Key developments in utility regulation — curated for government affairs and external affairs professionals.
Dominion Energy–NextEra Energy Merger Application – SCC Case No. PUR-2026-00112 | Public Witness Hearings Begin Nov. 5
On July 15, 2026, Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy filed a joint petition with the Virginia SCC for approval of a proposed $67 billion all-stock merger that would place Dominion under NextEra's control, with the combined entity pledging $1.78 billion in shareholder-funded bill credits to Virginia customers. The SCC has scheduled public witness testimony for November 5–10 and set a written comment deadline of November 9, with Governor Spanberger having sought intervenor status.
Arizona Public Service Rate Case – ACC Docket No. E-01345A-25-0105 | ACC Vote Expected Q4 2026
APS filed for a ~$579.5M (14%) net base rate increase in June 2025; the 31-day evidentiary hearing ran May 18–July 7, 2026, making it one of the longest in ACC history, with nearly 35 intervenors, 50+ witnesses, and 300+ exhibits. The case is a national flashpoint on two fronts: APS's proposed Formula Rate Adjustment Mechanism (FRAM) that would allow annual rate increases without a full rate case, and a proposed 45%+ rate hike specifically for data center customers to allocate large-load system costs.
Oncor/LCRA TSC 765-kV Permian Basin Transmission CCN – PUCT Docket No. 59475 | PUC Decision Anticipated September 2026
Oncor Electric Delivery and LCRA Transmission Services Corporation filed on March 26, 2026 for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to build the first 765-kV transmission line in Texas history—a 214–244 mile backbone from Schleicher to Bell County—as part of ERCOT's Permian Basin Reliability Plan driven by historic load growth from data centers, oil-and-gas operations, and population. Opponents, including the Texas Public Policy Foundation, estimate the full 765-kV buildout could impose approximately $100 billion in lifetime costs on ratepayers, and as of August 7, 2026 the docket had attracted 6,340 filings; a SOAH Proposal for Decision was issued August 20, 2026 and the PUCT decision is anticipated in September 2026.
NYSEG & RG&E "Powering NY" Rate Cases – PSC Cases 25-E-0375, 25-G-0378, 25-E-0379, 25-G-0380 | Final Decision Expected Late 2026
NYSEG and RG&E filed in June 2025 for what the PSC called the 'highest [rate increases] requested by any utility in recent history'—up to 23.6% for NYSEG electric and 33.5% for gas—generating 10,300 pages of hearing transcripts, 1,200 exhibits, and 26,700 public comments across four simultaneous litigated proceedings. Because a final decision could not be reached within the statutory 11-month period, the PSC voted 7–0 in May 2026 to set temporary rates effective June 1 (3.7% NYSEG electric, 4.0% RG&E electric), buying more time for deliberation; advocates warn that the final increase for some customers could top $50/month.
DTE Electric New Rate Case – MPSC Case No. U-22046 | Decision Expected ~Early 2027 (Self-Implementation Possible Late 2026)
DTE Electric filed Case U-22046 seeking a $474.3 million revenue requirement increase (9.7% for residential customers), the latest in an unbroken string of large rate cases before the MPSC—following a $242M award in February 2026 (U-21860) and a $276M Consumers Energy award in March 2026. The proceeding is actively in discovery as of August 2026 and overlaps with a separate politically charged dispute over DTE's 1.4 GW Oracle data center special contracts (U-21990, on appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals) and a 1.0 GW Google data center contract proceeding (U-22058), creating an interconnected web of data-center cost-allocation questions before the MPSC.
Xcel Energy (PSCo) Natural Gas Rate Case Settlement – CPUC Proceeding No. 25AL-0438G | Q4 2026 Decision Expected
After filing for a $190M (11.6%) gas revenue increase in December 2025, PSCo and a broad coalition of parties filed a $123M non-unanimous settlement on July 13, 2026, with CPUC hearings held in July; a final decision and rate implementation are anticipated in Q4 2026. This case runs concurrently with the recently decided PSCo electric case (Proceeding 25AL-0494E), in which the CPUC on August 20, 2026 approved a $157M electric increase—less than the $225M settlement—and both outcomes together represent the largest combined utility rate action in Colorado history, drawing strong opposition from the state Office of Utility Consumer Advocate, AARP, and the City of Boulder.
Dominion Energy SC / NextEra Merger Application – SCPSC Docket No. 2026-186-EG | Hearing Scheduled December 8, 2026
On July 15, 2026—the same day as the Virginia filing—Dominion Energy South Carolina, Dominion Energy, and NextEra filed a joint merger petition with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina; the evidentiary hearing is scheduled to begin December 8, 2026. This proceeding follows the recent closure of DESC's general electric rate case (Docket 2025-325-E), in which a comprehensive settlement approved by the PSC effective July 2026 reduced the original 12.73% rate request to a 7.62% residential increase (~$12/month), with a final order issued in July and a reconsideration petition denied August 14.
Dominion Energy Rider T-1 Transmission Cost Recovery & Data Center Cost Allocation – SCC (Fuel Securitization Hearing Aug. 12, Decision ~Dec. 2026)
The Virginia SCC held an evidentiary hearing on July 14, 2026 on Dominion's proposed Rider T-1 revision to recover approximately $1.5 billion in transmission costs, with Amazon Data Services filing testimony opposing mandatory direct cost allocation to data centers and arguing it could discourage investment; Dominion filed rebuttal testimony June 30 offering two alternative transmission-cost allocation methodologies for large-load customers. A parallel SCC proceeding on Dominion's deferred fuel securitization (a separate case with a hearing held August 12, 2026) could add ~$21.79/month to residential bills if recovered through the standard fuel factor, but Dominion is seeking bond-financed recovery at lower cost; the statute directs the SCC to issue a final order within four months of the hearing.