.2, the terms “employee benefit plan,” “governmental plan,” and “separate account” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 6.3.          Purchaser Status; Experience. Each Purchaser separately represents that such Purchaser is, and on the Closing Date will be, an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Notes, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Notes and is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.







Section 6.4.          Access to Information. Each Purchaser separately acknowledges that such Purchaser has reviewed the Disclosure Documents and has been afforded (a) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Notes and the risks of investing in the Notes; (b) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (c) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment.







Section 7.             Information as to Company.







Section 7.1.          Financial and Business Information. The Company shall deliver to each Holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor:







(a)           Quarterly Statements — within 60 days after the end of each quarterly fiscal period in each fiscal year of the Company (other than the last quarterly fiscal period of each such fiscal year), duplicate copies of:







(i)            a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and







(ii)           consolidated statements of income and changes in cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries, for such quarter and (in the case of the second and third quarters) for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter,







setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods in the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to quarterly financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year‐end adjustments; provided that delivery within the time period specified above of copies of the Company’s Form 10‐Q prepared in compliance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(a); and provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10‐Q if it shall have timely made such Form 10‐Q available on “EDGAR” or on, or through a link on, the website of the Company or its parent, South Jersey Industries, Inc., and shall have given each Institutional Investor prior notice of such availability on EDGAR or on or through the website of the Company or its parent in connection with each delivery (such availability and notice thereof being referred to as “Electronic Delivery”);


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















(b)           Annual Statements — within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, duplicate copies of:







(i)            a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as at the end of such year, and







(ii)           consolidated statements of income and changes in cash flows and of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such year,







setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP, and accompanied by an opinion thereon of independent public accountants of recognized national standing, which opinion shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported upon and their results of operations and cash flows and have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, and that the examination of such accountants in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such opinion in the circumstances, provided that the delivery within the time period specified above of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10‐K for such fiscal year (together with the Company’s annual report to shareholders, if any, prepared pursuant to Rule 14a‐3 under the Exchange Act) prepared in accordance with the requirements therefor and filed with the SEC shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this Section 7.1(b), and provided, further, that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such Form 10‐K if it shall have timely made Electronic Delivery thereof;







(c)           SEC and Other Reports — except for the filings referred to in Section 7.1(a) and (b) above, promptly upon their becoming available and, to the extent applicable, one copy of (i) each financial statement, report, notice or proxy statement sent by the Company or any Subsidiary to public securities holders generally, and (ii) each regular or periodic report, each registration statement (without exhibits except as expressly requested by such Institutional Investor), and each prospectus and all amendments thereto filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the SEC and of all press releases and other statements made available generally by the Company or any Subsidiary to the public concerning developments that are Material, provided that the Company shall be deemed to have made such delivery of such information if it shall have timely made Electronic Delivery thereof;


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















(d)           Notice of Default or Event of Default — promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer becomes aware of the existence of any Default or Event of Default or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default hereunder or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default of the type referred to in Section 11(f) hereof, a written notice specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto;







(e)           ERISA Matters — promptly, and in any event within ten Business Days after a Responsible Officer becomes aware of any of the following, a written notice setting forth the nature thereof and the action, if any, that the Company or an ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto:







(i)            with respect to any Plan (other than any Multiemployer Plan) that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, any reportable event, as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, for which notice thereof has not been waived pursuant to such regulations as in effect on the date hereof; or







(ii)           the taking by the PBGC of steps to institute, or the threatening by the PBGC of the institution of, proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any such Plan, or the receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from a Multiemployer Plan that such action has been taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan; or







(iii)          any event, transaction or condition that could result in the incurrence of any liability by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or such penalty or excise tax provisions, if such liability or Lien, taken together with any other such liabilities or Liens then existing, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;







(f)            Supplemental Indentures — promptly, and in any event within five days after the execution and delivery thereof, a copy of any supplement to the Indenture or the Mortgage that the Company from time to time may hereafter execute and deliver which amends the Indenture or the Mortgage in any material respect; and







(g)           Requested Information — with reasonable promptness, such other data and information relating to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or relating to the ability of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder and under the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any Holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor or such information regarding the Company required to satisfy the requirements of 17 CFR §230.144A, as amended from time to time, in connection with any contemplated transfer of the Notes.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 7.2.          Officer’s Certificate. Each set of financial statements delivered to a Holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor pursuant to Section 7.1(a) or Section 7.1(b) shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer setting forth:







(a)          Covenant Compliance — (i) the information (including detailed calculations) required in order to establish whether the Company was in compliance with the requirements of the Indenture and the Mortgage during the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished to the extent required to be provided under the Indenture or the Mortgage; (ii) to the extent the Company issued Additional Obligations under the Indenture or the Mortgage during the period covered by the statements being furnished, any calculations that the Company provided to the Trustee or the Mortgage Trustee to show compliance with the Indenture or the Mortgage in connection with the issuance of the Additional Obligations (including with respect to each such Section, where applicable, the calculations of the maximum or minimum amount, ratio or percentage, as the case may be, permissible under the terms of such Sections, and the calculation of the amount, ratio or percentage then in existence).







(b)          Event of Default – a statement that such Senior Financial Officer has reviewed the relevant terms hereof and of the Indenture and the Mortgage and has made, or caused to be made, under his or her supervision, a review of the transactions and conditions of the Company and its Subsidiaries from the beginning of the quarterly or annual period covered by the statements then being furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not have disclosed the existence during such period of any condition or event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default under either the Indenture or the Mortgage or, if any such condition or event existed or exists, specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Company shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.







Section 7.3.          Visitation. The Company shall permit the representatives of each Holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor:







(a)           No Default – if no Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of such Institutional Investor and upon reasonable prior notice to the Company, to visit the principal executive office of the Company, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries with the Company’s officers to the extent they are reasonably available, and, with the consent of the Company (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld), to visit the other offices and properties of the Company and each Subsidiary, all at such reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested in writing; and







(b)           Default – if a Default or Event of Default then exists and is continuing, at the expense of the Company to visit and inspect any of the offices or properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, to examine all their respective books of account, records, reports and other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom, and to discuss their respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective officers and independent public accountants (and by this provision the Company authorizes said accountants to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries), all at such times and as often as may be reasonably requested.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 8.             Payment and Prepayment of the Notes.







