128,526,720 shares of common
stock, 0 shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options with an exercise price of less than $14.00 per share, 1,925,217
restricted stock units, 876,069 performance units (assuming the target achievement of the performance goals
applicable to such award, and assuming the satisfaction of all other conditions to such delivery) and 88,287.30
director stock units.
In accordance with Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(c), the filing fee of $185,290.45 was determined by multiplying 0.0001007 by the aggregate merger consideration
of $1,840,024,356.20. The aggregate merger consideration was calculated as the sum of (a) 128,526,720 shares of
common stock multiplied by the merger consideration of $14.00 per share, (b) 1,925,217 shares of common stock issuable
upon settlement of restricted stock units multiplied by the merger consideration of $14.00 per share, (c) $196,250 (the amount
of equity-based compensation that may be issued prior to the closing of the merger), (d) 876,069 shares
of common stock issuable upon settlement of performance units multiplied by the merger consideration of $14.00 per share
(assuming the target achievement of the performance goals applicable to such award, and assuming the satisfaction of all other
conditions to such delivery) and (e) 88,287.30 shares of common stock issuable upon settlement of director
stock units multiplied by the merger consideration of $14.00 per share.
You are invited to attend a special meeting
(such meeting, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Special Meeting”) of the stockholders of Talen
Energy Corporation, which we refer to as the Company or Talen Energy, to be held on [ ], 2016, at [ ]
(local time) at [ ].
At the Special Meeting you will be asked
to approve the adoption of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 2, 2016 (as amended from time to time, the “Merger
Agreement”) by and among RPH Parent LLC (“RPH”), SPH Parent LLC (“SPH”), CRJ Parent LLC (“CRJ”
and collectively with RPH and SPH, “Parent”), RJS Merger Sub Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger
Sub”) and the Company pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with
the Company surviving the Merger. Parent and Merger Sub are beneficially owned by affiliates of Riverstone Holdings LLC (“Riverstone”).
If the Merger is completed, each outstanding
share of Talen Energy’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (a “Share” or, collectively, the “Shares”)
outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (other than (i) Shares owned by Raven Power Holdings LLC, Sapphire
Power Holdings LLC and C/R Energy Jade, LLC, affiliates of Riverstone (collectively, the “Sponsor Entities”), Parent
and Merger Sub, Shares owned by the Company’s direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries and Shares owned by the Company
as treasury stock, (ii) Shares owned by stockholders who have not voted in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement or consented
thereto in writing and who have properly exercised and not withdrawn a demand for appraisal pursuant to Section 262 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) with respect to such Shares, and (iii) Shares underlying the Company’s stock
options and Shares that are subject to the Company’s restricted stock unit awards, the Company’s performance units
and the Company’s director stock units) will be converted into the right to receive $14.00 per Share in cash, without interest,
less any applicable withholding taxes.
The board of directors of the Company (the
“Board”), with Ralph Alexander and Michael B. Hoffman, who are affiliated with Riverstone, recused, as more fully
described in this proxy statement, evaluated the Merger in consultation with the Company’s management and legal and financial
advisors. The Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused) has unanimously (i) determined that the Merger Agreement,
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are fair, advisable and in the best interests of the
Company and its unaffiliated stockholders, (ii) approved the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement and (iii) resolved to recommend that the holders of the Shares adopt the Merger Agreement,
and directed that the Merger Agreement be submitted to the holders of Shares for their adoption. The approval of the proposal
to adopt the Merger Agreement requires the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to
vote at the Special Meeting and (ii) the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special
Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the holders of the Shares other than Riverstone, its related
entities and any of their respective affiliates.
The Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused) recommends that
you vote “FOR” the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the
Merger.
You will also be asked to vote at the Special
Meeting on (i) one or more proposals to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit
additional proxies, which requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented
by proxy and entitled to vote thereon at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present and (ii) the non-binding proposal
regarding certain Merger-related executive compensation arrangements, which requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote thereon at the Special Meeting.
The Board
(with
Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused)
recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting,
if necessary or appropriate, and “FOR” the non-binding proposal regarding certain Merger-related executive compensation
arrangements.
Completion of the Merger is subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
In connection with the Merger Agreement,
on June 2, 2016, the Sponsor Entities, which collectively own approximately 35% of the issued and outstanding Shares, entered into
a Support Agreement with the Company pursuant to which the Sponsor Entities have committed to vote their Shares in favor of, and
take certain other actions in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger.
The accompanying proxy statement provides
you with more detailed information about the Special Meeting, the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby,
including the Merger. A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached as Annex A to the proxy statement. We encourage you to carefully
read the entire proxy statement and its annexes, including the Merger Agreement and the documents referred to or incorporated
by reference in this proxy statement. You may also obtain additional information about the Company from other documents we have
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
In particular, you should read the “Risk Factors”
section beginning on page 16 in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and other risk
factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference in this proxy
statement, for risks relating to our business and for a discussion of the risks you should consider in evaluating the proposed
transaction and how it may affect you.
If you have any questions or need assistance
voting your Shares, please call Georgeson LLC, the Company’s proxy solicitor in connection with the Special Meeting, toll-free
at (866) 741-9588.
The accompanying proxy statement is dated
[ ], 2016, and is first being mailed to the Company’s stockholders on or about [ ], 2016.
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Dear Stockholders:
You are cordially invited to attend a special
meeting (such meeting, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Special Meeting”) of the stockholders
of Talen Energy Corporation, which we refer to as the Company or Talen Energy, to be held on [ ], 2016, at [ ]
(local time) at [ ], for the following purposes:
1. To consider and vote on a proposal
to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 2, 2016, as amended from time to time, which we refer to as the Merger
Agreement, by and among (i) RPH Parent LLC, SPH Parent LLC and CRJ Parent LLC, which we refer to, collectively, as Parent,
(ii) RJS Merger Sub Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, which we refer to as Merger Sub, and (iii) the Company, pursuant
to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, which we refer to as the Merger, with the Company surviving the Merger,
which we refer to as the Merger Agreement Proposal. Parent and Merger Sub are beneficially owned by affiliates of Riverstone Holdings
LLC, which we refer to as Riverstone. A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached as Annex A to the accompanying proxy statement.
2. To consider and vote on one or more
proposals to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit additional proxies if
there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, which we refer to as
the Adjournment Proposal.
3. To approve, by non-binding, advisory
vote, certain compensation arrangements for the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the Merger, which we
refer to as the Golden Parachute Proposal.
4. To transact any other business that
may properly come before the Special Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement of the Special Meeting, by or at the direction
of the Company’s board of directors, which we refer to as the Board.
These items of business are more fully described
in the proxy statement accompanying this notice.
The approval of the Merger Agreement Proposal
by the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and (ii)
the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by the holders of the shares other than Riverstone, its related entities and any of their respective affiliates, is required to complete the Merger described in the accompanying proxy
statement.
The record date for the Special Meeting
is [ ], 2016. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on that date are entitled to notice of and
to vote at the Special Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Any stockholder entitled to attend and vote at the Special
Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and act on such stockholder’s behalf. Such proxy need not be a stockholder
of the Company.
Your
vote is very important. To ensure your representation at the Special Meeting, please complete, date, sign and return the enclosed
proxy card or submit your proxy by telephone or through the Internet. Please vote promptly regardless of whether you
expect to attend the Special Meeting. Submitting a proxy now will not prevent you from being able to vote in person at the Special
Meeting. The Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliated with Riverstone, recused) has approved the
Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, and recommends that you vote “FOR”
the Merger Agreement Proposal, “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal and “FOR” the Golden Parachute Proposal.
Submitting your proxy over the Internet
or by telephone is fast and convenient, and your proxy is immediately confirmed and tabulated. Using the Internet or telephone
helps save the Company money by reducing postage and proxy tabulation costs.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Paul M. Breme
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Dated: [ ], 2016
Table
of Contents
Table
of Contents (CONT’D)
SUMMARY
TERM SHEET
The following summary term sheet highlights
selected information in this proxy statement and may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. Accordingly,
we encourage you to read carefully this entire proxy statement, its annexes and the documents referred to or incorporated by reference
in this proxy statement. Each item in this summary term sheet includes a page reference directing you to a more complete description
of that topic. See “
Where You Can Find More Information
.” In this proxy statement, we refer to the Agreement
and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 2, 2016, by and among RPH Parent LLC, SPH Parent LLC, CRJ Parent LLC, RJS Merger Sub
Inc. and Talen Energy Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, as the Merger Agreement, and the merger of RJS Merger
Sub Inc. with and into Talen Energy Corporation pursuant to the Merger Agreement as the Merger. We refer to the Support Agreement,
dated as of June 2, 2016, by and among Raven Power Holdings LLC, Sapphire Power Holdings LLC and C/R Energy Jade, LLC and Talen
Energy Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, as the Support Agreement. In addition, we refer to (i) RPH Parent
LLC, SPH Parent LLC and CRJ Parent LLC, collectively, as Parent, (ii) RJS Merger Sub Inc. as Merger Sub, (iii) Raven Power Holdings
LLC, Sapphire Power Holdings LLC and C/R Energy Jade, LLC, collectively, as the Sponsor Entities, (iv) Riverstone Holdings LLC
as Riverstone, (v) the Sponsor Entities, Parent and Merger Sub, collectively, as the Parent Group and (vi) Talen Energy Corporation
as the Company, Talen Energy, us, our or we. We refer to the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001, each as a Share and
collectively as the Shares, the holders of the Shares (other than Riverstone, its related entities and any of their respective
affiliates) as unaffiliated stockholders, the special meeting of the stockholders of the Company to be held on [ ],
2016, at [ ] (local time) at [ ] including any adjournment or postponement thereof, as the Special
Meeting, and [ ], 2016, the record date for the Special Meeting, as the Record Date.
If the Merger is completed, each Share outstanding
immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (other than (i) the Shares owned by the Parent Group and the Shares owned
by the Company’s direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries and the Shares owned by the Company as treasury stock, (ii)
the Shares owned by stockholders who have not voted in favor of adoption of the Merger Agreement or consented thereto in writing
and who have properly exercised and not withdrawn a demand for appraisal pursuant to Section 262 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law, which we refer to as the DGCL, with respect to such Shares, which we refer to as the Dissenting Shares, and together with
the Shares referred to in the immediately preceding clause (i), the Excluded Shares, and (iii) the Shares underlying the Company’s
stock options and the Shares that are subject to the Company’s restricted stock unit awards, the Company’s performance
units and the Company’s director stock units), will be converted into the right to receive $14.00 per Share in cash, without
interest, which we refer to as the Merger Consideration, less any applicable withholding taxes.
Special Factors (page 19)
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·
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Background of the Merger.
A description of the background of the Merger, including our discussions with Riverstone,
is included in “
Special Factors—Background of the Merger
.”
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·
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Recommendation
of the Board; Fairness of the Merger.
The Board, pursuant to resolutions adopted
(with Ralph Alexander and Michael B. Hoffman, who are affiliated with Riverstone, recused)
at a meeting of the Board held on June 2, 2016, has unanimously (i) determined that the
Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement
were fair, advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its unaffiliated stockholders,
(ii) approved the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement and (iii) resolved to recommend that the stockholders adopt the Merger Agreement, and directed that the Merger Agreement be submitted
to the stockholders for their adoption. In evaluating the Merger, the Board consulted
with the Company’s management and legal and financial advisors and considered various
material factors. For a description of the material factors considered by the Board in
deciding to recommend approval of the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement, see “
Special
Factors—Recommendation of the Board; Fairness of the Merger
.”
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The Board (with Messrs. Alexander
and Hoffman recused) recommends that you vote:
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·
|
“
FOR
” the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement, which we refer to as the Merger Agreement Proposal,
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·
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“
FOR
” one or more proposals to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments
to solicit additional proxies, which we refer to as the Adjournment Proposal, and
|
|
·
|
“
FOR
”
the non-binding proposal regarding certain Merger-related executive compensation arrangements,
as disclosed in the
“Potential Change-in-Control Payments to
Named Executive Officers”
table contained in the section captioned “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Golden
Parachute Compensation
,” including the associated footnotes and narrative
discussion, which we refer to as the Golden Parachute Proposal.
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·
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Position of the Parent Group and Riverstone as to the Fairness of the Merger
. The Parent Group and Riverstone believe
that the proposed Merger is substantively and procedurally fair to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders. However, neither
the Parent Group, Riverstone nor any of their respective affiliates (other than the Company) has performed, or engaged a financial
advisor to perform, any valuation or other analysis for purposes of assessing the fairness of the Merger to the Company and its
unaffiliated stockholders. The belief of the Parent Group and Riverstone as to the procedural and substantive fairness of the Merger
is based on the factors discussed in “
Special Factors—Position of the Parent Group and Riverstone as to the Fairness
of the Merger
.”
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|
·
|
Opinion
of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
In connection with the Merger, the Company’s
financial advisor, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., which we refer to as Citi, delivered
a written opinion, dated June 2, 2016, to the members of the Board, other than Messrs.
Alexander and Hoffman, which we refer to as the Disinterested Directors, as to the fairness,
from a financial point of view and as of the date of the opinion, of the Merger Consideration
to be received by holders of the Shares (other than the Parent Group and Riverstone and
related entities, which we collectively refer to as the Riverstone Entities, and their
respective affiliates) pursuant to the Merger Agreement. The full text of Citi’s
written opinion, dated June 2, 2016, to
the Disinterested Directors, which describes the assumptions made, procedures followed,
matters considered and limitations and qualifications on the review undertaken, is attached
as Annex C to this proxy statement and should be read carefully in its entirety. The
description of Citi’s opinion set forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference
to the full text of Citi’s opinion.
Citi’s financial advisory services
and opinion were provided for the information of the Disinterested Directors (in their
capacity as such) in connection with their evaluation of the Merger Consideration from
a financial point of view and did not address any other terms, aspects or implications
of the Merger. Citi expressed no view as to, and its opinion did not address, the
underlying business decision of the Company to effect or enter into the Merger, the relative
merits of the Merger as compared to any alternative business strategies that might exist
for the Company or the effect of any other transaction in which the Company might engage
or consider. Citi’s opinion is not intended to be and does not constitute
a recommendation to any stockholder as to how such stockholder should vote or act on
any matters relating to the proposed Merger or otherwise.
For a further discussion
of Citi’s opinion, see “
Special Factors—Opinion of Citigroup Global
Markets Inc.
”
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·
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Certain Effects of the Merger
. At the effective time of the Merger, each Share outstanding immediately prior to the
effective time of the Merger (other than the Excluded Shares and the Shares underlying the Company’s stock options and the
Shares that are subject to the Company’s restricted stock unit awards, the Company’s performance units and the Company’s
director stock units) will be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration, less applicable withholding taxes,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, whereupon all such Shares
|
will be automatically canceled,
will cease to be outstanding, and will cease to exist, and the holders of such Shares will cease to have any rights with respect
thereto, other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration. For a further discussion of the effects of the Merger, including
the effects on the Company’s equity-based awards, see “
Special Factors—Certain Effects of the Merger
.”
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·
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Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger.
In considering the recommendations of the
Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused) with respect to the Merger, the Company’s stockholders should be aware
that the executive officers and directors have certain interests in the Merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the
interests of the Company’s stockholders generally. The Board was aware of these interests and considered them, among other
matters, in making its recommendations. These interests include the following:
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|
·
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the accelerated vesting and payment of awards of the Company’s restricted stock units, the Company’s performance
units and the Company’s director stock units;
|
|
·
|
certain
severance and other separation benefits that may be payable following termination of
employment after the effective time of the Merger under severance agreements or
the Company’s executive severance plan, as applicable;
|
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·
|
with respect to certain of our executive officers, the eligibility to receive cash-based retention bonuses, payable upon the
earlier of the effective time of the Merger and September 2, 2017; and
|
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·
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the provision of indemnification and insurance arrangements pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
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These interests are discussed in more detail under
“
Special Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger
.”
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·
|
Intent to Vote in Favor of the Merger
. Our directors and executive officers have informed us that, as of the date of
this proxy statement, they intend to vote all of the Shares owned directly by them in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement
and each of the other proposals. As of [ ], 2016, the Record Date for the Special Meeting, our directors and executive officers
directly owned, in the aggregate, [ ] Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, or collectively approximately [ ]%
of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
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·
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Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger
. The exchange of the Shares for cash in the Merger will
be a taxable transaction to U.S. Holders (as defined below in “
Special Factors—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences of the Merger
”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. Holder will generally recognize gain or loss
in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the cash received by such holder in the Merger and the adjusted tax basis
in the Shares surrendered in exchange therefor. Stockholders should consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular
tax consequences to them (including the application of any U.S. federal non-income, state, local and non-U.S. tax laws) of the
Merger. Stockholders should read “
Special Factors—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger
.”
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·
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Financing
of the Merger.
The Merger is not subject to any financing condition. Parent estimates
that the total amount of funds necessary to complete the Merger and the related
transactions will be approximately $1.3 billion. Parent expects this amount to be funded
through a combination of the following:
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·
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approximately
$[ ] billion of cash on hand at the Company and its subsidiaries,
which may include cash available under the Company’s existing revolving credit
facility, which we refer to as the Credit Facility, under the credit agreement, dated
as of June 1, 2015, among Talen Energy Supply, LLC, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary
of the Company, which we refer to as Talen Energy Supply, the lenders and arrangers party
thereto, and Citibank, N.A., which we refer to as the Credit Agreement, described under
“
Special Factors—Financing of the Merger
,” and
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·
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up
to approximately $250 million from the new secured term loan described under “
Special
Factors—Financing of the Merger
.”
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·
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Regulatory Approvals
. Under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder, which we refer to collectively as the HSR Act, certain transactions, including the Merger, may not be completed
until notifications have been given and information furnished to the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, which we
refer to as the DOJ, and the Federal Trade Commission, which we refer to as the FTC, and all statutory waiting period requirements
have been satisfied. Expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) under the HSR Act is
a condition to completion of the Merger.
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The Merger is also conditioned
on obtaining regulatory approvals from (i) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which we refer to as the FERC, (ii) the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, which we refer to as the NRC, (iii) the New York Public Service Commission, which we refer to as the NYPSC,
(iv) the Federal Communications Commission, which we refer to as the FCC, and (v) other applicable state agencies. See “
Special
Factors—Regulatory Approvals
.”
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·
|
Litigation Relating to the Merger
. Currently, the Company is not aware
of
any pending litigation related to the Merger.
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The Merger Agreement (page 89)
|
·
|
A summary of the material provisions of the Merger Agreement, which is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement and which
is incorporated by reference in this proxy statement, is included in “
The Merger Agreement
.”
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·
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Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals
. The Merger Agreement provides that the Company is permitted to actively solicit
and consider Alternative Proposals (as defined below in “
The Merger Agreement—Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals
”)
from third parties until 11:59 p.m., Eastern time, on July 12, 2016, which we refer to as the Go-Shop Period.
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Commencing at 12:01 a.m., Eastern
time, on July 13, 2016, which we refer to as the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company must cease all existing discussions or
negotiations with any person with respect to any Alternative Proposal, except as otherwise provided below, and may not solicit
any Alternative Proposals.
If the Company or any of its subsidiaries
receives a written Alternative Proposal after the No-Shop Period Start Date and prior to obtaining stockholder approval of the
Merger Agreement Proposal, the Company will be permitted to engage in discussions and negotiations regarding such Alternative Proposal
if the Board determines in good faith (after consultation with the Company’s outside legal and financial advisors) that such
Alternative Proposal is or would reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal (as defined below in “
The Merger
Agreement—Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals
”). Further, until the twentieth day following the Go-Shop Period,
the Company is permitted to, among other things, engage, enter into and participate in discussions and negotiations with certain
parties, which we refer to as the Excluded Parties, who during the Go-Shop Period made a
bona fide
written Alternative Proposal
that the Board has determined in good faith (after consultation with outside legal and financial advisors), prior to 12:01 a.m.,
Eastern time, on July 13, 2016, is, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal.
The Board is prohibited from taking
certain actions enumerated in the Merger Agreement that would amount to a change in the recommendation of the Board to the stockholders
to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, unless, prior to obtaining stockholder approval of the Merger Agreement Proposal, the
Board determines in good faith, with respect to clause (i) below, after consultation with outside legal advisors, and with respect
to clause (ii) below, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal and financial advisors, that (i) the failure to
make such change would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the Board’s fiduciary duties or (ii) an Alternative
Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal.
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·
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Termination
. The Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights, including the right of the Company to terminate
the Merger Agreement to accept a Superior Proposal, subject to specified exceptions and limitations, and provides that, upon termination
of the Merger Agreement by the Company or Parent upon specified conditions, the Company will be required to pay Parent a termination
fee of $50 million. However, under specified conditions, where (i) the Company terminates the Merger Agreement in connection with
its entry into a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party or (ii) Parent terminates the Merger Agreement in connection with a change
in the recommendation of the Board to the stockholders to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal resulting from a Superior Proposal
with an Excluded Party, the Company will be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $25 million.
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Upon termination of the Merger
Agreement by the Company or Parent under specified conditions, Parent will be required to pay the Company a termination fee of
$85 million. In addition, subject to specified exceptions and limitations, either party may terminate the Merger Agreement if
the Merger is not consummated by March 2, 2017, which date will be extended to June 2, 2017 in the event that certain conditions
remain unsatisfied as of March 2, 2017. We refer to March 2, 2017, as may be extended to June 2, 2017, as the End Date. See “
The
Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination Fees
.”
Support Agreement (page 116)
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·
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In connection with the Merger Agreement, on June 2, 2016, the Sponsor Entities, which collectively own approximately 35% of
the issued and outstanding Shares, entered into a Support Agreement with the Company pursuant to which the Sponsor Entities have
committed to vote their Shares in favor of, and take certain other actions in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated by
the Merger Agreement, including the Merger. The Support Agreement will terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) the effective
time of the Merger, (ii) a termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, (iii) a change of recommendation
by the Board and (iv) a written agreement of the parties to the Support Agreement.
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Parties to the Merger (page 119)
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·
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Talen Energy Corporation
(the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation, whose business was formed as a result
of the spinoff of Talen Energy Supply and the substantially contemporaneous combination of that business with the merchant power
generation business of RJS Generation Holdings LLC, which we refer to as RJS, on June 1, 2015, which transactions we collectively
refer to as the Talen Transactions. For more information on the Talen Transactions, see “
Other Important Information Regarding
the Company—Talen Transactions
.” The Company is one of the largest competitive energy and power generation companies
in North America. The Company owns or controls 16,000 megawatts of generating capacity in well-developed, structured wholesale
power markets, principally in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions of the United States. Our principal executive office
is located at 835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101, and the telephone number of our principal executive
office is (888) 211-6011.
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·
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RPH Parent LLC, SPH Parent LLC and CRJ Parent LLC
(collectively, “Parent”) are each Delaware limited liability
companies. Parent is beneficially owned by affiliates of Riverstone and was formed solely for the purpose of entering into the
Merger Agreement and consummating the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Parent has not engaged in any business
except for the activities incident to its formation and in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
Parent’s principal executive office is located at c/o Extol Energy LLC, 2901 Via Fortuna Drive, Building 6, Suite 650, Austin,
Texas 78746-7574, and the telephone number of its principal executive office is (512) 314-8600.
|
|
·
|
RJS Merger Sub Inc.
(“Merger Sub”) is a Delaware corporation. Merger Sub is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Parent and was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Merger and related transactions. Merger Sub has not engaged in
any business other than in connection with the Merger and related transactions. At the effective time of the Merger, Merger Sub
will be merged with and into the Company and will cease to exist and the Company will continue as the surviving corporation. Merger
Sub’s principal executive office is located at c/o Extol Energy LLC, 2901 Via Fortuna Drive, Building 6, Suite 650, Austin,
Texas 78746-7574, and the telephone number of its principal executive office is (512) 314-8600.
|
The Special Meeting (page 120)
|
·
|
Time, Place and Purpose of the Special Meeting.
The Special Meeting will be held on [ ],
2016, starting at [ ], (local time) at [ ].
|
At the Special Meeting you will be asked to approve
the Merger Agreement Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal and the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
·
|
Record Date and Quorum.
We have fixed [ ], 2016, as the Record Date for the Special Meeting,
and only record holders of the Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
You are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote (in person or by proxy) at, the Special Meeting if you are a record holder of
the Shares at the close of business on the Record Date. You will have one vote for each Share that you owned on the Record Date.
As of the Record Date, there were [ ] Shares outstanding and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
|
The representation of the holders of a majority of
the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, at the Special Meeting will constitute
a quorum for the purposes of the Special Meeting.
The approval of the Merger Agreement Proposal requires
the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and (ii) the
holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders.
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal requires
the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote
thereon at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.
The approval of the Golden Parachute Proposal requires
the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote
thereon at the Special Meeting.
|
·
|
Proxies
and Revocation.
Any stockholder of record entitled to vote at the Special Meeting
may submit a proxy over the Internet, by telephone or by returning the enclosed proxy
card in the accompanying prepaid reply envelope, or may vote in person by appearing at
the Special Meeting. If your Shares are held in “street name” by your bank,
broker or other nominee, you should instruct your bank, broker or other nominee, on how
to vote your Shares using the instructions provided by your bank, broker or other nominee.
If you fail to submit a proxy or to vote in person at the Special Meeting, or you do
not provide your bank, broker or other nominee, with instructions, as applicable, your
Shares will not be voted at the Special Meeting, which will have (i) the effect of an “AGAINST” vote on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, (ii) no effect
on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly,
by unaffiliated stockholders and (iii) no effect on the Adjournment Proposal or the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
You have the right to revoke a proxy, whether delivered
over the Internet, by telephone or by mail, at any time before it is exercised, by submitting another proxy, including a proxy
card, at a later date through any of the methods available to you, by giving written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary,
which must be filed with our Corporate Secretary before the Special Meeting begins, or by attending the Special Meeting and voting
in person. If your Shares are held in “street name” by your bank, broker or other nominee, please refer to the information
forwarded by your bank, broker or other nominee for procedures on revoking your proxy.
Only your last submitted proxy will be considered.
Please cast your vote
“FOR”
each of the proposals, following the instructions provided, as promptly as possible.
Other Important Information Regarding the Company (page
127)
|
·
|
Market Price of Common Stock and Dividends.
The Shares are listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, which
we refer to as the NYSE, under the symbol “TLN.” We have not declared or paid any cash dividends on the Shares. The
Merger Agreement does not permit us to pay any dividends on the Shares without the prior written consent of Parent. The closing
price of the Shares on March 31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of the Company,
was $9.00 per Share.
|
On [ ], 2016, the most recent practicable date before
this proxy statement was distributed to our stockholders, the closing price for the Shares on the NYSE was $[ ] per Share. You
are encouraged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares in connection with voting your Shares.
Appraisal Rights (page 139)
|
·
|
Stockholders are entitled to appraisal rights under Section 262 of the DGCL, with respect to any or all of their Shares in
connection with the Merger, provided they meet all of the conditions set forth in Section 262 of the DGCL, a copy of which is attached
as Annex D to this proxy statement. This means that you are entitled to have the “fair value” of such Shares determined
by the Delaware Court of Chancery and to receive payment based on that valuation. The ultimate amount you receive in an appraisal
proceeding may be less than, equal to or more than the amount you would have received under the Merger Agreement.
|
To exercise your appraisal rights, you must submit
a written demand for appraisal to the Company before the vote is taken on the Merger Agreement Proposal, you must not submit a
proxy or otherwise vote in favor of the Merger Agreement Proposal and you must hold such Shares continuously through the effective
time of the Merger and otherwise comply with Section 262 of the DGCL. Your failure to follow exactly the procedures specified under
the DGCL will result in the loss of your appraisal rights. See “
Appraisal Rights
” and the text of Section 262
of the DGCL reproduced in its entirety as Annex D to this proxy statement. If you hold your Shares through a bank, brokerage firm
or other nominee and you wish to exercise appraisal rights, you should consult with your bank, broker or other
nominee to determine the appropriate procedures for
the making of a demand for appraisal by the nominee. In view of the complexity of Section 262 of the DGCL, stockholders who may
wish to pursue appraisal rights should consult their legal and financial advisors prior to making any decision whether to pursue
appraisal rights with respect to their Shares.
Delisting
and Deregistration of the Shares
(page 143)
|
·
|
If the Merger is completed, the Shares will be delisted from the NYSE and deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, which we refer to as the Exchange Act. In addition, we will no longer be a public company. As a result, we would
no longer file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as the SEC, on account of the Shares.
|
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING AND THE MERGER
The following questions and answers are
intended to address briefly some commonly asked questions regarding the Merger, the Merger Agreement and the Special Meeting. These
questions and answers may not address all questions that may be important to you as a stockholder of the Company. Please refer
to the “
Summary Term Sheet
” and the more detailed information contained elsewhere in this proxy statement, the
annexes to this proxy statement and the documents referred to or incorporated by reference in this proxy statement, all of which
you should read carefully. See “
Where You Can Find More Information
.”
|
Q.
|
Why am I receiving this document?
|
|
A.
|
On June 2, 2016, the Company entered into the Merger Agreement.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company with
the Company surviving the Merger. Parent and Merger Sub are beneficially owned by affiliates
of Riverstone. A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached to this proxy statement as
Annex A. Pursuant to resolutions adopted at a meeting of the Board held on June 2, 2016,
the Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused) has unanimously (i) determined
that the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the
Merger Agreement are fair, advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its
unaffiliated stockholders, (ii) approved the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and (iii) resolved to recommend
that the holders of the Shares adopt the Merger Agreement and directed
that the Merger Agreement be submitted to the holders of the Shares for their adoption.
In evaluating the Merger, the Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused) consulted
with the Company’s management and legal and financial advisors and considered a
number of factors.
|
The Company is soliciting proxies for the Special
Meeting. You are receiving this proxy statement because you own Shares. This proxy statement contains important information about
the proposed transaction and the Special Meeting, and you should read it carefully. The enclosed proxy card allows you to vote
your Shares without attending the Special Meeting in person.
The Company is holding the Special Meeting so that
our stockholders may vote with respect to the adoption of the Merger Agreement, the proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit additional proxies, and the non-binding proposal regarding certain
Merger-related executive compensation arrangements.
Your
vote is extremely important, and we encourage you to submit your proxy as soon as possible.
For more information on
how to vote your Shares, please see the section of this proxy statement entitled “
The Special Meeting
.”
|
Q.
|
What is the proposed transaction and what effects will it have on the Company?
|
|
A.
|
The proposed transaction is the merger of Merger Sub with and into the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement. If the Merger
Agreement is adopted by our stockholders and the other closing conditions under the Merger Agreement have been satisfied or waived,
Merger Sub, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, will merge with and into the Company and the Company will continue as the surviving
corporation. As a result of the Merger, the Company will no longer be a publicly held corporation. In addition, following the consummation
of the Merger, the registration of the Shares and the Company’s reporting obligation under the Exchange Act with respect
to the Shares will be terminated upon application to the SEC, and the Shares will no longer be listed on any exchange or quotation
system, including the NYSE, and price quotations will no longer be
|
available. Following the consummation
of the Merger, your Shares will represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration, and you will no longer have any interest
in our future earnings, growth, or value.
|
Q.
|
What will I receive if the Merger is completed?
|
|
A.
|
At the effective time of the Merger, you will be entitled to receive $14.00 in cash, without interest thereon and less any
withholding taxes, for each Share that you own, unless you properly exercise, and do not withdraw, your appraisal rights under
Section 262 of the DGCL with respect to such Shares. For example, if you own 100 Shares, you will receive $1,400.00 in cash in
exchange for your 100 Shares, less any applicable withholding taxes. Upon consummation of the Merger, you will not own any shares
of the capital stock of the surviving corporation.
|
|
Q.
|
How does the Merger Consideration compare to the market price of the Shares prior to the first public reports of a potential
sale of the Company?
|
|
A.
|
The Merger Consideration represents a premium of 56% above the closing
price of the Shares on March 31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public
reports of a potential sale of the Company, and a premium of 101% over the volume-weighted
average price of the Shares during the 60 calendar days that ended on March 31, 2016.
|
|
Q.
|
When do you expect the Merger to be completed?
|
|
A.
|
We are working to complete the Merger as promptly as practicable. Assuming timely satisfaction of necessary closing conditions,
we anticipate that the Merger will be completed by the end of 2016. If our stockholders vote to adopt the Merger Agreement, the
Merger will become effective as promptly as practicable following the satisfaction or written waiver of the other conditions to
the Merger. The Company, however, cannot assure completion of the Merger by any particular date, if at all.
|
|
Q.
|
What happens if the Merger is not completed?
|
|
A.
|
If the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement is not approved by
our stockholders or if the Merger is not completed for any other reason, our stockholders
will not receive any payment for their Shares in connection with the Merger. Instead,
the Company will remain a public company and our Shares will continue to be listed and
traded on the NYSE, so long as the Company continues to meet the applicable listing requirements.
Upon termination of the Merger Agreement by the Company or Parent upon specified conditions,
the Company will be required to pay Parent a termination fee of $50 million (which amount
will be $25 million under specified conditions where (i) the Company terminates the Merger
Agreement in connection with its entry into a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party
or (ii) Parent terminates the Merger Agreement in connection with a change in the recommendation
of the Board to the stockholders to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal resulting from
a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party). Upon termination of the Merger Agreement
by the Company or Parent upon specified conditions, Parent will be required to pay the
Company a termination fee of $85 million. See “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination
Fees
.”
|
|
Q.
|
Is the Merger expected to be taxable to me?
|
|
A.
|
The exchange of the Shares for cash pursuant to the Merger will be a taxable transaction to U.S. Holders for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. A U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss in an
|
amount equal to the difference,
if any, between the cash received by such holder in the Merger and the adjusted tax basis in the Shares surrendered in exchange
therefor. Stockholders should read “
Special Factors—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger
.”
Stockholders should also consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular tax consequences to them (including the application
and effect of any U.S. federal non-income, state, local and non-U.S. tax laws) of the Merger.
|
Q.
|
Do any of the Company’s directors or executive officers have interests in the Merger that may differ from or be in
addition to my interests as a stockholder?
|
|
A.
|
The
Company’s directors and executive officers have interests in the Merger that are
different from, or in addition to, those of the Company’s stockholders generally.
The Board was aware of and considered these interests, among other matters, in evaluating
and negotiating the Merger Agreement and the Merger, and in recommending that the Merger
Agreement be adopted by its stockholders. These interests include (i) the accelerated
vesting and payment of awards of the Company’s restricted stock units, awards of
the Company’s performance units and the Company’s director stock units, (ii)
with respect to certain of our executive officers, the eligibility to receive a cash-based
retention bonus payable upon the earlier of the effective time of the Merger and September
2, 2017, (iii) certain severance and other separation benefits that may be payable
following termination of employment after the effective time of the Merger
under severance agreements or the Company’s executive severance plan, as applicable,
and (iv) entitlement to continued indemnification and insurance coverage under the
Merger Agreement. See “
Special Factors—Interests of Executive Officers
and Directors of the Company in the Merger
.”
|
|
Q:
|
What will holders of the Company’s stock options and other equity-based awards receive in the Merger?
|
|
A:
|
Upon completion of the Merger:
|
Outstanding stock options, whether
vested or unvested, will be cancelled in exchange for a cash payment, equal to the product of (i) the total number of the Shares
subject to the stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger multiplied by (ii) the excess, if any, of the
Merger Consideration over the exercise price per Share of the stock option, without interest and less applicable taxes required
to be withheld, which will be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of the Merger. Any outstanding
stock option that has an exercise price per Share equal to or in excess of the Merger Consideration will be canceled at the effective
time of the Merger for no consideration.
Outstanding
restricted stock units of the Company will be cancelled in exchange for a cash payment equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration
multiplied by (ii) the total number of the Shares underlying the
restricted stock units, without interest and less applicable
taxes required to be withheld, which we refer to as the RSU Cash Payment. For restricted stock units granted prior to June 2, 2016,
the RSU Cash Payment will be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of the Merger. For restricted stock units
granted between June 2, 2016 and the effective time of the Merger, the RSU Cash Payment will be paid following the effective time
of the Merger subject to the same vesting schedule and other vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying restricted
stock units as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions governing certain terminations of employment).
At the effective time of the Merger,
outstanding performance units, other than those held by
Messrs.
Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch, will be cancelled in exchange for a cash payment, payable as soon as practicable following the
effective time of the Merger, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration multiplied by (ii) the total number of the
Shares underlying the cancelled performance units assuming the target achievement of applicable performance goals and the satisfaction
of all other conditions of delivery, without interest and less applicable taxes required to be withheld. A pro rata portion
of the performance units held by
Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch (determined based on the relative portion of the
applicable performance period that has elapsed as of the effective time of the Merger) will be treated in the same manner as the
performance units held by all other employees of the Company, and the remaining performance units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire,
Hopf and Rausch will be converted into the right to receive a cash payment in an amount equal to the product of (x) (a)
the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to the executive officer assuming the target achievement of the
performance goals applicable to such performance units, minus (b) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to the
executive officer upon a “change in control” under the terms of the applicable performance unit award agreement
and (y) the Merger Consideration, which cash amount will be subject to the service-based (but not the performance-based) vesting
terms and conditions applicable to the underlying performance unit as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions
governing certain terminations of employment).
Each outstanding director stock
unit will be converted into an obligation to pay an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration
multiplied by (ii) the total number of the Shares represented by that director stock unit, with such amount payable or
distributed in accordance with the terms of the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (and any applicable deferral election).
|
Q.
|
How will the Company’s directors and executive officers vote on the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement?
|
|
A.
|
The directors and executive officers of the Company have informed the Company that, as of the date of the filing of this proxy
statement, they intend to vote in favor of the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement. As of [ ], 2016, the Record
Date, the directors and executive officers directly owned, in the aggregate, [ ] Shares entitled to vote at the
Special Meeting, or collectively approximately [ ]% of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting.
|
|
Q.
|
When and where is the Special Meeting?
|
|
A.
|
The Special Meeting of stockholders of the Company will be held on [ ], 2016, at [ ] (local
time) at [ ].
|
|
Q.
|
Who can vote at the Special Meeting?
|
|
A.
|
Stockholders of record as of the close of business on [ ], 2016, the Record Date for the Special Meeting,
are entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at, the Special Meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Each
record holder of the Shares as of the Record Date is entitled to cast one vote on each matter properly brought before the Special
Meeting for each Share that such holder owns of record as of the Record Date. If you are a stockholder of record, please be prepared
to provide proper identification at the Special Meeting, such as a driver’s license. If you wish to attend the Special Meeting
and your Shares are held in “street name” by your broker, bank or other nominee, you will need to provide proof of
ownership, such as a recent account statement or letter from your bank, broker or other nominee, along with proper
|
identification. “Street name”
holders who wish to vote at the Special Meeting will need to obtain a proxy executed in such holder’s favor from the broker,
bank or other nominee that holds their Shares of record. Seating will be limited at the Special Meeting.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between being a “stockholder of record” and a “beneficial owner” of shares
held in “street name”?
|
|
A.
|
If your Shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer
agent, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., you are considered, with respect to those Shares, the
“stockholder of record.” In that case, this proxy statement and your proxy
card have been sent directly to you by the Company.
|
|
|
If your Shares are held through a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee, you are considered
the “beneficial owner” of the Shares held in “street name.” In that case, this proxy statement has been
forwarded to you by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee which may be, with respect to those Shares, the stockholder of record.
As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee as to how to vote your Shares
by following their instructions for voting.
|
|
Q.
|
What am I being asked to vote on at the Special Meeting?
|
|
A.
|
You are being asked to consider and vote on the following:
|
|
·
|
A proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A, which we refer to
as the Merger Agreement Proposal;
|
|
·
|
One or more proposals to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit additional
proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to adopt the Merger Agreement, which we refer to as
the Adjournment Proposal; and
|
|
·
|
A non-binding proposal regarding certain Merger-related executive compensation arrangements, which we refer to as the Golden
Parachute Proposal.
|
|
A.
|
The representation of the holders of a majority of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented
by proxy, at the Special Meeting will constitute a quorum for the purposes of the Special Meeting.
|
|
Q.
|
What vote is required for the Company’s stockholders to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal?
|
|
A.
|
The approval of the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement and the
transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, requires the affirmative vote
of (i) the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting and (ii) the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders.
|
As of [ ], 2016,
which is the Record Date, there were [ ] Shares outstanding.
In connection with the Merger Agreement, on June 2,
2016, the Sponsor Entities, which collectively own approximately 35% of the issued and outstanding Shares, entered into a Support
Agreement with the Company pursuant to which the Sponsor Entities have committed to vote their Shares in favor of, and take certain
other actions in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger.
|
Q.
|
What vote is required for the Company’s stockholders to approve the Adjournment Proposal?
|
|
A.
|
Approval of one or more proposals to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit
additional proxies requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by
proxy and entitled to vote thereon at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.
|
|
Q.
|
What vote is required for the Company’s stockholders to approve the Golden Parachute Proposal?
|
|
A.
|
Approval of the non-binding proposal regarding certain Merger-related executive compensation arrangements requires the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote thereon at the Special
Meeting.
|
|
Q.
|
How are the votes counted?
|
A.
|
For each of the Merger Agreement Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal and the Golden Parachute Proposal, you may vote “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN.” An abstention will have the same effect as an “AGAINST” vote for these proposals and will count for purposes of determining if a quorum is present at the Special Meeting.
|
|
Q.
|
How does the Board recommend that I vote?
|
|
A.
|
The Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman recused)
recommends that you vote
|
|
·
|
“
FOR
” the Merger Agreement Proposal,
|
|
·
|
“
FOR
” the Adjournment Proposal, and
|
|
·
|
“
FOR
” the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
You should read “
Special Factors—Recommendation
of the Board; Fairness of the Merger
” for a discussion of the factors that the Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman
recused) considered in deciding to recommend the approval of the Merger Agreement. See also “
Special Factors—Interests
of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger
.”
|
A.
|
If you are a stockholder of record as of the Record Date, you may vote your Shares on matters presented at the Special Meeting
in any of the following ways:
|
|
·
|
in person—you may attend the Special Meeting and cast your vote there;
|
|
·
|
by proxy—stockholders of record have a choice of voting by proxy;
|
|
·
|
over the Internet (the website address for Internet voting is printed on your proxy card);
|
|
·
|
by using the toll-free telephone number noted on your proxy card; or
|
|
·
|
by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying prepaid reply envelope.
|
If you are a beneficial owner of the Shares as of
the Record Date, please refer to the instructions provided by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee to see which of the above
choices are available to you. Please note that if you are a beneficial owner and wish to vote in person at the Special Meeting,
you must have a legal proxy from your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee.
The control number located on your proxy card is designed
to verify your identity and allow you to vote your Shares, and to confirm that your voting instructions have been properly recorded
when submitting a proxy over the Internet or by telephone.
Please note that if you attend the Special Meeting
in person, cameras, recording devices, cell phones and certain other electronic devices will not be permitted at the Special Meeting.
|
A.
|
A proxy is your legal designation of another person to vote your Shares. This written document describing the matters to be
considered and voted on at the Special Meeting is called a proxy statement. The document used to designate a proxy to vote your
Shares is called a proxy card.
|
|
Q.
|
If I am a stockholder of record, what happens if I do not vote or submit a proxy card?
|
|
A.
|
If you fail to vote, either in person or by proxy, your Shares will not be voted at the Special Meeting and will not be counted
for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists.
|
Additionally, your failure to vote will (i) (a) have
the effect of counting “AGAINST” the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and (b) have no
effect on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of
a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders, and (ii) have no effect on the Adjournment Proposal or the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
Q.
|
If my Shares are held in “street name” by my bank, brokerage firm or other nominee, will my bank, brokerage
firm or other nominee vote my Shares for me?
|
|
A.
|
Your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee will only be permitted to vote your Shares if you instruct your bank, brokerage
firm or other nominee as to how to vote. You should follow the procedures provided by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee
regarding the voting of your Shares. Under NYSE rules, absent your instructions, a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee does not
have discretionary authority to vote on “non-routine” matters and all of the matters to be considered at the Special
Meeting are, under the NYSE rules, “non-routine.”
|
If you instruct your bank, brokerage
firm or other nominee how to vote on at least one, but not all of the proposals to be considered at the Special Meeting, your Shares
will be voted according to your instructions on those proposals for which you have provided instructions and will be counted
as present for purposes of determining
whether a quorum is present at the Special Meeting. In this scenario, a “broker non-vote” will occur with respect to
each proposal for which you did not provide voting instructions to your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee.
A failure to provide instructions
with respect to any of the proposals and a broker non-vote will have (i) the effect of an “AGAINST” vote on the Merger
Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, (ii) no effect on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold
requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders and (iii) no effect on the Adjournment
Proposal or the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
Q.
|
If a stockholder gives a proxy, how are the Shares voted?
|
|
A.
|
Regardless of the method you choose to submit a proxy, the individuals named on the enclosed proxy card will vote your Shares
in the way that you indicate. When completing the Internet or telephone processes or the proxy card, you may specify whether your
Shares should be voted “
FOR
” or “
AGAINST
,” or to “
ABSTAIN
” from voting
on, all, some or none of the specific items of business to come before the Special Meeting.
|
If you properly sign your proxy card but do not mark
the boxes indicating how your Shares should be voted on a matter, the Shares represented by your properly signed proxy will be
voted “
FOR
” the Merger Agreement Proposal, “
FOR
” the Adjournment Proposal and “
FOR
”
the Golden Parachute Proposal.
|
Q.
|
Can I change or revoke my vote?
|
|
A.
|
Yes. You have the right to revoke a proxy, including any proxy you may have given whether delivered over the Internet, by telephone
or by mail, at any time before it is exercised, by submitting another proxy, including a proxy card, at a later date through any
of the methods available to you, by giving written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary, which must be filed with our
Corporate Secretary by the time the Special Meeting begins, or by attending the Special Meeting and voting in person. If your Shares
are held in street name by your bank, broker or other nominee, please refer to the information forwarded by your bank, broker or
other nominee for procedures on changing or revoking your proxy.
|
Only your last submitted proxy will be considered.
Please cast your vote
“FOR”
each of the proposals listed in this proxy statement, following the instructions
provided, as promptly as possible.
|
Q.
|
What do I do if I receive more than one proxy or set of voting instructions?
|
|
A.
|
If you hold the Shares in “street name,” or through more than one bank, brokerage firm or other nominee, and also
directly as a record holder or otherwise, you may receive more than one proxy or set of voting instructions relating to the Special
Meeting. These should each be executed and returned separately in accordance with the instructions provided in this proxy statement
in order to ensure that all of your Shares are voted.
|
|
Q.
|
What happens if I sell my Shares before the Special Meeting?
|
|
A.
|
The Record Date for stockholders entitled to vote at the Special Meeting is prior to both the date of the Special Meeting and
the consummation of the Merger. If you transfer your Shares before the Record Date, you will not be entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting and will not be entitled to receive the Merger Consideration. If you transfer your Shares after the Record Date but before
the Special Meeting you will, unless special arrangements are made, retain your right to vote at the Special Meeting but will transfer
the right to receive the Merger Consideration to the person to whom you transfer your Shares. Unless special arrangements are made,
the person to whom you transfer your Shares after the Record Date will not have a right to vote those Shares at the Special Meeting.
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|
Q.
|
Who will solicit and pay the cost of soliciting proxies?
|
|
A.
|
The Company has engaged Georgeson LLC to assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Special Meeting. The Company has agreed
to pay Georgeson LLC a fee of $12,000, and to reimburse Georgeson LLC for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The Company will indemnify
Georgeson LLC and its affiliates against certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses. The Company also will reimburse
banks, brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries representing beneficial owners of the Shares for their expenses in
forwarding soliciting materials to beneficial owners of our Shares and in obtaining voting instructions from those owners. Our
directors, officers and employees may also solicit proxies by telephone, by facsimile, by mail, by email, over the Internet or
in person. They will not be paid any additional amounts for soliciting proxies.
|
|
Q.
|
What do I need to do now?
|
|
A.
|
Even if you plan to attend the Special Meeting, after carefully reading and considering the information contained in this proxy
statement, please submit your proxy promptly to ensure that your Shares are represented at the Special Meeting. If you hold your
Shares in your own name as the stockholder of record, please submit your proxy for your Shares by completing, signing, dating and
returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying prepaid reply envelope, by using the telephone number printed on your proxy
card or by following the Internet proxy instructions printed on your proxy card. If you decide to attend the Special Meeting and
vote in person, your vote by ballot at the Special Meeting will revoke any proxy previously submitted. If you are a beneficial
owner of the Shares, please refer to the instructions provided by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee to see which of the
above choices are available to you.
|
|
Q.
|
What is householding and how does it affect me?
|
|
A.
|
The SEC rules permit companies and intermediaries such as banks and brokers to satisfy delivery requirements with respect to
two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a
|
single proxy statement or a single
notice of Internet availability of proxy materials addressed to those stockholders. This process is commonly referred to
as “householding.” While the Company does not household, a number of brokerage firms with account holders who are
the Company’s stockholders may institute householding. Once you have received notice from your bank or broker that it will
be householding materials to your address, householding generally will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you
revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate
proxy statement or notice of internet availability of proxy materials, or if your household is receiving multiple copies of these
documents and you wish to request that future deliveries be limited to a single copy, you should contact your bank or broker.
|
Q.
|
Am I entitled to exercise appraisal rights under the DGCL instead of receiving the Merger Consideration for my Shares?
|
|
A.
|
Stockholders are entitled to appraisal rights under Section 262 of the DGCL, with respect to any or all of their Shares in
connection with the Merger, provided they meet all of the conditions set forth in Section 262 of the DGCL, a copy of which is attached
as Annex D to this proxy statement. This means that you are entitled to have the “fair value” of such Shares determined
by the Delaware Court of Chancery and to receive payment based on that valuation. The ultimate amount you receive in an appraisal
proceeding may be less than, equal to or more than the amount you would have received under the Merger Agreement.
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|
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To exercise your appraisal rights, you must submit a written demand for appraisal to the Company before the vote is taken on
the Merger Agreement Proposal, you must not submit a proxy or otherwise vote in favor of the Merger Agreement Proposal and you
must hold such Shares continuously through the effective time of the Merger and otherwise comply with Section 262 of the DGCL.
Your failure to follow exactly the procedures specified under the DGCL will result in the loss of your appraisal rights. See “
Appraisal
Rights
” and the text of Section 262 of the DGCL reproduced in its entirety as Annex D to this proxy statement. If you
hold your Shares through a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee and you wish to exercise appraisal rights, you should consult
with your bank, broker or other nominee to determine the appropriate procedures for the making of a demand for appraisal by the
nominee. In view of the complexity of Section 262 of the DGCL, stockholders who may wish to pursue appraisal rights should consult
their legal and financial advisors prior to making any decision whether to pursue appraisal rights with respect to their Shares.
|
|
Q.
|
Who can help answer my other questions?
|
|
A.
|
If you have additional questions about the Merger, need assistance in submitting your proxy or voting your Shares, or need
additional copies of the proxy statement or the enclosed proxy card, please contact:
|
Georgeson LLC
1290 Avenue of the Americas
9th Floor
New York, NY 10104
Stockholders, Banks and Brokers: Toll Free (866) 741-9588
SPECIAL
FACTORS
This discussion of the Merger is qualified
by reference to the Merger Agreement, which is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A. You should read the entire Merger Agreement
carefully because it is the legal document that governs the Merger.
We are asking our stockholders to vote on
the adoption of the Merger Agreement. If the Merger is completed, the holders of the Shares (other than Excluded Shares) will have
the right to receive the Merger Consideration, less any applicable withholding taxes.
Background of the Merger
The Company’s business was formed
on June 1, 2015 pursuant to the Talen Transactions. As a result of the Talen Transactions, the Sponsor Entities collectively own
approximately 35% of the outstanding Shares and are parties to a stockholders agreement, dated June 1, 2015, with the Company,
which we refer to as the Stockholder Agreement. Pursuant to the Stockholder Agreement, Riverstone is entitled to designate for
election three members of the Board, including one independent director who is not an officer, director or employee of Riverstone.
Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, each a Partner of Riverstone, are the Riverstone designees to the Board, with Mr.
Casey serving as the independent director designee of Riverstone.
In late November 2015, representatives
of a financial sponsor, which we refer to as Party A, contacted Paul Farr, a member of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer
of the Company, to express interest in potentially exploring a transaction with the Company. Mr. Farr and Jeremy McGuire, the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, met with representatives of Party A at Party A’s offices on December 2. Topics
discussed at the meeting included each party’s perspectives on the merchant power industry, possible opportunities to partner
together on strategic transactions and the possibility of Party A taking the Company private. Party A did not make any proposal
to the Company following these discussions.
On December 3, 2015, Mr. Hoffman communicated
in a call to Stuart Graham, chairman of the Board, Riverstone’s interest in acquiring the Company’s outstanding Shares
not beneficially owned by Riverstone for $11.00 per Share in cash, which represented an approximate 45% premium to the closing
price of the Shares on December 2, 2015, which was followed the same day with an email communication outlining the proposal. Mr.
Hoffman requested that Riverstone be provided an opportunity to present its proposal to the Board at or before its next meeting.
Mr. Hoffman’s email was forwarded to the other members of the Board by Mr. Graham on the same day. Prior to December 3,
2015, none of Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Alexander, or any other representative of Riverstone or any of its affiliates had expressed to
the Company any interest in Riverstone acquiring additional Shares.
On December 7, 2015, the members of
the Board, other than Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, which we refer to as the Disinterested Directors, held a telephonic meeting
to discuss the proposal communicated by Mr. Hoffman and preliminary process considerations. The Disinterested Directors discussed
the potential engagement of Citi as the Company’s financial advisor, citing, among other things, Citi’s familiarity
with the Company and experience and reputation generally and in the merchant power generation industry specifically, and approved
the engagement, subject to review of information regarding Citi’s material relationships. Representatives of Kirkland &
Ellis LLP, which we refer to as Kirkland, the Company’s legal advisor, provided an overview to the Disinterested Directors
regarding their fiduciary duties in considering Riverstone’s proposal and reviewed certain terms and legal aspects of the
proposal, including Riverstone’s rights under the Stockholder Agreement. Representatives of Kirkland noted that Messrs.
Hoffman and Alexander, as non-independent representatives of Riverstone, should be recused from future deliberations and decision-making
regarding the proposal as well as the evaluation of alternative options. Representatives of Kirkland also confirmed with Messrs.
Farr and McGuire that they had not discussed potential post-transaction involvement in the
management of the Company with Riverstone or any other potential
acquiror. The Disinterested Directors instructed each to refrain from any such discussions without prior approval from the Disinterested
Directors. Based on the foregoing and after discussion, the other Disinterested Directors decided Mr. Farr would not need to be
recused from future deliberations and decision-making by the Disinterested Directors regarding the proposal or alternative options.
Following discussion with representatives of Kirkland, the Disinterested Directors concluded that it was consistent with their
fiduciary duties to consider the Riverstone proposal, and that, subject to the receipt of acceptable independence questionnaires,
the formation of a special committee of the Board was not necessary because none of the other directors, representing a majority
of the Board, were conflicted from considering the transaction, provided that Messrs. Hoffman and Alexander continued to be recused
from all meetings of the Board regarding the potential transaction. The Disinterested Directors concluded that they would consider
the Riverstone proposal more fully on December 18, the date of the Board’s next regularly scheduled meeting, and invited
representatives of Riverstone to present Riverstone’s proposal to the Disinterested Directors.
On December 11, 2015, the Company received
a letter from Riverstone addressed to the Board, formally outlining the terms of the $11.00 per Share, all-cash acquisition proposal
originally communicated to Mr. Graham on December 3. The proposal stated that Riverstone had retained Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen
& Katz, which we refer to as Wachtell, and Vinson & Elkins LLP, which we refer to as V&E, as its legal advisors.
On December 18, 2015, at a regularly
scheduled, in-person meeting of the full Board, management reviewed the long-range plan for the Company which had been prepared
by management in the ordinary course of business, which we refer to as the December Business Plan. Following the meeting of the
full Board, the Disinterested Directors held a separate meeting and invited representatives of Riverstone, including Mr. Hoffman,
Mr. Alexander and Carl Williams, a Managing Director of Riverstone, to join that meeting. The representatives of Riverstone made
a presentation regarding Riverstone’s proposal, indicating that, while Riverstone’s proposal to acquire additional
Shares had not been contemplated in advance of the Talen Transactions, developments since then, including in the Company’s
business and the power generation industry generally, had led to Riverstone’s interest in making a proposal. Representatives
of Riverstone then outlined Riverstone’s proposal, including that Riverstone would consider including a “go-shop”
provision to permit the Company to conduct a post-signing market check. Representatives of Riverstone also noted that, while markets
had declined since the proposal on December 3, Riverstone would still be prepared to pay $11.00 per Share. Representatives of
Riverstone then left the meeting, and the Disinterested Directors met to review and discuss the Riverstone proposal. Representatives
of Kirkland made a presentation to the Disinterested Directors regarding their fiduciary duties, both generally and with respect
to evaluating Riverstone’s proposal or other strategic transactions. Representatives of Kirkland also confirmed that all
Disinterested Directors had returned independence questionnaires and based on such responses, the Disinterested Directors concluded
that each of them (including Mr. Farr) was independent of Riverstone and other potentially interested parties with respect to
the matters under consideration. Representatives of Kirkland then reviewed information received from Citi regarding its material
relationships with Riverstone and certain other active participants in the merchant power generation industry. Based on the responses,
the Disinterested Directors concluded that Citi had no material relationships that in the view of the Disinterested Directors
would impair Citi’s ability to serve as financial
advisor to the Company and, based on, among other things, Citi’s familiarity with the Company and experience and reputation
generally and in the merchant power generation industry specifically, authorized the Company’s management to engage Citi
as the Company’s financial advisor. Citi, which thereafter joined the meeting, then provided the Disinterested Directors
with a general update on market conditions and trends impacting the merchant power generation sector, including investor and analyst
perspectives on the sector and the Company, and discussed certain financial investors active in the merchant generation sector.
Following discussion, the Disinterested Directors decided to consider Riverstone’s proposal further in January 2016 and
instructed Citi to prepare a preliminary financial analysis for that meeting. Subsequent to the December 18 meeting, the Company executed an agreement with Citi, dated January 11, 2016, with respect
to its engagement as the Company's financial advisor in connection with a possible transaction.
On January 11, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a meeting to evaluate the Riverstone proposal and review a preliminary financial analysis with respect to the Company
prepared by Citi based on the December Business Plan. The Disinterested Directors discussed the December Business Plan, including
underlying assumptions, sensitivities and uncertainties in, and the likelihood of achieving, the forecasts reflected in the December
Business Plan. The Disinterested Directors also discussed power and commodity price trends. Representatives of the Company’s
management reviewed certain potential value creating options and associated benefits and risks. Representatives of Kirkland reviewed
the potential timeline of a transaction with Riverstone, the potential impact of Riverstone’s existing ownership stake and
options for conducting a market check. Citi reviewed its preliminary financial analysis of the Company based on the December Business
Plan. After further discussion with the Company’s management and advisors, the Disinterested Directors requested that the
Company’s management prepare certain sensitivities regarding the potential effects of power and commodity price changes
on the December Business Plan and that Citi review the impact of such sensitivities on its preliminary financial analysis. The
Disinterested Directors determined to respond to the Riverstone proposal after they had an opportunity to review these sensitivities.
On January 14, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting at which the Company’s management reviewed certain power and commodity pricing sensitivities
as requested at the prior meeting. Representatives of Kirkland advised the Disinterested Directors of their fiduciary duties,
both generally and in the event of a potential M&A transaction, and available options with respect to the Riverstone proposal.
The Disinterested Directors discussed the December Business Plan, potential value creating options that the Company could pursue
and associated benefits and risks, Citi’s preliminary financial analysis taking into account certain power and commodity
pricing sensitivities and consideration of possible upside and downside scenarios. After discussion, the Disinterested Directors
determined that Riverstone’s proposal of $11.00 per Share undervalued the Company and asked Mr. Graham to communicate that
decision directly to Riverstone. Following the meeting, Mr. Graham communicated the Disinterested Directors’ decision to
Mr. Hoffman.
On January 19, 2016, with the approval
of Mr. Graham, a representative of the Company’s management met with a representative of Riverstone at Riverstone’s
offices to discuss Riverstone’s $11.00 per Share proposal. The representative of the Company’s
management conveyed the reasons why the $11.00 per Share
proposal was not considered acceptable.
On January 29, 2016, Mr. Hoffman and
Mr. Graham spoke telephonically about the Riverstone proposal. Mr. Graham advised Mr. Hoffman that it was his sense that a meaningful
price increase to $13.00 per Share would be required for the Disinterested Directors to change their conclusion and authorize
further engagement. Mr. Hoffman advised Mr. Graham that he would need to discuss any price increase with Riverstone.
On January 31, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting to discuss Riverstone’s continued interest in an acquisition of the Company. Mr. Graham
informed the Disinterested Directors that, based on his prior conversations with representatives of Riverstone, Riverstone may
be willing to increase its proposed purchase price to as high as $13.00 per Share. The Disinterested Directors discussed a potential
$13.00 per Share purchase price relative to the December Business Plan, potential value creating options and associated benefits
and risks and the Company’s exposure to forward power and commodity prices. Citi provided a general update on market trends
since the last meeting. In addition, the Disinterested Directors discussed with the Company’s management and advisors certain
non-economic terms that would be important in any transaction, including various market check options, regulatory commitments,
tax matters, due diligence and financing certainty. The Disinterested Directors and the advisors discussed the merits of conducting
a pre-signing market check, using a post-signing “go-shop” process or using a combination of approaches if the Disinterested
Directors determined to pursue a potential transaction with Riverstone. In particular, the Disinterested Directors discussed the
effects that Riverstone’s existing ownership stake would have on any pre-signing market check, and, in the event a post-signing
market check via a “go-shop” was utilized, the possibility of requiring Riverstone to commit to supporting a higher
alternative proposal if subsequently received. The Disinterested Directors also discussed the possibility of conditioning a transaction
with Riverstone on the approval by a majority vote of the non-Riverstone stockholders. Following discussion, the Disinterested
Directors authorized engagement with Riverstone with respect to a proposal of $13.00 per Share (assuming Riverstone would reach
such an offer price). The Disinterested Directors asked Mr. Graham to communicate this decision directly to Riverstone and directed
the Company’s management and advisors to communicate to Riverstone’s advisors the Company’s expectations with
respect to the non-economic terms that had been discussed and to negotiate a confidentiality agreement. The Disinterested Directors
also reiterated the previous instructions to members of the Company’s management that they not discuss any potential post-transaction
employment or other arrangements with Riverstone or another potential acquiror at this stage.
Following the meeting on January 31,
2016, Mr. Graham spoke with representatives of Riverstone to communicate the response of the Disinterested Directors, and representatives
of Kirkland, on behalf of the Company, spoke with representatives of Wachtell to communicate the Disinterested Directors’
expectations with respect to certain non-economic terms of a transaction.
On February 3, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a letter addressed to the Board, outlining its proposal to acquire all of the outstanding Shares not owned by Riverstone for $13.00
per Share in cash, which represented a premium of approximately 88% over the Company’s closing stock price on February 2,
2016. The Riverstone letter also addressed certain non-economic terms of
the proposal, including that Riverstone would agree to a
post-signing market check through a go-shop process.
On February 4, 2016, the Company delivered
a letter to Riverstone pursuant to the authorization of the Disinterested Directors at their January 31 meeting. The Company’s
letter included a draft confidentiality agreement and addressed certain previously discussed non-economic terms, including that
the transaction should be conditioned on the approval by a majority vote of the non-Riverstone stockholders.
From February 4 to February 9, 2016,
representatives of Kirkland, Wachtell and V&E negotiated the terms of the confidentiality agreement, which was executed by
the Company and an affiliate of Riverstone on February 9.
On February 11, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a letter addressed to the Board to clarify certain valuation assumptions in its February 3 letter and communicate Riverstone’s
expectations with respect to the Company’s capital structure and use of cash.
On February 12,
2016, representatives of Riverstone notified the Company of its intention to engage in discussions with Citibank, N.A., in
its capacity as the administrative agent and a lender under the Company’s Credit Facility, with respect to obtaining
lender consents necessary to waive the change of control provisions of the facility in the event of a transaction (which was
a necessary pre-condition for Riverstone to be able to proceed with its proposal), which would entail paying customary fees
to the lenders, including Citibank, N.A., and to Citibank, N.A. as administrative agent in the event of a
transaction.
On February 18, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a due diligence request list to the Company. Over the course of the next several weeks, the Company shared responsive materials
with Riverstone and its advisors.
On February 25, 2016, Kirkland delivered
a draft merger agreement to Wachtell and V&E.
On February 26, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting to discuss the status of the Riverstone proposal. The Company’s management reviewed
for the Disinterested Directors the status of Riverstone’s due diligence process and outstanding high priority due diligence
requests. Representatives of Kirkland reviewed the key non-economic requests that were included in the draft merger agreement.
The Disinterested Directors also considered Riverstone’s engagement in discussions with Citibank,
N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Company’s Credit Facility and a lender thereunder, to seek consents
from the lenders to waive the change of control provisions under the facility (which was a necessary pre-condition for Riverstone
to be able to proceed with its proposal). Representatives of Kirkland reviewed for the Disinterested Directors relevant considerations
and their duties in connection with Riverstone's engagement in discussions with Citibank, N.A. and summarized the possible fees payable, which in the case of
the consent fee would be paid to all consenting lenders and which aggregate fees were nominal as compared to the fees that would
be received by Citi from the Company in connection with a transaction with Riverstone or another party. After discussion, the
Disinterested Directors concluded that Riverstone’s engagement in discussions with Citibank, N.A. was in the best interest of the Company’s stockholders
and would not compromise Citi’s continued independence.
On March 9, 2016, representatives of
Wachtell and V&E had a conference call with representatives of Kirkland to discuss the draft merger agreement. Representatives
of Wachtell and V&E raised certain preliminary points regarding the terms of the agreement proposed by the Company, which
were discussed. Representatives of Wachtell and V&E informed representatives of Kirkland that Riverstone intended to propose
a minimum liquidity closing condition. Representatives of Kirkland indicated that if such provision was included, then in order
to evaluate such a provision it would be important for Riverstone to provide a sources and uses calculation and specify the amount
of required liquidity with its response to the draft merger agreement. Representatives of Wachtell and V&E confirmed that
they would respond with a revised draft of the merger agreement.
On March 15, 2016, Kirkland delivered
a draft support agreement to Wachtell and V&E, which, among other things, would require each of the Sponsor Entities to vote
in favor of the merger agreement, if a transaction with Riverstone was finalized. Later that day, Wachtell delivered a revised
draft of the merger agreement to Kirkland.
On March 18, 2016, representatives of
the Company, Riverstone, Wachtell, Kirkland and V&E had a conference call to discuss the revised draft of the merger agreement.
Representatives of the Company’s management and Kirkland outlined certain issues raised by the revised draft of the merger
agreement, including the removal of the requirement that the transaction be approved by a majority of the non-Riverstone stockholders,
the absence of an equity commitment letter, the identity of the guarantors for purposes of the limited guarantee as the Sponsor
Entities rather than a Riverstone fund to secure the payment of the reverse termination fee, the absence of a requirement to support
a superior proposal recommended by the Board and the inclusion of a minimum liquidity closing condition.
Later on March 18, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting to discuss the status of the Riverstone proposal. Representatives of Kirkland outlined the
most material revisions in the draft merger agreement prepared by Riverstone and related issues. The Disinterested Directors discussed
Riverstone’s proposed financing structure and minimum liquidity closing condition and determined that closing certainty
with respect to financing was a threshold issue to be resolved prior to further negotiation. The Disinterested Directors also
determined that in light of Riverstone’s failure to provide a sources and uses calculation, lack of specificity on the amount
of the required minimum liquidity closing condition, and absence of an equity commitment letter backstop, no decision could be
made with respect to Riverstone’s proposed financing structure until Riverstone specified its sources and uses and the amount
of liquidity that would be required. The Disinterested Directors instructed the Company’s management and advisors to request
an indicative sources and uses calculation from Riverstone, and to communicate that other material issues existed in the markup.
Following the meeting, representatives of Kirkland accordingly communicated such message to Wachtell that prior to further engagement
on other remaining issues, the threshold issues to be resolved included the minimum liquidity closing condition, together with
the identity of the guarantors for purposes of the limited guarantee as the Sponsor Entities rather than a Riverstone fund to
secure the payment of the reverse termination fee, the absence of requirements for approval by a majority of the non-Riverstone
stockholders and Riverstone’s willingness to support a superior proposal recommended by the Board.
During the week of March 21, 2016, Riverstone
communicated a proposed requirement of $500 million at the Company upon closing of the transaction. The Company provided to Riverstone
an overview of the Company’s projected liquidity upon closing of a potential transaction, together with potential risk factors
and various stress scenarios. Representatives of the Company also conveyed concerns with respect to the closing risk implied by
a $500 million liquidity closing condition and indicated that a lower amount would be more appropriate or, alternatively, that
Riverstone should provide an equity commitment letter to backstop a portion thereof.
On March 28, 2016, representatives of
Party A called Mr. Farr to express interest in a potential acquisition of the Company. Mr. Farr indicated he would convey to the
Board any credible proposals to acquire the Company.
On March 29, 2016, representatives of
the Company, Riverstone, Kirkland, Citi and Wachtell held an in-person meeting to discuss Riverstone’s proposed financing
structure and sources and uses schedule, including the $500 million minimum liquidity closing condition proposed by Riverstone.
Representatives of Riverstone reviewed an overview they had prepared of the Company’s cash and revolver availability, expected
transaction sources and uses of funds and the expected cushion available to the Company under Riverstone’s proposed condition.
Representatives of Riverstone indicated that Riverstone would agree to incur a further $250 million of debt financing that could
be used to assist the Company in meeting its minimum liquidity closing condition. Representatives of the Company again indicated
that if a minimum liquidity condition were to be agreed, the required amount would need to provide the Company with sufficient
closing certainty, and reiterated their request that at a minimum Riverstone should provide a limited guarantee from a creditworthy
Riverstone fund to backstop the reverse termination fee in the merger agreement.
Later that same day, Mr. Farr consulted
with Mr. Graham and they mutually concluded that Mr. Farr should respond to Party A’s March 28 inquiry and indicate a willingness
to explore a potential proposal from Party A. Mr. Farr subsequently informed each of the other Disinterested Directors of Mr.
Graham’s recommended response to Party A, and they supported that approach. On the evening of March 29, 2016, Mr. Farr advised
Party A that the Company would be prepared to execute a confidentiality agreement with Party A to permit it to conduct preliminary
due diligence. On March 30, 2016, the Company provided Party A with a draft confidentiality agreement, which was executed on March
31, 2016.
On April 1, 2016, SparkSpread, a publication
that covers U.S. and European energy markets, published an article that identified the Company as the target of at least one buyout
approach. The closing price of the Shares on March 31, 2016, the trading day prior to the publication of the SparkSpread report,
was $9.00 per Share, which we refer to as the unaffected Share price.
Also on April 1, 2016,
representatives of the Company’s management spoke with representatives of Riverstone to discuss the minimum liquidity
closing condition. Representatives of the Company requested that Riverstone provide an incremental $150 million of committed
financing (in addition to the $250 million proposed on March 29, which would have the effect of reducing the minimum
liquidity amount to $350 million) and representatives of Riverstone discussed the possibility of agreeing to such request.
On April 2, 2016, the Company sent Riverstone
a list of material issues based on the March 15 Riverstone draft merger agreement, which also was separately communicated by Kirkland
to Wachtell and V&E. The issues list set forth the Company’s counterproposals with respect to, among others, the minimum
liquidity closing condition, the non-Riverstone stockholder approval requirement, the provision of a guarantee from a Riverstone
fund, regulatory efforts, termination fees and Riverstone’s support of a superior proposal recommended by the Board. The
issues list also stated that, in addition to the matters set forth, numerous other issues remained subject to negotiation.
Between April 3 and April 8, 2016, representatives
of the Company, Kirkland, Riverstone, Wachtell and V&E had conference calls to discuss open issues in the draft merger agreement
and Wachtell communicated that Riverstone would respond to the April 2 issues list after receiving a revised draft merger agreement.
On April 6, 2016, representatives of
the Company’s management and Party A met in person to discuss preliminary financial information regarding the Company that
had been requested by Party A in connection with its consideration of a potential acquisition of the Company.
Over the course of the next several
weeks, representatives of each of Riverstone and Party A continued their engagement with the Company with respect to their respective
due diligence efforts.
On April 8, 2016, Kirkland delivered
a revised draft of the merger agreement to Wachtell and V&E.
On April 13, 2016, Party A delivered
a letter to the Company outlining a non-binding expression of interest to acquire the Company at an indicative purchase price
range of $13.50 to $14.00 per Share in cash, which represented a premium of approximately 24% to 29% over the market price of
the Shares on April 12 and a premium of approximately 78% to 85% over the trailing 30-day volume-weighted average market price
of the Shares ending on March 31, 2016, the trading day prior to the publication of the SparkSpread report. In its letter, Party
A stated that its proposal was not subject to a financing contingency, would contain a customary financial sponsor financing and
reverse termination fee structure and requested a five-week exclusivity period.
On April 15, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting and reviewed Party A’s April 13 proposal and discussed the status of Riverstone’s
proposal. Representatives of Kirkland and Citi summarized Party A’s proposal and reviewed the status of open points under
the Riverstone proposal. The Disinterested Directors noted the material terms of the merger agreement that remained to be negotiated
with Riverstone, and the potential benefits of establishing a competitive dynamic between Party A and Riverstone with respect
to price and terms. Representatives of Kirkland recommended that both potential bidders be put on a level playing field and that
exclusivity for Party A was not appropriate in light of the respective proposals. After discussion, the Disinterested Directors
determined that neither proposal warranted exclusivity at that time. The Disinterested Directors also discussed the fact that
Party A had requested permission to discuss its proposal directly with Riverstone, but agreed with management’s advice and
recommendation not to permit such a discussion at that time. The Disinterested Directors further discussed whether to contact
other potential bidders.
Representatives of Citi informed the Disinterested Directors
that they had been contacted by representatives of a financial sponsor, which we refer to as Party B, following the SparkSpread
report and that Party B had indicated that it was undertaking preliminary diligence on the basis of publicly available information.
Citi also discussed with the Disinterested Directors other potential strategic acquirors and financial sponsors and their
potential interest level in a transaction with the Company, noting that, in its view, other interested parties likely would have
approached the Company following the SparkSpread report given the general knowledge of the potential transaction in the marketplace,
as was the case with Party B. After discussion, the Disinterested Directors determined that at this time it was not necessary
or desirable to contact other potential bidders. The Disinterested Directors determined to explore the two proposals that had
been received and to remain open to other inbound proposals, and directed the Company’s management and advisors to prepare
a timeline for both proposals, send a process letter to each party and distribute a draft merger agreement to Party A on the basis
of the latest draft delivered to Riverstone, with appropriate modifications to reflect Party A’s proposed financing structure.
In light of the proposal from Party A, the Disinterested Directors also discussed the role of the Disinterested Directors and
the Company’s management and advisors in the process and potential conflicts. Mr. Farr and Mr. McGuire confirmed that neither
had, and that they would not without the Disinterested Directors’ approval have, discussions with Party A or Riverstone
with respect to post-transaction involvement, as previously discussed. Following discussion, the Disinterested Directors concluded
that no change to the process was warranted.
On April 19, 2016, a process letter
was sent to representatives of each of Party A and Riverstone, and a draft merger agreement prepared by Kirkland was attached
to Party A’s process letter, and Riverstone’s process letter referenced the prior version of the draft merger agreement
exchanged by the parties. Each process letter requested that a markup to the draft merger agreement and any outstanding due diligence
requests be submitted by May 13, 2016 and that binding bids be submitted by May 20, 2016.
On April 26, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a letter addressed to the Board in response to the April 19 process letter. In its April 26 letter, Riverstone reaffirmed its
previously communicated $13.00 per Share proposal, which represented a premium of approximately 44% to the Company’s unaffected
Share price. The letter included executed debt commitment papers and communicated additional progress with respect to Riverstone’s
proposed financing of a transaction. Riverstone’s letter also included a revised draft of the merger agreement and noted
that, in Riverstone’s view, the agreement contained significant concessions with respect to regulatory, financing and liquidity
matters (including by accepting the Company’s proposal for the minimum liquidity closing condition of $350 million) and
the provision of a limited guarantee from certain unspecified Riverstone funds. In the letter, Riverstone also informed the Board
that it did not at such time need to, nor did it have any intent to, sell its 35% stake in the Company, including by supporting
an alternative proposal from a third party.
Between April 26 and April 29, 2016,
representatives of Kirkland and the Company clarified with representatives of Riverstone and Wachtell the terms of the revised
proposal.
On April 29, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting to discuss Riverstone’s April 26 letter and the status of the Party A proposal. Representatives
of the Company’s management informed the Disinterested Directors that Party A was still undertaking due diligence efforts
and seeking to obtain committed financing. Representatives of Kirkland
provided an overview of the material terms of the revised
Riverstone proposal, including with respect to the minimum liquidity closing condition, the Riverstone fund guarantee, the amount
of the termination fees, support of a superior proposal recommended by the Board and the stockholder approval condition. Representatives
of Kirkland and Citi noted for the Disinterested Directors that Riverstone was not likely to commit to support a superior proposal
recommended by the Board based on statements set forth in Riverstone’s April 26 letter. The Disinterested Directors determined
that this provision was potentially less important in light of press reports and the Disinterested Directors’ belief that
interested parties had the opportunity to approach the Company prior to any potential transaction with Riverstone. After discussion,
the Disinterested Directors instructed Kirkland to continue to seek a guarantee from a Riverstone fund with sufficient undrawn
capital and a closing condition tied to the approval of non-Riverstone stockholders, and that the commitment to support a superior
proposal should remain an open point for later resolution. The Disinterested Directors also discussed the revised financing and
liquidity requirements with the Company’s management and advisors and directed them to continue to negotiate for more favorable
terms in the draft merger agreement, including a more favorable minimum liquidity closing condition. The Disinterested Directors
concluded that the Company should continue to proceed with both Riverstone and Party A pursuant to the April 19 process letter,
and the Company’s management and advisors should discuss the open issues in the draft merger agreement with Riverstone in
the interim. The Disinterested Directors also determined to respond with a letter back to Riverstone.
On May 3, 2016,
Mr. Graham delivered a letter to representatives of Riverstone in response to the April 26 Riverstone letter communicating the
Disinterested Directors’ conclusions from the April 29 meeting and highlighting material open issues in the Riverstone markup
of the draft merger agreement, including the minimum liquidity closing condition, and requested that Riverstone proceed in accordance
with the April 19 process letter.
On May 3 and May 9, 2016, representatives
of the Company, Kirkland, Citi, Riverstone, V&E, Wachtell and Goldman Sachs & Co., which we refer to as Goldman, financial
advisor to Riverstone, had a conference call to discuss Riverstone’s proposed financing structure, specifically the minimum
liquidity closing condition. The parties discussed various options for such a condition and compared their respective analyses
for base and stress case scenarios.
On May 6, 2016, representatives of Kirkland,
Citi, V&E, Wachtell and Goldman had a conference call to discuss open issues in the draft merger agreement. In the subsequent
two weeks, the parties had various additional conference calls to discuss the draft merger agreement, including provisions regarding
the go-shop, no-shop, termination fee triggers, interim operating covenants, energy marketing and trading activities and regulatory
matters as well as other open issues.
On May 11 and May 12, 2016, Messrs.
Farr and McGuire spoke separately with each of the Disinterested Directors to determine if it was the appropriate time to permit
Party A to speak directly with Riverstone with respect to Party A’s proposal given that Party A had indicated it was not
in a position to proceed absent such a conversation. The Disinterested Directors concurred that these conversations should be
permitted, and following these discussions, representatives of Party A were informed on May 12 that the Company would permit such
communication.
On May 13, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a letter addressed to the Board to provide additional information with respect to certain open issues in the draft merger agreement.
The letter confirmed Riverstone’s concession of reducing the minimum liquidity closing condition from $500 million to $350
million, and that $250 million of this amount would be provided by the committed debt financing obtained by Riverstone. The letter
also stated that Riverstone was willing to provide a fund-level guarantee of payment of the reverse termination fee from its largest
private equity fund, which had sufficient undrawn committed capital to pay the reverse termination fee in the event of, among
other things, a financing failure.
On May 15, 2016, representatives of
Kirkland had a conference call with representatives of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, legal advisor to Party A,
to discuss the process outlined in the Company’s April 19 process letter and preliminary feedback on the draft merger agreement.
On May 16, 2016, the Disinterested Directors
held a telephonic meeting to discuss the status of the transaction process. Management provided a liquidity overview of the Company
and expressed its belief that Riverstone’s most recent proposed condition requiring a minimum liquidity amount at closing
of $350 million, together with the debt financing to be provided pursuant to Riverstone’s committed financing sources, implied
sufficient closing certainty and an acceptable level of risk, and further indicated its belief that Riverstone was not prepared
to consummate a transaction without such a condition. The Disinterested Directors discussed certain other points in the Riverstone
draft of the merger agreement, including the closing condition tied to approval by non-Riverstone stockholders, amounts of the
termination fees, Riverstone’s support of a superior proposal recommended by the Board (again observing that this had become
less important in light of press reports regarding the transaction) and related matters. The Company’s advisors next indicated
that they had been informed that Riverstone and Party A had spoken on May 12 as previously consented to by the Company, and that
Riverstone had indicated to Party A that it was not interested in selling the Sponsor Entities’ stake in the Company in
an acquisition by Party A or otherwise supporting Party A in a transaction. The Disinterested Directors also noted that, notwithstanding
the Company’s request in the April 19, 2016 process letter, Party A had not provided a markup of the proposed merger agreement,
although it had orally indicated to representatives of Citi and Kirkland that it remained interested in a transaction near the
top end of its previously communicated range of $13.50 to $14.00 per Share. Citi provided the Disinterested Directors a general
market update, including an overview of the Company’s Share price performance. Representatives of Kirkland reviewed with
the Disinterested Directors their fiduciary duties, both generally and in the event of a potential M&A transaction.
On May 23, 2016, the Disinterested Directors
held an in-person meeting to review the status of the Riverstone and Party A proposals in light of the Company’s request
in its process letters for final bids on May 20. Representatives of the Company’s management first presented updated forecasts
with respect to the Company’s long-range plan, which we refer to as the May Forecasts. The May Forecasts were prepared for
purposes of assisting the Disinterested Directors in evaluating potential strategic initiatives for the Company with the assistance
of the Company’s management and advisors and in light of the passage of time since the December Business Plan. The Disinterested
Directors also considered certain strategic initiatives and potential acquisition opportunities in the market and associated potential
valuation enhancement estimates. Citi provided an overview of the premiums implied by Riverstone’s and Party A’s proposals
and an
updated preliminary financial analysis taking into account
the May Forecasts. Representatives of Kirkland discussed the status of the Riverstone draft of the merger agreement, and noted
that the same points discussed with the Disinterested Directors at the May 16 meeting remained open, including the closing condition
tied to approval by non-Riverstone stockholders. Representatives of Kirkland also reviewed for the Disinterested Directors their
fiduciary duties, both generally and in the event of a potential M&A transaction. After discussion, the Disinterested Directors
determined that, in light of the factors discussed, Riverstone’s proposed price of $13.00 per Share undervalued the Company.
