A coalition of solar and energy storage industry groups is urging Virginia regulators to reject the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy unless the companies commit to reforms that would make it easier and less expensive for customers to install rooftop solar and battery storage.
The Storage and Clean Energy Coalition, which includes the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Permit Power, MAREC Action and the Chesapeake Solar & Storage Association, filed testimony with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) on October 19, arguing that the merger could further limit competition from distributed energy resources.
Dominion and NextEra have maintained that the transaction would not affect competition in Virginia. The coalition disputes that characterization, arguing that Dominion’s control over distribution-grid interconnection gives it significant influence over customers’ ability to install solar and storage.
“Dominion and NextEra maintain policies that make it time-consuming and expensive to connect home solar and batteries to the grid,” said Lindsey Hallock, interconnection policy director at Permit Power.
The coalition is asking regulators to require Dominion to automate interconnection application reviews for residential and small commercial projects. It cited software deployed by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District that reduced rooftop solar application processing times by approximately half.
The groups also want Dominion to allow customer-owned meter socket adapters, which let solar and storage systems connect through the electric meter rather than the home’s main electrical panel. The technology can eliminate the need for costly panel upgrades. According to the coalition, more than 110 utilities across 38 states have approved at least one such device, including two Virginia utilities.
The coalition is also seeking protections for competitive procurement of utility-scale renewables and storage, as well as distribution-connected resources.
The opposition comes amid broader scrutiny of the merger. On October 19, SCC staff recommended rejecting the transaction as proposed, while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger called for a six-year residential base-rate freeze and expanded bill credits. Spanberger also urged eliminating Virginia’s rooftop solar net-metering cap and prioritizing distributed energy resources more.
In a subsequent update on October 21, NextEra said the proposed merger remained on track to close in the second half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. The company has maintained that the combination would improve affordability and accelerate investments in renewable energy and storage.
Virginia regulators are scheduled to hear public testimony in early November, with an evidentiary hearing beginning November 17. The coalition’s full testimony is available in SCC Case No. PUR-2026-00112.
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