As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22, 2004
Registration No. 333-64652
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1
to
Registration Statement
and
Post-Effective Amendments No. 1
to
Registration Statements
under
the Securities Act of 1933
AVISTA CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Washington (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
4931 (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) 1411 East Mission Avenue Spokane, Washington 99202 (509) 489-0500 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
of Registrants principal executive offices) |
91-0462470 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
DAVID J. MEYER Vice President and Chief Counsel for Regulatory and Governmental Affairs Avista Corporation 1411 East Mission Avenue Spokane, Washington 99202 (509) 489-0500 |
J. ANTHONY TERRELL Dewey Ballantine LLP 1301 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 (212) 259-8000 |
|
(Name and address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agents for service)
It is respectfully requested that the Commission
send copies of all notices, orders and communications to:
John E. Baumgardner, Jr.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time as determined by market conditions and other factors, after the registration statement becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]
If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [ X ]
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the following box and list the Securities Act of 1933 registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the Securities Act of 1933 registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. [ ]
Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), the prospectus contained in this Registration Statement No. 333-64652 will be used as a combined prospectus in
connection with this Registration Statement and (1) Registration Statement No. 333-82165 which was initially filed on July 2, 1999 and became effective on August 17, 1999 under which $176,000,000 in principal amount of securities remain unsold and
(2) Registration Statement No. 333-106491 which was initially filed on June 25, 2003 and became effective on August 20, 2003 ((1) and (2) together, the Prior Registration Statements)
under which $105,000,000 in principal amount of securities remain unsold. This
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 333-64652 constitutes
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to each of the Prior Registration Statements.
Such Post-Effective Amendments will become effective
concurrently with the effectiveness of this Registration Statement in accordance
with Section 8(c) of the Securities Act.
There are being registered hereunder such presently indeterminate principal amount or number of shares of Common Stock, Preferred Share Purchase Rights and Debt Securities (collectively, the Securities) which may be sold from time to time by Avista Corporation. In no event will the aggregate initial offering price of all Securities issued from time to time pursuant to this Registration Statement exceed $349,635,000. If any such securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the aggregate initial offering price as so discounted shall not exceed $349,635,000, notwithstanding that the stated principal amount of such securities may exceed such amount. In addition, there are being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock issuable by Avista Corporation upon conversion of other Securities.
The Registrant hereby amends
this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to
delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment
which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter
become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act
or until this Registration
Statement shall become effective on such date as the SEC, acting pursuant to
said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information contained in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed.
We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not
an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy
these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 22, 2004
PROSPECTUS
$349,635,000
AVISTA CORPORATION
Debt Securities
Common Stock
(no par value)
Avista Corporation may offer from time to time up to $349,635,000 in total amount of these securities at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of sale.
One or more supplements to this prospectus will indicate the terms of each offering of securities, including the offering price, and, with respect to each series of debt securities and each tranche within a series, the
Outstanding shares of Avista Corp.s Common Stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Pacific Stock Exchange under the symbol AVA. New shares of Common Stock will also be listed on those exchanges. Like the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the new shares will be issued and will trade with the related preferred share purchase rights.
Avista Corporation may sell the securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to one or more purchasers.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this Prospectus is , 2004.
This prospectus incorporates by reference important business and financial information about Avista Corp. that is not included in or delivered with this prospectus. See Where You Can
Find More Information. You may obtain copies of documents containing such information from us, without charge, by either calling or writing to us at:
Avista Corporation
Post Office Box 3727
Spokane, Washington 99220
Attention: Treasurer
Telephone: (509) 489-0500
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About This Prospectus | 2 |
Description of Common Stock | 26 | ||
Safe Harbor For Forward-Looking Statements | 4 |
Where You Can Find More Information | 31 | ||
Avista Corporation | 6 |
Plan of Distribution | 32 | ||
Use of Proceeds | 7 |
Legal Matters | 33 | ||
Description of the Bonds | 7 |
Experts | 33 | ||
Description of the Notes | 16 |
We have not authorized anyone to give you any information other than this prospectus and the usual supplements to this prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date mentioned on the cover page of those documents. We are not offering to sell the Securities (defined below) and we are not soliciting offers to buy the Securities in any jurisdiction in which offers are not permitted.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that Avista Corporation filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), using the shelf registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $349,635,000. This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. That prospectus supplement may include or incorporate by reference a detailed and current discussion of any risk factors and will discuss any special considerations applicable to those securities, including the plan of distribution. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under Where You Can Find More Information. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information contained in that prospectus supplement.
References in the prospectus to the term we, us or Avista Corp. or other similar terms mean Avista Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless we state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.
We may use this prospectus to offer from time to time:
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offered by
this prospectus are hereinafter referred to as Notes and,
together with the Bonds, are hereinafter referred to as Debt
Securities. |
For more detailed information about the Securities, you can read the exhibits to the registration statement. Those exhibits have been either filed with the registration statement or incorporated by reference to earlier SEC filings listed in the registration statement. See Where You Can Find More Information.
See page 4 for Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements, which sets forth a warning regarding forward-looking information contained or incorporated by reference in this
prospectus.
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SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We are including the following cautionary statements in this prospectus to make applicable, and to take advantage of, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, Avista Corp. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, projections of future events or performance, and underlying assumptions (many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions) and are all statements which are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements include statements that are identified by the use of the words such as, but not limited to, will, anticipates, seeks to, estimates, expects, intends, plans, predicts, and similar expressions. From time to time, we may publish or otherwise make available forward-looking statements of this nature. All such subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral and whether made by or on behalf of the Avista Corp., are also expressly qualified by these cautionary statements.
Such statements are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. Most of these uncertainties are beyond our control. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others:
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Our expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and are believed by us to have a reasonable basis including, without limitation, managements examination of
historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. However, there can be no assurance that our expectations, beliefs, or projections will be achieved or accomplished. Furthermore, any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date on which such
statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor can it assess the impact of each such factor on Avista Corp.s
business or the extent to which any such factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
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AVISTA CORPORATION
General
Avista Corp., which was incorporated in the State of Washington in 1889, is an energy company engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related
businesses. Our corporate headquarters are in Spokane, Washington, which serves as the Inland Northwest center for manufacturing, transportation, health care, education, communication, agricultural, financial and service businesses.
Avista Corp. has four business segments:
Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. comprising the regulated utility operations that started in 1889. Avista Capital, our wholly-owned subsidiary, is the parent company of all of the subsidiary companies in the non-utility business segments.
Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities generates, transmits and distributes electricity and distributes natural gas. Retail electric and natural gas customers include residential, commercial and industrial classifications. Avista Utilities also engages in wholesale purchases and sales of electric capacity and energy as part of its resource management and load-serving obligations.
Avista Utilities provides electric distribution and transmission as well as natural gas distribution services in a 26,000 square mile area in eastern Washington and northern Idaho with a population of approximately 850,000. It also provides natural gas distribution service in a combined 4,000 square mile area in northeast and southwest Oregon and the South Lake Tahoe region of California with a population of approximately 495,000. At the end of 2003, Avista Utilities supplied retail electric service to a total of approximately 325,000 customers and retail natural gas service to a total of approximately 298,000 customers across its entire service territory.
In addition to providing electric transmission and distribution services, Avista Utilities generates electricity from its owned facilities. Avista Utilities owns and operates eight hydroelectric projects, a wood-waste fueled generating station, a two-unit natural gas-fired combustion turbine (CT) generating facility and two small generating facilities. In July 2003, the combined cycle natural gas-fired Coyote Springs 2 Generation Project (Coyote Springs 2) was placed into operation. Avista Utilities has a 50 percent ownership interest in Coyote Springs 2. Avista Utilities also owns a 15 percent share in a two-unit coal-fired generating facility and leases and operates a two-unit natural gas-fired CT generating facility. WP Funding LP, an entity that is included in our consolidated financial statements and included in the Avista Utilities business segment, owns the two-unit natural gas-fired CT generating facility that is leased by Avista Utilities. In addition to company-owned resources, Avista Utilities has a number of long-term power purchase and exchange contracts that increase its available resources.
Energy Marketing and Resource Management
The Energy Marketing and Resource Management business segment includes Avista Energy, Inc. (Avista Energy) and Avista Power, LLC (Avista Power), both subsidiaries of
Avista Capital.
