Governor Abigail Spanberger announced earlier this month that she is intervening in the regulatory consideration of the merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra. But she's not alone.
The city of Alexandria is intervening in the process state regulators will use to consider a proposed merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra. Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins says that allows the city to provide testimony, question witnesses, see evidence and be a party to any potential settlement.
"An intervention allows us to be able to put our perspectives and our concerns on the table and to be heard as part of the case. We know that energy costs and utility bills are already way too much for Alexandrians," says Gaskins. "We've been very clear that we believe in a cleaner, greener future for the Commonwealth, and we want to make sure that this merger does not threaten or weaken the protections that are in place, but rather strengthens those."
Alexandria was the first local government to file as an intervener, but it won't be the last. This week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to file paperwork to intervene. And Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Phyllis Randall says Loudoun may consider intervening when the board meets next month.
"I think 180 days is not enough. And I think it makes it very, very hard to have conversations about utility when you have a company that would be one of the largest companies in the world," Randall says. "Yes, we should have a discussion."
The State Corporation Commission lists dozens of interveners in the case, including the Sierra Club, Google, Walmart, Clean Virginia and the office of the attorney general.
