- Meta’s $10B data centre in Louisiana will be powered by three new gas plants, generating 2.25 GW and expanding further.
- The decision faces criticism from industry groups, climate advocates, and some regulators over emissions and possible ratepayer costs.
- The reliance on gas complicates Meta’s pledge to reach net zero by 2030, forcing it to buy carbon offsets for decades to come.
Meta’s decision to power its $10 billion Louisiana data centre with three new natural gas plants has polarised residents and climate advocates.
State regulators gave final approval this week for Entergy to build power stations supplying up to 2.25 gigawatts by 2029 to run what is projected to become Meta’s largest and most energy-hungry AI hub.
The site’s eventual power draw could climb to 5 gigawatts as the facility expands.
The deal is controversial on several fronts. Industry groups—composed of major corporations like Dow, Chevron, and ExxonMobil—have protested that Meta and Entergy are poised to receive preferential treatment, particularly for the solar component of the project.
There’s also worry among regulators that Louisiana ratepayers could be saddled with the long-term costs.
Although Meta’s contract runs for 15 years, natural gas plants typically outlive such deals, and pricey overruns or a $550 million transmission line may further burden utility customers.
While Meta has amped up its renewable power purchases—including a new 100-megawatt solar deal this week—the approval of gas-fired plants contradicts the company’s stated goal of net zero emissions by 2030.
To make progress on its climate commitments, Meta will likely have to ramp up its investments in carbon removal projects to offset decades of locked-in pollution from the new power plants.
Edited by Annette George
