Meta will be building a new data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, as part of a $10 billion investment in the region. The development will be the company’s largest data center, spanning over 4 million square feet, and located on a 2,250-acre farm. The project, which is expected to be completed by 2030, will play a significant role in advancing Meta’s artificial intelligence capabilities.
“We are excited to announce that Richland Parish, Louisiana, will be home to Meta’s newest data center — our 23rd data center in the United States and 27th in the world,” Meta said in a Facebook post. “This custom-designed four million-square-foot campus will be our largest data center to date. It will play a vital role in accelerating our AI progress.”
Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, emphasized the significance of the facility, noting that the center will be used to train Meta’s Llama AI models and will operate with more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of power when fully built. The new data center will not only help meet the growing demand for AI processing power but also bring economic benefits to the region.
The project is expected to create thousands of construction and long-term jobs, providing a much-needed economic boost to the area. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry praised the development, saying, “Today, Louisiana begins a new chapter. Today, we are delivering new jobs and economic growth on a scale unimaginable before we took office. 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 Louisiana data center project, known under the working name “Project Sucre,” will be powered by renewable energy, as part of Meta’s commitment to run its operations on 100% clean energy. The company is partnering with Entergy, the local utility provider, to bring at least 1.5GW of new renewable energy to the state through Entergy’s Geaux Zero program. Meta had previously signed a power purchase agreement with RWE to support the development of a 100MW solar farm in Louisiana, which is set to come online in 2025.
Speaking on the location, Kevin Janda, Meta’s Director of Data Center Strategy said, “Meta is building the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. And this data center will be an important part of that mission. Richland Parish in Louisiana is an outstanding location for Meta to call home for a number of reasons. 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.”
To support the new data center, Entergy Louisiana is also investing in new power generation and transmission infrastructure. This includes the construction of three combined-cycle combustion turbines with a combined capacity of 2,260MW, as well as new substations and transmission lines. These upgrades are designed to ensure a reliable and sustainable power supply for the data center when it comes online. Pending regulatory approval, the new generation capacity is expected to be operational by 2028-The Louisiana data center is part of Meta’s broader expansion of its infrastructure across the United States. The company has recently announced new facilities in South Carolina, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Alabama, and launched a campus in Gallatin, Tennessee. Additionally, Meta has been linked to but not yet confirmed projects in Davenport, Iowa, and Indianapolis, Indiana.
As Meta continues to invest heavily in data centers to support its growing AI operations, the Louisiana facility marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to both technological innovation and sustainability, while providing a boost to the local economy.