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Avista Energy is an electricity and natural gas marketing, trading and resource management business, operating primarily within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council geographic area,
which is comprised of eleven western states as well as the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Avista Energy focuses on optimization of combustion turbines and hydroelectric assets owned by other entities, long-term electric supply
contracts, natural gas storage, and electric transmission and natural gas transportation arrangements. Avista Energy is also involved in trading electricity and natural gas, including derivative commodity instruments.
Avista Power is an investor in certain generation assets, primarily its 49 percent interest in a 270-megawatt natural gas-fired combustion turbine plant in northern Idaho (Lancaster Project), which commenced commercial operation in September 2001. All of the output from the Lancaster Project is contracted to Avista Energy through 2026.
Avista Advantage
Avista Advantage is a provider of utility bill processing, payment and information services to multi-site customers throughout North America. Avista Advantages solutions are designed to provide multi-site companies with critical and easy-to-access information that enables them to proactively manage and reduce their facility-related expenses.
Other
The Other business segment includes several subsidiaries, including Avista Ventures, Inc., Pentzer Corporation, Avista Development and certain other operations of Avista Capital. We continue to limit our future investment in the Other business segment. Over time as opportunities arise, we plan to dispose of assets and phase out of operations in the Other business segment.
Discontinued Operations
In July and September 2003, Avista Corp. announced total investments of $12.2 million by private equity investors in a new entity, AVLB, Inc., which acquired the assets previously held by Avista Corp.s fuel cell manufacturing and development subsidiary, Avista Labs. As of December 31, 2003, Avista Corp. had an ownership interest of approximately 17.5 percent in AVLB, Inc., with the opportunity, but no further obligation, to fund or invest in this business.
Avista Communications, Inc. provided local dial tone, data transport, internet services, voice messaging and other telecommunications services to several communities in the western United
States. In September 2001, we decided to dispose of substantially all of the assets of Avista Communications, Inc. The divestiture of operating assets was completed by the end of 2002.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless we indicate differently in a supplement to this prospectus, Avista Corp. intends to use the net proceeds from the issuance and sale of the Securities offered by this prospectus for any
or all of the following purposes: (a) to fund Avista Utilities construction, facility improvement and maintenance programs, (b) to refinance maturing long-term debt, (c) to continue to fund retirements (through redemption, purchase or
acquisition) of longer-term debt , (d) to repay short-term debt, (e) to accomplish other general corporate purposes permitted by law and (f) to reimburse Avista Corp.s treasury for funds previously expended for any of these purposes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BONDS
Avista Corp. may issue the Bonds in one or more series or tranches within a series. The terms of the Bonds will include those stated in the Mortgage and those made part of the Mortgage by the
Trust Indenture Act. The following summary is not complete and is subject in all respects to the provisions of, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Mortgage and the Trust Indenture Act. The Bonds,
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together with all other debt securities outstanding under the Mortgage, are hereinafter called, collectively, the Mortgage Securities. Avista Corp. has filed the Mortgage, as well as a form of supplemental indenture to the Mortgage to establish a series of Bonds, as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Capitalized terms used under this heading which are not otherwise defined in this prospectus have the meanings set forth in the Mortgage. Wherever particular provisions of the Mortgage or terms defined in the Mortgage are referred to, those provisions or definitions are incorporated by reference as part of the statements made in this prospectus and those statements are qualified in their entirety by that reference. Sections 125 through 150 of the Mortgage appear in the first supplemental indenture to the Original Mortgage. References to article and section numbers, unless otherwise indicated, are references to article and section numbers of the Mortgage.
The registered holder of a Bond will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered holders will have rights under the Mortgage.
The applicable prospectus supplements will describe the following terms of the Bonds of each series:
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Payment and Paying Agents
Except as may be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, Avista Corp. will pay interest, if any, on each Bond on each interest payment date to the person in whose name such Bond is registered (for purposes of this section of the prospectus, the registered holder of any Mortgage Security is herein referred to as a Holder) as of the close of business on the regular record date relating to such interest payment date; provided, however, that Avista Corp. will pay interest at maturity (whether at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, Maturity) to the person to whom principal is paid.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, Avista Corp. will pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Bonds at Maturity upon presentation of the Bonds at the corporate trust office of Citibank, N.A. in New York, New York, as paying agent for Avista Corp. Avista Corp. may change the place of payment of the Bonds, may appoint one or more additional paying agents (including Avista Corp.) and may remove any paying agent, all at its discretion.
Registration and Transfer
The transfer of Bonds may be registered, and Bonds may be exchanged for other Bonds, upon surrender thereof at the principal office of Citibank, N.A. which has been designated by Avista Corp. as its office or agency for such purposes. Avista Corp. may change such office or agency, and may designate an additional office or agency, in its discretion. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Bonds, but Avista Corp. may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge incident thereto. Avista Corp. will not be required to make any transfer or exchange of any Bonds for a period of 10 days next preceding any selection of Bonds for redemption, nor will it be required to make transfers or exchanges of any Bonds which have been selected for redemption in whole or in part or as to which Avista Corp. shall have received a notice for the redemption thereof in whole or in part at the option of the Holder.
Redemption
The applicable prospectus supplement will indicate the extent, if any, to which the Bonds will be subject to (a) general redemption at the option of Avista Corp. or (b) special redemption by the application (either at the option of Avista Corp. or pursuant to the requirements of the Mortgage) of (x) cash deposited with the Mortgage Trustee as described under Special Provisions for Retirement of Bonds below or (y) cash deposited with the Mortgage Trustee in connection with the release of property from the lien of the Mortgage.
Notice of redemption will be given by mail not less than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption. (Mortgage, Sec. 52)
If less than all the Bonds of a series are to be redeemed, the particular Bonds to be redeemed will be selected by the Mortgage Trustee by lot, according to such method as it shall deem proper in its discretion. (Mortgage, Sec. 52)
Any notice of redemption at the option of Avista Corp. may state that such redemption will be conditional upon receipt by the Mortgage Trustee, on or before the date fixed for such redemption, of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Bonds and that if such money has not been so received, such notice will be of no force or effect and Avista Corp. will not be required to redeem such Bonds. (Mortgage, Sec. 52)
Issuance of Additional Mortgage Securities
In addition to the Bonds, other debt securities may be issued under the Mortgage. The present principal amount of debt securities which may be outstanding under the Mortgage is $10,000,000,000.
However, Avista Corp. has reserved the right to amend the Mortgage (without any consent of or other action of Holders of any Mortgage Securities now or hereafter outstanding) to remove this limitation.
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Mortgage Securities of any series may be issued from time to time on the basis of:
Property additions generally include electric, natural gas, steam or water property acquired after May 31, 1939, but may not include property used principally for the production or gathering of natural gas. Any such property additions may be used if their ownership and operation is within the corporate purposes of Avista Corp. regardless of whether or not Avista Corp. has all the necessary permission it may need at any time from governmental authorities to operate such property additions.
The Mortgage provides that no reduction in the book value of the property recorded in the plant account of Avista Corp. shall constitute a property retirement, otherwise than in connection with physical retirements of property abandoned, destroyed or disposed of, and otherwise than in connection with the removal of such property in its entirety from the plant account.
The Holders of the Bonds will be deemed to have consented to an amendment to the provision of the Mortgage which requires that Avista Corp. deliver an opinion of counsel as to the status of the lien of the Mortgage on property additions being certified to the Mortgage Trustee. The amendment would permit us to deliver to the Mortgage Trustee, in lieu of such opinion, title insurance with respect to such property additions in an amount not less than 35% of the cost or fair value to Avista Corp. (whichever is less) of such property additions. Such amendment could not be made without the requisite consent of the Holders of outstanding Mortgage Securities as described under Modification.
No Mortgage Securities may be issued on the basis of property additions subject to prior liens, unless the prior lien bonds secured thereby have been qualified by being deducted from the Mortgage Securities otherwise issuable and do not exceed 70% of such property additions, and unless the Mortgage Securities then to be outstanding which have been issued against property subject to continuing prior liens and certain other items would not exceed 15% of the Mortgage Securities outstanding.
