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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event
reported): December 3, 2024
EVERSOURCE ENERGY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Massachusetts |
|
001-05324 |
|
04-2147929 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
|
(Commission
File Number) |
|
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
300
Cadwell Drive, Springfield, Massachusetts, 01104 |
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(800) 286-5000
Registrant’s telephone number,
including area code
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed
since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K
filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see
General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under
the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under
the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of
the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
Common Shares, $5.00 par value per share |
ES |
New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth
company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of the chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of the chapter).
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Section 5 | Corporate Governance and Management |
| |
Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of
Certain Officers. |
(e) On
December 3, 2023, the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Trustees of Eversource Energy (“Eversource”)
approved an amendment to the Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Program to add the Eversource Supplemental Cash Balance Pension
Plan, effective January 1, 2025.
The Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement
Program, as amended to include the Eversource Supplemental Cash Balance Pension Plan, effective January 1, 2025, is attached hereto as
Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Section 9 | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused the report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
|
EVERSOURCE ENERGY
(Registrant) |
|
|
December 6, 2024 |
By: |
/s/ Jay S. Buth |
|
|
Jay S. Buth |
|
|
Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer |
Exhibit 10.1
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PROGRAM:
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NSTAR I)
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NSTAR II)
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NU)
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL
CASH BALANCE PENSION PLAN
January 1, 2025
Table
of Contents
Page
PART I INTRODUCTION; CLAIMS PROCEDURE |
1 |
|
|
PART II EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NSTAR
I) |
7 |
|
|
PART III EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NSTAR II) |
20 |
|
|
PART IV EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN (NU) |
30 |
|
|
PART V EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL CASH BALANCE PENSION PLAN |
49 |
PART I
INTRODUCTION; CLAIMS PROCEDURE
Article 1. INTRODUCTION
Eversource Energy Service Company (the “Company”)
has established the Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Program (the “SERP Program”) which comprises the following
supplemental retirement plans maintained by the Company. The Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NSTAR I), as restated
effective January 1, 2015, (the “NSTAR I Plan”) provides certain supplemental retirement payments for the benefit of
certain key executive employees. The Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NSTAR II), as restated effective January 1,
2015, (the “NSTAR II Plan”) is maintained for the benefit of certain key executives who participate in the Eversource Pension
Plan, as amended from time to time (the “Pension Plan”), and their beneficiaries. The Company and Northeast Utilities (“NU”),
Northeast Utilities Service Company (“NUSCO”), and certain other entities in which the Company holds, directly or indirectly,
more than a 50 percent voting interest also maintain the Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NU), as restated effective
January 1, 2015, (the “NU Plan”) to provide certain executives with supplemental retirement benefits in addition to
the retirement benefits provided under the Pension Plan. The Eversource Supplemental Cash Balance Pension Plan, as originally established
effective January 1, 2025 (“Supplemental Cash Balance Plan”), is maintained for the benefit of certain key executives
and their beneficiaries who participate in the cash balance components of the Eversource Pension Plan, as amended from time to time (the
“Pension Plan”) and referred to as the Eversource Cash Balance Pension Plan (the “Cash Balance Plan”).
This
SERP Program document (the “SERP Program Document”) is intended to consolidate the governing plan documents of each of the
NSTAR I Plan, the NSTAR II Plan, the NU Plan, and the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan (each, a “Plan,” and together, the “Plans”),
and comprises five constituent parts. Part I of the SERP Program Document provides a common introduction and a uniformly applicable
claims procedure, effective January 1, 2015, for the Plans except the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan for which it is effective January 1,
2025. Part I further provides common defined terms which shall have uniform applicability to each of the Plans except as may be
otherwise specifically provided in a Plan. The separate provisions of each of the NSTAR I Plan, the NSTAR II Plan, the NU Plan,
and the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan are set forth in Parts II, III, IV, and V, respectively, and each such Part shall
have separate applicability as therein provided.
Article 2. CLAIMS
PROCEDURE
2.1 Filing
a Claim for Benefits. A Participant or other person entitled to benefits under the Plans (or the authorized representative of
such Participant or other person) may make a claim for benefits by filing a request with the Senior Vice President – Human Resources
(or a successor executive of comparable position, to be identified by the Company) (the “Plan Administrator”). Such request
shall be made by such written, telephonic or electronic means as shall be prescribed by the Plan Administrator. All such claims must
be submitted within the "applicable limitations period." The "applicable limitations period" shall be six (6) years,
beginning on (a) in the case of any payment, the date on which the payment was made, or (b) for all other claims, the date
on which the action complained of occurred. Additionally, upon denial of an appeal pursuant to Section 2.4, a Participant or such
other person shall have six (6) years within which to bring suit against the applicable Plan for any claim related to such denied
appeal; any such suit initiated after such six (6) year period shall be precluded.
2.2 Notice
of Denial of Claim. If a claim is wholly or partially denied, the Plan Administrator shall furnish the claimant with written
or electronic notification of the adverse benefit determination. Any electronic notification shall comply with the standards imposed
by 29 C.F.R. Section 2520.104(b)-1(c)(1)(i)-(iv). The notification shall be set forth in a manner calculated to be understood by
the claimant:
(a) the
specific reason or reasons for the adverse benefit determination;
(b) reference
to the specific provisions of the applicable Plan on which the determination is based;
(c) a
description of any additional material or information necessary for the claimant to perfect his or her claim and an explanation of why
such material or information is necessary; and
(d) a
description of the Plans’ procedures for review of an adverse benefit determination and the time limits applicable to such procedures,
including a statement of the claimant's right to bring a civil action under Section 502(a) of ERISA following an adverse benefit
determination on review.
Such notification shall be furnished to the claimant
within ninety (90) days after receipt of his or her claim unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing such
claim. If an extension of time for processing is required, the Plan Administrator shall, prior to the termination of the initial ninety
(90)-day period, furnish the claimant with written notice indicating the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the
date by which the Plan Administrator expects to render the benefit determination. In no event shall an extension exceed a period of ninety
(90) days from the end of the initial ninety (90)-day period.
2.3 Appeal
of Denied Claim. A claimant or his or her authorized representative may appeal an adverse benefit determination by filing a written
request for review with the Advisory Committee (as such term is defined in the Eversource 401(k) Plan, formerly named the Northeast
Utilities Service Company 401k Plan) within sixty (60) days after receipt by the claimant of the notification of such adverse benefit
determination. A claimant or his or her duly authorized representative:
(a) may
submit to the Advisory Committee written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to the claim for benefits; and
(b) shall
be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant
to the claimant's claim for benefits.
The Advisory Committee's review of any adverse
benefit determination shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the claimant or his
or her authorized representative relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the
initial benefit determination.
2.4 Decision
on Appeal. The Advisory Committee shall provide the claimant with written or electronic notification of the benefit determination
on review not later than sixty (60) days after receipt of a request for review unless special circumstances require an extension of time
for processing. Any electronic notification shall comply with the standards imposed by 29 C.F.R. Section 2520.104b-1(c)(1)(i)-(iv).
If an extension of time for processing is required, the Advisory Committee shall, prior to the termination of the initial sixty (60)
-day period, furnish the claimant with written notice indicating the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date
by which the Advisory Committee expects to render the determination on review. In no event shall such extension exceed a period of sixty
(60) days from the end of the initial 60-day period.
In the case of an adverse benefit determination,
the notification shall set forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, including specific references to the pertinent
applicable Plan provisions, the determinations, decisions and other actions of the Advisory Committee, as the Plan Administrator for
this specific purpose, taken in accordance with the provisions hereof, which shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties, including
the following:
(a) the
specific reason or reasons for the adverse determination;
(b) reference
to the specific provisions of the applicable Plan on which the determination is based;
(c) a
statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents,
records and other information relevant to the claimant's claim for benefits; and
(d) a
statement of the claimant's right to bring a civil action under Section 502(a) of ERISA.
|
Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NSTAR I)
|
|
|
|
Effective January 1, 2015 |
PART II
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT
PLAN (NSTAR I)
INTRODUCTION
The NSTAR I Plan (formerly named the NSTAR Supplemental
Retirement Plan I and NSTAR Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan) is maintained by the Company to provide certain supplemental retirement
payments for the benefit of certain key executive employees as described herein. The Plan consists of two parts: Part A, which is
the Eversource 409A Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan I (the “409A Plan”), and Part B, which is the Plan as restated
effective August 25, 1999 and as in effect on October 3, 2004 (the “Grandfathered Plan”). The 409APlan was sponsored
by NSTAR until April 10, 2012, when NSTAR LLC became Plan Sponsor. On October 31, 2013, the Northeast Utilities became Plan
Sponsor. On April 30, 2015, the Northeast Utilities name was changed to Eversource Energy, and Eversource is the Plan Sponsor effective
June 19, 2015.
The 409A Plan is intended to comply with the
requirements of section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and guidance issued thereunder
and shall be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with such requirements. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of the
409A Plan shall apply to benefits accrued on or after January 1, 2005 and benefits accrued but not vested as of December 31,
2004 under the Grandfathered Plan. The terms of the 409A Plan are set forth as Part A.
All benefits accrued and vested as of December 31,
2004 (the “Grandfathered Benefit Amount”) shall be grandfathered for purposes of Code section 409A and shall be governed
by the Plan as it was in effect on October 3, 2004. The Grandfathered Plan is frozen as of December 31, 2004. No additional
benefit shall accrue under the Grandfathered Plan after December 31, 2004 and no individual not a Participant as of December 31,
2004 shall thereafter become a Participant in the Grandfathered Plan. The Grandfathered Plan has not been amended or modified in any
way since October 3, 2004, and a copy of the Grandfathered Plan as it was in effect on October 3, 2004 is attached as Part B.
Also attached is an Appendix to the Grandfathered Plan (Part B) which memorializes the methodology for calculating, in accordance
with applicable provisions of the Grandfathered Plan, the Grandfathered Benefit Amount credited to each Participant under the Grandfathered
Plan.
PART A
NSTAR 409A
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN I
SECTION 1. ADMINISTRATION
The Plan Administrator will be responsible for
administration of the 409A Plan as set forth herein. The Plan Administrator shall make all determinations with respect to claims for
benefits hereunder, in accordance with the provisions of Part I of the SERP Program Document. All decisions, interpretations and
determinations made by the Plan Administrator relating to the 409A Plan will be made in his or her sole discretion and will be final
and conclusive and binding upon all persons.
The Company agrees to indemnify and defend the
Plan Administrator to the fullest possible extent permitted by law a (including any person formerly involved with Plan administration
as a member of the former NSTAR Executive Personnel Committee or the former NSTAR Retirement Plans Committee) against all liabilities,
damages, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and amounts paid in settlement of any claims approved by the Company) occasioned
by any act or omission to act in connection with the 409A Plan.
SECTION 2. PARTICIPANTS
Participants in the 409A Plan will be those key
executive employees of the Company or its affiliates who were specifically approved by the former NSTAR Executive Personnel Committee
for participation in the 409A Plan before April 10, 2012. The 409A Plan shall be closed as of such date to all other employees.
