Governor Spanberger Discusses Intervention in NextEra-Dominion Merger, Highlights Focus on Energy Affordability & Protecting Jobs on FOX 5 DC

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger yesterday joined FOX 5 DC's "On the Hill" to discuss her decision to intervene in the proposed $67 billion merger between Florida-based NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy - and the priorities that will guide her involvement: making energy more affordable, protecting Virginia's utility workforce, and meeting the Commonwealth's long-term energy goals.

"As Governor of the Commonwealth, I want to make sure that I can have a voice at the table on behalf of the millions of Virginians who I serve, principally on three major priorities," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "One would be, of course, issues of affordability. If these two enormous companies are merging, what is going to be the financial benefit to the people of Virginia?"

Governor Spanberger continued, "I want to see evidence that there will be long-term, sustained financial benefit when it comes to the electric bill that you get in the mail every month. Jobs, of course, protecting them. And ultimately, Virginia's clean energy future that has been a long priority because it's reliable and affordable."

The Governor announced that she will intervene in the proposed merger in a Washington Post op-ed last week. This is the first time any Governor of Virginia has intervened at the State Corporation Commission (SCC).

Governor Spanberger also discussed a recent order by the SCC - following urging by her administration - to assign the cost of transmission infrastructure built exclusively for data centers to those facilities. The order comes after the Governor last month - in a filing through her Chief Energy Officer with the SCC on behalf of Virginia ratepayers - took rare action by a Virginia Governor and called on the commission to protect families and small businesses.

"I filed comments with the SCC related to a rate case, and ultimately, the SCC's final decision was aligned with what I was pushing for - which is that data centers have to pay for any transmission costs that need to go in to support their businesses," said Governor Spanberger. "It should no longer be customers and Virginia families throughout communities that have to pay for increased or changes in transmission infrastructure to accommodate a data center."

Governor Spanberger continued, "Now, it will be the data center end user that has to pay for those transmission costs, not the people in a surrounding community. So that's a huge success. Ultimately, it will save Virginians hundreds of millions of dollars in the long run."

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