Document:

Exhibit 10.3

 

EXCHANGE AGREEMENT

 

This EXCHANGE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of                                    , 2013 (and effective as set forth in Section 5.15 of this Agreement), is made by and among NRG Yield Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), NRG Yield LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Yield LLC”), NRG Energy, Inc. (“NRG”) and the other Persons from time to time party hereto in accordance with Section 5.1 hereof (collectively with NRG, the “Yield LLC Unitholders”).

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to provide for the exchange of certain Yield LLC Units for shares of Class A Common Stock (each as defined herein), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and undertakings contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

SECTION 1.1                   Effective Time.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon the effectiveness of the Contribution Agreements (the “Effective Time”).

 

SECTION 1.2                   Definitions.

 

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Yield LLC Operating Agreement (as defined herein), and the following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

 

“Class A Common Stock” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

 

“Class B Common Stock” means the Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation.

 

“Class A Units” means the Class A Units of Yield LLC, with such rights and privileges as set forth in the Yield LLC Operating Agreement.

 

“Class B Units” means the Class B Units of Yield LLC, with such rights and privileges as set forth in the Yield LLC Operating Agreement.

 

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

 

“Contribution Agreements” means (i) that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between Yield LLC and NRG and (ii) that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among NRG Yield Operating LLC, NRG Solar

 

 

PV LLC, NRG Solar Ventures, NRG Solar Sunrise LLC, NRG Thermal Solar LLC, NRG Connecticut Peaking Development LLC, NRG Solar LLC, NRG Repowering Holdings LLC,  and NRG.

 

“Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1 of this Agreement.

 

“Election of Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement.

 

“Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) of this Agreement.

 

“Exchange Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b) of this Agreement.

 

“Exchange Rate” means the number of shares of Class A Common Stock for which a Yield LLC Unit is entitled to be Exchanged. On the date of this Agreement, the Exchange Rate shall be 1 for 1, subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Agreement.

 

“IPO” means the closing of the initial public offering and sale by the Corporation of shares of Class A Common Stock.

 

“Permitted Transferee” has the meaning given to such term in Section 5.1 of this Agreement.

 

“Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust or other entity, including any governmental entity.

 

“Requisite Holders” means, as of the applicable determination date, each Yield LLC Unitholder, if any, who, together with its Affiliates and Permitted Transferees, beneficially owns at least a majority of the then outstanding Yield LLC Units (excluding any Yield LLC Units held by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries).

 

“Yield LLC Operating Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of Yield LLC, dated on or about the date hereof, as such agreement may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

“Yield LLC Unit” means (i) each of the Class B Units of Yield LLC now or hereafter held by any Yield LLC Unitholder (ii) any other interest in Yield LLC that may be issued by Yield LLC in the future that is designated by the Corporation as a “Yield LLC Unit,” for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Yield LLC Unitholder” means NRG and any Permitted Transferee to whom NRG (or another Permitted Transferee) transfers some or all of the Yield LLC Units owned by such Person in accordance with the terms of the Yield LLC Operating Agreement (including Section 7.3 thereof).

 

2

 

ARTICLE II

 

SECTION 2.1                   Exchange of Yield LLC Units for Class A Common Stock.

 

(a)           Each Yield LLC Unitholder shall be entitled at any time and from time to time, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereof and the Yield LLC Operating Agreement, to surrender Yield LLC Units to Yield LLC in exchange for the delivery to the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder of a number of shares of Class A Common Stock that is equal to the product of the number of Yield LLC Units surrendered multiplied by the Exchange Rate (each such exchange, an “Exchange”); provided that, (i) each Exchange shall be for a minimum of the lesser of 1,000 Yield LLC Units or all of the Yield LLC Units held by such Yield LLC Unitholder and (ii) such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder must be the record holder of the number of shares of Class B Common Stock that is equal to the number of Yield LLC Units surrendered.

 

(b)           A Yield LLC Unitholder shall exercise its right to Exchange Yield LLC Units as set forth in Section 2.1(a) above by delivering to the Corporation and to Yield LLC a written election of exchange in respect of the Yield LLC Units to be Exchanged substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (an “Election of Exchange”), duly executed by such holder or such holder’s duly authorized representative, in each case delivered during normal business hours at the principal executive offices of the Corporation and of Yield LLC. An Election of Exchange may specify that the Exchange is to be contingent (including as to timing) upon the occurrence of any transaction or event, including the consummation of a purchase by another Person (whether in a tender or exchange offer, an underwritten offering or otherwise) of shares of Class A Common Stock or any merger, consolidation or other business combination. Subject to (i) Section 2.4(b) of this Agreement, (ii) the payment by the applicable Yield LLC Unitholder of any amount required to be paid under Section 2.1(c) and (iii) the surrender to Yield LLC of the unit certificates, if any, and duly executed unit powers associated with the Yield LLC Units subject to the Exchange, the Exchange shall be deemed to have been effected on (A) the Business Day immediately following receipt of the applicable Election of Exchange or (B) such later date specified in or pursuant to the applicable Election of Exchange (such date specified in clause (A) or (B), as applicable, the “Exchange Date”), and as promptly as practicable following the applicable Exchange Date, the Corporation shall deliver or cause to be delivered at the offices of the then-acting registrar and transfer agent of the Class A Common Stock or, if there is no then-acting registrar and transfer agent of the Class A Common Stock, at the principal executive offices of the Yield LLC, the number of shares of Class A Common Stock deliverable upon such Exchange, registered in the name of the relevant exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder  (or its designee). To the extent the Class A Common Stock is settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (the “DTC”), the Corporation will, subject to Section 2.1(c) below, upon the written instruction of an exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to deliver the shares of Class A Common Stock deliverable to such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder, through the facilities of the DTC, to the account of the participant of the DTC designated by such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder may withdraw or amend an Election of Exchange, in whole or in part, prior to the effectiveness of the Exchange, at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day immediately preceding the Exchange Date (or any such later time as may be required by applicable law) by delivery of a

 

3

 

written notice of withdrawal to the Corporation and to Yield LLC, specifying (1) the number of Yield LLC Units being withdrawn, (2) the number of Yield LLC Units, if any, as to which the Election of Exchange remains in effect and (3) if such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder so determines, a new Exchange Date or any other new or revised information permitted in an Election of Exchange. On the Exchange Date, all rights of the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder as a holder of such Yield LLC Units shall cease and such Yield LLC Units shall automatically be reclassified pursuant to Section 3.3 of the Yield LLC Operating Agreement and delivered to the Corporation by Yield LLC.  Such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder shall be treated for all purposes as having become the record holder of such shares of Class A Common Stock on such date.  In connection with such Exchange, the Corporation shall automatically cancel shares of Class B Common Stock held by the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder in an amount equal to the number of Yield LLC Units being exchanged in accordance with this Section 2.1 multiplied by the Exchange Rate, without any payment for such shares of Class B Common Stock.  The Corporation shall take such actions as may be required to ensure the performance by Yield LLC of its obligations under this Section 2.1(b) and the foregoing Section 2.1(a).

 

(c)           Yield LLC, the Corporation and the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder shall bear their own expenses in connection with the consummation of any Exchange, whether or not any such Exchange is ultimately consummated, except that the Yield LLC shall bear any transfer taxes, stamp taxes or duties, or other similar taxes in connection with, or arising by reason of, any Exchange; provided, however, that if any shares of Class A Common Stock are to be delivered in a name other than that of the Yield LLC Unitholder that requested the Exchange, then such Yield LLC Unitholder and/or the person in whose name such shares are to be delivered shall pay to Yield LLC the amount of any transfer taxes, stamp taxes or duties, or other similar taxes in connection with, or arising by reason of, such Exchange or shall establish to the reasonable satisfaction of Yield LLC that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

 

(d)           Each of the Corporation and Yield LLC covenants and agrees that it will not take any action that would pose a material risk that Yield LLC could be treated as a “publically traded partnership” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Exchange shall be permitted (and, if attempted, shall be void ab initio) if, in the good faith determination of the Corporation or of Yield LLC, such an Exchange would pose a material risk that Yield LLC would be a “publicly traded partnership” under Section 7704 of the Code.

 

(e)           For the avoidance of doubt, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Yield LLC Unitholder shall not be entitled to Exchange Yield LLC Units to the extent the Corporation or Yield LLC reasonably determines in good faith that such Exchange (i) would be prohibited by applicable law or regulation or (ii) would not be permitted under any other agreement with the Corporation or its subsidiaries to which such Yield LLC Unitholder is then subject (including, without limitation, the Yield LLC Operating Agreement) or any written policies of the Corporation or Yield LLC relating to insider trading then applicable to such Yield LLC Unitholder. For the avoidance of doubt, no Exchange shall be deemed to be prohibited by any law or regulation pertaining to the registration of securities if such securities have been so registered or if any exemption from such registration requirements is reasonably available.