SECTION 3. BENEFITS
(a) Full
Benefit. Each Participant who attains his or her Full Benefit Age (as hereinafter defined) while an employee of the Company
or its affiliates and who thereafter has a Separation from Service will receive a benefit calculated as of the first day of the month
following such Separation from Service, expressed as an annual single life annuity benefit, equal to the excess (if any) of (A) over
(B), minus (C), where:
(A) is
the excess of (i) 60% of his or her Highest Average Total Compensation (as hereinafter defined), over (ii) 50% of the Participant’s
Primary Social Security Benefit (as hereinafter defined), which excess is then multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is his
or her Full Years of Continuous Service (as hereinafter defined) at the time of his or her Separation from Service (which in no event
shall exceed 20) and the denominator of which is 20;
(B) is
the sum of the annual single life annuity benefits which the Participant would be entitled to receive as of the first day of the month
following such Separation from Service from the NSTAR Pension Plan, as may be amended from time to time (the “NSTAR Pension Plan”)
and the Eversource Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NSTAR II), previously known as the NSTAR Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan II, as it may be amended from time to time (the “SERP II”), irrespective of the actual time and form of payment of the
benefits from such Plans; and
(C) is
the annual single life annuity benefit, if any, which the Participant would be entitled to receive as of the first day of the month following
such Separation from Service from the Grandfathered Plan, irrespective of the actual time and form of payment of the Grandfathered Benefit
Amount.
(b) Reduced
Benefit. Each Participant who attains age 55 while an employee of the Company or its affiliates, who completes five Full
Years of Continuous Service and who thereafter has a Separation from Service prior to his Full Benefit Age will receive a reduced benefit
expressed as an annual single life annuity benefit calculated as of the first day of the month following such Separation from Service,
in the same manner as described in Section 3(a) above for a full benefit, except that for purposes of Section 3(a), the
amount in (A) above shall be reduced by a percentage equal to 0.41666% multiplied by the aggregate number of months between the
Participant’s Separation from Service and his or her Full Benefit Age. A Participant who has not attained age 55 or who has
not completed five Full Years of Continuous Service, but who has entered into a change in control agreement with the Company or an affiliate
and whose age plus the number of any additional years of service credited to him under said change in control agreement for purposes
of the 409A Plan is 50 or more, will be considered to have an accrued benefit under the 409A Plan for purposes of said change in control
agreement, based upon his or her number of Full Years of Continuous Service and calculated and reduced as of his or her Separation from
Service in the same manner as described in the preceding provisions of this Section 3(b).
(c) Form of
Benefits.
| (i) | Participants
in the SERP II. With respect to any individual who is a Participant in the
SERP II, the annual benefit, expressed as a single life annuity, payable to such Participant
under Section 3(a) or 3(b) above will be paid in the same form of payment
as is elected by the Participant pursuant to the SERP II and, with respect to a Participant
who elects an optional form of annuity, determined pursuant to the SERP II. |
| (ii) | Participants
Not in the SERP II. With respect to any individual who is not a Participant
in the SERP II, the annual benefit, expressed as a single life annuity, payable to such Participant
under Section 3(a) or (b) above will be paid as a Single Sum. |
(d) Timing
of Payment.
| (i) | Participants
in the SERP II. With respect to any individual who is a Participant in the
SERP II, the benefit payable under 3(a) or 3(b) above shall be paid at the same
time as the benefit under the SERP II. |
| (ii) | Participants
Not in the SERP II. With respect to any individual who is not a Participant
in the SERP II, the benefit payable under Section 3(a) or (b) above will be
paid on the first day of the seventh calendar month after the date of the Participant’s
Separation from Service. |
| (iii) | Adjustment
for Delayed Payment. The benefit described in Section 3(a) or (b) above
is calculated as of the first day of the month following Separation from Service. The Single
Sum form of payment shall be increased with interest to the delayed payment date. For forms
of payment other than Single Sum, the missed monthly payments shall be accumulated with interest
and paid in a single sum at the payment date. For all purposes, interest is determined using
the interest rate defined by the Plan Administrator for use in determining the actuarial
equivalent lump sum value. |
(e) Benefit
Definitions. For purposes of the 409A Plan, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) Highest
Average Total Compensation means the average of the Participant’s Total Compensation (as hereinafter defined) for
the 36 consecutive months in which the Participant had the highest Total Compensation.
(2) Single
Sum means a single payment amount determined pursuant to Section 3(a) or (b) above (as applicable) but
using the actuarial equivalent lump sum value of each of the amounts described in Section 3(a)(A), (B), and (C), as set forth in
Appendix A.
(3) Full
Benefit Age means, for each Participant, age 62 or such other age as the Plan Administrator has determined in writing
with respect to that Participant.
(4) Primary
Social Security Benefit means the “Primary Social Security Benefit,” as defined under the NSTAR Pension Plan
as determined by the Plan Administrator.
(5) Total
Compensation means, for any calendar month, the Participant’s base compensation and annual bonus payments paid to
the Participant during such calendar month by the Company or its affiliate, plus any amounts that would have been paid to the Participant
during the calendar month by the Company or its affiliate as base compensation or annual bonus but for a salary reduction agreement in
effect during such month under the Eversource Deferred Compensation Plan, as may be amended from time to time (or under any predecessor
deferred compensation plan), as may be amended from time to time, or pursuant to Sections 125 or 401(k) of the Code.
(6) Spousal
Joint and Survivor Annuity means, for purposes of determining death benefits under Section 4, an annuity of actuarial
equivalent value to a single life annuity (as determined by the Plan Administrator with reference to such actuarial factors as it shall
select from time to time), under which the Participant receives a reduced benefit during his or her lifetime, and following the Participant’s
death, 50% of such reduced benefit is paid for the life of the person who was the Participant’s spouse on the date benefits commenced
to the Participant.
(7) Full
Years of Continuous Service means, for each Participant, the Participant’s number of full years of continuous service
with the Company and its affiliates or NSTAR and its affiliates for purposes of the NSTAR Pension Plan, beginning with the date on which
the individual becomes a Participant in the Plan, credited to the Participant for purposes of the Plan by the Plan Administrator, plus
such other periods, if any, as the Plan Administrator shall determine.
(8) Separation
from Service means separation from service with the Company and its affiliates within the meaning of Treasury Regulation
§1.409A-1(h). A Participant on medical leave for a period of more than twenty-nine (29) months shall be deemed to have a Separation
from Service on the day following the end of the 29th month of medical leave. For purposes of this paragraph, a medical leave is a leave
of absence due to a medically determined physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or to last for a continuous
period of at least six months, where such impairment causes the employee to be unable to perform the duties of his or her position of
employment or any substantially similar position of employment.
SECTION 4. DEATH BENEFIT
(a) Amount
of Pre-Retirement Death Benefits. In the case of a Participant who dies after attaining age 55 and completing five Full
Years of Continuous Service, but prior to his or her Separation from Service, his or her surviving spouse, if any, will be entitled to
receive an amount equal to the benefit such spouse would have received if the Participant had a Separation from Service immediately prior
to his or her death and commenced receiving his or her benefit under the 409A Plan on the first day of the following month under the
50% Spousal Joint and Survivor Annuity form. If the death benefit is payable as a Single Sum under Section 4(b) below, the
amount of the Single Sum shall be the actuarial equivalent of the survivor benefit under the 50% Spousal Joint and Survivor Annuity determined
using the interest and mortality assumptions selected by the Plan Administrator and as in effect on the date of the Participant’s
death. No death benefit is payable if the Participant is not married upon the date of his or her death.
(b) Timing
and Form of Pre-Retirement Death Benefits. With respect to any Participant who is also a Participant in the SERP
II, benefits under Section 4(a) will be paid at the same time and in the same form as the death benefit under the SERP II.
With respect to any Participant who is not a Participant in the SERP II, benefits payable under Section 4(a) shall be paid
in a Single Sum as soon as reasonably practicable after the Participant’s death, but in all events within 90 days after the Participant’s
death. For the avoidance of doubt, if such 90-day period ends in the taxable year following the taxable year in which the Participant’s
death occurs, neither the Participant nor any beneficiary shall have the right to designate the taxable year in which the benefits will
be distributed.
(c) Post-Retirement
Death Benefits. If a Participant dies after his or her Separation from Service but before benefits commence under Section 3
above, his or her beneficiary will be entitled to receive the benefit (if any) that such beneficiary would have received if the Participant
had commenced receiving benefits under the 409A Plan immediately prior to his or her death in the form provided under Section 3(c) above;
provided, however, that if the Participant elected to receive a Single Sum (or was required to receive a Single Sum pursuant to Section 3(c)(ii) above)
then the beneficiary shall receive the Single Sum that would otherwise have been payable to the Participant, on the date that the Participant
would have received such payment under Section 3(d). For the avoidance of doubt, no benefits will be payable pursuant to this Section 4(c) if
the form of payment under Section 3(c) was a straight life annuity.
(d) Beneficiary.
For purposes of this Section 4, “beneficiary” shall mean the beneficiary designated by the Participant under
the Pension Plan or, if none, the Participant’s spouse, or if none, the Participant’s estate.
SECTION 5. NO PLAN
ASSETS
Except as herein provided, the Company and its
affiliates shall not be required to set aside or segregate any assets of any kind to meet its obligations hereunder and all benefits
payable under the 409A Plan will be paid from the general assets of the Company and its affiliates. The Company or any of its affiliates
may, however, establish one or more “grantor trusts” of which the Company or its affiliate is treated as the owner under
Subpart E, Part I, Subchapter J, Chapter 1, Subtitle A of the Code (a “grantor trust”) and may deposit funds with the
trustee of such grantor trust to facilitate the payment of benefits under the 409A Plan. In the event the Company or any of its affiliates
establishes such a grantor trust or trusts with respect to the 409A Plan and at the time of a Change of Control (as defined in Appendix
A attached hereto), any such trust (i) has not been terminated or revoked, and (ii) is not “fully funded” the Company
or its affiliate shall within ten days of such Change of Control deposit in such grantor trust or trusts assets sufficient to cause the
trust or trusts to be “fully funded” as of the date of the deposit (as determined in its sole discretion by a majority of
the individuals who were members of the Committee immediately prior to such Change of Control).
SECTION 6. PARTICIPANT’S
RIGHTS; NO ASSIGNMENT
A Participant’s or beneficiary’s
rights to benefits under the 409A Plan shall be no greater than the rights of a general, unsecured creditor of the Company or its affiliates,
and shall not be assignable or subject to alienation, anticipation, garnishment, attachment, or any other legal process by his creditors.
SECTION 7. NO CONTRACT
OF EMPLOYMENT
The 409A Plan shall not be deemed to constitute
a contract of employment between the Company or its affiliates and any Participant, or to be consideration for the employment of any
Participant, and nothing in this 409A Plan shall give any Participant any right to be employed or to continue employment by the Company
or its affiliates.
SECTION 8. APPLICATION
OF ERISA
The 409A Plan is intended to be “a plan
which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of
management or highly compensated employees” within the meaning of sections 201(2), 301(a)(3) and 401(a)(1) of ERISA and
shall be administered in a manner consistent with that intent.
SECTION 9. AMENDMENT
OR TERMINATION
This 409A Plan may be amended or terminated at
any time and in any respect by the Company or the Committee; provided, however, that the 409A Plan shall only be terminated to the extent,
and in the manner, permitted by Code section 409A. No amendment or termination shall reduce or otherwise adversely affect the rights
of any Participant or his or her beneficiary to benefits accrued under the 409A Plan immediately prior to such amendment or termination
without his or her prior written consent; and no amendment or termination following a Change of Control shall eliminate or reduce the
Company’s or its affiliates’ obligations to deposit assets in the grantor trust or trusts as described in Section 5.
Furthermore, following a Change of Control, this Section 9 may not be amended.
SECTION 10. GOVERNING
LAW
The 409A Plan shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the extent such laws are not preempted by ERISA.
