See below for press releases from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the Virginia Sierra Club, etc. regarding Spanberger’s op-ed this morning, in which she said that she’s “deeply skeptical about whether selling our primary, state-regulated utility to an out-of-state company is good for the commonwealth”; that she “will be taking the legal step of ‘intervening’ in this proposed merger, which means that as governor, I will formally request to be a party to the case”; and that she “will emphasize three nonnegotiable priorities,” namely:

• “First, Virginia’s families and small businesses. If two large corporations stand to benefit financially from this merger, so, too, should the Virginians who pay the bills. That is why any potential deal must deliver a more affordable energy bill with sustained, long-term energy cost savings.
• Second, Virginia’s workforce. Virginians who have long devoted themselves to their careers — including the linemen who get the lights back on after a rough storm, the grid operators who monitor real-time power generation and the engineers who make sure projects follow environmental laws — deserve to know that their steady, good-paying jobs are not going anywhere, even if an out-of-state company acquires their employer.
• Third, Virginia’s energy future. Any company that wants to own our state-regulated, largest utility must have a clear plan to accelerate progress toward producing affordable, reliable, local and clean power — not slow it down or trade it away.”

I couldn’t agree more. Also note, as the VA Sierra Club points out, that this is “the first time a Governor of Virginia has taken such an action at the State Corporation Commission.” So it’s historic in that regard, and for good reasons, as this merger would be HIGHLY consequential, for better or (more?) for worse, for decades to come…

NEW: Governor Spanberger to Formally Intervene in Proposed NextEra-Dominion Merger

Spanberger Is Taking Unprecedented Action, Becoming the First Governor of Virginia to Intervene in a Case Before the State Corporation Commission

RICHMOND, VA — In a new op-ed for the Washington Post, Governor Abigail Spanberger announced that she will intervene in the proposed $67 billion merger between Florida-based NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy — the first time a Governor of Virginia has taken such an action at the State Corporation Commission (SCC).

In the op-ed, Governor Spanberger outlined the three non-negotiable priorities that will guide her involvement as the SCC conducts its review: delivering more affordable energy bills for Virginia families and small businesses, protecting Virginia’s utility workforce, and accelerating Virginia’s progress toward producing affordable, reliable, local, and clean power into the future.

Governor Spanberger also highlighted the more than a dozen laws she has signed to lower energy costs for Virginia families and small businesses, including a first-of-its-kind statewide consumption tax to make sure data centers pay their fair share for the power they use. The Governor also writes about how this week — after she urged state regulators to protect Virginians from shouldering new energy costs, the SCC ordered data centers to cover the cost of transmission infrastructure built exclusively for those facilities.

Click here to read Governor Spanberger’s full op-ed in the Washington Post, and the full text is below. 

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Washington Post: Why I’m intervening in the Dominion-NextEra merger

Thursday, August 6, 2026 

Virginia regulators are facing a decision that could shape energy affordability in the commonwealth for decades.

NextEra Energy, a Florida-based utility company, has filed paperwork to buy Dominion Energy for about $67 billion, creating the largest regulated electric utility in the world. Virginia’s State Corporation Commission is the regulatory body tasked with reviewing the application, and the SCC’s commissioners will ultimately decide whether to approve, deny or impose new conditions on any potential merger.

As a Virginian, I am deeply skeptical about whether selling our primary, state-regulated utility to an out-of-state company is good for the commonwealth. I have serious questions about what this deal would mean for us. And as governor, I intend to get answers and be a voice for Virginians in the process.

That is why I will be taking the legal step of “intervening” in this proposed merger, which means that as governor, I will formally request to be a party to the case.

I know this action is unprecedented by a Virginia governor — but so, too, is the size of this proposed merger and its potential impact on the commonwealth. Virginians deserve to know that their leaders are laser-focused on ensuring that their needs are part of the SCC review.

As the SCC and its commissioners conduct their work in the coming months, I will emphasize three nonnegotiable priorities:

First, Virginia’s families and small businesses. If two large corporations stand to benefit financially from this merger, so, too, should the Virginians who pay the bills. That is why any potential deal must deliver a more affordable energy bill with sustained, long-term energy cost savings.

Second, Virginia’s workforce. Virginians who have long devoted themselves to their careers — including the linemen who get the lights back on after a rough storm, the grid operators who monitor real-time power generation and the engineers who make sure projects follow environmental laws — deserve to know that their steady, good-paying jobs are not going anywhere, even if an out-of-state company acquires their employer.

Third, Virginia’s energy future. Any company that wants to own our state-regulated, largest utility must have a clear plan to accelerate progress toward producing affordable, reliable, local and clean power — not slow it down or trade it away.

Lowering costs, standing up for workers and investing in an innovative energy future — these have been my priorities since taking office in January.

To lower bills, I signed more than a dozen laws aimed at mitigating rising energy costs for Virginia families and small businesses, and created the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative refund to bring down Virginians’ utility bills. To support working families, I signed laws guaranteeing paid family and medical leave and paid sick leave. And to keep our energy system fair, my administration is holding data centers accountable — implementing tougher environmental standards for their diesel generators and water usage, enforcing a first-of-its-kind statewide tax on their energy consumption, and successfully urging regulators to make them cover the cost of the infrastructure they need.

By formally intervening in the SCC case, my administration can build on the progress we have already made. To be clear: Taking this action does not mean I intend to make the SCC’s decision for it. Instead, I am seeking to make sure Virginians have a voice in the process.

This action will allow my administration to have the legal right to engage, bring concerns forward, request detailed information about the proposed merger, and make clear that Virginians expect to see long-term, tangible benefits of any potential deal.

The SCC’s mandate requires that commissioners “balance the interests of citizens, businesses, and customers” in their decisions. But for a deal this consequential, I will not watch from the sidelines as that potential balance is assessed and determined.

From the VA Sierra Club:

Governor Abigail Spanberger “Deeply Skeptical” of Dominion-NextEra Merger as Concerns Grow Among Virginians, Opposition Mounts

~ Governor’s Washington Post op-ed highlights her major concerns, while opposition in communities mounts rapidly ~

Richmond, VA — This morning, in a Washington Post op-ed, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger declared that she is “deeply skeptical” of the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra. The proposed $67 billion transaction faces immense opposition from the public, as more Virginians and elected officials at all levels call for the merger to be denied. The Governor also announced her intention to become the first Governor of Virginia to intervene in a case before the State Corporation Commission.

Connor Kish, Director of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter said, “NextEra is not coming to Virginia to lower our costs and protect our environment; they’re coming to make a buck off Virginia’s hardworking families. Governor Abigail Spanberger is absolutely right to be skeptical that this merger will benefit our environment or Virginia families. We welcome her involvement and look forward to working with her on this very important case.”

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The Sierra Club Virginia Chapter is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization working for a Virginia where communities—not polluters—shape policy and decision-making. We connect people with nature and advocate at every level of government to ensure that clean air, safe water, and healthy neighborhoods are not negotiable—they’re guaranteed. We’re committed to meeting big challenges with bold solutions, rejecting the politics of the status quo, and building a just, sustainable future together. For more information visit sierraclub.org/virginia.

From Clean Virginia: