New Report Details “All of the Above” Energy Strategy to Meet Louisiana’s Growing Demand
The Powering Louisiana Forum White Paper provides insights on how Louisiana can meet growing demand through a diversified energy portfolio.
For Immediate Release: October 12, 2026
Media Contact: Lauren McKinnis, laurenm@sewind.org
Baton Rouge, LA - This week, Powering Louisiana, Southeastern Wind Coalition (SEWC), Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.), and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center released the Powering Louisiana Forum White Paper. At a time of unprecedented load growth coming to Louisiana, the paper provides insights about how the state can navigate the complex "trilemma" of maintaining affordability, ensuring grid reliability, and securing economic growth.
Download the paper: Powering Louisiana Forum White Paper | Kathleen Blanco Policy Center 2026
Register for the webinar on October 29, where forum participants will discuss the white paper: Powering Louisiana White Paper Webinar
The publication summarizes a convening of energy stakeholders who met in April 2026 for a candid conversation about how Louisiana can capture the gains of new load growth while minimizing risks. The event brought together utilities, grid operators, developers, industrial energy buyers, state agencies, academics, policy experts, and ratepayer and community advocates.
“Louisiana's competitiveness depends on scaling sustainable fuels, decarbonizing our industries, and bringing reliable clean power online. This forum and the resulting White Paper brought together players from across our energy ecosystem and built the collaboration we need to get there," said Salem Habte, Director of Business Development and Innovation at Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Participants discussed that relying primarily on natural gas creates volatility in electricity bills, and an “all of the above” energy approach can protect affordability, meet load growth quickly, and create a more resilient electrical grid. Another key finding is the importance of treating the grid as strategic infrastructure. As industrial buyers prioritize power availability when selecting locations, proactive transmission planning and investments in advanced grid technologies should be treated as essential economic infrastructure.
“Wind energy, in combination with natural gas, nuclear, solar, and other technologies, can create a resilient energy grid that maximizes the benefits and minimizes the risks of each of these technologies. Our systems are strongest when we have a diversity of options available at any given moment,” said Madelyn Smith, Senior Program Manager at Southeastern Wind Coalition.
“The Powering Louisiana Forum brought together leaders from across the energy, economic development and policy communities for an important conversation about how Louisiana meets unprecedented growth in electricity demand,” said Jeff Arnold, Powering Louisiana State Director. “The message was clear - economic development demands energy development. Louisiana needs a true all-of-the-above strategy that brings new generation online at scale and speed, while strengthening our grid, protecting affordability and maintaining reliability. This white paper captures that conversation and provides a roadmap for turning Louisiana’s tremendous economic opportunity into long-term growth.”
The challenge areas explored by forum participants include:
Building generation at scale and speed
Embracing a diverse mix of technologies
Treating the grid as strategic infrastructure
Protecting affordability as deployment scales
Earning local buy-in through transparent engagement
Improving coordination among stakeholders
Examining new approaches to regulation and planning
To learn more about the white paper’s findings, register for the webinar on October 29, where forum participants will discuss the white paper; visit Powering Louisiana.
About Powering Louisiana: Powering Louisiana serves people from all walks of life by advocating for affordable power and a more resilient grid. We believe reliable electricity is foundational to families’ well-being and to local economies. We work to strengthen the grid so outages are shorter and less frequent. Our goal is to empower every neighborhood and every parish with access to dependable power, reduce energy burdens, and build grid resilience against rising energy costs and extreme weather. Powering Louisiana is a project of the Southern Renewable Energy Association
About the Southeastern Wind Coalition: The Southeastern Wind Coalition is a 501(c)(3), nonpartisan organization that works to advance the land-based and offshore wind industry in the Southeast. We focus on providing fact-based information on the economic and environmental opportunities of wind energy and encourage solutions that result in net economic benefits to residents and ratepayers.
About Greater New Orleans, Inc: GNO, Inc. is the regional economic development organization for Southeast Louisiana. GNO, Inc.’s mission is to create a Greater New Orleans with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, for everyone. More information can be found at www.gnoinc.org.
About The Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center: The Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette serves as a hub for nonpartisan, interdisciplinary research and education on critical policy issues in Louisiana and beyond. The center honors Governor Blanco's legacy by addressing key challenges facing the region, including education, poverty and economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, health and healthcare, the energy system, and the coast and environment. In collaboration with policymakers, community leaders, and academics, the center provides evidence-based research to empower informed solutions to Louisiana's policy challenges.