The Disinterested Directors requested that Mr. Graham communicate to Riverstone that its proposed price was insufficient and that
the current draft of the merger agreement was also not acceptable to the Company, but that the Company remained open to an improved
proposal. The Disinterested Directors also agreed that because Party A had not yet made a definitive proposal or provided a contract
markup, no response to Party A was warranted at that time.
On May 24, 2016, PJM Interconnection,
L.L.C. released the results of the 2019/2020 planning year capacity auction, which we refer to as the PJM Auction, which were
materially lower than industry and research analysts’ expectations and the assumptions underlying the Company’s long-term
business plan for the affected years.
On May 26, 2016, Riverstone delivered
a letter to the Company, and Wachtell delivered a revised draft of the merger agreement to Kirkland. In its May 26 letter, Riverstone
stated that it remained prepared to pursue a transaction at a price of $13.00 per Share notwithstanding the negative results of
the PJM Auction. In its revised draft merger agreement, Riverstone agreed to condition the transaction on the approval by a majority
vote of the non-Riverstone stockholders and also agreed to the termination fee amounts previously proposed by the Company, but
did not commit to support a superior proposal recommended by the Board.
On May 27, 2016, in accordance with
the directives of the Disinterested Directors, representatives of Kirkland and Citi separately had conference calls with representatives
of Party A to discuss the status of its indication of interest. Representatives of Party A communicated that Party A remained
interested in a transaction consistent with its initial proposal and believed it would still be close to a purchase price of $14.00
per Share, but that it would not proceed without Riverstone’s decision as a stockholder to support a transaction. Representatives
of Kirkland and Citi encouraged Party A to submit a definitive proposal to the Disinterested Directors if Party A desired to pursue
a transaction.
On May 28, 2016, the Disinterested Directors
held a telephonic meeting to discuss Riverstone’s May 26 letter in light of the impact of the PJM Auction results on the
Company and its future standalone prospects. Representatives of the Company’s management provided an overview of the results
of the PJM Auction and discussed their impact on the May Forecasts. The Disinterested Directors discussed the revised projections
and the impact of the PJM auction results, including underlying assumptions, sensitivities and uncertainties. Citi then reviewed
for the Disinterested Directors the effect of the PJM Auction results, taking into account management’s assessment of their
impact on the May Forecasts, on Citi’s preliminary financial analysis. Representatives of Kirkland provided an overview
of the material terms in the revised draft merger agreement, noting the concessions made by Riverstone in agreeing to the non-Riverstone
stockholder approval condition and the termination fee amounts, but also indicating that there remained key open issues, including
with respect to Riverstone’s proposed restrictions
on the Company’s ordinary course operations during
the pre-closing period with respect to liquidity management, marketing and trading activities and employee matters. Representatives
of Kirkland and Citi also noted for the Disinterested Directors Riverstone’s position that it would not agree to support
a superior proposal recommended by the Board. The Disinterested Directors noted that, as previously discussed, this request had
become less important in light of the expectation that any interested party would likely approach the Company following the SparkSpread
report, as was the case with Party B. Representatives of Citi then provided an update on Party A, noting that Party A had not
submitted a merger agreement markup or secured financing and had not pursued its prior proposal. After discussion, the Disinterested
Directors determined that, in light of the factors discussed and notwithstanding the PJM Auction results, Riverstone’s proposed
purchase price of $13.00 per Share remained insufficient and that the draft merger agreement proposed by Riverstone was not acceptable,
but that a purchase price of $14.00 per Share would be acceptable if coupled with an acceptable contract. The Disinterested Directors
asked Mr. Graham to communicate this conclusion to Riverstone, and instructed Kirkland to send to Wachtell and V&E a markup
of the draft merger agreement reflecting the terms the Company would consider acceptable.
Following the meeting of the Disinterested
Directors, on May 28, 2016, Mr. Graham had a telephone conversation with representatives of Riverstone to communicate the Disinterested
Directors’ determination and that the Company was not prepared to enter into a transaction at a price below $14.00 per Share.
On May 29, 2016, Kirkland delivered
a revised draft of the merger agreement to Wachtell and V&E.
On May 30, 2016, representatives of
Riverstone conveyed to Mr. Graham through a call and simultaneous email communication that Riverstone may be prepared to increase
its price to $14.00 per Share, but that certain issues remained open in the draft merger agreement and that Riverstone expected
the terms of the merger agreement to be closer to those last proposed by Riverstone. Mr. Graham and Mr. Hoffman agreed that the
most advisable course of action for all parties was to meet in person to assess whether a mutually acceptable form of merger agreement
could be negotiated.
On May 30, 2016, representatives of
the Company’s management updated the Disinterested Directors in an email communication with respect to developments since
the last meeting, including that Kirkland had delivered a revised merger agreement to Wachtell and V&E, Riverstone’s
preliminary response on price and to the merger agreement, and that an in-person meeting was scheduled for May 31.
On May 31, 2016, Mr. Graham, representatives
of the Company’s management, Kirkland, Citi, Riverstone, Wachtell, V&E and Goldman held an in-person meeting to negotiate
open points in the draft merger agreement, including matters related to the appropriate minimum liquidity closing condition, regulatory
approvals and operations during the pre-closing period with respect to liquidity management, marketing and trading activities
and employee matters. At the conclusion of the meeting, Riverstone confirmed the deal price of $14.00 per Share. Over the next
two days, the parties continued to negotiate the terms of the proposed merger agreement, support agreement and limited guarantee
and exchanged drafts of such agreements. On June 2, 2016, the parties finalized the transaction documents.
On June 2, 2016, the Disinterested
Directors held a telephonic meeting to discuss the outcome of negotiations with Riverstone and the terms of the proposed
transaction. Representatives of Kirkland reviewed with the Disinterested Directors their fiduciary duties, including in
connection with the consideration of the proposed transaction with Riverstone and provided an overview of the Disinterested
Directors’ process in reviewing the Riverstone proposal and alternative options. Representatives of Kirkland described,
and the Disinterested Directors discussed, the terms of the final merger agreement, support agreement and limited guarantee.
Citi reviewed its financial analysis of the Merger Consideration and rendered an oral opinion, confirmed by delivery of a
written opinion dated June 2, 2016, to the Disinterested Directors to the effect that, as of such date and based on and
subject to the various assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and qualifications and limitations on the
review undertaken described in such opinion, the Merger Consideration to be received by holders of the Shares (other than the
Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates) pursuant to the Merger Agreement was fair, from a financial point of
view, to such holders. Following discussion, and after considering the foregoing and the factors described under
“
Special Factors—Recommendation of the Board; Fairness of the Merger
,” the Disinterested Directors unanimously adopted resolutions (i) determining that the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement were fair, advisable and in the best interests of the Company and the unaffiliated stockholders, (ii)
approving the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and (iii)
resolving to recommend that the holders of the Shares adopt the Merger Agreement, and direct that the Merger Agreement be
submitted to the holders of Shares for their adoption.
In the evening on June 2, 2016, the
Company, Parent and Merger Sub executed the Merger Agreement. On June 3, 2016, the Company and Riverstone issued a joint press
release announcing the execution of the Merger Agreement. Contemporaneously with the execution of the Merger Agreement, the Sponsor
Entities and the Company executed the Support Agreement and Parent and Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund V (FT), L.P. entered
into the Guarantee.
Subsequent Events
Under the terms of the Merger Agreement,
the Company and its advisors are permitted to actively solicit and negotiate Alternative Proposals from third parties during a
“go-shop” period that began on June 3, 2016 and expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on July 12, 2016. See “
The
Merger Agreement—Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals.
” During the “go-shop” period, Citi, under
the direction of the Disinterested Directors, has undertaken a broad solicitation effort, contacting multiple potential acquirors.
Following the go-shop period, the Company
will be subject to customary “non-solicitation” provisions that, subject to limited exceptions, prohibit it from soliciting,
encouraging, discussing or negotiating Alternative Proposals from third parties or providing non-public information to third parties.
See “
The Merger Agreement—Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals.
”
Recommendation of the Board;
Fairness of the Merger
At its meeting on June 2, 2016,
the Disinterested Directors (including a majority of the Company’s directors who are not employees of the Company)
unanimously (i) determined that the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement are fair, advisable and in the best interests of the Company and the unaffiliated stockholders, (ii) approved the
Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and (iii) resolved to recommend
that the holders of the Shares adopt the Merger Agreement and directed that the Merger Agreement be submitted to the holders
of Shares for their adoption. The Disinterested Directors believe that the Merger is fair to the Company’s
“unaffiliated security holders”, as defined under Rule 13e-3 of the Exchange Act.
In evaluating the Merger, the
Disinterested Directors consulted with the Company’s management team, as well as the Company’s legal and
financial advisors, and considered the following potentially positive factors, which are not intended to be exhaustive and
are not presented in any relative order of importance:
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the Merger Consideration
of $14.00 per Share represented a premium of 56% over the closing price of the Shares
on March 31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of
the Company and a premium of 85% over the closing price of the Shares on December 2,
2015, the day on which the acquisition proposal was first communicated to Mr. Graham,
the chairman of the Board;
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the current and
historical market prices of the Company’s common stock, including those set forth
in the table under “
Other Important Information Regarding the Company—Market
Price of Common Stock and Dividends
,” taking into account the market performance
of the Company’s common stock relative to the common stock of other participants
in the industry in which the Company operates and general market indices, and the fact
that the trading price of the Company’s common stock had declined since the initial
public offering of the Company, which decline the Disinterested Directors believed reflected
increasing uncertainty as to the prospects for the power generation industry in general
and specific challenges faced by the Company;
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information with
respect to the Company’s business, operations, financial condition, earnings and
prospects, the Company’s long-range plans, and the risk in achieving those prospects
and plans, as well as industry, economic and market conditions and trends, including
the Disinterested Director’s evaluation of the Company’s exposure to commodity
and energy price changes, the impact on the Company of general, macro-economic developments
and other risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company’s public filings with
the SEC as evidenced by the results of the PJM Auction;
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Riverstone’s
representation to the Company that the $14.00 per Share Merger Consideration was its
best offer, that such offer represented a premium of approximately 27% over Riverstone’s
initial proposal of $11.00 per Share and a premium of approximately 8% over Riverstone’s
proposal of $13.00 per Share prior to the negative results of the PJM Auction, and the
conclusion reached by the Disinterested Directors, after discussions with the Company’s
management and advisors and negotiations with Riverstone, that the per Share
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Merger Consideration of $14.00
was likely the highest price per Share that Riverstone was willing to pay and that the combination of Riverstone’s agreement
to pay that price and the “go-shop” process (as more fully described under “
The Merger Agreement
”)
would likely result in a sale of the Company at the highest price per Share that was reasonably attainable;
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the Disinterested
Director’s belief that the $14.00 per Share Merger Consideration at least equaled
the highest proposal received by the Company, including the top of the indicative purchase
price range proposed by Party A prior to the PJM Auction results, the only other proposal
received by the Company;
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that the per Share
Merger Consideration consists solely of cash, providing the Company’s stockholders
with certainty of value and liquidity;
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the knowledge that
the Company’s valuation, measured as a multiple of enterprise value to earnings
before income, taxes, depreciation and amortization (the principal valuation metric for
the competitive power generation sector), has historically traded at a discount relative
to other participants in the independent power producer sector in which the Company operates;
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that, although
SparkSpread had reported on April 1, 2016 that the Company was a potential target for
a leveraged buyout and the Board had received interest from multiple potential bidders,
including Party B, no potential acquiror other than Riverstone and Party A made a proposal
to acquire the Company before the Merger Agreement was executed on June 2, 2016, and
the Disinterested Directors’ belief that potential acquirors would have approached
the Company after the SparkSpread report and that interested third parties would still
have the opportunity to make a proposal during and after the “go-shop” period
(as more fully described under “
The Merger Agreement
”);
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the financial and
other terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated
thereby, including the Merger, resulting from extensive negotiations conducted at the
direction of the Disinterested Directors, with the assistance of experienced legal and
financial advisors, during a process that resulted in, among other things, an approximately
27% increase in the Merger Consideration from Riverstone’s initial proposal from
Riverstone of $11.00 per Share on December 11, 2015 to its final offer of $14.00 per
Share;
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the strategic review
and discussion undertaken by the Disinterested Directors with the assistance of the Company’s
management and advisors, which involved the evaluation of multiple options, including
the Company’s standalone business plan, potential value enhancement opportunities,
and a review of potentially available acquisition targets in the market, the consideration
by the Disinterested Directors of multiple potential acquirors, negotiation with certain
of such acquirors, the fact that Party A did not make any definitive proposal and Party
B did not make any indicative proposal (the foregoing, as more fully described under “
Special Factors—Background of the Merger
”), together
supporting the Disinterested Directors’ belief that the Merger Agreement and the
transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, were more favorable to the Company
and the unaffiliated stockholders, when compared with other strategic initiatives reasonably
available to the Company;
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the financial presentation and opinion of Citi, dated June 2, 2016, to the
Disinterested Directors as to the fairness, from a financial point of view and as of
the date of the opinion, of the Merger Consideration to be received by holders of
Shares (other than the Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates) pursuant to the Merger Agreement, which
opinion was based on and subject to the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters
considered and limitations and qualifications on the review undertaken (as more fully
described under “
Special Factors—Opinion of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
”);
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the likelihood
of the Merger being completed, based on, among other matters:
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Parent
having obtained committed debt financing in connection with the transaction, the reputation
of the financing sources and the obligation of Parent to use reasonable best efforts
to obtain the debt financing;
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the
absence of a financing condition in the Merger Agreement;
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the
Company’s ability, under circumstances specified in the Merger Agreement, to seek
specific performance of Parent’s obligation to cause the Merger to occur;
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the
requirement that, in the event of a failure of the Merger to be consummated under certain
circumstances, Parent pay the Company a termination fee of $85 million, and the commitment
with respect to such payment obligation by Riverstone (as more fully described under
“
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination Fees
”);
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the
requirement that Parent use reasonable best efforts to obtain the regulatory approvals
required to consummate the Merger, including effecting divestitures and providing additional
financial support from the Company and its subsidiaries, unless such action would have
certain burdensome consequences specified in the Merger Agreement; and
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the
likelihood and anticipated timing of completing the proposed Merger in light of the scope
of the conditions to completion, including that there were no anticipated substantive
issues expected in connection with the required regulatory approvals;
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the
likelihood of satisfaction of the condition requiring the Company to have available liquidity
(unrestricted cash and unutilized Credit Facility capacity) of at least $350 million
at the consummation of the Merger;
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the terms and conditions
of the Merger Agreement, including:
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the
Company’s right to solicit offers with respect to alternative acquisition proposals
during a 40-day “go-shop” period and to continue discussions with certain
”excluded parties” that make acquisition proposals during the go-shop period
for an additional 20-day period;
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the
Company’s right, from the end of the “go-shop” period and prior to
the time the Company’s stockholders approve the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement,
subject to certain conditions and requirements, to consider and respond to unsolicited
acquisition proposals or engage in discussions or negotiations with third parties making
such
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acquisition proposal and to terminate the Merger
Agreement to accept a “superior proposal”, and pay Parent a termination fee of $50 million, or $25 million if the
termination is in connection with the Company’s entry into a definitive agreement with an “excluded party” (as
more fully described under “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination Fees
”);
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the
belief of the Disinterested Directors that the Company’s termination fees were
reasonable in light of, among other matters, the benefit of the Merger to the Company’s
stockholders, the size of such termination fees in similar transactions and the enterprise
value of the Company;
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the
terms of the Merger Agreement providing the Company sufficient operating flexibility
to conduct its business in the ordinary course until the earlier of the consummation
of the Merger or the termination of the Merger Agreement;
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the
ability of the Company to seek specific performance to prevent certain breaches of the
Merger Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub;
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that the Sponsor
Entities agreed in the Support Agreement to vote their Shares in favor of, and take certain
other actions in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement,
including the Merger (as more fully described under “
Support Agreement
”);
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the Guarantee,
provided by an affiliate of Riverstone, guaranteeing Parent’s obligations under
the Merger Agreement with respect to payment of the Parent termination fee and certain
reimbursement obligations;
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the Disinterested
Directors’ belief that they were fully informed about the extent to which the interests
of Riverstone in the Merger differ from those of the Company’s other stockholders;
and
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that management
did not negotiate or enter into any contracts (including as to post-closing employment)
with Riverstone or its affiliates in connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement
or during the course of the Company’s negotiations with Riverstone.
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The Disinterested Directors believe
that sufficient procedural safeguards were and are present to ensure the fairness of the Merger and to permit the Disinterested
Directors to represent effectively the interests of our unaffiliated stockholders, and in light of such procedural safeguards
the Disinterested Directors did not consider it necessary to retain an unaffiliated representative to act solely on behalf of
our unaffiliated stockholders for purposes of negotiating the terms of the Merger Agreement or preparing a report concerning the
fairness of the Merger Agreement and the Merger. These procedural safeguards include the following:
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that each of the
Disinterested Directors (representing a majority of the Board) were disinterested in
Riverstone’s proposal to acquire the Company;
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that from December
7, 2015 (the date of the first Disinterested Directors meeting following Riverstone’s
submission of a proposal for the acquisition of the Company), the members of
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the Board who were partners
or employees of Riverstone were excluded from all deliberations with respect to the negotiation, evaluation or approval of the
Merger Agreement and the Merger and the consideration of other strategic alternatives, deferring all decisions relating to the
Merger and the Company’s potential strategic alternatives to the Disinterested Directors;
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that the Disinterested
Directors, as a majority of the Board, had the power to negotiate, and terminate at any
time negotiations relating to, a potential transaction;
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that the Disinterested
Directors, other than Mr. Farr, are not officers or employees of the Company and the
Disinterested Directors (including Mr. Farr) are not representatives of Riverstone, and
are not expected to have, an economic interest in the Company or the surviving corporation
following the completion of the Merger;
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that the Disinterested
Directors received the advice and assistance of experienced legal and financial advisors;
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that, at the direction
of the Disinterested Directors, with the assistance of legal and financial advisors,
extensive negotiations occurred with Riverstone regarding the Merger Consideration, that
resulted in an increase in the Merger Consideration from $11.00 to $14.00 per Share,
and the other terms of the Merger and the Merger Agreement, including the operating covenants,
the amount of the termination fees, and the requirement that the proposal to adopt the
Merger Agreement be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of
Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting and not owned by Riverstone,
its related entities and any of their respective affiliates;
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that the Disinterested
Directors met at least 13 times during the course of approximately six months to review
potential transactions and other options, including the proposal from and negotiations
with Riverstone, the proposal from Party A, and other options (including the standalone
business plan) potentially available to the Company;
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that the consummation
of the Merger requires the affirmative vote of not only the holders of a majority of
outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, but also the holders of a
majority of Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting and not owned
by Riverstone, its related entities and any of their respective affiliates;
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the various terms
of the Merger Agreement, including that the Merger Agreement contains “go-shop”
provisions and the ability of the Company to terminate the Merger Agreement under certain
circumstances to accept a “superior proposal” (each as more fully described
under “
The Merger Agreement
”), that are intended to help ensure that
the Company’s stockholders receive the highest price per Share reasonably available;
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that the Disinterested
Directors made their evaluation of the Merger Agreement and the Merger based upon the
factors discussed in this proxy statement and with the full knowledge of the interests
of Riverstone in the Merger;
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the ability of
the Disinterested Directors, under certain circumstances, to change, qualify, withhold,
withdraw or modify their recommendation that stockholders vote to adopt the Merger Agreement;
and
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the availability
to the stockholders of the Company who do not vote in favor of the adoption of the Merger
Agreement of appraisal rights under Delaware law.
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The Disinterested Directors also considered
the following uncertainties, risks and potentially negative factors in their deliberations concerning the Merger, which are not
intended to be exhaustive and are not presented in any relative order of importance:
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that, following
the completion of the Merger, the Company will no longer exist as an independent public
company and that the consummation of the Merger and receipt of the Merger Consideration,
while providing relative certainty of value, will not allow the Company’s stockholders
to participate in potential further growth in the Company’s assets, future earnings
growth, future appreciation in value of the Shares or any future dividends after the
Merger;
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the risk that the
transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger, and the financing
for the transaction, may not be consummated in a timely manner or at all, and the consequences
thereof, including (i) the potential loss of value to the Company’s stockholders,
(ii) the potential negative impact on the operations and prospects of the Company, including
the risk of loss of key personnel, and (iii) the market’s perception of the Company’s
prospects could be adversely affected if such transactions were delayed or were not consummated;
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the possible effects
of the pendency or consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement,
including the potential for suits, actions or proceedings in respect of the Merger Agreement
or the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the risk of any loss or change
in the relationship of the Company and its subsidiaries with their respective employees,
agents, customers and other business relationships, and any possible effect on the Company’s
ability to attract and retain key employees, including that certain key members of senior
management might choose not to remain employed with the Company prior to the completion
of the Merger;
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the risks and potentially
negative factors described in “
Special Factors—Certain Effects of the Merger
” and “
Special Factors—Certain Effects on the Company
if the Merger is not Completed
,” respectively;
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that the Company’s
directors, officers and employees have expended and will expend extensive efforts attempting
to complete the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and such persons have
experienced and will experience significant distractions from their work during the pendency
of such transactions and that the Company has incurred and will incur substantial costs
in connection with such transactions, even if such transactions are not consummated;
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that the receipt
of the Merger Consideration in exchange for Shares pursuant to the Merger Agreement will
be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
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the restrictions
imposed by the Merger Agreement on the Company’s solicitation of acquisition proposals
from third parties after the “go-shop” period, and that prospective bidders
may perceive Parent’s right under the Merger Agreement to negotiate with the Company
to match the terms of any “superior proposal” prior to the Company being
able to terminate the Merger Agreement and accept a “superior proposal” to
be a deterrent to making alternative proposals;
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the possibility
that the Company may be required to pay Parent (or its designee) a termination fee of
$50 million or $25 million (as more fully described under “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination
Fees
”), under certain circumstances, including to accept a “superior
proposal”;
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that the Company’s
remedy in the event of the failure of the Merger to close as a result of a financing
failure is limited to receipt of an $85 million termination fee payable by Parent;
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that Parent and
Merger Sub are newly formed entities with essentially no assets and the Guarantee, provided
by an affiliate of Riverstone, guarantees Parent’s obligations under the Merger
Agreement only with respect to payment of the Parent termination fee and certain reimbursement
obligations, and is subject to a cap of $90 million;
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that, if the Merger
Agreement is terminated in connection with the Company’s entry into a definitive
agreement with respect to a “superior proposal”, the Sponsor Entities have
not agreed to vote their Shares in favor of such “superior proposal”;
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the understanding
that some of the Company’s directors and executive officers have other interests
in the Merger in addition to their interests as stockholders of the Company, including
the manner in which they would be affected by the Merger (as discussed under “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger
”);
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the condition to
the Merger that the Company must have liquidity and undrawn capacity of at least $350
million at the consummation of the Merger;
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the condition to
the Merger relating to the receipt of a tax opinion in connection with the transactions;
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the condition to
the Merger that no specified event of default shall have occurred or be continuing under
the Company’s revolving credit agreement immediately prior to giving effect to
the consummation of the Merger; and
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the restrictions
placed on the conduct of the Company’s business prior to the completion of the
Merger pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, which could delay or prevent the
Company from undertaking business opportunities that may arise or any other action it
would
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otherwise take with respect
to the operations of the Company absent the pending completion of the Merger.
The Disinterested Directors concluded
that the uncertainties, risks and potentially negative factors relevant to the Merger were outweighed by the potential benefits.
In the course of reaching its decision
to approve and declare advisable the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, the Disinterested
Directors did not consider the liquidation value of the Company because (i) it considered the Company to be a viable, going concern,
(ii) it believes that liquidation sales generally result in proceeds substantially less than sales of going concerns, (iii) it
considered determining a liquidation value to be impracticable given the significant execution risk involved in any breakup of
the Company and (iv) the Company will continue to operate its business following the Merger. For the foregoing reasons, the Disinterested
Directors did not consider liquidation value to be a relevant methodology. Further, the Disinterested Directors did not consider
net book value, which is an accounting concept, as a factor because it believed that net book value is not a material indicator
of the value of the Company as a going concern but rather is indicative of historical costs and because net book value does not
take into account the prospects of the Company, market conditions, trends in the industry in which the Company operates or the
business risks inherent in that industry. The Disinterested Directors did not seek to determine a pre-Merger going concern value
for the Common Stock to determine the fairness of the Merger Consideration to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders. The
Disinterested Directors believe that the trading price of the Common Stock at any given time represents the best available indicator
of the Company’s going concern value at that time so long as the trading price at that time is not impacted by speculation
regarding the likelihood of a potential transaction. The Disinterested Directors were not aware of any firm offer for a merger,
sale of all or a substantial part of the Company’s assets, or a purchase of a controlling amount of the Company securities
having been received by the Company from anyone other than a person disclosing its offer or purchase in reports filed with the
SEC in the two years preceding the signing of the Merger Agreement.
The foregoing discussion is not exhaustive,
but is intended to summarize the material information and factors considered by the Disinterested Directors in their consideration
of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger. The Disinterested Directors reached the unanimous
decision to approve the entry into the Merger Agreement and recommend its adoption by the Company’s stockholders in light
of the factors described above and other factors that each member of the Disinterested Directors believed were appropriate. In
view of the variety of factors and the quality and amount of information considered, the Disinterested Directors did not find
it practicable to and did not quantify or otherwise assign relative weights to the specific factors considered in reaching their
determinations. In addition, each individual Disinterested Director may have given different weight to different factors. The
Disinterested Directors conducted an overall review of the factors described above, including through discussions with the Company’s
management and legal and financial advisors, and considered the factors overall to be favorable to, and to support, its determinations.
It should be noted that this explanation of the reasoning of the Disinterested Directors and certain information presented in
this section is forward-looking in nature and should be read in light of the factors set forth in the section entitled “
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information
.”
Position of the Parent Group and
Riverstone as to the Fairness of the Merger
Under the SEC rules
governing “going private” transactions, each member of the Parent Group and Riverstone may be deemed to be an
affiliate of the Company that is engaged in the “going private” transaction and, therefore, are required to
express their position as to the fairness of the proposed Merger to the Company’s “unaffiliated security
holders,” as defined under Rule 13e-3 of the Exchange Act. The Parent Group and Riverstone are making the statements
included in this section solely for the purpose of complying with the requirements of Rule 13e-3 and related rules under the
Exchange Act.
The Parent Group and Riverstone
believe that the Merger (which is the Rule 13e-3 transaction for which a Schedule 13E-3 Transaction Statement will be filed
with the SEC) is fair to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders on the basis of the factors described in
“
Special Factors—Purpose and Reasons of the Parent Group and Riverstone for the Merger
” and the
additional factors described below.
Neither
the Parent Group nor Riverstone participated in the deliberations of the Disinterested Directors regarding, or received advice
from the Company’s legal or financial advisors as to, the fairness of the proposed Merger. Neither the Parent Group nor
Riverstone has performed, or engaged a financial advisor to perform, any valuation or other analysis for the purpose of assessing
the fairness of the Merger to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders. Based on the knowledge and analysis by the Parent
Group and Riverstone of available information regarding the Company, as well as discussions with members of the Company’s
senior management regarding the Company and its business and the factors considered by, and the analysis and resulting conclusions
of, the Board discussed in this proxy statement in “
Special Factors—Purpose and Reasons of the Company for the
Merger
,” the Parent Group and Riverstone believe that the Merger is substantively and procedurally fair to the Company’s
unaffiliated stockholders. In particular, the Parent Group and Riverstone believe that the proposed Merger is both procedurally
and substantively fair to the unaffiliated stockholders of the Company based on their consideration of the following factors,
among others,
which are not presented in any relative order of importance:
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that the Merger
Consideration represents a premium of 56% above the closing price of the Shares on March
31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of the
Company, and a premium of 101% over the volume-weighted average price of the Shares during
the 60 calendar days that ended on March 31, 2016;
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that the Merger
Consideration is all cash, which provides certainty of value and liquidity to the unaffiliated
stockholders;
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that consummation
of the Merger will allow the unaffiliated stockholders not to be exposed to risks and
uncertainties relating to the prospects of the Company following completion of the Merger;
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that the Merger
Consideration resulted from lengthy negotiations between the Disinterested Directors
and Riverstone both before and after the Company attempted
to institute a competitive bidding process involving Party A;
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that the Merger
Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby were negotiated and unanimously approved
by members of the Board (other than Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliated
with Riverstone, and accordingly recused themselves from the vote and deliberations)
and the fact that, the members of the Board who approved the Merger Agreement and transactions
contemplated thereby consisted solely of the Disinterested Directors who have no
economic interest or expectancy of an economic interest in the Parent Group, Riverstone
or their affiliates following the Merger;
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that the Merger
is conditioned on approval by a majority of Shares not owned by Riverstone, its related
entities or any of their respective affiliates, present in person or by proxy at the
Special Meeting, in addition to approval by the Company stockholders representing a majority
of outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting;
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that the Merger
Agreement provides for a 40-day post-signing Go-Shop Period, during which the Company—with
the assistance of its legal and financial advisors—may actively solicit, receive,
evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations with parties that offer Alternative
Proposals;
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that the Company
is permitted to continue discussions with certain parties that make a qualifying offer
during the Go-Shop Period for an additional 20 days following the end of the Go-Shop
Period and, subject to customary requirements included in the Merger Agreement, enter
into or recommend a transaction with a person or group that makes a Superior Proposal;
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that after
the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Merger Agreement further permits the Company to provide
information and participate in negotiations with respect to unsolicited acquisition proposals
in circumstances described in the Merger Agreement and to terminate the Merger Agreement
to accept a Superior Proposal;
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that if the
Company accepts a Superior Proposal made during the Go-Shop Period, the termination fee
that the Company is required to pay is reduced from $50 million to $25 million;
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the requirement
that in the event of a failure of the Merger to be consummated under certain circumstances,
Parent must pay the Company a Parent termination fee of $85 million without the Company
being required to establish any damages, which payment obligation is guaranteed by the
Guarantor (as defined below in “
The Merger Agreement—Guarantee
”);
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the fact that the Disinterested Directors received an opinion of Citi, dated June 2, 2016, to the Disinterested
Directors as to the fairness, from a financial point of view and as of the date of the
opinion, of the Merger Consideration to be received by holders of the Shares (other than the Riverstone Entities and their
respective affiliates) pursuant to the Merger Agreement, which
opinion was based on and subject to the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters
considered and limitations and qualifications on the review undertaken (as more fully
described under “
Special Factors—Opinion of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
”);
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that the Merger
and the Merger Agreement were unanimously approved by the Board and that the Board unanimously
determined (in each case, with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliated with
Riverstone, recused) that the Merger Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement were fair, advisable and in the best interests of
the Company and its unaffiliated stockholders; and
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that under
Delaware law, the stockholders of the Company have the right to dissent to the Merger
and to seek payment of the fair value of their Shares in accordance with the procedures
provided under Delaware law if the proposed Merger is effected.
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In their consideration of the fairness
of the proposed Merger, the Parent Group and Riverstone did not find it practicable to, and did not, appraise the assets of the
Company to determine the liquidation value for the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders (i) because of the impracticability
of determining a liquidation value given the significant execution risk involved in any breakup, (ii) because the Parent
Group and Riverstone considered the Company
to be a viable going concern and (iii) because the Company will continue to operate its business following the Merger. The Parent
Group and Riverstone did not consider net book value, which is an accounting concept, for purposes of determining the fairness
of the per Share Merger Consideration to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders because, in the Parent Group’s and
Riverstone’s view, net book value is neither indicative of the Company’s market value nor its value as a going concern,
but rather is an indicator of historical costs. The Parent Group and Riverstone did not seek to establish a pre-Merger going concern
value for the Company’s Shares to determine the fairness of the Merger Consideration to the Company’s unaffiliated
stockholders because following the Merger, the Company will have a different capital structure, cost profile and operating strategy,
among other things. However, to the extent that the closing price for the Company’s Shares on the NYSE on March 31, 2016—the
last trading day before first public reports of a potential sale of the Company—represented the per Share going concern
value of the Company, the Merger Consideration represented a premium of approximately 56% to the going concern value of the Company.
The foregoing discussion of the information
and factors considered and weight given by the Parent Group and Riverstone in connection with their evaluation of the fairness
to the Company’s unaffiliated stockholders of the Merger is not intended to be exhaustive but is believed to include all
material factors considered. The Parent Group and Riverstone did not find it practicable to assign, nor did they assign, relative
weight to the individual factors considered in reaching their conclusions as to fairness. The Parent Group and Riverstone believe
that these factors provide a reasonable basis for their belief that the proposed Merger is fair to the Company’s unaffiliated
stockholders. This belief should not, however, be construed as a recommendation to any of the Company’s stockholders to
approve the Merger Agreement. Parent Group and Riverstone do not make any recommendation as to how stockholders of the Company
should vote their Shares on the Merger Agreement Proposal.
Opinion of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
The Company has engaged Citi as its
financial advisor in connection with the proposed Merger. In connection with this engagement, the Company requested that Citi
evaluate the fairness, from a financial point of view, of the Merger Consideration to be received by holders of the Shares (other
than the Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates) pursuant to the Merger Agreement. On June 2, 2016, at a meeting
of the Disinterested Directors held to evaluate the Merger, Citi rendered an oral opinion, confirmed by delivery of a written
opinion dated June 2, 2016, to the Disinterested Directors to the effect that, as of that date and based on and subject to various
assumptions made, procedures followed, matters considered and limitations and qualifications described in its opinion, the Merger
Consideration to be received by holders of the Shares (other than the Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates) pursuant
to the Merger Agreement was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.
The full text of Citi’s written
opinion, dated June 2, 2016, to the Disinterested Directors, which describes the assumptions made, procedures followed, matters
considered and limitations and qualifications on the review undertaken, is attached as Annex C
to this proxy statement and should be read carefully in its entirety.
The description of Citi’s opinion set
forth below is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of Citi’s opinion.
Citi’s financial advisory
services and opinion were provided for the information of the Disinterested Directors (in their capacity as such) in connection
with their evaluation of the Merger Consideration from a financial point of view and did not address any other terms, aspects
or implications of the Merger. Citi expressed no view as to, and its opinion did not address, the underlying business decision
of the Company to effect or enter into the Merger, the relative merits of the Merger as compared to any alternative business strategies
that might exist for the Company or the effect of any other transaction in which the Company might engage or consider. Citi’s
opinion is not intended to be and does not constitute a recommendation to any stockholder as to how such stockholder should vote
or act on any matters relating to the proposed Merger or otherwise.
In arriving at its opinion, Citi:
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reviewed
a draft, dated June 2, 2016, of the Merger Agreement;
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held discussions
with certain senior officers, directors and other representatives and advisors of the
Company concerning the businesses, operations and prospects of the Company;
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reviewed
certain publicly available and other business and financial information relating to the
Company, including certain internal financial forecasts and other information and data
relating to the Company provided to or discussed with Citi by the Company’s management;
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reviewed
the financial terms of the Merger as set forth in the Merger Agreement in relation to,
among other things, current and historical market prices of the Shares, the historical
and projected earnings and other operating data of the Company, and the capitalization
and financial condition of the Company;
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analyzed
certain financial, stock market and other publicly available information relating to
the businesses of other companies whose operations Citi considered relevant in evaluating
those of the Company;
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considered,
to the extent publicly available, the financial terms of certain other transactions which
Citi considered relevant in evaluating the Merger; and
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conducted
such other analyses and examinations and considered such other information and financial,
economic and market criteria as Citi deemed appropriate in arriving at its opinion.
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In rendering its opinion, Citi assumed
and relied, without independent verification, upon the accuracy and completeness of all financial and other information and data
publicly available or provided to or otherwise reviewed by or discussed with Citi and upon the assurances of the management and
other representatives of the Company that they were not aware of any relevant information that was omitted or that remained undisclosed
to Citi. With respect to financial forecasts and other information and data relating to the Company that Citi was directed to
utilize in its analyses, Citi was advised by the Company’s management, and Citi assumed, with the Company’s consent,
that such financial forecasts and other information and data were reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available
estimates and judgments of the Company’s management as to the future financial performance of the Company and the other
matters covered thereby.
Citi relied, at the Company’s
direction, upon the assessments of the Company’s management as to, among other things, (i) matters relating to the separation
of Talen Energy Holdings, Inc., the former parent company of the Company, which we refer to as Holdco, and Talen Energy Supply,
from PPL Corporation, which we refer to as PPL, consummated in 2015, which we refer to as the “separation,” and certain
tax indemnities, opinions and other arrangements contemplated in connection with the separation, (ii) the potential impact on
the Company of certain market, competitive, cyclical and other trends and developments in and prospects for, and governmental,
regulatory and legislative matters relating to or otherwise affecting, the merchant power generation industry, including assumptions
of the Company’s management as to, among other things, future commodity, capacity markets, wholesale and retail energy prices,
operational, maintenance and production costs, transmission capacity and demand for energy commodities reflected in the financial
forecasts and other information and data utilized in Citi’s analyses or otherwise relevant for purposes of Citi’s
opinion, which are subject to significant volatility and which, if different than as assumed, could have a material impact on
Citi’s analyses and opinion and (iii) existing and future commercial relationships, agreements and arrangements of the Company.
Citi assumed, with the Company’s consent, that there would be no developments with respect to any such matters that would
have an adverse effect on the Company or the Merger or that otherwise would be meaningful in any respect to Citi’s analyses
or opinion.
Citi did not make and was not provided
with an independent evaluation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities (contingent, off-balance sheet, derivative or otherwise)
of the Company or any other entity and Citi did not make any physical inspection of the properties or assets of the Company or
any other entity. Citi assumed, with the Company’s consent, that the Merger would be consummated in accordance with its
terms and in compliance with all applicable laws, documents and other requirements, without waiver, modification or amendment
of any material term, condition or agreement and that, in the course of obtaining the necessary governmental, regulatory or third
party approvals, consents, releases, waivers and agreements for the Merger, no delay, limitation, restriction or condition, including
any divestiture requirements, amendments or modifications, would be imposed or occur that would have an adverse effect on the
Company or the Merger or that otherwise would be meaningful in any respect to Citi’s analyses or opinion. Representatives
of the Company advised Citi, and Citi also assumed, that the final terms of the Merger Agreement would not vary materially from
those set forth in the draft Citi reviewed. Citi did not express any view or opinion as to the prices at which the Shares (or
any other securities of or relating to the Company) may trade or otherwise be transferable at any time. Citi also did not express
any view or opinion with respect to any tax (including, without limitation, tax consequences resulting from the separation, the
Merger or otherwise), accounting, regulatory, legal or similar matters and Citi relied, with the Company’s consent, upon
the assessments of representatives of the Company as to such matters. In connection with Citi’s engagement, Citi was not
requested to, and Citi did not, undertake a third-party solicitation process on behalf of the Company; however, Citi held discussions
on behalf of the Company with certain third parties that had made inbound inquiries regarding a possible acquisition of the Company
and Citi has been requested, following public announcement of the Merger, to undertake on
behalf of the Company a go-shop process, as contemplated
by the provisions of the Merger Agreement and subject to certain limitations, to solicit third-party indications of interest in
the acquisition of the Company.
Citi’s opinion addressed only
the fairness, from a financial point of view and as of the date of the opinion, of the Merger Consideration (to the extent expressly
specified in the opinion) to the holders of the Shares other than Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates. Citi’s
opinion did not address any other terms, aspects or implications of the Merger, including, without limitation, the form or structure
of the Merger, any guarantee, support agreement or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding to be entered into in connection
with or contemplated by the Merger or otherwise. Citi expressed no view as to, and its opinion did not address, the fairness (financial
or otherwise) of the amount or nature or any other aspect of any compensation or other payments to any officers, directors or
employees of any parties to the Merger, or any class of such persons, relative to the Merger Consideration or otherwise. Citi’s
opinion was necessarily based upon information available, and financial, stock market and other conditions and circumstances existing
and disclosed, to Citi as of the date of its opinion. Although subsequent developments may affect Citi’s opinion, Citi has
no obligation to update, revise or reaffirm its opinion. As the Disinterested Directors were aware, the credit, financial and
stock markets, and the industries in which the Company operates, have experienced and continue to experience volatility and Citi
expressed no opinion or view as to any potential effects of such volatility on the Company or the Merger. The issuance of Citi’s
opinion was authorized by Citi’s fairness opinion committee.
In preparing its opinion, Citi performed
a variety of financial and comparative analyses, including those described below. The summary of the analyses below is not a complete
description of Citi’s opinion or the analyses underlying, and factors considered in connection with, Citi’s opinion.
The preparation of a financial opinion is a complex analytical process involving various determinations as to the most appropriate
and relevant methods of financial analysis and the application of those methods to the particular circumstances and, therefore,
a financial opinion is not readily susceptible to summary description. Citi arrived at its ultimate opinion based on the results
of all analyses undertaken by it and factors assessed as a whole, and it did not draw, in isolation, conclusions from or with
regard to any one factor or method of analysis. Accordingly, Citi believes that the analyses must be considered as a whole and
that selecting portions of its analyses and factors or focusing on information presented in tabular format, without considering
all analyses and factors or the narrative description of the analyses, could create a misleading or incomplete view of the processes
underlying such analyses and its opinion.
In its analyses, Citi considered industry
performance, general business, economic, market and financial conditions and other matters existing as of the date of its opinion,
many of which are beyond the control of the Company. No company, business
or transaction reviewed is identical or directly
comparable to the Company, its businesses or the Merger and an evaluation of these analyses is not entirely mathematical; rather,
the analyses involve complex considerations and judgments concerning financial and operating characteristics or other factors
that could affect the public trading, acquisition or other values of the companies, business segments or transactions reviewed
and may not necessarily reflect all companies or business segments, transactions or other information deemed relevant for purposes
of Citi’s analyses.
The estimates contained in Citi’s
analyses and the valuation ranges resulting from any particular analysis are not necessarily indicative of actual values or predictive
of future results or values, which may be significantly more or less favorable than those suggested by such analyses. In addition,
analyses relating to the value of businesses or securities do not purport to be appraisals or to reflect the prices at which businesses
or securities actually may be sold or acquired. Accordingly, the estimates used in, and the results derived from, Citi’s
analyses are inherently subject to substantial uncertainty.
Citi was not requested to, and it did
not, recommend or determine the specific consideration payable in the Merger. The type and amount of consideration payable in
the Merger were determined
through negotiations between the Company and Riverstone
and the decision to enter into the Merger Agreement was solely that of the Disinterested Directors. Citi’s opinion was only
one of many factors considered by the Disinterested Directors in their evaluation of the Merger and should not be viewed as determinative
of the views of such directors or the Company’s management with respect to the Merger or the Merger Consideration.
The following is a summary of the material
financial analyses presented to the Disinterested Directors in connection with Citi’s opinion, dated June 2, 2016.
The
summary set forth below does not purport to be a complete description of the financial analyses performed by, and underlying the
opinion of, Citi, nor does the order of the financial analyses described represent the relative importance or weight given to
those financial analyses by Citi. Certain financial analyses summarized below include information presented in tabular format.
In order to fully understand the financial analyses, the tables must be read together with the text of each summary as the tables
alone do not constitute a complete description of the financial analyses. Considering the data in the tables below without considering
the full narrative description of the financial analyses, including the methodologies and assumptions underlying the financial
analyses, could create a misleading or incomplete view of such financial analyses. None of the Company, Riverstone, Citi or any
other person assumes responsibility if future results are different from those described, whether or not any such difference is
material.
For purposes of the financial analyses described below, (i) the term “adjusted EBITDA” means net income
(loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, which we refer to as “EBITDA,” adjusted for certain
non-cash and other items that the Company’s management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations, including, but
not limited to, unrealized gains and losses on derivative contracts, stock-based compensation expense, asset retirement obligation
accretion, gains and losses on securities in the nuclear decommissioning trust fund, impairments, gains or losses on sales, dispositions
or retirements of assets, debt extinguishments, and transition, transaction and restructuring costs, (ii) the term “adjusted
free cash flow” means cash from operations less capital expenditures, excluding growth-related capital expenditures, adjusted
for changes in counterparty collateral and further adjusted for after-tax transaction and restructuring costs, and certain other
after-tax cash items that the Company’s management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations, (iii) other than in
the case of the selected public companies analysis in respect of free cash flow yield, the Company’s total debt was adjusted
for the Company’s cash, pro forma for certain assets sold in 2016, and (iv) in the case of the discounted cash flow analysis
described below, unlevered cash taxes were based on a specified tax rate and taxes as provided by the Company’s management,
and included the benefits expected by the Company’s management to result from the utilization of the Company’s net
operating losses and bonus depreciation during the five-year period ending December 31, 2020.
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation
The financial presentation provided
to the Disinterested Directors in connection with Citi’s opinion, dated June 2, 2016, to such directors, which we refer
to as the June 2, 2016 financial presentation, included the following material financial analyses:
Discounted Cash Flow Analysis
.
Citi performed a discounted cash flow analysis of the Company by calculating the estimated present value (as of March 31, 2016)
of the unlevered free cash flows that the Company was forecasted to generate during the last three quarters of the fiscal year
ending December 31, 2016 through the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2019 based on internal financial forecasts and
estimates of the Company’s management. Citi calculated the implied terminal value of the Company by applying to the Company’s
fiscal year 2020 estimated adjusted EBITDA a selected range of EBITDA multiples of 7.5x to 8.5x. The present values (as of March
31, 2016) of the Company’s cash flows and terminal values were then calculated using a selected range of discount rates
of 5.9% to 6.6%. This analysis indicated the following approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company,
as compared to the Merger Consideration:
Approximate
Implied Per Share
Equity Value Reference Range
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
$9.24 - $13.66
|
|
$14.00
|
Selected Public Companies Analysis.
Citi
performed a selected public companies analysis of the Company in which Citi reviewed certain financial and stock
market information of the following two selected companies that Citi considered relevant as publicly traded independent power
producer companies with business, financial and operating characteristics generally similar to those of the Company, which we
collectively refer to as the selected companies:
Citi reviewed, among other information,
enterprise values (calculated as fully diluted equity values based on closing stock prices on May 31, 2016 plus total debt, preferred
stock and non-controlling interests (as applicable) and less cash and cash equivalents and investments in unconsolidated affiliates
(as applicable)), as a multiple of calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA. Citi also reviewed, among other
information, calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yields.
Financial data of the selected companies were based on
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ consensus estimates and other publicly available information and, in the
case of Dynegy’s calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow
yield, was pro forma for its pending acquisition of the U.S. fossil portfolio of Engie SA. Financial data of the Company were
based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management.
The overall low to high calendar year
2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples observed for the selected companies were 7.2x to 8.8x (with a mean of 8.0x
and a median of 8.0x) and 6.6x to 8.3x (with a mean of 7.4x and a median of 7.4x), respectively. The overall low to high calendar
year 2016 estimated free cash flow yields observed for the selected companies were 14.7% to 21.0% (with a mean of 17.9% and a
median of 17.9%). Citi then applied selected ranges of calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples of
7.2x to 8.8x and 6.6x to 8.3x, respectively, derived from the selected companies to the Company’s calendar year 2017 and
calendar year 2018 estimated adjusted EBITDA, respectively. Citi also applied a selected range of calendar year 2016 estimated
free cash flow yields derived from the selected companies of 14.7% to 21.0% to the Company’s calendar year 2016 estimated
adjusted free cash flow. This analysis indicated the following approximate implied per Share equity value reference ranges for
the Company, as compared to the Merger Consideration.
Approximate
Implied Per Share Equity Value Reference Ranges Based on:
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
CY
2017E
Adjusted EBITDA
$13.31 – $21.83
|
CY
2018E
Adjusted EBITDA
$10.44 – $19.92
|
CY
2016E
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
$13.39 – $19.09
|
|
$14.00
|
Selected Precedent Transactions Analysis.
Citi performed a selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company in which Citi reviewed financial data relating to
the following 13 selected transactions that Citi considered relevant involving target companies, assets or asset portfolios with
business, financial and operating characteristics generally similar to those of the Company, which we collectively refer to as
the selected transactions:
Announcement Date
|
|
Acquiror
|
|
Target
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 25, 2016
|
|
·
Dynegy
Inc./Energy Capital Partners
|
|
·
Engie
SA (U.S. fossil portfolio)
|
December 23, 2015
|
|
·
ArcLight
Capital Partners, LLC
|
|
·
Tenaska
Capital Management, LLC (natural gas and duel-fired portfolio)
|
August 22, 2014
|
|
·
Dynegy
Inc.
|
|
·
Duke
Energy Corporation/Energy Capital Partners (Midwest generation assets)
|
October 18, 2013
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
|
·
Edison
Mission Energy
|
March 14, 2013
|
|
·
Dynegy
Inc.
|
|
·
Ameren
Corporation (merchant generation business of Ameren Energy Resources Company, LLC)
|
July 22, 2012
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
|
·
GenOn
Energy, Inc.
|
August 13, 2010
|
|
·
The
Blackstone Group L.P.
|
|
·
Dynegy
Inc.
|
April 21, 2010
|
|
·
Calpine
Corporation
|
|
·
Pepco
Holdings, Inc. (Conectiv Energy power generation assets)
|
April 11, 2010
|
|
·
Mirant
Corporation
|
|
·
RRI
Energy, Inc.
|
October 19, 2008
|
|
·
Exelon
Corporation
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
February 26, 2007
|
|
·
Investor
Group
|
|
·
TXU
Corp.
|
May 30, 2006
|
|
·
Mirant
Corporation
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
October 2, 2005
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
|
·
Texas
Genco LLC
|
Citi reviewed, among other information,
transaction values of the selected transactions, calculated as the purchase prices paid for the assets or asset portfolios or
fully diluted equity values of the target companies, as applicable, based on closing stock prices as of the announcement dates
of the relevant transactions plus total debt plus preferred stock and non-controlling interests (as applicable) and less cash
and cash equivalents and investments in unconsolidated affiliates (as applicable), as a multiple of next fiscal year estimated
EBITDA. Financial data of the selected transactions were based on public filings and other publicly available information. Financial
data of the Company were based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management.
The overall low to high next fiscal
year estimated EBITDA multiples observed for the selected transactions were 6.2x to 9.8x (with a mean of 7.7x and a median of
7.3x). Citi then applied a selected range of next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of 7.2x to 8.2x derived from the selected
transactions to the Company’s calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA. This analysis indicated the following approximate
implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company, as compared to the Merger Consideration:
Approximate
Implied Per Share
Equity Value Reference Range
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
$13.40 - $18.75
|
|
$14.00
|
Sum-of-the-Parts Selected Precedent
Transactions Analysis
. Citi performed a sum-of-the-parts selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company on an asset-by-asset
basis, categorized by power production technology, fuel type and independent system operator. In evaluating the Company’s
asset portfolio, Citi reviewed certain financial terms of the following 15 selected transactions that Citi deemed relevant as
transactions involving technologies, fuel types and/or independent system operators, consisting of three selected transactions
involving PJM-CCGT, which we refer to as the selected PJM-CCGT transactions, one selected transaction involving ERCOT-CCGT, which
we refer to as the selected ERCOT-CCGT transaction, two selected transactions involving ISO-NE-CCGT, which we refer to as the
selected ISO-NE-CCGT transactions, four selected transactions involving cogeneration, which we refer to as the selected cogeneration
transactions, four selected transactions involving peaker power plants, which we refer to as the selected peaker power transactions,
and one selected transaction involving coal, which we refer to as the selected coal transaction and, together with the selected
PJM-CCGT transactions, the selected ERCOT-CCGT transaction, the selected ISO-NE-CCGT transactions, the selected cogeneration transactions
and the selected peaker power transactions, which we collectively refer to as the selected sum-of-the-parts transactions:
Date
|
|
Acquiror
|
|
Target
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
PJM-CCGT Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November
13, 2015
|
|
·
Macquarie
Infrastructure Partners III/Siemens Financial Services
|
|
·
Clean
Energy Future (Lordstown Energy Center)
|
October
8, 2015
|
|
·
TransCanada
Corporation
|
|
·
Talen
Energy Corporation (Ironwood Power Plant)
|
February
27, 2012
|
|
·
Energy
Capital Partners
|
|
·
The
AES Corporation (AES Red Oak LLC)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
ERCOT-CCGT Transaction
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November
27, 2015
|
|
·
Luminant
|
|
·
NextEra
Energy Resources LLC (La Frontera Portfolio)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
ISO-NE-CCGT Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October
13, 2015
|
|
·
Calpine
Corporation
|
|
·
Granite
Ridge Holdings, LLC (Granite Ridge Energy Center)
|
October
8, 2015
|
|
·
Carlyle
Power Partners II L.P. and Carlyle Power Opportunities Capital Partners L.P.
|
|
·
Entergy
Corp. (Rhode Island State Energy Center)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
Cogeneration Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
12, 2014
|
|
·
First
Reserve Management, LP
|
|
·
ArcLight
Capital Partners, LLC (Redwood Portfolio)
|
May
1, 2014
|
|
·
Nevada
Power Company (d/b/a NV Energy)
|
|
·
Southwest
Generation (Las Vegas Cogeneration I and Las Vegas Cogeneration II)
|
April
8, 2013
|
|
·
NRG
Energy, Inc.
|
|
·
Atlantic
Power Corporation, John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and Rockland Capital, LLC (Gregory Power Partners)
|
January
31, 2013
|
|
·
Quantum
Utility Generation, LLC
|
|
·
Atlantic
Power Corporation (Atlantic Power Portfolio)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
Peaker Power Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November
10, 2014
|
|
·
DTE
Energy Company
|
|
·
The
LS Power Group (Renaissance Power Plant)
|
October
3, 2014
|
|
·
Wayzata
Investment Partners
|
|
·
Exelon
Corp. (West Valley)
|
November
8, 2013
|
|
·
Energy
Capital Partners
|
|
·
Richland-Stryker
Investment LLC (Richland-Stryker Generation LLC)
|
September
10, 2013
|
|
·
Tenaska
Capital Management, LLC
|
|
·
US
Power Generating Company
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected
Coal Transaction
|
|
|
|
|
August
9, 2012
|
|
·
Riverstone
Holdings LLC
|
|
·
Exelon
Corp. (Maryland Coal Portfolio)
|
Citi reviewed, among other things, transaction
values of the selected sum-of-the-parts transactions, calculated as the purchase prices paid for the target companies, assets
or portfolios, as applicable, as a multiple of the capacity of such target companies, assets or portfolios. Financial data of
the selected sum-of-the-parts transactions were based on Wall Street research analysts’ estimates and other publicly available
information. Financial data of the Company were based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management.
The overall low to high dollars per
Kilowatt multiples observed for the selected sum-of-the-parts transactions were $151 to $929, with overall low to high (as applicable)
dollars per Kilowatt multiples observed for the selected PJM-CCGT transactions, the selected ERCOT-CCGT transaction, the selected
ISO-NE-CCGT transactions, the selected cogeneration transactions, the selected peaker power transactions and the selected coal
transaction as follows:
|
·
|
selected
PJM-CCGT transactions: low to high dollars per Kilowatt multiples of $535 to $929 (with
an average of $793);
|
|
·
|
selected
ERCOT-CCGT transaction: dollars per Kilowatt multiple of $438;
|
|
·
|
selected
ISO-NE-CCGT transactions: low to high dollars per Kilowatt multiples of $671 to $840
(with an average of $756);
|
|
·
|
selected
cogeneration transactions: low to high dollars per Kilowatt multiples of $211 to $477
(with an average of $367);
|
|
·
|
selected
peaker power transactions: low to high dollars per Kilowatt multiples of $328 to $398
(with an average of $366); and
|
|
·
|
selected
coal transaction: dollars per Kilowatt multiple of $151.
|
Citi then applied multiples within a
selected range of dollars per Kilowatt of $150 to $750 to the Company’s capacity (measured by megawatts) derived from, among
other things, available information, including the selected sum-of-the-parts transactions and, in the case of nuclear assets,
a dollars per Kilowatt multiple of $500 derived from a Wall Street research analyst estimate, and other asset values derived from
the Company’s public filings and internal estimates of the Company’s management in the case of certain combined cycle
gas plant and renewable energy assets. This analysis indicated the following approximate implied per Share equity value reference
range for the Company, as compared to the Merger Consideration:
Approximate
Implied Per Share
Equity Value Reference Range
|
|
Merger
Consideration
|
$10.61 - $16.29
|
|
$14.00
|
Other Information
Citi observed certain additional information
that was not considered part of its financial analyses for its opinion but was noted for informational purposes, including the
following:
|
·
|
stock price
targets for the Shares as reflected in selected publicly available Wall Street research
analysts’ reports and other publicly available information, which indicated an
overall low to high target stock price range for the Company of $7.00 to $15.00 per Share
(with a consensus target stock price of $11.63 per Share);
|
|
·
|
historical
trading prices of the Shares during the period from June 2, 2015 through May 31, 2016,
which indicated low to high closing prices for the Shares during such period of approximately
$5.76 to $19.80 per Share;
|
|
·
|
utilizing
publicly available information and public filings, the implied premiums paid (to the
extent publicly available) in eight selected precedent all-cash U.S. mergers and acquisitions
transactions announced from February 12, 2015 to March 14, 2016 and completed within
the latest 12 months with transaction values of $1.0 billion to $2.0 billion, which indicated
(i) overall low to high implied premiums in such transactions based on the closing stock
prices of the target companies involved in such transactions one trading day prior to
announcement of such transactions of approximately 17% to 50% (with 25
th
to
75
th
percentile premiums of 30.3% to 45.9%, respectively), and (ii) after
applying a selected range of implied premiums of 30.3% to 45.9% to the closing price
of the Shares of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016 (the last trading day prior to a news
report regarding a potential sale of the Company), indicated an approximate implied per
Share equity value reference range for the Shares of $11.72 to $13.13 per Share;
|
|
·
|
based on
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ consensus estimates and other publicly
available information, the calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA
multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield for Calpine Corporation,
an independent power producer with a significant natural gas portfolio, which indicated
calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples of 8.5x and 7.9x,
respectively, and a calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield of 14.5%; and
|
|
·
|
based on
internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management and the
preliminary discounted cash flow analysis described above (assuming a discount rate of
6.3%), an illustrative sensitivities overview of the potential impact on the Company’s
approximate implied per Share equity value assuming calendar year 2020 estimated adjusted
EBITDA for the Company of $502 million to $702 million and next fiscal year estimated
EBITDA multiples of 6.0x to 9.0x, which indicated an illustrative approximate implied
per Share equity value reference range of $0.54 to $20.57 per Share.
|
Other Materials
In addition to the June 2, 2016 financial
presentation summarized above, Citi also provided preliminary discussion materials to the Disinterested Directors dated (i) December 18,
2015 (utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested Directors held on that date), which we refer to as the December
18, 2015 preliminary discussion materials, (ii) January 11, 2016 (utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested
Directors held on that date), which we refer to as the January 11, 2016 preliminary discussion materials, (iii) January 14, 2016
(utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested Directors held on that date), which we refer to as the January 14, 2016
preliminary discussion materials, (iv) April 29, 2016 (utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested Directors held
on that date), which we refer to as the April 29, 2016 preliminary discussion materials, (v) May 13, 2016 (utilized for purposes
of a meeting of the Disinterested Directors held on May 16, 2016), which we refer to as the May 13, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials, (vi) May 23, 2016 (utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested Directors held on that date), which we refer
to as the May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion materials, and (vii) May 27, 2016 (utilized for purposes of a meeting of the Disinterested
Directors held on May 28, 2016), which we refer to as the May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion materials. We refer to these preliminary
discussion materials collectively as the preliminary discussion materials.
The preliminary financial considerations
and other information in the preliminary discussion materials reflected market data as of dates proximate to such materials and
were based on financial,
economic, monetary, market and other conditions and circumstances
as in effect on, and the information made available to Citi as of, the date of such materials. Accordingly, the results of such
preliminary financial considerations and other information may have differed from the June 2, 2016 financial presentation as a
result of, among other things, changes in the Company’s internal forecasts and estimates, such financial, economic, monetary,
market and other conditions and circumstances and other information. Citi also continued to refine various aspects of such preliminary
financial considerations and other information.
None of the preliminary discussion materials
constituted an opinion of, or recommendation by, Citi with respect to a possible transaction or otherwise.
December 18, 2015 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The December 18, 2015 preliminary discussion materials referenced, for informational purposes, among other things,
(i) an overview of U.S. equity market performance from December 31, 2014 to December 15, 2015, which included comparisons of the
performance of the S&P 500 index, the S&P 500 Energy Sector and an index of independent power producers comprised of Calpine
Corporation, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and the Company and comparisons of the performance of various U.S. equity market sectors
during 2014 and 2015 (to December 15, 2015), including the energy and independent power producer sectors, (ii) the relative Share
price performance of the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation during the period June 2, 2015 to December
15, 2015, as compared to the performance of the S&P 500 index and certain commodities, and related observations, (iii) selected
Wall Street research analysts’ views as to the Company and independent power producers generally, (iv) declines, based on
public filings and other publicly available information, during the period June 2, 2015 to December 15, 2015 in the next fiscal
year estimated EBITDA multiples of the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation relative to the average
historical next fiscal year EBITDA multiple of Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation and related observations,
(v) observations regarding implications for independent power producers of changes in the methodologies used to evaluate independent
power producers, investor sentiment regarding independent power producers’ leverage and liquidity levels and commodities
exposure and supply and demand fundamentals, (vi) an overview of the credit profiles of the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy,
Inc. and Calpine Corporation, (vii) an overview of adverse changes in bond and term loan bid prices and yields during the latest
12 months ended December 15, 2015 and (vii) an overview of certain financial investors active in the merchant generation sector.
January 11, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The January 11, 2016 preliminary discussion materials primarily focused on the types of analyses summarized above
for the June 2, 2016 financial presentation, utilizing procedures that were generally consistent with those contained in the June
2, 2016 financial presentation.
The January 11, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials contained the following preliminary financial analyses:
|
·
|
a preliminary
discounted cash flow analysis of the Company, which generally used a similar methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Discounted
Cash Flow Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the estimated present
value of the unlevered free cash flows that the Company was forecasted to generate during
the fiscal years ending December 31, 2016 through December 31, 2019 based on internal
financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management was calculated as
of December 31, 2015, an implied terminal value of the Company was calculated by applying
to the Company’s fiscal year 2020 estimated adjusted EBITDA a selected range of
EBITDA multiples of 6.8x to 7.8x, and the present values (as of December 31, 2015) of
the Company’s cash flows and terminal values were calculated using a selected range
of discount rates of 6.7% to 7.3%; this preliminary analysis indicated an approximate
implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company of $7.92 to $12.67 per
Share;
|
|
·
|
a preliminary
selected public companies analysis of the Company, which generally used a similar methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Selected
Public Companies Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the observed overall
low to high calendar year 2017 estimated EBITDA multiples were 6.5x to 8.1x (with a mean
of 7.3x and a median of 7.3x) and overall low to high calendar year 2016 estimated free
cash flow yields were 23.6% to 26.2% (with a mean of 24.9% and a median of 24.9%) for
the selected companies; applying these selected ranges of calendar year 2017 estimated
EBITDA multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yields derived from
the selected companies to the Company’s calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA
and the Company’s
calendar year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash flow,
respectively, indicated approximate implied per Share equity value reference ranges for
the Company of $9.75 to $18.42 per Share (based on the Company’s calendar year
2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA) and $8.14 to $9.03 per Share (based on the Company’s
calendar year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash flow), utilizing internal estimates of
the Company’s management;
|
|
·
|
a preliminary
selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally used a similar
methodology as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Selected
Precedent Transactions Analysis
,” except that, among other things, observed
overall low to high next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples observed for the selected
transactions (other than Dynegy Inc./Energy Capital Partners acquisition of Engie SA
(U.S. fossil portfolio), which was announced on February 25, 2016) were 6.2x to 9.8x
(with a mean of 7.7x and a median of 7.4x); applying a selected range of next fiscal
year estimated EBITDA multiples of 7.2x to 8.2x derived from the selected precedent transactions
to the Company’s calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA utilizing internal
estimates of the Company’s management indicated an approximate implied per Share
equity value reference range for the Company of $13.79 to $19.35 per Share;
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|
·
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a preliminary
sum-of-the-parts selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally
used the same methodology as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial
Presentation—Sum-of-the-Parts Precedent Transactions Analysis
,” and reflected
an approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company of $10.78
to $16.65 per Share.
|
The January 11, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, among other things, (i) stock price targets for the Shares as reflected
in selected publicly available Wall Street research analysts’ reports and other publicly available information, (ii) historical
trading prices of the Shares during the period from June 2, 2015 to January 7, 2016 and (iii) utilizing publicly available information
and public filings, the implied premiums paid (to the extent publicly available) in 12 selected precedent all-cash U.S. mergers
and acquisitions transactions announced from January 12, 2015 to November 11, 2015 and completed within the latest 12 months (as
of January 7, 2016) with transaction values of $0.5 million to $1.0 billion, which indicated overall low to high implied premiums
based on the closing stock prices of the target companies involved in such transactions one trading day prior to announcement
of such transactions of approximately 8% to 109% (with 25
th
to 75
th
percentile premiums of 14% to 63%, respectively);
applying a selected range of premiums of 14% to 63% to the closing price of the Shares of $6.32 per Share on January 7, 2016 indicated
an approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Shares of $7.21 to $10.31 per Share.
In the January 11, 2016 preliminary
discussion materials, Citi also observed, for informational purposes:
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·
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the potential
impact on the discounted cash flow analysis described above of additional cash flows
that the Company was forecasted to generate during the fiscal years ending December 31,
2016 through December 31, 2020 based on the Company’s management’s preliminary
plan to execute certain priority strategic and operational initiatives, which indicated
that such additional
|
cash flows could result in an additional approximate
implied per Share equity value for the Company of $8.17 to $8.98 per Share;
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·
|
based on
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ consensus estimates and other publicly
available information, the calendar year 2017 estimated EBITDA multiple and calendar
year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield for Calpine Corporation, which indicated for
Calpine Corporation calendar year 2017 estimated EBITDA multiple of 8.3x and a calendar
year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield of 15.1%; and
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|
·
|
utilizing
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ estimates and other publicly available
information, calendar year 2016 estimated EBITDA multiples for Calpine Corporation, Dynegy
Inc. and NRG Energy, Inc. after adjusting for the net present value of net operating
loss carryforwards, which indicated calendar year 2016 estimated EBITDA multiples for
Calpine Corporation, Dynegy Inc. and NRG Energy, Inc. of 8.3x, 6.3x and 7.2x, respectively
(with an average of 7.3x), as compared to such companies’ unadjusted calendar year
2016 estimated EBITDA multiples of 8.9x, 6.7x and 7.5x, respectively.
|
The January 11, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, among other things, (i) the relative Share price performance of the Company,
Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation during the period June 2, 2015 to January 7, 2016, as compared to the performance
of the S&P 500 index and certain commodities, and related observations, (ii) a comparison of certain financial and trading
metrics and data and the respective asset mixes of the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation and related
observations, (iii) declines, based on public filings and other publicly available information, during the period from June 2,
2015 to January 7, 2016 in the next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of the Company, Dynegy Inc. NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine
Corporation relative to the average historical next fiscal year EBITDA multiple of Dynegy Inc. NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation,
increases during such period in such companies’ free cash flow yields relative to the average historical next fiscal year
free cash flow yield of Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation and related observations, (iv) certain strategic
considerations in connection with a potential sale of the Company and (v) an overview of the Company’s assets.
January 14, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The January 14, 2016 preliminary discussion materials contained an illustrative sensitivities overview based on
internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management of the potential impact of power and commodity price
changes on the Company’s approximate implied per Share equity value, as calculated pursuant to preliminary discounted cash
flow analyses, which generally used the same methodology as described above under “
—January 11, 2016 Preliminary
Discussion Materials
,” except that gas and power prices were assumed to decline by 20% and 10%, respectively, in a “downside”
case and to increase by 20% and 10%, respectively, in an “upside” case. This overview indicated overall illustrative
approximate implied per Share equity value reference ranges for the Company of $7.92 to $12.68 per Share under the base case without
taking into account changes in gas and power prices, $4.23 to $8.49 per Share under the downside case and $14.77 to $20.40 per
Share under the upside case.
April 29, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The April 29, 2016 preliminary discussion materials referenced, for informational purposes, among other things,
(i) certain Share price information for the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation, including the companies’
relative stock price performance from March 31, 2016 to April 28, 2016, (ii) based on internal financial forecasts and estimates
of the Company’s management, public filings and other publicly available information, improvements from January 7, 2016
to April 28, 2016 in the companies’ respective next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples and free cash flow yields and
(iii) premiums implied if the Company were acquired for $13.00 or $14.00 per Share in cash, noting that the Company’s closing
stock prices of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016, $10.04 per Share on April 1, 2016 and $11.81 per Share on
April 28, 2016 implied premiums of approximately 44.4%,
29.5% and 10.1%, respectively, based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 39.4% and 18.5%, respectively,
based on a $14.00 per Share purchase price and further noting that the Company’s implied stock prices of $9.00 per Share
on March 31, 2016, $9.08 per Share on April 1, 2016 and $9.86 per Share on April 28, 2016 assuming the Company’s stock price
performed consistently with the stock prices of its peers implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 43.1% and 31.8%, respectively,
based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 54.1% and 41.9%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share
purchase price.
May 13, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials
. The May 13, 2016 preliminary discussion materials referenced, for informational purposes, (i) certain Share price
information for the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation, including the companies’ relative stock
price performance from March 31, 2016 to May 13, 2016 and (ii) premiums implied if the Company were acquired for $13.00 or $14.00
per Share in cash, noting that the Company’s closing stock prices of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016, $10.04 per Share
on April 1, 2016 and $13.07 per Share on May 13, 2016 implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 29.5% and (0.5%), respectively,
based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 39.4% and 7.1%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share
purchase price and further noting that the Company’s implied stock prices of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016, $9.11 per
Share on April 1, 2016 and $10.28 per Share on May 13, 2016 assuming the Company’s stock price performed consistently with
the stock prices of its peers implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 42.7% and 26.4%, respectively, based on a $13.00 per Share
purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 53.7% and 36.2%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share purchase price.
May 23, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion materials primarily focused on the types of analyses summarized above for
the June 2, 2016 financial presentation, utilizing procedures that were generally consistent with those contained in the June
2, 2016 financial presentation.
The May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials contained the following preliminary financial analyses:
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·
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a preliminary
discounted cash flow analysis of the Company, which generally used the same methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Discounted
Cash Flow Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the implied terminal
value of the Company was calculated by applying to the Company’s fiscal year 2020
estimated adjusted EBITDA a selected range of next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples
of 7.4x to 8.4x and the present values (as of March 31, 2016) of the Company’s
cash flows and terminal values were calculated using a selected range of discount rates
of 6.0% to 6.7%, which indicated an approximate implied per Share equity value reference
range for the Company of $10.97 to $15.68 per Share;
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·
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a preliminary
selected public companies analysis of the Company, which generally used the same methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Selected
Public Companies Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the observed overall
low to high calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples were
7.1x to 8.6x (with a mean of 7.9x and a median of 7.9x) and 6.5x to 8.2x (with a mean
of 7.4x and a median of 7.4x), respectively, and overall low to high calendar year 2016
estimated free cash flow yields were 15.3% to 22.2% (with a mean of 18.7% and a median
of 18.7%) for the selected companies; applying these selected ranges of calendar year
2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated
free cash flow yields derived from the selected companies to the Company’s calendar
year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated adjusted EBITDA and the Company’s calendar
year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash flow, respectively, indicated approximate implied
per Share equity value reference ranges for the Company of $13.02 to $20.94 per Share
(based on the Company’s calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted
|
EBITDA), $10.17 to $19.41 per Share (based on
the Company’s calendar year 2018 estimated adjusted EBITDA) and $12.66 to $18.42 per Share (based on the Company’s
calendar year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash flow), utilizing internal estimates of the Company’s management;
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·
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a preliminary
selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally used the same
methodology and reflected the same approximate implied per Share equity value reference
range for the Company as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial
Presentation—Selected Precedent Transactions Analysis
;” and
|
|
·
|
a preliminary
sum-of-the-parts selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally
used the same methodology and reflected the same approximate implied per Share equity
value reference range for the Company as described above under “—
June
2, 2016 Financial Presentation—
Sum-of-the-Parts Selected Precedent Transactions
Analysis
.”
|
The May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also contained an illustrative sensitivities overview based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s
management and the preliminary discounted cash flow analysis described above (assuming a discount rate of 6.3%) of the potential
impact on the Company’s approximate implied per Share equity value assuming calendar year 2020 estimated adjusted EBITDA
for the Company of $597 million to $697 million and next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of 6.0x to 9.0x, which indicated
an illustrative approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company of $4.15 to $20.40 per Share.
The May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, among other things, (i) stock price targets for the Shares as reflected
in selected publicly available Wall Street research analysts’ reports and other publicly available information, (ii) historical
trading prices of the Shares during the period from June 2, 2015 to May 19, 2016 and (iii) utilizing publicly available information
and public filings, the implied premiums paid (to the extent publicly available) in nine selected precedent all-cash U.S. mergers
and acquisitions transactions announced from February 12, 2015 to March 14, 2016 and completed within the latest 12 months (as
of May 19, 2016) with transaction values of $1.0 billion to $2.0 billion, which indicated overall low to high implied premiums
based on the closing stock prices of the target companies involved in such transactions one trading day prior to announcement
of such transactions of approximately 17% to 50% (with 25
th
to 75
th
percentile premiums of 31.0% to 44.5%,
respectively); applying a selected range of premiums of 31.0% to 44.5% to the closing price of the Shares of $9.00 per Share on
March 31, 2016 (the last trading day prior to the publishing of a news report regarding a potential acquisition of the Company)
indicated an approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company common stock of $11.79 to $13.01 per Share.
In the May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials, Citi also observed, for informational purposes:
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·
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based on
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ consensus estimates and other publicly
available information, the calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA
multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield for Calpine Corporation,
which indicated for Calpine Corporation calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated
EBITDA multiples of 8.5x and 7.8x, respectively, and a calendar year 2016 estimated free
cash flow yield of 14.8%; and
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|
·
|
utilizing
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ estimates and other publicly available
information, quarterly historical next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples for Dynegy
Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation for the period beginning December 31,
2009 through May 19, 2016, which indicated 10
th
to 90
th
percentile
next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples for such companies of 6.7x to 10.1x; applying
this range of EBITDA multiples to the
|
calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA of
the Company based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management indicated an approximate implied
per Share equity value reference range for the Shares of $10.47 to $29.10 per Share.
The May 23, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, (i) a general timeline and overview of the transaction process, (ii) certain
Share price information for the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation, including such companies’
relative stock price performance during the period from March 31, 2016 to May 19, 2016, (iii) based on internal financial forecasts
and estimates of the Company’s management, public filings and other publicly available information, improvements during
the period from January 7, 2016 to May 19, 2016 in the next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of the Company, Dynegy Inc.,
NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation, the discount to the Company’s next fiscal year estimated adjusted EBITDA trading
multiple relative to the next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation,
improvements during such period in the Company’s and such other companies’ free cash flow yields and in the Company’s
weighted average cost of capital and related observations, and (iv) premiums implied if the Company were acquired for $13.00 or
$14.00 per Share in cash, noting that the Company’s closing stock prices of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016, $10.04 per
Share on April 1, 2016 and $12.49 per Share on May 19, 2016 implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 29.5% and 4.1%, respectively,
based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 39.4% and 12.1%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share
purchase price and further noting that the Company’s implied stock prices of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016, $9.11 per
Share on April 1, 2016 and $10.24 per Share on May 19, 2016 assuming the Company’s stock price performed consistently with
the stock prices of its peers implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 42.7% and 26.9%, respectively, based on a $13.00 per Share
purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 53.7% and 36.7%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share purchase price.
May 27, 2016 Preliminary Discussion
Materials.
The May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion materials primarily focused on the types of analyses summarized above for
the June 2, 2016 financial presentation, utilizing procedures that were generally consistent with those contained in the June
2, 2016 financial presentation.
The May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials contained the following preliminary financial analyses:
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·
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a preliminary
discounted cash flow analysis of the Company, which generally used the same methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Discounted
Cash Flow Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the implied terminal
value of the Company was calculated by applying to the Company’s fiscal year 2020
estimated adjusted EBITDA a selected range of next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples
of 7.4x to 8.4x and the present values (as of March 31, 2016) of the Company’s
cash flows and terminal values were calculated using a selected range of discount rates
of 6.0% to 6.6%; this preliminary analysis indicated an approximate implied per Share
equity value reference range for the Company of $8.82 to $13.21 per Share;
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·
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a preliminary
selected public companies analysis of the Company, which generally used the same methodology
as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial Presentation—Selected
Public Companies Analysis
,” except that, among other things, the observed overall
low to high calendar year 2017 and calendar 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples were 7.1x
to 8.7x (with a mean of 7.9x and a median of 7.9x) and 6.5x to 8.3x (with a mean of 7.4x
and a median of 7.4x), respectively, and overall low to high calendar year 2016 estimated
free cash flow yields were 15.7% to 21.7% (with a mean of 18.7% and a median of 18.7%)
for the selected companies; applying these selected ranges of calendar year 2017 and
calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash
flow yields derived from the selected
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companies to the Company’s calendar year
2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated adjusted EBITDA and the Company’s calendar year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash
flow, respectively, indicated approximate implied per Share equity value reference ranges for the Company of $12.80 to $21.15
per Share (based on the Company’s calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA), $9.97 to $19.62 per Share (based on the
Company’s calendar year 2018 estimated adjusted EBITDA) and $12.95 to $17.92 per Share (based on the Company’s calendar
year 2016 estimated adjusted free cash flow), utilizing internal estimates of the Company’s management;
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·
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a preliminary
selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally used the same
methodology and reflected the same approximate implied per Share equity value reference
range for the Company as described above under “—
June 2, 2016 Financial
Presentation—Selected Precedent Transactions Analysis
;” and
|
|
·
|
a preliminary
sum-of-the-parts selected precedent transactions analysis of the Company, which generally
used the same methodology and reflected the same approximate implied per Share equity
value reference range for the Company as described above under “—
June
2, 2016 Financial Presentation—
Sum-of-the-Parts Selected Precedent Transactions
Analysis
.”
|
The May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also contained an illustrative sensitivities overview based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s
management and the preliminary discounted cash flow analysis described above (assuming a discount rate of 6.3%) of the potential
impact on the Company’s approximate implied per Share equity value assuming calendar year 2020 estimated adjusted EBITDA
for the Company ranging from $502 million to $702 million and next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples ranging from 6.0x to
9.0x, which indicated an illustrative approximate implied per Share equity value reference range for the Company of $0.52 to $20.53
per Share.
The May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, among other things, (i) stock price targets for the Shares as reflected
in selected publicly available Wall Street research analysts’ reports and other publicly available information, (ii) historical
trading prices of the Shares during the period from June 2, 2015 to May 25, 2016 and (iii) utilizing publicly available information
and public filings, the implied premiums paid (to the extent publicly available) in nine selected precedent all-cash U.S. mergers
and acquisitions transactions announced from February 12, 2015 to March 14, 2016 and completed within the latest 12 months with
transaction values of $1.0 billion to $2.0 billion, which indicated overall low to high implied premiums based on the closing
stock prices of the target companies involved in such transactions one trading day prior to announcement of such transactions
of approximately 17% to 50% (with 25
th
to 75
th
percentile premiums of 31.0% to 44.5%, respectively); applying
a selected range of premiums of 31.0% to 44.5% to the closing price of the Shares of $9.00 per Share on March 31, 2016 (the last
trading day prior to the publishing of a news report relating to a potential acquisition of the Company) indicated an approximate
implied per Share equity value reference range for the Shares of $11.79 to $13.01 per Share.
In the May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials, Citi also observed, for informational purposes:
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·
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based on
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ consensus estimates and other publicly
available information, the calendar year 2017 and calendar year 2018 estimated EBITDA
multiples and calendar year 2016 estimated free cash flow yield for Calpine Corporation,
which indicated for Calpine Corporation observed calendar year 2017 and calendar year
2018 estimated EBITDA multiples of 8.5x and 7.8x, respectively, and a calendar year 2016
estimated free cash flow yield of 14.8%; and
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|
·
|
utilizing
public filings, Wall Street research analysts’ estimates and other publicly available
information, quarterly historical next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples for Dynegy
Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation for the period beginning December 31,
2009 through May 25, 2016, which indicated 10
th
to 90
th
percentile
next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of 6.7x to 10.1x; applying these EBITDA multiples
to the calendar year 2017 estimated adjusted EBITDA of the Company based on internal
financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management indicated an approximate
implied per Share equity value reference range for the Shares of $10.47 to $29.10 per
Share.
|
The May 27, 2016 preliminary discussion
materials also referenced, for informational purposes, certain other information, including (i) a general timeline and overview
of the transaction process, (ii) certain Share price information for the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy, Inc. and Calpine Corporation,
including the companies’ relative stock price performance during the period from March 31, 2016 to May 25, 2016, and stock
price declines following the May 24, 2016 announcement of PJM Auction results as compared to an increase in the S&P 500 index,
(iii) based on internal financial forecasts and estimates of the Company’s management, public filings and other publicly
available information, improvements during the period from January 7, 2016 to May 25, 2016 in the next fiscal year estimated EBITDA
multiples of the Company, Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy and Calpine Corporation, the discount to the Company’s next fiscal year
estimated adjusted EBITDA multiple relative to the next fiscal year estimated EBITDA multiples of Dynegy Inc., NRG Energy and
Calpine Corporation, improvements during such period in the Company’s and such other companies’ free cash flow yields
and in the Company’s weighted average cost of capital and related observations, and (iv) premiums implied if the Company
were acquired for $13.00 or $14.00 per Share in cash, noting that the Company’s closing stock prices of $9.00 per Share
on March 31, 2016, $10.04 per Share on April 1, 2016 and $11.11 per Share on May 25, 2016 implied premiums of approximately 44.4%,
29.5% and 17.0%, respectively, based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 39.4% and 26.0%, respectively,
based on a $14.00 per Share purchase price and further noting that the Company’s implied stock prices of $9.00 per Share
on March 31, 2016, $9.11 per Share on April 1, 2016 and $10.22 per Share on May 25, 2016 assuming the Company’s stock price
performed consistently with the stock prices of its peers implied premiums of approximately 44.4%, 42.7% and 27.2%, respectively,
based on a $13.00 per Share purchase price and approximately 55.6%, 53.7% and 37.0%, respectively, based on a $14.00 per Share
purchase price.