APPENDIX A
For the purposes of this 409A Plan, a “Change
of Control” shall mean:
| a. | The acquisition by any Person (or more than
one Person acting as a group) of ultimate beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of (i) more than 50% of the then outstanding common
shares (or shares of common stock) of the Parent (the “Outstanding Parent Common Shares”)
or (ii) 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
of the Parent entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (or directors) (the
“Outstanding Parent Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes
of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control:
(i) any acquisition directly from the Parent, (ii) any acquisition by the Parent
or an affiliate of the Parent, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Parent, the Company or any affiliates of the
Parent or (iv) any acquisition by any Person pursuant to a transaction which complies
with clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (c) of this Appendix A;
or |
| b. | Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute
the Board of Trustees of the Parent (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason
to constitute at least a majority of such board; provided, however, that any individual becoming
a trustee (or director) subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election
by the Parent’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the
trustees (or directors) then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though
such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any
such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened
election contest with respect to the election or removal of trustees (or directors) or other
actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other
than such board; or |
| c. | Consummation of a reorganization, merger or
consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Parent (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business
Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the
beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding
Parent Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, immediately following such Business Combination 50% or more of, respectively,
the then outstanding common shares (or shares of common stock) and the combined voting power
of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees
(or directors), as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination
(including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the
Parent or all or substantially all of the Parent’s assets either directly or through
one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately
prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding
Parent Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting
from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Parent
or the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) ultimately beneficially
owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding common
shares or shares of common stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or
30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such
entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination,
and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of trustees (or board of directors)
of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board
at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Trustees
of the Parent, providing for such Business Combination; or |
| d. | Approval by the shareholders of the Parent
of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Parent. |
| e. | Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Appendix A or the Plan to the contrary, the merger transactions contemplated by the Agreement
and Plan of Merger dated October 16, 2010 (the “Merger Agreement”), among
NSTAR, Northeast Utilities, NU Holding Energy 1 LLC (“Acquisition Sub”),
and NU Holding Energy 2 LLC (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which, among other things,
Merger Sub was merged with and into NSTAR and immediately thereafter NSTAR was merged with
and into Acquisition Sub, shall not be considered a Change of Control for the purposes of
this Plan. In addition, the transaction in which the name of the Parent was changed from
Northeast Utilities to Eversource shall not constitute a Change in Control for purposes of
this Plan. |
For purposes of this Appendix A, the
term “Parent” shall mean Eversource, or, if any entity shall own, directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries,
more than 50% of the outstanding common shares of Eversource, such entity, and the term “Person” shall mean any individual,
corporation, partnership, company, limited liability company, trust or other entity, which term shall include a “group” within
the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended.
2. “Single
Sum”
For purposes of calculating the Single Sum Payment
upon Separation from Service under this 409A Plan,
| · | The
actuarial equivalent value of the benefit described in Section 3(a)(A) shall be
determined using the interest and mortality assumptions selected by the Plan Administrator
and as in effect on the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service. |
| · | The
actuarial equivalent value of the benefit described in Section 3(a)(B) shall be
the lump sum benefit to which the participant would be entitled under the Pension Plan and
the SERP II, calculated as of the first day of the month after the Participant’s Separation
from Service. |
| · | The
actuarial equivalent value of the benefit described in Section 3(a)(C) shall be
the lump sum benefit to which the participant would be entitled pursuant to the Grandfathered
Plan. |
PART B
NSTAR SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
I –
GRANDFATHERED PLAN
as in effect on October 3, 2004
APPENDIX B
The Grandfathered Benefit Amount shall be determined
in accordance with the terms of the Grandfathered Plan as in effect on October 3, 2004. This Appendix B is intended to memorialize
the methodology for calculating the Grandfathered Benefit Amount. Subject to the foregoing, the Grandfathered Benefit Amount shall be
calculated as follows, with reference to the following Table I:
1. 409A
Grandfathered Annuity (annual amount): greater of (i) and (ii) defined below.
| (i) | The excess, if any, of (a) over (b): |
| (a) | the amount in Table I Column 1 adjusted
for early retirement for a benefit commencing 12/31/04 |
| (b) | the sum of the amounts in Table I Columns
4 and 5, and the amount in Table I Column 6 adjusted for early retirement for a benefit
commencing 12/31/04. |
| (ii) | The excess, if any, of (a) over
(b): |
| (a) | the amount in Table I Column 1 adjusted
for early retirement for a benefit commencing at the determination date |
| (b) | the sum of the amounts in Table I Columns
2 and 3, brought forward from 12/31/04 with interest to the determination date using the
interest credit defined in J.6. of the Pension Plan and converted to a single-life annuity
using the NSTAR Pension Plan annuity conversion factors in effect at 12/31/04 for
a benefit commencing at the determination date, and the amount in Table I Column 6 adjusted
for early retirement for a benefit commencing at the determination date. |
2. 409A
Grandfathered Lump Sum: greater of (i) and (ii) defined below.
| (i) | The excess, if any, of (a) over (b): |
| (a) | the amount in 1.(i)(a) above multiplied
by the present value factor at 12/31/04 |
| (b) | the sum of the amounts in Table I Columns
2 and 3, and the amount in Table I Column 6 adjusted for early retirement for a benefit commencing
12/31/04 multiplied by the present value factor at 12/31/04. |
| (ii) | The excess, if any, of (a) over
(b): |
| (a) | the amount in 1.(ii)(a) above multiplied
by the present value factor at the determination date |
| (b) | the sum of the amounts in Table I Columns
2 and 3, brought forward from 12/31/04 with interest to the determination date using the
interest credit defined in J.6. of the Pension Plan, and the amount in Table I Column 6 adjusted
for early retirement for a benefit commencing at the determination date multiplied by the
present value factor at the determination date. |
The determination date is the first day of the
month following the date the Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company and its affiliates.
The early retirement adjustment and present value
factor applicable to the amount in Table I Column 6 is as defined under the NSTAR Pension Plan. For all other references in this Appendix,
present value factors are determined using reasonable interest and mortality assumptions selected by the Plan Administrator for use at
the date of the Participant’s date of determination.
APPENDIX B
Table I
| |
12/31/04
Accrued/Vested
Target
Benefit(1) | | |
12/31/04 Accrued/Vested Lump Sum Benefit, Payable 12/31/04(1) | | |
12/31/04 Accrued/Vested Annuity Benefit, Payable 12/31/04(2) | | |
12/31/04 Accrued/Vested Pension Plan Supplemental Benefit(3) | |
| |
| | |
Pension Plan PEP | | |
SERP II | | |
Pension Plan PEP | | |
SERP II | | |
| |
Participant Name | |
Column l | | |
Column 2 | | |
Column 3 | | |
Column 4 | | |
Column 5 | | |
Column 6 | |
May, Thomas | |
| 1,056,239 | | |
| 603,048 | | |
| 4,459,730 | | |
| 60,043 | | |
| 444,037 | | |
| 79,380 | |
| (1) | As
defined in Section 4(a)(A) or Section 4(b) as applicable before applying
any early retirement reduction factor for a benefit commencing before full retirement age,
and before reduction for the annuity benefit from the Pension Plan and NSTAR SERP. |
| (2) | Determined by converting the amounts in Columns 2 and 3, to an annual
single-life annuity using the Pension Plan annuity conversion factors as in effect at 12/31/04
for a benefit commencing 12/31/04. |
| (3) | As defined in Appendix I of the Pension Plan before applying any early
retirement reduction factor for a benefit commencing before Normal Retirement Date using
the Pension Plan factors. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Eversource
has caused this Plan, which consists of the 409A Plan and the Grandfathered Plan, to be approved substantially in the form as attached
hereto and executed pursuant to authority duly delegated by its Compensation Committee.
|
By: |
/s/ Christine
M. Carmody |
|
|
Senior Vice President- Human Resources |
|
|
Eversource Energy Service Company |
|
Eversource
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NSTAR II) |
|
|
Effective January 1,
2015
PART III
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT
PLAN (NSTAR II)
INTRODUCTION
The NSTAR II Plan (formerly named the NSTAR Supplemental
Executive Retirement Plans and the NSTAR Excess Benefit Plan) is maintained by the Company for the benefit of certain key executives
who participate in the Pension Plan, as described in Article I below (the “Participants”), and their beneficiaries.
The Plan consists of two parts: Part A, which is the Eversource 409A Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan II (the “409A
Plan”), and Part B, which is the Plan as in effect on October 3, 2004 (the “Grandfathered Plan”). The 409A
Plan was sponsored by NSTAR until April 10, 2012, when NSTAR LLC became Plan Sponsor. On October 31, 2013, the Northeast Utilities
became Plan Sponsor. On April 30, 2015, the Northeast Utilities name was changed to Eversource Energy, and Eversource is the Plan
Sponsor, effective June 19, 2015.
The 409A Plan is intended to comply with the
requirements of section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and guidance issued thereunder
and shall be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with such requirements. For the avoidance of doubt, the terms of the
409A Plan shall apply to benefits accrued on or after January 1, 2005 and benefits accrued but not vested as of December 31,
2004 under the Grandfathered Plan.
All benefits accrued and vested as of December 31,
2004 (the “Grandfathered Benefit Amount”) shall be grandfathered for purposes of Code section 409A and shall be governed
by the Grandfathered Plan. The Grandfathered Plan is frozen as of December 31, 2004. No additional benefit shall thereafter accrue
under the Grandfathered Plan after December 31, 2004 and no individual not a Participant as of December 31, 2004 shall thereafter
become a Participant in the Grandfathered Plan. The Grandfathered Plan has not been amended or modified in any way since October 3,
2004, and a copy of the Grandfathered Plan as it was in effect on October 3, 2004 is attached as Part B. Also attached is an
Appendix to the Grandfathered Plan (Part B) which memorializes the methodology for calculating, in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Grandfathered Plan, the Grandfathered Benefit Amount credited to each Participant under the Grandfathered Plan.
PART A
EVERSOURCE 409A SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE
RETIREMENT PLAN II
Article I
INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE
The purpose of the 409A Plan
is to provide certain retirement benefits with respect to those Participants described herein. Participants in the 409A Plan will be
those key executive employees of the Company or its affiliates: (a) who are specifically designated by the Plan Administrator as
eligible to participate in the 409A Plan, (b) who are participants in the Pension Plan, (c) who retire or have retired under
the Pension Plan, and (d) whose Pension Plan benefits are, or will be, restricted by: (i) the limitations imposed under section
415 of the Code, or (ii) the limitations imposed under Section 401(a)(17) of the Code. For purposes of this 409A Plan, the
limitations described in the preceding sentence (the “Limitations”) shall be deemed to include the corresponding limitations
set forth in, or applicable under, the terms of the Pension Plan.
With respect to those Participants
whose Pension Plan benefits are, or will be, restricted by the limitations imposed under section 415 of the Code, the 409A Plan is intended
to be an “excess benefit plan” within the meaning of section 3(36) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended from time to time (“ERISA”), and shall be administered in a manner consistent with that intent. With respect to
those Participants whose Pension Plan benefits are, or will be, restricted by the limitations imposed under section 401(a)(17) of the
Code, the 409A Plan is intended to be “a plan which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing
deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees” within the meaning of sections 201(2),
301(a)(3) and 401(a)(3) of ERISA, and shall be administered in a manner consistent with that intent.
Nothing in the 409A Plan
shall be deemed to require the setting aside of any assets, in trust or otherwise, for the payment of 409A Plan benefits. Interests in
the 409A Plan are non-assignable, and are not subject to alienation, anticipation, garnishment, attachment, or any other legal process.
