Story perspectives

Meta Expands Louisiana Data Center to 5 GW, $50 B Investment

7/14/2026

Summary

Meta Expands

Meta Platforms announced on July 13, 2026 that its Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana will expand to 5 GW, raising investment to over $50 billion.
Meta has awarded more than $1.6 billion in contracts since December 2024.
Meta will spend over $1 billion on local roads, water and wastewater upgrades and give teachers $50,000 annual bonuses.
Meta will cover all energy and water costs, saving Entergy Louisiana customers more than $2 billion over 20 years.

Summary

Landry Shields Ratepayers

Gov. Jeff Landry signed an order for Louisiana Economic Development to set criteria protecting ratepayers from data-center costs.
Independent water researchers warned the project may use 500-600 million gallons per year—three times Meta’s most water-intensive facility—and lacks oversight.
Local residents said the massive water and power demand might strain community resources despite Meta’s sustainability claim.
Congresswoman Julia Letlow called the $50 billion expansion “transformative” and voiced optimism for the Delta region’s future.

History

Historical Context

Google’s The Dalles, Oregon data center later faced a 2022 public-records lawsuit that ended its water-use secrecy, underscoring growing scrutiny. A 2021 study reported U.S. data centers consume roughly 1.7 billion liters of water daily, a backdrop for Louisiana state-level officials’ concerns over Meta’s Hyperion major ongoing expansion in Richland Parish.

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Meta Expands

Meta Platforms announced on July 13, 2026 that its Hyperion data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana will expand to 5 GW, raising investment to over $50 billion.
Meta has awarded more than $1.6 billion in contracts since December 2024.
Meta will spend over $1 billion on local roads, water and wastewater upgrades and give teachers $50,000 annual bonuses.
Meta will cover all energy and water costs, saving Entergy Louisiana customers more than $2 billion over 20 years.

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