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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2023

Registration Statement No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   30-0818558
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

 

700 Universe Boulevard

Juno Beach, Florida 33408-0420

(561) 694-4700

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive office)

 

 

Charles E. Sieving, Esq.

General Counsel

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

700 Universe Boulevard

Juno Beach, Florida 33408

(561) 694-4700

(Name and addresses, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

It is respectfully requested that the Commission also send copies of all notices, orders and communications to:

Thomas P. Giblin, Jr., Esq.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

101 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10178

(212) 309-6000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by market conditions and other factors.

 

 

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.  ☒

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 this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933.  ☐

 

 

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 of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information 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 any offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, dated November 13, 2023

PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

6,320,300 Common Units

 

 

This prospectus relates to the offer and resale by the selling unitholders identified in this prospectus or in supplements to this prospectus of up to an aggregate of 6,320,300 NextEra Energy Partners LP’s common units representing limited partner interests. All of the offered common units may be issued upon conversion of our 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026, or the “Notes,” that we issued in a private placement, exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, completed on December 12, 2022. The common units being offered for resale by the selling unitholders pursuant to this prospectus are common units that may be issued to the selling unitholders upon conversion of the Notes.

Upon conversion of the Notes, we will pay cash in an amount up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, our common units or a combination of cash and our common units, at our election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of our conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being converted. The Notes may be converted only in principal amounts equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof.

Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the “NYSE,” under the symbol “NEP.” On November 10, 2023, the closing price for our common units on the NYSE was $23.61.

The selling unitholders identified in this prospectus or in supplements to this prospectus may offer and resell the common units offered by this prospectus from time to time on any exchange on which the common units are listed at prevailing market prices. They may also resell the common units in private sales or through brokers, dealers or agents on terms to be negotiated. In no event may such methods of sale take the form of an underwritten offering of the common units without our prior agreement. The selling unitholders will be responsible for any commissions due to brokers, dealers or agents. We will be responsible for all other offering expenses. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling unitholders of the common units offered by this prospectus. See the “Selling Unitholders” and the “Plan of Distribution” sections, beginning on pages 40 and 41, respectively, of this prospectus.

 

 

Investing in the securities involves risks. Limited partnerships and limited partner interests are inherently different than corporations and shares of capital stock of a corporation. You should carefully consider the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” on page 1 of this prospectus, contained in any supplement to this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein before you invest in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

                    , 2023


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, the selling unitholders identified in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement may offer and resell, from time to time, our common units that may be issued upon conversion of the Notes.

Specific information about the offering may be included in a prospectus supplement, which may describe the specific manner in which the selling unitholders may offer and resell the common units and may also update or change information contained in this prospectus, including the identity of the selling unitholders. To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation by Reference.”

For more detailed information about the securities, please read the exhibits to the registration statement. Those exhibits have been either filed with the registration statement or incorporated by reference from earlier SEC filings listed in the registration statement.

In this prospectus, “NEP,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and similar terms refer to NextEra Energy Partners, LP, unless the context requires otherwise, and “you” or “your” refer to prospective investors in NEP.

RISK FACTORS

The nature of our business activities subjects us to certain hazards and risks. Additionally, limited partnerships and limited partner interests are inherently different than corporations and shares of capital stock of a corporation, although we are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, including those included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including any amendments thereto, and, if applicable, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments thereto, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, we might not be able to pay distributions to our unitholders, the trading price of our units could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment in us.

NEP

We are a growth-oriented limited partnership formed to acquire, manage and own contracted clean energy projects with stable long-term cash flows. At September 30, 2023, we owned a controlling, non-economic general partner interest and an approximately 48.6% limited partner interest in the common units of NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP (“NEP OpCo”). Through NEP OpCo, we own a portfolio of contracted renewable generation assets consisting of wind, solar and solar-plus-storage projects, as well as contracted natural gas pipeline assets.

We were formed as a Delaware limited partnership in March 2014. Even though we are organized as a limited partnership under state law, we are treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Our principal executive offices are located at 700 Universe Boulevard, Juno Beach, Florida 33408, our telephone number is (561) 694-4700, and our mailing address is P.O. Box 14000, Juno Beach, Florida 33408-0420.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling unitholders of the common units offered by this prospectus.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 of which this prospectus is a part, including exhibits, schedules and amendments filed with, or incorporated by reference into, the registration statement. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information found in the registration statement and exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further information about us and the securities registered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement, including the exhibits to the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus are not necessarily complete and, where that contract is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or to the annual, quarterly or other reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), which are incorporated by reference herein, each statement is qualified in all respects by the exhibit to which the reference relates.

We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other documents with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including information we file. We also maintain a website (www.nexteraenergypartners.com). Information on our website is not a part of this prospectus.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Any statement contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to the extent that a statement in any subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We incorporate by reference the following documents we have filed with the SEC:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022;

 

   

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June  30, 2023 and September 30, 2023;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 14, 2023, March  29, 2023, May  12, 2023, May  15, 2023, July  6, 2023 and October 4, 2023;

 

   

the description of our common units contained in Exhibit 4.10 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and including any further amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

   

the unaudited pro forma consolidated financial statements which illustrate the potential effect of the November 6, 2023 agreement to sell NEP’s natural gas pipeline assets located in Texas attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus additional documents that we may file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the filing of the initial registration statement and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement and from the date of this prospectus (other than any documents, or portions of documents, not deemed to be filed) until all of the securities covered by this registration statement have been sold.

You may obtain copies of any of these filings without charge from our website www.nexteraenergypartners.com, or by contacting the SEC or accessing its website as described above. The

 

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information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. You may request a copy of these documents, at no cost to you, by writing or telephoning us at:

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

700 Universe Boulevard

Juno Beach, Florida 33408

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone: (561) 694-4700

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, strategies, future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as may result, are expected to, will continue, anticipate, believe, will, could, should, would, estimated, may, plan, potential, future, projection, goals, target, outlook, predict and intend or words of similar meaning) are not statements of historical facts and may be forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties. Accordingly, any such statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to, and are accompanied by, the important factors discussed in our reports that are incorporated herein by reference (in addition to any assumptions and other factors referred to specifically in connection with such forward-looking statements) that could have a significant impact on our operations and financial results, and could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, in the documents incorporated by reference herein, in presentations, on our website, in response to questions or otherwise.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances, including, but not limited to, unanticipated events, after the date on which such statement is made, unless otherwise required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors, nor can it assess the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in any forward-looking statement.

The issues and associated risks and uncertainties discussed in the documents that are incorporated by reference herein are not the only ones we may face. Additional issues may arise or become material. The risks and uncertainties associated with those additional issues could impair our business in the future. See “Risk Factors.”

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON UNITS

The Units

All holders of common units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, see “Material Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement.” For a description of the relative rights and preferences of our unitholders in and

 

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to partnership distributions, please read “Provisions of The Partnership Agreements and Other Arrangements Relating to Cash Distributions.” See “Potential Issuances of Voting and Non-Voting Common Units under Existing Financing Arrangements” below for an overview of potential units that may be issued under financing arrangements that we have outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Duties

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. serves as registrar and transfer agent for our common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units, except the following that must be paid by unitholders:

 

   

surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges;

 

   

special charges for services requested by a common unitholder; and

 

   

other similar fees or charges.

There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for their activities in those capacities, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

Resignation or Removal

The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

Transfer of Common Units

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to our common units transferred when such transfer or admission is reflected in our register and such limited partner becomes the record holder of our common units so transferred. Each transferee:

 

   

will become bound and will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the terms of our partnership agreement;

 

   

will be deemed to represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into our partnership agreement; and

 

   

will be deemed to make the consents, acknowledgements and waivers contained in our partnership agreement.

We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner in the event such nominee is the record holder of such common unit. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. Until a common unit has been transferred on our register, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

 

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Potential Issuances of Voting and Non-Voting Common Units under Existing Financing Arrangements

As of the date of this prospectus, we have the Notes, the 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 (“2024 convertible notes”) and the 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (“2025 convertible notes” and together with the Notes and the 2024 convertible notes, the “convertible notes”) outstanding, which convertible notes are guaranteed by NEP OpCo. A holder of the Notes, the 2024 convertible notes or the 2025 convertible notes, as the case may be, may convert all or a portion of its convertible notes in accordance with the respective indenture pursuant to which the convertible notes were issued. Upon conversion, we will pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the convertible notes to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, our common units or a combination of cash and our common units, at our election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of our conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the convertible notes being converted.

We also have entered into financing arrangements under which we have the option (each, a “Buyout Right”), subject to certain limitations and adjustments, to purchase certain membership interests in project entities using our non-voting common units representing limited partnership interests in NEP (“non-voting common units”) (a “Non-Voting Buyout Right”) or using our voting common units. Following an exercise of any Non-Voting Buyout Right, the non-voting common units will have, among other terms, the right to receive pro rata quarterly cash distributions and the right to convert, subject to certain limitations and adjustments, the non-voting common units into our common units on a one-for-one basis.

We have entered into registration rights agreements with respect to these financings.

PROVISIONS OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS

We will distribute our available cash (as defined below, with respect to each quarter) to our unitholders. Our cash flow is generated from distributions we receive from NEP OpCo. As a result, our ability to make distributions to our unitholders depends on the ability of NEP OpCo to make cash distributions to its limited partners, including us. Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement, the partnership agreement of NEP OpCo (“NEP OpCo partnership agreement”) and certain other agreements as they relate to cash distributions. The summary below is as of the date of this prospectus and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of the partnership agreements, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the annual, quarterly or current reports under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference herein. The summary is also qualified in its entirety by reference to the other agreements referenced below, each of which is filed as an exhibit to the annual, quarterly or current reports under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference herein. Under Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional series or classes of limited partnership interests, such as the Series A convertible preferred units representing limited partner interests in NEP (“Series A preferred units”) and the non-voting common units, that may have rights which differ from the rights applicable to our common units as described in this prospectus.

As described below under “—Provisions of the NEP OpCo Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions,” NextEra Energy Operating Partners GP, LLC (“NEP OpCo GP”) has broad discretion to make certain decisions under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, including with respect to the establishment of cash reserves. Since we own all of the equity interests of NEP OpCo GP, decisions made by NEP OpCo GP under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement are ultimately made at the direction of our Board or, in certain limited circumstances, our general partner.

On April 29, 2015, NEP OpCo made an equity method investment in the McCoy and Adelanto solar projects. In connection with this investment, NEP OpCo issued 1,000,000 of its Class B, Series 1 limited partner interests (with respect to the McCoy project) and 1,000,000 of its Class B, Series 2 limited partner interests (with

 

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respect to the Adelanto projects) (together, the “OpCo Class B units”) to NextEra Energy Equity Partners, LP (“NEE Equity”) for approximately 50% of the ownership interests in three solar projects. NEE Equity, as holder of the OpCo Class B units, retains 100% of the economic rights in the projects to which the respective OpCo Class B units relate, including the right to all distributions paid to NEP OpCo by the project subsidiaries that own the projects. Distributions on the OpCo Class B units are separate from distributions of available cash to the holders of NEP OpCo’s voting and non-voting common units, and the available distribution amount for the OpCo Class B units is calculated separately from available cash, operating surplus, capital surplus and minimum quarterly distribution pursuant to the NEP OpCo partnership agreement, and as a result such OpCo Class B units are not included in the determinations discussed below. See also “Material Provisions of the NEP OpCo Partnership Agreement—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests—OpCo Class B Units.”

Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions

Distributions of Available Cash by NEP

Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash first to holders of Series A preferred units, if any, in an amount equal to the Series A distribution amount (as specified in our partnership agreement and excluding any portion of the Series A distribution amount paid in Series A preferred units), and then to all holders of our common units and non-voting common units of record on the applicable record date. Generally, our available cash is all cash on hand at the date of determination in respect of such quarter (including any expected distributions from NEP OpCo), less the amount of cash reserves established by our Board. Our available cash does not include any proceeds received for the sale of any Series A preferred units or our securities that rank pari passu with the Series A preferred units as to distributions. Although we currently expect that cash reserves would be established solely to provide for the payment of income taxes, if any, or other liabilities of our partnership, we expect NEP OpCo to establish cash reserves prior to making distributions to our partnership to pay costs and expenses of our subsidiaries, in addition to our expenses, as well as any debt service requirements and future capital expenditures. Our cash flow is generated from distributions we receive from NEP OpCo each quarter.

Units Eligible for Distribution

As of the date of this prospectus, the only classes of our limited partnership interests for which units are outstanding are common units and Special Voting Units. Our partnership agreement also provides for the issuance of non-voting common units and Series A preferred units; however, no non-voting common units or Series A preferred units are outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. See “Description of Common Units—Potential Issuances of Voting and Non-Voting Common Units under Existing Financing Arrangements” above for an overview of potential units that may be issued under financing arrangements that we have outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.

Each common unit (including each non-voting common unit) is entitled to receive distributions (including upon liquidation) on a pro rata basis. Series A preferred units, if any, are entitled to receive distributions in an amount equal to the Series A distribution amount (as specified in our partnership agreement and excluding any portion of the Series A distribution amount paid in Series A preferred units). Special Voting Units are not entitled to receive any distributions. We may issue additional units to fund the redemption of NEP OpCo’s common units tendered by NEE Equity under the exchange agreement between NEP, NEP OpCo and NEE Equity or under other financing arrangements that we have outstanding. Under Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional series or classes of limited partnership interests that, as determined by our Board, may have rights which differ from the rights applicable to our common units as described in this prospectus.

General Partner Interest

Our general partner owns a non-economic, general partner interest in us, which does not entitle it to receive cash distributions. However, to the extent our general partner owns common units or other equity securities in us,

 

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it will be entitled to receive cash distributions on any such interests. Similarly, to the extent our general partner owns units that have voting rights, it will be entitled to exercise its voting power with respect to such interests.

Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation

If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to discharge any outstanding liabilities, next to holders of Series A preferred units, if any, to satisfy the applicable liquidation preference, and finally to our holders of our common units (including non-voting common units) on a pro rata basis.

Provisions of the NEP OpCo Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions

Distributions of Available Cash by NEP OpCo

General

NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, NEP OpCo distribute its available cash to its unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

Definition of Available Cash

Available cash generally means, for any quarter, the sum of all cash and cash equivalents on hand at the end of that quarter plus the amount of excess funds borrowed by NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (“NEER”) which remain unreturned:

 

   

less, the amount of cash reserves established by NEP OpCo GP to:

 

   

provide for the proper conduct of NEP OpCo’s business, including reserves for expected debt service requirements and future capital expenditures;

 

   

comply with applicable law or NEP OpCo’s debt instruments or other agreements, including to pay any amount necessary to make IDR Fee payments (which are certain payments from NEP OpCo to NextEra Energy Management Partners, LP, as manager (“NEE Management”) as a component of the Fourth Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement among NEP, NEE Management, NEP OpCo and our general partner (“Management Services Agreement”) that are based on the achievement by NEP OpCo of certain target quarterly distribution levels to its unitholders) with respect to that quarter based on NEP OpCo GP’s determination of the amount of available cash that would otherwise be available for distribution in that quarter; and

 

   

provide funds for distributions to NEP OpCo’s unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters, provided that NEP OpCo GP may not establish cash reserves for future distributions if the effect of the establishment of such reserves prevents NEP OpCo from distributing an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution with respect to all voting and non-voting common units;

 

   

less, the amount of cash contributed by an affiliate of NEP OpCo GP (other than us or our subsidiaries) for the purpose of funding construction costs of our subsidiaries that would otherwise constitute available cash;

 

   

plus, if NEP OpCo GP so determines, all or any portion of the cash and cash equivalents on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made subsequent to the end of such quarter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, available cash does not include any proceeds received pursuant to the purchase of or contribution of cash in exchange for any NEP OpCo preferred units with economically equivalent rights to the Series A preferred units (“OpCo Series A preferred units”) or any OpCo Series A parity securities (limited partnership interests of OpCo that rank pari passu as to distributions with the OpCo Series A preferred units) issued in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement.