Miscellaneous
The Company has agreed to pay Citi for
its services in connection with the proposed Merger an aggregate fee currently estimated to be $25
million, a portion of
which was payable during the course of Citi’s engagement, a portion of which was payable upon delivery of Citi’s opinion,
a portion of which is payable in connection with the go-shop process and approximately $14 million is payable contingent upon
consummation of the Merger. In addition, the Company has agreed to reimburse Citi for Citi’s expenses, including fees and
expenses of counsel, and to indemnify Citi and related parties against certain liabilities, including liabilities under federal
securities laws, arising out of Citi’s engagement.
As the Disinterested Directors were
aware, Citi and its affiliates in the past have provided, currently are providing and in the future may provide investment banking,
commercial banking and other similar financial services to the Company and its affiliates unrelated to the proposed Merger, for
which services Citi and its affiliates have received and expect to receive compensation, including, during the two-year period
prior to the date of Citi’s opinion, having acted or acting as (i) financial advisor in connection with the separation and
related transactions and as financial advisor to the Company in connection with its acquisition of MACH Gen, LLC, (ii) remarketing
agent for a repurchase of senior notes of the Company and as lead or joint bookrunning manager for certain debt offerings of certain
affiliates of the Company and (iii) lead arranger, administrative agent and collateral trustee for, and/or as a lender or letter
of credit issuer under, credit facilities of certain affiliates of the Company, for which services described in clauses (i)
through (iii) above Citi and its affiliates received during
such two-year period aggregate fees of approximately $30
million. In addition, a consent fee of approximately $695,000
was payable to Citi’s affiliate, Citibank, N.A., as a lender in respect of the waiver of change of control provisions under
the Company’s Credit Facility in connection with the Merger. As the Disinterested Directors also were aware, Citi and its
affiliates in the past have provided, currently are providing and in the future may provide investment banking, commercial banking
and other similar financial services to Riverstone and/or certain of its affiliates and portfolio companies, for which services
Citi and its affiliates have received and expect to receive compensation, including, during the two-year period prior to the date
of Citi’s opinion, having acted or acting as (i) joint bookrunning manager for certain equity and debt offerings of certain
affiliates and/or portfolio companies of Riverstone and (ii) arranger and/or bookrunner for, and/or as a lender under, credit
facilities, term loans, construction loans and/or letters of credit of certain affiliates and/or portfolio companies of Riverstone,
for which services described in clauses (i) and (ii) above Citi and its affiliates received during such two-year period aggregate
fees of approximately $20
million. In the ordinary course of business, Citi and its affiliates may actively trade or hold
the securities of the Company, Riverstone and their respective affiliates and/or portfolio companies for their own account or
for the account of their customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in such securities. In addition,
Citi and its affiliates (including Citigroup Inc. and its affiliates) may maintain relationships with the Company, Riverstone
and their respective affiliates and/or portfolio companies.
The Company selected Citi as its financial
advisor in connection with the proposed Merger based on Citi’s reputation, experience and familiarity with the Company and
its business. Citi is an internationally recognized investment banking firm that regularly engages in the valuation of businesses
and their securities in connection with mergers and acquisitions, negotiated underwritings, competitive bids, secondary distributions
of listed and unlisted securities, private placements and valuations for estate, corporate and other purposes.
Purpose and Reasons of the Company
for the Merger
The
Company’s purpose for engaging in the Merger is to enable its stockholders to receive the Merger Consideration,
which Merger Consideration represents a premium of 56% above the closing price of the Shares on March 31, 2016, the last
trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of the Company, and a premium of 85% over the closing price
of the Shares on December 2, 2015, the day on which the acquisition proposal was first communicated to Mr. Graham, the
chairman of the Board
. The Company believes that the Merger provides the best opportunity to maximize stockholder
value. The Company has determined to undertake the Merger at this time based on the analyses, determinations and conclusions
of the Disinterested Directors described in detail above under “
Special Factors—Recommendation of the Board;
Fairness of the Merger
.”
Purpose and Reasons of the Parent
Group and Riverstone for the Merger
Under the SEC rules
governing “going private” transactions, each member of the Parent Group and Riverstone may be deemed to be an
affiliate of the Company that is engaged in the “going private” transaction and, therefore, each is required to
express its purposes and reasons for the Merger to the Company’s “unaffiliated security holders,” as
defined under Rule 13e-3 of the Exchange Act. The Parent Group and Riverstone are making the statements included in this
section solely for the purpose of complying with the requirements of Rule 13e-3 and related rules under the Exchange
Act.
If the Merger is completed, the Company
will become a subsidiary of the Sponsor Entities. For the Parent Group and Riverstone, the purpose of the Merger is to effectuate
the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and to bear the rewards and risks of such ownership after the Shares cease
to be publicly traded. The Parent Group and Riverstone did not consider any alternatives for achieving these purposes.
The Parent Group and Riverstone also
believe that as a private company, the Company could operate more efficiently and effectively. Operating as a public company entails
substantial expense. The Parent Group and Riverstone believe that other improvements to the Company’s cost structure and
strategic direction could be achieved, free of the market pressures imposed on a publicly traded company with regard to operating
results. In addition, the Parent Group and Riverstone considered what they believed were competitive advantages of the Company
ceasing to be a public company, including less transparency to competitors and greater access to capital resources to capitalize
on market opportunities, if any. Further, absent the reporting and other substantial burdens placed on public companies, the Parent
Group and Riverstone believe that the management and employees of the Company will be able to better execute on the Company’s
future strategic plans due to increased time and narrowed focus. The Parent Group and Riverstone have undertaken to pursue the
Merger at this time for the reasons described above.
Although the Parent Group and Riverstone
believe that there will be significant opportunities associated with their investment in the Company, the Parent Group and Riverstone
realize that there are also substantial risks (including the risks and uncertainties relating to the prospects of the Company)
and that such opportunities may never be fully realized.
The Parent Group and Riverstone believe
that structuring the transaction as a merger transaction is preferable to other transaction structures because (i) it will enable
the Parent Group to acquire all of the outstanding Shares at the same time and (ii) it represents an opportunity for the Company’s
shareholders (except the Sponsor Entities) to receive fair value for their Shares in the form of the Merger Consideration. Further,
the Parent Group and Riverstone believe that structuring the transaction as a merger transaction provides a prompt and orderly
transfer of ownership of the Company in a single step, without the necessity of financing separate purchases of the Shares in
a tender offer and implementing a second-step merger to acquire any Shares not tendered into any such tender offer, and without
incurring any additional transaction costs associated with such activities.
Plans for the Company After the Merger
At the effective time of the Merger, Parent
anticipates that the Company will generally continue its current operations, but will cease to be an independent public company.
If the Merger is consummated, the Shares will be delisted from the NYSE and will cease to be registered under the Exchange Act
(via termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act). At the effective time of the Merger, the directors
of Merger Sub immediately prior to the effective time will become the directors of the Company, and the officers of the Company
immediately prior to the effective time will remain the
officers of the Company, in each case until
their successor is elected or appointed and qualified or until the earlier of his or her death, resignation or removal, as the
case may be.
Certain Effects of the Merger
If the Merger Agreement is adopted by the
requisite votes of the Company’s stockholders and all other conditions to the closing of the Merger are either satisfied
or waived, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the Merger.
Treatment of the Shares
At the effective time of the Merger, each
Share outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (other than Excluded Shares and the Shares underlying the
Company’s stock options and the Shares that are subject to the Company’s restricted stock unit awards, the Company’s
performance units and the Company’s director stock units) will be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration,
less applicable withholding taxes, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, whereupon all
such Shares will be automatically canceled, will cease to be outstanding, and will cease to exist, and the holders of such Shares
will cease to have any rights with respect thereto, other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration.
Treatment of Stock Options and Other
Equity-Based Awards
Stock
Options.
At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding stock options, whether vested or unvested, will be cancelled
in exchange for a cash payment, payable as soon as practicable following the effective time of the Merger, equal to the product
of (i) the total number of the Shares subject to the stock option immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger multiplied
by (ii) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration over the exercise price per Share of the stock option, without interest
and less applicable taxes required to be withheld, which will be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of
the Merger. Any outstanding stock option that has an exercise price per Share equal to or in excess of the Merger Consideration
will be canceled at the effective time of the Merger for no consideration.
Restricted
Stock Units.
At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding restricted stock units will be cancelled in exchange for
the RSU Cash Payment. For restricted stock units granted prior to June 2, 2016, the RSU Cash Payment will be paid as promptly as
practicable following the effective time of the Merger. For restricted stock units granted between June 2, 2016 and the effective
time of the Merger, the RSU Cash Payment will be paid following the effective time of the Merger subject to the same vesting schedule
and other vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying restricted stock units as of the effective time of the Merger
(including conditions governing certain terminations of employment).
Performance
Units.
At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding performance units, other than those held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire,
Hopf and Rausch will be cancelled in exchange for a cash payment, payable as promptly as practicable following the effective time
of the Merger, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration multiplied by (ii) the total number of the Shares underlying
the cancelled performance units assuming the target achievement of applicable performance goals and the satisfaction of all other
conditions of delivery, without interest and less applicable taxes required to be withheld. A pro rata portion of the performance
units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch (determined based on the relative portion of the applicable performance period
that has elapsed as of the effective time of the Merger) will be treated in the same manner as the performance units held by all
other employees of the Company, and the remaining performance units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch will be converted
into the right to receive a cash payment in an amount equal to the product of
(x)(a) the total number of the Shares that
would be delivered to the executive officer assuming the target achievement of the performance goals applicable to such
performance unit, minus (b) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to the executive officer upon a “change
in control” under the terms of the applicable performance unit award agreement and (y) the Merger Consideration, which cash
amount will be subject to the service-based (but not the performance-based) vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying
performance unit as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions governing certain terminations of employment).
Director
Stock Units.
At the effective time of the Merger, each outstanding director stock unit will be converted into an obligation
to pay an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration multiplied by (ii) the total
number of the Shares represented by that director stock unit, with such amount payable or distributed in accordance with
the terms of the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (and any applicable deferral election).
Benefits of the Merger for the Company’s
Unaffiliated Stockholders
The primary benefit of the Merger to our
unaffiliated stockholders will be their right to receive the Merger Consideration, less applicable withholding taxes, for each
Share held by such stockholders as described above, representing a premium of 56% above the closing price of the Shares on March
31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of the Company, and a premium of 101% over the
volume-weighted average price of the Shares during the 60 calendar days that ended on March 31, 2016. Additionally, such stockholders
will avoid the risk after the Merger of any possible decrease in our future earnings, growth or value.
Detriments of the Merger to the
Company’s Unaffiliated Stockholders
The primary detriments of the Merger to
our unaffiliated stockholders include the lack of an interest of such stockholders in the potential future earnings, growth, or
value realized by the Company after the Merger.
Certain Effects of the Merger for
Riverstone and the Sponsor Entities
Following the Merger, it is contemplated
that all of the equity interests in the Company will be owned by the Sponsor Entities. If the Merger is
completed, these equity investors, and Riverstone by virtue of its control of the Sponsor Entities, will be the sole beneficiaries
of our future earnings, growth and value, if any, and such equity investors will be the only ones entitled to vote on corporate
matters affecting the Company.
Additionally, following the Merger, the
Company will be a private company, wholly owned by the Sponsor Entities and any additional investors permitted by the Sponsor
Entities, and, as such, will be relieved of the burdens on companies having publicly traded equity securities, including the pressure
to meet analyst forecasts and the requirements and restrictions on trading that our directors, officers and beneficial owners
of more than 10% of the Shares face as a result of the provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, registration
of the Shares under the Exchange Act will be terminated, which will reduce the information required to be furnished by the Company
to our stockholders and the SEC. Talen Energy Supply files periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act as a voluntary
filer because it has debt that is publicly tradable, and it may choose to continue to do so following the Merger. The Company
currently estimates that the amount of any regulatory compliance cost savings will be approximately $1.5 million per year,
excluding any decision regarding future filings of Talen Energy Supply. The Sponsor Entities, and Riverstone by virtue
of its control of the Sponsor Entities, will benefit from any regulatory compliance cost savings realized by the Company after
it becomes a private company.
As of December 31, 2015, the Company recorded deferred tax assets of (i) $110 million in respect of accrued
federal net operating loss carryforwards, and (ii) $19 million in respect of accrued state net operating loss carryforwards, that
the Company expected (on a more likely than not basis) to be able to utilize to offset future tax liabilities prior to the expiration
of such net operating loss carryforwards. After the completion of the Merger, the Company again will evaluate the facts and circumstances
to determine the extent (if any) to which such asset may be utilizable. Because utilization of the net operating losses after the
Merger will depend on the income and other deductions of the Company after the Merger, which cannot be determined in advance, no
assurance can be given as to when, or the extent to which (if at all), such utilization will occur after the Merger. As a result
of the Sponsor Entities’ ownership interests in the Company following the completion of the Merger, the Sponsor Entities,
and Riverstone by virtue of its control of the Sponsor Entities, will become the beneficiaries of any such utilization.
The primary detriments of the Merger to
the Sponsor Entities include the fact that all of the risk of any possible decrease in the earnings, growth or value of the Company
following the Merger will be borne by the Sponsor Entities and any additional permitted investors. Additionally, the equity investment
of the Sponsor Entities and any additional investors permitted by them in the Company will be illiquid, with no public trading
market for such securities.
The directors of Merger Sub immediately
prior to the effective time of the Merger will be the directors of the surviving corporation and the officers of the Company immediately
prior to the effective time of the Merger will be the officers of the surviving corporation, in each case until their successor
is elected or appointed and qualified or until the earlier of his or her death, resignation or removal, as the case may be. The
certificate of incorporation of the surviving corporation will be amended and restated in its entirety to be in the form of the
certificate of incorporation attached as Exhibit A to the Merger Agreement. The bylaws of the Merger Sub immediately prior to the
effective time of the Merger will be the bylaws of the surviving corporation.
The Sponsor Entities beneficially own
approximately 35% of the issued and outstanding Shares. Following consummation of the Merger, the Sponsor Entities will own 100%
of the Shares and will have a corresponding interest in our net book value and net earnings or losses. Each stockholder of the
Sponsor Entities will have an indirect interest in our net book value and net earnings or losses in proportion to such stockholder’s
ownership interest in the Sponsor Entities. Our net loss for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 was approximately $341
million and our net book value as of December 31, 2015 was approximately $4.303 billion. Our net income for the three months ended
March 31, 2016 was approximately $151 million and our net book value as of March 31, 2016 was approximately $4.463 billion. The
table below sets forth the direct and indirect interests in the Company’s net book value and net earnings of the Sponsor
Entities before the Merger and the Sponsor Entities immediately after the Merger, based on the net book value at December 31,
2015 and March 31, 2016 and net income (loss) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and the three months ended March 31,
2016.
|
Ownership
of the Company Prior to the Merger
|
|
Ownership
of the Company After the Merger
|
|
%
Ownership
|
|
Net
book value at March 31, 2016
|
|
Net
book value at December 31, 2015
|
|
Net
income (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2016
|
|
Net
income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2015
|
|
%
Ownership
|
|
Net
book value at March 31, 2016
|
|
Net
book value at December 31, 2015
|
|
Net
income (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2016
|
|
Net
income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2015
|
|
(dollars in millions)
|
Sponsor Entities
|
35%
|
|
$ 1,562
|
|
$ 1,506
|
|
$ 52.85
|
|
$ (119.4)
|
|
100%
|
|
$ 4,463
|
|
$ 4,303
|
|
$ 151
|
|
$ (341)
|
Certain Effects on the Company if
the Merger is not Completed
If the Merger Agreement is not adopted by
the Company’s stockholders or if the Merger is not completed for any other reason, Talen Energy’s stockholders will
not receive any payment for their Shares in connection with the Merger. Instead, Talen Energy will remain an independent public
company, and the Shares will continue to be quoted on the NYSE, for so long as it continues to meet eligibility listing standards.
In addition, if the Merger is not completed, the Company expects that management will operate Talen Energy’s business in
a manner similar to that in which it is being operated today and that Talen Energy’s stockholders will continue to be subject
to the same risks and opportunities to which they
are currently subject, including, without
limitation, risks related to the power generation industry in which Talen Energy operates and adverse economic conditions.
Failure to complete the
Merger could negatively impact our business and the market price of the Shares.
Furthermore, if the Merger is not completed,
and depending on the circumstances that would have caused the Merger not to be completed, the price of the Shares may decline significantly.
If that were to occur, it is uncertain when, if ever, the price of the Shares would return to the price at which the Shares trade
as of the date of this proxy statement. Accordingly, if the Merger is not completed, there can be no assurance as to the effect
of these risks and opportunities on the future value of your Shares. If the Merger is not completed, the Board will continue to
evaluate and review the Company’s business operations, properties, dividend policy, share repurchase policy and capitalization,
among other things, make such changes as are deemed appropriate and continue to seek to identify strategic alternatives to enhance
stockholder value. If the Merger Agreement is not adopted by the Company’s stockholders or if the Merger is not completed
for any other reason, there can be no assurance that any other transaction acceptable to Talen Energy will be offered or that Talen
Energy’s business, prospects or results of operation will not be adversely impacted.
If the Merger is not completed for any reason,
we will be subject to a number of material risks, including the disruption to our business resulting from the announcement of the
signing of the Merger Agreement, the diversion of management’s attention from our day-to-day business and the substantial
restrictions imposed by the Merger Agreement on the operation of our business during the period before the completion of the Merger
may make it difficult for us to achieve our business goals if the Merger does not occur.
Failure to complete the
Merger could trigger the payment of a termination fee.
If the Merger Agreement is terminated, under
specified conditions, Talen Energy would be required to pay Parent a termination fee in an amount equal to $50 million. If the
Merger Agreement is terminated in connection with a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party, the Company will be required to pay
Parent a termination fee of $25 million.
Upon termination of the Merger Agreement
by the Company or Parent under specified conditions, Parent will be required to pay the Company a termination fee of $85 million.
See “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination Fees
.”
Prospective Financial Information
The Company does not generally make public
projections as to future performance or earnings beyond the current fiscal year and is especially cautious of making projections
for extended periods due to the unpredictability of its business and the markets in which it operates. However, financial projections
prepared by management were made available to the Board in connection with its consideration of the Company’s stand-alone
prospects and potential strategic transactions available to the Company. Certain of these financial projections and forecasts (or
certain information contained therein) also were made available to the Company’s financial and legal advisors and to Riverstone
and the Sponsor Entities.
Summaries of these financial projections
and forecasts are included in this proxy statement not to influence your decision whether to vote for or against the proposal to
adopt the Merger Agreement, but because these financial projections and forecasts were made available to the Board, as well as,
in the case of certain of these financial projections and forecasts (or certain information contained therein), to the
Company’s financial and legal advisors
and to Riverstone and the Sponsor Entities. The inclusion of this information should not be regarded as an indication that the
Company, the Board, the Company’s financial or legal advisors, Riverstone, the Sponsor Entities or any other recipient of
this information considered, or now considers, such financial projections or forecasts to be necessarily predictive of actual future
results. No person has made or makes any representation to any stockholder regarding the information included in these financial
projections or forecasts.
The prospective financial information is
subjective in many respects and reflects numerous judgments, estimates and assumptions that are inherently uncertain, many of which
are difficult to predict or cannot be predicted, are subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and are beyond
the Company’s control, including estimates and assumptions regarding industry performance and general business, economic,
regulatory, market and financial conditions, as well as other future events. Important factors may cause actual results to differ
from the prospective financial information, including the factors described under “
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking
Information
,” the section entitled “Risk Factors” of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2015 and other risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s other reports filed with the SEC, including those
that are incorporated by reference in this proxy statement. In addition, since the financial projections and forecasts cover multiple
years, such information by its nature becomes less reliable with each successive year. As a result, there can be no assurance that
the projected results, and underlying estimates and assumptions made in preparing the financial projections and forecasts will
be realized or that actual results will not be significantly higher or lower than projected.
Except as otherwise discussed below, the
financial projections and forecasts do not take into account any circumstances or events occurring after the date they were prepared.
Except as may be required in order to comply with applicable securities laws, the Company does not intend to update, or otherwise
revise, the financial projections or forecasts, or the specific portions presented, to reflect circumstances existing after the
date the financial projections and forecasts were made or to reflect the occurrence of future events, even in the event that any
or all of the assumptions are shown to be in error. In addition, the financial projections and forecasts assume that the Company
will remain a publicly traded company.
The financial projections and forecasts
were not prepared with a view toward public disclosure, soliciting proxies or complying with Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles, which we refer to as GAAP, the published guidelines of the SEC regarding financial projections and forecasts or
the guidelines established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for preparation and presentation of financial
projections and forecasts. Neither Ernst & Young LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, nor
any other independent registered public accounting firm has examined, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the
accompanying financial projections and forecasts, and, accordingly, neither Ernst & Young LLP nor any other public accounting
firm expresses an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect to such projections and forecasts. The Ernst & Young
LLP reports incorporated by reference into this proxy statement relate to the Company’s historical financial information.
They do not extend to the financial projections and forecasts and should not be read to do so.
The financial projections and forecasts
include non-GAAP financial measures, and they were presented because management believed they could be useful indicators of the
Company’s projected future operating performance and cash flow. The Company prepared the financial projections and forecasts
on a non-GAAP basis. The financial projections and forecasts included in this proxy statement should not be considered in isolation
or in lieu of the Company’s operating and other financial information determined in accordance with GAAP (see “
Other
Important Information Regarding the Company—Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data
”). In addition, because
non-GAAP financial measures are not determined consistently by all companies, the non-GAAP measures presented in these
financial projections and forecasts may not
be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.
For the foregoing reasons, as well as the
bases and assumptions on which the financial projections and forecasts were compiled, the inclusion of specific portions of the
financial projections and forecasts in this proxy statement should not be regarded as an indication that the Company considers
such financial projections or forecasts to be necessarily predictive of actual future events, and the financial projections and
forecasts should not be relied on as such an indication. No one has made any representation to any stockholder of the Company
or anyone else regarding the ultimate performance of the Company as reflected in the financial projections
and forecasts discussed below.
December Business Plan
Set forth below is prospective financial
information based on the information contained in the Company’s long-range plan, which had been prepared by the Company’s
management for review by the Board in connection with routine internal planning processes and not in connection with any potential
transaction involving the Company. Amounts set forth below are in millions of U.S. dollars.
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
|
|
2019
|
|
|
2020
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
(a)
|
|
$
|
774
|
|
|
$
|
717
|
|
|
$
|
666
|
|
|
$
|
691
|
|
|
$
|
685
|
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
(b)
|
|
$
|
275
|
|
|
$
|
164
|
|
|
$
|
145
|
|
|
$
|
160
|
|
|
$
|
197
|
|
|
(a)
|
Adjusted EBITDA represents net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, further
adjusted for certain non-cash and other items that the Company’s management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations,
including, but not limited to, unrealized gains and losses on derivative contracts, stock-based compensation expense, asset retirement
obligation accretion, gains and losses on securities in the nuclear decommissioning trust fund, impairments, gains or losses on
sales, dispositions or retirements of assets, debt extinguishments, and transition, transaction and restructuring costs.
|
|
(b)
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow represents Cash from Operations less capital expenditures, excluding growth-related capital expenditures,
adjusted for changes in counterparty collateral and further adjusted for after-tax transaction and restructuring costs, and certain
other after-tax cash items that management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations. Adjusted Free Cash Flow should not
be considered an alternative to Cash from Operations, which is determined in accordance with GAAP. We believe that Adjusted Free
Cash Flow, although a non-GAAP measure, is an important measure to both management and investors as an indicator of the Company’s
ability to sustain operations without additional outside financing beyond the requirement to fund maturing debt obligations.
|
May Forecasts
Set forth below is prospective financial
information based on the information contained in the updated forecasts with respect to the Company’s long-range
plan prepared by the Company’s management in May 2016 to assist the Disinterested Directors in evaluating the Company’s
potential strategic transactions with the assistance of the Company’s advisors and in light
of the passage of time since the December Business Plan was prepared. The methodology applied by management to market items was
consistent with the Company’s historical planning and budgeting process and the methods used in preparing the December Business
Plan. Amounts set forth below are in millions of U.S. dollars.
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
|
|
2019
|
|
|
2020
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
(a)
|
|
$
|
755
|
|
|
$
|
704
|
|
|
$
|
713
|
|
|
$
|
641
|
|
|
$
|
647
|
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
(b)
|
|
$
|
370
|
|
|
$
|
139
|
|
|
$
|
205
|
|
|
$
|
143
|
|
|
$
|
185
|
|
|
(a)
|
Adjusted EBITDA represents net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, further
adjusted for certain non-cash and other items that the Company’s management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations,
including, but not limited to, unrealized gains and losses on derivative contracts, stock-based compensation
|
expense, asset retirement obligation
accretion, gains and losses on securities in the nuclear decommissioning trust fund, impairments, gains or losses on sales, dispositions
or retirements of assets, debt extinguishments, and transition, transaction and restructuring costs.
|
(b)
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow represents Cash from Operations less capital expenditures, excluding growth-related capital expenditures,
adjusted for changes in counterparty collateral and further adjusted for after-tax transaction and restructuring costs, and certain
other after-tax cash items that management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations. Adjusted Free Cash Flow should not
be considered an alternative to Cash from Operations, which is determined in accordance with GAAP. We believe that Adjusted Free
Cash Flow, although a non-GAAP measure, is an important measure to both management and investors as an indicator of the Company’s
ability to sustain operations without additional outside financing beyond the requirement to fund maturing debt obligations.
|
Post-PJM Auction Forecasts
Set forth below is prospective financial
information based on the projections prepared by the Company’s management in late May 2016 to assist the Disinterested Directors
in evaluating the impact of the PJM Auction on the Company and its future stand-alone prospects. Amounts set forth below are in
millions of U.S. dollars.
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
|
|
2018
|
|
|
2019
|
|
|
2020
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
(a)
|
|
$
|
755
|
|
|
$
|
704
|
|
|
$
|
713
|
|
|
$
|
576
|
|
|
$
|
602
|
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
(b)
|
|
$
|
370
|
|
|
$
|
139
|
|
|
$
|
205
|
|
|
$
|
78
|
|
|
$
|
140
|
|
|
(a)
|
Adjusted EBITDA represents net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA,
further adjusted for certain non-cash and other items that the Company’s management believes are not indicative of
ongoing operations, including, but not limited to, unrealized gains and losses on derivative contracts, stock-based
compensation expense, asset retirement obligation accretion, gains and losses on securities in the nuclear decommissioning
trust fund, impairments, gains or losses on sales, dispositions or retirements of assets, debt extinguishments, and
transition, transaction and restructuring costs.
|
|
(b)
|
Adjusted Free Cash Flow represents Cash from Operations less capital expenditures, excluding growth-related capital expenditures,
adjusted for changes in counterparty collateral and further adjusted for after-tax transaction and restructuring costs, and certain
other after-tax cash items that management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations. Adjusted Free Cash Flow should not
be considered an alternative to Cash from Operations, which is determined in accordance with GAAP. We believe that Adjusted Free
Cash Flow, although a non-GAAP measure, is an important measure to both management and investors as an indicator of the Company’s
ability to sustain operations without additional outside financing beyond the requirement to fund maturing debt obligations.
|
Interests of Executive Officers and
Directors of the Company in the Merger
The Company’s executive officers
and directors have interests in the Merger that are different from, or in addition to, those of the Company’s stockholders
generally. In considering the recommendations of the Board, including that you vote to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal,
you should be aware of these interests. In reaching its decision to make such recommendations and to approve the Merger, the Board
was aware of and considered the interests described below.
Payments to Executive Officers in
Respect of Equity Awards
Upon
the effective time of the Merger, each restricted stock unit
, performance
unit and director stock unit will be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration as described below. All unvested
stock options held by the Company’s executive officers have exercise prices in excess of the Merger Consideration, and therefore
such stock options will be canceled as of the closing date of the Merger for no consideration.
Restricted
Stock Units
. At the effective
time of the Merger, outstanding
restricted stock units will be cancelled
in exchange for the RSU Cash Payment. For restricted stock units granted prior to June 2, 2016, the RSU Cash Payment will
be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of the Merger. For restricted stock units granted between June
2, 2016 and the effective time of the Merger, the RSU Cash Payment will be paid following the effective time of the Merger subject
to the same vesting schedule and other vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying restricted stock units as of
the effective time of the Merger (including conditions governing certain terminations of employment).
Performance
Units
. At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding performance units, other than
those held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch will be cancelled in exchange for a cash payment, payable as promptly as
practicable following the effective time of the Merger, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration multiplied by (ii)
the total number of the Shares underlying the cancelled performance units assuming the target achievement of applicable performance
goals and the satisfaction of all other conditions of delivery, without interest and less applicable taxes required to be withheld.
A pro rata portion of the performance units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch (determined based on the relative
portion of the applicable performance period that has elapsed as of the effective time of the Merger) will be treated in the same
manner as the performance units held by all other employees of the Company, and the remaining performance units held by Messrs.
Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch will be converted into the right to receive a cash payment in an amount equal to the product
of (x)(a) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to the executive officer assuming the target achievement
of the performance goals applicable to such performance unit, minus (b) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered
to the executive officer upon a “change in control” under the terms of the applicable performance unit award
agreement and (y) the Merger Consideration, which cash amount will be subject to the service-based (but not the performance-based)
vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying performance unit as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions
governing certain terminations of employment).
Director
Stock Units
. At the effective time of the Merger, each outstanding director stock
unit will be converted into an obligation to pay an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration
multiplied by (ii) the total number of the Shares represented by that director stock unit, with such amount payable or distributed in accordance
with the terms of the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (and any applicable deferral election).
For
an estimate of the amount payable to each of Talen Energy’s named executive officers in respect of such unvested equity-based
awards on the closing date of the Merger, which we assume to be June 24, 2016 for these purposes, see “
—Golden
Parachute Compensation
” below.
The
estimated amount payable to the Company’s non-employee directors in the aggregate in respect of their fully vested director
stock units is $1,236,022 and the estimated amount payable to Mr. Breme, the Company’s other executive officer, in respect
of his unvested restricted stock units and performance units is $1,059,520. These estimated amounts assume that
(i) the closing date of the Merger is June 24, 2016 and (ii) the number of outstanding equity-based awards for each director
and executive officer that were outstanding as of June 24, 2016, the latest practicable date to determine such amounts
before the filing of this proxy statement (such numbers do not forecast any grants, any vesting, additional issuances, dividends,
additional deferrals or forfeitures of equity-based awards following the date of this proxy statement). For purposes of these
estimates, such amounts were calculated by multiplying the number of stock options by the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration
over the exercise price per Share of such stock option, and by multiplying the number of the Shares subject to restricted stock
units, performance units and director stock units by the per Share Merger Consideration of $14.00.
The Company’s executive officers
and directors also hold vested stock options, which, provided they remain unexercised at the effective time of the Merger, will
be canceled in exchange for the Merger Consideration, as described above. The value of vested stock options held by the Company’s
executive officers and directors is not included in the estimate above because the exercise price for each stock option outstanding
as of June 24, 2016 is greater than the Merger Consideration.
Change in Control Severance
Agreements
Each of Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf, and
Rausch is party to a Change in Control Severance Agreement with the Company, which provides for enhanced severance and other separation
benefits in the event an executive officer experiences a qualifying termination of employment in connection with the completion
of a transaction such as the Merger.
The Change in Control Severance Agreements
provide that, in the event the executive officer is terminated by the Company without “cause” (as defined below)
or by the executive officer for “good reason” (in each case, as defined below) (a “qualifying termination”)
during the two-year period (or three-year period, in the case of Mr. Farr) following completion of the Merger or in the event
the executive officer experiences a qualifying termination prior to the completion of the Merger and such qualifying termination
was at the request or direction of Riverstone, he will be paid or provided with the following severance benefits:
|
·
|
a
lump-sum cash payment payable on the first day of the seventh month following the executive
officer’s date of termination equal to two times (three, in the case of Mr. Farr)
the sum of (i) the executive officer’s base salary in effect immediately
prior to the date of termination or, if higher, immediately prior to the first occurrence
of an event or circumstance constituting “good reason,” and (ii) the average
of annual bonuses earned by the executive officer in respect of the last three
fiscal years ending immediately prior to the fiscal year in which the termination occurs
or, if higher, the fiscal year immediately prior to the fiscal year in which an event
or circumstance constituting “good reason” first occurs, or in the case of
Mr. Farr, Mr. Farr’s target annual cash bonus payable in respect of the fiscal
year in which the termination occurs or, if higher, immediately prior to the fiscal year
in which an event or circumstance constituting “good reason” first occurs;
|
|
·
|
a
lump-sum cash payment payable within 30 days following the executive officer’s
date of termination equal to the value of any annual bonus or cash incentive plan payment
the executive officer would have received for service in the final calendar year
of employment, as if 100% of target goals were achieved, but prorated based on the number
of full calendar months of service completed;
|
|
·
|
a lump-sum cash payment payable within 30 days following the executive officer’s date of termination equal to the value
of any restricted stock units that he would have been awarded for service in the final calendar year of employment, as if 100%
of target goals (including time-based vesting requirements) were achieved, but prorated based on the number of full calendar months
of service completed;
|
|
·
|
for executive officers other than Mr. Farr, a lump-sum cash payment payable on the first day of the seventh month following
the executive officer’s date of termination equal to the aggregate
|
amount of COBRA premiums otherwise
payable by the executive officer for the 24-month period following termination and for Mr. Farr, continuation of life,
disability, accident, and health benefits substantially similar to those provided to Mr. Farr and his dependents immediately prior
to the date of termination or, if more favorable to Mr. Farr, immediately prior to the first occurrence of an event or circumstance
constituting “good reason” for the 36-month period following termination;
|
·
|
a lump-sum cash payment payable on the first day of the seventh month following the executive officer’s date of termination
equal to the value of any unpaid incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded for a previous performance period but
not yet paid;
|
|
·
|
accelerated
vesting of all contingent cash-based incentive compensation awards for all then uncompleted
periods, calculated on a prorated basis of months of completed service, assuming achievement
at the actual level of performance (or maximum level of performance, for Mr. Farr) as
of the date of the completion of a transaction such as the Merger, except for a pro rata
portion of the performance units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch, which
will be treated as described in “
The Merger Agreement—Treatment of Stock
Options and Other Equity-Based Awards
” below;
|
|
·
|
in
the case of Mr. Farr, a lump sum cash payment payable on the first day of the seventh
month following the executive officer’s date of termination equal to the excess
of (i) the actuarial equivalent of the aggregate retirement pension which Mr.
Farr would have accrued under the terms of all Talen Energy pension plans (including
tax-qualified, supplemental, and excess defined benefit pension plans), determined as
if Mr. Farr were fully vested thereunder and had accumulated after the date of termination
36 additional months of service credit thereunder and had been credited under
each pension plan during such period with compensation equal to his compensation during
the twelve months immediately preceding the date of termination or, if higher, during
the 12 months immediately prior to the first occurrence of an event or circumstance
constituting good reason, over (ii) the actuarial equivalent of the aggregate retirement
pension which Mr. Farr had accrued pursuant to the provisions of the pension plans as
of the date of termination;
|
|
·
|
outplacement services until December 31 of the second calendar year after termination (or for three years after termination
in the case of Mr. Farr) or, if earlier, until the first acceptance by the executive officer of an offer of employment, and, for
executive officers other than Mr. Farr, not to exceed $50,000; and
|
|
·
|
post-retirement
health care and life insurance benefits, but only if the executive officer would have
become eligible to receive such benefits within the 24-month period (36-month period in the case of Mr. Farr) following termination commencing on the date
on which such coverage would have first become available (or, for Mr. Farr, if later,
the date on which the above-referenced benefits continuation would have ceased).
|
For purposes of the Change in Control Severance
Agreements, “good reason” will exist, subject to certain exceptions and notice and cure opportunities, after
the occurrence of any one of the following events without the executive officer’s consent: (i) an adverse change
in the executive officer’s duties, or for Mr. Farr, reporting relationship, or a substantial adverse change
in the executive officer’s responsibilities; (ii) a reduction in the executive officer’s base salary, except
for across-the-board decreases uniformly affecting management, key employees and salaried employees of the Company; (iii)
a relocation of the executive officer’s primary work location by more than 30 miles; (iv) the failure of the Company
to pay the executive officer any portion of his current or deferred compensation within seven days of the date on which it is
due; (v) the failure of the Company, or any successor thereto, to continue in effect any compensation or benefit plan in which
the executive officer participates immediately prior to the completion of a transaction such as the Merger that
is material to the executive officer’s
compensation unless an alternative equitable arrangement is made or (vi) the failure of the Company, or any successor thereto,
to continue to provide the executive officer with benefits substantially similar to those enjoyed by the executive officer under
any of the Company’s pension, savings, life insurance, medical, health and accident or disability plans in which the executive
officer was participating immediately prior to the completion of a transaction such as the Merger, except for across-the-board
changes in any plans that impact all participants uniformly, or any other action taken by the Company that would directly or indirectly
materially reduce any such benefits enjoyed by the executive officer.
For purposes of the Change in Control Severance
Agreements, “cause” will generally exist upon (i) the willful and continued failure by the executive
officer to substantially perform his duties with the Company after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to
the executive officer by the Board and (ii) the willful engaging by the executive officer in conduct which is demonstrably
and materially injurious to the Company or its subsidiaries, monetarily or otherwise.
The Change in Control Severance Agreements
provide that in the event that payments and other benefits made to the named executive officers are subject to the golden parachute
excise tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which we refer to as the Code, such payments will
be reduced to the extent such reduction would result in the named executive officer retaining a greater after-tax amount.
Executive Severance Plan
The Company maintains the Executive Severance
Plan, which provides for the payment of severance benefits to Messrs. Schinski and Breme and other selected executives
in the event of an involuntary termination of employment meeting the conditions described in the plan. In the event an
eligible executive is terminated by Talen Energy without “cause” (as defined below) or by the executive for
“good reason” (as defined below) at any time prior to or following the effective date of the Merger, and the executive
does not have a Change in Control Severance Agreement with the Company as described above, and subject to the executive’s
execution and non-revocation of a release of claims in favor of Talen Energy, the Talen Energy Executive Severance Plan provides
that Messrs. Schinski and Breme and such other selected executives will be entitled to receive the following severance
payments:
|
·
|
a lump-sum cash payment payable within 60 days following the executive’s date
of termination equal to two times (in the case of Messrs. Schinski and Breme) or one time (in the case of other selected executives)
the executive’s
base
salary in effect immediately prior to the date of termination;
|
|
·
|
a lump-sum cash payment payable within 60 days following the executive’s date
of termination equal to the aggregate amount of COBRA premiums otherwise payable by the
executive for the 24-month (in the case of Messrs. Schinski and Breme) or 12-month (in the case of other
selected executives) period
following
termination
for
the executive and his eligible dependents;
|
|
·
|
a
lump-sum cash payment payable within 60 days following the executive’s date of termination equal to the value of any annual bonus or cash incentive plan
payment the executive would have received for service in the final calendar
year of employment, as if 100% of target goals were achieved, prorated based on the number
of full calendar months of service completed; and
|
|
·
|
outplacement assistance at the level offered to executive level employees of the
Company for a period of 18 months, not to exceed $50,000 (in the case of
Messrs. Schinski and Breme) or 12 months, not to exceed $25,000 (in the case of other selected executives).
|
For
purposes of the Executive Severance Plan, “cause” will exist upon (i) the executive officer’s
engagement in misconduct which is materially injurious to the
Company or any of its affiliates, (ii) the executive officer’s
insubordination after clear and lawful direction, (iii) the executive officer’s commission of a felony in the
performance of duties to the Company or any of its affiliates, (iv) the executive officer’s commission of an act
or acts constituting any fraud against or embezzlement from the Company or any of its affiliates, (v) the executive officer’s
material breach of any confidentiality or non-competition covenant entered into between the executive officer and the
Company or any of its affiliates, (vi) the executive officer’s employment with a competitor while employed by the
Company or any of its affiliates and (vii) the executive officer’s egregious violation of the Company policy
resulting in termination.
For
purposes of the Executive Severance Plan, “good reason” will exist, subject to certain notice and cure opportunities,
upon one or more of the following events without the executive officer’s consent (i) a change caused by the
Company
in the executive officer’s duties and responsibilities which is materially inconsistent with the executive officer’s position
at the Company or any of its affiliates, (ii) a material reduction in the executive officer’s annual base salary, annual incentive
compensation opportunity or other employee benefits (excluding any such reduction that is part of a plan to reduce annual base
salaries, annual incentive compensation opportunities or other employee benefits of comparably situated employees of the Company
or any of its affiliates generally), or (iii) a relocation of the executive officer’s principal place of employment to a
location that is more than 50 miles from the executive officer’s current principal place of employment.
For
an estimate of the value of the payments and benefits described above that would become payable under the Executive Severance
Plan to Mr. Schinski, see “—
Golden Parachute Compensation
” below. The aggregate value of the payments
and benefits that would become payable to Mr. Breme, the Company’s other executive officer, assuming that the effective
time of the Merger is June 24, 2016 and Mr. Breme experienced a termination without “cause” or resignation
with “good reason” on such date, is $899,869. This estimate is based on compensation and benefit levels in effect
on June 24, 2016, the latest practicable date to determine such amounts before the filing of this proxy statement; therefore,
if compensation and benefit levels are changed after such date, the actual value of Mr. Breme’s severance payments
and benefits may be different from those provided for above.
Retention Bonus Plan
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and prior
to the effective time of the Merger, the Company may, after consultation with Riverstone, establish one or more cash retention
programs for employees, other than Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch, and may make individual retention awards in an aggregate
amount not to exceed $5,000,000. No retention award may be payable prior to the earlier of the effective time of the Merger and
September 2, 2017, and all retention award payments must be subject to the relevant employee signing a release of claims prior
to payment. In the event of an award recipient’s termination of employment by the Company without cause or due to the employee’s
death or disability prior to the effective time of the Merger, the Company may pay a pro rata portion of the retention
bonus award on the closing of the Merger. On June 20, 2016, the Company granted a retention award to Mr. Schinski
in the amount of $400,000 and to Mr. Breme in the amount of $444,050, which will be payable as described above.
Indemnification Benefits
Each of the Company’s executive
officers and directors are entitled to the indemnification benefits in favor of the Company directors and executive officers,
as described in more detail in “
The Merger Agreement—Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
.”
Golden Parachute Compensation
The table below, entitled “Potential
Change-in-Control Payments to Named Executive Officers,” along with its footnotes, sets forth the information required by
Item 402(t) of Regulation S-K regarding the compensation payable to the Company’s chief executive officer, chief financial
officer and three other
most
highly compensated executive officers, as determined for purposes of its most recent annual proxy statement (each of whom we refer
to as a “named executive officer”), which compensation is subject to an advisory vote of the Company’s stockholders,
as described below in “
Merger-Related Executive Compensation Arrangements (The Golden Parachute Proposal—Proposal
3).
” The table assumes the consummation of the Merger occurred on June 24, 2016 and the employment of
the named executive officer was terminated without “cause” or for “good reason” on such date. The value
of any equity-based awards was calculated by multiplying the number of the Shares subject to restricted stock units and performance
units by the per Share Merger Consideration of $14.00.
The calculations in the table below do not
include amounts that the Company’s executive officers were already entitled to receive or vested in as of the date hereof
or amounts under contracts, agreements, plans or
arrangements to the extent they do not discriminate
in scope, terms or operation in favor of executive officers and that are available generally to all the Company’s salaried
employees
.
Potential
Change-in-Control Payments to Named Executive Officers
Name
|
|
Cash
($)
(1)
|
|
|
Equity
($)
(2)
|
|
|
Welfare
Benefits
($)
(3)
|
|
|
Total
($)
(4)
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
$
|
9,363,750
|
|
|
$
|
10,325,196
|
|
|
$
|
119,475
|
|
|
$
|
19,808,421
|
|
Jeremy R. McGuire
|
|
$
|
2,156,782
|
|
|
$
|
2,247,504
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
|
|
$
|
4,454,286
|
|
Clarence J. Hopf, Jr.
|
|
$
|
1,554,186
|
|
|
$
|
1,431,374
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
|
|
$
|
3,035,560
|
|
Timothy S. Rausch
|
|
$
|
2,001,835
|
|
|
$
|
1,814,484
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
|
|
$
|
3,866,319
|
|
James E. Schinski
|
|
$
|
1,326,396
|
|
|
$
|
1,415,316
|
|
|
$
|
50,000
|
|
|
$
|
2,791,712
|
|
|
(1)
|
As described above in “
Special Factors—Interests
of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Change in Control
Severance Agreements
,” the cash payments to Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf, and
Rausch consist of (i) two times (three times, in the case of Mr. Farr) the sum of (a)
the executive officer’s base salary in effect immediately prior to the date
of termination or, if higher, immediately prior to the first occurrence of an event or
circumstance constituting “good reason,” and (b) the average of annual bonuses
earned by the executive officer in respect of the last three fiscal years ending
immediately prior to the fiscal year in which the termination occurs or, if higher, the
fiscal year immediately prior to the fiscal year in which an event or circumstance constituting
“good reason” first occurs (or, in the case of Mr. Farr, the target annual
cash bonus payable in respect of the fiscal year in which the termination occurs), (ii)
a pro rata portion of the value of any annual bonus or cash incentive plan payment
the executive officer would have received for service in the final calendar year of employment
based on target achievement of any applicable performance goals, and (iii) a pro rata
portion of the value of any restricted stock units that the executive officer would have
been awarded for service in the final calendar year of employment based on target achievement
of any performance goals, (iv) for named executive officers other than Mr. Farr, a lump-sum
cash payment equal to the aggregate amount of COBRA premiums otherwise payable by the
executive officer for the 24-month period following termination and (v) for Mr.
Farr, a lump sum cash payment equal to the excess of (a) the actuarial equivalent
of the aggregate retirement pension which Mr. Farr would have accrued under the terms
of all pension plans (including tax-qualified, supplemental, and excess defined benefit
pension plans), determined as if
Mr. Farr were fully vested thereunder and had accumulated after the date of termination
36 additional months of service credit thereunder, over (b) the actuarial equivalent
of the aggregate retirement pension which Mr. Farr had accrued pursuant to the provisions
of the pension plans as of the date of termination. As described above in “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Executive
Severance Plan
,” the cash payments to Mr. Schinski consist of (i) two times
the executive officer’s base salary, (ii) a lump-sum cash payment equal
to the aggregate amount of COBRA premiums otherwise payable by the executive officer
for the 24-month period following termination, (iii) a pro rata portion of
Mr. Schinski’s annual bonus assuming 100% of target goals were achieved
and (iv) payment of Mr. Schinski’s retention bonus award.
|
Other than Mr. Schinski’s
retention bonus award, the above payments are “double-trigger” in nature as they will only be
payable
in the event of a termination of employment without “cause” or for “good reason” following the effective
time of the Merger, as described above. Mr. Schinski’s retention bonus award is
“single-trigger” in nature
as it will become payable immediately upon the closing date, whether or not his employment is terminated. The amounts shown
in this column are based on the compensation and benefit levels in effect on June 24, 2016, the latest practicable date
to determine such amounts before the filing of this proxy statement; therefore, if compensation and benefit levels are changed
after such date, actual payments to an executive officer may be different than those provided for above.
The cash payments described in
this column (1) include the following components:
Name
|
|
Base
Salary
Severance
($)
|
|
|
Annual
Cash
Bonus
Severance ($)
|
|
|
Pro
Rata
Bonus
($)
|
|
|
Retention
Bonus ($)
|
|
|
Pro
Rata
Restricted
Stock
Units ($)
|
|
|
Cash
Value
of Welfare
and
Retirement
Benefits ($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
$
|
2,850,000
|
|
|
$
|
3,135,000
|
|
|
$
|
435,417
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
1,583,333
|
|
|
$
|
1,360,000
|
|
|
$
|
9,363,750
|
|
Jeremy R. McGuire
|
|
$
|
963,040
|
|
|
$
|
639,312
|
|
|
$
|
140,443
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
371,172
|
|
|
$
|
42,815
|
|
|
$
|
2,156,782
|
|
Clarence J. Hopf, Jr.
|
|
$
|
800,000
|
|
|
$
|
418,229
|
|
|
$
|
83,333
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
216,667
|
|
|
$
|
35,957
|
|
|
$
|
1,554,186
|
|
Timothy S. Rausch
|
|
$
|
979,490
|
|
|
$
|
612,221
|
|
|
$
|
102,030
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
265,279
|
|
|
$
|
42,815
|
|
|
$
|
2,001,835
|
|
James E. Schinski
|
|
$
|
800,000
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
$
|
83,333
|
|
|
$
|
400,000
|
|
|
$
|
N/A
|
|
|
$
|
43,063
|
|
|
$
|
1,326,396
|
|
|
(2)
|
As
described above in “
The Merger Agreement
—The Merger;
Merger Consideration—Treatment of Stock Options and Other Equity-Based
Awards
,” the equity amounts consist of the accelerated vesting and payment
of unvested restricted stock units, performance units (assuming achievement of target
performance).
All unvested stock options held by the Company’s executive
officers have exercise prices in excess of the Merger Consideration, and therefore such
stock options will be canceled as of the closing date of the Merger for no consideration.
The amounts shown are based on the number of such equity-based awards held by each named
executive officer as of June 24, 2016, the latest practicable date to determine
such amounts before the filing of this proxy statement. The amounts shown do not attempt
to forecast any grants, additional issuances, dividends, additional deferrals or forfeitures
of equity-based awards following the date of this proxy statement. Depending on when
the closing date occurs, certain equity-based awards will vest in accordance with their
terms.
|
The
above payments are “single-trigger” in nature as they will become payable immediately upon the closing date, whether
or not employment is terminated, except that a portion of the performance unit payment for
Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and
Rausch is “double-trigger” in nature in that it will only be payable in the event of a termination of employment without
“cause” or for “good reason” or due to death or disability following the effective time of the Merger.
The equity payments described in
this column (2) include the following components:
Name
|
|
Restricted
Stock Units
($)
|
|
|
“Single
Trigger”
Performance
Units ($)
|
|
|
“Double
Trigger”
Performance
Units ($)
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
$
|
4,622,072
|
|
|
$
|
920,187
|
|
|
$
|
4,782,937
|
|
|
$
|
10,325,196
|
|
Jeremy R. McGuire
|
|
$
|
995,862
|
|
|
$
|
199,598
|
|
|
$
|
1,052,044
|
|
|
$
|
2,247,504
|
|
Clarence J. Hopf, Jr.
|
|
$
|
661,766
|
|
|
$
|
122,374
|
|
|
$
|
647,234
|
|
|
$
|
1,431,374
|
|
Timothy S. Rausch
|
|
$
|
726,670
|
|
|
$
|
197,540
|
|
|
$
|
890,274
|
|
|
$
|
1,814,484
|
|
James E. Schinski
|
|
$
|
684,810
|
|
|
$
|
730,506
|
|
|
$
|
N/A
|
|
|
$
|
1,415,316
|
|
|
(3)
|
As described above in the sections entitled “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the
Merger—Change in Control Severance Agreements
” and “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Executive
Severance Plan
,” the welfare benefits to the named executive officers consist
of (i) outplacement
|
services until December 31
of the second calendar year after termination (for Mr. Schinski, until the 18-month anniversary of termination) or, if earlier,
until the first acceptance by the executive officer of an offer of employment, not to exceed $50,000 and, for Mr. Farr, outplacement services
for a period of three years or, if earlier, until the first acceptance by Mr. Farr of an offer of employment; and (ii) for
Mr. Farr, life, disability, accident and health and benefits continuation for three years.
The above payments are “double-trigger”
in nature as they will only be payable in the event of a termination of employment without cause or for constructive termination
following the completion of the Merger. The amounts reflected in the column above reflect health and benefits rates in effect for
2016; therefore if benefits levels change between the date of this proxy statement and the closing of the Merger, such amounts
will change.
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(4)
|
The amounts in this column represent the total of all compensation in columns (1), (2) and (3).
|
The “single-trigger”
and “double-trigger” components of the aggregate total compensation amounts, respectively, for each executive officer
are as follows:
Name
|
|
Single-Trigger
Payments ($)
|
|
|
Double-Trigger
Payments
($)
|
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
$
|
5,542,259
|
|
|
$
|
14,266,162
|
|
Jeremy R. McGuire
|
|
$
|
1,195,460
|
|
|
$
|
3,258,826
|
|
Clarence J. Hopf, Jr.
|
|
$
|
784,140
|
|
|
$
|
2,251,420
|
|
Timothy S. Rausch
|
|
$
|
924,210
|
|
|
$
|
2,942,109
|
|
James E. Schinski
|
|
$
|
1,815,316
|
|
|
$
|
976,396
|
|
Any amounts shown in the tables above that
are subject to the golden parachute excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code may be subject to reduction to the extent such
reduction would result in the named executive officer retaining a greater after-tax amount of such payment.
Intent to Vote in Favor of the Merger
Our directors and executive officers have
informed us that, as of the date of this proxy statement, they intend to vote all of the Shares owned directly by them in favor
of the Merger Agreement Proposal and each of the other proposals listed in this proxy statement. As of [ ], 2016, the Record Date
for the Special Meeting, our directors and executive officers directly owned, in the aggregate, [ ] Shares entitled to vote at
the Special Meeting, or collectively approximately [ ]% of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
of the Merger
The following discussion is a summary of
material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Merger to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the Shares. This summary is general
in nature and does not discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a holder of the Shares in light
of their particular circumstances. This discussion is based on the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, judicial
authority, published administrative positions of the Internal Revenue Service, which we refer to as the IRS, and other applicable
authorities, all as in effect as of the date of this proxy statement, and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations
at any time, with possible retroactive effect. We have not sought, and do not intend to seek, any ruling from the IRS with respect
to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following discussion, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will
agree with the views expressed herein, or that a court will not sustain any challenge by the IRS in the event of litigation. This
discussion does not describe any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction and does
not consider any aspects of U.S. federal tax law other than income taxation, nor does it address any aspects of the unearned income
Medicare contribution tax. In addition, this discussion only applies to the Shares that are held as a capital asset (generally,
property held for investment) within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code
and does not address tax considerations applicable
to any holder of the Shares that may be subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law, including:
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·
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a bank or other financial institution;
|
|
·
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a tax-exempt organization;
|
|
·
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a retirement plan or other tax-deferred account;
|
|
·
|
a
partnership, S corporation or other pass-through entity (or an investor in a partnership,
S corporation or other pass-through entity);
|
|
·
|
a person holding a direct or indirect interest in Parent or Merger Sub;
|
|
·
|
a real estate investment trust;
|
|
·
|
a dealer or broker in stocks and securities or in currencies;
|
|
·
|
a trader in securities that elects mark-to-market treatment;
|
|
·
|
a stockholder subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code;
|
|
·
|
a stockholder that received the Shares through the exercise of an employee stock option, through a tax qualified retirement
plan or otherwise as compensation;
|
|
·
|
a person that has a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar;
|
|
·
|
a person that holds the Shares as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion or other integrated transaction;
and
|
|
·
|
certain former U.S. citizens or long-term residents.
|
If a partnership (including any entity or
arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds the Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in
the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partner and the partnership. Such
holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of exchanging the Shares pursuant to the Merger. In
addition, holders of Shares who are not U.S. Holders may be subject to different tax consequences than those described below and
are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding their tax treatment under U.S. and non-U.S. tax laws.
The following summary is for general
informational purposes only and is not a substitute for careful tax planning and advice. Holders are urged to consult their own
tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences to them of the Merger in light of their own particular circumstances,
including U.S. federal estate, gift and other non-income tax consequences, and tax consequences under state, local and non-U.S.
tax laws.
U.S. Holders
The following is a summary of the material
U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Merger that will apply to U.S. Holders. For purposes of this discussion, the term U.S.
Holder refers to a beneficial owner of the Shares that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
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·
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an individual who is a citizen or resident in the United States;
|
|
·
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a
corporation (or any other entity or arrangement treated as a corporation for U.S. federal
income tax purposes) organized in or under the laws of the United States or any
state thereof or the District of Columbia;
|
|
·
|
an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
|
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·
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a
trust if (i) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over
the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority
to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has validly elected
to be treated as a “United States person” under applicable Treasury regulations.
|
Exchange of the Shares for Cash
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
The exchange of the Shares for cash in the Merger will be a
taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference, if
any, between the amount of cash received and the holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Shares exchanged therefor. Gain
or loss will be determined separately for each block of the Shares (generally, the Shares acquired at the same cost in a single
transaction) held by such U.S. Holder. Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss
if such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the Shares is more than one year at the time of the exchange. Long-term capital
gains recognized by an individual U.S. Holder are generally eligible for reduced rates of taxation. The deductibility of capital
losses is subject to certain limitations.
Information Reporting and Backup
Withholding Tax.
Proceeds from the exchange of the Shares pursuant to the Merger generally will
be subject to information reporting. In addition, backup withholding tax at the applicable rate (currently 28%) generally will
apply unless the applicable U.S. Holder or other payee provides a valid taxpayer identification number and complies with certain
certification procedures (generally, by providing a properly completed IRS Form W-9) or otherwise establishes an exemption from
backup withholding tax. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding tax rules
from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be allowed as a credit against that holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and
may entitle the holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. Each U.S. Holder should
duly complete, sign and deliver to the exchange agent an appropriate
IRS Form W-9 to provide the information and certification necessary to avoid backup withholding tax, unless an exemption applies
and is established in a manner satisfactory to the exchange agent.
Tax Condition
to the Closing of the Merger Agreement
Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, dated
as of June 5, 2014, by and among PPL, Holdco, the Company, PPL Energy Supply, LLC and the Sponsor Entities, entered
into in connection with the Talen Transactions, the Company agreed not to take certain actions (such as the Merger), during the
two-year period ending June 1, 2017, unless (i) the Company obtains, at its sole cost either, (A) a private letter ruling from the IRS
to the effect that such action will not affect the intended tax-free status of the Talen Transactions, or (B) an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel
or KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte or Ernst & Young to the effect that such action will not affect the intended tax-free status of the Talen
Transactions, or (ii) PPL waives the requirement to obtain such tax opinion or a private letter ruling from the IRS.
In order for the Merger to close, either (i) the Company must have obtained, at its sole cost, (A) a private
letter ruling from the IRS to the effect that such transaction will not affect the intended tax-free status of the Talen Transactions,
or (B) an opinion from Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, the Company’s counsel, or any other nationally recognized tax counsel
or KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte or Ernst & Young to the effect that, based on certain representations made by
the Company, PPL and the Sponsor Entities and subject to the limitations and qualifications set forth in such opinion, the Merger
will not affect the intended tax-free status of the Talen Transactions, or (ii) PPL must waive the requirement to obtain
such tax opinion or a private letter ruling from the IRS.
Financing of the Merger
We
anticipate that the funds needed to complete the Merger will be funded with approximately $[ ] billion
cash on hand of the Company, which may include cash borrowed under the
Credit Facility, prior to the closing of the Merger,
and proceeds from a new secured term loan (as described below). Under the Merger Agreement, the Company has agreed to deposit
with a designated exchange agent prior to the effective time of the Merger the amount of cash necessary to pay the amounts due
to the Company’s stockholders and holders of equity awards at the closing of the Merger (which we anticipate, based upon
the Shares and equity awards outstanding as of June 24, 2016, will be approximately $1.2 billion).
In connection with the Merger, on June
2, 2016, Parent and Merger Sub obtained a commitment letter for up to an aggregate principal amount of $1.1 billion, which, as
amended from time to time in accordance with the Merger Agreement, we refer to as the Debt Commitment Letter, from Goldman Sachs
Bank USA, Royal Bank of Canada, Barclays Bank PLC, Credit Suisse AG and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., collectively
referred to as the Commitment Parties, and will rank
pari passu
with the Credit Facility. We anticipate that $250
million in proceeds from the new secured term loan will be used (i) to fund the payment of fees and expenses in connection with
the debt financing as well as certain fees and expenses under the Merger Agreement and (ii) for ongoing working capital and other
general corporate purposes of the surviving corporation. The remaining $850 million of the commitment may be used as a backstop
facility as described in more detail under “
The Debt Commitment Letter
.”
Also in connection with the Merger Agreement,
Talen Energy Supply entered into a consent agreement with respect to the Credit Facility, which we refer to as the Credit Agreement
Amendment, pursuant to which the requisite lenders agreed to waive the change of control event of default that otherwise would
result from the closing of the Merger and Talen Energy Supply agreed to certain other amendments to the Credit Facility (including
a reduction in total commitments thereunder from $1.85 billion to $1.4 billion), which other amendments will become effective as
of the closing of the Merger.
Also in connection with entering into the
Merger Agreement, Talen Energy Supply entered into that certain Supplemental Indenture No. 14, which we refer to as the Supplemental
Indenture, to the Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2001, which, as further amended and supplemented, we refer to as the Indenture,
by and among Talen Energy Supply, Talen Investment Corporation, Talen Generation, LLC, Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC, Martins Creek,
LLC, Brunner Island, LLC, Pennsylvania Mines, LLC, Montour, LLC, Lower Mount Bethel Energy, LLC, Raven Power Generation Holdings,
LLC, Raven Power Finance LLC, Raven Power Operating LLC, Raven Power Marketing LLC, Raven Power Fort Smallwood LLC, Raven Lot 15
LLC, Raven FS Property Holdings LLC, Fort Armistead Road – Lot 15 Landfill, LLC, H.A. Wagner LLC, Brandon Shores LLC, Jade
Power Generation Holdings LLC, C/R Topaz Holdings, LLC, Topaz Power Group GP II, LLC, Topaz Power Group LP II, LLC, Barney M. Davis,
LP, Laredo WLE, LP, Nueces Bay WLE, LP, Talen Energy Marketing, LLC and Topaz Power Holdings, LLC, which we collectively refer
to as the New Guarantors, and the Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, which we refer to as the Trustee, relating to Talen Energy
Supply’s Senior Notes,
6.500% Series due 2025, which we refer to
as the 2025 Senior Notes. Pursuant to the Supplemental Indenture, the New Guarantors have guaranteed, effective upon the closing
of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, all of Talen Energy Supply’s obligations under
the Indenture with respect to the 2025 Senior Notes. In addition, Talen Energy Supply entered into (i) that certain Guaranty,
which we refer to as the Series 2009A Guaranty, by and among Talen Energy Supply and the New Guarantors, relating to Talen Energy
Supply’s Exempt Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2009A (PPL Energy Supply, LLC Project) municipal bonds, which
we refer to as the Series 2009A bonds, issued pursuant to the Series 2009A Trust Indenture dated as of April 1, 2009, which
we refer to as the Series 2009A Indenture, (ii) that certain Guaranty, which we refer to as the Series 2009B Guaranty, by
and among Talen Energy Supply and the New Guarantors, relating to Talen Energy Supply’s Exempt Facilities Revenue Refunding
Bonds, Series 2009B (PPL Energy Supply, LLC Project) municipal bonds, which we refer to as the Series 2009B bonds, issued pursuant
to the Series 2009B Trust Indenture dated as of April 1, 2009, which we refer to as the Series 2009B Indenture, and (iii) that
certain Guaranty, which we refer to as the Series 2009C Guaranty, and which we refer to together with the Series 2009A Guaranty
and Series 2009B Guaranty, as the Guaranties, by and among Talen Energy Supply and the New Guarantors, relating to Talen Energy
Supply’s Exempt Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2009C (PPL Energy Supply, LLC Project) municipal bonds, which
we refer to as the Series 2009C bonds, and together with the Series 2009A bonds and Series 2009B bonds, as the Municipal Bonds)
issued pursuant to the Series 2009C Trust Indenture dated as of April 1, 2009, which we refer to as the Series 2009C Indenture,
and together with the Series 2009A Indenture and Series 2009B Indenture, as the Municipal Bonds Indentures. Pursuant to the Guaranties,
the New Guarantors have guaranteed, effective upon the closing of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement, all of Talen Energy Supply’s obligations under the Municipal Bonds Indentures with respect to the Municipal Bonds.
We believe proceeds from the new secured
term loan, together with cash on hand of the Company (which may include cash borrowed under the Credit Facility prior to the closing
of the Merger), will be sufficient to complete the Merger, but we cannot assure you of that. Such amounts may be insufficient if,
among other things, the Commitment Parties fail to fund the new secured term loan in breach of the Debt Commitment Letter or the
definitive documents related to such facility, the Company’s cash on hand, including amounts available to be drawn under
the Credit Facility, is less than the Company expects, or the fees, expenses or other amounts required to be paid or reserved in
connection with the Merger are greater than anticipated. Under the terms of the Debt Commitment Letter, the Commitment Parties’
obligation to fund the new secured term loan is subject to customary conditions, including the consummation of the Merger in accordance
with the terms of the Merger Agreement and other customary conditions, including, but not limited to:
|
·
|
the execution and delivery of definitive documentation consistent with the Debt Commitment Letter;
|
|
·
|
the absence, since June 2, 2016, of a material adverse effect (which, for purposes of the Debt Commitment Letter, is defined
as in the Merger Agreement) on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
|
|
·
|
the payment of all applicable fees and expenses;
|
|
·
|
the delivery of certain audited and unaudited financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and certain pro forma
financial statements of the borrower;
|
|
·
|
the Commitment Parties having been afforded a marketing period of at least 20 consecutive business days (subject to certain
blackout dates and other conditions) following receipt of certain
|
financial statements and other information
customarily delivered for the preparation of a confidential information memorandum;
|
·
|
receipt by the lenders of documentation and other information required under applicable “know your customer” and
anti-money laundering rules and regulations (including the PATRIOT Act);
|
|
·
|
the delivery of customary closing documents; and
|
|
·
|
the accuracy of certain representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement and specified representations and warranties
in the definitive debt documents.
|
If
any portion of the debt financing becomes unavailable on the terms and conditions (including the flex
provisions) contemplated in the Debt Commitment Letter, Parent shall promptly notify the Company of such unavailability and,
to the knowledge of Parent, the reason therefor, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be obtained, as promptly
as practicable and in any event no later than the last day of the marketing period, sufficient alternative financing on
terms and conditions
, taken as a whole, no less favorable to Parent than the terms and conditions (including the
flex provisions) in the Debt Commitment Letter. As of [ ], 2016, the last practicable date before
the printing of this proxy statement, no alternative financing arrangements or alternative financing plans have been made in
the event the debt financing is not available as anticipated. The documentation governing the new secured term loan
contemplated by the Debt Commitment Letter has not been finalized and, accordingly, the actual terms of the debt
financing may differ from those described in this proxy statement. The Commitment Parties may invite other banks,
financial institutions and institutional lenders to participate in the debt financing contemplated by the Debt
Commitment Letter.
Although obtaining the proceeds of the
new secured term loan is not a condition to the completion of the Merger, the failure of Parent and Merger Sub to obtain sufficient
debt financing may result in the failure of the Merger to be completed. In that case, Parent and Merger Sub may be obligated to
pay the Company a fee of $85 million. See “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination Fees
”
for a further discussion of the Parent termination fee. Payment of the Parent termination fee is guaranteed by Riverstone Global
Energy and Power Fund V (FT), L.P. pursuant to the limited guarantee referred to below in “
The Merger Agreement—Guarantee
.”
Fees and Expenses
The estimated fees and expenses incurred
or expected to be incurred by the Company in connection with the Merger are as follows:
Description
|
|
Amount
|
|
Financial advisory, legal and other advisory fees
|
|
$
|
[●]
|
|
SEC filing fees
|
|
$
|
185,290
|
|
Printing, proxy solicitation and mailing costs
|
|
$
|
525,000
|
|
Miscellaneous
|
|
$
|
[●]
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
[●]
|
|
It is also expected that Merger Sub and/or
Parent will incur approximately $32 million of legal, financial and other advisory fees.
Except as provided below in “
The
Merger Agreement—Remedies
,” whether or not the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are consummated,
all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Merger will be paid by the party incurring or required to incur such fees
and expenses.
Regulatory Approvals
Under the HSR Act and related rules, certain
transactions, including the Merger, may not be completed until notifications have been given and information furnished to the Antitrust
Division of the DOJ and the FTC, and all statutory waiting period requirements have been satisfied. Notification and Report Forms
were filed with the Antitrust Division of the DOJ and the FTC on June 16, 2016, and the Antitrust Division of the DOJ and the FTC
granted early termination of the applicable waiting period on June 24, 2016.
The Merger is also conditioned on obtaining
approvals from (i) the FERC under Section 203 of the Federal Power Act, (ii) the NRC, in connection with any indirect transfer
of control of the NRC licenses deemed to be created by the Merger and/or with respect to change in control over radiological monitoring
licenses at certain coal-fired generating facilities, (iii) the NYPSC, in connection or in compliance with its rules and regulations,
(iv) the FCC, with respect to change in control over wireless radio licenses and (v) applicable state agencies with respect to
change in control over radiological monitoring licenses at certain coal-fired generating facilities. Application for
Order Approving Indirect Transfer of Control of Facility Operating Licenses was filed with the NRC on June 29, 2016.
At any time before or after the effective
time of the Merger, the Antitrust Division of the DOJ or the FTC could take action under the antitrust laws, including seeking
to enjoin the consummation of the Merger, conditionally approve the Merger upon the divestiture of assets of the Company, subject
the consummation of the Merger to regulatory conditions or seek other remedies. In addition, state attorneys general and other
regulators could take action under the antitrust or other laws as they deem necessary or desirable in the public interest, including,
without limitation, seeking to enjoin the completion of the Merger or permitting completion subject to regulatory conditions. Private
parties may also seek to take legal action under the applicable laws under some circumstances. There can be no assurance that a
challenge to the Merger will not be made or, if such a challenge is made, that it would not be successful.
Litigation Relating to the Merger
Currently, the Company is not aware
of any pending litigation related to the Merger.
Effective Time
of the Merger
The closing of the Merger is expected to
take place on (i) the date that is three business days following the date on which the last of the conditions to the closing of
the Merger (described in “
The Merger Agreement—Conditions to the Completion of the Merger
”) has been satisfied
or waived (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing of the Merger, but subject to the
satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at such time) or (ii) such other date as agreed to in writing by Parent, Merger
Sub and the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent and Merger Sub will not be required to effect the Closing until the
earlier to occur of (x) any business day during the marketing period to be specified by Parent to the Company on no less than two
business days’ written notice to the Company and (y) the third business day following the final day of the marketing period.
The effective time of the Merger will occur
as soon as practicable following the closing of the Merger upon the filing of a certificate of merger with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware (or at such later date as we and Parent and Merger Sub agree and specify in the certificate of merger).
Payment of Merger Consideration
At the effective time of the Merger,
each Share outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (other than (i) Excluded Shares and (ii) the
Shares underlying the Company’s stock options and the Shares that are subject to the Company’s restricted stock
unit awards, the Company’s performance units and the Company’s director stock units) will be converted into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration, less any applicable withholding taxes, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement whereupon all such Shares will be automatically canceled, will cease to be
outstanding and will cease to exist, and the holders of such Shares will cease to have any rights with respect thereto other
than the right to receive the Merger Consideration. Prior to the effective time of the Merger, the Company will designate an
exchange agent to exchange the Shares for the Merger Consideration. Prior to the effective time of the Merger, the Company
will deposit with the exchange agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Shares, sufficient cash to pay the aggregate
Merger Consideration. The exchange agent will promptly pay each holder of record the Merger Consideration upon
the entry through a book-entry transfer agent of the surrender of such Shares on a book-entry account statement.
Interest will not be paid or accrue in respect of any cash payments of the Merger Consideration. The exchange agent will
reduce the amount of any Merger Consideration paid by any applicable withholding taxes.
After the completion of the Merger, you
will cease to have any rights as a stockholder of the Company other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.
At any time following the first anniversary
of the closing date of the Merger, upon the surviving corporation’s demand, the exchange agent will return to the surviving
corporation all funds in its possession. After that time, if you have not received payment of the Merger Consideration, you may
look only to the surviving corporation for payment of the Merger Consideration, subject to applicable abandoned property, escheat
and other similar laws.
Provisions for Unaffiliated Stockholders
No provision has been made to grant the
Company’s stockholders, other than Parent or its affiliates, access to the corporate files of the Company or any other party
to the Merger or to obtain counsel or appraisal services at the expense of the Company or any other such party.
Accounting Treatment
The Company, as the surviving corporation
in the Merger, is considered the acquirer for accounting purposes. Therefore, its net assets remain at historical cost.
THE MERGER
AGREEMENT
The following describes the material
provisions of the Merger Agreement, which is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement and which is incorporated by reference
herein. The description in this section and elsewhere in this proxy statement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
Merger Agreement. This summary does not purport to be complete and may not contain all of the information about the Merger Agreement
that is important to you. The Company and Parent encourage you to read carefully the Merger Agreement in its entirety before making
any decisions regarding the Merger because it is the principal document governing the Merger.
In reviewing the Merger Agreement, please
remember that it is included to provide you with information regarding its terms. The Merger Agreement contains representations
and warranties by each of the parties to the Merger Agreement. These representations and warranties have been made for the benefit
of the other party to the Merger Agreement and:
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·
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have been qualified by certain disclosures that were made to the other party in connection with the negotiation of the Merger
Agreement, which disclosures are not reflected in the Merger Agreement; and
|
|
·
|
may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material by you or other investors.
|
Moreover, information concerning the
subject matter of the representations and warranties may change after the date of the Merger Agreement, which subsequent information
may or may not be fully reflected in public disclosures by the Company. As of the date of this proxy statement, except as set forth
in the Company’s public disclosures, there are no specific material facts that exist that the Company believes materially
contradicts its representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement. The Company will provide additional disclosure in its public
reports to the extent it becomes aware of the existence of any specific material facts that are required to be disclosed under
U.S. federal securities laws and might contradict its representations and warranties contained in the Merger Agreement. In any
event, the representations and warranties and other provisions of the Merger Agreement should not be read alone, but instead should
be read together with the information provided elsewhere in this proxy statement and in the documents incorporated by reference
herein. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
The Merger; Merger Consideration
The Merger
The Merger Agreement provides that, upon
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, and in accordance with the DGCL, Merger Sub will merge
with and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub will cease and the Company
will be the surviving corporation in the Merger and will continue its corporate existence under Delaware law.
At the effective time of the Merger:
|
·
|
each Share that as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger is owned by the Company as treasury stock or owned
by Merger Sub will be canceled and cease to exist, without consideration;
|
|
·
|
each Share that as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger is owned by a Sponsor Entity, Parent or any of
the Company’s subsidiaries will be converted into one fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001
per share, of the surviving corporation;
|
|
·
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each Share issued and outstanding as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger (other than Excluded Shares described
in the preceding two bullets and Dissenting Shares, if any) will be converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration;
and
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each issued and outstanding share of capital stock of Merger Sub will be canceled and cease to exist, without any consideration.
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At the effective time of the Merger:
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the certificate of incorporation of the Company (as the surviving corporation in the Merger) will be amended and restated at
the effective time of the Merger to be in the form of the certificate of incorporation attached as an exhibit to the Merger Agreement,
until amended as provided by such certificate of incorporation and the DGCL;
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the bylaws of Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will become the bylaws of the Company
(as the surviving corporation in the Merger), until amended as provided by the certificate of incorporation, such bylaws and the
DGCL;
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each of the directors of Merger Sub as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will become a director of the
surviving corporation, until his or her successor is elected or appointed and qualified or until the earlier of his or her death,
resignation or removal, as the case may be; and
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each of the officers of the Company as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will remain an officer of the
surviving corporation, until his or her successor is appointed and qualified or until the earlier of his or her death, resignation
or removal, as the case may be.
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Treatment of Stock Options and Other
Equity-Based Awards
Stock
Options
. At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding stock options, whether vested or unvested,
will be canceled in exchange for a cash payment equal to the product of (i) the total number of the Shares subject to the stock
option immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger multiplied by (ii) the excess, if any, of the Merger Consideration
over the exercise price per Share of the stock option, without interest and less applicable taxes required to be withheld, which
will be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of the Merger. Any outstanding stock option that has an exercise
price per Share equal to or in excess of the Merger Consideration will be canceled at the effective time of the Merger for no
consideration.
Restricted
Stock Units
. At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding restricted stock units will be
canceled in exchange for the RSU Cash Payment. For restricted stock units granted prior to June 2, 2016, the RSU Cash Payment
will be paid as promptly as practicable following the effective time of the Merger. For restricted stock units granted between
June 2, 2016 and the effective time of the Merger, the RSU Cash Payment will be paid following the effective time of the Merger
subject to the same vesting schedule and other vesting terms and conditions applicable to the underlying restricted stock units
as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions governing certain terminations of employment).
Performance
Units
. At the effective time of the Merger, outstanding performance units, other than those held
by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch will be canceled in exchange for a cash payment, payable as promptly as practicable
following the effective time of the Merger, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration multiplied by (ii) the total
number of the Shares underlying the cancelled performance units assuming the target achievement of applicable performance goals
and the satisfaction of all other conditions of delivery, without interest and less applicable taxes required to be withheld.
A pro rata portion of the performance units held by Messrs. Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch (determined based on the relative
portion of the applicable performance period that has elapsed as of the effective time of the Merger) will be treated in the same
manner as the performance units held by all other employees of the Company, and the remaining performance units held by Messrs.
Farr, McGuire, Hopf and Rausch will be converted into the right to receive a cash payment in an amount equal to product of (i)
(a) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to the executive officer assuming the target achievement of
the performance goals applicable to such performance unit, minus (b) the total number of the Shares that would be delivered to
the executive officer upon a “change in control” under the terms of the applicable performance unit award agreement
and (y) the Merger Consideration, which cash amount will be subject to the service-based (but not the performance-based) vesting
terms and conditions applicable to the underlying performance unit as of the effective time of the Merger (including conditions
governing certain terminations of employment).
Director
Stock Units
. At the effective time of the Merger, each outstanding director stock unit will be
converted into an obligation to pay an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (i) the Merger Consideration
multiplied by (ii) the total number of the Shares represented by that director stock unit, with such amount payable or
distributed in accordance with the terms of the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (and any applicable deferral election).
Exchange Procedures
Prior to the effective time of the Merger,
the Company will designate an exchange agent for the purpose of exchanging the Shares for the Merger Consideration. Prior to the
effective time of the Merger, the Company will take such actions as are necessary and appropriate such that funds are available
to the Company on the closing date of the Merger in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the aggregate Merger Consideration and (ii)
the Equity Award Consideration, which is the amount necessary for the surviving corporation to make payments to the holders of
stock options, restricted stock units, performance units and director stock units. Out of such available funds, the Company will
deposit with the exchange agent prior to the effective time of the Merger, cash in an amount necessary to pay the aggregate Merger
Consideration. Following the effective time of the Merger, Parent agrees to cause the surviving corporation to make available to
the exchange agent, from time to time as needed, additional cash, without interest, to pay the Merger Consideration. All payments
of the Equity Award Consideration will be made as promptly as reasonably practicable following the effective time of the Merger,
but in no event later than the first regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective time of the Merger.
Withholding
Parent, the surviving corporation and the
exchange agent will be entitled to deduct and withhold (or cause to be deducted and withheld) from any amounts otherwise payable
pursuant to the Merger Agreement any amount it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under
the applicable U.S. federal, state, local or foreign law. To the extent amounts are so deducted and withheld, and paid over to
the appropriate governmental authority, such withheld amounts will be treated for purposes of the Merger Agreement as having been
paid to the person with respect to which such deduction and withholding was made.
Effective Time of the Merger; Closing
Unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing
between the Company and Parent, the closing of the Merger will take place on the third business day following the satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions to the closing of the Merger (see “
The Merger Agreement—Conditions to the Completion
of the Merger
”) (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing of the Merger, but
subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions), except that Parent will not be required to effect closing until the
earlier to occur of (i) the third business day following the final day of the marketing period or (ii) such earlier date as may
be specified by Parent on no less than two business days’ prior notice to the Company, in each case subject to the satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions of the Merger (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing
of the Merger, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at such time).
We are working to complete the Merger as
promptly as practicable. Assuming timely satisfaction of necessary closing conditions, we anticipate that the Merger will be completed
by the end of 2016. The effective time of the Merger will occur on the same day as the closing of the Merger, following the closing
of the Merger upon the filing of a certificate of merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (or at such later
time as the Company and Parent may agree and specify in such certificate of merger).
Marketing Period
The “marketing period” referred
to above is the first period of 20 consecutive business days (provided that (i) the marketing period will either end on or prior
to August 17, 2016, or if the marketing period has not ended on or prior to August 17, 2016, then the marketing period will commence
no earlier than September 6, 2016, (ii) July 1-5, 2016, October 10, 2016 and November 23-27, 2016 are not considered business
days for purposes of the marketing period and (iii) the marketing period shall either end on or prior to December 21, 2016 or,
if the marketing period has not ended on or prior to December 21, 2016, then the marketing period shall commence no earlier than
January 2, 2017) after the date of the Merger Agreement during and at the end of which (a) Parent shall have all of the required
information (as described under “
The Merger Agreement—Financing; Talen Energy Cooperation
”) regarding
the Company and its subsidiaries and (b) the conditions to each party’s obligations to effect the Merger (other than obtaining
the stockholder approvals (as described under “
The Merger Agreement—Conditions to the Completion of the
Merger
”), after May 2, 2017, the termination or expiration of all waiting periods applicable to the Merger under the
HSR Act and the receipt by the parties of any required regulatory approvals, and those conditions that by their terms are to be
satisfied at the closing of the Merger) have been satisfied or waived (and remain satisfied or waived) and nothing has occurred
and no condition exists that would cause any of the conditions to the obligations of Parent or Merger Sub to effect the Merger
to fail to be satisfied, assuming that the date of the closing of the Merger were to be scheduled for any time during such 20
consecutive business day period.
However,
the marketing period will not commence or be deemed to have commenced if, prior to the completion of the marketing period, (i)
the Company’s independent accountants shall have withdrawn any audit opinion with respect to any financial statements included
in the required information, in which case the marketing period shall not be deemed to commence unless and until, at the earliest,
a new unqualified audit opinion is issued with respect to such financial statements for the applicable period by the applicable
independent accountants or another independent public accounting firm of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to
Parent, (ii) the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have failed to file any report or other document required to be filed
with the Securities Exchange Commission by the date required under the
Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable,
containing any financial statements that would be required to be contained therein, in which case the marketing period shall not
be deemed to commence unless and until, at the earliest, all such reports have been filed or (iii) the Company publicly announces
its intention to (or determines that it must) restate any historical financial statements or other historical financial information
included in the required information, in which case, the Marketing Period shall not be deemed to commence unless and until such
restatement has been completed or the Company has publicly announced that it has concluded that no such restatement shall be necessary.
The marketing period will end on any earlier
date prior to the expiration of the relevant twenty consecutive business day period if the debt financing or any alternative financing
pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement is obtained on such earlier date.
The purpose of the marketing period as described
above is to provide Parent with a reasonable and appropriate period of time during which the Commitment Parties can market and
place the debt financing contemplated by the Debt Commitment Letter entered into by Parent and Merger Sub in connection with the
Merger, as described in more detail under “
The Merger Agreement—Financing; Talen Energy Cooperation
” and
“
The Debt Commitment Letter
.”
