Why Regulated Electricity Markets Attract Big Business—and Big Investment
Big news out of Louisiana: Hyundai has announced plans to build a $5 billion steel plant in the state. One key reason cited for the move stands out: Louisiana’s low-cost natural gas and electricity.
This isn’t a fluke—it’s part of a broader trend.
Many Southern states operate in regulated electricity markets, where utilities provide reliable power at stable, state-approved rates. In contrast to volatile, market-based electricity pricing seen elsewhere, these regulated environments offer predictability and affordability. And that’s exactly what energy-intensive industries like steel production—and increasingly, data centers powering AI and cloud infrastructure—are looking for.
In short: Reliable, affordable energy isn’t just good policy. It’s an economic development strategy.
When global companies choose to build in states with regulated utilities, it means billions in investment, thousands of jobs, and millions in tax revenues flowing into local communities. These projects don’t just happen—they go where the conditions are right.
Regulated utilities = economic growth. It’s a formula that’s working—and one more states may want to pay attention to.