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LOY YANG B ACT 1992 - SCHEDULE 1

SCHEDULE 1

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STATE AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made the

1992

BETWEEN:

The Honourable David White in his capacity as Minister for Manufacturing and Industry Development, for and on behalf of the State of Victoria (the "State"); and

State Electricity Commission of Victoria, a body corporate established by the State Electricity Commission Act 1958 ("SECV");

Loy Yang B Power Station Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 052 530 551) of Monash House, 15 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria ("LYBPS"); and Victorian Power Station Investments Pty Ltd, (A.C.N. 054 752 377) of 7th Floor, 228 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, Victoria ("VPSI"); and Mission Energy Australia Pty Ltd (A.C.N. 055 563 785) of Level 37, 101 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria for and on behalf of the Latrobe Power Partnership ("LPP"), A Limited Partnership of which Mission Energy Australia Pty Ltd is a general partner.

(LYBPS, VPSI and LPP are referred to in this Agreement as the "Participants", which term includes their respective successors and permitted assigns under this Agreement).

WHEREAS:

A.     SECV is currently constructing the Power Station on its own behalf at Loy Yang near Traralgon in the State of Victoria.

B.     The Participants intend to form an unincorporated joint venture to acquire, construct, commission, test, operate, maintain and decommission the Power Station.

C.     The Participants are negotiating a number of agreements relating to or connected with the Power Station.

D.     The Participants have requested the State to provide certain undertakings and assurances relating to the Power Station.

E.     Recognising the benefits to the State from the involvement of the Participants in the completion and operation of the Power Station, the State has agreed to provide those undertakings and assurances in accordance with and subject to the terms of this Agreement.

NOW IT IS AGREED as follows:

        1.     INTERPRETATION

1.1         Definitions

In this Agreement unless the contrary intention appears:

"Coal Supply Agreement" means the agreement pursuant to which SECV is to maintain a capability to supply and, as requested by the Participants, is to supply brown coal from the open cut mine at Loy Yang in accordance with appropriate quantity and quality limits, for use in the Power Station, and the Participants are to pay SECV for maintaining the supply capability and for the coal used;

"Commonwealth" means the Commonwealth of Australia and includes the Government for the time being thereof;
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"Completion of Construction Agreement" means the construction agreement pursuant to which SECV, as independent contractor for the Participants, is to complete construction of the Power Station (including the first generating unit of approximately 500 megawatts scheduled for completion in the second half of calendar year 1993 and the second generating unit of approximately 500 megawatts scheduled for completion in the second half of calendar year 1996);

"Council" has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 1989 ;

"Joint Venture" means the unincorporated joint venture to be formed between the Participants pursuant to the Joint Venture Agreement;

"Joint Venture Agreement" means the agreement providing for the establishment of an unincorporated joint venture for the purpose of acquiring (as tenants in common in undivided shares), operating and maintaining the Power Station, regulating the rights, interests and obligations of the Participants, providing for the establishment of a management committee to oversee the operations of the joint venture, establishing the basis upon which disputes in relation to the joint venture are to be resolved and regulating financial arrangements between the Participants in relation to the joint venture;

"Loy Yang B Act" means the Act authorising and ratifying the execution of this Agreement by the State;

"Minister" means the Minister of the State for the time being responsible for administering the Loy Yang B Act;

"Miscellaneous Services Agreement" means the agreement pursuant to which, among other things, SECV is to supply or provide certain services and supplies (including electrical energy, ash disposal, saline waste disposal, neutralised chemical waste disposal, low quality water, high quality water, gas, auxiliary fuel, drainage and sewage disposal) in connection with the operation of the Power Station and which is to establish rights of access and easements to facilitate access to and from the Power Station and adjoining land for the purposes of supplying these goods and services;
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"Operating and Maintenance Agreement" means the agreement pursuant to which Mission Energy Management Australia Pty Ltd is to be appointed by the Participants to operate and maintain the Power Station on their behalf in accordance with prescribed performance standards, planned annual performance levels, and budgets and programs which have been approved by the management committee established under the Joint Venture Agreement;

"Operator" means the operator appointed under the Operating and Maintenance Agreement;

"Permit" includes a permit, licence, consent, approval, exemption, permission or other authorisation;

"Power Station" means the coal fired power station of approximately 1000 megawatts at Loy Yang near Traralgon and known as Loy Yang B and related facilities;

"Power Supply Agreement" means the agreement pursuant to which the Participants will maintain a capability to supply electricity from the Power Station to SECV, and the Participants will supply electricity to SECV as it requires, and SECV will pay to the Participants a capability charge referable to the capability to supply maintained by the Participants and an energy charge referable to electricity supplied by the Participants to SECV;

