The Powering Louisiana Forum (“PLF”) has distributed a White Paper titled:
Perspectives on How Louisiana Can Lead in a New Energy Era (“White Paper”).
PLF is described as a conference which:
… brought together industry, government, and public-sector stakeholders to chart a shared strategy for Louisiana to lead in an "all of the above" energy future.
PLF was hosted by the Southeastern Wind Coalition and GNO, Inc. at the Louisiana State University Energy Institute.
Attendees at the PLF April event included:
- Utilities.
- Grid operators.
- Renewable and emerging-technology developers.
- Industrial energy buyers.
- State agencies.
- Academics.
- Legal and policy experts.
- Ratepayer and community advocates.
The White Paper initially notes that Louisiana:
... faces a surge of electricity demand that is unprecedented in modern times.
Cited as driving this demand are data centers and industrial manufacturers. Further, industry is stated to desire access to power on timelines faster than the certification, and interconnection processes the state relies on.
The White Paper concludes that addressing this demand will necessitate “a new level of coordination among parties that answer to different authorities and prioritize different outcomes.”
Challenge areas discussed in the White Paper include:
- Build generation at scale and speed.
- Embrace a mix of technologies.
- Treat the grid as strategic infrastructure.
- Protect affordability as deployment scales.
- Earn local buy-in through transparent engagement.
- Improve coordination among parties.
- Examine new approaches to regulation and planning.
Each of these questions are addressed in some detail in the White Paper.
A copy of the White Paper can be found here.
The Between the Lines blog is made available by Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. and the law firm publisher. The blog site is for educational purposes only, as well as to give general information and a general understanding of the law. This blog is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Use of this blog site does not create an attorney client relationship between you and Mitchell Williams or the blog site publisher. The Between the Lines blog site should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.