The amount of prior liens on mortgaged property acquired after the date of delivery of the Mortgage may be increased subsequent to the acquisition of such property provided that, if any property subject to such prior lien shall have been made the basis of any application under the Mortgage, all the additional obligation are deposited with the Mortgage Trustee or other holder of a prior lien.
(Mortgage, Secs. 4 through 8, 20 through 30 and 46; First Supplemental, Sec. 2; Eleventh Supplemental, Sec. 5; Twelfth Supplemental, Sec. 1; Fourteenth Supplemental, Sec. 4; Seventeenth Supplemental, Sec. 3; Eighteenth Supplemental, Secs. 1, 2 and 6; Twenty-sixth Supplemental, Sec. 2; Twenty-ninth Supplemental, Art. II)
Net Earnings Test
In general, Avista Corp. may not issue Mortgage Securities on the basis of property additions or cash unless net earnings for 12 consecutive months out of the preceding 18 calendar months
(before income taxes, depreciation and amortization of property, property losses and interest on any indebtedness and amortization of debt discount and expense) are at least twice the annual interest requirements on all Mortgage Securities at the
time outstanding, including the additional issue, and on all indebtedness of prior rank.
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Avista Corp. is not required to satisfy the net earnings requirement prior to the issuance of Mortgage Securities on the basis of retired Mortgage Securities unless
In general, the Mortgage permits the inclusion of the following items in net earnings:
The Mortgage also provides that, in calculating net earnings, no deduction from revenues or other income shall be made for
In general, the interest rate requirement with respect to variable interest rate indebtedness, if any, is determined by reference to the rate or rates to be in effect at the time of the initial issuance. However, if any Mortgage Securities or prior ranking indebtedness bears interest at a variable rate, the annual interest requirements thereon shall be determined by reference to the rate or rates in effect on the date next preceding the date of the new issue of Mortgage Securities.
Security; Structural Subordination
The Bonds, together with all other Mortgage Securities now or hereafter issued under the Mortgage, will be secured by the Mortgage, which constitutes a first mortgage lien on Avista Corp.s facilities for the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy and the storage and distribution of natural gas and substantially all of Avista Corp.s assets (except as stated below), subject to
There are excepted from the lien all cash and securities (including without limitation securities issued by Avista Corp.s subsidiaries); merchandise, equipment, materials or supplies held
for sale or consumption in Avista Corp.s operations; receivables, contracts, leases and operating agreements;
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electric energy, and other material or products (including gas) generated, manufactured, produced or purchased by Avista Corp., for sale, distribution or use in the ordinary course of its business. (Mortgage, Granting Clauses)
The Mortgage contains provisions for subjecting to the lien thereof all property (other than property of the kinds excepted from such lien) acquired by Avista Corp. after the execution and delivery thereof, subject to purchase money liens and liens existing thereon at the time of acquisition and, subject to limitations in the case of consolidation, merger or sale of substantially all of Avista Corp.s assets. (Mortgage, Granting Clauses and Art. XV)
The Mortgage provides that the lien of the Mortgage shall not automatically attach to the properties of another corporation which shall have consolidated or merged with Avista Corp. in a transaction in which Avista Corp. shall be the surviving or resulting corporation. (Mortgage, Sec. 87)
The Mortgage provides that the Mortgage Trustee shall have a lien upon the mortgaged property, prior to the Mortgage Securities, for the payment of its reasonable compensation and expenses and for indemnity. (Mortgage, Secs. 92 and 97; First Supplemental, Art. XXV)
Although its utility operations are conducted directly by Avista Corp., all of the other operations of Avista Corp. are conducted through its subsidiaries. The lien of the Mortgage does not cover the assets of the subsidiaries or the securities of the subsidiaries held by Avista Corp. Any right of Avista Corp., as a shareholder, to receive assets of any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries upon such subsidiarys liquidation or reorganization (and the right of the Holders of the Bonds and other creditors of Avista Corp. to participate in those assets) is junior to the claims against such assets of that subsidiarys creditors. As a result, the obligations of Avista Corp. to the holders of the Bonds and other creditors are effectively subordinated in right of payment to all indebtedness and other liabilities and commitments (including trade payables and lease obligations) of Avista Corp.s direct and indirect subsidiaries.
At December 31, 2003, $588.5 million of Mortgage Securities were outstanding. This amount includes $245 million of non-transferable Mortgage Securities which were issued in May 2003 to the agent bank under Avista Corp.s primary credit facility in order to provide the benefit of the lien of the Mortgage to secure Avista Corp.s obligations. The indebtedness under the credit facility (including the collateral Mortgage Securities) is included in Avista Corp.s short-term debt.
Maintenance
The Mortgage provides that Avista Corp. will cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) the mortgaged property to be maintained and kept in good repair, working order and condition, and will cause (or, with respect to property owned in common with others, make reasonable effort to cause) to be made such repairs, renewals and replacements of the mortgaged property as, in Avista Corp.s sole judgment, may be necessary to operate the mortgaged property in accordance with common industry practice. Avista Corp. may discontinue, or cause or consent to the discontinuance of, the operation and maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is, in the sole judgment of Avista Corp., desirable in the conduct of its business. (Mortgage, Sec. 38)
Special Provisions for Retirement of Bonds
If, during any 12-month period, any of the mortgaged property is taken by eminent domain and/or sold to any governmental authority and/or sold pursuant to an order of a governmental authority,
with the result that Avista Corp. receives $15,000,000 or more in cash or in principal amount of purchase money obligations, Avista Corp. is required to apply such cash and the proceeds of such obligations (subject to certain conditions and
deductions, and to the extent not otherwise applied) to the redemption of Mortgage Securities which are, by their, terms, redeemable before maturity by the application of such cash and proceeds. (Mortgage, Sec. 64; Tenth Supplemental, Sec. 4)
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Release and Substitution of Property
Unless Avista Corp. is in default in the payment of the interest on any Mortgage Securities then outstanding under the Mortgage, or a Completed Default shall have occurred and is continuing, Avista Corp. may obtain the release from the lien of the Mortgage of any mortgaged property upon the deposit of cash equal to the amount, if any, that the fair value of the property to be released exceeds the aggregate of:
(1) |
the principal amount of any obligations secured by purchase money mortgage upon the property released and delivered to the Mortgage Trustee; |
(2) |
the cost or fair value (whichever is less) of property additions which do not constitute funded property, after certain deductions and additions; |
(3) |
an amount equal to 10/7ths of the principal amount of Mortgage Securities that Avista Corp. would be entitled to issue on the
basis of retired securities (with such entitlement being waived by operation of such release); and |
(4) |
the principal amount of obligations secured by purchase money mortgage upon the property released, and/or an amount in cash delivered to the trustee or other holder of a lien prior to the lien of the
Mortgage. |
The use of obligations secured by purchase money mortgage as a credit in connection with the release of property, as described in clauses (1) and (4) above, is subject to the following limitations:
(1) |
the aggregate credit which may be used as described in clauses (1) and (4) above in respect of any property being released may not exceed 70% of the fair value of such property; and |
(2) |
the aggregate principal amount of such obligations described in (1) and (4) above and all other obligations secured by purchase money mortgage delivered to the Mortgage Trustee pursuant to said clauses
(1) and (4) and then held as part of the mortgaged property by the Mortgage Trustee or the trustee or other holder of a prior lien shall not exceed 40% of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Mortgage Securities. |
To the extent that property so released does not constitute funded property, the property additions used to effect the release will not, in certain cases, be deemed to constitute funded property, and the waiver of the right to issue Mortgage Securities to effect the release will, in certain cases, cease to be effective as such a waiver, all upon the satisfaction of certain conditions specified in the Mortgage. The Mortgage contains similar provisions as to cash proceeds of such property. The Mortgage also contains special provisions with respect to prior lien bonds pledged and disposition of moneys received on pledged bonds secured by a prior lien. (Mortgage, Secs. 5; 31, 32, 46 through 50, 59, 60, 61, 118 and 134)
Modification
Modifications Without Consent
Avista Corp. and the Mortgage Trustee may enter into one or more supplemental indentures without the consent of any Holders for any of the following purposes:
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(Mortgage, Sec. 120; Twenty-sixth Supplemental Indenture, Sec. 2; Twenty-ninth Supplemental Indenture, Article II)
Modification With Consent
In general, the Mortgage, the rights and obligations of Avista Corp. and the rights of the Holders may be modified with the consent of 60% in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities outstanding, and, if less than all series of Mortgage Securities are affected, the consent also of 60% in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities of each series affected. However, no modification of the terms of payment of principal or interest, and no modification affecting the lien or reducing the percentage required for modification, is effective against any Holder without its consent. (Mortgage, Art. XVIII, Sec. 149; First Supplemental, Sec. 10)
Satisfaction and Discharge
Mortgage Securities will be deemed to have been paid for purposes of satisfaction of the lien of the Mortgage if there shall have been irrevocably deposited with the Mortgage Trustee for the payment or redemption of such Mortgage Securities:
to pay when due the principal of, premium, if any, and interest due and to become due on all outstanding Mortgage Securities on the maturity date or redemption date of such Mortgage Securities. For this purpose, Government Obligations include direct obligations of the government of the United States or obligations guaranteed by the government of the United States. (Mortgage, Sec. 106)
The Mortgage Trustee may, and upon request of Avista Corp. shall, cancel and discharge the lien of the Mortgage and reconvey the Mortgaged Property to Avista Corp. whenever all indebtedness
secured thereby has been paid.