 

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Because the amount of available cash for any quarter includes the amount of excess funds borrowed by NEER which remain unreturned, NEP OpCo will be required to demand the return of all or a portion of such funds from NEER and distribute such funds to its unitholders to the extent that NEP OpCo GP is not permitted to reserve the amount of such funds under its partnership agreement, including any reserves established to fund future distributions. In addition, the purpose and effect of the last bullet point above is to allow NEP OpCo GP, if it so decides, to use cash from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter but on or before the date of determination of available cash for that quarter to pay distributions to unitholders. Under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, working capital borrowings are generally borrowings under a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners, provided that NEP OpCo intends to repay the borrowings within 12 months with funds other than from additional working capital borrowings.

Intent to Distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution

We intend to cause NEP OpCo to pay a minimum quarterly distribution to the holders of its voting and non-voting common units, including us, of $0.1875 per unit, or $0.75 per unit on an annualized basis, to the extent NEP OpCo has sufficient cash from its operations after the establishment of cash reserves and the payment of expenses, including: (i) expenses of NEP OpCo GP and its affiliates; (ii) our expenses; and (iii) payments to NEER and its affiliates under the Management Services Agreement and the Amended and Restated Cash Sweep and Credit Support Agreement by and between NEP OpCo and NEER (the “CSCS Agreement”). However, NEP OpCo may not be able to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on its units in any quarter. Since we own all of the equity interests of NEP OpCo GP, decisions made by NEP OpCo GP under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement are ultimately made at the direction of our Board or, in certain limited circumstances, our general partner.

Incentive Distribution Right Fee

Under the Management Services Agreement, NEE Management is entitled to receive an incentive distribution right fee (“IDR Fee”) that increases based on the hypothetical amount of adjusted available cash from operating surplus that NEP OpCo would be able to distribute to its voting and non-voting common unitholders. Since the IDR Fee is paid from NEP OpCo’s total cash on hand and increases depending on the hypothetical amount of distributions NEP OpCo would have made to its voting and non-voting common unitholders, the IDR Fee effectively reduces the amount of cash NEP OpCo has available for distribution to its voting and non-voting common unitholders. The right to receive the IDR fee under the Management Services Agreement has been suspended in respect of each calendar quarter beginning with the IDR Fee related to the period commencing on (and including) January 1, 2023 and expiring on (and including) December 31, 2026. See “—Payments of the Incentive Distribution Right Fee” for additional information.

Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

General

All cash distributed to NEP OpCo unitholders will be characterized as either being paid from “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” NEP OpCo will treat distributions of available cash from operating surplus differently than distributions of available cash from capital surplus.

Operating Surplus

Operating surplus of NEP OpCo is defined as:

 

   

$35.0 million (as described below); plus

 

   

all of NEP OpCo’s cash receipts after the closing of our initial public offering on July 1, 2014 (“IPO”), excluding cash from interim capital transactions (as defined below), provided that cash receipts from the termination of certain hedges prior to their specified termination date will be included in operating surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such hedges; plus

 

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working capital borrowings by NEP OpCo made after the end of a quarter but on or before the date of determination of operating surplus for that quarter; plus

 

   

cash distributions paid on equity issued, other than equity issued in connection with the IPO, to finance all or a portion of the construction, replacement, acquisition, development or improvement of a capital asset in respect of the period beginning on the date that NEP OpCo enters into a binding obligation to commence the construction, replacement, acquisition, development or improvement of a capital asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that the capital asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus

 

   

cash distributions paid on equity issued to pay the construction period interest on debt incurred, including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap arrangements, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the construction, replacement, acquisition, development or improvement of a capital asset described in the preceding bullet; plus

 

   

the portion of any IDR Fee payments made to NEE Management as a result of cash distributions paid on equity issued as described in the preceding two bullets; less

 

   

all of NEP OpCo’s operating expenditures after the closing of the IPO; less

 

   

the amount of cash reserves established by NEP OpCo GP to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less

 

   

all working capital borrowings not repaid within 12 months after having been incurred, or repaid within such 12-month period with the proceeds of additional working capital borrowings.

As described above, the definition of operating surplus does not solely reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to unitholders of NEP OpCo and is not limited to cash generated by operations. For example, the definition of operating surplus includes a provision that enables us to direct NEP OpCo to distribute as operating surplus up to $35.0 million of cash that NEP OpCo receives in the future from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. As a result, NEP OpCo may distribute as operating surplus up to such amount of any cash that it receives from non-operating sources. In addition, the effect of including certain cash distributions on equity interests in operating surplus, as described above, increases operating surplus by the amount of any such cash distributions.

The proceeds of working capital borrowings increase operating surplus and repayments of working capital borrowings are generally operating expenditures that reduce operating surplus at the time of repayment. However, if NEP OpCo does not repay working capital borrowings, which increase operating surplus, during the 12-month period following the borrowing, they will be deemed to have been repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at that time. When the working capital borrowings are subsequently repaid, they will not be treated as a further reduction in operating surplus because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.

Interim capital transactions are defined as:

 

   

borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness, other than working capital borrowings and items purchased on open account or for a deferred purchase price in the ordinary course of business, and sales of debt securities;

 

   

sales of equity securities;

 

   

sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of assets, other than sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business and sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal asset retirements or replacements; and

 

   

capital contributions received.

 

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Operating expenditures are defined as, without duplication:

 

   

all cash expenditures of NEP OpCo and its subsidiaries, including taxes, reimbursements of expenses of NEP OpCo GP and its affiliates, director and employee compensation of NEP OpCo’s subsidiaries, payments under the Management Services Agreement and the CSCS Agreement for services rendered, including management and credit support fees, or in reimbursement of draws made on credit support provided by NEER or its affiliates, debt service payments (including principal amortization payments under financing arrangements of NEP OpCo’s subsidiaries), payments made in the ordinary course of business under certain hedge contracts (provided that payments made in connection with the termination of any such hedge contract prior to the expiration of its settlement or termination date specified therein will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such hedge contract and amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of such a contract will be amortized at the life of such contract), maintenance capital expenditures (as described below), and repayment of working capital borrowings;

 

   

all expenses and other cash expenditures (other than U.S. federal income taxes) of NEP, including reimbursements of expenses of its general partner and its affiliates as set forth in the Management Services Agreement and of NEER and its affiliates as set forth in the CSCS Agreement; and

 

   

payments of the IDR Fee to NEE Management, other than payments of the IDR Fee described in the sixth bullet in the definition of “operating surplus.”

Notwithstanding the foregoing, operating expenditures will not include:

 

   

repayments of working capital borrowings where such borrowings have previously been deemed to have been repaid, as described above;

 

   

payments, including prepayments and prepayment penalties, of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than working capital borrowings and financing arrangements of NEP OpCo’s subsidiaries;

 

   

expansion capital expenditures, as described below;

 

   

payment of transaction expenses, including taxes, relating to interim capital transactions;

 

   

distributions to unitholders of NEP OpCo; or

 

   

repurchases of partnership interests (including cash redemptions under the exchange agreement between NEP, NEP OpCo and NEE Equity), excluding repurchases NEP OpCo makes to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans.

Capital Surplus

Capital surplus is defined in NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement as any distribution of available cash in excess of its cumulative operating surplus. Accordingly, except as described above, capital surplus would generally be generated by:

 

   

borrowings other than working capital borrowings;

 

   

sales of NEP OpCo’s equity and debt securities; and

 

   

sales or other dispositions of assets, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets sold in the ordinary course of business or as part of ordinary course retirement or replacement of assets.

Characterization of Cash Distributions

NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement requires that it treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the IPO equals the operating surplus from

 

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the IPO through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement requires that NEP OpCo treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of the source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that NEP OpCo will make any distributions from capital surplus.

Capital Expenditures

Expansion capital expenditures are cash expenditures incurred for those acquisitions or capital improvements that are expected to increase NEP OpCo’s operating income, operating capacity or operating cash flow over the long term. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of equipment or additional clean energy projects to the extent such capital expenditures are expected to increase NEP OpCo’s operating capacity or its operating income. Expansion capital expenditures include interest expense associated with borrowings used to fund expansion capital expenditures.

Maintenance capital expenditures are cash expenditures incurred for those acquisitions or capital improvements that are made to maintain, over the long term, operating capacity, operating income or operating cash flow. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures are expenditures to repair, refurbish or replace NEP OpCo’s clean energy projects, to upgrade transmission networks, to maintain equipment reliability, integrity and safety and to comply with laws and regulations.

Distributions and Payments of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

NEP OpCo will make distributions or payments of 100% of its available cash from operating surplus for any quarter in the following order of priority:

 

   

first, as distributions or payments with respect to NEP OpCo’s Series A preferred units, if any; and

 

   

second, to the holders of NEP OpCo’s voting and non-voting common units, pro rata.

Holders of OpCo Class B units are not entitled to distributions from available cash.

Payments of the Incentive Distribution Right Fee

Under the Management Services Agreement, NEE Management is entitled to the IDR Fee, which is calculated based on the hypothetical amount of adjusted available cash from operating surplus that NEP OpCo would be able to distribute to its voting and non-voting common unitholders after the minimum quarterly and the target quarterly distribution levels described below have been achieved. The right to receive the IDR Fee is currently held by NEE Management, but may be assigned. The right to receive the IDR fee under the Management Services Agreement has been suspended in respect of each calendar quarter beginning with the IDR Fee related to the period commencing on (and including) January 1, 2023 and expiring on (and including) December 31, 2026. Although cash used to pay the IDR Fee will be an operating expenditure, the description below assumes that any IDR Fee will not reduce NEP OpCo’s operating surplus and will be paid with available cash from operating surplus. We use this assumption in the description below for illustrative purposes to demonstrate that the calculation of IDR Fee payments for each quarter will be based on hypothetical amounts that would be available for distribution to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders if the IDR Fee was not an operating expense and NEE Management held a class of equity interests in NEP OpCo entitled to such distributions based on the achievement of the target quarterly distribution levels. Once the amount of IDR Fee payments is determined, the amount will be classified as an operating expense and operating surplus will be reduced by a like amount before available cash is distributed by NEP OpCo to its voting and non-voting common unitholders on a pro rata basis.

If, for any quarter, NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash equal to or greater than $39,250,000.00 plus the product of (i) the NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common units outstanding on the record date for that quarter and (ii) $0.7625 per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit (subject to adjustment under the

 

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Management Services Agreement) (such sum, the “maximum incentive amount”), NEP OpCo will calculate the IDR Fee using the hypothetical distributions of adjusted available cash to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders described below:

 

   

first, to make a payment of $39,250,000.00 to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee and to distribute any remaining adjusted available cash to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, until the sum of fees paid to NEE Management and distributions deemed to be made to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders is equal to the maximum incentive amount; and

 

   

thereafter, to distribute 100% of any remaining adjusted available cash to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata.

If, for any quarter, NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash (i) less than the maximum incentive amount but (ii) equal to or greater than the sum of (a) $14,039,546.64 and (b) the product of (1) the NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common units outstanding on the record date for that quarter and (2) $0.3525 per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit (subject to adjustment under the Management Services Agreement) (such sum calculated in accordance with (ii), the “base incentive amount”), NEP OpCo will calculate the IDR Fee using the hypothetical distributions of adjusted available cash to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders described below:

 

   

first, to make a payment of $14,039,546.64 to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee and to distribute any remaining adjusted available cash to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, until the sum of fees paid to NEE Management and distributions deemed to be made to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders is equal to the base incentive amount; and

 

   

thereafter, to distribute 75% of any remaining adjusted available cash to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, and to make a payment of 25% of any remaining adjusted available cash to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee;

provided that, in each case, the IDR Fee will be paid until (x) the aggregate deemed per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit distribution to NEP OpCo unitholders equals (y) the per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit distribution declared by NEP OpCo to NEP OpCo unitholders in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement for the applicable quarter. In no event will the aggregate IDR Fee for such quarter exceed $39,250,000.00.

If, for any quarter, NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash less than the base incentive amount, then, NEP OpCo will calculate the IDR Fee using the hypothetical distributions of adjusted available cash described below, provided that the hypothetical distributions to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders set forth below will be calculated as though the total NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common units outstanding is equal to the base unit amount:

 

   

first, to distribute 100% to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, until each voting and non-voting common unitholder is deemed to have received a total of $0.215625 per unit (or 115% of the minimum quarterly distribution) for that quarter;

 

   

second, to distribute 85% to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, and to make a payment of 15% to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee, until each voting and non-voting common unitholder is deemed to have received a total of $0.234375 per unit (or 125% of the minimum quarterly distribution) for that quarter;

 

   

third, to distribute 75% to all NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, and to make a payment of 25% to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee, until each common unitholder is deemed to have received a total of $0.281250 per unit (or 150% of the minimum quarterly distribution) for that quarter; and

 

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thereafter, to distribute 50% to all NEP OpCo common unitholders, pro rata, and to make a payment of 50% to NEE Management in respect of the IDR Fee;

provided that, in each case, the IDR Fee will be paid until (x) the aggregate deemed per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit distribution to NEP OpCo unitholders equals (y) the per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit distribution declared by NEP OpCo to NEP OpCo unitholders in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement for the applicable quarter. Further, if NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash less than the base incentive amount for any quarter, the aggregate IDR Fee for such quarter will not exceed $14,039,546.64.

As used in this prospectus, “base unit amount” means 155,676,955 NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common units, subject to proportional adjustment in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in units or otherwise) of NEP OpCo partnership interests in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement or in any redemption, repurchase, acquisition or similar transaction by NEP OpCo of NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common units.

“Adjusted available cash” means, in respect of any quarter, any remaining available cash that would be deemed to be operating surplus under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement before giving effect to the payment of the IDR Fee and after giving effect to the payment of the Series A distribution amount; provided that, if NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash less than the base incentive amount for any quarter, “adjusted available cash” means, in respect of such quarter, any remaining available cash that would be deemed to be operating surplus under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement before giving effect to the payment of the IDR Fee, after giving effect to the payment of the Series A distribution amount, and after subtracting the aggregate amount that would be required to be distributed to NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders to equal the product of the base unit amount on the applicable record date for such quarter multiplied by the first target quarterly distribution.

Percentage Allocations of Adjusted Available Cash from Operating Surplus

Adjusted Available Cash Equal to or Greater than the Maximum Incentive Amount

The following table sets forth the percentage allocations of adjusted available cash from operating surplus between NEE Management (in respect of the IDR Fee) and NEP OpCo’s voting and non-voting common unitholders (in respect of their voting and non-voting common units), in distributions to voting and non-voting common unitholders equal to or greater than $0.7625 per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit and assuming that NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash from operating surplus in an aggregate amount equal to or greater than the base incentive amount for a particular quarter. For illustrative purposes (as described above), the following also assumes that the IDR Fee is paid with available cash from operating surplus and does not constitute an operating expenditure. The percentage interests assume that NEE Management has not assigned its right to the IDR Fee.