Conditions to the Completion of the Merger
The obligations of Company and Parent to
complete the Merger are subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable law) on or prior to the closing
of the Merger of the following conditions:
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the
Merger Agreement shall have been adopted by the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of
a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon and (ii) the holders of a majority
of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders;
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all waiting periods (and extensions thereof) applicable to the Merger under the HSR Act will have been terminated or have expired;
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certain specified regulatory approvals will have been obtained, including the approval of the FERC, the NRC, the NYPSC and
the FCC, and certain other required regulatory consents and approvals;
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no law, statute, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, injunction, judgment, order or ruling enacted, promulgated, issued, entered,
amended or enforced by any governmental authority will be in effect enjoining, restraining, preventing or prohibiting consummation
of the Merger or making the consummation of the Merger illegal; and
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(i) the Company shall have received either (A) a private letter ruling from the IRS to the effect that the Merger will not effect the
intended tax-free status of the Talen Transactions, or (B) an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel or KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte or Ernst & Young to the effect that the Merger will not affect the intended
tax-free status of the Talen Transactions, or (ii) PPL shall have waived the requirement to obtain such tax opinion or a private letter ruling from the IRS.
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In addition, each of Parent’s and
Merger Sub’s obligations to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable
law) on or prior to the closing of the Merger of the following conditions:
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certain specified representations and warranties of the Company with respect to organization, capitalization, authority, absence
of certain changes, anti-takeover statutes, financial advisor opinion, brokers and advisors and stockholder approval being true
and correct in all material respects as of the date of the Merger Agreement and as at the effective time of the Merger (except
to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case, such representation
and warranty must be true and correct as of such earlier date);
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certain representations and warranties of the Company with respect to the absence of any change, event, occurrence, fact, development,
circumstance, condition or effect that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect from December
31, 2015 to the date of the Merger Agreement being true and correct in all respects as of the date of the Merger Agreement and
as at the effective time of the Merger (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier
date, in which case, such representation and warranty must be true and correct as of such earlier date);
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certain representations and warranties of the Company with respect to the outstanding Shares and equity awards as of June 2,
2016 and certain related capitalization matters being true and correct, disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained
therein relating to materiality or material adverse effect, as of the date of the Merger Agreement and as of the effective time
of the Merger (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which
case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date), except where the failure to be true and
correct is
de minimis
;
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the representations and warranties of the Company, excluding the representations and warranties identified in the foregoing
three bullets, being true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality
or material adverse effect) as of the date of the Merger Agreement and as of the effective time of the Merger (except to the extent
that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty
shall be true and correct as of such earlier date), except where the failure to be true and correct would not, individually or
in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect;
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Parent having received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer of the Company stating that the
conditions relating to representations and warranties have been satisfied;
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the Company having performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under the Merger Agreement
at or prior to the closing of the Merger, and Parent having received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by an executive
officer of the Company to such effect
;
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no law, regulatory approvals described above or governmental authority imposing or requiring any undertakings, terms, conditions,
liabilities, obligations, commitments or sanctions, or any structural or remedial actions or other acts or things (including any
required action, as specified in the Merger Agreement, to obtain all regulatory approvals) that, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute a burdensome condition, which is defined as an undertaking, term, condition, liability, obligation, commitment or sanction
(including any required action, as specified in the Merger Agreement, to obtain all regulatory approvals) imposed upon or otherwise
affecting, directly or indirectly, the Company, the surviving corporation or any of their subsidiaries, that (a) individually or
in the aggregate would have or would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the business, assets, results of
operations or financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, after giving effect to the Merger, or
(b) would require or involve, directly or indirectly, (i) the sale or disposition of Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Susquehanna
Nuclear, LLC or assets or properties thereof that are material to the ownership, operation or maintenance of Susquehanna Steam
Electric Station or (ii) the funding or establishment of cash reserves, letters of credit or other credit support in excess of
$250,000,000 with respect to regulatory approvals; provided that no such undertakings, terms, conditions, liabilities,
obligations, commitments or sanctions (including any required action by a governmental authority) imposed upon or otherwise affecting,
directly or indirectly, the Company, the surviving corporation or any of their respective subsidiaries as a direct result of any
investment, acquisition or joint venture, in each case in power generation, made or entered into by any affiliate (as defined in
18 C.F.R. Section 35.36(a)(9)) of Parent or Merger Sub (other than the Company and its subsidiaries) that owns or controls electric
generation or transmission facilities within any geographic market relevant for the preparation of a horizontal Competitive Analysis
Screen under 18 C.F.R. Section 33.3 for the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, shall be taken into account in determining
whether a “burdensome condition” exists;
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after
giving effect to the Merger and the closing of the Merger, including the debt financing,
and assuming the prior payment of the aggregate Merger Consideration, the Equity Award
Consideration and any transaction costs, and (without giving effect to the posting, provision,
funding, establishment or grant of, or commitment to post, provide, fund, establish or
grant, up to an aggregate amount equal to $250,000,000 in credit support with respect
to regulatory approvals in the aggregate (it being understood that credit support
to the extent above $250,000,000 shall be given effect), the pro forma liquidity amount
(which is defined to mean the (i) amount of aggregate commitments of the lenders available
to be drawn under the Credit Agreement (as defined below) to make loans thereunder, less
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all outstanding loans and letters of credit
issued thereunder and (ii) the cash and cash equivalents in U.S. dollars immediately
available to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries that would be reflected on
a consolidated balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP and would not appear as
“restricted” on such consolidated balance sheet) being greater than or equal
to $350,000,000 less an amount, in U.S. dollars, determined as of immediately prior to
the closing of the Merger, equal to the lesser of (a) $85,000,000 and (b) the aggregate
amount of cash or letters of credit required to be posted by the Company or its Subsidiaries
as replacement collateral in respect of any affected energy marketing and trading transactions,
as defined in the Merger Agreement, in accordance with their terms in order to permit
such affected energy marketing and trading transactions to remain in effect immediately
after giving effect to the Closing;
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immediately prior to giving effect to the consummation of the Merger, no specified event of default, as defined in the Merger
Agreement, having occurred or continuing under the Credit Agreement; and
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no change, event, occurrence, fact, development, circumstance, condition or effect having occurred that, individually or in
the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have (i) a material adverse effect, (ii) a Susquehanna material adverse
effect, which is defined to mean (a) an incident reasonably expected to constitute an extraordinary nuclear occurrence (as defined
in the Atomic Energy Act) at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station or (b) Susquehanna Unit 1 or Susquehanna Unit 2 being placed
in NRC Reactor Oversight Process Matrix Column 4 or Column 5, and Parent having received a certificate signed on behalf of the
Company by an executive officer of the Company to such effect.
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In addition, the Company’s obligation
to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable law) on or prior to the closing
of the Merger of the following conditions:
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the representations and warranties of each of Parent and Merger Sub being true and correct (disregarding all qualifications
and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or material adverse effect) as of the date of the Merger Agreement and
as of the effective time of the Merger (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an
earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date), except where the
failure to be true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to prevent,
materially delay or materially impede consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Merger, and the Company having received a certificate
on behalf of Parent and Merger Sub to such effect; and
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each of Parent and Merger Sub having performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by them under
the Merger Agreement at or prior to the closing of the Merger, and the Company having received a certificate on behalf of Parent
and Merger Sub to such effect.
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For
purposes of the Merger Agreement, “material adverse effect” means, when used with respect to the Company, any
change,
event, occurrence, fact, development, circumstance, condition or effect that, individually or in the aggregate, (a) would or would
reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede or materially delay the consummation by the Company of the Merger; or (b)
is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, assets, results of operations or financial condition
of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; other than, in the case of clause (b), any change, event, occurrence, or
effect to the extent arising out of or resulting from or relating to the following: (i) general changes in the industries or markets
in which the Company or its subsidiaries operates; (ii) any enactment of, change in, or change in interpretation of, any law or
GAAP or governmental policy after June 2, 2016; (iii) general economic, regulatory or political conditions (or changes therein
after June 2, 2016) or conditions (or changes therein after June 2, 2016) in the financial, credit or securities markets (including
changes in interest or currency exchange rates) in any country or region in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts
business; (iv) any acts of God, natural disasters, terrorism, armed hostilities, sabotage, war or any escalation or worsening of
acts of terrorism, armed hostilities or war; (v) subject to certain exceptions, the execution, announcement or performance of the
Merger Agreement, the consummation of the Merger, or the identity of Parent, including the impact thereof on relationships, contractual
or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, partners, employees, consultants or governmental authorities; (vi) the taking
of any specific action as expressly required by the terms of the Merger Agreement or at the written direction of Parent or Merger
Sub or the
failure to take any specific action by the Company or its subsidiaries
if that specific action is expressly prohibited by the Merger Agreement and Parent denied a written request from the Company seeking
consent to take such specific action; (vii) any change in the market price, or change in trading volume, of the capital stock of
the Company, in and of itself; (viii) any failure by the Company or its subsidiaries to meet internal, analysts’ or other
earnings estimates or financial projections or forecasts for any period, or any changes in credit ratings and any changes in any
analysts recommendations or ratings with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, in each case, in and of itself; and
(ix) any pending, initiated or threatened legal or administrative proceeding, claim, suit or action against the Company, any of
its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers or directors, in each case, arising out of or relating to the execution of
the Merger Agreement or the Merger; provided that the changes, events, occurrences or effects set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii)
and (iv) may be taken into account in determining whether a “material adverse effect” has occurred or would reasonably
be expected to occur, in each case to the extent, and only to the extent, that such changes, events, occurrences, facts, developments,
circumstances, conditions or effects have a disproportionate adverse impact on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
compared to other companies operating in the industries in which any of the Company or its subsidiaries operate; provided, further,
that the exceptions in clauses (vii) and (viii) above will not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the underlying
cause of any failure or change referred to therein (if not otherwise falling within any of the exceptions provided by clauses (i)
through (vi) and (ix) above) has had or contributed to a “material adverse effect.”
Solicitation of Acquisition Proposals
During the Go-Shop Period, the Company,
its subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees and representatives have the right to:
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solicit, initiate, encourage or facilitate any Alternative Proposal, including by furnishing non-public information pursuant
to acceptable confidentiality agreements (to the extent that any material non-public information furnished to another person had
not previously been provided to Parent, the Company will substantially concurrently provide such information to Parent); and
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enter into, or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations with any persons or groups of persons regarding any
Alternative Proposal.
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We refer to the following as an Alternative
Proposal: any inquiry, proposal or offer from any person (other than Parent, Merger Sub and any affiliates thereof) to purchase
or otherwise acquire, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, (i) assets of the Company and its subsidiaries
(including securities of subsidiaries), whether by asset acquisition, joint venture or otherwise, that account for 20% or more
of the Company’s consolidated assets or from which 20% or more of the Company’s revenues or earnings on a consolidated
basis are derived, (ii) 20% or more of the outstanding Shares (or 20% or more of the voting power in respect thereof) or the capital
stock or voting power of the surviving entity or the resulting direct or indirect parent of the Company or such surviving entity
(including if such ownership is through the equityholders of any such parent) pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other business
combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolutions, binding share exchange purchase or sale of shares of capital stock, tender
offer, exchange offer or similar transaction or (iii) any combination of the foregoing.
Except as expressly permitted under the
Merger Agreement, from the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company will, and will cause its subsidiaries and their respective directors,
officers, employees and representatives to, immediately cease all existing discussions or negotiations with any person with respect
to any Alternative Proposal and request that all confidential information previously furnished to any such
person be returned or destroyed promptly.
From and after the No-Shop Period Start Date until the earlier of the effective time of the Merger or the termination of the Merger
Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Company will not, and will cause its subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers,
employees and representatives not to, directly or indirectly:
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solicit, initiate, propose, knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate (including by way of furnishing non-public information)
any Alternative Proposal or any proposal, offer, inquiry or request for information or request for negotiations or discussions
that would reasonably be expected to lead to any Alternative Proposal or inquiries regarding or the making, disclosure, submission
or consummation of any Alternative Proposal;
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engage in, knowingly facilitate, knowingly encourage or otherwise participate in any discussions (except solely to notify such
person of the existence of the no-shop provisions of the Merger Agreement without any other or further discussions) or negotiations
regarding, or furnish to any person any non-public information in connection with, any Alternative Proposal or any proposal, offer,
inquiry or request for information or request for negotiations or discussions that would reasonably be expected to lead to any
Alternative Proposal;
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approve, authorize, endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into or recommend, or publicly propose to approve, authorize,
endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into or recommend any Alternative Proposal, merger agreement or similar agreement constituting
or providing for an Alternative Proposal;
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adopt resolutions or otherwise take any action to make the provisions of any anti-takeover statute inapplicable to any Alternative
Proposal; or
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resolve, agree or propose to do any of the foregoing actions.
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Notwithstanding
the foregoing, at any time from and after the No-Shop Period Start Date and prior to the obtaining of the stockholder approvals,
if the Company receives a written Alternative Proposal that did not result from a material breach of the no-shop provisions of
the Merger Agreement, from any person, the Company and its representatives may engage in negotiations and discussions with respect
to the Alternative Proposal and provide information (including non-public information) regarding the Company and its subsidiaries
to any person making such Alternative Proposal
pursuant to acceptable confidentiality agreements (to the extent that any
material non-public information provided to another person had not previously been provided to Parent, the Company will substantially
concurrently provide such information to Parent), if the Board determines in good faith after consultation with outside legal and
financial advisors that such Alternative Proposal either constitutes a Superior Proposal or would reasonably be expected to lead
to a Superior Proposal.
Notwithstanding the occurrence of the No-Shop
Period Start Date, the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective representatives may continue to engage in the activities
permitted during the go-shop period with respect to an excluded party until the earlier of (i) 12:01 a.m., Eastern time, on August
1, 2016, which we refer to as the Cut-Off Time, and (ii) the date on which such person ceases to be an excluded party. Within two
business days after the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company will notify Parent in writing of each person that the Company considers
to be an excluded party as of the No-Shop Period Start Date. An “excluded party” means any person or group of persons
from whom the Company has received during the Go-Shop Period a
bona fide
written Alternative Proposal (provided that for
purposes of the definition of “excluded party,” the references to “20%” in the definition of “Alternative
Proposal” will be deemed to be references to “50%”) that the Board determines in good faith, after consultation
with outside legal and financial advisors, prior to the No-Shop Period Start Date,
is, or would reasonably be expected to lead
to, a Superior Proposal; provided that any such person or group of persons shall cease to be an excluded party upon the earliest
to occur of the following: (i) the ultimate equityholder(s) of such person and the other persons who were members of such group,
if any, as of immediately prior to the No-Shop Period Start Date cease to constitute at least 50% of the equity financing of such
person or group at any time from and after the No-Shop Period Start Date; (ii) if at any time prior to the Cut-Off Time, such person’s
Alternative Proposal is withdrawn, terminated or expires; and (iii) the Cut-Off Time.
Following the No-Shop Period Start Date,
the Company will keep Parent informed on a reasonably current basis of the existence, status and terms of any Alternative Proposal
or any proposal, or inquiry that would reasonably be expected to lead to an Alternative Proposal, including material terms and
conditions and the identity of the person making such Alternative Proposal or other proposal, inquiry, offer or request. With respect
to an Alternative Proposal (or other such proposal, inquiry, offer or request) received in writing, the Company will promptly notify
Parent of the identity of the person making such Alternative Proposal and provide Parent with a copy of such written Alternative
Proposal or other such proposal, inquiry, offer or request.
Except as expressly permitted by the terms
of the Merger Agreement, the Board will not (i) fail to include the Board’s affirmative recommendation with respect to the
adoption of the Merger Agreement in the proxy statement, (ii) withdraw, qualify or withhold, amend or modify or publicly propose
to withdraw or withhold, amend, qualify or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, the Board’s recommendation,
(iii) fail to, within ten days following a written request from Parent following any public announcement of an Alternative Proposal
or any material modification thereto, publicly reaffirm the Board’s recommendation (provided that Parent may not make any
such request more than one time in respect of each Alternative Proposal or each material modification thereto), (iv) fail to recommend
against any Alternative Proposal that is a tender or exchange offer within ten business days after the commencement of such of
such tender or exchange offer, (v) approve, authorize, endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into, recommend, or publicly propose
to approve, authorize, endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into, or recommend to the stockholders of the Company, an Alternative
Proposal, (vi) approve or enter into, or publicly propose to approve or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding,
agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, or other agreement providing for or constituting any Alternative
Proposal (other than an acceptable confidentiality agreement), or (vii) resolve, agree or publicly propose to do any of the foregoing,
which we refer to as an “adverse recommendation change”).
Prior to the time the stockholder approvals
are obtained, provided that the Company, its subsidiaries and their directors, officers, employees and other representatives have
not materially breached the no-shop provisions of the Merger Agreement, the Board (i) may make an adverse recommendation change
of the type described in clause (i), clause (ii) of the immediately preceding paragraph or, solely with respect to the actions
described in clauses (i) and (ii), clause (vii) of the immediately preceding paragraph, in response to an intervening event (as
defined below) if the Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that failure to take such
action would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law, and (ii) solely with respect
to an Alternative Proposal that the Board has determined in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial
advisors, constitutes a Superior Proposal, may make an adverse recommendation change or terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant
to its termination provisions in order to concurrently enter into a definitive agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal.
In each case, prior to making an adverse
recommendation change or terminating the Merger Agreement:
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the Company must provide prior written notice to Parent, at least four business days in advance, that it intends to effect
such adverse recommendation change or terminate the Merger Agreement, which notice must include the basis for such adverse recommendation
change or termination, including, in the case of an intervening event, a description of the circumstances of such event and a description
of the reasons for taking such action, and in the case of a Superior Proposal, the financial and other material terms of such Superior
Proposal and a copy of the proposed agreement relating to such Superior Proposal and the identity of the person making such Superior
Proposal, and any other material documents in respect of such Superior Proposal; provided that any material change to the facts
and circumstances relating to the intervening event or to the terms of such Superior Proposal (including any change to the economic
terms thereof) requires a new written notice to Parent, at least three business days in advance of effecting such adverse recommendation
change or terminating the Merger Agreement.
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after providing such notice and prior to effecting such adverse recommendation change or terminating the Merger Agreement,
the Company must make available and direct its necessary representatives to discuss and negotiate in good faith with Parent during
such period any proposed modifications to the terms of the Merger Agreement; and
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after
providing such notice and prior to effecting such adverse recommendation change or terminating
the Merger Agreement, (i) in the case of an intervening event, the Board, after taking
into account any modifications to the Merger Agreement to which Parent and Merger Sub
would agree, determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel,
that failure to effect such adverse recommendation change would reasonably be expected
to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable law or (ii) in the case
of a Superior Proposal, the Board, after taking into account any modifications to the
Merger Agreement to which Parent and Merger Sub would agree, determines in good faith,
after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, that such Alternative
Proposal continues to constitute a Superior Proposal; provided that any such purported
termination to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal shall not be
effective unless and until the Company pays the Company termination fee in full (as described
in more detail under “
The Merger Agreement—Termination—Termination
Fees
”).
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Nothing in the provisions of the Merger
Agreement relating to Alternative Proposals prevents the Board from (i) taking and disclosing to its stockholders a position contemplated
by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2(a) under the Exchange Act (ii) making any disclosure to the stockholders of the Company if the Board
determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to make such disclosure would reasonably
be expected to be inconsistent with applicable law (iii) in response to an inquiry, responding to inform any person of the go-shop
provisions of the Merger Agreement or (ii) making any “stop-look-and-listen” communication to the stockholders of the
Company pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act or any similar communication.
We refer to the following as an “intervening
event”: a material event, change, effect, development, condition or occurrence that affects or would be reasonably likely
to affect the business, financial condition or continuing results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, that (i) is not known and is not reasonably foreseeable by the Board as of the date of the Merger Agreement, (ii) does not
relate to a Superior Proposal or an Alternative Proposal and (iii) did not result from any breach of the Merger Agreement by the
Company or its subsidiaries or its or their directors, officers, employees or other representatives.
We
refer to the following as a Superior Proposal: any
bona fide
written Alternative Proposal (provided that for purposes of
the definition of Superior Proposal, the references to “20%” in the definition of Alternative Proposal will be deemed
to be references to “50%”) that did not result from any material breach of the no-shop provisions of the Merger Agreement,
which the Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, to be more favorable
to the
holders of a majority of the Shares not owned by Riverstone, its related entities and any of their respective affiliates
than the Merger from a financial perspective, taking into account the applicable legal, financial, regulatory, timing and other
aspects of such proposal and the Merger Agreement that the Board considers relevant, and to be reasonably likely to be completed
on the terms proposed.
Financing; Talen Energy Cooperation
Parent
and Merger Sub have represented that
the third party debt financing arranged by Parent in connection with the Merger (assuming
such debt financing is funded in accordance with the Debt Commitment Letter), when taken together with the unrestricted balance
sheet cash and undrawn revolver capacity of the Company and assuming that the surviving corporation has pro forma liquidity of
at least $350 million (subject to certain limited exceptions) after payment of the aggregate Merger Consideration and Equity Award
Consideration and any transaction costs, will provide sufficient funds required for consummation of the Merger.
Parent and Merger Sub have agreed to use
their reasonable best efforts to cause the debt financing to be obtained on the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions)
described in the Debt Commitment Letter, and will use reasonable best efforts to:
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maintain in effect the Debt Commitment Letter;
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negotiate definitive agreements with respect to the debt financing, which we refer to as the Definitive Documents, on the terms
and conditions (including any flex provisions) contained in the Debt Commitment Letter or on such terms, taken as a whole, no less
favorable to Parent or Merger Sub than the terms and conditions (including any flex provisions) in the Debt Commitment Letter and
that would not adversely affect the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement;
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comply in all material respect with their respective obligations under the Debt Commitment Letter and the Definitive Documents;
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timely satisfy, or seek waiver of, all conditions to funding applicable to Parent and within Parent’s control in the
Debt Commitment Letter and the Definitive Documents; and
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subject to certain conditions, enforce their rights under the Debt Commitment Letter, including through litigation pursued
in good faith.
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Without the prior written consent of the
Company, Parent will not permit any amendment or modification to be made to, replacement or supplement of, or any waiver of any
of its rights under, the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents which would:
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reduce the aggregate amount of the debt financing;
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add conditions to the debt financing or amend, replace, supplement or modify any conditions to the debt financing relative
to the conditions in the Debt Commitment Letter as in effect as
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of June 2, 2016 in a manner that
would reasonably be expected to prevent, impede, impair or delay the availability of the debt financing or the consummation of
the Merger;
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adversely affect the ability of Parent or Merger Sub to enforce their respective rights under the Debt Commitment Letter or
the Definitive Documents relative to their respective ability to enforce their rights thereunder as of June 2, 2016; or
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prevent or materially impede, impair or delay the availability of the debt financing or the consummation of the Merger.
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Subject to certain exceptions, Parent has
agreed to give the Company prompt written notice if:
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Parent obtains knowledge of any material breach or default (or any event that would reasonably be expected to result in a material
breach or default) by any party to the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents;
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Parent or Merger Sub receives any written notice or other written communication from any debt financing source with respect
to any (i) actual or threatened breach, default, termination or repudiation of the Debt Commitment Letter or any Definitive Document,
in each case, with respect to any material provision thereof or (ii) material dispute among any parties to the Debt Commitment
Letter or the Definitive Documents, in each case, with respect to the debt financing; and
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Parent or Merger Sub believes in good faith that all or any portion of the debt financing will not be available to the Company
on the terms set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents.
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If
any portion of the debt financing becomes unavailable on the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions) contemplated
in the Debt Commitment Letter, Parent shall
promptly notify the Company of such unavailability and, to the knowledge of
Parent, the reason therefor, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be obtained, as promptly as practicable and in any
event no later than the last day of the marketing period, sufficient alternative financing on terms and conditions, taken as a
whole, not materially less favorable to Parent than the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions) in the Debt Commitment
Letter.
The Company has agreed to use its reasonable
best efforts to, and to cause each of its subsidiaries to use their reasonable best efforts to, and to use its reasonable best
efforts to cause its and their respective representatives (including legal and accounting) to use their reasonable best efforts
to, in each case, at Parent’s sole expense, provide Parent and Merger Sub such cooperation reasonably requested by Parent
in connection with the debt financing, including:
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assisting with the preparation of all offering documents, including furnishing customary authorization letters in connection
therewith;
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preparing
and furnishing to Parent and the debt financing sources as promptly as practicable (A)
the following required information, which we refer to as the Required Information:
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(a)(i) the
audited financial statements, including combined balance sheets, statements of operations,
statements of cash flows, statements of stockholders equity of the Company, as of and
for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2016 and (ii) the audited financial
statements, including combined balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of
cash flows, statements of stockholders equity of PPL Energy Supply, LLC, as of and for
the years ended December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014;
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(b) within
45 days after the end of each subsequent interim fiscal quarter, unaudited financial
statements, including consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and statements
of cash flows of the Company for such fiscal quarter and for the comparable periods of
the preceding fiscal year; and
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(c) a pro forma consolidated balance sheet and related pro forma statement
of
income of the Borrower on a consolidated basis as of the last day of and for the
most recently completed four fiscal quarter period ending prior to the consummation
of the Merger for which financial statements were required to be delivered pursuant
to the preceding clause (b), prepared after giving effect to the Merger and the
transactions consummated in connection therewith as if the Merger and the
transactions consummated in connection therewith had occurred as of such date (in each
case of such balance sheet) or at the beginning of such period (in the case of the statement
of income);
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and
(B) certain other information reasonably requested by Parent regarding the Company and its subsidiaries that is customarily provided
to assist in preparation of the bank information memorandum;
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participating (and using reasonable best efforts to cause members of senior management of the Company to participate) in marketing
efforts, including a reasonable number of meetings,
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presentations, road shows, sessions
with rating agencies, due diligence sessions and other similar assistance;
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assisting in the preparation of, and executing and delivering, the Definitive Documents and other documents as may reasonably
be requested by Parent with respect to solvency matters;
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assisting the debt financing sources in benefiting from existing lending relationships of the Company and its subsidiaries;
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facilitating the pledging of collateral;
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taking all corporate actions necessary and reasonably requested by Parent to permit the consummation of the debt financing
and to permit the proceeds thereof to be made available on the closing date of the Merger;
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causing its independent accountants to provide assistance and cooperation to Parent;
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providing at least three business days prior to the closing date of the Merger all documentation and other information required
by applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations;
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satisfying the conditions precedent set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter;
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periodically updating any information required to be provided by the Company under the Debt Commitment Letter to the extent
it does not meet the applicable requirements set forth in the Merger Agreement;
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assisting Parent in preparing pro forma financial information and financial statements to be included in the offering documents
in connection with the debt financing;
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cooperating with Parent to execute certain confirmations and waivers to permit and facilitate the transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement; and
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cooperating with Parent to obtain corporate and facilities rating from rating agencies;
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provided, however, that, (a) the Company and
its subsidiaries will not be required to extend such cooperation to the extent it would interfere unreasonably with the business
or operations of the Company or its subsidiaries or would require the Company or its subsidiaries to pay any commitment or other
fee or make any other payment in connection with the debt financing prior to the closing date of the Merger (unless promptly reimbursed
by Parent pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement), (b) no obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any
agreement executed pursuant to the foregoing will be effective prior to the closing of the Merger (provided, however, that the
Company will be required to provide prior to the closing of the Merger, to the extent reasonably requested by Parent, customary
authorization letters with respect to any offering documents in connection with the debt financing) and (c) the Board will not
be required to enter into any resolutions or take similar action approving the debt financing prior to the effective time of the
Merger.
In addition, the Company has agreed to use
its reasonable best efforts to, and to cause each of its subsidiaries to use their reasonable best efforts to, provide Parent such
cooperation reasonably requested by Parent in connection with:
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the Credit Agreement Amendment; and
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certain supplemental indentures, guarantees and other documents with respect to its outstanding unsecured debt securities,
which we refer to as the Enhancement Documents, as requested by Parent;
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provided,
however, that, (a) the Company and its subsidiaries will not be required to pay any commitment or any other payment in connection
with such amendment or such supplemental documents (unless paid directly in full by Parent on behalf of the Company prior to the
effectiveness thereof)
and (b) no obligation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any agreement executed pursuant
to the foregoing will be effective prior to the effective time of the Merger.
Subject to certain exceptions, Parent has
agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its subsidiaries and its and their representatives from and against any and
all losses, damages, claims, costs or expenses suffered or incurred by any of them in connection with the arranging of the debt
financing (including any alternative financing), any Enhancement Documents or the Credit Agreement Amendment (including any action
taken in accordance with the Company’s cooperation requirements with respect to the foregoing and any information utilized
in connection therewith (other than historical information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries provided by the Company
or its subsidiaries in writing)). Parent has agreed to, promptly upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable
and documented out-of-pocket costs (including reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred by the Company
or its subsidiaries in connection with the arrangement of the debt financing (including any alternative financing) and the Credit
Agreement Amendment (including any action taken in accordance with the Company’s cooperation requirements with respect to
the foregoing); provided, however, that the Company shall bear all such costs related to its obligations with respect to the preparation,
review, delivery and audit of historical information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries).
The obtaining of the debt financing (including
any alternative financing) or the Credit Agreement Amendment is not a condition to the closing of the Merger.
Subject to certain conditions and exceptions,
Parent and Merger Sub will be permitted to terminate up to $850,000,000 of commitments in respect of the senior secured term loan
facility contemplated by the Debt Commitment Letter; provided that the change in control expiration date with respect to certain
of the Company’s outstanding bonds has expired.
Regulatory Approvals; Third-Party
Consents
The Company, Parent and Merger Sub, their
respective subsidiaries and, in limited circumstances, Parent’s affiliates, have agreed to use their respective reasonable
best efforts to, and cooperate with the other parties to, cause the Merger to be consummated as soon as practicable, including
using their reasonable best efforts to:
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make promptly all required submissions and filings with applicable governmental authorities that are necessary to obtain certain
regulatory approvals;
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promptly furnish information required in connection with such submissions and filings;
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obtain approvals of FERC, the NRC, the NYPSC and the FCC as soon as practicable; and
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defend any litigation or other action challenging the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement;
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provided that, subject to certain limited
exceptions, neither party will be required to pay any fee, penalty or other consideration to any other party (other than filing
fees payable to governmental authorities) for any consent or approval required for the consummation of the Merger.
Each of the parties will jointly coordinate
the overall development of the positions and strategies taken, information presented and regulatory action requested in any application,
filing or other communication with a governmental authority in connection with the regulatory approvals necessary to consummate
the Merger, except that the Company and its subsidiaries may not make any material filing or submission with a governmental authority
in connection with any regulatory approval without Parent’s prior written consent.
The Company and Parent have agreed to, and
have agreed to cause their respective subsidiaries and, in certain limited circumstances, their affiliates to:
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file with the DOJ and the FTC a notification and report form pursuant to the HSR Act within 10 business days after the date
of the Merger Agreement;
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file, within 30 business days after the date of the Merger Agreement, certain regulatory filings and approvals, including filings
necessary to obtain the approval of FERC, the NRC and the NYPSC, and certain other required regulatory consents and approvals;
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use reasonable best efforts to cause the expiration of the waiting periods under the HSR Act; and
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supply as soon as practical any additional information required under applicable law or reasonably requested by the relevant
governmental authority.
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The Company, Parent and Merger Sub have
agreed to, and have agreed to cause their respective subsidiaries and, in certain limited circumstances, their affiliates to:
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furnish to the other parties to the Merger Agreement such necessary information as the others may reasonably request in connection
with the preparation of any registrations, applications, filings, notifications, communications or submissions in connection with
relevant regulatory approvals;
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promptly notify the other parties of, and, if in writing, furnish the other parties with copies of any communication received
from a governmental authority or any other third party whose consent or approval is or may be required in connection with the Merger;
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keep the other parties reasonably informed of the status of any such submissions and filings; and
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not independently participate in any meeting, hearing, proceeding or discussions with or before a governmental authority in
respect of the Merger without giving the other parties reasonable prior notice of such meeting or discussions and, unless prohibited
by such governmental authority, the opportunity to attend or participate.
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In furtherance of the foregoing, each of
the Company, Parent and Merger Sub have agreed to, and have agreed to cause their respective subsidiaries to, subject to certain
exceptions, take promptly any steps necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals so as to enable the parties to close the Merger
as soon as reasonably practicable, including:
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the sale or other disposition of assets of the Company or its subsidiaries;
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terminating or modifying existing relationships, contractual rights or other arrangements of the Company or its subsidiaries;
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creating any relationship, contractual rights or other arrangement of the Company or its subsidiaries; and
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subject to certain conditions, committing or causing the Company or its subsidiaries to provide and maintain any additional
assets, guarantees or other commitments as are necessary to establish the financial qualification of the Company and the surviving
corporation;
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in each case, if such foregoing actions are
reasonably necessary to (x) avoid the commencement of any litigation or other action by a governmental authority challenging the
Merger or (y) obtain the relevant regulatory approvals; provided that:
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Parent and Merger Sub will not be required to (and the Company and its subsidiaries will not, without Parent’s written
consent) offer or accept, or commit to agree or consent to, any condition or obligation in respect of or affecting the Company,
the surviving corporation or their respective subsidiaries that constitutes a burdensome condition;
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Parent shall have the right, on behalf of the Company, the surviving corporation and their respective subsidiaries, to consent
or agree to (and to direct the Company and its subsidiaries to consent or agree to) any agreement, commitment, condition, settlement
or order (and any modification of any of the foregoing) with any governmental authority in connection with the Merger, so long
as such agreement, commitment, condition, settlement or order is expressly conditioned on the closing of the Merger occurring;
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none of the Company and its subsidiaries will become subject to, or be required to consent or agree to any agreement, commitment
or condition (including any required action) in connection with the consummation of the Merger to which the Company or the surviving
corporation or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or the surviving corporation or any of their
respective subsidiaries or the assets thereof are or will be bound the effectiveness of which is not expressly conditioned upon
the closing of the Merger occurring;
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subject to the immediately preceding clause, and without limiting Parent’s obligations listed above, in the event that
alternative required actions, agreements, commitments or conditions that are proposed by or acceptable to a governmental authority,
Parent will have the right to elect (after consultation with the Company), in its sole discretion, among such alternatives and
to direct the Company and its subsidiaries to consent and agree thereto;
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nothing in the Merger Agreement will require Parent or Merger Sub to accept (and the applicable regulatory approval shall not
be considered obtained if it includes) any conditions, restrictions, obligations or requirements, including any required action,
imposed upon or applicable to Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective affiliates (other than, conditioned upon the closing
of the Merger, the Company or the surviving corporation and any of their respective subsidiaries) or otherwise limiting the rights
or interests of any of the foregoing persons in the surviving corporation or its subsidiaries in connection with or as a condition
to the consummation of the Merger; and
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without limiting Parent’s obligations listed above, the Company and its subsidiaries will not, without Parent’s
prior written consent, propose, offer, negotiate or accept, or agree or consent to, any required action.
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None of the Company, Parent or Merger Sub
shall, nor shall they permit their respective subsidiaries or specified affiliates to, make any investment, acquisition or joint
venture in power generation if such investment, acquisition or joint venture would reasonably be expected to materially delay or
prevent the obtaining of any specified regulatory approval.
Termination
The Merger Agreement may be terminated at
any time prior to the effective time of the Merger (i) by mutual written consent of the Company and Parent or (ii) by either the
Company or Parent:
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if the Merger is not consummated on or before the End Date; provided that this termination right will not be available to a
party if the failure of the Merger to be consummated on or before the End Date was primarily due to the failure of such party to
perform any of its obligations under the Merger Agreement;
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subject to certain exceptions, if any law, injunction, judgment, order or ruling enacted, promulgated, issued, entered, amended
or enforced by any governmental authority enjoining, restraining or prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or making the Merger
illegal becomes final and non-appealable, or if any required regulatory approval shall have been denied, and such denial has become
final and non-appealable; provided that this termination right will not be available to a party if the issuance of such final,
non-appealable law, injunction, judgment, order or ruling was primarily due to the failure of such party to perform any of its
obligations under the Merger Agreement; or
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if the Special Meeting shall have concluded and the stockholder approvals shall not have been obtained.
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Subject to certain exceptions, the Merger
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the effective time of the Merger by Parent:
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if the Company shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set
forth in the Merger Agreement, and such breach (i) would give rise to the failure of certain of Parent’s conditions to closing
and (ii) cannot be cured by the Company by the End Date or, if capable of being cured, shall not have been cured within thirty
days following receipt of written notice from Parent stating Parent’s intention to terminate the Merger Agreement; or
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if the Board shall have effected an adverse recommendation change regarding the Merger or the Company fails to include the
recommendation of the Board in the proxy statement.
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Subject to certain exceptions, the Merger
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the effective time of the Merger by the Company:
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if Parent or Merger Sub shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements
set forth in the Merger Agreement, and such breach (i) would give rise to the failure of certain of the Company’s conditions
to closing and (ii) cannot be cured by Parent or Merger Sub by the End Date or, if capable of being cured, shall
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not have been cured within thirty
days following receipt of written notice from the Company stating the Company’s intention to terminate the Merger Agreement;
or
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at any time prior to the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the Company’s stockholders, in order to enter into a definitive
agreement for a Superior Proposal; provided that such termination shall not be effective unless the Company concurrently pays or
has paid the Company termination fee to Parent;
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if (i) the conditions to Parent and Merger Sub’s obligations to close the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement
have been and continue to be satisfied, (ii) Parent and Merger Sub fail to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Merger
Agreement within two business days of the date such closing should have occurred and (iii) the Company has given Parent at least
two business days’ written notice prior to termination that the Company stands ready and willing to consummate the Merger
from the date such closing should have occurred and stating the Company’s intention to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant
to this termination right (we refer to the foregoing as a “financing failure”).
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Termination Fees
In the event that the Merger Agreement is
terminated by the Company in order to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal, the Company must pay to Parent
the termination fee prior to or concurrently with the termination of the Merger Agreement. The termination fee is a cash amount
equal to $50,000,000, except that in the event that the Merger Agreement is terminated (i) by the Company in order to enter into
a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal with an excluded party or (ii) by Parent pursuant to an adverse recommendation change
resulting from a Superior Proposal with an excluded party, the Company termination fee will be a cash amount equal to $25,000,000.
In the event that the Merger Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to an adverse recommendation change by the Board, the Company
shall pay the Company termination fee within three business days of such termination.
In the event that the Merger Agreement is
terminated (i) by Parent or the Company because the Merger has not been consummated by the End Date, provided that the Company
stockholders meeting has not yet occurred, (ii) by Parent or the Company in the event of failure to obtain stockholder approval
or (iii) by Parent due to the Company’s breach, and an Alternative Proposal, in the case of termination in the event of failure
to obtain stockholder approval, has not been publicly withdrawn, shall have been publicly disclosed and not publicly withdrawn
or, in the case of termination for failure of the Merger to occur by the End Date or for the Company’s breach, shall have
become known to the Board and not withdrawn, and within twelve months of such termination the Company enters into an acquisition
agreement with respect to an Alternative Proposal, then the Company must pay Parent the Company termination fee on the earlier
of entry into such acquisition agreement or consummation of such Alternative Proposal.
In the event that the Merger Agreement is
terminated (i) by the Company pursuant to a financing failure or (ii) by the Company or Parent because the Merger has not been
consummated by the End Date, and if at the time of such termination, the Company would have been entitled to terminate the Merger
Agreement pursuant to a financing failure, Parent must pay, within three business days after such termination, a termination fee
of $85,000,000 in cash, which we refer to as the Parent termination fee.
In no event will Parent be required to pay
the Parent termination fee or the Company be required to pay the Company termination fee on more than one occasion.
Remedies
The parties are entitled to injunctions
to prevent breaches of the Merger Agreement or an order to enforce specifically the performance of the terms of the Merger Agreement,
provided that the Company’s right to seek such equitable remedies in connection with enforcing Parent’s obligation
to effect the closing of the Merger is subject to the requirements that (i) all conditions to Parent’s obligations to close
the Merger have been satisfied or waived at the time when the closing of the Merger would have been required to occur, (ii) the
debt financing has been funded or would be funded if Parent were to effect the closing of the Merger and (iii) the Company has
irrevocably confirmed in writing that if specific performance is granted and the debt financing is funded and Parent effects the
closing of the Merger, then the closing of the Merger will occur. Notwithstanding the foregoing, under no circumstances will any
party be entitled to receive both a grant of specific performance requiring consummation of the Merger and payment of termination
fees.
Maximum Aggregate Liability
In
no event will the aggregate liability of the Company and any of its respective former, current or future affiliates, and any directors,
officers, employees, agents, direct or indirect stockholders or representatives of any of the foregoing
exceed $105,000,000,
which we refer to as the Liability Cap, and in no event will Parent, its affiliates, their respective stockholders or representatives
or any other person seek, directly or indirectly, to recover against any of the such parties, or compel any payment by any of such
parties of, any damages or other payments whatsoever that are, in aggregate, in excess of the Liability Cap.
In
no event will the aggregate liability of Parent, Merger Sub, their subsidiaries or affiliates, the Guarantor, the Sponsor Entities,
the debt financing sources or any other financing source of Parent, and any of their respective former, current or future, direct
or indirect equityholders, controlling persons, stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, affiliated (or
commonly advised) funds, members, managers, general or limited partners, attorneys, advisors or other representatives, or any
of their respective successors or assigns or other representative of any of the foregoing
exceed the Liability Cap, and in no event will the Company, its affiliates, their respective stockholders or representatives or any other person
seek, directly or indirectly, to recover against any of the such parties (other than Parent, Merger Sub and the Sponsor Entities),
or compel any payment by any of such parties of, any damages or other payments whatsoever that are, in aggregate, in excess of
a maximum aggregate liability of $90,000,000, and any amounts in excess thereof and up to the Liability Cap may be sought only
from Parent, Merger Sub or the Sponsor Entities.
Conduct of Business Pending the Merger
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement,
the Company agreed that, except as expressly contemplated or required by the Merger Agreement, subject to certain exceptions contained
in its confidential disclosure schedule, as required by law or unless Parent otherwise consents (such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld, delayed or conditioned), between the date of the Merger Agreement and the effective time, it will, and will cause each
of its subsidiaries to conduct its business in the ordinary course in all material respects and to the extent consistent with that,
will use reasonable efforts to:
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preserve intact its present lines of business;
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maintain its rights and franchises;
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retain the services of its key personnel; and
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preserve satisfactory relationships with governmental authorities, employees, customers and suppliers.
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The Company also has agreed that, except
as expressly contemplated by the Merger Agreement, subject to certain exceptions contained in its confidential disclosure schedule,
as required by law or unless Parent otherwise consents (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned)
that it will not, nor permit any of its subsidiaries to:
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sell, lease (as lessor), otherwise dispose of, or exchange any assets having a value in excess of $5,000,000 individually or
$20,000,000 in the aggregate, except for dispositions (i) of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) of excess or obsolete
assets, (iii) pursuant to certain scheduled contracts in force as of June 2, 2016, (iv) of assets in transactions solely among
the Company and/or its wholly owned subsidiaries (which we refer to as Intercompany Transactions) or (v) pursuant to certain permitted
hedging transactions;
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amend its capital expenditure plan, expend capital for any purpose not substantially as contemplated by the capital expenditure
plan or expend capital in aggregate amounts exceeding 120% of the amount budgeted in the capital expenditure plan.
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(i) increase or commit to increase the compensation or benefits of any employees or contractors; (ii) establish, terminate
or materially amend any compensation or benefits under any company benefits plan (or any agreement that would constitute a company
benefits plan had it been in effect on June 2, 2016); (iii) grant, pay or increase any severance, bonus or similar compensation
or benefits payable to any of its directors, employees or independent contractors, (iv) hire any new employees or terminate any
existing employees (other than for cause) with an annualized base salary in excess of $200,000; (v) fund or agree to fund any compensation
or benefits; or (vi) effect any facility closings or layoffs that would implicate the WARN Act;
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enter into, amend or terminate any collective bargaining agreement or any other agreement with a labor organization;
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adopt any equity compensation plan or amend the Company’s existing equity compensation plan
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change its working capital policies or manage working capital other than in the ordinary course of business or make any change
to its methods of accounting except as required by GAAP (or any interpretation thereof) or any quasi-governmental or governmental
authority;
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(i) make or change any material tax election; (ii) change any material tax accounting method; (iii) amend any material tax
return; or (iv) settle or abandon any material tax liability or refund;
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other than with respect to taxes, agree to settle any proceeding or consent to the entry of any order that, in each case: (i)
involves payment in excess of $1,000,000 individually or $10,000,000 in the aggregate (to the extent not paid by a third party
insurer or indemnitor) or (ii) imposes any material non-monetary obligations on the Company;
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fail to maintain insurance in a manner that is customary for companies engaged in the power generation industry;
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change the Company’s risk management policy in a manner that is not more restrictive to Company (except with respect
to clerical or administrative modifications);
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terminate, suspend or grant any exception to the Company’s risk management policy, subject to certain exceptions in connection
with a market dislocation event;
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adopt any shareholder rights plan (other than in connection with the Merger or Riverstone and its affiliates), unless the failure
to take such action would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable law;
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enter
into or assume any energy marketing and trading contract, or otherwise engage in any
energy marketing and trading transaction other than: (i) in compliance with the risk
management policy; (ii) a transaction that is entered into after June 2, 2016, that does
not contain a restrictive provision (as defined in the Merger Agreement), and that is
not a specified energy marketing and trading transaction (as defined in the Merger Agreement);
(iii) if entered into after June 2, 2016 and secured, a transaction pursuant to which
the Company used commercially reasonable efforts (a) to assure that a consent to any
default or termination event arising in connection with the Merger (and related transactions)
was obtained or was not necessary and (b) to secure the transaction pursuant to
the Company’s secured trading facility; and (iv) ordinary course transactions for
the sale of natural gas at retail, associated ordinary course hedging trading and associated
ordinary course natural gas transportation arrangements;
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terminate or transfer any energy marketing and trading contract or energy marketing and trading transaction other than (i)
in the ordinary course of business with respect transactions involving the sale of electricity or natural gas at retail and (ii)
to the extent it would result in a reduction (but not below 100%) in the percentage of the Company’s energy facilities’
forecasted delta generation that is hedged for the peak or off-peak periods (as measured pursuant to the Merger Agreement);
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renew, extend or modify in any material respect, or forgo any material right or claim under, any energy marketing and trading
contract or in respect of any energy marketing and trading transaction, other than (i) in compliance with the risk management policy
and (ii) solely to the extent that such modification or other action would not (a) create a restrictive provision (as defined in
the Merger Agreement) or (b) result in such transaction becoming a specified energy marketing and trading transaction (as defined
in the Merger Agreement);
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materially defer the commencement of any planned maintenance or scheduled outage for or make any material changes to the fuel
supply practices at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station;
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terminate or otherwise modify or grant any consent or waiver under the Credit Agreement Amendment, the EMT Confirmations or
any Enhancement Documents (in each case, as defined in the Merger Agreement); or
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agree to take any of the foregoing actions.
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Further, the Company also has agreed that,
except as expressly contemplated by the Merger Agreement, subject to certain exceptions contained in its confidential disclosure
schedule, as required by law or unless Parent otherwise consents, that it will not, nor permit any of its subsidiaries to:
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issue or encumber any equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests, including with respect to any contingent equity
or voting securities or interests (which such securities or interests we collectively refer to as Company Equity and Voting Interests)
or effect any other changes to the Company’s capitalization other than in an issuances pursuant to an Intercompany Transaction
or the issuance of Shares in connection with settlement of company equity awards outstanding as of June 2, 2016 or that are permitted
to be issued after June 2, 2016 under the Merger Agreement;
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except in connection with an Intercompany Transaction, split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any Company Equity and Voting
Interests other than (i) Share acquisitions in connection with net exercise of Company stock options, (ii) withholding of Shares
to satisfy tax obligations with respect to Company equity awards and (iii) acquisitions of forfeited Company equity awards;
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(i) other than dividends or distributions by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company or among wholly owned subsidiaries, declare
or pay any dividend on or otherwise distribute any cash or property in respect of any Company Equity and Voting Interests or (ii)
adjust, split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any Company Equity and Voting Interests;
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(i) redeem, incur, acquire or modify the terms of any Company indebtedness (in any material respects) or become responsible
for any third party indebtedness; (ii) issue or sell any debt securities (or derivatives thereof); (iii) enter into any agreement
to maintain any financial condition of a third party; or (iv) enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of (i) through
(iii); in each case, other than (a) borrowings and letters of credit pursuant to the Company’s credit facilities in the ordinary
course of business, (b) customary non-speculative interest rate hedging arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business
that do not exceed $25,000,000 in aggregate notional amount, (c) capital leases entered into in the ordinary course of business
and (d) certain scheduled indebtedness;
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make any loans or advances to, or provide any credit support for, or investments in, a third party (other than the Company’s
wholly owned subsidiaries);
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subject to other applicable interim operating covenants, encumber or otherwise subject to any Lien (other than a Permitted
Lien, as defined in the Merger Agreement) any properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
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acquire (i) any capital stock or a material portion of the assets a third party or (ii) any other properties or assets of a
third party (other than in an Intercompany Transaction) for consideration in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate (other than
with respect to certain permitted energy marketing and trading transactions), except for (a) acquisitions of inventory in the ordinary
course of business, (b) capital expenditures pursuant to the Company’s capital expenditure plan and applicable interim operating
covenants or (c) pursuant to certain scheduled contracts in force as of June 2, 2016;
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amend the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws;
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adopt a plan or agreement of complete or partial liquidation or other reorganization (including merger), other than pursuant
to an Intercompany Transaction;
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enter into any new line of business; or
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agree to take any of the foregoing actions.
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Indemnification; Directors’
and Officers’ Insurance
From and after the effective time of the
Merger, Parent will, and will cause the surviving corporation to, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each current and former director
and officer of the Company and any of its subsidiaries and each person who served as a director, officer, member, trustee or fiduciary
of another entity at the request of the Company (each of which we refer to as an Indemnitee) against all claims, fines, costs and
expenses, and similar liabilities in connection with any actual or threatened claim related to such Indemnitees’ service
at or prior to the effective time, (including any claim relating to the Merger Agreement), to the fullest extent permitted under
applicable law. Additionally, from and after the effective time of the Merger, Parent and the surviving corporation will assume
all obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries to the Indemnitees related to liability and indemnification as provided in
the Company’s organizational documents or in any other indemnification agreements in effect as of June 2, 2016.
The surviving corporation will also maintain
the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and fiduciary liability insurance that were in effect as of June 2,
2016 at the Company (which we refer to as the Policies) for a period of six years following the effective time of the Merger or
will purchase a six-year prepaid “tail” insurance policy that provides coverage and substantially equivalent benefits
to those of the Policies. However, regardless of whether the surviving corporation chooses to maintain the Policies or purchase
a prepaid tail, it is not required to pay an annual premium in excess of 350% of the last annual premium paid by the Company for
such Policies or spend more than 350% of the last annual premium paid by the Company for its directors’ and officers’
liability insurance coverage, respectively.
Employee Matters
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Parent
has agreed that it will provide or cause to be provided, after the effective time of the Merger, to each employee of the Company
and its subsidiaries, with the exception of employees represented by any labor organization, until at least the first anniversary
of the effective time of the Merger, for so long as the employee is employed by the surviving corporation or any of its subsidiaries,
with (i) base salary or wage rate and incentive compensation opportunities (taking into account the value allocable to cash and
equity based compensation opportunities for purposes of determining an employee’s annual compensation opportunity) to each
such continuing employee that are no less favorable than those provided to each such employee as immediately prior to the effective
time of the Merger and (ii) employee benefits (excluding incentive compensation and retiree welfare benefits) that are no less
favorable in the aggregate than the same provided to such employee immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Parent will provide or cause to be provided to each employee of the Company and its subsidiaries not represented
by a labor organization whose employment terminates under certain circumstances prior to the first anniversary of the effective
time of the Merger with certain specified severance benefits. With respect to employees of the Company or its subsidiaries who
are represented by a labor organization, Parent will cause the surviving corporation to honor all existing collective bargaining
agreements applicable to such employees as may remain in effect.
Additional Covenants
The
Merger Agreement also contains certain other customary covenants, including relating to cooperation in the preparation and filing
of this proxy statement the Schedule 13E-3, the holding of the Company’s stockholders meeting,
public announcements,
access to information and confidentiality, applicability of takeover laws, litigation relating to the Merger, matters relating
to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act, certain tax opinions in connection
with the transaction, delisting of the Company’s stock and notification of certain matters.
Representations and Warranties
The Merger Agreement contains customary
and, in certain cases, reciprocal, representations and warranties by the Company and by Parent and Merger Sub that are subject,
in some cases, to specified exceptions and qualifications contained in confidential disclosure schedules. Further, none of the
representations and warranties will survive the Merger.
The reciprocal representations and warranties
relate to, among other things:
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organization, standing and corporate power;
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corporate power and authorization to enter into the Merger Agreement; and
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the absence of legal proceedings against the Company or Parent or Merger Sub, as applicable, that would reasonably be expected
to have a material adverse effect.
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The representations and warranties made
by the Company relate to, among other things:
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noncontravention of applicable laws or the organizational documents of the Company and adoption of Board resolutions approving
the Merger;
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required consents and approvals of governmental authorities in connection with the Merger;
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documents filed with the SEC and financial statements;
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disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting;
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absence of undisclosed liabilities;
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absence of a material adverse effect since December 31, 2015, and the conduct of the ordinary course of business;
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absence of liens, indebtedness or restricted payments specified under the Credit Agreement;
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the absence of legal proceedings against the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect;
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compliance with laws and licenses;
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employee benefits matters;
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intellectual property, data privacy and information security;
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nonapplicability of anti-takeover statutes;
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the opinion of the Company’s financial advisor;
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required stockholder approval;
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risk management policy; and
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information in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3.
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The representations and warranties made
by Parent and Merger Sub relate to, among other things:
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the capitalization of Merger Sub;
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the Guarantee (as defined below);
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the solvency of the surviving corporation following the Merger;
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information in the proxy statement and Schedule 13E-3; and
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non-reliance on estimates, projections and other forward-looking statements of the Company.
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Governing Law and Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial
The Merger Agreement is governed by Delaware
law. Each party has submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if the Delaware Court of Chancery
does not have subject matter jurisdiction, the state or federal courts within the State of Delaware) in any proceeding relating
to the Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby (including with respect to enforcement of related judgments).
However, the parties have agreed that neither they nor their respective affiliates will bring, or support any claim, against any
debt financing source related to the Merger Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated thereby other than in (i) any New
York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York, and that such claims will be governed by New York law. Each party has further irrevocably waived any right to a trial by
jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to the Merger Agreement or the transactions
contemplated thereby.
Guarantee
Concurrently
with the execution of the Merger Agreement, Parent has delivered to the Company a limited guarantee, dated as of the date of June
2, 2016, which we refer to as the Guarantee, entered into by Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund V (FT), L.P., an affiliate
of Riverstone, which we refer to as the Guarantor.
Pursuant to the terms of the Guarantee and subject to the terms and conditions
set forth therein, the Guarantor has agreed to guarantee Parent’s obligations under the Merger Agreement, capped at $90,000,000,
with respect to payment of the Parent termination fee and certain reimbursement obligations of Parent with respect to (i) costs
that the Company may incur in collecting the Parent termination fee and (ii) the Company’s costs and expenses in connection
with financing cooperation under the Merger Agreement.
SUPPORT
AGREEMENT
The following describes the material
provisions of the Support Agreement, which is attached as Annex B to this proxy statement and which is incorporated by reference
in this proxy statement. The summary does not purport to be complete and may not contain all of the information about the Support
Agreement that is important to you. You are encouraged to read carefully the Support Agreement in its entirety before making any
decisions.
In connection with the Merger Agreement,
on June 2, 2016, the Sponsor Entities, which collectively own approximately 35% of the issued and outstanding Shares, entered into
a Support Agreement with the Company pursuant to which the Sponsor Entities have committed to vote their Shares in favor of the
adoption and approval of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger. Additionally, the
Sponsor Entities committed to vote against any action or agreement that is not recommended by the Board and that would reasonably
be expected to (i) result in a breach of any covenant, representation or warranty or any other obligation or agreement of the Company
under the Merger Agreement, (ii) result in any of the conditions to the consummation of the Merger under the Merger Agreement not
being fulfilled or (iii) materially impede, frustrate, interfere with, delay or postpone the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of the Support Agreement,
if Parent’s aggregate payment obligation to the Company for certain of Parent’s expense reimbursement obligations and
collection expense obligations, as well as the termination fee payable by Parent, each pursuant to the Merger Agreement and if
and when payable thereunder, exceeds $105 million, the Company will be entitled to seek payment from the Sponsor Entities, severally
and not jointly, in an aggregate amount equal to the excess of Parent’s aggregate payment obligations over $90 million, which
we refer to as the Excess Payment Amount, subject to a $15 million cap.
The Support Agreement (other than the obligation
of the Sponsor Entities with respect to the Excess Payment Amount) will terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) the effective
time of the Merger, (ii) a termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, (iii) an adverse recommendation
change and (iv) the written agreement of the parties to the Support Agreement. The obligation of the Sponsor Entities with respect
to the Excess Payment Amount will automatically terminate upon the termination of the Guarantee.
THE DEBT
COMMITMENT LETTER
Parent and Merger Sub have obtained the
Debt Commitment Letter from the Commitment Parties to provide to Talen Energy Supply, on a several but not joint basis, a senior
secured term loan facility in an aggregate amount of up to $1.1 billion and not less than $250 million, upon the terms and subject
to
the conditions set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter. The
term loan facility will rank
pari passu
with the existing first lien revolving credit facility of Talen Energy Supply.
It is anticipated that $250 million of the
proceeds of the term loan facility will be used (i) to fund the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the debt financing
as well as certain fees and expenses under the Merger Agreement and (ii) for ongoing working capital and other general corporate
purposes of the surviving corporation. The remaining $850 million of the debt commitment will be utilized solely in the event that
funds are needed to repurchase, as a result of the Merger, the outstanding 2025 Senior Notes or Municipal Bonds of Talen Energy
Supply. If no such repurchases are required, then, upon notice of expiration of all specified time periods during which a repurchase
obligation may be triggered under the documents governing the 2025 Senior Notes or the Municipal Bonds, the commitment of the Commitment
Parties under the Debt Commitment Letter will be reduced by $850 million.
The financing contemplated
by the Debt Commitment Letter is conditioned on the substantially concurrent consummation of the Merger in accordance with the
Merger Agreement in all material respects, as well as other customary conditions including, but not limited to:
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the execution and delivery of definitive documentation consistent with the Debt Commitment Letter;
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the absence, since June 2, 2016, of a material adverse effect (which, for purposes of the Debt Commitment Letter, is defined
as in the Merger Agreement) on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
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the payment of all applicable fees and expenses;
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the delivery of certain audited and unaudited financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and certain pro forma
financial statements of the borrower;
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the Commitment Parties having been afforded a marketing period of at least 20 consecutive business days (subject to certain
blackout dates and other conditions) following receipt of certain financial statements and other information customarily delivered
for the preparation of a confidential information memorandum;
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receipt by the lenders of documentation and other information required under applicable “know your customer” and
anti-money laundering rules and regulations (including the PATRIOT Act);
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the delivery of customary closing documents; and
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the accuracy of certain representations and warranties in the Merger Agreement and specified representations and warranties
in the definitive debt documents.
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If any portion of the debt financing becomes
unavailable on the terms and conditions contemplated by the Debt Commitment Letter (including the “flex” provisions
contained in the fee letter referenced therein), Parent is required to promptly notify the Company and use its reasonable best
efforts to obtain sufficient alternative financing on terms and conditions, taken as a whole, not materially less favorable to
Parent than the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions) in the Debt Commitment Letter. As of [ ],
2016, the last practicable date before the printing of this proxy statement, no alternative financing arrangements have been made
in the event the debt financing is not available as anticipated. The documentation governing the term loan facility contemplated
by the Debt Commitment Letter has not been finalized and, accordingly, the actual terms of the debt financing may differ from
those described in this proxy statement.
The Commitment Parties may invite other
banks, financial institutions and institutional lenders to participate in the debt financing contemplated by the Debt Commitment
Letter and to undertake a portion of the commitments to provide such debt financing.
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
Statements contained in this proxy statement,
and the documents to which we refer you in this proxy statement, as well as information included in oral statements or other written
statements made or to be made by us, contain statements that, in our opinion, may constitute forward-looking statements. These
statements often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,”
“plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,” “forecast,” “seek,”
“will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would” or similar expressions.
Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in these statements are reasonable, there can be
no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties,
and actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. In addition to the specific
factors discussed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and the Company’s
quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2016, the following are among the important factors, risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements:
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our stockholders may not adopt the Merger Agreement;
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future litigation, if any, in respect of the Merger could delay or prevent the closing of the Merger;
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the parties may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the Merger, or required governmental
and regulatory approvals may delay the Merger or result in the imposition of conditions that could cause the parties to abandon
the Merger;
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the proposed transaction may be delayed or may not close;
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our announcement and pursuit of the Merger may disrupt our business and make it more difficult to maintain our business and
operational relationships and the restrictions imposed on us prior to the closing of the Merger or termination of the Merger Agreement
may prevent us from growing our business or operating outside of the ordinary course of business without the consent of Parent
and/or Merger Sub;
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developments beyond the parties’ control, including but not limited to, changes in economic and employment conditions,
competitive conditions and health care reform;
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we may not be able to incur additional debt; or
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the possibility that alternative acquisition proposals will or will not be made.
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Consequently, all of the forward-looking
statements we make in this document are qualified by the information contained or referred to herein, including, but not limited
to, (i) the information contained under this heading and (ii) the information contained under the heading “Risk Factors”
and that is otherwise disclosed in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the SEC
on February 29, 2016 and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2016, filed with the SEC
on May 10, 2016. See “
Where You Can Find More Information
.”
You should carefully consider the cautionary
statements contained or referred to in this section in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements
that may be issued by us or
persons acting on our behalf. Except as required
by law, we undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
PARTIES
TO THE MERGER
The Company
Talen Energy Corporation
835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
(888) 211-6011
The Company is a Delaware corporation, whose
business was formed as a result of the spinoff of Talen Energy Supply and the substantially contemporaneous combination of that
business with RJS on June 1, 2015. For more information on the Talen Transactions, see “
Other Important Information Regarding
the Company—Talen Transactions
.” The Company is one of the largest competitive energy and power generation companies
in North America. The Company owns or controls 16,000 megawatts of generating capacity in well-developed, structured wholesale
power markets, principally in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions of the United States. For more information about
the Company, please visit the Company’s website at http://www.talenenergy.com. The information contained on the Company’s
website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this proxy statement or any other report or document on file with
or furnished to the SEC. See also “
Where You Can Find More Information.
” The Shares are publicly traded on the
NYSE under the symbol “TLN.”
Parent and Merger Sub
RPH Parent, LLC
SPH Parent LLC
CRJ Parent LLC
RJS Merger Sub Inc.
c/o Extol Energy LLC
2901 Via Fortuna Drive
Building 6, Suite 650
Austin, Texas 78746-7574
(512) 314-8600
RPH Parent, LLC, SPH Parent LLC and CRJ Parent LLC are each
Delaware limited liability companies. Parent is beneficially owned by affiliates of Riverstone and was formed solely for the purpose
of entering into the Merger Agreement and consummating the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Parent has not engaged
in any business except for the activities incident to its formation and in connection with the transactions contemplated by the
Merger Agreement.
Merger Sub is a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary
of Parent and was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Merger and related transactions. Merger Sub has not engaged
in any business other than in connection with the Merger and related transactions. At the effective time of the Merger, Merger
Sub will be merged with and into the Company and will cease to exist and the Company will continue as the surviving corporation.
THE SPECIAL
MEETING
Time, Place and Purpose of the Special
Meeting
This proxy statement is being furnished
to our stockholders as part of the solicitation of proxies by the Board for use at the Special Meeting to be held on [ ],
2016, starting at [ ] (local time) at [ ], or at any
postponement or adjournment thereof. At the Special Meeting, holders of the Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting will
be asked to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, to approve the Adjournment Proposal, and to approve the Golden Parachute Proposal.
Our stockholders must approve the Merger
Agreement Proposal in order for the Merger to occur. If our stockholders fail to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, the Merger
will not occur. A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement. We encourage you to read the Merger
Agreement carefully in its entirety.
The votes on the proposals to approve one
or more adjournments of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournments to solicit additional proxies
and to approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the compensation that may become payable to the named executive officers of
the Company in connection with the Merger, as disclosed in the table under “
Special Factors—Interests of Executive
Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Golden Parachute Compensation
,” including the associated footnotes
and narrative discussion, are separate and apart from the vote on the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement. Accordingly, a stockholder
may vote in favor of the proposal to approve the adjournment of the Special Meeting and/or the proposal to approve on an advisory
(non-binding) basis, the specified compensation and vote not to approve the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement (and vice versa).
Record Date and Quorum
We have fixed [ ],
2016 as the Record Date for the Special Meeting, and only record holders of the Shares as of the close of business on the Record
Date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Special Meeting. You are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the
Special Meeting if you are a record holder of the Shares at the close of business on the Record Date. You will have one vote for
each Share that you owned of record on the Record Date. As of the Record Date, there were [ ]
Shares outstanding and entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
The representation of the holders of a majority
of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, at the Special Meeting will constitute
a quorum for the purposes of the Special Meeting.
The Shares entitled to vote at and represented
at the Special Meeting but not voted, including the Shares for which a stockholder directs an abstention from voting, if any, will
be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum. A quorum is necessary to transact business at the Special Meeting. Once a Share
entitled to vote at the Special Meeting is represented at the Special Meeting, it will be counted for the purpose of determining
a quorum at the Special Meeting and any adjournment of the Special Meeting. However, if a new record date is set for the adjourned
Special Meeting, a new quorum will have to be established. In the event that a quorum is not present at the Special Meeting, the
stockholders who are present in person or represented by proxy may be asked to vote as to whether the Special Meeting will be adjourned
to another time and/or place.
Attendance
Only stockholders of record on the Record
Date or their duly authorized proxies have the right to attend the Special Meeting. To gain admittance, you must present valid
photo identification, such as a driver’s license. If your Shares are held through a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee,
please bring to the Special Meeting a copy of your brokerage statement evidencing your beneficial ownership of the Shares and valid
photo identification. If you are the representative of a corporate or institutional stockholder, you must present valid photo identification
along with proof that you are the representative of such stockholder. Please note that cameras, recording devices and other electronic
devices will not be permitted at the Special Meeting.
Vote Required
The approval of the Merger Agreement Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and
(ii) the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders. For the Merger Agreement Proposal, you may vote “
FOR
,”
“
AGAINST
” or “
ABSTAIN
.”
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled
to vote thereon at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present. For the Adjournment Proposal, you may vote “
FOR
,”
“
AGAINST
” or “
ABSTAIN
.”
The approval of the Golden Parachute Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled
to vote thereon at the Special Meeting. For the Golden Parachute Proposal, you may vote “
FOR
,” “
AGAINST
”
or “
ABSTAIN
.”
Our directors and executive officers have
informed us that, as of the date of this proxy statement, they intend to vote all of the Shares owned directly by them in favor
of the adoption of the Merger Agreement and approval of each of the other proposals listed in this proxy statement. As of [ ],
2016 the Record Date for the Special Meeting, our directors and executive officers directly owned, in the aggregate, [ ]
Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, or collectively approximately [ ]% of the outstanding
Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.
The Sponsor Entities beneficially own approximately
35% of the issued and outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, and have agreed to vote all of their Shares in
favor of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereunder.
Voting
Stockholders of Record
If your Shares are registered directly in
your name with our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., you are considered, with respect to those Shares, the stockholder of
record. This proxy statement and proxy card have been sent directly to you by the Company.
If you fail to vote, either in person or
by proxy, your Shares will not be voted at the Special Meeting and will not be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum
exists.
Additionally, your failure to vote will
have (i) (a) the effect of counting “AGAINST” the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold
requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting,
assuming a quorum is present, and (b) no effect on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring
the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by unaffiliated
stockholders, and (ii) no effect on the Adjournment Proposal
or the Golden Parachute Proposal.
Beneficial Owners
If your Shares are held through a bank,
brokerage firm or other nominee, you are considered the beneficial owner of those Shares held in “street name.” In
that case, this proxy statement has been forwarded to you by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee who is considered, with
respect to those Shares, the stockholder of record. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your bank, brokerage
firm or other nominee as to how to vote your Shares by following their instructions for voting.
Your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee
will only be permitted to vote your Shares if you instruct your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee as to how to vote. You should
follow the procedures provided by your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee regarding the voting of your Shares. Under NYSE rules,
absent your instructions, a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee does not have discretionary authority to vote on “non-routine”
matters and all of the matters to be considered at the Special Meeting are, under the NYSE rules, “non-routine.”
If you instruct your bank, brokerage firm
or other nominee how to vote on at least one, but not all of the proposals to be considered at the Special Meeting, your Shares
will be voted according to your instructions on those proposals for which you have provided instructions and will be counted as
present for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the Special Meeting. In this scenario, a “broker non-vote”
will occur with respect to each proposal for which you did not provide voting instructions to your bank, brokerage firm or other
nominee.
A failure to provide instructions with respect
to any of the proposals and a broker non-vote will have (i) the effect of an “AGAINST” vote on the Merger Agreement
Proposal with respect to the approval threshold requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting, (ii) no effect on the Merger Agreement Proposal with respect to the approval threshold
requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares not owned by Riverstone, its related entities and any
of their respective affiliates, present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting and (iii) no effect on the Adjournment Proposal
or the Golden Parachute Proposal.
Abstentions
An abstention will have the same effect
as a vote cast against the Merger Agreement Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal and the Golden Parachute Proposal and will count
for the purpose of determining if a quorum is present at the Special Meeting.
How to Vote
If you are a stockholder of record, you
may vote your Shares on matters presented at the Special Meeting in any of the following ways:
|
·
|
in person—you may attend the Special Meeting and cast your vote there;
|
|
·
|
by proxy—stockholders of record have a choice of voting by proxy;
|
|
·
|
over the Internet (the website address for Internet proxies is printed on your proxy card);
|
|
·
|
by using the toll-free telephone number noted on your proxy card; or
|
|
·
|
by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying prepaid reply envelope.
|
If you are a beneficial owner of the Shares
as of the Record Date, you will receive instructions from your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee that you must follow in order
to have your Shares voted. Those instructions will identify which of the above choices are available to you in order to have your
Shares voted. Please note that if you are a beneficial owner and wish to vote in person at the Special Meeting, you must have a
legal proxy from your bank, brokerage firm or other nominee naming you as the proxy.
The control number located on your proxy
card is designed to verify your identity and allow you to submit a proxy for your Shares, and to confirm that your voting instructions
have been properly recorded when submitting a proxy over the Internet or by telephone.
Please refer to the instructions on your
proxy or voting instruction card to determine the deadlines for submitting a proxy over the Internet or by telephone. If you choose
to submit your proxy by mailing a proxy card, your proxy card must be filed with our Corporate Secretary by the time the Special
Meeting begins.
If you vote by proxy, regardless of the
method you choose to submit a proxy, the individuals named on the enclosed proxy card, and each of them, with full power of substitution
will vote your Shares in the way that you indicate. When completing the Internet or telephone proxy processes or the proxy card,
you may specify whether your Shares should be voted “
FOR
” or “
AGAINST
,” or to “
ABSTAIN
”
from voting on, all, some or none of the specific items of business to come before the Special Meeting.
If you properly sign your proxy card but
do not mark the boxes indicating how your Shares should be voted on a matter, the Shares represented by your properly signed proxy
will be voted “
FOR
” the Merger Agreement Proposal, “
FOR
” the Adjournment Proposal and “
FOR
”
the Golden Parachute Proposal.
If you have any questions or need assistance
voting your Shares, please call Georgeson LLC, our proxy solicitor, toll-free at (866) 741-9588.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SUBMIT A PROXY FOR YOUR SHARES PROMPTLY.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE SPECIAL MEETING, AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND RETURN, THE ENCLOSED
PROXY CARD IN THE ACCOMPANYING PREPAID REPLY ENVELOPE, OR SUBMIT YOUR PROXY OVER THE INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE. STOCKHOLDERS WHO
ATTEND THE SPECIAL MEETING MAY REVOKE THEIR PROXIES AND VOTE IN PERSON.
Proxies and Revocation
Any stockholder of record entitled to vote
at the Special Meeting may submit a proxy over the Internet, by telephone or by returning the enclosed proxy card in the accompanying
prepaid reply envelope, or may vote in person by appearing at the Special Meeting. If your Shares are held in “street name”
by your bank, broker or other nominee, you should instruct your bank, broker or other nominee, on how to vote your Shares using
the instructions provided by your bank, broker or other nominee. If you fail to submit a proxy or to vote in person at the Special
Meeting, or you do not provide your bank, broker or other nominee, with instructions, as applicable, your Shares will not be voted
at the Special Meeting, which will have the same effect as a vote cast against the Merger Agreement Proposal and will not have
any effect on the Adjournment Proposal and the Golden Parachute Proposal.
You have the right to revoke a proxy, whether
delivered over the Internet, by telephone or by mail, at any time before it is exercised, by submitting another proxy, including
a proxy card, at a later date through any of the methods available to you, by giving written notice of revocation to our Corporate
Secretary, which must be filed with our Corporate Secretary before the Special Meeting begins, or by attending the Special Meeting
and voting in person. If your Shares are held in “street name” by your bank, broker or other nominee, please refer
to the information forwarded by your bank, broker or other nominee for procedures on revoking your proxy.
Only your last submitted proxy will be considered.
Please cast your vote
“FOR”
each of the proposals, following the instructions in your proxy card or voting instructions
form provided by your bank, broker or other nominee, as promptly as possible.
Adjournments and Postponements
Any adjournment of the Special Meeting may
be made from time to time by approval of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy at the
Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum exists, without further notice other than by an announcement made at the Special Meeting.
If a quorum is not present at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is present at the Special Meeting but there are not sufficient
votes at the time of the Special Meeting to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, then our stockholders may be asked to vote on
a proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting so as to permit further solicitation of proxies (as further described in “
Adjournment
of the Special Meeting (the Adjournment Proposal—Proposal 2)—the Proposal
”). Any adjournment of the Special
Meeting for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies with respect to any such proposal will allow our stockholders who have
already sent in their proxies to revoke them at any time with respect to such proposal prior to their use at the reconvened Special
Meeting.
Anticipated Date of Completion of
the Merger
We are working to complete the Merger as
promptly as practicable. Assuming timely satisfaction of necessary closing conditions, we anticipate that the Merger will be completed
by the end of 2016. If our stockholders vote to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, the Merger will become effective as promptly
as practicable following the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions to the Merger as set forth in the Merger Agreement.
Rights of Stockholders Who Seek Appraisal
Stockholders are entitled to appraisal rights
under Section 262 of the DGCL with respect to any or all of their Shares in connection with the Merger. This means that you are
entitled to have the “fair value” of your Shares determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery and to receive payment
based on
that valuation. The ultimate amount you receive
in an appraisal proceeding may be less than, equal to or more than the amount you would have received under the Merger Agreement.
To exercise your appraisal rights, you must
submit a written demand for appraisal to the Company before a vote is taken on the Merger Agreement, you must not submit a proxy
or otherwise vote in favor of the Merger Agreement Proposal and you must hold your Shares continuously through the effective time
of the Merger and otherwise comply with Section 262 of the DGCL. Your failure to follow exactly the procedures specified under
the DGCL will result in the loss of your appraisal rights. See “
Appraisal Rights
” and the text of the Delaware
appraisal rights statute reproduced in its entirety as Annex D to this proxy statement. If you hold your Shares through a bank,
brokerage firm or other nominee and you wish to exercise appraisal rights, you should consult with your bank, broker or other nominee
to determine the appropriate procedures for the making of a demand for appraisal by the nominee. In view of the complexity of the
DGCL, stockholders who may wish to pursue appraisal rights should consult their legal and financial advisors.
Solicitation of Proxies; Payment of
Solicitation Expenses
The Company has engaged Georgeson LLC to
assist in the solicitation of proxies for the Special Meeting. The Company has agreed to pay Georgeson LLC a fee of $12,000, and
to reimburse Georgeson LLC for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The Company will indemnify Georgeson and its affiliates against
certain claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses. The Company also will reimburse brokers, banks and other custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries representing beneficial owners of the Shares for their expenses in forwarding soliciting materials to
beneficial owners of the Shares and in obtaining voting instructions from those owners. Our directors, officers and employees may
also solicit proxies by telephone, by facsimile, by mail, over the Internet or in person. Our directors, officers and employees
will not be paid any additional amounts for soliciting proxies.
Questions and Additional Information
If you have more questions about the Merger
or how to submit your proxy, or if you need additional copies of this proxy statement or the enclosed proxy card or voting instructions,
please call Georgeson LLC, our proxy solicitor, toll-free at (866) 741-9588.
THE MERGER
(THE MERGER AGREEMENT PROPOSAL—PROPOSAL 1)
The Proposal
The Company is asking you to approve the
Merger Agreement Proposal. A copy of the Merger Agreement is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement.
Vote Required and Board Recommendation
The approval of the Merger Agreement Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and (ii)
the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by unaffiliated stockholders.
The
Board (with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliates of Riverstone, recused)
has unanimously determined
that the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, including the Merger, are fair, advisable
and in the best interests of the Company and its unaffiliated stockholders, and has approved the Merger Agreement and the
transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger,
and recommends that you vote “FOR” the Merger Agreement Proposal.
ADJOURNMENT
OF THE SPECIAL MEETING (THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL—PROPOSAL 2)
The Proposal
The Company is asking you to approve a proposal
to grant discretionary authority to the presiding officer of the Special Meeting to adjourn the Special Meeting, including for
the purpose of soliciting additional proxies in respect of the Merger Agreement Proposal. If the Company stockholders approve the
Adjournment Proposal, the Company could adjourn the Special Meeting and any adjourned session of the Special Meeting and use the
additional time to solicit additional proxies, including the solicitation of proxies from stockholders that have previously returned
properly executed proxies voting against adoption of the Merger Agreement (other than in respect of any proposal for which the
vote has been taken and the polls have been closed at the Special Meeting). Among other things, approval of the Adjournment Proposal
could mean that, even if the Company had received proxies representing a sufficient number of votes against the Merger Agreement
Proposal such that the Merger Agreement Proposal would be defeated, the Company could adjourn the Special Meeting without a vote
on the Merger Agreement Proposal and seek to convince the holders of those Shares to change their votes to votes in favor of any
such proposal. Additionally, the Company may seek to adjourn the Special Meeting if a quorum is not present at the Special Meeting.
Vote Required and Board Recommendation
The approval of the Adjournment Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled
to vote thereon at the Special Meeting.
The Board believes that if the number of
the Shares present in person or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting voting in favor of the Merger Agreement Proposal is
not a sufficient number of the Shares to approve the Merger Agreement Proposal, it is in the best interests of the Company and
its stockholders to enable the Board to continue to seek to obtain a sufficient number of additional votes in favor of the Merger
Agreement Proposal.
The
Board
(with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliates of Riverstone, recused)
recommends that you
vote “FOR” the Adjournment Proposal.
MERGER-RELATED
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS (THE GOLDEN PARACHUTE PROPOSAL—PROPOSAL 3)
The Proposal
As required by Item 402(t) of Regulation
S-K and Section 14A of the Exchange Act, the Company is providing its stockholders with the opportunity to cast a non-binding,
advisory vote on the golden parachute compensation that may become payable to its named executive officers in connection with
the completion of the Merger, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402(t) of Regulation S-K in the “
Potential Change-in-Control
Payments to Named Executive Officers
” table and the footnotes to that table contained in the section captioned “
Special
Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the Company in the Merger—Golden Parachute Compensation
.”
Vote Required and Board Recommendation
The approval of the Golden Parachute Proposal
requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled
to vote thereon at the Special Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present.
The Company believes that the information
regarding golden parachute compensation that may become payable to its named executive officers in connection with the completion
of the Merger is reasonable and demonstrates that the Company’s executive compensation program was designed appropriately
and structured to ensure the retention of talented executive officers and a strong alignment with the long-term interests of the
Company’s stockholders. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation
that may become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the completion of the Merger. In addition,
this vote is separate and independent from the vote of stockholders to approve the completion of the Merger. The Company asks that
its stockholders vote
“FOR”
the following resolution:
“RESOLVED, that the golden parachute compensation,
as disclosed pursuant to Item 402(t) of Regulation S-K in the “Potential Change-in-Control Payments to Named Executive Officers” table and the footnotes to
that table contained in the section captioned “Special Factors—Interests of Executive Officers and Directors of the
Company in the Merger—Golden Parachute Compensation,” is hereby APPROVED on a non-binding, advisory basis.”
This vote is advisory, and therefore, it
will not be binding on the Company, nor will it overrule any prior decision or require the Board (or any committee thereof) to
take any action. However, the Board values the opinions of the Company’s stockholders, and to the extent that there is any
significant vote against the named executive officer compensation as disclosed in this proxy statement, the Board will consider
stockholders’ concerns and will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns. The Board will consider
the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast
“FOR”
the foregoing resolution as advisory approval of
the compensation that may become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the completion of the
Merger.
The
Board
(with Messrs. Alexander and Hoffman, who are affiliates of Riverstone, recused)
recommends that you
vote “FOR” the Golden Parachute Proposal.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING
THE COMPANY
Talen Transactions
In June 2014, PPL and Talen Energy Supply
executed definitive agreements with the Sponsor Entities to combine their competitive power generation businesses into a new,
stand-alone, publicly traded company named Talen Energy Corporation. On June 1, 2015, PPL completed the spinoff to PPL shareowners
of Holdco, which at such time owned all of the membership interests of Talen Energy Supply and all of the common stock
of the Company. Immediately following the spinoff, Holdco merged with a special purpose subsidiary of the Company, with Holdco
continuing as the surviving company to the merger and as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and the sole owner of Talen
Energy Supply. PPL does not have an ownership interest in the Company or Talen Energy Supply after completion of the spinoff.
Substantially contemporaneous with the spinoff and merger, RJS was contributed by the Sponsor Entities to become a subsidiary
of Talen Energy Supply, which substantially contemporaneous spinoff, merger and contribution, we refer to collectively as the
acquisition. Subsequent to the acquisition, RJS was merged into Talen Energy Supply.
Directors and Executive Officers of
the Company
The Board presently consists of eight members.
The persons listed below are the directors and executive officers of the Company as of the date of this proxy statement. The Merger
Agreement provides, however, that the directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will be the
initial directors of the surviving corporation immediately following the Merger.
The Merger Agreement provides that the officers
of the Company immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger will be the initial officers of the surviving corporation
immediately following the Merger. Following the Merger, each executive officer will serve until a successor is elected or appointed
and qualified or until the earlier of his or her death, resignation or removal, as the case may be.