 

4

 

SECTION 2.2                   Adjustment. The Exchange Rate shall be adjusted accordingly if there is: (a) any subdivision (by any unit split, unit distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse unit split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the Class A Units or Class B Units that is not accompanied by an identical subdivision or combination of the Class A Common Stock; (b) any subdivision (by any stock split, stock dividend or distribution, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse stock split, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) of the Class A Common Stock that is not accompanied by an identical subdivision or combination of the Class A Units or Class B Units; (c) other than in connection with a Class A Common Stock Sale, (1) any issuance of shares of (x) Class A Common Stock by the Corporation or (y) Class A Units to the Corporation that is not accompanied by (2) the issuance of an identical number of (x) Class A Units to the Corporation (in the case of clause (c)(1)(x)) or (y) shares of Class A Common Stock (in the case of clause (c)(1)(y)), as applicable; or (d) (1) any issuance of (x) shares of Class B Common Stock by the Corporation or (y) Class B Units to NRG or its Permitted Transferees that is not accompanied by (2) the issuance of an identical number of (x) Class B Units to NRG or to any Permitted Transferee of NRG (in the case of clause (d)(1)(x)) or (y) shares of Class B Common Stock to NRG or its Permitted Transferees (in the case of clause (d)(1)(y)). If there is (i) any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class A Common Stock is converted or changed into another security, securities or other property or (ii) and any subdivision (by any split, distribution or dividend, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse split, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) of such security, securities or other property that occurs after the effective time of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction, then upon any subsequent Exchange, an exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such security, securities or other property that such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder would have received if such Exchange had occurred immediately prior to the effective date of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction, taking into account any adjustment as a result of any such subdivision (by any split, distribution or dividend, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or otherwise) or combination (by reverse split, reclassification, recapitalization or otherwise) of such security, securities or other property that occurs after the effective time of such reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction. For the avoidance of doubt, if there is any reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization or other similar transaction in which the Class A Common Stock is converted or changed into another security, securities or other property, this Section 2.2 shall continue to be applicable, mutatis mutandis, with respect to such security or other property. This Agreement shall apply to the Class A Units and Class B Units held by the Corporation, NRG and NRG’s Permitted Transferees as of the date hereof, as well as any Class A Units and Class B Units hereafter acquired by the Corporation, NRG or any of NRG’s Permitted Transferees. This Agreement shall apply to, mutatis mutandis, and all references to “Class A Units” and “Class B Units” shall be deemed to include, any security, securities or other property of Yield LLC which may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of Class A Units or Class B Units, as applicable, by reason of any distribution or dividend, split, reverse split, combination, reclassification, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, exchange (other than an Exchange) or other transaction.

 

5

 

SECTION 2.3                   Class A Common Stock to be Issued.

 

(a)           The Corporation covenants and agrees to deliver shares of Class A Common Stock that have been registered under the Securities Act with respect to any Exchange to the extent that a registration statement is effective and available for such shares. In the event that any Exchange in accordance with this Agreement is to be effected at a time when any required registration has not become effective or otherwise is unavailable, upon the request and with the reasonable cooperation of the Yield LLC Unitholder requesting the Exchange, the Corporation shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to promptly facilitate such Exchange pursuant to any reasonably available exemption from such registration requirements. The Corporation shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to list the Class A Common Stock required to be delivered upon Exchange prior to such delivery upon each national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which the outstanding Class A Common Stock may be listed or traded at the time of such delivery.

 

(b)           The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued Class A Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon an Exchange, such number of shares of Class A Common Stock as shall be deliverable upon any such Exchange; provided that nothing contained herein shall be construed to preclude Yield LLC from satisfying its obligations in respect of the Exchange of Yield LLC Units by delivery of Class A Common Stock which is held in the treasury of the Corporation or Yield LLC or any of their subsidiaries or by delivery of purchased shares of Class A Common Stock (which may or may not be held in the treasury of the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof).

 

(c)           Prior to the effective date of this Agreement, the Corporation and Yield LLC will take all such steps as may be required to cause to qualify for exemption under Rule 16b-3(d) or (e), as applicable, under the Exchange Act, and be exempt for purposes of Section 16(b) under the Exchange Act, any acquisitions or dispositions of equity securities of the Corporation (including derivative securities with respect thereto) and any securities which may be deemed to be equity securities or derivative securities of the Corporation for such purposes that result from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, by each director or officer of the Corporation who may reasonably be expected to be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to the Corporation upon the registration of any class of equity security of the Corporation pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act (with the authorizing resolutions specifying the name of each such officer or director whose acquisition or disposition of securities is to be exempted and the number of securities that may be acquired and disposed of by each such person pursuant to this Agreement).

 

(d)           If any Takeover Law (as defined below) or other similar law or regulation becomes or is deemed to become applicable to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Corporation or Yield LLC shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to render such law or regulation inapplicable to all of the foregoing.

 

(e)           Each of the Corporation and Yield LLC covenants that all Class A Common Stock issued upon an Exchange will, upon issuance, be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will pass to the applicable exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder free and clear of any liens, security interests and other encumbrances other than any such liens, security interests or other encumbrances imposed by such exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder and will not be

 

6

 

subject to any preemptive right of stockholders of the Corporation or to any right of first refusal or other right in favor of any person or entity.

 

(f)            No Exchange shall impair the right of the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder to receive any distributions payable on the Yield LLC Units so exchanged in respect of a record date that occurs prior to the Exchange Date for such Exchange. For the avoidance of doubt, no exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder shall be entitled to receive, in respect of a single record date, distributions or dividends both on Yield LLC Units exchanged by such holder and on Class A Common Stock received by such holder in such Exchange.

 

SECTION 2.4                   Withholding; Certification of Non-Foreign Status.

 

(a)           If the Corporation or Yield LLC shall be required to withhold any amounts by reason of any Federal, State, local or foreign tax rules or regulations in respect of any Exchange, the Corporation or Yield LLC, as the case may be, shall be entitled to take such action as it deems appropriate in order to ensure compliance with such withholding requirements, including, without limitation, at its option withholding shares of Class A Common Stock with a fair market value equal to the minimum amount of any taxes which the Corporation or Yield LLC, as the case may be, may be required to withhold with respect to such Exchange. To the extent that amounts (or property) are so withheld and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority, such withheld amounts (or property) shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid (or delivered) to the appropriate Yield LLC Unitholder.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each of Yield LLC and the Corporation may, at its own discretion, require as a condition to the effectiveness of an Exchange that an exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder deliver to Yield LLC or the Corporation, as the case may be, a certification of non-foreign status in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1445-2(b). In the event Yield LLC or the Corporation has required delivery of such certification but an exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder is unable to do so, Yield LLC shall nevertheless deliver or cause to be delivered to the exchanging Yield LLC Unitholder the Class A Common Stock in accordance with Section 2.1 of this Agreement, but subject to potential withholding as provided in Section 2.4(a).

 

ARTICLE III

 

SECTION 3.1                   Class A Common Stock Sale.

 

(a)           In connection with any sale by the Corporation of one or more shares of Class A Common Stock for cash, including in connection with the IPO (a “Class A Common Stock Sale”), the Corporation shall transfer the net cash proceeds from such sale (after deducting any underwriters’ discount and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Corporation) to Yield LLC.  Yield LLC shall either (i) issue Class A Units to the Corporation, as the managing member of Yield LLC, in exchange for such net cash proceeds, or (ii) use such net cash proceeds to purchase Yield LLC Units from one or more Yield LLC Unitholders, in accordance with Section 3.2(b) of the Yield LLC Operating Agreement and in exchange for the delivery to the Corporation of a number of shares of Class B Common Stock that is equal to the product of the number of Yield LLC Units

 

7

 

purchased multiplied by the Exchange Rate (a “Yield LLC Unit Redemption”).  Alternatively, the Corporation may purchase Class B Units directly from NRG (in which case the corresponding Class B Common Stock held by NRG would be surrendered and cancelled), and such Class B Units purchased by the Corporation would then immediately convert to Class A Units.  Upon the receipt of the shares of Class B Common Stock specified in clause (ii) of this Section 3.1, the Corporation shall cause such shares to be cancelled.  To the extent the Class B Common Stock is settled through the facilities of the DTC, the subject Yield LLC Unitholder(s) will use their commercially reasonable efforts to deliver the shares of Class B Common Stock deliverable to the Corporation in a Yield LLC Redemption, through the facilities of the DTC, to the account of the participant of the DTC designated by the Corporation.

 

(b)           Yield LLC, the Corporation and the participating Yield LLC Unitholder(s) shall bear their own expenses in connection with the consummation of any Class A Common Stock Sale, except that the Yield LLC shall bear any transfer taxes, stamp taxes or duties, or other similar taxes in connection with, or arising by reason of, any Class A Common Stock Sale.