 

     Marginal Percentage
Interest in Adjusted Available Cash
 

Total Quarterly
Distribution per
NEP OpCo
Voting and Non-Voting Common Unit
Target Amount

   NEP OpCo
Voting and
Non-Voting
Common
Unitholders
    NEE
Management
 

equal to or above $0.7625

     100.0     0.0

Adjusted Available Cash Less than the Maximum Incentive Amount but Greater than or Equal to the Base Incentive Amount

The following table sets forth the percentage allocations of adjusted available cash from operating surplus between NEE Management (in respect of the IDR Fee) and NEP OpCo’s voting and non-voting common

 

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unitholders (in respect of their voting and non-voting common units), in distributions to voting and non-voting common unitholders below $0.7625, but equal to or above $0.3525, per NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unit and assuming that NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash from operating surplus in an aggregate amount equal to or greater than the base incentive amount for a particular quarter. For illustrative purposes (as described above), the following also assumes that the IDR Fee is paid with available cash from operating surplus and does not constitute an operating expenditure. The percentage interests assume that NEE Management has not assigned its right to the IDR Fee.

 

     Marginal Percentage
Interest in Adjusted Available Cash
 

Total Quarterly
Distribution per
NEP OpCo
Voting and Non-Voting Common Unit
Target Amount

   NEP OpCo
Voting and
Non-Voting
Common
Unitholders
    NEE
Management
 

equal to or above $0.3525 but below $0.7625

     75.0     25.0

Adjusted Available Cash Less than Base Incentive Amount

The following table sets forth the percentage allocations of adjusted available cash from operating surplus between NEE Management (in respect of the IDR Fee) and NEP OpCo’s voting and non-voting common unitholders (in respect of their voting and non-voting common units), assuming that NEP OpCo has adjusted available cash from operating surplus in an aggregate amount less than the base incentive amount for a particular quarter, and based on the specified target quarterly distribution levels. For illustrative purposes (as described above), the following also assumes that the IDR Fee is paid with available cash from operating surplus and does not constitute an operating expenditure. The amounts set forth under “Marginal Percentage Interest in Adjusted Available Cash” are the percentage interests of NEE Management (in respect of the IDR Fee) and the NEP OpCo voting and non-voting common unitholders (in respect of their voting and non-voting common units) in any adjusted available cash from operating surplus NEP OpCo distributes to voting and non-voting common unitholders and pays in respect of the IDR Fee, corresponding to the incremental amounts of distributions to voting and non-voting common unitholders in the column “Total Quarterly Distribution per NEP OpCo Voting and Non-Voting Common Unit Target Amount.” The percentage interests shown for NEP OpCo’s unitholders and NEE Management for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests assume that NEE Management has not assigned its right to the IDR Fee.

 

    

 

     Marginal Percentage
Interest in Adjusted
Available Cash
 
     Total Quarterly
Distribution per
NEP OpCo Voting
and Non-Voting
Common Unit
Target Amount
     NEP OpCo
Voting and
Non-Voting
Common
Unitholders
    NEE
Management
 

Minimum Quarterly Distribution

   $ 0.1875        100.0     0.0

First Target Quarterly Distribution

   above $

up to $

0.1875

0.215625

 

 

     100.0     0.0

Second Target Quarterly Distribution

   above $

up to $

0.215625

0.234375

 

 

     85.0     15.0

Third Target Quarterly Distribution

   above $

up to $

0.234375

0.281250

 

 

     75.0     25.0

Thereafter

   above $ 0.281250        50.0     50.0

 

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Distributions from Capital Surplus

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made

NEP OpCo will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

 

   

first, to the holders of the Series A preferred units, if any, as provided above;

 

   

second, to the holders of NEP OpCo’s common units and non-voting common units, pro rata until the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero, as described below under “—Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus;” and

 

   

thereafter, as if such distributions were from operating surplus, provided that because the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero, NEP OpCo will pay the IDR Fee at the highest level as described below.

The preceding discussion is based on (1) the assumption that NEP OpCo does not issue any additional classes of equity securities and (2) the fact that holders of OpCo Class B units are not entitled to such distributions.

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus

NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price on NEP OpCo’s common units (equal to the IPO price of $25.00 per common unit), which is a return of capital. The initial unit price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the “unrecovered initial unit price.” Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target quarterly distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution.

Once NEP OpCo distributes capital surplus on a voting and non-voting common unit in an amount equal to the initial unit price, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target quarterly distribution levels will be equal to zero. NEP OpCo will then make all future distributions from operating surplus to voting and non-voting common unitholders, pro rata, after making required distributions, if any, to Series A preferred unitholders. However, once the minimum quarterly distribution and the target quarterly distribution levels are reduced to zero, NEP OpCo will pay the IDR Fee to NEE Management at the highest level, which will be equal to 100% of any distributions paid to the voting and non-voting common unitholders, effectively reducing the total cash available for distributions to unitholders. See “—Incentive Distribution Right Fee” above.

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Quarterly Distribution Levels

In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target quarterly distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if NEP OpCo combines its units into fewer units or subdivides its units into a greater number of units, it will proportionately adjust:

 

   

the minimum quarterly distribution;

 

   

the target quarterly distribution levels; and

 

   

the unrecovered initial unit price.

For example, if a two-for-one split of NEP OpCo’s common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. NEP OpCo will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

 

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Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation

If NEP OpCo dissolves in accordance with its partnership agreement, it will sell or otherwise dispose of its assets in a process called liquidation. NEP OpCo will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to discharge any outstanding liabilities, including any payments of the IDR Fee to which NEE Management is entitled, next to holders of OpCo Series A preferred units, if any, to satisfy the applicable liquidation preference, and finally to holders of NEP OpCo’s common units and non-voting common units on a pro rata basis.

MATERIAL PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of certain material provisions of our partnership agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the annual, quarterly or current reports under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference herein. Other material provisions of our partnership agreement are summarized in other sections of this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, including under “Provisions of the Partnership Agreements and Other Arrangements Relating to Cash Distributions.” The summary below is as of the date of this prospectus and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of our partnership agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the annual, quarterly or current reports under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference herein. Under Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional series or classes of limited partner interests that, as determined by our Board, may have rights that differ from the rights applicable to our common units as described in this prospectus.

Organization and Duration

Our partnership was formed in March 2014 and has a perpetual existence unless terminated under the terms of our partnership agreement.

Purpose

Our purpose under our partnership agreement is limited to any business activity that is approved by our Board and our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, however, that, without the prior written consent of our general partner, which consent may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion, we and our subsidiaries do not have any power or authority to solicit, review, respond to or otherwise participate in any request for proposal relating to, or otherwise engage in, or seek to engage in, certain activities or lines of business.

Although our Board and our general partner have the ability to cause us to engage in activities other than the business of acquiring, managing and owning contracted clean energy projects with stable long-term cash flows, our Board and our general partner may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in our best interests or in the best interests of our limited partners, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Our Board and our general partner are authorized in general to perform all acts they determine to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

Capital Contributions

Our limited partners are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “—Limited Liability.” Our general partner is not obligated to make any capital contributions.

Management by Board; Officers

Our general partner has delegated substantially all management power and authority over the business and affairs of the Partnership to our Board established pursuant to our partnership agreement. Our Board consists of

 

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seven directors, four of whom are elected by unitholders and three of whom are appointed by our general partner, in its sole discretion. Any decision to be made by our Board will require the approval of at least four directors present and voting at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and four directors constitute a quorum. If our Board is unable to make a decision with respect to certain matters relating to our distribution of cash, our capital expenditures, the acquisition, disposition and use of our assets and purchases and sales of our partnership interests or related derivative securities, NEE Management, which serves as the Manager under the terms of the Management Services Agreement, is authorized to take any action with respect to such matter that is consistent with our operational plan then in effect, which plan is approved annually by our Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our general partner retains the authority to make tax filings and to consent to certain matters of the Partnership. See “—Certain Matters Requiring Consent of the General Partner.”

Our officers and, if any, employees are appointed, retained, terminated and replaced by our Board. However, so long as NEE Management (or another affiliate of NextEra Energy, Inc. (“NEE”)) serves as the Manager under the Management Services Agreement, the Manager, pursuant to the terms of the Management Services Agreement, will designate individuals (i) to serve on the boards of directors or their equivalents of our subsidiaries and (ii) to carry out the functions of principal executive, accounting and financial officers and otherwise to act as our officers and officers of our subsidiaries. Our Board (i) will appoint such individuals designated by the Manager as our officers and, if any, employees and (ii) will cause the boards of directors or their equivalents or the controlling shareholder, member or general partner of our subsidiaries to appoint such individuals designated by the Manager to the applicable roles with respect to the applicable entity, as long as, in each case, the designees are determined by the Manager in good faith to have the appropriate experience, qualifications, skills and such other relevant attributes to carry out such persons’ designated functions.

Annual and Special Meetings

Pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement, an annual meeting of limited partners for the election of directors and for other properly presented business will be held. Limited partners are not entitled to bring any business before the annual meeting except pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

Special meetings may be called (i) by our Board, (ii) by our general partner or (iii) by limited partners owning 20% or more of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which such meeting is proposed (without giving effect to any of the voting limitations described below in “—Voting Rights—Limitations on Voting Rights”). Special meetings may be called by limited partners only for the purposes of removing directors elected by limited partners (“LP Elected Directors”) for cause or removing our general partner.

Voting Rights

Our limited partnership interests include our common units, non-voting common units, the Special Voting Units and the Series A preferred units. For purposes of this summary, matters described as requiring the approval of a “unit majority” require the approval of at least a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units) and the Special Voting Units, voting together as a single class. Except as related to certain amendments that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of the non-voting common units in relation to other classes of limited partnership interests, holders of non-voting common units do not have voting rights under our partnership agreement.

Our limited partners may vote at meetings either in person or by proxy. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units (including those deemed owned by our general partner and its affiliates) represented in person or by proxy and that are entitled to vote at such meeting constitutes a quorum at a meeting of the limited partners (including annual and special meetings), unless any action by the limited partners requires approval by a greater percentage of the voting power, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage. The vote of limited partners holding outstanding units representing a majority of the outstanding units entitled to vote at the meeting

 

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(on all matters on which the holders of all units vote together as a single class) or a majority of the outstanding units of each class entitled to vote at the meeting (on all matters on which the holders of each class of units vote separately by class) constitutes the vote of all limited partners, unless a different percentage is required under our partnership agreement, in which case the vote of limited partners holding outstanding units representing at least such different percentage with respect to the outstanding units entitled to vote at such meeting (on all matters on which the holders of all units vote together as a single class) or such different percentage with respect to the outstanding units of each class entitled to vote at such meeting (on all matters on which the holders of each class of units vote separately by class) will be required.

Any action of the limited partners that may be taken at a meeting of the limited partners may be taken, if authorized by our Board, without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting where all limited partners were present and voted.

The following table sets forth a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. Other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing, our Board, our general partner and its affiliates, including NEE Equity, have no duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in our best interests or the best interests of our limited partners, in voting units any of them holds or acquires or otherwise.

 

Partnership Action    Unitholder Vote Required
Issuance of additional units    No approval right. See “—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests.”
Amendment of our partnership agreement    Certain amendments may be made by our Board or our general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority subject to certain exceptions. See “—Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement,” “—Series A Preferred Units” and “—Non-Voting Common Units” below.
Certain matters relating to NEP OpCo    Any matters relating to NEP OpCo which require the consent or approval of a majority of the outstanding units of NEP OpCo, including certain amendments of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, requires the approval of a unit majority. Any other matters requiring approval by a higher percentage of NEP OpCo common units requires the approval by a corresponding percentage of our unitholders, subject to certain exceptions. Any amendment of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement also requires the approval of our general partner, in its sole discretion. See also “—Series A Preferred Units” below.
Merger or conversion of our partnership    Under most circumstances, a merger or conversion of our partnership requires approval of (i) our general partner, in its sole discretion, (ii) our Board, (iii) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common

 

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Partnership Action    Unitholder Vote Required
   units and the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (iv) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Our general partner must also consent to any merger or conversion of any of our subsidiaries. See “—Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.”
Sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our partnership and our subsidiaries    Under most circumstances, a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our partnership and our subsidiaries requires approval of (i) our general partner, in its sole discretion, (ii) our Board, (iii) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units and the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (iv) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Pursuant to the Right of First Refusal Agreement, dated as of August 4, 2017, among us, NEP OpCo and NEER, NEP OpCo granted NEER and its subsidiaries a right of first refusal to acquire all the assets owned or acquired by NEP OpCo or its subsidiaries.
Dissolution of our partnership    Under most circumstances, dissolution of our partnership requires approval of (i) our general partner, in its sole discretion, (ii) our Board, (iii) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting units and the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (iv) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Our general partner must also consent to the dissolution of any of our subsidiaries. See “—Termination and Dissolution.”
Continuation of our business upon dissolution    Under certain circumstances, upon the dissolution of our partnership, the limited partners may elect to

 

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Partnership Action    Unitholder Vote Required
   continue the business of our partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner a person approved by a unit majority. See “—Termination and Dissolution.”
Election of LP Elected Director    A nominee for LP Elected Director will be elected to our Board if, subject to the voting limitations described below, the votes cast for the nominee’s election exceed the votes cast against the nominee’s election. If the number of nominees exceeds the total number of LP Elected Directors to be elected, LP Elected Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast (subject to the voting limitations described below).
Removal of LP Elected Director    An LP Elected Director will be removed for cause from our Board if, subject to the voting limitations described below, the votes cast for such LP Elected Director’s removal exceed the votes cast against such LP Elected Director’s removal.
Withdrawal of our general partner    No approval right. See “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”

 

Removal of our general partner    Approval of not less than 66-2/3% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, excluding non-voting common units but including units held by our general partner and its affiliates (including the Special Voting Units). Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by a unit majority. See “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”
Transfer of the general partner interest    No approval right. See “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.”
Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner    No approval right. See “—Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner.”

Record holders of our outstanding voting units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of the limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his or her nominee provides otherwise. Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units eligible to vote under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

 

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Limitations on Voting Rights

Pursuant to our partnership agreement, if any person owns, together with the members of any related group, the power to vote 5% or more of our outstanding units, then such person, together with any related group, is entitled to vote not more than 5% of such outstanding units in the election or removal of LP Elected Directors, and the amount of such units in excess of 5% in voting power is not entitled to vote in the election or removal of LP Elected Directors. In addition, if, after giving effect to the 5% limitation, any person, together with the members of any related group, still has the power to cast votes equal to or greater than 10% of the units present and actually voted on any matter (including the election or removal of LP Elected Directors), an additional cutback will be imposed so that such person, together with the members of any related group, is entitled to cast votes for not more than 9.99% of the units present and actually voted on such matter, and any units held by such person (together with the members of any related group) equal to 10% or greater in voting power will be voted proportionally with all other votes on such matter; provided that, if such person is our general partner or any of its affiliates, such additional cutback applies only to the election or removal of LP Elected Directors.

Series A Preferred Units

Series A preferred units would vote on an as-converted basis with our common units as a single class, so that each outstanding Series A preferred unit would be entitled to one vote for each common unit into which such Series A preferred unit would be convertible at the then-applicable Series A conversion rate on each matter with respect to which each record holder of a common unit is entitled to vote. Series A preferred units, if any, also would have certain class voting rights with respect to amendments that adversely affect their distribution, liquidation or conversion rights, their ranking or certain other protections under our partnership agreement and with respect to certain amendments of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement.

Special Voting Units

NEE Equity will hold the same number of Special Voting Units as the number of common units of NEP OpCo held by NEE Equity. If the ratio at which common units of NEP OpCo held by NEE Equity are exchangeable for our common units changes from one-for-one, the number of votes to which the holders of the Special Voting Units are entitled will be adjusted accordingly. Additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could also be issued. See “—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests” below.

Non-Voting Common Units

Holders of non-voting common units generally do not have voting rights under our partnership agreement. However, non-voting common units have certain class voting rights with respect to amendments that adversely affect their distribution, liquidation, transfer, conversion, voting or economic rights or certain other protections under our partnership agreement. To the extent non-voting common unit holders are entitled to vote, each non-voting common unit is entitled to one vote on such matter.

