Virginia regulators prepare for November evidentiary hearing as questions surrounding electricity rates, data centers and consumer protections remain unresolved.
A proposed $67 billion merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy drew residents, elected officials, business representatives and energy advocates to the Fairfax County Government Center on October 9, as Virginia regulators gathered public testimony on a transaction that could reshape the state’s electricity industry.
At a rally before the hearing, the Stop NextEra Coalition argued that the merger is driven by control over AI data center connections. With 70,000 megawatts in data center requests pending with Dominion, the coalition warned that an out-of-state entity like NextEra could dictate grid access and dismantle Virginia’s ratepayer protections.
The hearing, conducted by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), focused on electricity affordability, growing energy demands from data centers, environmental commitments and consumer protections.
“My electric bill for a 600 square feet has gone up to $200,” commented City of Fairfax resident Amini Bonane as she walked through the front doors of the government center to testify.
If approved, the merger would create the world’s largest regulated electric utility, serving approximately 10 million customers across Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Dominion’s Virginia operations would retain their existing name.
Fairfax County Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who had previously urged the SCC to hold regional public hearings, testified against the merger, outlining five concerns: electricity affordability, climate commitments, grid reliability, economic growth and local accountability.
Alcorn emphasized that rising electricity costs are placing additional pressure on households and businesses. He also cited recurring power outages along Lawyers Road, Fox Mill Road and Hunter Mill Road, and stressed the importance of maintaining infrastructure investments to support development in Reston, Tysons and surrounding communities.
He questioned whether a Florida-based parent company would maintain Dominion’s working relationships with local officials, citing cooperation on vegetation management along the W&OD Trail, streetlight maintenance and Reston’s RELAC air-conditioning transition.