 

SECTION 3.2                   Authorization and Issuance of Additional Units.  If the Corporation issues another class or series of equity securities (other than the Class A Common Stock and the Class B Common Stock), Yield LLC shall authorize and issue in accordance with Section 3.2(d) of the Yield LLC Operating Agreement, and the Corporation will use the net proceeds therefrom to purchase, an equal number of membership interests with designations, preferences and other rights and terms that are substantially the same as those of the Corporation’s newly-issued equity securities.  In the event the Corporation elects to redeem any shares of its Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or any other class or series of its equity securities for cash, Yield LLC will, immediately prior to such redemption, redeem an equal number of Class A Units, Class B Units or any other units of the corresponding classes or series, upon the same terms and for the same price as the shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or other equity securities of the Corporation so redeemed.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

SECTION 4.1                   Representations and Warranties of the Corporation and of Yield LLC. Each of the Corporation and Yield LLC represents and warrants that (i) it is a corporation or limited liability company duly incorporated or formed and is existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, (ii) it has all requisite corporate or limited liability company power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and, in the case of the Corporation, to issue the Class A Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof, (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by it and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation, in the case of the Corporation, the issuance of the Class A Common Stock) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or limited liability company action on its part, including but not limited to all actions necessary to ensure that the acquisition of shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to the transactions contemplated hereby, to the fullest extent of the Corporation’s Board of Directors’ or Yield LLC’s power and authority and to the extent permitted by law, shall not be subject to any “moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “business combination,” “fair price” or other form of “anti-takeover laws and regulations” of any jurisdiction that may purport to be applicable to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (collectively, “Takeover Laws”), (iv) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of it enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy,

 

8

 

insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally, and (v) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by it and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (A) result in a violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or other organizational documents or (B) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which it is a party, or (C) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to the it or by which any property or asset of it is bound or affected, except with respect to clauses (B) or (C) for any conflicts, defaults, accelerations, terminations, cancellations or violations, that would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on it or its business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

SECTION 4.2                   Representations and Warranties of the Yield LLC Unitholders. Each Yield LLC Unitholder, severally and jointly, represents and warrants that (i) it is duly incorporated or formed and, to the extent such concept exists in its jurisdiction of organization or formation, is in good standing under the laws of such jurisdiction, (ii) it has all requisite legal capacity and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other entity action on the part of such Yield LLC Unitholder, (iv) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Yield LLC Unitholder enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by equitable principles or by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally and (v) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Yield LLC Unitholder and the consummation by such Yield LLC Unitholder of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (A) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or other organizational documents of such Yield LLC Unitholder or (B) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Yield LLC Unitholder is a party, or (C) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to such Yield LLC Unitholder, except with respect to clauses (B) or (C) for any conflicts, defaults, accelerations, terminations, cancellations or violations, that would not in any material respect result in the unenforceability against such Yield LLC Unitholder of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE V

 

SECTION 5.1                   Additional Yield LLC Unitholders. To the extent a Yield LLC Unitholder (including NRG) validly transfers any or all of its  Yield LLC Units to another person in a transaction in accordance with, and not in contravention of, the Yield LLC Operating Agreement, then such transferee (each, a “Permitted Transferee”) shall have the right to execute and deliver a joinder to this Agreement, in the form of Exhibit B hereto, whereupon such Permitted Transferee shall become a Yield LLC Unitholder hereunder; provided, however, that such Permitted Transferee shall be subject to any restrictions on Exchange that would have applied to the transferor. To the extent Yield LLC issues Yield LLC Units in the future, then the

 

9

 

holder of such Yield LLC Units shall have the right to execute and deliver a joinder to this Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, whereupon such holder shall become a Yield LLC Unitholder hereunder.

 

SECTION 5.2                                                         Addresses and Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by courier service, by fax, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be as specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 5.2):

 

(a)                                 If to the Corporation or to Yield LLC, to:

 

211 Carnegie Center

Princeton, New Jersey 08540 

Attention: General Counsel

 

(b)                                 If to NRG, as a Yield LLC Unitholder to:

 

211 Carnegie Center

Princeton, New Jersey 08540 

Attention: General Counsel

 

(c)                                  If to any other Yield LLC Unitholder, to the address and other contact information set forth in the records of Yield LLC from time to time.

 

SECTION 5.3                                                         Further Action. The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.4                                                         Binding Effect; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall, from and after the Effective Time, be binding upon and inure to the benefit of all of the parties and their successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legal representatives and permitted assigns, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, any Permitted Transferee, provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Yield LLC Units in violation of the terms of the Yield LLC Operating Agreement or applicable law. This Agreement shall not be assignable by the Corporation or Yield LLC without the prior written consent of NRG and the Requisite Holders. In the event the Corporation or Yield LLC or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other person or entity and is not the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any person or entity, then and in either case, as a condition to such consolidation, merger or transfer, proper provisions shall be made such that the successors and assigns of the Corporation or Yield LLC, as the case may be, will assume its obligations set forth in this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be enforceable against such successors and assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon anyone other than the parties and their

 

10

 

respective successors and permitted assigns any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.5                                                         Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon a determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

SECTION 5.6                                                         Integration. This Agreement, together with the Yield LLC Operating Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement among the parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

 

SECTION 5.7                                                         Amendment. The provisions of this Agreement may be amended, supplemented, waived or modified only by the affirmative vote or written consent of each of the Corporation, Yield LLC, NRG and the Requisite Holders; provided, however, that no such amendment, supplement, waiver or modification shall (i) materially alter or change any rights or obligations of any Yield LLC Unitholders in a manner that is different or prejudicial relative to any other Yield LLC Unitholders, without the prior written consent of at least two-thirds (2/3) in interest of the Yield LLC Unitholders (based on the number of Yield LLC Units held by such holders) affected in such a different or prejudicial manner or (ii) alter, supplement or amend the Exchange Rate as adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof (or the adjustments provided therein) without the prior written consent of each affected Yield LLC Unitholder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation, Yield LLC and NRG, without the consent of any Requisite Holders, may amend, supplement, waive or modify any term of this Agreement to cure any ambiguity, mistake, defect or inconsistency contained herein.

 

SECTION 5.8                                                         Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

SECTION 5.9                                                         Arbitration; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a)                                 Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of, relating to or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (including the validity, scope and enforceability of this arbitration provision) shall be finally settled by arbitration. The arbitration shall take place in Wilmington, Delaware and be conducted in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) then in effect (except as they may be modified by mutual agreement of the Corporation, Yield LLC, NRG and the Requisite Holders). The arbitration shall be conducted by three neutral, impartial and independent arbitrators, who shall be appointed by the AAA, at least one of whom shall be a retired judge or a senior partner at one of the nationally recognized Delaware-based law firms.

 

11

 

The arbitration award shall be final and binding on the parties. Judgment upon the award may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof or having jurisdiction over the relevant party or its assets. The costs of the arbitration shall be borne by the Corporation. Performance under this Agreement shall continue if reasonably possible during any arbitration proceedings.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), the parties hereto may bring an action or special proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of compelling a party to arbitrate, seeking temporary or preliminary relief in aid of an arbitration hereunder, and/or enforcing an arbitration award and, for the purposes of this paragraph (b), each party hereto (i) expressly consents to the application of paragraph (c) of this Section 5.9 to any such action or proceeding and (ii) agrees that proof shall not be required that monetary damages for breach of the provisions of this Agreement would be difficult to calculate and that remedies at law would be inadequate.

 

(c)                                  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE OR ANY DELAWARE STATE COURT, IN EACH CASE, SITTING IN THE CITY OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 5.9, OR ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING ANCILLARY TO AN ARBITRATION OR CONTEMPLATED ARBITRATION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO OR CONCERNING THIS AGREEMENT. Such ancillary judicial proceedings include any suit, action or proceeding to compel arbitration, to obtain temporary or preliminary judicial relief in aid of arbitration, or to confirm an arbitration award. The parties acknowledge that the forum designated by this paragraph (c) have a reasonable relation to this Agreement, and to the parties’ relationship with one another.

 

(d)                                 The parties hereby waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which they now or hereafter may have to personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue of any such ancillary suit, action or proceeding brought in any court referred to in the preceding paragraph of this Section 5.9 and such parties agree not to plead or claim the same, and agree that service of process upon such party in any such action, suit, demand or proceeding shall be effective if notice is given in accordance with Section 5.2.

 

SECTION 5.10                                                  Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Copies of executed counterparts transmitted by telecopy, by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file or other electronic transmission service shall be considered original executed counterparts for purposes of this Section 5.10.

 

SECTION 5.11                                                  Tax Treatment. This Agreement shall be treated as part of the partnership agreement of Yield LLC as described in Section 761(c) of the Code and Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(h) and 1.761-1(c) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.  Each party hereto agrees to report each Exchange as a taxable sale of Class B Units by the applicable Yield LLC Unitholder to the Corporation in exchange for Class A Common Stock (in

 

12

 

conjunction with the cancellation of Class B Common Stock) and no party shall take a contrary position on any income tax return.

 

SECTION 5.12                                                  Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms and provisions hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.

 

SECTION 5.13                                                  Independent Nature of Yield LLC Unitholders’ Rights and Obligations. The obligations of each Yield LLC Unitholder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Yield LLC Unitholder, and no Yield LLC Unitholder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Yield LLC Unitholder hereunder. The decision of each Yield LLC Unitholder to enter into to this Agreement has been made by such Yield LLC Unitholder independently of any other Yield LLC Unitholder. Nothing contained herein, and no action taken by any Yield LLC Unitholder pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to constitute an action of the Yield LLC Unitholders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Yield LLC Unitholders are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated hereby and the Corporation acknowledges that the Yield LLC Unitholders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Corporation will not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 5.14                                                  Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Delaware.

 

13

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered, all as of the date first set forth above.

 

	
 
    	
NRG   YIELD, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
NRG   YIELD LLC
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
NRG   ENERGY, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    

 

[Signature Page to Exchange Agreement]

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF]
 ELECTION OF EXCHANGE

 

NRG Yield, Inc.
 211 Carnegie Center
 Princeton, New Jersey 08540 
 Attention: General Counsel

 

NRG Yield LLC
 211 Carnegie Center
 Princeton, New Jersey 08540 
 Attention: General Counsel

 

Reference is hereby made to the Exchange Agreement, dated as of [            ], 2013 (as amended, the “Exchange Agreement”), by and among NRG Yield, Inc., a Delaware corporation, NRG Yield LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, NRG Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and the other Persons from time to time party thereto (as Yield LLC Unitholders). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Exchange Agreement.