Section 8.1.          Required Prepayments.







The Company will prepay the Notes on the dates and in the principal amount (or such lesser principal amount as shall then be outstanding) thereof at par and without payment of the Make‐Whole Amount or any premium as follows:







	
Prepayment Date

	
Principal Amount


	
January 25, 2025

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2026

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2027

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2028

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2029

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2030

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2031

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2032

	
$16,000,000


	
January 25, 2033

	
$8,000,000


	
January 25, 2034

	
$7,000,000


	
January 25, 2035

	
$7,000,000


	
January 25, 2036

	
$7,000,000


	
January 25, 2037

	
$7,000,000


	
January 25, 2038

	
$7,000,000


	
January 25, 2039

	
$4,000,000


	
January 25, 2040

	
$4,000,000


	
January 25, 2041

	
$3,000,000


	
January 25, 2042

	
$3,000,000


	
January 25, 2043

	
$3,000,000


	
January 25, 2044

	
$3,000,000


	
January 25, 2045

	
$3,000,000


	
January 25, 2046

	
$3,000,000










The entire unpaid principal amount of the Notes shall become due and payable on January 25, 2047. Upon any partial prepayment or purchase of the Notes pursuant to Section 8.2, Section 8.5 or Section 8.7, the principal amount of each required prepayment of the Notes becoming due under this Section 8.1 on and after the date of such prepayment or purchase shall be reduced in the same proportion as the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes is reduced as a result of such prepayment or purchase.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 8.2.          Optional Prepayments with Make‐Whole Amount. The Company may, at its option, upon notice as provided below, prepay at any time all, or from time to time any part of, the Notes, in an amount not less than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding in the case of a partial prepayment, at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of such prepayment, plus the Make‐Whole Amount determined for the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount of each Note that is then being so prepaid. The Company will give each Holder of Notes written notice of each optional prepayment under this Section 8.2 not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for such prepayment, unless the Company and the Required Holders agree to another time period pursuant to Section 16. Each such notice shall specify such date (which shall be a Business Day), the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of each Note held by such Holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with Section 8.3), and any other information required to be delivered under the terms of the Indenture or the Mortgage, and the interest to be paid on the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount being prepaid, and shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer as to the estimated Make‐Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment (calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each Holder of Notes a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer specifying the calculation of such Make‐Whole Amount as of the specified prepayment date.







Section 8.3.          Allocation of Partial Prepayments. In the case of each partial prepayment of the Notes, the principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid shall be allocated among all of the Notes at the time outstanding in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof.







Section 8.4.          Maturity; Surrender, Etc. In the case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 8, the principal amount of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on the date fixed for such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), together with interest on such principal amount accrued to such date and the applicable Make‐Whole Amount, if any. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail to pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest and Make‐Whole Amount, if any, as aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled and shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid principal amount of any Note.







Section 8.5.          Purchase of Notes. The Company will not and will not permit any Affiliate to purchase, redeem, prepay or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the outstanding Notes except (a) upon the payment or prepayment of the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Notes or (b) pursuant to a written offer to purchase any outstanding Notes made by the Company or an Affiliate pro rata to the Holders of the Notes upon the same terms and conditions. The Company will promptly cancel all Notes acquired by it or any Affiliate pursuant to any payment, prepayment or purchase of Notes pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and no Notes may be issued in substitution or exchange for any such Notes.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















Section 8.6.          Make‐Whole Amount for the Notes. The term “Make‐Whole Amount” means, with respect to any Note, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to the Called Principal of such Note over the amount of such Called Principal, provided that the Make‐Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the purposes of determining the Make‐Whole Amount, the following terms have the following meanings:







“Called Principal” means, with respect to any Note, the principal of such Note that is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1 or any other Financing Agreement, as the context requires.







“Discounted Value” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which interest on the Notes is payable) equal to the Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal.







“Reinvestment Yield” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, 0.50% plus the yield to maturity implied by the yield(s) reported as of 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, on the display designated as “Page PX1” (or such other display as may replace Page PX1) on Bloomberg Financial Markets for the most recently issued actively traded on‐the‐run U.S. Treasury securities (“Reported”) having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. If there are no such U.S. Treasury securities Reported having a maturity equal to such Remaining Average Life, then such implied yield to maturity will be determined by (a) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to bond equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly between the yields Reported for the applicable most recently issued actively traded on‐the‐run U.S. Treasury securities with the maturities (1) closest to and greater than such Remaining Average Life and (2) closest to and less than such Remaining Average Life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded to the number of decimal places as appears in the interest rate of the Note.







If such yields are not Reported or the yields Reported as of such time are not ascertainable (including by way of interpolation), then “Reinvestment Yield” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, 0.50% plus the yield to maturity implied by the U.S. Treasury constant maturity yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (or any comparable successor publication) for the U.S. Treasury constant maturity having a term equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. If there is no such U.S. Treasury constant maturity having a term equal to such Remaining Average Life, such implied yield to maturity will be determined by interpolating linearly between (1) the U.S. Treasury constant maturity so reported with the term closest to and greater than such Remaining Average Life and (2) the U.S. Treasury constant maturity so reported with the term closest to and less than such Remaining Average Life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded to the number of decimal places as appears in the interest rate of the Note.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
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“Remaining Average Life” means, with respect to any Called Principal, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) such Called Principal into (b) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the principal component of each Remaining Scheduled Payment with respect to such Called Principal by (ii) the number of years, computed on the basis of a 360‐day year composed of twelve 30‐day months and calculated to two decimal places, that will elapse between the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment.







“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due after the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date, provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which interest payments are due to be made under the Note, then the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2 or Section 12.1, as the context requires.







“Settlement Date” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1, as the context requires.







Section 8.7.          Change in Control.







