The Virginia Distributed Alliance and Secure Solar Futures Urge Gov. Spanberger and the General Assembly to Allow 12 Months to Examine Complex Mega Merger and Ensure Adequate Protection for Ratepayers
Logos of NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy
Logo of the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance
Staunton, VA, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Secure Solar Futures CEO Tony Smith, writing on behalf of the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance, this week sent the letter below to Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and other state leaders urging them to use the current negotiations over the state budget to change Virginia’s law on utility mergers. Current law, last amended decades ago, requires state regulators to approve or deny a company merger request within 180 days of its filing. To allow time to adequately consider the complexities involved in a utility merger of this scale, the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance is asking the state to extend the review period to a full year.
The Honorable Abigail Spanberger, Governor of VirginiaThe Honorable Don Scott, Speaker of the House of DelegatesThe Honorable Scott Surovell, Senate Majority LeaderThe Honorable Louise Lucas, President Pro Tempore, Senate of VirginiaThe Honorable Luke Torian, Chair, House Appropriations CommitteeThe Honorable Terry Kilgore, House Minority LeaderThe Honorable Ryan McDougle, Senate Minority Leader
Re: Time to Get It Right Now — Additional Review Time for the Proposed Dominion–NextEra Merger
Dear Governor Spanberger and Legislative Leaders:
As CEO and Co-Founder of Secure Solar Futures and Chair and Co-Founder of the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance (VA-DSA), I respectfully urge your support for a budget amendment providing the State Corporation Commission additional time to review the proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy.
Regardless of one’s views on the merits of the transaction, there should be broad bipartisan agreement that the largest regulated utility merger in American history deserves sufficient time for Virginia to get it right. This proposed $67 billion transaction will shape the Commonwealth’s energy future for decades, affecting affordability, reliability, resilience, energy security, economic competitiveness, and future infrastructure investments.
Recent reporting by the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism highlighted calls from consumer advocates, energy experts, and industry stakeholders for a deliberate review process, noting that the merger presents both significant opportunities and substantial risks for Virginia ratepayers and the future direction of the Commonwealth’s electric grid.
The timing is especially important because Virginia is simultaneously defining its energy future. During the 2026 Session, the General Assembly demonstrated overwhelming bipartisan support for grid modernization through HB 434 and established the Virginia Distributed Energy Resources Task Force to evaluate how rooftop solar, battery storage, virtual power plants, demand response, and other distributed energy resources can improve affordability, reliability, resilience, and energy security.
A key focus of the Task Force is identifying opportunities created by FERC Order 2222 to expand market access for distributed energy resources and improve grid performance. Providing additional review time—potentially up to twelve months—would provide the Governor’s Administration, General Assembly, Attorney General, SCC, and DER Task Force sufficient opportunity to consider how this historic transaction aligns with Virginia’s emerging energy strategy before irreversible decisions are made.
The timing of this request is critical. Should the merger application be filed shortly after July 1, the SCC review clock could begin running before Virginia’s elected leaders have an opportunity to consider whether a more deliberate review process is warranted.
The question is not whether the merger should proceed. The question is whether Virginia should have sufficient time to determine how the largest utility merger in American history fits into Virginia’s energy future.
Virginia deserves the opportunity to get it right before the review process begins.
Anthony E. Smith, CTA, M.Arch, PhDCEO and Founder, Secure Solar FuturesChair and Co-Founder, VA Distributed Solar Alliance
The Honorable Jay Jones, Attorney General of VirginiaMr. Josephus Allmond, Chief Energy Officer, Commonwealth of VirginiaThe Honorable Ghazala Hashmi, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
Logos of NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy
Logo of the Virginia Distributed Solar Alliance
CONTACT: Erik Curren Secure Solar Futures (540) 466-6128 [email protected]