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The right of Avista Corp. to cause its entire indebtedness in respect of the Mortgage Securities of any series to be deemed to be satisfied and discharged as described above will be subject to
the satisfaction of conditions specified in the instrument creating such series.
Completed Defaults
Any of the following events will constitute a Completed Default under the Mortgage:
The Mortgage Trustee may withhold notice of default (except in payment of principal, interest or funds for retirement of Mortgage Securities) if it determines that it is in the interest of the Holders. (Mortgage, Secs. 44, 65 and 135)
Remedies
Acceleration of Maturity
If a Completed Default occurs and is continuing, the Mortgage Trustee may, and upon written request of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Mortgage Securities then outstanding shall, declare the principal of, and accrued interest on, all outstanding Mortgage Securities immediately due and payable; provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding Mortgage Securities may annul such declaration if before any sale of the mortgaged property:
(Mortgage, Sec. 65)
Possession of Mortgaged Property
Under certain circumstances and to the extent permitted by law, if a Completed Default occurs and is continuing, the Mortgage Trustee has the power to take possession of, and to hold, operate and manage, the mortgaged property, or with or without entry, sell the mortgaged property. If the mortgaged property is sold, whether by the Mortgage Trustee or pursuant to judicial proceedings, the principal of the outstanding Mortgage Securities, if not previously due, will become immediately due. (Mortgage, Secs. 66, 67 and 71)
Right to Direct Proceedings
If a Completed Default occurs and is continuing, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities then outstanding will have the right to direct the time, method and
place of conducting any proceedings to be taken for any sale of the mortgaged property, the foreclosure of the Mortgage, or for the appointment of a receiver or any other proceeding under the Mortgage, provided that such direction does not conflict
with any rule of law or with the Mortgage. (Mortgage, Sec. 69)
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No Impairment of Right to Receive Payment
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Mortgage, the right of any Holder to receive payment of the principal of and interest on such Mortgage Security, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder. (Mortgage, Sec. 148)
Notice of Default
No Holder may enforce the lien of the Mortgage unless such Holder shall have given the Mortgage Trustee written notice of a Completed Default and unless the Holders of 25% in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities have requested the Mortgage Trustee in writing to act and have offered the Mortgage Trustee adequate security and indemnity and a reasonable opportunity to act. (Mortgage, Sec. 79)
Remedies Limited by State Law
The laws of the various states in which the property subject to the lien of the Mortgage is located may limit or deny the ability of the Mortgage Trustee and/or the Holders to enforce certain rights and remedies provided in the Mortgage in accordance with their terms.
Concerning the Mortgage Trustee
The Mortgage Trustee has, and is subject to, all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. Subject to such provisions, the Mortgage Trustee is not under any obligation to take any action in respect of any default or otherwise, or toward the execution or enforcement of any of the trusts created by the Mortgage, or to institute, appear in or defend any suit or other proceeding in connection therewith, unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities then outstanding. Anything in the Mortgage to the contrary notwithstanding, the Mortgage Trustee is under no obligation or duty to perform any act thereunder (other than the delivery of notices) or to institute or defend any suit in respect hereof, unless properly indemnified to its satisfaction. (Mortgage, Sec. 92)
The Mortgage Trustee may at any time resign and be discharged of the trusts created by the Mortgage by giving written notice to Avista Corp. and thereafter publishing notice thereof, specifying a date when such resignation shall take effect, as provided in the Mortgage, and such resignation shall take effect upon the day specified in such notice unless a successor trustee shall have previously been appointed by the Holders or Avista Corp. and in such event such resignation shall take effect immediately upon the appointment of such successor trustee. The Mortgage Trustee may be removed at any time by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Mortgage Securities then outstanding. (Mortgage, Secs. 100 and 101)
If Avista Corp. appoints a successor trustee and such successor trustee has accepted the appointment, the Mortgage Trustee will be deemed to have resigned as of the date of such successor trustees acceptance. (Mortgage, Sec. 102)
Evidence of Compliance with Mortgage Provisions
Compliance with provisions of the Mortgage is evidenced by written statements of Avista Corp.s officers or persons selected or paid by Avista Corp. In certain matters, statements must be made by an independent accountant or engineer. Various certificates and other papers are required to be filed annually and upon the happening of certain events, including an annual certificate with reference to compliance with the terms of the Mortgage and absence of Completed Defaults.
DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES
Avista Corp. may issue the Notes in one or more series, or in one or more tranches within a series, under the Indenture. The terms of the Notes will include those stated in the Indenture and
those
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made part of the Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act. The following summary is not complete and is subject in all respects to the provisions of, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the Indenture and the Trust
Indenture Act. The Notes, together with all other debt securities outstanding under the Indenture, are hereinafter called, collectively, the Indenture Securities. Avista Corp. has filed the Indenture, as well as a form of
officers certificate to establish a series of Notes, as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Capitalized terms used under this heading which are not otherwise defined in this prospectus have the meanings
set forth in the Indenture. Wherever particular provisions of the Indenture or terms defined in the Indenture are referred to, those provisions or definitions are incorporated by reference as part of the statements made in this prospectus and those
statements are qualified in their entirety by that reference. References to article and section numbers, unless otherwise indicated, are references to article and section numbers of the Indenture.
The applicable prospectus supplement or prospectus supplements will describe the following terms of the Notes of each series or tranche:
Payment and Paying Agents
Except as may be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, Avista Corp. will pay interest, if any, on each Note on each interest payment date to the person in whose name such Note
is
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registered (for the purposes of this section of the prospectus, the registered holder of any Indenture Security is herein referred to as a Holder) as of the close of business on the regular record date relating
to such interest payment date; provided, however, that Avista Corp. will pay interest at maturity (whether at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise,
Maturity) to the person to whom principal is paid. However, if there has been a default in the payment of interest on any Note, such defaulted interest may be payable to the Holder of such Note as of the close of business on a date
selected by the Indenture Trustee which is not more than 30 days and not less than 10 days before the date proposed by Avista Corp. for payment of such defaulted interest or in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any
securities exchange on which such Note may be listed, if the Indenture Trustee deems such manner of payment practicable. (Indenture, Sec. 307)
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, Avista Corp. will pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes at Maturity upon presentation of the Notes at the corporate trust office of JPMorgan Chase Bank in New York, New York, as paying agent for Avista Corp. Avista Corp. may change the place of payment of the Notes, may appoint one or more additional paying agents (including Avista Corp.) and may remove any paying agent, all at its discretion. (Indenture, Sec. 502)
Registration and Transfer
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, Holders may register the transfer of Notes, and may exchange Notes for other Notes of the same series and tranche, of authorized denominations and having the same terms and aggregate principal amount, at the corporate trust office of JPMorgan Chase Bank in New York, New York, as security registrar for the Notes. Avista Corp. may change the place for registration of transfer and exchange of the Notes, may appoint one or more additional security registrars (including Avista Corp.) and may remove any security registrar, all at its discretion. (Indenture, Sec. 502)
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, no service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of the Notes, but Avista Corp. may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of the Notes. Avista Corp. will not be required to execute or to provide for the registration of transfer or the exchange of (a) any Note during a period of 15 days before giving any notice of redemption or (b) any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. (Indenture, Sec. 305)
Redemption
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth any terms for the optional or mandatory redemption of Notes. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to Notes redeemable at the option of the Holder, Notes will be redeemable by Avista Corp. only upon notice by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. If less than all the Notes of a series, or any tranche thereof, are to be redeemed by Avista Corp., the particular Notes to be redeemed will be selected by such method as shall be provided for such series or tranche, or in the absence of any such provision, by such method of random selection as the Security Registrar deems fair and appropriate. (Indenture, Secs. 403 and 404)
Any notice of redemption at the
option of Avista Corp. may state that such redemption will be conditional
upon receipt by the paying agent or agents, on or before the date fixed for
such redemption, of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest, if any, on such Notes and that if such money has not
been so received, such notice will be of no force or effect and Avista Corp.
