South Carolina Sets Four Public Hearings on Dominion Energy and NextEra Merger

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs intervened to represent consumers in the proposed merger of Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy, which would make Dominion a NextEra subsidiary, EIN Presswire reported on November 3, 2026. Dominion Energy serves 820,000 customers in 24 South Carolina counties from the Midlands to the Lowcountry.

Four Hearings Set Across South Carolina

The Public Service Commission will hold public hearings in Aiken, North Charleston and Columbia, where customers can testify in person. The Aiken session is at the Aiken County Government Center on November 5 at 6:00 p.m., and the North Charleston session is at the Lonnie Hamilton III Public Services Building on November 12 at 6:00 p.m. The Columbia session is at the SC Department of Archives and History Auditorium on November 17 at 6:00 p.m., and a December 8 session at the Public Service Commission Hearing Room runs from 9 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., in person or virtual.

If the PSC approves the merger, Dominion would become a subsidiary of NextEra. The companies say the merger will strengthen Dominion's ability to meet customer demand and provide other customer benefits. The proposal includes an average $10 per month bill credit for residential electric customers over two years after the merger is complete.

NextEra Energy secured $5.7 billion in initial funding for three federally backed natural gas hubs in Texas and Pennsylvania, adding about 16.5 GW of capacity, Carboncredits reported on October 27, 2026. The projects, backed by Japan and Korea, will serve data centers, with first phases operating by 2028-2029.

Dominion's Scale And Deal Terms

According to akta.pro company records, Dominion Energy's enterprise value was approximately $60.6 billion as of June 2026. The same records show McGuireWoods served as legal counsel to Dominion Energy in its $67 billion all-stock merger agreement with NextEra Energy, announced May 18, 2026. The combined NextEra-Dominion entity would serve approximately 10 million utility customer accounts across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Earlier Moves In Virginia And Charleston

City Council in Charleston approved a new agreement with Dominion Energy South Carolina in October 2026, replacing the 1996 electric and gas contracts, Yahoo reported. The deal funds undergrounding by having DESC and the city each set aside half a percent of electric sales, with the city matching every dollar spent.

In September 2026, Dominion Energy asked Virginia regulators to spread a $922 million fuel cost shortfall over seven or ten years, which would raise customer bills, The Cool Down reported. The seven-year option totals about $258 and the ten-year option about $265, both higher than the $240 merger rebate.

Consumer Webinar And Docket Access

The SCDCA will hold a free webinar, "Consumers and the Utility Ratemaking Process," on November 4 at 10:30 a.m., covering the regulatory process, how utility requests are considered and how consumers can take part. Those who want to testify at a hearing can preregister through the methods listed in the SCDCA notice.