Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi welcomed a recommendation by Virginia State Corporation Commission staff to deny NextEra Energy’s proposed $67 billion takeover of Dominion Energy, citing concerns about financial risks and insufficient protections for Virginia ratepayers.
According to a statement from her office, Hashmi also expressed support for the concerns Governor Abigail Spanberger raised in a filing on the proposed transaction. Spanberger called on state regulators to reject the deal unless strict conditions are met.
“SCC staff’s recommendation underscores the serious questions I and others have raised about the risks this transaction poses to reliable service and affordable rates,” Hashmi said. “Virginians deserve meaningful protections and accountability, not a deal that puts corporate interests ahead of the people we serve.”
Hashmi pointed to opposition she heard during her statewide Energy Costs Listening Tour.
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“I also thank Governor Spanberger for standing up for the people of Virginia. Throughout my statewide Energy Costs Listening Tour, I heard directly from hundreds of Virginians who sharply opposed this takeover because it offered no real protections for ratepayers,” she said.
The staff recommendation now awaits consideration by the commission, which will decide whether to approve the proposed takeover by Florida-based NextEra Energy.
“We now await the decision of the Commissioners, and I reiterate the conclusion I reached following review, research, and listening to the voices of Virginians: The proposal in front of the Commission fails to protect Virginians and should not be approved,” Hashmi added.
