Meta, together with Louisiana Economic Development (LED), is planning its biggest-ever data center in Richland Parish, northeast Louisiana.
The $10 billion, AI-focused facility will occupy four million square feet on 2,250 acres. Construction is expected to start this month and to take until 2030.
“Richland Parish in Louisiana is an outstanding location for Meta to call home for a number of reasons,” said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy at Meta.
“It provides great access to infrastructure, a reliable grid, a business-friendly climate, and wonderful community partners that have helped us move this project forward.”
Joining more than 20 Meta data centers around the world, the Richland Parish Data Center will be optimized for Meta’s AI workloads.
Half the power will come from power plants, although Meta has pledged to match its electricity use with 100% clean and renewable energy. The tech giant will be working with supplier Entergy to bring at least 1,500 MW of new renewable energy to the grid through its Geaux Zero program.
“This partnership underscores Entergy Louisiana’s commitment to powering progress and driving innovation,” Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said.
Similarly, Meta said the data center will restore more water than it consumes through investment in water restoration projects in Louisiana. Overall, the company says it has the global goal to be water positive by 2030.
Meta projects that the data center will support at least 500 direct new jobs locally, while LED estimates the project will generate more than 1,000 indirect roles, along with 5,000 jobs at the peak of construction.
“Today, Louisiana begins a new chapter. Today, we are delivering new jobs and economic growth on a scale unimaginable before we took office,” Governor Jeff Landry said.
“Meta’s investment establishes the region as an anchor in Louisiana’s rapidly expanding tech sector, revitalizes one of our state’s beautiful rural areas, and creates opportunities for Louisiana workers to fill high-paying jobs of the future.”
The tech giant also committed to invest more than $200 million in local infrastructure improvements, including roads and water systems, and will partner with local schools and organizations to advance STEM education and digital skills.
“Louisiana has been actively positioning itself as a hub for AI innovation, with plans to support startups, grow a skilled workforce, and shape forward-thinking policy,” said LED secretary Susan B. Bourgeois.
“Meta’s historic investment is just the beginning of a bold strategy to drive economic growth through AI, expand and diversify the state’s tech sector, and prove to the world that when Louisiana says that we are ready to compete on the global stage, we mean business.”
Meta has 23 data centers either operational or under construction right now, and this year alone saw facilities announced in Indiana, South Carolina, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Alabama.
