--- title: "Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approves Essential Utilities-American Water merger" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286570744.md" description: "The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has approved the merger between Essential Utilities and American Water, moving the all-stock deal closer to completion by Q1 2027. This follows prior approvals from Kentucky and shareholders of both companies. The merged entity will serve approximately 4.7 million water/wastewater and 740,000 gas connections, operating under the American Water name, pending customary regulatory approvals." datetime: "2026-05-15T13:03:01.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286570744.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286570744.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286570744.md) --- # Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approves Essential Utilities-American Water merger **Essential Utilities announced PUCO approval for its merger with American Water, advancing the all-stock deal toward a projected close by end of Q1 2027.** **Key Highlights:** - PUCO issued an order approving the proposed merger between Essential Utilities and American Water. - This follows Kentucky approval on April 21, 2026 and prior shareholder approvals for both companies. - The all-stock merger will operate under the American Water name, serving ~4.7M water/wastewater and 740K gas connections combined. - Merger expected to close by end of Q1 2027, subject to customary conditions including HSR clearance and remaining regulatory approvals. Original SEC Filing: Essential Utilities, Inc. \[ WTRG \] - 8-K - May. 15, 2026 **Disclaimer** This is an AI-powered summary. It may contain inaccuracies. Consider verifying important information with the source. Please note this summary is solely based on documents filed with the SEC. ### Related Stocks - [AWK.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AWK.US.md) - [WTRG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/WTRG.US.md) - [FIW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FIW.US.md) - [PHO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PHO.US.md) - [CGW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/CGW.US.md) - [VPU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VPU.US.md) - [AQWA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AQWA.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [American Water and Essential Utilities Proposed Merger Progresses with Approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio | AWK Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286461222.md) - [California American Water Completes $4 Million Upgrade in its Bellflower Water System | AWK Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286973174.md) - [American Water Works Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286850316.md) - [West Virginia American Water Invests Over $124 Million in Statewide System Upgrades in 2025 | AWK Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286446763.md) - [Pennsylvania American Water Announces Major Water Tank Upgrades Statewide | AWK Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286802212.md)