Meta triples gas power plant order for Louisiana AI campus

Meta has tripled its order of gas-fired power plants for the Hyperion AI data center complex in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The new deal with Entergy covers ten gas plants delivering 7.5 gigawatts of capacity, a more than 30 percent increase to Louisiana's entire grid.

The price tag is 11 billion dollars. Meta claims the company covers all costs, ensuring existing utility customers are not burdened. An additional 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy will supplement the facility.

The expansion highlights the enormous energy demands of AI training and inference. In Oregon, an early data center hub thanks to cheap hydropower, electricity rates have risen 50 percent over the past five years. Critics point out that fossil gas plants exacerbate climate challenges, while Meta argues the capacity is necessary to meet AI demand.

The case raises important questions for CIOs about sustainability in AI infrastructure and the trade-offs between performance and environmental responsibility.