A Participant’s or beneficiary’s rights to benefits under the 409A Plan shall be no greater than the rights of a general,
unsecured creditor of the Company or its affiliates. However, the Company or any of its affiliates may establish one or more trusts of
which the Company or its affiliates is treated as the owner under Subpart E, Part I, of Subchapter J, Chapter 1 Subtitle A of the
Code (a “grantor trust”), and may from time to time deposit funds with the Trustee of such grantor trust or trusts to facilitate
payment of benefits under the 409A Plan. In the event the Company or any of its affiliates establishes such a grantor trust or trusts
with respect to the 409A Plan and at the time of a Change of Control (as defined in Appendix A attached hereto) any such trust: (i) has
not been terminated or revoked, and (ii) is not “fully funded” (as determined in its sole discretion by a majority of
the individuals who were members of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees of Northeast Utilities (the “Committee”)
immediately prior to such Change of Control), the Company or its affiliate shall within ten days of such Change of Control deposit in
such grantor trust or trusts assets sufficient to cause the trust or trusts to be “fully funded” (as determined in its sole
discretion by the majority of the individuals who were members of the Committee immediately prior to such Change of Control). Nothing
in this Plan shall give any Participant any right to be employed or to continue employment by the Company or its affiliates.
Article II
BENEFITS
2.1 Amount
of Benefit. Each Participant in the 409A Plan, or the surviving beneficiary of a deceased Participant, shall be entitled
to a benefit, payable in accordance with Article III below, which is expressed as a single sum equal to the excess (if any) of:
(a) minus (b), over (c), where
| (a) | is
the Participant’s or surviving beneficiary’s single sum benefit under the Pension
Plan, computed under the provisions of the Pension Plan without regard to the Limitations, |
| (b) | is
the Participant’s or surviving beneficiary’s single sum benefit under the Pension
Plan, computed taking into account the Limitations, and |
| (c) | is
the single sum amount of the Participant’s benefit under the Grandfathered Plan (if
any). |
2.2 Adjustment
Through the Payment Date. The single sum benefit described in Section 2.1 above shall be increased with interest,
as provided under the Crediting of Interest section of the Pension Plan, from the first day of the month following the month in which
the applicable payment event described in Section 3.2 occurs, until the date payments commence in accordance with Section 3.2
below. If the form of payment elected by the Participant in accordance with Section 3.1(a) below is other than a single sum,
the benefit payable in the elected form shall be calculated based on the single sum as of the date on which payments commence, in accordance
with the provisions of the Pension Plan.
Article III
PAYMENT OF BENEFITS
3.1 Form of
Payment.
| (a) | Participants as of December 31,
2007. |
(i) With
respect to any individual who is a Participant in the 409A Plan as of December 31, 2007, benefits payable under this 409A Plan shall
be paid in the form selected by the Participant from among the forms offered by the Pension Plan. Such election shall be made in writing,
on such form as the Company may require, prior to December 31, 2008, in a manner consistent with transition guidance under Code
section 409A and shall be available to Participants whose distribution date or dates would fall after December 31, 2008.
(ii) A
Participant described in this Section 3.1(a) who has elected a life annuity form of distribution as defined in Treas. Reg.
§1.409A-2(b)(2)(ii) may, at any time before any annuity payment has been made, elect to change such form of distribution to
an actuarially equivalent life annuity of another type in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2)(ii).
(iii) A
Participant described in this Section 3.1(a) may elect to change his or her election as to the form of distribution again after
December 31, 2008, provided that: (a) the Participant has not previously made an election change under this Section 3.1(a)(iii);
(b) such election change will not take effect until 12 months after the date on which the election change is made; (c) a Participant
is an employee of the Company or its affiliates on the date such election is made; and (d) payment will be deferred for a period
of five years from the date such payment would otherwise be made, in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(1).
All elections under this Section 3.1(a) shall
be made in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Plan Administrator.
| (b) | Participants After December 31,
2007. |
With respect to any Participant
who becomes a Participant on or after January 1, 2008, benefits payable under the 409A Plan shall be paid in a single sum.
3.2 Timing
of Payment
| (a) | Separation from Service. |
(i) Benefits
paid on account of the Participant’s Separation from Service shall be paid (or commence to be paid) on the first day of the seventh
month following the date on which the Participant’s Separation from Service occurs. However, if a Participant has made a subsequent
change to his or her elected form of payment after December 31, 2008 pursuant to Section 3.1(a)(iii) above, payment shall
commence on the five year anniversary of the date on which such payment would otherwise be made, in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(1).
(ii) For
purposes of this 409A Plan, the Participant’s “Separation from Service” means a separation from service with the Company
and its affiliates within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(h). A Participant on medical leave for a period of more than twenty-nine
(29) months shall be deemed to have a Separation from Service on the day following the end of the 29th month of medical leave. For purposes
of this paragraph, a medical leave is a leave of absence due to a medically determined physical or mental impairment that can be expected
to result in death or to last for a continuous period of at least six months, where such impairment causes the employee to be unable
to perform the duties of his or her position of employment or any substantially similar position of employment.
(i) Pre-Retirement
Death Benefit. If the Participant dies before his or her Separation from Service, benefits will be paid (or commence
to be paid) in the applicable form under Section 3.1 as soon as reasonably practicable after the Participant’s death, but
in all events within 90 days after the Participant’s death. For the avoidance of doubt, if such 90-day period ends in the taxable
year following the taxable year in which the Participant’s death occurs, neither the Participant nor any beneficiary shall have
the right to designate the taxable year in which the benefits will be distributed.
(ii) Post-Retirement
Death Benefit. If the Participant dies after Separation from Service but before payments commence under Section 3.2(a) above,
his or her beneficiary will be entitled to receive the benefit (if any) that such beneficiary would have received if the Participant
had commenced receiving benefits under the 409A Plan immediately prior to his or her death in the form elected under Section 3.1
above; provided, however, that if the Participant’s benefits are payable in a single sum, then the beneficiary shall receive the
single sum that would otherwise have been payable to the Participant, on the date that the Participant would have received such payment
under Section 3.2(a) above. For the avoidance of doubt, no benefits will be payable pursuant to this Section 3.2(b)(ii) if
the form of payment elected under Section 3.1 was a straight life annuity.
(iii) Beneficiary.
For purposes of this Article III, “beneficiary” shall mean the beneficiary designated by the Participant
pursuant to such forms and procedures as may be required by the Plan Administrator. In the absence of a beneficiary designation hereunder,
the term “beneficiary” shall mean the Participant’s beneficiary determined pursuant to the NSTAR Pension Plan.
Article IV
ADMINISTRATION; CLAIMS
The 409A Plan shall be administered
and construed by the Plan Administrator in his or her sole discretion. The Plan Administrator may delegate administrative tasks under
the 409A Plan to employees of the Company or its affiliates or others. The Plan Administrator shall make all determinations with respect
to claims for benefits hereunder, in accordance with the provisions of Part I of the SERP Program Document. All decisions, interpretations
and determinations made by the Plan Administrator relating to the 409A Plan will be made in his or her sole discretion, and will be final
and conclusive and binding on all persons.
Article V
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
The 409A Plan may be amended
or terminated at any time and in any respect by the Company or the Committee; provided, however that the 409A Plan shall only be terminated
to the extent, and in a manner, permitted by Code section 409A. No amendment or termination shall reduce or otherwise adversely affect
the rights of any Participant or his or her beneficiary to benefits accrued under the 409A Plan immediately prior to such amendment or
termination without his or her prior written consent, and no amendment or termination following a Change of Control shall eliminate or
reduce the Company’s or its affiliates’ obligations to deposit assets in the grantor trust as described in Article I.
Furthermore, following a Change of Control, this Article V may not be amended.
Article VI
Governing Law
The 409A Plan shall be governed
by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the extent such laws are not preempted by ERISA.
APPENDIX A
“CHANGE OF CONTROL”
For the purposes of this
409A Plan, a “Change of Control” shall mean:
a. The
acquisition by any Person (or more than one Person acting as a group) of ultimate beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of (i) more than 50% of the then outstanding common shares (or shares of common stock) of the
Parent (the “Outstanding Parent Common Shares”) or (ii) 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting securities of the Parent entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (or directors) (the “Outstanding Parent
Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute
a Change of Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Parent, (ii) any acquisition by the Parent or an affiliate of
the Parent, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Parent, the Company
or any affiliates of the Parent, or (iv) any acquisition by any Person pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (i),
(ii), and (iii) of subsection (c) of this Appendix A; or
b. Individuals
who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board of Trustees of the Parent (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of such board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a trustee (or director) subsequent to the
date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Parent’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority
of the trustees (or directors) then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the
Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual
or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of trustees (or directors) or other actual or threatened solicitation
of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than such board; or
c. Consummation
of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent (a
“Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of
the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding Parent
Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately following such
Business Combination 50% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares (or shares of common stock) and the combined voting
power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (or directors), as the case may
be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction
owns the Parent or all or substantially all of the Parent’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding
Parent Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting from such Business Combination or
any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Parent or the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) ultimately
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares or shares of common stock
of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (iii) at least a majority
of the members of the board of trustees (or board of directors) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of
the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Trustees of the Parent, providing
for such Business Combination; or
d. Approval
by the shareholders of the Parent of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Parent.
e. Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Appendix A or the Plan to the contrary, the merger transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of
Merger dated October 16, 2010 (the “Merger Agreement”), among NSTAR, Northeast Utilities, NU Holding Energy 1 LLC (“Acquisition
Sub”), and NU Holding Energy 2 LLC (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which, among other things, Merger Sub was merged with
and into NSTAR and immediately thereafter NSTAR was merged with and into Acquisition Sub, shall not be considered a Change of Control
for the purposes of this Plan. In addition, the transaction in which the name of the Parent was changed from Northeast Utilities to Eversource
shall not constitute a Change in Control for purposes of this Plan.
For purposes of this Appendix A, the term “Parent”
shall mean Eversource, or, if any entity shall own, directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, more than 50% of the outstanding
common shares of Eversource, such entity, and (ii) the term “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership,
company, limited liability company, trust or other entity, which term shall include a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of
the Securities Act of 1934, as amended.
PART B
NSTAR SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
II —
GRANDFATHERED PLAN
as in effect on OCTOBER 3, 2004
APPENDIX B
“GRANDFATHERED BENEFIT AMOUNT”
The Grandfathered Benefit
Amount shall be determined in accordance with the terms of the Grandfathered Plan as in effect on October 3, 2004. This Appendix
B is intended to memorialize the methodology for calculating the Grandfathered Benefit Amount. Subject to the foregoing, the Grandfathered
Benefit Amount shall be calculated as follows, with reference to the following Table I:
1. 409A
Grandfathered Annuity (annual amount): the amount in Table I Column 2.
2. 409A
Grandfathered Lump Sum: the amount in Table I Column 1.