will not
be required to redeem such Notes. (Indenture, Sec. 404)
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Unsecured Obligations; Structural Subordination
The Indenture is not a mortgage or other lien on assets of Avista Corp. or its subsidiaries. In addition to the Notes, other debt securities may be issued under the Indenture, without any limit on the aggregate principal amount. Each series of Indenture Securities will be unsecured and will rank pari passu with all other series of Indenture Securities, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, and with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Avista Corp. Except as otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Indenture does not limit the incurrence or issuance by Avista Corp. of other secured or unsecured debt, whether under the Indenture, under any other indenture that Avista Corp. may enter into in the future or otherwise.
Although its utility operations are conducted directly by Avista Corp., all of the other operations of Avista Corp. are conducted through its subsidiaries. Any right of Avista Corp., as a shareholder, to receive assets of any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries upon the subsidiarys liquidation or reorganization (and the right of the Holders and other creditors of Avista Corp. to participate in those assets) is junior to the claims against such assets of that subsidiarys creditors. As a result, the obligations of Avista Corp. to the Holders and other creditors are effectively subordinated in right of payment to all indebtedness and other liabilities and commitments (including trade payables and lease obligations) of Avista Corp.s direct and indirect subsidiaries.
Satisfaction And Discharge
Any Indenture Securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, will be deemed to have been paid for purposes of the Indenture and, at Avista Corp.s election, the entire indebtedness of Avista Corp. in respect thereof will be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if there shall have been irrevocably deposited in trust with the Indenture Trustee or any paying agent (other than Avista Corp.):
to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, due and to become due on such Indenture Securities. For this purpose, Eligible Obligations include direct obligations of, or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States, entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof and certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments which evidence a direct ownership interest in such obligations or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof and such other obligations or instruments as shall be specified in an accompanying prospectus supplement. (Indenture, Sec. 601)
The right of Avista Corp. to cause its entire indebtedness in respect of the Indenture Securities of any series to be deemed to be satisfied and discharged as described above will be subject to the satisfaction of conditions specified in the instrument creating such series.
The Indenture will be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged when no Indenture Securities remain outstanding thereunder and Avista Corp. has paid or caused to be paid all other sums
payable by Avista Corp. under the Indenture. (Indenture, Sec. 602)
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Events of Default
Any one or more of the following events with respect to a series of Indenture Securities that has occurred and is continuing will constitute an Event of Default with respect to such series of Indenture Securities:
Remedies
Acceleration of Maturity
If an Event of Default applicable to the Indenture Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, then either the Indenture Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in aggregate
principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of such series may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the outstanding Indenture Securities of such series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount thereof as may
be specified in the terms thereof) of all of the outstanding Indenture Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately by written notice to Avista Corp. (and to the Indenture Trustee if given by the Holders); provided, however, that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing
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with respect to more than one series of Indenture Securities, the Indenture Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of all such series, considered as
one class, may make such declaration of acceleration and not the Holders of any one such series.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Indenture Securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained, such declaration and its consequences will, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if
Right to Direct Proceedings
If an Event of Default with respect to the Indenture Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of such series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee in exercising any trust or power conferred on the Indenture Trustee; provided, however, that if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to more than one series of Indenture Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of all such series, considered as one class, will have the right to make such direction, and not the Holders of any one of such series; and provided, further, that (a) such direction does not conflict with any rule of law or with the Indenture, and could not involve the Indenture Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where indemnity would not, in the Indenture Trustees sole discretion, be adequate and (b) the Indenture Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Indenture Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. (Indenture, Sec. 712)
Limitation on Right to Institute Proceedings
No Holder will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or for any other remedy thereunder unless:
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Furthermore, no Holder of any series of Indenture Securities will be entitled to institute any such action if and to the extent that such action would disturb or prejudice the rights of other Holders of such series. (Indenture, Sec. 707)
No Impairment of Right to Receive Payment
Notwithstanding that the right of a Holder to institute a proceeding with respect to the Indenture is subject to certain conditions precedent, each Holder will have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Indenture Security when due and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment. Such rights may not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder. (Indenture, Sec. 708)
Notice of Default
The Indenture Trustee is required to give the Holders notice of any default under the Indenture to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act, unless such default shall have been cured or waived, except that no such notice to Holders of a default of the character described in the third bulleted paragraph under Events of Default may be given until at least 75 days after the occurrence thereof. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term default means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default. The Trust Indenture Act currently permits the Indenture Trustee to withhold notices of default (except for certain payment defaults) if the Indenture Trustee in good faith determines the withholding of such notice to be in the interests of the Holders. (Indenture, Sec. 802)
Consolidation, Merger, Sale of Assets and Other Transactions
Avista Corp. may not consolidate with or merge into any other Person, or convey or otherwise transfer, or lease, all of its properties, as or substantially as an entirety, to any Person, unless:
In the case of the conveyance or other transfer of all of the properties of Avista Corp., as or substantially as an entirety, to any person as contemplated above, Avista Corp. would be released and discharged from all obligations under the Indenture and on all Indenture Securities then outstanding unless Avista Corp. elects to waive such release and discharge. Upon any such consolidation or merger or any such conveyance or other transfer of properties of Avista Corp., the successor, transferee or lessee would succeed to, and be substituted for, and would be entitled to exercise every power and right of, Avista Corp. under the Indenture. (Indenture, Secs. 1001, 1002 and 1003)
For purposes of the Indenture, the conveyance, transfer or lease by Avista Corp. of all of its facilities (a) for the generation of electric energy, (b) for the transmission of electric energy,
(c) for the
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distribution of electric energy and/or natural gas, in each case considered alone, (d) all of its facilities described in clauses (a) and (b), considered together, or (e) all of its facilities described in clauses (b) and
(c), considered together, will in no event be deemed to constitute a conveyance or other transfer of all the properties of Avista Corp., as or substantially as an entirety, unless, immediately following such conveyance, transfer or lease, Avista
Corp. owns no unleased properties in the other such categories of property not so conveyed or otherwise transferred or leased.
The Indenture will not prevent or restrict:
If Avista Corp. conveys or otherwise transfers any part of its properties which does not constitute the entirety, or substantially the entirety, thereof to another Person meeting the requirements set forth in the first paragraph under this heading, and if:
then Avista Corp. would be released and discharged from all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and on all Indenture Securities then outstanding unless Avista Corp. elects to waive such release and discharge. In such event, the transferee would succeed to, and be substituted for, and would be entitled to exercise every right and power of, Avista Corp. under the Indenture. (Indenture, Sec. 1005)
Modification of Indenture
Modifications Without Consent
Avista Corp. and the Indenture Trustee may enter into one or more supplemental indentures, without the consent of any Holders, for any of the following purposes:
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Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Trust Indenture Act is amended after the date of the Original Indenture in such a way as to require changes to the Indenture or the incorporation therein of additional provisions or so as to permit changes to, or the elimination of, provisions which, at the date of the Original Indenture or at any time thereafter, were required by the Trust Indenture Act to be contained in the Indenture, the Indenture will be deemed to have been amended so as to conform to such amendment or to effect such changes or elimination, and Avista Corp. and the Indenture Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders, enter into one or more supplemental indentures to evidence or effect such amendment. (Indenture, Sec. 1101)
Modifications Requiring Consent
Except as provided above, the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Indenture Securities of all series then outstanding, considered as one class is required for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner, or eliminating any of the provisions of, the Indenture pursuant to one or more supplemental indentures; provided, however, that if less than all of the series of Indenture Securities outstanding are directly affected by a proposed supplemental indenture, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Indenture Securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, will be required; and provided, further, that if the Indenture Securities of any series have been issued in more than one tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture directly affects the rights of the Holders of one or more, but less than all, of such tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of all tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, will be required; and provided, further, that no such amendment or modification may:
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A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of the Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of the Holders of, or which is to remain in effect only so long as there shall be outstanding, Indenture Securities of one or more specified series, or one or more tranches thereof, or modifies the rights of the Holders of such series or tranche with respect to such covenant or other provision, will be deemed not to affect the rights under the Indenture of the Holders of any other series or tranche.