(a)          Notice of Change in Control. The Company will, within 15 Business Days after any Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence of any Change in Control, give written notice of such Change in Control to each Holder of Notes. If a Change in Control has occurred, such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to prepay the Notes as described in subparagraph (b) of this Section 8.7 and shall be accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (e) of this Section 8.7.







(b)          Offer to Prepay Notes. The offer to prepay Notes contemplated by subparagraph (a) of this Section 8.7 shall be an offer to prepay, in accordance with and subject to this Section 8.7, all, but not less than all, of the Notes held by each holder (in this case only, “holder” in respect of any Note registered in the name of a nominee for a disclosed beneficial owner shall mean such beneficial owner) on a date specified in such offer (the “Proposed Prepayment Date”). If such Proposed Prepayment Date is in connection with an offer contemplated by subparagraph (a) of this Section 8.7, such date shall be not less than 20 days and not more than 45 days after the date of such offer (if the Proposed Prepayment Date shall not be specified in such offer, the Proposed Prepayment Date shall be the 30th day after the date of such offer).







(c)          Acceptance; Rejection. A Holder of Notes may accept the offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.7 by causing a notice of such acceptance or rejection to be delivered to the Company at least five Business Days prior to the Proposed Prepayment Date. A failure by a Holder of Notes to respond to an offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be deemed to constitute a rejection of such offer by such Holder.


 






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(d)          Prepayment. Prepayment of the Notes to be prepaid pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, together with interest on such Notes accrued to the date of prepayment. The prepayment shall be made on the Proposed Prepayment Date.







(e)           Officer’s Certificate. Each offer to prepay the Notes pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be accompanied by a certificate, executed by a Senior Financial Officer of the Company and dated the date of such offer, specifying: (i) the Proposed Prepayment Date; (ii) that such offer is made pursuant to this Section 8.7; (iii) the principal amount of each Note offered to be prepaid; (iv) the interest that would be due on each Note offered to be prepaid, accrued to the Proposed Prepayment Date; (v) that the conditions of this Section 8.7 have been fulfilled; and (vi) in reasonable detail, the nature and date or proposed date of the Change in Control.







(f)           Effect on Required Payments. The amount of each payment of the principal of the Notes made pursuant to this Section 8.7 shall be applied against and reduce each of the then remaining principal payments due on such Notes pursuant to Section 8.1 by a percentage equal to the aggregate principal amount of such Notes so paid divided by the aggregate principal amount of such Notes outstanding immediately prior to such payment.







(g)          “Change in Control” Defined. “Change in Control” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events:







(i)            any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in a single transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person or “group” (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder in effect on the Closing Date), or







(ii)           the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or “group” (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the Closing Date) of 50% or more of the outstanding ownership interests of the Company.







Section 9.             Affirmative Covenants.







The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:







Section 9.1.          Compliance with Law. Without limiting Section 10.3, the Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, ERISA, Environmental Laws, the USA PATRIOT Act and the other laws and regulations that are referred to in Section 5.16, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non‐compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 






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Section 9.2.          Insurance. The Company will and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co‐insurance and self‐insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated.







Section 9.3.          Maintenance of Properties. The Company will and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, provided that this Section shall not prevent any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 9.4.          Payment of Taxes. The Company will and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all income tax or similar tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies payable by any of them, to the extent the same have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax, assessment, charge or levy if (a) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (b) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments, charges and levies in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 9.5.          Corporate Existence, Etc. The Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the corporate existence of each of its Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Company or a wholly‐owned Subsidiary) and all rights and franchises of its Subsidiaries unless, in the good faith judgment of the Company or such Subsidiary, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such corporate existence, right or franchise would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 9.6.          Books and Records. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP and all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having legal or regulatory jurisdiction over the Company or such Subsidiary, except where any such nonconformity would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
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Section 9.7.          Compliance with Material Agreements. The Company will comply in all material respects with the material terms, conditions and provisions of all Material agreements, except where such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







Section 10.           Negative Covenants.







The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:







Section 10.1.        Transactions with Affiliates. The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into directly or indirectly any Material transaction or Material group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate (other than the Company or another Subsidiary), except pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary than would be obtainable in a comparable arm’s‐length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate.







Section 10.2.        Line of Business. The Company will not engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business in which the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would then be engaged would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business in which the Company is engaged on the date of this Agreement.







Section 10.3.        Terrorism Sanctions Regulations. The Company will not and will not permit any Controlled Entity (a) to become (including by virtue of being owned or controlled by a Blocked Person), own or control a Blocked Person or any Person that is the target of sanctions imposed by the United Nations or by the European Union, or (b) directly or indirectly to have any investment in or engage in any dealing or transaction (including, without limitation, any investment, dealing or transaction involving the proceeds of the Notes) with any Person if such investment, dealing or transaction (i) would cause any Holder of Notes to be in violation of or subject to sanctions under any law or regulation applicable to such Holder, or (ii) is prohibited by or subject to sanctions under any U.S. Economic Sanctions, or (c) to engage, nor shall any Affiliate of either engage, in any activity that could subject such Person or any Holder of Notes to sanctions under CISADA or any similar law or regulation with respect to Iran or any other country that is subject to U.S. Economic Sanctions.







Section 10.4.        Release of Lien of the Mortgage. The Company will not cause or permit the Lien of the Mortgage that secures any collateral thereunder to be released without the prior written consent of each Holder of a Note, other than as permitted under Sections 1.3(a), 4.4, 6.3, 6.5(a), 6.7, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 or 13.4 or Articles VIII or IX of the Mortgage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may release the Pledged Mortgage Bond and the Mortgage Trustee may release the Lien of the Mortgage, provided that, on the same date that such Liens are released, the Trustee receives a substituted pledged bond or bonds that are secured by the same collateral that secured the Pledged Mortgage Bond immediately prior to its release and the release of the Mortgage pursuant to a mortgage that is acceptable in scope, form and substance to the Required Holders, such acceptance not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and the Holders of Notes shall have received such opinions of counsel, certificates, uniform commercial code searches and title searches that provide evidence that the substituted pledged bonds are secured by a first priority Lien on the collateral purported to be pledged as collateral to secure the substituted pledged bond or bonds as the Required Holders shall reasonably request.