"Project" means the acquisition, construction, commissioning, testing, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the Power Station and the sale and supply of electricity in accordance with the Project Agreements and all ancillary or related activities;

"Project Agreements" means the Joint Venture Agreement, Operating and Maintenance Agreement, Sale of Assets Agreement, Completion of Construction Agreement, Power Supply Agreement, Coal Supply Agreement and Miscellaneous Services Agreement;

"Sale of Assets Agreement" means the agreement pursuant to which, among other things, the Power Station (to the extent constructed), the land on which the Power Station is being constructed and various related fixtures and completed chattels will be sold by SECV to the Participants, as tenants in common in accordance with their respective shares in the joint venture, for a price specified;
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"statutory body" means any body constituted by or under a State or Commonwealth Act for a public purpose;

"taxes" means taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, rates, charges, withholdings and duties (including, but not limited to, stamp and transaction duties), together with any related interest, penalties, fines and other charges, imposed under any Act.

1.2         Interpretation

(a)     In this Agreement unless the contrary intention appears:

(i)     a reference to this Agreement or another instrument includes any variation or replacement of either of them;

(ii)     a reference to a statute, ordinance, code or other law includes regulations and other instruments under it and consolidations, amendments, re-enactments or replacements of any of them;

(iii)     the singular includes the plural and vice versa;

(iv)     one gender includes the other genders;

(v)     the word "person" includes a firm, a body corporate, an unincorporated association or an authority; and

(vi)     a reference to a person includes a reference to the person's executors, administrators, successors, substitutes (including, but not limited to, persons taking by novation) and permitted assigns.

(b)     In interpreting this Agreement, a construction that would promote the purpose or object underlying this Agreement must be preferred to a construction that would not promote that purpose or object.

1.3     Appointment of Operator

(a)     The parties acknowledge that each Participant has authorised and designated the Operator to act, or will cause the Operator to be authorised and designated to act, as its representative on its behalf for those purposes of this Agreement specified in paragraph (b). A Participant is bound by any act or decision made on its behalf by the Operator within the scope of its authority as specified under or in accordance with paragraph (b). A Participant may at any time by notice to the State revoke or vary the authorisation with respect to all or any of the purposes specified under or in accordance with paragraph (b).
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(b)     The purposes referred to in paragraph (a) are:

(i)     the provision of copies of documents to the Minister under Clauses 3.1 and 3.2;

(ii)     the seeking of approvals from the Minister under Clause 5;

(iii)     the making of requests under Clauses 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4; and

(iv)     any other purpose specified by notice in writing by a Participant to the Minister and each other Participant.

1.4     Rights and obligations of each Participant under this Agreement are several and no Participant is responsible for the obligations of any other Participant.

        2.     CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

2.1     Clauses 1, 2 and 3 take effect on the date of this Agreement.

2.2     Subject to Clause 2.6, the remainder of this Agreement does not come into effect until:

(a)     each of the Project Agreements, in a form acceptable to the Minister, has been executed;

(b)     an agreement or agreements between the Participants (or the Operator on behalf of the Participants) and the union or unions whose members are to be employed at the Power Station has been executed; and

(c)     the Minister has received confirmation in form and substance satisfactory to the Minister that financial accommodation to be obtained by the Participants (other than a Participant which is a statutory body or a Participant all of the shares in which are owned, directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of a statutory body or by or on behalf of the State) for the purposes of the Project and equity to be provided for the purposes of the Project will not be included in the State's global limit allocations by the Australian Loan Council.

2.3 (a)     Each party will use all reasonable endeavours to promptly obtain the fulfilment of the condition precedent described in Clause 2.2(a).

(b)     Each Participant will use all reasonable endeavours to promptly obtain the fulfilment of the condition precedent described in Clause 2.2(b).
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(c)     The Minister will use all reasonable endeavours to promptly obtain the fulfilment of the condition precedent described in Clause 2.2(c).

2.4     If each condition in Clause 2.2 is not completely fulfilled or waived on or before 30 June 1992, or by a later date agreed to by each party before 30 June 1992, then this Agreement may be terminated by a party after the relevant date on giving 30 days written notice to each other party.

2.5     If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Clause 2.4 none of the parties shall have any claim against any other of them with respect to any matter or thing arising out of, done or omitted to be done or performed under this Agreement (other than a claim arising under clause 2.3).

2.6     The condition precedent described in Clause 2.2(c) may be waived in whole or in part by the Minister and any other condition precedent described in Clause 2.2 may be waived with the consent of all parties to this Agreement.