APPENDIX B
TABLE I
| |
12/31/04
Accrued/Vested Lump
Sum Benefit | | |
12/31/04
Accrued/Vested Annuity Benefit(2) | |
Participant
Name(1) | |
Excess
Plan
Column 1 | | |
Excess
Plan
Column 2 | |
Thomas J. May | |
$ | 4,459,730 | | |
$ | 444,037 | |
James J. Judge | |
| 598,911 | | |
| 37,595 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Joseph R. Nolan Jr. | |
| 310,963 | | |
| 18,111 | |
Ellen K. Angley | |
| 74,493 | | |
| 4,512 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Philip J. Lembo | |
| 21,906 | | |
| 1,375 | |
Neven Rabadjija | |
| 25,014 | | |
| 1,603 | |
Richard J. Morrison | |
| 23,331 | | |
| 1,527 | |
(1) | Table
includes only those participants with an accrued benefit in the Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan II as of January 1, 2014. |
(2) | Determined
by converting the amounts in Column 1, to an annual single-life annuity using the NSTAR Pension
Plan annuity conversion factors as in effect at 12/31/04 for a benefit commencing 12/31/04. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Eversource
has caused this Plan, which consists of the 409A Plan and the Grandfathered Plan, to be approved substantially in the form as attached
hereto and executed pursuant to authority duly delegated by its Compensation Committee.
|
By: |
/s/ Christine M. Carmody |
|
|
Senior Vice President- Human Resources |
|
|
Eversource Energy Service Company |
|
Eversource
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (NU)
|
|
As
of January 1, 2015 |
PART IV
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT
PLAN (NU)
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE
The purpose of this NU Plan
is to provide certain executives with: (a) the benefits that would have been provided to them under the Pension Plan if compensation
and benefits were not subject to the limitations imposed by Sections 401(a)(17) and 415 of the Code and if annual awards to Participants
under Eversource’s executive incentive plans and other similar plans which may be adopted from time to time, each an “Incentive
Plan” and in the aggregate, “Incentive Plans”) were included in the benefit calculations under the Pension Plan, and/or
(b) a supplemental retirement benefit for certain executives in addition to the retirement benefit provided under the Pension Plan
and the benefits described in clause (a) above. The Plan is not intended to meet the qualification requirements of Section 401
of the Code.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS
When used herein with initial
capital letters, each of the following terms shall have the corresponding meaning set forth below unless a different meaning is plainly
required by the context in which the term is used:
2.1 “Actuarial
Equivalent” or “Actuarially Equivalent” shall mean equivalence in value between two or
more forms determined on the basis of the assumptions used in the Pension Plan (as, and to the extent that, such assumptions may be revised
from time to time) for determining actuarial equivalence between different forms of benefit at the time of such determination. Actuarial
Equivalence between a joint and survivor Annuity and a straight life Annuity shall be determined by disregarding subsidized survivor
Annuity benefits.
2.2 “Annuity”
shall mean a form of benefit payment that: (a) provides a series of substantially equal periodic payments, payable not
less frequently than annually, for the life (or life expectancy) of the Participant or the joint lives (or life expectancies) of the
Participant and his or her designated beneficiary, and (b) is a form of annuity made available under the Pension Plan at the Benefit
Commencement Date that is Actuarially Equivalent to a straight life annuity.
2.3 “Benefit
Commencement Date” shall mean the date on which payment of a Participant’s Make-Whole Benefit and/or Target
Benefit, if any, commences, as provided in Article VI of this Plan.
2.4 “Board”
shall mean the Board of Trustees of Eversource.
2.5 “Cause”
shall have the meaning provided in the Eversource Special Severance Program (or a successor plan of comparable intent as determined
by the Plan Administrator).
2.6 “Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.7 “Committee”
shall mean the Compensation Committee that has been established by the Board, or any subsequent committee of the Board that
has primary responsibility for compensation policies. In the absence of such a committee, “Committee” shall mean the Board
or any committee of the Board designated by the Board to perform the functions of the Committee under the Plan.
2.8 “Compensation”
shall have the same meaning as provided in the Pension Plan, but shall also include (i) amounts disregarded pursuant
to Section 401(a)(17) of the Code, (ii) amounts (included in compensation as earned) receipt of which is deferred by a Participant
pursuant to a plan or agreement which is not qualified under the Code, and, (iii) for any period in question, annual awards under
the Incentive Plan to the extent made with respect to performance during such period, each such award to be allocated on a pro rata basis
to each of the calendar months in the period to which it relates. Notwithstanding the above, Long-Term Incentive Compensation Awards
made under Incentive Plans after November 1, 2001 shall not be included in Compensation for purposes of this Plan; provided, however,
that (x) each individual who was a Participant prior to November 1, 2001 shall have credited to his or her Compensation in
February each year while a Participant, in the same manner as such amount was credited in 2001, the “target” value
of the stock option grants made to such Participant in February, 2001 for purposes of the Make-Whole Benefit and, (y) if such individual
was a Participant in the Target Benefit prior to October 2003, for purposes of the Target Benefit as well. For purposes of computing
the value of a Participant’s awards under the Incentive Plans, awards made in common shares of Northeast Utilities shall be valued
by multiplying the per share New York Stock Exchange closing price on the date the award is approved by the Board by the number of shares
awarded to such Participant Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant may become entitled to receive an award or awards under the
Incentive Plans, and if the amount of such award(s), if any, will be determined after the Participant’s Benefit Commencement Date,
then a provisional calculation of the Participant’s Compensation during the period to which such award(s) relates (hereinafter
the “Provisional Calculation”) shall be made on or before the Participant’s Benefit Commencement Date, and benefits
payable to the Participant under this Plan shall be based upon the Participant’s Compensation as determined under the Provisional
Calculation until such calculation is replaced as hereinafter provided. A Participant’s Compensation shall be determined under
the Provisional Calculation by including the target amount of any award to the Participant under the Incentive Plans as Compensation
in the period to which the award relates. The Provisional Calculation shall be replaced by a permanent calculation of Compensation (hereinafter
the “Permanent Calculation”) as soon as administratively practicable after the amount of all awards that the Participant
may become entitled to receive under the Incentive Plans has been determined, and as of such date the Participant’s benefit under
this Plan shall be recalculated and promptly paid based upon the Participant’s Compensation as determined under the Permanent Calculation.
The Permanent Calculation of a Participant’s Compensation shall be determined by including as Compensation the amount of awards,
if any, to the Participant under the Incentive Plans that are determined after the Participant’s Benefit Commencement Date. If
the amount of the Participant’s benefit under this Plan as determined under the Permanent Calculation is greater than the amount
of such benefit as determined under the Provisional Calculation, then the Employer shall make a lump sum payment to the Participant within
30 days following the date on which the Permanent Calculation is determined (which shall not be later than the first taxable year of
the Participant in which the calculation of the Permanent Calculation is administratively practicable) equal to the difference between:
(a) the sum of the benefit payment(s) that would have been made to the Participant hereunder from the Benefit Commencement
Date until the date on which the Permanent Calculation was determined if such benefit(s) had been calculated based on the Participant’s
Compensation as determined under the Permanent Calculation, and (b) the actual benefit payment(s) made to the Participant
hereunder for such period. If the amount of the Participant’s benefit under this Plan as determined under the Permanent Calculation
is less than the amount of such benefit as determined under the Provisional Calculation, then each of the Participant’s benefit
payments after the date on which the Permanent Calculation is determined shall be reduced by the amount by which each benefit payment
determined under the Provisional Calculation exceeded the benefit payment that would have been made under the Permanent Calculation until
such time as the total amount of said reductions equals the difference between: (i) the actual benefit payment(s) made to
the Participant hereunder from the Benefit Commencement Date until the date on which the Permanent Calculation was determined, and (ii) the
sum of such benefit payment(s) that the Participant would have received hereunder for such period if such benefit had been calculated
based on the Participant’s Compensation as determined under the Permanent Calculation.
2.9 “Compensation
Limit Benefit” shall mean that portion of the Make-Whole Benefit determined disregarding the limitation of Section 401(a)(17)
of the Code.
2.10 “Credited
Service” shall mean the Participant’s Credited Service under the Pension Plan but shall exclude any additions
to such Credited Service pursuant to any retirement incentive program.
2.11 “Disability”
shall mean the Participant’s receipt of long-term disability benefits under the long-term disability program of the
Northeast Utilities Service Company Flexible Benefits Plan, as may be amended from time to time, or its successor plan.
2.12 “Eligible
Employee” shall mean a person specifically designated by the Plan Administrator as eligible to participate in the
Plan and who is: (a) employed by an Employer on a regular full-time salaried basis, (b) designated an officer (excluding
any assistant officers) of an Employer with a title of, or position similar to, Vice President or of any higher rank or who is otherwise
approved by the Plan Administrator for participation, (c) who is a participant in the Pension Plan, and (d) who does not
have an agreement with the Company to be eligible for other benefits under the SERP Program or any other program of supplemental retirement
benefits maintained by the Company to substitute for or be additional to the benefits provided under the Plan.
2.13 “Employer”
includes, individually and/or collectively as the context requires, the Company, Northeast Utilities (“NU”), Northeast
Utilities Service Company (“NUSCO”), any successor to either company, and certain other entities in which Eversource holds,
directly or indirectly, more than a 50 percent voting interest and that have approved and adopted this Plan pursuant to Article XIV,
whether or not an individual Employer directly compensates the Participant or the Participant appears on the payroll of such Employer;
provided that, for purposes of this Plan, NSTAR and its affiliates (other than NU and its historical affiliates) (“Excluded NSTAR
Companies”) shall not be included.
2.14 “Final
Average Compensation” shall mean a Participant’s highest average annual Compensation earned for Credited Service
during any 36 consecutive months (or lesser actual period of receiving compensation) preceding the calendar month in which the Participant’s
Credited Service ends. In determining a Participant’s 36 consecutive months of highest average annual Compensation, periods during
which the Participant was not receiving Compensation shall be disregarded.
2.15 “Incentive
Plan” or “Incentive Plans” shall have the meaning given such terms in Article I.
2.16 “Long-Term
Incentive Compensation Awards” shall mean those awards under Incentive Plans which are intended to reward performance
over a performance period of more than one year, including: (a) performance units, restricted stock, and similar awards, whether
in cash or shares, which by their terms do not vest within a year from the grant date; and (b) stock options and stock appreciation
rights. Annual bonus amounts payable in forms other than cash shall not be considered Long-Term Incentive Compensation Awards for purposes
of this Plan.
2.17 “Make-Whole
Benefit” shall mean the benefit described in Article IV.
2.18 “NU
System Employee” means a person employed by NU or by any entity in which NU holds, directly or indirectly, more
than a 50 percent voting interest, whether or not such entity is an Employer, but excluding any employee of any NSTAR Excluded Company.
2.19 “Participant”
shall mean an Eligible Employee of the Employer who is eligible to participate in the Plan pursuant to Article III.
2.20 “Plan
Administrator” shall mean the Plan Administrator, as defined in Part I of the SERP Program Document and, to
the extent a trust is established in accordance with Article XI, the trustee of such trust, their respective duties to be subject
to written agreement between such Plan Administrator and such trustee.
2.21 “Specified
Employee” shall mean an Employee who, at any time during the 12-month period ending on the identification date,
is a “specified employee” under Section 409A of the Code, as determined by the Committee or the Board.
2.22 “Target
Benefit” shall mean the benefit described in Article V.
ARTICLE III
PARTICIPATION
3.1 Make-Whole
Benefit Participants: Each Eligible Employee shall be a Participant in the Plan with respect to the Make-Whole Benefit
described in Article IV.
3.2 Target
Benefit Participants: Each Eligible Employee with a title of Senior Vice President, or more senior ranking officer of
the Employer, shall be a Participant in the Plan with respect to the Target Benefit described in Article V if approved by the Board
for such participation before April 10, 2012. The Target Benefit shall be closed as of such date to all other employees.
ARTICLE IV
MAKE-WHOLE
BENEFIT
If a Participant is a Make-Whole
Benefit Participant described in Article III hereof and such Participant’s employment as an NU System Employee terminates
after the Participant has satisfied the requirements for early, normal, or deferred retirement under the Pension Plan, such Participant
shall be entitled to receive from the Employer under this Article an annual benefit having a value equal to the excess, if any,
of (a) over (b), where:
(a) is
the annual benefit that would be payable to the Participant under the Pension Plan, calculated (i) without the limitations imposed
by Sections 401(a)(17) and 415 of the Code and (ii) by substituting the definition of “Compensation” set forth in this
Plan for the definition of “Compensation” set forth in the Pension Plan, and
(b) is
the annual benefit payable to the Participant under the Pension Plan, calculated in accordance with the terms of the Pension Plan.