 

The undersigned Yield LLC Unitholder hereby transfers to the Corporation, for the account of Yield LLC, the number of Yield LLC Units set forth below in Exchange for shares of Class A Common Stock to be issued in its name as set forth below, as set forth in the Exchange Agreement. [The foregoing transfers shall be [effective as of                         ][and][conditioned upon satisfaction of the following conditions:             .](1)

 

	
Legal   Name of Yield LLC Unitholder:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Address:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Number   of Yield LLC Units
    	
 
    
	
to   be Exchanged:
    	
 
    

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that (i) the undersigned has full legal capacity to execute and deliver this Election of Exchange and to perform the undersigned’s obligations hereunder; (ii) this Election of Exchange has been duly executed and delivered by the undersigned and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned enforceable against it in accordance with the terms thereof or hereof, as the case may be, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and the availability of equitable remedies; (iii) the Yield LLC Units subject to this Election of Exchange are being transferred free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, equities or claim;

 

(1)         Insert Exchange Date and/or contingency, if applicable.

 

Exhibit A-1

 

(iv) no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of any third party or with any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the undersigned or the Yield LLC Units subject to this Election of Exchange is required to be obtained by the undersigned for the transfer of such Yield LLC Units; and (v) the undersigned is the record holder of shares of Class B Common Stock in an amount equal to at least the number of Yield LLC Units subject to this Election of Exchange and will retain ownership of such minimum number of shares of Class B Common Stock through the Exchange Date.

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints any officer of the Corporation or Yield LLC as the attorney of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in the premises, to do any and all things and to take any and all actions that may be necessary to (i) transfer to the Corporation (A) for the account of Yield LLC, the Yield LLC Units subject to this Election of Exchange and (B) the number of shares of Class B Common Stock equal to the number of Yield LLC Units subject to this Election and Exchange (for redemption and cancellation) and (ii) deliver to the undersigned the shares of Class A Common Stock to be delivered in Exchange for such Yield LLC Units.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Election of Exchange to be executed and delivered by the undersigned or by its duly authorized attorney.

 

	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Dated:
    	
 
    

 

Exhibit A-2

 

EXHIBIT B

 

[FORM OF]
 JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

This Joinder Agreement (“Joinder Agreement”) is a joinder to the Exchange Agreement, dated as of [         ], 2013 (as amended, the “Exchange Agreement”), by and among NRG Yield, Inc., a Delaware corporation, NRG Yield LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, NRG Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and the other Persons from time to time party thereto (as Yield LLC Unitholders). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have their meanings given to them in the Exchange Agreement. This Joinder Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Delaware. In the event of any conflict between this Joinder Agreement and the Exchange Agreement, the terms of this Joinder Agreement shall control.

 

The undersigned hereby joins and enters into the Exchange Agreement having acquired Yield LLC Units. By signing and returning this Joinder Agreement to the Corporation and to Yield LLC, the undersigned (i) accepts and agrees to be bound by and subject to all of the terms and conditions of and agreements of a holder of Yield LLC Units contained in the Exchange Agreement, with all attendant rights, duties and obligations of a Yield LLC Unitholder thereunder and (ii) makes each of the representations and warranties of a Yield LLC Unitholder set forth in Section 3.2 of the Exchange Agreement as fully as if such representations and warranties were set forth herein. The parties to the Exchange Agreement shall treat the execution and delivery hereof by the undersigned as the execution and delivery of the Exchange Agreement by the undersigned and, upon receipt of this Joinder Agreement by the Corporation and by Yield LLC, the signature of the undersigned set forth below shall constitute a counterpart signature to the signature page of the Exchange Agreement.

 

	
Name:
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Address   for Notices
    	
 
    	
With   copies to:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Attention:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
				

 

Exhibit B-1Exhibit 10.4

 

NRG YIELD, INC.

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

                                , 2013

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Page
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Section 1.
    	
Definitions
    	
1
    
	
Section 2.
    	
Demand Registrations
    	
5
    
	
Section 3.
    	
Piggyback Registrations
    	
9
    
	
Section 4.
    	
Holdback Agreements
    	
11
    
	
Section 5.
    	
Registration Procedures
    	
12
    
	
Section 6.
    	
Registration Expenses
    	
17
    
	
Section 7.
    	
Indemnification and Contribution
    	
17
    
	
Section 8.
    	
Underwritten Offerings
    	
19
    
	
Section 9.
    	
Additional Parties; Joinder
    	
20
    
	
Section 10.
    	
Current Public Information
    	
21
    
	
Section 11.
    	
Subsidiary Public Offering
    	
21
    
	
Section 12.
    	
Transfer of Registrable Securities
    	
21
    
	
Section 13.
    	
General Provisions
    	
22
    

 

i

 

NRG YIELD, INC.

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of                           , 2013, between NRG Yield, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and NRG Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“NRG”).  Except as otherwise specified herein, all capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 1.  This Agreement shall become effective upon the effectiveness of the Contribution Agreements (the “Effective Time”).

 

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, NRG owns all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and all of the outstanding common units of NRG Yield, LLC (“Yield LLC”), an indirect subsidiary of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, in accordance with the Second Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of Yield LLC (the “Yield Operating Agreement”), the common units of Yield LLC held by NRG will be reclassified into Class B common units of Yield and such units, in accordance with the terms of the related Exchange Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the “Exchange Agreement”) by and among NRG, the Company and Yield LLC and the Yield Operating Agreement, will be exchangeable into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock;

 

WHEREAS, NRG is contemplating causing the Company to make an initial public offering of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share; and

 

WHEREAS, in consideration of NRG agreeing to undertake an initial public offering of the Company’s Class A common stock, the Company has agreed to grant to NRG rights with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities (as defined below) held by NRG as of the Effective Time on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1.                   Definitions.  The following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

 

“Acquired Common” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.

 

“Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person controlled by, controlling or under common control with such Person; provided that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be Affiliates of any holder of Registrable Securities.  As used in this definition, “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean possession, directly or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies (whether through ownership of securities, by contract or otherwise).

 

 

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

“Automatic Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Capital Stock” means (i) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests or equivalents in capital stock of such corporation (whether voting or nonvoting and whether common or preferred) and (ii) with respect to any Person that is not a corporation, individual or governmental entity, any and all partnership, membership, limited liability company or other equity interests of such Person that confer on the holder thereof the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or the distribution of assets of, the issuing Person, including in each case any and all warrants, rights (including conversion and exchange rights) and options to purchase any of the foregoing.

 

“Closing” has the meaning set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

 

“Common Stock” means the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share.

 

“Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Contribution Agreements” means (i) that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between Yield LLC and NRG and (ii) that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among NRG Yield Operating LLC, NRG Solar PV LLC, NRG Solar Ventures, NRG Solar Sunrise LLC, NRG Thermal Solar LLC, NRG Connecticut Peaking Development LLC, NRG Solar LLC, NRG Repowering Holdings LLC,  and NRG.

 

“Demand Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“End of Suspension Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(f)(ii).

 

“Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Exchange Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

“Follow-On Holdback Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)(ii).

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” means a free-writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

 

“Holdback Extension” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)(iii).

 

2

 

“Holdback Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a)(ii).

 

“Holder” means a holder of Registrable Securities.

 

“Indemnified Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

 

“Joinder” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.

 

“Long-Form Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Piggyback Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

 

“Public Offering” means any sale or distribution by the Company and/or holders of Registrable Securities to the public of Common Stock of the Company pursuant to an offering registered under the Securities Act.

 

“Registrable Securities” means (i) any Common Stock issuable upon the exchange of Class B common units of Yield LLC held by NRG or its Affiliates in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Agreement; (ii) any Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary issued or issuable with respect to the securities referred to in clause (i) above by way of dividend, distribution, split or combination of securities, or any recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization; and (iii) any other Common Stock held by NRG and its Affiliates.  As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when they have been (a) sold or distributed pursuant to a Public Offering, (b) sold in compliance with Rule 144 following the consummation of the Company’s initial Public Offering, or (c) repurchased by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company.  For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities, and the Registrable Securities shall be deemed to be in existence, whenever such Person has the right to acquire, directly or indirectly, such Registrable Securities (upon conversion or exercise in connection with a transfer of securities or otherwise, but disregarding any restrictions or limitations upon the exercise of such right), whether or not such acquisition has actually been effected, and such Person shall be entitled to exercise the rights of a holder of Registrable Securities hereunder; provided a holder of Registrable Securities may only request that Registrable Securities in the form of Capital Stock of the Company registered or to be registered as a class under Section 12 of the Exchange Act be registered pursuant to this Agreement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, with the consent of the Company and the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, any Registrable Securities held by any Person (other than NRG and its Affiliates) that may be sold under Rule 144(b)(1)(i) without limitation under any other of the requirements of Rule 144 shall not be deemed to be Registrable Securities upon notice from the Company to such Person and the Company shall, at such Person’s request, remove the legend provided for in Section 12.

 

“Registration Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).

 

3

 

“Rule 144”, “Rule 158”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415” and “Rule 462” mean, in each case, such rule promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor provision) by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the same shall be amended from time to time, or any successor rule then in force.

 

“Sale Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

 

“Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, or any successor federal law then in force, together with all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Shelf Offering” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(ii).

