Consumer groups in Indiana are fighting BlackRock’s planned takeover of AES, the parent company of AES Indiana, citing concerns over potential higher electric bills for the company’s roughly 500,000 customers.
Complaint Filed with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The Citizens Action Coalition and several other groups filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, arguing that the deal could break federal law. Kerwin Olson, Executive Director of the Citizens Action Coalition, stated that BlackRock’s goal is to make money, which could lead to higher electric bills for customers.
AES announced in March that a group of investors led by BlackRock agreed to buy the company. If the deal goes through, BlackRock would become the majority owner. The proposal has also raised concerns among Indiana leaders, including Sen. Todd Young, who expressed willingness to work with federal regulators if needed.
The debate comes as Indiana sees a boom in proposed AI data centers, which use large amounts of electricity. At least 17 counties have paused new projects while studying the impact on power demand, land use, and costs. Gov. Mike Braun recently joined 22 other Republican governors in supporting President Trump’s plan to require data center companies to pay the full cost of the electricity they use.
Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.