Neither any of these persons nor the Company
has been convicted in a criminal proceeding during the past five years (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors),
and none of these persons has been a party to any judicial or administrative proceeding during the past five years that resulted
in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining the person from future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal
or state securities laws or a finding of any violation of federal or state securities laws.
All of the directors and executive officers
can be reached c/o Talen Energy Corporation, 835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101, (888) 211-6011,
and each of the directors and executive officers is a citizen of the United States.
Directors
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Ralph Alexander
|
|
61
|
|
Director
|
Frederick M. Bernthal
|
|
73
|
|
Director
|
Edward J. Casey, Jr.
|
|
58
|
|
Director
|
Philip G. Cox
|
|
64
|
|
Director
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
49
|
|
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
|
Louise K. Goeser
|
|
62
|
|
Director
|
Stuart E. Graham
|
|
70
|
|
Director, Chairman
|
Michael B. Hoffman
|
|
65
|
|
Director
|
Ralph
Alexander
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Mr. Alexander is a partner of Riverstone, an energy
and power-focused private equity firm, which he joined in September 2007. In addition to serving on the boards of a number of Riverstone
portfolio companies and their affiliates, Mr. Alexander has served on the board of EP Energy Corporation, a leading North American
oil and natural gas producer, since September 2013, the board of the general partner of Enviva Partners, LP, an aggregator and
processor of wood fiber and pellets, since November 2013, and the board of Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC, an owner and operator
of gas storage in North America, since December 2014. He previously served on the boards of Stein Mart, Inc., a retailer for clothing,
accessories, housewares and home decor (2007 – June 2014), KiOR, Inc., a renewable fuels company (2011 –
May 2013), and Amyris, Inc., a renewable products company (2007 – July 2013).
Frederick
M. Bernthal
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Dr. Bernthal is the retired president of Universities
Research Association, or URA, a position he held from 1994 until March 2011. URA is a consortium of research universities engaged
in the construction and operation of major research facilities on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science
Foundation. Dr. Bernthal served as a director of PPL from 1997 until June 2015.
Edward
J. Casey, Jr.
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Mr. Casey is a director and chief operating officer
of Serco Group plc, a company that provides professional, technology and management outsourcing services. Before accepting his
current position in 2013, Mr. Casey served as chief executive officer of the U.S. subsidiary of Serco Group plc, Serco Inc., from
2005 to 2013 and has sat on the board of Serco Inc. since 2006, including serving as Chairman from 2006 to 2013.
Philip
G. Cox
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Mr. Cox retired in April 2013 as chief executive officer
of International Power plc, a global independent power producer. He was promoted to that position in 2003 after serving in his
previous role of chief financial officer. Mr. Cox serves as chairman of Drax Group plc, an electrical power generation company,
and as chairman of Global Power Generation, a joint venture between the Kuwait Investment Authority and Gas Natural Fenosa that
develops and manages power generation assets outside of the U.S. He previously served on the boards of International Power plc
(currently known as Engie Energy International), an international electricity generation company (2003 – April
2013); Meggitt PLC, an engineering business specializing in aerospace equipment (2012 – January 2015); Tractebel
Energia S.A., a company providing life-cycle consultancy and engineering in power, nuclear, gas, industry and infrastructure (2011 – March
2013); and Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC, a supermarket chain (April 2009 – January 2016). He also served as
a director of PPL from May 2013 until June 2015.
Paul
A. Farr
has served as our Director, President and Chief Executive Officer since June 2015. He served as president
of PPL Energy Supply, LLC (currently known as Talen Energy Supply, LLC) and PPL Generation, LLC (currently known as Talen Energy
Generation, LLC) from June 2014 until June 2015. He also previously served as executive vice president and chief financial officer
of PPL from April 2007 until June 2014.
Louise
K. Goeser
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Since March 2009, Ms. Goeser has served as president
and chief executive officer of Grupo Siemens S.A. de C.V. and is responsible for Siemens Mesoamérica. Siemens Mesoamérica
is the Mexican, Central American and Caribbean unit of multinational Siemens AG, a global engineering company operating in the
industrial, energy and healthcare sectors. She serves as a director of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc., an industrial equipment
distributor. Ms. Goeser also served as a director of PPL from 2003 until June 2015.
Stuart
E. Graham
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. He served as president and chief executive officer
of Skanska AB, an international project development and construction company, from 2002 to 2008, and served on its board of directors
for the same period of time. He continued to serve as chairman of Skanska USA Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of that company, until May
of 2011, and he remains non-executive chairman of Skanska AB through April 2016. Mr. Graham also is a director of Harsco Corporation,
a worldwide industrial services company. Mr. Graham also served as a director of PPL from 2008 until June 2015.
Michael
B. Hoffman
has served as a member of the Board since June 2015. Mr. Hoffman is a partner of Riverstone, an energy
and power-focused private equity firm, which he joined in 2003. In addition to serving on the boards of a number of Riverstone
portfolio companies and their affiliates, Mr. Hoffman currently serves as a director of Pattern Energy, Inc., an independent wind
power company, as a director of the general partner of Enviva Partners, LP, an aggregator and processor of wood fiber and pellets,
and is the chairman of Onconova Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company.
Executive Officers
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Position
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
49
|
|
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
|
Jeremy R. McGuire
|
|
44
|
|
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer
|
Clarence J. Hopf
|
|
59
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
|
Timothy S. Rausch
|
|
51
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer
|
James E. Schinski
|
|
57
|
|
Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer
|
Paul M. Breme
|
|
44
|
|
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
|
Paul
A. Farr
has served as our Director, President and Chief Executive Officer since June 2015. See “
—Directors
”
for additional biographical information regarding Mr. Farr.
Jeremy
R. McGuire
has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since June 2015. In August 2015, Mr.
McGuire assumed the role of acting Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. McGuire, a former investment banker, joined PPL in 2008 and led
the strategic planning function at that company from 2008 until June 2015.
Clarence
J. Hopf, Jr.
has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer since June 2015. He served as senior
vice president - Fossil and Hydro Generation for PPL Energy Supply, LLC (currently known as Talen Energy Supply, LLC) from August
2014 until June 2015. Mr. Hopf joined PPL in October 2005 but left in 2008 to accept a position with Public Service Enterprise
Group Incorporated (PSEG) as president of its energy marketing and trading subsidiary. He rejoined PPL EnergyPlus, LLC (currently
known as Talen Energy Marketing, LLC) in 2012 and directed coal trading and supply, and later the wholesale marketing function,
before being named eastern trading vice president in March 2014.
Timothy
S. Rausch
has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer since June 2015. He served as senior vice
president and chief nuclear officer of PPL Generation, LLC (currently known as Talen Generation, LLC) with responsibility for the
Susquehanna nuclear plant, from July 2009 until June 2015.
James
E. Schinski
has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer since June 2015. He joined PPL
Services in 2009 as vice president-chief information officer and served in that role until July 2014. From July 2014 until June
2015 he served in a vice president role to assist the Company’s senior management in the transition from PPL to the Company.
Paul
M. Breme
has served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since April 2016, and
he served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since June 2015. He joined PPL’s Office of General Counsel
in 2008 from the law firm of Cahill, Gordon & Reindel LLP, where he specialized in corporate law and finance. At PPL, he served
as counsel from 2008 to 2009, as senior counsel until 2012 and as associate general counsel from 2012 until June 2015.
Selected Historical Consolidated Financial
Data
Set forth below is certain selected historical
consolidated financial data relating to the Company. The historical selected financial data as of and for the three months ended
March 31, 2016 and 2015 and the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 has been derived from our consolidated
financial statements, which, for the annual periods, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public
accounting firm. Talen Energy Supply is considered the accounting predecessor of the Company. Therefore, the financial information
presented below for periods prior to the
June 1, 2015 spinoff from PPL and formation of the Company includes
only legacy Talen Energy Supply information.
As
part of or subsequent to the formation of the Company on June 1, 2015, the Company has completed certain acquisition and disposal
transactions. The Company
completed the acquisition of RJS in June 2015 and the acquisition of MACH Gen, LLC, which we refer
to as MACH Gen, in November 2015. See Note 6 in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2015, for additional information. RJS’s and MACH Gen’s operating results since their acquisitions are included
in the Company’s results of operations with no comparable amounts for periods prior to their acquisition. The Company completed
the sales of Talen Ironwood Holdings, LLC and C.P. Crane LLC in February 2016 and the sale of the Holtwood and Lake Wallenpaupack
hydroelectric facilities in April 2016. The sales satisfied the requirement to divest certain PJM assets to comply with a December
2014 FERC order approving the combination with RJS. See Note 7 in the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2016 for additional information on these divestitures.
This information is only a summary and should
be read in conjunction with Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and the Company’s
quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2016, each of which is incorporated by reference into
this proxy statement. More comprehensive financial information is included in such reports, including management’s discussion
and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC, and the following
summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to such reports and other documents and all of the financial information and
notes contained therein. See “
Where You Can Find More Information
.” Results of interim periods are not necessarily
indicative of the results expected for a full year or for future periods.
|
|
Quarter
Ended March
31,
|
|
|
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|
(a) (b)
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
Income Items
(in millions)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating revenues
|
|
$
|
1,173
|
|
|
$
|
1,091
|
|
|
$
|
4,481
|
|
|
$
|
4,581
|
|
|
$
|
4,495
|
|
|
$
|
4,393
|
|
|
$
|
4,834
|
|
Income (Loss) from continuing operations after income taxes attributable to Talen Energy Corporation stockholders
|
|
$
|
151
|
|
|
$
|
96
|
|
|
$
|
(341
|
)
|
|
$
|
187
|
|
|
$
|
(262
|
)
|
|
$
|
428
|
|
|
$
|
672
|
|
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations (net of income taxes)
(c)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
223
|
|
|
$
|
32
|
|
|
$
|
46
|
|
|
$
|
96
|
|
Net Income (Loss) attributable to Talen Energy Corporation stockholders
|
|
$
|
151
|
|
|
$
|
96
|
|
|
$
|
(341
|
)
|
|
$
|
410
|
|
|
$
|
(230
|
)
|
|
$
|
474
|
|
|
$
|
768
|
|
Balance
Sheet Items
(in millions)
(d)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property, plant and equipment, net
|
|
$
|
8,561
|
|
|
$
|
6,371
|
|
|
$
|
8,587
|
|
|
$
|
6,436
|
|
|
$
|
7,174
|
|
|
$
|
7,293
|
|
|
$
|
6,486
|
|
Total assets
(e)
|
|
$
|
12,595
|
|
|
$
|
10,366
|
|
|
$
|
12,826
|
|
|
$
|
10,760
|
|
|
$
|
11,074
|
|
|
$
|
12,375
|
|
|
$
|
13,179
|
|
Short-term debt
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
600
|
|
|
$
|
608
|
|
|
$
|
630
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
356
|
|
|
$
|
400
|
|
Long-term debt (including current portion)
(e)
|
|
$
|
4,268
|
|
|
$
|
2,217
|
|
|
$
|
4,203
|
|
|
$
|
2,218
|
|
|
$
|
2,525
|
|
|
$
|
3,272
|
|
|
$
|
3,024
|
|
Common equity
|
|
$
|
4,463
|
|
|
$
|
3,816
|
|
|
$
|
4,303
|
|
|
$
|
3,907
|
|
|
$
|
4,798
|
|
|
$
|
3,848
|
|
|
$
|
4,037
|
|
Total capitalization
|
|
$
|
8,731
|
|
|
$
|
6,633
|
|
|
$
|
9,114
|
|
|
$
|
6,755
|
|
|
$
|
7,323
|
|
|
$
|
7,476
|
|
|
$
|
7,461
|
|
Income (Loss) per share attributable to Talen Energy Corporation stockholders - Basic
(f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) from continuing operations
|
|
$
|
1.18
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
|
$
|
(3.10
|
)
|
|
$
|
2.24
|
|
|
$
|
(3.13
|
)
|
|
$
|
5.12
|
|
|
$
|
8.04
|
|
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations (net of income taxes)
(c)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
2.67
|
|
|
$
|
0.38
|
|
|
$
|
0.55
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
Net Income (Loss)
|
|
$
|
1.18
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
|
$
|
(3.10
|
)
|
|
$
|
4.91
|
|
|
$
|
(2.75
|
)
|
|
$
|
5.67
|
|
|
$
|
9.19
|
|
Income (Loss) per share attributable to Talen Energy Corporation stockholders - Diluted
(f)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) from continuing operations
|
|
$
|
1.17
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
|
$
|
(3.10
|
)
|
|
$
|
2.24
|
|
|
$
|
(3.13
|
)
|
|
$
|
5.12
|
|
|
$
|
8.04
|
|
Income (Loss) from discontinued operations (net of income taxes)
(c)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
2.67
|
|
|
$
|
0.38
|
|
|
$
|
0.55
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
Net Income (Loss)
|
|
$
|
1.17
|
|
|
$
|
1.15
|
|
|
$
|
(3.10
|
)
|
|
$
|
4.91
|
|
|
$
|
(2.75
|
)
|
|
$
|
5.67
|
|
|
$
|
9.19
|
|
|
(a)
|
Earnings in each three month or year period were
affected by certain items that management believes are not indicative of ongoing operations. See “Results of Operations -
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” in “Item 2. Combined Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations” in the
Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended
March 31, 2016 for a description of those items for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015. See “Results of Operations
- EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” in “Item 7. Combined Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations” in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2015 for a description of those items in 2015, 2014, and 2013. Significant pre-tax items in 2012 and 2011 included unrealized gains
on derivative contracts of $91 million and $120 million, while 2012 included a $29 million coal contract modification payment and
2011 included litigation-related credits of $132 million. The earnings were also affected by acquisitions and sales of various
businesses. See Note 6 to the Financial Statements in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2015 for additional information, including discussion of the discontinued operations in 2014 and 2013.
|
|
(b)
|
See “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and Notes
1 and 11 to the Financial Statements in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2015 and Note 9 to the Financial Statements in the
Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal
quarter ended March 31, 2016 for a discussion of uncertainties that could affect the Company’s future financial condition.
|
|
(c)
|
2014 includes an after-tax gain on the sale of the hydroelectric business in Montana of $206 million.
|
|
(d)
|
As of each respective period-end.
|
|
(e)
|
Amounts for March 31, 2016 include the impact of the implementation of new accounting guidance to reflect certain debt issuance
costs that were previously classified as a deferred asset, as an offset of long-term debt. Other periods have not been recast due
to immateriality.
|
|
(f)
|
The calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2016 is based on actual total
Shares outstanding during the period. For the annual period 2015, the calculation utilized the weighted-average Shares outstanding
during the year assuming the Shares issued to PPL’s shareholders were outstanding during the entire year and reflects the
impact of the private placement of Shares to the Sponsor Entities on the spinoff date. For the three months ended March 31, 2015
and for the annual periods in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, weighted average Shares outstanding assumed the Shares issued to PPL’s
shareholders at the spinoff date in 2015 were outstanding during those entire years.
|
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
The following table presents our ratio of
earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.
|
|
Three Months Ended
March 31,
|
|
|
Year Ended
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2014
|
|
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
(a)(b)
|
|
|
4.7
|
|
|
|
4.5
|
|
|
|
(0.6
|
)
|
|
|
2.7
|
|
|
(a)
|
The three months ended March 31, 2016 includes $140 million of net pre-tax gains related to the sale of certain generation
facilities. See Note 7 to the financial statements contained in the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended
March 31, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference for additional information on the sales.
|
In 2015, $657 million of non-cash,
pre-tax goodwill and other long-lived asset impairment charges were recorded. See Note 16 to the financial statements contained
in the annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference for additional
information. As a result of these non-cash charges, earnings were lower, which resulted in less than one-to-one coverage. The adjusted
amount of the deficiency, or the amount of fixed charges in excess of earnings, was $388 million.
|
(b)
|
Talen Energy Supply is considered the accounting predecessor of the Company, therefore, the financial information presented
prior to June 1, 2015 for the Company includes only legacy Talen Energy Supply information.
|
Book Value per Share
As of March 31, 2016, the book value per
Share was $34.72. Book value per Share is computed by dividing total equity at March 31, 2016 by the total Shares outstanding on
that date.
Market Price of Common Stock and Dividends
Our Shares trade on the NYSE under the symbol
“TLN.” Our Shares started “regular-way” trading on the NYSE on June 2, 2015, following the completion of
the Talen Transactions. Prior to June 2, 2015, there was no public market for our Shares. Our common stock was traded on a
“when-issued” basis starting on May 18, 2015. We have not declared or paid any cash dividends on the Shares. The Merger
Agreement does not permit us to pay any additional dividends on the Shares without the prior written consent of Parent.
The following table sets forth, for the
periods indicated, the high and low sales prices of our Shares as reported by the NYSE since June 2, 2015, the date that our common
stock began “regular-way” trading on the NYSE.
Fiscal Year
|
|
High
|
|
|
Low
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Quarter (beginning June 2, 2015)
|
|
$
|
20.25
|
|
|
$
|
16.87
|
|
Third Quarter
|
|
$
|
18.02
|
|
|
$
|
9.83
|
|
Fourth Quarter
|
|
$
|
12.09
|
|
|
$
|
5.73
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Quarter
|
|
$
|
9.00
|
|
|
$
|
8.65
|
|
Second Quarter (through June 30, 2016)
|
|
$
|
14.03
|
|
|
$
|
8.56
|
|
The closing price of the Shares on March
31, 2016, the last trading day before the first public reports of a potential sale of the Company, was $9.00 per Share.
On [ ], 2016,
the most recent practicable date before this proxy statement was distributed to our stockholders, the closing price for the Shares
on the NYSE was $[ ] per Share. You are encouraged to obtain current market quotations for the Shares
in connection with voting your Shares.
If the Merger is completed, there will be
no further market for the Shares and the Shares will be delisted from the NYSE and deregistered under the Exchange Act.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial
Owners and Management
The following table sets forth the beneficial
ownership of the Shares as of June 24, 2016 by:
|
·
|
each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the total outstanding Shares;
|
|
·
|
each of our named executive officers;
|
|
·
|
each of our directors; and
|
|
·
|
all of our executive officers and directors as a group.
|
The SEC has defined the “beneficial
owner” of a security to include any person who, directly or indirectly, has or shares voting power and/or investment power
over such security. In computing the number of the Shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that
person, the Shares subject to options or other rights held by that person that are exercisable or will become exercisable within
60 days after June 24, 2016 are deemed outstanding, while such Shares are not deemed outstanding for purposes of computing
percentage ownership of any other person. Each person named in the table has sole voting and investment power with respect to
all of the Shares shown as beneficially owned by such person, except as otherwise set forth in the notes to the table.
The percentages reflect beneficial ownership
as of June 24, 2016 as determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. The address for all beneficial
owners in the table below is 835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101, except as otherwise noted.
|
|
Number
of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares
Beneficially
|
|
|
Percent
of
Common Stock
|
|
Name
and Address of Beneficial Owner
|
|
Owned
|
|
|
Outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5%
or Greater Stockholders:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Raven
Entities
(1)(3)
|
|
|
25,459,633
|
|
|
|
19.8
|
%
|
Jade Entities
(2)(3)
|
|
|
16,325,235
|
|
|
|
12.7
|
%
|
Shapiro
Capital Management LLC
(4)
|
|
|
10,029,562
|
|
|
|
7.8
|
%
|
BlackRock, Inc.
(5)
|
|
|
8,507,294
|
|
|
|
6.6
|
%
|
Thompson,
Siegel & Walmsley LLC
(6)
|
|
|
8,681,884
|
|
|
|
6.8
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors
and Named Executive Officers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul
A. Farr
(7)
|
|
|
64,997
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Clarence
J. Hopf, Jr.
|
|
|
9,065
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Jeremy
R. McGuire
|
|
|
22,119
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Timothy
S. Rausch
|
|
|
16,759
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
James
E. Schinski
|
|
|
32,128
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Ralph Alexander
(8)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Frederick
M. Bernthal
(9)(10)(11)
|
|
|
15,189
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Edward
J. Casey, Jr.
(9)(11)
|
|
|
14,455
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Philip
G. Cox
(9)(11)
|
|
|
15,791
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Louise
K. Goeser
(9)(11)
|
|
|
21,395
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Stuart
E. Graham
(9)(11)
|
|
|
33,882
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Michael
B. Hoffman
(8)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
All
directors and executive officers as a group (13 individuals)
(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)
|
|
|
246,102
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
* Represents less than 1%
|
(1)
|
Based on information included in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 12, 2016 by Riverstone Energy Partners V, L.P.,
Riverstone Energy GP V, LLC, Riverstone V Raven Holdings, L.P. and Raven Power Holdings LLC, which we collectively refer to as
the Raven Entities, which are affiliates of Riverstone. These entities reported (i) shared voting power with respect to 25,459,633
Shares and (ii) shared dispositive power with respect to 25,459,633 Shares. The address for Riverstone Energy Partners V, L.P.,
Riverstone Energy GP V, LLC and Riverstone V Raven Holdings, L.P. is 712 Fifth Avenue, 36th Floor, New York, NY 10019. The address
for Raven Power Holdings LLC is c/o Extol Energy LLC, 2901 Via Fortuna Drive, Building 6, Suite 650, Austin, TX 78746-7574.
|
|
(2)
|
Based on information included in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 12, 2016 by Carlyle/Riverstone Global Energy
& Power Fund III LP, Carlyle/Riverstone Energy Partners III, L.P., C/R Energy GP III, LLC and C/R Energy Jade,
|
LLC, which we collectively refer
to as the Jade Entities, which are affiliates of Riverstone. These entities reported (i) shared voting power with respect to 16,325,235
Shares and (ii) shared dispositive power with respect to 16,325,235 Shares. The address for Carlyle/ Riverstone Global Energy &
Power Fund III LP, Carlyle/Riverstone Energy Partners III, L.P. and C/R Energy GP III, LLC is 712 Fifth Avenue, 36th Floor, New
York, NY 10019. The address for C/R Energy Jade, LLC is c/o Extol Energy LLC, 2901 Via Fortuna Drive, Building 6, Suite 650, Austin,
TX 78746-7574.
|
(3)
|
Does not include 3,189,790 Shares, or approximately 2.5%, of the Company’s outstanding common stock, beneficially owned
by Sapphire Power Holdings LLC and/or its affiliates, which we collectively refer to as the Sapphire Entities, which are affiliates
of Riverstone, the Raven Entities and the Jade Entities.
|
|
(4)
|
Based on information included in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 12, 2016 by Shapiro Capital Management LLC on
behalf of itself and Samuel R. Shapiro. Shapiro Capital Management LLC reported (i) sole voting power with respect to 8,749,662
Shares, (ii) shared voting power with respect to 1,279,900 Shares and (iii) sole dispositive power with respect to 10,029,562 Shares.
The address for the reporting persons is 3060 Peachtree Road, Suite 1555 N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30305.
|
|
(5)
|
Based on information included in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 28, 2016 by BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock, Inc. reported
(i) sole voting power with respect to 7,872,146 Shares and (ii) sole dispositive power with respect to 8,507,294 Shares. The address
of BlackRock, Inc. is 55 E. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055.
|
|
(6)
|
Based on information included in Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on January 28, 2016 by Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC.
Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley LLC reported (i) sole voting power with respect to 6,169,393 Shares, (ii) shared voting power with
respect to 2,512,491 Shares and (iii) sole dispositive power with respect to 8,681,884 Shares. The address of Thompson, Siegel
& Walmsley LLC is 6806 Paragon Place, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23230.
|
|
(7)
|
Of the amount shown, one share is held in a custodial account in the name of Mr. Farr’s child.
|
|
(8)
|
Mr. Alexander and Mr. Hoffman are partners of Riverstone. Each disclaims any beneficial ownership of the Shares attributable
to the Raven Entities, the Jade Entities and the Sapphire Entities.
|
|
(9)
|
Amounts
shown include the below number of director stock units received as compensation for service
on the Board and its committees
that are held by independent directors in deferred accounts under the Directors Deferred
Compensation Plan, each of which units represents the right to receive a share of our
common stock and
is fully
vested upon grant. Absent a triggering event under the Directors Deferred Compensation
Plan, however, the Shares with respect to such director stock units would not be received
within 60 days of June 24, 2016.
|
Frederick M. Bernthal
|
|
|
14,455
|
|
Edward J. Casey, Jr.
|
|
|
14,455
|
|
Philip G. Cox
|
|
|
14,719
|
|
Louise K. Goeser
|
|
|
14,455
|
|
Stuart E. Graham
|
|
|
29,466
|
|
|
(10)
|
Excludes approximately 7,418 director stock units held in a deferred stock unit account
on behalf of Mr. Bernthal following his resignation as a director of
PPL
, which resignation
became
effective upon the Company’s spinoff. They will convert into Shares in
various amounts annually
in January 2017
through and including January 2028.
|
|
(11)
|
Excludes director stock units that are expected to be received as part of the independent director compensation program on
July 1, 2016, where the number of director stock units to be received will be based on the fair market value of a Share on the
date of grant.
|
Prior Public Offerings
None of the Company, the Sponsor Entities,
Riverstone, Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective affiliates have made an underwritten public offering of the Shares for
cash during the past three years that was registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or exempt from registration
under Regulation A promulgated thereunder.
Certain Transactions in the Shares
Other than the Merger Agreement and agreements
entered into in connection therewith, including the Support Agreement, the Company, the Sponsor Entities, Riverstone, Parent, Merger
Sub and their respective affiliates have not made any transactions with respect to the Shares during the past 60 days. See “
The
Merger Agreement
” and “
Support Agreement
.” In addition, other than in connection with the
Talen Transactions, none of the Company, the
Parent Group, Riverstone or any of their respective affiliates have purchased any Shares during the past two years.
OTHER
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE PARENT GROUP AND RIVERSTONE
Identity and Background of Parent,
Merger Sub, Riverstone and the Sponsor Entities and Their Controlling Affiliates
Each of Parent, Merger Sub, the Sponsor
Entities and their Controlling Affiliates (as defined below) are affiliates of Riverstone. Riverstone is a global energy- and power-focused
private equity firm with an investment footprint over $80 billion across five sectors of the energy industry: building and growing
companies in the fields of exploration and production, midstream, energy services, power and coal, and certain renewable sectors
of the energy business.
Parent and Merger Sub
Merger
Sub
. RJS Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation, is controlled by Raven Power Holdings LLC. RJS Merger Sub
Inc. was incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware on May 26, 2016. See “
Parties to the Merger
.”
RPH Parent LLC
.
RPH Parent
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is controlled by Raven Power Holdings LLC. RPH Parent LLC, was formed under the laws
of the state of Delaware on May 26, 2016. See “
Parties to the Merger
.”
SPH
Parent LLC
. SPH Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is controlled by Sapphire Power Holdings LLC. SPH
Parent LLC, was formed under the laws of the state of Delaware on May 26, 2016. See “
Parties to the Merger
.”
CRJ
Parent LLC
. CRJ Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is controlled by C/R Energy Jade, LLC. CRJ Parent
LLC, was formed under the laws of the state of Delaware on May 26, 2016. See “
Parties to the Merger
.”
During the past five years, neither Parent
nor Merger Sub has been (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and similar misdemeanors) or (ii)
a party to any judicial or administrative proceeding (except for matters that were dismissed without sanction or settlement) that
resulted in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining such person from future violations of, or prohibiting activities subject
to, federal or state securities laws, or a finding of any violation of federal or state securities laws.
The principal place of business and telephone
number for each of Parent and Merger Sub is:
c/o Extol Energy LLC
2901 Via Fortuna Drive
Building 6, Suite 650
Austin, Texas 78746-7574
Telephone: (512) 314-8600
The Sponsor Entities and Their Controlling
Affiliates
We collectively refer to all of the entities
referred to in this subsection as the Sponsor Entities and Their Controlling Affiliates.
Sapphire
Power Holdings LLC
.
Sapphire Power Holdings LLC owns 3,189,790 Shares, representing approximately 2.5% of the
Company’s outstanding Shares. 100% of the voting interests of Sapphire Power Holdings LLC are owned by R/C Sapphire Power
IP, L.P., which we refer to as R/C SP IP. The general partner of R/C SP IP is Riverstone/Carlyle Energy Partners
II, L.P., which we refer to as R/C EP II. The general partner of R/C EP II is R/C Renewable Energy GP II, LLC, which we refer
to as R/C Renew II. R/C Renew II is wholly owned by Riverstone. Riverstone is controlled by Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr. and David M.
Leuschen.
C/R
Energy Jade, LLC
. C/R Energy Jade, LLC owns 16,325,235 Shares, representing approximately 12.7% of the Company’s
outstanding Shares. C/R Energy Jade, LLC is controlled by Carlyle/Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund III, L.P., which we refer
to as C/R Power III. The general partner of C/R Power III is Carlyle/Riverstone Energy Partners III, L.P., which we refer to as
C/R EP III. The general partner of C/R EP III is C/R Energy GP III, LLC, which we refer to as C/R Energy GP III. The Managing Committee of C/R Energy GP III
has delegated authority to appoint board members of C/R Energy Jade, LLC to members of the Managing Committee appointed by Riverstone. Riverstone is controlled by Messrs. Lapeyre, Jr. and Leuschen.
Raven Power Holdings LLC
.
Raven
Power Holdings LLC owns 25,459,633 Shares, representing approximately 19.8% of the Company’s outstanding Shares. Raven Power
Holdings LLC is controlled by Riverstone V Raven Holdings, L.P., which we refer to as RS V RH. The general partner of RS V RH is
Riverstone Energy Partners V, L.P., which we refer to as RS EP V. The general partner of RS EP V is Riverstone Energy GP V, LLC,
which we refer to as RS GP V. RS GP V is wholly owned by Riverstone Energy GP V Corp., which we refer to as RS GP V Corp. RS GP
V Corp. is wholly owned by Riverstone. Riverstone is controlled by Messrs. Lapeyre, Jr. and Leuschen.
Pierre F. Lapeyre, Jr.
Mr. Lapeyre
is currently employed as a founder and Senior Managing Director of Riverstone. During the past five years, Mr. Lapeyre’s
material occupation has been as a founder and Senior Managing Director of Riverstone. Mr. Lapeyre is a United States citizen.
David
M. Leuschen
. Mr. Leuschen is currently employed as a founder and Senior Managing Director of Riverstone. During the
past five years, Mr. Leuschen’s material occupation has been as a founder and Senior Managing Director of Riverstone. Mr.
Leuschen is a United States citizen.
During the past five years, none of the
Sponsor Entities and Their Controlling Affiliates has been (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations
and similar misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to any judicial or administrative proceeding (except for matters that were dismissed
without sanction or settlement) that resulted in a judgment, decree or final order enjoining such person from future violations
of, or prohibiting activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or a finding of any violation of federal or state securities
laws.
The principal place of business and telephone
number for each of (i) Raven Power Holdings LLC, (ii) C/R Energy Jade, LLC and (iii) Sapphire Power Holdings LLC is:
c/o Extol Energy LLC
2901 Via Fortuna Drive
Building 6, Suite 650
Austin, Texas 78746-7574
Telephone: (512) 314-8600
The principal place of business and telephone number for each
other member of the Sponsor Entities and Their Controlling Affiliates is:
c/o Riverstone Holdings LLC
712 Fifth Avenue, 36
th
Floor
New York, New York 10019
Telephone: (212) 993-0076
Significant Past Transactions and
Contracts
The Talen Transactions
The
Sponsor Entities obtained their aggregate 35% beneficial ownership interest in the Company in connection with the Talen Transactions. For
information regarding the Talen Transactions, see
“
Other Important Information Regarding the Company—Talen
Transactions
.” Based on the 60-day volume weighted average trading price for the Shares on the NYSE following June 1,
2015 and the number of the Shares outstanding as of July 31, 2015, the value of Riverstone’s proportionate equity interest
in the Company was approximately $805 million at the time of the Talen Transactions.
Stockholder Agreement
In connection with the Talen Transactions,
on June 1, 2015, the Sponsor Entities entered into the Stockholder Agreement with the Company, which governs the Sponsor Entities’
ongoing relationship with the Company.
Nominations
to the Board.
Under the Stockholder Agreement, the Board will nominate for election two members designated by the Sponsor
Entities and one independent member designated by the Sponsor Entities, each of which we refer to as a Designated Director, subject
to certain continuing stock ownership requirements. The Stockholder Agreement provides that, until six months after the date
there is no Designated Director on the Board and the Sponsor Entities are no longer entitled to designate directors to be nominated
by the Board for election, the Sponsor Entities will agree to cause each Share beneficially owned by the Sponsor Entities to be
voted in favor of all those persons nominated to serve as directors by the Board.
Standstill.
The Stockholder Agreement also contains a customary standstill provision that prohibits the Sponsor Entities from, among
other things, acquiring additional Shares, soliciting proxies to vote Shares and acting alone or in concert with others to seek
to control or influence the Company’s policies.
Registration
Rights
. Pursuant to the Stockholder Agreement, the Sponsor Entities are provided with “demand” registration
rights and “piggyback” registration rights. The Stockholder Agreement provides that the Company will pay certain expenses
relating to such registrations and indemnify the registration rights holders against certain liabilities which may arise under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Consent
Rights
. Pursuant to the Stockholder Agreement, for so long as the Sponsor Entities are entitled to designate directors
to be nominated by the Board for election, the Company is not permitted to take certain actions, such as amending the Company’s
charter or bylaws in a manner that would adversely affect the Sponsor Entities’ rights or obligations under the Stockholder
Agreement, without the prior consent of the Sponsor Entities, subject to certain exceptions.
APPRAISAL
RIGHTS
If the Company’s stockholders adopt
the Merger Agreement, stockholders who do not vote in favor of the proposal to adopt the Merger Agreement and who properly exercise
and perfect their demand for appraisal of their Shares will be entitled to appraisal rights in connection with the Merger under
Section 262 of the DGCL, which we refer to as Section 262.
The following discussion is not a complete
statement of all applicable requirements pertaining to appraisal rights under the DGCL, and it is qualified in its entirety by
reference to Section 262, the full text of which appears in Annex D to this proxy statement. The following summary does not constitute
any legal or other advice, nor does it constitute a recommendation that stockholders exercise their appraisal rights under Section
262. Only a holder of record of the Shares is entitled to demand appraisal rights for the Shares registered in that holder’s
name. A person having a beneficial interest in the Shares held of record in the name of another person, such as a bank, broker,
fiduciary, depositary or other nominee, must act promptly to cause the record holder to follow the steps summarized below properly
and in a timely manner to perfect appraisal rights.
Under Section 262, record holders of the
Shares who have neither voted in favor of, nor consented in writing to, the approval of the adoption of the Merger Agreement, who
continuously hold such Shares through the effective time of the Merger and who otherwise follow the procedures set forth in Section
262 will be entitled to have their Shares appraised by the Delaware Court of Chancery and to receive payment in cash of the fair
value of such Shares, exclusive of any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the Merger, as determined
by the Delaware Court of Chancery, together with interest, if any, to be paid upon the amount determined to be fair value. The
“fair value” of your Shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery may be more or less than, or the same as,
the $14.00 per Share that you are otherwise entitled to receive under the terms of the Merger Agreement. Strict compliance with
the statutory procedures in Section 262 is required.
Section 262 requires that, where a merger
agreement is to be submitted for adoption at a meeting of stockholders, the corporation must, not less than 20 days before the
meeting, notify each stockholder who was a stockholder on the record date set by the board of directors for such notice (or if
no such record date is set, on the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given), with respect
to such shares for which appraisal rights are available, that appraisal rights will be available. A copy of Section 262 must be
included with such notice. This proxy statement constitutes the Company’s notice to our stockholders that appraisal rights
are available in connection with the Merger, in compliance with the requirements of Section 262 and a copy of Section 262 is attached
to this document as Annex D.
ANY STOCKHOLDER WHO WISHES TO EXERCISE
APPRAISAL RIGHTS, OR WHO WISHES TO PRESERVE SUCH STOCKHOLDER’S RIGHT TO DO SO, SHOULD CAREFULLY REVIEW THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION
AND ANNEX D BECAUSE FAILURE TO TIMELY AND PROPERLY COMPLY WITH THE PROCEDURES SPECIFIED WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF APPRAISAL RIGHTS.
MOREOVER, BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROCEDURES FOR EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO SEEK APPRAISAL OF SHARES, THE COMPANY BELIEVES
THAT, IF A STOCKHOLDER CONSIDERS EXERCISING SUCH APPRAISAL RIGHTS, SUCH STOCKHOLDER SHOULD SEEK THE ADVICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL.
Written Demand
If you elect to exercise your appraisal
rights, you must deliver to the Company a written demand for appraisal of your Shares before the vote is taken to approve the Merger
Agreement Proposal. That demand must be executed by or on behalf of the stockholder of record and will be sufficient if it reasonably
informs us of the identity of the holder of record of the Shares and the intention of such stockholder to demand appraisal of his,
her or its Shares. Holders of the Shares who desire to exercise their appraisal rights must not vote or submit a proxy in favor
of the Merger Agreement Proposal, nor consent thereto in writing. Voting against or failing to vote for the Merger Agreement Proposal
by itself does not constitute a demand for appraisal within the meaning of Section 262. The written demand for appraisal must be
in addition to and separate from any proxy or vote on the Merger Agreement Proposal.
A holder of record of the Shares wishing
to exercise appraisal rights must hold of record the Shares on the date the written demand for appraisal is made and must continue
to hold the Shares of record through the effective time of the Merger, because appraisal rights will be lost if the Shares are
transferred prior to the effective time of the Merger. If you fail to comply with these conditions and the Merger is completed,
you will be entitled to receive payment for your Shares as provided for in the Merger Agreement, but you will have no appraisal
rights with respect to your Shares. A proxy card that is submitted and does not contain voting instructions and a proxy submitted
by telephone or through the Internet that does not contain voting instructions, will, unless revoked, be voted in favor of the
Merger Agreement Proposal, and it will constitute a waiver of the stockholder’s right of appraisal and will nullify any previously
delivered written demand for appraisal. Therefore, a stockholder who submits a proxy and who wishes to exercise appraisal rights
must either submit a proxy containing instructions to vote against the Merger Agreement Proposal or abstain from voting on the
Merger Agreement Proposal. However, neither voting against the adoption of the Merger Agreement, nor abstaining from voting or
failing to vote on the Merger Agreement Proposal, will in and of itself constitute a written demand for appraisal satisfying the
requirements of Section 262. All demands for appraisal should be sent or delivered to:
Talen Energy Corporation
Attn: Corporate Secretary
835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
A demand for appraisal in respect of the Shares should be executed
by or on behalf of the holder of record of such Shares, fully and correctly, should specify the holder’s name and mailing address and the number of the Shares registered in the holder’s
name and must state that the person intends thereby to demand appraisal of the holder’s Shares in connection with the Merger.
The demand for appraisal cannot be made by the beneficial owner if he or she does not also hold the Shares of record. The beneficial
holder must, in such cases, have the record owner, such as a bank, broker or other nominee, submit the required demand for appraisal
in respect of those Shares.
If you hold your Shares through a bank, brokerage firm or other nominee and you wish to exercise
appraisal rights, you should consult with your bank, broker or the other nominee to determine the appropriate procedures for the
making of a demand for appraisal by the nominee.
If the Shares are owned of record by a person
other than the beneficial owner, including a broker, fiduciary (such as a trustee, guardian or custodian) or other nominee, a demand
for appraisal must be executed by or for such record holder. If the Shares are owned of record by more than one person, as in a
joint tenancy or tenancy in common, the demand should be executed by or for all joint owners. An authorized agent, including an
authorized agent for two or more joint owners, may execute the demand for appraisal for a stockholder of record; however, the agent
must identify the record holder or owners and expressly disclose the fact that, in executing the demand, such agent is acting as
agent for the record
holder. If a stockholder holds the Shares
through a broker who in turn holds the Shares through a central securities depository nominee such as Cede & Co. (the nominee
for The Depository Trust Company), a demand for appraisal of such Shares must be made by or on behalf of the depository nominee
and must identify the depository nominee as a record holder. A record holder, such as a broker, who holds the Shares as a nominee
for others, may exercise his or her right of appraisal with respect to the Shares held for one or more beneficial owners, while
not exercising this right for other beneficial owners. In that case, the written demand should state the number of the Shares as
to which appraisal is sought. Where no number of the Shares is expressly mentioned, the demand will be presumed to cover all the
Shares in the name of the record holder.
Notice by the Surviving Corporation
Within 10 days after the effective time
of the Merger, the surviving corporation in the Merger must give notice of the date that the Merger has become effective to each
of our stockholders who did not vote in favor of or consent in writing to the Merger Agreement Proposal and otherwise complied
with Section 262. At any time within 60 days after the effective time of the Merger, any stockholder who has not commenced an appraisal
proceeding or joined a proceeding as a named party shall have the right to withdraw such stockholder’s demand for appraisal
and accept the Merger Consideration for that stockholder’s Shares by delivering to the surviving corporation a written withdrawal
of the demand for appraisal. However, any such attempt to withdraw the demand made more than 60 days after the effective time will
require written approval of the surviving corporation. Unless the demand is properly withdrawn by the stockholder within 60 days
after the effective time of the Merger, no appraisal proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery will be dismissed as to any stockholder
without the approval of the Delaware Court of Chancery, and such approval may be conditioned upon such terms as the Delaware Court
of Chancery deems just. If the surviving corporation does not approve a request to withdraw a demand for appraisal when that approval
is required, or if the Delaware Court of Chancery does not approve the dismissal of an appraisal proceeding, the stockholder will
be entitled to receive only the appraised value determined in any such appraisal proceeding, which value could be less than, equal
to or more than the consideration offered pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
Filing a Petition for Appraisal
Within 120 days after the effective time
of the Merger, but not thereafter, either the surviving corporation or any stockholder who has complied with the requirements of
Section 262 and is entitled to appraisal rights under Section 262 may commence an appraisal proceeding by filing a petition in
the Delaware Court of Chancery demanding a determination of the fair value of the Shares held by all such stockholders. Upon the
filing of such a petition by a stockholder, service of a copy of such petition shall be made upon the surviving corporation. Parent
has no present intent to cause the Company to file such a petition and has no obligation to cause such a petition to be filed,
and holders should not assume that the surviving corporation will file a petition. Accordingly, it is the obligation of the stockholders
who have complied with the requirements of Section 262 to initiate all necessary action to perfect their appraisal rights, and
the failure of a stockholder to file such a petition within the period specified could nullify the stockholder’s previous
written demand for appraisal. In addition, within 120 days after the effective time of the Merger, any stockholder who has properly
filed a written demand for appraisal, who has complied with the requirements for exercise of appraisal rights under Section 262,
upon written request, will be entitled to receive from the surviving corporation, a statement setting forth the aggregate number
of the Shares not voted in favor of the Merger Agreement Proposal and with respect to which demands for appraisal have been received
and the aggregate number of holders of such Shares. The statement must be mailed within 10 days after such written request has
been received by the surviving corporation or within 10 days after the expiration of the period for delivery of demand for appraisal
under Section 262, whichever is later. A person who is the beneficial owner of the Shares held either in a voting trust or by a
nominee on behalf of such person may, in such
person’s own name, file a petition or request to receive from the surviving corporation such statement.
If a petition for appraisal is duly filed
and a copy of the petition is served upon the surviving corporation, then the surviving corporation will be obligated, within
20 days after such service, to file in the Delaware Register in Chancery a duly verified list containing the names and addresses
of all stockholders who have demanded payment for their Shares and with whom agreements as to the value of their Shares have not
been reached by the surviving corporation. After notice to stockholders who have demanded appraisal, if such notice is ordered
by the Delaware Court of Chancery, the Delaware Court of Chancery is empowered to conduct a hearing upon the petition and to determine
those stockholders who have complied with Section 262 and who have become entitled to the appraisal rights provided by Section
262.
Determination of Fair Value
After the Delaware Court of Chancery determines
the stockholders entitled to appraisal of their Shares, the appraisal proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with the rules
of the Delaware Court of Chancery, including any rules specifically governing appraisal proceedings. Through such proceeding the
Court shall determine the “fair value” of the Shares, exclusive of any element of value arising from the accomplishment
or expectation of the Merger, together with interest, if any, to be paid upon the amount determined to be the fair value. When
the fair value is determined, the Delaware Court of Chancery will direct the payment of such fair value, with interest thereon
accrued during the pendency of the proceeding, if the Court so determines, to stockholders entitled to receive the same, upon surrender
by those stockholders of the certificates representing their Shares or, in the case of holders of uncertificated Shares, forthwith.
Unless the Court in its discretion determines otherwise for good cause shown, interest from the effective time of the Merger through
the date of payment of the judgment will be compounded quarterly and will accrue at 5% over the Federal Reserve discount rate (including
any surcharge) as established from time to time during the period between the effective time of the Merger and the date of payment
of the judgment.
You should be aware that an investment bank’s
opinion as to fairness from a financial point of view of the consideration payable in a sales transaction, such as the Merger,
is not an opinion as to, and does not otherwise address, fair value under Section 262. Although we believe that the Merger Consideration
is fair, no representation is made as to the outcome of the appraisal of fair value as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery
and stockholders should recognize that such an appraisal could result in a determination of a fair value higher or lower than,
or the same as, the Merger Consideration. Moreover, we do not anticipate offering more than the Merger Consideration to any stockholder
exercising appraisal rights and reserve the right to assert, in any appraisal proceeding, that, for purposes of Section 262, the
“fair value” of a Share is less than the Merger Consideration.
In determining the “fair value”
of the Shares, a Delaware Court is required to take into account all relevant factors. In
Weinberger v. UOP, Inc.
, the Delaware
Supreme Court discussed the factors that could be considered in determining fair value in an appraisal proceeding, stating that
“proof of value by any techniques or methods which are generally considered acceptable in the financial community and otherwise
admissible in court” should be considered and that “[f]air price obviously requires consideration of all relevant factors
involving the value of a company.” The Delaware Supreme Court has stated that, in making this determination of fair value,
the court must consider market value, asset value, dividends, earnings prospects, the nature of the enterprise and any other facts
that were known or that
could be ascertained as of the date of the
Merger which throw any light on future prospects of the merged corporation. Section 262 provides that fair value is to be “exclusive
of any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation of the merger.” In
Cede & Co. v. Technicolor,
Inc.
, the Delaware Supreme Court stated that such exclusion is a “narrow exclusion [that] does not encompass known elements
of value,” but which rather applies only to the speculative elements of value arising from such accomplishment or expectation.
In
Weinberger
, the Delaware Supreme Court also stated that “elements of future value, including the nature of the
enterprise, which are known or susceptible of proof as of the date of the Merger and not the product of speculation, may be considered.”
Costs of the appraisal proceeding (which
do not include attorneys’ fees or the fees and expenses of experts) may be determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery and
taxed upon the parties as the Delaware Court of Chancery deems equitable under the circumstances. Each stockholder seeking appraisal
is responsible for his or her attorneys’ and expert witness expenses, although, upon the application of a stockholder, the
Delaware Court of Chancery may order all or a portion of the expenses incurred by any stockholder in connection with the appraisal
proceeding, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and the fees and expenses of experts used in the appraisal
proceeding, to be charged pro rata against the value of all the Shares entitled to appraisal.
Any stockholder who duly demanded appraisal
in compliance with Section 262 will not, after the effective time of the Merger, be entitled to vote the Shares subject to that
demand for any purpose or to receive payments of dividends or any other distribution with respect to those Shares, other than with
respect to payment of dividends or distributions payable to stockholders of record as of a date prior to the effective time of
the Merger. However, if no petition for appraisal is filed within 120 days after the effective time of the Merger, or if the stockholder
otherwise fails to perfect his, her or its appraisal rights, successfully withdraws his, her or its demand for appraisal or loses
his, her or its right to appraisal, then the right of that stockholder to appraisal will cease and that stockholder’s Shares
will be deemed to have been converted at the effective time of the Merger into the right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant
to the Merger Agreement. In addition, as indicated above, a stockholder may withdraw his, her or its demand for appraisal in accordance
with Section 262 and accept the Merger Consideration offered pursuant to the Merger Agreement.
DELISTING
AND DEREGISTRATION OF COMMON STOCK
If the Merger is completed, the Shares will
be delisted from the NYSE and deregistered under the Exchange Act. As a result, we would no longer file periodic reports with the
SEC on account of the Shares.
STOCKHOLDER
PROPOSALS AND NOMINATIONS
The 2016 annual meeting of stockholders
was held on May 24, 2016. If the Merger is completed, we will not have public stockholders and there will be no public participation
in any future meeting of stockholders. However, if the Merger is not completed, or if we are otherwise required to do so under
applicable law, we will hold a 2017 annual meeting of stockholders. Any stockholder nominations or proposals for other business
intended to be presented at our next annual meeting must be submitted to us as set forth below.
If the Company holds a 2017 annual meeting,
stockholders interested in submitting a proposal for inclusion in the proxy materials for the annual meeting of stockholders in
2017 may do so by following the procedures prescribed in Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act. To be eligible for inclusion, stockholder
proposals must be received by us no later than December 13, 2016 unless the date of our 2017 Annual
Meeting is changed by more than 30 days from
May 24, 2017, in which case the proposal must be received a reasonable time before we begin to print and mail our proxy materials.
Under the bylaws, no business may be conducted
before an annual meeting of stockholders unless it is properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or
by a stockholder of record entitled to vote who has delivered written notice to our Corporate Secretary at 835 Hamilton Street,
Suite 150, Allentown, PA 18101 (containing certain information specified in the bylaws about the stockholder and the proposed action)
no later than the close of business (as defined in the bylaws) on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th
day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; that is, with respect to the 2017 annual meeting,
no earlier than January 24, 2017 and no later than February 23, 2017. In the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous
year or the annual meeting is called for a date that is not within 30 days before or 70 days after such anniversary date, to be
timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to our Corporate Secretary no earlier than the close of business on the
120th day prior to such annual meeting and no later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual
meeting or the 10th day following the date on which public announcement (as defined in the bylaws) of the date of such meeting
is first made by the Company. These requirements are separate from and in addition to the SEC’s requirements that a stockholder
must meet in order to have a stockholder proposal included in the Company’s proxy statement.
INCORPORATION
OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
We are incorporating by reference specified
documents that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents
that are considered part of this proxy statement. We incorporate by reference into this proxy statement the documents listed below
(other than portions of these documents that are described in paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3) or (e)(5) of Item 407 of Regulation
S-K promulgated by the SEC).
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·
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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015;
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·
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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2016;
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·
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Our Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on January 15, 2016,
February 5, 2016, April 4, 2016, May 26, 2016, June 6, 2016, June 9, 2016 (as
amended by Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed on June 24, 2016), June 23, 2016
and July 1, 2016 (other than portions of a Current Report on Form 8-K that are furnished under Item
2.02 or Item 7.01, including any exhibits included with such Items unless otherwise indicated
therein); and
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·
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Our Definitive Proxy Statement under Regulation 14A in connection with our Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC
on April 12, 2016.
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Any statement contained in a document incorporated
by reference into this proxy statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this proxy statement to the
extent that a statement contained in this proxy statement or any other subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference
into this proxy statement modifies or supersedes the statement.
WHERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports,
proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC public reference room
located at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 800-SEC-0330 for further information on
the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC
website at www.sec.gov. You also may obtain
free copies of the documents we file with the SEC, including this proxy statement, by going to our corporate website at www.talenenergy.com.
The information provided on our website, other than copies of the documents listed below that have been filed with the SEC, is
not part of this proxy statement, and therefore is not incorporated herein by reference. You may also obtain a copy of these filings
at no cost by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Talen Energy Corporation
835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
Attention: Investor Relations
Telephone: (888) 211-6011
Any person, including any beneficial owner,
to whom this proxy statement is delivered may request copies of this proxy statement or other information concerning us, without
charge, by written or telephonic request directed to Talen Energy Corporation, Attn: Investor Relations, 835 Hamilton Street, Suite
150, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101, Telephone (888) 211-6011; or from our proxy solicitor, Georgeson LLC toll-free at (866) 741-9588;
or from the SEC through the SEC website at the address provided above.
Because the Merger is a “going private”
transaction, the Company and Parent, Merger Sub, Riverstone and the Sponsor Entities have filed with the SEC a Transaction Statement
on Schedule 13E-3 with respect to the proposed Merger. The Schedule 13E-3, including any amendments and exhibits filed or incorporated
by reference as a part of it, is available for inspection as set forth above. The Schedule 13E-3 will be amended to report
promptly any material changes in the information set forth in the most recent Schedule 13E-3 filed with the SEC.
THIS PROXY STATEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE
THE SOLICITATION OF A PROXY IN ANY JURISDICTION TO OR FROM ANY PERSON TO WHOM OR FROM WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH PROXY SOLICITATION
IN THAT JURISDICTION. YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT TO
VOTE YOUR SHARES AT THE SPECIAL MEETING. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT
IS CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT. THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS DATED [ ], 2016. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THAT DATE, AND THE MAILING OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT TO STOCKHOLDERS
DOES NOT CREATE ANY IMPLICATION TO THE CONTRARY.
Annex
A
EXECUTION VERSION
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
Dated as of June 2, 2016
by and among
RPH PARENT LLC,
SPH PARENT LLC,
CRJ PARENT LLC,
RJS MERGER SUB INC.
and
TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
Table
of Contents
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Page
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Article I The Merger
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A-2
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Section 1.1
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The Merger
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A-2
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Section 1.2
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Closing
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A-2
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Section 1.3
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Effective Time
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A-2
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Section 1.4
|
Effects of the Merger
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A-3
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Section 1.5
|
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
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A-3
|
Section 1.6
|
Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
|
A-3
|
|
|
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Article II Effect of the Merger on Capital Stock
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A-3
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Section 2.1
|
Effect on Capital Stock
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A-3
|
Section 2.2
|
Exchange of Certificates
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A-4
|
Section 2.3
|
Appraisal Rights
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A-7
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Section 2.4
|
Treatment of Equity Awards
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A-7
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Section 2.5
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Adjustments
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A-9
|
|
|
|
Article III Representations and Warranties of the Company
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A-9
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Section 3.1
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Organization, Standing and Corporate Power
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A-9
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Section 3.2
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Capitalization
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A-10
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Section 3.3
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Authority; Noncontravention
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A-12
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Section 3.4
|
Governmental Approvals
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A-13
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Section 3.5
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Company SEC Documents; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities
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A-13
|
Section 3.6
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Absence of Certain Changes
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A-15
|
Section 3.7
|
Legal Proceedings
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A-16
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Section 3.8
|
Compliance With Laws; Permits
|
A-16
|
Section 3.9
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Tax Matters
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A-17
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Section 3.10
|
Employee Benefits Matters
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A-18
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Section 3.11
|
Environmental Matters
|
A-19
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Section 3.12
|
Labor Matters
|
A-20
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Section 3.13
|
Intellectual Property; Data Privacy and Information Security
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A-21
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Section 3.14
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Antitakeover Statutes
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A-21
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Section 3.15
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Property
|
A-22
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Section 3.16
|
Contracts
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A-22
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Section 3.17
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Opinion of Financial Advisor
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A-25
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Section 3.18
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Brokers and Other Advisors
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A-25
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Section 3.19
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Stockholder Approval
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A-25
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Section 3.20
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Regulatory Matters
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A-25
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Section 3.21
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Risk Management Policy
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A-28
|
Section 3.22
|
Information in Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3
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A-28
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Section 3.23
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No Other Representations or Warranties
|
A-28
|
Article IV Representations and Warranties of Parent and Merger Sub
|
A-29
|
Section 4.1
|
Organization, Standing and Corporate Power
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A-29
|
Section 4.2
|
Authority; Noncontravention
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A-29
|
Section 4.3
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Governmental Approvals
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A-30
|
Section 4.4
|
Legal Proceedings
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A-30
|
Section 4.5
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Brokers and Other Advisors
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A-30
|
Section 4.6
|
Subsidiaries
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A-30
|
Section 4.7
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Financing
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A-31
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Section 4.8
|
Guarantee
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A-32
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Section 4.9
|
Solvency
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A-32
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Section 4.10
|
Information in Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3
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A-32
|
Section 4.11
|
Non-Reliance on Company Estimates, Projections, Forecasts, Forward-Looking Statements and Business Plans
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A-33
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Section 4.12
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No Other Representations or Warranties
|
A-33
|
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Article V Covenants
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A-33
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Section 5.1
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Conduct of Business
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A-33
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Section 5.2
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Preparation of the Proxy Statement; Schedule 13E-3; Stockholders Meeting
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A-39
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Section 5.3
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Solicitation; Change in Recommendation
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A-41
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Section 5.4
|
Reasonable Best Efforts
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A-47
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Section 5.5
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Public Announcements
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A-51
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Section 5.6
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Access to Information; Confidentiality
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A-51
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Section 5.7
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Takeover Laws
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A-52
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Section 5.8
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Indemnification and Insurance
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A-53
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Section 5.9
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Transaction Litigation
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A-54
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Section 5.10
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Section 16
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A-55
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Section 5.11
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Employee Matters
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A-55
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Section 5.12
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Merger Sub and Surviving Corporation
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A-56
|
Section 5.13
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No Control of Other Party’s Business
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A-56
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Section 5.14
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Financing
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A-57
|
Section 5.15
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Tax Opinion
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A-62
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Section 5.16
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Transfer Taxes
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A-62
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Section 5.17
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Stock Exchange De-listing
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A-62
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Section 5.18
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Notification of Certain Matters
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A-62
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Article VI Conditions Precedent
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A-63
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Section 6.1
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Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Effect the Merger
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A-63
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Section 6.2
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Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
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A-63
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Section 6.3
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Conditions to Obligations of the Company
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A-65
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Section 6.4
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Frustration of Closing Conditions
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A-66
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Article VII Termination
|
A-66
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Section 7.1
|
Termination
|
A-66
|
Section 7.2
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Effect of Termination
|
A-68
|
Section 7.3
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Termination Fee
|
A-68
|
Article VIII Miscellaneous
|
A-72
|
Section 8.1
|
No Survival of Representations and Warranties
|
A-72
|
Section 8.2
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Fees and Expenses
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A-72
|
Section 8.3
|
Amendment or Supplement
|
A-73
|
Section 8.4
|
Waiver
|
A-73
|
Section 8.5
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Assignment
|
A-73
|
Section 8.6
|
Counterparts
|
A-73
|
Section 8.7
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Entire Agreement; Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
A-73
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Section 8.8
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction
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A-74
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Section 8.9
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Remedies
|
A-75
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Section 8.10
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
|
A-76
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Section 8.11
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Notices
|
A-76
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Section 8.12
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Severability
|
A-78
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Section 8.13
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Definitions
|
A-78
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Section 8.14
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Interpretation
|
A-98
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Annex A
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Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
|
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
This AGREEMENT AND
PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of June 2, 2016 (this “
Agreement
”), is entered into by and among RPH Parent LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“
RPH
”), SPH Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“
SPH
”),
CRJ Parent LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“
CRJ
”) (each of RPH, SPH and CRJ, a “
Parent
”
and collectively, “
Parent
”), RJS Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent
(“
Merger Sub
”), and Talen Energy Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “
Company
”). Defined
terms used herein have the meanings set forth in
Section 8.13
.
W
I
T
N
E
S
S
E
T
H
WHEREAS, the Company
desires to redeem from the Unaffiliated Stockholders of shares of Company Common Stock their shares of Company Common Stock on
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, in furtherance
of the foregoing, Merger Sub will, in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “
DGCL
”),
merge with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation (the “
Merger
”) on
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the respective
boards of directors, or equivalent governing body, of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company have approved (a) the execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement and (b) the Merger and the other Transactions;
WHEREAS, the Company
Board has determined that this Agreement and the Transactions are advisable and fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company
and the Company’s stockholders;
WHEREAS, concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement, and as a condition and material inducement to the Company’s willingness to enter into
this Agreement, Parent and Merger Sub have delivered to the Company a limited guarantee in favor of the Company (the “
Guarantee
”)
entered into by Riverstone Global Energy and Power Fund V (FT), L.P. (the “
Guarantor
”) with respect to certain
obligations of Parent and Merger Sub under this Agreement;
WHEREAS, (a) as of
the date hereof, Raven Power Holdings LLC, Sapphire Power Holdings LLC and C/R Energy Jade, LLC (each, a “
Sponsor Entity
”
and collectively, the “
Sponsor Entities
”), collectively, own 44,974,658 shares of Company Common Stock, which
shares shall, in connection with the Transactions, be retained and converted into shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation
and (b) concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Sponsor Entities and the Company have entered into a support agreement
(the “
Support Agreement
”) in connection with the Transactions, providing, among other things, that the Sponsor
Entities will vote the shares of Company Common Stock owned, directly or indirectly, by them in favor of the adoption of this Agreement
and take certain other actions in furtherance of the Transactions; and
WHEREAS, Parent, Merger
Sub and the Company desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements specified herein in connection
with this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Parent,
Merger Sub and the Company hereby agree as follows:
Article
I
The
Merger
Section 1.1
The
Merger
. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the
DGCL, at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company, and the separate corporate existence of Merger
Sub shall thereupon cease, and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation in the Merger (the “
Surviving Corporation
”).
Section 1.2
Closing
. The
closing of the Merger (the “
Closing
”) shall take place (a) at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, 601 Lexington
Avenue, New York, New York 10022 at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on the date that is three (3) Business Days following the satisfaction
or waiver (to the extent permitted by applicable Law) of the conditions set forth in
Article VI
(other than those conditions
that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at such
time);
provided
that notwithstanding the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in
Article VI
hereof,
in no event shall Parent and Merger Sub be required to effect the Closing until the earlier to occur of (i) any Business Day during
the Marketing Period to be specified by Parent to the Company on no less than two (2) Business Days’ written notice to Company,
provided
that the Closing Date specified in any such notice may be conditioned upon the simultaneous completion of the Debt
Financing (it being understood and agreed that if the Debt Financing is not completed for any reason at such time, such notice
shall automatically be deemed withdrawn) and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day following the final day of the Marketing Period,
in each case, subject to the satisfaction or waiver (to the extent permitted by applicable Law) of the conditions set forth in
Article VI
(other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction
or waiver of those conditions at such time) or (b) such other date, time or place as agreed to in writing by the parties hereto.
The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to herein as the “
Closing Date
”.
Section 1.3
Effective
Time
. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, on the Closing Date the Company shall file with the Secretary
of State of the State of Delaware a certificate of merger, executed in accordance with, and in such form as is required by, the
relevant provisions of the DGCL with respect to the Merger (the “
Certificate of Merger
”) and the parties hereto
shall make all other filings or recordings required under the DGCL to effectuate the Merger. The Merger shall become effective
upon the filing of the Certificate of Merger or at such later time as is agreed to by the parties hereto and specified in the Certificate
of Merger (the time at which the Merger becomes effective being referred to herein as the “
Effective Time
”).
Section 1.4
Effects
of the Merger
. The Merger shall have the effects set forth in the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the Company
and Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and Merger Sub shall
become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.
Section 1.5
Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation
.
(a) At
the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation of the Company shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as set
forth in
Annex A
attached hereto and, as so amended and restated, shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving
Corporation until thereafter amended as provided by the DGCL and such certificate of incorporation (subject to
Section 5.8
).
(b) The
bylaws of Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation,
except that all references to Merger Sub shall be automatically amended and shall become references to the Surviving Corporation,
until thereafter amended as provided by the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation and such bylaws (subject to
Section 5.8
).
Section 1.6
Directors
and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
.
(a) The
directors of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Corporation immediately
following the Effective Time, until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified or their earlier death,
resignation or removal, as the case may be, in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) The
officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation until their
respective successors are duly appointed and qualified or their earlier death, resignation or removal, as the case may be, in accordance
with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
Article
II
Effect
of the Merger on Capital Stock
Section 2.1
Effect
on Capital Stock
. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder
of any shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“
Company Common Stock
”) or any shares
of capital stock of Merger Sub:
(a)
Capital
Stock of Merger Sub
. Each issued and outstanding share of capital stock of Merger Sub shall be automatically canceled and shall
cease to exist and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(b)
Cancellation
of Treasury Stock and Merger Sub-Owned Stock
. Any shares of Company Common Stock that are owned by the Company as treasury
stock, and any
shares of Company Common Stock owned by
Merger Sub, shall be automatically canceled and shall cease to exist and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c)
Stock
Held by a Sponsor Entity, Parent or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries
. Each share of Company Common Stock that is owned
by a Sponsor Entity, Parent or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries shall automatically be converted into one fully paid and
nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.
(d)
Conversion
of Company Common Stock
. Each issued and outstanding share of Company Common Stock (other than shares to be canceled in accordance
with
Section 2.1(b)
or converted in accordance with
Section 2.1(c)
, and Dissenting Shares) shall be converted into
the right to receive $14.00 in cash, without interest (the “
Merger Consideration
”). As of the Effective Time,
all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and retired and shall
cease to exist, and the holders immediately prior to the Effective Time of shares of Company Common Stock not represented by certificates
(“
Book-Entry Shares
”) and the holders of certificates that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented
any such shares of Company Common Stock (each, a “
Certificate
”) shall cease to have any rights with respect
thereto, except the right to receive the Merger Consideration to be paid in consideration therefor upon surrender of such Book-Entry
Share or Certificate in accordance with
Section 2.2(b)
without interest.
Section 2.2
Exchange
of Certificates
.
(a)
Exchange
Agent
. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall designate a bank or trust company reasonably acceptable to Parent (the
“
Exchange Agent
”) for the purpose of exchanging shares of Company Common Stock for the Merger Consideration
and the parties shall enter into an agreement with the Exchange Agent relating to the services to be performed by the Exchange
Agent. The Company shall (i) prior to the Effective Time (and for the avoidance of doubt, if the condition set forth in
Section
6.2(d)
would be satisfied), in accordance with applicable Law and in a manner consistent with and subject to the provisions
of this Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt,
Section 5.1
), take, or cause to be taken, such actions as are
necessary and appropriate such that Available Funds are, and on the Closing Date will be, available to the Company in an amount
equal to no less than the Merger Consideration Amount and (ii) out of such Available Funds, deposit, or cause to be deposited,
with the Exchange Agent prior to the Effective Time cash in immediately available funds in such aggregate amount necessary to pay
the Merger Consideration Amount. The Exchange Agent Agreement shall provide that the Exchange Agent shall, if the Closing does
not occur, promptly return to the Company the Merger Consideration Amount deposited by it (together with any interest earned thereon)
with the Exchange Agent pursuant to this
Section 2.2(a)
. The Merger Consideration Amount deposited with the Exchange Agent
pursuant to this
Section 2.2(a)
shall, pending its disbursement to such holders, be invested by the Exchange Agent in (i) short-term
direct obligations of the United States of America or (ii) short-term obligations for which the full faith and credit of the United
States of America is pledged to provide for the payment of principal and interest. Any interest and other income from such investments
shall become part of the funds held by the Exchange Agent for purposes of paying the Merger Consideration. No investment by the
Exchange Agent of the Merger Consideration shall relieve the Company, the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent from making
the payments required by this
Article II
and Parent shall cause
the Surviving Corporation to promptly replace any funds deposited with the Exchange Agent lost through any investment made pursuant
to this
Section 2.2(a)
. No investment by the Exchange Agent of the Merger Consideration Amount shall have maturities that
could prevent or delay payments to be made pursuant to this Agreement. Following the Effective Time, Parent agrees to cause the
Surviving Corporation to make available to the Exchange Agent, from time to time as needed, additional cash to pay the Merger Consideration
as contemplated by this
Article II
without interest.
(b)
Payment
Procedures
. Promptly after the Effective Time (but in no event more than two (2) Business Days thereafter), the Surviving Corporation
shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of record of Company Common Stock represented by one or more Certificates
(i) a letter of transmittal specifying that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass,
only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent, and shall be in such form and have such other provisions as Parent
and the Company may reasonably agree and shall be prepared prior to Closing and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender
of the Certificates in exchange for payment of the Merger Consideration with respect to the shares of Company Common Stock formerly
represented thereby. Upon delivery to the Exchange Agent of a letter of transmittal by any record holder of shares of Company Common
Stock represented by Certificates, duly completed and signed in accordance with its instructions, and surrender of the Certificates
that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented such shares of Company Common Stock, such record holder shall be entitled
to receive the Merger Consideration in respect of such shares of Company Common Stock as promptly as reasonably practicable after
the Effective Time, and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
this Agreement, no record holder of a Book-Entry Share shall be required to deliver a Certificate or an executed letter of transmittal
to the Exchange Agent to receive the Merger Consideration in respect of such Book-Entry Shares. In lieu thereof, such record holder
shall upon receipt by the Exchange Agent of an “agent’s message” in customary form (or such other evidence, if
any, as the Exchange Agent may reasonably request), be entitled to receive, and Parent shall cause the Exchange Agent to pay and
deliver as promptly as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, the Merger Consideration in respect of each Book-Entry
Share of such holder, and such Book-Entry Shares shall forthwith be canceled. If payment of the Merger Consideration is to be made
to a Person other than the Person in whose name the surrendered Certificate or Book-Entry Share in exchange therefor is registered,
it shall be a condition of payment that (A) the Person requesting such exchange present proper evidence of transfer or shall otherwise
be in proper form for transfer and (B) the Person requesting such payment shall have paid any transfer and other taxes required
by reason of the payment of the Merger Consideration to a Person other than the registered holder of such Certificate or Book-Entry
Share surrendered or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such tax either has
been paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated by this
Section 2.2
, each Certificate and Book-Entry Share
shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive the Merger Consideration as contemplated
by this
Article II
, without interest. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent and the Company shall cooperate to establish procedures
with the Exchange Agent and the Depository Trust Company (“
DTC
”) with the objective that (x) if the Effective
Time occurs at or prior to 11:30 a.m. (New York time) on the Closing Date, the Exchange Agent will transmit to DTC or its nominee
on the Closing Date the Merger Consideration in respect of each share of Company Common Stock held of record by
DTC or such nominee immediately prior to
the Effective Time (such aggregate cash amount, the “
DTC Cash Payment
”) and (y) if the Effective Time occurs
after 11:30 a.m. (New York time) on the Closing Date, the Exchange Agent will transmit to DTC or its nominee on the first Business
Day after the Closing Date the DTC Cash Payment (with cash payment being delivered in immediately available funds).
(c)
Transfer
Books; No Further Ownership Rights in Company Stock
. The Merger Consideration paid in respect of shares of Company Common Stock
upon the surrender for exchange in accordance with the terms of this
Article II
shall be deemed to have been paid in full
satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the shares of Company Common Stock, and at the Effective Time, the stock transfer books
of the Company shall be closed and thereafter there shall be no further registration of transfers on the stock transfer books of
the Surviving Corporation of the shares of Company Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time.
From and after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates or Book-Entry Shares that evidenced ownership of shares of Company
Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such shares of
Company Common Stock other than the right to receive the Merger Consideration, except as otherwise provided for herein or by applicable
Law. If, at any time after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the Surviving Corporation for any reason, they shall
be canceled and exchanged as provided in this
Article II
.
(d)
Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed Certificates
. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit
of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving Corporation,
the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as Parent may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be
made against it with respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will pay, in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate,
the applicable Merger Consideration to be paid in respect of the shares of Company Common Stock formerly represented by such Certificate,
as contemplated by this
Article II
.
(e)
Termination
of Fund
. At any time following the first (1st) anniversary of the Closing Date, the Surviving Corporation shall be entitled
to require the Exchange Agent to deliver to it any funds (including any interest received with respect thereto) that had been made
available to the Exchange Agent and which have not been disbursed in accordance with this
Article II
, and thereafter Persons
entitled to receive payment pursuant to this
Article II
shall be entitled to look only to the Surviving Corporation (subject
to abandoned property, escheat or other similar Laws) as general creditors thereof with respect to the payment of any Merger Consideration,
that may be payable upon surrender of any Company Common Stock held by such holders, as determined pursuant to this Agreement,
without any interest thereon. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by such holders at such time at which such amounts would otherwise
escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority shall become, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, the property
of the Surviving Corporation, free and clear of all claims or interest of any Person previously entitled thereto, subject to the
claims of any former holder of Company Common Stock entitled to payment of Merger Consideration who has not theretofore complied
with this
Article II
.
(f)
No
Liability
. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, none of Parent, Merger Sub, the Surviving Corporation,
the Company or the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any Person for Merger Consideration delivered to a public official pursuant
to any applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.
(g)
Withholding
Taxes
. Parent, the Surviving Corporation and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold, or cause the Exchange
Agent to deduct and withhold, from the amounts otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement, any such amounts as may be required
to be deducted and withheld with respect to the making of such payments under the Code, or under any applicable provision of state,
local or foreign Tax Law. To the extent amounts are so deducted and withheld, and paid over to the appropriate Governmental Authority,
the withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which
such deduction and withholding was made.
Section 2.3
Appraisal
Rights
. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, including
Section 2.1
, shares of
Company Common Stock that are issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time which are held by a stockholder who
did not vote in favor of the Merger (or consent thereto in writing) and who is entitled to demand and properly demands appraisal
of such shares pursuant to, and complies in all respects with, the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL (the “
Dissenting
Stockholders
”) with respect to any such shares of Company Common Stock held by such Dissenting Stockholder (the “
Dissenting
Shares
”), shall not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the Merger Consideration, but instead
such Dissenting Stockholder shall be entitled to receive such consideration for his, her or its Dissenting Shares as may be determined
to be due pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL (and at the Effective Time, such Dissenting Shares shall no longer be outstanding
and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, and such Dissenting Stockholder shall cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the rights set forth in Section 262 of the DGCL), unless and until such Dissenting Stockholder shall have
failed to perfect or shall have effectively withdrawn or lost rights to appraisal under the DGCL with respect to such Dissenting
Stockholder’s Dissenting Shares. If any Dissenting Stockholder shall have failed to perfect or shall have effectively withdrawn
or lost such right with respect to his, her or its Dissenting Shares, such Dissenting Stockholder’s Dissenting Shares shall
thereupon be treated as if they had been converted into and become exchangeable for the right to receive, as of the Effective Time,
the Merger Consideration for each such Dissenting Share, in accordance with
Section 2.1
, without any interest thereon. The
Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any written demands for appraisal of any shares of Company Common Stock, attempted
withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company relating to stockholders’
rights of appraisal and (ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal
under the DGCL. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment
with respect to, or settle, any such demands.
Section 2.4
Treatment
of Equity Awards
.
(a) Each
stock option to acquire shares of Company Common Stock granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plan which is outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time (whether or not then vested or exercisable) (each, an “
Option
”) shall be canceled
and
terminated at the Effective Time in exchange
for an amount in cash, without interest and less applicable withholding Taxes, equal to the product of (i) the total number
of shares of Company Common Stock subject to the Option immediately prior to the Effective Time and
(ii) the excess,
if any, of the Merger Consideration
over
the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock under such Option;
provided
that if the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock under any such Option is equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration,
such Option shall be canceled without any cash payment being made in respect thereof.
(b) Each
RSU which is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (whether or not then vested) shall be canceled and terminated
at the Effective Time in exchange for an amount in cash, without interest and less applicable withholding Taxes, equal to the product
of (i) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to the RSU immediately prior to the Effective Time and
(ii) the Merger Consideration (the “
RSU Cash Payment”)
.
With respect to each RSU granted
prior to the date hereof which is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, the RSU Cash Payment shall be made in accordance
with
Section 2.4(e)
. With respect to each RSU granted on or following the date hereof which is outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time, the RSU Cash Payment which a former holder of the RSU may be eligible to receive shall (i) be earned
subject to the same vesting schedule and other vesting terms and conditions which applied to such holder’s RSU as of the
Effective Time (including upon certain terminations of employment) and (ii) become payable, less applicable withholding Taxes,
on the applicable settlement date or dates that apply to such RSU as of the Effective Time.
(c) Subject
to the further provisions set forth in
Section 5.11(d)(3)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each Performance Unit which
is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (whether or not then vested) shall be canceled and terminated at the Effective
Time in exchange for an amount in cash, without interest and less applicable withholding Taxes, equal to the product of (i) the
total number of shares of Company Common Stock that would be delivered to the holder of such Performance Unit assuming the target
achievement of the performance goals applicable to such award, and assuming the satisfaction of all other conditions to such delivery
and (ii) the Merger Consideration.
(d) At
the Effective Time, each Director Stock Unit shall be converted into an obligation to pay, at the time specified in the Directors
Deferred Compensation Plan, an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the product of (i) the total number of shares of
Company Common Stock subject to the Director Stock Unit immediately prior to the Effective Time and
(ii) the Merger
Consideration. Such obligation shall be payable or distributable in accordance with the terms of the Directors Deferred Compensation
Plan (and any related deferral election) and, prior to the time of distribution, such amounts shall be permitted to be deemed invested
in an investment option under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan.
(e) The
Company shall, prior to and effective upon the Effective Time (and for the avoidance of doubt, if the condition set forth in
Section
6.2(d)
would be satisfied), in accordance with applicable Law and in a manner consistent with and subject to the provisions
of this Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt,
Section 5.1
), take, or cause to be taken, such actions as are
necessary and appropriate such that Available Funds are, and on the Closing Date will be, available to the Company in an amount
equal to no less than the Equity Award
Consideration Amount. Subject to
Section
2.4(b)
, all payments required under this
Section 2.4
shall be made as promptly as reasonably practicable following the
Effective Time, but in no event later than the first regularly scheduled payroll date following the Effective Time.
(f) On
or prior to the Closing Date, the Company, the Company Board or the compensation committee of the Company Board (or another committee
duly authorized by the Company Board for such purpose), as applicable, shall adopt any resolutions and take such other actions
as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this
Section 2.4
, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company
Plans.
Section 2.5
Adjustments
. If
at any time during the period between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, any change in the outstanding shares of
capital stock or Contingent Company Equity of the Company shall occur as a result of any reclassification, stock split (including
a reverse stock split) or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, or any stock dividend or stock distribution with a record
date during such period, the Merger Consideration shall be equitably adjusted;
provided
,
however
, that nothing in
this
Section 2.5
shall be deemed to permit or authorize any party hereto to effect any such change that it is not otherwise
authorized or permitted to undertake pursuant to this Agreement.
Article
III
Representations
and Warranties of the Company
The Company represents
and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that, except (a) as disclosed in the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to Parent
simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement (the “
Company Disclosure Schedule
”) (it being agreed that
disclosure of any item in any section or subsection of the Company Disclosure Schedule will be deemed to apply to all other sections
or subsections thereof to which the relevance of such item is reasonably apparent on its face;
provided
,
however
,
that no such disclosure shall be deemed to qualify
Section 5.1(a)
,
Section 3.6(a)(i)
or
Section 3.6(b)
of
the Company Disclosure Schedule (except to the extent set forth on
Section 5.1(a)
,
Section 3.6(a)(i)
or
Section
3.6(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, respectively) or (b) as set forth in (or incorporated by reference in) any of the
Company SEC Documents publicly filed prior to the date of this Agreement (the “
Filed Company SEC Documents
”)
excluding any disclosure under the headings “Risk Factors”, “Forward Looking Information” or any disclosures
that are forward-looking, predictive or cautionary in nature (
provided
,
however
, that this clause (b) shall not apply
to the representations and warranties set forth in
Section 3.1
,
Section 3.2
,
Section 3.3(a)
,
Section 3.6(b)
,
Section 3.14
,
Section 3.17
,
Section 3.18
or
Section 3.19
):
Section 3.1
Organization,
Standing and Corporate Power
.
(a) The
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has
all requisite corporate power and authority necessary to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business
as it is now being conducted, except where the failure to have such corporate power and authority would not, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified to do business and
is in good standing in each
jurisdiction (with respect to jurisdictions
that recognize the concept of good standing) in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the character or location of
such properties and assets owned or leased by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified
or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Each
of the Company’s Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing (in the case of good standing, to
the extent the concept is recognized by such jurisdiction) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and has all requisite
corporate or other power and authority necessary to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business
as it is now being conducted, except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize the concept of good standing) in which the nature of the business conducted
by it or the character or location of such properties and assets owned or leased by it makes such qualification necessary, except
where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(c) The
Company has made available to Parent complete and correct copies of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company,
in each case as amended as of the date of this Agreement (the “
Company Charter Documents
”). The Company is not
in violation of the Company Charter Documents in any material respect.
Section 3.2
Capitalization
.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 1,000,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock and 100,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $0.001 per share (“
Company Preferred Stock
”). At the close of business on June 2, 2016 (the
“
Measurement Date
”), (i) 128,526,720 shares of Company Common Stock were issued and outstanding, (ii) no shares
of Company Common Stock were held by the Company in its treasury, (iii) (A) 929,610 Options, with a weighted average
exercise price of $19.00 per share, were outstanding under the Company Stock Plan, (B) 1,949,967 RSUs were outstanding under the
Company Stock Plan, and (C) 901,435 Performance Units were outstanding under the Company Stock Plan (assuming achievement of applicable
performance goals at target), (iv) 98,621.03 Director Stock Units were outstanding under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan
and (v) no shares of Company Preferred Stock were issued or outstanding. Except as set forth above, at the close of business on
the Measurement Date, there are no shares of capital stock, or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests
of the Company issued or outstanding. Except as set forth above, at the close of business on the Measurement Date, there is no
Contingent Company Equity. From the Measurement Date to the date of this Agreement, there have been no issuances by the Company
of any shares of capital stock, or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests, or any Contingent Company Equity,
other than the issuance of Company Common Stock upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of any Options, RSUs, Performance Units
or Director Stock Units (collectively, the “
Company Equity Awards
”) outstanding as of the Measurement Date and
in accordance with the terms thereof as of such date, and from the Measurement Date to the date of this Agreement, the Company
has not
granted, entered into an agreement to grant,
or otherwise committed to grant any Company Equity Awards or other equity or equity-based awards that may be settled in Company
Common Stock. All outstanding shares of Company Common Stock, and all shares of Company Common Stock reserved for issuance as set
forth above, have been or will be when issued in accordance with the terms of the applicable plan, duly authorized and validly
issued and are or will be fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. No Subsidiary of the Company owns any shares
of capital stock of the Company.
(b) There
are no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness or other securities or obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries having
the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters
on which holders of Company Common Stock may vote (“
Voting Company Debt
”). Other than any such agreement with
or for the benefit of Parent or its Affiliates, there are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other agreements or understandings
to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound relating to the voting or registration of any capital stock or other equity
securities or equity interests of the Company.
(c) Except
as set forth above, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem
or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of the Company, or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests
of the Company, or Contingent Company Equity.
(d) All
Company Equity Awards are evidenced by written award agreements, in each case substantially in the forms that have been made available
to Parent, except to the extent that such agreements differ from such forms with respect to the number of Company Equity Awards
or shares of Company Common Stock covered thereby, the exercise price (if applicable), vesting schedule and expiration date applicable
thereto. Each Company Equity Award was granted in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plan.
