U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Sept. 28 that requires mergers or consolidations of public utilities with a value above $10 million to be first approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. For transactions valued below that threshold but above $1 million, the law requires the utilities seeking merger to notify the commission within 30 days of consummation. The commission has 180 days to establish rules governing the notification. Currently, FERC must approve all mergers and acquisitions, irrespective of the amount, while similar transactions, such as sales and dispositions, require commission authorization only if they exceed $10 million. (H.R. 1109)