Proxy Access

Our partnership agreement permits a holder of common units, or a group of up to 20 holders of common units, owning continuously for specified periods of time 10% or more of the aggregate number of outstanding common units and Special Voting Units (an “eligible unitholder”) to nominate candidates for election as LP Elected Directors, provided that such eligible unitholder satisfies the requirements set forth in our partnership agreement. The number of common unitholder nominees eligible to appear in our proxy materials for any annual meeting cannot exceed four. No eligible unitholder, or group of eligible unitholders, is entitled to nominate more than two candidates at any annual meeting.

Limited Liability

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “Delaware Act”) and that the limited partner otherwise

 

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acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, the limited partner’s liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital that the limited partner is obligated to contribute to us for our limited partner’s limited partner interest plus the limited partner’s share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

 

   

to elect or remove directors;

 

   

to remove or replace our general partner;

 

   

to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement; or

 

   

to take other action under the partnership agreement;

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither the partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner.

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their limited partner interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership, except that the fair value of property that is subject to a liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited is included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds that liability. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited will be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the non-recourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act will be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

Our subsidiaries conduct business in the U.S. and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other countries in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a limited partner of our operating subsidiaries may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which our operating subsidiaries conduct business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.

Limitations on the liability of limited partners or members for the obligations of a limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our limited partner interests in NEP OpCo or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

 

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Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our Board without the approval of any partner of our partnership; provided, however, that we may not issue any additional common units, non-voting common units, Series A preferred units or additional partnership interests that rank pari passu as to distributions with the Series A preferred units (“Series A parity securities”) unless we contribute the cash proceeds or other consideration received from the issuance of such additional units in exchange for an equivalent number of corresponding NEP OpCo units.

We have funded acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units. It is likely that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, preferred units or other partnership interests. Holders of any additional common units that we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, our issuance of additional common units, preferred units or other partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

Under Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue partnership interests that, as determined by our Board, may have special voting or economic rights to which our common units are not entitled. Our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by our subsidiaries of equity interests, which may effectively rank senior to our common units.

Conversion of Non-Voting Common Units

Each holder of non-voting common units will have the right, but not the obligation, to convert all or a portion of its non-voting common units into one common unit for each non-voting common unit being converted, subject to certain limitations and adjustments. However, certain holders shall not have the right to convert any non-voting common units to the extent that, after giving effect to the conversion, the holder (together with its affiliates and others acting as a group) would beneficially own in excess of 19.8% of the number of common units outstanding immediately after giving effect to such conversion. Further, each non-voting common unit held by certain qualified holders under the partnership agreement shall automatically convert into one common unit (subject to certain adjustments) immediately upon its transfer to any non-affiliate of such qualified holder.

Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement

General

Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our Board or, in limited circumstances, our general partner. However, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing, neither our Board nor our general partner have any duty or obligation to propose any amendment and our Board and our general partner may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in our best interests or the best interests of the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments described below under “—Amendments that Do Not Require Unitholder Approval,” our Board or our general partner, as applicable, is required to seek approval of such amendment by the limited partners. Except as described below, an amendment that requires approval by the limited partners must be approved by a unit majority.

Prohibited Amendments

No amendment may be made that would:

 

   

enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless the amendment is deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or

 

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enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without our general partner’s consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

The provisions of our partnership agreement preventing these types of amendments can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units.

Amendments Requiring Dual Class Voting

Any amendment to our partnership agreement with respect to the provisions relating to the distributions of available cash, the management and operation of our business, our general partner’s authority to amend our partnership agreement (as described below), our Board’s authority to amend our partnership agreement to prevent consolidation (as described below), annual meetings and special meetings, quorum and voting, limitations on voting power, and proxy access, or any defined terms used in those provisions, will require the approval of the holders of (i) at least a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units and excluding common units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (ii) at least a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class.

Amendments that Do Not Require Unitholder Approval

Our partnership agreement provides that our Board (instead of our general partner) generally may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any partner to reflect:

 

   

a change in our name, the location of our principal office, our registered agent or our registered office;

 

   

the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;

 

   

a change that our Board determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that our subsidiaries will not be taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

   

any amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us, our general partner or their respective directors, officers, agents or trustees from, in any manner, being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Company Act”), the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisors Act”), or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor;

 

   

any amendment that our Board determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or in connection with splits or combinations of our partnership interests in accordance with our partnership agreement;

 

   

any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our Board acting alone;

 

   

any amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our partnership agreement;

 

   

any amendment that our Board determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, in connection with our conduct of activities permitted by our partnership agreement;

 

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any change in our fiscal year or taxable year and any other changes that our Board determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of such change;

 

   

certain conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity;

 

   

a modification of the qualification of eligible unitholders for nominating directors with respect to any annual meeting of limited partners; or

 

   

any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.

In addition, our Board may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if our Board determines that those amendments:

 

   

do not adversely affect in any material respect the limited partners considered as a whole or any particular class of partnership interests as compared to other classes of partnership interests;

 

   

are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute;

 

   

are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed or admitted to trading;

 

   

are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our Board relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or

 

   

are required to effect the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.

Further, our Board, without the approval of any partner of our partnership, may amend any provision of our partnership agreement in such manner as our Board determines to be necessary or appropriate to prevent the consolidation of the financial results of our partnership and our subsidiaries with those of NEE and its subsidiaries (other than our partnership and our subsidiaries) under United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”), so long as such amendment is not materially adverse to us or our limited partners.

Our general partner, without the approval of any other partner of our partnership, may, in its sole discretion, amend any provision of our partnership agreement in connection with such changes to the ownership structure of NEP OpCo’s common units and the Special Voting Units held by our general partner or its affiliates as may be required to avoid adverse tax consequences resulting from changes to tax laws, so long as such amendment is not materially adverse to us or our limited partners.

No Opinion of Counsel

For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, neither our Board nor our general partner will be required to obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that an amendment will not affect the limited liability of any limited partner under Delaware law. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain such an opinion.

Amendment Affecting a Class of Partnership Interest

Without limitation of our Board’s or our general partner’s authority to adopt amendments without the approval of any partner of our partnership as described above, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of partnership interests (including non-voting common units) in relation to other classes of partnership interests will require the approval of at least a majority of the class of partnership interests so affected.

 

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Amendment Changing Percentage of Units Required to Take Actions

Any amendment that would reduce the percentage of units required to take any action, other than to remove our general partner or call a meeting of limited partners, must be approved by the written consent or affirmative vote of limited partners (excluding non-voting common units) whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the percentage sought to be reduced. Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to remove our general partner must be approved by the written consent or affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than 90% of the outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units). Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to call a meeting of limited partners must be approved by the written consent or affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute at least a majority of the outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units).

Amendment of the IDR Fee Provisions

Any amendment to the provisions relating to the IDR Fee (as defined in the Management Services Agreement) contained in the Management Services Agreement that would materially adversely affect holders of our common units requires the approval of a unit majority.

Amendment of the NEP OpCo Partnership Agreement

Any amendment of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement that requires approval by holders of at least a majority of the outstanding units of NEP OpCo requires the approval of a unit majority. Any other amendment that requires approval by holders of at least 90% of the NEP OpCo’s common units requires the approval by holders of at least 90% of our outstanding units.

Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

A merger, consolidation or conversion involving us requires the prior consent of our general partner and approval of our Board. However, our general partner and our Board have no duty or obligation to consent to or approve any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in our best interests or in the best interests of our limited partners. The merger agreement or plan of conversion also must be approved by the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of (i) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units and the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (ii) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class, unless such merger agreement or plan of conversion effects an amendment to our partnership agreement that would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the outstanding units or of any class of limited partners, in which case such greater percentage will be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the approval of limited partners, we or any of our subsidiaries may convert into a new limited liability entity, or merge into or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed limited liability entity if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, we have received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and our Board determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as contained in our partnership agreement. Additionally, without the approval of limited partners, we may merge with another limited liability entity if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability, the transaction would not result in an amendment to our partnership agreement requiring unitholder approval, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, and the partnership interests to be issued by us in such merger do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership interests immediately prior to the transaction. Our general partner must also consent to any merger or conversion of any of our subsidiaries.

 

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Under our partnership agreement, we may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions without the consent of our general partner and the approval of (i) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units and excluding the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (ii) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. We may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without such approval. We may also sell any or all of our assets under a foreclosure of, or other realization upon, those encumbrances without that approval.

Termination and Dissolution

We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved and terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

 

   

the election by our Board to dissolve our partnership, if consented to by our general partner and approved by (i) a majority of the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding the non-voting common units and excluding the units owned by our general partner and its affiliates), voting as a separate class, and (ii) a majority of the outstanding Special Voting Units and the outstanding common units (including Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into common units, but excluding non-voting common units) owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class;

 

   

there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law;

 

   

the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or

 

   

the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner, other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal followed by approval and admission of a successor.

Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner. Our general partner must also consent to the dissolution of any of our subsidiaries.

Certain Matters Requiring Consent of the General Partner

Our general partner’s consent, which may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion, is required for the following actions:

 

   

a sale of all or substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets;

 

   

a merger, consolidation or conversion involving us or any of our subsidiaries;

 

   

dissolution of us or any of our subsidiaries;

 

   

any amendment of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement;

 

   

any direct or indirect transfer of all or any portion of the general partner interest in NEP OpCo to any person;

 

   

our participation in certain activities or lines of business; and

 

   

the granting of certain information rights to our limited partners.

 

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Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner and our Board that are necessary or appropriate to, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation first to discharge any outstanding liabilities, next to holders of any Series A preferred units to satisfy the applicable liquidation preference, and finally to our unitholders on a pro rata basis. The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.

Duties of the General Partner and our Board

The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, expand, restrict or eliminate the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner or board of directors to limited partners and the partnership. The duties described below have not materially changed and are summarized because our Board is also subject to the contractual standards described below.

Our partnership agreement contains various provisions replacing the fiduciary duties that would otherwise be owed by our general partner, our Board, any director, any committee of our Board or any officer with contractual standards governing the duties of such persons and the methods of resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because our general partner is owned by NEE, and to the extent any members of our Board are also officers or directors of NEE, such officers or directors have fiduciary duties to NEE. Without these provisions, our general partner and such officers’ or directors’ ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interests would be unduly restricted. These provisions represent a possible detriment to the limited partners, however, because they restrict the remedies available to limited partners for actions that, without those provisions, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

Partnership agreement standards

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates, our Board, or any director or any committee of our Board that might otherwise raise issues as to compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, and when our Board or any director or committee of our Board makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, it must act in “good faith,” meaning that it subjectively believed that the decision was in our best interests, and will not be subject to any other standard under applicable law, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Our partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not approved by the public unitholders or the conflicts committee of our Board must be determined by our Board to be:

 

   

on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or

 

   

“fair and reasonable” to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.

If our Board determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, our Board acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or

 

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our partnership challenging such determination, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner and our directors would otherwise be held under applicable Delaware law.

Rights and remedies of limited partners

The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner may institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner or board of directors has wrongfully refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner or board of directors to do so is not likely to succeed. These actions include actions against a general partner or board of directors for breach of its contractual duties under the partnership agreement.

Under our partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner, its affiliates and their managers, officers and directors (including our directors), to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by such indemnitees. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We also must provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless such indemnitees acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner and our directors could be indemnified for their negligent acts if they meet the requirements set forth above. See “—Indemnification” above regarding the duties of our general partner.

A transferee of or other person acquiring a Unit will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions described above. See “—Transfer of Common Units.” The failure of a limited partner to sign our partnership agreement does not render our partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.

Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner

Our general partner will be deemed to have withdrawn from our partnership upon the occurrence of, among others, any of the following events:

 

   

Voluntary withdrawal. Our partnership agreement permits our general partner to voluntarily withdraw by giving at least ninety days’ advance notice to our unitholders, and such withdrawal will take effect on the date specified in such notice.

 

   

Transfer of all of our general partner’s general partner interest.

 

   

Removal by limited partners. Our general partner may not be removed unless (i) the removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66-2/3% of the outstanding units (including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, but excluding non-voting common units), voting together as a single class, and (ii) we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the election of a successor general partner by a unit majority. The ownership of more than 33 1/3% of the outstanding units by NEE and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal.

Prior to the effective date of the voluntary withdrawal or the removal of our general partner, a unit majority may elect a successor general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, a unit majority agrees to continue our business by appointing a successor general partner. See “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Transfer of General Partner Interest

Our general partner may transfer its general partner interest without the consent of the limited partners if certain conditions are met, including (i) the transferee assumes the rights and duties of our general partner and

 

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agrees to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement, (ii) our partnership receives an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability matters and (iii) the transferee agrees to purchase all or the appropriate portion of the partnership or membership interest of our general partner as the general partner or managing member of each of our subsidiaries.

In general, our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer common units to one or more persons without unitholder approval.

Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner

At any time, NEE and its affiliates may sell or transfer all or part of their direct or indirect interest in our general partner without the approval of our unitholders.

Status as Limited Partner

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to our common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our register. Except as described under “—Limited Liability,” our common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.

Indemnification

In most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

 

   

our general partner;

 

   

any departing general partner;

 

   

any person who is or was an affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner;

 

   

any person who is or was a director (including each LP Elected Director and each GP Appointed Director), officer, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of (i) our partnership, our subsidiaries, our general partner or any departing general partner or (ii) any affiliate of our partnership, our subsidiaries, our general partner or any departing general partner;

 

   

any person who is or was serving as director, officer, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person owing certain duties to us or any of our subsidiaries at the request of our Board, our general partner or any departing general partner or any of their affiliates; and

 

   

any person designated by our Board or our general partner.

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. An affiliate of our general partner has purchased insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by our general partner’s directors and executive officers, as well as our directors and executive officers, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liabilities under our partnership agreement.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with its service as our general partner. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

 

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Tax Matters

We have elected to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Our general partner determines whether we will make any other tax elections permitted by federal, state, local or foreign tax law.

Our general partner has exclusive authority for the making of tax filings, or rendering of periodic or other tax reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over our business or assets.

Books and Reports

We are required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

We will mail or make available to record holders of common units, within 105 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also mail or make available summary financial information within 50 days after the close of each quarter.

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his or her interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his or her own expense, have furnished to him or her:

 

   

a current list of the name and last known address of each record holder;

 

   

copies of our partnership agreement and our certificate of limited partnership and all amendments thereto; and

 

   

certain information regarding the status of our business and financial condition.

Our Board may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners, trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our Board determines is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential. Any disclosure of such information to the limited partners requires the prior written consent of our general partner. Our partnership agreement limits the right to information that a limited partner would otherwise have under Delaware law.

Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal

The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event.

MATERIAL PROVISIONS OF THE NEP OPCO PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of certain material provisions of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement. The summary below is as of the date of this prospectus and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement, which is filed as an exhibit to the annual, quarterly or current reports under the Exchange Act incorporated by reference herein.

We summarize the provisions of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement regarding distributions of available cash elsewhere in this prospectus. See “Provisions of the Partnership Agreements and Other Arrangements Relating to Cash Distributions.”

 

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Organization and Duration

NEP OpCo was formed in March 2014 and has a perpetual existence unless terminated under the terms of its partnership agreement.

Purpose

NEP OpCo’s purpose under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement is limited to any business activity that is approved by its general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, however, that, without the prior written consent of our general partner, which consent may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion, NEP OpCo and its subsidiaries do not have any power or authority to solicit, review, respond to or otherwise participate in any request for proposal relating to, or otherwise engage in, or seek to engage in, certain activities or lines of business.

Although NEP OpCo GP has the ability to cause it and its subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of acquiring, managing and owning contracted clean energy projects with stable long-term cash flows, NEP OpCo GP may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to NEP OpCo or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of NEP OpCo or the limited partners, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing. NEP OpCo GP is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out its purposes and to conduct its business. Since we own all of the equity interests of NEP OpCo GP, decisions made by NEP OpCo GP under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement are ultimately made at the direction of our Board or, in certain limited circumstances, our general partner.