(e)
Section
3.2(e)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a correct and complete list of each Subsidiary of the Company as of the
date of this Agreement, indicating its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, and the direct owner of the outstanding shares
of capital stock or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests of such Subsidiary. All outstanding shares
of capital stock or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests of each Subsidiary of the Company are owned
directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all Liens, other than Liens securing the Credit Facilities and the Secured
Trading Facility and transfer restrictions of general applicability arising under the Securities Act and other applicable securities
Laws. At the close of business on the date hereof, there is no Contingent Subsidiary Equity. All outstanding shares of capital
stock of or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests in each Subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized
and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. There are no bonds, debentures, notes or other
indebtedness or other securities or obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries having the right to vote (or convertible into,
or exchangeable or exercisable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which equity holders of such Subsidiary
are entitled to vote (“
Voting Subsidiary Debt
”). There are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other
agreements or understandings to which any of the Company’s Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound relating to the
voting or registration of any capital
stock or other equity securities or equity
interests of any such Subsidiary of the Company. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company, or other
equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests of any Subsidiary of the Company, or Contingent Subsidiary Equity.
(f) Except
as set forth in this
Section 3.2
, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, any capital stock
or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests, or has any interest convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable
therefor, in any Person.
Section 3.3
Authority;
Noncontravention
.
(a) The
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and, subject to obtaining the Stockholder
Approval, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of and performance
by the Company under this Agreement, and the consummation of the Transactions, have been duly authorized and approved by the Company
Board, and except for obtaining the Stockholder Approval, no other corporate action on the part of the Company is necessary to
authorize the execution and delivery of and performance by the Company under this Agreement and the consummation by it of the Transactions.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof
by the other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that such enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application affecting or relating to the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding at law
or in equity (the “
Bankruptcy and Equity Exception
”).
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, nor the consummation by the Company of the Transactions, nor compliance
by the Company with any of the terms or provisions hereof, will (i) assuming the Stockholder Approval is obtained, conflict with
or violate any provision of the Company Charter Documents or the respective certificate of incorporation, bylaws, limited liability
company agreement or other similar organizational documents of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (ii) assuming that each of the
consents, authorizations and approvals referred to in
Section 3.4
and the Stockholder Approval is obtained and each of the
filings referred to in
Section 3.4
are made and any applicable waiting periods referred to therein have expired, conflict
with or violate any Law or Order applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or its or their properties or assets are bound or (iii) result in any breach of, or constitute a default (with or without notice
or lapse of time, or both) under, require any consent of any Person pursuant to, materially and adversely alter the rights or obligations
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under or give rise to any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation
of, any Company Material Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or by which their properties or assets
or bound, or any Company Permit, or result in the creation of a Lien, other than any Permitted Lien, upon any of the properties
or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than, in the case of clauses (i) (only with respect to the Company’s
Subsidiaries), (ii) and (iii), as would
not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect (
provided
that clause
(b)(v) of the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect shall be disregarded for purposes of this
Section 3.3(b)
).
(c) The
Company Board, at a meeting duly called and held, duly adopted resolutions (i) approving and declaring advisable this Agreement
and the Transactions, (ii) determining that the Merger and the other Transactions are fair to and in the best interests of the
Company and the stockholders of the Company, (iii) directing that adoption of this Agreement be submitted to the stockholders of
the Company at a meeting of the Company’s stockholders and (iv) recommending that stockholders of the Company adopt this
Agreement, which resolutions, as of the date of this Agreement, have not been rescinded, modified or withdrawn.
Section 3.4
Governmental
Approvals
. Except for (a) the filing with the SEC of a proxy statement relating to the Company Stockholders
Meeting (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “
Proxy Statement
”) and, if required, a Rule 13E-3
transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “
Schedule 13E-3
”),
and other filings required under, and compliance with other applicable requirements of, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “
Exchange Act
”) and the rules of NYSE, (b)
the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DGCL, (c) submissions
and filings required under, and compliance with other applicable requirements of, the HSR Act, (d) the filings and notices with
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“
FERC
”) pursuant to Section 203 of the Federal Power Act and the approval
of FERC thereunder (the “
FERC Approval
”), (e) the filings and notices with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(the “
NRC
”) for approval of any indirect transfer of control of the NRC Licenses deemed to be created by the
Merger and the approval of the NRC for such transfer (the “
NRC Approval
”), (f) the filings and notices required
in connection with or in compliance with the rules and regulations of the New York Public Service Commission (the “
NYPSC
Approval
”) and (g) those consents, approvals, authorizations, filings, notifications and other actions in connection
with the Company Permits as set forth in
Section 3.4
of the Company Disclosure Schedule (the “
Other Approvals
”
and together with the approvals referred to in clauses (c) through (f) of this
Section 3.4
, the “
Regulatory Approvals
”),
no consents or approvals of, or filings, declarations or registrations with, or notifications to, any Governmental Authority or
any regional transmission organization or independent system operator are necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement
by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement and the consummation by the Company
of the Transactions, other than as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect.
Section 3.5
Company
SEC Documents; Financial Statements; Undisclosed Liabilities
.
(a) The
Company has filed with or furnished to the SEC, on a timely basis, all statements, schedules, reports, forms, amendments and other
documents required by the SEC to be filed or furnished since June 1, 2015 (collectively, and in each case including all exhibits
and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, the “
Company SEC Documents
”). As of their
respective effective dates (in the case of Company SEC Documents
that are registration statements filed
pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the
“
Securities Act
”)) and as of their respective filing dates (in the case of all other Company SEC Documents),
and in the case of amendments thereto, as of the date of each such amendment, the Company SEC Documents complied in all material
respects with the requirements of applicable Law, including the Exchange Act, the Securities Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (the “
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
”), as the case may be, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, applicable
to such Company SEC Documents, and none of the Company SEC Documents as of such respective dates (or, if amended, the date of the
filing of such amendment with respect to the disclosures that are amended thereby (provided, that with respect to the accuracy
of this
Section 3.5(a)
as of the date hereof for purposes of
Section 6.2(a)(iv)
, only such amendments as are filed
prior to the date hereof shall be taken into account)) contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading (provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to information furnished
in writing by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates specifically for inclusion or use in any
such document). As of the date of this Agreement, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no material outstanding or unresolved
comments in comment letters received from the SEC or its staff, and none of the Company SEC Documents is the subject of ongoing
SEC review. None of the Company’s Subsidiaries are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act or
is otherwise required to file any periodic statements, schedules, reports, forms or other documents with the SEC.
(b) Except
to the extent updated, amended, restated or corrected by a subsequent Company SEC Document (provided, that with respect to the
accuracy of this
Section 3.5(b)
as of the date hereof for purposes of
Section 6.2(a)(iv)
, only such amendments as
are filed prior to the date hereof shall be taken into account)), as of their respective dates of filing with the SEC, the consolidated
financial statements (including all related notes and schedules) of the Company included in the Company SEC Documents (i) complied
as to form in all material respects with all applicable accounting requirements and with the published rules and regulations of
the SEC with respect thereto (except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by SEC rules or the Exchange Act), (ii)
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except (A) as may be indicated
in the notes thereto, (B) as permitted by Regulation S-X or (C) in the case of unaudited financial statements, as permitted by
SEC rules or the Exchange Act) and (iii) present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
the Company and its Subsidiaries, and the results of their operations and cash flows, for each of the dates and for the periods
shown, in conformity with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited financial statements, for the absence of footnotes and normal
year-end adjustments and as permitted by SEC rules or the Exchange Act). Since June 1, 2015, there has been no material change
in the Company’s accounting methods or principles that would be required to be disclosed in the Company’s financial
statements in accordance with GAAP, except as described in the notes thereto. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company
is a party to, or has any commitment to become a party to, any “off balance sheet arrangement” (as defined in Item
303(a) of Regulation S-K of the SEC).
(c) The
Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting (as such
terms are defined in paragraphs
(e) and (f), respectively, of Rule 13a-15
under the Exchange Act) as required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures
are reasonably designed to ensure that all material information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it
files or furnishes under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in
the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management
as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications required pursuant to Sections
302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Since June 1, 2015, the Company’s auditors and the Company Board have not been advised
of and the Company has not identified (i) any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information or (ii) any fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s
accounting, financial reporting or internal control over financial reporting. Since June 1, 2015, each of the principal executive
officer of the Company (with the meaning given to such term under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) and the principal financial officer of
the Company (with the meaning given to such term under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) (or each former principal executive officer of the
Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company, as applicable) has made all certifications required by Rules
13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the
SEC promulgated thereunder. Since June 1, 2015, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has arranged any outstanding “extensions
of credit” to directors or executive officers (as defined in Rule 13b-7 of the Exchange Act) within the meaning of Section
402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(d) Neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities which would be required to be reflected or reserved against on a consolidated
balance sheet of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP or the notes thereto, except for liabilities or obligations (i) reflected
or reserved against on the balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 (the “
Balance Sheet
Date
”) (including the notes thereto) included in the Filed Company SEC Documents, (ii) incurred after the Balance Sheet
Date in the ordinary course of business, (iii) as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise arising in connection with
the Transactions or (iv) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.6
Absence
of Certain Changes
.
(a) From
the Balance Sheet Date to the date of this Agreement, (i) there has not been any change, event, occurrence, fact, development,
circumstance, condition or effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Company
Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) except in connection with the Transactions, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has been conducted in all material respects in the ordinary course of business.
(b) Neither
Talen Energy Supply nor its Subsidiaries (i) has granted or caused to exist any Liens on its assets or properties described in
Section 10.01(a) (securing Indebtedness incurred under Section 10.04(b)(i)(B)) or Section 10.01(bb) of the Citi Credit Agreement,
(ii) has incurred or become responsible for any Indebtedness described in Section 10.04(b)(i)(B) or
10.04(b)(xxiii) of the Citi Credit Agreement,
or (iii) has made any Restricted Payments other than Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), (viii),
(ix), (x), (xi) and (xii) of Section 10.03(b) of the Citi Credit Agreement. For purposes of this
Section 3.6(b)
, the references
to “Liens”, “Indebtedness” and “Restricted Payments” shall have the meanings ascribed to such
terms in the Citi Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Agreement. As of 8:00 a.m. New York time on the date of this
Agreement, the Company and its Subsidiaries have Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents of over $1,100,000,000 and Undrawn Capacity
of over $1,300,000,000.
Section 3.7
Legal
Proceedings
. There are no (a) actions, suits, claims, hearings, arbitrations or audits, or, to the Knowledge
of the Company, inquiries, examinations or investigations, or other proceedings (each, a “
Proceeding
”), pending
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their properties or assets
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, against any officer or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or (b) Orders or settlements
to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or subject to or by which any of their properties or assets are bound,
except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 3.8
Compliance
With Laws; Permits
.
(a) Each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries is, and since June 1, 2015, has been in compliance with all Laws and Orders applicable to it
or its assets, properties, business or operations, except for instances of noncompliance that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. This
Section 3.8(a)
does not apply to tax matters
(which is subject to
Section 3.9)
, employee benefits matters (which is subject to
Section 3.10
), environmental matters
(which is subject to
Section 3.11
), labor matters (which is subject to
Section 3.12
), intellectual property matters
(which is subject to
Section 3.13
) or nuclear- and energy-related regulatory matters (which is subject to
Section 3.20
).
Since June 1, 2015, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice from any Governmental Authority
alleging any material violation of any applicable Law or Order.
(b) The
Company and its Subsidiaries are in possession of all Company Permits, except where the failure to have any such Company Permit
has not had and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
All Company Permits are valid and in full force and effect, no default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) has occurred
under any such Company Permit, and no suspension or cancellation of such Company Permits is pending or, to the Knowledge of the
Company, threatened, except where the failure to be in full force and effect, default, suspension or cancellation has not had and
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company
and its Subsidiaries are and have been in compliance with the terms and requirements of such Company Permits, except where the
failure to be in compliance has not had and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.9
Tax
Matters
.
(a) Except
for those matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect:
(i) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has timely filed, or has caused to be timely filed on its behalf (taking into account
any extension of time within which to file), all Tax Returns required to be filed by it, and all such filed Tax Returns are correct
and complete; (ii) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has timely paid, or has caused to be timely paid on its behalf (taking
into account any extension of time within which to file) all Taxes required to be paid by it (whether or not shown to be due on
any Tax Return); (iii) no deficiency with respect to Taxes has been proposed, asserted or assessed against the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries which has not been fully paid or adequately reserved against in accordance with GAAP in the Company SEC Documents;
and (iv) no audit or other administrative or court proceedings are pending with any Governmental Authority with respect to Taxes
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and no written notice thereof has been received; (v) neither the Company nor any of
its Subsidiaries has waived any statute of limitations with respect to Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to
a Tax assessment or deficiency; (vi) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has constituted a “distributing corporation”
or a “controlled corporation” (within the meaning of Section 355(a)(1)(A) of the Code) in a distribution of stock intended
to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code in the two years prior to the date of this Agreement, except that
Talen Energy Holdings, Inc. and PPL Energy Supply, LLC were “controlled corporations” in the Distribution and the Internal
Distribution, respectively (as such terms are defined in the Transaction Agreement); (vii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
is a party to any Tax allocation, sharing or indemnity agreement or arrangement (other than (A) any Tax indemnification provisions
in commercial agreements that are not primarily related to Taxes, (B) any agreement solely between or among any of the Company
and its Subsidiaries and (C) the obligations set forth in the Transaction Agreement and the Separation Agreement); (viii) neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has participated in a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.6011-4(b)(2); and (ix) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liability for Taxes of any other Person
(other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision
of Law) or as a transferee or successor, except that, prior to and on the date of the Distribution (as defined in the Transaction
Agreement), the Company and certain of its Subsidiaries were members of the consolidated federal income tax return group of which
PPL Corporation is the common parent.
(b) For
purposes of this Agreement: (i) “
Taxes
” shall mean all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, imposts,
levies or other assessments in the nature of tax, including all income, gross receipts, capital, sales, use, ad valorem, value
added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license, withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment,
excise, severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes or any tax based upon, measured by or calculated with respect
to the generation of electricity, and all interest, penalties, fines, or additions to tax imposed by any Governmental Authority
in connection with any of the foregoing and (ii) “
Tax Returns
” shall mean any return, report, claim for refund,
estimate, information return or statement or other similar document relating to or required to be filed with any Governmental Authority
with respect to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and any amendment thereof.
Section 3.10
Employee
Benefits Matters
.
(a)
Section
3.10(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all Company Plans.
Section 3.10(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule separately sets forth a true and complete list of all Multiemployer Plans to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries makes, or has an obligation to make, contributions or with respect to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries have, or would reasonably be expected to have, any material liability, contingent or otherwise (each, a “
Company
Multiemployer Plan
”). Within 60 days following the date of this Agreement, the Company will make available to the Parent
a list of contributions required to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to each Company Multiemployer Plan since
June 1, 2015.
(b) The
Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of, as applicable, (i) the current plan and trust document for
each written Company Plan (or, to the extent that no such copy exists, an accurate written description thereof), (ii) the most
recent Form 5500 or other applicable annual reports required to be filed with respect to each Company Plan, (iii) the most recent
actuarial report for such Company Plan, if applicable, (iv) the most recent summary plan description for each Company Plan for
which a summary plan description is required, and (iv) any material correspondence to or from any Governmental Authority relating
to any Company Plan since June 1, 2015.
(c) The
Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any material withdrawal liability with respect to any Company Multiemployer Plans
that has not been satisfied in full. The Company and its Subsidiaries have timely made all required contributions to all Company
Multiemployer Plans in all material respects. To the Knowledge of the the Company, Company Multiemployer Plan (i) has received
a notice of insolvency or (ii) is “endangered” or in “critical status” under Section 432 of the Code. For
each Company Multiemployer Plan, the Company has made available to Parent correct and complete copies of all material information
that has been provided to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding any assessed or potential withdrawal liability under
such Company Multiemployer Plan.
(d) Each
Company Plan has been administered in compliance in all material respects with its terms and in compliance in all material respects
with applicable Laws. There are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened Proceedings (other than routine claims
for benefits) with respect to any Company Plans.
(e) All
Company Plans that are “employee pension benefit plans” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) that are intended to
be tax qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code (each, a “
Company Pension Plan
”) have received a favorable
determination letter from the IRS or may rely on a favorable opinion letter issued by the IRS and, to the Knowledge of the Company,
no circumstances exist that are likely to adversely affect the qualified status of any such Company Plan under Section 401(a) of
the Code. The Company has made available to Parent a correct and complete copy of the most recent determination or opinion letter
received from the IRS with respect to each Company Pension Plan. Each trust funding a Company Plan that is intended to be tax exempt
under Section 501(c)(9) of the Code (i) has received, has applied for, or will timely apply for a favorable determination letter
from the IRS recognizing its
exempt status, (ii) has been drafted and
operated in all material respects in compliance with the requirements of Section 501(c)(9) of the Code and (iii) to the Knowledge
of the Company, no circumstances exist that are likely to adversely affect the exempt status of such trust.
(f) No
material liability under Title IV of ERISA, the Code or other applicable Laws has been incurred by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
that has not been satisfied in full, and no condition exists that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect under Title IV of ERISA, other than liability for premiums due to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation. No material assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries are or would reasonably be expected to be subject to
a lien pursuant to the Code or ERISA with respect to any Company Plan. No Company Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a “
Title
IV Company Plan
”) has incurred any “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA and
Section 412 of the Code), or failed to timely satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA
or Sections 412 and 430 of the Code), in each case whether or not waived. No Company Plan is “at risk” under Section
430 of the Code.
(g) No
Company Plan provides for, and the Company and its Subsidiaries are not otherwise obligated to provide, any gross-up or reimbursement
of Taxes under Section 409A or 4999 of the Code.
(h) No
Company Plan obligates the Company or its Subsidiaries to provide any current or former employee (or any dependent thereof) any
life insurance or medical or health benefits after his or her termination of employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
other than as required under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.
(i) The
consummation of the Transactions will not, either alone or in combination with any other event, except as expressly provided in
this Agreement, (i) entitle any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to severance pay or any other payment under a Company Plan upon such consummation or upon any termination of employment in connection
with such consummation, (ii) accelerate the time of payment, funding or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due any
such current or former employee, director or independent contractor or result in the forgiveness of any indebtedness of any such
employee, director or independent contractor, or (iii) result in payments or benefits that will be made by the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries which would not be deductible for federal income tax purposes by virtue of Section 280G of the Code.
Section 3.11
Environmental
Matters
.
(a) The
Company and its Subsidiaries are, and since June 1, 2015 have been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, including
with respect to maintaining and complying with all Company Permits required by Environmental Laws for the conduct of their respective
businesses as they are now being conducted, except where the failure to comply or maintain would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except
as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) there is
no Proceeding before any Governmental Authority alleging a violation of, or liability under, Environmental Laws that is pending
or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) there is no Order imposed
by any Governmental Authority upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any alleged violation by the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries of, or liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under, Environmental Laws, (iii) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging a violation of, or liability under, Environmental Laws, the
subject matter of which remains unresolved and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries are responsible for remediating
a Release of Hazardous Materials at any property pursuant to any Environmental Laws, and (v) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has Released, and to the Company’s Knowledge, there otherwise has been no Release of, any Hazardous Materials,
at any real property leased, sub-leased or operated or currently or formerly owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries, in each
case in violation of Environmental Laws and in any manner that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any remedial obligation
or liability of the Company or its Subsidiaries under Environmental Laws.
Section 3.12
Labor
Matters
.
(a)
Section
3.12
of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of, as of the date of this Agreement, each collective
bargaining agreement or collective bargaining relationship or other Contract with a labor union or representative of employees
to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or bound. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all collective bargaining
agreements to which each is subject. To the Knowledge of the Company, no union organizing or decertification activities are underway
or threatened with respect to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and no such activities have occurred since
June 1, 2015. There are no strikes, slowdowns, picketing, work stoppages, lockouts or material labor disputes, or, to the Company’s
Knowledge, threats thereof, by or with respect to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and no such disputes
have occurred since June 1, 2015. Since June 1, 2015, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has implemented any layoffs
requiring notice under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or any similar applicable Law (collectively, the “
WARN
Act
”).
(b) No
material claim, complaint, charge or investigation is pending, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing by any
Person against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any Company Benefit Plan under any Law governing or concerning labor relations,
unions and collective bargaining, conditions of employment, employment discrimination and harassment, worker classification, wages,
hours, occupational safety and health or immigration, and the Company and its Subsidiaries is, and has been since June 1, 2015,
in compliance in all material respects with such Laws.
Section 3.13
Intellectual
Property; Data Privacy and Information Security
.
(a)
Section
3.13(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list, as of the date of this Agreement, of all patents,
patent applications, registered trademarks and applications therefor, domain names and registered copyrights and applications therefor
owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, “
Registered Intellectual Property
”). To the Knowledge
of the Company, the Registered Intellectual Property is valid, subsisting and enforceable. Except as would not, individually or
in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the conduct of the business of the Company
and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate, and since June 1, 2015 has
not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any other Person’s Intellectual Property; (ii) there is no claim of
such infringement, misappropriation or other violation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating
any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iv) no claims of Intellectual Property infringement,
misappropriation or other violation are pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Person by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries; (v) the consummation of the Transactions shall not terminate or adversely affect the ownership or use
of the Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to use Intellectual Property licensed to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable; and (vi) the Company and each of
its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the trade secrets and confidential information used or held
for use in the businesses of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably
be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or have a license, subscription or
other valid right to use all Intellectual Property used by them in the conduct of their business in the ordinary course.
(b) Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) the Company
and each of its Subsidiaries has complied with the Company’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ own privacy policies and
Laws applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries regarding personally identifiable information, including any data privacy
Laws or consumer privacy Laws; (ii) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have implemented and maintain commercially reasonable
security measures and policies to protect all personally identifiable information owned, collected, stored, controlled or processed
by them or on their behalf from and against unauthorized access, use or disclosure; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has been legally required to provide any notices to data owners in connection with any unauthorized disclosure of,
or access to, personally identifiable information; and (iv) since June 1, 2015, there has been no failure, material substandard
performance, or breach of any computer systems of the Company or its Subsidiaries or their contractors that has caused any material
disruption to the businesses of the Company or its Subsidiaries or resulted in any unauthorized disclosure of or access to any
data owned, collected, stored, controlled or processed by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 3.14
Antitakeover
Statutes
. Neither Section 203 of the DGCL nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other anti-takeover, moratorium,
fair price, control share, interested shareholder or similar Law (an “
Anti-Takeover Statute
”) is, or at the
Effective Time
will be, applicable to the Company with
respect to this Agreement or the Transactions. The Company has not adopted a shareholder rights plan.
Section 3.15
Property
. Except
as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company
and its Subsidiaries, as applicable, has valid leasehold title in and to all of the real property leased or subleased by it as
lessee or sublessee (the “
Leased Real Property
”, and the Contracts pursuant to which the Leased Real Property
is leased or subleased by any of the Company and its Subsidiaries, the “
Leases
”), free and clear of all Liens
(except in all cases for Permitted Liens). Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
a Company Material Adverse Effect and except as may be limited by the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception, all Leases are valid and
in full force and effect against the Company or such Subsidiaries, as applicable, and, to the Company’s Knowledge, the counterparties
thereto, in accordance with their respective terms, and there is not, under any of such Leases, any existing default by the Company
or applicable Subsidiary or, to the Company’s Knowledge, the counterparties thereto, or any fact or circumstance which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default by the Company or applicable Subsidiary thereunder. Except as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has good and marketable fee simple title in and to all of real property owned in fee by it (the “
Owned Real
Property
”), free and clear of all Liens, except Permitted Liens. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has good and valid title
in and to all easements, rights-of-way and other interests or estates in real property (other than the Leased Real Property and
the Owned Real Property) owned or otherwise held by it (the “
Other Real Property
” and, together with the Leased
Real Property and the Owned Real Property, the “
Real Property
”), free and clear of all Liens, except Permitted
Liens. Except for Permitted Liens, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has leased or otherwise granted to any Person
the right to use or occupy the Real Property or any portion thereof. There are no outstanding options, rights of first offer or
rights of first refusal or other contractual rights or obligations to purchase, sell, lease, assign or otherwise encumber (except
for Permitted Liens) any Real Property that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any portion thereof
or interest therein, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any agreement or option to purchase, sell,
lease, assign or otherwise encumber (except for Permitted Liens) any Real Property or interest therein. There is no pending, or
to the Company’s Knowledge threatened, condemnation, eminent domain or similar proceeding affecting any of the Real Property,
except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.16
Contracts
.
(a) Except
for this Agreement and for the Contracts filed as exhibits to the Filed Company SEC Documents,
Section 3.16
of the Company
Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list, as of the date of this Agreement, and the Company has made available to
Parent prior to the date hereof true and complete copies (including, for the avoidance of doubt, all amendments, modifications,
extensions or renewals with respect thereto) of:
(i) each
Contract which is or would be required to be filed by the Company as a “material contract” pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)
of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act;
(ii) each
Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party that (A) restricts in any material respect the ability of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries to engage in or compete in any business or with any Person in any geographical area, (B) requires
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to conduct any business on a “most favored nations” basis with any third party,
(C) provides for “exclusivity”, rights of first refusal or offer or any similar requirement or right in favor of any
third party, or (D) contains any standstill or similar agreement pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
has agreed not to acquire assets or securities of another Person;
(iii) each
Contract to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party (other than an Energy Marketing and Trading Contract) that
provides for payments to or from the Company or any its Subsidiaries in excess of $20,000,000 in the aggregate after the date of
this Agreement;
(iv) each
Contract creating, guaranteeing or securing Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness solely
between the Company and any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries or between the Company’s wholly owned Subsidiaries);
(v) each
Contract with or binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets that is of
the type that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act;
(vi) each
Contract with respect to the creation, formation, governance or control of any partnerships, joint ventures or similar arrangements
with third parties;
(vii) each
Contract that (A) relates to the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of assets (other than in the ordinary course of business)
or capital stock or other securities (by merger, capital contribution or otherwise) of any Person with a total consideration of
more than $20,000,000 in the aggregate after the date of this Agreement; (B) relates to the disposition (except in the ordinary
course of business) after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, of assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries with
a total consideration of more than $20,000,000 in the aggregate or any capital stock or other securities (by merger, capital contribution
or otherwise) of the Company or its Subsidiaries or (C) contains a put, call, right of first refusal or similar right pursuant
to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries could be required to purchase or sell, as applicable, any of the foregoing;
(viii) any
Contract not entered into in the ordinary course of business that requires the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to make any advance,
loan or commitment therefor or provide any credit support for or any capital contribution to, or other investment in, any Person
in excess of $5,000,000;
(ix) any
Contract that limits or otherwise restricts (A) the payment of dividends or distributions in respect of the capital stock or equity
interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) the granting of material Liens on any property or asset of the Company
or its Subsidiaries or (C) the issuance of guarantees by any of the Subsidiaries of the Company;
(x) any
Contract entered into since June 1, 2015 that relates to the sale, transfer or other disposition of a business or assets by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any continuing indemnification,
guarantee, “earnout” or other contingent, deferred or fixed payment obligations that would reasonably be expected to
result in aggregate payments in excess of $20,000,000;
(xi) any
material Contract for the supply of water or utility services, in each case, that relates to the use, ownership, operation or maintenance
of any electric generating facility that is owned or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “
Talen
Energy Facility
”);
(xii) any
Lease for Leased Real Property that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(xiii) any
interconnection Contract that relates to any Talen Energy Facility;
(xiv) any
energy management agreement or any other Contract providing for the management, maintenance or operation of any Talen Energy Facility
(or the output thereof) by a third party;
(xv) any
Energy Marketing and Trading Contract (A) that if entered into on the date of this Agreement would require an exception to or waiver
under the Risk Management Policy or (B) with respect to a Specified Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction; and
(xvi) any
Contract that is a settlement, conciliation or similar agreement with any Governmental Authority or other Person in respect of
any matter that is material to the business, assets or liabilities of the Company or its Subsidiaries or pursuant to which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries will be required after the date of this Agreement to pay consideration in excess of $5,000,000.
Each such Contract described in clauses
(i) through (xvii) above together with each Contract filed or required to be filed as exhibits to the Filed Company SEC Documents,
is referred to herein as a “
Company Material Contract
”.
(b) Each
Company Material Contract (other than any Company Material Contract that has expired in accordance with its terms) is valid, and
binding on the Company and any of its Subsidiaries to the extent the Company or such Subsidiary is a party thereto, as applicable,
and to the Knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with
its terms (subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity
Exception), except where the failure to
be valid, binding, enforceable and in full force and effect, would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, any
other party thereto, has performed all obligations required to be performed by it under each Company Material Contract, except
where such noncompliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse
Effect. No event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default pursuant to any
Company Material Contract by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto,
except for such breaches and defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Company
Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.17
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
. The disinterested directors of the Company Board have received the opinion of Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., dated as of the date of this Agreement, to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, and based on and
subject to the various assumptions, limitations, qualifications and other matters set forth therein, the Merger Consideration is
fair, from a financial point of view, to the Unaffiliated Stockholders. A signed copy of such opinion will be made available to
Parent solely for informational purposes promptly following the date of this Agreement (it being expressly understood that Parent
and its Affiliates shall not be entitled to rely on such opinion).
Section 3.18
Brokers
and Other Advisors
. Except for Citigroup Global Markets Inc., no broker, investment banker, financial advisor
or other Person is, directly or indirectly, entitled or will be entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, agent’s,
financial advisor’s or other similar fee, commission or charge in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements
made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The Company has disclosed to Parent prior to the date hereof all
amounts payable (including on a contingent basis) to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. by the Company or any of its Affiliates in connection
with the Transactions (other than in a capacity as lender or agent under the Citi Credit Agreement).
Section 3.19
Stockholder
Approval
. The adoption of this Agreement by the affirmative vote (in person or by proxy) of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote at the Company Stockholders Meeting (the “
Stockholder
Approval
”) is the only vote or approval of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company necessary
to adopt this Agreement, and approve and consummate the Transactions under applicable Law.
Section 3.20
Regulatory
Matters
.
(a)
Section
3.20
of the Company Disclosure Schedule accurately identifies and describes each Talen Energy Facility.
(b) The
Company is not a “public utility” as defined in the FPA.
Section 3.20(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule
identifies the Subsidiaries of the Company that are “public utilities” as defined in the FPA and are subject to regulation
by FERC as public utilities. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (other than Interstate Energy Company) is subject
to regulation as a “public utility” or “public service company” (or similar designation)
with respect to its rates, securities issuances
or capital structure by any state Governmental Authority.
(c) Each
of the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than Subsidiaries of Jade Power Generation Holdings LLC) that sells electric energy,
capacity or certain ancillary services at wholesale in interstate commerce (i) is subject to the jurisdiction of FERC under the
FPA, (ii) has been authorized by FERC to make wholesale sales of electric energy, capacity and certain ancillary services
at market-based rates pursuant to Section 205 of the FPA (“
MBR Authority
”) and to make wholesale sales of electric
energy, capacity and certain ancillary services into the markets in which it sells at market-based rates, subject to the mitigation
listed in
Section 3.20(c)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (iii) except for Talen Energy Marketing, LLC, is an Exempt
Wholesale Generator (“
EWG
”) under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (the “
EPAct 2005
”) and either
has been determined by order of FERC to be an EWG or has filed with FERC a notification of self-certification of EWG status that
is complete and accurate in all material respects. Neither the MBR Authority of the Company and its Subsidiaries nor their respective
status as an EWG under the EPAct 2005 is the subject of any pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, Proceeding
to revoke or modify such status. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no facts that are reasonably likely to cause the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries to lose its MBR Authority or its status as an EWG under the EPAct 2005.
(d) Since
June 1, 2015, the operation of Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (“
Susquehanna
”) is and has been conducted
in compliance in all material respects with applicable health, safety, regulatory and other requirements under applicable Laws.
Such requirements under applicable Laws include the NRC Licenses, and all regulations, requirements and Orders related in any way
to the NRC Licenses or Susquehanna, and all obligations of Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC (“
Susquehanna Nuclear
”),
as the operator of Susquehanna, pursuant to contracts with the United States Department of Energy for the disposal of spent nuclear
fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and any Laws of the State of Pennsylvania or any agency thereof. The operations of Susquehanna
are not and since June 1, 2015 have not been the subject of either any material notice of violation that has not been addressed
by corrective actions or any material request for information from the NRC or any other agency with jurisdiction over such facility.
Susquehanna Nuclear maintains, and is in compliance in all material respects with, emergency plans designed to protect the health
and safety of the public in the event of an unplanned release of radioactive materials and such plans are in compliance in all
material respects with the NRC’s rules and regulations.
(e) Since
June 1, 2015, (i) Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund consists of one or more trusts that are validly existing
and in good standing under the Laws of their respective jurisdictions of formation with all requisite authority to conduct their
affairs as they now do; (ii) Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund satisfies the requirements necessary for
such fund to be treated as a “Nuclear Decommissioning Reserve Fund” within the meaning of Code Section 468A(a) and
as a “Nuclear Decommissioning Fund” and a “Qualified Nuclear Decommissioning Fund” within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation Section l.468A-l(b)(3); (iii) Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund is in compliance in
all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction, including the
requirements of the
NRC with respect to the minimum funds for
radiological decommissioning and NRC license termination and the requirements of the IRS, (iv) Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified
Decommissioning Fund has not engaged in any acts of “self-dealing”, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.468A-
5(b)(2); and (v) no “excess contribution”, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.468A-5(c)(2)(ii), has been made
to Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund which has not been withdrawn within the period provided under Treasury
Regulation Section 1.468A-5(c)(2)(i).
(f) The
Company has heretofore made available to Parent a correct and complete copy of Susquehanna Nuclear’s decommissioning trust
agreements.
(g) Since
June 1, 2015, Susquehanna Nuclear or The Bank of New York Mellon, the Trustee of the Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning
Fund (the “
Trustee
”), has filed or caused to be filed with the NRC, the IRS and any other applicable Governmental
Authority all material forms, statements, reports, documents (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) required
to be filed by Susquehanna Nuclear or the Trustee of Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund. Since June 1,
2015, the Company has not requested a schedule of ruling amounts from the IRS for Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning
Fund, has not made any contribution to its Qualified Decommissioning Fund pursuant to a schedule of ruling amounts issued by the
IRS under Treasury Regulation Section 1.468A-3, and has not made any special transfers pursuant to a schedule of deduction amounts
issued by the IRS under Section 468A(f) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.468A-8.
(h) The
Company has made available to Parent a correct and complete statement of assets prepared by the Trustee for Susquehanna Nuclear’s
Qualified Decommissioning Fund as of December 31, 2015 and as of March 31, 2016 and will make such a statement available as of
the most recently available month end preceding the Closing, and such statements fairly presented and will fairly present as of
such dates the financial position of Susquehanna Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund. The Company has made available
to Parent correct and complete information from which Parent can determine the Tax basis of all assets in Susquehanna Nuclear’s
Qualified Decommissioning Fund and will make such information available as of the most recently available month end preceding the
Closing.
(i) Susquehanna
Nuclear’s Qualified Decommissioning Fund does not include funds specifically designated for obligations other than radiological
decommissioning as required by the NRC for license termination.
(j) Susquehanna
Nuclear maintains funds, either in its Qualified Decommissioning Fund or in another fund, in excess of the amounts needed to satisfy
(i) NRC requirements for radiological decommissioning of Susquehanna and NRC license termination and (ii) the estimated
costs of spent fuel management after Susquehanna permanently ceases operation, decommissioning of the Susquehanna independent spent
fuel storage installation, and non-radiological site restoration.
(k) Susquehanna
Nuclear does not maintain any funds for radiological decommissioning and NRC license termination in any nonqualified decommissioning
trusts.
Section 3.21
Risk
Management Policy
.
(a) The
Company Board has adopted the Risk Management Policy that established risk parameters, limits and guidelines with respect to the
management of the risk exposures related to commodity prices and volumes, interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, liquidity
and counterparty credit in connection with the business activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company has, prior
to the date of this Agreement, provided Parent with a true and complete copy of the Risk Management Policy, which has not been
amended, modified or otherwise supplemented in any material respect since its adoption on June 1, 2015.
(b) Since
June 1, 2015, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not engaged in any Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions other than transactions
of the type permitted under the Risk Management Policy. Since June 1, 2015, all Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions of the
Company and its Subsidiaries have been entered into in the ordinary course of business and within the risk limits that are set
forth in, and otherwise in compliance in all material respects with, the Risk Management Policy, except for waivers or exceptions
granted or utilized in accordance with the terms of the Risk Management Policy (which waivers and exceptions, and the Energy Marketing
and Trading Transactions undertaken pursuant thereto, since June 1, 2015 and prior to the date of this Agreement, are set forth
in
Section 3.21(b)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule).
(c) As
of the date of this Agreement, the Company has provided to Parent (i) good faith calculations and listings of the EMT Information
and (ii) a statement of the Secured EMT Information that is true and correct in all material respects, in the case of the immediately
preceding clauses (i) and (ii), determined as of the close of business on May 27, 2016 for all then-outstanding Energy Marketing
and Trading Transactions of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company has provided to Parent true and complete copies of all
compliance monitoring and violation reports and all other material portfolio reports, risk limit reports, credit reports, risk
management committee reports prepared for, or provided to, the Risk Management Committee (as defined in the Risk Management Policy)
or the Company Board since June 1, 2015.
Section 3.22
Information
in Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3
. Each of the Proxy Statement, as of the date of filing and as of the date
of mailing to the Company’s stockholders and as of the date of the Company Stockholders Meeting, and the Schedule 13E-3,
as of the date of filing, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made,
not misleading;
provided
that the Company does not make any representation or warranty with respect to any information supplied
by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference
in the Proxy Statement or Schedule 13E-3. Each of the Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3 will comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
Section 3.23
No
Other Representations or Warranties
. Except for the representations and warranties expressly made by the Company
in this
Article III
or in any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement, neither the Company nor any other Person
makes any representation or warranty of
any kind whatsoever, express or implied, at Law or in equity, with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective
business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial or otherwise), notwithstanding the delivery or disclosure to Parent
or any of its Affiliates or Representatives of any documentation, forecasts or other information with respect to any one or more
of the foregoing.
Article
IV
Representations and Warranties of Parent and Merger Sub
Parent and Merger Sub
jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company that:
Section 4.1
Organization,
Standing and Corporate Power
. Each Parent is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and
in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite limited liability company power and authority necessary
to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on its businesses as now being conducted. Merger Sub is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite corporate power
and authority necessary to own or lease all of its properties and assets and to carry on its businesses as now being conducted.
Parent and Merger Sub are duly qualified to do business and each is in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that recognize
the concept of good standing) in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the character or location
of the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified
or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2
Authority;
Noncontravention
.
(a) Each
of Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary limited liability company or corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement, to perform their respective obligations hereunder and to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of
and performance by Parent and Merger Sub under this Agreement, and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions,
have been duly authorized and approved by all necessary limited liability company or corporate action by Parent and Merger Sub
(including by the sole member of each Parent and the board of directors of Merger Sub and by Parent, as the collective sole stockholder
of Merger Sub), and no other limited liability company or corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Sub is necessary to
authorize the execution and delivery of and performance by Parent and Merger Sub under this Agreement, subject only to the adoption
and approval of this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, which will occur promptly following the execution
of this Agreement, and the consummation by them of the Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Parent
and Merger Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, except to the extent
that such enforceability is subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. No vote or approval of the holders of any class or
series of equity units of Parent is necessary to adopt this Agreement, and approve and consummate the Transactions.
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub, nor the consummation by Parent or Merger Sub of the Transactions,
nor compliance by Parent or Merger Sub with any of the terms or provisions hereof, will (i) conflict with or violate any provision
of the certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement or certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent or
Merger Sub, respectively, in each case as amended to the date of this Agreement, (ii) assuming that each of the consents, authorizations
and approvals referred to in
Section 4.3
and each of the filings referred to in
Section 4.3
are made and any applicable
waiting periods referred to therein have expired, conflict with or violate any Law or Order applicable to Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries or by which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or its or their properties or assets are bound or (iii) result in any
breach of, or constitute a default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under, result in any loss of benefit under,
or give rise to any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any Contract to which Parent, Merger Sub
or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party, or by which their properties or assets or bound, other than, in the case of
clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.3
Governmental
Approvals
. Except for (a) the filing with the SEC of the Proxy Statement and, if required, the Schedule 13E-3,
and other filings required under, and compliance with other applicable requirements of, the Exchange Act and the rules of NYSE,
(b) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DGCL and
(c) the Regulatory Approvals, no consents or approvals of, or filings, declarations or registrations with, or notifications to,
any Governmental Authority or any regional transmission organization or independent system operator are necessary for the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub and the performance by Parent and Merger Sub of their obligations pursuant
to this Agreement and the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions, other than as would not, individually or in
the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.4
Legal
Proceedings
. As of the date of this Agreement, there are no (a) Proceedings pending, or, to the Knowledge of
Parent, threatened against Parent or Merger Sub or its or their properties or assets or, to the Knowledge of Parent, against any
officer or director of Parent or Merger Sub, or (b) Orders or settlements to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party or subject to
or by which any of their properties or assets are bound, except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.5
Brokers
and Other Advisors
. Except for Goldman, Sachs & Co. and RBC Capital Markets, no broker, investment banker,
financial advisor or other Person is, directly or indirectly, entitled or will be entitled to any broker’s, finder’s,
agent’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee, commission or charge in connection with the Transactions based upon
arrangements made by or on behalf of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section 4.6
Subsidiaries
. Parent
collectively owns beneficially and of record all of the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub. Merger Sub was formed solely for
the purpose of engaging in the Transactions, has engaged in no other business activities and has conducted its operations only
as contemplated hereby.
Section 4.7
Financing
.
(a) Concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement, Parent has delivered to the Company true, correct and complete copies of an executed debt
commitment letter dated as of the date hereof and corresponding fee letter dated as of the date hereof (with only the fee amounts,
pricing caps and other economic “flex” terms redacted (none of which redacted provisions would adversely affect the
amount, conditionality or availability of the Debt Financing (as defined below))) from the financial institutions identified therein
(together with all exhibits and schedules thereto, collectively, the “
Debt Commitment Letter
”) to provide, subject
to the terms and conditions therein, debt financing to the Company or its Subsidiaries in the amounts set forth therein for the
purpose of funding, in part, the Transactions (the “
Debt Financing
”). As of the date hereof, the Debt Commitment
Letter has not been amended or modified and the commitments contained in such letter have not been withdrawn, terminated or rescinded
in any respect. Parent or Merger Sub has fully paid or caused to be fully paid any and all commitment fees or other fees required
to be paid in connection with the Debt Commitment Letter that are payable on or prior to the date hereof. Assuming the Debt Financing
is funded in accordance with the Debt Commitment Letter, the aggregate net proceeds (after netting out original issue discount
and similar premiums and charges after giving effect to the maximum amount of flex (including original issue discount flex) provided
under the Debt Commitment Letter) committed to be delivered pursuant to the Debt Commitment Letter (such amount, the “
Required
Amount
”), together with the amount of Undrawn Capacity and Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, immediately after
the Closing, assuming the Pro Forma Liquidity Amount equals no less than $350,000,000 less the Affected STF Amount (assuming for
purposes of determining the Pro Forma Liquidity Amount, the funding of at least $250,000,000 in connection with the Debt Financing)
after the payment of the Aggregate Consideration Amount in accordance with
Article II
and any Transaction Costs, will provide
sufficient funds required for consummation of the Transactions in accordance with this Agreement and the Debt Commitment Letter,
including (a) the payment of the Aggregate Consideration Amount, (b) the repayment of any Indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries
required by its terms, or contemplated by this Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter, to be repaid or refinanced on the Closing
Date and (c) the payment of any fees and expenses of or payable by Parent, Merger Sub or the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries
in connection with the Transactions, including the Debt Financing. As of the date hereof, the Debt Commitment Letter is a valid
and binding obligation of Parent and Merger Sub and, to the Knowledge of Parent, each of the other parties thereto and is in full
force and effect, in each case, subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. As of the date hereof, (x) there is no default
or breach under the Debt Commitment Letter by Parent or Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates, or, to the Knowledge
of Parent, any other parties thereto, and (y) no event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would
constitute a default or breach on the part of Parent or Merger Sub, any of their respective Affiliates or, to the Knowledge of
Parent, any other parties thereto, under the Debt Commitment Letter, or a failure of any condition to the Debt Financing. As of
the date hereof, Parent has no Knowledge of any facts or circumstances or any reason to believe that any facts or circumstances
exist that, assuming the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1
and
Section 6.2
and the completion
of the Marketing Period, would be reasonably likely to result in any of the conditions set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter
not being satisfied or the funding contemplated in the Debt Commitment Letter not being made available on the Closing Date. As
of the date hereof, the Debt Commitment Letter is not subject to any conditions precedent to the
obligations of the parties thereunder (including
pursuant to any flex provisions in the related fee letter or otherwise) to make the full amount of the Debt Financing available
at the Closing, or any contingencies that would permit the parties thereto to reduce the amount of the Debt Financing, other than
as expressly set forth therein. As of the date hereof, there are no side letters, arrangements or other Contracts to which Parent,
Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates is a party (a) which are related to the funding of the full amount of the Debt
Financing, other than as expressly set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter (and the related fee letter) or (b) that would reasonably
be expected to adversely affect the timing of Closing, other than as expressly set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter.
(b) Parent
has delivered to the Company a correct and complete signed copy of the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment, which assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery thereof by the parties thereto (including the Company or its applicable Subsidiaries) and satisfaction by
the Company and its applicable Subsidiaries of the conditions precedent set forth in Sections 5.1(b) and 5.1(c) thereof, is a valid
and binding obligation of the parties thereto, enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms (subject to
the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception).
Section 4.8
Guarantee
. Concurrently
with the execution of this Agreement, Parent has delivered to the Company the Guarantee, dated as of the date of this Agreement,
which has been duly executed and delivered by the Guarantor. The Guarantee is valid, binding and in full force and effect as of
the date hereof and is enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms except to the extent that such enforceability
is subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. As of the date hereof, there is no default or breach under the Guarantee by
the Guarantor and no event has occurred, which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a default or breach
under the Guarantee by the Guarantor.
Section 4.9
Solvency
. Assuming
(a) the accuracy at Closing of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Article III
and any certificate
delivered pursuant to this Agreement, (b) the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1
and
Section
6.2
, (c) the accuracy in all material respects, as of the Effective Time and immediately following the Closing, of the information
that is required under paragraph 5(a) and (b) of Exhibit B to the Debt Commitment Letter as in effect on the date hereof and (d)
that any estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries provided or made available to
Parent by or on behalf of the Company prior to the date hereof have been prepared in good faith and based upon assumptions that
were and continue to be reasonable immediately prior to Closing, then immediately after giving effect to the Transactions, including
the Debt Financing, any alternative financing and any fees incurred in connection with the Transactions, the Surviving Corporation
and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be Solvent.
Section 4.10
Information
in Proxy Statement and Schedule 13E-3
. None of the information to be supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger
Sub specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, as of the date of filing and as of the
date of mailing to the Company’s stockholders and as of the date of the Company Stockholders Meeting, and none of the information
to be supplied by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Schedule
13E-3 will, as of the date of filing, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
Section 4.11
Non-Reliance
on Company Estimates, Projections, Forecasts, Forward-Looking Statements and Business Plans
. In connection with
the due diligence investigation of the Company by Parent and Merger Sub, Parent and Merger Sub have received and may continue to
receive from the Company certain estimates, projections, forecasts and other forward-looking information, as well as certain business
plan information, regarding the Company and its business and operations. Parent and Merger Sub hereby acknowledge and agree that
there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to make such estimates, projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements,
as well as in such business plan information, with which Parent and Merger Sub are familiar, that Parent and Merger Sub are taking
full responsibility for making their own evaluation of the adequacy and accuracy of all estimates, projections, forecasts and other
forward-looking information, as well as such business plan information, so furnished to them (including the reasonableness of the
assumptions underlying such estimates, projections, forecasts, forward-looking information or business plan information), except
as otherwise set forth herein. Accordingly, Parent and Merger Sub hereby acknowledge that, except as otherwise set forth in this
Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement, none of the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of
their respective stockholders, directors, officers, employees, affiliates, advisors, agents or representatives, has made or is
making any representation or warranty with respect to such estimates, projections, forecasts, forward-looking statements or business
plan information (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying such estimates, projections, forecasts, forward-looking
statements or business plan information).
Section 4.12
No
Other Representations or Warranties
. Except for the representations and warranties expressly made by Parent
and Merger Sub in this
Article IV
or in any certificate delivered pursuant to this Agreement, none of Parent, Merger Sub
or any other Person makes any representation or warranty of any kind whatsoever, express or implied, at Law or in equity, with
respect to Parent or Merger Sub or their Affiliates or their respective business, operations, assets, liabilities, condition (financial
or otherwise), notwithstanding the delivery or disclosure to the Company or any of its Affiliates or Representatives of any documentation,
forecasts or other information with respect to any one or more of the foregoing.
Article
V
Covenants
Section 5.1
Conduct
of Business
.
(a) Except
as expressly contemplated or required by this Agreement, as required by applicable Law or as set forth in
Section 5.1(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, during the period from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, unless Parent otherwise
consents (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) in writing, the Company shall (and shall cause
its Subsidiaries to) conduct the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in all material respects in the ordinary course and,
to the extent consistent thereunder, use reasonable best efforts to preserve intact its present lines of business,
maintain its rights and franchises, retain
the services of its key personnel and preserve satisfactory relationships with Governmental Authorities, employees, customers and
suppliers, and except as expressly contemplated or required by this Agreement, as required by applicable Law or as set forth in
Section 5.1(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
unless Parent otherwise consents in writing (which consent, other than in the case of clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi)(B),
(viii), (xiii)(A), (xiv), (xviii), and, to the extent related to the foregoing clauses, clauses (xvi) and (xxix), shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned):
(i) issue,
transfer, dispose of, sell, pledge, grant, lease, license, guarantee or encumber (or make payments based on the value of), or authorize
the issuance, transfer, disposal of, sale, pledge, grant, lease, license, guarantee or encumbrance (or making of payments based
on the value) of any shares of capital stock, or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests of the Company
or its Subsidiaries (other than issuances of such securities solely to the Company or a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company)
or any Company Equity Awards (or any other equity-based awards), any Voting Company Debt or Voting Subsidiary Debt or any Contingent
Company Equity or Contingent Subsidiary Equity (other than the issuance of shares of Company Common Stock upon the exercise, vesting
or settlement of Company Equity Awards outstanding as of the Measurement Date or permitted to be issued after the Measurement Date
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, in each case, in accordance with their terms);
(ii) except
for transactions solely among the Company and its direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries or solely among the Company’s
direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiaries, reclassify, split, combine, subdivide or redeem, repurchase, purchase or otherwise
acquire or amend the terms of, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock or other equity or voting securities or equity
or voting interests or Contingent Company Equity or Contingent Subsidiary Equity, other than (A) the acquisitions of shares of
Company Common Stock in connection with the surrender of shares of Company Common Stock by holders of Options in order to pay the
exercise price of Options, (B) the withholding of shares of Company Common Stock to satisfy Tax obligations with respect to the
Company of Company Equity Awards, and (C) the acquisition by the Company of Company Equity Awards in connection with the forfeiture
of such awards, in each case in accordance with their terms;
(iii) (A)
other than dividends or distributions by a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or any other wholly owned Subsidiary
of the Company, declare, authorize, establish a record date for, set aside for payment or pay any dividend on, or make any other
distribution (in cash, stock or other equity, property or a combination thereof) in respect of, any shares of its capital stock
or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests or any Contingent Company Equity or Contingent Subsidiary Equity,
or (B) adjust, split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of its capital stock or other equity or voting securities or
equity or voting interests or any Contingent Company Equity or Contingent Subsidiary Equity;
(iv) redeem,
repurchase, prepay, defease, cancel, incur or otherwise acquire, or modify in any material respect the terms of, any Indebtedness
or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise become responsible for, any such Indebtedness of another Person, issue or sell any
debt securities or calls, options, warrants or other rights to acquire any debt securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition of another Person or enter
into any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing, other than (A) borrowings under, and letters of credit
issued pursuant to, the Credit Facilities, in each case, in the ordinary course of business, (B) interest rate hedging arrangements
that are not speculative in nature entered into on customary commercial terms in the ordinary course of business and not to exceed
$25,000,000 in aggregate notional amount, (C) capital leases entered into in the ordinary course of business and (D) Indebtedness
set forth on
Section 5.1(a)(iv)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule;
(v) make
any loans or advances to, or provide any credit support for, or investments in, any Person (other than any of the Company’s
wholly owned Subsidiaries);
(vi) (A)
sell, lease (as lessor), license or otherwise dispose of (including through “spin-off”), or exchange or swap any
properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries having a value in excess of $5,000,000 individually or $20,000,000
in the aggregate, except sales or other dispositions of (1) inventory in the ordinary course of business, (2) excess or obsolete
properties or assets, or (3) pursuant to Contracts in force on the date of this Agreement and set forth on
Section 5.1(a)(vi)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule (as such Contracts are in effect on the date of this Agreement), correct and complete copies
of which Contracts have been provided to Parent prior to the date hereof, (4) properties or assets by the Company or any of its
wholly owned Subsidiaries to the Company or any other wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company or (5) pursuant to Energy Marketing
and Trading Transactions permitted by the EMT Provisions or (B) without limiting
Section 5.1(a)(xxiii)
, pledge, mortgage,
encumber or otherwise subject to any Lien (other than a Permitted Lien) any properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(vii) (A) amend
the Capital Expenditure Plan in any material respect or (B) make, commit to or authorize capital expenditures (1) for
any purpose other than substantially as contemplated in the Capital Expenditure Plan (as in effect on the date of this Agreement)
or (2) in aggregate amounts in excess of 120% of the amount budgeted in the Capital Expenditure Plan;
(viii) make
any acquisition (including by merger) of (A) the capital stock or a material portion of the assets of any other Person or (B) any
other properties or assets of any other Person (other than the Company or any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries) for consideration
in excess of $25,000,000 in the aggregate (other than with respect to Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions permitted by the
EMT Provisions), except for (x) acquisition of supplies, parts, fuel, materials and other inventory in the ordinary course of business,
(y) capital expenditures made in accordance with
Section 5.1(a)(vii
) or (z) pursuant to Contracts in force on the date of
this Agreement and set forth on
Section 5.1(a)(viii)
of
the Company Disclosure Schedule (as such Contracts are in effect on the date of this Agreement), correct and complete copies of
which Contracts have been provided to Parent prior to the date hereof;
(ix) except
as required pursuant to applicable Law or any applicable collective bargaining agreement or Company Plan in effect as of the date
hereof and set forth on
Section 3.12
or
Section 3.10(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, respectively, (1) increase
or commit to increase the compensation, wages, incentive compensation or benefits of any of its directors, employees or independent
contractors (provided that payments of bonuses in the ordinary course in accordance with the terms of
Section 5.1(a)(ix)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall not constitute an increase in compensation), (2) establish, adopt, enter into, terminate,
extend, renew, materially amend or take any action to accelerate the vesting, funding or payment of any compensation or benefits
under, any Company Plan (or any plan or agreement that would constitute a Company Plan if in effect as of the date hereof), (3)
grant, pay or increase any severance, change in control, retention, bonus, termination or similar compensation or benefits payable
to any of its directors, employees or independent contractors, (4) terminate (other than termination for cause) the employment
of any employee employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries having an annualized base salary in excess of $200,000, (5)
hire any employee to be employed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries having an annualized base salary in excess of $200,000,
other than to replace a departing employee, (6) fund, or agree to provide any funding for, any compensation or benefits, including
any “rabbi” or similar trust or other funding agreement or (7) effect any facility closings or employee layoffs that
would implicate the WARN Act;
(x) enter
into, amend or terminate any collective bargaining agreement or similar labor agreement or any other Contract with any labor union,
works council or other labor organization;
(xi) adopt
or amend in any material respect the Company Stock Plan or any other equity compensation plan;
(xii) (A)
make any changes to working capital policies or manage working capital, payables or receivables, other than in the ordinary course
of business, including with respect to revenue recognition, the timing of payment of accounts payable and the timing of collection
of accounts receivable and the maintenance of inventory, or (B) make any change to its methods of accounting in effect at December
31, 2015, except, in each case, as required by GAAP (or any interpretation thereof), including pursuant to standards, guidelines
and interpretations of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or any similar organization, Regulation S-X of the Exchange Act,
as required by a Governmental Authority or quasi-Governmental Authority (including the Financial Accounting Standards Board or
any similar organization) or as required by applicable Law;
(xiii) (A)
amend the Company Charter Documents or (B) amend in any material respect the organizational documents of any of its Subsidiaries;
(xiv) adopt
a plan or agreement of complete or partial liquidation or dissolution, merger, consolidation or other reorganization, other than
any liquidations or dissolutions, mergers, consolidations or other reorganizations solely among the Company and its wholly owned
Subsidiaries or solely among its wholly owned Subsidiaries;
(xv) except
as required by Law, make or change any material Tax election, change any material method of Tax accounting, amend any material
Tax Return, settle or compromise or abandon any material Tax liability or refund;
(xvi) (A)
except as in the ordinary course of business or with respect to Energy Marketing and Trading Contracts as permitted in accordance
with the EMT Provisions, enter into, including pursuant to an amendment or supplement (other than any Contract that is otherwise
expressly permitted to be entered into pursuant to any other subsection of this
Section 5.1(a)
), renew, extend, terminate,
modify or amend in any material and adverse respect, or waive, release, assign or otherwise forego any material right or claim
under, any Company Material Contract or any Contract that, if existing on the date hereof, would have been a Company Material Contract;
or (B) amend, supplement or otherwise modify any Contract that is not otherwise a Company Material Contract to contain a Restrictive
Provision;
(xvii) subject
to and without limiting
Section 5.9
and other than with respect to Taxes, which is governed by
Section 5.1(a)(xv)
,
waive, release, discharge, pay, compromise, settle or agree to settle any Proceeding, or agree to the entry of any Order (A) requiring
payment of any amounts in excess of $1,000,000 individually or $10,000,000 in the aggregate, that are not covered and paid by third-party
insurance or by a third-party indemnity or (B) that would impose any material non-monetary obligations on the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(xviii) enter
into any new line of business;
(xix) fail
to maintain with financially responsible insurance companies (or through self-insurance consistent with past practice), insurance
(including outage insurance) with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries in such amounts and against such risks and losses
as are in all material respects customary for companies engaged in the power generation industry;
(xx) other
than clerical or administrative modifications or otherwise in a manner that is more restrictive to the Company and its Subsidiaries,
amend, supplement or otherwise modify the Risk Management Policy;
(xxi) terminate
or suspend, or permit or grant any exception in respect of, the Risk Management Policy, except to the extent that the Company and
its Subsidiaries shall at any time cease to comply with the risk limits established in the Risk Management Policy following the
occurrence of a Market Dislocation Event, exceptions permitted or granted by the Company’s Risk Management Committee on a
temporary basis (subject to notice to Parent) to permit the restoration of compliance with the Risk Management Policy as soon as
reasonably practicable in an economically prudent manner
following the occurrence of such
non-compliance and solely for the purposes of, and to the extent necessary to, reduce risk and restore compliance with the risk
limits set forth in the Risk Management Policy (it being understood that the Company or its applicable Subsidiaries shall take
no action to increase the risk in respect of any Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction that has triggered (either alone or with
other Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions) the need for such temporary exemption and during the period of any such temporary
exemption, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be permitted to enter into any new Energy Marketing and Trading
Transaction that would otherwise require such temporary exemption other than primarily for the purposes of restoring compliance
with the risk limits set forth in the Risk Management Policy);
(xxii) adopt
any shareholder rights plan, except (other than with respect to a plan applicable to the Transactions or Parent Related Parties)
if the failure to take such action would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties
under applicable Law;
(xxiii) enter
into or assume any Energy Marketing and Trading Contract, or otherwise engage in any Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction,
in each case other than (A) in compliance with the Risk Management Policy, (B) to the extent any such Energy Marketing and
Trading Contract or Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction, as applicable, entered into after the date of this Agreement does
not contain a Restrictive Provision and is not a Specified Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction, (C) to the extent that
the obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of any such Energy Marketing and Trading Contract or Energy
Marketing and Trading Transaction entered into after the date of this Agreement are secured, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall
have used commercially reasonable efforts to (1) enter into such Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions pursuant to Energy Marketing
and Trading Contracts for which EMT Confirmations shall have been obtained or shall not be required to permit or facilitate the
Transactions and (2) secure such obligations pursuant to the Secured Trading Facility and (D) to the extent that such Energy Marketing
and Trading Transaction is for the sale of natural gas at retail, any associated Hedging Trading or associated natural gas transportation
arrangements, in each case in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(xxiv) terminate,
assign or novate any Energy Marketing and Trading Contract or Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction other than (A) in the ordinary
course of business with respect to Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions involving the sale of electricity or natural gas at
retail and (B) to the extent resulting in a reduction in the percentage (but not below 100%) of the Forecasted Delta Generation
that is hedged for the peak or off-peak periods, as applicable, in any month in respect of the Talen Energy Facilities on an aggregate
monthly basis in a particular regional transmission organization, independent system operator or balancing authority area;
(xxv) renew,
extend, or modify or amend in any material respect, or waive, release or otherwise forego any material right or claim under, any
Energy Marketing and Trading Contract or in respect of any Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction, other than (A) in compliance
with the Risk Management Policy and (B)
solely to the extent that such
amendment, renewal, extension, modification, waiver, release or other action would not (1) create a Restrictive Provision or (2)
result in such transaction becoming a Specified Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction (if measured from the date of such amendment,
renewal, extension, modification, waiver, release or other action);
(xxvi) materially
defer the commencement of any planned maintenance or scheduled outage for Susquehanna;
(xxvii) make
any material changes to the fuel supply practices at Susquehanna;
(xxviii) terminate,
amend or otherwise modify, or grant any consent or waiver under or in respect of, the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment, the EMT
Confirmations or any Enhancement Documents; or
(xxix) agree
to take any of the foregoing actions.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 5.1(a)
, the Company may, and may cause its Subsidiaries to, take commercially reasonable actions that would otherwise
be prohibited pursuant to
Section 5.1(a)(vi)(A)
,
Section 5.1(a)(vii)
,
Section 5.1(a)(viii)(B)
,
Section
5.1(a)(xxvi)
or
Section 5.1(a)(xxvii)
(and, to the extent related to the foregoing clauses,
Section 5.1(a)(xvi)
and
Section 5.1(a)(xxix
)) in order to prevent the occurrence of or mitigate the existence of an emergency situation involving
endangerment of life, human health, safety or the environment or the protection of equipment or other assets;
provided
,
however
, that the Company shall provide Parent with notice of such emergency situation and any such action taken by the
Company or its Subsidiaries as soon as reasonably practicable.
(c) During
the period from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, no party hereto shall, and no party hereto shall permit its
Subsidiaries to, take any action that would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede, interfere with, hinder or delay
the consummation by such party or any of its Subsidiaries of the Transactions (it being agreed that Parent’s and Merger Sub’s
obligation to consummate the Debt Financing is expressly governed by
Section 5.14
and not limited, expanded or qualified
by this
Section 5.1(c)
).
(d) During
the period from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to) use
reasonable best efforts to conduct its retail natural gas and electricity businesses in a manner consistent with past practice,
including by entering into Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions reasonably expected to cover the risks associated with retail
sales of natural gas and electricity by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Section 5.2
Preparation
of the Proxy Statement; Schedule 13E-3; Stockholders Meeting
.
(a) Promptly
following the date of this Agreement, (i) the Company shall prepare the Proxy Statement, and Parent shall reasonably cooperate
with the Company with the preparation of the foregoing and (ii) the Company and Parent shall, if required, jointly prepare
the Schedule 13E-3. As promptly as practicable
after the date of this Agreement (or such earlier date as the Company determines in its sole discretion), subject to the receipt
from Parent and Merger Sub of the information described in this
Section 5.2(a)
, the Company shall file the Proxy Statement
with the SEC, and, if required, the Company and Parent shall jointly file the Schedule 13E-3 with the SEC. The Company, with Parent’s
cooperation, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to and use reasonable best
efforts to resolve all comments received from the SEC or its staff concerning the Proxy Statement as promptly as reasonably practicable
and shall respond (with the cooperation of, and after consultation with, each other as provided by this
Section 5.2
) as
promptly as reasonably practicable to and use reasonable best efforts to resolve all comments received from the SEC or its staff
concerning the Schedule 13E-3 as promptly as reasonably practicable. Each of the Company and Parent shall promptly provide the
other with copies of all correspondence between such party and its Representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC and its staff,
on the other hand, and promptly advise the other of any oral comments received by such party and its Representatives from the SEC
or its staff, in each case, relating to the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3, as applicable. The Company will cause the Proxy
Statement to be mailed to the Company’s stockholders as promptly as reasonably practicable (and in any event within five
(5) Business Days assuming (i) the good faith cooperation of Parent and (ii) that the Company has concluded a “broker search”
in accordance with Rule 14a-13 of the Exchange Act,
provided
that the Company will use it reasonable best efforts to conclude
such broker search as soon as reasonably practicable following the filing of the Proxy Statement with the SEC;
provided
,
further
, that the Company shall be permitted to delay mailing to the extent necessary to supplement or amend disclosure
in the Proxy Statement to reflect new facts or events if the Company has determined in good faith (after consultation with outside
legal counsel) that such amended or supplemented disclosure is necessary under applicable Law) after the SEC confirms that it has
no further comments on the Proxy Statement; but in no event earlier than the No-Shop Period Start Date. No filing of, or amendment
or supplement to, or correspondence with the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3 will be made by the
Company or Parent, as applicable, without providing the Company or Parent, as applicable, a reasonable opportunity to review and
comment thereon, which comments to the Company or Parent, as applicable, shall consider and implement in good faith;
provided
,
however
, that the foregoing shall not apply with respect to a Superior Proposal, a Company Adverse Recommendation Change or
any related disclosures covering such matters. Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company shall cooperate and consult with each
other in connection with the preparation and filing of the Proxy Statement and the Schedule 13E-3, as applicable, including promptly
furnishing to each other in writing upon request any and all information relating to a party or its Affiliates as may be required
to be set forth in the Proxy Statement or the Schedule 13E-3, as applicable, under applicable Law. If, at any time prior to the
Effective Time, any information relating to a party hereto or its Affiliates, officers or directors, should be discovered by such
party which should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement or Schedule 13E-3 so that the Proxy Statement
or Schedule 13E-3, as applicable, would not include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, such party shall promptly
notify the other parties hereto so that an appropriate amendment or supplement may be filed with the SEC describing such information
and, to the extent required by Law, disseminated to the stockholders of the Company.
(b) The
Company shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the SEC confirms that it has no further comments on the Proxy Statement,
in accordance with applicable Law, the Company Charter Documents and NYSE rules, duly give notice of, convene and hold a meeting
of its stockholders to consider and vote upon the adoption of the Merger Agreement for the purpose of obtaining the Company Stockholder
Approvals (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “
Company Stockholders Meeting
”), which Company
Stockholders Meeting shall be held on a date mutually agreed upon by the Company and Parent that is as promptly as reasonably practicable
after the SEC confirms that it has no further comments on the Proxy Statement, but in no event earlier than the Cut-Off Time;
provided
,
however
, that the Company shall be permitted to delay, adjourn or postpone convening the Company Stockholders Meeting (i) with
the prior written consent of Parent, (ii) for the absence of a quorum, (iii) to allow reasonable additional time for any supplemental
or amended disclosure which the Company has determined in good faith (after consultation with outside legal counsel) is necessary
under applicable Law and for such supplemental or amended disclosure to be disseminated and reviewed by the Company’s stockholders
prior to the Company Stockholders Meeting but only for such amount of time as the Company has determined in good faith (after consultation
with outside legal counsel) is necessary under applicable Law or (iv) for up to ten (10) Business Days to allow additional time
to solicit additional proxies if necessary to obtain the Company Stockholder Approvals;
provided
,
further
, that the
Company shall, if requested by Parent, delay, adjourn or postpone convening the Company Stockholders Meeting (x) for the absence
of quorum or (y) for up to ten (10) Business Days to allow additional time to solicit additional proxies if necessary in order
to obtain the Company Stockholder Approvals. The Company agrees that no matters shall be brought before the Company Stockholders
Meeting other than the adoption of this Agreement, the related “golden parachute” vote under Rule 14a-21(c) of the
Exchange Act and any related and customary procedural matters (including a proposal to adjourn the meeting to solicit additional
votes).
(c) The
Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) shall, subject to the right of the Company Board to make a Company Adverse
Recommendation Change pursuant to
Section 5.3
, (i) recommend to its stockholders that the stockholders of the Company vote
in favor of adoption of this Agreement and that the Company Stockholder Approvals be given (the “
Company Board Recommendation
”)
and (ii) subject to
Section 5.3
, use reasonable best efforts to obtain the Company Stockholder Approvals, including to solicit
from its stockholders proxies in favor of the adoption of this Agreement. Subject to
Section 5.3
, the Company shall include
the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement. The Company shall keep Parent informed on a reasonably current basis regarding
its solicitation efforts and proxy tallies following the mailing of the Proxy Statement.
Section 5.3
Solicitation;
Change in Recommendation
.
(a) During
the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and continuing until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time) on July 12, 2016 (the “
Go-Shop
Period
”), the Company, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers, employees, and other Representatives shall have the right
to: (i) solicit, initiate, encourage or facilitate any Alternative Proposal or the making thereof, including by way of furnishing
non-public information and other access to any Person pursuant to (but only pursuant to) an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement;
provided
that the Company shall provide Parent, substantially concurrently with providing it to any such other Person, any
material non-public information with respect
to the Company or its Subsidiaries furnished to such other Person which was not previously furnished to Parent, except to the extent
providing Parent with such information would violate any federal, state, provincial, municipal, county, local or foreign Law to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject and (ii) enter into, or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations
with any Persons or groups of Persons regarding any Alternative Proposal.
(b) Except
as expressly permitted by this
Section 5.3
(including the final sentence of
Section 5.3(b)
and
Section 5.3(c)
),
the Company agrees that it shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and their directors, officers, employees and other Representatives
to, at 12:01 a.m. (Eastern time) on July 13, 2016 (“
No-Shop Period Start Date
”) immediately cease all existing
discussions or negotiations with any Person with respect to any Alternative Proposal and request that all confidential information
previously furnished to any such Person be returned or destroyed promptly and shut down any physical or electronic “data
room” or analogous access to information. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, from the No-Shop Period
Start Date until the earlier of the Effective Time and the date, if any, on which this Agreement is validly terminated pursuant
to
Section 7.1
, the Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and their directors, officers, employees and other
Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, propose, knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate (including
by way of furnishing non-public information) any Alternative Proposal or any proposal, offer, inquiry or request for information
or request for negotiations or discussions that would reasonably be expected to lead to any Alternative Proposal or inquiries regarding
or the making, disclosure, submission or consummation of any Alternative Proposal, (ii) engage in, knowingly facilitate, knowingly
encourage or otherwise participate in any discussions (except solely to notify such Person of the existence of the provisions of
this
Section 5.3
without any other or further discussions) or negotiations regarding, or furnish to any Person any non-public
information in connection with, any Alternative Proposal or any proposal, offer, inquiry or request for information or request
for negotiations or discussions that would reasonably be expected to lead to any Alternative Proposal, (iii) approve, authorize,
endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into or recommend, or publicly propose to approve, authorize, endorse, declare advisable,
adopt, enter into or recommend any Alternative Proposal or Company Acquisition Agreement, (iv) adopt resolutions or otherwise take
any action to make the provisions of any Anti-Takeover Statute inapplicable to any Alternative Proposal, or (v) resolve, agree
or propose to do any of the foregoing. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, from the date of this Agreement
until the earlier of the Effective Time and the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with
Article VII
, the
Company shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and their directors, officers, employees and other Representatives not to,
directly or indirectly, (x) terminate, amend, release, modify or fail to enforce any provision (including any standstill or similar
provision) of, or grant any permission, waiver or request under, any confidentiality, standstill or similar agreement, except solely
to permit a Person to submit an Alternative Proposal to the extent failure to take such action would reasonably be expected to
be inconsistent with the Company Board’s fiduciary duties under applicable Law, or (y) grant any waiver, amendment or release
under any Anti-Takeover Statutes or (z) resolve, agree or propose to do any of the foregoing.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if at any time following the No-Shop Period Start Date and prior to obtaining
the Company
Stockholder Approvals, the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective Representatives receives an Alternative Proposal in writing, which Alternative
Proposal did not result from any material breach of this
Section 5.3
, the Company, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers,
employees and other Representatives shall have the right to engage in negotiations and discussions with, or furnish any information
and other access to, any Person making such Alternative Proposal and any of its Representatives or potential sources of financing
if the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s
outside legal and financial advisors, that such Alternative Proposal is or would reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal;
provided
that (x) prior to engaging in any such negotiations or discussions or furnishing any non-public information or
access to any such Person, the Company enters into an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement with the Person making such Alternative
Proposal and (y) the Company also provides Parent, substantially concurrently with providing it to any such other Person, any material
non-public information or access with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries furnished to such other Person which was not
previously furnished to Parent, except to the extent providing Parent with such information would violate any federal, state, provincial,
municipal, county, local or foreign Law to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject. Notwithstanding the occurrence
of the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives may continue to engage
in the activities described in
Section 5.3(a)
with respect to any Excluded Party, including with respect to any amended
proposal submitted by any Excluded Party, so long as such Person continues to be an Excluded Party, following the No-Shop Period
Start Date until the earlier of 12:01 a.m. (Eastern time) on August 1, 2016 (the “
Cut-Off Time
”) and the time
that such Excluded Party ceases to be an Excluded Party;
provided
that the Company, its Subsidiaries and their directors,
officers, employees and other Representatives comply in all material respects with the requirements of this
Section 5.3
,
including the information requirements of
Section 5.3(a)
. Following the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company shall, and
shall cause its Subsidiaries and their directors, officers, employees and other Representatives to, keep Parent informed on a reasonably
current basis (and in any event within 36 hours or, if any 12 consecutive hours of such period fall on a Saturday or Sunday, within
48 hours) of the existence, status and terms and conditions of any Alternative Proposal or any proposal, offer, inquiry or request
for information or request for negotiations or discussions that would reasonably be expected to lead to any Alternative Proposal,
including the price and form of consideration and all material terms and conditions thereof (and the identity of the Person making
any such Alternative Proposal or other proposal, offer, inquiry or request) and any material developments, discussions or negotiations
in connection therewith, and any material modifications to the terms or conditions thereof (including any modification to the economic
terms thereof). With respect to any Alternative Proposal (or such other proposal, offer, inquiry or request) received in writing,
the Company shall promptly notify Parent in writing of the identity of the Person from which the Company has received such written
Alternative Proposal (or such written proposal, offer, inquiry or request, as applicable) and promptly (and in any event within
36 hours or, if any 12 consecutive hours of such period fall on a Saturday or Sunday, within 48 hours) provide Parent with a copy
of such written Alternative Proposal (or such written proposal, offer, inquiry or request, as applicable). For the avoidance of
doubt, any breach of this
Section 5.3
by the Company’s Subsidiaries or by any directors, officers or other Representatives
of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be a breach of this
Section 5.3
by the Company.
(d) Except
as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, neither the Company Board nor any committee thereof shall (i) fail to include
the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement, (ii) withdraw, qualify or withhold, amend or modify or publicly propose
to withdraw or withhold, amend, qualify or modify in a manner adverse to Parent or Merger Sub, the Company Board Recommendation,
(iii) fail to, within ten (10) days following a written request from Parent following any public announcement of an Alternative
Proposal or any material modification thereto, publicly reaffirm the Company Board Recommendation (
provided
that Parent
may not make any such request more than one time in respect of each Alternative Proposal or each material modification thereto),
(iv) fail to recommend against any Alternative Proposal that is a tender or exchange offer subject to Regulation 14D under the
Exchange Act in a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 within ten (10) Business Days after the commencement
(within the meaning of Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act) of such tender or exchange offer, (v) approve, authorize, endorse, declare
advisable, adopt, enter into, recommend, or publicly propose to approve, authorize, endorse, declare advisable, adopt, enter into,
or recommend to the stockholders of the Company, an Alternative Proposal, (vi) approve or enter into, or publicly propose to approve
or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, acquisition agreement, merger agreement,
or other agreement providing for or constituting any Alternative Proposal (other than an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement)
(a “
Company Acquisition Agreement
”), or (vii) resolve, agree or publicly propose to do any of the foregoing
(any action or failure to act described in this
Section 5.3(d)
being referred to herein as a “
Company Adverse Recommendation
Change
”).
(e) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) may, provided none of the
Company, its Subsidiaries or their directors, officers, employees or other Representatives have materially breached this
Section
5.3
, (i) after the date hereof and prior to the time the Company Stockholder Approvals are obtained, make a Company Adverse
Recommendation Change of the type described in clauses (i), (ii) or (vii) (solely with respect to the actions described in clauses
(i) and (ii)) of the definition thereof solely in response to an Intervening Event if the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee
thereof) determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that the failure to take such action would reasonably
be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law and (ii) prior to the time the Company Stockholder
Approvals are obtained, solely with respect to an Alternative Proposal that the Company Board has determined in good faith, after
consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, constitutes a Superior Proposal, make a Company Adverse Recommendation
Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
in order to concurrently enter into a definitive agreement
for a Superior Proposal; in each case,
provided
that, prior to making such a Company Adverse Recommendation Change or so
terminating this Agreement, (A) the Company provides Parent prior written notice of its intent to make any Company Adverse Recommendation
Change or terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
at least four (4) Business Days prior to taking such action,
which notice shall specify the basis for such Company Adverse Recommendation Change or termination, including, in the case of an
Intervening Event, a reasonably detailed description of the facts and circumstances relating to such Intervening Event, and, in
the case of a Superior Proposal, the financial and other material terms of any Superior Proposal and attaches the most current
version of the proposed agreement or other documentation under which such Superior Proposal is proposed to be consummated and
any other material documents in respect
of such Superior Proposal and states the identity of the third party making such Superior Proposal (a “
Notice
”)
(it being understood that such Notice shall not in itself be deemed a Company Adverse Recommendation Change and that any material
change to (x) the facts or circumstances relating to such Intervening Event or (y) the terms of such Superior Proposal (including
any change to the economic terms thereof), as applicable, shall require a new Notice and, in such case, all references to four
(4) Business Days in this
Section 5.3(e)
shall be deemed to be three (3) Business Days (each such four or three Business
Day Period, a “
Notice Period
”)); (B) during such Notice Period, if requested by Parent, the Company shall, and
shall make available and direct its necessary Representatives to, discuss and negotiate in good faith with Parent and Parent’s
Representatives any proposed modifications to the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and (C) following such Notice Period,
(x) in the case of an Intervening Event, the Company Board, after taking into account any modifications to the terms of this Agreement
and the Merger to which Parent and Merger Sub would agree, determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel,
that failure to effect such Company Adverse Recommendation Change would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with its fiduciary
duties under applicable Law or (y) in the case of a Superior Proposal, the Company Board, after taking into account any modifications
to the terms of this Agreement and the Merger to which Parent and Merger Sub would agree, determines in good faith, after consultation
with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, that such Alternative Proposal continues to constitute a Superior Proposal;
provided
that any such purported termination to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal shall not be effective
unless and until the Company pays the Termination Fee in full.
(f) Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall prohibit the Company or the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) from (i) taking
and disclosing to the stockholders of the Company a position contemplated by Rule 14e-2(a) under the Exchange Act or making a statement
contemplated by Item 1012(a) of Regulation M-A or Rule 14d-9 under the Exchange Act, (ii) making any disclosure to the stockholders
of the Company if the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) determines in good faith, after consultation with
its outside legal counsel, that the failure to make such disclosure would reasonably be expected to be inconsistent with applicable
Law, (iii) in response to an inquiry, responding to inform any Person of the existence of the provisions contained in this
Section
5.3
or (iv) making any “stop, look and listen” statement pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act. No disclosures
under this
Section 5.3(f)
shall be, in themselves, a breach of this
Section 5.3
;
provided
,
however
,
that nothing in this
Section 5.3(f)
shall be deemed to modify or supplement the definition of (or the requirements pursuant
to this
Section 5.3
with respect to a) “Company Adverse Recommendation Change”, and any public disclosure (other
than any “stop, look and listen” statement pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) under the Exchange Act) by the Company or the
Company Board or any committee thereof relating to any determination, position or other action by the Company Board or any committee
thereof with respect to any Intervening Event or Alternative Proposal shall be deemed to be a Company Adverse Recommendation Change
unless the Company Board expressly publicly reaffirms the Company Board Recommendation in such disclosure.
(g) No
later than one (1) Business Day after the No-Shop Period Start Date, the Company shall notify Parent in writing of the identity
of each Person from whom the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives received a written
Alternative Proposal (and each Person who
entered into an Acceptable Confidentiality Agreement in accordance with
Section 5.3(a)
) after the execution of this Agreement
and prior to the No-Shop Period Start Date, and provide to Parent (i) a copy of any Alternative Proposal made in writing and any
other written terms or proposals provided (including financing commitments) to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to their
officers, directors, employees or other Representatives and (ii) a written summary of the material terms of any Alternative Proposal
not made in writing (including any terms proposed orally or supplementally). Within two (2) Business Days after the No-Shop Period
Start Date, the Company shall notify Parent in writing of each Person that the Company considers to be an Excluded Party as of
the No-Shop Period Start Date. The Company agrees that it shall not, and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to, enter into any confidentiality
or other agreement subsequent to the date hereof which prohibits the Company from complying with this
Section 5.3(g)
.
(h) As
used in this Agreement, “
Alternative Proposal
” shall mean any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other
than Parent, Merger Sub and any Affiliates thereof) to purchase or otherwise acquire, in a single transaction or series of related
transactions, (i) assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including securities of Subsidiaries), whether by asset acquisition,
joint venture or otherwise, that account for 20% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets or from which 20% or more of
the Company’s revenues or earnings on a consolidated basis are derived, (ii) 20% or more of the outstanding Company Common
Stock (or 20% or more of the voting power in respect thereof) or the capital stock or voting power of the surviving entity or the
resulting direct or indirect parent of the Company or such surviving entity (including if such ownership is through the equityholders
of any such parent) pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolutions,
binding share exchange purchase or sale of shares of capital stock, tender offer, exchange offer or similar transaction or (iii)
any combination of the foregoing.
(i) As
used in this Agreement, “
Superior Proposal
” shall mean any
bona fide
written Alternative Proposal that
did not result from any material breach of this
Section 5.3
, on terms which the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee
thereof) determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and financial advisors, to be more favorable to
the Unaffiliated Stockholders than the Transactions from a financial perspective, taking into account, to the extent applicable,
the legal, financial, regulatory, timing and other aspects of such proposal and this Agreement that the Company Board considers
relevant, and to be reasonably likely to be completed on the terms proposed;
provided
that for purposes of the definition
of Superior Proposal, the references to “20%” in the definition of Alternative Proposal shall be deemed to be references
to “50%”.
(j) As
used in this Agreement, “
Intervening Event
” shall mean a material event, change, effect, development, condition
or occurrence that affects or would be reasonably likely to affect the business, financial condition or continuing results of operations
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that (i) is not known and is not reasonably foreseeable by the Company Board
as of the date of this Agreement, (ii) does not relate to a Superior Proposal or an Alternative Proposal and (iii) did not result
from any breach of this Agreement by the Company or its Subsidiaries or its or their directors, officers, employees or other Representatives.