If the supplemental indenture or other document establishing any series or tranche of Indenture Securities so provides, and as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or pricing supplement, the Holders of such Indenture Securities will be deemed to have consented, by virtue of their purchase of such Indenture Securities, to a supplemental indenture containing the additions, changes or eliminations to or from the Indenture which are specified in such supplemental indenture or other document. No Act of such Holders will be required to evidence such consent and such consent may be counted in the determination of whether the Holders of the requested principal amount of Indenture Securities have consented to such supplemental indenture. (Indenture, Sec. 1102)
Duties of the Indenture Trustee; Resignation; Removal
The Indenture Trustee will have, and will be subject to, all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to such provisions, the Indenture Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the Indenture at the request of any Holder, unless such Holder offers it reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred thereby. The Indenture Trustee will not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of its duties if the Indenture Trustee reasonably believes that repayment or adequate indemnity is not reasonably assured to it. (Indenture, Secs. 801 and 803)
The Indenture Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Indenture Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to Avista Corp. or may be removed at any time with
respect to the Indenture Securities of one or more series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Indenture Securities of such series delivered to the Indenture Trustee and Avista Corp. No resignation or removal of
the Indenture Trustee and no appointment of a successor trustee will become
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effective until the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee in accordance with the requirements of the Indenture. So long as no Event of Default or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become
an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, if Avista Corp. has delivered to the Indenture Trustee with respect to one or more series a resolution of its Board of Directors appointing a successor trustee with respect to that or those series
and such successor has accepted such appointment in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Indenture Trustee with respect to that or those series will be deemed to have resigned and the successor will be deemed to have been appointed as
trustee in accordance with the Indenture. (Indenture, Sec. 810)
Evidence of Compliance
Compliance with the Indenture provisions is evidenced by written statements of Avista Corp. officers or persons selected or paid by Avista Corp. In certain cases, Avista Corp. must furnish opinions of counsel and certifications of an engineer, appraiser or other expert (who in some cases must be independent). In addition, the Indenture requires that Avista Corp. give the Indenture Trustee, not less than annually, a brief statement as to Avista Corp.s compliance with the conditions and covenants under the Indenture.
Governing Law
The Indenture and the Indenture Securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, shall be applicable.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK
General
The authorized capital stock of Avista Corp. consists of 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, cumulative, without nominal or par value, which is issuable in series (the Preferred
Stock), and 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock without nominal or par value, together with attached preferred share purchase rights (the Common Stock). Following is a brief description of certain of the rights and privileges of the
Common Stock. For a complete description, reference is made to Avista Corp.s Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the Articles), and its Bylaws (the Bylaws) and to the laws of the State of Washington. The
following summary, which does not purport to be complete, is qualified in its entirety by such reference.
Dividend Rights
After full provision for all Preferred Stock dividends declared or in arrears, the holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive such dividends as may be lawfully declared from time to time
by Avista Corp.s Board of Directors.
The Indenture, dated as of April 3, 2001, between Avista Corp. and Chase Manhattan Bank and Trust Company, National Association, trustee, under which $317.1 million of senior unsecured notes
were outstanding as of December 31, 2003, contains restrictions on the payment of dividends. So long as there is no default under the Indenture, Avista Corp. does not expect these restrictions to limit its ability to pay dividends on its capital
stock.
Voting Rights
The holders of the Common Stock have sole voting power, except as indicated below or as otherwise provided by law. Each holder of Common Stock is entitled to one vote per share, except that, in
the election of directors, each holder has cumulative voting rights by which such holder is entitled to that number of votes which is equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of shares held. These votes may
all be cast for a single nominee for director or may be distributed among any two or more nominees.
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If dividends payable on any shares of Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of dividends accumulated on such shares of Preferred Stock over the eighteen
(18) month period ended on such date, the holders of such stock become entitled, voting as one class, to elect a majority of the Board of Directors, and the holders of the Common Stock, voting as a single class, will be entitled to elect the
remaining directors of Avista Corp. Such right does not cease until all defaults in the payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock shall have been cured.
In addition, the consent of various proportions of the Preferred Stock at the time outstanding is required to adopt any amendment to the Articles which would authorize any new class of stock ranking prior to or on a parity with the Preferred Stock as to certain matters, to increase the authorized number of shares of the Preferred Stock or to change any of the rights or preferences of outstanding Preferred Stock.
Classified Board of Directors
Both the Articles and the Bylaws provide for a Board of Directors divided into three classes. Each director of a class will generally serve for a term of three years, with only one class of
directors being elected in each year. The classification of the Board of Directors reduces the impact of cumulative voting rights.
The Articles and Bylaws also generally provide that directors may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock. The Articles and Bylaws further require an affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock to alter, amend or repeal the provisions relating to the classification of the Board of Directors and
the removal of members from, and the filling of vacancies on, the Board of Directors.
Fair Price Provision
The Articles contain a fair price provision which requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock for the consummation of certain business combinations, including mergers, consolidations, recapitalizations, certain dispositions of assets, certain issuances of securities, liquidations and dissolutions involving Avista Corp. and a person or entity who is or, under certain circumstances, was, a beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (an Interested Shareholder) unless
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
General
Reference is made to the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 15, 1999 (the Rights Agreement) between Avista Corp. and The Bank of New York, as Rights Agent, filed with the SEC.
The following statements are qualified in their entireties by such reference.
On November 12, 1999, the Avista Corp. Board of Directors authorized the Rights Agreement to replace the then-existing rights plan which expired on February 16, 2000. Under the Rights
Agreement, Avista Corp. granted one preferred share purchase right (a Right) on each outstanding share of Common Stock to holders of Common Stock outstanding on February 15, 2000 or issued thereafter. The description and terms of Rights
are set forth in the Rights Agreement.
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Each Right entitles the registered holder, subject to regulatory approvals and other specified conditions, to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of Preferred Stock at a purchase price of
$70.00 (the Purchase Price). The Rights are exercisable only if a person or group
Until that time, the Rights are evidenced by and trade with the shares of Common Stock. The Rights will expire on March 31, 2009 unless Avista Corp. first redeems or exchanges them, in each case as described below.
The purchase of stock pursuant to the Rights may be subject to regulatory approvals and other specified conditions. Under no circumstances will a person or group that acquires 10% of the Common Stock be entitled to exercise Rights.
Flip-in
If any person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, each unexercised Right will entitle its holder to purchase that number of shares of Common Stock or, at the option of Avista Corp., Preferred Stock, which has a market value at that time of twice the Purchase Price.
Flip-over
In the event that any person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, and Avista Corp.
any person or group, each unexercised Right would instead entitle its holder to purchase the acquiring companys common shares having a market value of twice the Purchase Price.
Exchange
If a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of more than 10% but less than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, Avista Corp. may exchange each outstanding Right for one share of Common Stock or cash, securities or other assets having a value equal to the market value of one share of Common Stock. That exchange may be subject to regulatory approvals.
Redemption
Avista Corp. may redeem the Rights, at a redemption price of $0.01 per Right, at any time until any person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.
Certain Adjustments
The Purchase Price, the amount and type of securities covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding will be adjusted to prevent dilution
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With certain exceptions, no adjustments in the Purchase Price will be made until cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase Price. Avista Corp. will not issue fractional
shares of Preferred Stock other than in integral multiples of one ten-thousandth of a share. Instead, Avista Corp. will make an adjustment in cash based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of
exercise.