        3.     MINISTER'S COPIES OF AGREEMENTS AND VARIATIONS

3.1     Promptly after executing any Project Agreement the Participants will ensure that an accurate copy of it is given to the Minister.

3.2     Promptly after executing any variation to or modification or replacement of any Project Agreement the Participants will ensure that an accurate copy of the variation, modification or replacement is given to the Minister.

        4.     OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATE

4.1     Procurement of goods and services

If any goods or services for the purposes of the Project are required to be supplied to SECV, the Participants or the Operator by any agent or instrument of the Commonwealth or the State, statutory body or Council, the State will, if requested to do so by SECV, the Participants or by the Operator on behalf of the Participants:

(a)     make representations to the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council for the supply of those goods or services; and
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(b)     endeavour to procure (but without any obligation to pay for or to subsidise) the timely supply of those goods or services by the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which at the time apply generally to the provision of such goods or services by the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council.

4.2     Grants of interests in Crown land

The State must grant or cause to be granted to SECV or the Participants at the request of or on behalf of any of them such interest in such Crown land as the Minister determines is:

(a)     necessary for the purposes of the Project; and

(b)     not required or reasonably likely to be required by the State for any purpose (including, without limitation, its sale),

on terms and conditions which are reasonable in all the circumstances.

4.3     Issue and procurement of Government permits

If any Permit is required by SECV, the Participants, the Operator or any other person from the Commonwealth or the State or any agent or instrument of the Commonwealth or the State, statutory body or Council for the purposes of the Project and the person requiring such Permit has made due application for the permit to be granted or to be reissued, renewed or extended (as the case may be), the State will, if requested to do so by SECV, the Participants or by the Operator on behalf of the Participants:

(a)     if the Permit is required from the State, if reasonable to do so and consistent with any requirements generally applicable to the granting, reissue, renewal or extension of such a Permit, promptly grant, reissue, renew or extend the Permit; and

(b)     if the Permit is required from the Commonwealth or an agent or instrument of the Commonwealth or the State, a statutory body or Council:

(i)     make representations to the Commonwealth or the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council for the grant, reissue, renewal or extension of the Permit; and
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(ii)     endeavour to procure (but without any obligation to pay for or to subsidise) the timely grant of the Permit by the Commonwealth or the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which at the time apply generally to the granting, reissue, renewal or extension of such a Permit by the Commonwealth or the relevant agent, instrument, statutory body or Council.

4.4     Representations to Commonwealth

If requested to do so by SECV, the Participants (or by the Operator on behalf of the Participants), the State will make representations to the Commonwealth with respect to the removal by the Commonwealth of any adverse effect caused by Commonwealth policies or actions or likely to be caused by proposed Commonwealth policies or actions on:

(a)     the progress or cost of construction of the Power Station;

(b)     the operation or maintenance of the Power Station;

(c)     the legal rights of, or economic benefits to, the Participants under this Agreement and the Project Agreements; or

(d)     the formation or operation of the Joint Venture.


4.5     Non-discrimination

(a)     The State will not take or continue and will not authorise or (insofar as it is competent to do so) permit any agent, instrument or statutory body of the State, or Council, to take or continue any action or combination of actions (including the imposition of any taxes or the making of any local laws) which—

(i)     as between—

(A)     the Power Station or the rights, benefits or obligations of any Participant in relation to the Power Station; and

(B)     other power stations and related facilities for the generation of electricity located in the State or the rights, benefits or obligations of the proprietors of those other power stations and related facilities—

is discriminatory to a material extent in respect of—
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(C)     income, titles, property or other assets;

(D)     products, by-products, materials or services used or produced by, or through the operation of, the Power Station; or

(E)     the generation, disposal or sale of electricity produced by the Power Station;

(ii)     modifies or reduces the rights or adds to the obligations of the Participants or the Operator under this Agreement or any Project Agreement in a way which is discriminatory; or

(iii)     adds to the rights of the State, or of any body all the shares in which are owned (directly or indirectly) by or on behalf of the State and which is a party to a joint venture or partnership relating to the Power Station, under this Agreement or any Project Agreement in a way which is discriminatory; or

(iv)     in the case of a local law, modifies or reduces the rights or adds to the obligations which the Participants or the Operator have at the date of this Agreement in a way which is discriminatory.

