BATON ROUGE, La. – Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order June 25 directing Louisiana Economic Development to develop the Louisiana Ratepayer and Community Protection Initiative, which the administration says is intended to guide future large-load industrial investments while protecting ratepayers and supporting workforce and community development.
Demand for artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure is driving unprecedented growth in large-scale power projects across the country. Louisiana’s energy resources, industrial footprint and strategic infrastructure position the state to compete for these investments while seeking to expand their economic benefits statewide.
“President Trump has challenged states to help power America’s economic future, and Louisiana is leading the way. This initiative ensures we remain competitive for transformational investments while protecting our families, communities and businesses. We are proving that smart growth and economic leadership are not competing priorities, but they are the keys to Louisiana’s lasting success,” said Gov. Jeff Landry.
The Executive Order directs Louisiana Economic Development (LED) to establish a Ratepayer and Community Protection Framework as a condition of participation in the state’s Data Center Sales and Use Tax Exemption.
Landry: Framework Sets Project Expectations
According to the executive order, the framework is expected to establish standards related to:
- Protecting Louisiana ratepayers
- Investing in grid resiliency and long-term reliability
- Supporting Louisiana communities and workforce development
- Contributing meaningfully to local tax bases
- Operating responsibly with Louisiana’s natural resources
- Advancing community investment
- Strengthening Louisiana’s innovation economy
- Maintaining transparency and accountability
As a condition of participation, companies will be required to submit detailed attestations to LED outlining how they will meet these standards.
“Louisiana’s opportunity is not simply to attract these investments, but to maximize the value they create for our people and communities. This initiative ensures Louisiana is defining the terms of that opportunity from the outset, not only building on our current momentum but also creating a stronger economy for generations to come,” said Susan B. Bourgeois, secretary of Louisiana Economic Development.
According to the governor Landry’s office, Louisiana is seeking to establish requirements for energy-intensive projects before they are approved rather than addressing potential impacts after development begins.
The initiative advances the state’s Whole-of-Louisiana approach by directing LED to coordinate with state agencies, higher education institutions, workforce partners, local governments and other stakeholders in developing the framework, with proposed criteria and an implementation plan due to the governor within 90 days.
