Meta plans 7 new gas plants to power massive Louisiana data center

Meta has announced plans to finance seven new gas plants in Louisiana to support its Hyperion data center complex, which will expand the site's power generation capability to 5.2 gigawatts from ten gas plants in total, including three previously announced generators. The agreement, made with utility Entergy Louisiana, underscores the significant energy demands of artificial intelligence infrastructure and the expanding relationship between the tech industry and fossil fuel power. Rachel Peterson, Meta's vice president of data centers, stated that the Richland Parish data center symbolizes the ambition and scale of next-generation AI infrastructure. This development follows Meta's recent commitment, alongside six other major technology companies, to a White House-endorsed "ratepayer protection pledge," where companies agree to procure or generate their own data center power.