Virginia lieutenant governor opposes planned NextEra and Dominion Energy utility merger

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi has officially opposed the planned merger between NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy, according to reports from Utility Dive, the Virginia Mercury, MLex, Bloomberg, and the Augusta Free Press. Hashmi stated that the transaction should not move forward after completing a statewide tour. State regulators held their first local public hearing on the proposed acquisition on Wednesday, Utility Dive reported. [1][2][3][4][5]

NextEra Energy announced its plans to acquire Dominion Energy in an all-stock transaction in May, Utility Dive reported. In response to Hashmi's position, NextEra spokesperson Neil Nissan expressed disappointment and stated that the company respectfully disagreed with her decision, according to Utility Dive. [1]

The proposed deal would form the largest regulated utility in the world, Utility Dive reported. The combined entity would serve 10 million customers across four states and manage a 130-gigawatt large load pipeline. When the companies first announced the transaction, they projected that the acquisition would close within 12 to 18 months. [1]

Hashmi is a member of the Democratic Party and serves as the 43rd lieutenant governor of Virginia, taking office in 2026. She previously represented the 15th district in the Virginia State Senate from 2020 to 2026. [6]