Amounts Outstanding
Avista Corp. distributed one Right to its shareholders for each share of Common Stock owned of record by them at the close of business on February 15, 2000. Until the earliest of
Avista Corp. has issued and will continue to issue one Right with each share of Common Stock that is issued after February 15, 2000 so that each outstanding share of Common Stock will have an
appurtenant Right. Avista Corp. has initially authorized and reserved 600,000 shares of Preferred Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.
Amendment
Avista Corp. may amend the Rights Agreement in any respect until any person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. Thereafter, Avista Corp. may amend the Rights Agreement in any manner which will not adversely affect the holders of the Rights in any material respect.
Statutory Limitation on Significant Business Transactions
General
The Washington Business Corporation Act contains provisions that limit our ability to engage in significant business transactions with an acquiring person, each as defined below. We have no right to waive the applicability of these provisions.
Significant Business Transactions Within Five Years of Share Acquisition Time
Subject to certain exceptions, for five years after an acquiring persons share acquisition time, Avista Corp. may not engage in any significant business transaction with such acquiring person unless, before such share acquisition time, a majority of the Board of Directors approves either:
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Significant Business Transactions More Than Five Years After Share Acquisition Time
Avista Corp. may not engage in certain significant business transactions (including mergers, share exchanges and consolidations) with any acquiring person unless:
As used in this section:
Significant business transaction means any of various specified transactions involving an acquiring person, including:
Acquiring person means, with certain exceptions, a person (or group of persons) other than Avista Corp. or its subsidiaries who beneficially owns 10% or more of the outstanding Common Stock of Avista Corp.
Share acquisition time means the time at which a person first becomes an acquiring person of Avista Corp.
Anti-Takeover Effect
The provisions of the Articles and the Bylaws described above under Classified Board of Directors and Fair Price Provision and the Rights Agreement described
above under Preferred Share Purchase Rights, together with the provisions of the Washington Business Corporation Act described above under Statutory Limitations on Significant Business Transactions, considered
either individually or in the aggregate, may have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions could discourage a future takeover attempt which is not approved by Avista Corp.s Board of Directors but which individual shareholders
might deem to be in their best interests or in which shareholders would receive a premium for their shares over current market prices. As a result, shareholders who might desire to participate in such a transaction might not have an opportunity to
do so.
30
The Rights described above under Preferred Share Purchase Rights would cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire Avista Corp. on terms not approved by
the Board of Directors, except pursuant to an offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being acquired or redeemed. However, the Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors
prior to the time that a person or group has acquired beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Common Stock since until such time the Rights may be redeemed, or the Rights Agreement may be amended, as described above.
The provisions described above under Classified Board of Directors could also cause the removal of the incumbent Board of Directors or management to require more time or render such
removal more difficult, procedurally or otherwise.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of any liquidation of Avista Corp., after satisfaction of the preferential liquidation rights of the Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock would be entitled to share ratably in all assets of Avista Corp. available for distribution to shareholders.
Pre-Emptive Rights
No holder of any stock of Avista Corp. has any pre-emptive rights.
Miscellaneous
The presently outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid and non-assessable.
The Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Pacific Exchange.
The New York Transfer Agent and Registrar for the Common Stock is The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10286.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Avista Corp. files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other documents with the SEC (File No. 1-3701). These documents contain important business and financial information. You may read and copy any materials Avista Corp. files with the SEC at the SECs public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Avista Corp.s SEC filings are also available to the public from the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. Other than those documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, information on this website does not constitute a part of this prospectus.
Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information that we file with the SEC. This allows us to disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents rather than repeating them in full in this prospectus. We are incorporating into this prospectus by reference:
and all of those documents are deemed to be a part of this prospectus from the date of filing such documents. We refer to the documents incorporated into this prospectus by reference as the Incorporated
Documents. Any statement contained in an Incorporated Document may be modified or
31
superseded by a statement in this prospectus (if such Incorporated Document was filed prior to the date of this prospectus) in any prospectus supplement or in any subsequently filed Incorporated Document. The Incorporated
Documents as of the date of this prospectus are:
You may request any of these filings, at no cost, by contacting us at the address or telephone
number provided
on page
2 of
this prospectus.
Avista Corp.
maintains an
Internet site
at
http://www.avistacorp.com which
contains information concerning Avista Corp. and its affiliates. The information
contained at Avista Corp.s Internet site is not incorporated in
this prospectus by references and you should not consider it a part of this prospectus.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Avista Corp. may sell the Securities in any of four ways: (a) directly to a limited number of institutional purchasers or to a single purchaser, (b) through agents, (c) through underwriters or
(d) through dealers. The applicable prospectus supplement relating to each offering of Securities will set forth the terms of the offering of such Securities, including the name or names of any such agents, underwriters or dealers, the purchase
price of such Securities and the net proceeds to Avista Corp. from such sale, any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters compensation, the initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or
reallowed or paid to dealers. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
New shares of Avista Corp.s Common Stock sold through agents or underwriters may be sold by means of (i) ordinary brokers transactions; (ii) block transactions (which may involve crosses) in accordance with the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the Pacific Stock Exchange and other exchanges on which the Common Stock is admitted to trading privileges, including transactions in which any agent may sell shares as agents but may also position and resell all or a portion of the blocks as principals; (iii) offerings off the floors of the exchanges or (iv) a combination of such methods. Sales may be made at prevailing market prices (which could be subject to change). Any such offering would be described in a supplement to this prospectus setting forth the terms of the offering and the number of shares being offered.
If Avista Corp. uses underwriters to sell Securities, the underwriters will acquire such Securities for their own account and may resell them in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to an offering of Securities, the obligations of any underwriter or underwriters to purchase such Securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and such underwriter or underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such Securities if any are purchased, except that, in certain cases involving a default by one or more underwriters, less than all of such Securities may be purchased.
If an agent of Avista Corp. is used in any sale of a series of Securities, any commissions payable by Avista Corp. to such agent will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such Securities. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
Any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in the distribution of the Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them on the sale or resale
of Securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements entered into with Avista Corp. to indemnification by Avista Corp. against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
32
Avista Corp. may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the
applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party
may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open
borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).
The outstanding shares of Avista Corp.s Common Stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Pacific Stock Exchange. Any new shares of Common Stock will also be listed on those exchanges, subject to official notice of issuance.
Each series of Securities will be a new issue and, except for the Common Stock, will have no established trading market.
The agents, underwriters and dealers and/or certain of their affiliates may engage in transactions with and perform services for Avista Corp. and certain of its affiliates in the ordinary
course of business.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the Securities under New York law, certain other matters of New York law and matters of federal securities law will be passed upon for Avista Corp. by Dewey Ballantine LLP,
counsel to Avista Corp. The authorization of the Securities by Avista Corp., the validity of the Securities under Washington law and certain other matters of Washington law, as well as the authorization of the Securities by the public utility
regulatory commissions under Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and California law, will be passed upon for Avista Corp. by Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP, counsel for Avista Corp. Certain other matters will be passed upon for Avista Corp.
by David J. Meyer, Esq., Vice President and Chief Counsel for Regulatory and Governmental Affairs of Avista Corp. The validity of the Securities will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. In giving their
opinions Dewey Ballantine LLP and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP may assume the conclusions of Washington, California, Idaho, Montana and Oregon law set forth in the opinion of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP.
EXPERTS
The financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from Avista Corp.s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent
auditors, as stated in their report (which includes an explanatory paragraph for certain changes in accounting and presentation resulting from the impact of recently adopted accounting standards), which is incorporated herein by reference, and have
been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
33
PART II
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution (estimated).
The expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered are estimated as follows:
Filing fee Securities and Exchange Commission (previously paid*) | $17,159 |
Fees of state regulatory authorities | 1,000 |
Legal counsel fees | 400,000 |
Auditors fees | 40,000 |
Trustees fees | 30,000 |
Transfer agents fees | 10,000 |
Fees of rating agencies | 100,000 |
Printing expenses | 65,000 |
Miscellaneous expenses | 46,841 |
Total Estimated Expenses | $710,000 |
* Excludes SEC filing fees paid upon the filing of Registration Statements Nos. 333-82165 and 333-106491.
Item 16. Exhibits.
Reference is made to the Exhibit Index on p. II-4 hereof.
