# Lawmakers Urge FERC to Review Utility Merger

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal and Representative Suhas Subramanyam, urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to scrutinize the proposed $66.8 billion merger of NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy. They called for the commission to deny the transaction if it would harm competition, increase consumer costs, or fail the Federal Power Act’s public-interest test. The transaction was announced May 18, 2026, and remained under regulatory review as of September 30. It is a market-structure and regulatory development, not a contracting opportunity, but its outcome could affect utility procurement markets, transmission access, and the terms available to energy-sector suppliers.

- **Why this matters:** Energy companies and contractors serving utilities should assess potential exposure to changes in market concentration, transmission access, cross-subsidization, and consumer rates identified in the merger review.
- The proposed deal involves utilities operating across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, making its regulatory outcome relevant to suppliers and service providers active in those markets.
- The Federal Power Act’s public-interest test is central to the lawmakers’ request; firms with utility or transmission-related business interests should account for the pending review when evaluating market and business risks.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 01, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House of Representatives

### Vendors
- NextEra Energy, Inc. (Proposed merger party)
- Dominion Energy (Proposed merger party)

### Sources
- [Warren, Subramanyam, Lawmakers Warn Utility Merger May Increase Prices, Urge Federal Regulator to Scrutinize Deal](https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-subramanyam-lawmakers-warn-utility-merger-may-increase-prices-urge-federal-regulator-to-scrutinize-deal/) - Warren Senate