Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Thursday she is “deeply skeptical” of the largest proposed utility merger in American history.
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post, the Democratic governor said she will formally intervene as a party in the regulatory proceedings over NextEra Energy’s proposed $67 billion takeover of Dominion Energy. Spanberger did not formally oppose the merger, but wrote that she is “deeply skeptical about whether selling our primary, state-regulated utility to an out-of-state company is good for the commonwealth.”
“I have serious questions about what this deal would mean for us,” she continued. “And as governor, I intend to get answers and be a voice for Virginians in the process.”
Spanberger’s comments underline the high stakes of the proposed tie-up. Virginia is home to the world’s largest collection of data centers. Dominion has a crucial role to play in meeting their electricity needs as the state’s largest utility. Florida-based NextEra, the country’s largest power company, is seeking to capitalize on that boom by purchasing Dominion.