For purposes of this Article IV,
the annual benefit under the Pension Plan shall be determined as a 33-1/3% joint and survivor Annuity provided the Participant is married
on his or her retirement date and the Participant’s spouse is his or her contingent annuitant, or in the form of a straight life
Annuity if the Participant is not married on his or her retirement date or if a married Participant’s spouse is not his or her
contingent annuitant (regardless of whether or not such benefits are actually paid in such form) commencing on the Benefit Commencement
Date (whether or not the Pension Plan benefit is paid on such Benefit Commencement Date) and calculated in accordance with the assumptions
provided in the Pension Plan for purposes of determining the accrued benefit thereunder with respect to Benefit Commencement Dates occurring
on or after the Participant’s attainment of age 55.
ARTICLE V
TARGET
BENEFIT
If a Participant is a Target
Benefit Participant described in Article III hereof and such Participant’s employment as an NU System Employee terminates
on or after attainment of age 60 (or earlier, if the Board so provides pursuant to Article X) and such Participant is then entitled
to receive a vested benefit under the Pension Plan, such Participant shall be entitled to receive a benefit from the Employer under this
Article having a value equal to the excess, if any, of (a) over (b), where:
(a) equals
a lifetime benefit in an annual amount equal to (i) 50 percent (60 percent in the case of a Participant whose participation in
the Plan with respect to the Target Benefit is effective before February 1, 2005) of the Participant’s Final Average Compensation
multiplied by (ii) the ratio of the Participant’s Credited Service at the date his or her Credited Service ends to twenty-five
years (such ratio not to exceed one), which annual amount shall be reduced, if payment of the Target Benefit commences prior to the Participant’s
attainment of age 65, with such reduction to be determined in accordance with the factors set forth in the Pension Plan applicable to
retirement benefits of employees retiring on an early retirement date. Credited Service and age are to be determined for purposes of
this subsection (a) after taking into account any additions to age and/or Credited Service pursuant to any retirement incentive
program; and
(b) equals
the sum of (i) the annual benefit payable to the Participant under the Pension Plan plus (ii) the annual Make-Whole Benefit
payable to the Participant pursuant to Article IV of this Plan, both such annual benefits expressed in the form of a 50% joint
and survivor Annuity which is calculated on the basis that the unreduced form of payment is a 33-1/3% joint and survivor Annuity, provided
the Participant is married on his or her retirement date and the Participant’s spouse is his or her contingent annuitant, or in
the form of a straight life Annuity if the Participant is not married on his or her retirement date or if a married Participant’s
spouse is not his or her contingent annuitant (regardless of whether or not such benefits are actually paid in such form) commencing
on the Benefit Commencement Date (whether or not the Pension Plan benefit is paid on such Benefit Commencement Date).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant’s
employment as an NU System Employee terminates on account of his or her Disability, such Participant’s Target Benefit hereunder
shall be reduced (but not below zero) by the annual amount of benefits payable to the Participant under all group long term disability
plans and policies of the Employer that are attributable to contributions made by the Employer.
ARTICLE VI
PAYMENT
OF MAKE-WHOLE AND TARGET BENEFIT
The Make-Whole Benefit and
the Target Benefit, if any, shall be paid to the Participant in the form of (x) a 50% joint and survivor Annuity, if the Participant
is married on his or her Benefit Commencement Date, or (y) a straight life Annuity if the Participant is not married on his or
her Benefit Commencement Date, in either case commencing on the first day of the month following the later of the month in which (i) the
Participant’s employment as an NU System Employee terminates, or (ii) the month in which the Participant attains age 55.
A Participant may instead select payment in the form of any Actuarially Equivalent Annuity made available under the Pension Plan at the
Benefit Commencement Date, provided that such election is filed with the Plan Administrator before the Benefit Commencement Date.
With respect to the Make-Whole
Benefit, for a married Participant whose spouse is the contingent annuitant, the life Annuity form of payment includes a fully subsidized
33-1/3% contingent Annuity to the Participant’s spouse, and other Annuity forms of payment available under the Pension Plan shall
be calculated on the basis that the life Annuity with the fully subsidized 33-1/3% contingent Annuity to the Participant’s spouse
is the normal form of benefit, before conversion. With respect to the Target Benefit, for a married Participant whose spouse is the contingent
annuitant, the survivor benefit payable under the 50% joint and survivor Annuity form of payment shall be fully subsidized and other
Annuity forms of payment available under the Pension Plan shall be calculated on the basis that the fully subsidized 50% joint and survivor
Annuity is the normal form of benefit, before conversion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no straight life Annuity form of payment is
available with respect to the Make-Whole Benefit or the Target Benefit for a married Participant; only a life Annuity with a 33-1/3%
contingent Annuity to the Participant’s spouse is payable. Both the Make-Whole Benefit and the Target Benefit must be paid in the
same form of Annuity. The calculation of benefits payable under the various forms provided in this Article VI shall be determined
substantially in accordance with the sample calculations set forth in Addenda 1, 2, and 3 to this Plan.
Anything in this Plan to
the contrary notwithstanding, payment to any Specified Employee upon termination of employment shall not commence until the date that
is six months after the date of the Specified Employee’s separation from service (as determined by the Plan Administrator in accordance
with the regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code) (or, if earlier, within 90 days of the date of death of such
Specified Employee, in which case the provisions of Articles VII and VIII shall apply). Any payment due within such six-month period
will be adjusted to reflect the deferred payment date by multiplying the payment by: the product of: (a) the interest discount
rate used for financial accounting purposes to compute the present value liability of the Plan for its actuarial valuation for the plan
year immediately preceding the Specified Employee’s termination of employment, and (b) a fraction, the numerator of which
is the number of days by which such payment was delayed and the denominator of which is 365. The adjusted Annuity payments to which such
Specified Employee would otherwise be entitled during such six months shall be accumulated and paid on the first Annuity payment date
of the seventh month following termination of employment. The provisions of this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, a payment
to or on behalf of a Participant shall be accelerated if payment is required to be made to an individual other than the Participant to
fulfill a domestic relations order as defined in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code.
The provisions of this Article VI
to the contrary notwithstanding, a payment to a Participant (or his or her designated beneficiary) may be delayed to a date after the
designated Benefit Commencement Date if calculation of the amount of the payment is not administratively practicable due to events beyond
the control of the Participant (or his or her designated beneficiary) and such delay is for reasons that are commercially reasonable,
provided that payment is made as soon as payment is administratively practicable.
ARTICLE VII
PRE-RETIREMENT
DEATH BENEFIT WITH RESPECT TO
MAKE-WHOLE BENEFIT
If the spouse of a Participant
with respect to the Make-Whole Benefit is entitled to a pre-retirement death benefit under the Pension Plan, said spouse shall be entitled
to receive from the Employer an annual death benefit under this Plan payable in the form of a straight life Annuity for the life of the
spouse equal to the difference between: (a) the annual death benefit that would be payable to said spouse under the Pension Plan
as of the later of the date on which the Participant would have attained age 55 and the date of the Participant’s death, but calculated
based on the benefit described in clause (a) of Article IV, and (b) the annual death benefit payable to said spouse
under the Pension Plan calculated on the assumption that such death benefit is payable as of the later of the date on which the Participant
would have attained age 55 or the date of the Participant’s death. Payments of such pre-retirement death benefit with respect to
the Participant’s Make-Whole Benefit shall commence on the first day of the month following the later of the date the Participant
would have attained age 55 or 30 days after the date of the Participant’s death; provided, however, if the Participant had attained
age 45 and completed 20 or more years of service under the Pension Plan at the date of death, payment shall be made not later than 30
days following the date of death.
No death benefit with respect
to a Make-Whole Benefit other than that set forth above shall be payable under this Plan if a Participant dies prior to the Participant’s
Benefit Commencement Date.
ARTICLE VIII
PRE-RETIREMENT
DEATH BENEFIT WITH
RESPECT TO TARGET BENEFIT
If (x) a Participant
with respect to the Target Benefit should die after having become vested with respect to a Target Benefit but prior to the Participant’s
Benefit Commencement Date, or at a time when he or she would have become vested upon termination of employment as an NU System
Employee, in accordance with Article X, and (y) such Participant’s spouse is entitled to a death benefit under the
Pension Plan, said spouse shall be entitled to receive a death benefit in the form of monthly payments for the life of the spouse in
an amount equal to 50% of the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated on the assumption that the Target Benefit was payable as
a straight life Annuity to a married Participant as of the later of the date on which the Participant would have attained age 55 and
the date of the Participant’s death. Payment of such pre-retirement death benefit with respect to the Participant’s Target
Benefit shall commence on the first day of the month following the later of the date the Participant would have attained age 55 or the
date of the Participant’s death.
No death benefit with respect
to a Target Benefit other than that set forth above shall be payable under this Plan if a Participant dies prior to the Benefit Commencement
Date.
ARTICLE IX
POST-RETIREMENT
DEATH BENEFIT
No death benefit shall be
payable under this Plan in the event of a Participant’s death following his or her Benefit Commencement Date except in accordance
with the Annuity option elected by such Participant or pursuant to which benefits were automatically paid to such Participant as provided
in Article VI.
ARTICLE X
FORFEITURE
A Participant shall be vested
and shall have a nonforfeitable right with respect to: (a) the Make-Whole Benefit if such Participant is a Make-Whole Benefit Participant
under Article III hereof and such Participant terminates his or her employment as an NU System Employee after meeting the requirements
for early, normal or deferred retirement under the Pension Plan, and (b) the Target Benefit if such Participant is a Target Benefit
Participant under Article III hereof and such Participant’s employment as an NU System Employee terminates on or after attainment
of age 60, or such earlier age established by the Board at the time the Employee’s eligibility for the Target Benefit is established.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant shall be discharged for Cause, or performs acts of willful malfeasance or gross negligence
in a matter of material importance to the Employer, payments that thereafter would have been payable to the Participant or such Participant’s
spouse or beneficiary may, at the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator, be forfeited, and the Employer shall have no further obligation
hereunder to the Participant or such Participant’s spouse; provided, however, that the forfeiture provisions of this Article X,
as such provisions apply to a Target Benefit, may be amended by the express terms of a written agreement, approved by the Plan Administrator,
between Eversource and a Participant.
ARTICLE XI
FUNDING
Benefits payable under this
Plan shall be “unfunded,” as that term is used in Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3), 401(a)(1) and 4021(a)(6) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, with respect to unfunded plans maintained primarily for the purpose of providing
deferred compensation to a select group of management or highly compensated employees, and the Plan Administrator shall administer this
Plan in a manner that will ensure that benefits are unfunded and that Participants will not be considered to have received a taxable
economic benefit prior to the time at which benefits are actually payable hereunder. Accordingly, the Employer shall not be required
to segregate or earmark any of its assets for the benefit of Participants or their spouses or other beneficiaries, and each such person
shall have only a contractual right against the Employer for benefits hereunder. The Company may from time to time establish a trust
and deposit with the trustee thereof funds to be held in trust for the payment of benefits hereunder, provided, that the use of such
funds for such purpose shall be subject to the claims of the Company’s general creditors as set forth in the agreement establishing
any such trust. The rights and interests of a Participant under this Plan shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation,
sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or encumbrance by a Participant or any person claiming under or through a Participant, nor shall they
be subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities or torts of a Participant or anyone else prior to payment, except as otherwise provided
in Article VI to fulfill a domestic relations order as defined in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code.