(b)     Without limitation, the matters set out below must be taken into account in determining whether taking, or continuing an action or combination of actions contravenes paragraph (a)(i), (ii) or (iii):

(i)     the purpose of the action or combination of actions; and

(ii)     the effect or potential effect of the action or combination of actions, including:

(a)     whether the Power Station or the rights, benefits or obligations of the Participants in relation to the Power Station is or are the only thing or things affected or potentially affected; and

(b)     whether in the same circumstances other power stations and related facilities located in the State or the rights, benefits or obligations of the proprietors of those other power stations and related facilities would be affected or potentially affected; and
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        (c)     For the avoidance of doubt, each party to this Agreement acknowledges that:

              (i)     the exercise of a right conferred on a person by this Agreement or a Project Agreement, or the performance or satisfaction of an obligation imposed on a person by this Agreement or a Project Agreement, does not contravene paragraphs (a)(i), (ii) or (iii); and

              (ii)     if an action or combination of actions is not directed at affecting the Power Station or affecting, modifying or reducing the rights or benefits or adding to the obligations of a Participant in relation to the Power Station but, as a result solely of SECV or another body being a statutory body of the State, that action or combination of actions affects or potentially affects the Power Station or affects, modifies or reduces or potentially affects, modifies or reduces the rights or benefits or adds to or potentially adds to the obligations of a Participant in relation to the Power Station in a way that is different to its effect or potential effect on other power stations and related facilities owned by SECV or another statutory body or the rights, benefits or obligations of SECV or another statutory body as proprietor of those other power stations and related facilities, then that action or combination of actions does not contravene paragraphs (a)(i), (ii) or (iii).

4.6     Clause 4.5 does not prevent or restrict the State, SECV or any agent, instrument or statutory body of the State, or Council, taking any action or combination of actions which is or involves:

(a)     a sale, lease or other disposal of all or part of any interest in:

(i)     a power station or the Power Station; or

(ii)     facilities associated with the generation by, or supply, transmission or distribution of electricity from, a power station,

on terms different to those contained in a contract;

(b)     the supply of products, by-products, materials or services used or produced by, or through the operation of, a power station on terms different to those contained in a contract;
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(c)     the sale, purchase or supply of electricity from a power station on terms different to those contained in a contract; or

(d)     the issue of a Permit in respect of a power station which Permit is subject to conditions different to the conditions applying to an equivalent Permit issued in respect of the Power Station,

and the taking of an action or combination of actions described in paragraphs (a)–(d) does not contravene Clause 4.5.

4.7     In Clause 4.6:

(a)     "power station" means a power station for the generation of electricity other than the Power Station; and

(b)     "contract" means a Project Agreement, this Agreement or any other agreement entered into for the purposes of the Project by the Operator or by one or more Participants.

        5.     LIABILITY OF THE STATE

A variation, modification or replacement of a Project Agreement after the date of this Agreement does not vary, modify or reduce the rights or add to the obligations of the State under this Agreement unless that variation, modification or replacement has been approved for the purposes of this Agreement by notice in writing by the Minister.

        6.     ASSIGNMENT

6.1 (a)     Rights under this Agreement or any part of this Agreement cannot be assigned, mortgaged, charged, disposed of or otherwise dealt with by a Participant except as provided in this Clause;

(b)     An assignment, mortgage, charge, disposition or other dealing with rights under this Agreement or any part of this Agreement other than as provided in this Clause is void.

6.2     A Participant may assign, mortgage, charge, dispose of or otherwise deal with its rights under this Agreement or any part of this Agreement with the prior written consent of the Minister.

6.3     A Participant may mortgage or charge its rights under this Agreement or any part of this Agreement:
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(a)     in favour of any other party to a Project Agreement to secure the performance by that Participant of its obligations under that Project Agreement; and

(b)     in favour of any other person to secure the payment or repayment of (or satisfaction of reimbursement obligations with respect to) financial accommodation provided to or for the benefit of that Participant for the purpose, directly or indirectly, of financing or refinancing costs of acquiring, holding, developing or maintaining that Participant's interest in the Project—

subject to that Participant first procuring the mortgagee or chargee to enter into a deed of covenant in favour of the Minister (in such form as the Minister reasonably requires) pursuant to which the mortgagee or chargee agrees that, in the exercise of any power of sale or other power of enforcement contained in the instrument creating the mortgage or charge or conferred by law, the mortgagee or chargee will be bound to comply with the provisions of this Clause 6.

6.4     A Participant may assign, dispose of or otherwise deal with its rights under this Agreement or any part of this Agreement to an assignee or disponee of its rights or an equivalent part of its rights under the Joint Venture Agreement subject to that Participant first procuring the assignee or disponee to enter into a deed of covenant in favour of the Minister (in such form as the Minister reasonably requires) pursuant to which the assignee or disponee agrees to be bound by this Agreement as if named as a party to this Agreement in place of that Participant from which its interest is derived to the extent of the interest assigned, disposed of or otherwise dealt with.