(k) As
used in this Agreement, “
Excluded Party
” means any Person or group of Persons or group that includes any Person
or group of Persons from whom the Company has received during the Go-Shop Period a
bona fide
written Alternative Proposal
(provided that for purposes of the definition of “Excluded Party”, the references to “20%” in the definition
of “Alternative Proposal” shall be deemed to be references to “50%”) that the Company Board (or a duly
authorized committee thereof) determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal and financial advisors, prior to
the No-Shop Period Start Date, is, or would reasonably be expected to lead to, a Superior Proposal;
provided
that any such
Person or group of Persons shall cease to be an Excluded Party upon the earliest to occur of the following: (i) the ultimate equityholder(s)
of such Person and the other Persons who were members of such group, if any, as of immediately prior to the No-Shop Period Start
Date cease to constitute in the aggregate at least 50% of the equity financing (measured by each of voting power and value) of
such Person or group at any time from and after the No-Shop Period Start Date; (ii) if at any time prior to the Cut-Off Time, such
Person’s Alternative Proposal is withdrawn, terminated or expires; and (iii) the Cut-Off Time.
Section 5.4
Reasonable
Best Efforts
.
(a) Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and applicable Laws, each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall (and shall
cause their respective Subsidiaries and, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) of this
Section 5.4(a)
, Affiliates that are
required by applicable Law to be a party to such Regulatory Approval filings or furnish information in connection therewith, to)
use its respective reasonable best efforts to, and cooperate with the other parties to, to the extent applicable to such Person,
cause the Transactions to be consummated as soon as practicable, including using their reasonable best efforts to (i) make promptly
all required submissions and filings with Governmental Authorities of competent jurisdiction with respect to the Transactions as
are required to obtain the Regulatory Approvals, (ii) promptly furnish such information as may be required in connection with such
submissions and filings with such Governmental Authorities, including such confidential and proprietary information as required
to obtain the Regulatory Approvals;
provided
that reasonable measures are taken to protect the confidentiality of any confidential
information;
provided
further that privileged information shall be provided only if the parties shall have entered into
an agreement or arrangement as contemplated by
Section 5.4(c)
, (iii) obtain the Regulatory Approvals as soon as practicable;
and (iv) defend any litigation or other administrative or judicial action or proceeding challenging the consummation of any
of the Transactions, including to contest and resist and to have vacated, lifted, reversed or overturned any Order, whether temporary,
preliminary or permanent, that is in effect and that prohibits, prevents or restricts the consummation of the Transactions;
provided
,
however
, that, subject to
Section 5.4(d)
, no party shall be required to pay (and, without the prior written consent
of Parent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), none of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall
pay or agree to pay) any fee, penalty or other consideration to any third party (other than any filing fees paid or payable to
any Governmental Authority) for any consent or approval required for the consummation of the Transactions. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in this Agreement, all obligations of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub with respect to the Financing
or any other financing for the Transactions shall be governed by
Section 5.1
and
Section 5.14
, and not this
Section
5.4
. The parties shall jointly coordinate the overall development of the positions and strategies taken, information presented
and regulatory
action requested in any application, notification,
filing, submission, meeting or other communication with a Governmental Authority pursuant to this
Section 5.4
in connection
with the Regulatory Approvals;
provided
that, without limiting Parent’s obligations pursuant to this
Section 5.4
,
the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not, without Parent’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed), make any material filing or submission with a Governmental Authority pursuant to this
Section 5.4
in connection with any non-action, action, clearance, consent, approval or waiver from any Governmental Authority in connection
with the Transactions.
(b) In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing: each of the Company and Parent agrees (and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries
and, with respect to clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) of this
Section 5.4(b)
, Affiliates that are required by applicable Law to
be a party to such Regulatory Approval filings or supply information or documentary material in connection therewith) to (i) file
with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission its Notification and Report Form pursuant to the HSR Act with respect
to the Transactions as soon as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date hereof (unless the parties
otherwise agree in writing to a different date); (ii) file, no later than thirty (30) Business Days after the date of this
Agreement (or such other period as may be agreed in writing by the parties), (A) with NRC an application seeking the NRC Approval,
(B) with FERC such filings as are required to be made with respect to the FERC Approval, and (C) such filings and notices
required to be made in connection with the NYPSC Approval; (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken,
all other actions consistent with this
Section 5.4
necessary to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting
periods under the HSR Act and obtain the Regulatory Approvals; and (iv) to supply as soon as practical any additional information
and documentary material that may be required under applicable Law or reasonably requested by any Governmental Authority in connection
with any application, notice or filing made by the parties, in each case in respect of the Regulatory Approvals;
provided
that reasonable measures are taken to protect the confidentiality of any confidential information;
provided
further that
privileged information shall be provided only if the parties shall have entered into an agreement or arrangement as contemplated
by
Section 5.4(c)
. Parent shall pay all filing fees payable in connection with the filing under the HSR Act, irrespective
of whether the Transactions are consummated.
(c) The
Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall (and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries and, with respect to clauses (i), (ii). (iii)
and (iv) of this
Section 5.4(c)
, applicable Affiliates that are required by applicable Law to be a party to the applicable
Regulatory Approval filings), subject to any restrictions under applicable Laws, (i) furnish to the other parties hereto such
necessary information and assistance as the others may reasonably request in connection with the preparation of any registrations,
applications, filings, notifications, communications or submissions in connection with the Regulatory Approvals; (ii) promptly
notify the other parties hereto of, and, if in writing, furnish the others with copies of (or, in the case of oral communications,
advise the others of the contents of) any communication received by such Person or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates from a Governmental
Authority or any other third party whose consent or approval is or may be required in connection with the Transactions (or who
alleges as much) in connection with the Transactions and permit the other parties to review and discuss in advance (and to consider
in good faith any comments made by the other parties in relation to) any proposed applications, notifications, filing, submission
or other written
communication (and any analyses, memoranda,
white papers, presentations, correspondence or other documents submitted therewith) made in connection with the Transactions to
a Governmental Authority or any such other third party, it being understood that no submissions of any of the foregoing shall be
made to the NRC without Parent’s prior approval (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); (iii) keep
the other parties reasonably informed with respect to the status of any such submissions and filings to any Governmental Authorities
in connection with the Regulatory Approvals or the Transactions and any developments, meetings or discussions with any Governmental
Authority in respect thereof, including with respect to (A) the receipt of any non-action, action, clearance, consent, approval
or waiver, (B) the expiration of any waiting period, (C) the commencement or proposed or threatened commencement of any
investigation, litigation or administrative or judicial action or proceeding under applicable Laws and (D) the nature and
status of any objections raised or proposed or threatened to be raised by a Governmental Authority or any other third party with
respect to the Transactions; and (iv) not independently participate in any meeting, hearing, proceeding or discussions (whether
in person, by telephone or otherwise) with or before a Governmental Authority (including any member of any Governmental Authority’s
staff) in respect of the Transactions (including any Regulatory Approvals, any related filing, investigation or inquiry in connection
with the Transactions and any actions referred to in this
Section 5.4
) without giving the other parties reasonable prior
notice of such meeting or discussions and, unless prohibited by such Governmental Authority, the opportunity to attend or participate.
However, each of Parent and the Company may designate any non-public information provided to any Governmental Authority as restricted
to “Outside Counsel” only and any such information shall not be shared with employees, officers or directors or their
equivalents of the other party without approval of the party providing the non-public information. The parties shall take reasonable
efforts to share information protected from disclosure under the attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine, joint defense
privilege or any other privilege pursuant to this
Section 5.4
in a manner so as to preserve any applicable privilege. No
party hereto shall, without the other party’s prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned
or delayed), commit to any extension of any waiting period under any applicable Antitrust Law or with respect to any Regulatory
Approval or any agreement not to consummate the Transactions.
(d) In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub agree to, and shall cause their
respective Subsidiaries, to the extent applicable to such Person, to take promptly any and all steps necessary to obtain all Regulatory
Approvals so as to enable the parties to close the Transactions as soon as reasonably practicable (taking into account the other
conditions to Closing set forth in
Article VI
, and in any event no later than the End Date), including by proposing, negotiating,
committing to and effecting, by consent decree, hold separate orders, trust, or otherwise, (i) the sale, license, holding
separate or other disposition of assets or businesses of the Company or the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries,
(ii) terminating, relinquishing, modifying, or waiving existing relationships, ventures, contractual rights, obligations or
other arrangements of the Company or the Surviving Corporation or their respective Subsidiaries, (iii) creating any relationships,
ventures, contractual rights, obligations or other arrangements of the Company or the Surviving Corporation or their respective
Subsidiaries and (iv) in the event that a Governmental Authority, with respect to any Regulatory Approval, determines that, as
a condition to obtaining such Regulatory Approval, additional assets or standby guarantees or similar financial commitments are
required to establish the financial qualifications of the Company, the Surviving Corporation
or their respective Subsidiaries, committing
or causing, in each case, the Company or the Surviving Corporation or their respective Subsidiaries to provide and maintain, as
applicable, any additional assets, guarantee or other commitment, in each case, from the Company or the Surviving Corporation or
their respective Subsidiaries, in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv), if such action should be reasonably
necessary to (x) avoid, prevent or eliminate the actual or threatened commencement of any litigation or other administrative or
judicial action or Proceeding by a Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction challenging the Transactions or the issuance
of any Order, whether temporary, preliminary or permanent, that prohibits, prevents or restricts (or would reasonably be expected
to prohibit, prevent or restrict) the consummation of the Transactions or (y) obtain the Regulatory Approvals (in the case of each
of the foregoing clauses (i) through (iv) and subject to clauses (x) and (y), a “
Required Action
”);
provided
,
however
, that (1) Parent and Merger Sub shall not be required to (and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not, without
Parent’s prior written consent, in its sole discretion), in connection with obtaining any Regulatory Approval or any other
clearance, consent, approval, authorization or waiver of any Governmental Authority in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions,
offer or accept, or agree, commit to agree or consent to, any undertaking, term, condition, liability, obligation, commitment or
sanction or any other act or thing (including any Required Action), in each case, in respect of or affecting the Company, the Surviving
Corporation or their respective Subsidiaries that constitutes a Burdensome Condition; (2) Parent shall have the right, on
behalf of the Company, the Surviving Corporation and their respective Subsidiaries, to consent or agree to (and to direct the Company
and its Subsidiaries to consent or agree to) any agreement, commitment, condition, settlement or Order (and any modification of
any of the foregoing) with any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions, so long as such agreement, commitment,
condition, settlement or Order is expressly conditioned on the Closing occurring; (3) none of the Company and its Subsidiaries
shall become subject to, or be required to consent or agree to any agreement, commitment or condition (including any Required Action)
in connection with the consummation of the Transactions to which the Company or the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective
Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries or the assets
thereof are or will be bound the effectiveness of which is not expressly conditioned upon the Closing occurring; (4) without
limiting Parent’s obligations pursuant to this
Section 5.4
, in the event that alternative Required Actions, agreements,
commitments or conditions that are proposed by or acceptable to a Governmental Authority, Parent shall have the right to elect
(after consultation with the Company), in its sole discretion, among such alternatives and to direct the Company and its Subsidiaries
to consent and agree thereto, subject to the provisions of the immediately preceding clause (3); (5) nothing in this Agreement
shall require (and reasonable best efforts shall in no event require) Parent or Merger Sub to accept (and the applicable Regulatory
Approval shall not be considered obtained if it includes) any conditions, restrictions, obligations or requirements, including
any Required Action, imposed upon or applicable to Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Affiliates (other than, conditioned
upon the Closing, the Company or the Surviving Corporation and any of their respective Subsidiaries) or otherwise limiting the
rights or interests of any of the foregoing Persons in the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries in connection with or as a
condition to the consummation of the Transactions; and (6) without limiting Parent’s obligations pursuant to this
Section
5.4
, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not, without Parent’s prior written consent, propose, offer, negotiate or
accept, or agree or consent to, any Required Action.
(e) None
of the Company, Parent nor Merger Sub shall, nor shall they permit their respective Subsidiaries or any Specified Entity to make
any investment, acquisition or joint venture, in each case in power generation, if such investment, acquisition or joint venture,
individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to materially delay or prevent the obtaining of any Regulatory Approval.
Except as set forth expressly in
Section 5.4(a)
,
Section 5.4(b)
,
Section 5.4(c)
and this
Section 5.4(e)
,
nothing in this
Section 5.4
shall require Parent or Merger Sub to cause any Affiliate (other than a Subsidiary of Parent
or Merger Sub, as applicable) to take any action or omit to take any action.
Section 5.5
Public
Announcements
. The initial press release with respect to the execution of this Agreement shall be a joint press
release to be reasonably agreed upon by Parent and the Company. Following such initial press release, Parent and the Company
shall consult with each other before issuing, and give each other the opportunity to review and comment upon, any press release
or other public statements with respect to the Transactions and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public
statement prior to such consultation, except as such party may reasonably conclude may be required by applicable Law, court process
or by obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with any national securities exchange or national securities quotation system
(and then only after as much advance notice and consultation as is feasible);
provided
,
however
, that the restrictions
set forth in this
Section 5.5
shall not apply to any release or public statement made or proposed to be made with respect
to an Alternative Proposal, a Superior Proposal or a Company Adverse Recommendation Change or any action taken pursuant or in response
thereto;
provided
,
further
, that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of any party hereto to make internal announcements
to their respective employees and other stakeholders that are consistent with (and do not contain any substantive or material information
not already included in) the prior public disclosures regarding the Transactions that were made in accordance herewith. Notwithstanding
the foregoing (or anything in the Confidentiality Agreement to the contrary), nothing in this Agreement shall restrict the ability
of Parent or any of its Affiliates from making customary disclosures to current or prospective general or limited partners, equity
holders, members, managers and investors of Parent or its Affiliates in the ordinary course of Parent’s business, in each
case, who are subject to customary confidentiality restrictions.
Section 5.6
Access
to Information; Confidentiality
.
(a) From
the date hereof until the earlier of the Effective Time or the date on which this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its
terms, the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to) afford Parent and its Representatives and Debt Financing Sources
reasonable access during normal business hours to the properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries (but not for the conduct of
any sampling or other similarly invasive analysis of soil, water, air or building materials), facilities, personnel, books, Contracts
and records and the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to) furnish promptly to Parent such information concerning
the Company and its Subsidiaries as Parent may reasonably request (other than any publicly available document filed by it pursuant
to the requirements of federal or state securities Laws);
provided
that (i) Parent and its Representatives shall conduct
any such activities in such a manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the business or operations of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries; (ii) the Company shall have the right to have a designee of the Company accompany Parent and its Representatives
on any visits or inspections of any properties of the
Company and its Subsidiaries; and (iii)
the Company shall not be obligated to provide such access or information if the Company determines, in its reasonable judgment,
after consultation with outside legal counsel, that doing so would reasonably be expected to violate applicable Law (including
Antitrust Laws) or a Contract or obligation of confidentiality owing to a third party (
provided
that the Company has used
commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, at Parent’s sole cost and expense with respect to any reasonable, documented,
out-of-pocket costs and expenses related thereto, the consent of such counterparty to the Contract or such third party to whom
the confidentiality obligation owes) or jeopardize the protection of the attorney-client privilege;
provided
that in each
case described in this clause (iii) the Company shall cooperate with Parent and use its commercially reasonable efforts to develop,
at Parent’s sole cost and expense with respect to any reasonable, documented, out-of-pocket costs and expenses related thereto,
alternative methods of providing such information.
(b) Until
the Effective Time, the parties hereto will be subject to the terms of the confidentiality letter agreement, dated as of February
9, 2016, between Riverstone Investment Group LLC and the Company, which shall remain in full force and effect and survive the termination
of this Agreement (as it may be amended from time to time, the “
Confidentiality Agreement
”). Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the parties agree and acknowledge that the standstill and similar restrictions in the Stockholder
Agreement shall not apply upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement solely to the extent required to permit any action
expressly contemplated hereby and in accordance herewith and solely until any valid termination of this Agreement in accordance
with its terms.
(c) Parent
acknowledges and agrees that it (i) had an opportunity to discuss the business of the Company with the management of the Company,
(ii) has had access to the books and records, facilities, contracts and other assets of the Company which it and its Representatives
have requested to review, (iii) has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from officers of the
Company and (iv) has conducted its own independent investigation of the Company, its businesses and the Transactions.
(d) From
the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Effective Time and the date on which this Agreement is validly terminated pursuant
to
Section 7.1
, the Company shall (and shall cause its Subsidiaries to) deliver to Parent the reports set forth on
Section
5.6(d)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, as and when required by
Section 5.6(d)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
Section 5.7
Takeover
Laws
. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or the Company Board shall take any action that would result in
any Anti-Takeover Statute being or becoming applicable to the Transactions, and if any Anti-Takeover Statute is or becomes applicable
to the Transactions, the Company, its Subsidiaries and the Company Board shall take all actions reasonably necessary to ensure
that such Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise
to eliminate or minimize the effect of such Anti-Takeover Statute on the Transactions.
Section 5.8
Indemnification
and Insurance
.
(a) From
and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, (i) indemnify, defend and hold harmless
each current and former director and officer of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries and each person who served as a director,
officer, member, trustee or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, pension or other employee benefit
plan or enterprise if such service was at the request or for the benefit of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, an “
Indemnitee
”
and, collectively, the “
Indemnitees
”) against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, fines, penalties,
costs (including amounts paid in settlement or compromise) and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel)
in connection with any actual or threatened claim, suit, action, proceeding or investigation (whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative) (each, a “
Claim
”), arising out of or related to such Indemnitees’ service as a director
or officer of the Company or its Subsidiaries or services performed by such persons at the request of the Company or its Subsidiaries
(in each case, when acting in such capacity) at or prior to the Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after
the Effective Time (including any Claim relating in whole or in part to this Agreement or the Transactions), to the fullest extent
permitted under applicable Law and (ii) assume all obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries to the Indemnitees in respect
of limitation of liability, exculpation, indemnification and advancement of expenses to the extent provided in (A) the Company
Charter Documents and the respective organizational documents of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries as in effect on the date
hereof and (B) any indemnification agreements with an Indemnitee or similar rights of an Indemnitee under Company policies, as
in effect on the date hereof, which shall in each case survive in accordance with their terms. Without limiting the foregoing,
for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, and Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation
to, cause the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation to include provisions for limitation of liabilities
of directors and officers, indemnification, advancement of expenses and exculpation of the Indemnitees no less favorable to the
Indemnitees than as set forth in the Company Charter Documents as in effect on the date hereof, which provisions, for a period
of six (6) years from the Effective Time, shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified in a manner that would adversely
affect the rights thereunder of the Indemnitees except as required by applicable Law.
(b) From
and after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to pay and advance to an Indemnitee any expenses (including
reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) in connection with any Claim relating to any acts or omissions covered under this
Section 5.8
or the enforcement of an Indemnitee’s rights under this
Section 5.8
as and when incurred to the
fullest extent permitted under applicable Law;
provided
that the person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking
to repay such expenses (but only to the extent required by applicable Law, the Company Charter Documents, applicable organizational
documents of Subsidiaries of the Company or applicable indemnification agreements or policies).
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this
Section 5.8
or elsewhere in this Agreement, Parent shall not (and Parent shall
cause the Surviving Corporation not to) settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any Claim,
without consent of the applicable Indemnitee, unless such settlement, compromise, consent or
termination includes no admission of guilt
or wrong-doing and includes an unconditional release of such Indemnitee from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation. Nothing in this
Section 5.8(c)
shall relieve Parent or the Surviving Corporation of its obligations
set forth in
Section 5.8
.
(d) For
a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to cause to be maintained in effect
the coverage provided by the policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and fiduciary liability insurance
in effect as of the date hereof maintained by the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to acts or omissions occurring before
the Effective Time either through the Company’s existing insurance provider or another provider reasonably selected by Parent;
provided
that the Surviving Corporation shall not be required to pay an annual premium in excess of 350% of the last annual
premium paid by the Company for such insurance prior to the date hereof;
provided
,
however
, that in lieu of the foregoing
insurance coverage, the Company may, prior to the Effective Time, purchase a six (6)-year prepaid “tail” insurance
policy that provides coverage and substantially equivalent benefits as the coverage described above, in which case no party shall
have any further obligation to purchase or pay for insurance hereunder;
provided
that the Company shall not, in respect
of such prepaid “tail” policy spend in excess of 350% of the last annual premium paid by the Company for its directors’
and officers’ liability insurance coverage prior to the date hereof.
(e) The
provisions of this
Section 5.8
are (i) intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnitee,
his or her heirs and his or her representatives and (ii) in addition to, and not in substitution for or limitation of, any other
rights to indemnification or contribution that any such Person may have by contract or otherwise. The obligations of Parent and
the Surviving Corporation under this
Section 5.8
shall not be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect
the rights of any Indemnitee to whom this
Section 5.8
applies unless (A) such termination or modification is required by
applicable Law or (B) the affected Indemnitee shall have consented in writing to such termination or modification (it being expressly
agreed that the Indemnitees to whom this
Section 5.8
applies shall be third party beneficiaries of this
Section 5.8
).
(f) In
the event that Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges
into any other Person and is not the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers
or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall
be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall assume all of the obligations thereof
set forth in this
Section 5.8
.
Section 5.9
Transaction
Litigation
. The Company shall (a) give Parent the opportunity to participate in the defense or settlement of
any stockholder litigation against the Company or any of its directors or officers relating to this Agreement or the Transactions,
(b) afford Parent a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on filings and responses related thereto, which comments the Company
shall consider in good faith and (c) keep Parent apprised of, and consult with Parent with respect to, proposed strategy and any
significant decisions related thereto. No settlement or offer of settlement of any such stockholder litigation shall be agreed
to or made without Parent’s prior written consent, such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld, conditioned or delayed. Each
of Parent and the Company shall notify the other promptly of the commencement of any such stockholder litigation of which it has
received notice.
Section 5.10
Section
16
. The Company shall take all steps reasonably necessary to cause the Transactions, including any dispositions
of equity securities of the Company (including derivative securities with respect to such equity securities of the Company) by
each individual who is or becomes subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to the
Company, to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
Section 5.11
Employee
Matters
.
(a) From
the Effective Time through the twelve (12) month anniversary of the Effective Time (the “
Continuation Period
”),
with the exception of employees represented by any labor organization, Parent shall provide, or shall cause to be provided, to
each employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries) as of the Effective
Time (each such employee not represented by a labor organization, a “
Company Employee
”), for so long as the
Company Employee is employed by the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries during the Continuation Period, (i) an annualized
base salary or base wage rate, as applicable, and short-term and long-term incentive compensation opportunities (which, for the
avoidance of doubt, shall take into account the value attributable to cash and equity based compensation opportunities for purposes
of determining the Company Employee’s annual total direct compensation opportunity) that are no less favorable than the same
provided to such Company Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) employee benefits (excluding, for the avoidance
of doubt, incentive compensation and retiree welfare benefits) that are no less favorable in the aggregate than the same provided
to such Company Employee immediately prior to the Effective Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent shall provide, or shall
cause to be provided, to each Company Employee whose employment terminates during the Continuation Period under circumstances set
forth on
Section 5.11(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule with severance benefits no less favorable than as set forth
on
Section 5.11(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule or, if more favorable, than as required by applicable local Law. With
respect to employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries who are represented by a labor organization, Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to honor all existing collective bargaining agreements applicable to such employees
as may remain in effect, and as may be modified from time to time.
(b) For
all purposes (including purposes of vesting, eligibility to participate and level of benefits but not for purposes of defined benefit
pension accrual) under any benefit or compensation plan, program, agreement or arrangement that may be established or maintained
by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries on or after the Effective Time (including the Company Plans) (the “
New Plans
”),
each Company Employee shall be credited with his or her years of service with the Company and any of its Subsidiaries and their
respective predecessors before the Effective Time,
provided
that the foregoing shall not apply to the extent that its application
would result in a duplication of benefits with respect to the same period of service. In addition, and without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, (i) each Company Employee shall be immediately eligible to participate, without any waiting time, in any and
all New Plans, (ii) for
purposes of each New Plan providing welfare
benefits, Parent shall cause all pre-existing condition exclusions, evidence of insurability and actively-at-work requirements
of such New Plan to be waived for any Company Employee and his or her covered dependents, to the extent such conditions were satisfied,
inapplicable or waived under the comparable Company Plan as of the Effective Time and (iii) Parent shall cause any eligible expenses
incurred on or before the Effective Time by any Company Employee and his or her covered dependents to be taken into account under
any New Plan for purposes of satisfying any deductible, coinsurance and maximum out-of-pocket requirements applicable to such Company
Employee and his or her covered dependents for the applicable plan year as if such amounts had been paid in accordance with such
New Plan.
(c) From
and after the Effective Time, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries, to assume and honor
all Company Plans in accordance with their terms as in effect immediately before the Effective Time and the Transactions shall
be deemed to constitute a “change in control”, “change of control” or “corporate transaction”,
as applicable, under such Company Plans.
(d) Parent
and the Company agree to the matters set forth in
Section 5.11(d)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
(e) Nothing
contained in this
Section 5.11
shall (i) be deemed to establish any Company Plan or New Plan or treated as an amendment
or modification to any Company Plan or New Plan, (ii) subject to compliance with the other provisions of this
Section 5.11
,
obligate Parent or the Surviving Corporation to maintain any particular benefit plan or arrangement or retain the employment or
services of any particular employee, director or consultant or (iii) prevent Parent or the Surviving Corporation from (x) amending,
modifying or terminating any compensation or benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement or (y) terminating the employment
or services of, or changing the terms and conditions of employment or services of any employee, director or consultant at any time
for any reason, with or without cause or notice.
(f) Without
limiting the generality of
Section 8.7
, nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon
any person or entity, including any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or affiliates, or any representatives thereof, any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this
Agreement.
Section 5.12
Merger
Sub and Surviving Corporation
. Parent shall cause Merger Sub and, following the Effective Time, the Surviving
Corporation to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement.
Section 5.13
No
Control of Other Party’s Business
. Nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to give Parent or Merger
Sub, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ operations prior to
the Effective Time. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
complete control and supervision over its and its Subsidiaries’ respective operations.
Section 5.14
Financing
.
(a) Subject
to
Section 5.14(h)
, Parent and Merger Sub shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Debt Financing to be obtained
on the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions) described in the Debt Commitment Letter, including using reasonable
best efforts (i) to maintain in effect the Debt Commitment Letter, (ii) to negotiate definitive agreements with respect to the
Debt Financing (the “
Definitive Documents
”) on the terms and conditions (including any flex provisions) contained
in the Debt Commitment Letter (or on terms, taken as a whole, no less favorable to Parent or Merger Sub than the terms and conditions
(including any flex provisions) in the Debt Commitment Letter and that would not adversely affect (including with respect to timing,
taking into account the expected timing of the Marketing Period) the ability of the Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions),
(iii) to comply in all material respects with their respective obligations under the Debt Commitment Letter and the Definitive
Documents, (iv) to satisfy (or, if reasonably required to obtain the Debt Financing, seek the waiver of) on a timely basis all
conditions to funding in the Debt Commitment Letter and such Definitive Documents applicable to Parent that are with its control
and (v) to enforce its rights under the Debt Commitment Letter, including through litigation pursued in good faith (provided that
all of the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1
and
Section 6.2
(except those that, by their nature, are to be satisfied
at the Closing, provided that such conditions would be so satisfied as of such date) have been satisfied or waived and the Marketing
Period has ended). Parent and Merger Sub shall furnish correct and complete copies of any such definitive documentation to the
Company promptly upon execution thereof.
(b) Parent
shall have the right from time to time to amend, replace, supplement or otherwise modify, or waive any of its rights under, the
Debt Commitment Letter and the Definitive Documents with respect to the Debt Financing, including to add lenders, arrangers, bookrunners,
agents, managers or similar entities that have not executed the Debt Commitment Letter as of the date of this Agreement and amend
titles, allocations and the fee arrangements with respect to the existing and additional lenders, arrangers, bookrunners, agents,
managers or similar entities;
provided
that, subject to
Section 5.14(h)
, no such amendment, replacement, supplement,
modification or waiver shall (or would reasonably be expected to), without the prior written consent of the Company, (i) reduce
(or have the effect of reducing) the aggregate amount of the Debt Financing (including by increasing the amount of fees to be paid
or original issue discount in respect of the Debt Financing (except as set forth in any flex provisions set forth in the Debt Commitment
Letter on the date hereof)), (ii) add conditions to the Debt Financing or amend, replace, supplement or modify any conditions
to the Debt Financing relative to the conditions in the Debt Commitment Letter as in effect as of the date hereof in a manner that
would reasonably be expected to prevent, impede, impair or delay the availability of the Debt Financing or the consummation of
the Transactions when required pursuant to
Section 1.2
, (iii) adversely affect the ability of Parent or Merger Sub
to enforce or cause the enforcement of their respective rights under the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents with
respect to the Debt Financing relative to their respective ability to enforce or cause the enforcement of their rights under the
Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents as of the date hereof or (iv) prevent or materially impede, impair or delay
the availability of the Debt Financing or the consummation of the Transactions when required pursuant to
Section 1.2
.
(c) Parent
shall give the Company prompt written notice if (i) Parent obtains Knowledge of any material breach or default (or any event or
circumstance that, with or without notice or the lapse of time or both, would reasonably be expected to result in a material breach
or default) by any party to the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents, (ii) Parent or Merger Sub receives any written
notice or other written communication (including email), in each case, from any Person providing the Debt Financing with respect
to any (A) actual or threatened (or allegation of) breach, default, termination or repudiation of the Debt Commitment Letter or
any Definitive Document, in each case, with respect to any material provision thereof, or (B) material dispute or disagreement
between or among any parties to the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents, in each case, with respect to the Debt
Financing and (iii) Parent or Merger Sub, for any reason, believes in good faith that all or any portion of the Debt Financing
will not be available to the Company on the terms set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter or the Definitive Documents;
provided
that, notwithstanding any other provision hereof, in no event shall Parent be under any obligation to disclose any information
that is subject to attorney-client privilege if Parent shall have used its reasonable best efforts to disclose such information
in a way that would not waive such privilege. Subject to
Section 5.14(h)
, if any portion of the Debt Financing becomes unavailable
on the terms and conditions (including the flex provisions) contemplated in the Debt Commitment Letter, Parent shall (x) promptly
notify the Company of such unavailability and to the Knowledge of the Parent, the reason therefor and (y) use its reasonable best
efforts to arrange and cause to be obtained, as promptly as practicable, in replacement thereof alternative financing from the
same or alternative sources in an amount sufficient to fund the Required Amount (for the avoidance of doubt, after the payment
of the Aggregate Consideration Amount in accordance with
Article II
and any Transaction Costs) and on terms and conditions
not materially less favorable (taken as a whole) to Parent (including with respect to conditionality and taking into account the
flex provisions) than the terms and conditions set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter (including with respect to conditionality
and taking into account the flex provisions) as promptly as practicable following the occurrence of such event and in any event
no later than the last day of the Marketing Period. To the extent requested by the Company from time to time, Parent shall keep
the Company informed on a reasonably current basis of the status of its efforts to arrange the Debt Financing and Parent shall
provide to the Company copies of all material drafts and amendments of the Definitive Documents and all executed copies thereof.
For purposes of this Agreement, references to “Debt Financing” shall include any alternate financing obtained in accordance
with this
Section 5.14
, and “Debt Commitment Letter” and “Definitive Documents” shall include, respectively,
such documents related to such alternative debt financing entered into in accordance with this
Section 5.14
.
(d) Prior
to the Closing, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to use their reasonable
best efforts to, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and their respective Representatives (including legal and
accounting) to use their reasonable best efforts to, in each case at Parent’s sole expense, provide Parent and Merger Sub
such cooperation reasonably requested by Parent in connection with the Debt Financing, including:
(i) assisting with the
preparation of Offering Documents, including furnishing customary authorization letters in connection therewith (including with
respect to the presence or absence of material non-public information about the Company and its Subsidiaries and
customary representations regarding the
accuracy of the information provided by the Company contained therein);
(ii) preparing and furnishing
to Parent and the Debt Financing Sources as promptly as practicable (A) the Required Information and (B) any other pertinent information
and disclosures relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries that is reasonably requested by Parent and customarily provided to
assist in preparation of the Offering Documents;
(iii) participating (and
using reasonable best efforts to cause members of senior management of the Company to participate) in marketing efforts, including
a reasonable number of meetings, presentations, road shows, sessions with rating agencies, due diligence sessions and drafting
sessions with the Debt Financing Sources and actual and prospective lenders and investors in the Debt Financing;
(iv) assisting in the
preparation of, and executing and delivering, subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time, Definitive Documents, including
guarantee and collateral documents and other certificates and documents as may be reasonably requested by Parent (including a certificate
of the chief financial officer or other senior financial officer (reasonably acceptable to the Debt Financing Sources) of the Company
with respect to solvency matters in the form set forth as an annex to the Debt Commitment Letter);
(v) using reasonable
best efforts to assist the Debt Financing Sources in benefiting from the existing lending relationships of the Company and its
Subsidiaries;
(vi) facilitating the
pledging of collateral, subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time, (including reasonable cooperation in connection with the
payoff of existing indebtedness and the release of related Liens and termination of related security interests and reasonable cooperation
in connection with Parent’s efforts to obtain non-invasive Phase I environmental assessments and title insurance);
(vii) taking all corporate
actions necessary, in each case, subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time, and reasonably requested by Parent to permit
the consummation of the Debt Financing and to permit the proceeds thereof to be made available on the Closing Date;
(viii) using reasonable
best efforts to cause its independent accountants to provide assistance and cooperation to Parent, including participating in drafting
sessions and accounting due diligence sessions, assisting in the preparation of any pro forma financial statements referred to
in clause (xii) below and providing any necessary and customary “comfort letters”;
(ix) providing at least
three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date all documentation and other information required by applicable “know your
customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations including the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate
Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 to the extent requested at least ten (10) Business Days prior to
the anticipated Closing Date;
(x) using reasonable
best efforts to satisfy the conditions precedent set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter to the extent satisfaction thereof requires
the cooperation, and is within the control of the Company, its Subsidiaries or their respective Representatives;
(xi) periodically updating
or supplementing any Required Information provided to Parent to the extent that any such Required Information, to the Knowledge
of the Company, (i) is not Compliant and (ii) does not meet the applicable requirements set forth in the definition of “Required
Information”;
(xii) using reasonable
best efforts to assist Parent in connection with the preparation of pro forma financial information and financial statements to
be included in any Offering Documents;
(xiii) cooperating with
Parent to execute in advance of the Closing Date (but, in each case, effective only at the Effective Time) confirmations and waivers
in respect of Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions to permit and facilitate the Transactions and waive any default or termination
event arising in connection with the Transactions (collectively, the “
EMT Confirmations
”); and
(xiv) using reasonable
best efforts to cooperate with Parent and Parent’s efforts to obtain corporate and facilities ratings from rating agencies
(in accordance with the Debt Commitment Letter);
provided
,
however
, that (x)
nothing herein shall require such cooperation to the extent it would interfere unreasonably with the business or operations of
the Company or its Subsidiaries, encumber any of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to Closing, or require
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to pay any commitment or other fee or make any other payment in connection with the Debt
Financing prior to the Closing Date (unless promptly reimbursed by Parent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement), (y) no obligation
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any agreement, certificate, document or instrument executed pursuant to the foregoing
shall be effective until the Closing (
provided
,
however
, that the Company shall provide, prior to Closing to the
extent reasonably requested by Parent, customary authorization letters with respect to any Offering Documents); and (z) none of
the boards of directors (or equivalent bodies) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to enter into any resolutions
or take similar action approving the Debt Financing prior to the Effective Time.
(e) In
addition to the foregoing, the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to use reasonable
best efforts to, provide to Parent such cooperation reasonably requested by Parent that is necessary or advisable in connection
with (i) the amendment of the Citi Credit Agreement to permit and facilitate the Transactions and waive any default arising
in connection with the Transactions (the “
Citi Credit Agreement Amendment
”) and (ii) such supplemental indentures,
guarantees and any other documents as Parent may choose to pursue in order to avoid giving rise to any obligation of the Company
to repay any of its outstanding unsecured debt securities set forth on
Section 5.14(e)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule
as a result of the Transactions (the “
Enhancement Documents
”);
provided
,
however
, that (x) nothing
herein shall require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to pay any commitment or other fee or make any other payment in connection
with the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment or the Enhancement Documents prior to the Closing Date (unless paid directly in full by
Parent on behalf of the Company prior to the effectiveness thereof) and (y) no obligation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
under the Citi Credit Agreement
Amendment or any Enhancement Document executed
pursuant to this
Section 5.14(e)
shall become effective until the Effective Time.
(f) Parent
shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its Subsidiaries and its and their respective Representatives from and against any
and all losses, damages, claims, costs or expenses suffered or incurred by any of them in connection with the arrangement of the
Debt Financing (including any alternative financing), any Enhancement Document or the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment (including
any action taken in accordance with
Section 5.14(d)
or
Section 5.14(e)
and any information utilized in connection
therewith (other than any historical information relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries provided in writing by or on behalf
of the Company or its Subsidiaries)), in each case other than to the extent any of the foregoing arises from the bad faith, gross
negligence or willful misconduct of, or material breach of this Agreement by, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective
Representatives. Parent shall, promptly upon request by the Company, reimburse the Company for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket
costs (including reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred by the Company or its Subsidiaries in connection
with the arrangement of the Debt Financing (including any alternative financing) and the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment (including
any action taken in accordance with
Section 5.14(d)
or
Section 5.14(e)
and any information utilized in connection
therewith; provided, however, that the Company shall bear all such costs related to its obligations with respect to the preparation,
review, delivery and audit of historical information relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries). The Company hereby consents
to the use of its and its Subsidiaries’ logos in connection with the Debt Financing and the Citi Credit Agreement Amendment;
provided
,
however
, that such logos are used solely in a manner that is not intended, or reasonably likely, to harm
or disparage the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the reputation or goodwill of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(g) Parent
and Merger Sub acknowledge and agree that the obtaining of the Debt Financing (including any alternative financing) or the Citi
Credit Agreement Amendment is not a condition to the Closing and reaffirm their obligation to consummate the Transactions irrespective
and independently of the availability of the Debt Financing or any alternative financing, subject to the satisfaction or waiver
of the conditions set forth in
Article VI
.
(h) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company acknowledges and agrees that Parent and Merger Sub shall be permitted
to terminate up to $850,000,000 of commitments in respect of the senior secured term loan facility contemplated by the Debt Commitment
Letter (or any alternative financing in respect thereof obtained prior to the Change of Control Expiration Date (as defined in
the Debt Commitment Letter)) from and after the Change of Control Expiration Date;
provided
,
that
Parent and Merger
Sub shall not deliver written notice to the Debt Financing Sources of the expiration of all specified periods with respect to the
“dual trigger put” obligations (an “
Expiration Notice
”) in each series of Change of Control Indebtedness
(as defined in the Debt Commitment Letter) (including any permitted extensions thereof) or otherwise terminate or reduce such commitments,
unless and until such specified periods shall have expired without the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined
in each series of Change of Control Indebtedness);
provided
,
further
, that prior to delivering the Expiration Notice
or otherwise terminating or reducing such commitments, Parent and Merger Sub shall provide the Company
with no less than forty eight (48) hours
advance written notice of their intent to deliver such Expiration Notice.
Section 5.15
Tax
Opinion
.
(a) The
Company shall cooperate and use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be
done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable (including delivering executed copies of a representation letter substantially
in the form set forth in
Section 5.15(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule on the Closing Date and signed by an officer
of the Company (the “
Company Representation Letter
”)) as shall be necessary or appropriate to enable Kirkland
& Ellis LLP to deliver the Company Tax Opinion.
(b) Parent
shall cooperate and use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done,
all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable (including delivering executed copies of a representation letter substantially
in the form set forth in
Section 5.15(b)
of the Parent Disclosure Schedule on the Closing Date and signed by an officer
of Parent (the “
Parent Representation Letter
”)) as shall be necessary or appropriate to enable Kirkland &
Ellis LLP to deliver the Company Tax Opinion.
(c) As
of the date hereof, Parent knows of no reason why it would not be able to deliver the Parent Representation Letter. As of the date
hereof, the Company knows of no reason why it would not be able to (i) deliver the Company Representation Letter, or (ii) obtain
the Company Tax Opinion.
(d) Each
of Parent and the Company shall use reasonable best efforts, and shall cooperate in good faith with one another, to cause the Company
to satisfy or obtain an effective waiver of the requirements of Section 6.01(d) of the Separation Agreement with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including to obtain the Company Tax Opinion. The Company shall consult in good faith
with Parent and provide Parent a reasonable opportunity to review in advance any written materials in respect of, and will keep
Parent promptly and reasonably informed with respect to, any meetings, discussions or communications between the Company and PPL
Corporation or any other Person with respect thereto.
Section 5.16
Transfer
Taxes
. If the Closing occurs, except as provided in
Section 2.2(b)
of this Agreement, all stock transfer,
real estate transfer, documentary, stamp, recording and other similar Taxes (including interest, penalties and additions to any
such Taxes) (“
Transfer Taxes
”) imposed with respect to the Transactions shall be paid by the Surviving Corporation,
and the parties shall cooperate with one another in preparing, executing and filing any Tax Returns with respect to such Transfer
Taxes.
Section 5.17
Stock
Exchange De-listing
. The Surviving Corporation shall cause the Company’s securities to be de-listed from
the NYSE and de-registered under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable following the Effective Time, and the Company shall
prior to the Effective Time reasonably cooperate with Parent with respect thereto.
Section 5.18
Notification
of Certain Matters
. The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt notice to the
Company, in each case, if such party has Knowledge of, (a) any inaccuracy of any representation or warranty of such party set forth
in this
Agreement in any material respect, or (b)
any failure of such party to comply with or satisfy in any material respect any covenant or agreement of such party set forth in
this Agreement, in each case of clauses (a) and (b), that would reasonably be expected to result in any condition set forth in
Section 6.2(a)
or
Section 6.2(b)
, with respect to the Company, or
Section 6.3(a)
or
Section 6.3(b)
,
with respect to Parent and Merger Sub, not being satisfied hereunder; provided that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this
Section 5.18
shall not affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty (or cure any inaccuracy thereof) of
any party hereto or the conditions to the obligations of the parties hereto to consummate the Transactions.
Article
VI
Conditions Precedent
Section 6.1
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligations to Effect the Merger
. The respective obligations of each party hereto to effect
the Merger shall be subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law) on or prior to the Closing of
the following conditions:
(a)
Company
Stockholder Approvals
. (x) The Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained and (y) the holders of a majority of the shares
of Company Common Stock present in person or by proxy at the Company Stockholders Meeting that are beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly, by the Unaffiliated Stockholders shall have affirmatively voted in favor of the adoption of this Agreement (the
“
Unaffiliated Stockholder Approval
” and, together with the Stockholder Approval, the “
Company Stockholder
Approvals
”).
(b)
Required
Approvals
. All waiting periods (and any extensions thereof) applicable to the Merger under the HSR Act shall have been terminated
or shall have expired and all other Regulatory Approvals shall have been obtained.
(c)
No
Injunctions or Restraints
. No Law, injunction, judgment, Order or ruling enacted, promulgated, issued, entered, amended or
enforced by any Governmental Authority (collectively, “
Restraints
”) shall be in effect enjoining, restraining,
preventing or prohibiting consummation of the Merger or making the consummation of the Merger illegal.
(d)
Separation
Agreement
. The Company shall have satisfied or obtained an effective waiver of the requirements of Section 6.01(d) of the Separation
Agreement with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall have provided written evidence thereof to Parent.
Section 6.2
Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
. The obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are further
subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law) on or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:
|
(a)
|
Representations and Warranties
.
|
(i) The
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Section 3.1(a)
(Organization, Standing and Corporate Power),
Section 3.2(b)
(Capitalization),
Section 3.2(c)
(Capitalization), the second through fifth sentences of
Section 3.2(e)
(Capitalization),
Section 3.3(a)
(Authority; Noncontravention),
Section 3.3(c)
(Authority; Noncontravention), the first sentence of
Section 3.6(b)
(Absence of Certain Changes),
Section 3.14
(Antitakeover Statutes),
Section 3.17
(Opinion of
Financial Advisor),
Section 3.18
(Brokers and Other Advisors) and
Section 3.19
(Stockholders Approval) shall be true
and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and at and as of the Effective Time as though made at and as of the
Effective Time (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case
such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date).
(ii) The
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Section 3.6(a)(i)
(Absence of Certain Changes) shall be true
and correct in all respects as of the date hereof and at and as of the Effective Time as though made at and as of the Effective
Time (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation
and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date).
(iii) The
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Section 3.2(a)
(Capitalization) shall be true and correct (disregarding
all qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect) as of the date
hereof and at and as of the Effective Time as though made at and as of the Effective Time (except to the extent that such representation
and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as
of such earlier date), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be so true and correct are de minimis.
(iv) The
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement, excluding the representations and warranties identified
in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), shall be true and correct (disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained
therein relating to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect) as of the date hereof and at and as of the Effective Time with
the same effect as though made at and as of the Effective Time (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly
speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date),
except where the failure to be true and correct would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to
have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Parent
shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer of the Company stating that the conditions
specified in this
Section 6.2(a)
have been satisfied.
(b)
Performance
of Obligations of the Company
. The Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed
by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing, and Parent shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company
by an executive officer of the Company to such effect.
(c)
Absence
of Burdensome Condition
. No Law, any Regulatory Approvals or Governmental Authority shall impose or require any undertakings,
terms, conditions, liabilities, obligations, commitments or sanctions, or any structural or remedial actions or other acts or things
(including any Required Actions) that, individually or in the aggregate, constitute a Burdensome Condition.
(d)
Minimum
Liquidity
. After giving effect to the Transactions and the Closing, including the Debt Financing and the Citi Credit Agreement
Amendment, and assuming the prior payment of the Aggregate Consideration Amount in accordance with
Article II
and any Transaction
Costs, and (for the avoidance of doubt, without limiting
Section 6.2(c)
) without giving effect to the posting, provision,
funding, establishment or grant of, or commitment to post, provide, fund, establish or grant, up to an aggregate amount equal to
$250,000,000 in Credit Support (it being understood that Credit Support to the extent above $250,000,000 shall be given effect),
the Pro Forma Liquidity Amount shall be greater than or equal to $350,000,000 less the Affected STF Amount.
(e)
No
Default
. On the Closing Date, immediately prior to giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, no Specified Event
of Default shall have occurred and be continuing under the Citi Credit Agreement.
(f)
No
Material Adverse Effect
. From the date of this Agreement through Closing, no change, event, occurrence, fact, development,
circumstance, condition or effect shall have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected
to have (i) a Company Material Adverse Effect or (ii) a Susquehanna Material Adverse Effect. Parent shall have received a certificate
signed on behalf of the Company by an executive officer of the Company to such effect.
Section 6.3
Conditions
to Obligations of the Company
.
The obligation of the Company to effect the Merger is further subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law) on or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:
(a)
Representations
and Warranties
. The representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct
(disregarding all qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Parent Material Adverse Effect) as
of the date hereof and at and as of the Effective Time as though made at and as of the Effective Time (except to the extent that
such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be
true and correct as of such earlier date), except where the failure to be true and correct would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have or reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. The Company shall have received a certificate signed on
behalf of Parent and Merger Sub by an executive officer of Parent and Merger Sub to such effect.
(b)
Performance
of Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
. Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all obligations
required to be performed by them under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing, and the Company shall have received a certificate
signed on behalf of Parent by an executive officer of Parent to such effect.
Section 6.4
Frustration
of Closing Conditions
. None of the Company, Parent or Merger Sub may rely on the failure of any condition set
forth in
Section 6.1
,
Section 6.2
or
Section 6.3
, as the case may be, to be satisfied if such failure was
primarily caused by the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement.
Article
VII
Termination
Section 7.1
Termination
. This
Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether before or after receipt
of the Company Stockholder Approvals:
(a) by
the mutual written consent of the Company and Parent; or
(b) by
either of the Company or Parent:
(i) if
the Merger shall not have been consummated on or before March 2, 2017 (such date, as it may be extended pursuant to the provisions
of this Agreement, the “
End Date
”);
provided
that if on (A) such End Date all of the conditions to Closing
shall have been satisfied or waived or, with respect to conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at Closing, other than
the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1(b)
,
Section 6.2(c)
,
Section 6.2(d)
and/or the conditions set forth
in
Section 6.1(c)
(as they relate to the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1(b)
or
Section 6.2(c)
), then the
End Date shall be extended from March 2, 2017 to June 2, 2017 or (B) such End Date (as may be extended by clause (B) above) the
Marketing Period has not then ended, then the End Date shall be extended until the fourth (4th) Business Day following the last
day of the Marketing Period;
provided
,
further
, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section
7.1(b)(i)
shall not be available to a party if the failure of the Merger to have been consummated on or before the End Date
was primarily due to the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement;
(ii) if
any Restraint having the effect set forth in
Section 6.1(c)
shall be in effect and shall have become final and non-appealable
or if any Governmental Authority that must grant a clearance, consent, approval or waiver required by
Section 6.1(b)
shall
have denied such clearance, consent, approval or waiver and such denial has become final and non-appealable;
provided
,
however
, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this
Section 7.1(b)(ii)
shall not be available to a party
if the issuance of such final, non-appealable Restraint was primarily due to the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement;
(iii) if
the Company Stockholders Meeting (including any adjournments or postponements thereof) shall have concluded and the Company Stockholder
Approvals contemplated by this Agreement shall not have been obtained; or
(c) by
Parent:
(i) if
the Company shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth
in this Agreement, which
breach or failure to perform
(A) would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in
Section 6.2(a)
or
Section 6.2(b)
, respectively, and
(B) cannot be cured by the Company by the End Date or, if capable of being cured, shall not have been cured within thirty (30)
calendar days following receipt of written notice from Parent stating Parent’s intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this
Section 7.1(c)(i)
and the basis for such termination;
provided
that Parent shall not have the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(c)(i)
if it is then in material breach of any representation, warranties, covenants
or other agreements hereunder;
(ii) (A)
if the Company Board (or a duly authorized committee thereof) shall have effected a Company Adverse Recommendation Change or (B)
the Company fails to include the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement; or
(d) by
the Company:
(i) if
Parent or Merger Sub shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set
forth in this Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (A) would give rise to the failure of a condition set forth in
Section
6.3(a)
or
Section 6.3(b)
, respectively, and (B) cannot be cured by Parent or Merger Sub by the End Date or, if capable
of being cured, shall not have been cured within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of written notice from the Company
stating the Company’s intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(d)(i)
and the basis for such
termination;
provided
that, Company shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(d)(i)
if it is then in material breach of any representation, warranties, covenants or other agreements hereunder;
(ii) at
any time prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approvals, in order to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal,
in accordance with
Section 5.3
;
provided
that a termination pursuant to this
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
shall not
be effective unless the Company pays or has paid the Termination Fee to Parent or causes the Termination Fee to be paid to Parent
prior to or concurrently with such termination in accordance with
Section 7.3
(
provided
that Parent shall have provided
wiring instructions for such payment or, if not, then such payment shall be paid promptly following delivery of such instructions);
it being understood that the Company may enter into such definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal simultaneously with the termination
of this Agreement (and payment of the Termination Fee) pursuant to and in accordance with this
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
; or
(iii) at
any time prior to the Effective Time, if (A) all of the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1
and
Section 6.2
have
been and continue to be satisfied (other than those conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied other than at the Closing
and that would be satisfied if there were a Closing), (B) Parent and Merger Sub fail to consummate the Transactions within two
(2) Business Days of the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to
Section 1.2
and (C) the Company has given Parent
written notice at least two (2) Business Days prior to any termination that Parent that the
Company stands ready and willing
to consummate the Merger from the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to
Section 1.2
through any such termination
and stating the Company’s intention to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 7.1(d)(iii)
.
Section 7.2
Effect
of Termination
. In the event of the valid termination of this Agreement as provided in
Section 7.1
, written
notice thereof shall be given to the other party or parties, specifying the provision hereof pursuant to which such termination
is made, and this Agreement shall forthwith become null and void (other than
Section 7.2
and
Section 7.3
,
Article
VIII
and the first sentence of
Section 5.6(b)
, all of which shall survive termination of this Agreement), and there
shall be no liability or obligation on the part of Parent, Merger Sub, any Parent Related Party or the Company or their respective
directors, officers and Affiliates hereunder;
provided
,
however
, that (i) no such termination shall relieve any party
of its obligation to pay the Termination Fee, the Parent Termination Fee or the Parent Expense Reimbursement Obligations, if, as
and when required pursuant to
Section 7.3
, (ii) except as otherwise provided in
Section 7.3
(including the limitations
on liability contained therein), no party shall be relieved or released from any liabilities or damages arising out of any willful
and material breach of this Agreement prior to termination or fraud and (iii) no such termination shall relieve (x) any party of
its obligations pursuant to the provisions set forth in
Section 5.6(b)
or the indemnification and reimbursement obligations
of Parent pursuant to
Section 5.14(f)
and (y) the obligations of the parties to the Guarantee under such Guarantee (in accordance
with the terms and conditions thereof) or the parties to the Confidentiality Agreement thereunder (in accordance with the terms
and conditions thereof), all of which shall survive the termination of this Agreement as and to the extent in accordance with their
terms. For purposes of this Agreement, “
willful and material breach
” means a breach that is material, which
is caused by an action or omission that the breaching party knew was, or would reasonably be expected to result in, such breach.
Section 7.3
Termination
Fee
.
(a) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
(Superior Proposal), the Company
shall pay or cause to be paid as directed by Parent the Termination Fee prior to or concurrently with the termination of this Agreement.
(b) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to
Section 7.1(c)(ii)
(Company Adverse Recommendation Change),
the Company shall pay or cause to be paid as directed by Parent the Termination Fee within three (3) Business Days of such termination.
(c) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated (i) by Parent or the Company pursuant to
Section 7.1(b)(i)
(End Date) (
provided
that the Company Stockholders Meeting has not yet occurred at the time of termination), by Parent or the Company pursuant to
Section
7.1(b)(iii)
(Company Stockholder Approvals) or by Parent pursuant to
Section 7.1(c)(i)
(Company Breach), (ii) an Alternative
Proposal shall have been publicly disclosed or shall have become publicly known (or, in the case of a termination pursuant to
Section
7.1(b)(i)
(End Date) or
Section 7.1(c)(i)
(Company Breach), shall have become known to the Company Board) after the
date hereof and, in the case of termination pursuant to
Section 7.1(b)(iii)
(Company Stockholder Approvals), such Alternative
Proposal shall not have been publicly withdrawn (or,
with respect to any such Alternative Proposal
that shall have become known to the Company Board but not publicly disclosed or known, otherwise withdrawn) at least five (5) Business
Days prior to the date of the Company Stockholders Meeting, and (iii) within twelve (12) months of the date that this Agreement
is terminated, the Company enters into a Company Acquisition Agreement with respect to or consummates any Alternative Proposal,
regardless of whether it was the same Alternative Proposal referenced in clause (ii) (
provided
that for purposes of clause
(iii) of this
Section 7.3(c)
, the references to “20%” in the definition of “Alternative Proposal”
shall be deemed to be references to “50%”), then the Company shall pay or cause to be paid as directed by Parent the
Termination Fee on the earlier of entry into such Company Acquisition Agreement or consummation of such Alternative Proposal.
(d) For
purposes of this Agreement, “
Termination Fee
” shall mean a cash amount equal to $50,000,000, except that in
the event that this Agreement is terminated by (x) the Company pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(ii)
(Superior Proposal) in order
to enter into a definitive agreement providing for a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party or (y) Parent pursuant to
Section
7.1(c)(ii)
(Company Adverse Recommendation Change) in connection with a Company Adverse Recommendation Change resulting from
a Superior Proposal with an Excluded Party and not in respect of an Intervening Event, the “
Termination Fee
”
shall mean a cash amount equal to $25,000,000.
(e) In
the event that Parent shall receive full payment of the Termination Fee pursuant to
Section 7.3(a)
,
Section 7.3(b)
or
Section 7.3(c)
under circumstances in which the Termination Fee was payable in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
(i) the payment by Company of the Termination Fee shall not be a penalty and shall constitute liquidated damages for any and all
losses suffered or incurred by Parent or any other Person in connection with this Agreement and, (ii) notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement that may be deemed to the contrary, the Termination Fee shall be the sole and exclusive remedy (whether at law,
in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise) of Parent and Merger Sub and their respective Affiliates against the Company and
any of its respective former, current or future Affiliates, and any directors, officers, employees, agents, direct or indirect
stockholders or representatives of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “
Company Related Parties
”) in connection
with such termination or any loss or other liability of any kind under or related to this Agreement, and (iii) upon such payment
of such amount(s), none of the Company and its Subsidiaries and any of the Company Related Parties shall have any further liability
or obligation relating to or arising out of this Agreement or the Transactions;
provided
,
however
, that nothing in
this
Section 7.3(e)
shall limit the rights of Parent and Merger Sub under
Section 8.9
;
provided
,
further
,
however
, that to the extent Parent is required to initiate any action to collect the Termination Fee that results in a final
and non-appealable judgment against the Company for the Termination Fee, Parent shall be entitled to collect its reasonable and
documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with such action,
which shall be in addition to the amount of the Termination Fee. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the parties acknowledge
and agree that, including in the case of any breach, whether willful and material, intentional, material, knowing or otherwise,
in no event shall Parent (or any other Person) seek or be entitled to multiple, special, punitive, consequential, indirect, statutory,
exemplary, multiple or similar damages against of the Company or any Company Related Party. For the avoidance of doubt, under no
circumstances shall Parent be entitled to collect the Termination Fee on more than one occasion (or, after the receipt in full
thereof, any portion thereof or further funds).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in this Agreement, the aggregate liability of the Company and all Company Related Parties for any breach, cost, expense, liability,
loss or damage or other claim suffered as a result thereof or in connection with the Transactions, this Agreement, the Guarantee,
the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or otherwise, including, for the avoidance of doubt, payment by the Company
of the Termination Fee pursuant to this
Article VII
, shall in no event exceed the Maximum Aggregate Liability and in no
event shall Parent, its Affiliates, their respective stockholders or Representatives or any other Person seek, directly or indirectly,
to recover against any of the Company Related Parties, or compel any payment by any of the Company Related Parties of, any damages
or other payments whatsoever that are, in aggregate, in excess of the Maximum Aggregate Liability.
(f) In
the event that this Agreement is terminated (i) by the Company pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(iii)
(Failure by Parent and Merger
Sub to Close) or (ii) by the Company or Parent pursuant to
Section 7.1(b)(i)
(End Date) and, if, at the time of or prior
to such termination, the Company would have been entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1(d)(iii)
(Failure
by Parent and Merger Sub to Close), Parent shall promptly, but in no event later than three (3) Business Days after the date of
such termination, pay or cause to be paid the Parent Termination Fee. For the avoidance of doubt, under no circumstances shall
the Company be entitled to collect the Parent Termination Fee on more than one occasion (or, after the receipt thereof, any portion
thereof or further funds).
(g) For
purposes of this Agreement, “
Parent Termination Fee
” shall mean a cash amount equal to $85,000,000.
(h) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that the Company shall receive full payment of the Parent Termination
Fee pursuant to
Section 7.3(f)
under circumstances in which the Parent Termination Fee was payable in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, the payment by Parent of the Parent Termination Fee shall not be a penalty and shall constitute liquidated
damages for any and all losses suffered or incurred by the Company or any other Person in connection with this Agreement and, notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement that may be deemed to the contrary, under such circumstances, the Parent Termination Fee shall be the
sole and exclusive remedy (whether at law, in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise), of the Company and its respective Affiliates
or any other Person against any of Parent, Merger Sub, their Subsidiaries or Affiliates, the Guarantor, the Sponsor Entities, the
Debt Financing Sources or any other financing source of Parent, and any of their respective former, current or future, direct or
indirect equityholders, controlling persons, stockholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, Affiliates, affiliated (or commonly
advised) funds, members, managers, general or limited partners, attorneys, advisors or other Representatives, or any of their respective
successors or assigns or other representative of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “
Parent Related Parties
”)
for any breach, cost, expense, liability, loss or damage or other claim suffered as a result thereof or in connection with such
termination or related thereto, in respect of the Transactions, this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality
Agreement, the Debt Financing, the Debt Commitment Letter or the Transactions or thereby or otherwise, and upon payment of such
Parent Termination Fee, none of the Parent and its Subsidiaries and any of the Parent Related Parties shall have any further liability
or obligation relating to or arising out of this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement,
the Debt Financing, the Debt Commitment Letter or
the Transactions or thereby or otherwise;
provided
that to the extent the Company is required to initiate any action to collect the Parent Termination Fee that results
in a final and non-appealable judgment against Parent for the Parent Termination Fee, subject to
Section 7.3(j)
, the Company
shall be entitled to collect from Parent its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’
fees) incurred in connection with such action (subject to a cap of $10,000,000, the “
Parent Collection Expense Obligations
”),
which shall be in addition to the amount of the Parent Termination Fee. The Parent Related Parties are intended third party beneficiaries
of this
Section 7.3(h)
and
Section 7.3(j)
.
(i) Any
amount that becomes payable pursuant to this
Section 7.3
shall be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to
an account designated by Parent or the Company, as applicable, and shall be reduced by any amounts required to be deducted or withheld
therefrom under applicable Law in respect of Taxes.
(j) Other
than with respect to the Retained Claims (as defined below), all Proceedings (whether in contract or in tort, in law or in equity,
or granted by statute) that may be based upon, in respect of, arise under, out or by reason of, be connected with, or relate in
any manner to (A) the Transactions, this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement, the Debt
Financing or the Debt Commitment Letter, (B) the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support
Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter (including any representation or warranty made in, in connection
with, or as an inducement to, this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment
Letter), (C) any breach of this Agreement, the Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment
Letter and (D) any failure of the Debt Financing, the Merger or the other Transactions to be consummated, may be made only by or
against (and are those solely of) the Persons that are expressly identified as parties hereto and thereto. No other Parent Related
Party shall have any liabilities (whether in contract or in tort, in law or in equity, or granted by statute, or otherwise) for
any Proceedings arising under, out of, in connection with or related in any manner to the items in the immediately preceding clauses
(A) through (D) except for Proceedings that the Company may assert: (i) against any Person that is party to, and solely pursuant
to the terms of, the Confidentiality Agreement; (ii) against the Guarantor under, and solely pursuant to the terms of, the Guarantee;
(iii) against the Sponsor Entities under, and solely pursuant to the terms of, the Support Agreement; and (iv) against Parent and
Merger Sub, solely in accordance with, and pursuant to the terms of, this Agreement (the Proceedings in clauses (i) through (iv)
of this
Section 7.3(j)
, the “
Retained Claims
”). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
parties acknowledge and agree that, including in the case of any breach, whether willful and material, intentional, material, knowing
or otherwise, (w) in no event shall the Company (or any other Person) seek or be entitled to multiple, special, punitive, consequential,
indirect, statutory, exemplary, multiple or similar damages against any of Parent, Merger Sub, the Guarantor, the Sponsor Entities
or any other Parent Related Party, (x) in no event will Parent, Merger Sub or the Guarantor or the Sponsor Entities or any other
Parent Related Party have liability for monetary damages whatsoever arising under, out of, in connection with or related in any
manner to the items in the preceding clauses (A) through (D) (including monetary damages in lieu of specific performance) in the
aggregate in excess of the amount of the Parent Termination Fee (less any portion thereof that has been paid)
plus
, any
other expense reimbursement pursuant to
Section 5.14(f)
(subject to a cap of $10,000,000, the “
Parent Expense
Reimbursement Obligations
”)
(the amount of the Parent Termination Fee
plus
the Parent Expense Reimbursement Obligations,
plus
the Parent Collection
Expense Obligations, the “
Maximum Aggregate Liability
”) (provided, that with respect to any Parent Related Party
other than Parent, Merger Sub or the Sponsor Entities (and without affecting any of the other limitations herein or in the Guarantee,
the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter), for all purposes under this Agreement, the
Guarantee, the Support Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter, the Maximum Aggregate Liability
shall be deemed to in no event exceed, in aggregate, $90,000,000 and any amounts in excess of such amount and up to and including
the Maximum Aggregate Liability may only be claimed against Parent, Merger Sub or the Sponsor Entities), and, accordingly, the
Maximum Aggregate Liability shall be the maximum aggregate liability of Parent and Merger Sub hereunder and thereunder (and of
the Guarantor under the Guarantee and the Sponsor Entities under the Support Agreement, and, for the avoidance of doubt, any other
Parent Related Party, collectively); and (y) in no event shall the Company, its Affiliates, their respective stockholders or Representatives
or any other Person seek, directly or indirectly, to recover against any of the Parent Related Parties, or compel any payment by
any of the Parent Related Parties of, any damages or other payments whatsoever that are, in aggregate, in excess of the Maximum
Aggregate Liability.
(k) Each
of the parties acknowledges and agrees that the agreements contained in this
Section 7.3
are integral parts of the Transactions
and that, without these agreements, the Parent Entities and Merger Sub, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, would
not enter into this Agreement. Each of the parties further acknowledges and agrees that payment of the Termination Fee and Parent
Termination Fee, as applicable, if, as and when required pursuant to this
Section 7.3
, shall not constitute a penalty but
will be liquidated damages, in a reasonable amount that will compensate the party receiving such amount in the circumstances in
which it is payable for the efforts and resources expended and opportunities foregone while negotiating this Agreement and in reliance
on this Agreement and on the expectation of the consummation of the Transactions, which amount would otherwise be impossible to
calculate with precision.
Article
VIII
Miscellaneous
Section 8.1
No
Survival of Representations and Warranties
. None of the representations and warranties in this Agreement or
in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time. This
Section 8.1
shall not limit
any covenant or agreement of the parties that by its terms contemplates performance in whole or in part after the Effective Time.
The Confidentiality Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
Section 8.2
Fees
and Expenses
. The Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries shall pay all charges and expenses, including those
of the Exchange Agent, in connection with the transactions contemplated in
Article II
. Except as provided in
Section
5.4
,
Section 5.14(f)
,
Section 5.15
,
Section 7.3
and this
Section 8.2
, whether or not the Transactions
are consummated, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions and this Agreement shall be paid by the party
incurring or required to incur such fees or expenses.
Section 8.3
Amendment
or Supplement
. At any time prior to the Effective Time, this Agreement may be amended or supplemented in any
and all respects, whether before or after receipt of the Company Stockholder Approvals, by written agreement of all of the parties
hereto and delivered by duly authorized officers of the respective parties;
provided
,
however
, that following receipt
of the Company Stockholder Approvals, there shall be no amendment or change to the provisions hereof which by Law would require
further approval by the stockholders of the Company without such approval. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any
amendment or modification of this
Section 8.3
or
Section 7.3(h)
, the last sentence of
Section 8.7
,
Section
8.8
,
Section 8.9
and
Section 8.10
that is materially adverse to the Debt Financing Sources shall not be made
without the prior written consent of such Debt Financing Sources.
Section 8.4
Waiver
. At
any time prior to the Effective Time, any party hereto may, subject to applicable Law, (a) waive any inaccuracies in the representations
and warranties of any other party hereto, (b) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or acts of any other
party hereto or (c) waive compliance by the other party with any of the agreements contained herein or, except as otherwise provided
herein, waive any of such party’s conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure or delay by the Company, Parent or
Merger Sub in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right hereunder. Any agreement on the part of a party
hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such party.
Section 8.5
Assignment
. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of
Law or otherwise, by any of the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties;
provided
that Parent may,
without the prior written consent of the Company, assign (a) any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to one
or more of its Affiliates or (b) its rights under this Agreement to any of its Debt Financing Sources for collateral purposes,
provided
that such assignment by Parent shall not limit or affect Parent’s obligations under this Agreement. Subject
to the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties hereto
and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Any purported assignment not permitted under this
Section 8.5
shall
be null and void.
Section 8.6
Counterparts
. This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement) and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the
parties and delivered (by electronic communication, facsimile or otherwise) to the other parties. Delivery of an executed counterpart
of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic image scan transmission shall be effective as delivery of
a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section 8.7
Entire
Agreement; Third-Party Beneficiaries
. This Agreement (including any exhibits hereto), the Company Disclosure
Schedule, the Parent Disclosure Schedule, the Confidentiality Agreement, the Support Agreement, the Debt Commitment Letter and
the Guarantee (a) constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and
oral, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof and (b)
are not intended to confer, and shall not be construed as conferring, upon any Person other than the parties hereto and thereto
(and their respective successors and permitted assigns) any rights, claims, actions or remedies hereunder or thereunder. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, (v) the Company’s Representatives shall be third-party beneficiaries of
Section
5.14(f)
, (w) only if the Effective Time occurs, the Indemnitees shall be third-party beneficiaries of
Section 5.8
, (x)
following the Effective Time, the Company’s stockholders and holders of Company Equity Awards shall be entitled to receive
the Merger Consideration and other payments pursuant to
Article II,
(y) the Parent Related Parties shall be third-party
beneficiaries of
Section 7.3(h)
and
Section 7.3(j)
, and (z) the Debt Financing Sources are expressly intended as
third party beneficiaries of the last sentence of this
Section 8.7
and
Section 7.3(h)
,
Section 8.3
,
Section
8.8
,
Section 8.9
and
Section 8.10
.
Section 8.8
Governing
Law; Jurisdiction
.
(a) Each
party irrevocably consents to the service of process outside the territorial jurisdiction of the courts referred to in this
Section
8.8
in any such action or proceeding by mailing copies thereof by registered or certified United States mail, postage prepaid,
return receipt requested, to its address as specified in or pursuant to this
Article VIII
. However, the foregoing shall
not limit the right of a party to effect service of process on the other party by any other legally available method.
(b) This
Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any
choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application
of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware;
provided
that, except as specifically set forth in the
Debt Commitment Letter, any action, cause of action, claim, cross-claim or third-party claim of any kind or description, whether
in law or in equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against any Debt Financing Source, or any of its representatives,
in any way relating to this Agreement, the Debt Commitment Letter or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
any dispute arising out of or relating in any way to the Debt Financing or the performance thereof shall be exclusively governed
by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to principles or rules
or conflict of laws to the extent such principles or rules would require or permit the application of laws of another jurisdiction.
In addition, each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and
the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and
the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by the other party hereto or its successors or assigns, will be brought and
determined exclusively in the Delaware Court of Chancery and any state appellate court therefrom within the State of Delaware (or,
if the Delaware Court of Chancery declines to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, any state or federal court within the
State of Delaware). Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself
and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees
that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of the Transactions in any court other than the aforesaid courts.
Each of the parties hereto by this Agreement irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim
or
otherwise, in any action or proceeding
with respect to this Agreement, (i) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts for
any reason other than the failure to serve in accordance with
Section 8.8(a)
, (ii) any claim that it or its property is
exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service
of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (iii)
to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable Law, any claim that (x) the suit, action or proceeding in such court is brought
in an inconvenient forum, (y) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (z) this Agreement, or the subject matter
hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts. No party hereto, nor any of its Affiliates, will bring, or support the bringing
of, any claim, whether at law or in equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against any Debt Financing Source in any
way relating to this Agreement or any of the Transactions, including any dispute arising out of or relating in any way to the Debt
Commitment Letter or the performance thereof, anywhere other than in (A) any New York State court sitting in the County of New
York or (B) the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Section 8.9
Remedies
. Subject
to the remainder of this
Section 8.9
, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any and all remedies herein expressly
conferred upon a party will be deemed cumulative with and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by law or equity
upon such party, and the exercise by a party of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other remedy. Subject to the
foregoing and to the following sentence, the parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this
Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties hereto shall be entitled, unless this Agreement
has been terminated in accordance with
Article VII
, to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement
or a decree or order to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in any of the courts referred to
in
Section 8.8
, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
it is explicitly agreed that the right of the Company to seek an injunction, specific performance or other equitable remedies in
connection with enforcing Parent’s obligation to effect the Closing shall be subject to the requirements that (i) all conditions
in
Section 6.1
and
Section 6.2
(other than those conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied by actions taken
at the Closing (provided such conditions would be satisfied as of such date) have been satisfied or (to the extent permitted by
Law) waived at the time when the Closing would have been required to occur pursuant to
Section 1.2
hereof, (ii) the Debt
Financing has been funded in accordance with the terms set forth in the Debt Commitment Letter or applicable Definitive Documents
or would be funded in accordance with such terms at the Closing if Parent were to effect the Closing pursuant to
Section 1.2
and (iii) the Company has irrevocably confirmed in writing to Parent that if specific performance is granted and the Debt Financing
is funded and Parent effects the Closing pursuant to
Section 1.2
, then the Closing will occur. Subject to this
Section
8.9
, each party hereby agrees not to raise any objections to the availability of the equitable remedy of specific performance
to prevent or restrain breaches of this Agreement by such party, and to specifically enforce the terms and provisions of this Agreement
to prevent breaches of, or to enforce compliance with, the covenants and obligations of such party under this Agreement. Any party
seeking an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions
of this Agreement shall not be required to provide any bond or other security in connection with any such order or injunction.
The parties hereto further agree that (x) by seeking the remedies provided for in this
Section 8.9
, a party shall not in
any respect waive its right to seek any other form of relief that may be available to a party under this Agreement (including,
subject to the limitations herein, monetary damages) in the event that the remedies provided for in this
Section 8.9
are
not available or otherwise are not granted, and (y) nothing set forth in this
Section 8.9
shall require any party hereto
to institute any proceeding for (or limit any party’s right to institute any proceeding for) specific performance under this
Section 8.9
prior or as a condition to exercising any termination right under
Article VII
(or seeking any other form
of relief that may be available to a party under this Agreement (including, subject to the limitations herein, monetary damages)).
For the avoidance of doubt, while any party may, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, pursue both a grant of specific performance
in accordance with this
Section 8.9
and subject to the limitations herein, payment of monetary damages, the payment of the
Termination Fee, the payment of the Parent Termination Fee, or expense reimbursement (as applicable), under no circumstances shall
any party be permitted or entitled to receive both a grant of specific performance requiring consummation of the Merger and any
such payments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company and its Affiliates hereby (i) waive
any rights or claims against any of the Debt Financing Sources in connection with this Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter,
whether at law or equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise, and (ii) agree not to commence (and if commenced agree to dismiss
or otherwise terminate, and not to assist) any action, arbitration, audit, hearing, investigation, litigation, petition, grievance,
complaint, suit or proceeding against any Debt Financing Source in connection with this Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the remedy of specific performance shall not be available to the Company with
respect to
Section 5.4(e)
.
Section 8.10
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE
LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE PARTIES HERETO ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT
OR THE TRANSACTIONS (INCLUDING THE DEBT FINANCING).
Each party hereto (a) certifies that
no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such party would not, in
the event of any Proceeding, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have
been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waiver and certifications in this
Section 8.10
.
Section 8.11
Notices
. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications under this Agreement to any party hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed given if delivered personally, facsimiled (which is confirmed), sent by overnight courier (providing proof of delivery),
sent by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or sent by electronic mail to the respective parties
at the following addresses:
If to Parent or Merger Sub, to:
Riverstone Holdings LLC
712 Fifth Avenue, 36th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Attention:
|
General Counsel
|
Facsimile:
|
(212) 271-2928
|
Email:
|
scoats@riverstonellc.com
|
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Attention:
|
Igor Kirman
|
|
Edward J. Lee
|
Facsimile:
|
(212) 403-2000
|
Email(s):
|
IKirman@wlrk.com
|
|
EJLee@wlrk.com
|
and
Vinson & Elkins LLP
1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77002
Attention:
|
Trina Chandler
|
Facsimile:
|
(713) 615-5088
|
Email:
|
tchandler@velaw.com
|
If to the Company, to:
Talen Energy Corporation
835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, PA 18101
Attention:
|
Paul Breme
|
|
Thomas Douglass
|
Facsimile:
|
610-774-2755
|
Email(s):
|
Thomas.Douglass@TalenEnergy.com
|
|
Paul.Breme@TalenEnergy.com
|
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
600 Travis Street
Suite 3300
Houston, TX 77002
Attention:
|
Andrew Calder
|
Facsimile:
|
(713) 835-3601
|
Emails:
|
andrew.calder@kirkland.com
|
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Attention:
|
Sarkis Jebejian, P.C.
|
|
David Beller
|
Facsimile:
|
(212) 446-4900
|
Emails:
|
sarkis.jebejian@kirkland.com
|
|
david.beller@kirkland.com
|
or such other address, facsimile number
or electronic mail address as such party may hereafter specify by like notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests
and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5 p.m. in
the place of receipt and such day is a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication
shall be deemed not to have been received until the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.
Section 8.12
Severability
. If
any term or other provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement shall nevertheless
remain in full force and effect. Upon such 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable manner to the end that the Transactions
are fulfilled to the extent possible.
Section 8.13
Definitions
. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:
“
Acceptable
Confidentiality Agreement
” shall mean a duly executed customary confidentiality agreement that (a) contains confidentiality
and use provisions that are no less favorable in the aggregate to the Company than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreement;
(b) contains a customary standstill provision (except that such provision may include an exception solely to the extent necessary
to allow such Person to make a confidential proposal to the Company Board); and (c) does not contain any provision requiring the
Company or its Subsidiaries to pay or reimburse the counterparty’s expenses.
“
Affected
Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction
” shall mean each Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction that is outstanding
as of immediately prior to the Closing and in respect of which obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are secured,
in whole or in part, pursuant to the Secured Trading Facility for which (a) an EMT Confirmation from the counterparty thereto is
required in order to waive a default or termination event arising in connection with, or as a result of, the Transactions in respect
of such Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction and (b) as of immediately prior to the Closing, the applicable EMT Confirmation
has not been obtained.
“
Affected
STF Amount
” shall mean an amount, in U.S. dollars, determined as of immediately prior to the Closing, equal to the lesser
of (a) $85,000,000 and (b) the aggregate amount of cash or letters of credit required to be posted by the Company or its Subsidiaries
as replacement collateral in respect of any Affected Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions in accordance with their terms in
order to permit such Affected Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions to remain in effect immediately after giving effect to
the Closing.
“
Affiliate
”
shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For this purpose, “control” (including, with its correlative
meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of securities
or partnership or other ownership interests, by Contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for purposes
of this Agreement, (a) none of Parent, Merger Sub, the Guarantor or any Sponsor Entity or their respective Subsidiaries shall be
deemed an “Affiliate” of the following (and none of the following shall be deemed an “Affiliate” of Parent,
Merger Sub, the Guarantor or any Sponsor Entity or their respective Subsidiaries): (i) the Company, (ii) the Company's Subsidiaries
or (iii) any other Person that, but for the Sponsor Entities’ ownership of Company Common Stock, would not be an Affiliate
of the Sponsor Entities; and (b) no Affiliated RJS Person shall be deemed to be an “Affiliate” of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries (and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be an “Affiliate” of any
Affiliated RJS Person).
“
Affiliated
RJS Persons
” shall mean (a) Parent, Merger Sub, the Guarantor, the Sponsor Entities and their respective Subsidiaries,
(b) any direct or indirect portfolio companies owned, managed or controlled by investment funds managed or advised by Riverstone
Investment Group LLC or any of its Affiliates (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), (c) any investment fund controlled,
managed or advised by Riverstone Investment Group LLC or any of its Affiliates, and (d) any Affiliates of the foregoing (other
than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries).
“
Aggregate
Consideration Amount
” shall mean (a) the Merger Consideration Amount
plus
(b) the Equity Award Consideration Amount.
“
Agreement
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Alternative
Proposal
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(h)
.
“
Anti-Takeover
Statute
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.14
.
“
Antitrust
Laws
” shall mean the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, the HSR Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and all other applicable
Laws issued by a Governmental Authority that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose
or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or acquisition.
“
Atomic Energy
Act
” shall mean the United State Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.
“
Available
Funds
” shall mean cash, in U.S. dollars, in immediately available funds and available without restriction for the payment
of the Aggregate Consideration Amount.
“
Balance Sheet
Date
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(d)
.
“
Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.3(a)
.
“
Book-Entry
Shares
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(d)
.
“
Burdensome
Condition
” shall mean any undertakings, terms, conditions, liabilities, obligations, commitments or sanctions (including
any Required Action) imposed upon or otherwise affecting, directly or indirectly, the Company, the Surviving Corporation or any
of their respective Subsidiaries (a) that, individually or in the aggregate, would have or would be reasonably likely to have,
a material adverse effect on the business, assets, results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, after giving effect to the Merger or (b) that would require or involve, directly or indirectly, (i) the sale
or other disposition of Susquehanna, Susquehanna Nuclear or any assets or properties of any of the foregoing that are material
to the ownership, operation or maintenance of Susquehanna or (ii) the funding of or establishment of cash reserves, letters of
credit or other credit support that has the effect of reducing Undrawn Capacity or Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents (or any
commitment in respect of any of the foregoing) in an amount that would exceed $250,000,000 with respect to the Regulatory Approvals
in the aggregate;
provided
that no such undertakings, terms, conditions, liabilities, obligations, commitments or sanctions
(including any Required Action) imposed upon or otherwise affecting, directly or indirectly, the Company, the Surviving Corporation
or any of their respective Subsidiaries as a direct result of any investment, acquisition or joint venture, in each case in power
generation, made or entered into by any “affiliate” (as defined in 18 C.F.R. Section 35.36(a)(9)) of Parent or Merger
Sub (other than the Company or its Subsidiaries or any other Person that, but for the Sponsor Entities’ ownership of Company
Common Stock, would not be an “affiliate” (as defined in 18 C.F.R. Section 35.36(a)(9)) of the Sponsor Entities) that
owns or controls electric generation or transmission facilities within any geographic market relevant for the preparation of a
horizontal Competitive Analysis Screen under 18 C.F.R. Section 33.3 for the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, shall be
taken into account in determining whether a “Burdensome Condition” exists.
“
Business
Day
” shall mean a day except a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which the SEC or banks in the City of New York are
authorized or required by Law to be closed.
“
Capital Expenditure
Plan
” shall mean the plan approved by the Company's board of directors on January 28, 2016, a true and complete copy
of which has been provided to Parent prior to the date hereof.
“
Certificate
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(d)
.
“
Certificate
of Merger
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.3
.
“
Citi Credit
Agreement
” shall mean that certain credit agreement, dated as of June 1, 2015, among Talen Energy Supply, the lenders
and arrangers party thereto and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent.
“
Citi Credit
Agreement Amendment
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.14(e)
.
“
Claim
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(a)
.
“
Clayton Act
”
shall mean the Clayton Act of 1914.
“
Closing
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.2
.
“
Closing Date
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.2
.
“
Code
”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“
Company
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Company Acquisition
Agreement
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(d)
.
“
Company Adverse
Recommendation Change
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(d)
.