Capital Contributions

Unitholders are not obligated under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement to make additional capital contributions with respect to the units in NEP OpCo that they own. NEP OpCo GP is not obligated under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement to make any capital contributions.

Meetings; Voting Rights

Record holders of common units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of NEP OpCo’s limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. For purposes of this summary, matters described as requiring the approval of a “unit majority” of NEP OpCo require the approval of at least a majority of the outstanding NEP OpCo common units (including OpCo Series A preferred units, voting as if converted into NEP OpCo common units, but excluding NEP OpCo non-voting common units).

We do not anticipate that any meeting of NEP OpCo unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting where all limited partners were present and voted. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by NEP OpCo GP. Eligible unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called and which are entitled to vote at such meeting, represented in person or by proxy, constitutes a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

Generally, each record holder of a unit is entitled to a number of votes on any matter presented to the holders of units for a vote that is equal to the holder’s percentage interest in NEP OpCo units, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. See “—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests.” Further, except as related to certain amendments that would have a material adverse effect on the

 

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rights or preferences of the NEP OpCo non-voting common units in relation to other classes of limited partnership interests, holders of NEP OpCo non-voting common units generally do not have voting rights under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement.

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by NEP OpCo or by the transfer agent.

Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests

NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement authorizes NEP OpCo to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by its general partner without the approval of holders of NEP OpCo’s common units.

Under Delaware law and the provisions of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, NEP OpCo may also issue additional series or classes of limited partner interests that may have rights or preferences which differ from the terms of NEP OpCo’s common units. NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by its subsidiaries of equity interests, which may effectively rank senior to NEP OpCo common units.

At any time when NEP issues additional common units, non-voting common units, Series A preferred units or Series A parity securities, NEP OpCo will issue an equivalent number of corresponding units to NEP. In addition, at any time when NEP issues other classes or series of partnership interests, we expect that NEP OpCo will issue an equivalent number of such other classes or series of partnership interests to NEP. As a result, if NEP issues additional securities to fund acquisitions or for other purposes, we expect that NEP OpCo will be required to issue a like amount of additional securities to NEP, which may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of NEP OpCo’s common units in NEP OpCo’s net assets.

OpCo Class B Units

On April 29, 2015, NEP OpCo made an equity method investment in the McCoy and Adelanto solar projects. In connection with this investment, NEP OpCo issued the OpCo Class B Units to NEE Equity for approximately 50% of the ownership interests in three solar projects. NEE Equity, as holder of the OpCo Class B units, retains 100% of the economic rights in the projects to which the respective OpCo Class B units relate, including the right to all distributions paid to NEP OpCo by the project subsidiaries that own the projects. See “Provisions of the Partnership Agreements and Other Arrangements Relating to Cash Distributions.”

In the event of a liquidation of NEP OpCo, the holders of the OpCo Class B units will be entitled to receive as a preferential distribution any and all proceeds from any sale or disposition of the applicable projects. So long as any OpCo Class B units remain outstanding, NEP OpCo is not permitted to issue or sell any additional units of the same class or any other interests in or rights to the contributed projects. In addition, so long as any OpCo Class B units remain outstanding, NEP OpCo cannot amend its partnership agreement in any manner that would adversely affect the designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties of the holders of OpCo Class B units.

Transfer of Common Units

By transfer of common units in accordance with NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, each transferee of common units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to NEP OpCo common units transferred when such transfer or admission is reflected in NEP OpCo’s register and such limited partner becomes the record holder of NEP OpCo common units so transferred. Each transferee:

 

   

will become bound and will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the terms of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement;

 

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will be deemed to represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement; and

 

   

will be deemed to make any consents, acknowledgements or waivers contained in NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement.

NEP OpCo is entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner in the event such nominee is the record holder of such common unit. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. Until a common unit has been transferred on NEP OpCo’s register, NEP OpCo and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

Amendment of NEP OpCo’s Partnership Agreement

General

Amendments to NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement may be proposed only by NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (“NEP GP”), the general partner of NEP. However, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing, NEP GP has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to NEP OpCo or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of NEP OpCo or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments described below, NEP OpCo GP is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units and other interests, if any, required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

Prohibited Amendments

No amendment may be made that would:

 

   

enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless the amendment is deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or

 

   

enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by NEP OpCo to NEP OpCo GP or any of its affiliates without NEP OpCo GP’s consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

The provisions of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement preventing these types of amendments can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by NEP OpCo GP and its affiliates).

No Unitholder Approval

NEP GP may generally make amendments to NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:

 

   

a change in NEP OpCo’s name, the location of NEP OpCo’s principal office, its registered agent or its registered office;

 

   

the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement;

 

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a change that NEP GP determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue NEP OpCo’s qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that none of NEP OpCo’s subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

   

any amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of NEP OpCo’s counsel, to prevent NEP OpCo or its general partner or NEP GP or its directors, officers, agents or trustees from, in any manner, being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Advisors Act, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under ERISA regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor;

 

   

any amendment that NEP GP determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or in connection with splits or combinations of NEP OpCo’s partnership interests in accordance with NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement;

 

   

any amendment expressly permitted in NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement to be made by NEP GP acting alone;

 

   

any amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement;

 

   

any amendment that NEP GP determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by NEP OpCo of, or NEP OpCo’s investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, in connection with NEP OpCo’s conduct of activities permitted by its partnership agreement;

 

   

any change in NEP OpCo’s fiscal year or taxable year and any other changes that NEP GP determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of such change;

 

   

any conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the conversion, merger or conveyance; or

 

   

any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.

In addition, NEP GP may make amendments to NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if NEP GP determines that those amendments:

 

   

do not adversely affect in any material respect the limited partners considered as a whole or any particular class of partnership interests as compared to other classes of partnership interests;

 

   

are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute; or

 

   

are required to effect the intent of the provisions of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by the NEP OpCo partnership agreement.

Further, NEP GP, without the approval of any partner of NEP OpCo, may amend any provision of NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement in such manner as NEP’s board of directors determines to be necessary or appropriate to prevent the consolidation of the financial results of NEP OpCo and its subsidiaries with those of NEE and its subsidiaries (other than with us and our subsidiaries) under U.S. GAAP, so long as such amendment is not materially adverse to NEP OpCo or any class of NEP OpCo’s unitholders.

NEP GP, without the approval of any other partner of NEP OpCo, may, in its sole discretion, amend any provision of the NEP OpCo partnership agreement in connection with such changes to the ownership structure of NEP OpCo’s common units held by NEP OpCo GP or its affiliates as may be required to avoid adverse tax consequences resulting from changes to tax laws, so long as such amendment is not materially adverse to NEP OpCo or any class of NEP OpCo’s unitholders.

 

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Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval

For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, NEP OpCo will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that an amendment will not affect the limited liability of any limited partner under Delaware law. No other amendments to the NEP OpCo partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless NEP OpCo first obtains such an opinion.

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of partnership interests in relation to other classes of partnership interests requires the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of partnership interests so affected. Any amendment that would reduce the percentage of units required to take any action, other than to remove NEP OpCo GP or call a meeting of unitholders, must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units) constitute not less than the percentage sought to be reduced. Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to remove NEP OpCo GP must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units) constitute not less than 90% of the outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units). Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to call a meeting of unitholders must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute at least a majority of the outstanding units (excluding non-voting common units).

Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

A merger, consolidation or conversion of NEP OpCo requires the prior consent of our general partner, which consent may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion, and the prior consent of NEP OpCo GP. However, our general partner and NEP OpCo GP have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to NEP OpCo or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of NEP OpCo or the limited partners.

In addition, the NEP OpCo partnership agreement generally prohibits NEP OpCo GP without the prior approval of NEP GP and the holders of a unit majority, from causing NEP OpCo to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of NEP OpCo’s assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions. The general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of NEP OpCo’s assets without such approval. NEP OpCo GP may also sell any or all of NEP OpCo’s assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, NEP GP and NEP OpCo GP may consummate any merger or consolidation of NEP OpCo with another limited liability entity without the prior approval of NEP OpCo’s unitholders if NEP OpCo is the surviving entity in the transaction, NEP OpCo GP has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability, the transaction would not result in an amendment to the NEP OpCo partnership agreement requiring unitholder approval, each of NEP OpCo’s units will be an identical unit of the partnership following the transaction, and the partnership interests to be issued by NEP OpCo in such merger do not exceed 20% of NEP OpCo’s outstanding partnership interests immediately prior to the transaction.

If the conditions specified in the NEP OpCo partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner and NEP OpCo GP may convert NEP OpCo or any of its subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge NEP OpCo or any of its subsidiaries into, or convey all of NEP OpCo’s assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in NEP OpCo’s legal form into another limited liability entity, the general partner of NEP OpCo has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and NEP OpCo GP determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and NEP OpCo GP with the same rights and obligations as contained in the NEP OpCo partnership agreement. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of NEP OpCo’s assets or any other similar transaction or event.

 

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Termination and Dissolution

NEP OpCo will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved and terminated under the NEP OpCo partnership agreement. NEP OpCo will dissolve upon:

 

   

the election of NEP OpCo GP to dissolve it, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority and our general partner;

 

   

there being no limited partners, unless NEP OpCo is continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law;

 

   

the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of NEP OpCo’s partnership; or

 

   

the withdrawal or removal of NEP OpCo GP or any other event that results in its ceasing to be NEP OpCo GP, other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with the NEP OpCo partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal followed by approval and admission of a successor.

Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue NEP OpCo’s business on the same terms and conditions described in NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to NEP OpCo’s receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner.

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

Upon NEP OpCo’s dissolution, unless it is continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up NEP OpCo’s affairs will, acting with all of the powers of NEP OpCo GP that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate NEP OpCo’s assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in “Provisions of the Partnership Agreements and Other Arrangements Relating to Cash Distributions—Provisions of the NEP OpCo Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation” and “Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests—OpCo Class B units.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of NEP OpCo’s assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to NEP OpCo’s partners.

Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner

NEP OpCo GP may voluntarily withdraw as general partner of NEP OpCo without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice that such withdrawal will not violate NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement. Upon voluntary withdrawal of NEP OpCo GP by giving written notice to the other partners, the holders of a unit majority may select a successor, which shall be approved by our general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability cannot be obtained, NEP OpCo will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless, within a specified period after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree to continue NEP OpCo’s business by appointing a successor general partner. See “—Termination and Dissolution.”

NEP OpCo GP may not be removed unless our general partner is removed as our general partner. If our general partner is removed as general partner by unitholders, NEP OpCo GP will also be removed as general partner of NEP OpCo. Any removal of NEP OpCo GP is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a unit majority.

Transfer of General Partner Units

NEP OpCo GP and its affiliates may at any time transfer NEP OpCo’s general partner units to one or more persons without unitholder approval, although such transfer requires the consent of our general partner.

 

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Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner

At any time, NEE and its affiliates, including us, may sell or transfer all or part of their direct or indirect interest in NEP OpCo GP without the approval of NEP OpCo’s unitholders.

Status as Limited Partner

By transfer of common units in accordance with NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement, each transferee of common units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to NEP OpCo common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in NEP OpCo’s register.

Indemnification

Under its partnership agreement, in most circumstances, NEP OpCo will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

 

   

NEP OpCo GP;

 

   

any departing general partner;

 

   

any person who is or was an affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner;

 

   

any person who is or was a director, officer, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of NEP OpCo, any of NEP OpCo’s subsidiaries or any entity set forth in the preceding three bullet points;

 

   

any person who is or was serving as director, officer, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person owing certain duties to NEP OpCo or any of its subsidiaries at the request of NEP OpCo GP or any departing general partner or any of their affiliates; and

 

   

any person designated by NEP OpCo GP.

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of NEP OpCo’s assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, NEP OpCo GP will not be personally liable for NEP OpCo’s indemnification obligations, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to NEP OpCo to enable it to effectuate indemnification.

Reimbursement of Expenses

NEP OpCo’s partnership agreement requires NEP OpCo to reimburse NEP OpCo GP for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on NEP OpCo’s behalf or otherwise incurred by NEP OpCo GP in connection with operating NEP OpCo’s business.

Books and Reports

NEP OpCo GP is required to keep appropriate books of NEP OpCo’s business at NEP OpCo’s principal offices. The books will be maintained for financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, NEP OpCo’s fiscal year is the calendar year.

 

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SELLING UNITHOLDERS

We originally issued the Notes in a private placement, exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), completed on December 12, 2022. Selling unitholders, including their transferees, pledgees, donees or other successors, all of which may be selling unitholders, may from time to time offer for resale pursuant to this prospectus or in supplements to this prospectus any or all of the common units that may be issued to the selling unitholders upon conversion of the Notes. When we refer to the “selling unitholders” in this prospectus, we mean those persons listed in the table in the prospectus, as it may be supplemented from time to time, as well as their transferees, pledges, donees or other successors that become selling unitholders.

The table below sets forth the name of each selling unitholder and the number of common units that may be issued to the selling unitholder upon conversion of the Notes and that may be offered and resold pursuant to this prospectus, as it may be supplemented from time to time, together with other information. As of November 13, 2023, the maximum conversion rate, inclusive of the maximum make-whole fundamental change adjustment, is 12.6406 common units for each $1,000 principal amount of the Notes (subject to certain adjustments as described below).

Upon conversion of the Notes, we will pay cash in an amount up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, our common units or a combination of cash and our common units, at our election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of our conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being converted. The Notes may be converted only in principal amounts equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof. The amount of our conversion obligation upon the conversion of any Note will be equal to the sum of the daily settlement amounts for each of the 40 consecutive trading days during the relevant observation period.

The table below is based on information provided to us by or on behalf of each of the selling unitholders in a selling unitholder questionnaire and is as of the date specified by the selling unitholder in such questionnaire. Unless set forth below, none of the selling unitholders has had within the past three years any material relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates.

The selling unitholders may offer and resell all, some or none of the common units that may be issued to the selling unitholder upon conversion of the Notes. We have assumed for purposes of the table below that the selling unitholders will sell all of their common units that may be issued upon conversion of the Notes pursuant to this prospectus, and that any other common units beneficially owned by the selling unitholders will continue to be beneficially owned by them. In addition, the selling unitholders identified below may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of all or a portion of the common units that may be issued upon conversion of their Notes in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act since the date on which they provided the information regarding their Notes.

 

Selling Unitholders (1)

   Common
Units
Beneficially
Owned

Prior to
This
Offering
(2)(3)
     Common
Units
Offered
for
Resale
(2)(3)
     Common
Units
Beneficially
Owned
After
Completion
of This
Offering
     Percentage of
Common

Units
Beneficially
Owned
After
Completion
of This
Offering (4)
 
           

 

  (1)

  (2)

Assumes, for each $1,000 in principal amount of Notes that may be converted, a conversion rate of 12.6406 common units (the maximum conversion rate as of November 13, 2023) (subject to certain adjustments as described below).

 

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  (3)

Based on the principal amount of Notes beneficially owned by each identified selling unitholder on November 13, 2023. The number of our common units offered for resale by each selling unitholder depends on the volume-weighted average price of our common units on each of the 40 consecutive trading days during the relevant observation period for purposes of determining our conversion obligation and is assumed to be the maximum number of common units issuable upon conversion (based on the maximum conversion rate as of November 13, 2023) for purposes of this selling unitholder table.

  (4)

Based on 93,432,537 common units outstanding as of September 30, 2023. In calculating this percentage for each selling unitholder, we treated as outstanding the number of common units that may be issued upon conversion of all of that selling unitholder’s Notes, but we did not assume conversion of other selling unitholders’ Notes.

