弗吉尼亚州州长Spanberger施压：NextEra与Dominion 670亿美元合并除非附加费率冻结等条件否则应予否决

Virginia's Governor Spanberger said Monday that state regulators should reject the proposed merger of NextEra Energy ( NEE ) and Dominion Energy ( D ) unless the utilities freeze residential base electricity rates for six years and nearly triple promised monthly bill credits. In comments filed with state regulators on her behalf ahead of next month's hearings, the governor called for a six-year freeze on residential base electricity rates; an increase in monthly customer bill credits to $29 for four years, up from the $10 currently promised; and stronger protections against data center costs being passed on to households, including a separate company to build clean energy infrastructure for large data centers. Spanberger also said she wants legally enforceable guarantees that the merged company will deliver the promised new downtown Richmond headquarters tower and protect Virginia jobs. The companies have said they plan to boost a customer bill assistance program by $100M through 2038, shield customers from costs associated with the AI boom, create 1,000 new jobs in the state, and build more clean energy and battery storage. "I remain deeply skeptical that the proposed $67B merger, as currently structured, will adequately protect consumers and deliver meaningful public benefits," Spanberger said. "Any proposed merger involving Virginia's primary state-regulated utility must benefit families, small businesses, and Virginia's workforce—not just the shareholders of these multibillion-dollar corporations." Monday was the deadline for parties intervening in the merger review to file comments with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which will hold hearings on the deal next month with a decision expected in January.