Utility Dive•18 days ago
With antitrust settlement, Constellation set to become largest US wholesale power provider
Key Takeaway
The DOJ's active antitrust enforcement in the electricity sector, highlighted by Constellation's settlement and the Duke Energy case, signals increasing regulatory scrutiny of market concentration for developers and large power consumers.
AI Summary
- •Constellation is set to become the largest US wholesale power provider following an antitrust settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
- •This settlement marks the first DOJ electricity merger antitrust consent decree in 14 years, indicating renewed and heightened regulatory scrutiny of market consolidation.
- •A separate, ongoing antitrust case against Duke Energy, now urged by the U.S. solicitor general to proceed to the Supreme Court, further emphasizes the DOJ's focus on market power.
- •For developers and large loads, this signals increasing market concentration by major players and a more active antitrust environment for future utility mergers and acquisitions.
Topics
m&apolicy
Article Content
The agreement is the first settlement consent decree the DOJ’s antitrust division has filed in an electricity merger in 14 years. It came days after the U.S. solicitor general urged the U.S. Supreme Court to allow a separate antitrust case against Duke Energy to proceed.