 

“Shelf Offering Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(ii).

 

“Shelf Offering Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(ii).

 

“Shelf Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Shelf Registrable Securities” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(ii).

 

“Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(i).

 

“Short-Form Registrations” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of the limited liability company, partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof.  For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or control the managing director or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.

 

“Suspension Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(f)(ii).

 

“Suspension Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(f)(ii).

 

“Suspension Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(xxiii).

 

4

 

“Underwritten Takedown” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)(ii).

 

“Violation” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

 

“WKSI” means a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined under Rule 405.

 

Section 2.                   Demand Registrations.

 

(a)         Requests for Registration.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities may request registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration (“Long-Form Registrations”), and the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities may request registration under the Securities Act of all or any portion of their Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar short-form registration (“Short-Form Registrations”) if available.  All registrations requested pursuant to this Section 2(a) are referred to herein as “Demand Registrations”. The holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities making a Demand Registration may request that the registration be made pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (a “Shelf Registration”) and, if the Company is a WKSI at the time any request for a Demand Registration is submitted to the Company, that such Shelf Registration be an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (an “Automatic Shelf Registration Statement”).  Within ten days after the filing of the registration statement relating to the Demand Registration, the Company shall give written notice of the Demand Registration to all other holders of Registrable Securities and, subject to the terms of Section 2(e), shall include in such Demand Registration (and in all related registrations and qualifications under state blue sky laws and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within 15 days after the receipt of the Company’s notice; provided that, with the consent of the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities requesting such registration, the Company may provide notice of the Demand Registration to all other holders of Registrable Securities within three business days following the non-confidential filing of the registration statement with respect to the Demand Registration so long as such registration statement is not an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement.  Each Holder agrees that such Holder shall treat as confidential the receipt of the notice of Demand Registration and shall not disclose or use the information contained in such notice of Demand Registration without the prior written consent of the Company until such time as the information contained therein is or becomes available to the public generally, other than as a result of disclosure by the Holder in breach of the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b)         Long-Form Registrations.  The holders of Registrable Securities shall be entitled to an unlimited number of Long-Form Registrations in which the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses (as defined in Section 6(a)), whether or not any such registration is consummated.  All Long-Form Registrations shall be underwritten registrations.

 

(c)          Short-Form Registrations.  In addition to the Long-Form Registrations provided pursuant to Section 2(b), the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall be entitled to an unlimited number of Short-Form Registrations in which the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses.  Demand Registrations shall be Short-Form Registrations whenever the

 

5

 

Company is permitted to use any applicable short form and if the managing underwriters (if any) agree to the use of a Short-Form Registration.  After the Company has become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to make Short-Form Registrations available for the sale of Registrable Securities.

 

(d)         Shelf Registrations.

 

(i)                                     Subject to the availability of required financial information, as promptly as practicable after the Company receives written notice of a request for a Shelf Registration, the Company shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act for the Shelf Registration (a “Shelf Registration Statement”).  The Company shall use its best efforts to cause any Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable after filing, and once effective, the Company shall cause such Shelf Registration Statement to remain continuously effective for such time period as is specified in such request, but for no time period longer than the period ending on the earliest of (A) the third anniversary of the date of filing of such Shelf Registration, (B) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration, and (C) the date as of which there are no longer any Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration in existence. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless NRG instructs the Company otherwise in writing, prior to expiration of the Holdback Period, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prepare a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to all of the Registrable Securities held by or issuable to NRG in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Agreement (or such other number of Registrable Securities specified in writing by NRG) to enable such Shelf Registration Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as soon as practicable after the expiration of the Holdback Period.

 

(ii)                                  In the event that a Shelf Registration Statement is effective, the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall have the right at any time or from time to time to elect to sell pursuant to an offering (including an underwritten offering (an “Underwritten Takedown”)) Registrable Securities available for sale pursuant to such registration statement (“Shelf Registrable Securities”), so long as the Shelf Registration Statement remains in effect, and the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection therewith. The holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement shall make such election by delivering to the Company a written request (a “Shelf Offering Request”) for such offering specifying the number of Shelf Registrable Securities that the holders desire to sell pursuant to such offering (the “Shelf Offering”).  As promptly as practicable, but no later than two business days after receipt of a Shelf Offering Request, the Company shall give written notice (the “Shelf Offering Notice”) of such Shelf Offering Request to all other holders of Shelf Registrable Securities.  The Company, subject to Sections 1(e) and 8 hereof, shall include in such Shelf Offering the Shelf Registrable Securities of any other holder of Shelf Registrable Securities that shall have made a written request to the Company for inclusion in such Shelf Offering (which request shall specify the maximum number of Shelf Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by such Holder) within seven days after the receipt of the Shelf Offering

 

6

 

Notice.  The Company shall, as expeditiously as possible (and in any event within 20 days after the receipt of a Shelf Offering Request, unless a longer period is agreed to by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities that made the Shelf Offering Request), use its best efforts to facilitate such Shelf Offering.  Each Holder agrees that such Holder shall treat as confidential the receipt of the Shelf Offering Notice and shall not disclose or use the information contained in such Shelf Offering Notice without the prior written consent of the Company until such time as the information contained therein is or becomes available to the public generally, other than as a result of disclosure by the Holder in breach of the terms of this Agreement.

 

(iii)                               Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities wish to engage in an underwritten block trade off of a Shelf Registration Statement (either through filing an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement or through a take-down from an already existing Shelf Registration Statement), then notwithstanding the foregoing time periods, such Holders only need to notify the Company of the block trade Shelf Offering two business days prior to the day such offering is to commence (unless a longer period is agreed to by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities wishing to engage in the underwritten block trade) and the Company shall promptly notify other holders of Registrable Securities and such other holders of Registrable Securities must elect whether or not to participate by the next business day (i.e. one business day prior to the day such offering is to commence) (unless a longer period is agreed to by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities wishing to engage in the underwritten block trade) and the Company shall as expeditiously as possible use its best efforts to facilitate such offering (which may close as early as three business days after the date it commences); provided that the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall use commercially reasonable efforts to work with the Company and the underwriters prior to making such request in order to facilitate preparation of the registration statement, prospectus and other offering documentation related to the underwritten block trade.

 

(iv)                              The Company shall, at the request of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, file any prospectus supplement or, if the applicable Shelf Registration Statement is an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement, any post-effective amendments and otherwise take any action necessary to include therein all disclosure and language deemed necessary or advisable by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to effect such Shelf Offering.

 

(e)          Priority on Demand Registrations and Shelf Offerings.  The Company shall not include in any Demand Registration or Shelf Offering any securities that are not Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such registration.  If a Demand Registration or a Shelf Offering is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of Registrable Securities and, if permitted hereunder, other securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number of Registrable Securities and other securities, if any, which can be sold therein without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company shall include in such offering prior to the inclusion of any securities which are not Registrable

 

7

 

Securities the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included which, in the opinion of such underwriters, can be sold, without any such adverse effect, pro rata among the respective holders thereof on the basis of the amount of Registrable Securities owned by each such holder.  Alternatively, if the number of Registrable Securities which can be included on a Shelf Registration Statement is otherwise limited by Instruction I.B.6 to Form S-3 (or any successor provision thereto), the Company shall include in such offering prior to the inclusion of any securities which are not Registrable Securities the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included which can be included on such Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Form S-3, pro rata among the respective holders thereof on the basis of the amount of Registrable Securities owned by each such holder.

 

(f)    Restrictions on Demand Registration and Shelf Offerings

 

(i)            The Company shall not be obligated to affect any Demand Registration within 90 days after the effective date of a previous Demand Registration or a previous registration in which Registrable Securities were included pursuant to Section 3 and in which there was no reduction in the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included.  The Company may, with the consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, postpone, for up to 60 days from the date of the request, the filing or the effectiveness of a registration statement for a Demand Registration or suspend the use of a prospectus that is part of a Shelf Registration Statement for up to 60 days from the date of the Suspension Notice (and defined below) and therefore suspend sales of the Shelf Registrable Securities (such period, the “Suspension Period”) by providing written notice to the holders of Registrable Securities if (A) the Company’s board of directors determines in its reasonable good faith judgment that the offer or sale of Registrable Securities would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on any proposal or plan by the Company or any Subsidiary to engage in any material acquisition of assets or stock (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any material merger, consolidation, tender offer, recapitalization, reorganization or other transaction involving the Company and (B) upon advice of counsel, the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement would require disclosure of non-public material information not otherwise required to be disclosed under applicable law, and (C) (x) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving the confidentiality of such transaction or (y) disclosure would have a material adverse effect on the Company or the Company’s ability to consummate such transaction; provided that in such event, the holders of Registrable Securities shall be entitled to withdraw such request for a Demand Registration or underwritten Shelf Offering and the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with such Demand Registration or Shelf Offering.  The Company may delay a Demand Registration hereunder only once in any twelve-month period.  The Company may extend the Suspension Period for an additional consecutive 60 days with the consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(ii)           In the case of an event that causes the Company to suspend the use of a Shelf Registration Statement as set forth in paragraph (f)(i) above or pursuant to Section 5(a)(vi) (a “Suspension Event”), the Company shall give a notice to the holders of Registrable Securities registered pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement (a “Suspension Notice”) to suspend sales of the Registrable Securities and such notice shall

 

8

 

state generally the basis for the notice and that such suspension shall continue only for so long as the Suspension Event or its effect is continuing.  A Holder shall not effect any sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement (or such filings) at any time after it has received a Suspension Notice from the Company and prior to receipt of an End of Suspension Notice (as defined below).  Each Holder agrees that such Holder shall treat as confidential the receipt of the Suspension Notice and shall not disclose or use the information contained in such Suspension Notice without the prior written consent of the Company until such time as the information contained therein is or becomes available to the public generally, other than as a result of disclosure by the Holder in breach of the terms of this Agreement.  The Holders may recommence effecting sales of the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (or such filings) following further written notice to such effect (an “End of Suspension Notice”) from the Company, which End of Suspension Notice shall be given by the Company to the Holders and to the Holders’ Counsel, if any, promptly following the conclusion of any Suspension Event and its effect.