Information concerning the selling unitholders may change from time to time, and any changed information will be set forth in prospectus supplements if and when required. Similarly, holders of Notes not identified in this prospectus as selling unitholders may be identified, and corresponding information regarding the offer and resale of common units by them included, in supplements to this prospectus if and when required.

The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, but will not be adjusted for accrued and unpaid special interest, if any. The indenture governing the Notes provides, among other things, that the conversion rate will be adjusted:

 

   

if we issue solely our common units as a dividend or distribution on all or substantially all of our common units, or if we effect a common unit split or combination of our common units;

 

   

if we issue to all or substantially all holders of our common units certain rights, options or warrants to subscribe for or purchase our common units;

 

   

for distributions by us of our partnership interests, evidences of our indebtedness, other assets or property of us or rights, options or warrants to acquire our partnership interests or other securities to all or substantially all holders of our common units which are not otherwise adjusted for pursuant to the other adjustment provisions of the indenture;

 

   

with respect to certain “spin-off” transactions;

 

   

for cash dividends or distributions by us to all or substantially all holders of our common units, other than a regular quarterly cash distribution that does not exceed a specified threshold; or

 

   

if we or any of our subsidiaries make a payment to holders of our common units in respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for the common units (other than distributions paid exclusively in cash or an odd-lot tender offer), to the extent that the per unit consideration paid exceeds a specified amount.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering our common units to permit the selling unitholders identified in this prospectus or prospectus supplements to offer and resell such common units from time to time after the date of this prospectus upon conversion of the Notes. The selling unitholders will be responsible for any commissions due to brokers, dealers or agents. We will bear all fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the offer and resale of the common units in this offering. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the selling unitholders of the common units offered by this prospectus.

The selling unitholders may offer and resell all or a portion of the common units offered hereby from time to time in one or more transactions at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions that may involve crosses or block transactions. The selling unitholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling common units:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

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block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the common units as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

settlement of short sales, including short sales against the box, entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, including delivering common units to a lender in satisfaction of all or part of common units borrowed from such lender in connection with a short sale;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of put or call options or other hedging or derivative transactions, whether listed on an options exchange or otherwise, entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In no event may such method of sale take the form of an underwritten offering of the common units without our prior agreement.

The selling unitholders also may offer and resell all or a portion of the common units offered hereby in transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as permitted by that Rule, or Section 4(a)(1) of the Securities Act, if available, rather than pursuant to this prospectus, provided that such transactions meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of those provisions.

Broker-dealers engaged by the selling unitholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. If the selling unitholders effect such transactions by selling common units to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling unitholders or commissions from purchasers of common units for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may resell as principal. Such compensation will be in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in any supplement to this prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction will not be in excess of a customary brokerage commission.

The selling unitholders may also sell common units short, and the selling unitholders may deliver common units covered by this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed units in connection with such short sales. The selling unitholders may also enter into option or other derivative transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions that require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of common units offered by this prospectus, which common units such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction if required). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the selling unitholders have been advised that they may not use common units covered by this prospectus in settlement of short sales or derivative transactions involving common units that were entered into prior to the date the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, was declared effective by the SEC.

The selling unitholders may, from time to time, loan, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the common units and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or other secured parties may offer and resell the common units from time to time pursuant to this prospectus. The selling unitholders also may transfer and donate the common units in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees or other successors may be the selling unitholders for purposes of this prospectus.

 

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The selling unitholders and any brokers, dealers or agents participating in the offer and resale of the common units may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any profits by the unitholders or any commissions paid, or any discounts or concessions allowed, to any such broker, dealer or agent, and any profits on the resale of the common units purchased by them, may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act. Selling unitholders and their brokers, dealers or agents may be subject to the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act and may be subject to certain statutory liabilities of, including, but not limited to, Sections 11, 12 and 17 of the Securities Act and Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act.

Each selling unitholder has informed us that it is not a registered broker-dealer, is not affiliated with a registered broker-dealer and does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the common units. If and when required, the specific common units to be offered and resold, the names of the selling unitholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any broker, dealer, agent or underwriter and any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offering will be set forth in a prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Under the securities or “blue sky” laws of some states, the common units may be offered and resold in such states by the selling unitholders only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

There can be no assurance that any selling unitholder will offer and resell any or all of its common units pursuant to this prospectus.

Each selling unitholder and any other person participating in the offer and resale of the common units may be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M and Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of sales of any of the common units by the selling unitholder and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in a distribution of the common units to engage in market-making activities with respect to the common units. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the common units.

We entered into a registration rights agreement for the benefit of the holders of the Notes to register the common units that may be issued upon conversion of the Notes for offer and resale under applicable federal securities laws under specific circumstances and at specific times. We will pay all expenses of the registration of the common units pursuant to the registration rights agreement, including, without limitation, SEC filing fees and expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws. Each selling unitholder will pay all commissions due to brokers, dealers, agents or underwriters and any related legal expenses incurred by it.

We will indemnify the selling unitholders against certain liabilities, including some liabilities under the Securities Act, in accordance with the registration rights agreement, or the selling unitholders will be entitled to contribution. We may be indemnified by the selling unitholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, that may arise from any written information furnished to us by the selling unitholders specifically for use in this prospectus, in accordance with the registration rights agreement, or we may be entitled to contribution.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NEP) and the effectiveness of NEP’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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LEGAL OPINIONS

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, New York, New York will pass upon the legality of the common units offered by this prospectus for NEP.

 

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. Neither we nor the selling unitholders have authorized anyone else to provide you with additional or different information. Neither we nor the selling unitholders are making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that the information incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference.

 

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PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The expenses in connection with the offer and resale of the securities being registered, other than compensation of any broker, dealer, agent or underwriter, are:

 

Filing Fee for Registration Statement

   $ 23,223.95

Legal and Accounting Fees

     75,000.00  

Printing (S-3, prospectus, prospectus supplement, etc.)

     15,000.00  

Miscellaneous

     1,776.05  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 115,000.00  
  

 

 

 

 

*

Actual expenses; all other expenses are estimates.

 

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. As permitted by the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act and pursuant to our partnership agreement, we will generally indemnify our and our general partner’s officers, directors and affiliates to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events.

Our general partner has entered into indemnification agreements with our directors under which it has agreed to indemnify such persons against all expenses and liabilities incurred or paid by such person in connection with any proceeding arising from the fact that such person is or was a director of us and to advance expenses as incurred by or on behalf of such person in connection therewith.

An affiliate of our general partner has purchased insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by our directors and executive officer, as well as our general partner’s directors and executive officers, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liabilities under our partnership agreement.

NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc.

Section 102(b)(7) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) allows a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that directors and certain specified officers of the corporation will not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, as applicable, except where the director or officer, as applicable, breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, solely with respect to a director, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of the DGCL or obtained an improper personal benefit, or, solely with respect to an officer, in any action by or in the right of the corporation. Our general partner’s certificate of incorporation provides for this limitation of liability solely with respect to directors.

Section 145 of the DGCL (“Section 145”) provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, is or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such

 

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corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was an officer, director, employee or agent of such corporation or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify any persons who are, were or are a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, provided that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses which such officer or director has actually and reasonably incurred.

Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would otherwise have the power to indemnify him or her under Section 145.

Our general partner’s bylaws provide that it must indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and must also pay expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition upon delivery of an undertaking, by or on behalf of an indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled to be indemnified.

The indemnification rights described above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an indemnified person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of our partnership agreement, our general partner’s certificate of incorporation, our general partner’s bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

Item 16.

Exhibits.

 

Number   

Description

    2*    Purchase and Sale Agreement between NextEra Energy Partners Ventures, LLC and Kinder Morgan Operating LLC “A” dated November 6, 2023 (filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, File No. 1-36518).
    4.1*    Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of NextEra Energy Partners, LP, dated as of November  12, 2019 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K dated November 12, 2019, File No. 1-36518).
    4.2*    Certificate of Limited Partnership of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (filed as Exhibit 3.3 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, File No. 1-36518).
    4.3*    Certificate of Incorporation of NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3.5 to Form  10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, File No. 1-36518).
    4.4*    Bylaws of NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3.6 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, File No. 1-36518).
    4.5*    Indenture, dated as of December  3, 2020 by and among NextEra Energy Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (filed as Exhibit 4 to Form 8-K dated December 3, 2020, File No. 1-36518).

 

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Number   

Description

    4.6*    Indenture, dated as of June  17, 2021, by and among NextEra Energy Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (filed as Exhibit 4 to Form 8-K dated June 21, 2021, File No. 1-36518).
    4.7*    Indenture, dated as of December  12, 2022, by and among NextEra Energy Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (filed as Exhibit 4 to Form 8-K dated December 7, 2022, File No. 1-36518).
    4.8*    Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP, dated as of December  21, 2018 (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated December 20, 2018, File No. 1-36518).
    4.9*    First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP, dated July 20, 2021 (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, File No. 1-36518).
    4.10*    Certificate of Limited Partnership of NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP (filed as Exhibit 3.4 to Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, File No. 1-36518).
    4.11*    Exchange Agreement by and among NextEra Energy Equity Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. and NextEra Energy Partners, LP, dated as of July 1, 2014 (filed as Exhibit 10.5 to Form 8-K dated July 1, 2014, File No. 1-36518).
    4.12*    Amendment No.  1 to Exchange Agreement by and among NextEra Energy Equity Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP, NextEra Energy Partners GP, Inc. and NextEra Energy Partners, LP dated as of July 5, 2016 (filed as Exhibit 10 to Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, File No. 1-36518).
    5    Opinion and Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.
  23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
  23.2    Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (included in Exhibit 5).
  24    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement).
  99.1    Unaudited pro forma consolidated financial statements of NextEra Energy Partners, LP for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 and as of and for the nine months ended September  30, 2023.
  99.2    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2022, by and between NextEra Energy Partners, LP and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
107    Filing Fee Table.

 

*

Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.

 

Item 17.

Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (1)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i)

to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933,

 

  (ii)

to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement, and

 

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  (iii)

to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement,

provided, however, that subsections (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those subsections is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

  (2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (3)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (4)

That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  (i)

each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement and

 

  (ii)

each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof,

provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

  (5)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i)

Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424,

 

  (ii)

Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant,

 

  (iii)

The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant, and

 

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  (iv)

Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

  (6)

That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 15 of this registration statement, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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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 Town of Juno Beach, State of Florida, on the 13th day of November, 2023.

 

NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
By:   /s/ John W. Ketchum
Name:   John W. Ketchum
Title:  

Chairman of the Board and

Chief Executive Officer

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Charles E. Sieving his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, severally, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any and all successor registration statements relating to the same offering as this registration statement, including any filings pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agents, or any of his or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

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 dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

/s/ John W. Ketchum

John W. Ketchum

  

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Director

   November 13, 2023

/s/ Terrell Kirk Crews II

Terrell Kirk Crews II

  

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) and Director

   November 13, 2023

/s/ James M. May

James M. May

  

Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)

   November 13, 2023

/s/ Susan Davenport Austin

Susan Davenport Austin

  

Director

   November 13, 2023

/s/ Robert J. Byrne

Robert J. Byrne

  

Director

   November 13, 2023

/s/ Mark E. Hickson

Mark E. Hickson

  

Director

   November 13, 2023

/s/ Peter H. Kind

Peter H. Kind

   Director    November 13, 2023


Table of Contents

Signature

  

Title

  

Date

/s/ Rebecca J. Kujawa

Rebecca J. Kujawa

   Director    November 13, 2023

Exhibit 5

 

LOGO

November 13, 2023

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

700 Universe Boulevard

Juno Beach, Florida 33408

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to NextEra Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“NEP”), in connection with the preparation of a registration statement on Form S-3 (“Registration Statement”) to be filed on or about the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), in connection with the registration by NEP of the offer and sale by selling unitholders (“Selling Unitholders”) of 6,320,300 common units representing limited partner interests in NEP (“Common Units”) issuable to the Selling Unitholders upon conversion of the outstanding $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of NEP’s 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”).

In connection with this opinion letter, we have reviewed (i) the Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2022 (“Indenture”), by and among NEP, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, with respect to the Notes; (ii) the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2022, between NEP and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. relating to the offer and sale of the Common Units by the Selling Unitholders; and (iii) such other documents and records as we have deemed necessary to enable us to express an opinion on the matters covered hereby. We have assumed that there will be no changes to such documents and records, or expiration thereof, after the date hereof which would affect the opinions expressed herein.

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Notes, when issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Indenture, will be validly issued, and holders of the Common Units will have no obligation to make payments or contributions to NEP or its creditors solely by reason of their ownership of such Common Units (other than as provided in Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (“DRULPA”)).

This opinion letter is limited to the DRULPA as in effect on the date hereof, and we do not express any opinion as to the effect of any other laws on the opinion herein stated.

 

   Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
   101 Park Avenue   
   New York, NY 10178-0060    LOGO +1.212.309.6000
   United States    LOGO +1.212.309.6001


NextEra Energy Partners, LP

November 13, 2023

Page 2

 

We hereby consent to the reference to us in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Opinions” and to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consents, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated February 22, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NEP), and the effectiveness of NEP’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of NEP for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Boca Raton, Florida

November 13, 2023

Exhibit 99.1

Introduction

The unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of income and balance sheet (pro forma financial statements) are derived from the historical consolidated financial statements of NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NEP) and NET Midstream, LLC and NEP DC Holdings, LLC, both NEP subsidiaries that indirectly own interests in natural gas pipeline assets located in Texas (Texas pipelines), to illustrate the potential effect of the November 6, 2023 agreement to sell the Texas pipelines entered into by a subsidiary of NEP. The pro forma financial statements are based on, and should be read in conjunction with, the consolidated financial statements of NEP included in NEP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The pro forma financial statements are also based on, and should be read in conjunction with, the condensed consolidated financial statements of NEP included in NEP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 filed with the SEC.

The historical consolidated financial statements have been adjusted in the pro forma financial statements to give effect to transaction accounting adjustments that reflect the disposal of the Texas pipelines. The pro forma financial statements have been derived by the application of transaction accounting adjustments to the historical consolidated financial statements of NEP. The unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 give effect to the sale of the Texas pipelines, which will be accounted for as discontinued operations, as if it had occurred on January 1, 2020. Since the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of income only include continuing operations, the estimated gain on sale is not included in any period presented. The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 gives effect to the sale of the Texas pipelines as if it had occurred on September 30, 2023.

The sale of the Texas pipelines is subject to closing adjustments that have not yet been finalized. Accordingly, the transaction accounting adjustments are preliminary, and have been made solely for the purpose of providing pro forma financial statements as required by the SEC rules. Differences between these preliminary estimates and the final sale accounting may be material. The pro forma financial statements have been presented for informational purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of what the results of operations and financial position would have been had the sale of the Texas pipeline been completed on the dates indicated, nor are they necessarily indicative of future results of operations or financial position.

