DAYTON — DPL Inc., owner of Dayton Power and Light Co., has filed a preliminary disclosure statement for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission review as part of the process for DPL’s proposed merger with energy giant AES Corp., a spokeswoman said.

DPL spokeswoman Lesley Sprigg said Thursday that the company filed the preliminary proxy statement and will await the SEC’s approval to send a final proxy statement to DPL shareholders. The company’s shareholders are to convene at a meeting this summer to vote on whether to approve the $3.5 billion merger with AES, of Arlington, Va.

The scheduling of the shareholders’ meeting will depend on the outcome of the SEC review, Sprigg said.

DPL and AES have said they hope to obtain all needed approvals in time to carry out the merger by late 2011 or early 2012. It would make DPL a wholly owned subsidiary of AES, a company with worldwide electricity generation and distribution operations.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.