Meta plans to build $15 billion AI data center in Louisiana

Meta is planning to build its largest AI data center in Louisiana on a 4 million square foot site in Richland, Louisiana. The state of Louisiana says the project will be the 'largest private capital investment in Louisiana history,' and is expected to cost $10 billion.

Landry Announces Meta Selects North Louisiana as Site of $10 Billion Artificial Intelligence Optimized Data Center | Office of Governor Jeff Landry

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Meta selects Entergy, Northeast Louisiana as site of $10B data center

Meta to Invest More than $10 Billion in Louisiana Data Center Campus | Insights | Turner Construction Company
https://www.turnerconstruction.com/insights/meta-to-invest-more-than-10-billion-in-louisiana-data-center-campus

The Richland County Data Center, which Meta plans to build, is designed to process huge amounts of data to support digital technologies, including AI workloads, and is expected to cost $10 billion to build and create more than 500 jobs when completed in 2030. Meta is also investing $200 million (about 30 billion yen) to improve local infrastructure.

Turner Construction , DPR Construction and M.A. Mortenson are building the data center, which is expected to employ more than 5,000 workers at peak times and will use locally sourced construction materials.

The Richland County data center is contracted to be powered by Entergy, a utility company, with 100% clean renewable energy, and the grid is expected to include 1,500MW of renewable energy.

'Meta's investment will establish Richland Parish, one of Louisiana's beautiful rural areas, as a core region of Louisiana's rapidly expanding high-tech sector, creating opportunities for Louisiana workers to get high-paying jobs of the future,' said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. He thanked the state legislature for passing a tax reform bill to attract data center plans, saying, 'Louisiana is entering a new era.'

Incidentally, AI data centers consume so much power that Meta plans to build 1GW to 4GW of new nuclear power plants in the 2030s and is seeking partners.

Accelerating the Next Wave of Nuclear to Power AI Innovation - Meta Sustainability
https://sustainability.atmeta.com/blog/2024/12/03/accelerating-the-next-wave-of-nuclear-to-power-ai-innovation/