 

1


NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

(millions, except per unit amounts)

 

     Nine months ended September 30, 2023  
     NEP
Historical
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
        NEP Pro
Forma
 

OPERATING REVENUES

        

Renewable energy sales

   $ 847     $ —         $ 847  

Texas pipelines service revenues

     171       (171   (a)     —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating revenues

     1,018       (171       847  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES

        

Operations and maintenance

     412       (22   (a)     390  

Depreciation and amortization

     412       (27   (a)     385  

Taxes other than income taxes and other

     54       (6   (a)     48  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating expenses – net

     878       (55       823  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     140       (116       24  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (DEDUCTIONS)

        

Interest expense

     (207     13     (a)     (194

Equity in earnings of equity method investees

     131       (2   (a)     129  

Equity in earnings of non-economic ownership interests

     16       —           16  

Other – net

     6       1     (a)     7  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other income (deductions) – net

     (54     12         (42
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     86       (104       (18

INCOME TAXES

     16       (8   (b)     8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME (LOSS)

     70       (96       (26

NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

     18       71     (c)     89  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

   $ 88     $ (25     $ 63  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – basic

   $ 0.96     $ (0.26     $ 0.70  

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – assuming dilution

   $ 0.96     $ (0.26     $ 0.70  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – basic

     91.0       —           91.0  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – assuming dilution

     91.0       —           91.0  

 

2


NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

(millions, except per unit amounts)

 

     Year ended December 31, 2022  
     NEP
Historical
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
        NEP Pro
Forma
 

OPERATING REVENUES

        

Renewable energy sales

   $ 966     $ —         $ 966  

Texas pipelines service revenues

     245       (242   (a)     3  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating revenues

     1,211       (242       969  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES

        

Operations and maintenance

     571       (44   (a)     527  

Depreciation and amortization

     430       (36   (a)     394  

Taxes other than income taxes and other

     49       (9   (a)     40  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating expenses – net

     1,050       (89       961  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

GAINS ON DISPOSAL OF BUSINESSES/ASSETS – NET

     36       —           36  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     197       (153       44  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (DEDUCTIONS)

        

Interest expense

     853       (5   (a)     848  

Equity in earnings of equity method investees

     183       (6   (a)     177  

Equity in earnings of non-economic ownership interests

     56       —           56  

Other – net

     3       2     (a)     5  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other income (deductions) – net

     1,095       (9       1,086  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     1,292       (162       1,130  

INCOME TAXES

     171       (10   (b)     161  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     1,121       (152       969  

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

     (644     120     (c)     (524
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

   $ 477     $ (32     $ 445  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – basic

   $ 5.62     $ (0.38     $ 5.24  

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – assuming dilution

   $ 5.62     $ (0.38     $ 5.24  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – basic

     84.9       —           84.9  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – assuming dilution

     84.9       —           84.9  

 

3


NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

(millions, except per unit amounts)

 

     Year ended December 31, 2021  
     NEP
Historical
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
        NEP Pro
Forma
 

OPERATING REVENUES

        

Renewable energy sales

   $ 720     $ —         $ 720  

Texas pipelines service revenues

     262       (260   (a)     2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating revenues

     982       (260       722  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES

        

Operations and maintenance

     419       (45   (a)     374  

Depreciation and amortization

     288       (37   (a)     251  

Taxes other than income taxes and other

     36       (8   (a)     28  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating expenses – net

     743       (90       653  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

LOSSES ON DISPOSAL OF BUSINESSES/ASSETS – NET

     (5     —           (5
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     234       (170       64  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (DEDUCTIONS)

        

Interest expense

     47       3     (a)     50  

Equity in earnings of equity method investees

     160       (2   (a)     158  

Equity in earnings of non-economic ownership interests

     27       —           27  

Other – net

     4       —           4  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other income (deductions) – net

     238       1         239  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     472       (169       303  

INCOME TAXES

     48       (11   (b)     37  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME

     424       (158       266  

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

     (287     125     (c)     (162
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

   $ 137     $ (33     $ 104  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – basic

   $ 1.77     $ (0.43     $ 1.34  

Earnings per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – assuming dilution

   $ 1.77     $ (0.43     $ 1.34  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – basic

     77.2       —           77.2  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – assuming dilution

     77.4       —           77.4  

 

4


NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME

(millions, except per unit amounts)

 

     Year ended December 31, 2020  
     NEP
Historical
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
          NEP Pro
Forma
 

OPERATING REVENUES

        

Renewable energy sales

   $ 703     $ —         $ 703  

Texas pipelines service revenues

     214       (206     (a)       8  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating revenues

     917       (206       711  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING EXPENSES

        

Operations and maintenance

     363       (37     (a)       326  

Depreciation and amortization

     271       (35     (a)       236  

Taxes other than income taxes and other

     28       (9     (a)       19  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total operating expenses – net

     662       (81       581  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

LOSSES ON DISPOSAL OF BUSINESSES/ASSETS – NET

     (2     —           (2
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OPERATING INCOME

     253       (125       128  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

OTHER INCOME (DEDUCTIONS)

        

Interest expense

     (620     15       (a)       (605

Equity in earnings of equity method investees

     108       2       (a)       110  

Equity in losses of non-economic ownership interests

     (3     —           (3

Other – net

     5       (3     (a)       2  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other income (deductions) – net

     (510     14         (496
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES

     (257     (111       (368

INCOME TAX BENEFIT

     (19     (5     (b)       (24
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET LOSS

     (238     (106       (344
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO PREFERRED DISTRIBUTIONS

     (5     —           (5

NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS

     188       92       (c)       280  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

   $ (55   $ (14     $ (69
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Loss per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – basic

   $ (0.81   $ (0.21     $ (1.02

Loss per common unit attributable to NextEra Energy Partners, LP – assuming dilution

   $ (0.81   $ (0.21     $ (1.02

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – basic

     68.4       —           68.4  

Weighted-average number of common units outstanding – assuming dilution

     68.4       —           68.4  

 

5


NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(millions)

 

     As of September 30, 2023  
     NEP
Historical
    Transaction
Accounting
Adjustments
          NEP Pro
Forma
 

ASSETS

        

Current assets:

        

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 332     $ 1,261       (d   $ 1,593  

Accounts receivable

     139       (17     (e     122  

Other receivables

     62       —           62  

Due from related parties

     333       (7     (e     326  

Inventory

     78       (2     (e     76  

Derivatives

     82       —           82  

Other

     96       (6     (e     90  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total current assets

     1,122       1,229         2,351  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Other assets:

        

Property, plant and equipment – net

     15,693       (750     (e     14,943  

Intangible assets – PPAs – net

     2,029       —           2,029  

Intangible assets – customer relationships – net

     514       (514     (e     —    

Derivatives

     220       —           220  

Goodwill

     913       (83     (e     830  

Investments in equity method investees

     2,038       (148     (e     1,890  

Deferred income taxes

     232       (49     (f     183  

Other

     452       (3     (g     449  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other assets

     22,091       (1,547       20,544  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

   $ 23,213     $ (318     $ 22,895  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

        

Current liabilities:

        

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

   $ 280     $ (3     (e   $ 277  

Due to related parties

     66       (1     (e     65  

Current portion of long-term debt

     1,342       —           1,342  

Accrued interest

     34       —           34  

Accrued property taxes

     45       (6     (e     39  

Other

     73       (1     (e     72  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     1,840       (11       1,829  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Other liabilities and deferred credits:

        

Long-term debt

     5,139       (376     (g     4,763  

Asset retirement obligations

     327       —           327  

Due to related parties

     54       —           54  

Intangible liabilities – PPAs – net

     1,232       —           1,232  

Other

     211       (2     (e     209  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

Total other liabilities and deferred credits

     6,963       (378       6,585  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

     8,803       (389       8,414  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

        

EQUITY

        

Common units (93.4 units issued and outstanding)

     3,540       148       (h     3,688  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (7     —           (7

Noncontrolling interests

     10,877       (77     (i     10,800  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

TOTAL EQUITY

     14,410       71         14,481  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

   $ 23,213     $ (318     $ 22,895  
  

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

6


Notes to Pro Forma Financial Statements

Transaction Accounting Adjustments and Assumptions

The adjustments are based on currently available information and certain estimates and assumptions, and therefore the actual effects of these transactions will differ from the transaction accounting adjustments. A general description of these transactions and adjustments is provided as follows:

(a) Reflects the removal of operating revenues, operations and maintenance expenses, depreciation and amortization, taxes other than income taxes and other, interest expense, equity in earnings of equity method investees and other income and deductions associated with the activities of the Texas pipelines.

(b) Reflects the removal of income taxes associated with the Texas pipelines based on the statutory rate.

(c) Reflects adjustments to net income attributable to noncontrolling interests based on the allocation of the transaction accounting adjustments.

(d) Reflects estimated net cash consideration from the sale of the Texas pipelines including $1,815 million of cash consideration less approximately $376 million to pay off project-related debt, offset by $3 million in associated interest rate swaps, and $201 million relating to the final buyout of the remaining membership interests in South Texas Midstream, LLC (STX Midstream), partly offset by $22 million of working capital adjustments, net of $2 million of cash at the Texas pipelines, based on balances as of September 30, 2023.

(e) Reflects the removal of assets and liabilities associated with the Texas pipelines.

(f) Reflects NEP’s share of income taxes related to the sale of the Texas pipelines based on the statutory rate.

(g) Reflects the payoff of outstanding borrowings at September 30, 2023 under the South Texas Midstream Holdings, LLC credit facility and associated interest rate swaps.

(h) Reflects NEP’s portion of the estimated after-tax gain that would have been recorded if the sale of the Texas pipelines closed on September 30, 2023.

(i) Reflects the noncontrolling interests of STX Midstream of approximately $207 million which NEP bought out in October 2023 for $201 million and noncontrolling interests relating to a 10% owner in one of the Texas pipelines of $78 million, partly offset by a noncontrolling interest’s portion of the gain that would have been recorded if the sale of the Texas pipelines closed on September 30, 2023 of $208 million.

 

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Exhibit 99.2

Execution Version

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026

Registration Rights Agreement


December 12, 2022

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

Ladies and Gentlemen:

NextEra Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to certain purchasers (the “Initial Purchasers”), for whom Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is acting as representative (the “Representative”), its 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”), upon the terms set forth in the Purchase Agreement by and among the Company, NextEra Energy Operating Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, as guarantor (the “Guarantor”), and the Representative, dated December 7, 2022 (the “Purchase Agreement”), relating to the initial placement (the “Initial Placement”) of the Notes. Upon a conversion of Notes at the option of the holder thereof, the Company will be required to pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be converted and cash, common units of the Company (the “Company Common Units”) or a combination of cash and Company Common Units, at the Company’s election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of the conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being converted. The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis as to the payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest by the Guarantor. To induce the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement and to satisfy their obligations thereunder, the holders of the Notes will have the benefit of this registration rights agreement (this “Agreement”) by and between the Company and the Representative, on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, whereby the Company agrees with you for your benefit and the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Notes and the Registrable Securities (including, if applicable, the Initial Purchasers) (each a “Holder” and, collectively, the “Holders”), as follows:

1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall have the following meanings:

Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Additional Interest” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

Affiliate” shall have the meaning specified in Rule 405 under the Act.

Broker-Dealer” shall mean any broker or dealer registered as such under the Exchange Act.

Business Day” shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.

Close of Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.

Closing Date” shall mean the date of this Agreement.


Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Company Common Units” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Control” shall have the meaning specified in Rule 405 under the Act and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” shall have meanings correlative thereto.

Deferral Period” shall have the meaning indicated in Section 3(i) hereof.

Depositary” shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Final Memorandum” shall mean the offering memorandum, dated December 7, 2022, relating to the Notes, including any and all annexes thereto and any information incorporated by reference therein as of such date.

FINRA Rules” shall mean the Conduct Rules and the By-Laws of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Notes, dated as of December 12, 2022, by and among the Company, the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

Initial Placement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(d) hereof.

Majority Holders” shall mean, on any date, Holders of a majority of the Company Common Units that are registered under the Shelf Registration Statement.

Managing Underwriters” shall mean the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers selected by the Company that administer an underwritten offering, if any, conducted pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

Maturity Date” shall have the meaning specified in the Indenture.

Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

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Notice and Questionnaire” shall mean a written notice delivered to the Company substantially in the form attached as Annex A to the Final Memorandum.

Notice Holder” shall mean, on any date, any Holder that has delivered a Notice and Questionnaire to the Company on or prior to such date.

Prospectus” shall mean a prospectus included in the Shelf Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that discloses information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A or Rule 430B under the Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Company Common Units covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, and all amendments and supplements thereto, including any and all exhibits thereto and any information incorporated by reference therein.

Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Registrable Securities” shall mean each of the Company Common Units, if any, deliverable by the Company upon conversion of the Notes sold to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, other than Company Common Units that have (i) been registered under the Shelf Registration Statement and disposed of in accordance therewith, (ii) become eligible to be transferred without condition as contemplated by Rule 144 under the Act or any successor rule or regulation thereto that may be adopted by the Commission; provided, that such Company Common Units following such transfer would not bear any restrictive legend relating to the Act, or (iii) ceased to be outstanding.

Registration Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

Representative” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Shelf Registration Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 hereof which covers some or all of the Company Common Units on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all material incorporated by reference therein.

Trading Day” shall have the meaning set forth in the Indenture.

Underwriter” shall mean any underwriter of Company Common Units in connection with an offering thereof under the Shelf Registration Statement.

 

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2. Shelf Registration.

(a) The Company shall file with the Commission a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the registration of, and the sale on a continuous or delayed basis by the Holders of, the Registrable Securities, from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution elected by such Holders, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act or any similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective, in each case on or prior to the 365th day after the Closing Date.

(b) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the Act, in order to permit the Prospectus forming part thereof to be usable by Holders for a period (the “Shelf Registration Period”) from the date the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective or is declared effective by the Commission, as the case may be, to and including the earlier of (i) the 20th Trading Day immediately following the Maturity Date (subject to extension for any suspension of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement during such 20-Trading Day period immediately following the Maturity Date), and (ii) the date on which there are no longer outstanding any Notes or Registrable Securities.

(c) The Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or such amendment or supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and (ii) not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

(d) Subject to applicable law, the Company shall provide written notice to the Holders of the Notes of, and issue a press release through a reputable national newswire service announcing, the anticipated effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement at least 15 Business Days prior to such anticipated effective date. Each Holder, in order to be named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement at the time of its initial effectiveness, will be required to deliver a Notice and Questionnaire and such other information as the Company may reasonably request in writing, if any, to the Company at least 10 Business Days prior to the anticipated effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement as provided in the notice and announced in the press release. From and after the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement and until such date upon which the Company’s obligation to maintain the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement has expired in accordance with Section 2(b) of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, as promptly as is practicable after the date a Notice and Questionnaire is delivered, and in any event within 10 Business Days after such date, (i) if required by applicable law, to file with the Commission a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or to prepare and, if permitted or required by applicable law, to file a supplement to the Prospectus or an amendment or supplement to any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire is named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement and the related Prospectus, and so that

 

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such Holder is permitted to deliver such Prospectus to purchasers of the Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable law (provided that the Company shall not be required to file more than one supplement or post-effective amendment in any 30-day period in accordance with this Section 2(d)(i)) and, if the Company shall file a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement, use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such post-effective amendment to be declared effective under the Act as promptly as is practicable; (ii) provide such Holder, upon request, copies of any documents filed pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) hereof; and (iii) notify such Holder as promptly as practicable after the effectiveness under the Act of any post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) hereof; provided that if such Notice and Questionnaire is delivered during a Deferral Period, the Company shall so inform the Holder delivering such Notice and Questionnaire and shall take the actions set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above upon expiration of the Deferral Period in accordance with Section 3(i) hereof. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to name any Holder that is not a Notice Holder as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided, however, that any Holder that becomes a Notice Holder pursuant to the provisions of this Section 2(d) (whether or not such Holder was a Notice Holder at the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement) shall be named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus in accordance with the requirements of this Section 2(d). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Notes are converted as provided for in Article 12 of the Indenture, then the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to file the post-effective amendment or supplement within 10 Business Days of date of such conversion, or if such Notice and Questionnaire is delivered during a Deferral Period, upon expiration of the Deferral Period.

3. Registration Procedures. The following provisions shall apply in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement.