 

(iii)          Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, if the Company shall give a Suspension Notice with respect to any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Section 2(f), the Company agrees that it shall extend the period of time during which such Shelf Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from the date of receipt by the Holders of the Suspension Notice to and including the date of receipt by the Holders of the End of Suspension Notice and provide copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus necessary to resume sales, with respect to each Suspension Event; provided that such period of time shall not be extended beyond the date that there are no longer Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement.

 

(g)   Selection of Underwriters.  The holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in any Demand Registration shall have the right to select the investment banker(s) and manager(s) to administer the offering, subject to the Company’s approval which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.  If any Shelf Offering is an Underwritten Offering, the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in such Underwritten Offering shall have the right to select the investment banker(s) and manager(s) to administer the offering relating to such Shelf Offering, subject to the Company’s approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

 

(h)   Other Registration Rights.  Except as provided in this Agreement, the Company shall not grant to any Persons the right to request the Company or any Subsidiary to register any Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for such securities, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities.

 

Section 3.      Piggyback Registrations.

 

(a)   Right to Piggyback.  Whenever the Company proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act (other than (i) pursuant to a Demand Registration, (ii) in connection with registrations on Form S-4 or S-8 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange

 

9

 

Commission or any successor or similar forms or (iii) a registration on any form that does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of Registrable Securities), and the registration form to be used may be used for the registration of Registrable Securities (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event within three business days after its receipt of notice of any exercise of demand registration rights other than under this Agreement and, subject to the terms of Section 3(c) and Section 3(d), shall include in such Piggyback Registration (and in all related registrations or qualifications under blue sky laws and in any related underwriting) all Registrable Securities with respect to which the Company has received written requests for inclusion therein within 20 days after delivery of the Company’s notice.

 

(b)   Piggyback Expenses.  The Registration Expenses of the holders of Registrable Securities shall be paid by the Company in all Piggyback Registrations, whether or not any such registration became effective.

 

(c)   Priority on Primary Registrations.  If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten primary registration on behalf of the Company, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the securities the Company proposes to sell, (ii) second, the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect, pro rata among the holders of such Registrable Securities on the basis of the number of shares owned by each such holder, and (iii) third, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect. Registrable Securities beneficially owned by any officer of the Company shall not be eligible to be included in any primary offering of Common Stock without the Company’s consent.

 

(d)   Priority on Secondary Registrations.  If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten secondary registration on behalf of holders of the Company’s securities, and the managing underwriters advise the Company in writing that in their opinion the number of securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the marketability, proposed offering price, timing or method of distribution of the offering, the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the securities requested to be included therein by the holders initially requesting such registration and the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect, pro rata among the holders of such securities on the basis of the number of securities owned by such Holder, and (ii) second, other securities requested to be included in such registration which, in the opinion of the underwriters, can be sold without any such adverse effect.

 

(e)   Selection of Underwriters.  If any Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering, the selection of investment banker(s) and manager(s) for the offering must be approved by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such Piggyback Registration.  Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

 

10

 

(f)    Right to Terminate Registration.  The Company shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any registration initiated by it under this Section 3 whether or not any holder of Registrable Securities has elected to include securities in such registration.  The Registration Expenses of such withdrawn registration shall be borne by the Company in accordance with Section 6.

 

Section 4.      Holdback Agreements.

 

(a)   Holders of Registrable Securities.  If required by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, each holder of Registrable Securities shall enter into lock-up agreements with the managing underwriter(s) of an underwritten Public Offering in such form as agreed to by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities participating in such Public Offering.  In the absence of any such lock-up agreement, each holder of Registrable Securities agrees as follows:

 

(i)            in connection with the Company’s initial Public Offering, such Holder shall not (A) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (including sales pursuant to Rule 144), directly or indirectly, any Capital Stock of the Company or Yield LLC (including Capital Stock of the Company or Yield LLC that may be deemed to be owned beneficially by such holder in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission) (collectively, “Securities”), (B) enter into a transaction which would have the same effect as described in clause (A) above, (C) enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of any Securities, whether such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such Securities, in cash or otherwise (each of (A), (B) and (C) above, a “Sale Transaction”), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to enter into any Sale Transaction, commencing on the earlier of the date on which the Company gives notice to the holders of Registrable Securities that a preliminary prospectus has been circulated for such initial Public Offering or the “pricing” of such offering and continuing to the date that is 180 days following the date of the final prospectus for such initial Public Offering (the “Holdback Period”), unless the underwriters managing the Public Offering otherwise agree in writing;

 

(ii)           in connection with all underwritten Public Offerings (including the Company’s initial Public Offering), such Holder shall not effect any Sale Transaction commencing on the earlier of the date on which the Company gives notice to the holders of Registrable Securities of the circulation of a preliminary or final prospectus for such Public Offering or the “pricing” of such offering and continuing to the date that is 90 days following the date of the final prospectus for such Public Offering (a “Follow-On Holdback Period”), unless, if an underwritten Public Offering, the underwriters managing the Public Offering otherwise agree in writing; and

 

(iii)          in the event that (A) the Company issues an earnings release or discloses other material information or a material event relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries occurs during the last 17 days of the Holdback Period or any Follow-On Holdback Period (as applicable) or (B) prior to the expiration of the Holdback Period or any Follow-On Holdback Period (as applicable), the Company announces that it will

 

11

 

release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning upon the expiration of such period, then to the extent necessary for a managing or co-managing underwriter of a registered offering hereunder to comply with FINRA Rule 2711(f)(4), if agreed to by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities selling in such Underwritten Offering, the Holdback Period or the Follow-On Holdback Period (as applicable) shall be extended until 18 days after the earnings release or disclosure of other material information or the occurrence of the material event, as the case may be (a “Holdback Extension”).

 

The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to the shares of Common Stock and units of Yield LLC (or other securities) subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 4(a) until the end of such period, including any Holdback Extension.

 

(b)   The Company.  The Company (i) shall not file any registration statement for a Public Offering or cause any such registration statement to become effective, or effect any public sale or distribution of its equity securities, or any securities, options or rights convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such securities (including any Class B common units of Yield LLC) during any Holdback Period or Follow-On Holdback Period (as extended during any Holdback Extension), and (ii) shall use its best efforts to cause (A) each holder of at least one percent (1%) (on a fully-diluted basis) of its Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock (including Class B common units of Yield LLC), purchased from the Company or Yield LLC, as applicable, at any time after the date of this Agreement (other than in a Public Offering) and (B) each of its directors and executive officers to agree not to effect any Sale Transaction during any Holdback Period or Follow-On Holdback Period (as extended during any Holdback Extension), except as part of such underwritten registration, if otherwise permitted, unless the underwriters managing the Public Offering otherwise agree in writing.

 

Section 5.      Registration Procedures.

 

(a)   Whenever the holders of Registrable Securities have requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to this Agreement or have initiated a Shelf Offering, (i) such holders shall, if applicable, cause such Registrable Securities to be exchanged into shares of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Agreement prior to sale of such Registrable Securities and (ii) the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof held by a holder of Registrable Securities requesting registration, and pursuant thereto the Company shall as expeditiously as possible:

 

(i)            in accordance with the Securities Act and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement, and all amendments and supplements thereto and related prospectuses, with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective (provided that before filing a registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto, the Company shall furnish to the counsel selected by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement copies of all such

 

12

 

documents proposed to be filed, which documents shall be subject to the review and comment of such counsel);

 

(ii)           notify each holder of Registrable Securities of (A) the issuance by the Securities and Exchange Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, (B) the receipt by the Company or its counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, and (C) the effectiveness of each registration statement filed hereunder;

 

(iii)          prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective for a period ending when all of the securities covered by such registration statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement (but not in any event before the expiration of any longer period required under the Securities Act or, if such registration statement relates to an underwritten Public Offering, such longer period as in the opinion of counsel for the underwriters a prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sale of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer) and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement;

 

(iv)          furnish to each seller of Registrable Securities thereunder such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus), each Free Writing Prospectus and such other documents as such seller may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller;

 

(v)           use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any seller reasonably requests and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such seller to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such seller (provided that the Company shall not be required to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subparagraph or (B) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction or (C) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction);

 

(vi)          notify each seller of such Registrable Securities (A) promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the date and time when such registration statement and each post-effective amendment thereto has become effective or a prospectus or supplement to any prospectus relating to a registration statement has been filed and when any registration or qualification has become effective under a state securities or blue sky law

 

