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Finally Friday!
February 20, 2026
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The America First Energy Project here to bring you our perspective and matters we know are important for the community, decision makers, and economy of a strong, energy-independent state.
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Major Tech Investment Heads to North Louisiana as Energy Strategy Takes Center Stage
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North Louisiana is once again at the center of major economic development news, as Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois announce multiple large-scale data center projects in the Shreveport-Bossier region. In a story from the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, North Louisiana is once again at the center of major economic development news, as Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois prepare to announce multiple large-scale data center projects in the Shreveport-Bossier region. The proposed investments spanning west Shreveport, rural Caddo Parish near Blanchard, and north Bossier Parish signal growing national confidence in Louisiana as a destination for hyperscale digital infrastructure. With global players like STACK Infrastructure involved, and engineering firm Bohler leading site development efforts, the state is clearly competing for high value, technology driven projects that bring construction jobs, long term tax base growth, and strategic relevance in the AI and cloud computing economy.
The excitement is understandable. Hyperscale data centers often supporting companies like Meta Platforms, Google, and Microsoft represent billions in capital investment and position regions as digital economy hubs. Incentive term sheets have reportedly been signed across multiple Caddo and Bossier sites, demonstrating aggressive efforts to secure these opportunities. Louisiana has already seen the scale of such investment through Meta’s massive project in Richland Parish, underscoring that this wave of development is real and transformative.
But alongside opportunity comes complexity. Legal challenges, nondisclosure agreements, environmental concerns over water withdrawals from Caddo Lake, and local government debates illustrate the hurdles that accompany projects of this magnitude. The most pressing challenge, however, is power. Data centers require enormous and reliable electricity supply, often hundreds of megawatts and the state must ensure that meeting this demand does not shift costs onto residential ratepayers. Protecting families and small businesses from utility rate increases must remain a top priority for Louisiana’s economic development leadership.
At the forefront of the state’s strategy should be one central question: how do we power this growth responsibly and affordably? Gas turbine manufacturers have publicly indicated backlogs stretching as long as seven years. If Louisiana expects these projects to move forward on competitive timelines, alternative energy solutions must be part of the equation. Solar represents the fastest and most cost-effective path to bring new generation online, and it can be deployed at scale far more quickly than traditional gas infrastructure. Wind and geothermal should also be evaluated as part of a diversified, forward-looking energy portfolio. If Louisiana wants to win the data center race without burdening its citizens, accelerating investment in renewable and alternative generation sources is not just an option, it’s a necessity.
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From the Road
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America First Energy Project Louisiana attended the Energy and Manufacturing Collider event at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette!
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In the past couple weeks, the AFE team was in St. Tammany, Caddo, and Lafayette Parishes!
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Where To Next
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We’ll be in back in Caddo, St. Tammany, Bossier, and Morehouse.
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Louisiana secures $25M for UL Lafayette workforce training, safety
– Think Geo
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The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will receive nearly $25 million in federal funding for four projects supporting semiconductor workforce training, infectious disease research, cybersecurity, and LNG safety. Approved in the FY2026 federal budget, the funding backs partnerships with federal agencies, private industry, and other universities.
The largest award funds an autonomous cyber defense initiative, while additional investments upgrade biosecurity labs and launch a semiconductor training center, strengthening Louisiana’s workforce and national security role.
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