(a) The Company shall:

(i) furnish to the Representative and to counsel for the Notice Holders, not less than five Business Days prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and each amendment thereto and each amendment or supplement, if any, to the Prospectus (other than amendments and supplements that do nothing more than name Notice Holders and provide information with respect thereto and other than filings by the Company under the Exchange Act) and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the Commission, such comments as the Representative reasonably proposes within three Business Days of the delivery of such copies to the Representative; and

(ii) include information regarding the Notice Holders and the methods of distribution they have elected for their Registrable Securities provided to the Company in Notices and Questionnaires as necessary to permit such distribution by the methods specified therein.

 

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(b) The Company shall ensure that:

(i) the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, and any Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, comply in all material respects with the Act; and

(ii) the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not, when each becomes effective, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(c) The Company shall advise the Representative, the Notice Holders and any Underwriter that has provided in writing to the Company a telephone or facsimile number and address for notices, and confirm such advice in writing, if requested (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v) below shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the Company shall have remedied the basis for such suspension):

(i) when the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment thereto have been filed with the Commission and when the Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective;

(ii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information;

(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose;

(iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Company Common Units included therein for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and

(v) of the happening of any event that requires any change in the Shelf Registration Statement or the Prospectus so that, as of such date, they (A) do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and (B) do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.

(d) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the qualification of the securities therein for sale in any jurisdiction and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

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(e) Upon request, the Company shall furnish, in electronic or physical form, to each Notice Holder, without charge, at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all material incorporated therein by reference, and, if a Notice Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits thereto (including exhibits incorporated by reference therein).

(f) During the Shelf Registration Period, the Company shall promptly deliver to each Initial Purchaser, each Notice Holder, and any sales or placement agents or underwriters acting on their behalf, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including the preliminary Prospectus, if any) included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as any such person may reasonably request. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Agreement, the Company consents to the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the foregoing in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities.

(g) Prior to any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall arrange for the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale under the laws of such U.S. jurisdictions as any Notice Holder shall reasonably request and shall maintain such qualification in effect so long as required; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated by this Agreement to qualify to do business or as a dealer of securities in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to taxation or service of process in suits in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

(h) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by subsections (c)(ii) through (v) above, the Company shall promptly (or within the time period provided for by Section 3(i) hereof, if applicable) prepare a post-effective amendment to the Shelf Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to subsequent purchasers of the securities included therein, the Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(i) Upon the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development, public filings with the Commission or any other material event that, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, makes it appropriate to suspend the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company shall give notice (without notice of the nature or details of such events) to the Notice Holders that the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement is suspended and, upon receipt of any such notice, each Notice Holder agrees: (i) not to sell any Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Notice Holder receives copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus provided for in Section 3(h) hereof, or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the Prospectus may be used, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in such Prospectus; and (ii) to hold such notice strictly confidential. Except in the case of a suspension of the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement and the

 

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Prospectus solely as the result of the filing of a post-effective amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to add additional selling securityholders therein, the period during which the availability of the Shelf Registration Statement and any Prospectus is suspended (the “Deferral Period”) shall not exceed 45 days in any calendar quarter or 90 days in any calendar year.

(j) The Company shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and shall make generally available to its securityholders an earnings statement (which need not be audited) satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act as soon as practicable after the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement and in any event no later than 45 days after the end of the 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement.

(k) The Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement in order to comply with the Act. The Company may exclude from the Shelf Registration Statement the Registrable Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

(l) Subject to Section 6 hereof, the Company shall enter into customary agreements (including, if requested by the Majority Holders, an underwriting agreement in customary form, which, for the avoidance of doubt, will provide for customary representations and warranties, legal opinions, comfort letters and other documents and certifications by the Company and by the selling securityholders) and take all other necessary actions in order to expedite or facilitate the registration or the disposition of the Registrable Securities, and in connection therewith, if an underwriting agreement is entered into, cause the same to contain customary indemnification provisions and procedures.

(m) Subject to Section 6 hereof, for persons who are or may be “underwriters” with respect to the Company Common Units issued upon conversion of the Notes within the meaning of the Act and who make appropriate requests for information to be used solely for the purpose of taking reasonable steps to establish a due diligence or similar defense in connection with the proposed sale of such Company Common Units pursuant to the Shelf Registration, the Company shall:

(i) make reasonably available during business hours for inspection by the Holders of Registrable Securities, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and retained by the Holders or any such Underwriter all relevant financial and other records and pertinent corporate documents of the Company and its subsidiaries; and

 

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(ii) cause the Company’s and the Guarantor’s officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement as is customary for similar due diligence examinations.

(n) In the event that any Broker-Dealer shall underwrite any Company Common Units or participate as a member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or “participate in an offering” (within the meaning of the FINRA Rules) thereof, whether as a Holder of such Company Common Units or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company shall, upon the reasonable request of such Broker-Dealer, comply with any such reasonable request of such Broker-Dealer in complying with the FINRA Rules.

(o) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Company Common Units covered by the Shelf Registration Statement.

4. Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their obligations under Sections 2 and 3 hereof and the Holders of Company Common Units and the Representative shall bear all expenses incurred by them in connection with any sale of Company Common Units pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

5. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder and the directors, officers, employees, Affiliates and agents of each such Holder and each person who controls any such Holder within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Shelf Registration Statement as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the party claiming indemnification specifically for inclusion therein.

 

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The Company also agrees to provide customary indemnities to, and to contribute as provided in Section 5(d) hereof to Losses of, any underwriters of the Registrable Securities, their officers, directors, employees, Affiliates and agents and each Person who controls such underwriters (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders of Registrable Securities.

(b) Each Holder of securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (including each Initial Purchaser that is a Holder, in such capacity) severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the Company’s directors, each of the Company’s officers who signs the Shelf Registration Statement and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each such Holder, but only with reference to written information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity.

This indemnity agreement shall be acknowledged by each Notice Holder that is not an Initial Purchaser in such Notice Holder’s Notice and Questionnaire and shall be in addition to any liability that any such Notice Holder may otherwise have.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 5 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it has been materially prejudiced through the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses; and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any action shall be brought against an indemnified party and it shall have notified the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel (including local counsel) of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel, other than local counsel if not appointed by the indemnifying party, retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel (including local counsel) to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or

 

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potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the initiation of such action; or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate law firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified persons. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.

(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, then each applicable indemnifying party shall have a joint and several obligation to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, liability, damage or action) (collectively “Losses”) to which such indemnified party may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by such indemnifying party, on the one hand, and such indemnified party, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement and the Shelf Registration Statement which resulted in such Losses; provided, however, that in no case shall any Initial Purchaser be responsible, in the aggregate, for any amount in excess of the purchase discount or commission applicable to the Notes, as set forth in the Final Memorandum, nor shall any underwriter be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the securities purchased by such underwriter under the Shelf Registration Statement which resulted in such Losses. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of such indemnifying party, on the one hand, and such indemnified party, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the Initial Placement (before deducting expenses) as set forth in the Final Memorandum. Benefits received by the Initial Purchasers shall be deemed to be equal to the total purchase discounts and commissions as set forth in the Final Memorandum, and benefits received by any other Holders shall be deemed to be equal to the value of receiving Company Common Units registered under the Act.

 

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Benefits received by any underwriter shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus forming a part of the Shelf Registration Statement which resulted in such Losses. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the indemnifying party, on the one hand, or by the indemnified party, on the other hand, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 5, each person who controls a Holder within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of such Holder shall have the same rights to contribution as such Holder, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Shelf Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

(e) The provisions of this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Holder or the Company or any of the indemnified persons referred to in this Section 5, and shall survive the sale by a Holder of securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement.

6. Underwritten Registrations.

(a) In no event will the method of distribution of Registrable Securities take the form of an underwritten offering without the prior written consent of the Company. Consent may be conditioned on waivers of any of the obligations in Section 3, Section 4 or Section 5 hereof.

(b) If any Registrable Securities are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the Managing Underwriters shall be selected by the Company.

(c) No person may participate in any underwritten offering pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement unless such person: (i) agrees to sell such person’s Registrable Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company; and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

 

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7. Registration Defaults. If any of the following events shall occur as a result of the Company’s failure to satisfy its obligations hereunder (each, a “Registration Default”), then the Company shall pay additional interest on the Notes (“Additional Interest”) to the Holders as follows:

(a) if the Shelf Registration Statement has not been filed with the Commission and become or declared effective, as the case may be, on or prior to the 365th day after the Closing Date, then commencing on the 366th day after the Closing Date, Additional Interest shall accrue on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including the 366th day after the Closing Date and 0.50% per annum thereafter; or

(b) if the Shelf Registration Statement has been declared or becomes effective but ceases to be effective or usable for the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities, other than (i) in connection with a Deferral Period or (ii) as a result of a requirement to file a post-effective amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to make changes to the information regarding selling securityholders or the plan of distribution provided for therein, at any time during the Shelf Registration Period and the Company does not cure the lapse of effectiveness or usability within 10 Business Days (or, if a Deferral Period is then in effect and subject to the 10-Business Day filing requirement and the proviso regarding the filing of post-effective amendments in Section 2(d) with respect to any Notice and Questionnaire received during such period, within 10 Business Days following the expiration of such Deferral Period or period permitted pursuant to Section 2(d)), then Additional Interest shall accrue on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including the day following such 10th Business Day and 0.50% per annum thereafter; or

(c) if the Company through its omission fails to name a Holder as a selling securityholder and such selling securityholder had complied timely with its obligations hereunder in a manner to entitle such selling securityholder to be so named in (i) the Shelf Registration Statement at the time it first became effective or (ii) any Prospectus at the later of time of filing thereof or the time the Shelf Registration Statement of which the Prospectus forms a part becomes effective, then Additional Interest shall accrue, on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes held by such Holder, at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including the day following the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement or the time of filing of such Prospectus, as the case may be, and 0.50% per annum thereafter, until such selling securityholder is so named; or

(d) if the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any period exceeds the number of days permitted in respect of such period pursuant to Section 3(i) hereof, then commencing on the day the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in any period exceeds the number of days permitted in respect of such period, Additional Interest shall accrue on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90 days from and including such date, and 0.50% per annum thereafter;

 

13


provided, however, that (1) upon the filing and effectiveness (whether upon such filing or otherwise) of the Shelf Registration Statement (in the case of paragraph (a) above), (2) upon such time as the Shelf Registration Statement which had ceased to remain effective or usable for resales again becomes effective and usable for resales (in the case of paragraph (b) above), (3) upon the time such Holder is permitted to sell its Registrable Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement and Prospectus in accordance with applicable law (in the case of paragraph (c) above), (4) upon the termination of the Deferral Period that caused the limit on the aggregate duration of Deferral Periods in a period set forth in 3(i) to be exceeded (in the case of paragraph (d) above), or (5) in any case, notwithstanding the preceding clauses (1) through (4), upon the earlier of the two dates provided in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 2(b), Additional Interest shall cease to accrue.

Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to this Section 7 will be payable in cash on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (as defined in the Indenture) to Holders entitled to receive such Additional Interest on the relevant record dates for the payment of Additional Interest. If any Note ceases to be outstanding during any period for which Additional Interest is accruing, the Company will prorate the Additional Interest payable with respect to such Note.

The Additional Interest rate on the Notes shall not exceed in the aggregate 0.50% per annum and shall not be payable under more than one clause above for any given period of time, except that if Additional Interest would be payable because of more than one Registration Default, but at a rate of 0.25% per annum under one Registration Default and at a rate of 0.50% per annum under the other, then the Additional Interest rate shall be the higher rate of 0.50% per annum.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, in no event shall interest, including Additional Interest, accrue to holders of Company Common Units issued upon conversion of Notes, except in the case of Notes that are surrendered for conversion after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 1, 2026, or, if the Company has specified a Fundamental Change Purchase Date (as defined in the Indenture) that is after a Regular Record Date (as defined in the Indenture) and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date (as defined in the Indenture) and such Notes are surrendered for conversion after such Regular Record Date and on or prior to such Interest Payment Date.

8. No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into, and agrees not to enter into, any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the registration rights granted to the Holders herein or that otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

9. Rule 144A and Rule 144. So long as any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, the Company shall file the reports required to be filed by it under Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will, upon the written request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A of the Act. Each of the Company and the Guarantor covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A (including, without limitation, the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). Upon the written request of any Holder of Registrable Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 9 shall be deemed to require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

14


10. Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the approval of the Company Common Units for listing on the New York Stock Exchange or another U.S. national stock exchange.

11. Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, qualified, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities; provided that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of any Initial Purchaser hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of each such Initial Purchaser against which such amendment, qualification, modification, supplement, waiver or consent is to be effective; provided, further, that no amendment, qualification, modification, supplement, waiver or consent with respect to Section 7 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder; and provided, further, that the provisions of this Section 11 may not be amended, qualified, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the Company has obtained the written consent of the Initial Purchasers and each Holder.

12. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first class mail, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:

(a) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such holder to the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Notice and Questionnaire; provided, that notices and other communications to Holders of Notes held in global form may be provided through the applicable procedures of the Depositary.

(b) if to the Initial Purchasers or the Representative, initially at the address or addresses set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and

(c) if to the Company, initially at its address set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

The Initial Purchasers or the Company by notice to the other parties may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, notices given to Holders holding in book-entry form may be given through the facilities of the Depositary.

 

15


13. Remedies. Each Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided to it herein, in the Indenture or in the Purchase Agreement or granted by law, including recovery of liquidated or other damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by them of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive in any action for specific performance the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

14. Successors. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns, including, without the need for an express assignment or any consent by the Company thereto, subsequent Holders, and the indemnified persons referred to in Section 5 hereof. The Company hereby agrees to extend the benefits of this Agreement to any Holder, and any such Holder may specifically enforce the provisions of this Agreement as if an original party hereto.

15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

16. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation hereof.

17. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The parties hereto each hereby waive any right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

18. Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstances, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired or affected thereby, it being intended that all of the rights and privileges of the parties shall be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

19. Company Common Units Held by the Company, etc. Whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Company Common Units is required hereunder, Company Common Units held by the Company or its Affiliates (other than subsequent Holders of Company Common Units if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be Affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Company Common Units) shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage.

 

16


Very truly yours,
NEXTERA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
By:  

/s/ Rebecca J. Kujawa

  Name: Rebecca J. Kujawa
  Title: President

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
By:  

/s/ Agha Murtaza

  Name: Agha Murtaza
  Title: Director/Authorized Signatory

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables (1)

Form S-3

(Form Type)

NextEra Energy Partners, LP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities and Carry Forward Securities

 

                         
    

Security

type

  Security
class
title
  Fee
calculation
or carry
forward
rule
  Amount
registered (1)
 

Proposed
maximum
offering
price per

unit (2)

 

Maximum
aggregate
offering

price

 

Fee

rate

 

Amount of
registration

fee

  Carry
forward
form
type
  Carry
forward
file
number
  Carry
forward
initial
effective
date
 

Filing fee
previously paid
in connection
with

unsold
securities
to be

carried
forward

 
Newly Registered Securities
                         
Fees to Be Paid   Limited
partnership
interests
  Common units representing limited partner interests   Other   6,320,300   $24.895   $157,343.868.50   0.00014760   $23,223.95          
                         
Fees Previously Paid                          
 
Carry Forward Securities
                         
Carry Forward Securities                        
                   
    Total Offering Amount     $157,343.868.50      $23,223.95          
                   
    Total Fees Previously Paid                  
                   
    Total Fee Offsets                  
                   
   

Net Fee Due

              $23,223.95                

 

(1)

Registers for resale common units that may be issued upon conversion of NextEra Energy Partners, LP’s 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”) based on the maximum number of common units that may be deliverable upon the conversion of the Notes. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant is also registering such additional indeterminate number of common units as may be issued from time to time to prevent dilution resulting from common unit splits, common unit distributions, or similar transactions with respect to the common units.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 on the basis of the average of the high and low prices for the registrant’s common units as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on November 9, 2023.


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