 






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Section 11.           Events of Default.







An “Event of Default” shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing:







(a)           the Company defaults in the payment of any principal or Make‐Whole Amount, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or;







(b)           the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or







(c)           the occurrence of any “Event of Default” under Section 8.1(a) of the Indenture (other than defaults described in Sections 8.1(a)(1) or 8.1(a)(2)) or the occurrence of any “Event of Default” under Section 10.1 of the Mortgage (other than defaults described in Section 10.1(a) or 10.1(b)); or







(d)           any representation or warranty made in writing by or on behalf of the Company or by any officer of the Company in this Agreement, the Indenture, the Mortgage or in any writing furnished in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, proves to have been false, incorrect or misleading in any material respect on the date as of which made; or







(e)           the Company defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein (other than those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 11) or in the Indenture or the Mortgage and such default is not remedied, in the case of defaults hereunder, within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (ii) the Company receiving written notice of such default from any Holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this paragraph (e) of Section 11), and in the case of defaults under either the Indenture or the Mortgage, within the grace period specified for such defaults respectively in the Indenture and the Mortgage; or







(f)            (i) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make‐whole amount or interest on any Indebtedness (other than the Notes and any other notes or other debt instruments authenticated under the Indenture) that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $50,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any instrument, mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating to any Indebtedness (other than the Notes and any other notes or debt instruments authenticated under the Indenture) in an aggregate principal amount of at least $50,000,000 or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Indebtedness has become, or has been declared, due and payable, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Indebtedness to convert such Indebtedness into equity interests), the Company or any Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Indebtedness (other than the Notes and any other notes authenticated under the Indenture) before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $50,000,000; or


 






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(g)           a final judgment or judgments at any one time outstanding for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $50,000,000 (except to the extent covered by independent third‐party insurance as to which the insurer acknowledges in writing that such judgment or judgments are covered by such insurance) are rendered against one or more of the Company or any Subsidiary and which judgments are not, within 30 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 30 days after the expiration of such stay; or







(h)           if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified the Company or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of any such proceedings, (iii) the aggregate “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA) for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate is obligated under all Plans, determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA, shall exceed $50,000,000, (iv) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability (other than for premium payments due to the PBGC) pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, (v) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws from any Multiemployer Plan, or (vi) the Company or any Subsidiary establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan that provides post‐employment welfare benefits in a manner that could increase the liability of the Company or any Subsidiary thereunder; provided that any such event or events described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, either individually or together with any other such event or events, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







As used in Section 11(h), the terms “employee benefit plan” and “employee welfare benefit plan” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.







Section 12.           Remedies on Default, Etc.







Section 12.1.        Acceleration. (a) If an Event of Default has occurred with respect to the Company in connection with an “Event of Default” under Sections 8.1(a)(6) or 8.1(a)(7) of the Indenture or an “Event of Default” under Sections 10.1(d) or 10.1(e) of the Mortgage, all of the Notes then outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and payable.


 






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(b)          If any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any Holder or Holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may at any time during the continuation of such Event of Default, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all of the Notes then outstanding to be immediately due and payable.







(c)          If any Event of Default described in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 11 has occurred and is continuing with respect to any Notes, any Holder or Holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any time during the continuation of such Event of Default, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company, declare all of the Notes held by such Holder or Holders to be immediately due and payable.







Upon any Note’s becoming due and payable under this Section 12.1, whether automatically or by declaration, such Note will forthwith mature and the entire unpaid principal amount of such Note, plus (i) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, but not limited to, interest accrued thereon at the Default Rate) and (ii) the Make‐Whole Amount determined in respect of such principal amount (to the full extent permitted by applicable law), shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without presentment, demand, protest or further notice, all of which are hereby waived. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each Holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for) and that the provision for payment of a Make‐Whole Amount by the Company in the event that the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.







Section 12.2.        Other Remedies. If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and irrespective of whether any Notes have become or have been declared immediately due and payable under Section 12.1, the Holder of any Note at the time outstanding may proceed to protect and enforce the rights of such Holder by an action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or in any Note, or for an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or thereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise.







Section 12.3.        Rescission. At any time after any the Notes have been declared due and payable pursuant to clause (b) or (c) of Section 12.1, the Holders of more than 50% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul any such declaration and its consequences if (a) the Company has paid all overdue interest on the Notes, all principal of and Make‐Whole Amount, if any, on any Notes that are due and payable and are unpaid other than by reason of such declaration, and all interest on such overdue principal and Make‐Whole Amount, if any, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any overdue interest in respect of the Notes, at the Default Rate, (b) neither the Company nor any other Person shall have paid any amounts which have become due solely by reason of such declaration, (c) all Events of Default and Defaults, other than non‐payment of amounts that have become due solely by reason of such declaration, have been cured or have been waived pursuant to Section 16, and (d) no judgment or decree has been entered for the payment of any monies due pursuant hereto or to any Notes. No rescission and annulment under this Section 12.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent Event of Default or Default or impair any right consequent thereon.


 






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Section 12.4.        No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc. No course of dealing and no delay on the part of any Holder of any Note in exercising any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or otherwise prejudice such Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. No right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any Holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Without limiting the obligations of the Company under Section 14, the Company will pay to the Holder of each Note on demand such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all reasonable costs and expenses of such Holder incurred in any enforcement or collection under this Section 12, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements.







Section 13.           Payments on Notes.







Section 13.1.        Home Office Payment. So long as any Purchaser or its nominee shall be the Holder of any Note, and notwithstanding anything contained in the Indenture or in such Note to the contrary, the Company will pay all sums becoming due on such Note for principal, Make‐Whole Amount or premium, if any, and interest by the method and at the address specified for such purpose below such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A, or by such other method or at such other address as such Purchaser shall have from time to time specified to the Company in writing for such purpose, without the presentation or surrender of such Note or the making of any notation thereon, except that upon written request of the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after payment or prepayment in full of any Note, such Purchaser shall surrender such Note for cancellation, reasonably promptly after any such request, to the Trustee at its principal executive office or at the place of payment most recently designated by the Trustee pursuant to the Indenture. Prior to any sale or other disposition of any Note held by a Purchaser or its nominee, such Purchaser will, at its election, either endorse thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to which interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Note to the Company in exchange for a new Note or Notes pursuant to Section 2.6 of the Indenture. The Company will afford the benefits of this Section 13.1 to any Institutional Investor that is the direct or indirect transferee of any Note purchased by a Purchaser under this Agreement and that has made the same agreement relating to such Note as the Purchasers have made in this Section 13.1.







