DESCRIPTION OF NEE GUARANTEE OF
NEE CAPITAL SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
General. This section briefly summarizes some of the provisions of the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of June 1, 1999, between NEE,
as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as guarantee trustee, referred to in this prospectus as the “Guarantee Trustee.” The Guarantee Agreement, referred to in this prospectus as the “Guarantee Agreement,” was
executed for the benefit of the Indenture Trustee, which holds the Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of registered owners of the Senior Debt Securities covered by the Guarantee Agreement. This summary does not contain a complete description of the
Guarantee Agreement. You should read this summary together with the Guarantee Agreement for a complete understanding of all the provisions. The Guarantee Agreement has previously been filed with the SEC and is an exhibit to the registration
statement filed with the SEC of which this prospectus is a part. In addition, the Guarantee Agreement is qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and therefore subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of
1939. You should read the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 for a complete understanding of its provisions.
Under the Guarantee Agreement,
NEE absolutely, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees the prompt and full payment, when due and payable (including upon acceleration, redemption or stated maturity), of the principal, interest and premium, if any, on the Senior Debt Securities
that are covered by the Guarantee Agreement to the registered owners of those Senior Debt Securities, according to the terms of those Senior Debt Securities and the Indenture. Pursuant to the Guarantee Agreement, all of the Senior Debt Securities
are covered by the Guarantee Agreement except Senior Debt Securities that by their terms are expressly not entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee Agreement. All of the Offered Senior Debt Securities will be covered by the Guarantee Agreement. This
guarantee is referred to in this prospectus as the “Guarantee.” NEE is only required to make these payments if NEE Capital fails to pay or provide for punctual payment of any of those amounts on or before the expiration of any applicable
grace periods. (Guarantee Agreement, Section 5.01). In the Guarantee Agreement, NEE has waived its right to require the Guarantee Trustee, the Indenture Trustee or the registered owners of Senior Debt Securities covered by the Guarantee
Agreement to exhaust their remedies against NEE Capital prior to bringing suit against NEE. (Guarantee Agreement, Section 5.06).
The
Guarantee is a guarantee of payment when due (i.e., the guaranteed party may institute a legal proceeding directly against NEE to enforce its rights under the Guarantee Agreement without first instituting a legal proceeding against any other person
or entity). The Guarantee is not a guarantee of collection. (Guarantee Agreement, Section 5.01).
Except as otherwise stated in the
related prospectus supplement, the covenants in the Guarantee Agreement would not give registered owners of the Senior Debt Securities covered by the Guarantee Agreement protection in the event of a
highly-leveraged transaction involving NEE.
Security and Ranking. The Guarantee is an
unsecured obligation of NEE and will rank equally and ratably with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of NEE. There is no limit on the amount of other indebtedness, including guarantees, that NEE may incur or issue.
While NEE is a holding company that derives substantially all of its income from its operating subsidiaries, NEE’s subsidiaries are
separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to make any payments under the Guarantee Agreement or to make any funds available for such payment. Therefore, the Guarantee effectively is subordinated to all indebtedness and other
liabilities, including trade payables, debt and preferred stock, incurred or issued by NEE’s subsidiaries. In addition to trade liabilities, many of NEE’s operating subsidiaries incur debt in order to finance their business activities.
All of this indebtedness will effectively be senior to the Guarantee. Neither the Indenture nor the Guarantee Agreement places any limit on the amount of liabilities, including debt or preferred stock, that NEE’s subsidiaries may issue,
guarantee or incur.
Events of Default. An event of default under the Guarantee Agreement will occur upon the failure of NEE to
perform any of its payment obligations under the Guarantee Agreement. (Guarantee Agreement, Section 1.01).
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