13

 

or any exemption thereunder has been obtained, (B) promptly after receipt thereof, of any request by the Securities and Exchange Commission for the amendment or supplementing of such registration statement or prospectus or for additional information, and (C) at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, subject to Section 2(f), at the request of any such seller, the Company shall prepare a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

(vii)         use reasonable best efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed and, if not so listed, to be listed on a securities exchange and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to arrange for at least two market markers to register as such with respect to such Registrable Securities with FINRA;

 

(viii)        use reasonable best efforts to provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;

 

(ix)          enter into and perform such customary agreements (including underwriting agreements in customary form) and take all such other actions as the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold or the underwriters, if any, reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without limitation, effecting a stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or reorganization);

 

(x)           make available for inspection by any seller of Registrable Securities, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such seller or underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate and business documents and properties of the Company as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such seller, underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement;

 

(xi)          take all reasonable actions to ensure that any Free-Writing Prospectus utilized in  connection with any Demand Registration or Piggyback Registration hereunder complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, is filed in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby, is retained in accordance with the Securities Act to the extent required thereby and, when taken together with the related prospectus, shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

14

 

(xii)         otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158;

 

(xiii)        permit any of Registrable Securities which Holder, in its sole and exclusive judgment, might be deemed to be an underwriter or a controlling person of the Company, to participate in the preparation of such registration or comparable statement and to allow such Holder to provide language for insertion therein, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, which in the reasonable judgment of such Holder and its counsel should be included;

 

(xiv)        in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or the issuance of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any Common Stock included in such registration statement for sale in any jurisdiction use reasonable best efforts promptly to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

(xv)         use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the sellers thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

 

(xvi)        cooperate with the holders of Registrable Securities covered by the registration statement and the managing underwriter or agent, if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive legends) representing securities to be sold under the registration statement and enable such securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the managing underwriter, or agent, if any, or such holders may request;

 

(xvii)       cooperate with each holder of Registrable Securities covered by the registration statement and each underwriter or agent participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA;

 

(xviii)      use its reasonable best efforts to make available the executive officers of the Company to participate with the holders of Registrable Securities and any underwriters in any “road shows” or other selling efforts that may be reasonably requested by the Holders in connection with the methods of distribution for the Registrable Securities;

 

(xix)        in the case of any underwritten offering, use its reasonable best efforts to obtain one or more cold comfort letters from the Company’s independent public accountants in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered

 

15

 

by cold comfort letters as the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold reasonably request;

 

(xx)         in the case of any underwritten offering, use its reasonable best efforts to provide a legal opinion of the Company’s outside counsel, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten Public Offering, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement), the registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included therein (including the preliminary prospectus) and such other documents relating thereto in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by legal opinions of such nature, which opinion shall be addressed to the underwriters and the holders of such Registrable Securities;

 

(xxi)        if the Company files an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering any Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to remain a WKSI (and not become an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act)) during the period during which such Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is required to remain effective;

 

(xxii)       if the Company does not pay the filing fee covering the Registrable Securities at the time an Automatic Shelf Registration Statement is filed, pay such fee at such time or times as the Registrable Securities are to be sold; and

 

(xxiii)      if the Automatic Shelf Registration Statement has been outstanding for at least three (3) years, at the end of the third year, refile a new Automatic Shelf Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities, and, if at any time when the Company is required to re-evaluate its WKSI status the Company determines that it is not a WKSI, use its best efforts to refile the Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 and, if such form is not available, Form S-1 and keep such registration statement effective during the period during which such registration statement is required to be kept effective.

 

(b)   Any officer of the Company who is a holder of Registrable Securities agrees that if and for so long as he or she is employed by the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, he or she shall participate fully in the sale process in a manner customary for persons in like positions and consistent with his or her other duties with the Company, including the preparation of the registration statement and the preparation and presentation of any road shows.

 

(c)   The Company may require each seller of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish the Company such information regarding such seller and the distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

 

(d)   If NRG or any of its Affiliates seek to effectuate an in-kind distribution of all or part of their respective Registrable Securities to their respective direct or indirect equityholders, the Company shall, subject to any applicable lock-ups, work with the foregoing persons to facilitate such in-kind distribution in the manner reasonably requested.

 

16

 

Section 6.      Registration Expenses.

 

(a)   The Company’s Obligation.  All expenses incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement (including, without limitation, all registration, qualification and filing fees, fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws, printing expenses, messenger and delivery expenses, fees and disbursements of custodians, and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and all independent certified public accountants, underwriters (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions) and other Persons retained by the Company) (all such expenses being herein called “Registration Expenses”), shall be borne as provided in this Agreement, except that the Company shall, in any event, pay its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit or quarterly review, the expense of any liability insurance and the expenses and fees for listing the securities to be registered on each securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed.  Each Person that sells securities pursuant to a Demand Registration or Piggyback Registration hereunder shall bear and pay all underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the securities sold for such Person’s account.

 

(b)   Counsel Fees and Disbursements.  In connection with each Demand Registration, each Piggyback Registration and each Shelf Offering that is an underwritten Public Offering, the Company shall reimburse the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such registration or participating in such Shelf Offering and disbursements of each additional counsel retained by any holder of Registrable Securities for the purpose of rendering a legal opinion on behalf of such Holder in connection with any underwritten Demand Registration, Piggyback Registration or Shelf Offering.

 

Section 7.      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)   By the Company.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by law, each holder of Registrable Securities, such Holder’s officers, directors, managers, employees, agents and representatives, and each Person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) (the “Indemnified Parties”) against all losses, claims, actions, damages, liabilities and expenses (including with respect to actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, and including reasonable attorney fees and expenses) caused by, resulting from, arising out of, based upon or related to any of the following statements, omissions or violations (each a “Violation”) by the Company:  (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in (A) any registration statement, prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free-Writing Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or (B) any application or other document or communication (in this Section 7, collectively called an “application”) executed by or on behalf of the Company or based upon written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify any securities covered by such registration under the securities laws thereof, (ii) any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any other similar federal or state securities laws or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of

 

17

 

the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification or compliance.  In addition, the Company will reimburse such Indemnified Party for any legal or any other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such losses.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such losses result from, arise out of, are based upon, or relate to an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission, made in such registration statement, any such prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free-Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information prepared and furnished in writing to the Company by such Indemnified Party expressly for use therein or by such Indemnified Party’s failure to deliver a copy of the registration statement or prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto after the Company has furnished such Indemnified Party with a sufficient number of copies of the same.  In connection with an underwritten offering, the Company shall indemnify such underwriters, their officers and directors, and each Person who controls such underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Indemnified Parties.

 

(b)   By Each Security Holder.  In connection with any registration statement in which a holder of Registrable Securities is participating, each such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such registration statement or prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its officers, directors, managers, employees, agents and representatives, and each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder; provided that the obligation to indemnify shall be individual, not joint and several, for each holder and shall be limited to the net amount of proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement.

 

(c)   Claim Procedure.  Any Person entitled to indemnification hereunder shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall impair any Person’s right to indemnification hereunder only to the extent such failure has prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party.  If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).  An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified

 

18

 

parties with respect to such claim. In such instance, the conflicted indemnified parties shall have a right to retain one separate counsel, chosen by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the registration if such Holders are indemnified parties, at the expense of the indemnifying party.

 

(d)   Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to, or is insufficient to hold harmless, an indemnified party or is otherwise unenforceable with respect to any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then the indemnifying party shall contribute to the amounts paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that the maximum amount of liability in respect of such contribution shall be limited, in the case of each seller of Registrable Securities, to an amount equal to the net proceeds actually received by such seller from the sale of Registrable Securities effected pursuant to such registration.  The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The parties hereto agree that it would not be just or equitable if the contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account such equitable considerations.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to herein shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim which is the subject hereof.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(e)   Release.  No indemnifying party shall, except with the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.

 

(f)    Non-exclusive Remedy; Survival.  The indemnification and contribution provided for under this Agreement shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that any indemnified party may have pursuant to law or contract and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling Person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of Registrable Securities and the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

Section 8.      Underwritten Offerings.

 

(a)   Participation.  No Person may participate in any offering hereunder which is underwritten unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided

 

19

 

in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Person or Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements (including, without limitation, pursuant to any over-allotment or “green shoe” option requested by the underwriters; provided that no holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to sell more than the number of Registrable Securities such Holder has requested to include) and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.  Each holder of Registrable Securities shall execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company and the lead managing underwriter(s) that are consistent with such Holder’s obligations under Section 4, Section 5 and this Section 8(a) or that are necessary to give further effect thereto.  To the extent that any such agreement is entered into pursuant to, and consistent with, Section 4 and this Section 8(a), the respective rights and obligations created under such agreement shall supersede the respective rights and obligations of the Holders, the Company and the underwriters created pursuant to this Section 8(a).

 

(b)   Price and Underwriting Discounts.  In the case of an underwritten Demand Registration or Underwritten Takedown requested by Holders pursuant to this Agreement, the price, underwriting discount and other financial terms of the related underwriting agreement for the Registrable Securities shall be determined by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such underwritten offering.

 

(c)   Suspended Distributions.  Each Person that is participating in any registration under this Agreement, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 5(a)(vi), shall immediately discontinue the disposition of its Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement until such Person’s receipt of the copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus as contemplated by Section 5(a)(vi). In the event the Company has given any such notice, the applicable time period set forth in Section 5(a)(ii) during which a Registration Statement is to remain effective shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to this Section 8(c) to and including the date when each seller of Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 5(a)(vi).

