NextEra Energy lands in Sarasota the week of the Dominion merger hearings

NextEra Energy flew from Palm Beach International to Sarasota Bradenton International on June 15, a 38-minute hop across Florida’s peninsula aboard its Embraer Praetor 600, tail N31MW. The short flight, at 22025 feet and 424 knots, landed just before 9 a.m. local time.

The same week, Virginia lawmakers are debating the timeline for reviewing NextEra Energy’s proposed $67 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy, as reported by VPM on June 12. Merger expert Scott Hempling told the Energy Commission of Virginia that the State Corporation Commission’s statutory 180-day clock may not allow enough time to assess the deal’s impact on rates and service. NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum has called the merger a “no-brainer,” per POWER magazine, citing surging electricity demand from data centers.

The flight follows a busy week for the company’s aircraft: on June 14, N31MW returned from the Washington, D.C., area, and earlier in the week it flew from Myrtle Beach to Richmond, Virginia. Sarasota is not a typical NextEra Energy destination, but the company maintains a significant Florida presence beyond its Juno Beach headquarters, and the trip may signal quiet preparations for the regulatory road ahead.