Section 14.           Registration; Exchange; Expenses, Etc.







Section 14.1.        Registration of Notes. The Company shall cause the Trustee to keep a register for the registration of Notes and registration of transfers of Notes in accordance with Section 2.6 of the Indenture.







Section 14.2.      Transaction Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Company will pay all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees of one special counsel and, if reasonably required by the Required Holders, one local or other counsel) incurred (a) by the Purchasers in connection with such transactions, and (b) by the Holders of the Notes in connection with any amendments, waivers or consents under or in respect of any Financing Agreement (whether or not such amendment, waiver or consent becomes effective), including, without limitation: (i) the reasonable costs and expenses incurred in enforcing or defending (or determining whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights under any Financing Agreement or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal investigative demand issued in connection with any Financing Agreement, or by reason of being a Holder of Notes, (ii) the reasonable costs and expenses, including financial advisors’ fees, incurred in connection with the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any Subsidiary or in connection with any work‐out or restructuring of the transactions contemplated by any Financing Agreement and (iii) the reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the initial filing of any Financing Agreement and all related documents and financial information with the SVO, provided that such costs and expenses under this clause (iii) shall not exceed $5,000 for the Notes. The Company will pay, and will save each Purchaser and each other Holder of a Note harmless from, all claims in respect of any fees, costs or expenses if any, of brokers and finders (other than those, if any, retained by a Purchaser or other Holder in connection with its purchase of the Notes).


 






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Section 14.3.         Survival. The obligations of the Company under this Section 14 will survive the payment or transfer of any Note, the enforcement, amendment or waiver of any provision of any Financing Agreement, and the termination of any Financing Agreement.







Section 15.           Survival of Representations and Warranties; Entire Agreement.







All representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the execution and delivery of the Financing Agreements, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note, and may be relied upon by any subsequent Holder of a Note, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of such Purchaser or any other Holder of a Note. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Company under this Agreement. Subject to the preceding sentence, the Financing Agreements embody the entire agreement and understanding between each Purchaser and the Company and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.







Section 16.           Amendment and Waiver.







Section 16.1.          Requirements. The Company will not cause or permit the Indenture to change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make‐Whole Amount, if any, on the Notes as set forth in the Indenture and the Notes, without the written consent of the Holder of each Note at the time outstanding affected thereby. The Company will not cause or permit the Mortgage or the Pledged Mortgage Bond to be amended to change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make‐Whole Amount, if any, on the Pledged Mortgage Bond as set forth in the Mortgage and the Pledged Mortgage Bond, without the written consent of the Holder of each Note. This Agreement and the Notes may be amended, and the observance of any term hereof or of the Notes may be waived (either retroactively or prospectively), with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders, except that (a) no amendment or waiver of any of the provisions of Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 21 hereof, or any defined term, will be effective as to any Holder of Notes unless consented to by such Holder of Notes in writing, and (b) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of all of the Holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected thereby, (i) subject to the provisions of Section 12 relating to acceleration or rescission, change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest (if such change results in a decrease in the interest rate) or of the Make‐Whole Amount, if any, on, the Notes, (ii) change the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes the Holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment or waiver, or (iii) amend any of Sections 8, 10.4, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 16 or 20.


 






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Section 16.2.          Solicitation of Holders of Notes.







(a)           Solicitation. The Company will provide each Holder of Notes (irrespective of the amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such Holder to make an informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof or of the Notes. The Company will deliver executed or true and correct copies of each amendment, waiver or consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 16 to each Holder of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite Holders of Notes.







(b)           Payment. The Company will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or otherwise (other than legal fees or other related expenses), or grant any security or provide other credit support, to any Holder of Notes as consideration for or as an inducement to the entering into by any Holder of Notes or any waiver or amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof unless such remuneration is concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted or other credit support concurrently provided, on the same terms, ratably to each Holder of Notes then outstanding even if such Holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment.







(c)           Consent in Contemplation of Transfer. Any consent made pursuant to this Section 16.2 by the Holder of any Note that has transferred or has agreed to transfer such Note to the Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of the Company and has provided or has agreed to provide such written consent as a condition to such transfer shall be void and of no force or effect except solely as to such Holder, and any amendments effected or waivers granted or to be effected or granted that would not have been or would not be so effected or granted but for such consent (and the consents of all other Holders of Notes that were acquired under the same or similar conditions) shall be void and of no force or effect except solely as to such transferring Holder.


 






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Section 16.3.          Binding Effect, Etc. Any amendment or waiver consented to as provided in this Section 16 applies equally to all Holders of Notes and is binding upon them and upon each future Holder of any Note and upon the Company without regard to whether such Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver will extend to or affect any obligation, covenant, agreement, Default or Event of Default not expressly amended or waived or impair any right consequent thereon. No course of dealing between the Company and the Holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder or under any Note shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any Holder of such Note. As used herein, the term “this Agreement” and references thereto shall mean this Note Purchase Agreement as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented.







Section 16.4.          Notes Held by Company, Etc. Solely for the purpose of determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this Agreement or the Notes, or have directed the taking of any action provided herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the Holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.







Section 17.           Notices.







Except for Electronic Deliveries, all notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telecopy if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested (postage prepaid), or (c) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:







(i)             if to any Purchaser or its nominee, to such Purchaser or nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A, or at such other address as such Purchaser or nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing;







(ii)             if to any other Holder of any Note, to such Holder at such address as such Holder shall have specified to the Company in writing;







(iii)            if to the Company, to the Company at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of Treasurer, or at such other address as the Company shall have specified to the Holder of each Note in writing; or







(iv)           if to the Trustee, to The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee, c/o The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., Attention: Corporate Trust, 525 William Penn Place, 38th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15259, or at such other address as the Trustee shall have specified to the Company and each other party hereto in writing.







