Entergy Louisiana and Meta announced a landmark new agreement Friday that would add seven natural gas power plants, up to 2,500 megawatts of solar capacity, and approximately 240 miles of new high-voltage transmission lines to Louisiana’s power grid — all paid for by Meta — as part of a sweeping expansion of the technology giant’s hyperscale data center campus in Richland Parish.
The announcement, made March 27, represents a dramatic scaling of Meta’s already-historic commitment to Northeast Louisiana and positions the state as one of the nation’s most significant hubs for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Combined with a prior agreement announced in late 2025, the two deals are expected to deliver approximately $2.65 billion in total benefits to Entergy Louisiana customers over the life of the agreements — with Meta paying its full cost of service rather than shifting those costs to other ratepayers.
The Scale of the Buildout
The seven new combined-cycle natural gas plants alone will total more than 5,200 megawatts of generating capacity — roughly five times the average daily power consumption of the entire city of New Orleans. Combined with the three plants already approved under a prior agreement, Meta’s data center campus will ultimately be served by ten power plants with a total capacity of approximately 7,500 megawatts — a more than 30% increase to Louisiana’s entire existing grid capacity.
In addition, Meta agreed to fund up to 2,500 megawatts of additional solar generation and battery storage, along with approximately 240 miles of new 500-kilovolt transmission lines connecting South Louisiana to North Louisiana and Arkansas. The full buildout is expected to cost approximately $11 billion.
Customer Benefits
Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said the agreement was structured to protect existing customers from bearing Meta’s infrastructure costs.
“This agreement reflects what’s possible when strong partners align around long-term growth and value,” May said. “We are making targeted investments that strengthen reliability, support economic development, and deliver meaningful benefits to customers — all while keeping energy rates affordable.”
Under the terms of both agreements, the combined $2.65 billion in projected customer savings include reductions in storm recovery charges — estimated to lower customer storm bills by an average of approximately 10% — and reductions in the bill impact of broader grid resilience upgrades. Over the prior 15-year agreement, Meta’s contributions toward Entergy’s system costs are projected to save customers approximately $650 million. The new agreement adds an additional $2 billion in savings over 20 years.
Meta Vice President for Data Centers Rachel Peterson said the Richland Parish campus reflects the scale of the company’s AI ambitions. “We are building foundations for the future of AI innovation right here in the United States,” Peterson said. “We’ve been working closely with Entergy since early on-site planning to ensure our power needs are met and, importantly, so that Entergy’s other consumers aren’t paying our costs.”
Amazon Also Building Near Shreveport
The Meta agreement is not the only major data center investment reshaping Northwest Louisiana’s energy landscape. Amazon has announced plans to invest $12 billion in data center campuses near Shreveport, further cementing the region’s emergence as a technology and AI infrastructure hub.
Regulatory Path
The new seven-plant agreement will be the first project submitted under the Louisiana Public Service Commission’s newly adopted Lightning Amendment, a framework designed to fast-track large-scale economic development projects through regulatory review within eight months. The Louisiana Public Service Commission must still approve the new plants.
The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs from 2026 to 2031, along with permanent roles in engineering, maintenance and support services, and increased tax revenues for schools, public safety and infrastructure across the region.
Entergy’s stock jumped 7% on Friday following the announcement, lifting its market capitalization to a record high of approximately $50 billion.