II-1
POWER OF ATTORNEY
The Registrant hereby appoints each Agent for Service named in this Registration Statement as its attorney-in-fact to sign in their name and behalf, and to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and each director and/or officer of the Registrant whose signature appears below hereby appoints each such Agent for Service as his
attorney-in-fact with like authority to sign in his name and behalf, in any and all capacities stated below, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, any and all such amendments.
II-2
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and
has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Spokane and State of Washington on the 22nd day of April, 2004.
AVISTA CORPORATION |
||
By |
/s/ Malyn K. Malquist | |
Malyn K. Malquist Senior Vice President and Principal Financial Officer |
||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature |
Title | Date |
||
/s/ Gary G. Ely |
||||
Gary G. Ely |
Principal Executive |
April 22, 2004 |
||
Chairman of the Board |
Officer |
|||
President and Principal |
||||
Executive Officer |
||||
/s/ Malyn K. Malquist |
||||
Malyn K. Malquist |
Principal Financial |
April 22, 2004 |
||
Senior Vice President and |
and Accounting Officer |
|||
Principal Financial Officer |
||||
/s/ Erik J. Anderson |
||||
Erik J.
Anderson |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ Kristianne Blake |
||||
Kristianne
Blake |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ David A. Clack |
||||
David A. Clack |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ Roy Lewis Eiguren |
||||
Roy Lewis Eiguren |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ Jack W. Gustavel |
||||
Jack W. Gustavel |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ John F.
Kelly |
||||
John F. Kelly |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ Jessie J. Knight, Jr. |
||||
Jessie J. Knight, Jr. |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/
Michael L. Noel |
||||
Michael
L. Noel |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ Lura J. Powell, Ph.D.
|
||||
Lura J. Powell, Ph.D. |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
||
/s/ R. John Taylor |
||||
R. John Taylor |
Director |
April 22, 2004 |
II-3
EXHIBIT INDEX | |||
Exhibit | Description | ||
1(a) |
Form of Underwriting Agreement for offering of first mortgage bonds. | ||
1(b) |
Form of Underwriting Agreement for offering of common stock. | ||
1(c) |
Form of Underwriting Agreement for offering of senior notes. | ||
1(d)* |
Form of Sales Agency Agreement. | ||
4(a) |
Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated as of June 1, 1939, by and between Avista | ||
Corporation and Citibank, N.A., as Trustee (filed with registration number 2-4077 | |||
B-3). |
|||
4(a)(1) |
First Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of October 1, 1952 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-9812 4(c)). | |||
4(a)(2) |
Second Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of May 1, 1953 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-2). | |||
4(a)(3) |
Third Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of December 1, 1955 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-13421 4(b)-3). | |||
4(a)(4) |
Fourth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of March 15, 1957 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-13421 4(b)-4). | |||
4(a)(5) |
Fifth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of July 1, 1957 (filed with | ||
registration number 2-60728 2(b)-5). | |||
4(a)(6) |
Sixth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, 1958 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-6). | |||
4(a)(7) |
Seventh Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of August 1, 1958 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-7). | |||
4(a)(8) |
Eighth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, 1959 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-8). | |||
4(a)(9) |
Ninth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, 1960 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-9). | |||
4(a)(10) |
Tenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of April 1, 1964 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-10). | |||
4(a)(11) |
Eleventh Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of March 1, 1965 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-11). | |||
4(a)(12) |
Twelfth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of May 1, 1966 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-12). | |||
4(a)(13) |
Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of August 1, 1966 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-13). | |||
4(a)(14) |
Fourteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of April 1, 1970 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-14). | |||
4(a)(15) |
Fifteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of May 1, 1973 (filed | ||
with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-15). | |||
4(a)(16) |
Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of February 1, 1975 |
II-4
(filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-16). | |||
4(a)(17) |
Seventeenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of November 1, | ||
1976 (filed with registration number 2-60728 2(b)-17). | |||
4(a)(18) |
Eighteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of June 1, 1980 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-69080 2(b)-18). | |||
4(a)(19) |
Nineteenth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, 1981 | ||
(filed with registration number 1-3701 (1980 Form 10-K) 4(a)-20). | |||
4(a)(20) |
Twentieth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of August 1, 1982 | ||
(filed with registration number 2-79571 4(a)-21). | |||
4(a)(21) |
Twenty-first Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of September 1, | ||
1983 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (Form 8-K dated September 20, | |||
1983) 4(a)-22). | |||
4(a)(22) |
Twenty-second Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of March 1, | ||
1984 (filed with registration number 2-94816 4(a)-23). | |||
4(a)(23) |
Twenty-third Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of December 1, | ||
1986 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (1986 Form 10-K) 4(a)-24). | |||
4(a)(24) |
Twenty-fourth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, | ||
1988 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (1987 Form 10-K) 4(a)-25). | |||
4(a)(25) |
Twenty-fifth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of October 1, | ||
1989 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (1989 Form 10-K) 4(a)-26). | |||
4(a)(26) |
Twenty-sixth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of April 1, 1993 | ||
(filed with registration number 33-51669 4(a)-27). | |||
4(a)(27) |
Twenty-seventh Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of January 1, | ||
1994 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (1993 Form 10-K) 4(a)-28). | |||
4(a)(28) |
Twenty-eighth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of September 1, | ||
2001 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (2001 Form 10-K) 4(a)-29). | |||
4(a)(29) |
Twenty-ninth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of December 1, | ||
2001 (filed with registration number 333-82502 4(b)). | |||
4(a)(30) |
Thirtieth Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of May 1, 2002 (filed | ||
with registration number 1-3701 (June 30, 2002 Form 10-Q) 4(f)). | |||
4(a)(31) |
Thirty-first Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of May 1, 2003 | ||
(filed with registration number 333-106491 4(b)). | |||
4(a)(32) |
Thirty-second Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage, dated as of September 1, | ||
2003 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (September 30, 2003 Form 10-Q) | |||
4(f)). | |||
4(b) |
Form of Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage. | ||
4(c) |
Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1998, between Avista Corporation, JPMorgan | ||
Chase Bank (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as Trustee (filed | |||
with Registration number 333-82165). | |||
4(d) |
Form of Officers Certificate to be used in connection with an underwritten public | ||
offering of Notes. |
II-5
4(e) |
Rights Agreement, dated as of November 15, 1999, between the Registrant and | |
Bank of New York, Rights Agent (previously filed as Exhibit 4 to Current Report | ||
on Form 8-K, dated November 15, 1999) | ||
4(f) |
Restated Articles of Incorporation of Avista Corporation as amended November | |
1, 1999 (filed with registration number 1-3701 (2001 Form 10-K) 3(a)). | ||
4(g) |
Bylaws of Avista Corporation, as amended February 6, 2004 (filed with | |
registration number 1-3701 (2003 Form 10-K) 3(b)). | ||
5(a) |
Opinion and Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (previously filed | |
as Exhibit 5(a) to original Registration Statement No. 333-64652 and Exhibit 5(a) | ||
to Registration Statement No. 333-106491). | ||
5(b) |
Opinion and Consent of Dewey Ballantine LLP (previously filed as Exhibit 5(b) | |
to Registration Statement No. 333-106491). | ||
5(c) |
Opinion and Consent of Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP | |
(previously filed as Exhibit 5(a) to Registration Statement No. 333-82165). | ||
5(d) |
Opinion and Consent of Thelen Reid & Priest LLP (previously filed as Exhibit | |
5(b) to original Registration Statement No. 333-64652 and Exhibit 5(b) to | ||
Registration Statement No. 333-82165.) | ||
12 |
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges of Avista Corporation | |
(contained in Incorporated Documents). | ||
23(a) |
Consent of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP (contained in Exhibit 5(a)). | |
23(b) |
Consent of Dewey Ballantine LLP (contained in Exhibit 5(b)). | |
23(c) |
Consent of Paine, Hamblen, Coffin, Brooke & Miller LLP (contained in Exhibit 5(c)). | |
23(d) |
Consent of Thelen Reid & Priest LLP (contained in Exhibit 5(d)). | |
23(e) |
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. | |
24 |
Power of Attorney (included on page II-3). | |
25(a) |
Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of | |
JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Trustee under the Indenture. | ||
25(b) |
Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of | |
Citibank, N.A., as Trustee under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust. |
* | To be filed subsequently as an exhibit to
an amendment to this Registration Statement or a Current Report on
Form 8-K. |
II-6