Dominion-NextEra merger faces calls to slow down after new customer benefits unveiled

RICHMOND, Va. — The Dominion Energy and NextEra merger is facing renewed scrutiny after the companies unveiled an expanded package of benefits for Virginia customers and employees — but at least one energy advocacy group says the new commitments are arriving too late in the process.

Clean Virginia, which has opposed the merger since it was announced in May, is calling on the State Corporation Commission to extend its review after Dominion and NextEra announced the updated deal Monday. The new package includes commitments to double bill credits, expand job protections, and build a new tower for NextEra employees, funded by NextEra shareholders.

Clean Virginia President Brennan Gilmore said the additions raise more questions than they answer.

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"Months into this process, weeks into the official litigation process, now Dominion and Nextera are coming in with a whole lot of other baubles and Christmas tree ornaments to hang on to this deal. That makes it even more important that we reset the clock, we extend the clock," Gilmore said.

Intervenors have spent weeks preparing for the Nov. 17 evidentiary hearing. Gilmore is calling on Gov. Abigail Spanberger to convene a special session so legislators can push back the current January deadline.

"We need an extension of this timeline. We need to slow this process down to make sure that Virginia customers who are being charged some of the most incredible bills, certainly of my lifetime, they need to be protected," Gilmore said.

Dominion Energy Virginia President Ed Baine backed the potential merger saying it is designed to benefit the state.

"I don't have any hesitation around the merger. I believe it'll be good for our customers, good for our colleagues, good for the communities we serve, and good for the Commonwealth overall," Baine said.

Baine acknowledged the review process is still generating significant questions.

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"The timeline is still a six-month timeline from a commission approval. Right now, there's a lot of questions being asked by the various parties," Baine said.

The SCC's deadline remains in January. If the commission does not issue a decision by that date, approval of the merger would automatically be granted.

I reached out to the State Corporation Commission to ask whether the announcement of new customer benefits could affect how commissioners review the merger. The SCC has not yet responded.

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