6.5     The Minister may require as a condition to the granting of consent under Clause 6.2 that a Participant procure the execution by the assignee, mortgagee, chargee, disponee or other relevant person of a deed of covenant in favour of and in such form as the Minister reasonably requires:
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(a)     in the case of a mortgagee or chargee, pursuant to which the mortgagee or chargee agrees that, in the exercise of any power of sale or power of enforcement contained in the instrument creating the mortgage or charge or conferred by law, the mortgagee or chargee will be bound to comply with the provisions of this Clause 6; or

(b)     in the case of an assignee, disponee or other relevant person, pursuant to which the assignee, disponee or other relevant person agrees to be bound by this Agreement as if named as a party to this Agreement in place of the Participant from which its interest is derived to the extent of the interest assigned, disposed of or otherwise dealt with.

6.6     A Participant which has assigned, disposed of or otherwise dealt with its rights under this Agreement in accordance with this Clause will be released from its obligations under this Agreement to the extent of the interest so assigned, disposed of or otherwise dealt with.

        7.     TERMINATION

7.1     If a Participant goes into liquidation (other than a voluntary liquidation for the purpose of reconstruction) and there is a failure by that Participant to observe a financial obligation under the Joint Venture Agreement which failure is not cured within 90 days, the State may by notice in writing given to that Participant terminate the obligations of the State to that Participant under this Agreement. Termination under this Clause does not prejudice any right, obligation or liability of the State, that Participant or any other Participant then accrued or incurred under this Agreement and does not prejudice any right, obligation or liability of the State or other Participant thereafter arising under this Agreement.

7.2     The State may by notice in writing to the Participants terminate this Agreement at any time after the Power Supply Agreement has been terminated (whether by effluxion of time or otherwise) or discharged, but such termination will be without prejudice to any right, obligation or liability of the State or a Participant then accrued or incurred under this Agreement.

        8.     NOTICES

8.1     A notice, approval, consent or other communication in connection with this Agreement:
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(a)     must be in writing; and

(b)     must be left at the address or sent by registered post (airmail if posted to or from a place outside Australia) to the address notified by the addressee to each other party for the purposes of this Agreement or if the addressee notifies another address then to that address.

8.2     A notice, approval, consent or other communication takes effect from the time it is received unless a later time is specified in it.

8.3     A letter sent by registered post is taken to be received on the seventh (fourteenth, if posted to or from a place outside Australia) day after posting.

        9.     VARIATION OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement may from time to time be added to, substituted, cancelled or varied in accordance with section 9 of the Loy Yang B Act.

        10.     WAIVER

A provision or a right granted under this Agreement may not be waived except in writing signed by the party granting the waiver.

        11.     EXERCISE OF RIGHTS

A party may, subject to Clause 12, exercise a right, power or remedy at its discretion, and separately or concurrently with another right, power or remedy. A single or partial exercise of a right, power or remedy by a party does not prevent a further exercise of that or of any other right, power or remedy. Failure by a party to exercise or delay in exercising a right, power or remedy does not prevent its exercise.

        12.     APPROVALS AND CONSENTS

The Minister and each party must act reasonably in making a decision or giving or withholding approval or consent under any provision of this Agreement.

        13.     REMEDIES CUMULATIVE

The rights, powers and remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative with and not exclusive of the rights, powers or remedies provided by law independently of this Agreement.

        14.     FURTHER ASSURANCES

Each party agrees, at its own expense, to do everything reasonably necessary to give effect to this Agreement (if it is requested to do so by another party), including, but not limited to, the execution of documents.

        15.     GOVERNING LAW, JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS

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15.1     This Agreement is governed by the law in force in Victoria.

15.2     Each party irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria and courts of appeal from them for determining any dispute concerning this Agreement. Each party waives any right it has to object to any action being brought in those courts including, but not limited to, claiming that the action has been brought in an inconvenient forum or that those courts do not have jurisdiction.

15.3     Without preventing any other mode of service, any document in an action (including, but not limited to, any writ of summons or other originating process or any third or other party notice) may be served on any party by being delivered to or left for that party at its address for service of notices under Clause 8.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Agreement has been executed by the parties on the day and year first above written.

SIGNED by DAVID WHITE in the presence of:

THE COMMON SEAL of
STATE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION OF VICTORIA
was affixed in the presence of:

THE COMMON SEAL of
LOY YANG B POWER STATION PTY LTD
was affixed in the presence of:

THE COMMON SEAL of
VICTORIAN POWER STATION INVESTMENTS PTY LTD
was affixed in the presence of:

THE COMMON SEAL of
MISSION ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
was affixed in the presence of:
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