André Carson

07/01/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/01/2026 11:27

Congressman Carson Submits Federal Inquiry on AES/BlackRock Acquisition

WASHINGTON, DC-Today, Congressman André Carson (IN-07) submitted a formal inquiry to the Federal Regulatory Commission on BlackRock's proposed acquisition of AES Corporation.
In the letter, Congressman Carson expressed concern that this transaction will raise customer rates, despite claims to the contrary. Congressman Carson cited an example in Michigan, where customers saw four successive rate increases following a private acquisition in 2014. A Minnesota judge later cited this deal to reject a proposal by the same BlackRock affiliate seeking to acquire AES Indiana.
Congressman Carson's letter also expressed the risk of AI data centers passing on costs to customers. Congressman Carson recently introduced the AI Data Center Moratorium Act to enact a common-sense pause on data centers until safeguards can be put in place for customers, as well as a bill requiring additional transparency with data center developments. Congressman Carson has also spoken out against AES Indiana's recently approved rate hike, which is set to take effect next year.
The full text of the letter can be found below and attached:

Dear Secretary Reese:

I am writing to formally express my deep concerns regarding the proposed acquisition of The AES Corporation by a consortium led by BlackRock through its affiliate, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and EQT Infrastructure. As the Representative for Indiana's 7th Congressional District, I write with serious concern about the implications this transaction may have for the families, working people, and ratepayers I represent.
While the applicants claim this transaction will not impact customer rates, I remain unconvinced. Essential utility services, such as those provided by AES Indiana, are the lifeblood of our local economy and the foundation of household stability for my constituents. The transfer of such critical public infrastructure to private equity control warrants the Commission's most searching scrutiny.
My primary concern is that the profit-maximizing mandates inherent to private equity and largescale investment firms will inevitably prioritize shareholder returns over the affordability, reliability, and environmental well-being of our communities. We have seen time and again that when essential services are treated as investment assets, the incentive structure shifts toward aggressive cost-cutting and rate increases that place a disproportionate burden on working families. BlackRock and EQT Infrastructure operate on investment timelines that are fundamentally misaligned with the decades-long capital stewardship that electric utility infrastructure demands. Michigan's Upper Peninsula Power Company saw four successive rate increases following its acquisition by private equity in 2014, illustrating precisely this dynamic. A Minnesota administrative law judge cited this deal as grounds to reject a nearly identical proposal by Global Infrastructure Partners, the same BlackRock affiliate seeking to acquire AES Indiana.
Furthermore, I am deeply alarmed by the potential for this acquisition to be driven by the surging demand for energy to power artificial intelligence and data centers. There is a profound risk that the massive costs associated with grid upgrades to support these facilities will be passed on to residential ratepayers, rather than the corporations driving the demand.
Additionally, I am concerned that the pressure to meet the rapidly growing energy requirements of these data centers will lead to an over-reliance on older, dirtier power generation, exacerbating air pollution and degrading the quality of life for communities already burdened by industrial emissions. This is not a hypothetical concern: Indiana already relies heavily on fossil fuel generation, and the communities in my district have long lived with the health consequences of that reality.
I urge the Commission to conduct the most rigorous and transparent review possible of this acquisition. Specifically, I request that the Commission:
  • Scrutinize the impact on long-term rate affordability: Ensure that the "public interest" standard under the Federal Power Act is rigorously applied to protect consumers from potential future rate hikes, and that residential ratepayers are not forced to subsidize the infrastructure demands of massive data center developments.
  • Evaluate the negative impacts of private ownership on residents: Examine whether the long-term capital requirements of essential utility infrastructure and the imperative to transition toward cleaner energy can be reliably met by firms with investment cycles shorter than the operational life of these assets.
  • Assess environmental and community health impacts: Thoroughly investigate how this change in ownership might alter generation priorities, specifically ensuring that the drive for rapid power expansion does not lead to increased air pollution and negative health outcomes for residents.
  • Prioritize public transparency: Maintain an open and accessible record for public comment, ensuring that the voices of the ratepayers who are most affected by this transaction are fully considered before any regulatory approval is granted.

My constituents rely on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to protect their interests and serve as a check against corporate, for-profit interests that would sacrifice their economic security and environmental well-being. I ask that you hold this transaction to the highest standard of accountability and condition or deny approval if the record fails to demonstrate that this transaction affirmatively serves the public interest-not merely avoids obvious harm to it.

Thank you for your time and your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Congressman André Carson

###
André Carson published this content on July 01, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 01, 2026 at 17:28 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]