据艾玛·海达尔报道，弗吉尼亚州副州长加扎拉·哈什米公开表示反对NextEra提出的以670亿美元收购公用事业公司Dominion Energy的计划。她还明确反对那些要求在州监管机构批准该交易前对其进行更严格审查的呼声。
Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi voiced opposition to NextEra’s proposed $67 billion takeover of utility Dominion Energy Inc., adding an outright objection to the calls for more scrutiny of the deal as it awaits state regulatory approval.
哈什米在周二发布的一份报告中写道：“我认为NextEra收购Dominion Energy的计划并不符合弗吉尼亚州民众的最佳利益。”这份报告是她在全州范围内听取民众意见后撰写的。
“I have concluded that the proposed takeover of Dominion Energy with NextEra is not in the best interest of Virginians,” Hashmi wrote in a report Tuesday following a listening tour with constituents across the state.
此前，NextEra与Dominion曾在9月份向用户提出了更为优惠的条件，试图以此获得监管机构的认可。这些条件包括将电费减免政策延长至四年，并在该州创造1000个就业岗位。
The rejection comes after NextEra and Dominion offered a sweetened deal to ratepayers in September in an effort to ease regulatory review. Changes included doubling bill relief to four years and creating 1,000 jobs in the state.
然而哈什米指出，这些措施仍无法消除她对NextEra收购后可能带来的影响的担忧。她强调，相关企业必须提供“充分证据”证明此次并购不会影响未来的电费水平，才能符合法律规定的审批标准。
Hashmi said the package did not assuage her concerns about NextEra’s ownership, writing that the utilities needed to demonstrate “substantial evidence” that the takeover would not impact future rates in order to meet the legal standard for approval.
这一表态使得该交易面临更多来自州政府层面的审查压力。8月份，弗吉尼亚州州长阿比盖尔·斯潘伯格曾表示，她对这笔交易能否真正造福当地民众持“极度怀疑”态度。9月下旬，州总检察长杰伊·琼斯也要求监管机构在优惠方案出台后继续深入审查该交易。目前，弗吉尼亚州企业委员会需在明年1月前对该交易作出最终裁决。
The report adds to a wave of scrutiny from state officials. In August, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said she was “deeply skeptical” whether the deal would positively benefit Virginians. In late September, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones asked the regulator to extend its review of the proposal following the aid package. The Virginia State Corporation Commission has currently has until January to rule on the deal.
Dominion与NextEra方面则坚称，两家公司的合并将为当地消费者带来诸多实惠，包括降低电费、创造就业机会以及避免合并带来的额外成本。
Dominion and NextEra said combining the companies will benefit Virginia customers, including providing bill relief, jobs and protections from merger costs.