ICYMI: Lt. Gov. Hashmi Warns Virginia Is Rushing the Largest Utility Merger in U.S. History, Review Must Put Virginia Families First
June 29, 2026
In case you missed it: In a guest column published Friday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi sounded the alarm over the proposed $67 billion Dominion Energy-NextEra merger, warning that Virginia is poised to approve the largest regulated utility merger in American history under an outdated 80-year-old legal standard and a rushed review. Lt. Gov. Hashmi argued that Virginia law fails to require the companies to prove the merger is in the public interest or that it will protect families from higher electric bills. She called on policymakers to strengthen the review process before Virginians are locked into the consequences of a deal that could reshape the Commonwealth’s energy future for decades.
Lt. Gov. Hashmi concluded the column with a clear message.
“As lieutenant governor, I am committed to the promises I made to Virginians: to fight for their best interests on every front, including rising energy costs. Virginia families deserve better than a process designed for speed rather than scrutiny. Extending the review to one year and updating the approval standard are not bureaucratic obstacles. They are the responsible path forward.”
Key points from the column:
- Virginia’s six-month review is dangerously rushed. Virginia’s regulators have 60 to, at most, just 180 days to evaluate a $67 billion merger. Other states have taken a full year to review transactions of similar magnitude.
- Virginia’s merger approval standard hasn’t been updated in 80 years. Current law does not require Dominion Energy and NextEra to prove the merger is in Virginians’ best interests or that it won’t increase electric bills.
- The merger would concentrate unprecedented power. A combined utility serving 10 million customers across multiple states would wield enormous influence over energy policy, regulatory proceedings, and rate-setting.
- Lt. Gov. Hashmi calls for meaningful reform before approval. She urges lawmakers to extend the review period to one year and replace Virginia’s outdated standard with a public-benefit test that puts Virginia families first.
Read the full column here.
Originally Published: June 26, 2026, at 5:30 a.m.