Virginia Regulator Expands Hearing Schedule in Dominion-NextEra Merger Review

The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) has added in-person hearings to its review of the proposed transaction involving Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy, giving intervenors and members of the public an additional procedural avenue in the regulatory process, according to a report from the Henrico Citizen.

The SCC, which regulates utilities in Virginia, typically evaluates proposed changes in utility ownership or control through a docketed proceeding that can include written testimony, evidentiary hearings, and opportunities for public comment. The decision to supplement the process with in-person sessions means stakeholders who want to appear before commissioners directly will have that option, alongside any existing remote or written channels.

Dominion Energy is Virginia’s largest regulated electric utility, serving customers through its Dominion Energy Virginia segment, which handles generation, transmission, and distribution across the commonwealth. Any change involving the company’s ownership structure would fall under SCC jurisdiction because of the utility’s regulated status.

Regulatory approval is a standard milestone in utility-sector transactions. State commissions generally weigh factors such as service reliability, ratepayer impact, and whether the proposed structure serves the public interest before signing off. The addition of in-person hearings suggests the commission intends to gather a fuller public record as the case proceeds.

In market activity, shares of Dominion Energy (NYSE: D) closed at $65.10, down 1.69% from the previous close of $66.22. The company carries a market capitalization of approximately $58.55 billion and is classified in the utilities sector, within the regulated electric industry.

Utility mergers and ownership changes often draw attention from consumer advocates, industrial customers, and clean-energy groups, all of whom may seek intervenor status to shape the record. In-person hearings can extend the timeline of a review, since scheduling, witness testimony, and cross-examination typically add sessions to a docket that might otherwise conclude more quickly.

The SCC has not indicated in the reported coverage how the added hearings will affect the overall schedule for a decision. Parties to the case will likely file prepared testimony and rebuttal materials in advance of the courtroom sessions, following the procedural schedule set by the commission.

What to watch

• Dates and logistics for the newly added in-person hearings as published on the SCC docket.
• Intervenor filings from consumer, environmental, and business groups as the evidentiary record develops.
• Any updated procedural schedule or order from the SCC outlining milestones toward a decision.
• Dominion Energy’s next quarterly earnings report and any related disclosures about the transaction’s status.

Source: original release