ARTICLE XII
ADMINISTRATION
The Plan shall be administered
by the Plan Administrator. The calculation of all benefits payable under the Plan shall be performed by the Plan Administrator. The Plan
Administrator shall have the sole discretion to determine all questions arising in connection with the Plan, to interpret the provisions
of the Plan and to construe all of its terms, to adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations for the administration of the
Plan, and generally to conduct and administer the Plan and to make all determinations in connection with the Plan as may be necessary
or advisable. All such actions of the Plan Administrator shall be conclusive and binding upon all Participants, former Participants,
spouses, and other persons.
ARTICLE XIII
CLAIMS
PROCEDURE
The Plan Administrator shall
make initial determinations with respect to all claims for benefits hereunder, in accordance with the provisions of Part I of the
SERP Program Document. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, with respect to a Participant, the forfeiture provisions of Article X
are amended by the terms of a written agreement as provided in such Article, the claims procedure, if any, set forth in such written
agreement shall supersede the claims procedure set forth in this Article and Part I of the SERP Program Document with respect
to the Target Benefit of such Participant.
ARTICLE XIV
ADOPTION
BY EMPLOYER, OBLIGATIONS
OF EMPLOYER
(a) At
the earliest feasible time or times, Eversource shall cause each entity other than an NSTAR Excluded Company in which it now or hereafter
holds, directly or indirectly, more than a 50 percent voting interest and that has not less than 50 employees on its direct payroll to
approve and adopt this Plan and, by such approval and adoption, to be bound by the terms hereof.
(b) Benefits
under this Plan shall, in the first instance, be paid and satisfied by Eversource, whether from a trust set up as provided in Article XI
or otherwise. If Eversource shall be dissolved or for any other reason shall fail to pay and satisfy such benefits, through such trust
or otherwise, each individual Employer shall pay and satisfy its share of such benefits, such share to be the ratio of the Participant’s
Compensation, as defined in this Plan, charged to such Employer during the three calendar years immediately preceding the year in which
the Participant’s employment as an NU System Employee terminates to the total of the Participant’s Compensation charged to
all Employers during the same period.
(c) The
Declaration of Trust of Eversource provides that no shareholder of Eversource shall be held to any liability whatever for the payment
of any sum of money, or for damages or otherwise under any contract, obligation or undertaking made, entered into or issued by the trustees
of Eversource or by any officer, agent or representative elected or appointed by the trustees and no such contract, obligation or undertaking
shall be enforceable against the trustees or any of them in their or his individual capacities or capacity and all such contracts, obligations
and undertakings shall be enforceable only against the trustees as such and every person, firm, association, trust and corporation having
any claim or demand arising out of any such contract, obligation or undertaking shall look only to the trust estate for the payment or
satisfaction thereof. Any liability for benefits under this Plan incurred by Eversource shall be subject to the foregoing provisions
of this Subsection (c).
ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS
15.1 Amendment
or Termination. The Board or the Committee may amend or discontinue the Plan at any time; provided, however, that no amendment
or discontinuation shall diminish the Employer’s obligation to provide any benefits accrued to the date of such amendment or discontinuation.
For purposes of the foregoing, “benefits accrued” shall mean the value of a Participant’s benefit under the Plan, as
of the date of amendment or discontinuation of the Plan: (a) with respect to Make-Whole Benefit Participants described in Article HI,
based upon such Participant’s Compensation, Final Average Compensation, Credited Service and Pension Plan benefit as of such date,
and (b) with respect to Target Benefit Participants described in Article III, based upon such Participant’s Final Average
Compensation, Credited Service, Pension Plan benefit and Make-Whole Benefit as of such date. A Participant with an accrued but unvested
benefit under the Plan as of the date of amendment or discontinuation of the Plan shall become vested with respect to such benefit upon
such Participant’s satisfaction of the requirements of Article IV or V, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
it is intended that no such amendment or discontinuation of the Plan shall cause any payment that a Participant or spouse is entitled
to receive under this Plan to become subject to an income tax penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code and no such discontinuation
of the Plan may be effected except in accordance with Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix) of the Treasury Regulations (or applicable
successor regulatory guidance).
15.2 Cost-of-Living
Adjustments. Cost-of-living adjustments applicable to a Participant’s benefit under the Pension Plan after the date
of determination of the benefits under this Plan shall not affect the amount of the benefits under this Plan, and the provision of such
adjustments under the Pension Plan shall not in any way obligate the Employer to provide an equivalent adjustment with respect to the
benefits under this Plan.
15.3 Headings.
Headings are included in the Plan for convenience only and are not substantive provisions of the Plan.
15.4 Applicable
Law. The interpretation of the provisions and the administration of the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State
of Connecticut. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the terms of this Plan shall be interpreted and applied in a manner
consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder and the Employer shall make
best efforts to make any payment under this Plan except to the extent such action would not subject any Participant or spouse to the
payment of any tax penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code. The Employer shall have no obligation, however, to reimburse
a Participant or spouse for any tax penalty or interest payable or provide a gross-up payment in connection with any tax liability of
a Participant or spouse under Section 409A of the Code except that this provision shall not apply in the event of the Employer’s
negligence or willful disregard in interpreting the application of Section 409A of the Code to the Plan which negligence or willful
disregard causes the Participant or spouse to become subject to a tax penalty or interest payable under Section 409A of the Code,
in which case the Employer will reimburse the Participant or spouse, as the case may be, on an after-tax basis for any such tax penalty
or interest not later than the last day of the taxable year next following the taxable year in which the Participant or spouse remits
the applicable taxes and interest.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Eversource
has caused this Plan, which consists of the 409A Plan and the Grandfathered Plan, to be approved substantially in the form as attached
hereto and executed pursuant to authority duly delegated by its Compensation Committee.
|
Eversource
Supplemental Cash Balance Plan
|
|
As of January 1,
2025 |
PART V
EVERSOURCE SUPPLEMENTAL CASH BALANCE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan is to provide certain executives with the benefits that would have been provided to them under the Cash Balance Plan
if compensation and benefits were not subject to the limitations imposed by Sections 401(a)(17) and 415 of the Code. The Plan is not
intended to meet the qualification requirements of Section 401 of the Code but is intended to comply with Code Section 409A
and the final regulations issued thereunder.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS
When capitalized, each of
the following terms shall have the corresponding meaning set forth below unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context
in which the term is used:
2.1 “Account
Balance” shall mean the notional account deemed to have been established for each Participant in accordance with
Article 4.
2.2 “Active
Participant” shall mean an Eligible Employee who at the particular time is an Active Participant in the Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan in accordance with the provisions of Article 3. An Employee shall not be treated as an Active Participant if
he or she again becomes eligible for K-Vantage Contributions under the Eversource 401k Plan.
2.3 “Annual
Additions Limit” shall mean the annual limit that applies to a defined benefit plan as set forth at Code Section 415(b).
2.4 “Annual
Compensation Limit” shall mean the annual limit on eligible compensation as specified by Code Section 401(a)(17).
2.5 “Benefit
Commencement Date” shall mean the date on which payment of a Participant’s Supplemental Cash Balance Plan
benefit, if any, commences, as provided in Article 5.
2.6 “Board”
shall mean the Board of Trustees of Eversource.
2.7 “Cause”
shall have the meaning provided in the Eversource Special Severance Program (or a successor plan of comparable intent as determined
by the Plan Administrator).
2.8 “Change
of Control” For the purposes of this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan, “Change of Control” shall mean:
(a) The
acquisition by any Person (or more than one Person acting as a group) of ultimate beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of (i) more than 50% of the then outstanding common shares (or shares of common stock) of the
Parent (the “Outstanding Parent Common Shares”); or (ii) 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding
voting securities of the Parent entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (or directors) (the “Outstanding Parent
Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute
a Change of Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Parent; (ii) any acquisition by the Parent or an affiliate of
the Parent, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Parent, the Company
or any affiliates of the Parent or (iv) any acquisition by any Person pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (i),
(ii), and (iii) of subsection (c) below; or
(b) Individuals
who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board of Trustees of the Parent (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of such board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a trustee (or director) subsequent to the
date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Parent’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority
of the trustees (or directors) then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the
Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual
or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of trustees (or directors) or other actual or threatened solicitation
of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than such board; or
(c) Consummation
of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Parent (a
“Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (i) all or substantially all of
the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding Parent
Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately following such
Business Combination 50% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares (or shares of common stock) and the combined voting
power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of trustees (or directors), as the case may
be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction
owns the Parent or all or substantially all of the Parent’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Parent Common Shares and Outstanding
Parent Voting Securities, as the case may be; (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting from such Business Combination or
any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Parent or the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) ultimately
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares or shares of common stock
of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (iii) at least a majority
of the members of the board of trustees (or board of directors) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of
the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Trustees of the Parent, providing
for such Business Combination; or
(d) Approval
by the shareholders of the Parent of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Parent.
(e) For
purposes of this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan, the term “Parent” shall mean the Company, or, if any entity shall own, directly
or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, more than 50% of the outstanding common shares of the Company, such entity, and the term
“Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, company, limited liability company, trust, or other entity,
which term shall include a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended.
2.9 “Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
2.10 “Committee”
shall mean the Compensation Committee that has been established by the Board, or any subsequent committee of the Board that
has primary responsibility for compensation policies. In the absence of such a committee, “Committee” shall mean the Board
or any committee of the Board designated by the Board to perform the functions of the Committee under the Plan.
2.11 “Company”
shall mean Eversource Energy Service Company and its successor or successors.
2.12 “Compensation”
shall have the same meaning as provided in the Cash Balance Plan but shall only include amounts disregarded under the Cash
Balance Plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17) of the Code.
2.13 “Disability”
shall mean the Participant’s Total Disability as defined in the Cash Balance Plan.
2.14 “Eligible
Employee” shall mean an officer (excluding any assistant officers) of an Employer with a title of, or position similar
to, Vice President or of any higher rank specifically designated by the Plan Administrator as eligible to participate in the Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan and who was (a) an Eligible K-Vantage Employee under the Eversource 401k Plan as of December 31, 2024 entitled
to receive a K-Vantage Contribution for such period, or (b) is an Employee, as defined in the Cash Balance Plan hired after December 31,
2024 who is eligible to participate in the Cash Balance Plan for periods on or after January 1, 2025.
2.15 “Employer”
shall mean the Company and/or each Participating Company who elects to participate in this Plan with the approval of the Company.
2.16 “Interest
Credit” shall mean the amounts credited to the Participant’s Supplemental Cash Balance Account in accordance
with Article 4.
2.17 “Participant”
shall mean an individual who at the particular time shall be either (a) an Active Participant, or (b) a former
Active Participant entitled to any benefits under the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan.
2.18 “Participating
Company” means an affiliate of the Company who is offered and accepts an opportunity to have its Eligible Employees
participate in this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan.
2.19 “Pay
Credit” shall mean the notional credits allocated to a Participant as of the end of each Plan Year equal to a percentage
determined under the table set forth at Section 4.1 multiplied by the Participant’s Compensation that exceeds the applicable
Annual Compensation Limit for such Plan Year and without regard to the Annual Additions Limit.
2.20 “Plan
Administrator” shall mean the Eversource Retirement Plan and Investment Committee.
2.21 “Plan
Year” shall mean each calendar year.
2.22 “Same-Sex
Life Partner” shall have the meaning provided to such term by the Cash Balance Plan.
2.23 “Separation
from Service” shall mean separation from service with the Company and its affiliates within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). A Participant on medical leave for a period of more than twenty-nine (29) months shall be deemed
to have a Separation from Service on the day following the end of the 29th month of medical leave. For purposes of this paragraph, a
medical leave is a leave of absence due to a medically determined physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death
or to last for a continuous period of at least six months, where such impairment causes the employee to be unable to perform the duties
of his or her position of employment or any substantially similar position of employment.
