Roundup: Space Force academy / Louisiana Innovation / Data center power

Louisiana enters race: Louisiana is seeking to become the home of a new national academy for the U.S. Space Force after President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for its creation and NASA opened the application process to states. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration and regional economic development group GNO Inc. are working together on Louisiana’s bid. The potential academy would add to Louisiana’s growing space industry presence, following SpaceX’s planned Starbase Louisiana facility in Vermilion Parish. WBRZ has the full story.

$15M investment: Louisiana Innovation, a division of LED, has secured $1.5 million annually for five years from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to expand Louisiana Innovation Labs, with matching contributions bringing the total investment to more than $15 million. The program will connect small and medium-sized manufacturers with advanced technologies including AI, robotics, automation, advanced materials and biotechnology. The initiative will focus on key industries such as energy, agribusiness, aerospace and defense, life sciences, and logistics. 

Cleco to get faster review: State regulators have agreed to speed up their review of Cleco Power’s proposal to supply electricity to Applied Digital’s $3.6 billion AI data center in Rapides Parish. The project could reach roughly 430 megawatts by 2028, making it the largest single customer load in Cleco’s history. The Louisiana Public Service Commission’s expedited process does not approve the proposal, and regulators will still hold an evidentiary hearing before deciding whether the investments and contracts should move forward. The Center Square has the full story.