$27B Meta Data Center Pushes Louisiana Toward Massive Power Expansion
Turner‑DPR‑Mortenson team builds out Richland Parish campus as Entergy proposes 7.5‑GW generation and transmission expansion statewide
Meta Platforms’ planned Richland Parish, La., data‑center campus is a 4‑million‑sq‑ft, multi‑building facility that could ultimately scale to 5 GW of power demand and become the company’s largest data center to date.
Meta Platforms has reached an agreement with Entergy Louisiana to fund new energy infrastructure to support its planned $27-billion data center in Richland Parish, a project the company says could ultimately scale to 5 GW, becoming its largest facility to date. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described the site as large enough to cover a significant portion of Manhattan.
Under the agreement, Meta will finance seven new natural‑gas power plants totaling more than 5.2 GW, along with roughly 240 miles of 500‑kV transmission lines and battery storage across multiple locations, according to Entergy. The company also committed to helping fund up to 2.5 GW of new renewable resources and signed a memorandum of understanding to explore future nuclear development.
The seven new gas units still require approval from the Louisiana Public Service Commission.
Meta has selected a joint team of Turner Construction, DPR Construction and Mortenson to build the 4‑million‑sq‑ft Hyperion data‑center campus in the parish. According to DPR, the project includes a multi‑building program featuring one network data center, four support structures and extensive modular electrical and mechanical systems, with peak onsite employment expected to exceed 5,000 workers. Meta says early site work is underway on campus and that the project will also require significant local infrastructure upgrades, including road, water and utility improvements.
Including three gas plants previously approved by state regulators and already under construction, the project would ultimately draw power from 10 gas‑fired units with a combined 7.5‑GW capacity—an increase equivalent to more than 30% of Louisiana’s current grid, Fortune reported. Entergy said the deal is structured so Meta pays its full cost of service and would deliver about $2 billion in customer savings over 20 years, in addition to $650 million in previously announced benefits.
Even so, the Wall Street Journal reported that the project has raised concerns about financial risk to Louisiana electricity customers if Meta’s long‑term power demand falls. Those worries reflect a broader national debate, as rapid data‑center growth has strained grids and contributed to rising electricity costs. In response, major tech companies—including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, Oracle, OpenAI and xAI—pledged at a White House event earlier this month to fund their data‑center power needs and invest in local grid upgrades. Analysts told the Journal the commitments lacked detail and enforcement mechanisms, raising questions about how quickly they would ease local pressures.
On the same day last year that Louisiana regulators approved the original power plan, Meta reached a deal with Blue Owl Capital that gave the private‑equity firm majority ownership of the Hyperion facility and converted the tech firm into a tenant with the option to exit its lease every four years. Fortune noted that the 10 gas‑fired units carry 15‑year contracts but have operational lifespans of up to 40 years, potentially leaving ratepayers responsible for remaining costs if Meta’s demand drops after the contracts expire.
Looking for quick answers on construction and engineering topics?
Try Ask ENR, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask ENR →