Notices under this Section 17 will be deemed given only when actually received.


 






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Section 18.           Indemnification.







The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold the Purchasers harmless from, against and in respect of any and all loss, liability and reasonable expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from any misrepresentation or nonfulfillment of any undertaking on the part of the Company under this Agreement. The indemnification obligations of the Company under this Section 18 shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the delivery of the Notes to the Purchasers and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein.







Section 19.           Reproduction of Documents.







This Agreement and all documents relating thereto, including, without limitation, (a) consents, waivers and modifications that may hereafter be executed, (b) documents received by any Purchaser at the Closing (except the Notes themselves), and (c) financial statements, certificates and other information previously or hereafter furnished to any Purchaser, may be reproduced by such Purchaser by any photographic, photostatic, electronic, digital, or other similar process and such Purchaser may destroy any original document so reproduced. The Company agrees and stipulates that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding (whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by such Purchaser in the regular course of business) and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. This Section 19 shall not prohibit the Company or any other Holder of Notes from contesting any such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.







Section 20.           Confidential Information.







For the purposes of this Section 20, “Confidential Information” means information delivered to any Purchaser or Holder of a Note by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the transactions contemplated by or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement or the Notes that is proprietary in nature and that was clearly marked or labeled or otherwise adequately identified when received by such Purchaser or Holder as being confidential information of the Company or such Subsidiary, provided that such term does not include information that (a) was publicly known or otherwise known to such Purchaser or Holder prior to the time of such disclosure without an obligation of confidentiality, (b) subsequently becomes publicly known through no act or omission by such Purchaser or Holder or any person acting on such Purchaser’s or Holder’s behalf, (c) otherwise becomes known to such Purchaser or Holder other than through disclosure by the Company or any Subsidiary or (d) constitutes financial statements delivered to such Purchaser or Holder under Section 7.1 of this Agreement that are otherwise publicly available. Each Purchaser and Holder will maintain the confidentiality of such Confidential Information in accordance with procedures adopted by such Purchaser or Holder in good faith to protect confidential information of third parties delivered to such Purchaser or Holder and shall use such information only for purposes of monitoring its investment in the Notes, provided that such Purchaser or Holder may deliver or disclose Confidential Information to (i) its directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents, attorneys and affiliates (to the extent such disclosure reasonably relates to the administration of the investment represented by the Notes and who agree to hold confidential the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 20), (ii) its financial advisors and other professional advisors who agree to hold confidential the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 20, (iii) any other Holder of any Note, (iv) any Institutional Investor to which it sells or offers to sell such Note or any part thereof or any participation therein (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (v) any Person from which it offers to purchase any security of the Company (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20), (vi) any federal or state or provincial regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Purchaser or Holder, (vii) the NAIC or the SVO or, in each case, any similar organization, or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about such Purchaser’s or Holder’s investment portfolio, or (viii) any other Person to which such delivery or disclosure may be necessary or appropriate (w) to effect compliance with any law, rule, regulation or order applicable to such Purchaser or Holder, (x) in response to any subpoena or other legal process, (y) in connection with any litigation to which such Purchaser or Holder is a party or (z) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the extent such Purchaser or Holder may reasonably determine such delivery and disclosure to be necessary or appropriate in the enforcement or for the protection of the rights and remedies under such Purchaser’s or Holder’s Notes and this Agreement. Each Holder of a Note, by its acceptance of a Note, will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to be entitled to the benefits of this Section 20 as though it were a party to this Agreement. On reasonable request by the Company in connection with the delivery to any Holder of a Note of information required to be delivered to such Holder under this Agreement or requested by such Holder (other than a Holder that is a party to this Agreement or its nominee), such Holder will enter into an agreement with the Company embodying the provisions of this Section 20.


 






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Section 21.           Miscellaneous.







Section 21.1.          Successors and Assigns. All covenants and other agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns (including, without limitation, any subsequent Holder of a Note) whether so expressed or not; provided, however, the provisions of Section 7 hereof and any other provision of this Agreement that relates only to Institutional Investors shall only apply to Institutional Investors.







Section 21.2.          Accounting Terms. All accounting terms used herein which are not expressly defined in this Agreement have the meanings respectively given to them in accordance with GAAP. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, (a) all computations made pursuant to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with GAAP, and (b) all financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of determining compliance with the covenants set out in any Financing Agreement, any election by the Company to measure an item of Indebtedness using fair value (as permitted by Accounting Standard Codification Topic No. 825‐10‐25 – Recognition, subsection Fair Value Option or any similar accounting standard) shall be disregarded and such determination shall be made by valuing indebtedness at 100% of the outstanding principal thereof, unless otherwise provided in such Financing Agreement.


 






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Section 21.3.          Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall (to the full extent permitted by law) not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.







Section 21.4.          Construction, Etc. Each covenant contained herein shall be construed (absent express provision to the contrary) as being independent of each other covenant contained herein, so that compliance with any one covenant shall not (absent such an express contrary provision) be deemed to excuse compliance with any other covenant. Where any provision herein refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.







For the avoidance of doubt, all Schedules and Exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a part hereof.







Section 21.5.          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies hereof, each signed by less than all, but together signed by all, of the parties hereto.







Section 21.6.          Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York excluding choice‐of‐law principles of the law of such State that would permit the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.







Section 21.7.          Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial. (a) The Company irrevocably submits to the non‐exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company irrevocably waives and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise, any claim that it is not subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.







(b)          The Company consents to process being served by or on behalf of any Holder of Notes in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 21.7(a) by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to it at its address specified in Section 17 or at such other address of which such Holder shall then have been notified pursuant to said Section. The Company agrees that such service upon receipt (i) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit, action or proceeding and (ii) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be taken and held to be valid personal service upon and personal delivery to it. Notices hereunder shall be conclusively presumed to be received as evidenced by a delivery receipt furnished by the United States Postal Service or any reputable commercial delivery service.