“
Company Board
”
shall mean the board of directors of the Company.
“
Company Board
Recommendation
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.2(c)
.
“
Company Charter
Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.1(c)
.
“
Company Common
Stock
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1
.
“
Company Disclosure
Schedule
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Article III
.
“
Company Employee
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.11(a)
.
“
Company Equity
Awards
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(a)
.
“
Company Material
Adverse Effect
” shall mean any change, event, occurrence, fact, development, circumstance, condition or effect that,
individually or in the aggregate, (a) would or would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede or materially delay
the consummation by the Company of the Transactions; or (b) is or would reasonably be expected to
be materially adverse to the business,
assets, results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; other than, in the case
of clause (b), any change, event, occurrence, or effect to the extent arising out of or resulting from or relating to the following:
(i) general changes in the industries or markets in which the Company or its Subsidiaries operates; (ii) any enactment of, change
in, or change in interpretation of, any Law or GAAP or governmental policy after the date hereof; (iii) general economic, regulatory
or political conditions (or changes therein after the date hereof) or conditions (or changes therein after the date hereof) in
the financial, credit or securities markets (including changes in interest or currency exchange rates) in any country or region
in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries conducts business; (iv) any acts of God, natural disasters, terrorism, armed hostilities,
sabotage, war or any escalation or worsening of acts of terrorism, armed hostilities or war; (v) the execution, announcement or
performance of this Agreement, the consummation of the Transactions, or the identity of Parent, including the impact thereof on
relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, distributors, partners, employees, consultants or Governmental
Authorities (it being understood that this clause (v) shall not apply with respect to
Section 3.3(b)
and
Section 3.4
);
(vi) the taking of any specific action as expressly required by the terms of this Agreement or at the written direction of Parent
or Merger Sub or the failure to take any specific action by the Company or its Subsidiaries if that specific action is expressly
prohibited by this Agreement and Parent denied a written request from the Company seeking consent to take such specific action;
(vii) any change in the market price, or change in trading volume, of the capital stock of the Company, in and of itself; (viii)
any failure by the Company or its Subsidiaries to meet internal, analysts’ or other earnings estimates or financial projections
or forecasts for any period, or any changes in credit ratings and any changes in any analysts recommendations or ratings with respect
to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case, in and of itself; and (ix) any pending, initiated or threatened legal
or administrative proceeding, claim, suit or action against the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers
or directors, in each case, arising out of or relating to the execution of this Agreement or the Transactions;
provided
that the changes, events, occurrences or effects set forth in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) may be taken into account in determining
whether a “Company Material Adverse Effect” has occurred or would reasonably be expected to occur, in each case to
the extent, and only to the extent, that such changes, events, occurrences, facts, developments, circumstances, conditions or effects
have a disproportionate adverse impact on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other companies operating
in the industries in which any of the Company or its Subsidiaries operate;
provided
,
further
, that the exceptions
in clauses (vii) and (viii) above shall not prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the underlying cause of any failure
or change referred to therein (if not otherwise falling within any of the exceptions provided by clauses (i) through (vi) and (ix)
above) has had or contributed to a Company Material Adverse Effect.
“
Company Material
Contract
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.16(a)
.
“
Company Multiemployer
Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.10(a)
.
“
Company Pension
Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.10(e)
.
“
Company Permits
”
shall mean all licenses, franchises, permits, grants, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, emission credits, certificates,
registrations, exemptions,
approvals and authorizations from Governmental
Authorities and all rights under any Contract with any Governmental Authority required by Law for the conduct of the Company’s
and its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses as they are now being conducted.
“
Company Plans
”
shall mean (a) each “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) and (b) each other material
employee benefit or compensation plan, program or arrangement, including any stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation right
or other stock or stock-based incentive plan, cash bonus or incentive compensation arrangement, retirement or deferred compensation
plan, profit sharing or savings plan, defined benefit plan, perquisite, material fringe benefit plan, sick leave, vacation pay,
salary continuation for disability, change in control, retention or severance plans, programs, agreements or arrangements and other
similar employee benefit plans or programs sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for
any current or former employee, independent contractor or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case, other
than (i) any plan which is a “multiemployer plan” (as defined in Section 3(37) or Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA)
(a “
Multiemployer Plan
”) or (ii) any collective bargaining agreement or any plan, program, policy or arrangement
mandated by applicable Law or by any applicable collective bargaining or similar agreement.
“
Company Preferred
Stock
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(a)
.
“
Company Related
Parties
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(f)
.
“
Company Representation
Letter
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.15(a)
.
“
Company SEC
Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(a)
.
“
Company Severance
Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.11(a)
.
“
Company Stock
Plan
” shall mean the Talen 2015 Stock Incentive Plan.
“
Company Stockholder
Approvals
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(a)
.
“
Company Stockholders
Meeting
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.2(b)
.
“
Company Tax
Opinion
” shall mean a written opinion of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, dated as of the Closing Date, that satisfies the requirements
of Section 6.01(d) of the Separation Agreement.
“
Compliant
”
shall mean, with respect to the Required Information, that (a) such Required Information, when taken as a whole, does not or will
not, when furnished, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact, in each case, with respect
to the Company and its Subsidiaries necessary in order to make such Required Information not misleading in light of the circumstances
under which it was furnished and (b) the financial statements and other financial information included in such Required Information
would not be deemed stale or otherwise be unusable under customary practices for offerings and private placements of debt securities
under Rule 144A of the Securities Act and are sufficient to permit
the Company and its Subsidiaries’
applicable independent accountants to issue comfort letters to the Debt Financing Sources providing the Debt Financing.
“
Confidentiality
Agreement
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.6(b)
.
“
Contingent
Company Equity
” shall mean any preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, convertible, exchangeable or
exercisable securities, conversion, exchange or exercise rights, stock or equity appreciation rights, phantom stock, restricted
or performance stock units, redemption rights, repurchase rights, subscriptions or other agreements, arrangements, calls or commitments
of any kind that obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer, deliver, purchase, dispose of, redeem, repurchase,
acquire or sell, or cause to be issued, transferred, delivered, purchased, disposed of, redeemed, repurchased, acquired or sold,
or make payments based on the value of, any shares of Company Common Stock or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting
interests of the Company or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, or obligating the
Company or its Subsidiaries or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire any of the foregoing, including any shares
of Company Common Stock or other equity or voting securities or equity or voting interests of the Company.
“
Contingent
Subsidiary Equity
” shall mean any preemptive or other outstanding rights, options, warrants, convertible, exchangeable
or exercisable securities, conversion, exchange or exercise rights, stock or equity appreciation rights, phantom stock, restricted
or performance stock units, redemption rights, repurchase rights, subscriptions or other agreements, arrangements, calls or commitments
of any kind that obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer, deliver, purchase, dispose of, redeem, repurchase,
acquire or sell, or cause to be issued, transferred, delivered, purchased, disposed of, redeemed, repurchased, acquired or sold,
or make payments based on the value of, any shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company or other equity or voting
securities or equity or voting interests of any Subsidiary of the Company or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable
into or exercisable for, or obligating the Company or its Subsidiaries or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire
any of the foregoing, including any shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary of the Company or other equity or voting securities
or equity or voting interests of any Subsidiary of the Company.
“
Continuation
Period
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.11(a)
.
“
Contract
”
shall mean any written contract, lease, license, indenture, note, bond, agreement, arrangement, concession, franchise or other
binding instrument.
“
Credit Facilities
”
shall mean, collectively, (a) the Citi Credit Agreement and (b) the First Lien Credit and Guaranty Agreement by and among New Mach
Gen, LLC, the guarantors and lenders thereto and CLMG Corp., dated as of April 28, 2014, as amended.
“
Credit Support
”
shall mean the aggregate amount of assets, standby guarantees, credit support and/or other financial commitments (that have the
effect of reducing Undrawn Capacity or Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents) required in connection with or as a condition to
any Regulatory Approval or other consent, approval or waiver of any Governmental Authority
required to permit the satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in
Section 6.1(b)
and, solely with respect to any Restraint arising under an Antitrust Law or with
respect to a Regulatory Approval,
Section 6.1(c)
.
“
CRJ
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Cut-Off Time
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(c)
.
“
Debt Commitment
Letter
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.7
.
“
Debt Financing
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.7
.
“
Debt Financing
Sources
” shall mean the entities that have committed to provide or arrange or have otherwise entered into agreements
in connection with all or any part of the Debt Financing in connection with the Transactions, including the parties to the Debt
Commitment Letter and any joinder agreements, indentures or credit agreements entered into pursuant thereto or relating thereto
and their respective Affiliates, officers, directors, employees and representatives involved in the Financing and their successors
and assigns.
“
Default
”
shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Citi Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
“
Definitive
Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.14(a)
.
“
DGCL
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Director
Stock Units
” shall mean all stock units credited to participants’ accounts under the Directors Deferred Compensation
Plan.
“
Directors
Deferred Compensation Plan
” shall mean the Talen Directors Deferred Compensation Plan.
“
Dissenting
Shares
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.3
.
“
Dissenting
Stockholders
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.3
.
“
DTC
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(b)
.
“
DTC Cash
Payment
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(b)
.
“
Effective
Time
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.3
.
“
EMT Confirmations
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.14(d)(xiv)
.
“
EMT Information
” shall
mean, with respect all then-outstanding Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as of the
applicable date of determination, the following information, both aggregated on a monthly basis and on a summary annual basis:
(i) with respect to power transactions, on- and off-peak underlying power and basis transactions, including day ahead and real
time transactions both in aggregate volume amounts
(expressed in megawatts) and a weighted
average price in the following categories of transactions: (A) exchange-based futures and swaps, (B) bilaterally traded transactions,
(C) exchange traded options, (D) bilaterally traded options, (E) inter-book transfers associated with retail transactions and (F)
wholesale inter-book transfers associated with load following transactions; and (ii) with respect to fuel transactions: (A) aggregate
monthly index (Henry Hub) and gas basis transactions and (B) long-term and spot market coal transactions; and (iii) with respect
to emissions and environmental attributes: aggregate volumes and prices of emission allowances (RGGI, SO
2
and NO
x
)
purchases and sales and entitlements.
“
EMT Provisions
”
means, collectively,
Section 5.1(a)(xx)
,
Section 5.1(a)(xxi)
,
Section 5.1(a)(xxiii)
,
Section 5.1(a)(xxiv)
and
Section 5.1(a)(xxv)
of this Agreement.
“
End Date
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.1(b)(i)
.
“
Energy Marketing
and Trading Contract
” shall mean, with respect to an Energy and Marketing Trading Transaction, any master agreement,
confirmation, credit support document, schedule, credit support annex, cover sheet, master netting agreement, master collateral
agreement or similar or related agreement.
“
Energy Marketing
and Trading Transactions
” shall mean (a) the daily or forward purchase or sale or other acquisition or disposition of
wholesale or retail electric energy, capacity, ancillary services, transmission rights, emissions allowances and offsets, renewable
energy certificates, early reduction certificates, weather derivatives, demand derivatives or related commodities, in each case,
whether physical or financial, (b) the daily or forward purchase or sale or other acquisition of fuel, fuel transportation or storage
rights or capacity, mineral rights or related commodities, including whether physical or financial, (c) electric energy-related
tolling transactions or other tolling services and (d) commodity price risk management activities or services.
“
Enhancement
Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.14(e)
.
“
Environmental
Laws
” shall mean any applicable Laws relating to pollution or protection of occupational health or safety (to the extent
relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials), natural resources or the environment (including ambient air, surface, water, ground
water, land surface or subsurface strata), including all those relating to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage,
disposal, Release, threatened Release, recycling, exposure to or cleanup of any Hazardous Materials.
“
EPAct 2005
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(c)
.
“
Equity Award
Consideration Amount
” shall mean cash, in U.S. dollars, in immediately available funds in such aggregate amount necessary
for the Surviving Corporation to make payments to the holders of Options, RSUs, Performance Units and Director Stock Units of the
Company to which such holders are entitled pursuant to
Section 2.4
.
“
ERISA
”
shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“
Event of
Default
” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Citi Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
“
EWG
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(c)
.
“
Exchange
Act
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
Exchange
Agent
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2(a)
.
“
Excluded
Party
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(k)
.
“
Expiration
Notice
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.14(h)
.
“
Fair Saleable
Value
” means the amount that could be obtained by an independent willing seller from an independent willing buyer if
the assets of the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries are sold with reasonable promptness in an arm’s-length transaction
under present conditions for the sale of comparable business enterprises insofar as such conditions can be reasonably evaluated.
“
Federal Trade
Commission Act
” shall mean the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914.
“
FERC
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
FERC Approval
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
Filed Company
SEC Documents
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Article III
.
“
Forecasted
Delta Generation
” shall mean the sum of the forecasted monthly electric generation output of the applicable Talen Energy
Facilities where Talen develops such forecasts using (a) current applicable market prices for fuel and energy, and (b) the plant
operating characteristics of each Talen Energy Facility.
“
FPA
”
shall mean The Federal Power Act, as amended.
“
GAAP
”
shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
“
GMAR
”
shall mean gross margin at risk.
“
Go-Shop Period
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(a)
.
“
Governmental
Authority
” shall mean any supranational, national, federal, state, local or other, whether foreign or domestic, governmental
entity, quasi-governmental entity, court, tribunal, judicial or arbitral body, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality,
or any regulatory (including a stock exchange or other self-regulatory body, any self-regulatory organization and the North American
Electric Reliability Corporation (including any applicable regional authorities thereof)), administrative or other department,
agency, or any political or other subdivision, department or branch of any of the foregoing.
“
Guarantee
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Guarantor
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Hazardous
Materials
” shall mean any waste, pollutant or contaminant or any chemical, material, substance or waste that is regulated
as harmful, hazardous or injurious to human health or safety, the environment or natural resources under any Environmental Law
due to its dangerous or deleterious properties or characteristics, including (a) any petrochemical or petroleum products, radioactive
materials, radon gas, friable asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, or (b) any chemicals, materials or substances defined as or
included in the definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous wastes”, “hazardous materials”,
“restricted hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous substances” or “toxic substances” under
Environmental Law.
“
Hedging Trading
”
shall mean any Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction that hedges all or a portion of the price risk with respect to the inputs
and/or output of any Talen Energy Facility incurred in the ordinary course of business and that is reasonably expected to reduce
the GMAR of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries.
“
Indebtedness
”
shall mean, at any time with respect to any Person, without duplication, all obligations in respect of (a) indebtedness for borrowed
money, (b) indebtedness evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible
or liable, (c) all obligations of such Person in respect of capital leases required to be capitalized by GAAP, (d) letters of credit,
banker’s acceptances or similar credit transactions (in each case solely to the extent drawn), (e) any swap, option, hedging
or derivative instruments or arrangements (other than Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions) in each case valued on the date
of determination at the termination value or fair value thereof, (f) all obligations to pay the deferred and unpaid purchase price
of any asset, business or company, including earn-outs and any obligations secured by a purchase money mortgage, (g) any accrued
and unpaid interest on, fees owed in respect of, and any prepayment premiums, penalties or similar charges in respect of, any indebtedness,
liabilities or obligations described in any other clause in this definition, and (h)(1) any guarantees or other contingent obligations
in respect of obligations of any other Person of the type described in any other clause of this definition and (2) obligations
of any other Person of the type referred to in any other clause of this definition which such Person has pledged any of its assets
as security for, or as to which such Person has undertaken or become obligated to maintain or cause to be maintained the financial
position or financial covenants of such other Person, or to purchase such other Person’s obligations.
“
Indemnitees
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(a)
.
“
Intellectual
Property
” shall mean any and all proprietary and intellectual property rights under the law of any jurisdictions throughout
the world or rights under international treaties, both statutory and common law rights, including: all (a) utility models, patents,
supplementary protection certificates and applications for any of the foregoing, including all extensions, divisionals, continuations,
continuations-in-part, reexaminations, reviews, and reissues thereof, (b) trademarks, trade names, service marks, logos, corporate
names, Internet domain names, other indicia of source, and any applications for registration of any of the foregoing, together
with all goodwill associated with each of the foregoing, (c) registered and unregistered copyrights and rights in other works of
authorship, including copyrights in computer software, mask works rights, moral rights and database rights, and (d) trade secrets
and other intellectual
property rights in know-how or confidential
information, including customer lists, designs, formulations, concepts, methods, techniques, procedures, and processes, whether
or not patentable.
“
Intended
Tax-Free Treatment
” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Transaction Agreement.
“
Intervening
Event
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(j)
.
“
IRS
”
shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“
Knowledge
”
shall mean, (a) in the case of the Company, the actual knowledge, as of the date of this Agreement, of the individuals listed on
Section 8.13(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule after reasonable inquiry of their respective direct reports and (b) in
the case of Parent and Merger Sub, the actual knowledge, as of the date of this Agreement, of the individuals listed on
Section
8.13(a)
of the Parent Disclosure Schedule after reasonable inquiry of their respective direct reports.
“
Laws
”
shall mean any laws, statutes, ordinances, codes, rules or regulations.
“
Leased Real
Property
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.15
.
“
Leases
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.15
.
“
Liens
”
shall mean any liens, restrictions, title defects, charges, pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust, hypothecations, security interests,
claims, preferential rights, options to purchase or otherwise acquire, lease or license any interest, or other encumbrances of
any kind or nature whatsoever. For the avoidance of doubt, any license of Intellectual Property shall not constitute a Lien.
“
Marketing
Period
” shall mean the first period of twenty (20) consecutive Business Days after the date of this Agreement during
and at the end of which (a) Parent shall have received delivery of or had access to the Required Information that is Compliant
(it being understood that if at any time during the Marketing Period the Required Information is not Compliant pursuant to clause
(a) of the definition thereof, but becomes Compliant as a result of a supplement to the “Required Information” as defined,
then the Marketing Period shall be extended by five (5) days but shall not re-commence), and (b) the conditions set forth
in
Section 6.1
and
Section 6.2
shall have been satisfied (other than
Section 6.1(a)
, from and after May 2,
2017,
Section 6.1(b)
and those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing) or (to the extent permitted
by applicable Law) waived and nothing shall have occurred and no condition shall exist that would cause any of the conditions set
forth in
Section 6.1
or
Section 6.2
to fail to be satisfied assuming the Closing were to be scheduled for any time
during such twenty (20) consecutive Business Day period;
provided
that (x) the Marketing Period shall either end on or prior
to August 17, 2016 or, if the Marketing Period has not ended on or prior to August 17, 2016, then the Marketing Period shall commence
no earlier than September 6, 2016, (y) July 1-5, 2016, October 10, 2016, and November 23-27, 2016 shall not be considered Business
Days for purposes of this definition and (z) the Marketing Period shall either end on or prior to December 21, 2016 or, if
the Marketing Period has not ended on or prior to December 21, 2016, then the
Marketing Period shall commence no earlier
than January 2, 2017;
provided
,
further
, that if the Company shall in good faith reasonably believe that it has provided
the Required Information and that the Required Information is Compliant, it may deliver to Parent a written notice to that effect
(stating the date upon which it believes it completed such delivery or provided such access to Required Information that is Compliant),
in which case the Company shall be deemed to have complied with such obligation to deliver or provide access to Required Information
that is Compliant, and such twenty (20) consecutive Business Day period shall be deemed to have commenced, on the date specified
in the notice, unless Parent in good faith reasonably believes the Company has not completed delivery of, or provided access to,
Required Information that is Compliant or that clause (b) of this definition has not been satisfied and within three (3) days after
the delivery of such notice by the Company, delivers a written notice to the Company to that effect (stating in good faith, to
the extent reasonably practicable, which items of Required Information the Company has not delivered or provided access or are
not Compliant or which applicable conditions in
Section 6.1
or
Section 6.2
are not satisfied (other than those conditions
that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing). Notwithstanding anything in this definition to the contrary, (A) the
Marketing Period shall end on any earlier date prior to the expiration of the twenty (20) consecutive Business Day period if the
Debt Financing is consummated on such earlier date and (B) the Marketing Period shall not commence or be deemed to have commenced
if, after the date hereof and prior to the completion of such twenty (20) consecutive Business Day period, (I) the Company’s
independent accountants shall have withdrawn any audit opinion with respect to any financial statements included in the Required
Information, in which case the Marketing Period shall not be deemed to commence unless and until, at the earliest, a new unqualified
audit opinion is issued with respect to such financial statements of the Company for the applicable periods by the applicable independent
accountants or another independent public accounting firm of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to Parent, (II)
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have failed to file any report or other document required to be filed with the SEC
by the date required under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, containing any financial statements that would
be required to be contained therein, in which case the Marketing Period shall not be deemed to commence unless and until, at the
earliest, all such reports have been filed or (III) the Company publicly announces its intention to (or determines that it must)
restate any historical financial statements or other historical financial information included in the Required Information, in
which case, the Marketing Period shall not be deemed to commence unless and until such restatement has been completed or the Company
has publicly announced that it has concluded that no such restatement shall be necessary.
“
Maximum Aggregate
Liability
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(j)
.
“
MBR Authority
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(c)
.
“
Measurement
Date
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(a)
.
“
Merger
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Merger Consideration
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(d)
.
“
Merger Consideration
Amount
” shall mean cash, in U.S. dollars, in immediately available funds in such aggregate amount necessary to pay the
Merger Consideration and make any other payments to the holders of Company Common Stock to which such holders are entitled pursuant
to
Article II
.
“
Merger Sub
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Multiemployer
Plan
” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of Company Plans.
“
New Plans
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.11(b)
.
“
No-Shop Period
Start Date
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(b)
.
“
Notice
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(e)
.
“
Notice Period
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(e)
.
“
NRC
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4.
“
NRC Approval
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
NRC Licenses
”
shall mean Renewed Facility Operating Licenses Nos. NPF-14 and NPF-22 for the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2,
issued on November 24, 2009, and the general license for the SSES Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation.
“
NYPSC Approval
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
NYSE
”
shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
“
Offering
Documents
” shall mean offering and syndication documents and materials, including prospectuses, private placement memoranda,
information memoranda and packages, lender and investor presentations, road show materials, rating agency materials and presentations,
and similar documents and materials, in connection with the Debt Financing.
“
Option
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4(a)
.
“
Order
”
shall mean any writ, judgment, ruling, award, assessment, decree, injunction or similar order of, by or agreement with any Governmental
Authority (in each such case whether preliminary or final).
“
Other Approvals
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
Other Real
Property
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.15
.
“
Owned Real
Property
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.15
.
“
Parent
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Parent Collection
Expense Obligations
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(h)
.
“
Parent Expense
Reimbursement Obligations
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(j)
.
“
Parent Material
Adverse Effect
” shall mean any change, event, occurrence, fact, development, circumstance, condition or effect that,
individually or in the aggregate, would or would reasonably be expected to prevent or materially impede or materially delay the
consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions.
“
Parent Related
Parties
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(h)
.
“
Parent Representation
Letter
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.15(b)
.
“
Parent Termination
Fee
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(g)
.
“
Performance
Unit
” shall mean all RSU awards with performance-based vesting or delivery requirements granted pursuant to the Company
Stock Plan.
“
Permitted
Lien
” shall mean a Lien (a) for Taxes or governmental assessments, charges or claims of payment not yet due and payable
or being contested in good faith through appropriate proceedings and for which adequate accruals or reserves have been established
in accordance with GAAP in the Filed Company SEC Documents, (b) that is a carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’,
materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other similar lien (whether statutory or otherwise) arising in the ordinary course of
business that is not yet due and payable or is being contested in good faith and for which adequate accruals or reserves have been
established in accordance with GAAP in the Filed Company SEC Documents, (c) that is a zoning, building, entitlement or other land
use or environmental regulation by any Governmental Authority that does not, individually or in the aggregate, materially and adversely
affect, impair or interfere with the continued use of any property affected thereby, (d) (i) in effect on the date of this
Agreement and that secures Indebtedness under the Credit Facilities or the Secured Trading Facility or (ii) that secures the
Debt Financing, if any incurred (
provided
,
however
, that, at such time, any Lien securing Indebtedness refinanced
or replaced pursuant to the Debt Financing that would otherwise have been a Permitted Lien shall cease to be a Permitted Lien),
(e) that is an easement, covenant, condition, right of way or other similar restriction with respect to any Real Property, and
in each case to the extent such restriction is filed as of the date hereof of record in the applicable public records (or provided
or made available by the Company to Parent prior to the date hereof) and is valid and subsisting against the applicable Real Property
or that does not materially interfere with or impair the use or operation of, or any of the benefits of ownership of, such Real
Property, (f) that is a pledge or deposit made in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations under workers’
compensation laws or similar legislation or to secure public or statutory obligations, or (g) that relates to any conditions that
are disclosed by any title insurance policies, title commitment(s) or survey(s) of the Real Property that are provided by the Company
to Parent prior to the date hereof.
“
Person
”
shall mean an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust, unincorporated organization,
other entity or group (as defined in the Exchange Act), including a Governmental Authority.
“
Proceedings
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.7
.
“
Pro Forma
Liquidity Amount
” shall mean, in each case as of immediately after the Closing, the (a) Undrawn Capacity
plus
(b) Unrestricted Cash and Cash Equivalents.
“
Proxy Statement
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
Qualified
Decommissioning Fund
” shall mean all amounts contributed to qualified funds for administrative costs and costs incurred
in connection with the entombment, dismantlement, removal and disposal of the structures, systems and components of a unit or common
facilities, including all costs incurred in connection with the preparation for decommissioning, such as engineering and other
planning expenses incurred with respect to the unit or common facilities after actual decommissioning occurs, such as physical
security and radiation monitoring expenses.
“
Real Property
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.15
.
“
Registered
Intellectual Property
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.13(a)
.
“
Regulatory
Approvals
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
Release
”
shall mean any release, spill, emission, leaking, injection, deposit, disposal, discharge, leaching, abandonment, pumping, pouring,
emptying, dumping, or escape.
“
Representatives
”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, the advisors, attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, financial advisors, consultants
and other representatives (acting in such capacity) retained by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, together with directors,
officers and employees of such Person and its Subsidiaries.
“
Required
Action
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.4(d)
.
“
Required
Amount
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.7(a)
.
“
Required
Information
” shall mean the information that is required under paragraph 5 of Exhibit B to the Debt Commitment Letter
as in effect on the date hereof and, to the extent reasonably requested by Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the preparation
of a confidential information memorandum customary for the type of Debt Financing contemplated by the Debt Commitment Letter as
in effect on the date hereof, all reasonably available or readily obtainable information and disclosure relating to the Company
and its Subsidiaries.
“
Restraints
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(c)
.
“
Restrictive
Provision
” shall mean any of the following provisions contained in a Contract: (a) “change of control” provision
in favor of the other party or parties thereto that
would (i) prohibit the Transactions
or give such party or parties a right to terminate such agreement as a result of the Transactions or (ii) result in a loss
of benefits or rights or require a payment to, or give rise to any rights of, such other party, as a result of the Transactions,
(b) any provision that would limit or otherwise restrict (i) the payment of dividends or distributions in respect of
the capital stock or equity interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the granting of Liens on any property
or asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries or (iii) the issuance of guarantees or the incurrence of other Indebtedness by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (c) any provision that would give rise to an event of default or termination if
the other party or parties thereto or an Affiliate thereof ceases to be a provider of debt financing to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
“
Retained
Claims
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(j)
.
“
Talen Energy
Facility
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.16(a)(xi)
.
“
Talen Energy
Supply
” shall mean Talen Energy Supply, LLC, a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company.
“
Risk Management
Policy
” shall mean, collectively (and, during the period from the date hereof until the Effective Time, as modified by
the terms of
Section 5.1
), (a) the Talen Energy Corporation Financial Risk Management Policy adopted as of June 1,
2015 and as amended as of October 23, 2015 and May 1, 2016, (b) the Risk Management Hedge Procedure of Talen Energy Marketing,
LLC, and (c) all other documentation of the Company and its Subsidiaries setting forth the risk management procedures and
operating requirements established under the documents referenced in the immediately preceding clauses (a) and (b), true, correct
and complete copies of each of which documents referenced in the immediately preceding clauses (a) through (c) have been made available
to Parent.
“
RPH
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
RSU Cash
Payment
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4(b)
.
“
RSUs
”
shall mean all restricted share units granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plan that are payable in shares of Company Common Stock
or whose value is determined with reference to the value of shares of Company Common Stock.
“
Sarbanes-Oxley
Act
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(a)
.
“
Schedule
13E-3
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.4
.
“
SEC
”
shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“
Secured EMT Information
” shall mean, with
respect all then-outstanding Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions in respect of which the obligations of the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries thereunder is secured: (a) the dollar amount of such obligations secured under the Secured Trading Facility,
in the aggregate and with respect to each individual counterparty under the Secured Trading Facility, (b) the dollar amount of
such obligations secured by letters of credit issued pursuant to the Citi Credit Agreement, in the aggregate, (c) the dollar amount
of
such obligations secured by cash collateral, in the aggregate,
and (d) the dollar amount of such obligations that are secured by sources other than those set forth in the immediately preceding
clauses (a) through (c), in the aggregate and with respect to each applicable counterparty, and indicating the nature of the security
therefor.
“
Secured Trading
Facility
” shall mean the Secured Energy Marketing and Trading Facility Amended and Restated Common Agreement, dated as
of December 15, 2015, among Talen Energy Marketing, LLC, Talen Energy Supply, LLC, as guarantor, Wilmington Trust, National Association,
as agent, and the secured counterparties from time to time parties thereto.
“
Securities
Act
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.5(a)
.
“
Separation
Agreement
” shall mean the Separation Agreement, dated June 9, 2014, entered into by and among PPL Corporation, Talen
Energy Holdings, Inc., the Company, PPL Energy Supply, LLC, Raven Power Holdings LLC, Sapphire Power Holdings LLC and C/R Energy
Jade, LLC.
“
Sherman Act
”
shall mean the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.
“
Solvent
”
shall mean, when used with respect to any Person, that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the Fair Saleable Value
of the assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, on a going concern basis will, as of such date, exceed (i)
the value of all liabilities of such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, including contingent and other liabilities
as of such date and (ii) the amount that will be required to pay the probable liabilities of such Person on its existing debts
(including contingent liabilities) as such debts become absolute and matured (in each case, determined in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied), (b) as of such date, such Person and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will not have an unreasonably small
amount of capital for the operation of the businesses in which they are engaged or proposed to be engaged following such date and
(c) as of such date, such Person, and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will be able to pay their liabilities, including contingent
and other liabilities, as they mature. For purposes of this definition, each of the phrases “not have an unreasonably small
amount of capital for the operation of the businesses in which it is engaged or proposed to be engaged” and “able to
pay its liabilities, including contingent and other liabilities, as they mature” means that such Person and its Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, will be able to generate enough cash from operations, asset dispositions or refinancing, or a combination thereof,
to meet their obligations as they become due.
“
Specified
Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions
” shall mean any Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction that: (a) does not
constitute Hedging Trading; (b) is entered into for purposes of intra-day trading that is not Hedging Trading; (c) includes
any obligations on the part of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that extend for a period longer than thirty-six (36) months
following the trade date; (d) consists of a heat rate, spark spread or related hedging arrangement for one or more gas-fired Talen
Energy
Facility, other than (i) physical fuel
purchases for plant operations and daily energy sale offers, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business and
with a delivery date no later than thirty (30) days following such trade and (ii) any such hedging arrangement entered into on
the same trading day with respect to both the expected natural gas input and expected electric power output of such Talen Energy
Facility; (e) at the time such Energy Marketing and Trading Transaction is entered into, would (taking into account all then
outstanding Energy Marketing and Trading Transactions to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or subject) cause
the percentage of Forecasted Delta Generation that is hedged for the peak or off-peak periods, as applicable, in any month in respect
of the Talen Energy Facilities on a monthly aggregate basis in a particular regional transmission organization, independent system
operator or balancing authority area to exceed 100%; (f) relates to a hedging arrangement that is not correlated to the relevant
hub, zone or market for one or more of the Talen Energy Facilities; or (g) is not for the retail sale of natural gas, associated
Hedging Trading or natural gas transportation.
“
Specified
Entity
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.4(e)
of the Parent Disclosure Schedule.
“
Specified
Event of Default
” shall mean (a) any Event of Default and/or (b) any Default under (i) Section 11.01 of the Citi Credit
Agreement, (ii) Section 11.02 of the Citi Credit Agreement, (iii) Section 11.03 of the Citi Credit Agreement solely with respect
to the covenants set forth in Sections 9.01 (other than 9.01(b)), 9.03(a)(i), 9.05, 9.06 and 9.08 thereof, (iv) Section 11.05(a)
of the Citi Credit Agreement and/or (v) Section 11.08 of the Citi Credit Agreement, in each case, without giving effect to any
cure period related thereto as set forth in the Citi Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
“
SPH
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“
Sponsor Entity
”
and “
Sponsor Entities
” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Stockholder
Agreement
” shall mean the Stockholder Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2015, by and among the Sponsor Entities and the
Company.
“
Stockholder
Approval
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.19
.
“
Subsidiary
”
when used with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or
other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity and more than 50% of the
ordinary voting power (or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests) are, as of such date,
owned by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.
“
Subsidiary
Guarantor
” shall have the meaning set forth in the Citi Credit Agreement as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
“
Superior
Proposal
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(i)
.
“
Support Agreement
”
shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“
Surviving
Corporation
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.1
.
“
Susquehanna
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(d)
.
“
Susquehanna
Material Adverse Effect
” shall mean (a) any incident reasonably expected to constitute an extraordinary nuclear occurrence
(as defined in the Atomic Energy Act) at Susquehanna or (b) Susquehanna Unit 1 or Susquehanna Unit 2 being placed in NRC Reactor
Oversight Process Matrix Column 4 or Column 5.
“
Susquehanna
Nuclear
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(d)
.
“
Surviving
Corporation
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 1.1
.
“
Tax
”
or “
Taxes
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.9(b)
.
“
Tax Returns
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.9(b)
.
“
Termination
Fee
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(d)
.
“
Transaction
Agreement
” shall mean the Transaction Agreement, dated June 9, 2014, entered into by and among PPL Corporation, Talen
Energy Holdings, Inc., the Company, PPL Energy Supply, LLC, Talen Energy Merger Sub, Inc., C/R Energy Jade, LLC, Sapphire Power
Holdings LLC and Raven Power Holdings LLC, and as in effect as of the date hereof.
“
Transaction
Costs
” shall mean the fees and expenses of or payable by Parent, Merger Sub or the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries
in connection with the Transactions, including the Debt Financing, not to exceed, in the case of such fees and expenses incurred
by the Parent or Merger Sub (it being understood that, for the purposes of this definition, financing fees payable in connection
with the Debt Financing shall be deemed expenses of Parent and Merger Sub, and not of the Surviving Corporation or its Subsidiaries),
$100,000,000.
“
Transactions
”
refers collectively to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger.
“
Transfer
Taxes
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.16
.
“
Trustee
”
shall the meaning set forth in
Section 3.20(g)
.
“
Unaffiliated
Stockholders
” shall mean holders of Company Common Stock other than Riverstone Holdings LLC, its related entities and
any of their respective Affiliates.
“
Unaffiliated
Stockholder Approval
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(a)
.
“
Undrawn Capacity
”
shall mean, as of any time of determination, (a) the amount of the aggregate commitments of the lenders available to be drawn under
the Citi Credit Agreement to make loans thereunder, as of such time of determination,
less
(b) the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of all loans thereunder outstanding as of such time of determination,
less
(c) the aggregate amount of
all letters of credit issued thereunder outstanding as of such time of determination.
“
Unrestricted
Cash and Cash Equivalents
” shall mean, as of any time of determination, cash and cash equivalents, in U.S. dollars, of
immediately available to the Company its
consolidated Subsidiaries that would be
reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of such time of determination prepared in accordance with GAAP and
would not appear as “restricted” on such consolidated balance sheet.
“
Voting Company
Debt
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(b)
.
“
Voting Subsidiary
Debt
” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(f)
.
“
WARN Act
”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.12(a)
.
Section 8.14
Interpretation
.
(a) The
headings contained in this Agreement and in the table of contents to this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not
affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. References to “this Agreement” shall include the
Company Disclosure Schedule and the Parent Disclosure Schedule. All Exhibits annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated
in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein. Any terms used in the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Parent
Disclosure Schedule, any Exhibit or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto but not otherwise defined
therein shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular
and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine,
feminine and neuter forms. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning as the word “shall”.
The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase
“without limitation”. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree
to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if”. The word “or” shall
not be exclusive. The phrase “date of this Agreement” or “date hereof” shall be deemed to refer to June
2, 2016. All references to “dollars” or “$” shall refer to the lawful currency of the United States, with
any required currency conversion being calculated on the basis of the most recent month end spot rate as quoted by Bloomberg. Unless
the context requires otherwise (i) any definition of or reference to any Law herein shall be construed as referring to such Law
as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, including by succession of comparable successor statutes and
references to the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include
such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”,
and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision
hereof and (iv) all references herein to Articles, Sections and Exhibits shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of,
and Exhibits to, this Agreement. The words “made available” means (unless otherwise specified), with respect to a particular
document, item or other piece of information, inclusion and availability to Parent and its Representatives in the virtual data
room hosted by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company in connection with the Merger on or prior to 8:00 a.m. New York time on June 2,
2016. Each Parent agrees that its obligations hereunder are joint and several with respect to each other Parent.
(b) The
parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement and, in the event an ambiguity or question
of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as jointly
drafted by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of
the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.
[
signature page follows
]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
|
TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Paul A. Farr
|
|
|
Name:
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
|
Title:
|
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
[
Signature Page to Agreement and Plan
of Merger
]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
|
RPH PARENT LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Name: Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Title: Authorized Person
|
|
SPH PARENT LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Name: Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Title: Authorized Person
|
|
CRJ PARENT LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Name: Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Title: Authorized Person
|
|
RJS MERGER SUB INC.
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Name: Carl L. Williams
|
|
|
Title: Authorized Person
|
[
Signature Page to Agreement and Plan
of Merger
]
Annex
B
EXECUTION VERSION
SUPPORT AGREEMENT
This SUPPORT AGREEMENT
(this “
Agreement
”), dated as of June 2, 2016, is entered into by and among Talen Energy Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the “
Company
”), Raven Power Holdings LLC, C/R Energy Jade, LLC and Sapphire Power Holdings LLC,
each a Delaware limited liability company (each a “
Holder
” and collectively, the “
Holders
”).
Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement
(as defined below).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, concurrently
with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as may be amended
from time to time in accordance with its terms, the “
Merger Agreement
”) with RPH Parent LLC, CRJ Parent LLC
and SPH Parent LLC, each a Delaware limited liability company (collectively, “
Parent
”), and RJS Merger Sub Inc.,
a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent (“
Merger Sub
”), dated as of the date hereof,
pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company,
with the Company as the surviving corporation;
WHEREAS, the Holders,
collectively, beneficially own 44,974,658 shares of Company Common Stock as of the date hereof (collectively, together with any
shares of Company Common Stock subsequently acquired, the “
Subject Shares
”);
WHEREAS, as a condition
to the willingness of the Company to enter into the Merger Agreement and as an inducement and in consideration therefor, the Company
has required that the Holders agree, and the Holders have agreed, to enter into this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and the mutual premises, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement, the parties intending
to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
Article
I
VOTING
Section 1.1
Agreement
to Vote
. Each Holder hereby agrees that:
(a) at
any meeting of stockholders of the Company (or any adjournment or postponement thereof) or in any other circumstance upon which
a vote, consent or other approval (including a written consent) with respect to the Merger Agreement, the Merger or any other transaction
contemplated by the Merger Agreement is sought, such Holder shall vote or execute consents with respect to (or cause to be voted
or consents to be executed with respect to) all Subject Shares beneficially owned by such Holder as of the applicable record date
in favor of the adoption and approval of the Merger Agreement, the Merger and any other transaction contemplated by the Merger
Agreement.
(b) such
Holder shall vote or execute consents with respect to (or cause to be voted or consents to be executed with respect to) all Subject
Shares beneficially owned by such
Holder as of the applicable record date
against each of the following matters at any meeting of stockholders of the Company (or any adjournment or postponement thereof),
or in any other circumstance upon which a vote, consent or other approval (including a written consent) with respect to any of
the following matters is sought: any action or agreement that is not recommended by the Company Board and that would reasonably
be expected to (A) result in a breach of any covenant, representation or warranty or any other obligation or agreement of the Company
under the Merger Agreement, (B) result in any of the conditions to the consummation of the Merger under the Merger Agreement not
being fulfilled or (C) materially impede, frustrate, interfere with, delay or postpone the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
by the Merger Agreement.
Section 1.2
Further
Assurances
. Each Holder shall, from time to time, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such
additional or further consents, documents and other instruments as the Company may reasonably request to the extent necessary to
effectively carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 1.3
Transfers
. Each
Holder agrees that until the termination of this Agreement, such Holder shall not, except as contemplated by this Section 1.3,
sell, transfer, pledge, assign, encumber, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of (including by gift) (collectively, “
Transfer
”),
or enter into any Contract or option or other arrangement (including any profit sharing arrangement) with respect to the Transfer
of, any Subject Shares to any Person other than pursuant to the Merger. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Holders may Transfer,
subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any Subject Shares to any other Holder or to any of their respective Affiliates,
Parent or Merger Sub;
provided
that the effectiveness of any such Transfers shall be conditioned on the transferee agreeing
in writing to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the Stockholder Agreement in a form reasonably satisfactory to the
Company;
provided
,
further
, notwithstanding such Transfer, the transferor shall remain liable hereunder as though
still a party hereto.
Section 1.4
Voting
Arrangements
. Except for this Agreement and the Stockholders Agreement, each Holder shall not enter into any voting
arrangement, whether by proxy, voting agreement or otherwise, with respect to its Subject Shares (other than solely among the Affiliates
who are bound to this Agreement with respect to the applicable Subject Shares) and shall not commit or agree to take any of the
foregoing actions.
Section 1.5
Representations
of Each Holder
. Each Holder hereby represents and warrants to the Company, severally and not jointly, with respect
to such Holder and such Holder’s ownership of the Subject Shares as follows:
(a)
Authority
.
Such Holder is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of Delaware and
has all requisite limited liability company power and authority necessary to execute and deliver this Agreement, to comply with
and perform its respective obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery
of this Agreement by such Holder or its compliance with and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation by such Holder
of the transactions contemplated hereby, has been duly authorized and approved by all necessary action by such Holder (including
by the board of directors or applicable corporate
bodies), and no other
limited liability company action on the part of such Holder is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of and performance
by such Holder under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Holder and, assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery hereof by the Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Holder, enforceable against
it in accordance with its terms, except that such enforceability may be subject to a Bankruptcy and Equity Exception. Other than
as provided in the Merger Agreement with respect to the Transactions and any filings by such Holder with the SEC, the execution,
delivery and performance by such Holder of this Agreement does not require any consent of or Permit from any Governmental Authority,
other than any consent or Permit the failure of which to make or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably
expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Merger or such Holder’s ability to observe or perform its
obligations hereunder.
(b)
Noncontravention
.
Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement by such Holder nor the consummation by such Holder of the transactions contemplated
hereby, nor the performance of or compliance with any of the terms or provisions hereof by such Holder, will conflict with, result
in a breach of, constitute a default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under or violate (i) any provision of any
Contract, Permit, Order or Law applicable to such Holder or (ii) conflict with or violate any provision of the certificate of formation
and operating agreement of such Holder, in the case of clause (i) except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably
expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Merger or such Holder’s ability to observe or perform its
obligations hereunder.
(c)
The
Subject Shares
. As of the date of this Agreement, such Holder owns beneficially and of record the Subject Shares set forth
opposite such Holder’s name on
Schedule I
hereto, free and clear of any and all Liens and free of any restriction
on the right to vote, sell or otherwise dispose of such Subject Shares, other than any of the foregoing that would not prevent
or materially delay such Holder’s ability to perform or comply with its obligations hereunder. As of the date of this Agreement,
such Holder does not own, of record or beneficially, any shares of capital stock of the Company other than the Subject Shares set
forth opposite such Holder’s name on
Schedule I
hereto (except that such Holder may be deemed to beneficially own
Subject Shares owned by other Holders). Such Holder has, or will have at the time of the applicable meeting of stockholders of
the Company, the right to vote or direct the vote of its Subject Shares and none of such Subject Shares is subject to any Contracts
with respect to the voting thereof that would prevent or materially delay such Holder’s ability to perform its obligations
hereunder. There are no Contracts of any kind, contingent or otherwise, obligating such Holder to Transfer, or cause to be Transferred,
any of the Subject Shares set forth opposite such Holder’s name on
Schedule I
hereto (other than a Transfer from one
Holder to another Holder) and no Person has any contractual or other right or obligation to purchase or otherwise acquire any of
such Subject Shares.
(d)
Reliance
by the Company
. Such Holder understands and acknowledges that the Company is entering into the Merger Agreement in reliance
upon such Holder’s execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(e)
Legal
Proceedings
. As of the date of this Agreement, there are no Proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of such Holder, threatened
against such Holder that
questions the validity
of this Agreement or any action taken or to be taken by such Holder in connection with this Agreement.
(f)
Finders
Fees
. Except for Goldman, Sachs & Co. and RBC Capital Markets, no broker, investment bank, financial advisor or other Person
is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial adviser’s or similar fee or commission in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of such Holder.
Section 1.6
Representations
and Warranties of the Company
. The Company represents and warrants to the Holders as follows: (i) the Company is
a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and has all necessary
corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to comply with and perform its obligations hereunder and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; (ii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly authorized and approved by the Company Board, and no other corporate action
on the part of the Company is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of and performance by the Company under this Agreement
and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby; (iii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid
and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except that such enforceability
may be subject to a Bankruptcy and Equity Exception; (iv) other than as provided in the Merger Agreement with respect to the Transactions
and any filings by the Company with the SEC, the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement does not
require any consent of or Permit from any Governmental Authority, other than any consent or Permit the failure of which to make
or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of
the Merger or the Company’s ability to observe or perform its obligations hereunder; and (v) other than as provided in the
Merger Agreement, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby, nor the performance of or compliance with any of the terms or provisions hereof by the Company,
will conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under or violate
any provision of any Contract, Permit, Order or Law applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or conflict with or violate
any provision of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, in each case except as would not, individually or
in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to prevent or delay the consummation of the Merger or the Company’s ability to observe
or perform its obligations hereunder.
Section 1.7
Additional
Acknowledgements
. Each of the Company and each Holder expressly acknowledges and agrees that (a) Section 4.12 (with
respect to each Holder rather than Parent and Merger Sub) and Section 3.23 of the Merger Agreement are incorporated by reference
herein,
mutatis mutandis
and (b) each Holder is entering into this Agreement solely in such Holder’s capacity as the
record holder or beneficial owner of Subject Shares and in no other capacity whatsoever.
Article
II
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 2.1
Notices
. All
notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications under this Agreement to any party hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed given if delivered personally, facsimiled (which is confirmed), sent by overnight courier (providing proof of delivery),
sent by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or sent by electronic mail to the respective parties
at the following addresses:
if to the Holders, to:
Riverstone Holdings LLC
712 Fifth Avenue, 36th Floor
New York, New York 10019
Attention: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (212)
271-2928
Email: scoats@riverstonellc.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Igor
Kirman
Edward
J. Lee
Facsimile: (212)
403-2000
Email(s): IKirman@WLRK.com
EJLee@WLRK.com
and
Vinson & Elkins LLP
1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Trina
Chandler
Facsimile: (713)
615-5088
Email: tchandler@velaw.com
if to the Company, to:
Talen Energy Corporation
853 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
Attention: General
Counsel
Facsimile: (610) 774-2755
Email(s): paul.breme@talenenergy.com
thomas.douglass@talenenergy.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Attention: Andrew
Calder
Sarkis
Jebejian, P.C.
David Beller
Facsimile: (212)
446-4900
Emails: andrew.calder@kirkland.com
sarkis.jebejian@kirkland.com
david.beller@kirkland.com
or such other address, facsimile number
or electronic mail address as such party may hereafter specify by like notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests
and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m.
in the place of receipt and such day is a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication
shall be deemed not to have been received until the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.
Section 2.2
Governing
Law and Jurisdiction
.
(a) Each
party irrevocably consents to the service of process outside the territorial jurisdiction of the courts referred to in this Section
2.2 in any such action or proceeding by mailing copies thereof by registered or certified United States mail, postage prepaid,
return receipt requested, to its address as specified in or pursuant to this Article II. However, the foregoing shall not limit
the right of a party to effect service of process on the other party by any other legally available method.
(b) This
Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any
choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application
of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. In addition, each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that
any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition
and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by the other
party hereto or its successors or assigns, will be brought and determined exclusively in the Delaware Court of Chancery and any
state appellate court therefrom within the State of Delaware (or, if the Delaware Court of Chancery declines to accept jurisdiction
over a particular matter, any state or federal court within the State of Delaware). Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably
submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally,
to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or
any of the transactions contemplated hereunder in any court other than the aforesaid courts. Each of the parties hereto by this
Agreement irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action
or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, (i) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named
courts for any reason
other than the failure to serve in accordance
with Section 2.2(a), (ii) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any
legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution
of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (iii) to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable Law, any claim that
(x) the suit, action or proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (y) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding
is improper or (z) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.
Section 2.3
Severability
.
If any term or other provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced by any rule of law or public policy, all other terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement shall nevertheless
remain in full force and effect. Upon such 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 to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions
contemplated hereunder are fulfilled to the extent possible.
Section 2.4
Excess
Parent Liability
.
(a) If
and solely to the extent that, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, subject to any limitations contained
therein (including Section 7.3) and in the Guarantee, Parent’s aggregate payment obligation to the Company for (x) Parent
Expense Reimbursement Obligations (for clarity, not to exceed $10,000,000), if any, if and when payable pursuant to the terms of
the Merger Agreement,
plus
(y) Parent Collection Expense Obligations (for clarity, not to exceed $10,000,000), if any, if
and when payable pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement,
plus
(z) the Parent Termination Fee (for clarity, not to
exceed $85,000,000), if any, if and when payable pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, exceeds $90,000,000, the Company
shall be entitled to seek payment from the Holders, severally and not jointly, in an aggregate amount equal to the excess, if any,
of (i) the sum of clauses (x) through (z)
over
(ii) $90,000,000 (the “
Excess Payment Amount
”) (it being
understood that any payment by any such Holder of any amount of the Excess Payment Amount hereunder shall be in full satisfaction
of any obligation of Parent or any other Person with respect to such amount under the Merger Agreement, Guarantee or otherwise).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Excess Payment Amount shall not, in the aggregate, exceed $15,000,000;
provided
,
further
, that each Holder’s several (and not joint) maximum liability, if any, under this Section
2.4(a) shall in all cases be limited to compensatory damages (irrespective of the form of the claim or action, whether in contract,
tort or otherwise) not in excess of such Holder’s Pro Rata Portion of the Excess Payment Amount (if any). For purposes of
this Agreement, “
Pro Rata Portion
” means, for each Holder, the percentage set forth opposite such Holder’s
name on
Schedule II
hereto. To the extent Parent or Merger Sub is relieved of its applicable obligations under the Merger
Agreement, the Holders shall likewise be relieved of their applicable obligations hereunder, and the Holders shall be entitled
to the benefit of any defenses, limitations, caps or disclaimers of damages that may be available to Parent or Merger Sub under
the Merger Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary, each Holder’s Pro Rata Portion of the Excess Payment Amount, if and to the extent payable pursuant
to Section 2.4(a), shall be the sole and exclusive liability imposed on each such Holder in connection with any liability of Parent
or of any other Person arising out of or related to the Merger Agreement, the Guarantee, this Agreement (other than as expressly
set forth herein), the Confidentiality Agreement or the Debt Commitment Letter and/or any of the transactions contemplated thereby,
and in no event shall the Company, its Affiliates, their respective stockholders or Representatives or any other Person seek, directly
or indirectly, to recover against any of the Holders, or compel any payment by any of the Holders of, any damages or other payments
whatsoever that are, in aggregate, in excess of each such Holder’s Pro Rata Portion of the Excess Payment Amount, if any.
Without limiting any other limitations of liability for the benefit of the Holders under this Agreement, the Merger Agreement or
the Guarantee, Sections 4(b), 9 and 10 of the Guarantee are hereby expressly incorporated by reference,
mutatis mutandis.
Section 2.5
Remedies
. Subject
to this Section 2.5 and the terms of the Merger Agreement, any and all remedies herein expressly conferred upon a party will be
deemed cumulative with and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by law or equity upon such party, and the exercise
by a party of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other remedy. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that, unless this Agreement
has been validly terminated in accordance its terms, the parties hereto shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in any of the courts referred
to in Section 2.2(b), in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity, in each case subject to the
terms of the Merger Agreement (including Sections 7.2, 7.3 and 8.9 thereof). Subject to this Section 2.5, each party hereby agrees
not to raise any objections to the availability of the equitable remedy of specific performance to prevent or restrain breaches
of this Agreement by such party, and to specifically enforce the terms and provisions of this Agreement to prevent breaches of,
or to enforce compliance with, the covenants and obligations of such party under this Agreement. Any party seeking an injunction
or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall
not be required to provide any bond or other security in connection with any such order or injunction. The parties hereto further
agree that by seeking the remedies provided for in this Section 2.5, a party shall not in any respect waive its right to seek any
other form of relief that may be available to a party under this Agreement (including, subject to the limitations hereof and in
the Merger Agreement, monetary damages) in the event that the remedies provided for in this Section 2.5 are not available or otherwise
are not granted.
Section 2.6
WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL
. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW,
ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE PARTIES HERETO ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT
OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER.
Each party hereto (a) certifies that no representative,
agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such party would not, in the event of any Proceeding,
seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the
other
parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waiver and certifications in this
SECTION 2.6
.
Section 2.7
Assignment
. Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of
Law or otherwise, by any of the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties;
provided
, that a Holder
may, without the prior written consent of the Company, assign any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to
one or more of its Affiliates pursuant to a Transfer permitted by Section 1.3;
provided
,
further
, that any assignment
pursuant to the foregoing clause shall not limit or affect such Holder’s obligations under this Agreement as a primary obligor.
This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties hereto and their respective successors
and permitted assigns. Any purported assignment not permitted under this Section 2.7 shall be null and void.
Section 2.8
Counterparts;
Section Headings
. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (each of which shall be deemed to be an original
but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement) and shall become effective when one or more counterparts
have been signed by each of the parties and delivered (by electronic communication, facsimile or otherwise) to the other parties.
Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic image scan transmission
shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The article and section headings of this Agreement
are for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construing this Agreement.
Section 2.9
Entire
Agreement
. This Agreement (subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement
between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and is binding solely on, and inures solely to the benefit
of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and nothing set forth in this Agreement shall be
construed to confer upon or give to any Person other than the Company, Parent, Merger Sub, Guarantor and each Guarantor Non-Recourse
Party (as defined in the Guarantee), and their respective successors and permitted assigns, any rights or remedies under or by
reason of this Agreement or to confer upon or give to any Person any rights or remedies against any Person other than the Holders
under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 2.10
Amendments
. This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. No provision of this Agreement may
be waived, discharged or terminated other than by an instrument in writing signed by the party against whom the enforcement of
such waiver, discharge or termination is sought.
Section 2.11
Termination
of Agreement
. Except for Section 2.4 (which shall terminate automatically upon termination of the Guarantee), this
Agreement shall be automatically terminated without further action upon the earliest to occur of (A) the Effective Time, (B) the
termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, (C) a Company Adverse Recommendation Change and (D) the written
agreement of the Holders and the Company to terminate this Agreement.
[
The remainder of this page is intentionally
left blank
]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have
executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.
|
Talen Energy Corporation
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Paul A. Farr
|
|
Name:
|
Paul A. Farr
|
|
Title:
|
President and Chief Executive Officer
|
[
Signature Page
to Support Agreement
]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have
executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.
|
Raven Power Holdings LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
Name:
|
Carl L. Williams
|
|
Title:
|
Authorized Person
|
|
|
|
C/R Energy Jade, LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
Name:
|
Carl L. Williams
|
|
Title:
|
Authorized Person
|
|
|
|
Sapphire Power Holdings LLC
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl L. Williams
|
|
Name:
|
Carl L. Williams
|
|
Title:
|
Authorized Person
|
[
Signature Page to Support Agreement
]
Annex
C
OPINION OF CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
June 2, 2016
The Disinterested Directors of the Board
of Directors
Talen Energy Corporation
835 Hamilton Street, Suite 150
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18101
The Disinterested Directors of the
Board of Directors:
You have requested our opinion as to the
fairness, from a financial point of view, to the holders of the common stock of Talen Energy Corporation (“Talen Energy”),
other than as specified below, of the Merger Consideration (defined below) provided for pursuant to the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) to be entered into among Talen Energy, RPH
Parent LLC (“RPH”),
SPH Parent LLC (“SPH”) and CRJ Parent LLC (together with RPH and SPH, “Parent”),
indirect subsidiaries of Raven Power Holdings LLC, Sapphire Power Holdings LLC
and
C/R Energy Jade, LLC (the “Sponsor
Entities”), respectively, and each an affiliate of Riverstone Holdings LLC (“Riverstone”), which currently beneficially
owns approximately 35% of the outstanding shares of Talen Energy Common Stock (defined below), and RJS Merger Sub Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub” and, together with Parent, the Sponsor Entities, Riverstone and related entities,
the “Riverstone Entities”). As more fully described in the Agreement, (i) Merger Sub will be merged with and into Talen
Energy (the “Merger”), with Talen Energy as the surviving corporation, and (ii) each outstanding share of the common
stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Talen Energy (“Talen Energy Common Stock”) not beneficially owned by the Riverstone
Entities or their respective affiliates will be converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash (the “Merger Consideration”).
The terms and conditions of the Merger are more fully set forth in the Agreement.
In arriving at our opinion, we reviewed
a draft, dated June 2, 2016, of the Agreement and held discussions with certain senior officers, directors and other representatives
and advisors of Talen Energy concerning the businesses, operations and prospects of Talen Energy. We reviewed certain publicly
available and other business and financial information relating to Talen Energy, including certain internal financial forecasts
and other information and data relating to Talen Energy provided to or discussed with us by the management of Talen Energy. We
reviewed the financial terms of the Merger as set forth in the Agreement in relation to, among other things: current and historical
market prices of Talen Energy Common Stock; the historical and projected earnings and other operating data of Talen Energy; and
the capitalization and financial condition of Talen Energy. We analyzed certain financial, stock market and other publicly available
information relating to the businesses of other companies whose operations we considered relevant in evaluating those of Talen
Energy and we considered, to the extent publicly available, the financial terms of certain other transactions which we considered
relevant in evaluating the Merger. In addition to the foregoing, we conducted such other analyses and examinations and considered
such other information and financial, economic and market criteria as we deemed appropriate in arriving at our opinion. The issuance
of our opinion has been authorized by our fairness opinion committee.
The Disinterested Directors of the Board
of Directors
Talen Energy Corporation
June 2, 2016
Page 2
In rendering our opinion, we have assumed
and relied, without independent verification, upon the accuracy and completeness of all financial and other information and data
publicly available or provided to or otherwise reviewed by or discussed with us and upon the assurances of the management and other
representatives of Talen Energy that they are not aware of any relevant information that has been omitted or that remains undisclosed
to us. With respect to financial forecasts and other information and data relating to Talen Energy that we have been directed to
utilize in our analyses, we have been advised by the management of Talen Energy and we have assumed, with your consent, that such
financial forecasts and other information and data were reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available estimates
and judgments of the management of Talen Energy as to the future financial performance of Talen Energy and the other matters covered
thereby. We have relied, at your direction, upon the assessments of the management of Talen Energy as to, among other things, (i)
matters relating to the separation of Talen Energy Holdings, Inc., the former parent company of Talen Energy and Talen Energy Supply,
LLC, from PPL Corporation consummated in 2015 (the “Separation”) and certain tax indemnities, opinions and other arrangements
contemplated in connection with the Separation, (ii) the potential impact on Talen Energy of certain market, competitive, cyclical
and other trends and developments in and prospects for, and governmental, regulatory and legislative matters relating to or otherwise
affecting, the merchant power generation industry, including assumptions of the management of Talen Energy as to, among other things,
future commodity, capacity markets, wholesale and retail energy prices, operational, maintenance and production costs, transmission
capacity and demand for energy commodities reflected in the financial forecasts and other information and data utilized in our
analyses or otherwise relevant for purposes of our opinion, which are subject to significant volatility and which, if different
than as assumed, could have a material impact on our analyses and opinion and (iii) existing and future commercial relationships,
agreements and arrangements of Talen Energy. We have assumed, with your consent, that there will be no developments with respect
to any such matters that would have an adverse effect on Talen Energy or the Merger or that otherwise would be meaningful in any
respect to our analyses or opinion.
We have not made or been provided with
an independent evaluation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities (contingent, off-balance sheet, derivative or otherwise) of
Talen Energy or any other entity nor have we made any physical inspection of the properties or assets of Talen Energy or any other
entity. We have assumed, with your consent, that the Merger will be consummated in accordance with its terms and in compliance
with all applicable laws, documents and other requirements, without waiver, modification or amendment of any material term, condition
or agreement and that, in the course of obtaining the necessary governmental, regulatory or third party approvals, consents, releases,
waivers and agreements for the Merger, no delay, limitation, restriction or condition, including any divestiture requirements,
amendments or modifications, will be imposed or occur that would have an adverse effect on Talen Energy or the Merger or that otherwise
would be meaningful in any respect to our analyses or opinion.
Representatives of
Talen
Energy
have advised us, and we also have assumed, that the final terms of the Agreement will
not vary materially from those set forth in the draft of the Agreement reviewed by us.
We are not expressing any view or
opinion as to the prices at which Talen Energy Common Stock (or any other securities of or relating to Talen Energy) may trade
or otherwise be transferable at any time. We also are not expressing any view or opinion with respect to any tax (including, without
limitation, tax consequences resulting from the Separation, the Merger or otherwise), accounting, regulatory, legal or similar
matters and we have relied, with your consent, upon the assessments of representatives of Talen Energy as to such matters. In connection
with our engagement, we were not requested to, and we did not, undertake a third-party
The Disinterested Directors of the Board
of Directors
Talen Energy Corporation
June 2, 2016
Page 3
solicitation process on behalf of Talen
Energy; however, we held discussions on behalf of Talen Energy with certain third parties that had made inbound inquiries regarding
a possible acquisition of Talen Energy and we have been requested, following public announcement of the Merger, to undertake on
behalf of Talen Energy a go-shop process, as contemplated by the provisions of the Agreement and subject to certain limitations,
to solicit third-party indications of interest in the acquisition of Talen Energy.
Our opinion addresses only the fairness,
from a financial point of view and as of the date hereof, of the Merger Consideration (to the extent expressly specified herein)
to the holders of Talen Energy Common Stock other than Riverstone Entities and their respective affiliates. Our opinion does not
address any other terms, aspects or implications of the Merger, including, without limitation, the form or structure of the Merger,
any guarantee, support agreement or any other agreement, arrangement or understanding to be entered into in connection with or
contemplated by the Merger or otherwise. We express no view as to, and our opinion does not address, the underlying business decision
of Talen Energy to effect or enter into the Merger, the relative merits of the Merger as compared to any alternative business strategies
that might exist for Talen Energy or the effect of any other transaction in which Talen Energy might engage or consider. We also
express no view as to, and our opinion does not address, the fairness (financial or otherwise) of the amount or nature or any other
aspect of any compensation or other payments to any officers, directors or employees of any parties to the Merger, or any class
of such persons, relative to the Merger Consideration or otherwise. Our opinion is necessarily based upon information available,
and financial, stock market and other conditions and circumstances existing and disclosed, to us as of the date hereof. Although
subsequent developments may affect our opinion, we have no obligation to update, revise or reaffirm our opinion. As you are aware,
the credit, financial and stock markets, and the industries in which Talen Energy operates, have experienced and continue to experience
volatility and we express no opinion or view as to any potential effects of such volatility on Talen Energy or the Merger.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. has acted
as financial advisor to Talen Energy in connection with the proposed Merger and will receive a fee for such services, a portion
of which was payable during the course of our engagement, a portion of which will be payable in connection with the go-shop process
and the principal portion of which is contingent upon consummation of the Merger or an alternative transaction or increase in the
Merger Consideration. We also will receive a fee in connection with the delivery of this opinion. In addition, Talen Energy has
agreed to reimburse our expenses and to indemnify us against certain liabilities arising out of our engagement. As you are aware,
we and our affiliates in the past have provided, currently are providing and in the future may provide investment banking, commercial
banking and other similar financial services to Talen Energy and its affiliates unrelated to the proposed Merger, for which services
we and our affiliates have received and expect to receive compensation, including, during the past two years, having acted or acting
as (i) financial advisor in connection with the Separation and related transactions and as financial advisor to Talen Energy in
connection with its acquisition of MACH Gen, LLC, (ii) remarketing agent for a repurchase of senior notes of Talen Energy and as
lead or joint bookrunning manager for certain debt offerings of certain affiliates of Talen Energy and (iii) lead arranger, administrative
agent and collateral trustee for, and/or as a lender or letter of credit issuer under, credit facilities of certain affiliates
of Talen Energy. As you also are aware, we and our affiliates in the past have provided, currently are providing and in the future
may provide investment banking, commercial banking and other similar financial services to Riverstone and/or certain of its affiliates
and portfolio companies, for which services we and our affiliates have received and expect to receive
The Disinterested Directors of the Board
of Directors
Talen Energy Corporation
June 2, 2016
Page 4
compensation, including, during the past
two years, having acted or acting as (i) joint bookrunning manager for certain equity and debt offerings of certain affiliates
and/or portfolio companies of Riverstone and (ii) arranger and/or bookrunner for, and/or as a lender under, credit facilities,
term loans, construction loans and/or letters of credit of certain affiliates and/or portfolio companies of Riverstone. In the
ordinary course of business, we and our affiliates may actively trade or hold the securities of Talen Energy, Riverstone and their
respective affiliates and/or portfolio companies for our own account or for the account of our customers and, accordingly, may
at any time hold a long or short position in such securities. In addition, we and our affiliates (including Citigroup Inc. and
its affiliates) may maintain relationships with Talen Energy, Riverstone and their respective affiliates and/or portfolio companies.
Our advisory services and the opinion expressed
herein are provided for the information of the disinterested directors of the Board of Directors of Talen Energy (in their capacity
as such) in their evaluation of the proposed Merger. Our opinion is not intended to be and does not constitute a recommendation
to any stockholder as to how such stockholder should vote or act on any matters relating to the proposed Merger or otherwise.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing,
our experience as investment bankers, our work as described above and other factors we deemed relevant, we are of the opinion that,
as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration to be received by holders of Talen Energy Common Stock (other than the Riverstone
Entities and their respective affiliates) pursuant to the Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders.
Very truly yours,
/s/
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
Annex
D
§ 262. Appraisal
rights.
(a) Any
stockholder of a corporation of this State who holds shares of stock on the date of the making of a demand pursuant to subsection
(d) of this section with respect to such shares, who continuously holds such shares through the effective date of the merger or
consolidation, who has otherwise complied with subsection (d) of this section and who has neither voted in favor of the merger
or consolidation nor consented thereto in writing pursuant to § 228 of this title shall be entitled to an appraisal by the
Court of Chancery of the fair value of the stockholder's shares of stock under the circumstances described in subsections (b) and
(c) of this section. As used in this section, the word "stockholder" means a holder of record of stock in a corporation;
the words "stock" and "share" mean and include what is ordinarily meant by those words; and the words "depository
receipt" mean a receipt or other instrument issued by a depository representing an interest in 1 or more shares, or fractions
thereof, solely of stock of a corporation, which stock is deposited with the depository.
(b) Appraisal
rights shall be available for the shares of any class or series of stock of a constituent corporation in a merger or consolidation
to be effected pursuant to § 251 (other than a merger effected pursuant to § 251(g) of this title and, subject to paragraph
(b)(3) of this section, § 251(h) of this title), § 252, § 254, § 255, § 256, § 257, § 258, §
263 or § 264 of this title:
(1) Provided,
however, that, except as expressly provided in § 363(b) of this title, no appraisal rights under this section shall be available
for the shares of any class or series of stock, which stock, or depository receipts in respect thereof, at the record date fixed
to determine the stockholders entitled to receive notice of the meeting of stockholders to act upon the agreement of merger or
consolidation, were either: (i) listed on a national securities exchange or (ii) held of record by more than 2,000 holders; and
further provided that no appraisal rights shall be available for any shares of stock of the constituent corporation surviving a
merger if the merger did not require for its approval the vote of the stockholders of the surviving corporation as provided in
§ 251(f) of this title.
(2) Notwithstanding
paragraph (b)(1) of this section, appraisal rights under this section shall be available for the shares of any class or series
of stock of a constituent corporation if the holders thereof are required by the terms of an agreement of merger or consolidation
pursuant to §§ 251, 252, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 263 and 264 of this title to accept for such stock anything except:
a. Shares
of stock of the corporation surviving or resulting from such merger or consolidation, or depository receipts in respect thereof;
b. Shares
of stock of any other corporation, or depository receipts in respect thereof, which shares of stock (or depository receipts in
respect thereof) or depository receipts at the effective date of the merger or consolidation will be either listed on a national
securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders;
c. Cash
in lieu of fractional shares or fractional depository receipts described in the foregoing paragraphs (b)(2)a. and b. of this section;
or
d. Any
combination of the shares of stock, depository receipts and cash in lieu of fractional shares or fractional depository receipts
described in the foregoing paragraphs (b)(2)a., b. and c. of this section.
(3) In
the event all of the stock of a subsidiary Delaware corporation party to a merger effected under § 251(h), § 253 or §
267 of this title is not owned by the parent immediately prior to the merger, appraisal rights shall be available for the shares
of the subsidiary Delaware corporation.
(4) In
the event of an amendment to a corporation's certificate of incorporation contemplated by § 363(a) of this title, appraisal
rights shall be available as contemplated by § 363(b) of this title, and the procedures of this section, including those set
forth in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, shall apply as nearly as practicable, with the word "amendment" substituted
for the words "merger or consolidation," and the word "corporation" substituted for the words "constituent
corporation" and/or "surviving or resulting corporation."
(c) Any
corporation may provide in its certificate of incorporation that appraisal rights under this section shall be available for the
shares of any class or series of its stock as a result of an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, any merger or consolidation
in which the corporation is a constituent corporation or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the corporation.
If the certificate of incorporation contains such a provision, the procedures of this section, including those set forth in subsections
(d) and (e) of this section, shall apply as nearly as is practicable.
(d) Appraisal
rights shall be perfected as follows:
(1) If
a proposed merger or consolidation for which appraisal rights are provided under this section is to be submitted for approval at
a meeting of stockholders, the corporation, not less than 20 days prior to the meeting, shall notify each of its stockholders who
was such on the record date for notice of such meeting (or such members who received notice in accordance with § 255(c) of
this title) with respect to shares for which appraisal rights are available pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section that
appraisal rights are available for any or all of the shares of the constituent corporations, and shall include in such notice a
copy of this section and, if 1 of the constituent corporations is a nonstock corporation, a copy of § 114 of this title. Each
stockholder electing to demand the appraisal of such stockholder's shares shall deliver to the corporation, before the taking of
the vote on the merger or consolidation, a written demand for appraisal of such stockholder's shares. Such demand will be sufficient
if it reasonably informs the corporation of the identity of the stockholder and that the stockholder intends thereby to demand
the appraisal of such stockholder's shares. A proxy or vote against the merger or consolidation shall not constitute such a demand.
A stockholder electing to take such action must do so by a separate written demand as herein provided. Within 10 days after the
effective date of such merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation shall notify each stockholder of each constituent
corporation who has complied with this subsection and has not voted in favor of or consented to the merger or consolidation of
the date that the merger or consolidation has become effective; or
(2) If
the merger or consolidation was approved pursuant to § 228, § 251(h), § 253, or § 267 of this title, then either
a constituent corporation before the effective date of the merger or consolidation or the surviving or resulting corporation within
10 days thereafter shall notify each of the holders of any class or series of stock of such constituent corporation who are entitled
to appraisal rights of the approval of the merger or consolidation and that appraisal rights are available for any or all shares
of such class or series of stock of such constituent corporation, and shall include in such notice a copy of this section and,
if 1 of the constituent corporations is a nonstock corporation, a copy of § 114 of this title. Such notice may, and, if given
on or after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, shall, also notify such stockholders of the effective date of the
merger or consolidation. Any stockholder entitled to appraisal rights may, within 20 days after the date of mailing of such notice
or, in the case of a merger approved pursuant to § 251(h) of this title, within the later of the consummation of the tender
or exchange offer contemplated by § 251(h) of this title and 20 days after the date of mailing of such notice, demand in writing
from the surviving or resulting corporation the appraisal of such holder's shares. Such demand will be sufficient if it reasonably
informs the corporation of the identity of the stockholder and that the stockholder intends thereby to demand the appraisal of
such holder's shares. If such notice did not notify stockholders of the effective date of the merger or consolidation, either (i)
each such constituent corporation shall send a second notice before the effective date of the merger or consolidation notifying
each of the holders of any class or series of stock of such constituent corporation that are entitled to appraisal rights of the
effective date of the merger or consolidation or (ii) the surviving or resulting corporation shall send such a second notice to
all such holders on or within 10 days after such effective date; provided, however, that if such second notice is sent more than
20 days following the sending of the first notice or, in the case of a merger approved pursuant to § 251(h) of this title,
later than the later of the consummation of the tender or exchange offer contemplated by § 251(h) of this title and 20 days
following the sending of the first notice, such second notice need only be sent to each stockholder who is entitled to appraisal
rights and who has demanded appraisal of such holder's shares in accordance with this subsection. An affidavit of the secretary
or assistant secretary or of the transfer agent of the corporation that is required to give either notice that such notice has
been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. For purposes of determining the
stockholders entitled to receive either notice, each constituent corporation may fix, in advance, a record date that shall be not
more than 10 days prior to the date the notice is given, provided, that if the notice is given on or after the effective date of
the merger or consolidation, the record date shall be such effective date. If no record date is fixed and the notice is given prior
to the effective date, the record date shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the notice is
given.
(e) Within
120 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation or any stockholder who
has complied with subsections (a) and (d) of this section hereof and who is otherwise entitled to appraisal rights, may commence
an appraisal proceeding by filing a petition in the Court of Chancery demanding a determination of the value of the stock of all
such stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time within 60 days after the effective date of the merger or consolidation,
any stockholder who has not commenced an appraisal proceeding or joined that proceeding as a named party shall have the right to
withdraw such stockholder's demand for appraisal and to accept the terms offered upon the merger or consolidation. Within 120 days
after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, any stockholder who has complied with the requirements of subsections
(a) and (d) of this
section hereof, upon
written request, shall be entitled to receive from the corporation surviving the merger or resulting from the consolidation a statement
setting forth the aggregate number of shares not voted in favor of the merger or consolidation and with respect to which demands
for appraisal have been received and the aggregate number of holders of such shares. Such written statement shall be mailed to
the stockholder within 10 days after such stockholder's written request for such a statement is received by the surviving or resulting
corporation or within 10 days after expiration of the period for delivery of demands for appraisal under subsection (d) of this
section hereof, whichever is later. Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a person who is the beneficial owner of shares
of such stock held either in a voting trust or by a nominee on behalf of such person may, in such person's own name, file a petition
or request from the corporation the statement described in this subsection.
(f) Upon
the filing of any such petition by a stockholder, service of a copy thereof shall be made upon the surviving or resulting corporation,
which shall within 20 days after such service file in the office of the Register in Chancery in which the petition was filed a
duly verified list containing the names and addresses of all stockholders who have demanded payment for their shares and with whom
agreements as to the value of their shares have not been reached by the surviving or resulting corporation. If the petition shall
be filed by the surviving or resulting corporation, the petition shall be accompanied by such a duly verified list. The Register
in Chancery, if so ordered by the Court, shall give notice of the time and place fixed for the hearing of such petition by registered
or certified mail to the surviving or resulting corporation and to the stockholders shown on the list at the addresses therein
stated. Such notice shall also be given by 1 or more publications at least 1 week before the day of the hearing, in a newspaper
of general circulation published in the City of Wilmington, Delaware or such publication as the Court deems advisable. The forms
of the notices by mail and by publication shall be approved by the Court, and the costs thereof shall be borne by the surviving
or resulting corporation.
(g) At
the hearing on such petition, the Court shall determine the stockholders who have complied with this section and who have become
entitled to appraisal rights. The Court may require the stockholders who have demanded an appraisal for their shares and who hold
stock represented by certificates to submit their certificates of stock to the Register in Chancery for notation thereon of the
pendency of the appraisal proceedings; and if any stockholder fails to comply with such direction, the Court may dismiss the proceedings
as to such stockholder.
(h) After
the Court determines the stockholders entitled to an appraisal, the appraisal proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with
the rules of the Court of Chancery, including any rules specifically governing appraisal proceedings. Through such proceeding the
Court shall determine the fair value of the shares exclusive of any element of value arising from the accomplishment or expectation
of the merger or consolidation, together with interest, if any, to be paid upon the amount determined to be the fair value. In
determining such fair value, the Court shall take into account all relevant factors. Unless the Court in its discretion determines
otherwise for good cause shown, interest from the effective date of the merger through the date of payment of the judgment shall
be compounded quarterly and shall accrue at 5% over the Federal Reserve discount rate (including any surcharge) as established
from time to time during the period between the effective date of the merger and the date of payment of the judgment. Upon application
by the surviving or resulting corporation or by any stockholder entitled to participate in the appraisal proceeding, the Court
may, in its discretion, proceed to trial upon the
appraisal prior to
the final determination of the stockholders entitled to an appraisal. Any stockholder whose name appears on the list filed by the
surviving or resulting corporation pursuant to subsection (f) of this section and who has submitted such stockholder's certificates
of stock to the Register in Chancery, if such is required, may participate fully in all proceedings until it is finally determined
that such stockholder is not entitled to appraisal rights under this section.
(i) The
Court shall direct the payment of the fair value of the shares, together with interest, if any, by the surviving or resulting corporation
to the stockholders entitled thereto. Payment shall be so made to each such stockholder, in the case of holders of uncertificated
stock forthwith, and the case of holders of shares represented by certificates upon the surrender to the corporation of the certificates
representing such stock. The Court's decree may be enforced as other decrees in the Court of Chancery may be enforced, whether
such surviving or resulting corporation be a corporation of this State or of any state.
(j) The
costs of the proceeding may be determined by the Court and taxed upon the parties as the Court deems equitable in the circumstances.
Upon application of a stockholder, the Court may order all or a portion of the expenses incurred by any stockholder in connection
with the appraisal proceeding, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney's fees and the fees and expenses of experts,
to be charged pro rata against the value of all the shares entitled to an appraisal.
(k) From
and after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, no stockholder who has demanded appraisal rights as provided in subsection
(d) of this section shall be entitled to vote such stock for any purpose or to receive payment of dividends or other distributions
on the stock (except dividends or other distributions payable to stockholders of record at a date which is prior to the effective
date of the merger or consolidation); provided, however, that if no petition for an appraisal shall be filed within the time provided
in subsection (e) of this section, or if such stockholder shall deliver to the surviving or resulting corporation a written withdrawal
of such stockholder's demand for an appraisal and an acceptance of the merger or consolidation, either within 60 days after the
effective date of the merger or consolidation as provided in subsection (e) of this section or thereafter with the written approval
of the corporation, then the right of such stockholder to an appraisal shall cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no appraisal
proceeding in the Court of Chancery shall be dismissed as to any stockholder without the approval of the Court, and such approval
may be conditioned upon such terms as the Court deems just; provided, however that this provision shall not affect the right of
any stockholder who has not commenced an appraisal proceeding or joined that proceeding as a named party to withdraw such stockholder's
demand for appraisal and to accept the terms offered upon the merger or consolidation within 60 days after the effective date of
the merger or consolidation, as set forth in subsection (e) of this section.
(l) The
shares of the surviving or resulting corporation to which the shares of such objecting stockholders would have been converted had
they assented to the merger or consolidation shall have the status of authorized and unissued shares of the surviving or resulting
corporation.
PRELIMINARY PROXY MATERIALS — SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION
TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
835 HAMILTON STREET
SUITE 150
ALLENTOWN, PA 18101
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VOTE
BY INTERNET -
www.proxyvote.com
Use the Internet to transmit your voting
instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on [ ], 2016. Have
your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic
voting instruction form.
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit
your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on [ ], 2016. Have your proxy card in hand when
you call and then follow the instructions.
VOTE BY MAIL
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and
return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood,
NY 11717.
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TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN
BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:
E12373-TBD
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KEEP
THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
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DETACH
AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
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THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED
AND DATED.
TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following proposals:
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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1.
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To adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 2, 2016, by and among RPH Parent LLC, SPH Parent LLC,CRJ Parent LLC, RJS Merger Sub Inc. (the "Merger Sub") and Talen Energy Corporation (the "Company"), as it may be amended from time to time (the "Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which the Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the "Merger").
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2.
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To approve the adjournment of the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, including adjournment to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to adopt the Merger Agreement.
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3.
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To approve, on a non-binding, advisory basis, certain compensation arrangements for the Company's named executive officers in connection with the Merger.
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Note:
If no boxes are marked and the proxy is signed,
this proxy will be voted in the manner described on the reverse side.
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Yes
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No
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Please indicate if you plan to attend this meeting.
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Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer.
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Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]
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Date
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Signature (Joint Owners)
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Date
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Admission Ticket
Talen Energy Corporation
Special Meeting of Stockholders
[ ], 2016
[ ], local time
[ ]
This Admission Ticket admits only named
stockholder(s).
Note:
If you plan on attending the
Special Meeting, please bring, in addition to this Admission Ticket, a proper form of picture identification. The use of video
or still photography at the Special Meeting is not permitted. For the safety of attendees, all bags, packages and briefcases are
subject to inspection.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability
of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting:
The Notice of Meeting and Proxy Statement
is available at www.proxyvote.com.
TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
Special Meeting of Stockholders
[ ], 2016
[ ], local time
This proxy is solicited by the Board
of Directors
The stockholder(s) hereby appoint(s)
Jeremy R. McGuire, Paul M. Breme and Thomas G. Douglass, or any of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his
substitute, and hereby authorize(s) each of them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot
and in their discretion upon such other matters, which the Board of Directors do not know, as of the date of the proxy
statement, that may properly come before the Special Meeting, all of the shares of common stock of TALEN ENERGY CORPORATION
that the stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting to be held at [ ], local time,
on [ ], 2016, at [ ], and any adjournment or postponement thereof. This proxy,
when properly executed, will revoke all prior proxies relating to the subject matter hereof and will be voted in the manner
directed herein.
This proxy when properly executed will
be voted in the manner directed on the reverse side. If this proxy is signed but no direction is given, this proxy will be voted
according to the Board of Directors recommendation indicated on the reverse side. It will be voted in the discretion of the proxies
upon such other matters, which the Board of Directors do not know, as of the date of the proxy statement, that may properly come
before the Special Meeting or at any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Continued and to be signed on reverse
side
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