 

Section 9.      Additional Parties; Joinder.  Subject to the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities, the Company may permit any Person who acquires Common Stock or rights to acquire Common Stock from the Company after the date hereof to become a party to this Agreement and to succeed to all of the rights and obligations of a “holder of Registrable Securities” under this Agreement by obtaining an executed joinder to this Agreement from such Person in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (a “Joinder”).  Upon the execution and delivery of a Joinder by such Person, the Common Stock or Class B common units of Yield LLC acquired by such Person (the “Acquired Common”) shall constitute Registrable Securities and such Person shall be a Holder of Registrable Securities under this Agreement with respect to the Acquired Common, and the Company shall add such Person’s name and address to the Schedule of Investors hereto and circulate such information to the parties to this Agreement.

 

20

 

Section 10.    Current Public Information.  At all times after the Company has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the requirements of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company shall file all reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and shall take such further action as any holder or holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required to enable such Holders to sell Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144.  Upon request, the Company shall deliver to any holder of Restricted Securities a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.

 

Section 11.    Subsidiary Public Offering.  If, after an initial Public Offering of the Capital Stock of one of its Subsidiaries (including Yield LLC), the Company distributes securities of such Subsidiary to its equity holders, then the rights and obligations of the Company pursuant to this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such Subsidiary, and the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to comply with such Subsidiary’s obligations under this Agreement.

 

Section 12.    Transfer of Registrable Securities.

 

(a)   Restrictions on Transfers.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except in the case of (i) a transfer to the Company, (ii) a transfer by NRG to its stockholders, (iii) a Public Offering, (iv) a sale pursuant to Rule 144 after the completion of the Company’s initial Public Offering or (v) a transfer in connection with a Sale of the Company, prior to transferring any Registrable Securities to any Person (including, without limitation, by operation of law), the transferring Holder shall cause the prospective transferee to execute and deliver to the Company a Joinder agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement.  Any transfer or attempted transfer of any Registrable Securities in violation of any provision of this Agreement shall be void, and the Company shall not record such transfer on its books or treat any purported transferee of such Registrable Securities as the owner thereof for any purpose.

 

(b)   Legend.  Each certificate evidencing any Registrable Securities and each certificate issued in exchange for or upon the transfer of any Registrable Securities (unless such Registrable Securities would no longer be Registrable Securities after such transfer) shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form:

 

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OTHER PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT DATED AS OF                           , 2013 AMONG THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES (THE “COMPANY”) AND CERTAIN OF THE COMPANY’S STOCKHOLDERS, AS AMENDED.  A COPY OF SUCH REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT WILL BE FURNISHED WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE COMPANY TO THE HOLDER HEREOF UPON WRITTEN REQUEST.”

 

The Company shall imprint, and shall cause Yield LLC to imprint, such legend on certificates evidencing Registrable Securities outstanding prior to the date hereof.  The legend set forth

 

21

 

above shall be removed from the certificates evidencing any securities that have ceased to be Registrable Securities.

 

Section 13.    General Provisions.

 

(a)   Amendments and Waivers.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities; provided that no such amendment, modification or waiver that would materially and adversely affect a Holder or group of holders of Registrable Securities in a manner materially different than any other Holder or group of holders of Registrable Securities (other than amendments and modifications required to implement the provisions of Section 9), shall be effective against such Holder or group of holders of Registrable Securities without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities that are held by the group of Holders that is materially and adversely affected thereby.  The failure or delay of any Person to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such Person thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.  A waiver or consent to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by that Person of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement shall not be deemed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by that Person of the same or any other obligations of that Person under this Agreement.

 

(b)   Remedies.  The parties to this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce their rights under this Agreement specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages caused by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights existing in their favor.  The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that a breach of this Agreement would cause irreparable harm and money damages would not be an adequate remedy for any such breach and that, in addition to any other rights and remedies existing hereunder, any party shall be entitled to specific performance and/or other injunctive relief from any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or other security) in order to enforce or prevent violation of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(c)   Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or regulation in any jurisdiction, such prohibition, invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement in such jurisdiction or in any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such prohibited, invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

(d)   Entire Agreement.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement contains the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and preempts any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

22

 

(e)   Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit and be enforceable by the Company and its successors and assigns and the holders of Registrable Securities and their respective successors and assigns (whether so expressed or not).  In addition, whether or not any express assignment has been made, the provisions of this Agreement which are for the benefit of purchasers or holders of Registrable Securities are also for the benefit of, and enforceable by, any subsequent holder of Registrable Securities.

 

(f)    Notices.  Any notice, demand or other communication to be given under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (i) when delivered personally to the recipient, (ii) when sent by confirmed electronic mail or facsimile if sent during normal business hours of the recipient; but if not, then on the next Business Day, (iii) one Business Day after it is sent to the recipient by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid) or (iv) three Business Days after it is mailed to the recipient by first class mail, return receipt requested.  Such notices, demands and other communications shall be sent to the Company at the address specified below and to any holder of Registrable Securities or to any other party subject to this Agreement at such address as indicated on Schedule of Investors hereto, or at such address or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party.  Any party may change such party’s address for receipt of notice by giving prior written notice of the change to the sending party as provided herein.  The Company’s address is:

 

NRG Yield, Inc.

c/o NRG Energy, Inc.

211 Carnegie Center

Princeton, New Jersey  08540

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: (609) 524-4589

 

With a copy to:

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

300 North LaSalle

Chicago, Illinois 60654

Attn: Gerald T. Nowak, P.C.

Facsimile: (312) 862-2200

 

or to such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by prior written notice to the sending party.

 

(g)   Business Days.  If any time period for giving notice or taking action hereunder expires on a day that is not a Business Day, the time period shall automatically be extended to the Business Day immediately following such Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.

 

(h)   Governing Law.  The corporate law of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues and questions concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders.  All other issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement and the exhibits and schedules hereto shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,

 

23

 

the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

 

(i)    MUTUAL WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  AS A SPECIFICALLY BARGAINED FOR INDUCEMENT FOR EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT (AFTER HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL), EACH PARTY HERETO EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LAWSUIT OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO OR ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM THIS AGREEMENT OR THE MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

(j)    CONSENT TO JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH OF THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE PURPOSES OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR OTHER PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY RELATED AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO FURTHER AGREES THAT SERVICE OF ANY PROCESS, SUMMONS, NOTICE OR DOCUMENT BY U.S. REGISTERED MAIL TO SUCH PARTY’S RESPECTIVE ADDRESS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL BE EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS FOR ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTERS TO WHICH IT HAS SUBMITTED TO JURISDICTION IN THIS PARAGRAPH.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY RELATED DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE, AND HEREBY AND THEREBY FURTHER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES AND AGREES NOT TO PLEAD OR CLAIM IN ANY SUCH COURT THAT ANY SUCH ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.

 

(k)   No Recourse.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company and each holder of Registrable Securities agrees and acknowledges that no recourse under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with this Agreement, shall be had against any current or future director, officer, employee, general or limited partner or member of any holder of Registrable Securities or of any Affiliate or assignee thereof, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any statute, regulation or other applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by any current or future officer, agent or employee of any holder of Registrable Securities or any current or future member of any holder of Registrable Securities or any current or future director, officer, employee, partner or member of any holder of Registrable Securities or of any Affiliate or assignee thereof, as such for any obligation of any holder of Registrable Securities under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection with

 

24

 

this Agreement for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation.

 

(l)    Descriptive Headings; Interpretation.  The descriptive headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement.  The use of the word “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than by limitation.

 

(m)  No Strict Construction.  The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties hereto to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

(n)   Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, any one of which need not contain the signature of more than one party, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(o)   Electronic Delivery.  This Agreement, the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent executed and delivered by means of a photographic, photostatic, facsimile or similar reproduction of such signed writing using a facsimile machine or electronic mail shall be treated in all manner and respects as an original agreement or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in person.  At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties.  No party hereto or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail to deliver a signature or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the use of a facsimile machine or electronic mail as a defense to the formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any such defense.

 

(p)   Further Assurances.  In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, each holder of Registrable Securities shall execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(q)   No Inconsistent Agreements.  The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities which is inconsistent with or violates the rights granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement.

 

*     *     *     *    *

 

25

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

	
 
    	
NRG YIELD, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Its:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
NRG   ENERGY, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Its:
    	
 
    

 

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTORS

 

NRG Energy, Inc.

211 Carnegie Center

Princeton, New Jersey  08540

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: (609) 524-4589

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

JOINDER

 

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of                           , 2013 (as the same may hereafter be amended, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), among NRG Yield, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the other person named as parties therein.

 

By executing and delivering this Joinder to the Company, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement as a holder of Registrable Securities in the same manner as if the undersigned were an original signatory to the Registration Rights Agreement, and the undersigned’s                          shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the                                  Class B common units of Yield, LLC shall be included as Registrable Securities under the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder as of the        day of                         ,         .

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Signature   of Stockholder
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Print   Name of Stockholder
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Address:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Agreed   and Accepted as of
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
                                                  .
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
NRG YIELD, INC.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Its:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

A-1

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00218-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00218-of-00352.parquet"}]]