 






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(c)          Nothing in this Section 21.7 shall affect the right of any Holder of a Note to serve process in any manner permitted by law, or limit any right that the Holders of any of the Notes may have to bring proceedings against the Company in the courts of any appropriate jurisdiction or to enforce in any lawful manner a judgment obtained in one jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.







(d)          The parties hereto hereby waive trial by jury in any action brought on or with respect to this Agreement, the Notes or any other document executed in connection herewith or therewith.







Section 21.8.          Payments Due on Non‐Business Days. Anything in this Agreement or the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding (but without limiting the requirement in Section 8.4 that the notice of any optional prepayment specify a Business Day as the date fixed for such prepayment), any payment of principal of or Make‐Whole Amount or interest on any Note that is due on a date other than a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without including the additional days elapsed in the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day; provided that if the maturity date of any Note is a date other than a Business Day, the payment otherwise due on such maturity date shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and shall include the additional days elapsed in the computation of interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.







* * * * *


 






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If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the form of agreement on a counterpart of this Agreement and return it to the Company, whereupon this Agreement shall become a binding agreement between you and the Company.







	 	 	
Very truly yours,

	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
South Jersey Gas Company

	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
By

	
/S/ Ann T. Anthony

	 
	 	 	
Name: Ann T. Anthony

	 
	 	 	
Its: Treasurer

	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	
[Corporate Seal]

	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	
Attest

	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	
By

	
/s/ Gina Merritt-Epps

	 	 	 
	
Name:

	
Gina Merritt‐Epps

	 	 	 
	
Its:

	
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

	 	 	 



 






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This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.







	 	
THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company, LLC, its investment adviser


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ David A. Barras

	 
	 	 	
Name: David A. Barras

	 
	 	 	
Title: Managing Director

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY for its Group Annuity Separate Account


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ David A. Barras

	 
	 	 	
Name: David A. Barras

	 
	 	 	
Title: Its Authorized Representative

	 



 






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This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.







	 	
HARTFORD CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	
HARTFORD LIFE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	
HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	
HARTFORD INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS


	 	
HARTFORD LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
Hartford Investment Management Company, Their Agent and Attorney-in-Fact


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Kenneth Day

	 
	 	 	
Name: Kenneth Day

	 
	 	 	
Title: Vice President

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
KANSAS CITY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
Hartford Investment Management Company, Its Agent and Attorney-in-Fact


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Kenneth Day

	 
	 	 	
Name: Kenneth Day

	 
	 	 	
Title: Vice President

	 



 






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This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.







	 	
STATE FARM LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Name: Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Executive

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Name: Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Professional

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
STATE FARM LIFE AND ACCIDENT ASSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Name: Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Executive

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Name: Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Professional

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANIES EMPLOLYEE RETIREMENT TRUST


	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Name: Julie Hoyer

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Executive

	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Name: Jeffrey Attwood

	 
	 	 	
Title: Investment Professional

	 



 






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This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.







	 	
COUNTRY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


	 	 	 
	 	
By:

	
/s/ John A. Jacobs


	 	 	
Name: John A. Jacobs


	 	 	
Title: Director – Fixed Income





 






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Defined Terms







As used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:







“Additional Obligations” means notes issued under the Indenture (other than the Notes) after the date of the Closing or mortgage bonds issued under the Mortgage (other than the Pledged Mortgage Bond) after the date of the Closing.







“Affiliate” means, at any time, and with respect to any Person, (a) any other Person that at such time directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such first Person, and (b) any Person beneficially owning or holding, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests of the Company or any Subsidiary or any Person of which the Company and its Subsidiaries beneficially own or hold, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to an “Affiliate” is a reference to an Affiliate of the Company.







“Agreement” is defined in Section 16.3.







“Anti‐Corruption Laws” means any law or regulation in a U.S. or any non‐U.S. jurisdiction regarding bribery or any other corrupt activity, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010.







“Anti‐Money Laundering Laws” means any law or regulation in a U.S. or any non‐U.S. jurisdiction regarding money laundering, drug trafficking, terrorist‐related activities or other money laundering predicate crimes, including the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (otherwise known as the Bank Secrecy Act) and the USA PATRIOT Act.







“Blocked Person” means (a) a Person whose name appears on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons published by OFAC, (b) a Person, entity, organization, country or regime that is blocked or a target of sanctions that have been imposed under U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws or (c) a Person that is an agent, department or instrumentality of, or is otherwise beneficially owned by, controlled by or acting on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any Person, entity, organization, country or regime described in clause (a) or (b).







“Business Day” means for the purposes of any provision of this Agreement, any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Folsom, New Jersey are required or authorized to be closed.







“Called Principal” is defined in Section 8.6.


 














	
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“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.







“Change in Control” is defined in Section 8.7(g).







“CISADA” means the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act.







“Closing” is defined in Section 3.







“Closing Date” is the date of the Closing.







“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.







“Collateral Filings” is defined in Section 4.11.







“Company” is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.







“Confidential Information” is defined in Section 20.







“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.







“Controlled Entity” means (a) any of the Subsidiaries of the Company and any of their or the Company’s respective Controlled Affiliates and (b) if the Company has a parent company, such parent company and its Controlled Affiliates.







“Default” means an event or condition the occurrence or existence of which would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, become an Event of Default.







“Default Rate” means that rate of interest that is the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest stated in the Notes or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Bank of America, N.A. in New York, New York as its “base” or “prime” rate.







“Discounted Value” is defined in Section 8.6.







“Disclosure Documents” is defined in Section 5.3.







“Electronic Delivery” is defined in Section 7.1(a).







“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign 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 but not limited to those related to Hazardous Materials.


 






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“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.







“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is treated as a single employer together with the Company under Section 414 of the Code.







“Event of Default” is defined in Section 11.







“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.







“Financing Agreements” means this Agreement, the Indenture, the Notes, the Pledged Mortgage Bond, and the Mortgage (including without limitation the First Supplement).







“First Supplement” is defined in Section 1.2.