2.24 “Specified
Employee” shall mean an Employee who, at any time during the 12-month period ending on the identification date,
is a “specified employee” under Section 409A of the Code, as determined by the Committee or the Board.
2.25 “Spouse”
shall have the meaning provided to such term by the Cash Balance Plan.
2.26 “Supplemental
Cash Balance Account” shall mean the notional account deemed to have been established for each Participant in accordance
with Article 4.
2.27 “Vesting
Service” shall have the meaning provided under the Cash Balance Plan.
ARTICLE 3
PARTICIPATION AND VESTING
3.1 Eligible
Employees. For periods after December 31, 2024, an Active Participant will include (i) Eligible Employees
who are hired or rehired on or after January 1, 2025 by the Company or a Participating Company, and (ii) Eligible Employees
who are Eligible K-Vantage Employees as of December 31, 2024 entitled to receive a K-Vantage Contribution for the period ending
December 31, 2024. Such Active Participants will cease to be an Active Participant in this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan when
(i) he or she has a Separation from Service, or (ii) again becomes eligible for a K-Vantage contribution under the Eversource
401k Plan.
3.2 Vesting.
A Participant will be fully vested in his or her benefit under this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan upon the completion of
three years of Vesting Service. For this purpose, years of Vesting Service will be determined under the elapsed time method for crediting
service as set forth at ERISA Regulation Section 2530.200b-9 and will be equivalent to the Vesting Service earned by each Eligible
Employee who is a Participant in this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan as such Participant has earned under the Cash Balance Plan. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any Participant who is not then vested upon a Change of Control will be fully vested upon such Change of Control.
ARTICLE 4
CASH BALANCE BENEFITS
4.1 Pay
Credits. Effective as of January 1, 2025, at the end of each Plan Year during which a Participant receives credit for Vesting
Service, the Participant shall receive a “Pay Credit” equal to the percentage determined under the table below multiplied
by his or her Compensation for such Plan Year as follows:
Points | |
Percentage
Contribution | |
Less than 40 | |
| 3.5 | % |
At least 40 but less than 60 | |
| 4.5 | % |
60 or more | |
| 6.0 | % |
The applicable Pay Credit
for any Plan Year is determined by the number of points equal to the sum of the Participant’s age and his Vesting Service credits,
both determined as of the first day of the current Plan Year in which the Pay Credit is allocated.
4.2 Interest
Credits. As of the end of each successive Plan Year for which the Participant has an Account Balance, such Participant’s
Account Balance for such Plan Year shall receive an Interest Credit based on the Participant’s Account Balance as of the preceding
December 31 to such Plan Year (e.g., the Interest Credit applied as of December 31, 2026 is applied to the Participant's
Account Balance as of December 31, 2025) equal to the interest rate for 30-year U.S. Treasuries as determined and published
by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to Notice 2002-26, 2002-15 I.R.B. 743 for the month of September immediately preceding
the first day of the Plan Year for which such interest credit is made (e.g., for the 2025 Plan Year the 30-year U.S. Treasury rate
in effect for September 2024) and compounded monthly. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent not prohibited by guidance issued
by the U.S. Treasury Department or the Internal Revenue Service, the Indexing Rate for any Plan Year shall not be less than four percent
(4%).
ARTICLE 5
PAYMENT OF BENEFITS
5.1. Time
and Form of Payment. Distributions under this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan will be paid upon a Separation from
Service in a lump sum payment. Distributions under this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan will also be paid upon a Participant incurring
a Disability in a lump sum payment provided such Participant has been determined to be totally and permanently disabled under the Social
Security Act.
5.2. Specified
Employees. Notwithstanding the terms of Section 5.1 above, a lump sum distribution to a Participant who is a Specified
Employee will not be paid until six (6) months after such Participant’s Separation from Service.
ARTICLE 6
DEATH BENEFITS
6.1. Proof
of Death and Eligibility. Proof of the Participant’s death and of eligibility under this Article 6
satisfactory to the Committee must be furnished before benefits shall be paid to any Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner hereunder.
6.2 Death
Before Benefit Commencement Date. If a Participant with a vested Account Balance dies before his or her Benefit Commencement
Date, his or her Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner, if any, on the date of his or her death shall be entitled to the benefits that such
Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner would have received if the Participant’s benefit had been otherwise payable under Article 5.
6.3 Designation
of Beneficiary.
(a) Participant
Is Married or Has Registered A Same-Sex Life Partner. In the event of the death of a Participant, if the Participant was married
or had registered a Same-Sex Life Partner immediately before his or her death, benefits shall be paid under the Supplemental Cash Balance
Plan to the Participant’s surviving Spouse or surviving Same-Sex Life Partner, if any, or to any other Beneficiary who may be designated
by the Participant under subsection (c) below if such surviving Spouse or surviving Same-Sex Life Partner provided consent
to such designation and there is a nonforfeitable benefit payable under the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan.
(b) No
Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner. In the event of the death of a Participant, if the Participant, immediately before his or her
death, did not have a Spouse or had not registered a Same-Sex Life Partner with the Plan Administrator, then any death benefits payable
under this Article 6 of the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan will be payable to the Participant’s designated Beneficiary under
subsection (c) below.
(c) Filing
with Plan Administrator. Subject to the foregoing paragraphs of this Section, each Participant shall have the right before the
Benefit Commencement Date to designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries to receive benefits, if any, payable hereunder on the death of
the Participant, and from time to time to change any such designation (“Beneficiary”). If the Participant fails to file such
beneficial designation, signed by the Participant, and evidenced by a written instrument with the Plan Administrator, or if a designated
Beneficiary (designated by the Participant in writing for the Plan) predeceases the Participant and no contingent Beneficiary is named,
the Beneficiary shall be the Participant’s estate if any benefit is payable under the Plan. Any designation or change made pursuant
to the first sentence of this subsection shall take effect as of the date of execution of such written instrument (provided the Benefit
Commencement Date has not occurred) whether or not the Participant is living at the time of such filing, but without prejudice to the
Trust Fund on account of any payments made before receipt of such written instrument by the Plan Administrator.
ARTICLE 7
FUNDING
Benefits payable under this
Plan shall be “unfunded,” as that term is used in Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3), 401(a)(1), and 4021(a)(6) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, with respect to unfunded plans maintained primarily for the purpose of providing
deferred compensation to a select group of management or highly compensated employees, and the Plan Administrator shall administer this
Plan in a manner that will ensure that benefits are unfunded and that Participants will not be considered to have received a taxable
economic benefit prior to the time at which benefits are actually payable hereunder. Accordingly, the Employer shall not be required
to segregate or earmark any of its assets for the benefit of Participants or their Spouses, Same-Sex Life Partner, or other Beneficiaries,
and each such person shall have only a contractual right against the Employer for benefits hereunder. The Company may from time to time
establish a trust and deposit with the trustee thereof funds to be held in trust for the payment of benefits hereunder, provided, that
the use of such funds for such purpose shall be subject to the claims of the Company’s general creditors as set forth in the agreement
establishing any such trust. The rights and interests of a Participant under this Plan shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation,
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or encumbrance by a Participant or any person claiming under or through a Participant,
nor shall they be subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities or torts of a Participant or anyone else prior to payment, except as otherwise
required to fulfill a domestic relations order as described in Section 414(p)(1)(B) of the Code.
ARTICLE 8
ADMINISTRATION
The Plan shall be administered
by the Plan Administrator. The calculation of all benefits payable under the Plan shall be performed by the Plan Administrator. The Plan
Administrator shall have the sole discretion to determine all questions arising in connection with the Plan, to interpret the provisions
of the Plan and to construe all of its terms, to adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations for the administration of the
Plan, and generally to conduct and administer the Plan and to make all determinations in connection with the Plan as may be necessary
or advisable. All such actions of the Plan Administrator shall be conclusive and binding upon all Participants, former Participants,
spouses, and other persons.
ARTICLE 9
CLAIMS PROCEDURE
The Plan Administrator shall
make initial determinations with respect to all claims for benefits hereunder, in accordance with the provisions of Part I of the
SERP Program Document. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, with respect to a Participant, such Participant is discharged for Cause, or
performs acts of willful malfeasance or gross negligence in a matter of material importance to the Employer, the Supplemental Cash Balance
Plan benefit that would have otherwise been payable to the Participant or such Participant’s Spouse, Same-Sex Life Partner or Beneficiary
may, at the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator, be forfeited, and the Employer shall have no further obligation hereunder to the
Participant or such Participant’s Spouse, Same-Sex Life Partner or Beneficiary; provided, however, that the forfeiture provisions
of this Article 9, as such provisions apply to this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan benefit, may be amended by the express terms
of a written agreement, approved by the Plan Administrator, between the Company and a Participant.
ARTICLE 10
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1 Amendment
or Termination. The Board or the Committee may amend or discontinue the Plan at any time; provided, however, that no amendment
or discontinuation shall diminish the Employer’s obligation to provide any benefits accrued to the date of such amendment or discontinuation.
For purposes of the foregoing, “benefits accrued” shall mean the value of a Participant’s benefit under the Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan, as of the date of amendment or discontinuation of the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan. A Participant with an accrued
but unvested benefit under the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan as of the date of such amendment or discontinuation of the Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan shall become vested with respect to such benefit upon such Participant’s satisfaction of the requirements of
Article 3, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is intended that no such amendment or discontinuation of the Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan shall cause any payment that a Participant, Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner is entitled to receive under this Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan to become subject to an income tax penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code and no such discontinuation
of the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan may be effected except in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix) (or
applicable successor regulatory guidance).
10.2 Headings.
Headings are included in the Plan for convenience only and are not substantive provisions of the Plan.
10.3 Applicable
Law. The interpretation of the provisions and the administration of the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan shall be governed
by the laws of the State of Connecticut to the extent applicable. Anything in this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan to the contrary notwithstanding,
the terms of this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A
of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder and the Employer shall make best efforts to make any payment under this Supplemental
Cash Balance Plan except to the extent such action would subject any Participant, Spouse or Same-Sex Life Partner to the payment of any
tax penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code. The Employer shall have no obligation, however, to reimburse a Participant,
Spouse, or Same-Sex Life Partner for any tax penalty or interest payable or provide a gross-up payment in connection with any tax liability
of a Participant, Spouse, or Same-Sex Life Partner under Section 409A of the Code except that this provision shall not apply in
the event of the Employer’s negligence or willful disregard in interpreting the application of Section 409A of the Code to
the Supplemental Cash Balance Plan which negligence or willful disregard causes the Participant, Spouse, or Same-Sex Life Partner to
become subject to a tax penalty or interest payable under Section 409A of the Code, in which case the Employer will reimburse the
Participant, Spouse, or Same-Sex Life Partner, as the case may be, on an after-tax basis for any such tax penalty or interest not later
than the last day of the taxable year next following the taxable year in which the Participant, Spouse, or Same-Sex Life Partner remits
the applicable taxes and interest.
10.4 Participant
Rights; No Assignment. A Participant’s or Beneficiary’s rights to benefits under the 409A Plan shall be no
greater than the rights of a general, unsecured creditor of the Company or its affiliates, and shall not be assignable or subject to
alienation, anticipation, garnishment, attachment, or any other legal process by his creditors.
10.5 No
Contract of Employment. The Supplemental Cash Balance Plan shall not be deemed to constitute a contract of employment
between the Company or its affiliates and any Participant, or to be consideration for the employment of any Participant, and nothing
in this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan shall give any Participant any right to be employed or to continue employment by the Company or
its affiliates.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Eversource
has caused this Supplemental Cash Balance Plan, to be approved substantially in the form as attached hereto and executed pursuant to
authority duly delegated by its Compensation Committee.
v3.24.3
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