Following months of public scrutiny, the proposed merger of Dominion Energy with NextEra Energy has gotten a powerful voice in the opposition camp: Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The governor’s rejection joins Attorney General Jay Jones and Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi, who recently announced their opposition to the proposed purchase.
In a recent press release, Spanberger denounced the proposed merger, saying, “Any proposed merger involving Virginia’s primary state-regulated utility must benefit families and small businesses—not just the shareholders of these multi-billion-dollar corporations.”
Frustration among Virginians, local nonprofits, and state and local lawmakers has grown in recent months, following NextEra’s proposed $67 billion purchase of Dominion Energy. Concerns over potential rate hikes, data center costs, and a potential energy monopoly in the state have led many to denounce the merger.
In August, Spanberger filed a Notice of Participation as respondent at the State Corporation Commission (SCC), meaning she will be stepping in and may now intervene in the merger’s case proceedings. She is the first governor in Virginia’s history to intervene at the SCC, demonstrating the significance of the proposed merger and its potential effects on Virginians.
Now both the SCC and Spanberger have recommended the proposed merger be denied unless more protective measures are put in place to protect Virginia customers. In her recent press release, the governor stated, “I will continue to advocate aggressively on behalf of Virginians over the coming months, and I remain deeply skeptical that the proposed $67 billion merger, as currently structured, will adequately protect consumers and deliver meaningful public benefits.”
In testimony filed with the SCC, Spanberger called for a six-year freeze for residential electricity rates as well as more bill credits and protections for Virginia homes and businesses. This proposal triples the amount of credits Virginians would receive under Dominion and NextEra’s original proposed bill credit for customers if the merger were to be approved.
Spanberger stated that, “Without enforceable commitments that meaningfully prioritize ratepayers, lower energy costs, protect Virginia’s utility workforce, and advance Virginia’s energy goals, the State Corporation Commission should reject this merger.”
The governor also recommended additional reforms to the proposed merger, including lower costs for residential customers, protections against energy disconnections, greater investments in clean energy, and structural reforms to data center energy consumption.
According to Chief Energy Officer Josephus Allmond, “With the commitments made in the original filing and supplemental testimony, Dominion and NextEra have not yet satisfied the legal standard that would allow the Commission to approve this transaction.”
The Virginia State Corporation Commission has until Jan. 11, 2027, to decide on whether the Dominion-NextEra merger should proceed.
How to get involved
Share any concerns you have about the merger with your lawmakers, by using this form created by advocacy group Clean Virginia.
The SCC will also host three additional public hearings via telephone concerning the proposed merger. If you want to give testimony, register to call in here before Nov. 2.
