Adds Blackrock-AES, LS Power-Constellation, Stonepeak-Cleco and NextEra-Dominion
May 18 (Reuters) - NextEra Energy's NEE.N $66.8 billion deal to buy Dominion Energy D.N is extending a utility dealmaking wave from 2025 into 2026, as power companies race to secure generation and transmission assets needed to meet surging electricity demand.
The purchase, one of the biggest utility deals in years, underscores how these companies are pursuing scale, regulated assets and access to fast-growing power markets while raising capital to fund record spending on grid upgrades, renewables and new generation capacity.
U.S. power consumption, which hit a second straight annual record high in 2025, is expected to rise further in 2026 and 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as demand from artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency data centers accelerates and homes and businesses use more electricity for heating and transportation.
Here are some of the biggest mergers, acquisitions and asset sales in the U.S. utility and power sector:
Company
Deal Description
Deal Value
Expected Closing Date
NextEra Energy
Acquiring Dominion Energy
$66.8 billion
12 to 18 months
Stonepeak and Bernhardd Capital
Acquiring Louisiana electricity supplier Cleco Group from a consortium that includes Macquarie Asset Management
Not disclosed
Not disclosed
LS Power
Buying a portfolio of PJM generation assets from Constellation Energy as part of regulatory commitments tied to its Calpine acquisition
$5 billion
Later in 2026
BlackRock, EQT
Buying U.S. power company AES Corp in an all-cash deal
$33.4 billion
Late 2026 or early 2027
NextEra Energy
Buying Symmetry Energy Solutions from Energy Capital Partners
Not Disclosed
First quarter of 2026
Black Hills
Acquiring NorthWestern Energy in an all-stock deal
$3.6 billion
12 to 15 months
Constellation Energy
Acquiring Calpine, a private natural gas and geothermal company
$16 billion
Late 2025
NRG Energy
Buying power generation assets from LS Power
$12 billion
First quarter of 2026
NRG Energy
Acquired 738 MW natural gas assets from Rockland Capital
$560 million
Closed in April
TXNM Energy
To be acquired by Blackstone Infrastructure unit
$11.5 billion
Second half of 2026
Vistra
Acquiring seven natural gas plants from Lotus Infrastructure Partners
$1.9 billion
Late 2025 or early 2026
American Electric Power
Selling 20% stake in transmission network to KKR and PSP Investments
$2.82 billion
Second half of 2025
Sempra
Selling energy infrastructure assets in Mexico and minority stake in Sempra Infrastructure
Not disclosed
Mid-2026
Eversource Energy
Selling public water supply unit
$2.4 billion
Late 2025
National Grid
Selling U.S. onshore renewables business to Brookfield Asset Management
$1.74 billion
First half of the financial year to March 31, 2026
Ares Management
Selling 774 MW natural gas plant in Virginia to Blackstone
About $1 billion
Not disclosed
Partners Group
Buying energy asset management platform and gas-fired plants in California from Avenue Capital Group
$2.2 billion
Not disclosed
AES Corp
Selling 30% equity interest in Ohio subsidiary to CDPQ
$546 million
First half of 2025
(Reporting by Vallari Srivastava, Pooja Menon, Katha Kalia, Arunima Kumar, Sumit Saha and Dharna Bafna in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Maju Samuel)
((Srivastava.Vallari@thomsonreuters.com;))