Virginia ratepayers dominate Fairfax hearing on $67 billion Dominion-NextEra merger

The Virginia State Corporation Commission held its second local public hearing on the proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy on 9 October 2026 at the Fairfax County Government Center, drawing a large crowd that was overwhelmingly opposed to the deal^[1]. Of the dozens of speakers during the two-hour session, only four spoke in favor of the merger.

Rate affordability and data center costs dominated testimony

Electricity affordability, data center development, and antitrust concerns were the top issues raised at the hearing^[1]. Speakers were broadly worried that the infrastructure costs of powering Northern Virginia's dense concentration of data centers would be passed on to residential ratepayers rather than borne by the large-load customers driving demand.

"Ultimately, our concern is that the creation of the nation's largest electric utility will put Alexandrians at risk of runaway utility costs," Alexandria City Councilman John Taylor Chapman told SCC Chief Hearing Examiner Mathias Roussy^[1].

Most elected officials who testified asked the commission either to deny the merger outright or to condition approval on specific guarantees, including:

• Compliance with the Virginia Clean Economy Act
• A requirement that data centers pay for the infrastructure costs they generate
• Prohibitions on regulated utilities making campaign contributions^[1]

Local business and union leaders were among the few voices in favor, citing job creation and the need to meet rising electricity demand^[1].

FERC deficiency letter adds pressure on the SCC

Virginia Del. Irene Shin, D, who represents parts of Fairfax County, pointed to a 23 September letter from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that deemed the companies' merger application deficient and requested additional information on rate impacts^[1]. FERC's Office of Energy Market Regulation issued the deficiency letter on 23 September 2026, giving the applicants until 23 October to file an amended application.

"I'm surprised that the SCC has moved forward without doing the same," Shin said, urging the commission to reject the merger^[1].

The FERC deficiency has already prompted procedural complications at the federal level. The attorneys general of Connecticut and Massachusetts, along with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, asked FERC to suspend its comment period until 30 days after the application is deemed complete.

Companies' sweetened offer has not quieted opposition

Ahead of the public hearings, NextEra and Dominion filed a revised benefits package on 14 September 2026. The updated offer includes:

• $1.87 billion in shareholder-funded bill credits for Virginia customers, extended to four years from the original two
• A $10 monthly credit for residential customers
• A $100 million addition to Dominion's Energy Share low-income assistance program
• 1,000 new direct jobs in Virginia, including positions in a planned downtown Richmond office tower^[1]

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones argued the revised submission amounts to a materially different deal and asked the SCC to restart its 180-day review clock, a move that would push the timeline well past the current schedule.

What to watch

The SCC's evidentiary hearing is scheduled to begin 17 November 2026 in Richmond, with a final order due by 11 January 2027. Additional public witness sessions by phone are set for 5, 9, and 10 November. The FERC deficiency response, due 23 October, will determine whether the federal review track slips - and whether the SCC faces pressure to pause its own proceeding while FERC catches up. The commission's decision on the AG's clock-restart request is the more immediate procedural question to track.