“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States of America.







“Governmental Authority” means:







(a)            the government of







(i)            the United States of America or any State or other political subdivision thereof, or







(ii)           any other jurisdiction in which the Company or any Subsidiary conducts all or any part of its business, or which asserts jurisdiction over any properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, or







(b)            any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of, or pertaining to, any such government.







“Hazardous Material” means any and all pollutants, toxic or hazardous wastes that might pose a hazard to health and safety, the removal of which may be required or the generation, manufacture, refining, production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation, transfer, use, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, seepage or filtration of which is or shall be restricted, prohibited or penalized by any applicable Environmental Law including, but not limited to, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum, petroleum products, lead based paint, radon gas or similar restricted, prohibited or penalized substances.







“Holder” is defined in the Indenture.


 






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“Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means, at any time, without duplication,







(a)            its liabilities for borrowed money and its redemption obligations in respect of mandatorily redeemable Preferred Stock;







(b)            its liabilities for the deferred purchase price of property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business but including all liabilities created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to any such property);







(c)            (i) all liabilities appearing on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Capital Leases and (ii) all liabilities which would appear on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of synthetic leases assuming such synthetic leases were accounted for as Capital Leases;







(d)            all liabilities for borrowed money secured by any Lien with respect to any property owned by such Person (whether or not it has assumed or otherwise become liable for such liabilities);







(e)            all liabilities in respect of letters of credit or instruments serving a similar function issued or accepted for such Person’s account by banks and other financial institutions (whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money);







(f)             the aggregate swap termination value of all swap contracts of such Person, and







(g)            any guaranty of such Person with respect to liabilities of a type described in any of clauses (a) through (f) hereof.







Indebtedness of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described in clauses (a) through (g) to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is deemed to be extinguished under GAAP.







“Indenture” is defined in Section 1.1.







“INHAM Exemption” is defined in Section 6.2(e).







“Institutional Investor” means (a) any Purchaser of a Note, (b) any Holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its affiliates) more than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any Holder of a Note that is a bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, a pension plan, an investment company, an insurance company, a broker or dealer, or another similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any Related Fund of any Holder of any Note referred to in clauses (a) through (c) above.


 






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“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person (including in the case of stock, stockholder agreements, voting trust agreements and all similar arrangements).







“Make‐Whole Amount” is defined in Section 8.6.







“Material” means material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.







“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes or the Indenture or (c) the validity or enforceability of any Financing Agreement.







“Memorandum” is defined in Section 5.3.







“Mortgage” is defined in Section 1.2.







“Mortgaged Property” shall have the meaning for such term in the Mortgage.







“Mortgage Trustee” is defined in Section 1.2.







“Multiemployer Plan” means any Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” (as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).







“NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any successor thereto.







“NAIC Annual Statement” is defined in Section 6.2(a).







“Notes” is defined in Section 1.1.







“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.







“OFAC Sanctions Program” means any economic or trade sanction that OFAC is responsible for administering and enforcing. A list of OFAC Sanctions Programs may be found at http://www.treasury.gov/resource‐center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx.







“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer or of any other officer of the Company whose responsibilities extend to the subject matter of such certificate.







“Original Indenture” is defined in Section 1.1.


 






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“Original Mortgage” is defined in Section 1.2.







“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA or any successor thereto.







“Permitted Encumbrances” is defined in the Indenture.







“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization, business entity or Governmental Authority.







“Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title I of ERISA that is or, within the preceding five years, has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or, within the preceding five years, have been made or required to be made, by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.







“Pledged Mortgage Bond” is defined in Section 1.2.







“Preferred Stock” means any class of capital stock of a Person that is preferred over any other class of capital stock (or similar equity interests) of such Person as to the payment of dividends or the payment of any amount upon liquidation or dissolution of such Person.







“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, choate or inchoate.







“Proposed Prepayment Date” is defined in Section 8.7(b).







“PTE” is defined in Section 6.2(a).







“Public Order” means order of the Board of Public Utilities, State of New Jersey, Docket No. GF1512424, dated March 18, 2016.







“Purchaser” is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.







“QPAM Exemption” is defined in Section 6.2(d).







“Reinvestment Yield” is defined in Section 8.6.







“Related Fund” means, with respect to any Holder of any Note, any fund or entity that (a) invests in Securities or bank loans, and (b) is advised or managed by such Holder, the same investment advisor as such Holder or by an Affiliate of such Holder or such investment advisor.







“Remaining Average Life” is defined in Section 8.6.







“Remaining Scheduled Payments” is defined in Section 8.6.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















“Required Holders” means, at any time, the Holders of more than 50% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding (exclusive of Notes then owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates).







“Responsible Officer” means any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Company with responsibility for the administration of the relevant portion of this Agreement.







“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States, or any successor thereto.







“Securities” or “Security” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2(1) of the Securities Act.







“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.







“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Company.







“Settlement Date” is defined in Section 8.6.







“Source” is defined in Section 6.2.







“State Sanctions List” means a list that is adopted by any state Governmental Authority within the United States of America pertaining to Persons that engage in investment or other commercial activities in Iran or any other country that is a target of economic sanctions imposed under U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws.







“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any other Person in which such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such second Person, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in the profits or capital thereof is owned by such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership or joint venture can and does ordinarily take major business actions without the prior approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company.







“SVO” means the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC or any successor to such Office.







“Trustee” is defined in Section 1.1.







“UCC” means, the Uniform Commercial Code as enacted and in effect from time to time in the state whose laws are treated as applying to the Mortgaged Property.


 






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South Jersey Gas Company

	
Note Purchase Agreement
















“UCC Financing Statements” shall mean any financing statements required or permitted to be filed in accordance with the UCC.







“USA PATRIOT Act” means United States Public Law 107‐56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.







“U.S. Economic Sanctions Laws” means those laws, executive orders, enabling legislation or regulations administered and enforced by the United States pursuant to which economic sanctions have been imposed on any Person, entity, organization, country or regime, including the Trading with the Enemy Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Iran Sanctions Act, the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act, each as amended from time to time, and any other OFAC Sanctions Program.


 


 


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